This is my monthly roundup of books that were added to my shelves in the last month. I also share an update with you on other things going on in my life.

Family and Life Update

The Show Choir season ended this weekend for Reagan. Even though the season was different for the performers and us, as their fans, I’m so grateful that there was a season. Many show choirs didn’t get to perform this year due to COVID and I am so grateful to our administration and music teachers that found a way and made a way for it to happen. Next up will be the musical and her dance team Spring Show this month.

I am constantly amazed by the unique and creative children’s books that are being written. I have some really amazing ones to share with you this month including fiction and nonfiction. Be sure to check them out, below!

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Be sure to follow me on Instagram, HERE to see snippets of what I’m reading or what’s going on in my daily life.

If you have missed any of my recent book reviews, you can see all of them by clicking, HERE.  Or you can stay up to date with my monthly Quick Lit Roundup.

If you choose to make a purchase through any of the links I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.

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YOU ARE WHAT YOU RISK

The New Art and Science of Navigating an Uncertain World

By: Michele Wucker

Published: April 6, 2021

Publisher: Pegasus Books

Non-Fiction

Format: eBook

With my husband working in the financial industry and our son in college taking stats and finance, there are often conversations around risk vs reward at our table. This book interested me.

What drives a sixty-four-year-old woman to hurl herself over Niagara Falls in a barrel? Why do we often create bigger risks than the risks we try to avoid? Why are corporate boards newly worried about risky personal behavior by CEOs? Why are some nations quicker than others to recognize and manage risks like pandemics, technological change, and climate crisis?

The answers define each person, organization, and society as distinctively as a fingerprint. Understanding the often-surprising origins of these risk fingerprints can open your eyes, inspire new habits, catalyze innovation and creativity, improve teamwork, and provide a beacon in a world that seems suddenly more uncertain than ever.

How you see risk and what you do about it depend on your personality and experiences.  How you make these cost-benefit calculations depend on your culture, your values, the people in the room, and even unexpected things like what you’ve eaten recently, the temperature, the music playing, or the fragrance in the air. Being alert to these often-unconscious influences will help you to seize the opportunity and avoid danger.

You Are What You Risk is a clarion call for an entirely new conversation about our relationship with risk and uncertainty. In this ground-breaking, accessible, and eminently timely book, Michele Wucker examines why it’s so important to understand your risk fingerprint and how to make your risk relationship work better in business, life, and the world.

Drawing on compelling risk stories around the world and weaving in economics, anthropology, sociology, and psychology research, Wucker bridges the divide between professional and lay risk conversations. She challenges stereotypes about risk attitudes, re-frames how gender and risk are related, and shines new light on generational differences. She shows how the new science of “risk personality” is re-shaping business and finance, how healthy risk ecosystems support economies and societies, and why embracing risk empathy can resolve conflicts. Wucker shares insights, practical tools, and proven strategies that will help you to understand what makes you who you are –and, in turn, to make better choices, both big and small. 

THE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO CHICKEN BREEDS

An Introductory Guide to Choosing the Right Flock

By: Amber Bradshaw

Published: March 23, 2021

Publisher: Rockridge Press

Non-Fiction

Format: eBook

We aren’t able to raise chickens where we live due to our town ordinance, but I wish I could. I love that we get fresh eggs from our friends that do have chickens. In fact, they even let me choose a few of the breeds for their baby chick order for this spring. Raising chickens has surged during the pandemic and many may find this guide helpful.

Grow your flock with practical, breed-specific advice for beginners

Deciding to raise chickens is one thing, but figuring out which breeds will suit your needs is another―especially with hundreds of different types! Whether you’re raising chickens for eggs, meat, companionship, or show, The Beginner’s Guide to Chicken Breeds has all the information you need to get started. This easy-to-use reference book helps you assess your needs and guides you in making the best decisions for beginning or expanding your flock.

Get to know top-tier pure breeds and hybrids, optimal egg-layers and broilers, ideal chicken breeds for beginners, and more. For every category of chicken, you’ll find an ultimate breed list that highlights the unique qualities and strengths of each, and breaks down the key considerations of owning them.

THE LITTLE BOOK OF LIFE SKILLS

Deal with Dinner, Manage Your Email, Make A Graceful Exit, and 152 Other Expert Tricks

By: Erin Zammett Ruddy

Published: September 15, 2020

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Non-Fiction

Format: Hardcover

I’m not sure where I heard about this little book, but I thought it would make for a great gift to a college or high school graduate. I purchased it to check it out for myself.

