(2) K-3 Illustrated by Eugenia Mello. he narrator here is dust from North Africa speaking directly to its destination, the Amazon rainforest. Poetic text meditates on the way Africa and South America were once joined: "Millions of years ago, no ocean lay between us. You and I were one. And then slowly, slowly, great forces tore us apart, creating seven continents surrounded by vast oceans." They are still connected by dust that blows continuously from the Sahel across the Atlantic to the Amazon, where it provides nutrients that support the Amazon basin's lush growth. Glorious digitally rendered double-page spreads echo the text's mood, mixing the particulars of cram-cram grass and baobab trees with expressionistic imagery that reinforces a sense of flow. Illustrations of landscapes and animals in warm earth tones with pops of bright color and nuance in their textures and shading will enchant many young readers. The vivid vocabulary and soothing cadence of the text are pleasing, if light on specifics; extensive back matter provides some thoughtful support for ecologically minded children and caregivers.

Reviewer: Adrienne L. Pettinelli | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(2) 4-6 "Maps show how humans have used borders to divide the land into villages, towns, states, and countries. Much of the story of human history has been about the quest for land and who controls it." In this ambitious and comprehensive account, Thermes (The Indestructible Tom Crean, rev. 1/23) first chronicles European colonization and the aftermath it had--and continues to have--on Indigenous inhabitants of this continent. She goes on to describe successive waves of migration, both forced (the enslavement of Africans; Japanese incarceration during World War II) and voluntary, and mentions ongoing immigration issues. She weaves these narratives into larger political events, especially wars and territorial expansion. The design here is flawless: the illustrations, text, maps, and sidebars work in concert to synthesize and convey not only a large amount of complex information, but information that requires subtlety and nuance in its presentation (and though the art might sometimes be considered cozy, the text does not mince words: "The lie that a person with light skin was superior to one with dark skin tightened its grip"). Moreover, this extended nonfiction picture book has a slightly oversize trim, which, along with the pastel-colored illustrations rendered in watercolor, colored pencil, and ink, recalls the work of the d'Aulaires. This book too has the look and feel of a classic that readers will revisit time and again to fully absorb the details in both text and illustration. A selected bibliography recommends further resources, while an extensive timeline occupies both endpapers.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) PS Rohde constructs a vibrant exploration of place beginning with a simple question and answer: "Where is the cat? Under the wobbly table." The wobbly table sits on the blue rug, and the blue rug is in the yellow room. The black cat makes its way out of the yellow room and past the green door into the colorful apartment. But the book continues: "Where is the colorful apartment? In the pink house." Beyond that colorful apartment in the pink house, the cat and its people make their way into the cheerful street filled with a diverse array of ­children and grownups. The (­color-coded) text proceeds in the initial Q&A format as the story zooms out--into the continent, the planet, the galaxy--but not without some appropriately feline mischief. Rohde's background in architecture is reflected in the eye-catching, color-blocked, and decidedly two-dimensional cityscapes. This engaging read-aloud opens the door for a number of classroom opportunities--adjectives, prepositions, ­mapmaking!--but its real power lies in stimulating a child's wonder and awe at the ever-expanding universe that surrounds us.

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

(2) PS A girl sitting on a swing hanging from a tree is surprised by a boy who pops down out of the foliage, offering a blue balloon. They join up with another girl, and the three run down a hill, where they see two additional children across a body of water. A page-turn reveals all of them together, playing a hopscotch game where each square represents a different continent, launching an extended fantastical journey that traverses the world, evoking sights, sounds, and smells that span oceans and continents. Despite differences, "we all belong" and "we all live here" on the same planet. Boiger's digitally colored pencil illustrations display specific geographic and architectural marvels (such as the distinctive Greek islands), while others combine architectural styles (including an expansive double-page spread in which domes and minarets mix with pagodas and pyramids). The embrace of diversity is conveyed through the illustrations, which yoke far-flung places and disparate alphabets, prayer styles, and cultures in ways that make them seem harmonious and closer together. Erskine's spare prose lends a light touch in emphasizing the importance of building community: "Me...can be we. You...can come, too...It's all of us." This celebration of global interconnectedness and acceptance of racial, religious, and other differences is a much-needed affirmation of a community that welcomes all with open arms.

Reviewer: Julie Hakim Azzam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2021

(2) PS Illustrated by Angel Chang. A white tiger takes readers through a tour of common geographical features (valley, plain) and less commonly recognized ones (atoll, isthmus). Expansive double-page spreads illustrate these features in bold colors, while the white tiger holds readers' attention as they guess what it will do next with the yellow chair it carries strapped to its back. A little brown mouse--apparently the tiger's companion--also appears on nearly every double-page spread, giving readers a small detail to find. The one gatefold illustration (of a spectacular vista) shows an expansive sunset sky alight with reds, oranges, yellows, and purples--a sight the tiger, usually in perpetual motion, sits still to behold. Other animals appear along the tiger's route, including birds, a chipmunk, a bear, and even jellyfish in the illustration of the atoll, a formation created by an underwater volcano. The yellow chair's ultimate purpose is revealed, surprisingly and satisfyingly, on the final spread. As entertaining as it is educational, this book has much to offer young naturalists and budding scientists. An appended glossary pictures and briefly describes each geographical feature.

Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Christiane Engel. In this companion to What's on Your Plate?, readers learn basic information about fourteen different holidays from around the world, including Carnaval (Brazil), Fastelavn (Denmark), and Dangpai Losar (Bhutan). Each spread includes a short list of holiday-specific traditions, historical or religious context, and a cooking or craft activity. Cheerful, color-filled illustrations and a magazine-style layout make this an approachable introduction to cultural understanding. Timeline. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 4-6 Translated by Laura Watkinson. Illustrated by Wendy Panders. In this overview of concepts from the many scientific disciplines within the earth sciences, topics are organized into chapters on geology, planetary science, weather, water, and geography. Though a large number of ideas are covered, they are clearly explained and organized to present comprehensive coverage of the field. Plentiful if small illustrations throughout include helpful diagrams.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Tom Clohosy Cole. A plethora of information is included in this large-format picture book, good for repeated browsing. Each page depicts a geological or geographical theme, such as weather, biomes, and tectonic plates, culminating with a look at pollution and conservation. The digital illustrations include inset graphs, charts, and maps, making the pages busy but not cluttered. Foldout poster included.

Reviewer: Renée Wheeler

(4) K-3 Search for traveling musicians with their instruments in eleven busy double-page spreads, each depicting a different country, from Iceland to Egypt to Brazil. A final spread shows the reunited musicians in concert. A small yellow bird in each picture puzzle suggests additional objects to find. A key is appended, but the order of the countries is different than preceding pages, which could cause confusion.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Christiane Engel. In this basic introduction to international foods, readers can travel to fourteen countries located in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Each double-page spread includes a brief general synopsis of the country's cuisine; a stylized map featuring major food products; three small, full-color snapshot photos of popular foods plus pronunciations and descriptions; and a simple recipe (many requiring no cooking). Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) K-3 StoryWorlds series. Dozens of pristine illustrations show different parts of the world at one moment in time: e.g., when kids play soccer in Argentina at 3 p.m., it's 4 a.m. at a deserted beach in Australia. The book can be unfolded and refolded into a text that never ends--hence the "Perpetual" of the subtitle. Hegbrook's timely message? We're all in this together.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(1) K-3 "This is me," announces the opening spread, while seven children, ages seven to eleven, smile out at the viewer and introduce themselves with their names and nicknames. Successive spreads show panels of each child's home, family, classroom, etc.; the countries represented are India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Peru, Russia, and Uganda. The neatly schematized organization plays nicely with the cozy digital illustrations. Glos.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2017

(3) 4-6 This appealing oversize collection features ten well-known world cities in two-page spreads with heavy-stock double foldouts, each of which is colorfully illustrated by a different artist. More successful than the overly broad first In Focus book, the text consists of short captions for each graphic that describe the city's special features: tall buildings, noteworthy geographic points, historical landmarks, sports teams, culinary characteristics, etc.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) 1-3 Bea Garcia series. In her second outing, Bea and her super-smart "almost-friend" Judith Einstein team up for the Top Ten Geography Star Search contest. Bea thinks Einstein knows all the answers; could it be that Einstein's pencil is magic? This heartfelt early chapter book features a small cast of endearing characters, geography facts, and humorous black-and-white illustrations "drawn" by the imaginative protagonist.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(3) K-3 This revised second edition highlights details of children's school lives around the world. Organized by continent, the large-format book features maps pinpointing where each child lives, along with lots of scrapbook-style photographs of the child's school, classroom, and activities. The short snippets of accompanying text contain enough information to provide introductory insight into education across cultures. Ind.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 This U.S. atlas offers a bright, clear layout and a pleasing balance between interesting photographs and useful information. Overviews of "The Land" and "The People" are followed by brief spreads on each region and then the states included in that region. Detailed maps of each state are accompanied by key facts and images. Basic information about U.S. territories is also included. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) K-3 This newly updated edition highlights details of forty-four children's lives around the world. Grouped mainly by continent, the engaging, large-format book features maps pinpointing where each child lives along with multiple photographs of each child's family, community, home, favorite food, hobbies, etc. The clear and concise accompanying text contains well-balanced, browsable information that provides introductory insight into the similarities and differences between cultures. Glos.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(4) 4-6 Stickmen's Guides to This Incredible Earth series. Illustrated by John Paul de Quay. Stick figures travel from the tops of a city's skyscrapers to its underground sewers and transit systems. On each spread, human activity and technology in each "layer" are presented in orderly text boxes and informative diagrams with unfortunately tiny type. Although the topics and organization are somewhat arbitrary and the stick-figure gimmick unneeded, this detailed series entry covers a variety of physical science and engineering principles. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) K-3 Stunning, at times dizzying, aerial photography offers an unusual perspective on landscapes with the alphabet as a visual hook. On each spread, readers are asked to find a letter (answers appended) formed by land/building features in images from the United States Geological Survey. The only information provided is a dot on a map, a town name, and coordinates, leaving room for observation and imagination.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Dean. This enchanting book examines the tenet that while people worldwide have unique life experiences, we are all more alike than we are different. The musing text about the everyday lives of children around the world--touching on language, food, clothing, play, appearance, and more--is illustrated with colorful, precise acrylic paintings. Extensive back matter includes many details about culture and customs in our global village.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey