August 19 – National Back to School Month

About the Holiday

For many kids August means going back to school or taking their first steps into a classroom, while for the youngest children it can be just the beginning of learning new concepts that are the building blocks of education in lots of fun ways. Board books are perfect for sharing the language, math, science, and other concepts that little ones need to learn along the way to being ready for school themselves!

Thanks to Phaidon Press for sending me this book for review!

Small Monster, Big Monster: A Seriously Silly Book of Opposites

By Allan Sanders

Ready to have monstrous fun learning opposites? Allan Sanders transports kids to a vibrant world where monsters and humans coexist, with hilarious results. What happens when a “monster gets ON the bus?” As you might imagine, “passengers get OFF.” And they’re not just getting off, they’re scrambling through the windshield as fast as they can. All except a young girl who welcomes the monster with a smile and wave. What do you imagine a monster will do after seeing a tornado from INSIDE? Go OUTSIDE to ride it, of course!

These monsters aren’t scary! All they want to do is play, dance the night away, enjoy getting FULL on pizza (who doesn’t?!), and engage in some of people’s favorite sports. Little learners will love hanging with these monsters who are just as curious, active, ingenious, and friendly as they are as they learn opposites that make the world work!

Allan Sanders’ brightly colored pages, accented with neon touches, will immediately draw little ones to these funny, friendly monsters, who take part in activities from the city to the gym to the ski slope and beyond in their own unique style. Kids will also love spotting lots of silly surprises on each spread during giggly read-alouds.

Ages Baby – 3

Phaidon Press, 2026 | ISBN 978-1837292110

About the Author/Illustrator

Allan Sanders is an illustrator and artist who lives by the sea in Brighton, UK. He has illustrated several Children’s books including On the Move, My Amazing Body, Outer Space, The Animal World, The Book of Perfectly Perilous Math, and most recently The Alphabet of Alphabets and A Number of Numbers for Wide Eyed Editions. He likes diagrams, limited palettes, screen printing, comic books, handwritten type, and wonky perspectives. Visit him at allansanders.co.uk.

You can purchase Small Monster, Big Monster: A Seriously Silly Book of Opposites 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

Picture Book Review

April 15 – World Art Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

World Art Day was declared on April 15, 2012 at the General Assembly of the International Association of Art and celebrates the importance and joy of art in our lives as well as aiming to promote cultural exchange, art appreciation, and the spread of artistic expression around the world. The date was chosen to honor the birthday Leonardo da Vinci as a symbol of world peace, tolerance, freedom of expression, and multiculturalism. To celebrate today, visit a museum or make some art of your own!

My Art Book of Peace

Written by Shana Gozansky | Designed by Meagan Bennett

In today’s loud, bustling, and demanding world, it can be hard for adults and children to find a moment’s peace. My Art Book of Peace is the perfect antidote. Thirty-one famous artworks—paintings, photographs, sculptures, and an installation—from today’s and yesteryear’s most acclaimed artists, including Diego Rivera, Gordon Parks, Joy Labinjo, Javier Calleja, Aliza Nisenbaum, and Cai Guo-Qiang, are woven together with Shana Gozansky’s soothing text that will charm readers of all ages.

Becoming immersed in the pages, you and your child will feel yourselves relax—Ahhh . . .—as Gozansky gently guides you to thoughtful reflections on feelings of peace, where you can find it, and when. Each page also invites readers to actively engage with the images, connecting them to their own experiences and sharing the ideas and feelings each one imparts.

If, in all the hubbub, that tranquil feeling is lost, Gozansky shows you how to discover it again. Before this lovingly curated collection ends, she leaves you to contemplate peace as freedom—freedom to play, freedom to love, freedom to be yourself—and with a last wish that you find peace inside yourself and all around you.

Back matter includes information on each image, including the work’s title and date, the artist’s name, medium, and more.