With tips from leading experts in every field, The Little Book of Life Skills is the practical guide on how to solve the trickiest tasks in your day and make life a little easier.
We all have areas of our lives that make us feel disorganized, unprepared, or stressed out. From creating a calmer morning routine to setting yourself up for a good night’s sleep, and everything in between, there are easy and proven ways to do things better. Whether you need advice on how to end an argument, iron a shirt, or keep your inbox under control, Erin Zammett Ruddy has spoken to experts including Rachael Ray, Dr. Oz, Arianna Huffington, and condensed their wisdom into easy to follow steps for all of life’s simple and not-so-simple tasks, such as:

Working from Home Effectively
Keeping a Houseplant Alive
Giving Constructive Feedback
Arranging the Perfect Cheese Board, and many more

The Little Book of Life Skills offers simple strategies for being better grown-ups. It’s the perfect guide for anybody who wants to get organized, be more efficient throughout the day, and finally, learn the best way to fold that #$% fitted sheet. 

ADORE

A Simple Practice for Experiencing God in the Middle Minutes of Your Day

By: Sara Hagerty

Published: March 31, 2020

Publisher: Zondervan

Non-Fiction/Christian

Format: Hardcover

I know I first heard about this book on Instagram, but I can’t remember which account told me about it. I like the idea of her approach to finding and connect to God in the “middle minutes of our day”, not just in the morning or evening. I purchased this one and look forward to adding it to my devotional reading.

For anyone who longs to experience God in the thick of life’s demands, Sara Hagerty’s Adore offers a simple, soul-nourishing practice for engaging with God in the middle minutes of your day.

None of us signed up for a conventional experience with the unconventional God, yet too often the spiritual life can become routine, dare we say, even boring.

In Adore, Sara Hagerty gives us all permission to admit “I barely know You, God,” and with this honest admission, to scoot a little nearer to this familiar stranger. Adoration is the simple practice Sara discovered for starting where you are and letting the grit of your day greet the beauty of God’s presence.

Adoration is for the woman who feels frenzied and fearful in the middle minutes of her day. It is a simple practice for 7:37 a.m. when the children are waking and the dryer is already humming but also for the 12:17 p.m. lunch break and for 5:53 p.m. while stuck in traffic.

Adoration is the place where we put how we feel in front of God’s Word, and watch what happens to our insides. It’s what you were made for. Join Sara in this soul-stirring journey through thirty attributes of God which you can walk through at your own pace. Learn how the simple habit of adoration–in the middle minutes of your day–can help you see God with fresh eyes, and talk to Him right there. Experience a new way of engaging with God in your everyday. Adore will show you how.

THE MISSING ELEMENT

Inspiring Compassion for the Human Condition

By: Debra Silverman M.A.

Published: March 15, 2016

Publisher: Findhorn Press

Non-Fiction

Format: Paperback

This one arrived in my mailbox. Even though it was published a few years ago, any book that can offer guidance through a painful experience is one to check out.

Everyone longs to be understood in their essence. In The Missing Element, author Debra Silverman describes human nature in a compassionate and succinct way and offers ways for us to get to know ourselves in depth with the wisdom of archetypes.

The information in this book stands on the shoulders of our elders, who understood the four directions, the four elements, the four noble truths. Whatever pain you experience is specific to your personality type, based on the four elements. The ‘missing element’ is twofold: it refers to the Observer inside you–the part of you that can stand outside of judgment and see yourself with a more wise and compassionate approach–much like our elders did. And it also refers to the elements that make up your personality and more specifically, to the element which is your weakest. Your issues will repeat themselves again and again until you can see yourself and others from the compassionate vantage point that unites all of us. You will understand that your life and all its stories were designed by your soul to get your attention right now. It is inviting you to seek the wisdom of the ages to help you grow… that’s why you found this book at this moment in time! 

THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO CBD

Everything You Need to Know About What it Helps, Where to Buy, and How to Take it

By: Editors of Reader’s Digest and Project CBD

Published: March 23, 2021

Publisher: Trusted Media Brands

Non-Fiction

Format: Paperback

This book arrived in my mailbox. I know very little about CBD, but my dad has recently asked about it and the benefits of helping him. With the backing of Reader’s Digest, I feel like it is a reputable resource for me to look into.

The Essential Guide to CBD is an authoritative but user-friendly primer on CBD.

CBD has splashed across the nation’s headlines, taken the country by storm, and has everyone from Coca-Cola to Starbucks considering adding this new “miracle supplement” to their drinks. But the FDA has only approved it for use in treating epilepsy in children.

What is CBD, anyway? What’s the difference between CBD, THC, cannabis, hemp, and marijuana? Can CBD help me lose weight? How much CBD do I need to take to help my condition? What do I look for when buying CBD? Is it better to take CBD oil or gummies or what?

The Essential Guide to CBD will answer all of these questions and much more, including both first-person anecdotes of real people’s experiences with CBD and straightforward reporting about what studies have actually been done and what they show.

Written in part by the experts at Project CBD, the book will separate fact from fiction, hype from reality.

DOLLY PARTON, SONGTELLER

My Life in Lyrics

By: Dolly Parton and Robert K. Oermann

Published: November 17, 2020

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Non-Fiction/Biography

Format: Hardcover

This was a gift from my husband for Valentine’s Day. It was sold out over Christmas and he wasn’t able to get it for me then. I’ve already started reading it and am loving the stories and photographs. It’s a hefty, coffee-table type of book, but such a joy to look through.

Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics is a landmark celebration of the remarkable life and career of a country music and pop culture legend.

As told by Dolly Parton in her own inimitable words, explore the songs that have defined her journey. Illustrated throughout with previously unpublished images from Dolly Parton’s personal and business archives.

Mining over 60 years of songwriting, Dolly Parton highlights 175 of her songs and brings readers behind the lyrics.

GOLDEN POPPIES

By: Laila Ibrihaim

Published: June 1, 2020

Publisher: Lake Union Publishing

Historical Fiction

Format: eBook

I just finished reading MUSTARD SEED for our book club. I had read YELLOW CROCUS a few years ago. I knew I wanted to continue reading the story of these two families. If you like historical fiction set in the south prior to and after the Emancipation Proclamation, check out this series! Definitely read the first two books in the series before this one.

From the bestselling author of Yellow Crocus and Mustard Seed comes the empowering novel of two generations of American women connected by the past and fighting for a brighter future.

It’s 1894. Jordan Wallace and Sadie Wagoner appear to have little in common. Jordan, a middle-aged black teacher, lives in segregated Chicago. Two thousand miles away, Sadie, the white wife of an ambitious German businessman, lives in more tolerant Oakland, California. But years ago, their families intertwined on a plantation in Virginia. There, Jordan’s and Sadie’s mothers developed a bond stronger than blood, despite the fact that one was enslaved and the other was the privileged daughter of the plantation’s owner.

With Jordan’s mother on her deathbed, Sadie leaves her disapproving husband to make the arduous train journey with her mother to Chicago. But the reunion between two families is soon fraught with personal and political challenges.

As the harsh realities of racial divides and the injustices of the Gilded Age conspire to hold them back, the women find they need each other more than ever. Their courage, their loyalty, and the ties that bind their families will be tested. Amid the tumult of a quickly changing nation, their destiny depends on what they’re willing to risk for liberation.

THE BOY, THE MOLE, THE FOX AND THE HORSE

By: Charlie Mackesy

Published: October 22, 2019

Publisher: HarperOne

Fiction

Format: Hardcover

I kept seeing this book everywhere and I was curious, so decided to go ahead and purchase it. I need to just take an hour and read it!

A book of hope for uncertain times.

Enter the world of Charlie’s four unlikely friends, discover their story and their most important life lessons.

The conversations of the boy, the mole, the fox, and the horse have been shared thousands of times online, recreated in school art classes, hung on hospital walls, and turned into tattoos. In Charlie’s first book, you will find his most-loved illustrations and some new ones too.

SISTER CITY

By: Ian Woollen

Published: November 10, 2020

Publisher: Coffeetown Press

Fiction

Format: Paperback

I was contacted by the author for a request to read and review his book. His wife is from Cedar Rapids. The cover actually looks like it was taken from my backyard! I look forward to reading and sharing my thoughts soon.

It’s the countdown to Election Day in Cave City, Indiana, and its sister city, Ciudad de la Gruta, in Yucatán, Mexico. Their original agreement, back in 1999, requires the sister-city status be re-approved every twenty years via referendum. What should be an easy, has become a political hot-potato in 2019.

LEAVING COY’S HILL

By: Katherine A. Sherbrooke

Published: May 4, 2021

Publisher: Pegasus Books

Fiction

Format: Paperback

Just reading the synopsis, I love Lucy Stone already. Since it is also based on real events, it makes for an even more interesting story.

