July 9 – National Fashion Day

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

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Picture Book Review

July 1 – National Watercolor Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Today, I’m celebrating World Watercolor Month with a biography of a woman artist born in 1861 who not only worked in watercolors but brought the delicately blended beauty of the art form to the solid medium of glass as the creator of iconic Tiffany designs. World Watercolor Month was begun in 2016 by Charlie O’Shields, the creator of Doodlewash®, host of the Sketching Stuff podcast, and founder of a social artist movement dedicated to promoting and connecting watercolor artists from all over the world. The holiday also raises awareness of the global importance of art and creativity. Everyone from amateurs to professionals are welcome to participate—and if you’ve never painted with watercolors before, now’s a great time to try! If you’d like prompts to inspire your work and other ways to enjoy the month and take your love of watercolor painting into next month and beyond, visit Doodlewash.

Thank you to Peachtree and Barbara Fisch of Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy of this book for review!

Making Light Bloom: Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Lamps

Written by Sandra Nickel | Illustrated by Julie Paschkis

As a young girl, Clara Driscoll grew up surrounded by glorious gardens blooming with morning glories, apple blossoms, and wildflowers and shimmering with the dragon flies they attracted. Clara often sketched the gardens, and when she grew older, she enrolled in art school, hoping to turn her talent for drawing into a job that could help her financially struggling family. After graduation, Clara moved to New York City and took a job working for glassmaker Louis C. Tiffany.

Clara’s task was to choose and cut pieces of glass for the craftsmen to join together with metal ridges to make beautiful stained glass windows. She used her creative eye to “‘paint’ robes, halos, and great wings of angels” with “dappled and streaked, shaded and shimmering” glass. It didn’t take long for Louis to recognize Clara’s talent, and soon she was overseeing her own group of women known as Tiffany Girls. Missing her gardens back home, Clara had the idea to make a lamp from the delicate glass that would bring the beauty of a garden inside.

She and the Tiffany Girls cut small pieces of glass to make butterfly wings, and then “together with the craftsmen, she formed the butterfly wings into a lampshade.” Once the kerosene wick was lit, “light bloomed as never before.” Next, Clara wanted to bring the brilliance of dragonflies to her new creation. But cutting and forming the glass into the intricate wings of a dragonfly was time consuming, and one of the managers said that “she could never make another.”

That, however, was before Louis Tiffany saw the lamp and asked Clara “to make another to display at the World’s Fair in Paris.” At the fair, Clara’s lamp won the bronze medal. The lamp’s success “astounded” Louis. He put Clara and the Tiffany Girls in charge of making lamps and windows representing the beauty of natural landscapes.

Feeling shut out, the craftsmen announced a strike unless Louis fired the women. But Louis knew the value of Clara’s imagination and work, so he compromised with the men: Clara’s workshop would not get bigger, but “Clara would be in charge of lamp-making from that day forward.”

Elated, Clara began creating new designs inspired by the gardens she’d sketched at home as well as nature she found within the city, all informed by her meticulous research. In the basement storage room, she searched for pieces of glass that were just the right hues to bring to life each petal, flower, leaf, and stem. In one astonishing design, she recreated wisteria with 2,000 tiny petals.

While Clara’s work was recognized inside the studio, because her lamps were only known as “Tiffany lamps,” no one else knew they were Clara’s creation. It was only after both Louis and Clara passed away and Clara’s letters to her sisters were discovered that people learned the truth about how Clara made light bloom “throughout the world.”

Back matter includes an Author’s Note that goes into more detail about Clara’s letters home, Louis C. Tiffany’s reaction to her initial idea, and Clara’s long, intricate process for designing each lamp; a list of museums where you can see Tiffany Lamps; and the names of two archives where Clara’s letters can be read; a bibliography; and dates and quotes for references found in the book.

