June 10 – Don’t Step on a Bee Day

About the Holiday

Bees may be small but they are crucial to our food supply. For decades, the bee population has been declining in parts of the world due to habitat destruction, pollution, parasites, and pesticides. Bee colony collapse is also a major threat to their survival. Today’s holiday reminds people to protect these important insects, especially those at ground level that may nest underground or be visiting clover or other flowering ground covers.

Thanks to Holiday House for sending me a copy of this book for review!

Buzz! Being Brave Around Buzzy, Stinging Insects

Written by Toni Buzzeo | Illustrated by Joe Cepeda

When the weather turns nice and flowers, clover, and dandelions begin to bloom, you know that bees cannot be far behind. Zipping from blossom to blossom, they announce themselves with a familiar “Bzzzz” can that be both thrilling . . . and chilling. But do we really need to be so afraid of bees and other stinging insects as they go about their business? In her educational book, Toni Buzzeo says we don’t and explains why with fascinating and reassuring facts from the field.

Illustration copyright © 2026 by Joe Cepeda. Text copyright © 2026 by Toni Buzzeo. Courtesy of Holiday House.

Buzzeo introduces readers to the usual stinging insects they can encounter when playing or working outdoors. She then reveals the primary reasons they will sting and provides helpful and simple rules for anyone to follow to stay safe. Buzzeo’s guidelines run counter to our instincts generated by fear, but that’s a good thing because our typical reactions only make things worse—for us and for the insects that are so important to our food supply and ecosystems.

Once children—and adults—get used to being in calm proximity to stinging insects, Buzzeo invites them to “turn up their courage [to] stay and watch.” She promises that you won’t be disappointed if you use your “science eyes” because “stinging insects are interesting. Really!” If you remain still and quiet, bees, especially, put on an intriguing show that can teach you so much about how they survive, how they feed their babies, and how pollination works.

So what about wasps and hornets? They’re pretty scary, right? Well, yes—to those “garden pests that eat flowers, fruits, and vegetables” from our gardens. Wasps and hornets are “Superhero Predators of pesky insects” like these. How? They pick them off leaves, flowers, and stems and take them “home to their nests to feed their babies.”

Still—even while armed with all of these tips—people might worry about being stung. Buzzeo empathizes. She also reassures by clarifying what to expect if you are stung as well as what to do to lessen a sting’s effects while confirming that people who “are allergic to stinging insects need to be extra careful not to get stung.” With this advice, she sends readers outside to their backyards, gardens, or local parks to seek out and observe bees and other insects at work.

Back matter includes illustrated pages of facts on bees, wasps, and hornets.

In her practical and welcome Buzz! Being Brave Around Buzzy, Stinging Insects, Toni Buzzeo encourages readers to let curiosity, tempered with care, guide them in discovering the captivating lives and work of stinging insects. Her science-based text acknowledges and answers the questions and trepidations many people have about getting close to stinging insects. Her easy-to-follow advice will embolden readers to view for themselves the wonders of these unique pollinators and protectors.

Joe Cepeda’s outdoorsy illustrations of bees, wasps, and hornets homing in on colorful wildflowers while a group of children document their busy buzzy missions, provide realistic close-up views of these stinging insects and context to Toni Buzzeo’s text. He clearly depicts three common stinging insects—European honey bees, Eastern yellow jackets, and bald-faced hornets—helping children identify the insects in their area or inspiring them to do more research. Cepeda also gives visual clues as to how closely readers can approach bees and where honey bee hives, wasps nests, and solitary bees’ underground nests can be found.