Shana Gozansky’s lyrical text flows serenely from page to page, connecting readers to illuminating and spectacularly reproduced artworks that provide vivid and evocative illustrations of her ideas. Children and adults will enjoy reminiscing about the peaceful and joyful experiences each artwork elicits as well as discussing the variety of ways peace can be interpreted.

My Art Book of Peace will enhance any library board book or art collection, would be an inspiring cross-curricular addition to classroom and homeschool educators, and will become a family favorite to keep close at hand for frequent reading.

Ages: Preschool and up

Phaidon Press, 2026 | ISBN 978-1837291526

Shana Gozansky wears a lot of hats. She writes books for kids and their grownups, directs plays for everyone, and coaches parents. She is the author of Phaidon’s My Art Books series, How to Be a Witch (with Gabrielle Balkan), and has more books on the horizon. She holds an MFA in Directing from the Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Programs and is a graduate of Bard College. She lives in Massachusetts with her spouse, tween, and a dog named Miss Piggy. Visit shanagozansky.com to find out more.

World Art Day Activity

Peace Sign Coloring Pages

Coloring can be a calming and rewarding activity for all ages. These three peace sign coloring pages give everyone in the family a chance to create and have fun together on this day that’s all about art! You can find more Peace Coloring Pages and lots more at MondayMandala.com.

Plain Peace Sign | Simple Flowers Peace Sign | Floral Peace Sign

You can purchase My Art Book of Peace from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

February 11 – Formula One Pre-Season Testing Begins & National Inventors’ Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

If you’re a fan of Formula One racing, today may be one of your favorite holidays of the year as Formula One Pre-season Testing gets underway in Sakhir, Bahrain! This year teams have six days at the Bahrain International Circuit to watch their new cars prove their mettle on the track and view the competition ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on March 6. You can read more about this year’s F1 pre-season testing here. To learn more about the 2026 Formula One World Championship season, visit formula1.com.

Today also hosts a holiday that celebrates the innovative individuals behind such sports as Formula One as well as endless other industries, sciences, and arts—National Inventors’ Day! Honoring the birthday of Thomas Edison, the day recognizes the spirit of inventors from all backgrounds and experience who look at life a little differently and not only imagine “what if?” but make it happen. If you have a creative mind, spend some time today tinkering around with your idea!

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

Formula Fast: Your Ultimate Guide to Formula One Racing!

Written by Matt Ralphs | Illustrated by Dragan Kordić

There may be no more thrilling call to play than Formula One racing’s “It’s lights out and away we go!” Bolstering this iconic phrase are the suspense, competition, innovation, pride, and history that define one of the world’s best-loved sports. In their stunning, oversized book, Matt Ralphs and Dragan Kordić take kids to the race track through 26 fast-paced, two-page sections to learn all about Formula One and what makes it such a favorite of spectators of all ages. First up are some basics about the sport, including how the name “Formula One” was devised.

Then it’s off to a Grand Prix race weekend for a peek at practice, qualifying, sprint races and, finally, Sunday’s race. But what about the cars? Turn the page and kids get to see the inner workings of a race car then view and learn about nine of the most distinctive cars over time from the 1950 Alfa Romeo 158 to the sleek 1977-78 Renault RS0 (“the first Formula One car sporting a turbocharged engine”) to today’s hybrid cars like the Mercedes F1Wo5. Along the way, some truly legendary cars Young fans then discover seven legendary cars that have broken the mold with their improvements to “create pure racing magic.”

Other sections discuss safety innovations at the race track, inside vehicles, and in the gear drivers wear. Sometimes, it might be said that designers get too creative and produce cars that are just kind of well . . . “weird.” Readers can decide for themselves which of the five cars presented is the strangest, from a car that used an airplane engine to one that rolled on six wheels instead of four! A glimpse into the cockpit leads to a detailed look at the game-controller-like steering wheel, that “can be programmed to do hundreds of jobs.” Kids also learn about Grand Prix tracks and get a primer on the meaning of each flag.