Sandra Nickel’s fascinating and eye-opening story about Clara Driscoll, one of the world’s most innovative artists, is both inspirational and uplifting. Nickel’s heartfelt, straightforward storytelling about Clara’s early years allows readers to see how youthful experiences and interests can influence their later endeavors—creative and otherwise. Nickel also emphasizes Clara’s remarkable vision for ways to expand the use of stained glass in the 1890s as well as her advocacy for herself and her ideas, making her an excellent role model for all children. And while Clara was not recognized for her work during her lifetime, art lovers can be grateful that Louis C. Tiffany knew brilliance when he saw it and valued her contributions—another aspect of Clara’s story to celebrate.

Julie Paschkis’s dazzling, folk-style illustrations bring the intricate and delicate beauty of stained glass to the page, telling Clara’s story visually in a way similar to the windows she often worked on. Taking kids into the Tiffany studio, Paschkis demonstrates how Clara, the Tiffany Girls, and the craftsmen chose, cut, and pieced together to create complex scenes that glow with life still today. Paschkis faithfully recreates Clara’s iconic dragonfly lamp, an image that will wow kids.

A vibrant biography of a visionary artist, Making Light Bloom: Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Lamps is an inspiring book to share with creatives of all types at home, in the classroom, and for art and crafts programs. The book is a must addition to any library collection.

Ages 7 – 10

Peachtree, 2025 | ISBN 978-1682636091

About the Author

Sandra Nickel is an award-winning author of picture books and has two new books out this Spring: Seven, A Most Remarkable Pigeon, an uplifting tale that celebrates differences, and Making Light Bloom, Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Lamps, in which Sandra continues her mission to celebrate extraordinary individuals who have been nearly forgotten by history. She is honored to be the winner of a Christopher Award, the winner of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators Crystal Kite Award, a finalist for the Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction for Younger Readers, a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection honoree, and a Charlotte Huck Award Recommended author. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults and has presented workshops on writing for children and young adults throughout the United States and Europe. Visit her at sandranickel.com. You’ll also find her on Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter/X.

About the Illustrator

Julie Paschkis is an award-winning illustrator of more than 25 books for children. A graduate of Cornell University and the School for American Craftsmen at Rochester Institute of Technology, she taught art to grade school children for a number of years before turning her full attention to painting, textile design, and creating illustrations for her books. Visit her at juliepaschkis.com to see more of her work and download whimsical and nature-inspired coloring pages for kids and adults. You’ll also find her on Facebook.

World Watercolor Month Activity

Tiffany Window Coloring Page

Create your own brilliant vision with this Tiffany Window Coloring Page!

You can purchase Making Light Bloom: Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Lamps from these booksellers.

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Picture Book Review

June 25 – National Day of Joy

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Established by Comfort Keepers, who offer uplifting in-home care for seniors, The National Day of Joy encourages everyone to look for simple moments and expressions of happiness in daily life. Cheerful smiles and greetings, random acts of kindness, upbeat moods, and general positivity can affect not only immediate interactions but can change our moods and improve our health. To honor the day and the idea, find ways to start each morning with a positive attitude for the day to come. Need ideas for how to get started? Say “Hello” to those you meet, listen to and encourage others, happily help out where needed, send a surprise letter, card, or text to a friend or family member far away. And, of course, doing something fun with your kids always makes the day better. Oh! And don’t forget to treat yourself too! When you feel good, those around you will respond in kind!

Big Boy Joy

Written by Connie Schofield-Morrison | Illustrated by Shamar Knight-Justice

It’s playground time, and the little boy who’s about to conquer the slide and the swings, unexpectedly make a new friend, and use his skills introduces himself: “I am a BIG boy.” As he tears down the sidewalk, he demonstrates—”I can run FAST. I can walk SLOW. I can climb HIGH! I can Go! Go! GO!” Slipping down the slide, too fast to stop, he crashes into another boy walking by with a basket of dinosaurs. They both go tumbling, the dinos spilling out.

The boy cries, but he’s also a big-enough boy to apologize and turn the accident into an opportunity to make a new friend. The two play—”RAWR, RAWR”—with the toys, they “STOMP and CLOMP.” The two move to the sandbox for a “CRASH and SMASH” demolition derby with their trucks, and when a wheel comes off: “I can fix. TWIST and TURN TA-DA!”