A helpful and fascinating guide for learning how to peacefully and beneficially coexist with bees, wasps, and hornets, Buzz! Being Brave Around Buzzy, Stinging Insects is a go-to book that families and educators will find themselves reaching for season after season. It is highly recommended for all library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Holiday House, 2026 | ISBN 978-0823459711

Toni Buzzeo is a New York Times bestselling children’s author. She has published twenty-nine picture books for kids as well as eleven books for teachers and librarians. A former librarian and college and high school writing teacher, Toni and her books have won many awards, including a Caldecott Honor for One Cool Friend, illustrated by David Small. Her fictional human and animal characters echo children’s experiences in a variety of ways. Her nonfiction topics range from inspiring biographies of women scientists to board books about vehicles and transportation. Endlessly enthusiastic, Toni draws on her career experiences as an elementary school librarian in crafting her books and speaking with audiences of children in schools and libraries. Toni lives in Arlington, Massachusetts. Visit her at tonibuzzeo.com.

Joe Cepeda received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from California State University, Long Beach, and also studied Engineering at Cornell University. He is a fine artist, as well as an illustrator of more than thirty-five book jackets and picture books, which have received many honors including Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies, Parenting Magazine’s Reading Magic Award, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award, Texas Library Association 2×2 Reading List, ALA Notable Books, and Child Magazine’s Best Book of the Year. Joe illustrated Hey, Hey Hay! by Christy Mihaly, ¡Vamonos! Let’s Go! by Rene Colato Lainez, and Swing Sisters by Karen Deans. He both wrote and illustrated the I Like to Read books—Up, I Dig, I See, and I Hop. I Hop received a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor, given to the most distinguished books for beginning readers. Joe received an American Library Association Pura Belpré Honor (for outstanding books that celebrate the Latino cultural experience) and the Recognition of Merit Award from the George G. Stone Center for Children’s Books. He lives in Claremont, California. You can visit him at joecepeda.com.

Don’t Step on a Bee Day Activities

Busy Buzzy Bee Maze

Can you help the little bee find her way to the flower and her friend in this printable maze?

Busy Buzzy Bee Maze Puzzle | Busy Buzzy Bee Maze Solution

Buzz! Being Brave Around Buzzy, Stinging Insects Teachers Guide

You can find a detailed Classroom Discussion and Activity Guide for Buzz! written by Toni Buzzeo on her website. The Guide is full of science-based activities as well as prompts for art, illustration, and writing that will get kids excited to learn about stinging insects, pollination, and more. You can download it from Toni Buzzeo’s website.

You can purchase Buzz! Being Brave Around Buzzy, Stinging Insects from these booksellers

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Picture Book Review

July 6 – National Anti-Boredom Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Are your kids already starting to say “Now what do I do?” Or perhaps you’re hearing the ever-popular “I’m bored!” Having extra time on your hands can be a good thing, often leading to unexpected adventures, surprising creativity, and exciting discoveries. Reading is a wonderful way to incorporate all of these while introducing kids to new ideas, people, places, and experiences. With today’s book, kids can log their journey from “ho hum” to “that’s cool!” as they discover that some things are so much more than they could ever imagine.

Thank you to Ten Speed Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book for review!

I Am Not Boring: The True-Life Story of a Log

By Lena Podesta

Want to hear a story? A boring story? Perhaps the most boring story ever told? You’ve come to the right place! This story—”hundreds of years long”—is about “a log that doesn’t do anything but sit in a forest doing nothing.” Sounds boring, right? Yet despite this, the log has an attitude—and rightly so. Because despite the dismissiveness of the narrator bringing you this story, the log proves it’s worth watching.

Sure, the log may not have flashy talents—it can’t even move on its own. Buuut . . . if, say, a bear would come along and roll it over, then you’d see! You’d see all of the critters hiding there and dining on its bark. And when you take a tour around the log, you’ll find that this humble log provides a home for a diverse population of nature’s wonders. You’ll also discover that the log is patient and resolute year after year, in the snow and the rain. It’s a quality that allows for some quiet, pretty amazing, even “glorious” and “life-changing” things to happen right before your eyes. If only the narrator would notice. But you, dear reader, are sure to!