Born on a farm in 1818, Lucy Stone dreamt of extraordinary things for a girl of her time, like continuing her education beyond the eighth grade and working for the abolitionist cause, and of ordinary things, such as raising a family of her own. But when she learns that the Constitution affords no rights to married women, she declares that she will never marry and dedicates her life to fighting for change.

At a time when it is considered promiscuous for women to speak in public, Lucy risks everything for the anti-slavery movement, her powerful oratory mesmerizing even her most ardent detractors as she rapidly becomes a household name. And when she begins to lecture on the “woman question,” she inspires a young Susan B. Anthony to join the movement. But life as a crusader is a lonely one. 

When Henry Blackwell, a dashing and forward-thinking man, proposes a marriage of equals, Lucy must reconcile her desire for love and children with her public persona and the legal perils of marriage she has long railed against. And when a wrenching controversy pits Stone and Anthony against each other, Lucy makes a decision that will impact her legacy forever.

Based on true events, Leaving Coy’s Hill is a timeless story of women’s quest for personal and professional fulfillment within society’s stubborn constraints. And as an abolitionist and women’s rights activist fighting for the future of a deeply divided country, Lucy Stone’s quest to live a life on her own terms is as relevant as ever. In this “propulsive,” “astonishing,” and “powerful” story, Katherine Sherbrooke brings to life a true American heroine for a new generation. 

THE FOUR WINDS

By: Kristin Hannah

Published: February 2, 2021

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Historical Fiction

Format: Hardcover

This was my Book of the Month pick. If you are new to the subscription, you can get your first book for just $5 and others for $9.99 – 14.99! No other club offers hardcover bestsellers for such a great price. Start your subscription, HERE.

Choosing this book was a no-brainer. Kristin Hannah + historical fiction = winning book for me. It’s already been getting rave reviews!

Texas, 1934. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as the crops are failing, the water is drying up, and dust threatens to bury them all. One of the darkest periods of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl era, has arrived with a vengeance.

In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elsa Martinelli—like so many of her neighbors—must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life. The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American Dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.

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LITTLE CAT FEELS LEFT OUT

By: Dori Durbin

Published: March 2, 2021

Publisher: Little Cat Press

Fiction

Format: eBook

I’ve reviewed this one already, HERE.

SLEEP, CAT, SLEEP

By: Antje Damm

Published: March 16, 2021

Publisher: Prestel Junior

Fiction

Format: Board Book

This has all the “Monster at the End of this Book” vibes in cat form and I am here for it. I think littles will love this one.

It can be hard to fall asleep because who wants to stop playing, talking, and just having fun. Sometimes, it’s just as difficult to stay asleep. There can be noises, lights, and many other distractions. Cat has this very problem in Sleep, Cat, Sleep! He’s calmly resting until you open the book and wake him up. Every time he thinks it’s safe to fall back asleep, you flip the page and bother him again! All he wants is for you to close the book so he can start dreaming away. Author and illustrator Antje Damm has created an uproariously funny book to help young children fall asleep. They will be delighted with all the different ways Cat can come up with to get kids to let him sleep. A new surprise awaits with every turn of the page, but we don’t want to give away who falls asleep at the end of this book!

JULIUS AND MACY

A Very Brave Night

By: Annelouise Mahoney

Published: April 1, 2021

Publisher: Two Lions

Fiction

Format: Hardcover Picture Book

This one looks so sweet. An enchanting tale set in the forest between two friends.

Julius and Macy like to play heroes. Julius pretends he’s the defender of the forest, while Macy has a quieter strength. When their snack disappears one night, they decide to track down the only one who could have taken it—the Night Goblin. They both have to be brave in their own ways, and they ultimately discover that the real thief isn’t anything like they imagined.

With its endearing characters, this gently told tale reminds us that we each have the courage within us and that kindness can make all the difference. 

THE GREATEST SHOW PENGUIN

By: Lucy Freegard

Published: February 2, 2021

Publisher: Pavillion Children’s

Fiction

Format: Hardcover Picture Book

I love penguin stories and this one sharing Poppy’s girl power sounds so fun!

Poppy the Penguin comes from a long line of circus performers. Many skills have been passed down from penguin to penguin. However, Poppy soon decides that performing in the family circus is not for her, as she prefers to feel calm and in control. But the hardest thing is not juggling, or riding a unicycle–it’s telling her mum that she doesn’t want to perform anymore. Her bravery is worth it when Poppy discovers a better role–organizing and coordinating the whole show. And what a show it turns out to be! This tale of overcoming shyness and lack of confidence is both a funny and sensitive parody of the record-breaking movie The Greatest Showman and a celebration of girl power!