But the day’s not over, these fast friends share snacks, play chase, and swing “right into space!” Dad waves. It’s time to leave, with a high five between the boys and a promise to play again.

Connie Schofield-Morrison infectious ode to boyhood and unfettered play is a joyous read aloud, with vivacious rhymes full of personality and pride in what the narrator can do. From releasing all that big-boy energy to turning a crash-bang mishap into friendship to exhibiting ingenuity and manners, Schofield-Morrison’s young child shows just what it means to be a “big boy.”

Emerging and new readers will love being able to read the story on their own, and younger children will quickly catch on to chiming in on all of the high-spirited onomatopoeic words. The story is also perfect for acting out for rambunctious story times.

Shamar Knight-Justice’s young child brims with happiness and excitement as he tackles the playground; shows an awareness of others and their feelings; and races, chases, tumbles, and climbs a slide ladder so tall you have to turn the book sideways! Vivid primary colors, dynamic typefaces, all the big-kid equipment that makes a playground so enticing, and two boys who know how to roar, stomp, kerplunk, share, and have fun together shine from the pages.

Big Boy Joy is a lively read aloud that will capture the hearts of kids and adults alike and will quickly become a much-asked-for favorite for home bookshelves and library collections.

Ages 3 – 5 (and up for newly independent and emerging readers)

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1547611515

About the Author

Connie Schofield-Morrison captured the rhythm of the neighborhood in her first picture book, I Got the Rhythm, and again in I Got the Christmas Spirit and I Got the School Spirit. She is also the author of the picture book biography Stitch by Stitch: Elizabeth Hobbs Keckly Sews Her Way to Freedom. Connie has been writing since she was a young girl and is inspired every day by the big sounds and bright colors of the world around her. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia. Visit her on Instagram.

About the Illustrator

Shamar Knight-Justice is an illustrator based in Atlanta, Georgia. He grew up with a crayon in his hand and a love for patterns. He currently serves as the principal of an elementary school in Southwest Atlanta, where his scholars’ stories and personalities inspire him to create illustrations that honor their identities. When not drawing, Shamar loves to spend time hoarding collage materials, going on long walks with his family, and devouring the nearest pancake. Visit him at shamarknightjustice.com.

National Day of Joy Activity

Playground Spot-the-Differences Coloring Page

Search for all of the differences between these two pictures then color the scenes!

Playground Spot-the-Differences Coloring Page

You can purchase Big Boy Joy from these booksellers

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Picture Book Review

June 24 – International Fairy Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Full of sparkle, magic, and mischief, it’s no wonder that fairies captivate the imagination of young and old around the world! Today we celebrate these mythical creatures and all the joy they bring through cultural associations, books, movies, and pretend play. For an interesting look at the history of International Fairy Day, plus lots of ways to celebrate with your family and friends, visit Days of the Year and Punchbowl.

Thank you to Candlewick Press for sharing a copy of Fairy Walk with me!

Fairy Walk

By Gaia Cornwall

As their mothers relax and talk, three children and their curly-haired dog “skip, skip, skip, trip” into the woods behind the house, hopping from stone to stone to cross the little river “into the misty magic” of fairyland. “Where are you, fairies?” they call. Are they among the honey snowdrop flowers on the ground or under the boulder, so heavy it takes all three of them to tip? They don’t see any fairies, but they do find “a dragon!”—an orange salamander.

Are there fairies across the clearing, enjoying a feast on a “cozy, snug” mushroom table? No—or are there? Maybe they’re just a little farther, under the blanket of pixie moss. A peek underneath reveals “Bugs!” that “scramble, scamper, roll, and burrow,” but not a single fairy.

After all this fruitless searching, the kids grow frustrated and exhausted. It’s time for a snack. While they eat their sandwiches, the children decide that perhaps the fairies are shy. They then engage their other senses and can “hear them whisper in the trees.” They feel “thrums” in the ground below and appreciate the “whisper soft” wings of a butterfly.

