(2) K-3 Illustrated by Clover Robin. In this accessible science picture book, a common swift flies from Africa to Europe in order to nest and reproduce in the summer. The two-tiered narrative (larger print tells a streamlined version for younger readers, while smaller print delves into greater detail) includes such noteworthy specifics as swifts' ability to remain aloft without touching the ground for as long as four years, to sleep with one half of their brain at a time while in flight, and to drink raindrops while in motion. Sidebars introduce the life cycle of the parasitic louse fly, which lives in the bird's feathers and pupates in the nesting boxes. Engaging collage-like mixed-media illustrations against varied backgrounds capture the characteristic motion of swifts in flight. The pacing and level of detail are just right for young readers, while the information on life cycle and abilities is sure to impress slightly older ones. Back matter includes a map of the migration route, descriptions of various swift species, a pertinent web address, and an index.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman. "LOOK AT IT. Wounded, worn, twisted, torn. / One day this tree will fall / and this story will end. / Won't it?" So begins this Pacific Northwest set saga of one tree surviving when other giants around it don't. There are so many ways the tree might not have stood. From the very beginning, other seeds landed on bare rock and didn't live, or dropped into a stream, or were eaten. But this tree thrived, despite wind, drought, ice, and fire. And not only survived. "This tree flourished. This tree aged" and became its own ecosystem, "a world / of miniature forests / meadows / rivers / seas... / of silken death traps / and venomous fangs, / of bright, begging mouths / and fluttering wings." Lively, poetic writing and beautiful illustrations in a rich palette, which emphasize unique angles and close-up images of the tree's denizens, combine for a volume perfect for reading aloud, and not only in science classes. Even the youngest of readers and listeners will grasp the concepts of ecosystems and the continuity of life. A model of what an excellent STEM-focused picture book can be in its effective interplay of text and illustrations. Appended is a discussion of the science behind a tree's life, death, and life after death.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Jason Chin. As a ninety-year-old blue whale dies, one story ends and another begins. Her body provides food for other creatures before it gradually descends to the depths of the ocean floor. But it doesn't stop there: her body will sustain life of one kind or another for the next few hundred years. Small marine animals, from fish to crabs to octopuses, pick the skeleton bare before another wave of animals moves in. Eventually, rich nutrients seep into the water, and that water is carried to the surface, where it nourishes krill, the major food source for blue whales. Brunelle's engaging voice strikes the right balance between narration and exposition, while the book design adroitly places her text judiciously across double-page spreads and into sidebar columns. Chin's (The Universe in You, rev. 1/23) always-exquisite watercolors thus dominate the layouts in a variety of double-page spreads, spot illustrations, and thumbnails -- even as supplemental maps, models, and cross-sections effortlessly convey complex visual information. Back matter includes more information about blue whales, marine ecosystems, and the four distinct phases of a whale fall. Recommended resources and a select bibliography are appended as well. Dedicated enthusiasts may also want to seek out Stewart and Dunlavey's Whale Fall (rev. 1/23).

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(1) K-3 This overview of ants combines cleverly designed graphics and a funny text to convey major concepts about the familiar insects. Expressive-eyed ants march across the pages, first in a show of their large numbers and then to illustrate key ant behaviors. These are succinctly introduced as "Ants love: Family. Micronaps. Recycling. Helping others. Being caught on camera carrying stuff way bigger than they are." Descriptions of ant colonies, cooperation, communication, and ants' role in creating soil follow. The page design is thoughtful and effective; one especially impressive double-page spread describing how ants communicate through pheromones features a sequenced scenario in which doughnut sprinkles are encountered by a single ant, who then leaves a pheromone trail to communicate the food location to the colony. Humorous yet still scientifically spot-on phrases pop up throughout ("Drone. Male. Does no housework. Takes to sky. Reproduces. Drops dead"). The final pages connect ant behaviors to another social species -- humans -- so that readers can be like ants and "leave the Earth in better shape than it was when you got here."

