We always love our moms, but on the second Sunday of May we celebrate that special relationship and thank them for everything they do for us all year long. On May 9, 1914 President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation establishing Mother’s Day as “a public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country.” First envisioned to honor all mothers instead of primarily your own, the day has become a more personal holiday in which families celebrate in their own unique and meaningful way. As today’s book shows, the nature of motherhood is surprisingly the same for human moms as for those in nature!
Supermoms!: Animal Heroes
Written by Heather Lang and Jamie Harper | Illustrated by Jamie Harper
Did you know that the animal kingdom is full of supermoms? It’s true! They may not wear capes, but some do fly through the air and others can go paw to wheel with a speeding train. “With powerful instincts and extraordinary skills, these moms do whatever it takes to protect and raise their young.” With so many different animal species, each having their own talents and behaviors, there are lots of ways these moms take care of their little ones. While some creatures raise their families in close quarters, groundhog moms build vast burrows with special rooms, “including a bathroom and a nursery lined with soft grasses for her pups.” Readers also discover how a red-knobbed hornbill mom uses a rather unusual substance to help seal up her home, and how a strawberry poison frog deals with extreme sibling rivalry in an extremely clever way.
Image copyright Jamie Harper, 2023, text copyright Heather Lang and Jamie Harper, 2023. Courtesy of Candlewick.
We all know moms make sacrifices for their children, but kids will be amazed at how penguins, polar bears, and bearded capuchin monkeys go the extra mile to make sure their babies are well-fed and happy. Animals don’t have minivans or SUVs or even city buses to help them transport their young, but that doesn’t stop some supermoms from taking their little ones here and there. For example, “an American Alligator’s might mouth makes the perfect super stroller. Mom scoops up her hatchlings and shuttles them safely to the water.” Little brown bat and wolf spider moms know just how to carry their kids in ways that are novel and exciting too.
Of course, keeping their children safe is one of a mom’s most important jobs, and readers will see how nature’s “supermoms stop at nothing to protect their young.” Whether they live under the sea, on the savannah, or at the beach, these mothers are always alert for predators use anything they’ve got—their mouths, tentacles, hooves, bums, and even their acting ability—to make sure that their precious kids are okay.
Image copyright Jamie Harper, 2023, text copyright Heather Lang and Jamie Harper, 2023. Courtesy of Candlewick.
As all kids know, besides making a home, feeding, transporting, and providing protection, moms are great teachers. It’s the same for animals. Some baby animals need to learn how to swim, how to gather food without hurting themselves, where to find food, how to use tools, and even how to make a comfy home of their own. And who shows them how to do all of these things and more? Their moms, of course! “With powerful instincts and extraordinary skills, these moms give their youngsters everything they need to go out into the world and thrive.” Sounds familiar, right?!
Back matter includes an illustrated guide to the eighteen animals represented in the book complete with their “super ability,” information on where they live and what they eat, and a “Guess What?” fun fact about each creature. A list of online resources, books, and films where kids can learn more about some of the animals is also included.
Image copyright Jamie Harper, 2023, text copyright Heather Lang and Jamie Harper, 2023. Courtesy of Candlewick.
Heather Lang and Jamie Harper’s Supermoms! Animal Heroes is immediately relatable with its home-run hit of superheroes, humor, eye-widening facts, and, of course, a mom’s love. Harper and Lang use a combination of easy-to-understand, straightforward text and lots of funny, rib-tickling speech bubbles that offer the kind of comical commentary on their surroundings and circumstances that will keep kids laughing, learning, and wanting to read the book again and again. The mix of well-known and more unusual species orients kids to those animals they’ve already heard about and may have seen for themselves at the zoo or aquarium and those they’d like to learn more about.
Jamie Harper’s textured, collage-style illustrations take kids underground, to the ocean, high into trees, across frozen tundras, and through dusty, grassy plains to demonstrate how moms with one to thousands of youngsters make sure they are nurtured and protected no matter what it takes. Her cartoon animals are realistically portrayed and their spunk, facial expressions, and actions are engagingly kid-inspired.
If your kids love nonfiction, learning about nature and animals, or simply a book that will get them laughing while they discover fascinating facts, Supermoms! Animal Heroes would be an often-asked-for addition to home bookshelves. The book’s content and extensive additional resources, both in the backmatter and on Heather Lang’s website, make Supermoms! a must for classroom, school, and public library collections.
Ages 3 – 7
Candlewick, 2023 | ISBN 978-1536217971
About Heather Lang
Heather Lang is the author of The Leaf Detective: How Margaret Lowman Uncovered Secrets in the Rainforest and Swimming with Sharks: The Daring Discoveries of Eugenie Clark, among other books. She lives in Massachusetts.
About Jamie Harper
Jamie Harper is the author-illustrator of four books about the feisty flamingo teacher Miss Mingo as well as the Baby Bundt board books and the picture books Miles to Go and Miles to the Finish. She lives outside Boston.
Mother’s Day Activity
Supermom! Mother’s Day Card
Kids know their mom’s super, and with this printable Supermom! card found on Heather Lang’s website, children can tell their mom just why they think she’s so special on Mother’s Day—or any day!
Kids and adults will find even more worksheets, activities, and games as well as videos of animals in their natural habitats caring for their young and the links to six movies about animals found around the world on YouTube and other streaming services on Heather Lang’s website.
