(2) K-3 Illustrated by Dominique Ramsey. "Everyone starts small and then grows.” Scanlon gives readers and listeners a ­better understanding of the natural world through a lyrical exploration of how all its elements are interconnected. Everything is growing and doing well until Sun becomes “too hot,” which results in Tree overheating. Dry conditions caused by Sun eventually lead to Fire. The flames can only be cooled by Rain. As the temperature drops, Fire whispers, “I’m tired,” and “half the world, it seems, lies down to sleep.” While this dormant period may look like the end, Ramsey’s dynamic digital illustrations capture what’s still happening underneath Soil. Tree’s roots stretch down deeper into the dirt. Berry provides nutrients for Bug in a burrow, and seeds begin to germinate. Eventually, the resulting plants burst forth through the ground as small stalks, starting the cycle all over again. An author’s note explains how Earth’s ecosystems work together to look out for one another, particularly after “environmental traumas” such as fires and the “myriad effects of climate change.” It also includes a list of organizations young people can look to for ways to help.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Lynnor Bontigao. Arlo is unimpressed by his class's "mostly green, hardly growing, never moving plant," especially because various other rooms in his school have a cockatiel, a chinchilla, and a bearded dragon. The plant is so boring that sometimes the class forgets it's there--that is, until they name it Jerry. (Everybody, after all, "likes feeling special.") Now that "the blob" has a name, the class is fired up: they give the plant more love, and it blossoms, even creating spiderettes (or "little baby Jerrys"). Soon the class plans--and the entire school celebrates--Jerry Appreciation Day. Scanlon and Vernick bring humor and an ear for the dialogue of elementary-school classrooms to this lively text. The teacher's name, for instance, morphs throughout the book from "Mr. Boring" to "Mr. Bummer" to "Mr. Patient," each followed by "(not his real name)." Eventually, he's "Mr. Perfect (should be his real name)." Bontigao brings a diverse group of students to these pages and captures bustling elementary classrooms with details and precision. Jerry Appreciation Day, an outdoor day of fun, is especially festive. Plant-care tips are appended.

Reviewer: Julie Danielson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Diana Sudyka. "If we were walls, we'd have windows, and we'd throw them open wide." A child with brown hair and dark skin invites a red-haired, light-skinned friend to come outside to play; together, the two immerse themselves in the natural world and in their imaginations. They begin at a backyard pond ("If we were a pond, we'd lap in the breeze") before venturing to the banks of a stream ("If we were a bank, we'd be muddy") and building a nest near a tree ("If we were eggs, we'd be safe there"). Sudyka's (How to Find a Bird, rev. 7/20; Dear Treefrog, rev. 5/21) digitally finished watercolor gouache illustrations are full of movement and soothing rounded shapes. The pictures--with swirls of blue water and creatively rendered creatures--interpret Scanlon's (One Dark Bird, rev. 7/19) poetic verse beautifully, blending fantasy and awe. Three more friends join in the play, and the text directly addresses readers: "Would you come too, if we asked you--would you run all the way to the sea?" Finally, when "the day turn[s] to darkness," the journey ends back where it started--at home. An irresistible invitation to readers to take in nature and all the world has to offer.

Reviewer: Grace McKinney | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2022

(1) PS Illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon. A brief paragraph defines a murmuration ("a single-seeming mass [of birds] that performs coordinated acrobatic dances in the sky"), then a counting-book frame illustrates one composed of starlings. Hand-drawn and digital illustrations, mostly focused on the rooftops and the bird's-eye views, convey a warm, colorful afternoon in a community of people and pets. This story and its inspiring sky-set dance can elicit new appreciation for the natural world.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Lee White. Young Kate figures out a solution to gale-force winds surrounding a man's house: plant trees. Years pass, and the man and Kate, both older, enjoy a picnic on his now-sheltered lawn. White's mixed-media illustrations employ a soft palette, ceding the focus to perpetual motion and commotion. Scanlon's poetic text has enough unpredictability to lend interest and energy. A note about the importance of trees is appended.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2018

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Chris Raschka. With her teacher out sick, a girl writes a series of letters throughout the day, beginning: "Dear Substitute, / Wow. This is a surprise. / What are you doing here?" Scanlon and Vernick capture with humor and sympathy the indignation some kids feel when life doesn't go as expected. In his watercolor and gouache paintings, Raschka makes the mundane school setting fresh with unexpected twists.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Hadley Hooper. Lulu loves to climb trees. When she gets sick and is confined to her room, her longing is palpable. When she finally turns away from her window, she sees the shadow of her favorite tree on her bedroom wall--and knows just what to do (hint: it involves imagination). Lulu's passionate love for trees jumps off the pages through Scanlon's warm words and Hooper's simple but lush illustrations.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2017

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Matthew Cordell. Little Louie has a bad cold: "All he wanted...was his mother." But with his stuffy nose, his calls for "MOM!" sound like "BOB!"--the name of his big, slobbery dog, who comes running. Soon, everyone, including faithful Bob, is frustrated and confused. The coauthors' narrative is satisfying beyond the funny gimmick, offering depth and heart. Cordell's expressive, loose-lined illustrations enhance the humor and help move the plot forward.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2017

(2) 4-6 Twelve-year-old Ivy's mama takes off for Florida with the Great Good Bible Church to "get right with God." When Ivy's classmate, aspiring astronaut Paul, suggests they go find her mama and see the space shuttle, the two take an improbable road trip. Ivy searches for resolutions that can incorporate her faith and Paul's scientific worldview; their strong bond is honest and moving.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2015

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Ashley Wolff. Colorful and often beautiful illustrations, in vibrant orange and pink, accompany occasionally awkward rhyming text that strives to capture the wonder of a trek down the Grand Canyon. Several birds are identified but not much other wildlife. The fragmented narrative, told by a little girl, is more impressionistic than informative.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton. Posy is feeling the moving blues. Lamenting her near departure, Posy and her two best friends decide to make a pie amidst the packed boxes. Inspired by their "hot, sweet, good pie" they elect to throw a "good-pie party" rather than a "good-bye" one. Soft, emotionally detailed ink and watercolor illustrations lighten up the stressful subject and capture the warmth of childhood friendship.

Reviewer: Sophie Williamson

(3) PS Illustrated by Stephanie Graegin. "What are these and what are those? / Fancy shoes and party clothes!" Simple questions alternate with straightforward answers in the bouncy rhymed text as a baby bunny learns the elements of a birthday party (guests, presents, candles, cake, etc.) when her loving family hosts her special day. Homey digitally composed pencil and ink-wash illustrations aptly capture the jubilant merrymaking.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(3) PS Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton. A few rhyming words on each page dance along with animated toddlers engaging in playful artistic expression: they paint, print, play music, sing, cook, knit, and sew. Through the bouncy text and the energetic mixed-media art, young children will learn how much fun it is to "make art" in this paean to the exuberant creative spirit of childhood.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Arthur Howard. Noodle feels glum about his worm characteristics ("My head has no eyes...and I don't have a beak...also--no feet"). Luckily his supportive feathered friend Lou is there to reassure the invertebrate of his positive attributes: "But you're long, and so sleek, which is perfect for you!" Expressive watercolor illustrations show the two bosom chums engaged in snappily rhymed back-and-forth dialogue.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Marla Frazee. A family visits the beach, a farmers' market, and a park, then hosts a gathering of friends and family. Scanlon's rhyming text has a child-friendly simplicity around which Frazee's illustrations build a satisfying narrative. The West Coast seaside setting showcases not only Frazee's affectionate mix of people but also her familiar skyscapes, glowing with color and shaded with horizontal lines.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2009