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill. Butterworth begins this overview of the crow family by informing readers of crows' ubiquity: "Wherever you are right now, there's sure to be a crow or two nearby." And although there are approximately one hundred subspecies, ranging from jays to ravens, she concentrates on physical and behavioral commonalities. Crows' big brains allow them to be clever, crafty, and playful. They are adept at solving problems, such as using tools (i.e., sticks) to pry food from tight places. They show their craftiness by pretending to hide food where others might spot it, before storing it in a more concealed area. And they show their playfulness by engaging in games, such as sliding off a snowy roof. (Butterworth tells readers that such play allows them to learn skills but does not elaborate on the specific skills they are learning.) A hint of anthropomorphism creeps in on the final pages as she declares that with these characteristics, crows are "just like you!" Still, the fact that crows are amazing in and of themselves should not be lost on young listeners and readers. The mixed-media illustrations combine realistic-looking crows against soft backgrounds with a watercolor wash that hints at avian majesty. Additional information, printed on most pages in a small font, provides scientific detail. The book concludes with advice for observing crows and drawing conclusions about their actions, and a simple index.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Nikki McClure. This previously unpublished essay from "poet of science" Carson (1907–1964) is paired beautifully with McClure's cut-paper and swirling ink-wash art. In 1956, a children's television program asked Carson to respond to a child's request for "something about the sky." Her thoughts are as wonderfully ruminative as one might expect from the environmental scientist and nature-writing icon. She chooses the familiar -- clouds -- and connects them to "the ocean in the air," detailing natural phenomena with emphasis on the interconnectivity of Earth's air and water systems. Or, better summarized by Carson: "Clouds are as old as the earth itself -- as much a part of our world as land or sea. They are the writing of the wind on the sky. They are the cosmic symbols of a process without which life itself could not exist on earth." McClure's illustrations are limited mostly to blue, black, and white, highlighting the space and movement of air, wind, oceans, and sky in background washes. Cut-paper images of people in the foreground connect the science concepts to human experiences. In an endnote, McClure explains the origins of Carson's essay, how the book project came about, and the thoughtful and resourceful process she used to create the illustrations.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon. Much like superheroes, some animal species have remarkable abilities. The ten featured species with "superpowers" have notable adaptations that help them to survive. These creatures are indeed impressive, and the book's format enhances the drama: after each animal is introduced, a page-turn reveals the superpower and how it benefits that animal. Examples include Turritopsis jellyfish, which possess "immortality" (they can reset their life cycle in response to injury); mountain-dwelling ibex, which survive by "defying gravity" in their ability to scale sheer cliffs; snapping shrimp, which can produce a bubble that, when popped, resonates at a decibel level that can kill their prey; and dogs, with their "super sniffers" that can help rescue humans and detect dangerous chemicals. Preston-Gannon's colorful illustrations capture the essential details of each species and their environments. The end notes proclaim that "action is your superpower!" and show the impact humans have on each of the featured species.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Emily Sutton. Davies showcases the important role that plants play on Earth as consumers of carbon, producers of oxygen, and mitigators of the effects of human-induced global warming. The meaning of "green" is creatively expanded from the color we associate with plants to encompass the process of photosynthesis and the components of plant cells in which it takes place. "Their green isn't just a color...this green catches the energy in sunlight." Sutton's lush illustrations, naturally featuring many shades of green, fill the pages with tendrils, roots, and leaves at macro and micro scales and portray ecosystems on land and water throughout Earth's history as teeming with plants and animals. As Davies explains the history of plant life and its transformation into today's fossil fuels, the story shifts into how human exploitation of ancient life has meant the release of too much carbon dioxide into our atmosphere. Luckily, today's green plants in the sea and across various environments fight back against climate change. We must "remember that GREEN is the most important color in the world."