You can find Supermoms!: Animal Heroes at these booksellers
Do you feel like you’ve been on a diet forever? Have you been denying yourself a favorite treat because maybe it’s not the best thing you can eat? Or do you find yourself always making meals to suit everyone else’s taste when what you really want is just a grilled cheese sandwich? If so, today’s holiday gives you carte blanche to enjoy the foods you want without feeling guilty. It also seems like a fitting day to learn about the rather unusual (at least to us) diet of many creatures in the animal kingdom—and that’s where today’s book come in!
Poop for Breakfast: Why Some Animals Eat It
Written by Sara Levine | Illustrated by Florence Weiser
So, you wake up starving for a delicious meal. You’ve been dreaming of pancakes, maybe, or a plate of eggs and bacon. But when you get to the table, there’s a bowl of poop waiting for you?! Come on! While you might sulk (and probably hold your nose), there are plenty of creatures who’d be thinking “Bring it on!” Who are these critters? They’re animals that practice coprophagy, and they do it “for a number of surprisingly good reasons,” Sara Levine reveals.
Image copyright Florence Weiser, 2023, text copyright Sara Levine, 2023. Courtesy of Millbrook Press.
For some animals eating poop is just part of being a Number 1 (or maybe Number 2 is better in this case) parent. Butterflies, cats, and dogs as well as robins and other birds all have specific reasons for dining on doo-doo, from making eggs strong to protecting their babies from predators to keeping “a nest clean and tidy.” Birds have a particularly fascinating way to do this. Since baby birds eat a lot, they poop a lot. Keeping up with that level of cleaning could be daunting. Amazingly, though, these “chicks’ poop and pee come out inside a bag made of mucus. It’s called a fecal sac. Bird parents grasp it with their beaks and carry it away like a disposable diaper. And sometimes the parents eat it. How come? The poop of a newly hatched chick is full of undigested nutrients.”
Image copyright Florence Weiser, 2023, text copyright Sara Levine, 2023. Courtesy of Millbrook Press.
While these animals eat poop for external or aesthetic reasons, others engage in coprophagy to keep their digestive system working well. Still others, because of the length or shape of their digestive tract, require that food travels through their body twice to extract all of the nutrients. If you have a rabbit, hamster, guinea pig, or other small rodent as a pet, you know that their poop looks like little round balls or small pellets. As Levine tells readers, “this is the poop that has been through their digestive tract a second time. The first poop comes out soft, sticky, and full of nutrients. It’s called a cecotrope (SEE-ca-trope),” and these animals “gobble it up at night when it comes out. That’s why you don’t see it” in the cage.
Image copyright Florence Weiser, 2023, text copyright Sara Levine, 2023. Courtesy of Millbrook Press.
Since there are so many creatures who do eat poop, why don’t humans? Levine has included a whole list of reasons (and, yes, the frowny- crinkled-nose-face you’re making right now is one of them) for why we don’t—and don’t need to. She’s also provided back matter that includes “The Scoop on Poop”—an explanation of what poop and pee are, how they’re created in the body, and how they’re eliminated through the anus and the urethra as well as a paragraph about creatures that have a single cloaca instead of two openings. Kids will also have fun becoming “poop detectives” with the help of Levine’s and illustrator Florence Weiser’s guide to the sizes and shapes of poop from common pets and wildlife and playing a silly synonym game.
Image copyright Florence Weiser, 2023, text copyright Sara Levine, 2023. Courtesy of Millbrook Press.
Sara Levine is exceptional at presenting fascinating nature science topics in humorous and accessible ways for young audiences, and her latest book is no exception, Leaning into the “Ewww!” factor, Levine dishes up short, take-away reasons certain animals, birds, and insects practice coprophagy followed up with longer passages that explain the science and/or behavior behind them in easy-to-understand language sprinkled with humor that will keep readers riveted to this already high-interest subject.
Florence Weiser’s colorful illustrations perfectly bridge the humorous and the scientific nature of Levine’s text. Readers’ skeptical view of this “gross” habit is amusingly juxtaposed with creatures’ excited anticipation of a delicious meal through the characters’ facial expressions while the anatomical reasons for or against coprophagy are clearly depicted in images of human and various animals’ digestive systems.
Anatomy and nature science education at its best, Poop for Breakfast: Why Some Animals Eat It will keep kids enthralled as each page turn brings on a new round of giggles and avid learning. The book would enhance any home STEM collection and is a must for classroom, school, and public library bookshelves.
Ages 5 – 10
Millbrook Press, 2023 | ISBN 978-1728457963
About the Author
Sara Levine is an author, educator, and veterinarian. Her science books for children include the Animal by Animal series, Germs Up Close, and A Peek at Beaks: Tools Birds Use. Her books have received a number of awards including AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize, Utah Beehive Book Award, Cook Prize finalist, Monarch Award master list, and Bank Street College Best Children’s Book of the Year.
About the Illustrator
Florence Weiser is a French illustrator currently based in beautiful, rainy Belgium. While growing up in Luxembourg, she always knew she wanted to draw and draw. She lives and works surrounded by nature, from which she gathers most of her inspiration.
