April 2 – Celebrating Hans Christian Andersen’s Birthday and International Children’s Book Day

About the Holiday

Since 1967, April 2—Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday—has served as the date for International Children’s Book Day. The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), a non-profit organization founded in Zurich, sponsors the day to promote a love of reading and call attention to children’s books. National Sections of IBBY around the world alternate in hosting the event. The host for 2026 is Cyprus, and this year’s theme is “plant stories and the world will bloom.” Each year a prominent author and illustrator from the sponsoring country prepare materials for the event. This year’s poster was designed by Sandra Elephteriou. Elena Perikleous wrote this year’s message, and Giorgos Hatzipieris wrote this year’s official song, “The Little Gardener.” To learn more about the initiative and download digital materials, visit the IBBY website.

Thank you to Levine Querido and Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sending me this book for review!

The True Ugly Duckling: How Hans Christian Andersen Became a Swan

Written by Sandra Nickel | Illustrated by Calvin Nicholls

“There once was a poor shoemaker’s son, who was tall and skinny. His nose was two times as long as everyone else’s and his heart two times as tender.” Thus begins not a fairy tale, but Sandra Nickel’s real life story of Hans Christian Anderson.

While most children spent their days working at the factory or going to school, Hans cut out costumes for his toys and invented stories that he performed for whomever would watch. Some neighbors gave him a few coins, but the factory workers and other children bullied and teased him. Hans “soothed his wounded heart by cutting out shapes from cloth.” At fourteen, knowing there was more for him in the world, Hans sailed alone for Copenhagen. There, he tried to find a place to express his talents, but each attempt ended in disappointment. Soon all his money was gone.

When he sent a play to the Royal Theater, one director rejected it brutally, but another found a “few jewels” in it and arranged for him to go to school. At 17 Hans was taking classes for the first time. The other students laughed at him, and the headmaster dashed his dreams of becoming a storyteller, forbidding him to write. For six years Hans obeyed. “To comfort his heart, the boy cut out shapes from paper.”

Then one day when a girl asked him why her flowers had faded, Hans—now a young man—answered her by telling a story while cutting a scene in paper of hearts, dancers, flowers, and castles with working doors. The girl loved the story so much that Hans wrote it down and had it printed into a book. “The children of Copenhagen adored every word.”

Soon, Hans was telling and publishing more and more stories. Adults began reading them, and even Copenhagen royalty invited him to their castles for dinners and afterward to entertain the other guests by weaving “magic with his words and scissors.”

Back matter includes an Author’s Note recounting that experts now believe Hans Christian Andersen was likely on the autism spectrum and may also have had Marfan syndrome. She also discusses her choice to follow the story arc of The Ugly Duckling to depict Andersen’s life.

Sandra Nickel’s mesmerizing and sensitive portrait of Hans Christian Andersen highlights his seemingly limitless creativity, imagination, and courage as he stays true to himself despite the treatment and rejections he endured. Her lyrical and moving biography is not only an inspiring tribute to this unique storyteller and artist, but a buoy for children struggling themselves and a reminder for all to embrace each person as a whole, recognizing and encouraging their talents, dreams, and contributions. Although his enduring popularity is already known to readers, her account of his ultimate triumph still has the power to astonish and prompt cheers.

Visually arresting, Calvin Nicholls’ extraordinary paper sculpture illustrations pop with action and emotion, immersing readers in the sights and sounds of Andersen’s factory hometown, his experiences in Copenhagen, and the joy of his long-dreamed-for success. The realism of Nicholls’ low-relief sculptures, assembled from various weight and textured papers then photographed, is astounding. Nicholls’ color scheme mirrors the theme of the “Ugly Duckling,” portraying Andersen in muted grays and browns until his full transformation when he dazzles Copenhagen royalty in a white tuxedo.

The True Ugly Duckling: How Hans Christian Andersen Became a Swan belongs in every classroom, school, and library collection to edify and inspire and would be an inspirational addition to home bookshelves, especially to pair with readings of his stories.

