(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.)
Letters to Never Send Santa: Confessions, Complaints, and Outlandish Requests from the Files of St. Nick
by David Griswold (Author), Luis San Vicente (Illustrator)
Brief summary: There is a letter from Santa Claus explaining the collection of letters sent to him from children who received coal in their stockings and on the naughty kid list.
Comments: This collection of humorous, poetic letters written to Santa would be a fun read-aloud for the classroom during the holiday season.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
The selected children’s books are chosen by a highly qualified retired elementary school librarian who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is the complimentary copies she receives, which are duly noted.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.)
Fast Cheetah, Slow Tortoise: Poems of Animal Opposites
by Bette Westera (Author), Mies van Hout (Illustrator), David Colmer (Translator)
Brief summary: This poetry book cleverly presents animal opposites in each animal’s voice. Every two-page spread features two animals opposite from one another in descriptive and humorous free verse.
Comments: The illustrations were created using acrylic ink, oil pastels, and collage. There are a total of thirty-two animals featured in the book.
This poetry book would complement poetry or opposite units of study. It can also just be used for a funny read-aloud to make everyone giggle.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
*I was sent a complimentary copy of this book.
The selected children’s books are chosen by a highly qualified retired elementary school librarian who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is the complimentary copies she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
Log Life (Tiny Habitats)
by Amy Hevron (Author, Illustrator)
Brief summary: This book is a narrative nonfiction that educates young readers about the life cycle of a giant fir tree that falls to the ground and transforms into a nurse log. As the log slowly decays in the forest, it becomes a source of nourishment for fungi, plants, insects, animals, and birds throughout the first year until it completely decomposes many decades later.
Comments: I had never heard of the term “nurse log” before and found it fascinating to learn about what happens to a fallen tree.
The illustrations were created using acrylic, marker, and pencil on Bristol board and then digitally collaged.
The back sections are More About Nurse-Log Habitats, Selected Sources, and Additional Reading.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Milkweed for Monarchs
by Christine Van Zandt (Author), Alejandra Barajas (Illustrator)
Brief summary: There are two types of text teaching readers about monarch butterflies. There is a lyrical, rhyming text and informative text boxes on each page.
Monarchs migrate back north after it warms to lay eggs on milkweed plants. We learn the stages of the butterfly from egg to adult.
Comments: The back sections include the Author’s Note, Monarchs Need Our Help, How You Can Help, Fun Facts, The Senses, and Selected Bibliography.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Version 1.0.0
The Wonderful Wisdom of Ants
by Philip Bunting (Author)
Brief summary: The ant’s life cycle and fun facts are explained in this nonfiction book for kids. Each ant has a role in the colony.
Comments: Nonfiction texts often include helpful features that aid in understanding the information presented. These features may include charts, diagrams, captions, and labels.
I really enjoyed the puns and humorous language used in the text.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Butterfly on the Wind
by Adam Pottle (Author), Ziyue Chen (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Aurora is feeling nervous the day before her talent show. Sitting in her family’s garden, she practices hand-signing for the play she wrote. While she’s rehearsing, a butterfly lands on a flower and Aurora signs “butterfly,” creating a small wind. This little wind continues to other children around the world, who all start signing “butterfly” too, and the wind grows stronger. Will this wind help Aurora on the day of her talent show?
Comments: An Author’s Note and an ASL chart are in the back.
Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
The Girl Who Loves Bugs
by Lily Murray (Author), Jenny Løvlie (Illustrator)
Summary: Evie loves picking up insect species and other creepy crawlies. She enjoys looking at them with her magnifying glass and putting them in her pockets. Her family does not share her passion and tells her to leave them, as it’s time to go home.
Evie decides to take them inside and place them in her room.
Her extended family comes to visit the next day. What could possibly go wrong?
Comments: The illustrations are digital. The back pages share ideas for helping bugs and a brief biological sketch of Evelyn Cheesman, an entomologist who inspired the book.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
Climbing the Volcano: A Journey in Haiku children’s book recommendation is by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
This Is a Tiny Fragile Snake
by Nicholas Ruddock (Author), Ashley Barron (Illustrator)
Brief summary: This poetry collection features informative poems about various animals and insects, highlighting their unique characteristics.
