May 7 – Get Caught Reading Month

About the Holiday

When you love to read, you want to share all the excitement that books contain. The Get Caught Reading campaign was initiated in 1999 by the Association of American Publishers with the idea to promote literacy and language development through reading to children and spurring them to read on their own. All month long, people are encouraged to pass along their love of literature—from board books to Shakespeare and everything in between—by taking pictures of themselves reading and sharing them on social media. Movie and TV celebrities, sports figures, authors, illustrators, teachers, moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, and kids of all ages take part in this favorite annual event. Why don’t you?! For more information, visit the Get Caught Reading website.

The Curious Life of Cecilia Payne: Discovering the Stuff of Stars

Written by Laura Alary | Illustrated by Yas Imamura

When Cecilia Payne was eight years old, she found a bee orchid in the apple orchid. This would not have been surprising had she lived in the south of France, but this was England, where the flower did not (normally) grow. The discovery led her to make two promises to herself: 1: “she would learn to see all the wonders in the world,” and 2: “she would always trust what she knew was right.”

Always intellectually curious, Cecilia explored the forests, learned the names of all the constellations, adopted the scientific method to her studies, and even read the encyclopedia. At school the other girls couldn’t understand her fascination with science. Later, when she went to Cambridge University, she was surrounded by renowned scientists who “were seeing what no one could see with their eyes, hidden things that were visible only to the imagination.” When she heard the famous astronomer Arthur Eddington speak, she decided to become an astronomer too.

She found an old telescope, and Arthur Eddington gave her a key to the observatory library. What she found there made Cecelia want to join the ranks of the greatest astronomers, but she was not as welcome in the classroom, where some professors ignored her and others told her she’d never become an astronomer. Cecelia packed her bags and moved to America to study at Harvard.

At Harvard she found freedom—and other women studying the stars. These women “shared with her their greatest treasure—thousands of glass photographs of starlight.” The mystery they were trying to solve was what stars are made of. Cecilia had brought new ideas from Cambridge that might help her find out. She learned to read the patterns of black lines in the spectrums found in the spectrums on the glass plates. These led her to believe that stars were not made of rock but of gases.

When she finally shared her research and conclusions, the men told her “it was impossible. That Cecilia must be mistaken.” For the first time Cecilia broke that long-ago promise she’d make herself and “backed down.” Four years later, however, they admitted she was right. It took another decade for Cecilia to be promoted to the rank of astronomer at Harvard and another 18 years before she was appointed as Professor of Astronomy—becoming the “first woman to become a full professor at Harvard University.” One thing she taught her students was that “becoming a scientist . . . can be a tough climb up a steep hill. But if you keep going, the view is amazing.”

Extensive back matter includes an Author’s Note revealing interesting aspects of Cecilia’s life and how she can inspire children; a detailed timeline of Cecilia’s life; a timeline of pivotal dates in Astronomy, an introduction to the women known as the “Harvard Computers” and more about Cecilia’s work; Honors and Awards given to Cecilia; and a list of books for further reading.

Laura Alary draws children into the life and work of Cecilia Payne through her factual and lyrical storytelling that allows them to experience the wonder Cecilia saw in everything around her, especially the cosmos. Weaving in the observational methods that came naturally to Cecilia, Alary creates a well-rounded portrait of this trailblazing scientist who overcame the dismissals and discrimination of the time to prove her theories correct. The comprehensive information she includes following the story will spark much interest in Cecilia’s work and the history of astronomy and will serve young researchers very well.

Yas Imamura’s stunning gouache and watercolor illustrations welcome young readers into Cecilia Payne’s world with warmth and the excitement of discovery. Exciting collage-inspired images replicate Cecilia’s scientific vision and her fascination with the stars and astronomy. The pages introducing the other women astronomers at Harvard are a welcome depiction of their influence on science. Imamura’s colors are lush and deep, giving children the feeling of gazing into space along with Cecilia to unlock its mysteries.