Ages 4 – 8

Levine Querido, 2026 | ISBN 978-1646146093

Hans Christian Andersen’s Birthday Activity

Easy Origami Swan

Kids can have fun on Hans Christian Andersen’s Birthday and International Children’s Book Day by making this easy origami swan to celebrate their unique personalities and talents! All you need is origami paper or you can cut your own 6-inch by 6-inch paper or any size square.

You can purchase The True Ugly Duckling: How Hans Christian Andersen Became a Swan from these booksellers

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Picture Book Review

March 24 – National Agriculture Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Established in 1973 by the Agriculture Council of America (ACA), National Agriculture Day raises awareness about the importance and wide reach of farming to help people understand how much agriculture contributes to the economy and daily life—from the food we eat to the clothes we wear to the products we use. Today, we celebrate the farmers, ranchers, and all farm workers involved in producing the food, clothing, and even the biofuels we rely on every day.

This year’s theme is Together We Grow and includes activities like farm tours and educational programs for kids that encourage younger generations to consider careers in farming. The work of agriculture is always evolving. Today, farmers use technology to grow more food while protecting the environment. Such sustainable farming practices are a highlight of this year’s celebration.

Thank you to Atheneum Books for Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book for review!

From the Fields to the Fight: How Jessica Govea Thorbourne Organized for Justice

Written by Angela Quezada Padron | Illustrated by Sol Salinas

Every summer morning before dawn four-year-old Jessica and her Mexican-American family joined other families in the fields to pick crops, earning only a few dollars a day while suffering hunger, physically punishing labor, and constant exposure to chemical pesticides. Jessica picked cotton, clipped grapes, and retrieved plums from the ground. As she got older, Jessica became more aware of the struggles in her community for whom education, housing, medical care, and equal treatment were denied “just because they were Latino.”

When her father joined other farmworkers to raise awareness of the unfair treatment and conditions, young Jessica joined him in passing out flyers door-to-door and paid close attention to the growing organization. Jessica was a born leader: beginning in childhood, she began speaking to crowds, learning to be persistent, and even organizing “other kids to petition for a neighborhood park.”

When Jessica was a teenager, their burgeoning organization joined with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee, founded by Filipino farm workers, in a strike for higher pay against grape growers in Delano, California. When the grape growers hired other workers, leaving many farmworkers without a job, Jessica delayed going to college to further help the cause.

Grape boycotts in grocery stores followed the strikes, but many growers began shipping their grapes to other stores and even to Canada to avoid improving wages and conditions for workers. “Putting her fears aside to do what was needed for justice,” Jessica went to Canada with the union. For months she and her team protested at grocery stores and elsewhere, gaining the support of Canadian union workers and increasing numbers of shoppers who stopped buying grapes. Finally, the growers agreed to provide “higher pay, better working conditions, and medical care.” Throughout her life, Jessica Govea Thorbourne continued to stand up for equality, empowering people of all ages to organize and create impactful change and “showed that making a difference can start with just one child.”

Back matter includes a short biography of Jessica Govea Thorbourne’s life, a glossary, pointers on organizing for a cause, and a timeline of the events related in the text.

Angela Quezada Padron writes a powerful biography of Latina activist Jessica Govea Thorbourne, who even as a child made an impact within her family and for her community of farm workers. Through Thorbourne’s example, Padron empowers today’s children to speak out and act when they see or experience injustice and shows them that with determination, passion, and persistence they can influence others and create necessary change. Quezada Padron’s straightforward text clearly outlines the growth of the labor unions in a way that children can understand while also spotlighting Jessica’s emotions, character, and contributions in single, stand-alone sentences sprinkled throughout the pages that will resonate with young readers.

Sol Salinas’s richly hued, layered illustrations take readers from the hot, sun-drenched fields to Jessica and her father’s door-to-door rallying to union meetings and protests to a victory celebration. The workers’ struggles are evident in their facial expressions. One potent image captures 21-year-old Jessica volunteering to join the protesters in Canada, leaving behind her family and everything familiar. Children may enjoy following and talking about the wispy, symbolic vine that emanates from a seed in Jessica’s hand and wends its way from the front cover and page to page, connecting Jessica to her life’s work and community.