They reconsider the gifts of flowers, stones, and mushrooms they’ve found, smelling them more deeply, creating a rock cairn, and inspecting them with a magnifying glass. The children leave a present for the fairies as well. The day is waning, and the trio bids goodbye to their fun and to the fairies, with hope for the future: “See you later!”

In her lovely, lyrical story that sings with sumptuous sensory language and the cadence of childhood fancies, Gaia Cornwall invites children into the magical realm of a lush woodland fed by a rocky stream and brimming with glorious flowers, mushrooms, and the kind of creepy crawlies that set the imagination whirling.

While the kids within the pages never see a fairy, the kids reading the pages will be delighted to spy plenty of tiny blue, sparkle-winged fairies hiding in the foliage; perched on the edge of a bird’s nest; enjoying the day among the mushrooms; and flitting playfully here and there with the kids’ charmed dog, who can see them. Eagle-eyed kids will also want to look for the tiny ladybug in each illustration. Cornwall’s soft-hued pencil, watercolor, and collage illustrations are dappled with texture and rich in details of the natural world that children and adults will also want to linger over.

Fairy Walk is an enchanting and clever combination read-aloud and fun I-spy story that children and adults will love sharing again and again. The book is sure to inspire nature walks through the neighborhood, in the backyard, or on hiking trails, where, even if you don’t see fairies, you’ll find lots of the gifts they scatter about. Fairy Walk will enjoy brisk circulation in any library and is highly recommended for home collections.

Ages 3 – 7

Candlewick Press, 2025 | ISBN 978-1536230710

About the Author/Illustrator

Gaia Cornwall loves to write and illustrate for children. She is the author-illustrator of Jabari Jumps, which was a Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book and an American Library Association Notable Children’s Book, and its follow-up, Jabari Tries, as well as The Best Bed for Me. Gaia Cornwall lives in Connecticut. Visit her at gaiacornwall.com.

International Fairy Day Activity

Fairy Walk Activity Kit

Learn how to draw fairies and bugs and go on a nature hunt with this four-page Fairy Walk Activity Kit from Gaia Cornwall and Candlewick Press!

You can purchase Fairy Walk from these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review

June 20 – Universal Father’s Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Universal Father’s Week is celebrated during the third week of June each year. All week long we give a special tribute to all the fathers (and father figures) who work hard, are caring, lovable, and funny, keep us on our toes as well as the right path, and are just awesome dads. To celebrate, make sure the dads in your life know how much they’re loved and needed!

Thank you to Orchard Books for sharing a digital copy of this book with me for review!

You Make the World

Written by Mượn Thị Văn | Illustrated by Phùng Nguyên Quang and Huỳnh Kim Liên

As the story begins, a father and his young child share a drink from a single mug outside their simple campsite—a small tent and a lantern, but a roaring campfire ringed by stones. The child’s father reveals the poetry of nature, how “the sun makes the world hum. / The clouds make the world blue. / The wind makes the world wild. / The rain makes the world new.” He then tells his child a secret—“But you know what else makes the world? You.”

The child takes this in, a bit surprised. Dad explains how every “hello,” “smile,” or “hug” creates a ripple effect of joy and love and how acceptance will “make the world grow.” In fact, the child, the world, the entire universe are so entwined that the child’s emotions are felt by all. Not only their feelings, but their actions have consequence. “When you forgive, you make the world kind,” the father says. “When you try, you make the world brave.” But even deeper than these single actions or feelings, the father imparts, the child’s very presence “. . . here where you belong . . . make(s) the world whole.”

Mượn Thị Văn introduces her story with a letter to her readers, revealing that You Make the World was inspired by one of her previous books, Wishes.

Phùng Nguyên Quang and Huỳnh Kim Liên’s stunning, color-saturated illustrations carry the father and child as they leave their campsite on a transformative adventure with familiar animals and fantastical beasts. An enormous yak kneels to accept kindness from the child before rainbow-winged birds transport father and child on a flight over fields and streams. Hippos ride the waves with them as they kayak on a raging sea, and the father and child soar into the twilight sky holding the tip of a breaching blue whale’s fin. Along the way, readers will see the growing gathering of shadowed animals keeping watch. As the sun finally sets, the child fills a lantern with starlight before falling to sleep in their father’s arms.