Back matter recounts the various ways in which a fallen tree acts as a nurse log, fostering plants, creatures both small and large, and even seeds to contribute to the life of a forest. Lena Podesta also includes an Author’s Note in which she reveals her fascination with nurse logs and encourages readers to seek out logs where they live and learn their secrets.

Lena Podesta drops readers into the midst of a quibble between a testy narrator and a log who’s just minding its own business in her humorous and educational story about nurse logs and their importance to forest ecosystems. Children will giggle as the log turns the table on each of the narrator’s complaints about its character with good cheer backed up by remarkable and observable facts. A mix of speech bubbles and regular type distinguish the log’s dialogue from the narrator’s.

Kids will cheer on the adorable log as page by page Podesta reveals more and more the plants and creatures that rely on it. Her bright, uncluttered illustrations give children plenty of details to point out and talk about, from a wide-range of insects, amphibians, fungi, and animals. One vertical page and a final two-page spread of the forest will delight kids, invite closer study, and inspire their own observations in nature.

I Am Not Boring: The True-Life Story of a Log is a top pick for young nature lovers to explore with throughout the year and would be a favorite on any library or home bookshelf.

Ages 3 – 7

Ten Speed Young Readers, 2026 | ISBN 978-0593838297

Lena Podesta has been working as an artist in the animation industry and as an illustrator for more than two decades. Her work has included picture book illustration, editorial illustration, character development, design for animation, directing, story boarding, and character animation. Visit her for more on her books plus lots of activities for kids at lenapodesta.com.

National Anti-Boredom Month Activity

I Am Not Boring: The True-Life Story of a Log Activity Pages

Shake off the boredom and get cracking with these fun I Am Not Boring: The True-Life Story of a Log Activities from Lena Podesta! You’ll find coloring pages, a maze, a word search puzzle, games, and more to add excitement to any day on Lena Podesta’s website!

You can purchase I Am Not Boring: The True-Life Story of a Log from these booksellers

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Picture Book Review

June 24 – It’s Hurricane Season

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

If you live in a coastal area, you’re used to watching for hurricanes during the summer and fall. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, while the Eastern Pacific season begins a month earlier. Meteorologists and wary residents follow these tropical cyclones as they swirl across the ocean, threatening any landmass in their way. To be categorized as a hurricane, the storm must possess sustained winds of or above 74 miles per hour. You can learn more about hurricanes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website. Kids can learn ten facts about hurricanes on the National Geographic Kids website.

Thanks to Abrams Books for Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book for review!

Tajín and the Twelve Thunders: A Pre-Columbian Myth

By Magaly Morales

Tajín was a fun-loving, mischievous boy who wanted nothing more than for the animals to play with him, but even the monkeys, jaguars, and macaws ran away from him. Tajín went to the wise god Quetzalcóatl to ask why no one would play with him. Quetzalcóatl told him that he must learn to be more gentle, and sent him to learn from the Twelve Thunders, saying “‘they bring harsh storms, but they also bring calming rains.'” Tajín walked through the jungle to the Pirámide de los Nichos, the home of the Twelve Thunders.

When Tajín met the Thunders, he discovered that his reputation as a “troublemaker” was well-known, and the Thunders rejected him, despite his offer to cook and clean. At last one of the Thunders convinced the others to give Tajín a chance, and they relented. As he helped with the work, Tajín learned when to be gentle and when more strength was needed.

Then one day it rained, and Tajín knew the Thunderclouds were nearby. He went out to watch and witnessed how the wind swirled with a wave of their capes, how stomping their boots caused ground-shaking thunder, and how brandishing their lightening bolts lit up the sky. When the Thunders returned, Tajín begged them to teach him their art, but they told him he wasn’t ready.