Ages 4 – 8

Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2026 | ISBN 978-1665946704

Angela Quezada Padron is a Latina author-illustrator who spent her childhood days writing stories and doodling on the garage walls of her New Jersey home and her summers visiting family in the Dominican Republic. In addition to writing From the Fields to the Fight: How Jessica Govea Thorbourne Organized for Justice, she is the author-illustrator of As the Seas Rise: Nicole Hernández Hammer and the Fight for Climate Justice. She won first place in the Portfolio Showcase at the 2023 Florida SCBWI Conference and was a semifinalist for the SCBWI Tomie dePaola Award in 2014. Visit her at AngelaPadron.com.

Sol Salinas is a non-binary artist from San Antonio, Texas. At a young age, they fell in love with history while watching old Hollywood movies with their grandmother. When they aren’t drawing, Sol can usually be found playing Dungeons & Dragons, collecting rose quartz, drinking warm cups of tea, and listening to their favorite music: Fleetwood Mac. Find more at SolSalinasIllustration.com.

You can purchase From the Fields to the Fight: How Jessica Govea Thorbourne Organized for Justice from these booksellers

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Picture Book Review

March 6 – National Women’s History Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Women have been inventing, discovering, questioning, challenging, and changing the world just as long as men have—but often without recognition, the ability to take jobs in their fields of expertise, or equal (or even any) pay. Established by the United States Congress in 1987, National Women’s History Month serves to educate people on the amazing women who have blazed trails in the past and those who are continuing that tradition today.

This year’s theme is Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future and encompasses a wide understanding of sustainability, including climate change, economic and financial sustainability, community resilience, healthcare disparities, leadership succession, intergenerational equity, and threats to democratic participation. In all these areas, women are at the forefront of sustainable transformation that will carry us into a supportive future for all. To learn more visit the National Women’s History Alliance website.

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

Mary Morland in the Time of Dinosaur Discovery

Written by Jane Kurtz | Illustrated by Giselle Potter

In the early 1800s, when Mary Morland was a child, girls were seen as “dainty, delicate decorations” who embroidered, arranged flowers, and played with dolls. Mary Morland had other ideas. From the first page, Jane Kurtz allies readers with the spirited Mary through cleverly posed questions that contrast the stifling conventions of her time with the freedoms of today: “Did [Mary] perch on her chair like a prim little miss?” Kurtz posits. “Well what would you do if the whole world was waiting outside? Mary tromped around, exploring. Wouldn’t you?”

“Of course!” kids will say, and off they go, following Mary as, following the death of her mother, her father sends her to live with family friends who encourage her curiosity and teach her to study nature and fossils. From there readers view her drawings of “everything that fascinated her,” and discover that instead of calling herself a “cork-brain” and spending mannerly afternoons sipping tea in a fancy hat, Mary tooled around in her donkey-pulled carriage to “collect shells and fossils.”

Did teenage Mary keep her discoveries to herself? No! She corresponded with Georges Cuvier, a famous French scientist, impressing him with the drawings and specimens she sent. And instead of trying to find a husband, Mary spent her time with old fossils, labeling and mending them. Then one day, she did meet the man she would marry: William Buckland, England’s best fossilist. In fact, it was he who had theorized that a collection of bones had come from a “giant land reptile,” named it Megalosaurus (before the word dinosaur was even created), and asked Mary to draw them for an important meeting of England’s geologists.

After Mary and William were married, did she give up drawing and studying to keep a tidy house? Not at all! She kept exploring, writing, and drawing. She helped William turn his work into books—with her illustrations—and served as a curator for his collections of fossils. And, oh yes! She raised and taught their nine children and welcomed a menagerie of creatures—including a pony her the kids rode around the dining room—into their home! You might wonder: after all this, “did William say, ‘I am so fortunate that my wife is not a cork-brain?'” or acknowledge her contributions on his papers? Well, this was a time when women could not vote, own property, or go to college. So, what do you think? But that didn’t stop Mary from learning and using her gifts wherever she could throughout her life.

Back matter includes an Author’s Note highlighting other women intrinsic to the discovery and understanding of dinosaurs as well as how scientists came to accept that dinosaurs once existed, further resources for young readers, and a selection of resources.

