April 6 – National Poetry Month

About the Holiday

The Academy of American Poets established National Poetry Month in April 1996, making this year the 30th anniversary of this event that has become the largest literary celebration in the world. The holiday highlights the achievements of poets, past and present; to promote the reading and writing of poetry in schools and by individuals; and to encourage people to discover the joys poetry can bring all year round. To celebrate, check for events at libraries, bookstores, schools, and other venues in your area and enjoy reading the work of your favorite—or a new—poet. You might even try writing your own poetry! Get inspired all year long with today’s book! To learn more visit the Academy of American Poets and American Writers Museum.

Poems for Every Season: A Year of Haiku, Sonnets, and More

Written by Bette Westera | Illustrated by Henriette Boerendans | Translated by David Colmer

We may begin our year in January, but Poems for Every Season takes it’s cue from nature, which celebrates renewal in Spring. Bette Westera welcomes March and warming weather with her rondel “Spring Dance,” in which a newborn lamb “. . . wobbles through the field with knobbly knees” but soon “gambols, bucks, and bounces . . . with ease” as nearby the farmer plants corn and the mother sheep rests. By April we’re all feeling like gamboling, but Westera acknowledges such “Spring Fever” with the now busy bees and butterflies in her acrostic poem that is a homage to Vincent Van Gogh alongside Henriette Boerendans’ woodcut of almond branches—one of Van Gogh’s favorite subjects to paint.

In her summer haiku, Westera opens the warmest season with the steady and reassuring resolve of bees: “Bumblebees buzz by / Golden sunlight fills the sky / It must be summer.” Her pantoum poem for June, “The Longest Day”, takes place on the summer solstice—that day when “the sun’s refusing to go down” and “there’s much too much to see”—as a mother deer cautions her newborn fawn to lie low in the grass and be quiet while she grazes and a fox waits for darkness that will not come. August rings with a request from sunflowers to stormy clouds before autumn is upon them.

The cooling temperatures of Fall bring “Windfall” apples in September, and a diamond-shaped diamante verse for October pays tribute to animals and plants that bravely face the shivery days of mid-autumn. A repeating line in Westera’s charming rondelet for November celebrates the snuggly warmth of the season before winter comes with it’s ice and snow. A playful December limerick eavesdrops on the “Stay-at-homes”—those birds who know the benefits of a free buffet. And suddenly we’re in the deepest part of winter, with January’s defining colors eloquently found in the feathers of a goose. January, however, soon gives way to a hopeful thaw in February and the whispers of a beckoning spring in Westera’s sonnet that reminds us of the character of this mercurial month.

The poems are followed by conversational discussions about each poetic form that will enlighten readers and prove instructional for writers and teachers. The poems include haiku, rondel, acrostic, double dactyl, pantoum, elevenie, tanka, quatrain, diamante, rondelet, limerick, stacking poem (an invention by Bette Westera), and sonnet.

Bette Westera opens a curtain on fleeting, heart-stirring moments in nature throughout the year with her poems that are as alluring as they are direct. Her lovely vignettes are layered with humorous similes, charming anthropomorphism, unexpected happenstance, and sometimes the hint of danger. Each varied verse offers a rich reading experience and beckons us to look closely and with appreciation at the world around us.

Through her exquisite woodcut prints, Henriette Boerendansis allows young readers to join the lambs, deer, birds, and other wildlife on a farm as it hosts them and the changing seasons. Children will relish being within petting distance of a newborn lamb, concealed among buttercups with a fawn, curled up with a hedgehog preparing for hibernation, and the confidante of birds. Boerendansis’s breathtaking colors soothe with the tranquil greens and blues of spring, delight with the deep hues of summer, glow with autumn warmth, and shiver with winter’s icy cloak.

David Colmer’s translation is nimble and smart, illuminating Bette Westera’s combination of humor and insight with easy grace.

Poems for Every Season: A Year of Haiku, Sonnets, and More is a luminous poetry collection that grows more brilliant with every read. It is a book that will enhance any library collection, would make a wonderful gift, and which, at home, should be kept in a place of prominence to be enjoyed throughout the year.

