Review By LISA ONYKAHONIE

This beautiful little story book is lovely to read aloud to young children.

It’s about the relationship between Lilly, her grandmother, and the whales who appear at the ocean nearby, to sing their mysterious and haunting songs.

Grumpy Great Uncle Fredrick reminds Lilly and her grandmother that whales were hunted for their meat, oil, and blubber and can’t see why they’re so sentimental. Lilly ignores his outburst and Uncle Fredrick stomps out of the room. That night Lilly dreams about the whales and when she awakens, she goes down to the ocean and throws a flower into the water for them. Lilly waits and waits and eventually she is rewarded when she catches sight of some whales nearby.

Read and try not to cry!

Ages 3-8. For activities related to the book, visit Jackson McCormack.

Review By CAROLYN M. MULLIN

“High above the city, no one heard the soft thud of feathers against glass.”

And so begins this literary and pictorial short story for little ones. In the drab bustling city no one notices nor stops to help an injured bird, except young Will, who is partly the source of light and color in author-artist Bob Graham’s illustrations. He and his mom gently wrap the bird in a scarf, take him home, nurse him back to health, and release him into the cityscape. Words are sparse in this book, but the cartoon-styled set up allows for kids to read between the lines and see in detail how the bird is cared for (wrapping the broken wing, providing water and housing).

This is such a touching and much needed work in children’s literature, and its premise is basic: see someone in need and lend a helping hand. The storyline lends itself to themes of hope and empathy. Some have taken this to be a spiritual work since the sun/heaven shines upon the boy, his family and the bird.

Find coloring sheets and lesson plans from Australian publisher Walker Books.

Ages 4-7.

Review By ROBYN MOORE

The Secret Life of Mitch Spinach begins in the cafeteria, where Mitch’s classmates are eating the standard American diet of pizza, French fries, and chicken fingers (this is a sad commentary on our schools today, where most cafeterias serve processed junk food). Mitch pulls out his Nutripak, filled with organic fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds. He mixes it all into his portable blender, and out comes the Mitch Spinach Super Smoothie (but kids should know that you don’t need a portable blender to eat healthy)! Mitch’s super athletic abilities, extraordinary vision and hearing, and brain power—all of which are admired by his classmates at Sunchoke Elementary—are a testament to his healthy diet.

Mitch receives a special note from Principal Lycopene requesting Mitch’s help solving a mystery. Someone keeps breaking into the school custodian, Mr. Habanero’s supply closet and making a big mess. Using his keen senses, Mitch solves the mystery! The culprits are a scared mother cat and her kittens, who have taken up residence in the closet. Mr. Habanero ends up adopting the cats. This would’ve been the perfect place to throw in a reference about the companion-animal overpopulation crisis, but understandably, you can’t fit every issue into one book!

I was impressed by how much was squeezed into this book, including the teaching points in the appendix, which explain the benefits of eating fruits and vegetables, and a recipe for Mitch’s Super Smoothie, which I think kids will be eager to try. It’s a timely story that addresses the benefits of eating healthy in a world that is slowly creeping into the crisis stage of an obesity epidemic.

A website accompanies the book. It includes a fan club, games, lesson plans, recipes (all vegan), and merchandise. Let’s hope that there’s a Mitch Spinach craze like there was for Elmo … kids could use a good role model.

On another note, I could easily see this story being adapted into a Saturday morning cartoon series. Kids would definitely tune in to watch Mitch Spinach solve a new mystery each week. Perhaps the show can open with Mitch Spinach asking the kids to grab their favorite fruit to snack on while they watch?

Ages 3-10.

Review By JESSICA ALMY

The Stray Dog recounts a true story of rescuing a homeless dog. With a stunning backdrop of Manhattan, the Brooklyn Bridge, and what I would venture to guess is Prospect Park, Marc Simont’s Caldecott Honor Book depicts a nameless family who encounter a dog while picnicking in the park. Assuming that the dog belongs to someone, they say goodbye at the end of the day and return to the city, only to find themselves preoccupied with the fate of the little dog they’ve named Willy. Upon returning to the park, they discover from an animal control officer that Willy is in fact homeless, and they immediately come to his aid.

This book has two particularly touching scenes: one in which the boy offers his belt as Willy’s collar and the girl offers her hair ribbon as his leash, and the second where Willy is curled up on a dog bed “where he belong[s].” This sweet book is a good pick for families concerned with animal welfare. It would be hard to justifying buying a dog from a pet shop, rather than adopting, after reading this book. Vegetarian parents should note, however, that the family is depicted as eating burgers and hot dogs.

Ages 3-7. For activities based on the book, visit Live Oak Media or Family Education.

Review By CAROLYN M. MULLIN

You’re a scientist on an Alpine High Mountain hiking from Base Camp to Upper Camp. No, no, wait. You’re snorkeling with a friend between fragile coral reefs, passing stingrays and moray eels on the way back to the beach. Feeling up to helping a baby elephant find his herd in the Savanna? How about trekking through tundra, wetlands, grasslands, and the other ecosystems Roxie Munro depicts in EcoMazes? (The website offers a few mazes for download.)

Illustrated over a two-page spread, each environment challenges readers to finagle their way through a maze and discover over 350 animals scattered throughout the book. Informative answer keys are provided in the back, outlining the path that solves the maze, as well as location IDs for all the animals, and mini essays on each ecosystem. Any kid would be enraptured with these inviting puzzles (I found myself relentlessly trying to solve one or two) and appreciate the diversity found on Earth.