An inspiring and illuminating biography of a premier astronomer, The Curious Life of Cecilia Payne: Discovering the Stuff of Stars is a must for all school and public libraries and will be an influential book on any young science lover’s home bookshelf.

Ages 7 – 12

Eerdman’s Books for Young Readers, 2026 | ISBN 978-0802855152

About the Author

Laura Alary has written over a dozen books for children, including The Astronomer Who Questioned Everything (Kids Can), Here (Paraclete), What Grew in Larry’s Garden (Kids Can), and All the Faces of Me (Owlkids). She hopes that Cecilia’s story inspires children to follow their curiosity and find confidence in their own unique voices. Laura lives in Toronto, Canada. Visit her website at lauraalary.ca.

About the Illustrator

Yas Imamura is the acclaimed illustrator of many picture books, including Love in the Library (Candlewick), Can You Imagine? (Atheneum), Winged Wonders (Sleeping Bear), and The Bicycle (Balzer + Bray). She frequently works with gouache and watercolor, and she is often drawn to playful and slightly offbeat projects. Yas lives and works in Portland, Oregon. Follow her on Instagram.

Get Caught Reading Month Activity

Stargazing is Fun Maze

Look through the telescope to fine the stars in this maze!

Stargazing is Fun Maze | Stargazing is Fun Maze Solution

You can purchase The Curious Life of Cecilia Payne: Discovering the Stuff of Stars from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

May 6 – National Hug Holiday Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Introduced by Kevin Zaborney in 1986, National Hug Holiday Week is celebrated each year from May 7 – 13. Just like it sounds, the holiday encourages people to show how much their family and friends mean to them by enveloping them in a warm hug. These days you don’t even have to be together to share a hug! Emojis, GIFs, videos, or even an “old-fashioned” postcard or letter can convey your hug. Kids especially respond to a loving hug, so this week be sure to pull them in for a sweet squeeze!

Mama Says I’m Fine

Written by Brittney Cooper | Illustrated by Tamisha Anthony

Sometimes a mom wishes for a tidy, meaningful way to express all the affection and admiration they have for their child—a shorthand, if you will, that both mother and child recognize and immediately feel seen, empowered, comforted, Loved. In Brittney Cooper’s Mama Says I’m Fine, a young girl reveals the two words that her mama always says to her: “‘You’re fine.'” She continues: “It’s just two little words. but those two words can mean a lot.”

It’s true! She’s heard “you’re fine” in so many situations—when she needs reassurance, encouragement, acknowledgement of her accomplishments, and “the courage to stand up and speak out.” She’s also taken those words to heart when in shared moments with her mama, she understands them to mean “I’m the most beautiful little girl she ever laid eyes on.”

Over time, this girl has gained far more than just “in the moment” validation. She feels deep inside the accumulative effect when “two words can become a thousand. Thousands of words can become a million,” and those millions of words telling her that “nothing can knock me down . . . become the truth.”

The young girl doesn’t keep that confidence and self-esteem to herself, either. She channels it into empathy and understanding for the person she’s closest to—her mom! She can tell when her mother is having a tough day or feels down, and works to make her feel better, whether through homemade treats or flowers, she knows just the words to add—words full of meaning and love: “You’re fine!”

In their Author’s and Artist’s Notes following the story, Brittney Cooper and Tamisha Anthony Author’s talk about the influence and inspiration their own mothers imparted to them.

In her uplifting book, Brittney Cooper gives parents a simple phrase that echoes with all the lessons they want to impart, the amazing attributes they see in their child and all the love they feel for them. Such a shared expression can become a touchstone for families through time, one passed down to younger generations. Written from the little girl’s point of view, the story will resonate with children and make them feel as cherished as she does.

Tamisha Anthony’s lovely color palette and lush pages lend a sophistication to the story befitting the young girl’s wisdom. As Anthony states in her Artist’s Note, the abundance of flowers, shared cups of tea, and art theme honor the influence of her own mother and grandmother. These, as well as the sweet and understanding looks between mother and child, also suggest the child’s blooming girlhood and the woman she will become.