You can find Poop for Breakfast: Why Some Animals Eat It at these booksellers
Small things are amazing—and surprising! We all know good things come in small packages, and just look at the wisdom, humor, and capacity for love of children. The same goes for haiku—the smallest form of poetry in size but never in impact. Coming mid-way through National Poetry Month, today’s holiday shines a spotlight on the haiku. The simple 5-7-5 rule that we all learn in school doesn’t begin to define the complexity of these three-line beauties that distill the world into little nuggets that make readers see life in amazing and surprising ways.
Peek-a-Boo Haiku
Written by Danna Smith | Illustrated by Teagan White
In this beautiful board book, little ones are taken through an auditory and visual wonderland from winter through spring, summer, and fall as two mice visit woodland, meadow, garden, and aquatic creatures to play, discover, and celebrate the changing seasons.
Children will enjoy predicting what animals are hiding behind the log and boulder. Image copyright Teagan White, 2023, text copyright Danna Smith, 2023. Courtesy of Little Simon.
Each of Danna Smith’s haiku verses surprises, sparkling with lovely alliteration and evocative language that invites young readers to anticipate and predict who will appear when the flaps on the facing page are lifted. Smith’s giggly humor and exceptional imagination elevate readers’ experience as she deftly uses games and experiences familiar to children (hide-and-seek, confetti, splashing in water, and lullabies to name a few) in ways that will spark creative thinking and bond them to the natural world. As late fall with its nighttime frost appears in the last spread, Smith’s gentle, sleepy verse welcomes little ones to drift off to dream along with the two snuggled up mice.
When the rabbits are revealed, Smith’s verse encourages readers to talk about “long ears” and “short ears.” Image copyright Teagan White, 2023, text copyright Danna Smith, 2023. Courtesy of Little Simon.
Any book illustrated by Teagan White is a treasure, and in Peek-a-Boo Haiku, she populates Smith’s various habitats with adorable, yet realistic animals that will charm little readers and adults alike. White’s glorious colors add breathtaking beauty to her gorgeously detailed pages. Each spread is a tiny masterpiece that gives children and adults much to discover and talk about as they move through the seasons. The final spread, washed in somnolent shades of twilight, puts little ones in the mind for sleep, just as the owl snugged into its tree-trunk nest. Kids will enjoy finding the mice (appearing alone or together, allowing the youngest children to engage with the idea of one and/or two) in each spread, and the variety of creatures, plants, and environments provide a wealth of learning, from vocabulary to math to science, for a wide-range of ages and development.
When the colorful bird is revealed behind stems of flowers, Danna Smith invites readers to talk about what she has in her beak, where it came from, and what she will do with it. Image copyright Teagan White, 2023, text copyright Danna Smith, 2023. Courtesy of Little Simon.
Exquisite in every way, Peek-a-Boo Haiku is a book adults and children will love to share again and again and is a perfect choice as a gift for special occasions, baby showers, new siblings, or simply to add to a child’s bookshelf. This superlative board book also belongs in all preschool and kindergarten classrooms as well as school and library collections.
Ages Birth to 5
Little Simon, 2023 | ISBN 978-1665926461
About the Author
Danna Smith is a poet and award-winning author of numerous books for children, including One Blue Gnu; Rooftop Garden; Wake Up, Freight Train!; and several Little Golden Books. Her nonfiction picture book, The Hawk of the Castle: A Story of Medieval Falconry, received two starred reviews and is a Junior Library Guild Selection and a Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year. Danna currently lives in northern California, where she is hard at work on her next book. For more information about her books and teaching activities, visit her website at DannaSmithBooks.com.
About the Illustrator
Teagan White is an artist and author who creates playful watercolor scenes of the natural world and the friendly creatures who inhabit it. Teagan lives in Oregon, enjoys visiting seagulls at the beach, and has illustrated nine picture books. Find out more at TinyMothStudios.com.
Take a Peek at this Peek-a-Boo Haiku Book Trailer!
National Haiku Day Activities
Woodland animals love to play hide-and-seek in trees, behind logs and rocks, under bushes, and in all sorts of places. This Peek-a-Boo Haiku Memory Game lets little ones find matching pairs of animals while building observation skills and having lots of fun!
Young children will enjoy writing their own haiku from what they see in nature with this adorable Write a Haiku Page that gets them thinking and using their imagination.
You can find Peek-a-Boo Haiku at these booksellers
Worm is inching along on a beautiful summer day singing a happy little ditty: “La la la la… Slop, slip, wiggle. / I’m taking a little twirl. / Dop, dip, squiggle. / I’m off to see the world.” And so he was! But on his way he passed two kids who just didn’t see worm the way he saw himself and made him wonder…. Worm bolstered his self-confidence, telling himself that there were a lot of things he could do.
Just then he wiggled up to a row of brilliant purple flowers, where caterpillars, a chrysalis, and a butterfly were hanging out. Just out of curiosity, worm asked one of the caterpillars what she could do, and—Wow!—when he learned about making a chrysalis and metamorphosis, and becoming a butterfly, he was impressed. And maybe a bit intimidated.
Copyright Marie Boyd, 2023, courtesy of Greenwillow Books.
Butterfly also seemed to have multiple talents as did Spider and Dragonfly, who informed worm that he’d never be able to fly because he was “‘just a worm.'” Worm seemed resigned to his fate when he came upon ladybug and asked what she could do. Ladybug said, “‘I protect plants by eating insects, like aphids.'” This reminded worm that he did have a talent. “‘I eat dead animals and plants and keep the garden clean,'” he said with growing confidence.