Think the Kentucky Derby at about 2 minutes is fast? That’s nothing compared to a Formula One pit stop! In 2.5 seconds or less, a 20-person pit crew changes tires and makes repairs and gets cars back on the track! Readers will love joining the crew to learn about the specialist mechanics and what they do. Young speedsters will be interested in the career path for Formula One drivers, starting with kart racing as children and transitioning to faster races with more powerful cars as teens.

Another section discusses the positive steps being taken to include women in the sport, including “an all-female annual F1 Academy racing series” begun in 2023 and the F1 Academy championship—a fourteen-race season with fifteen female drivers representing five teams. Readers are then introduced to nine iconic drivers and six famous teams throughout F1’s history. Before the photo finish, fans also discover more about what it takes to put a racing team together and efforts by Formula One to be more inclusive in their hiring across all aspects of the sport. A Glossary follows the text.

Matt Ralphs immerses young readers in Formula One racing from its inception in 1950 through today with captivating and easy-to-understand writing that gives children the feeling of being taken on a personal tour to sit in the cars, cheer from the stands, meet the personalities, and engage in all aspects of F1 racing. Ralphs’ comprehensive overview of the sport soars on his amazing attention to every detail and is presented in well-paced, bite-sized, illustrated paragraphs that reward short or long reading sessions. Educators and students will also find the book a valuable resource with a breadth of topics that can spark interest in and research for a wide range of creative STEM/STEAM projects.

Readers can almost hear the roar of the engines and shouts of the crowds as cars race across pages in a blur of color, power, and speed in Dragan Kordić’s exhilarating illustrations. Each concept is accompanied by one of Kordić’s astonishing, realistic depictions of cars, drivers, and equipment, which allows readers to fully appreciate the complexities, materials, and work involved in Formula One racing. Children will be enthralled with their inside views of a cockpit, race tracks, and garage. Kordić’s portraits of the people involved with F1 from its earliest days to the present will impress readers with the lessons and successes of the past that has led to today’s Formula One popularity.

A must for any Formula One fan—both children and adults—Formula Fast: Your Ultimate Guide to Formula One Racing! will speed to the top of the favorites board in any home, classroom, or library collection. The book would make a much-loved gift for any child who loves F1 racing.

Ages 8 – 12+

Phaidon Press, 2026 | ISBN 978-1837291243

Matt Ralphs is an author and editor. His children’s non-fiction credits include Spooky Celebrations Around the World, Beasts from the Deep, Transported, Automative, and Around the World in 80 Inventions. He has lots of interests, especially Formula One and fast cars and counts himself lucky that he gets to write books about them. Visit him at mattralphswriter.com.

Dragan Kordić is a Croatian illustrator and designer. His work ranges from illustrations for publishing and public spaces to visuals for startups, corporate clients, and advertising. He is inspired by nature, travel, and books. He lives in Rijeka, Croatia, with his wife and daughter. Visit him at dragankordic.com.

Formula One Pre-Season Testing Activities

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-truck-racing-game-wood

Racing Game

Here’s a game that kids will race to make and play! With poster board, paper, and chalk or other art supplies, kids can place their track in a stadium, city, the country, the desert, or even in outer space! Once the scene is ready, get out your own toy cars or trucks to play with or use the printable car or truck game pieces included below. Use a traditional playing die or the included printable 8-sided playing die. The first player to the finish line wins—or shake it up a bit and make the last person to the line the winner.

