Picture Books
Heartbeat
Evan Turk
jE Turk
Picture Books
Separated from her mother, a young whale swims the oceans for decades until she finds a young girl who shares her vision of one planet for which all are responsible.
Once upon a jungle
Laura Knowles
jE Knowles
Picture Books, Nature, Animals
This rhyming text is an eye-catching and fun first look at the jungle as an ecosystem and the food chain found within. -Casey
Ocean meets sky
Terry Fan
jE Fan
Picture Books
"A little boy builds a ship to honor his late grandfather and sets sail for the magical place where ocean meets sky from his grandfather's stories"--
Now that I’ve taken this journey a few times, what really speaks to me is Finn’s growing understanding of what it means to remember those that we have loved. How we can bring those things they have taught us to the present while also saying goodbye. This is a visually and emotionally stunning piece from the Fan Brothers. -Casey
Hello Lighthouse
Sophie Blackall
jE Blackall
Picture Books, Historical Fiction, Nature, Kids
"Explores the life of one lighthouse as it beams its message out to sea through shifting seasons, changeable weather, and the tenure of its final keeper."--
All in all,"Hello Lighthouse" radiates as much warmth as light and will surely be pored over for its lustrous details and touching story. -Casey
The brilliant deep : rebuilding the world's coral reefs : the story of Ken Nedimyer and the Coral Restoration Foundation
Kate Messner
jE Messner
Picture Books, Biographies, Nature, Science
Looks at the life of the coral restoration pioneer Ken Nedimyer, from his early fascination with the ocean to his ongoing efforts to save and rebuild the world's coral reefs.
Kate Messner and Matthew Forsythe's new picture book biography about Ken Nedimyer is absolutely stunning. This is a perfect place to start learning about our rapidly changing oceans and the efforts being made to combat the bleaching of coral reefs. Parents and children will love this title, not only for it's beautiful artwork, but for the wealth of information and hope that it embodies. It's never too early or late to learn that individuals have the power to impact great change. -Casey
Prince & knight
Daniel Haack
jE Haack
Picture Books, LGBTQ+
A prince and a knight in shining armor find true love in each other's embrace after fighting a dragon together.
This spin on classic fairy tale tropes is delightful and a lovely way to show children that true love can come from anyone. -Casey
People don't bite people
Lisa Wheeler
jE Wheeler
Picture Books, Humor
Illustrations and rhyming text urge children to use their teeth for biting food, not their friends or relatives.
"Biting is for food!" a friendly and sometimes necessary reminder. -Casey
Hello hello
Brendan Wenzel
jE Wenzel
Picture Books, Nature
In simple text a set of animals, each one linked to the previous one by some trait of shape, color, or pattern, greet and interact with one another.
Field Guide/Animal Primer by Caldecott Honoree Brendan Wenzel-- -Casey
Monster trouble!
Lane Fredrickson
jE Fredrick
Picture Books
Although Winifred thinks the monsters who creep into her bedroom each night are cute, she cannot get any sleep and tries to scare them away.
I love everything about this book: a girl setting monster traps, playfully skippy rhyme scheme, and a twist ending. It has bedtime themes without forcing the "go to sleep" issue in your toddler's face, too. My 2yo son sits rapt each time we read it. Definitely recommend! -Melody
Teddy's favorite toy
Christian Trimmer
jE Trimmer
Picture Books
"Teddy's favorite toy has the best manners, and the sickest fighting skills, and the ability to pull off a number of fierce looks. But when his toy goes missing, it turns out there's another woman around who's pretty fierce--it's Teddy's mom, and she will stop at nothing to reunite Teddy with his favorite toy"--
Added by Casey
Heartbeat follows a whale calf, orphaned by the early commercial whaling industry, through two hundred years of human development. Evan Turk highlights the ways in which we have used these creatures to advance ourselves, and the shifting attitudes toward whales of more recent history with thoughtfulness. A unique and timely look at human history through the lens of the animals we impact, make sure to read Turk's author's note at the end for more information. -Casey