(1) K-3 Illustrated by Diana Sudyka. In what is in essence a nonfiction early-chapter-book in verse, a young girl moves to a new home. She's lonely, but when she explores the garden, she observes a small treefrog. With no friends, she adopts the treefrog as a surrogate companion and searches for it every day. An expository note placed in the lower right-hand corner of every double-page spread expands each sighting by providing scientific facts about the treefrog's habitat and life cycle. Sidman's narrative, composed of a series of short poems, relates the girl's story of discovering and contemplating the frog, and of eventually finding a human friend who is also happy to observe nature. Sudyka's watercolors showcase the settings and give life to the metaphors--the changing seasons; the rich jewel tones of the frog's surroundings; the treefrog clinging to a leaf, or "snug saddle"; and the quiet pleasures of sharing nature. The language in these poems is simple but not ­simplistic: "I hope you are / somewhere / safe / ­Treefrog // holding on tight / with those grippy toes / riding your / snug saddle of leaves." Each entry crafts a single episode; together the poems construct a clear narrative arc. Appended with a four-part discussion, nicely organized with pertinent headings, about treefrogs and their survival. Altogether lovely.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2021

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Miren Asiain Lora. Sidman's collection of short poems considers a variety of earth science concepts. On gorgeously illustrated pages that portray the planet in terms of space and time, weather and astronomical phenomena, and land and the oceans, the narrator continuously addresses Earth directly, as if in conversation with a respected friend, asking how Earth feels about these wonders. These questions are deeply philosophical, sometimes spiritual, and consistently scientific. On gravity: "How can we be / here, / climbing trees, walking paths, / staring up at constellations... / and also out / in deepest space? / Does that mean / that each one of us / is floating among the stars?" The human and Earth connection is emphasized throughout, and culminates in yet another thought-provoking question: "Do you think we can do it, / Earth? / Can we work as hard / for you / as we do for ourselves?" Asiain Lora's double-page illustrations are strongly horizontal, with blue skies, space, and oceans layered above landscapes that reflect balance and connection in the natural and built environments. Does Earth reply? Sidman is satisfied that "you answer in other ways": through displays of natural powers in water, wind, and weather. "Maybe your answers / are just /what we need / to make us / stop / and look / and think / about how / ­wondrous you are." Additional explanations of the science can be found in the back matter.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2021

(1) 4-6 Excellent reproductions of seventeenth-century German naturalist Merian's gorgeous--and groundbreaking--illustrations of butterflies and moths let readers appreciate their accurate scientific detail and artistry. Merian's biography is told in twelve chapters titled with butterfly life-cycle stages, and Sidman's accompanying photographs illustrate each stage. The book includes numerous excerpts from Merian's journals, historical illustrations, and maps. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2018

(2) PS Illustrated by Taeeun Yoo. Soft mixed-media illustrations depict a young girl and a puppy, first observing innately round entities in nature, such as seeds and oranges, then noticing roundness over several seasons--from blueberries in the spring to the moon and stars in winter's night sky. In the end, the girl creates her own kind of round by curling up into a cozy ball. A thought-provoking and lyrical ode to nature.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2017

(1) PS Illustrated by Beth Krommes. After a series of wordless illustrations, Sidman's poetic text begins ("In the deep woolen dark, as we slumber unknowing"). A child's mother, dressed in pilot uniform, departs. The ensuing incantation is for snow to come ("Let the air turn to feathers, the earth turn to sugar"), and, sure enough, a blizzard grounds planes. Krommes's scratchboard illustrations do the narrative work in this mesmerizing book.

Reviewer: Megan Dowd Lambert | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2016

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Rick Allen. Sidman exemplifies winter survival strategies of a well-chosen sample of species. Her poems are precise, evocative, lyrical, varied in tone; facts in succinct (separate) prose illuminate the imagery of each. It's as beautiful visually as it is verbally: winter's browns, blues, and whites are warmed with glowing honey tones; a note describes Allen's "unlikely marriage" of hand-colored linoleum blocks with computer techniques. Glos.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2014

(1) YA Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski. Sidman and Zagarenski present "Chants & Charms," "Spells & Invocations," "Laments & Remembrances," and "Praise Songs & Blessings" in a variety of poetic forms. Each poem speaks directly from Sidman's heart to the reader's, addressing subjects of deep importance: forgiveness, friendship, bravery, death, illness, moving. Zagarenski's illustrations beautifully extend the poems with her dreamy style and deft use of white space, symbolism, and images.

