Children's Picture Books: Informational Category

"Discover the exhilarating diversity of the African continent in storyteller Atinuke’s kaleidoscopic nonfiction guide to the people, flora, and fauna of all fifty-five countries. A Nigerian storyteller explores the continent of Africa country by country: its geography, peoples, animals, history, resources, and cultural diversity. The book is divided into five distinct sections—South, East, West, Central, and North—and each country is showcased on its own bright, energetic page brimming with friendly facts on science, industry, food, sports, music, wildlife, landscape features, even snippets of local languages. The richest king, the tallest sand dunes, and the planet’s largest waterfall all make appearances along with drummers, cocoa growers, inventors, balancing stones, salt lakes, high-tech cities, and nomads who use GPS! Atinuke’s lively and comprehensive introduction to all fifty-five African countries—a celebration scaled to dazzle and delight even very young readers—evokes the continent’s unique blend of modern and traditional. Complete with colorful maps, an index, and richly patterned and textured illustrations by debut children’s book artist Mouni Feddag, Africa, Amazing Africa is both a beautiful gift book and an essential classroom and social studies resource." -- publisher

Amara and the Bats

2021

by Emma Reynolds

"Environmental activism gets a nocturnal twist in this utterly charming picture book about a young girl and her mission to save the bats! Amara loves bats! Her favorite thing to do is to collect bat facts and watch the amazing mammals fly at night by her house. But when Amara moves to a new town, she learns that her beloved bats no longer roost nearby because so many trees are being cut down. Amara is upset. What can she do to help? She’s just one person, and the problem feels so much bigger than her. But after doing some research, she discovers that there are many young people making big changes all around the world. Inspired to take action, Amara gathers her new friends to help save the bats. Together, she knows they can make a difference! Emma Reynolds crafts an inspiring story about community action, perseverance, and what to do in the face of climate anxiety. At its heart, this is a story about hope and finding a place to call home." -- publisher

Amara’s Farm

2021

by JaNay Brown-Wood and Samara Hardy

"A young girl searches for pumpkins on her farm in this joyful celebration of cool-weather fruits and vegetables, from the new Where in the Garden? series. Amara is hosting a potluck for friends on her farm, and her snacks won’t be complete without pumpkins. She’s searched and searched, but she's grown so many plants that she needs help finding them. What do we know about pumpkins? They’re large, round, and orange—and, wait a minute, is that a pumpkin? No, that’s an apple. Where, oh, where could those pumpkins be? Author JaNay Brown-Wood uses simple, playful text to guide young readers through Amara’s farm, exploring the unique characteristics of the apples, cauliflower, eggplant, okra, persimmons, and more that grow there. Little gardeners will compare, contrast, and hunt for visual clues that eventually lead to the pumpkins and a fun potluck with Amara, her grandparents, and her diverse group of friends. Artist Samara Hardy brings this multi-layered story to life with vivid, cheerful illustrations created from layers of hand painted ink and watercolor texture. Back matter includes yummy molasses pumpkin bread recipe for little chefs to try. Amara’s Farm is the first entry in the Where in the Garden? series from author JaNay Brown-Wood and illustrator Samara Hardy. Featuring a diverse cast of characters, the books explore gardening and farming during every season of the year. Perfect for early childhood and elementary education units on agriculture, farming, gardening, and healthy eating." -- publisher

Bee Love (Can Be Hard)

2021

by Alan Page, Kamie Page and David Geister

"A Minnesota Book Award Finalist. Otis wasn't scared of many things, but at the top of his list? Bees. When Grandpa was younger, he was afraid of bees too. That is, until he learned about them. To help Otis overcome his fear, Grandpa takes him to a bee farm, where he learns that while "bee love" can be hard, it is also important. Lovely pastoral paintings are the backdrop to this gently told, relatable story. The book includes extended information about bees, beekeeping, and pollinators. This delightfully readable story about overcoming your fears was written by former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice and Minnesota Vikings Hall of Famer Alan Page, and his daughter, Kamie Page, an educator. Page Education Foundation donates 100% of their book proceeds back to the Foundation, which offers financial assistance to students of color facing barriers to attaining their educational dreams." -- publisher

Boxing’s G.O.A.T.