Copyright Marie Boyd, 2023, courtesy of Greenwillow Books.
By the time worm meets bee, he’s ready to advocate for his own contribution to the garden. Then when snail crawls by and tells worm about the slime that protects him, worm realizes he’s found a friend he can relate to because worm makes slime too! Snail thinks that’s pretty cool, and worm agrees! In fact, worm understands that he can do a lot of things and that many of them benefit the garden. He even lists them all for snail, and as he looks around at the beautiful flowers and luscious berries, he takes some credit for growing “all of this” and proudly states “I’m a WORM!”
Copyright Marie Boyd, 2023, courtesy of Greenwillow Books.
Marie Boyd’s clever story combines salient information about a variety of insects with worm’s confidence-boosting journey from feeling inferior to the other garden dwellers to realizing his own role and importance in the plants’ growth and vibrancy. From page to page, readers can sense worm’s developing appreciation for his talents, and when he shakes off his misgivings and gives ladybug a small list of his accomplishments, kids will be right there to cheer him on. Readers may be surprised to discover just how much worms do contribute to a healthy garden ecosystem even as they come to understand that there is no such thing as “just a worm” in nature. Worm’s personal growth will also resonate with children, who are trying out new things and beginning to find their place in the world.
Boyd’s beautiful and original illustrations, created with intricate paper quilling are wonderfully detailed, textured, and expressive of the uniqueness and interconnectivity of nature. She also weaves in metaphorical clouds, which at worm’s lowest point, turn grey and black as they build overhead. But with his newfound confidence, they dissipate to be replaced with white, fluffy clouds that also blow away to reveal a clear, blue sky.
A multilayered story that delivers two important life lessons in a unique and charming way, Just a Worm will become a quick favorite for home, school, and public library story times. The book would be especially fun to pair with home gardening or planting activities for classrooms, libraries, and extracurricular organizations.
Ages 4 – 8
Greenwillow Books, 2023 | ISBN 978-0063212565
About Marie Boyd
Marie Boyd is a law professor, author, illustrator, and self-taught quilling artist. Her author and illustrator debut, Just a Worm (Greenwillow Books 2023), follows worm through the garden as he learns about his neighbors and how he helps keep the garden healthy. Originally from Salt Lake City, Marie lives in Columbia, South Carolina with her husband and two young children. You can find her at marieboyd.com and on Instagram.
Just a Worm Book Birthday Activity
Make a Quilled Snail
Author/illustrator Marie Boyd built worm’s gorgeous garden world with quilled paper, and now you can make worm’s friend snail for yourself with this tutorial on her website!
I’d like to thank Penguin Young Readers for sharing a digital copy of Bug Catchers with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.
Bug Catchers (Dirt and Bugsy)
Written by Megan Litwin | Illustrated by Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn
Dirt and Bugsy are friends who have a particular favorite hobby in common—they love bugs! And more than that, they love to catch bugs. Every day they get together to search out all kinds of bugs. Dirt brings the shovel, and Bugsy brings jars. To find bugs, “they spy. They dig. They lift. They sift.” Soon there are bugs everywhere—even climbing “up arms. Down legs. All around the ground.”
Image copyright Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn, 2023, text copyright Megan Litwin, 2023. Courtesy of Penguin Young Readers.
This afternoon as Dirt and Bugsy are searching for bugs, it starts to rain. The “bug boys” don’t mind, in fact the rain gives them a great idea. They decide to build a shelter for them and the bugs to play in. Bugsy and Dirt hurry to collect building materials. It doesn’t take long for them to assemble their sticks and jars, rocks, boxes, and bandanas into a cozy bug barn. There’s just one thing they don’t have: bugs!
Image copyright Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn, 2023, text copyright Megan Litwin, 2023. Courtesy of Penguin Young Readers.
Dirt and Bugsy know just what to do. “They spy. They dig. They lift. They sift.” Soon they’ve caught all sorts of bugs—some that fly, some that creep, some that wriggle. Each bug has a room and some food and while it rains, Bugsy and Dirt and the bugs hang out and play games. When the rain ends, the bugs all go back to their homes and Dirt and Bugsy head home too. They know they’ll catch up again tomorrow.
Front matter includes a note to parents and educators explaining the numerical and alphabetical levels of each Penguin Young Readers book and then specifies which easy-to-read level (2) and F&P Text Level (I) Bug Catchers feature as well as the skills a Progressing Reader should have to enjoy the book. An activity to help children make personal connections and think in a problem solving way about the story are also included. Back matter includes an easy step-by-step list for catching and releasing bugs.
Image copyright Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn, 2023, text copyright Megan Litwin, 2023. Courtesy of Penguin Young Readers.
Megan Litwin, a former classroom teacher, knows how to capture burgeoning readers’ attention and imaginations with her exuberant story of two boys who love being outside, playing and working together, and catching bugs. Her sentences—some only two words long that emphasize the noun/subject and verb construction and others that are a more complex as she slowly introduces pronouns, conjunctions, prepositions, and other parts of speech—are varied and action-packed, keeping kids reading on to find out what happens. Repeated words and phrases, sprinkled with rhyming pairs, not only serve to build the story but also excitement and confidence in young readers. In her well-crafted story, Litwin also incorporates nature science and the important mathematical concept of sorting.