Ages 5 – 9

Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2026 | ISBN 978-0802856524

About the Author

Bette Westera has written over fifty books for children, including Fast Cheetah, Slow Tortoise and the Mildred L. Batchelder Honor Book Later, When I’m Big (both Eerdmans). She has also translated books by Dr. Seuss, Astrid Lindgren, and Julia Donaldson into the Dutch language. Bette lives in the Netherlands, where her books have received two Golden Pencil awards and six Silver Pencil honors. Visit her website at bettewestera.nl.

About the Illustrator

Henriette Boerendansis an Amsterdam-based printmaker and illustrator. Poems for All Seasons is her English-language debut. While walking in nature together one day, Bette and Henriette brainstormed new projects and came up with the idea for this book. Follow Henriette on Instagram @henriette.boerendans and visit her website at boerendans.com.

About the Translator

David Colmer is an Australian writer and translator of Dutch and Flemish literature. He has translated over eighty books throughout his career, including I’ll Root for You, A Pond Full of Ink, and Fast Cheetah, Slow Tortoise (all Eerdmans). His work has been honored with many awards, including the PEN Translation Prize and the Dutch Foundation for Literature’s James Brockway Prize, which recognizes a translator’s body of Dutch-language poetry. David lives in Amsterdam.

National Poetry Month Activity

CPB - Plant Poem

Grow a Poem Craft

A poem often grows in your imagination like a beautiful plant—starting from the seed of an idea, breaking through your consciousness, and growing and blooming into full form. With this craft you can create a unique poem that is also an art piece!

Supplies

Printable Leaves Template, available here and on the blog post — or draw your own
Printable Flower Template, available here and on the blog post — or draw your own
Wooden dowel, ½-inch diameter, available in craft or hardware stores — or green bamboo or plastic garden plant stakes
Green ribbon
Green craft paint
Colored paper for leaves and flowers
Flower pot or box
Oasis or clay
Hole punch
Glue

Directions

Paint the dowel green, let dry
Print the leaves and flower templates — or draw your own
Cut out the leaves and flowers
Punch a hole in the bottom of the leaves or flowers
Write full poems or lines of poems on the leaves and flowers
String the leaves and flowers onto the green ribbon in the order you want your poem to be read
Attach the ribbon to the bottom of the pole with glue or tape
Wrap the ribbon around the pole, leaving spaces between the ribbon
Gently arrange the leaves and flowers so they stick out from the pole
Put oasis or clay in the flower pot or box
Stick your poem pole in the pot
Display your poem!

You can purchase Poems for Every Season: A Year of Haiku, Sonnets, and More from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

March 30 – National Take a Walk in the Park Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Take a Walk in the Park Day is as easy as it sounds, but getting outside and enjoying nature can make a profound impact on your emotional and physical wellbeing. Walking, whether on a paved path or testing your stamina on a rugged trail, provides many health benefits, and immersing yourself in the sounds and often surprising sights of wildlife going about their busy and playful lives brings joy and offers new perspectives and appreciation for the world around us. To celebrate today, visit a favorite or new local or state park with your family!

Thank you to Yosemite Press for sending me a copy of this book!

Forest en Familia / El bosque en familia

Written by/Escrito por Cynthia Harmony | Illustrated by/ Ilustrado por Renata Galindo

While Emilia’s family waits for Abue Tita to arrive, Emilia and Papi finish packing up their lunch, including sweet and spicy tamarind treats, and Abuelo Beto’s treasured compass. Emilia and her family are going to forest en familia day at the big state park, and while her brother, Nico, is rarin’ to go, Emilia feels timid about being out in the wild. But soon—¡vámonos!—they’re off!

At the park gate, the friendly ranger hands Abue Tita a map. Emilia is captivated by the fresh scent of the pine trees. On the trail, their grandmother encourages them to “‘keep ears, eyes, and hearts open to sorpresas.” Emilia is ready! She loves surprises! And just then, a fluttery sorpresa finds her! Nico, running and leaping, discovers a little salamander on a mossy log. Then they all find more surprises everywhere they look.

After enjoying lunch under Abuelo Beto’s “favorite kind of tree,” they clean up “every wrapper and stray crumb. Then—¡Arriba!—climbing higher and higher on the trail, they come to the “biggest forest en famila sorpresa” of all. With “hearts wide open,” they gaze at the glorious panorama spread out in front of them. Back home, Emilia’s heart is full of the forest and all she’s seen.