A few downsides to my enthusiasm for Munro’s work are two other titles she’s undertaken including one involving circuses and the other rodeos. We all know performing animals lead very depressing, abusive lives in such venues.

Ages 4–8.

Review By CAROLYN M. MULLIN

Hey, Little Ant, written by father-daughter duo Hannah (then nine-years-old) and Phillip Hoose, is by far my favorite children’s book. Honestly! It has everything you could possibly wish for – inviting artwork, relatable scenarios, quick, upbeat writing, and a prompting message that leaves the reader with an ethical quagmire.

Kid encounters a tiny ant in the crevice of the sidewalk. He contemplates squishing him, but through enchanting, rhyming dialogue the table is turned. Ant shows Kid that his fellow insects rely on him (we see images of Ant reading to his own children, sharing food with comrades) and asks Kid if he would appreciate being squished, seeing as how they’re more alike than previously thought. The book doesn’t outright suggest that killing ants is bad, but readers are challenged to make the rationale on their own. However, it would be hard to refute that ants deserve respect and consideration after reading Hey, Little Ant.

This is a truly fantastic resource (lesson plans and activities abound!) for fostering discussions on bullying, tolerance, and conflict resolution; dichotomies of big/small, powerful/powerless and animal welfare; science studies and entomology. And to support my fanfare of this one-of-a-kind publication are the testimonials from my former AmeriCorps students. They requested the book more times than I can count and loved holding it, as some of the graphics require that you flip the book vertically in order to see them properly. It’s also available in Spanish under the title Oye, Hormiguita!

Ages 4-8.

Review By

My daughter and I completely related to adorable Llama Llama and his experiences on his first day of school. The author, Anna Dewdney, manages to describe the minute details and emotions of preparing and going to school for the first time using clever rhyming sentences. Each page consists of colorful and expressive illustrations that show Llama’s feelings of excitement, anxiety, sadness, and joy in his home and school environment. The rhyme, rhythm and pictures all appeal to a child (as well as her mama).

For little attached ones like my daughter who love their mamas so tightly, your child may also especially relate to the lines, “Llama misses Mama so… Why did Mama Llama go?” Ms. Dewdney definitely manages to capture the mommy guilt perfectly with a few lines and images! Thankfully, there’s a positive spin and mommies everywhere can be optimistic that their children can have a good transition into school or daycare. The teachers and children (all depicted as different animals) help Llama overcome his separation anxiety and transition into the social setting. As parents, we can all hope that our children will be treated as compassionately and inclusively as Llama is and that they will also learn to enjoy school experiences. The joyful reunion between mother and child takes place across two pages (my preschooler claims, “this is the part I like!”) and details such as the flying crayons as Llama runs to mama emphasizes the strength of emotions of the moment.

Llama Llama Misses Mama is must-have for any mom and soon-to-be school age child.

Ages 4-8.  For activities to accompany the book,visit TeacherVision.

Prolific, award-winning author and illustrator Jan Brett’s Annie and the Wild Animals is the lushly illustrated winter tale of a girl and her cat Taffy.  When Taffy begins acting strangely and disappears in the deep of winter, lonely Annie tries to entice another animal into becoming her friend by setting corn cakes out near the woods.  The wild animals she encounters are clearly not suitable replacements but enjoy her corn cakes.  Soon, the animals become dependent upon Annie’s hand outs and invade her house to demand food.  When the weather changes to spring, the wild animals return to the woods and Taffy returns to Annie– with three kittens in tow.

This engaging tale is perfect for reading together on a snowy day and opens doors to many discussions about animal welfare issues.  Opportunities abound to discuss the relationship between humans and animals, including why we don’t leave food out for wild animals and why we spay and neuter our companion animals.

A special treat in Ms. Brett’s books are the richly illustrated borders around each page which augment the main illustration.  These borders contain hints and clues about what is going on with other characters in the story and what will happen in the coming pages.  Enjoy reading and discussing this story with ages 3 and up.  Find a bit more about discussing this story with your child here.

Kiddo has been asking about what happens to trash, and she was appalled to learn about landfills.  So you can imagine her excitement when we rented Backpack Jack’s “All About Garbage and Recycling.”

I’d never watched anything with Backpack Jack in it before.  He reminded me of Steve Burns, the original host of Blue’s Clues — young, friendly, and upbeat.   Kids will love all the car- and can-crushing machines, but some might not get Backpack Jack’s sense of humor.  Kiddo, for example, thought he was serious when he said a machine was crushing his car!

This movie has a definite pro-recycling perspective, so it made kiddo very happy.  Still, I wish it talked a little bit about reducing and reusing old materials.

Not Rated.  Ages 4-8.  For recycling activities (including instructions on making a necklace from magazines), check out Education World.  To play a recycling-themed game, visit the Environmental Protection Agency’s Recycle City.

I remember loving Beatrix Potter’s book The Tale of Peter Rabbit when I was a little girl, so it’s fun to look at it again as an adult.  While it’s true that the animals wear shoes and jackets (which is a little strange), I still love the mischievous Peter and his narrow escape from Mr. McGregor, whose garden he raids.

As an adult, I have found even more to admire in this sweet little book.  I, for one, could stand to learn from Mrs. Rabbit’s unwavering patience with Peter — especially in comparison to Mr. McGregor’s terrible temper.   And I hope my daughter takes a cue from Peter’s love of veggies.

Top that all off with the fact that the illustrations are delightful, no matter how many times we look at them, and this classic book remains one of our all-time favorites.

Ages 4-8.  For games and activities related to the book, visit PeterRabbit.com.