Comments: The illustrations are created using cut-paper collages, acrylics, and pencil crayons with some digital finishing.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
You Stole My Name Too: A Curious Case of Animals and Plants with Shared Names
by Dennis McGregor (Author), Blue Star Press (Producer)
Brief summary: This is a collection of humorous poems featuring animals and plants with the same names. Sometimes the reasons for the naming are evident, and sometimes not.
Comments: This is the second collection of poetry in the “You Stole My Name Series.”
The four-line poem is on the left side of the two-page spread, with the animal and plant illustration on the right.
This is an oversized book that really shows the details in his paintings. Prints of the illustrations are sold on his website.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. (These title can be found on my Amazon Storefront under Poetry Picture Books– https://www.amazon.com/shop/mrs.ferraris/list/23O9S8DDXLNC2?ref_=aipsflist .)
❗This cumulative list grows over time, with the newest books always appearing at the top.❗
Poems for Every Season: A Year of Haiku, Sonnets, and More
by Bette Westera (Author), Henriette Boerendans (Illustrator), David Colmer (Translator)
Brief summary: This collection organizes the calendar year journey beginning in spring and concludes in winter, with each season introduced by a haiku. Every month within that season is then paired with a unique poetic form for a total of 16 distinct styles.
Comments: The woodcut illustrations are stunning; two-page spreads are used to capture the essence of each month.
The back section is About the Verse Forms where each poem is listed along with a full explanation of the poetic form.
The forms discussed are:
Haiku
Rondel
Acrostic
Double dactyl
Pantoum
Elevenie
Tanka
Quatrain
Diamante
Rondelet
Limerick
Stacking Poem
Sonnet
This collection is a superb resource for teaching poetry units. I highly recommend adding this to any school or classroom library.
Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
*I received a free copy of this book.
Home
by Isabelle Simler (Author), Vineet Lal (Translator)
Brief summary: This poetry collection features 27 animals from around the world, showcasing the unique and amazing homes they create. Each animal is beautifully illustrated with great detail, and young readers will learn about camouflage, habitat, life cycles, and interesting animal facts.
Comments: The back sections include More About These Amazing Animals, Glossary, and Recommended Resources(Books, Websites, and Videos).
This lyrical text appears to be flawlessly translated from French(2022) to English(2024).
Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
*Home was sent to me as a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
Climbing the Volcano: A Journey in Haiku
by Curtis Manley (Author), Jennifer K. Mann (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A family hikes up South Sister, an Oregon volcano, and the young boy shares his observations in haiku, including the terrain, animals, and insects encountered.
Comments: The back sections of the book include “More About Climbing a Mountain,” which provides information on the volcano, necessary equipment, poetry, and living organisms, and “Further Information,” which lists books and websites.
The illustrations are created with a mix of collograph and monotype printmaking, pencil drawing, digital collage, and paint.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Bless Our Pets: Poems of Gratitude for Our Animal Friends
by Lee Bennett Hopkins (Editor), Lita Judge (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Bless Our Pets is an anthology of poetry featuring fourteen different animal companion owners expressing gratitude towards their beloved pets. Written by: • Ann Whitford Paul • Rebecca Kai Dotlich • Linda Trott Dickman • Eric Ode • Ralph Fletcher • Sarah Grace Tuttle • Kristine O’Connell George • Darren Sardelli • B.J. Lee • Charles Ghigna • Lois Lowry • Prince Redcloud • Joan Bransfield Graham • Lee Bennett Hopkins
Comments: The book features a variety of poetry forms. The illustrations are created with watercolors and colored pencils that beautifully capture facial expressions.
Rating: 5/5 📗📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
*Bless Our Pets was sent to me as a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
This Is a Tiny Fragile Snake
by Nicholas Ruddock (Author), Ashley Barron (Illustrator)
Brief summary: This poetry collection features informative poems about various animals and insects, highlighting their unique characteristics.
Comments: The illustrations are created using cut-paper collages, acrylics, and pencil crayons with some digital finishing.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
You Stole My Name Too: A Curious Case of Animals and Plants with Shared Names
by Dennis McGregor (Author), Blue Star Press (Producer)
Brief summary: This is a collection of humorous poems featuring animals and plants with the same names. Sometimes the reasons for the naming are evident, and sometimes not.
Comments: This is the second collection of poetry in the “You Stole My Name Series.”
The four-line poem is on the left side of the two-page spread, with the animal and plant illustration on the right.
This is an oversized book that really shows the details in his Gouache paintings. Prints of the illustrations are sold on his website.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Extraordinary Magic: The Storytelling Life of Virginia Hamilton
by Nina Crews (Author)
Brief summary: This collection of lyrical poetry shares Virginia Hamilton’s childhood, family, and writing inspirations.