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(4) Following introductory pages about birdwatching, bird anatomy, and eggs, this field guide introduces a variety of birds, including “Fluttering Hummingbirds,” “Pretty Parrots,” “Crafty Crows!”, and “Outstanding Owls.” The cleanly designed, if bland, pages include large color photos and various sidebars with simple text, and facts that are relatable to young readers (e.g., a great blue heron is “about as tall as a six-year-old child”). A broad introductory guide for young bird enthusiasts. A glossary and index are appended.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns

(2) K-3 From a red cabin in a forest, the young protagonist calls for her dog. "Peppermint! Where is that pesky pup? I'm going out to look for Peppermint! You come too." In the panel-style illustrations that follow, the girl takes readers on a tour of her favorite features of the forest, while the cagey Peppermint comments from a circle inset on each spread. When there are reminiscences (about the time, for instance, when Peppermint came home with a snout full of porcupine quills), the action appears as childlike drawings in the girl's sketchbook (Peppermint: "Maybe not my finest hour"). A mix of the informative and the homey, the narration encompasses elements of history and geology (how millennia earlier, glaciers dropped erratic boulders), botany, zoology (the time a coyote chased them home and they later returned to find its den), and folk wisdom (how to make a whistle out of an acorn cupule), in a visually inviting and intellectually stimulating way. When the naughty Peppermint is at last reunited with her owner, they're rewarded with one of the girl's life-list ambitions: the sight of an elusive fisher regarding them silently from high in a tree. The back matter includes a note from the author about his home and a map showing the Adirondack Mountains, sidebars about porcupines and fishers, and a list of "a few good forest books."

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Bob Shea. A parrotfish explains the species’ special superpower(s) to an impatient hammerhead shark, including how it is able to consume coral with its "throat teeth.” That digested coral then becomes sand—or, in a reveal that will delight readers, “My poop grows beaches.” The stylized, cartoon-style illustrations and humorous text make the book especially accessible; the final page includes additional parrotfish facts.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns

(3) 4-6 Prolific wildlife photographer Eszterhas (My Wild Life) turns her lens on meerkats: “little animals with huge personalities!” Dated diary-like entries catalog her twelve-day experience in the Makgadikgadi Pan in Botswana’s Kalahari Desert observing and interacting with a family of meerkats, including a litter of two-week-old pups. The text is enthusiastic (“I still can’t believe what happened today even as I’m writing about it”), accessible, and informative, and the clear, lively photographs, shared in a scrapbook-like format, bring readers up close and personal with the creatures and their habitat. A brief interview with a meerkat habituator and a naturalist guide (Eszterhas’s guides on the trip) and information about the Indigenous Ju/’hoansi people add further context. A glossary is also appended.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) PS Illustrated by Gareth Lucas. In this picture book with colorful, appealing illustrations, singsong verse introduces information about an octopus’s daily life and life cycle. Callouts in smaller type give additional engaging facts. Glossary, author’s note, and children’s reference books are appended.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) K-3 “Every creature on Earth has its own special qualities. That is why it is so important we treasure all of them.” The text goes on to describe the unusual characteristics of twenty-two little-known animals and insects, from the limb-regenerating axolotl to the slime-releasing hagfish to the gliding colugo. Each critter gets a spread with vivid full-page illustrations, as well as graphic novel–style drawings, that break down the specifics of each animal’s “curiosity.” Animal aficionados are likely to learn something new about the variety of life on our planet. A “Did You Spot?” section that calls out additional creatures from the illustrations and glossary are appended.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Kerns