A poignant and vibrant ode to motherhood, Mama Says I’m Fine is a story children will want to hear often and one that will continue to resonate as they grow. The book would enhance any library collection and make a perfect Mother’s Day, birthday, or “just because I love you” gift.

Ages 4 – 8

Orchard Books, 2026 | ISBN 978-1338763867

Brittney Cooper is the New York Times bestselling author of several books, including her debut picture book Stand Up! 10 Mighty Women Who Made a Change, and the novels Feminist AF: A Guide to Crushing Girlhood and Eloquent Rage: A Black Woman Discovers Her Superpowers. A professor of Women’s and Gender Studies and Africana Studies at Rutgers University, she cofounded the Crunk Feminist Collective, and her cultural commentary has been featured on MSNBC’s All In with Chris Hayes, Melissa Harris-Perry, The New York Times, New York Magazine, Marie Claire, The Cut, The Washington Post, NPR, PBS, Al Jazeera’s Third Rail, Ebony.com, Essence.com, TheRoot.com, and TED.com, and has been named four times to The Root 100.

Tamisha Anthony has illustrated several children’s books, including Sparrow Loves Birds by Murry Burgess, Seoul Food by Erin Danielle Russell, There’s No Place Like Hope by Janet Lawler, and Most Perfect You by Jazmyn Simon. Her love of educating has led her to teach for organizations such as the New York Historical Society and Make Art That Sells, and to write and illustrate a recurring column for Uppercase magazine. Learn more at tamishaanthony.com.

National Hug Holiday Week Activity

Mama Says I’m Fine Activity Pages

These two Mama Says I’m Fine activity pages let kids express their love for their moms!

Mother’s Day Card | Mama Says Fill in the Blank

You can purchase Mama Says I’m Fine from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

May 4 – Children’s Book Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Founded in 1919, Children’s Book Week is the longest-running literacy initiative in the United States and takes place over two separate weeks each year. This year that means from May 4 – 10 and November 9 – 15. The 2026 theme is Books: Get Curious, and the official poster and other resources were created by award-winning author and illustrator Grace Lin. The holiday attracts participation from authors, illustrators, publishers, librarians, teachers, and booksellers in schools, libraries, bookstores, and communities across the country. To learn more about the holiday, find activity ideas, and download bookmarks, posters, multilingual coloring pages, and more, visit Every Child a Reader. You can even sign up to continue to get fantastic ideas for connecting with books and reading all year around!

Thanks to Beach Lane Books for sending me this book for review!

Little Ghost’s Summerween

By Maggie Edkins Willis

One day, Little Ghost received a birthday party invitation in the mail—his first ever. The idea of a birthday party made him feel nervous. Even after haunting his old house for a hundred years, he’d only “had the Halloween kind.” He asked his friend Anya what they would do and if there would be “bats and black cats and candy corn and pumpkins.” She told him that Elias’s party was going to be “an outdoorsy camp party” with the things he liked. She made it sound fun and encouraged him to go. Little Ghost decided he would.

While Little Ghost liked the indoor festivities, the outdoorsy part posed some problems. Still, the party made Little Ghost want his own birthday party. Since ghosts don’t have birthdays, Little Ghost just picked a summer day and made an invitation list. Then came the hard part—planning his perfect party. He thought and thought: sleepover? karaoke? superhero? None of his ideas felt right. Pretty soon the day arrived and he hadn’t done any party prep at all. His mom said they could still have fun doing anything he’d like.