The track can be laid out on the floor and taped in place or created on poster board or paper with the supplies below:

Supplies

Black poster board or tri-fold display board. I used a 12-inch by 4-foot section of a tri-fold board in my example. This allows you to fold up the board for easier storing.
White paper
Chalk, crayons, or colored pencils
Glue or tape
Scissors
Toy trucks or cars
Printable Cars Game Pieces | Trucks Game Pieces (optional)
Printable 8-sided Playing Die

Directions

Cut 30 4- or 5-inch by 1½-inch strips from the white paper (or more for a longer track)
Have kids lay out a track on the board using the white paper strips (each strip is one space) leaving room in between the rows for scenery
Glue or tape the strips in place
Draw scenery around the track OR cut trees, buildings, landmarks, or other scenery from paper and color. Glue or tape to board.
Print and assemble 8-sided playing die with tape (optional)
Give each player a toy truck or car. Alternately, print and cut out included Truck Game Pieces. (To make them sturdier, print on heavy paper or glue them to cardboard)
Choose a player to go first
Players take turns rolling the die and moving the appropriate number of spaces
The first (or last) player to the finish line is the winner

Formula One Coloring Pages

Race to the finish with these three Formula One coloring pages from Monday Mandala! You can find more at MondayMandala.com!

Sunny Day F1 Racing | At the Track F1 Racing | Pit Stop! F1 Racing

You can purchase Formula One: Your Ultimate Guide to Formula One Racing! from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

July 15 – Wild about Wildlife Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Wild about Wildlife Month celebrates the wonderful diversity of our planet’s wildlife while reinforcing the importance of all animals to our ecosystem and even to our survival! The holiday also focuses on conservation, recycling, and education about how humans’ actions affect crucial habitats and the health of flora and fauna populations. While July is designated as Wild about Wildlife Month, the holiday’s significance is something to be mindful of all year around. To participate, explore the wildlife in your area while learning about the creatures on the other side of the world and everywhere in between. Today’s book will get you and your youngest nature-lovers started!

Thanks go to Phaidon Press for sending me a copy of The Secret Powers of Animals for review!

The Secret Powers of Animals

Written by Soledad Romero Mariño | Illustrated by Sonia Pulido

It’s no secret that kids of all ages are fascinated by animals. Little ones stand on tiptoe gazing up up up in awe at elephants and giraffes, fold themselves into pint-sized scientists to inspect bugs on the sidewalk, and are endlessly entertained by family pets. And when they learn interesting facts about their favorites, they love sharing their knowledge.

How do you replicate the excitement of witnessing an animal in person at home or in the classroom? With The Secret Powers of Animals, a lift-the-flap board book that combines jaunty introductory rhyming verses, three amazing secret powers, and the fun of interactive learning for 10 distinct creatures of the land, sea, and air.

Among this menagerie, kids meet a brainy octopus, who tells them “I’m a master of disguise— / I’m cunning and I’m wise. / Through swirling seas I glide / with my many ways to hide.” Indeed, the octopus’s superpowers back this up! Just one of the three amazing talents this eight-armed beauty reveals to readers is the ability to change “my shape or skin tone to look like something else.”

Little learners will love trying to guess each creature’s super powers as they discover which animal has the best sense of smell, who has a tusk that works like a thermometer, who can chomp harder than a shark, who can detach its tail to throw predators off its track, and so many more ingenious animal traits!

Soledad Romero Mariño brings each animal to life with witty and spirited vocabulary that not only describes the creature’s physical attributes but evokes a sense of their personality and place in the natural kingdom. The elephant “swishes” its tale and “flaps” its ears, the owl “swoops about,” the lizard “scuttles” and “darts,” and the cheetah “inches” and “creeps” before “. . . [giving] chase / in a big, bursting leap.” Romero Mariño explains each secret power in simple language that even the youngest reader will understand and remember. Her flowing verses are a joy to read aloud and are perfect sparks for pretend play at home, in preschool and kindergarten classrooms, and for library story times.

Sonia Pulido’s realistic, museum-quality illustrations transport children to the savanna to meet an elephant face to face; under the sea, where a strikingly beautiful octopus levitates amid colorful coral and a family of narwals floats in the deep-blue water; to desert sands and rocky paths; and to sun-drenched grasslands among other locales. On the facing page, Romero Mariño’s text is bordered by lovely and thoughtful details that reflect the animal’s natural habitat. Both kids and adults enjoy lingering over each spread to talk about the animals. On each tab, Pulido includes an icon that depicts the secret power—for instance, the image of an eye with the words “Amazing eyes” for super vision—which becomes familiar to readers as it is repeated throughout the book.