You Make the World is a book that parents, grandparents, teachers, and other caregivers will want to share again and again and one that children will ask for often. The book is a must addition to any home or library collection. It would make a much-loved gift for any occasion, especially for babies and new siblings.

Ages 4 – 8

Orchard Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1338822045

About the Author

Mượn Thị Văn is the author of many acclaimed picture books. From her debut, In a Village by the Sea (2015), to her latest, If You Want to Be a Butterfly (2023), her books have earned many distinctions, including a California Book Award, an Irma Black Honor, and a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. Her recent book Wishes, with Victo Ngai, won the Margaret Wise Brown Prize and was named the #1 Best Picture Book of 2021 by BookPage. Her books have been translated into multiple languages, including Vietnamese, Nepali, Sepedi, and Tamil. Mượn Thị Văn lives and works in California. Visit her at muonthivan.com.

About the Illustrators

Phùng Nguyên Quang and Huỳnh Kim Liên are book creators who live and work together in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Quang and Liên are currently working on illustrations for a number of children’s titles to be published in Vietnam and Europe. Some of their acclaimed picture book projects include Hundred Years of Happiness and The First Journey. Visit them at kaaillustration.com. You’ll also find Huỳnh Kim Liên at kimlienhuynh.com and Phùng Nguyên Quang at phungnguyenquang.com.

Universal Father’s Day Activity

You Make the World Activity Sheets

Interact with the world around you with these fun activity sheets proved by Scholastic!

You Make the World Dot-to-Dot and Word Search Pages

You can purchase You Make the World from these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review

June 13 – National Pigeon Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

When you see pigeons gathering around park benches or scuttling along urban outdoor areas looking for crumbs or lining up on electrical wires, you may not think much about them. They just seem part of the landscape. Learning more about National Pigeon Day, however, may change your ideas about these unassuming birds forever. The holiday was established by President Woodrow Wilson in acknowledgement of the historical and cultural significance of pigeons, particularly their contributions during World War I. Today, the holiday celebrates the important role they played in both world wars.

As the website BirdTipper explains, pigeons were used during both World Wars as “reliable and efficient messengers, providing a vital link between troops on the front lines and command centers. Their speed and homing ability made them indispensable for conveying important messages, often flying through dangerous conditions to deliver vital information. Numerous pigeons were awarded medals and honors for their service, highlighting their bravery and significance in wartime efforts.”

Today’s date was selected as National Pigeon Day to commemorate the death of one of the most famous World War I pigeons, Cher Ami. To read more about this incredible bird, including its role in saving nearly 200 soldiers despite being grievously injured, and more about how pigeons helped the war efforts, visit BirdTipper.

Thanks to Candlewick and Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy of Seven: A Most Remarkable Pigeon!

Seven: A Most Remarkable Pigeon

Written by Sandra Nickel | Illustrated by Aimée Sicuro

The little pigeon was different right from the start—when he was still in the egg, even. Usually “pigeons arrive in twos . . . . But this time, there was only one.” The flock whispered and whispered. When the tiny bird hatched, his parents named him Seven in honor of “seven thousand miles . . . the farthest any pigeon has flown to get back home.” It “is considered a very lucky name.”

As Seven waited for his eyes to open and his feathers to sprout, he relished all the lovely scents that wafted to his nest. When he could finally fly, Seven soared to the flower shop to enjoy the aromas, and he picked up petals to fill his nest instead of twigs. On the way to the park with the flock, he veered off, distracted by the fragrant smell of rice. His mother scolded: “‘We stay with the flock. We stay with the flock.'” The flock whispered.

Seven’s father decided it was time to teach his son how to “home.” They left the city and headed into the country. Here, Seven was so captivated by all of the new scents that he didn’t listen to his father’s lesson to memorize the roads below. The flock was scandalized; his mother gave him another scolding. So Seven began toeing the line, but now he “didn’t feel dreamy or cozy or light as a feather.” And the flock? They continued to whisper.