Tentatively, he asked if they could have a mini-Halloween with just him, her, and Anya. To his delight, she said Yes! While he “had pictured a big bash with balloons, music, and festive friends,” baking and decorating a scary cake and cupcakes with Anya made “him feel special.” When the treats were ready, Little Ghost’s mom suggested eating the birthday cake in the yard. Anya flashed her a big smile as they headed out the door. Outside, Little Ghost found all his friends—in costume!—plus lots of bats, black cats, candy corn, and pumpkins. He couldn’t thank Anya and his “spooktacular” friends more for the “sparkliest, splashiest, Summerween ever!“

In her adorable and heartwarming sequel to Little Ghost Makes a Friend, Maggie Edkins Willis cleverly embraces the increasingly popular Summerween while celebrating individuality and friendship. The supportive relationship between Little Ghost and Anya is a treasure. Children who are more hesitant to try unfamiliar things will feel seen as Little Ghost shares his doubts and fears, and all readers will appreciate Anya’s honest answers and encouragement as well as the understanding shown by Little Ghost’s mom. Maggie Edkins Willis’s perfect pacing creates a touching and joyful ending that will surprise readers as much as it does Little Ghost and give them the feeling they’ve joined the party too.

Expressive, endearing, and heartening, Little Ghost’s Summerween will be a quick favorite for all home and library collections and would make a much-loved gift.

Ages 4 – 8

Beach Lane Books, 2026 | ISBN 978-1665985147

About the Author

Maggie Edkins Willis grew up in Missouri and Maine. She now writes and illustrates books for children from her home studio in the Hudson Valley, where she lives with her husband and two children. Her debut picture book, Little Ghost Makes a Friend, is a bestseller. She is also the creator of the picture books Little Ghost’s Summerween, Dinky the Tinysaur, and Thunderland, and the middle grade graphic novel Smaller Sister. You can visit her online at MaggieMadeThis.com.

Children’s Book Week Activity

Books: Get Curious Coloring Pages

This year’s coloring pages based on Grace Lin’s Children’s Book Week poster makes a perfect way for kids to be creative while writing down their To Be Read list! Visit Every Child a Reader to find more activities!

Books: Get Curious Arch | Books: Get Curious Column

You can purchase Little Ghost’s Summerween from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

April 27 – Month of the Young Child

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Month of the Young Child highlights the importance of early learning, creativity, and the role the arts play in helping young people explore ideas, express themselves, and build confidence, happiness, and wellbeing. Getting kids excited about learning and experiencing new things, getting to know their community, engaging in healthy habits are important components of a happy life. Earlier this month, families, schools, and caregivers celebrated the Week of the Young Child with special activities encouraged each day of the week. Of course, families can enjoy these activities anytime of the year. To learn more about how you can incorporate Music Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Work Together Wednesday, Artsy Thursday, and Family Friday into your schedule visit the website of the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Thank you to Chronicle Books for sending me this book for review!

Touch a Truck Day: A Lift-the-Flap Book

Written by Carrie Finison | Illustrated by Viola Wang

HONK HONK! Hooray! / What fun! What luck! / Today’s the day to / TOUCH A TRUCK!”

Bring home all the excitement of a Touch-A-Truck event with this interactive board book that lets kids climb aboard eight amazing vehicles to get an inside look at the controls and equipment and meet the drivers. In her jaunty rhymes, Carrie Finison’s invites young truck enthusiasts to drive a fire truck, raise the shovel on a loader, watch a street sweeper suck dirt inside its bin, check the supplies on an ambulance, deliver the mail, and more.

On each two-page spread, Finison channels the awe and wonder that big—and bigger!—trucks inspire in little ones by revealing the purpose of the featured vehicle as well as the surprising ways it accomplishes its mission. Children will happily agree to her call to “make a siren sound,” pull the air horn cord on the garbage trunk, and “Bump, bump, bump” along with the loader. In the end there’s a sweet treat waiting at perhaps everyone’s favorite truck!

Viola Wang’s vibrant illustrations of the trucks on bold backgrounds give readers a close-up view of each vehicle’s exterior to inspect before peeking inside. Opening the doors and raising the flaps, children find levers, dials, and buttons as well as the arrangements of seats, computers, consoles, mirrors, and other important equipment. Kids will love pretending to pull the hose from the fire truck, deliver packages, talk into the radio on the ambulance, and help out on every job. Each truck has six to eight labeled elements, color coded for exterior or interior use. Workers and families make an appearance, demonstrating the personal way these vehicles connect with their community.