One hot day when he was left alone, Tajín went to the Thunders’ storage chest and gathered boots, a cloak, and a lightning bolt. Tajín danced lightly, and a gentle, cooling rain fell. But then he began dancing wildly, and “the rain raged and the winds swirled.” The trees, lashed and bent, tossed the monkeys from their branches. The oceans rose in enormous, crashing waves. Tajín watched sea creatures playing in the wild waves. “What fun that looks! he thought.” But the Thunders were angry. They ordered Tajín to come down, but he refused and ran away. When the Thunders cleverly caught him, his fortunes were forever changed.

Back matter includes an Author’s Note, in which Magaly Morales reveals her connection to the myth, a short history of the region of El Tajín as well as the meaning of the name “Tajín,” two photographs of the Pirámide de los Nichos (Pyramid of Niches), and a select bibliography.

Magaly Morales hooks children from the start as Tajín’s antics alienate his other would-be playmates, leaving only him and young readers to meet the twelve Thunders and learn Tajín’s fate. Morales immerses kids in the Thunders’ deliberations to let Tajín stay with them and the resulting non-stop action that leads to suspense and a surprise ending. Morales’s distinctive illustrations are prismatic masterpieces, sizzling with the heat of their Mexican setting and the vividness of this child-centric origin story of how the first hurricanes were created. Images of the twelve Thunders at work will wow children as will the lush natural scenery.

Tajín and the Twelve Thunders: A Pre-Columbian Myth is a rousing read-aloud, which could also easily be converted into a play for classroom settings. The story will delight children, and its rambunctious protagonist is sure to guarantee requests for repeat readings. The book is a superb addition for any library collection.

Ages 4 – 8

Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2026 | ISBN 978-1419768859

About the Author

Magaly Morales is the illustrator of several picture books, including What Can You Do with a Paleta?, a Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award winner; The Courage of the Little Hummingbird: A Tale Told Around the World; and Pura’s Cuentos: How Pura Belpré Reshaped Libraries with Her Stories, which received starred reviews in Booklist, Kirkus, and Publishers Weekly. Tajín and the Twelve Thunders is Morales’s debut book as both writer and illustrator. She was born and lives in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.

Hurricane Season Activity

Catch the Wind! Windsock Craft

You can feel the wind in your hair and see it blowing through the trees, but can you actually catch it? You can with this easy-to-make windsock!

Supplies

1 large yogurt container (32 oz) or 1-pound deli salad container
1 long-sleeve T-shirt
Strong glue
Dowel, 5/8 diameter x 48-inches long or longer
String
Rubber band
sewing seam ripper or cuticle scissors
X-acto knife or Scissors

Directions

Remove the sleeve from a long-sleeve t-shirt with the seam ripper or scissors
Cut the shoulder off the sleeve by cutting straight across from the underarm seam
Cut 2 inches from the bottom of the yogurt container OR cut the bottom out of the deli container
With the X-acto knife or scissors, make a hole a little smaller than the diameter of the dowel about 1 inch from the rim of the container
Slide the container into the large opening of the sleeve
Fold about a ¾ -inch edge over the rim of the container and attach all along the rim with strong glue
Put the rubber band around the outside edge of the opening
Tie the bottom of the sleeve’s cuff together with the string
To attach the dowel: Option 1: leaving the t-shirt in place, push the dowel and material through the hole in the container. The t-shirt material will hold the dowel in place (I used this option). Option 2: cut a small hole in the t-shirt at the location of the hole in the container. Push the dowel through this hole and the hole in the container. Secure with strong glue
Stick your windsock in the ground in an open area where it can catch the wind. As the wind changes direction, you can turn your windsock so the opening faces the wind.

You can purchase Tajín and the Twelve Thunders: A Pre-Columbian Myth from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

June 2 – National Zoo and Aquarium Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

This month’s observance pays tribute to the role of zoos and aquariums and the work they do for education, conservation, and research to protect the world’s animals. Through interactive and hands-on programs, zoos and aquariums provide visitors with up-close experiences in which they can learn about the environments and science of each amazing creature. These institutions are also reaching out with personal and online visits to schools by zoologists and other experts, increasing the interest in biology and animal science to students. To celebrate, plan a visit to your local zoo or aquarium—or make it a “must see” of any vacation!