Providing visual backup to all of these ideas, Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn invites kids to join Dirt and Bugsy on their bug hunt in her vibrant illustrations that clearly show the two “bug boys” searching and catching bugs, gathering supplies, building the bug barn, and having a great time together. Children are introduced to a wide variety of bugs that are beautifully and realistically drawn and that will no doubt prompt them to learn more about each type. To help kids understand the idea of sorting, Panczyszyn groups bugs that crawl, fly, slide, and hide in squares of their own environmentally correct backgrounds. Dirt and Bugsy have infectious smiles and unflagging enthusiasm for their favorite hobby, just two of the traits that will draw readers to them again and again as they develop their reading proficiency.
A wonderfully conceived beginning to a welcome young readers series, Bug Catchers (Dirt & Bugsy) offers children a robust reading experience that can easily be extended with the provided activities as well as kids’ own ideas. The book maintains its fresh feeling of excitement through multiple readings and is a must for any developing reader at home as well as for classroom, school, and public library collections.
Ages 6 – 7 (Approximately. Children below and above this age range will enjoy practicing their skills with this book.)
Penguin Young Readers, 2023 | ISBN 978-0593519929 (Hardcover) | ISBN 978-0593519912 (Paperback)
About the Author
Megan Litwin is the author of the picture book Twinkle, Twinkle, Winter Night, which released in 2022. She is also the author of the forthcoming early reader series, Dirt & Bugsy, with the first two books coming in 2023. Megan holds a Master of Arts in Children’s Literature from Simmons University and is a former classroom teacher whose lifelong work is to grow lifelong readers. Megan lives in Massachusetts with her family, where she enjoys visiting schools across the state and connecting with young readers and writers. She invites you to visit her at meganlitwinbooks.com.
About the Illustrator
Shauna Lynn Panczyszyn is a lettering artist and illustrator located in the Chicago area where she works out of her home studio with her studio pup, Teddy Bear. She’s been working professionally since 2010 and has worked with clients such as Dear Evan Hansen, Adobe, Facebook, and many others. She is also one of the authors of Creative Lettering & Beyond from Walter Foster Publishing. In her free time you can find her at the local ice rink skating, drinking chai lattes in the local coffee shop, or snuggling her dog. Shauna Lynn has been drawing since she could hold a pencil and created her first mural on her parent’s condo wall at the age of 3. After a short detour where she went to the University of North Florida to study Opera, she switched over to graphic design, and finally settled into illustration. You can find her at shaunalynn.com.
Bug Catchers Activity
Bring Your Favorite Bugs Inside!
With this easy craft, kids can have fun with bugs inside while the real bugs stay outside! Smooth stones are a natural canvas for pictures of your favorite bugs! With a little bit of paint, jewelry pins, or magnets, and some imagination, you can make refrigerator magnets, jewelry, paper weights, and more!
Supplies
Smooth stones in various sizes
Paint or markers
Small magnets, available at craft stores
Jewelry pins, available at craft stores
Paint brush
Strong glue
Directions
To make magnets
Design and paint an image on a light-weight stone
Attach a magnet to the back with strong glue
To make jewelry
Paint your bug on a smaller, flatter stone
Attach a jewelry pin to the back with strong glue
To make a paperweight
Paint a bug or many bugs on a larger, heavier stone
You can find Bug Catchers (Dirt and Bugsy) at these booksellers
Missing the green leaves and colorful flowers of spring and summer? Maybe it’s time to recreate the sights of warmer days inside with houseplants! Placed in a sunny window, some plants will continue blooming all winter long, making you feel happier. Houseplants also provide health benefits as they produce oxygen, release moisture into that dry winter air, and improve air quality. Add a few herb plants and even cooking will take on new life. Whether you add just one plant or create an indoor garden, today’s the perfect day to get started.
Luna’s Green Pet
Written by Kristen Pendreigh | Illustrated by Carmen Mok
When Luna saw people on her block walking their dogs and playing with their pets, she wished she could have one. “But her apartment building had a very strict NO PETS! policy.” Luna’s friends tried to help out by suggesting other types of pets, including a pet rock, an expensive dog-shaped purse, and an ant farm, but none of these were quite what Luna was looking for. Then one day, she found a small discarded plant in a trash can. She decided it would be the perfect pet.
Image copyright Carmen Mok, 2022, text copyright Kirsten Pendreigh, 2022. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.
Luna took it home. The plant’s tag read Stephanotis Floribunda, which Luna shortened to Stephanie. Luna gave her pet a “bigger crate, new bedding, and fresh water.” Stephanie took to her new home right away. At night Luna read to her; every morning she took her to the park. Luna’s friends “were not impressed.”
Image copyright Carmen Mok, 2022, text copyright Kirsten Pendreigh, 2022. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.
Stephanie turned out to be more “rambunctious” than she appeared, climbing the walls and wrapping herself around the headboard of Luna’s bed. Luna trimmed her and got her into shape with “obedience training” and a collar. One day unusual white “clumps of bumps appeared” among Stephanie’s leaves. As the bumps grew, Luna tried washing and hugging Stephanie, but the bumps only got bigger.
Image copyright Carmen Mok, 2022, text copyright Kirsten Pendreigh, 2022. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.
Luna decided she’d take Stephanie to the botanist the next day to see what was wrong. During the night under a full moon, though, “the bumps burst open!” Then a “powerful perfume woke Luna.” Luna couldn’t believe her eyes—or her nose. The sweet scent floated out the window and soon attracted bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies during the day and moths at night.