Thoughtfully designed to replicate the experience of a Touch-a-Truck event, the book sports eight tabs on top that allow children to pick which vehicle they’d like to visit first (or to easily take them back again and again to their favorite!). To preserve the thrill of seeing the vehicles for the first time on the pages, the tabs give clues to each vehicle’s identity, which can spark a fun, pre-reading guessing game.

An exciting and clever interactive board book that vehicle lovers will want to take for a spin often, Touch a Truck Day is an ideal read aloud and take-along book for young children. It’s guaranteed the book will not stay parked on library or home bookshelves for long.

Ages Baby – 4

Chronicle Books, 2026 | ISBN 978-1797214153

About the Author

Carrie Finison began her literary career at the age of seven with an idea, a box of markers, and her father’s typewriter. She has been writing off and on ever since, though she has (somewhat regretfully) traded in the typewriter for a laptop. Today, she writes children’s books with lots of humor and heart. She lives outside Boston with her husband, son, daughter, and two cats who permit her to write in their cozy attic office. Find her online at carriefinison.com or follow her on social media @CarrieFinison.

About the Illustrator

Viola Wang is a children’s book author and illustrator. Born in China, Viola graduated from Tsinghua University with a major in oil painting. She then moved to London and completed a master’s in animation and illustration while working as a graphic designer. Viola is also a graduate of the Children’s Book Illustration MA at Cambridge School of Art and a winner of the Sebastian Walker Award. Growing up in a family of printers, Viola developed a profound interest in printmaking, which has been a significant influence on her own practice. She lives in London with her family. Find her online at violawangstudio.com or follow her on social media @violawangstudio.

Month of the Young Child Activity

Vehicle Activity Pages

Keep on truckin’ with these coloring pages and mazes!

Digger Coloring Page | Crane Coloring Page | Fire Truck Maze | Ambulance Maze

You can purchase Touch a Truck Day from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

April 24 – Arbor Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Arbor Day, a national celebration of trees, began as a campaign by J. Morton Sterling and his wife after they moved from Michigan to Nebraska in 1854 and advocated for planting trees as windbreaks for crops, to keep soil from washing away, as building materials, and for shade. In 1872, Morton proposed that a tree-planting day be established in April. On the first Arbor Day nearly one million trees were planted in Nebraska. The idea was made official in 1874, and soon, other states joined in. In 1882 schools began taking part. Today, most states celebrate Arbor Day on the last Friday of April or day more suited for their growing season. To learn about events in your area, find activities to download, and more, visit the Arbor Day Foundation website.

Just One Oak: What a Single Tree Can Be

Written by Maria Gianferrari | Illustrated by Diana Sudyka

“Just one oak . . . from the tip of its crown down to the ground, with roots all around, sustains so very many creatures, from the teeny-tiny to the big and mighty.” So begins Maria Gianferrari’s fascinating exploration of all the ways oak trees contribute to and sustain the ecosystem where they live. From their distinctive leaves to their shaggy bark to their incredible acorns, oak trees are self-protecting while providing shelter and food for an amazing array of wildlife.

At ground level, Gianferrari shows how “leaf litter, the blanket beneath its boughs,” creates the perfect environment for snails, insects, amphibians, fungi, and more to hide, feed, and grow. And that little acorn nestled under the leaves? Gianferrari digs in to reveal how a mighty oak begins with just one taproot that branches and branches until its root system spreads “farther than the canopy is wide.”

And oh those acorns! They’re so much more than their tiny size may lead you to believe. Just one acorn can house one creature or hundreds. They are a universal “superfood” as well as a tidy seed that can reproduce where it drops or be carried far afield. When it grows up, “just one oak creates a microclimate,” with its impressive canopy and prevents flooding, erosion, and drought with its far-reaching roots. Yes, “just one oak is beautiful and bountiful to all.”