Jane Kurtz combines pluck, humor, and illuminating cultural mores of the past to weave an absorbing biography of Mary Morland, a brilliant paleontologist, writer, and illustrator with whom children will immediately connect. Mary’s personality and intelligence shine from each page, drawing children not only into her life, but into this incredible time of scientific discovery. Readers will be inspired by Mary’s example of self-confidence to set their own path, buck the norm, and prevail over obstacles on their way to success.

Giselle Potter’s illustrations are always a delight, and here she perfectly captures Mary Morland’s singular affinity for exploration, scientific thought, and illustration. In her folk art, watercolor paintings, Potter recreates the fashions, transportation, and traditions of the 1800s as well as Morland’s and her husband’s work. Readers will envy Mary’s children when they get a glimpse of the rambunctious Buckland home. In several instances, Mary’s and William’s facial expressions eloquently (and comically) reveal their innermost thoughts.

Biographical storytelling at its best, Mary Morland in the Time of Dinosaur Discovery will captivate children with its verve and beauty. The book is a must for classroom, school, and public libraries and will become a favorite on home bookshelves as well.

Ages 4 – 8

Beach Lane Books, 2026 | ISBN 978-1665955546

Jane Kurtz was born in Portland, Oregon, but spent most of her childhood in Ethiopia. Jane speaks about being an author at schools and conferences and helped start Ethiopia Reads (EthiopiaReads.org), a nonprofit that has opened the first libraries for children in Ethiopia. She is the author of many books for children, including The Bone Wars, illustrated by Alexander Vidal; What Do They Do with All that Poo?, illustrated by Allison Black; Do Kangaroos Wear Seat Belts?, illustrated by Jane Manning; Anna Was Here; Clara the Triumphant Rhinoceros, illustrated by Claire Messer; and the American Girl book Lanie. You can visit her to learn more at janekurtz.com.

Giselle Potter has illustrated many books, including Once Upon a Fairy Tale House by Mary Lyn Ray, Try It! by Mara Rockliff, All by Himself? by Elana K. Arnold, and Kate and the Beanstalk by Mary Pope Osborne, as well as her own Tell Me What to Dream About, This Is My Dollhouse, and The Year I Didn’t Go to School, about traveling through Italy with her parents’ puppet troupe when she was eight. She lives in Rosendale, New York, with her husband and two daughters. Visit her at gisellepotter.com.

National Women’s History Month Activity

Women’s History Month Coloring Page

Celebrate Women’s History Month with this coloring page! In the letters write the names of women from history and today that you admire!

Women’s History Month Coloring Page

You can purchase Mary Morland in the Time of Dinosaur Discovery from these booksellers

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Picture Book Review

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

February 3 – Black History Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Marking 100 years of celebrating Black history, this year’s theme for Black History Month is A Century of Black History Commemorations and looks back to 1926, when Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a historian and educator, instituted the first week-long celebration, to today’s month-long observance. Throughout this time Woodson’s goal to show that Black history, culture, and accomplishments are all woven into the fabric of America has been championed and embraced by individuals and institutions that recognize the immeasurable contributions of Black thinkers, creators, scientists, educators, entertainers, athletes, military personnel, builders, business owners, workers, and friends.

During this centennial celebration, especially, when displays of Black biographies and contributions are being dismantled and historical records rewritten and erased, it is all the more important to stand up for and support our neighbors, to look around and see the beauty in the vibrant, diversity of our country. To celebrate, look for special events in your local schools, libraries, museums, and other venues.

Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem: The Vision of Photographer Roy DeCarava

Written by Gary Golio | Illustrated by E. B. Lewis

Come join Gary Golio and E. B. Lewis on a walk through 1940s Harlem with photographer Roy DeCarava as he captures this neighborhood’s people and spirit through his camera lens. No need to hurry to catch up. It’s just now 5:00, and Roy’s leaving work to begin doing what he loves best. “On the subway, he pulls out a new roll of film, opens the back of his camera, and pops it in. He’s ready.” You are too.