Thanks to Chronicle Books and Barbara Fisch of Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy of this beautiful book for review!

The Secrets of the Jellies: Amazing Jellyfish and Their Surprising Talents

Written by Karen Jameson | Illustrated by Marie Hermansson

It’s impossible not to be fascinated by jellyfish. We’re captivated by their beauty and grace and can’t help but admire their defensive subterfuge—as long as we’re not on the receiving end! In her lyrical nonfiction picture book, Karen Jameson reveals intriguing facts about these dazzling underwater creatures that can be found in every ocean zone, from the shallows to the deepest recesses. She celebrates “see-through jellies, bright ones, too—colors in each shade and hue! / And in the darkness, down below, they radiate a blue-green glow!”

Illustration copyright © 2026 by Marie Hermansson. Text copyright © 2026 by Karen Jameson. Courtesy of Chronicle Books.

Jellies bioluminescence is only part of their charm, however. We marvel as we watch jellyfish seemingly glide effortlessly through the water, wondering, “how do they do that?” Jameson has the answer, not only to how they propel themselves, but also to how “jellies live without a brain,” how they reproduce, how they satisfy their hunger, and even how other sea creatures befriend jellies for their own survival.

You might think that by just bobbing along, jellyfish would be easy prey, but Jameson reassures readers that “jellies hide, jellies dodge with super-sneaky camouflage! / In the depths or close to shores, they stay away from predators!” With such smarts and agility, it’s no wonder the sea blooms with “jellies here, jellies there—hundreds, thousands everywhere!” or that “we’ll study them for years to come, these stars of the aquarium!”

Extensive back matter follows the story, with a section on Jellyfish Facts that explains more about the number of “true jellies” around the world, information on the smallest and largest jellyfish, their bioluminescent properties, how they move, how they “think,” their life cycle, diet, predators, groupies, and jellyfish blooms. Readers also learn about how aquariums care for their jellyfish, their role in the ocean’s ecosystem, how they sting, and how climate change affects them. In a paragraph on current jellyfish research, children are invited to become citizen scientists and track jellyfish through a provided website link. Children are next introduced to 22 types of jellyfish that they will then enjoy finding throughout the book.

Readers will happily glide along with the incredible jellyfish Karen Jameson introduces through her perfectly rhyming and rhythmic storytelling that educates while also providing the fun of an interactive read-aloud. Excitement builds as the verses flow toward the final rhyming word, which kids will be eager to call out as they engage with Jameson’s clever learning experience. In her conversational back matter, Jameson explains jellyfish facts and features in clear terms, using examples and vocabulary that resonates with her young audience. Each paragraph offers fascinating information to spur further research for classroom or homeschool cross-curricular assignments.

Marie Hermansson’s vibrant lifelike digital illustrations float and swirl with the motion of jellies, transporting readers under the ocean to witness the variety of shapes, colors, and sizes of these aquatic marvels. Scientific concepts, such as jellies’ propulsion and nerve net, are clearly portrayed to enhance understanding. The endpapers give kids a glimpse of the Monterey Aquarium, whose jellyfish exhibits inspired this book.

Shimmering with the magic and mystery of jellyfish, The Secrets of the Jellies: Amazing Jellyfish and Their Surprising Talents is scintillating nonfiction at its best. The book is a must for any public, school, or classroom library collection and an exciting addition to home bookshelves for any child fascinated with the ocean or marine biology.

Ages 5 – 8+

Chronicle Books, 2026 | ISBN 978-1797221977

About the Author

Karen Jameson is a children’s author, poet, teacher, and literacy advocate. Her picture books include Woodland Dreams and Wake Up, Woodlands, illustrated by Marc Boutavant; Farm Lullaby, illustrated by Wednesday Kirwan; and Where the Wee Ones Go, illustrated by Zosienka. She lives and works in Southern California. Visit her at karenjameson.com.