Finally, it came time for The Big Flight, the annual commemoration of the famous 7,000-mile journey. Instead of 7,000 miles, though, the flock rode the train 700 miles away and would fly home. But soon the fog rolled in, thick and impenetrable. Without being able to see the road map below, the pigeons all flew in different directions. How would they find their way home?

But Seven knew just where to go, led on by the scents he loved so well. The flock fell into formation behind him and followed him home. There “Seven’s parents puffed out their feathers and added rose petals to their nest.” The rest of the flock added 700 more in celebration, and Seven’s parents wrapped their wings around him and held him close.

A discussion about pigeons, their behaviors, the different (and similar) ways the mother and father care for their young, and various theories on how pigeons home follows the story.

You will absolutely fall in love with Seven as he stays true to his distinct and savvy preference for scents despite the speculations of his flock in Sandra Nickel’s heartwarming tale. Nickel blends her talent for fiction and nonfiction in her depiction of pigeons’ nesting, flocking, and homing behaviors as well as highlighting the 7,000-mile flight undertaken by one adventurous pigeon. Nickel’s story is built on deeper underpinnings that these, however, as she spotlights the joy and comfort to be found in celebrating individual differences that make each person’s unique contributions to their family, friends, and community invaluable. Kids will cheer Seven on as he forges his own way.

Aimée Sicuro’s watercolor, gouache, and ink illustrations transport readers to lovely French cityscapes and countryside while embedding them with a lively flock of pigeons all aflutter over their newest member. Amplifying Nickel’s focus on individuality, Sicuro has given each pigeon its own markings and coloring, and their facial expressions leave no doubt about their feelings. Seven is especially expressive, from basking in delectable scents to dejectedly enduring scoldings and doubtful glances to leading the flock home with happy certainty and finally soaking up cozy hugs from his parents.

Seven: A Remarkable Pigeon is a gently told story full of love that celebrates individuality and builds self-esteem. The book is one that kids will want to hear again and again and is a must for home, classroom, and all library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Candlewick, 2025 | ISBN 978-1536235197

Connect with Candlewick on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter/X |

About the Author

Sandra Nickel is a former lawyer who is now a dedicated children’s book author with many picture books under her belt, including The Stuff Between the Stars, Nacho’s Nachos, Big Bear and Little Fish, and Making Light Bloom. She is honored to be the winner of a Christopher Award, the winner of the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators Crystal Kite Award, a finalist for the Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction for Younger Readers, a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection honoree, and a Charlotte Huck Award Recommended author. She has presented workshops on writing for children and young adults throughout Europe and the United States. She lives with her family in Switzerland. Visit her at sandranickel.com and on Bluesky | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter/X.

About the Illustrator

Aimée Sicuro is a creator of many picture books for kids. She is the author and illustrator of If You Spot a Shell, and If You Find a Leaf, which was nominated for the Ezra Jacks Keats Award.. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Parents magazine, and many other publications. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two children. Visit her at aimeesicuro.com and on Instagram.

You can learn more about Blue Slip Media on Bluesky | Facebook | Instagram and on Twitter/X here and here.

National Pigeon Day Activity

Seven: A Most Remarkable Pigeon Activity Pages

Download a fun and thoughtful Seven: A Most Remarkable Pigeon Classroom Guide with discussion questions and activities for use by educators as well as readers at home.

You can purchase Seven: A Most Remarkable Pigeon from these booksellers

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Picture Book Review

June 9 – National Great Outdoors Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Everyone benefits from spending time outdoors whether they’re playing, helping out with home projects, gardening, traveling, or just enjoying some lazy time. Simple pleasures, breaking the routine, and taking time to recharge all spark the imagination and make memories that last a lifetime. To celebrate National Great Outdoors Month, plan an outing with your kids. It may turn into an adventure you never expected!

Sloth & Squirrel on Vacation

Written by Cathy Ballou Mealey | Illustrated by Kelly Collier

With Sloth & Squirrel’s Pickle Pop stand always hoppin’, the two friends longed for time to do something else. Squirrel yearned for adventure, and Sloth “longed for a l-o-n-g nap.” Then Sloth had an idea: why not close the stand for a vacation? Squirrel was all in, and even got a travel magazine to peruse together on a park bench.