At the stop, follow Roy onto the street where the air smells delicious, but you’re not stopping to eat. There’s so much to see: a boy drawing with chalk, an artist selling his paintings, and a woman taking a picture of a young boy. “Roy watches the boy, who’s looking at his mother. There’s a lot of love in those eyes.” “Snap! Snap! Snap!” Roy will tell you, “Beauty is not in the camera. Beauty is in the person.”

Everywhere Roy looks, he sees beauty. In hidden crafts of nature, in shy smiles, in the rainbow spray from a fire hydrant dousing boys playing in the street. “Snap!” Do you see it too? Follow Roy’s gaze as he watches people passing on the street, “some happy, some sad. Their eyes are like mirrors. Looking into them, Roy sees Harlem.”

As the sun fades, there’s time for perhaps one more picture. Roy continues looking. Then, there, in an empty lot appears a young girl in a formal white dress with a flower behind her ear. Roy aims his camera. “Snap!” It’s time to head home, but Roy leaves you with one more thought to contemplate: “We’re looking for truth and truth is living, so we find truth in living.”

Extensive back matter includes an extended biographical look at his life from childhood to early jobs to his dappling in painting before turning to photography, as well as his own words about his work, a portrait, and a timeline from his birth in 1919 to his death in 2009. A bibliography and a list of museums featuring his work are also included.

In his stirring tribute, Gary Golio invites readers to view Harlem through the mind, eyes, and camera of photographer Roy DeCarava—and by association, to see their own neighborhood and beyond with clarity, appreciation, and love. Golio’s spare, graceful storytelling is all the more absorbing for its simple depictions of the everyday, often fleeting moments that bring surprise and beauty to life and which DeCarava captured so poignantly. Meaningful quotes from DeCarava sprinkled throughout the pages further enhance the feeling of being present on one of DeCarava’s walks to listen to and learn from one of this country’s preeminent artists.

Drawing readers in to Roy DeCarava’s worldview are E. B. Lewis’s astonishing and homey watercolor paintings that recreate scenes DeCarava encountered in his walks through Harlem and memorialized in his black-and-white photographs. Working with light and shadow, subdued-yet-detailed backgrounds, and the constant of movement on the streets, Lewis highlights the subjects of DeCarava’s photos in ways that allow readers to see the beauty Roy saw. Each page invites lingering as you feel the suppressed energy of the little boy posing for his picture, appreciate the charm of a crumpled soda can, and hear the laughs of the boys in the spray of the fire hydrant.

A picture book that rewards repeat reading with new perspectives and appreciation for the large and small aspects of the world around us, Everywhere Beauty is Harlem is a must for all libraries and will enhance any home collection.

Ages 7 – 10

Calkins Creek, 2024 | ISBN 978-1662680557

About the Author

A visual artist, musician, and psychotherapist, Gary Golio is the author of the New York Times–bestselling picture book Jimi: Sounds Like A Rainbow, which received the 2011 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. His other books, most of which profile important artists, include When Bob Met Woody, Strange Fruit, and most recently Sonny Rollins Plays the Bridge. Visit him at garygolio.com.

About the Illustrator

The recipient of a Caldecott Honor and an Orbis Pictus Award, along with many others, E. B. Lewis is the illustrator of more than seventy books for children. His Calkins Creek titles include Seeking Freedom by Selene Castrovilla and Lizzie Demands a Seat by Beth Anderson, which won Bank Street College of Education’s Flora Stieglitz Straus Award for excellence in fiction, along with many other honors.

Black History Month Activity

A Slide Show of Roy DeCarava’s Photographs and Family Photo Fun!

First, view photographs by Roy DeCarava in this slide show of some of his best-known work presented by NPR. Talk about the subject of each picture and the effect it has on you. Then using a phone or camera, kids and adults can take turns snapping pictures of family, friends, pets, special objects or the neighborhood. Afterward, share your pictures and talk about why you chose certain subjects and what story or feeling you wanted to convey.