About the Illustrator

Marie Hermansson has a deep appreciation for the natural world, with a love of illustrating animals, plants, landscapes, and the ecosystems they exist in. She has illustrated numerous picture books, including Tera Kelley’s award-winning Listen to the Language of the Trees. When she’s not working, she enjoys traveling, hiking, beachcombing, and reading. Marie currently resides in North Carolina with her husband and two children. Visit her at mariehermanssonillustration.com.

National Zoo and Aquarium Month Activity

Marine Animal Coloring Pages

Kids can bring a bit of the ocean or aquarium to their room with these marine animal coloring pages!

You can purchase The Secrets of the Jellies: Amazing Jellyfish and Their Surprising Talents from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

June 1 – National Great Outdoors Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Warm weather + the kids home from school = the perfect recipe for getting outside to play, garden, hike, swim, explore and even bring the outside in! Nature’s bounty provides so many opportunities for trying something new, and that’s what National Great Outdoors Month is all about! Today’s book supplies plenty of ideas from contemplation to crafts to cooking not only for summer but to make you look forward to all the seasons of the year!

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

The Nature of Play: A Handbook of Nature-Based Activities for All Seasons

Written by Delfina Aguilar and Clare Aitken | Illustrated by Sabrina Arnault

If you have a nature-loving family excited for the summer season to begin or you’d simply like to learn how to engage more with everything the outdoors has to offer, The Nature of Play provides an exciting guide to discovery all year round. Each chapter opens with four easy activities—Eat, Do, Look, and Read—to jumpstart the particular season. While prompting participation, these short paragraphs also contain eye-opening facts. For instance, do you know where the word “pumpkin” was first named in English?

Text copyright © 2026 by Delfina Aguilar and Clare Aitken. Illustration copyright © 2026 by Sabrina Arnault. Courtesy of Greystone Kids.

These kinds of fascinating asides as well as in-depth explorations of the topics presented elevate The Nature of Play from a simple activity book to a resource you’ll find yourself returning to again and again. As part of each activity’s description, Delfina Aguilar and Clare Aitken define its historical and global significance in their “From the Archives” paragraphs, while in “Dear Grown-Ups” they reveal their long-term benefits. For example, the seemingly casual pastime of stone skipping “exists across cultures and throughout eons—[and is] probably one of the oldest games on Earth.” And it’s benefits? Stone skipping is almost a full day of school on its own, incorporating motor skills, tenacity, physics, and more!

Delfina Aguilar and Clare Aitken make sure that kids and adults get plenty of fresh air with more outdoor activities matched to the season, including making small rafts to float on rivers or ponds, building an outdoor den, and navigating like old-time explorers. Aguilar and Aitken don’t forget about indoor time, either. They’ve included lots of games that are perfect for car, plane, or train travel as well as games for rainy or snowy days. Spy and sleuth fans will love learning how to outwit the opposition with an ingenious secret code.

Crafters, budding scientists, and plant aficionados can create and learn to their heart’s content with the abundance of ideas here, such as making petal paper, pinhole cameras, terrariums, ice ornaments, and so many more useful and whimsical objects. Each section also includes scrumptious recipes that take advantage of seasonal ingredients. Other captivating elements are interviews with John Collins (aka the Paper Airplane Guy), natural navigator Tristan Gooley, theoretical astrophysicist Dr. Anna Lisa Varri, and spy Anna Gram as well as poems by Billy Collins, Carl Sandburg, William Carlos Williams, and Robert Louis Stevenson that open each chapter.

Sabrina Arnault’s charming ink-and-watercolor illustrations, rendered in warm earth tones, set a mellow, laid-back air to each page, echoing the simple pleasures of the text. Each chapter opens with a stunning full-spread scene that welcomes the new season, Pencil sketches clearly demonstrate step-by-step instructions for making the crafts.