Image copyright Carmen Mok, 2022, text copyright Kirsten Pendreigh, 2022. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.
When Luna entered Stephanie in the neighborhood pet parade, she even “won a special prize—Best in Scent.” But Stephanie wasn’t finished with her tricks. A green fruit grew from her branches, and when it burst open Luna found that “a tangle of tufted seeds lay inside.” Carefully, Luna took out one seed for each of her friends and neighbors so they could grow their own Stephanotis Floribunda. And the rest, she let fly away on the “warm night wind” to find new homes where they would be loved as much as Stephanie.
Detailed back matter includes ways in which plants make great pets, a list of ten houseplants that are easy to grow, more information on Stephanotis Floribunda and how to care for it as a houseplant or in a garden.
Image copyright Carmen Mok, 2022, text copyright Kirsten Pendreigh, 2022. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.
Kirsten Pendreigh’s gentle and creative story will charm kids who have a natural tendency to anthropomorphize plants, toys, furniture, and anything they love, imbuing these inanimate objects with personalities all their own. As Luna repots her plant, cares for it, and reigns in its wandering tendrils, Pendreigh enhances her pet imagery by using terms commonly associated with pets, a detail that will also enchant kids. With Luna’s sharing of Stephanie’s seeds, Pendreigh sparks wider ideas of generosity, friendship, and nurturing the environment.
Carmen Mok’s soft-hued, yet vivid illustrations have a quiet grace that allow readers to identify with Lulu’s creative thinking and caring nature. During Lulu’s serendipitous discovery of Stephanie in a trash can, Mok emphasizes Lulu’s personality with a kitty purse, shirt decorated with hearts, and gentle way she examines the plant’s wilted leaves. Kids will love seeing tiny Stephanie grow from a straggly stem into a lush, dog-shaped shrub with the help of some topiary framing.
Any child who has raised plants from seeds or seedlings will understand Lulu’s love for Stephanie and her surprise when Stephanie blooms unexpectedly. Mok’s lovely nighttime spreads spotlight the starlike beauty of the Stephanotis Floribunda flowers and the heady scent that calls out to pollinators. With the appearance of Stephanie’s seedpod, Mok realistically depicts its size, the tufted seeds inside the pod, and how those tufts carry the seeds to new far-flung growing spots.
Unique and heartwarming, Luna’s Green Pet will enchant kids who love pets, plants, a well-told story, or all three and will become a quick favorite to be heard again and again. The book is sure to inspire young botanists and would be a creative way to introduce lessons on plants in school classrooms or for homeschoolers, to spark projects for extracurricular clubs or library programs, and to get kids excited about gardening as well as planting a pollinator space at home. Luna’s Green Pet will enhance any home, school, or public library collection and is highly recommended.
Ages 4 – 8
Sleeping Bear Press, 2022 | ISBN 978-1534111615
Discover more about Kirsten Pendreigh, her poetry her debut book on her website.
To learn more about Carmen Mok, her books, and her art, visit her website.
World Pet Day Activity
Flip-Flop Plant Holder
Have you outgrown your flip-flops or sandals this summer? Well, you can repurpose them with this easy craft that turns summer shoes into a creative way to hang small plants on walls or even windows!
Supplies
Child’s flip-flops with elastic heel straps
Buttons or charms
Small plastic solid-bottom pot
Small plant
Dirt
Hot glue gun
Heavy duty mounting strips
Small shovel or spoon
Directions
Place the flip-flop toe down on your work surface. With the hot glue gun, attach the buttons to the plastic toe straps of the flip-flops.
Add dirt to the pot
Add plant to the pot
Slip the pot into the elastic strap and gently push down so it is also supported by the plastic toe straps
To hang, use appropriate-weight mountable strips.
To make an interesting and attractive arrangement, use various sizes of flip-flops
You can find Luna’s Green Pet at these booksellers
If your motto is “So many books, so little time” then you’ll be happy to know that January is Book Blitz Month! During this month book lovers are given the green light to read as many books as possible! For kids, Book Blitz Month can be particularly exciting as they discover new fiction and nonfiction that captivates their imagination. To celebrate, take your kids to a local bookstore and the library to find new and favorite books to binge on all month long. If you don’t have a dedicated space for your children’s books, this month is also a great time to create a home library for your child so that they have a shelf, a crate, or even a whole bookcase of stories they can enjoy again and again!
I’d like to thank Lydia Lukidis for sharing a digital copy of Deep, Deep Down: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own. You can read my interview with Lydia below.
Deep, Deep Down: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench
Written by Lydia Lukidis | Illustrated by Juan Calle
Imagine being invited to visit a mysterious place where only a few have ever been; where only they have truly seen the creatures that inhabit it; and where it’s murky depths are accessible by only one type of vehicle. Would you dare to go? Lydia Lukidis and Juan Calle extend just such an invitation, but no notes for missing school, packing a suitcase, or plucking of courage need to be considered, for through their phenomenal book, readers find a seat in the incredible submersible that will transport them to “…the deepest underwater valley in the world”: the Mariana Trench.
Image copyright Juan Calle, 2022, text copyright Lydia Lukidis, 2022. Courtesy of Capstone Editions.