You can purchase Everywhere Beauty is Harlem: The Vision of Photographer Roy DeCarava from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

October 10 – World Space Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

First declared by the United Nations in 1999, World Space Week has grown to be the largest public space-related event in the world. The week is an international celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition. This year’s theme is “Living in Space” and “explores humanity’s journey toward making space a habitat, emphasizing the innovative technologies, challenges, and collaborative efforts that make this vision a reality.” Looking to celebrate this initiative with more than 15,000 events in more than 90 countries, the week sponsors space education and outreach events held by space agencies, aerospace companies, schools, planetaria, museums, and astronomy clubs around the world. To learn more about the week, visit worldspaceweek.org.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books and Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy of this book for review.

Rock Star: How Ursula Marvin Mapped Moon Rocks and Meteorites

Written by Sandra Neil Wallace | Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter

As a child growing up in Vermont, Ursula Marvin was captivated by the adventures winter brought. She was especially awed by the snowy mountains illuminated by “the frosty moonlight.” Her father was Vermont’s official entomologist, but Ursula had no intention of following in his footsteps or becoming any kind of scientist. She had her sights set on being an explorer. That was until she examined a rock under the microscope in college and decided to become a geologist. Her professor, however, denied her new major “because she was a woman.”

Ursula took her talents to another university and earned a geology degree. She was an expert in recognizing rare minerals in Earth rocks and was tapped to be one of the first geologists to study rocks brought back from the moon. What she found was a world of color, minerals that proved “its surface was once a bubbling ocean of melted rock.” Ursula also studied meteorites, finding “minerals no one knew existed beyond Earth.” Her work revolutionized scientists’ views of the solar system.

But Ursula still yearned to explore, in particular she wanted to be the first woman to find meteorites in Antarctica—the coldest place on Earth. She loaded up a bag with frigid-cold-weather gear and joined an expedition. When Ursula and her male teammates landed, they set up camp. They had to work fast because winter was on its way, threatening to bury any meteorites under ice and snow for another year.

Ursula wondered if she’d be able to recognize meteorites under these conditions, but she needn’t have worried. On her first day, a rock caught her eye. Examining it, she discovered distinctive traits—she’d discovered her first meteorite! Ursula was in her element, thriving in the harsh weather and “collecting meteorites more than four billion years old.”

But not every day was a success. Ursula struggled to climb a mountain-like nunatak in her too-big boots, she mistook an ordinary Earth rock for a meteorite, and on the worst day, with one snowmobile broken, the team went exploring without her. Ursula vowed never to be left behind again.

With only one week left in the expedition, Ursula rode across the ice to “unexplored places where the meteorites were bigger and rarer.” She wanted to be the one to find the last meteorite of the trip, to be the one to discover a meteorite from the moon. But a fall dashed those dreams as she was airlifted to the hospital, leaving her teammates to collect the final meteorite.

Back at home, Ursula was excited to examine this small meteorite, which looked so different from the others. She recognized the world of color from her earlier studies. “Ursula’s teammates had discovered the first lunar meteorite on Earth without her.” Instead of feeling disappointed, she was “jubilant.” She went on to become a preeminent expert on this moon meteorite and others and to inspire women to become scientists, many exploring Antarctica, where they found more moon meteorites and even some from Mars more than four billion years old. Ursula’s influence can still be seen today in her work as well as in the Marvin Asteroid and Moon’s Marvin Crater named for her.

Extensive back matter following the story includes an Author’s Note about the astonishing life and influence of Ursula Marvin; quotations from Ursula’s Antarctica journals; facts about Antarctica; dated milestones of Ursula’s life, education, and work; resources; and two photographs.

Sandra Neil Wallace’s exhilarating biography of Ursula Marvin transports readers to the snow and ice of Antarctica, where they get to ride along with this extraordinary woman as she fulfills childhood goals while changing the face of science and forging new opportunities for women. Wallace’s storytelling is fast-paced and evocative and infused with emotion, suspense, and scintillating details that will captivate readers no matter what their interests.

Nancy Carpenter’s beautiful mixed media illustrations allow children to see early influences and experiences that spurred Ursula Marvin to pursue geology and the study of meteorites in particular. Her images of Antarctica bring chills and thrills as Ursula sets up her tent, speeds over icy fields in the swirling snow on her snowmobile, and flops on the ground to inspect rocks up close. Carpenter also depicts Ursula’s victories and disappointments, giving children a well-rounded view of this remarkable woman. Rock hounds will be wowed by Carpenter’s drawings of moon rocks and meteorites.