This bilingual book presents the story in both English and Spanish side-by-side. Back matter includes a glossary, a prompt to find all the creatures in the illustrations and the answer key, and tips on making the most of a visit to public lands.

Cynthia Harmony’s lyrical and enchanting bilingual story will touch the hearts of all readers with its invitation to discover the surprises nature has waiting as well as its embrace of family traditions, culture, and remembrances. Through Emilia and Nico, Harmony positively recognizes that children embrace new experiences at their own pace, a welcome character arc in this inclusive story. Equally strong are the family connections, shown in Emilia’s packing both her and her brother’s favorite treats, the children’s close relationship with their grandmother, and the use of their abuelo’s keepsake compass along the trail.

Renata Galindo’s charming illustrations combine realistic depictions of the forest with whimsical touches that sweep the family and readers up into the wonder of nature and its waiting surprises. Children will find joy in Galindo’s images of the family together—marveling over the wildlife they see, child and parent walking hand-in-hand, Nico nudging Emilia so she doesn’t miss seeing a hawk, a relaxing lunch break, and reliving the excitement of the day back home.

Joyous and uplifting, Forest en Familia/El bosque en familia is the perfect book to introduce visits to public lands; local parks, trails and playgrounds; and even to spark nature discovery hunts in your own backyard. The close-knit family dynamics also makes this a warm and homey read for any story time occasion. The book is a must for all library collections, especially to accompany circulating nature backpacks or other such materials, and would be a favorite on home bookshelves as well.

Ages 4 – 8

Yosemite Conservancy, 2026 | ISBN 978-1951179397

About the Author

Cynthia Harmony is a bilingual children’s author and educational psychologist, originally from Mexico City. Her titles include Mi Ciudad Sings and Mi Ciudad Canta, Our World: Mexico, and the Charlotte Huck Honor-winner, A Flicker of Hope and Un Aleteo de Esperanza, which was selected as one of the best children’s books of the year by Kirkus and the American Library Association. She lives in Tucson, Arizona, with her family. Visit her at cynthiaharmony.com.

About the Illustrator

Renata Galindo is an art director, illustrator, writer. She is the author of three children’s books: The Cherry Thief, My New Mom and Me, and A Casa en Tres Idiomas, which have been translated into more than ten languages. Renata’s illustrations have been featured in exhibitions in Mexico, the U.S., and Italy, and she has created concept art, storyboard art, and layout design for animation, film, and television. She lives in Mexico City. Visit her at renatagalindo.com.

Take a Walk in the Park Day Activity

Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt

While you’re out walking, look for the wildlife and other things in nature on this Scavenger Hunt or use the page without pictures to create your own list!

Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt with Pictures | Nature Walk Scavenger Hunt without Pictures

You can purchase Forest en Familia / El Bosque en Familia from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

March 23 – National Gardening, Nature, and Ecology Books Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Established by The Children’s Book Council in the early 2000s, Gardening, Nature, and Ecology Books Month invites everyone to explore gardening and the wonders of the natural world through reading about these topics through books of all kinds. With their combination of compelling storytelling and beautiful illustrations, picture books are especially adept at revealing the beauty of the environment, the intricate connections of ecology, and the rewards of gardening. This month-long holiday encourages people to not only read about the environment but to get involved in the type of stewardship that will help create a greener and more sustainable world. Today’s book offers a beautiful example!

Thank you to Greystone Books and Deborah Sloan for sending me a copy of this book for review!

Aya Has Never Seen a Bear

Written by Gerelchimeg Blackcrane | Illustrated by Jiu’er | Translated by Paul Qiao | Adapted by Helen Mixter

As readers enter the story they get a bird’s-eye view of Aya and her grandma and grandpa’s camp. Aya and her family are Oroqen, an ethnic group of hunters who live in the forests and mountains of Greater and Lesser Khingan, in northern China. Grandma is tending the fire outside their curonko, the tent where Aya still sleeps, while their dogs wait patiently and their horses graze nearby. Grandpa has just returned with breakfast and plans for the day.