The Secret Powers of Animals, a stunning, sturdy board book that adults will be excited to share with young children, is a must for all nature-loving families, early educators, and library collections. The book also makes a terrific gift for any young animal lover.

Ages 2 – 5

Phaidon Press, 2025 | ISBN 978-1838669522

About the Author

Author Soledad Romero Mariño is an experienced children’s non-fiction author who specializes in ‘best of’ round-up style books. Her works include Superpowered Animals: Meet The World’s Strongest, Smartest, and Swiftest Creatures (also published by Phaidon), Awesome Accidents: 19 Discoveries that Changed the World and Famous Robberies: The World’s Most Spectacular Heists.

About the Illustrator

Sonia Pulido’s illustrations have appeared in publications globally, including The New Yorker and The New York Times. In 2020 Pulido won the Spanish National Illustration Award and she is the illustrator of Phaidon’s bestselling What a Shell Can Tell. Visit her at soniapulido.com.

You’ll find my review of the stunning Super Powered Plants for older readers here.

Wild about Wildlife Month Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-hand-print-elephants-craft

Handprint Elephants

This easy craft is fun for siblings to do together and can make a nice decoration for a child’s room or a gift for mom, dad, or other family members.

Supplies

Craft paint in two colors of the children’s choice
Yellow craft paint
Black fin-tip marker
Crayons, markers, or colored pencils to make a background
Paper
Paint brush

Directions

Paint one child’s hand and press it on the paper. The thumb is the truck and the fingers the legs.
Paint the second child’s hand and press it on the paper near the other “elephant.” A couple of examples are: the elephants standing trunk to trunk or trunk to tail
After the paint has dried, draw on ears and an eye
Add a sun with the yellow paint
Add grass, trees, or other background features

You can purchase The Secret Powers of Animals from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

July 9 – National Fashion Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

First celebrated in 2016, Fashion Day is a day to celebrate your own style, whether that’s following the latest trend or creating a look that’s as unique as you are. Since its very beginning, fashion has made a statement about the person, the times, what society values, even the weather. Of course before the invention of the sewing machine, pants, shirts, dresses, coats, and even socks and shoes were made entirely by hand. And many of these garments were festooned with elaborate decoration that boggles the mind. With the invention of the sewing machine in 1790, garments could be produced faster, and the rise of factory-made clothing made mass-market style fashionable. To learn more about Fashion Day and find lots of ideas on how to celebrate, visit Days of the Year.

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

Get Dressed! A Historical Guessing Game for Fashion Lovers

Written by Katy Canales | Illustrated by Erin Vanessa

Throughout history people have worked, played, ruled and been ruled over, invented, engaged in the arts, made scientific discoveries—and dressed themselves. Through Get Dressed! today’s fashion-savvy kids can time travel to 10 influential eras and cultures throughout history—spanning from Ancient Greece to the Tang Dynasty, the Ottoman Empire, and Inca State to the Elizabethan and Edo eras to the French Revolution, the Roaring Twenties, and Independent Ghana—to learn fascinating facts about what people were wearing (or not wearing!) while they went about their days fulfilling their particular roles in society.

Dropping into each era, kids are oriented to the culture with a brief introduction that highlights it’s geographical reach, as well as its contributions to textiles, science, the arts, entertainment, and political thought. In addition, compelling paragraphs spotlight four important societal groups. As readers absorb this eye-opening information, they’re also set in the middle of a panoramic scene filled with action and appropriately dressed citizens.

But wait! Are all three people in each societal group of four really wearing a garment or accessory from the time period? Look closely! One out of each group is actually sporting an anachronistic item. It’s up to readers to determine which one it is. Ready to test your guess? Just turn the page to find out if you’re right—and to discover the intriguing reasons why people wore “this” and “this” but not “that.”

