Elementary School (K-5)

And totally worth saving.  

Louise and Merwin are tiny sycamore seed siblings preparing to take flight from their mother's seed pouch when disaster strikes. The forest is on fire and creatures are fleeing the area. A stampede of dinosaurs knock over mama and her seed pouch bursts open. The two little seeds make their way into the terrifying world earlier than planned, sooner than they were prepared for, and without great prospects for finding a suitable place to put down roots.

Ana and Harwin are best friends. They thought the fun would last forever, brewing fairy tea, playing horse doctor, crafting, and jumping on a trampoline. Then Harwin tells Ana her family is moving away and the two friends aren't sure how their friendship will measure up going forward. Their ability to chart their friendship through timelines, bar graphs, and everything in between tells the story of how they maneuver through memories, feelings, the passing of time until the day Harwin leaves, and ultimately how they plan to stay in touch. 

It is summertime and hopefully you will get time outdoors to enjoy nature. The new book Wings, Waves, & Webs by Robin Mitchel Cranfield might inspire you go on a pattern hunt next time you are out.

Sandra Boynton needs no introduction for anyone with a toddler in their life, and I was very excited for the newest addition to the collection, this one a hardcover picture book instead of the classic board book, but still filled with the signature silly animals and great rhymes. 

Not since Mo Willems' pigeon had to go to school ("The unknown stresses me out, dude") have I felt so seen and understood by an animal in a picture book, but this story spoke to me from the opening page:

Old Mother Goose,
When she wanted to wander,
Would ride through the air,
On a very fine gander.

New Dada Geese,
When they want to wander,
Play around with old rhymes,
To make them goofy grander.

Milo está aburrida en la tienda de plantas de su abuela, deseando jugar con alguien. Cuando su abuela le sugiere que busque tesoros que no espera, Milo va a explorar con curiosidad. De repente, ¡una cola anaranjada con negro aparece entre las plantas... es un tigre! Milo le da el nombre de Niko a su nuevo amigo y juntos exploran la selva todo, buscando, navegando, y vigilando todo el día. Se divierten tanto que ni siquiera se dan cuenta cuando abuela cierra la tienda, y ella tiene que gritar, "Miloooooooooo."

"Hoarders. Scavengers. Clever foragers. Bringers of new life." 

This book opens with two kids drawn in graphite - one with teal highlights and one with yellow - arms crossed, facing away from each other, with text that defiantly states,

"i really don't care what you think of my hair or my eyes or my toes or my nose."

This picture book is based on a traditional Hawaiian story of an event that took place more than 700 years ago. The story of the healer stones of Kapaemahu has multiple versions and is a mix of history and legend. The picture book Kapaemahu is based on the earliest recorded version, written in Olelo Niihau and English.  

There are lots of ways to be strong. When Rob Kearney was a kid he was STRONG. He was able to lift heavy boxes and open jars with the tightest lids. He tried activities that tested his strength. His favorite sport was weightlifting and he felt mighty and powerful like a superhero!  In fact, he had dreams of becoming the strongest man in the world.