At last, Aya will have a chance to view bears in the woods. She has seen many other animals, but never a bear. Aya rides her horse slowly and quietly through the autumn woods as Grandpa has taught her. Aya spies various animals, and deeper in the woods the shadow of an eagle owl sends the two riders hurrying on to the wetlands. When Aya and her grandpa come to the river valley, they hide behind bushes on the riverbank, remaining completely still as they watch for bears in the pine woods on the other side. There they see an abandoned mattress surrounded by garbage. When a mother bear and three cubs come into sight, Aya holds her breath, knowing “in the northern forest, bears are unbeatable. They are pure power.” The bears frolic and snooze on the mattress. Finally, Grandpa whistles, and they scurry away.

Grandpa and Aya then burn the mattress and other trash to dissuade the bears from interacting with humans “This is how the Oroqen share the forest with bears. Respect them, be in awe of them, and keep away from them.” When the fire is completely out, they head home, picking berries along the way. Winter, with its deep blanket of snow, will come soon enough. Then Aya will dream about the bears while they hibernate until spring.

Back matter provides more information about the Oroqen and their traditions.

Gerelchimeg Blackcrane’s story, beautifully translated by Paul Qiao, flows with the gentle rhythms of a mountain stream, carrying readers along on Aya’s and her grandfather’s trip to view bears in the wild. Through their actions, Aya and her grandpa demonstrate how humans can live in harmony with nature, respecting its autonomy while also enjoying and using its gifts—guiding principles of ecology. Lovely passages of lyrical description dazzle, drawing readers into the lives not only of Aya’s family but of the plants and animals of the forest and the patterns of the changing season.

Jiu’er’s rich illustrations, rendered in mineral pigments, glow with the woodland hues of autumn. Panoramic views of the mountains and river valley are breathtaking, and each page offers a plethora of details that will delight children. They may be especially interested in Grandpa’s hat that helps him and Aya remain camouflaged. Readers will be awed by the image of the eagle owl and the nearly two-page spread of the bears napping together.

A wondrous, quietly affecting story of family and peaceful coexistence with nature, Aya Has Never Seen a Bear is highly recommended for all library collections and would make an eloquent addition to home bookshelves for tranquil bedtime or story time reading.

Ages 4 – 8

Greystone Kids, 2026 | ISBN 978-1778403064

Gerelchimeg Blackcrane is an award-winning Chinese Mongolian writer of natural literature and a breeder and trainer of native Chinese mastiffs. He has published many novels, including Black Flame, Ghost Dog, Black Dog Haranohai, Wolverine River, Blood Colt, Smoke from Wolf Valley, and Six Seasons of Reindeer. He has collaborated with Jiu’er on picture books, including The Moose of Ewenki, another story of a traditional people of Inner Mongolia, also published by Aldana Libros. His works have been translated into more than ten languages and sold internationally, exported abroad, with a wide readership of children and adults. He currently lives in the Hulunbuir grassland in Inner Mongolia.

Jiu’er is an award-winning sculptor and picture book writer and the first female Chinese artist to be featured in the Honor List of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). She lives in Beijing, China, along with her Mongolian hunting dog, whose name is Huhe.

You can purchase Aya Has Never Seen a Bear from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

March 20 – International Day of Happiness

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

International Day of Happiness celebrates happiness around the world, supporting this important sense of wellbeing no matter how it is measured. While in its recognition of the holiday, the United Nations focuses on economic, human rights, environmental, peace, and social initiatives, including these 17 Sustainable Development Goals, we are all invited to find happiness in ways that are meaningful to us and spread that joy to others. One way to find lasting peace and happiness is to embrace the connectedness of all things and our place in the world alongside our family and neighbors and within all aspects of nature. Today’s book was written for children, but its message is true and offers happiness for all ages.

Thank you to Abrams Books for Young Readers for sharing a digital copy of this book with me!

The Animals Speak: The Lakota Way / Wamákashkaŋ’iya: Lakhól Wichóh’aŋ Kiŋ

By S. D. Nelson | Translated by Dakota Goodhouse

“If you look with your eyes and listen with your ears, our animal relatives will share their ancient wisdom with you. A spirit line connects us as we journey together.”