Comments: The back sections include the Author’s Note, Timeline, Book List, Bibliography, and a few photos.
The illustrations were created digitally using Adobe Photoshop.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Great Gusts: Winds of the World and the Science Behind Them
by Melanie Crowder (Author), MEGAN BENEDICT (Author), Khoa Le (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Learn about fourteen winds of the world through a lyrical poem and then in nonfiction text.
Comments: This nonfiction poetry and weather book briefly explains specific winds worldwide. I had no idea that some of these existed until now.
The back sections further explain the science of these winds with What Makes the Wind?, How Are Winds Named? Local Poetic Traditions, a global map, Glossary, and For Further Reading.
The illustrations were created digitally.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Fast Cheetah, Slow Tortoise: Poems of Animal Opposites
by Bette Westera (Author), Mies van Hout (Illustrator), David Colmer (Translator)
Brief summary: This poetry book cleverly presents animal opposites in each animal’s voice. Every two-page spread features two animals opposite from one another in descriptive and humorous free verse.
Comments: The illustrations were created using acrylic ink, oil pastels, and collage. There are a total of thirty-two animals featured in the book.
This poetry book would complement poetry or opposite units of study. It can also just be used for a funny read-aloud to make everyone giggle.
Rating: 4.5/5 📗📗📗📗1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
How to Write a Poem
by Kwame Alexander (Author), Deanna Nikaido (Author), Melissa Sweet (Illustrator). Publisher : Quill Tree Books. 2023. Grades 3-5. Hardcover Picture Book. ISBN-13 : 978-0063060906.
Brief summary: Young readers (and future poetry writers) are encouraged to feel and use their imagination as they observe the world around them. They are inspired to write it down as poetry.
For more details or to buy, click on this book’s Amazon page.
Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗
Push-Pull Morning: Dog-Powered Poems About Matter and Energy
Brief summary: A fun introduction to physics in free verse poetry about a child and dog experiencing everyday life.
Comments: Each poem’s physics correlation is explained at the back of the book. This book could be shared in science units when each physics aspect is introduced to give students an idea of seeing it in the world around them.
Where I Live: Poems About My Home, My Street, and My Town
by Paul B. Janeczko (Author), Hyewon Yum (Illustrator). Publisher : Candlewick. 2023. 1-3. Hardcover Picture Book. ISBN-13 : 978-1536200942.
Brief summary: This is a collection of twenty-four poems divided into three sections: home, street, and town. The variety of poets and authors is diverse, with examples of several different types of poems—an excellent poetry addition to any library.
Comments: The illustrator captures the mood and characteristics of each poem.
by Sean Taylor (Author), Anuska Allepuz (Illustrator). Publisher : Candlewick. 2023. PreK-2. Hardcover Picture Book. ISBN-13 : 978-1536228342.
Brief summary: Thirty poems are divided into three sections: Night Arrives, Shut-Your-Eyes Time, and Dream Wheels Turning. The poems are a variety of different forms and with a variety of settings and characters.
The illustrations are colorful and completely fill all of the pages. Very well done.
Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
Garden Walk
by Virginia Brimhall Snow (Author)
Brief summary: Grammy and her four grandchildren walk through the forest and to the garden, learning about plants, animals, and insects. They place a blanket on the ground and picnic while Grammy reads to them. Narrated by one of the children.
Comments: Blue ink illustrations with the plants, animals, or insects highlighted with full-colored words that match the subject.
Picnic recipes are in the back.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
If you enjoy this book, you may be interested in Virginia Brimhall Snow’s Seasonal Walks series. For more details or to buy, continue reading o this book’s Amazon page.
Love Makes a Garden Grow
by Taeeun Yoo (Author, Illustrator)
Brief summary: A young girl and her grandfather tend a garden together until he moves to an apartment where he brings some of his plants.
She grows up and lives far away, but her grandfather sends her a gift of peonies. When her daughter grows, the granddaughter visits the man showing her little one how to tend the house plants and flowers like he taught her.
Comments: An Author’s Note in the back explains how this story is based on her relationship with her grandfather.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗 1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’sAmazon page.
Linh’s Rooftop Garden (Where In the Garden?)
by JaNay Brown-Wood (Author), Samara Hardy (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Lihn needs to find blueberries for their brunch and walk around the rooftop looking at all the fruits and vegetables. The girl describes what a blueberry looks like and compares those characteristics to each plant methodically until she finds them.