With much to impart not only on the life of Ursula Marvin but on believing in yourself, overcoming disappointments, and chasing your goals with gusto, Rock Star: How Ursula Marvin Mapped Moon Rocks and Meteorites is a top pick for home, school, and public library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1534493339

Sandra Neil Wallace writes about people who break barriers and change the world. She is the author of several award-winning books for children, including Love Is Loud: How Diane Nash Led the Civil Rights Movement, illustrated by Bryan Collier; Marjory Saves the Everglades: The Story of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon; and Between the Lines: How Ernie Barnes Went from the Football Field to the Art Gallery, illustrated by Bryan Collier, which received the Orbis Pictus Book Award and was an ALA Notable Book. A former ESPN reporter and the first woman to host an NHL broadcast, she is the recipient of the Outstanding Women of New Hampshire Award and creates change as cofounder of The Daily Good, a nonprofit bringing twenty thousand free, culturally diverse foods to college students each year through its Global Foods Pantries. Visit Sandra at sandraneilwallace.com.

Nancy Carpenter is the acclaimed illustrator of Thomas Jefferson and the Mammoth Hunt, Queen Victoria’s Bathing Machine, Fannie in the Kitchen, and Loud Emily, among other books. Her works have garnered many honors, including two Christopher Awards and the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. Visit her at nancycarpenter.website.

World Space Week Activity

Out-of-this-World Tic-Tac-Toe Game

If you’re kids are fascinated by the moon, moon rocks, and meteors, they’ll enjoy making this tic-tac-toe game from simple materials you have at home!

Supplies

Printable Moon Tic-Tac-Toe Game Board
2 cardboard egg cartons
Heavy stock paper or regular printer paper
Crayons
Black or gray fine-tip marker

Directions

To Make the Rockets

Cut the tall center cones from the egg carton
Trim the bottoms of each form so they stand steadily, leaving the arched corners intact
Pencil in a circular window on one side near the top of the cone
Color the rocket body any colors you like, going around the window and stopping where the arched corners begin
With the marker color the arched corners of the form to make legs
On the cardboard between the legs, color flames for blast off

To Make the Capsule

Cut the egg cups from an egg carton
Color the sides silver, leaving the curved section uncolored. (If your egg cup has no pre-pressed curve on the sides of the cup, draw one on each side.)
Color the curved section yellow to make windows
With the marker, dot “rivets” across the capsule

Print the Moon Game Board and play!

You can purchase Rock Star: How Ursula Marvin Mapped Moon Rocks and Meteorites from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

September 17 – International Country Music Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

International Country Music Day was established in 2003 with September 17th chosen to honor Hank Williams, one of country music’s most influential artists. The day was created to bring together country music artists and fans from all over the world to celebrate their favorite music genre. To celebrate today, listen to your favorite artists from the past and today! And don’t forget to honor the Grand Ole Opry by adding today’s book to your family’s country music collection!

Howdy! Welcome to the Grand Ole Opry!

Written by Emily Frans | Illustrated by Susanna Chapman | Foreword by Lainey Wilson

Celebrating its 100th anniversary with a buoyant “Howdy!”, the Grand Ole Opry (Opry for short) welcomes readers in for a personal tour of the beloved home of country music, where “history is made and stars are born.” Following their knowledgeable guide through the performers’ entrance, kids first check in with the security guard to get their backstage pass and dressing room number. Passes in hand, kids continue backstage, where they feel the excitement in the air and view pictures of past stars who graced the stage. “Did you know my show started way back in 1925?” The Grand Ole Opry asks.

While looking for their dressing room, children find themselves in the midst of today’s hottest stars all warming up or jamming together before the show. Prepped for their performance, kids stop by the Family Room to wait for their turn on stage. They’re in good company as photos of the “Opry family” surround them, and tonight’s other performers are hanging out there too.

At seven minutes to showtime, kids meet the band in the rehearsal space. Five minutes to showtime, and kids are heading for the stage, where the crew is making last-minute adjustments. Nearby, “musicians and performers stand by waiting for their cue to walk on stage” while the Opry Square Dancers warm up on the sidelines.