Reviewer: Robin L. Smith | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2014

(1) PS Illustrated by Beth Krommes. "A spiral is a snuggling shape...coiled tight, warm and safe..." Krommes's scratchboard illustrations, vividly depicting spirals in nature, suffuse every page with color, shape, and movement. Each spread presents an entire landscape in varying palettes, with a treasure trove of details that will captivate the youngest readers. Sidman's very simple text is powerful, poetic, and good for reading aloud and reading again.

Reviewer: Nina Lindsay | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2011

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Rick Allen. Sidman celebrates the world that comes alive after dark; each poem is accompanied by an informative paragraph that also exhibits her flair for language. The dark lines of Allen's skillful lino cut prints make the perfect accompaniment to a book of night poems, their subtle colors encouraging readers to seek out the creatures slowly, just as eyes become accustomed to the dark. Glos.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2010

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Beckie Prange. As Sidman points out, "99 percent of all species that have ever existed are now extinct." In her fourteen poems, the survivors range from bacteria to us, from ancient (mollusks) to newcomers (crows). The pieces vary in tone and form; facts are supplemented in prose. In the entrancing illustrations, Prange's bold linocuts are drenched in vivid watercolor. Timeline, websites. Glos.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2010

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski. Sidman rejoices in the way colors, and how we perceive them, change with seasons. In spring, shy "Green peeks from buds" while "Yellow shouts with light!" In winter, "Green waits / in the hearts of trees." Zagarenski's richly patterned mixed-media spreads add texture and extend the imagery, sustaining the playfulness of the text and its senses of awe, mystery, and beauty.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2009

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski. This book is a collection of "sorry poems" and responses, ostensibly (but not always believably) written, illustrated, and collected by a sixth-grade class. Though the poems are not as varied in tone or style as could be desired, they provide intimate, often touching glimpses of relationships by which real classes might be inspired.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Beth Krommes. Eight pairs of "poetry riddles" present such related elements as the spittlebug and the xylem sap it sucks from its host plant. A spread giving answers to the riddles and adding specific details about, say, "dew and grasshopper," follows each pair of poems. The verse is vivid, melodious, and rich in variety. Krommes's scratchboard illustrations are splendid, reflecting precise observation. An elegantly conceived, beautifully integrated volume. Glos.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2006

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Beckie Prange. From a spring peeper's first call to a painted turtle's hibernation, these eleven poems celebrate the northern pond. An energetic black woodcut line bathed in subtly modulated watercolor evokes the pond's species. Sidebars add intriguing facts. With a humor born of skillful observation, and with light and color worthy of the Impressionists, Sidman and Prange capture this environment's essence. Glos.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2005

(3) YA Photographs by Doug Mindell. This handsome poetry collection also contains brief essays written by teens about their dogs. While not as polished as Sidman's keenly observed poems, the essays may make the book accessible for readers more into dogs than poetry. The black-and-white photos are also a combination of casual (snapshots of the teens' dogs) and sophisticated (Mindell's accomplished, arty photos).

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by K. Bennett Chavez. Sixteen free-verse poems celebrate the accomplishments of innovators ancient and modern, including Ts'ai Lun, inventor of paper, and Tim Berners-Lee, the instigator of the World Wide Web. In unfortunately small type, the chronologically arranged poems, accompanied by attractive paintings, are followed by brief biographical notes. This collection will be useful in language arts, science, and social studies curricula.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Susan Swan. Eleven poems tell about animal dads who take care of their offspring. Each poem is accompanied by a cut-paper illustration. A section at the end of the book contains color photographs and explains the biological role of each animal father. The typeface is difficult to read and some of the verse is awkward, but the focus on animal fathers is novel and intriguing.

Reviewer: Jim St. Claire