Comments: There is a blueberry and banana pancake recipe in the back.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗 1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’sAmazon page.
If you enjoy this book, you may be interested in the other three books of the Where in the Garden?series:
123
Watch Me Bloom: A Bouquet of Haiku Poems for Budding Naturalists
by Krina Patel-Sage (Author, Illustrator)
Brief summary: A collection of twenty-four haikus about different flower species, all illustrated with lovely bright colors, including the paste-down end pages.
Comments: There are Floral Fun Facts in the back of the book.
Rating: 3.5/5 📗📗📗 1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’sAmazon page.
Just a Worm
by Marie Boyd (Author, Illustrator)
Brief summary: Worm begins its day crawling through the garden when two humans cause it to have self-doubt. The worm crawls through a garden talking with each insect and creature it comes across, asking what it can do. Will the worm realize its importance to a garden and regain self-confidence?
Comments: The back pages include Make Your Own Quilled Butterfly, Earthworm Facts, and a Glossary. Illustrated using quilling techniques to make the plants.
I recommend that this picture book be read to supplement a quilling unit.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’sAmazon page.
George Washington Carver: More Than “The Peanut Man” (Bright Minds): More Than “The Peanut Man”
by Janel Rodriguez (Author), Subi Bosa (Illustrator)
I’ve only known George Washington Carver as the “peanut man” and updated my education when reading this narrative nonfiction about this knowledgeable and talented man nicknamed “Plant Doctor.”
Brief summary: This book begins with his life as a child who studied plants and painted them. It continues with his young adulthood of going to college, learning, and experimenting with plants. The book tells of his adulthood of going around in a Jesup wagon, educating farmers on improving their crops and livestock. Readers will learn about many of his inventions and personal life too. I enjoyed reading about this remarkable man.
Comments: This book is full of a variety of nonfiction text features. The back sections include Your Turn!, Glossary, Index, and Further Reading.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’sAmazon page.
Little Land
by Diana Sudyka (Author, Illustrator).
Brief summary: This is an ecological/environmental story from the beginning of the earth to its present of how the land and its inhabitant have changed and how to live in balance.
Comments: I included this book under gardening(although it could be under ecology or environmental) as it highlights how to tend a little bit of land.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’sAmazon page.
Every Little Seed
by Cynthia Schumerth (Author), Elisa Paganelli (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A young girl with her mother and grandfather plant seeds in the spring garden and tend them to grow, observing how the seed changes to develop. Birds and bugs visit the garden. Soon fall comes when the plants begin to produce seeds they gather for the next planting.
Comments: A plant’s cycle.
A story in rhyme.
Facts about seeds are in the back of the book, including a seed diagram.
Rating: 4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’sAmazon page.
A Flower is a Friend
by Frieda Wishinsky (Author), Karen Patkau (Illustrator)
Brief summary: An animal/creature is paired with a flower in the garden, and readers are asked why they coexist so well. Answers are in the book of how they benefit each other.
Symbiosis.
Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’sAmazon page.
My First Garden: For Little Gardeners Who Want to Grow
by Livi Gosling (Author)
Brief summary: This nonfiction book is a beginning guide to gardening with step-by-step instructions. Everything one needs to know is covered with illustrations.
Comments: This is for the primary children to learn by looking at the lovely illustrations or for older elementary students who want to start a gardening club.
I usually stick to picture book reviews, but this nonfiction book’s illustrations make a difference with the covered topics by clarifying the lesson.
Ratings:4/5 📗📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’sAmazon page.
A Garden in My Hands
by Meera Sriram (Author), Sandhya Prabhat (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A little girl has her hands Painted by her mother for a wedding the next day. Her mother tells her memories as she paints a garden of flowers and decorations. She sleeps with gloves on over the henna to wake and brush the flakes off to reveal her red garden of stories and the fragrance of henna.
Comments: Facts about henna are in the back of the book.
Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’sAmazon page.
G is for Gardening (A Gardening ABC Primer)
by Ashley Marie Mireles (Author), Volha Kaliaha (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Readers will learn their ABCs of gardening, discovering tools, plants, and animals in a garden.
Comments: Large and colorful illustrations. A good builder of garden vocabulary.
Rating: 3/5 📗📗📗
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’sAmazon page.
Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
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