With this welcome to explore the world, S. D. Nelson Maȟpíya Kiny’An (Flying Cloud), Hunkpapa Lakota and a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, invites young readers to look to nature and embrace the lessons that “the wild ones”: “the Four-leggeds and the Winged beings of the air . . . the little Creepy-crawlies, the Water-beings, and the Green, Growing Things” have to impart to us “Two-leggeds” from their vast histories and experiences in sharing this world. In Lakota tradition, each member of nature can inspire us every day to live with the curiosity, courage, heart, humor, and values that help us along our life’s journey while connecting us to each other and the environment.

Beginning with “Buffalo Tatánka (tah-TAHN-kah),” that storied animal that once freely roamed the prairies, Nelson writes, “Buffalo is strong. In times past, we used his hide to make our clothes and tipis. Buffalo gave his life and nourished our people. Today, he guides us to SHARE and BE GENEROUS.” With her playfulness, “Otter Ptán (p’TAHN) . . . reminds us that SMILES and LAUGHTER are good for our hearts,” while “Butterfly Kimímela (kee-MEE-may-lah). . . shows us that CHANGE IS GOOD and to open ourselves to NEW WAYS.” Others remind us to keep our wits about us lest we be led astray by tricks or into danger, while still more speak to inspiration, insight, and new perspectives.

Following the story, Nelson reverently and poignantly discusses Lakota traditions and beliefs about the spirit line and the all-encompassing, yet incomprehensible force “Wakán Tánka (wah-KAHN TAHN-kah)—the Great Mystery” that connect humans, animals, plants, and all aspects of nature as we journey together through life.

Nelson accompanies his lyrical text with illustrations of soft mottled and blended natural hues of acrylic paint that, as Nelson explains in his Author’s Note, “. . . are inspired by traditional Lakota pictographs and ledger-book drawings, with their bold use of line, shape, and color. My Indigenous ancestors painted on animal skins, their tipis, their horses, and even their own faces. We still do! These stylized images include natural forms as well as abstract symbols.” Each page invites readers to linger to absorb and talk about all of the stunning imagery.

The Animals Speak is a book that will change the way you look at the world—it’s animals, plants, people, and nature in general. While reading, one can feel—like a hug—the peace of interconnectedness, a happy perspective that can be incorporated into everyday life. This is a book to treasure and is a must for public, school, and classroom libraries as well as home bookshelves. It would also make a wonderful and much-loved gift.

Ages 4 – 8+

Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2026 | ISBN 978-1419764448

S. D. Nelson, Maȟpíya Kiny’An (Flying Cloud), is a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in the Dakotas and the author and illustrator of inspiring children’s books that celebrate Lakota and Indigenous cultures. Awards include an American Indian Library Association Honor Book, an ALA Robert F. Sibert Honor, and two Spur Awards from Western Writers of America. His original paintings are held in many national collections, including the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, South Dakota State Historical Society, the Crazy Horse Memorial and State Historical Society of North Dakota. He lives in Cottonwood, Arizona. Visit him to see his many books and his art at sdnelson.net.

International Day of Happiness Activity

CPB - Happiness typography

Happiness Is . . . Game

Happiness is all around you! Grab one or more friends to play a game that reveals what things make you happy. Here are two ways to play and two possible endings for each game. Choose the one that will lead to maximum happiness for all!

Like the “Geography” game: the first player names something that makes them happy, the next player must think of something that starts with the last letter of the word the previous player said. The game continues with each player continuing the pattern. Players drop out as they cannot think of a word. The last player left is the winner. Or set a time frame to play and name no winner.
Within a certain time limit (depending on age), players must think of something that makes them happy. Players drop out if they cannot think of a word within the time limit. The last player left is the winner. Or set a time frame to play and name no winner.

You can purchase The Animals Speak: The Lakota Way / Wamákashkaŋ’iya: Lakhól Wichóh’aŋ Kiŋ from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

March 14 – National Learn about Butterflies Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Spring has sprung – or is right around the corner – so today’s holiday reminds us to watch out for butterflies in your area. With more than 20,000 species of butterflies around the world, these delicate beauties are one of the most recognized and beloved natural wonders. Beyond their wow factor, butterflies are an important part of our ecosystem, but habitat destruction and climate change are decreasing their numbers by alarming amounts. You can help! By planting milkweed and other plants as well as nectar-producing flowers in your yard or community, you can create an area where butterflies can find shelter, food, and a place to lay their eggs. To learn more about saving monarch butterflies, visit Save Our Monarchs.