A gorgeous book created with much thought and love, The Nature of Play: A Handbook of Nature-Based Activities for All Seasons is a companionable resource the whole family will use. The book makes a joyful gift and is a must for all library collections and home bookshelves.

Ages 6 and up

Greystone Kids, 2026 | ISBN 978-1778403088

Delfina Aguilar is the founder of Fanny & Alexander, a brand devoted to analogue toys and books that invite children—and the adults who love them—to play more thoughtfully, encouraging imagination, curiosity, and screen-free wonder. She is the co-author of The Nature of Play, Hiccup Makes a Leap, and The Acorn Who Hung On.

Clare Aitken is an author of books for children. She is passionate about nature, community and food and has co-written several books including The Nature of Play.

National Great Outdoors Month Activity

Whose Shoes? Maze

There are all sorts of ways to enjoy the great outdoors! These kids all want to do their favorite activity. Can you help match them to the shoes they’ll need in this printable Whose Shoes? Maze?

You can purchase The Nature of Play: A Handbook of Nature-Based Activities for All Seasons 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 23 – National Picnic Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

It’s said that food always tastes better when eaten outdoors. If you’re having warm early spring weather today, why not test that theory, by packing a basket or cooler and heading out to your favorite outdoor spot! Whether simple or elegant, enjoyed alone or with family or friends, a picnic can be just the respite you need from the routine workweek. The word “picnic” probably gets its origins from the French language, specifically from the word pique-nique: (to pick) + (small thing or trifle). It’s thought that picnics became popular in France after the French Revolution in the mid 1800s and the idea then spread around the world. If you just can’t get away or the weather isn’t cooperating, International Picnic Day is celebrated on June 18, and the month of July hosts National Picnic Month.

Thank you to Tundra Books for sharing a copy of this book with me!

There Are No Ants in This Book

Written by Rosemary Mosco | Illustrated by Anna Pirolli

A child, picnic basket and tote in hand peeks in from the top-left corner of the first page to find a green field just perfect for a picnic. The child is pretty confident they won’t be disturbed by pesky pests purloining food because it says right on the cover that “there are no ants in this book.” But just as the cake is being placed on the blanket, word comes from nearby: “Wrong! There’s one!” Turns out that acorn lying only inches from the picnic cloth is actually the abode of an acorn ant.

The child can make an exception for just one ant, but then, out of the clear blue sky, comes “Two!” and “Three!” These two reveal that they are opposites of a sort. Number “two” is “one of the largest ants in the world” and as big as a strawberry. Number “three” is the smallest—”as long as six grains of salt.”

The child is just wrapping their head around this book having “. . . more ants than I was expecting” and figuring “three ants can’t eat my whole picnic, right?” when three more show up, including a honeypot ant that explains, “I fill my big round butt with sweet sugar water . . . in case my family gets hungry” then declares, “I am a walking refrigerator.

Kinda freaked out to meet these six interlopers, the child goes into full “ARRRGH!” mode when four more ants drop by. And who can blame them? The book had such promise at the beginning. But now . . . Yeah. Butt! Two of these new ants have positively particular posterior powers! One lives in trees and uses their butt as a kind of nature-made Siri to guide them home, and the other, an acrobat ant, explains “If someone scares me, I stick my butt high up in the air and wave it around.” The third is a clever crafter, and the fourth uses his head (literally) to defend his home.

The child is “shocked.” “Stunned.” Delighted! And invites these ants as well as their “humungous families” to the picnic. But all these tiny pounding feet attract the attention of an anteater. The child, though, does some quick thinking and then points out that the title of the book clearly states, “there are no ants in this book,” which sends the anteater packing. And now? It’s time for the perfect picnic!

Back matter presents realistic illustrations of each of the ten ants found in the book with a bite-sized paragraph revealing what part of the world the ant is native too as well as more about the feature that makes it unique.