2021

by Jon M. Fishman

"Fans will adore learning about sports stars through stats and thrilling facts. It's time to enter the ring and meet the greatest boxers of all time! Readers will learn about the sport and look at exciting facts and stats presented in an engaging top-10 format." -- publisher

Branches of Hope: The 9/11 Survivor Tree

2021

by Ann Magee and Nicole Wong

Remember and honor the events of 9/11 and celebrate how hope appears in the midst of hardship. The Survivor Tree found at Ground Zero was rescued, rehabilitated, and then replanted at the 9/11 Memorial site in 2011. This is its story

Busy Spring

2021

by Alex Morss, Sean Taylor and Cinyee Chiu

"A beautiful picture book featuring an imaginative narrative, with scientific information weaved in throughout and explored in the final pages. In this uplifting picture book about spring, follow two children and their father through their backyard as they discover all the different ways nature wakes up from its long winter sleep. Spot the busy creatures and plants as the tale unfolds, then learn about how each responds to the increasing daylight and warmth that usher in the season. Co-authors Sean Taylor (picture book author) and Alex Morss (ecologist, journalist, and educator) offer an inviting introduction to the science behind spring. The yard is bright, birds are singing, the bees are buzzing, and there are tadpoles in the pond! What is all the commotion about? In each colorful scene, the family discovers a different sign of spring—a bird collecting twigs for its nest, a fox snuggling her cubs, a caterpillar feasting on leaves… After the story, annotated illustrations explain the spring behaviors of various plants and animals. Inspire an appreciation for the natural world in this joyous exploration of spring." -- publisher

Cars! Cars! Cars!

2021

by Kimi Weart

"A lively picture book tie-in to Automania, The Museum of Modern Art’s new exhibition on cars and car culture. Rosario Abigail Bergen Delgado loves cars. She knows everything there is to know about cars. And she can’t wait until she can drive a car. But which one should she choose? A race car? A spy car? A purple, green, or blue car? It’s impossible to pick just one! Featuring 10 cars from the collection of The Museum of Modern Art, New York, this book invites young readers to share Rosario's adventures and to think about what car is best for them, the environment, and the future. Rosario’s final choice may surprise you!" -- publisher

Clayton Parker Really Really Really Has to Pee

2021

by Cinco Paul and Gladys Jose

"From the screenwriter behind family favorites like Despicable Me and Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax comes a hilarious, rhyming picture book romp about knowing when to GO. Clayton Parker can’t wait for his field trip to the zoo. When his teacher encourages the class to go before they go . . . Clayton rushes onto the bus and doesn’t give it a second thought. Little does he know . . . Clayton Parker really really REALLY has to pee. He discovers this as soon as he gets to the zoo. And he panics! Clayton needs a bathroom, and he needs one now! The first one he finds is broken. The next one isn’t much of a bathroom at all. What will Clayton do? A cautionary tale for the procrastinator in us all, this hilarious picture book romp will have readers vowing alongside Clayton Parker: “Before I go out anywhere, I’ll always try to pee.” "-- publisher

Girls Grow Up: Ethiopia’s Fabulous Females in Amharic and English

2021

by Jane. Kurtz and Brenda Porter

"From Isabella Tewodros, the youngest scuba diver in the world, to Yetnebersh Nigussie, the blind Ethiopian lawyer fighting for equality and human rights, Ethiopia has produced some amazing girls and women. Some of them will become pilots and scientists, others will excel in sports or music, and still others will become teachers, farmers, mothers, leaders, business owners or artists. But no matter what they grow up to be, Ethiopian girls are full of incredible potential and deserve our appreciation and support. " -- publisher