Maria Gianferrari takes readers outdoors to get a close-up view of one oak tree, and by extension an enlightened understanding of the reach of this keystone species. Her lyrical introductions, capped with a repeated “Just one oak . . .”—a phrase that reinforces the contributions of these trees, give way to paragraphs of factual information. Each of these paragraphs are packed with specific information about the types of creatures sustained by just one tree and the benefits they enjoy. The numbers here are simply astounding and could inspire many cross-curricular lessons in math, science, language arts, art, and more.

Diana Sudyka’s nature illustrations are beautiful, exciting, and full of the kinds of small, impactful details readers love and that expand their understanding of the text (especially for visual learners). Animals scamper, birds feast, and an entire community of creepy-crawlies scurry through leaf litter and below in Sudyka’s action-filled pages. Each spread will have children lingering to discover all the wonders of an oak tree.

A glorious celebration of the oak tree and the species that rely on it, Just One Oak will spark curiosity and an appreciation for the interconnections among wildlife. The book will delight any nature lover and is a must for school and public libraries.

Ages 4 – 8+

Beach Lane Books, 2026 | ISBN 978-1665961042

About the Author

Maria Gianferrari is a picture book reader/writer, tea-drinker, dog-lover, and birdwatcher. Maria writes books that honor our bonds with creatures both domestic and wild and that celebrate the natural world around us, including Fungi Grow and Just One Oak, illustrated by Diana Sudyka; Ice Cycle: Poems about the Life of Ice, illustrated by Jieting Chen; Being a Dog: A Tail of Mindfulness, illustrated by Pete Oswald; Bobcat Prowling, illustrated by Bagram Ibatouilline; and Be a Tree!, illustrated by Felicita Sala. She lives with her family in Massachusetts in a house encircled by trees. To learn more about Maria, visit her website: MariaGianferrari.com.

About the Illustrator

Diana Sudyka is a Chicago-based illustrator. Early on, she created screen-printed gig posters for musicians but currently her illustration work focuses on young adult, middle grade, and children’s books. She has illustrated several volumes of the award-winning book series, including The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart and Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley, as well as the picture books Would You Come Too? by Liz Garton Scanlon, Sometimes Rain by Meg Fleming, What Miss Mitchell Saw by Hayley Barrett, How to Find a Bird by Jennifer Ward, and Fungi Grow and Just One Oak by Maria Gianferrari. Visit her at DianaSudyka.com.

Arbor Day Activities

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-paper-plate-tree-craft-2

Paper Plate Tree

On Earth Day children love planting trees in their yard or as part of a community project. With this easy craft, they can also plant a tree on their wall or bulletin board.

Supplies

Two paper plates
Paper towel tube
Brown craft paint
Green craft paint (using a variety of green paints adds interest)
Paintbrush, cork, or cut carrot can be used to apply paint
Glue or hot glue gun or stapler

Directions

Paint the paper towel tube brown, let dry
Paint the bottoms of the two paper plates with the green (or other color) paints, let dry
Flatten about 4 inches of the paper towel tube
Glue or tape the flat part of the paper towel tube to the unpainted side of one paper plate
Glue the edges of the two paper plates together, let dry.
Straighten the tree so that it can stand up, or hang your tree on a wall, bulletin board, in a window

Just One Oak Activity Kit from Beach Lane Books

Teachers and other educators can find a comprehensive Activity Kit with discussion questions, hands-on activities, and more to accompany Just One Oak on Maria Gianferrari’s website.

You can purchase Just One Oak: What a Single Tree Can Be from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

April 22 – Earth Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

First celebrated 56 years ago, Earth Day is the world’s largest civic-focused event. The initiative began on April 22, 1970, when 20 million Americans (10% of the population) demonstrated against the industrialization, pollution, and pesticides that were damaging people and the environment. In response, in July of 1970, Republican President Nixon and the US Congress created the Environmental Protections Agency and enacted laws such as the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act among others.