ALONE!

By: Barry Falls

Published: March 2, 2021

Publisher: Pavillion Children’s

Fiction

Format: Hardcover Picture Book

This silly story reminds me a bit of “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”. I think kids will find this to be a fun read-aloud.

A richly illustrated laugh-out-loud tale with a gentle message:

There once was a boy called Billy McGill
who lived by himself at the top of a hill.
He spent every day in his house all alone
for Billy McGill liked to be on his own…

One day Billy hears the squeak of a mouse, which destroys his peaceful existence. So he gets a cat to catch the mouse. But the cat and the mouse make friends. So he gets a dog to chase the cat. But they all play together. So then he gets a bear… then a tiger… and on it goes, until Billy’s house is so filled with animals that he has to move out. Will he find that he still craves peace and quiet, or is it better to have company and friends? This a laugh-out-loud story of growing chaos, with a subtle message about how it’s good to have friends. 

WHILE YOU’RE SLEEPING

By: Mick Jackson and John Broadley

Published: February 2, 2021

Publisher: Pavillion Children’s

Fiction

Format: Hardcover Picture Book

I love bedtime stories. This one shares all the things that happen while we are sleeping and I think kids will love thinking about it while they fall asleep.

There’s a whole world of activity out there while we’re asleep in our beds – from bakers preparing bread and cakes and firefighters waiting patiently for a call, to hospitals caring for those who are ill and postal workers sorting our mail. There is also wildlife such as foxes foraging, bats flying, and owls hunting for prey. And around the world there are children who are playing, learning, eating, and reading while we’re tucked up asleep.

Perfect for bedtime, this book opens up a whole world of wonder and imagination for children and provides solace if they wake in the early hours. In his first children’s book, illustrator John Broadley works in a limited palette, moving from soft dusk colours to warm dawn tones. 

THE LAST TREE

By: Emily Haworth-Booth

Published: March 2, 2021

Publisher: Pavillion Children’s

Fiction

Format: Hardcover Picture Book

A book for kids about the importance of taking care of our environment.

Once upon a time, a group of friends were seeking a place to call home. The desert was too hot, the valley was too wet and the mountain was too windy.

Then they found the forest. It was perfect. The leaves gave shelter from the sun and rain, and a gentle breeze wound through the branches.

But the friends soon wanted to build shelters. The shelters became houses, then the houses got bigger. All too soon they wanted to control the environment and built a huge wooden wall around the community.

As they cut down the trees, the forest becomes thinner, until there is just one last tree standing.

It is down to the children to find a solution.

MONA LISA IN NEW YORK

By: Yevgenia Nayberg

Published: March 9, 2021

Publisher: Prestel Junior

Non-Fiction

Format: Hardcover Picture Book

An imaginative story of Mona Lisa will introduce kids to appreciating art and the joy of visiting New York City.

Mona Lisa is taking a trip to New York from the Louvre. Yes, that Mona Lisa. The one with the knowing smile. After hanging in the museum for a while she decides to explore the city. She slips out of her painting and meets Tag, a street art figure. He takes her on an adventure from the Bronx to the Brooklyn Bridge and it turns out Mona Lisa doesn’t know as much as she thought. In this beautiful and charming book, artist Yevgenia Nayberg, a recent immigrant to New York herself, shows young readers the city she has fallen in love with. Cleverly portraying da Vinci’s iconic subject as a world-weary, know-it-all, Nayberg takes readers on a tour of New York. Mona Lisa and Tag eat pizza in the Bronx, listen to jazz in Harlem, dance to salsa music on the High Line, and swim at Brighton Beach. As Mona Lisa says goodbye to her new friend, she–and the readers–come away with a profound appreciation of the city and its wonders.

PIE FOR BREAKFAST

A Baking Book for Children

By: Cynthia Cliff

Published: April 6, 2021

Publisher: Prestel Junior

Non-Fiction/Cookbook

Format: Hardcover Picture Book

Take your child on a trip around the world through the joy of baking. These recipes will introduce them to new flavors and traditions and you may just want to eat these treats for breakfast!