The submersible plunges deeper and deeper to where the sun doesn’t penetrate. Here, in the darkness, “food is scarce, and a bone-chilling cold blasts through the water. Earthquakes shake the ocean floor, and the water pressure, like a thick, heavy blanket with a thousand hands, presses down, / down, / down.” What flashes by the porthole window? A monster? No—a fish with a long and slender tail perfectly suited for its austere home, where it can survive for months without eating if necessary. “Diving deeper, a long, thin body slinks and sways, ever so slowly. The cutthroat eel is not fearsome, some rather, mesmerizing.”
The light beam of the submersible also reveals feathery crinoids “twirling and whirling like an underwater acrobat,” and a curious snailfish “dances, ghost-like, to the rhythms of the ocean” as it comes to take its own peek in the window from the other side. Snailfish aren’t affected by the heavy water pressure because “they can swim deeper than any other fish in the world. That’s because their bodies contain RMAO. This special substance protects the fish from high pressure, making sure their bodies aren’t crushed.”
Image copyright Juan Calle, 2022, text copyright Lydia Lukidis, 2022. Courtesy of Capstone Editions.
It might seem impossible to sink still lower, but the submersible plummets into water populated by tiny creatures, almost insect-like with their multiple pairs of legs and long antennae that propel them and help them find food. But explorers are not at the very bottom of the Mariana Trench even yet. The submersible floats slowly down to the bottom—“the very deepest spot on Earth. Look out the window . . . and witness a world of surprises.” Extraordinary creatures, some small, soft, and translucent and others—neither plant nor animal—large and with protective shells, and all adapted to thrive in their formidable surroundings will amaze you.
At last it’s time for the submersible to return to the surface. Slowly, it makes its way through the darkness to lighter seas, where it passes by more familiar fish and other creatures on its way to “SPLASH!” surfacing once again and “leaving the marvels of the Mariana Trench far below” still waiting to be explored again.
Insets of scientific information on diet, anatomical adaptations, and other aspects that make them suited to their environment also accompany the introduction of each sea creature.
Back matter includes an illustrated cutaway of the ocean above and descending into the Mariana Trench with various sea creatures labeled and oriented to the level in which they are found; “Did You Know?” facts about the water pressure in the Trench, its creation, and how many people have visited; why the Mariana Trench matters; an author’s note; and a glossary.
Image copyright Juan Calle, 2022, text copyright Lydia Lukidis, 2022. Courtesy of Capstone Editions.
When undertaking an excursion into unknown territory—especially through words and pictures—explorers need guides who can truly immerse them not only in the sights and sounds of an area but also the rhythms and almost intangible aura that makes it so uniquely compelling. Readers of all ages find that quality in Deep, Deep Down. Lydia Lukidis’s lithe and lyrical language is at once straightforward—answering questions any reader might have—and evocative—capturing the enigmatic and secret world at the bottom of the Earth as it flashes into view or slowly reveals itself and retreats again. Her vocabulary, rich with active verbs, ensures that readers appreciate the Mariana Trench as teeming with life and alive with wonders more amazing than we can even imagine.
Don’t be surprised if you find yourself forgetting that you’re looking at illustrations of a vampire squid, anglerfish, rattail fish, cutthroat eels, crinoids, and even the rocky and sandy ocean floor instead of photographs as you inspect Juan Calle’s magnificent pages. As the submersible—seen from many angles—plunges into darker and darker water, bioluminescent fish begin to appear alongside their grayer sea mates (children will enjoy pointing out the dark shapes that lurk in the shadows of the submersible and the stony outcroppings.)
As a rattail drifts into view, each rose-gold scale is visible, shimmering in the beam of light thrown from the submersible; it’s blue eye seemingly as curious about readers as they are about this unusual fish. Calle mesmerizes with careful details, shading, and perspective that portrays each creature in all of their weird and wonderful floating, creeping, or stock-still spectacle.
Deep, Deep Down: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench will thrill ocean and nature lovers and will spur increased interest and research into this unique, nearly untouched habitat that we are only now beginning to discover. The book is a must for any environmental science enthusiast at home and for all classroom, school, and public library collections.
Ages 7 – 10
Capstone Editions, 2022 | ISBN 978-1684466153
About the Illustrator
Juan Calle is a former biologist turned science illustrator, trained on the Science Illustration program at UC Monterrey Bay. He worked early on his illustrator career for field guides of plants and animals of his country of origin, Colombia, and now owns and works in his art studio, LIBERUM DONUM in Bogota, Columbia, creating concept art, storyboarding and his passion: comic books. You can connect with Juan onInstagram.
Take a plunge into Deep, Deep Down with this book trailer!
Meet Lydia Lukidis
Lydia Lukidis is the author of 50+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024), DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023), THE BROKEN BEES’ NEST (Kane Press, 2019) which was nominated for a Cybils Award, and NO BEARS ALLOWED (Clear Fork Media, 2019). A science enthusiast from a young age, she now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books.
Lydia is an active member of SCBWI, CANSCAIP, 12 x 12, and The Authors Guild. She’s very involved in the kidlit community and also volunteers as a judge on Rate your Story. Another passion of hers is fostering love for children’s literacy through the writing workshops she regularly offers in elementary schools. Lydia is represented by literary agent Miranda Paul from the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.
Hi Lydia! I’m really thrilled to have the chance to talk to you about this gorgeous book, how it all came together, and your other work as a writer.
You have degrees in Pure and Applied Science as well as English Literature. After graduating from college did you work in the science field? If so, can you talk about your work a little? How has your science background influenced your writing?