This year’s theme is “Our Power, Our Planet.” From Saturday, April 18 to Earth Day on the 22nd and beyond, Earth Day and Earth Month will organize communities and individuals to take part in community cleanups, teach-ins, peaceful demonstrations, tree planting, voter registration, town hall meetings, community organizing and more. Every action strengthens the movement and what we can accomplish. To learn how you can participate or access resources in your area, visit the official Earth Day website.

Thanks to Greystone Books for sending me a copy of this book for review!

Fiddlehead Forest: Little Habitats 2

By Jana Curll

After a lightning storm, Fern and her fronds—Millipede, Slug, Moth, Mushroom, and the Lichens—discover a tree that’s fallen and can’t get up. Mushroom suggests the tree become a log, but the unhappy tree wants to return to its days of glory, of being “tall, strong, and useful—important!” Fern “guaran-trees” she will make it happen.

Tiny Millipede is first to volunteer his talents. It’ll be a cinch, he thinks. All he has to do is eat and eat and eat and molt and molt and molt until he’s grown enough segments and legs to push the tree back into position. It turns out, though, there’s only so much one millipede can eat before getting “in-dig-estion,” so Fern concocts another, kinda crazy plan involving Moth, dangerous animals, and “geome-TREE” (Beard Lichen thinks it’s “more like insani-TREE”). When that doesn’t fly, Fern enlists Slug in an even more convoluted idea that any slime lover could get behind. Unfortunately, it’s a no-goo too.

With the help of the Lichens’ and Mushroom’s insight, Tree accepts its fate and vows to “do my best with where I am now.” As night falls the friends stay close, keeping Log company. In the morning Fern has yet one more idea, but this one isn’t zany or complex. She invites everyone to stay, hang out, and just do their thing. “FERN-ally” Log discovers its new role—one in which it is long, strong, and useful—important!

In addition to the story, each chapter includes a two-page spread of fascinating facts about millipedes, moths, slugs, lichens, fungi, ferns, and nurse logs that describe their importance to Earth’s ecosystems.

Equal parts hilarious and educational, Jana Curll’s Fiddlehead Forest is a punsters paradise, where kids will be giggling so often they may not even realize how much they’re learning. Curll’s mix of witty banter, caring friendship, and scientific facts, all presented in her bright and adorable graphic novel format, will delight kids. Fiddlehead Forest has plenty of repeat readability, applications for classrooms and homeschoolers, and appeal for any library collection.

Ages 6 – 9

Greystone Books, 2026 | ISBN 978-1778401046

About the Author

Jana Curll is a children’s illustrator based on the rainy west coast of Canada and is grateful to live on the traditional lands of the shíshálh Nation with her family. She is inspired by the creatures and environment of the local rainforests and the ocean and spends her spare time wandering through winding trails and along rocky beaches. She likes doodling funny maps and sipping strong coffee while her large cat sleeps on her lap. She’s also the author-illustrator of Barnacle Bay, the first book in the Little Habitats series also published by Greystone Kids. Visit her at janacurrl.com.

Earth Day Activity

How Old Is This Tree?

In this activity children learn what the rings on a cross section of a tree trunk mean and how to count them to determine the age of a tree is and discover events from its past.

How Old Is This Tree? Discussion Sheet | How Old Is This Tree? Worksheet

You can purchase Fiddlehead Forest (Little Habitats, 2) from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

April 20 – Earth Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Earth Month was established in the United States on April 4, 1970 following a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, CA. The initiative’s purpose was to raise awareness of and action on issues concerning the environment. By 1990, Earth Month had become a global event, and in 1992, the United Nations became actively involved, further increasing the organization’s visibility. Today, leaders, and environmental activists from all over the world work together to create sustainable development and offer climate solutions to prevent further harm to our planet’s natural resources, making Earth Month widely recognized as one of the most important month-long observances in the world.

