Published by Candlewick (Released May 26)

Summary:  Kelp forests, like any habitat, are home to a web of living creatures that keep the whole ecosystem in balance.  Otters do their part by eating the fish, shellfish, and sea urchins that live in these forests.  But a demand for the otters’ fur, beginning in the eighteenth century, reduced the otter population on the Pacific coast from between 150,00 and 300,000 to fewer than 2,000.  Without the otters, sea urchins flourished, eating the base of the kelp and eventually destroying the forests.  In 1911, laws were passed to stop the fur trade, and the otters slowly began to return.  As the otter population went up, the sea urchins’ went down, until balance was restored once again.  Includes additional information about kelp forests, sea otters, and people; a bibliography; and a list of additional resources.  32 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  Another book that shows the importance of maintaining the balance of an ecosystem, how humans often mess that up, and how laws and other regulations can help to restore it.  The text is simple enough for primary grades without being condescending, the watercolor illustrations of the kelp forest world are beautiful, and the sea otters are adorable.

Cons:  There’s a little too much anthropomorphized good-versus-evil in the world of the kelp forest, with the sea otters being described as “the kings of these forests” without any evidence to back that claim.  Meanwhile, the sea urchins, who were really just doing their thing, are portrayed as “an army”.  It doesn’t help that they look a bit like a well-known virus. 

     

Is there a resemblance, or am I just starting to see coronavirus everywhere?

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Published by Sleeping Bear Press

Summary:  In 1976, Canadian scientist Fred Urquhart published an article in National Geographic describing the migration of the monarch butterflies–answering a question that had puzzled scientists for decades.  But Dr. Urquhart didn’t solve this mystery by himself.  Citizen scientists all over the United States and Mexico helped by tagging butterflies and discovering the places where they spent the winter in Mexico.  Today, another mystery about the monarchs needs solving: how to keep these butterflies from dying out.  Pesticides have destroyed much of the milkwood they need to survive.  Readers are encouraged to become part of the solution to this problem, just as ordinary people did for Dr. Urquhart’s research.  Includes additional information and ideas for how to help monarchs.  40 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  This engagingly written science book shows readers how ordinary people can make real contributions to scientific research and help solve global problems.  The back matter gives concrete ways that kids can make a difference.

Cons:  No list of resources for additional research.

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Published by Kids Can Press

Summary:  A girl and her mother explore many different aspects of the ocean.  It can be shallow or deep; slimy or sandy; sparkly or dull. It can splash, crash, echo, squawk, or be silent. It appears and disappears with the tides.  She finds things that are pink, orange, grey, green, and red in and around the ocean, but mostly it is deep, endless blue. 32 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  This follow up to My Forest Is Green will make kids want to go to the beach and look closely at all that is in and around the ocean.  The collage illustrations are filled with great colors and textures that really capture the feel of the seashore.

Cons:  I turned the last page, eagerly expecting additional information and sources about the ocean…nothing.

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Published by Millbrook Press

Summary:  “On a drip-droppy, slip-sloppy, snow-melting day…squirrels cuddle.  Snakes huddle. Clouds break. Salamanders wake.” The rest of the text of this book takes this format, describing a type of spring day, then showing signs of spring with a subject/verb combination.  The photographs illustrate each phrase, portraying plants and animals in early spring. The final two pages give more information about each of the photos; there’s also a glossary and list of books for further reading.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This would be a great catalyst to start a conversation about looking for signs of spring.  The photos are sure to inspire kids to think of what they’ve noticed in their own neighborhoods.

Cons:  Like my other recent Millbrook Press review (Run, Sea Turtle, Run), this only comes in an expensive library-bound format: $23.88 on Amazon; $21.04 on Follet.

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Published by Millbrook Press

Summary:  A leatherback sea turtle tells of her journey from the time she hatches out of an egg until she reaches the water.  Close-up photos show the turtle and her siblings as they emerge from their nest and race for the water. A Google search tells me that only one in 1,000 baby turtles make it to the sea, but happily we are spared seeing what happens to this turtle’s brothers and sisters.  The last page shows a fully grown leatherback emerging from the waves: “Someday I will come back to this same beach. I will lay eggs of my own.” Includes a page of information on the sea turtle life cycle; how you can help sea turtles; a link to a YouTube video of Stephen Swinburne singing a song about sea turtles (which didn’t work, but I found it by searching on YouTube); and books and websites for additional research.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Preschoolers will love the photos of turtles and enjoy learning about them from the simple text.  The extra material at the end would make this a good research resource for primary grades.

Cons:  This book is only available with a library binding, which costs $27.99 on Amazon and $21.99 on Follett. 

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Published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Tall Pine, Spotted Beetle, and Hummingbird all think Old Rock must be bored, sitting in the same spot day after day.  But Old Rock has been around, and he has a lot more interesting stories to tell than his friends could have guessed. For instance, Hummingbird is not the only one who has flown.  When Old Rock erupted out of a volcano, he soared through the air into the world. He’s also seen dinosaurs, traveled in a glacier, and somersaulted down a mountain. Now he enjoys spending his days in the field, visited by his friends, who conclude that it’s a nice spot and that Old Rock is definitely not boring.  Includes a timeline of Old Rock’s adventures, going back 18 billion years. 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A delightful story that can be appreciated on many levels: geological history, intergenerational sharing, or simply enjoying the present moment.  

Cons:  Tall Pine hardly seems in a position to give Old Rock a hard time about staying in the same spot all the time.

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Published by HMH Books for Young Readers

Summary:  The first four two-page spreads each contain a single word: “Packs, herds, huddles, and pods.”  Each shows a group of animals: wolves, buffalo, penguins, and whales. The text continues, “Together, we are better.”  Then there are lengthier descriptions of how different animals work together. Ants collect and store leaves as a group: “Together, we harvest!”  Wildebeest migrate together for protection: “Together, we travel!” The last two pages show a big group of humans, enjoying the streets, parks, and restaurants of a city: “All together…we are better!”  Includes an author’s note about protecting animals of all species; a picture illustrating and identifying all the animals in the book; and a list of books for further reading. 48 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Kids will enjoy learning how animals work together and applying those lessons to their own groups, but the illustrations are what really make this book outstanding.  The first eight pages are especially spectacular. This is Hannah Salyer’s first picture book…hoping we will see many more.

Cons:  The theme of this book seemed a bit disjointed: it was about pack animals, but also seemed to be about humans working together, and then there was the author’s note about helping endangered animals.  All good things, but a single focus might have worked better.

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