Thanks to Beach Lane Books and Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sending me this book for review!

Monarch and Mourning Cloak: A Butterfly Journal

By Melissa Stewart and Sarah S. Brannen

It’s impossible not to be captivated by the creative process. When we read, see, or hear something amazing, we want to ask the artist: How did you do that? The same can be said of metamorphoses in nature. Melissa Stewart and Sarah S. Brannen understand this fascination. In Monarch and Mourning Cloak, Melissa and Sarah give readers an immersive look not only into the lives of monarch and mourning cloak butterflies, but into their very own journal pages full of the research, notes, sketches, and multiple drafts of poems that became this stunning book. Images of papers stacked and taped together simulate the changes Melissa’s poems underwent while Sarah’s painted and rough-sketch images stand side-by-side along strips of watercolor tests and samples of flowers and leaves she used for reference.

Illustration copyright @ 2026 by Sarah S. Brannen. Text copyright @ 2026 by Melissa Stewart. Courtesy of Beach Lane Books.

With each page—many inscribed with the date, time, and wildlife sanctuary or garden where observations took place—young nature-lovers receive an incredibly in-depth look at the very different lifecycles of monarch and mourning cloak butterflies through factual information that accompanies Sarah’s glorious illustrations and is sweetened with Melissa’s evocative verses. Particularly stunning are the pages dedicated to the metamorphosis of both monarch and mourning cloak butterflies.

Illustration copyright @ 2026 by Sarah S. Brannen. Text copyright @ 2026 by Melissa Stewart. Courtesy of Beach Lane Books.

Young naturalists first meet Monarch perched on a purple coneflower at Davis Field on June 12 at 1:15 p.m. Mourning Cloak makes its first appearance on a white oak tree in Harvard Forest at 6:15 p.m. on June 15. While these two butterflies are similar in size and share many traits, their lives diverge in many ways. Readers learn all about these similarities and differences by following each throughout the year as they float, feed, hibernate, mate, and fly away leaving their progeny behind. But leaving their readers wondering is not Melissa and Sarah’s style. Through their enlightening words and images, they show children the eggs’ day-by-day transitions from tiny shell to larvae to caterpillar to chrysalis until the fully transformed butterflies emerge and soar into the sky.

Illustration copyright @ 2026 by Sarah S. Brannen. Text copyright @ 2026 by Melissa Stewart. Courtesy of Beach Lane Books.

After the butterflies take wing, this well-conceived book expands with a section that includes illustrated tips by Melissa Stewart on keeping a journal and Sarah S. Brannen on creating a sketchbook; extensive information that elaborates on each of Melissa’s poems with fascinating information about each butterfly’s defenses, food choices, migration paths (including map), surviving winter, egg deposits and survival rates, caterpillar growth and metamorphosis, and its final preparations before flying. Even the endpapers and title page provide enticing facts.

Illustration copyright @ 2026 by Sarah S. Brannen. Text copyright @ 2026 by Melissa Stewart. Courtesy of Beach Lane Books.

For young butterfly and entomology enthusiasts, as well as for nature lovers, writers, and illustrators, Monarch and Mourning Cloak: A Butterfly Journal is an absolute must. Inspirational and educational, this radiant nonfiction title will be a go-to resource throughout the year and a standout addition to all library collections.

Ages 4 – 8+

Beach Lane Books, 2026 | ISBN 978-1665962711

About the Author

Melissa Stewart is the award-winning author of more than 150 science books for children, including the celebrated Meet the Mini Mammals, illustrated by Brian Lies, and Can an Aardvark Bark? and Fourteen Monkeys: A Rain Forest Rhyme, both illustrated by Steve Jenkins. After earning a bachelor’s degree in biology from Union College and a master’s degree in science journalism from New York University, Melissa worked as a children’s book editor for nine years before becoming a full-time writer. While gathering information for her books, she has explored tropical rain forests in Costa Rica, gone on safari in East Africa, and swum with sea lions in the Galapagos Islands. She lives in Acton, Massachusetts. Visit her at melissa-stewart.com.