When Hazel and her father bake together, her mother says they make the whole house smell like a fancy bakery. And when they bake in the morning, they get to eat their goods as a special treat–even if it’s for breakfast. One day Hazel decides to organize a morning bake sale for her school and encourages her friends to contribute to the effort. The results take readers all over the world, from strawberry mochi and pumpkin empanadas to Indian-spiced shortbread and Egyptian basbousa cake. Best of all, each of these treats including muffins, carrot cake, scones, and vegan and gluten-free items–comes with its own easy-to-follow recipe. Cynthia Cliff’s charming illustrations combine the simplicity of folk art with a sophisticated flair. Her down-to-earth baking accommodates all sorts of substitutions and skill levels. The perfect book for satisfying baking, Pie for Breakfast introduces children to new flavors and treats, opening their palates and their eyes to the delicious ways that baking can bring us together.

PLANES

From the Wright Brothers to the Supersonic Jet

By: Jan Van Der Veken

Published: March 9, 2021

Publisher: Prestel Junior

Non-Fiction

Format: Hardcover Picture Book

If you’ve got a child who loves airplanes, this is the book for them!

How does a plane move through the air? What is turbulence? What do those lines on the runways mean? All these questions and many more are answered in this gorgeously illustrated history of airplanes and flight. The book opens with a basic introduction to plane anatomy and shows how aircrafts have developed over the ages. From there readers will learn about aerodynamics, the mechanics of wing shape and lift, and how ailerons, propellers, and flaps work. There’s even a section on communications systems, runway design, and GPS. Profiles of famous historic planes illustrate basic principles throughout the book. Readers will learn about record-breaking flights across continents and oceans; how “flying wings” evolved into the B-2 bomber; and where the world’s most treacherous runways are located. A section on experimental aircraft looks at the zeppelins, flying cars, and the fate of the Concorde jet. Jan Van der Veken’s lushly colored, retro drawings detail everything from plane design to the physics of flight and provide the perfect companion to his engaging text. Budding aviators will linger over every detail of this information-packed book that serves both to demystify and celebrate the miracle of flight.

VEGGIE POWER

By: Annette Roeder

Illustrated by: Olaf Hajek

Published: April 27, 2021

Publisher: Prestel Junior

Non-Fiction

Format: Hardcover Oversized Picture Book

I previously reviewed FLOWER POWER, illustrated by Olaf Hajek. This one takes the same concept with vegetables. If you want to encourage your child to eat more veggies, this book will at the very least make them more curious about them!

This illustrated garden of vegetable delights will make children interested in learning about what’s on their plates.

GREAT RIVERS OF THE WORLD

By: Volker Mehnert

Illustrated by: Martin Haake

Published: March 23, 2021

Publisher: Prestel Junior

Non-Fiction

Format: Hardcover Oversized Picture Book

Kids will learn the importance that rivers have in the cities that they travel through as well as the history and culture of the people that rely on the rivers.

Where in the Rhein does the Nibelung Treasure lie? What river helps mark the prime meridian? Why do people make pilgrimages to the Indian city of Benares? Why is the Mekong called the “Nine Dragon” river in Vietnam? How does the Mississippi divide and unite the United States? These and hundreds of other facts are explored in this wonderfully illustrated atlas of the world’s great rivers. Each spread in this book offers a colorful map packed with drawings, figures, and facts. Cities that border the rivers are highlighted, as are distinct flora and fauna, significant natural and human-made features, and fascinating historical details. A “biography” of each river describes where it flows, and its importance to the communities it passes through. Special attention is given to the ecological health of the rivers–those that are thriving and those in danger of losing their valuable habitats. Along the way, young readers will come to understand the enormous impact that rivers have on our lives while learning valuable information in a way that will spark their curiosity and imagination.

ANTARCTICA

A Continent of Wonder

By: Mario Cuesta Hernando

Illustrated by: Raquel Martin

Published: Yet to be determined

Publisher: Prestel Junior

Non-Fiction

Format: Hardcover Oversized Picture Book

A fascinating behind-the-scenes look at life on the continent of Antarctica. This one was slated for a mid-April publication date, but has been delayed. Keep watching on your favorite book site for availability.

Come aboard the Polar Star and accompany its crew on their half-year stay in Antarctica. Through full-page illustrations, children will experience the work and life of these explorers and scientists as they study penguins, whales, and seals, measure the depth of the ice, chart wind speeds of up to 186 mph (300km/h), examine old volcanoes, and withstand some of the lowest temperatures ever recorded. Kids will also learn about Roald Amundsen and Robert Falcon Scott, the legendary explorers who first set foot on Antarctica. Equal parts thrilling adventure and in-depth exploration, this book is an unforgettable illustrated expedition to Antarctica that is sure to satisfy the boldest bedtime traveler.

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Which one (or two or three) of these books will you be adding to your list?

To see all the posts featuring new books on my shelves, click HERE.

So many books, so little time!