When I was younger, I was drawn to both science and the arts. I once saw them as mutually exclusive but then came to realize how connected these disciplines are. Upon graduating university, I did something completely out of left field but that satiated my artistic desires. I started my own jewelry line! After that, I became a puppeteer, writing plays for children. That brought me back to my love of writing, and here I am writing kidlit. I often focus on STEM topics so it’s full circle. I feel like this is truly where I belong.
What drew you to write about the Mariana Trench for children? What kind of research did you do in creating this book?
In 2019, I read an article about how scientists found a plastic bag floating in the Mariana Trench. They also discovered plastic in the belly of various marine animals. My heart sank. I wondered how we human beings managed to start damaging one of the most remote places on the planet.
At that point, I didn’t know that much about the Mariana Trench and my curiosity grew. I began my research on the internet and then came to realize most of that information was false. The book really came together once I interviewed a slew of experts (7 in total) who’ve devoted their lives to studying the deep sea, the hadal zone, and geology. They also helped me find the right books and articles to read for updated information.
What was the most surprising thing you learned during your research? Do you have a favorite creature or one that you’d like to learn more about?
The most surprising thing was that despite the hostile conditions in the trench (no sunlight, scarcity of food, and crushing pressure), life still thrives deep, deep down. Though, the creatures are not what you would expect. There aren’t any sharks, for example, or any large creatures for that matter. My favorite has to be the sea cucumber. I must have watched hours and hours of them oscillating and floating, like underwater ballet. I was love struck!
Your storytelling in Deep, Deep Down is so fluid and as mesmerizing as the Mariana Trench itself. Can you talk about your writing process for this book and how you achieved such a visceral experience for readers?
Wow, what a compliment! Writing this book was nothing short of magical. I’m normally very hard on myself and many books don’t even make it to my agent. Other books take years to figure out. With nonfiction, finding the right structure is crucial. But somehow, with DEEP, DEEP DOWN, I didn’t have my usual “tormented writing struggle.” The writing was fluid and literally flowed out, and never changed in structure. There was a lot of editing, to be sure, I had to rewrite the manuscripts over 55 times to get the facts right, but the vision never changed. Will that always be the case? No! The next book I tried to write crashed and burned (maybe to be resurrected one day), so I’m grateful for this experience.
As a biologist who turned to illustration and who studied at the University of California at Monterrey Bay, Juan Calle must have been a dream match for Deep, Deep Down. Can you talk about how was he paired with your manuscript? When during the publication process did you begin to see his work? What emotions did his interpretations of your words stir in you?
Yes! It was Capstone who wisely suggested Juan. When I saw the proofs, I think my jaw hit the floor. He did SUCH a great job at getting all the details right (and believe me, it was tough—I had made a 20-page document with reference photos and notes vetted by Dr. Gerringer, my main consultant.) Although we never met, spoke, or even corresponded via email, Juan was able to follow my direction and bring his own flavor to the table. I think I first started seeing artwork about 8 months ago, so it was a speedy process. His work was stunning and scientifically accurate, although we couldn’t always draw everything to scale. It was also infused with magic.
What do you hope children will take away from Deep, Deep Down?
My goal in writing this book was twofold: firstly, to educate children on the deepest ocean of our world and debunk the myth that “scary” creatures live within its depths, and, secondly, to talk about ocean conservation and the importance of this fascinating ecosystem.
Kids may think the Trench is so far removed from their lives and that their actions don’t matter, or that what happens in the Trench doesn’t affect them. But that’s simply not true. Everything is connected, and I’d like to remind them that our actions affect our planet, even in its deepest spots.
You’ve written over 50 books for children and are very active in the writing community. What do you love best about being an author? What do you find rewarding about helping other writers succeed?
Thank you for the sweet words! I got my start with work-for-hire and most of my published books are for the educational market. DEEP, DEEP DOWN is my first trade nonfiction book, so it feels like a big accomplishment.
What do I love about writing? Everything. That said, it’s also a tough profession and every year, I usually have a moment when I reassess why I keep choosing this craft.
I also love supporting the kidlit community; it comes deep from the heart. I know what it is to struggle as a writer, and I see so many others struggling, hustling, working so hard. I like to support and acknowledge their efforts. Every little achievement is a milestone and should be celebrated!
What’s up next for you?
I’m excited to have just announced my second trade nonfiction book, DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024). I actually wrote this in 2015, and it’s a very long and convoluted story about how it got acquired. I did think long and hard whether or not I should tell this story and I ultimately decided to follow my heart because I felt so connected to the hook of the story. I invested in a sensitivity reader and will do so again once we start the editing process at Albert Whitman. They also chose a fantastic illustrator, Sawyer Cloud.
Other than that, I’m knee deep in other WIPs, some of them fiction. I wanted to try to stay in one lane as an author but it’s just not happening—it seems there are different stories of different genres inside me that need to come out. I’m always following the flow of my inspiration, which is often not linear!
Thanks again, Lydia, for sharing so much about your writing life! I know readers are going to love Deep, Deep Down and will be looking forward to Dancing Through Space!
Book Blitz Month Activity
Creatures of the Mariana Trench Word Search
The Mariana Trench is home to so many amazing creatures! Can you find the names of seventeen in this printable word search puzzle?
celebratepicturebooks.com 