Thirty seconds to showtime! Almost time for readers to stand center stage in the storied circle of wood cut from the Ryman Auditorium, country music’s original home. The countdown begins, and the Opry is there with encouragement. “10, 9, 8 . . . Take a deep breath . . . 7, 6, 5 . . . Don’t be nervous, you’ve got this! . . . 4, 3, 2, 1 . . . The curtain is coming up and the band is kicking off your song! Here we go!”

The reader is met with thunderous applause as the drums beat and the bass thrums. Energy and love surround them! The Opry is full of congratulations—”You did it! You made your Opry debut!” And encouragement: “Wasn’t it fun imagining what it would be like to perform on country music’s most famous stage? If you work hard and dream big enough, anything is possible!”

A brief history of the Grand Ole Opry, plus memories from Lauren Alaina, Kelsea Ballerini, Scotty McCreery, and Dolly Parton about their Opry debut follow the story.

The excitement inside the Grand Ole Opry is palpable in Emily Frans’ welcoming introduction to this historic venue, beloved by country music fans everywhere. Whether readers simply adore listening to country music or have the big stage in their sights, they’ll be enthralled with Frans’ personal, direct-address storytelling that makes them feel like one of the Opry family.

As raucous and inviting as the Grand Ole Opry itself, Susanna Chapman’s visually remarkable and whimsical collage-style illustrations are sure to have children and adults starstruck with the abundance of photographs of their favorite performers playing and singing. Fans of a certain age will be cheered to once again see Minnie Pearl with her signature “How-Dee!!!”, Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, Roy Acuff, Charlie Pride, Little Jimmy Dickens, Patsy Cline, and Deford Bailey, among others. Reba McEntire, Vince Gill, Blake Shelton, Darius Rucker, Loretta Lynn, and others are also here, while the younger generation will be wowed by Lainey Wilson, Luke Combs, Lady A, Carrie Underwood, Scotty McCreery, Chapel Hart, Post Malone, and more. And, of course, the ageless Dolly Parton is celebrated throughout.

Inspiration and aspiration meet history and tradition in Howdy! Welcome to the Grand Ole Opry!, an extraordinary tribute to this one-of-a-kind music venue and it’s stars on its 100th anniversary. The book is a must for country music fans as well as for all library collections.

Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2025 | ISBN 978-1419774249

About the Illustrator

Susanna Chapman is an illustrator, muralist, and designer. Her illustrated picture books include Covered in Color: Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s Fabrics of Freedom; Elizabeth Warren’s Big, Bold Plans; The Girl Who Ran; and Ada and the Galaxies. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Visit her at susannachapman.com.

You can purchase Howdy! Welcome to the Grand Ole Opry! from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

About the Holiday

The True Ugly Duckling: How Hans Christian Andersen Became a Swan

Written by Sandra Nickel | Illustrated by Calvin Nicholls

Hans Christian Andersen’s Birthday Activity

Easy Origami Swan

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Written by Angela Quezada Padron | Illustrated by Sol Salinas

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Mary Morland in the Time of Dinosaur Discovery

Written by Jane Kurtz | Illustrated by Giselle Potter

National Women’s History Month Activity

Women’s History Month Coloring Page

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Formula Fast: Your Ultimate Guide to Formula One Racing!

Written by Matt Ralphs | Illustrated by Dragan Kordić

Formula One Pre-Season Testing Activities

Racing Game

Formula One Coloring Pages

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Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem: The Vision of Photographer Roy DeCarava

Written by Gary Golio | Illustrated by E. B. Lewis

Black History Month Activity

A Slide Show of Roy DeCarava’s Photographs and Family Photo Fun!

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About the Holiday

Rock Star: How Ursula Marvin Mapped Moon Rocks and Meteorites

Written by Sandra Neil Wallace | Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter

World Space Week Activity

Out-of-this-World Tic-Tac-Toe Game

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About the Holiday

Howdy! Welcome to the Grand Ole Opry!

Written by Emily Frans | Illustrated by Susanna Chapman | Foreword by Lainey Wilson

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