For example, zipping all the way back to 776 BCE Greece, readers find themselves dropped into the first Olympic Games, where they meet a group of children, three women, three athletes, and three chariot riders. Chariot races, kids learn, were “highly dangerous to take part in” due to the “power, speed, cost, and clamor” of the competition. The riders are presented wearing long tunics, leggings, and helmets. Which of these is wrong? Turns out, “despite being dragged behind four galloping horses on a small two-wheeled, open-backed wooden chariot,” riders only wore “a headband to keep their hair down.”

After visiting the past, kids may be hankering to take a peek at their fashion future. They can whisk off to see that too with a section dedicated to addressing contemporary issues such as sustainability to combat the problem of clothing pollution, technological advancements, and how designers adapt to changing needs and styles. A final spread gives readers a quick tour of ten museums with fashion exhibits, and a fun prompt to get kids thinking about what clothing item of theirs they would donate to a museum.

Through her dynamic writing, Katy Canales weaves engrossing facts about historical events, gender-specific roles and dress, cultural touchstones, and the fun of a fashion guessing game into a unique tapestry sure to captivate children and adults as well. Each section can be read in its entirety or easily divided into parts that allow readers to enjoy the text at their own pace. Canales’ accessible storytelling provides a perfect portal into expanded lessons and activities on world history and culture, inventions, and art for teachers and homeschool educators.

Erin Vanessa’s vibrant and beguiling illustrations transport children to the cities and villages where commoners and the elite mingle clad in the attire of the day. They meet peat cutters and poets, sultans and embroiderers, herders and farriers, and even Queen Elizabeth. They attend a Kabuki theater performance, join revolutionaries as they protest beneath Marie Antoinette’s balcony, and get in the swing as jazz musicians and flappers bring the spirit of the 1920s to a city street.

Get Dressed! A Historical Guessing Game for Fashion Lovers provides a perfect portal into expanded lessons and activities on world history and culture, inventions, and art for teachers and homeschool educators. The book would be an exciting addition to any library collection and a much-appreciated gift for fashion and history buffs.

Ages 5 – 8+

Phaidon Press, 2025 | ISBN 978-1838669966

About the Author

Debut children’s author Katy Canales is the Beatrix Potter Curator. Katy joined the National Trust after a decade at Young V&A and the V&A Museum. As curator, she produced family-focused exhibitions, displays and public events. Katy was the V&A Museum’s children’s clothing collection specialist.

About the Illustrator

Erin Vanessa’s artwork is a blend of traditional and digital methods. Erin lives and works in Canada. She is the author/illustrator of two picture books: You Do You-nicorn and Swept Away at Witch Camp. Visit her at erinvanessa.com.

National Fashion Day Activity

Paper dolls by Jen Goode from Kids Activities Blog.

Printable Paper Doll Kit

With these free printable Paper Doll Kits by Jen Goode found on Holly Homer’s Kids Activities Blog at kidsactivites.com, fashion lovers can decorate the clothing templates provided. They can then have fun designing their own fashion line with styles, costumes, accessories, and more! Use crayons, markers, or even cut out clothing and accessories from wrapping paper, scrapbooking paper, fabric, and other materials. Get creative!

Summer Paper Doll Set | Winter Paper Doll Set (scroll down for more paper doll and paper craft fun!)

You can purchase Get Dressed! A Historical Guessing Game for Fashion Lovers from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

June 5 – World Environment Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Sponsored by the United Nations, World Environment Day encourages worldwide awareness and action for the protection of the environment. Each year a different country hosts the day’s events. This year the Republic of Korea has been chosen as the host country, with a focus on ending plastic pollution globally. Ridding the planet of plastic pollution is an important contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations, including those on climate action, sustainable production and consumption, protection of seas and oceans and repairing ecosystems and retaining biodiversity. Everyone is needed to make a difference. You can learn more about World Environment Day, the 400 million tons of plastic produced each year (200 tons of which is single-use) and the dangers of microplastics throughout the environment, as well as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and how you can join the #GenerationRestoration movement on the UN World Environment Day website.