In her funny and fast-paced tribute to ants, Rosemary Mosco proves that even the smallest creatures have enormous appeal. As each ant makes an appearance to proudly describe its distinct capability or feature, Mosco’s conversational, easy-to-digest writing style makes it simple for kids to remember the prominent details. Kids will also identify with the narrator, who humorously cycles from certainty in the promise of the title to disillusionment to acceptance to all-out appreciation for these tiny critters.

Vibrant and loaded with personality, Anna Pirolli’s cartoon, graphic-style illustrations use perspective, natural surroundings, and emotive facial expressions to immerse kids in this rollicking educational experience.

If you like a dose of laughter with your science, There Are No Ants in This Book is the ant-idote you’ve been looking for. A perfect addition to any classroom, homeschool, or science educator’s collection, the book will also be an often-asked-for favorite for home story times.

Ages 4 – 8

Tundra Books, 2024 | ISBN 978-1774881163

About the Author

Rosemary Mosco makes books and cartoons that connect people with the natural world. Her nature comics won the National Cartoonist Society’s award for Best Online Short Form Comic and were the subject of an award-winning museum exhibit. She co-wrote the New York Times bestseller The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid, and is the author of the picture books Butterflies Are Pretty . . . Gross! and Flowers Are Pretty . . . Weird! illustrated by Jacob Souva, as well as five other science books. She speaks at birding festivals and looks for cool critters under every rock she can find. Rosemary lives in Massachusetts. Visit her at rosemarymosco.com.

About the Illustrator

Anna Pirolli was born in Genoa and moved to Milan to study illustration at the European Institute of Design. She has worked as a freelance illustrator and art director for companies such as Mondadori, Pearson, Vogue, MTV, Kinder Ferrero, Nickelodeon, Disney and others, following the creative process from concept to creation. She’s also a visiting professor at the Accademia di Brera, where she teaches design applied to the arts. Anna has illustrated the picture books I Hate My Cats: A Love Story by Davide Cali and Anonymouse by Vikki VanSickle, which won the Dilys Evans Founder’s Award at the 2021 Society of Illustrators Original Art Show. Follow her on Instagram.

National Picnic Day Activity

A Perfect Day for a Picnic! Maze

Can you lead the ants to the picnic in this printable A Perfect Day for a Picnic! maze?

You can purchase There Are No Ants in This Book from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local independent bookstore)

About the Holiday

Buzz! Being Brave Around Buzzy, Stinging Insects

Written by Toni Buzzeo | Illustrated by Joe Cepeda

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Busy Buzzy Bee Maze

Buzz! Being Brave Around Buzzy, Stinging Insects Teachers Guide

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I Am Not Boring: The True-Life Story of a Log

By Lena Podesta

National Anti-Boredom Month Activity

I Am Not Boring: The True-Life Story of a Log Activity Pages

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Tajín and the Twelve Thunders: A Pre-Columbian Myth

By Magaly Morales

Hurricane Season Activity

Catch the Wind! Windsock Craft

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The Secrets of the Jellies: Amazing Jellyfish and Their Surprising Talents

Written by Karen Jameson | Illustrated by Marie Hermansson

National Zoo and Aquarium Month Activity

Marine Animal Coloring Pages

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The Nature of Play: A Handbook of Nature-Based Activities for All Seasons

Written by Delfina Aguilar and Clare Aitken | Illustrated by Sabrina Arnault

National Great Outdoors Month Activity

Whose Shoes? Maze

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About the Holiday

Just One Oak: What a Single Tree Can Be

Written by Maria Gianferrari | Illustrated by Diana Sudyka

Arbor Day Activities

Paper Plate Tree

Just One Oak Activity Kit from Beach Lane Books

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About the Holiday

There Are No Ants in This Book

Written by Rosemary Mosco | Illustrated by Anna Pirolli

National Picnic Day Activity

A Perfect Day for a Picnic! Maze

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