About the Illustrator

Sarah S. Brannen is an award-winning author and illustrator of more than twenty books for children. Her authored works include the groundbreaking Uncle Bobby’s Wedding, illustrated by Lucia Soto, and her illustrated works include Melissa Stewart’s Sibert Honor book Summertime Sleepers. Sarah lives in Massachusetts. Visit her at sarahbrannen.com.

National Learn about Butterflies Day Activity

Chrysalis to Butterfly Craft

Make your own chrysalis and watch your butterflies emerge! Color your own butterflies and fold them into their own chrysalises. Once placed in the water, the butterflies will transform.

Supplies

Printable Butterfly Template
Paper
Markers/Crayons
Scissors
Shallow pan filled with water

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-very-impatient-caterpillar-craft-2

Directions

Print the butterfly template
Color butterflies
Cut butterflies out. Be sure to snip in between the wings
Gently fold butterflies. Do not fold hard or crease them, otherwise they will not unfold
Place in the shallow pan in water. Butterflies will open up on their own!

You can purchase Monarch and Mourning Cloak: A Butterfly Journal from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

March 12 – National Plant a Flower Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Spring is right around the corner and with it the beautiful blooms that color our yards, neighborhoods, and communities. In some places the flowers are already blossoming, while in others, people are eagerly waiting for the snow to melt. Whether you’re already planting or still looking forward to gardening, today’s book puts a creative and clever spin on nature that everyone in your family (or classroom) will really dig!

Thank you to Twirl Books and Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sending me this book!

Big Brain Puzzles: Plant Pandemonium

By Camille Pichon

Kids can grow potted flowers, plant a garden, help worms wiggle and hide, and engage with other colorful flora and fauna with this one-0f-a-kind puzzle book! Children who love brain teasers, mazes, creating patterns, manipulating objects, and feeling the pride and satisfaction of completing a challenge will be awed by this beautifully illustrated book.

Each of the five plant-themed puzzles (Water Lily Carousel; Flutter, Flutter, Butterfly; Underground Paths; Plant Pandemonium; and Vegetable Jumble) are divided into three levels of difficulty and nine illustrated challenges to follow, resulting in 45 total games. Beyond these, kids can even devise new challenges for themselves or their friends to complete.

These hands-on puzzles will wow kids with their interactive elements that include wheels, moveable strips, sliding tiles, flaps that lift in multiple directions, and tokens that slide up, down, left, and right. While children work away on the possibilities, they’re continuously charmed by Camille Pichon’s bright, surprising, and quirky illustrations, in which adorable insects, snails, worms, and other creatures also appear to say “hi” along the way.

Far removed from one-and-done puzzles, Plant Pandemonium is a marvel of art and engineering that offers plenty of repeat play while immersing children in a rich environment that exercises their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, observation skills, fine motor dexterity, patience, and even memory.

Big Brain Puzzles: Plant Pandemonium will captivate puzzle lovers of all ages and would be a favorite go-to book on any home or classroom bookshelf. It would make a fantastic take-along book for car trips, outings, or anywhere waiting is expected. The book also makes a perfect gift for any puzzle lover.

Ages 6+

Twirl, 2026 | ISBN 978-2408061814

Camille Pichon is a graphic designer and paper engineer who specializes in children’s books. She lives in Paris, France. Visit her at camillepichon.com.

National Plant a Flower Day Activity

Flower Garden Stakes

It’s fun to start a garden from seeds, but how do you remember what you’ve planted where? With these easy to make garden stakes, you can mark your pots with style!

Supplies

Wide craft sticks
Chalkboard paint in various colors
Colorful chalk
Paint brush

Directions

Paint the stakes with the chalkboard paint, let dry
With the chalk, write the name of the different flowers or plants
After planting your seeds, stick the stake in the pot
Wait for your seeds to grow!

You can purchase Big Brain Puzzles: Plant Pandemonium from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

September 16 – Collect Rocks Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

You can find rocks almost everywhere you go—from tiny pebbles to imposing boulders. Most of the time we may not pay much attention to the pebbles under our feet or the rock formations we pass frequently, but today’s holiday encourages people to really take a look at the variety of sizes and colors that make each rock unique. Rock collecting can be a fun and educational hobby as each type of stone has its own fascinating history and science to learn about. Why not get outside, do a bit of rock hunting, and start your collections today?!