Thank you to Phaidon Press for sharing this book with me for review!

Nature’s Tiny Champions: The Big Book of Little Creatures Doing Mighty Things

Written by Ben Lerwill | Illustrated by Nic Jones

If you are awed by nature then you might know that “there are at least two million animal species on planet Earth.” But were you aware that some scientists believe the number might be more than eight million? So where are they? Well, all around—they’re just not easy to see. As Ben Lerwill reveals, “almost all of them are small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.” In fact, most could “sit on the tip of your little finger, and some are so impossibly minuscule that a whole herd of them could be hiding on the period at the end of this sentence.”

So should we be thinking out of sight, out of mind? Absolutely not! And Nature’s Tiny Champions is here with detailed profiles of 20 phenomenal creatures to show you what an enormous impact itty-bitty animals make, plus back matter that presents short, illustrated entries on 21 more tiny champions of the air, land, and sea. Ready to dive in? Let’s go!

Each two-page spread in this cleverly designed oversized book introduces readers to an animal through Ben Lerwill’s easy-going, conversational description of the primary trait that makes it a champion, an often mind-boggling discussion of its crucial contribution to its ecosystem, and a sidebar containing even more memorable facts about natural phenomena such as camouflage, prey species, migration, metamorphosis, teamwork, survival, keystone species, indicator species, self-defense, and more.

Each page spread stuns with Nic Jones’ vivid and gorgeously realistic illustrations that set each tiny creature in its natural habitat. Actual-size renderings of each animal is a highlight and are sure to spark plenty of “oh my gosh!” and “it’s so cute!” reactions. These images also allow kids to learn about how the animal is perfectly suited to its environment. Kids will enjoy comparing each animal to the size of their hand, finger, or even—in the case of the water bear—a grain of sugar. Where the animal is too small to see and be labeled clearly in its natural size, the image is expanded and labeled with the scale of magnification.

Ready for a few examples of what readers will learn? Get this:

“The tiger piston shrimp is only the size of a french fry, but when it snaps its claw, the noise is louder than a gunshot!
“Leafcutter ants can carry 50 times their own weight. That’s like you carrying an RV—with your teeth!
A water bear “can go for 30 years without food or water,” it can survive temperatures as cold as -454ºF and as hot as 302ºF, and it has “even stayed alive after being blasted into outer space.”

For budding zoologists, entomologists, and nature lovers at home and in the classroom, Nature’s Tiny Champions: The Big Book of Little Creatures Doing Mighty Things is a fascinating sure winner that will keep kids enthralled, watching out for the tiny creatures in their own area, and eager to learn more. The book’s impressive would make a much-appreciated gift. It is highly recommended for home bookshelves and is a book librarians will be thrilled to display and recommend.

Ages 6 – 9+

Phaidon Press, 2025 | ISBN 978-1838669973

About the Author

Ben Lerwill is a multi-award-winning children’s author and freelance writer who has written for over 50 publications, including National Geographic Traveller, The Sunday Times, and BBC Travel. Previous recognition for his books includes a Wainwright Prize for Children’s Nature Writing shortlist, a National Geographic Kids’ Magazine ‘Book of the Month’ and a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. Visit him at benlerwill.com.

About the Illustrator

Nic Jones has been a professional illustrator for nearly 5 years. Previous works include Earth Clock: The History of Our Planet in 24 Hours, and Above and Below: Dusk til Dawn.

World Environment Day Activity

Environment Word Search Puzzle

Find the words about our environment and protecting it’s resources in this puzzle!

Environment Word Search Puzzle | Environment Word Search Puzzle Answer Key

You can purchase Nature’s Tiny Champions: The Big Book of Little Creatures Doing Mighty Things from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

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