Willodeen by Katherine Applegate

Illustrated by Charles Santoso 5 stars A new favorite from Katherine Applegate! I loved this story. A beautiful representation of how plants and animals coexist and form mutually beneficial relationships. It show demonstrates human intervention can unintendedly alter that balance with unintended consequences. A blend of eco-mystery and coming of age with a touch of…

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The Dog that Ate the World by Sandra Dieckmann

4 stars Another stunning picture book from Dieckmann. When a dog arrives in the peaceful valley and begins eating everything in sight, the other animals try to confront him. But when their efforts are in vain, they band together to create beauty in their own world. This fable-style story has a lovely emphasis on community…

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The Whale Who Swam Through Time: A 200-Year Journey in the Arctic

by Alex Boersma and Nick Pyenson Illustrated by Alex Boersma 5 stars A captivating journey that shows how one whale, and the world, can change over the course of 200 years. Boersma and Pyenson beautifully capture a portion of a bowhead whale’s life, from learning from her mother, avoiding whalers, and raising her own calves,…

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The Tin Forest by Helen Ward

Illustrated by Wayne Anderson 5 stars A wonderful book with a sweet story of hope and imagination. Ward’s lyrical text tells the tale of a man who lives alone in a place filled with waste. Each night he dreams of a tropical forest swarming with life, but each morning he awakes to the world of…

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The Leaf Detective: How Margaret Lowman Uncovered Secrets in the Rainforest by Heather Lang, Illustrated by Jana Christy

4 stars A fascinating non-fiction picture book about the life and work of Margaret Lowman, aka “Canopy Meg”. The book gives an overview of her childhood, education, scientific discoveries, and conservation work all while providing interesting facts about the rainforest and animals/plants that live there and quotes from Canopy Meg herself. The illustrations are beautiful,…

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Greta and the Giants by Zoë Tucker, Illustrated by Zoe Persico

4 stars An allegorical tale of Greta Thunberg’s activism and how she’s inspired others to stand up to demand change. The use of talking animals and literal giants helps make this engaging for young children while sticking to its message of environmentalism. Though the characters are small compared to the giants, when they come together…

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Pizazz by Sophy Henn

3 stars Pizazz doesn’t like her name, her cape, her “embarrassing” superpower, or being a superhero in general. But as she navigates the world of elementary school, she learns new ways of viewing the world and how to save it. An engaging story about a reluctant superhero and her struggles fitting in at a new…

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The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag

5 stars I’ll start out by saying I won an uncorrected proof of this book. The first few pages were in full color, the next few in grayscale, and the rest in black and white. However, I found myself completely engrossed in the story and characters that by the end I kind of forgot that…

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