Talking Rocks and Minerals: Fact-Packed Guide to Geology

Written by Paige Towler | Illustrated by Matthew Carlson

In Talking Rocks and Minerals, readers meet ace reporter Pebble, whose resume boasts, “I’m in constant conversation with the gems of geology. The rock stars of rocking the rock world. The minerals making the mentions.” And he’s not kidding! A quick scan of his notebook reveals interviews scheduled with all the big names in rock, and he’s sent an open invitation for kids to come along and hear what they have to say. First up, readers meet an igneous rock, who regales them with memories of long, long, long ago when he started out as magma then cooled to become granite, “one of the strongest stones on earth.”

From there, Pebble moves on to talk to Coal and Limestone and discovers the layered story of what it’s like being a sedimentary rock. A couple of geodes then roll by to give kids a peek of the secrets they hold inside and make their story “crystal clear.” Amethyst gives an exclusive, showing how this royal gem developed, from when “a volcano blew its top” to the gamma rays that turned it purple. Pebble then introduces kids to two types of metamorphic rock—Marble and Gneiss—that start out as one kind of stone but under pressure and heat become another.

After learning the steps to the rock cycle, kids go deep underground to meet Diamond and learn how diamonds are formed from carbon and how they appear before they’re polished to a shine. Pebble interviews other gems too, like Emerald, Sapphire, and Ruby, who shine a light on how different minerals create such a variety of colorful and valuable stones.

Emerging from underground, Pebble talks with pyrite, a shiny, golden mineral that often fooled prospectors during California’s gold rush, who has a surprising revelation to share. Continuing his walk, Pebble encounters a dinosaur fossil, who recounts how bones, leaves, and footprints become fossilized, leaving evidence of creatures and plants from eons ago. Speaking of eons ago, a trio of space rocks drop in—assuring Pebble “We come in pieces.”—to contrast asteroids from meteorites and tell how meteorites come to Earth.

Surrounded by all of his new friends, Pebbles signs off, but the learning continues. Back matter includes a glossary, a note from a geologist, a list of ideas on how kids can become rock hounds, and a bibliography of more books to check out.

Gem-packed with puns, jokes, and hard-core facts, Paige Towler’s Talking Rocks and Minerals will excite kids already enthralled with geology and spark enthusiasm in those unfamiliar with the science, variety, and history of rocks we see every day as well as the stones we prize as valuable. Towler’s accessible text will appeal to all learners, making the book an excellent resource for educators. Her conversational delivery draws children in, creating a personal connection between them and the subject that will continue as they grow in their scientific studies.

Matthew Carlson’s eye-catching pages reflect how children learn today, offering adorable interacting characters, separate panels or full-page spreads that illustrate particular facts or scientific processes, and a wealth of detail that allows children to see the layers in sedimentary rock, look inside a geode, follow the rock cycle and the preservation of prehistoric creatures in fossils, and watch an asteroid plummet through Earth’s atmosphere to become a meteorite, among so many other elements.

A brilliant teaming of author and illustrator, Talking Rocks and Minerals: Fact-Packed Guide to Geology is an enriching and enlightening STEM book that is a must for all elementary classrooms, geology-loving children, science educators, and library collections.

Ages 6 – 9

Grosset & Dunlap, 2025 | ISBN 978-0593890950

About the Author

Paige Towler is a children’s book author and poet living in Washington, DC. She loves writing scary stories, tales about animals, and nonfiction facts about the weird and wonderful world around us. Her previous picture books include Mysterious, Marvelous Octopus! (National Geographic Kids), Baby Bat Bedtime (Smithsonian Institution/Sleeping Bear Press), Yoga Animals (National Geographic Kids), and more. Visit her at paigetowler.com.

About the Illustrator

Matthew Carlson is an illustrator, game designer, and graphic designer in Northern California. He studied art and English literature at the University of California, Berkeley. He’s illustrated projects for Robert Mondavi Wines, Facebook, and Twitter, and is currently the director of UX Design for Education, Fonts, and Drawing & Painting at Adobe. Originally from Seattle, Washington, Matthew now lives in Marin, California, with his partner, two kids, two dogs, and a growing collection of rocks.

You can purchase Talking Rocks and Minerals: Fact-Packed Guide to Geology from these booksellers:

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

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