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

Who’s Hiding? Under the Sea: A Lift-and-See Book

Written by Janet Lawler | Illustrated by James Weston Lewis

Splash into an underwater adventure with your little one in this board book that introduces six sea creatures, all of which have remarkable characteristics that help them survive and thrive. Diving in, children are instantly immersed in the colorful undersea world, where tropical fish, seagrass, anemones, coral, curious crabs, shrimp, and more invite them to play a guessing game, courtesy of the fun lift-the-flap format.

Janet Lawler’s charming and educational rhymes give kids hints about who is hiding just at their fingertips while teaching them a salient fact or two about each creature. One favorite ocean dweller describes itself this way: “No need to alarm / if I break off an arm. / I can make a new start / by regrowing that part! Who am I?” Behind the creature’s hiding place, children find a sea star and a bit more information about their helpful trait. Young nature lovers will be excited to add these fascinating nuggets to their growing repertoire and share them with family and friends.

James Weston Lewis’s spectacular illustrations will enthrall readers with their vibrant colors and layered perspectives that provide an up-close view of each creature in its habitat as well as a realistic feeling of the depth and movement under the sea. The sturdy flaps are die cut, allowing little fingers to easily grasp and lift or pull them without help. Peek-a-boo hints visible around these flaps entice guessing. Lewis has populated his ocean views with a wide array of fish, crabs, shells, mussels, turtles, sharks, and plants that kids will love pointing out, naming, and learning about.

Who’s Hiding? Under the Sea is a fresh, exciting board book that will stimulate sensory and intellectual curiosity in young children. The book’s well-conceived design will grow with children from captivating babies and toddlers with its colors, interactive elements, and rhythmical text to fascinating preschoolers and beyond with its abundance of gorgeous lifelike details and intriguing facts delivered in delightfully smart lyrical verses. It makes a fun take-along book for trips to the aquarium, beach, and even the pet store! Families, preschool educators and all school and public libraries will want Who’s Hiding? Under the Sea on their shelves.

Ages: Preschool and up

Phaidon Press, 2026 | ISBN 978-1837290895

About the Author

Janet Lawler has published more than 30 fiction and nonfiction picture books and early readers. Her recent titles include Celebrate! A Happy Book of Firsts (Feiwel & Friends, 2022), Oceans of Love (Viking, 2022), and Walrus Song (Candlewick, 2021). Her popular seasonal titles are Fright School, Winter Cats, Snowzilla, and Mirabel’s Missing Valentines. Visit her website at JanetLawler.com.

About the Illustrator

James Weston-Lewis is an illustrator and printmaker based in London. He studied illustration at the University of the West of England, where he specialised in woodcut and linocut printmaking. His first children’s book, The Great Fire of London, was longlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal. His clients include: The Financial Times, Radio Times, The Times,Telegraph and many more. Visit him at jwestonlewis.co.uk.

Earth Month Activity

Match Up the Animals! Game

Test your powers of memory with this Sea Creatures Memory Game!

Supplies

Printable Sea Creatures Memory Game Cards Page 1 | Page 2
Colored pencils, markers, or crayons
Scissors

Directions

Print 2 copies of the Sea Creatures Memory Game Cards pages to have double cards. To make the game easy, print 2 copies of one of these pages. For a harder game print 2 copies of both pages. To make the game even more difficult print 3 or more copies of the pages.
Color the cards
Cut out the cards
Lay the cards face down on a table in random order
Turn over cards to look for matching pairs
If the cards don’t match lay them both face down again
When you find a matching pair leave the cards face up
Continue playing until you find all the matching animal pairs or groups

You can purchase Who’s Hiding? Under the Sea from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

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Books: Get Curious Coloring Pages

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Vehicle Activity Pages

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Paper Plate Tree

Just One Oak Activity Kit from Beach Lane Books

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By Jana Curll

Earth Day Activity

How Old Is This Tree?

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About the Holiday

Who’s Hiding? Under the Sea: A Lift-and-See Book

Written by Janet Lawler | Illustrated by James Weston Lewis

Earth Month Activity

Match Up the Animals! Game

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