Squirrel was partial to Raging Rapids Rafting and Swoop-dee-Loop Skydiving, while Sloth was eager to check out Lazy Lodge and . . . . Sloth needed a nap! As Squirrel dragged Sloth away, they discovered an advertisement right on the bench that provided the perfect answer: Paradise Park, which promised “Something for Everyone!”

At Paradise Park they hit the beach first, and while Squirrel enjoyed the sand and surf while Sloth slept on a floaty. When Squirrel, trying to skip stones, popped Sloth’s floaty instead, Squirrel scampered off to the gift shop to buy a new one. On the way to the shop, though, Squirrel got sidetracked by rock climbing and then diverted again . . . and again . . . and one more time by all the fun activities before realizing he missed Sloth.

Back at the beach, Sloth had just woken up from his nap and wondered where Squirrel was. As he began his search, Sloth heard two pigs talking about a rock-climbing squirrel. Sloth headed up the mountain, but didn’t find Squirrel. He tried again, taking to the water, but no Squirrel. Sloth always seemed to be a step behind. Perhaps a view from the air would help. At last! “There was Squirrel!” Reunited, the two friends embraced and decided to do something together.

Sloth was ready for an ice cream cone, and Squirrel agreed. But by the time Sloth returned with the cones, there wasn’t anything left to lick. Squirrel knew just what was needed—speed! He zipped to the ice cream stand and zipped back with one “Scooper Bowl Deluxe.” They then “savored every spoonful—the same way they enjoyed the rest of their vacation.”

Cathy Ballou Mealey’s delightful sequel to Sloth & Squirrel in a Pickle is a sweet and funny friendship romp that will steal your heart. This time, Mealey deepens the bonds between Sloth and Squirrel as they collaborate on choosing a vacation spot and after being separated vow to spend the rest of their vacation together. In between readers are treated to a masterclass on being a best friend as Sloth overcomes his natural instincts for snoozing in order to find Squirrel, and Squirrel realizes that time spent with Sloth is more valuable than even the most exciting adventuring alone. Their yummy compromise will satisfy all readers.

Kids will be happy to see Kelly Collier’s fast (and slow) friends back again and discover that their pickle pop stand is still dill-iciously popular. Squirrel’s hijinks as he just can’t stop himself from trying every activity Paradise Park has to offer is sure to whet their appetite for their own summer fun with friends while Sloth’s refreshing downtime will appeal to adults looking for a bit of relaxation.

Sloth & Squirrel on Vacation is a sequel fans of this duo won’t want to miss. It will become a quick favorite read aloud for home and library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Kids Can Press, 2025 | ISBN 978-1525312564

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-sloth-and-squirrel-in-a-pickle-cover

Read my review of Sloth & Squirrel in a Pickle here!

About the Author

Cathy Ballou Mealey enjoys all kinds of fun vacation activities, including swimming, reading and sharing sweet treats. When she is not writing or reading, she volunteers for schools and programs that support individuals with autism and intellectual disabilities. Cathy likes dill pickle pops and chocolate ice cream, but not at the same time! She lives with her husband, son and daughter north of Boston, Massachusetts, where she delights in watching silly squirrel antics and is waiting patiently for a sloth to appear. Visit her on Instagram, X/Twitter, and Bluesky.

About the Illustrator

Kelly Collier has been drawing since she was little, and studied illustration in college. She is the author-illustrator of the Steve the Horse series and The Imposter, and the illustrator of the Sloth and Squirrel books, the Izzy series and How to Party Like a Snail. She has an identical twin sister and an older brother and lives in Toronto, Ontario, with her husband and daughter. Visit her on Instagram.

National Great Outdoors Month Activity

Summer Fun Activity Book

Enjoy your summer vacation with the coloring pages and puzzles in this Summer Fun Activity Book!

You can purchase Sloth & Squirrel on Vacation from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

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