(2) K-3 In the rainforests of Central America, leafcutter ants live in colonies of up to "eight million sisters." Likening the colonies to human cities, Hevron shows how the division of labor across ant subgroups keeps a colony functioning. We travel along with the ants as they move above and below ground -- within the green foliage of the rainforest floor and canopy, then down through the tan soil into underground chambers that house ant larvae, laborers, and the queen. Each chamber features a different worker group, analogized to human occupations: caretakers feed the young, builders create tunnels, farmers tend to the important fungus that sustains the colony, etc. When a poison dart frog, "hungry for an all-you-can-eat leafcutter ant buffet," intrudes, pheromone alerts go out, and soldier ants rush in. The cycle continues as a young queen gathers fungus, embarks on a "mating flight," and forms a new "city." Hevron's textured, brightly colored illustrations (acrylic paintings on wood, digitally collaged) are filled with columns of industrious ants on the move, endlessly trooping across the pages. Additional information about leafcutter ants and colonies and further reading are appended.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Natasha Donovan. Hocker reminds readers that there is more to nature than a casual glance affords. When a group of child and adult hikers discovers an animal skull, they are prompted to consider what they can deduce from examining it, for this natural relic has a story to tell. "A skull speaks in arches and ridges and caverns of bones. It speaks in teeth and cracks, and holes into, and holes through. It says: I was." Readers turn the page and examine the skull (enlarged from the previous page's illustration), noting the two large openings where eyes once were, eyes that defined this creature as a "watcher." Donovan's full-bleed digital art on the next double-page spread depicts a lynx spotting a rabbit while hunting at twilight. This pattern continues, introducing a deer, a beaver, a hummingbird, a wolf, and an owl: shades of blue outlined in black display each animal's skull, text describes a prominent feature, and the animal is seen in its habitat employing this feature. Extensive back matter utilizes both text and a labeled illustration of a human skull to define features such as orbits, the cranium, and the mandible; additional attributes of the six skulls discussed in the main text; and resources for further inquiry. Once readers catch on to the unusual device of narrators being a succession of animal skulls, the text flows smoothly, and both the facts presented and the plea to appreciate the multiple ways nature speaks to us are clear.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(2) K-3 In an assortment of nest homes, baby birds happily await the breakfasts brought by their parents. These basic needs will be familiar to humans, too, providing a welcoming introduction to birds and an invitation to learn more about them. In the pages that follow, Ignotofsky interweaves generalized information about bird life cycles (using the Eastern Bluebird as exemplar) with explanations of bird anatomy and behaviors. Questions placed throughout the text ("What's inside an egg?" "How does a bird know where to go each year?") drive the narrative forward across topics such as nest building, learning to fly, and bird diets. The cheerful illustrations ("created traditionally and using a computer") of cartoonlike birds are the highlight of the book: packed with movement, color, and humor, they sometimes fully cover one or more pages and sometimes divide into smaller panels to explore variations across species or lists, such as the steps readers can take to preserve bird-friendly spaces in their neighborhoods. A short "sources and resources" list is appended.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Tiffany Bozic. Acting as narrator, a young hummingbird describes his first year, beginning when "my older sister and I hatch, two days apart, from eggs as small as navy beans." They feel a breeze "many times a day," signaling that food is coming. And then one day it doesn't. The two wait, cold and hungry, until the next morning when the breeze returns. Here listeners must infer what has happened; a human hand lifts their tiny nest and uses a syringe to feed the babies. They are orphans, now living in a hummingbird rescue center and gradually learning the skills they will need to survive in the larger world. Realistic and delicate, Bozic's depictions of the main points in the narrative (learning how to hover, sip nectar, and catch insects) are rendered in acrylic paint on wood with the birds placed in natural settings and poses, resembling the best of scientific illustrations. Readers follow the two as they make their way in the world, migrate south for the winter, and then return to find mates. An author's note explains that this touching success story is based on an observed hummingbird rescue. Montgomery outlines ways to save such abandoned birds (clearly emphasizing that readers shouldn't try this at home) and the many resources available to help these tiny animals of the Americas. Also appended are facts about hummingbirds, including their size and habitats.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(3) 4-6 Four informative chapters--“What Is Nature, Really?” “Nature Is Wonderful...for Everyone,” “Let’s Learn from Nature,” and “Let’s Live with Nature,” each with several clear subtopics--introduce readers to a variety of information about the outdoors and human interactions with it. The book is chock-full of detail, with accessible narration and frequent stock photos and sidebars that help break up the pages. Reading list, websites, glossary, and index are appended.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) K-3 Meet the Wild Things series. Illustrated by John Rocco. A breezy introduction to the species narrated by a pangolin. Information covered includes diet, behaviors, threats, and habitat. Realistic illustrations and engaging questions will draw readers into the book. Detailed back matter provides more information and discusses why the species is endangered.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn