{ Let's Read About ... } New picture book biographies

Week 1 of June here on my bloggie is all about picture book biographies, and picture book nonfiction in general! I'll be sharing my own reviews and booklists, sharing some links around the blogosphere to other reviews and booklists... anything that fits the theme and catches my eye!

To get us started, here are some of the newest picture book biographies out there, all released in 2019! Have you read any of these? Any new favorites? Let me know in the comments!

{ Let's Read About ... } Picture Book Biographies/Nonfiction

Welcome to June and HAPPY SUMMER!!! :D

Summers are great for me because my husband is a teacher, so we get to spend a lot of time together as a family and have lots of adventures! We do have a lot of plans for the summer, but I'm hoping I'll have a nice bit of downtime too while Daddy entertains the little dude so I can kick this blog into overdrive and do some serious posting during the next few months!

To get that started, remember waaaay back in January when I made some New Year's resolutions for my blog and announced I'd be doing some themed weeks each month with different topics? ... Erm, yeah. That hasn't happened yet, really. But now's a great time to start!

So starting on Monday, Week 1 of June will be all about picture book biographies, and picture book nonfiction in general! What does that mean? I'll be sharing my own reviews and booklists, sharing some links around the blogosphere to other reviews and booklists... anything that fits the theme and catches my eye!

What is a picture book biography, you may be asking? It's a biography written in picture book format - so a shorter account of a real person's life or a significant moment from it, usually including lots of illustrations. Here's a list of popular picture book biographies on Goodreads to give you an idea. That list has over 600 books, including multicultural biographies and biographies of women, so chances are you'll find one that you'd like to try!

Can't wait to share my readings, reviews, and discoveries with you all this week! Don't forget to use sunscreen and stay hydrated out there! :)

Review: Put On Your Owl Eyes by Devin Franklin

Each week on my blog, I post about a different theme: picture book biographies, nature, cultures around the world, and strong girls. This month has 5 weeks, so this week let's read about... nature (again)!


Put On Your Owl Eyes: Open Your Senses & Discover Nature’s Secrets; Mapping, Tracking & Journaling Activities


Available as: spiral-bound, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 144
Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC
Publication date: May 28, 2019
Suggested tags: middle grade, nonfiction, nature, activities


From Goodreads:

"Children will see the natural world around them with brand new eyes, as they learn to follow its signs, hear its language, and understand its secrets. With this unique and compelling book written by expert environmental educator Devin Franklin, kids aged 8 to 13 will build their own relationship with nature through finding a “Sit Spot” — an outdoor space in the backyard, in a field or in the woods, in a vacant lot or a city park — where they can stop, observe, and become familiar with the flora and fauna that live there."

I've flipped through a lot of books that are intended to get kids interested in nature and exploring the outdoors, but I've never read one quite like this one! This book goes beyond just observing - it's meant to fully engage kids in the world of nature, to get them looking and listening and thinking and feeling and pretending. It's beautiful. It might be a bit much for some readers who are looking for a few quick activities to try while they're playing outside, but for those who are looking to have a more meaningful experience during their time spent outdoors, this is a great guide for that.

The book contains an introduction (which explains a bit about the book and how to use it, as well as inviting readers to discover a "nature nickname" for themselves), then 5 sections: first a general "get to know your backyard" section, then sections devoted to trees, mammals, birds, and community. Each section has 3 exploration activities, such as mapping, tracking, journaling, or practicing skills like looking with "owl eyes" or listening with "deer ears". Scattered throughout the book are short pieces about experiences with nature from the author as well as other writers, photos of plants and animals, and blank sections with questions and prompts for writing or drawing. The author explains concepts such as habitats, tracking, bird sounds, etc. and then includes some activities to further explore the topics. The book ends with a section called "Your Backyard Journey Continues," where all the amazing things readers have learned and done throughout the book are recapped, adding a nice feeling of accomplishment. For readers who are interested (and willing to pay a fee), there are also instructions for submitting the work done within the book for a "backyard nature guide certification" (aka: certificate of completion) through the Flying Deer Nature Center, which is a wilderness school for kids and families; its Program Director, Devin Franklin, is the author of the book. Finally, there's a "Connections" section with information and websites for other nature organizations and programs.

For some readers, perhaps those who are just starting to form an appreciation for the outdoors, it may feel a bit overwhelming - there are a lot of activities, and many require a lot of patient, quiet observing. But for readers who want to start paying more attention to their surroundings and learning how to really listen to and learn from nature, this is a goldmine of exercises and ideas. I think this book will inspire a true love of and appreciation for nature in a lot of kids, setting them on the path to becoming budding naturalists.

Final verdict: I loved it! I thought this book was good! I enjoyed reading it and I would probably recommend it to others.

{ Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy.
My reviews are honest and my opinions are my own; 

your reading experience may vary, so give it a read and see what you think. :) }

Review: The Lost Book of Adventure by the Unknown Adventurer

The Lost Book of Adventure: from the notebooks of the Unknown Adventurer
by the Unknown Adventurer; edited by Teddy Keen

Available as: hardcover, Kindle edition
Pages: 192
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books
Publication date: March 5, 2019
Suggested tags: middle grade, nonfiction, nature, adventure



From Goodreads:

"A facsimile edition of the tattered notebooks of the Unknown Adventurer, this love letter to the wild details everything you need to know about how to live and thrive in nature, from the principles of treehouse building to wilderness first aid.

If you are reading this, it means my notebooks have been found. I am leaving them here at camp for safekeeping along with a few other belongings that I won’t be taking with me. The notebooks are a lifetime’s worth of knowledge, which I’m passing on the you.

So reads an excerpt from the weatherworn letter discovered by nature enthusiast Teddy Keen on a recent trip to the Amazon, along with sketchbooks filled with details of extraordinary adventures and escapades, expedition advice, and survival methods, annotated with captivating colored-pencil drawings. It is thought that the sketchbooks were created for two young relatives of the author. Drawing on Teddy’s knowledge of the outdoors, the pages of the sketchbooks have been carefully transcribed for young readers, as they were originally intended.

You’ll be transported by riveting adventure tales from around the globe, like being dragged off by a hyena in Botswana, surviving a Saharan dust storm, being woken by an intrepid emperor penguin in Antarctica, and coming face-to-face with a venomous bushmaster (one of the most dangerous snakes on the planet)—all told in lyrical prose and illustrations that wonder at the mysterious beauty of the wild.

Having inspired the adventurous spirit in you, the Unknown Adventurer encourages you to set out on your own adventure with information on wild camping, rafting, exploration, and shelters and dens, plus tips on first aid and tying knots. Expert instructions on wilderness basics, like building a fire, what to do if you get lost, and how to build various types of shelters are accompanied by more specific skills culled from many years of experience, like baking campfire bread, creating a toothbrush from a twig, making a suture from soldier ants, and even how to pan for gold.

Find your way back to your primal self with the immersive text and glorious color artwork of this one-of-a-kind adventure book.

REMEMBER: be good, be adventurous…and look after your parents."

Where... where do I begin with this... I am speechless. I closed the book and felt like I was still lost inside it. And that is an instant *favorite* for me.

If I had been given this book when I was younger, this would have been one of my most treasured books. I would have read it over and over and over. I would have studied the skills it teaches, practiced them with whatever I could find in my backyard, and imagined myself going on adventures all over the world.

This is such an amazing, gorgeous book. It's exactly like opening up an adventurer's notebook: seeing all their beautiful watercolor sketches and handwritten details of their adventures, with little notes and reminders written just for you. It's filled with facts about nature and wildlife, about camping in all kinds of environments, about necessary skills and safety when out on an adventure. It's filled with illustrations to study, words to devour, information to absorb. It's absolutely incredible.

It looks like the age range for this book is middle grade through young adult; I think middle grade readers would probably enjoy this the most, and I think this book would appeal to so many different interests and purposes. Art lovers have a watercolor masterpiece to enjoy on every page. Fans of adventure stories have a journal full of snippets of adventures from all over the world. If you're looking for a book to spark imagination, to use as a story starter or a writing prompt (for any age writer, adults included), this one provides so many opportunities to take the information and images on the page and envision what happened in each location, to tell your own story about the Unknown Adventurer or use the settings and situations for your own characters' adventures.

I don't have the words to heap enough praise on this beautiful, wonderful, amazing book. I'll be buying myself a copy so I - and one day, my toddler, when he's old enough to not rip the pages out of this treasure - can devour every word over and over again, and then imagine new adventures of our own.

Final verdict: I'm obsessed with it! I thought this book was amazing! It's now officially one of my favorite books! I shall be shouting about it from the rooftops for days and I am currently recommending it to everyone I come in contact with!

{ Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy.
My reviews are honest and my opinions are my own; 

your reading experience may vary, so give it a read and see what you think. :) }

Review: A Year of Nature Poems by Joseph Coelho

Each week on my blog, I post about a different theme: picture book biographies, nature, cultures around the world, and strong girls. This week, let's read about... nature!


A Year of Nature Poems
by Joseph Coelho; illustrated by Kelly Louise Judd


Available as: hardcover
Pages: 32
Publisher: Wide Eyed Editions
Publication date: January 8, 2019
Suggested tags: picture book, middle grade, poetry, nature



From Goodreads:

"See how animals behave through the seasons, and the cycle of trees and plants, from the first blossoms of spring through to the stark winter wonderland in December. 12 inspiring poems from Joseph Coelho, paired with folk art from Kelly Louise Judd give this book year-round appeal."

This is a gorgeously illustrated collection of twelve nature poems, one for each month of the year. A short introduction to each poem gives some brief background information on the subject of the poems. The poems are a mix of themes: some are odes to seasons, plants, or animals, while some are more personal poems about experiences from the author's childhood, such as digging a pond and picking fruit. I thought the strongest aspect of this collection was the illustrations, actually - they're like a peek into an artist's nature journal, and they frame the poems beautifully.

While this was a nice collection of various nature poems, a few things kept me from really loving this...
#1: Poetry is a really subjective thing, I have found, and what some people love, others do not. I'll admit I didn't love the poetry, but I'm quickly adding that that is my own personal opinion and I'm sure that will not be the case for many other readers! 

#2: I'm a little confused on the intended audience. It was listed under "children's nonfiction" on NetGalley, and it technically is a picture book, but Barnes & Noble has it listed for middle grade readers ages 8-12, which I think is more accurate. I found the poems too complicated and wordy to be intended as a read-aloud picture book to younger readers; I think they'd enjoy looking at the pictures, but the poems would probably go right over most of their heads. However, for middle grade readers who have probably started reading and evaluating poetry in school, I think the poems would be just right, especially for those who are particularly interested in poetry or nature - perhaps even better if read with a parent or other caring adult who could help them with certain words or concepts they might not be familiar with.

#3: I wish the words about how nature has been negatively affected by humans had been accompanied by some words about how we can help. There are a few poems that mention issues such as habitat destruction, climate change, and humans' effect on population numbers. For example, the introduction to one poem states, "The number of amphibians are in decline, they have suffered from an increase in disease and a lack of habitat as we build and bulldoze." The poem talks about how the author used to collect tadpoles and watch them grown, but now it's "too dangerous" to do that because there aren't many frogs left and their habitats are disappearing. ... Ok, and?? Here's a perfect chance to introduce young readers to conservation, and the idea that they can make a difference! What about asking their parents/caregivers to help them add a frog-friendly space to their yard? It could be as complex as building a pond to as easy as making hiding places like a small garden or a toad abode. What about helping to conserve water where frogs and other animals make their homes by turning off the faucet in between brushing your teeth or washing the dishes, or collecting rainwater to use for watering your plants instead of using the hose? What about checking out books from the library to learn more about how to help protect frogs and their habitats, or finding websites like this one from the National Wildlife Federation blog? There are so many ideas! It would have been so easy to add a few lines or bullet points with brief ideas for actions at the end of a poem, or add some back matter with more resources.

Those 3 things being said, I still did like it, I just didn't love it like I expected to love a collection of nature poems with that gorgeous cover to go with it. For the right audience (in my opinion, a reader in the "middle grade" range rather than younger picture book readers, who is interested in poetry and the environment), I think this would be a hit.  

Final verdict: I liked it! I thought this book was good! I enjoyed reading it and I would probably recommend it to others.

{ Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher* for providing me with a review copy.
My reviews are honest and my opinions are my own; 

your reading experience may vary, so give it a read and see what you think. :) }

* p.s. Have you heard of Wide-Eyed Editions from Quarto Publishing Group? They publish nonfiction for young readers with the most GORGEOUS covers. This was my first book of theirs that I've had the pleasure to read, but it will not be my last! Here is a list of their books and those covers make me want to read them ALLLL!!!!

Pea-Sized Reviews: Enchantee -&- The Wren Hunt

Enchantée
by Gita Trelease

Available as: hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition, ebook, audiobook
Pages: 459
Publisher: Flatiron/Macmillan
Publication date: February 5, 2019
Suggested tags: young adult, historical fantasy, 18th century, France


First in the Enchantée series. From Goodreads:

"Paris in 1789 is a labyrinth of twisted streets, filled with beggars, thieves, revolutionaries—and magicians...

When smallpox kills her parents, Camille Durbonne must find a way to provide for her frail, naive sister while managing her volatile brother. Relying on petty magic—la magie ordinaire—Camille painstakingly transforms scraps of metal into money to buy the food and medicine they need. But when the coins won’t hold their shape and her brother disappears with the family’s savings, Camille must pursue a richer, more dangerous mark: the glittering court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

With dark magic forbidden by her mother, Camille transforms herself into the ‘Baroness de la Fontaine’ and is swept up into life at the Palace of Versailles, where aristocrats both fear and hunger for la magie. There, she gambles at cards, desperate to have enough to keep herself and her sister safe. Yet the longer she stays at court, the more difficult it becomes to reconcile her resentment of the nobles with the enchantments of Versailles. And when she returns to Paris, Camille meets a handsome young balloonist—who dares her to hope that love and liberty may both be possible.

But la magie has its costs. And when Camille loses control of her secrets, the game she's playing turns deadly. Then revolution erupts, and she must choose—love or loyalty, democracy or aristocracy, freedom or magic—before Paris burns… "

YA historical fantasy? About Revolutionary France? With magic? OH YES. Dang, I loved this. It hit all the right notes for me - *just* enough drama, *just* enough magic, *just* enough romance. Reading about Camille living her double life, swinging between poor peasant girl and magical card-playing baroness, while also flirting with her hot-air-balooning beau, was amazing. I never learned French in school unfortunately (quel dommage!), but I've picked up just enough along the way that all the simple French phrases that were thrown in to Enchantée kind of added to the immersive feeling for me - and this book did a pretty fantastic job of drawing me in and making me feel like I was really there in this magical version of Revolutionary France. The only drawback I found was that I could kind of see how it was going to end up as the final chapters were playing out, but that didn't stop me from enjoying it and being a bit stressed out frankly over the high stakes of it all... Ah, it was so good. They're saying this is a series which, *shrug* I don't know, I felt like the first one wrapped it up pretty well? But if there's another, I will certainement be reading it!

Final verdict: I loved it! I thought this book was great! I might buy it for myself and I would definitely recommend it to others.



The Wren Hunt
by Mary Watson

Available as: hardcover, paperback, Kindle edition, ebook, audiobook
Pages: 432
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Publication date: November 6, 2018
Suggested tags: young adult, fantasy, romance



From Goodreads:

"Every Christmas, Wren is chased through the woods near her isolated village by her family's enemies—the Judges—and there’s nothing that she can do to stop it. Once her people, the Augurs, controlled a powerful magic. But now that power lies with the Judges, who are set on destroying her kind for good.

In a desperate bid to save her family, Wren takes a dangerous undercover assignment—as an intern to an influential Judge named Cassa Harkness. Cassa has spent her life researching a transformative spell, which could bring the war between the factions to its absolute end. Caught in a web of deceit, Wren must decide whether or not to gamble on the spell and seal the Augurs’ fate."

I feel like this synopsis doesn't really explain all that the book is about... but then I feel like *I* can't really explain it either. It's really unusual, but in a really good way. The magic is so interesting - it feels natural, and ancient, and logical, and... I don't know, but I loved it. Definitely my favorite aspect of the book. I also liked Wren's "dangerous undercover assignment" plotline - I felt like that was exciting and nerve-wracking and pretty well done. I gotta be honest though, I didn't really understand the meaning or purpose of Wren being chased through the town on Christmas? I missed something there. Probably something deep and symbolic that went over my head. The romance was *ok* for me, but I didn't really come for the romance, since it's not really mentioned in the synopsis at all. Overall, I thought the set-up for the story was great - a really creative and unique magic system, and a tense infiltration into the Judges' lair - but for me, it felt like it fell just a little short of what I had expected.

Final verdict: I liked it! I thought this book was good! I enjoyed reading it and I would probably recommend it to others.

{ Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with review copies.
My reviews are honest and my opinions are my own; 

your reading experience may vary, so give it a read and see what you think. :) }

Pea-Sized Reviews: Spencer and Vincent, the Jellyfish Brothers -&- How Do I Love Thee?

Long time no see, fellow readers! I've had some exciting things going on and have unfortunately let my blog gather some dust... but I'm dedicating myself to posting regularly again! Starting with some new picture books I had the joy of reading recently...


Spencer and Vincent, the Jellyfish Brothers
by Tony Johnston; illustrated by Emily Dove

Available as: hardcover, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 40
Publisher: Simon Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
Publication date: February 5, 2019
Suggested tags: picture book, sea creatures, siblings

From Goodreads:

"When two jellyfish brothers are separated at sea it takes all of the ocean’s creatures to help them reunite in this heartwarming tale of brotherly love.

Spencer and Vincent are jellyfish brothers who live together in the sea, their wet and shining home. They invented a little song which went like this:

My brother, my brother,
he’s sweet, not smelly.
I love him from down in my jelly belly.

One day a wave of superior magnitude separates them! The brothers know they have to do whatever it takes to find each other again. And they’ll need some help along the way…

Sometimes friends can really make a the difference. Spencer and Vincent is a story of adventures and the bond of family."

Really adorable tale of two jellyfish brothers who feel their love for each other down in their little jelly bellies and use the strength of their sibling connection (and the help of some ocean friends) to reunite after they are separated by "a wave of superior magnitude." Lots of great vocab in here that is repeated, and the illustrations are just too cute. I want to go swimming with these little floating blobs of love. And I can't say that any other book has ever made me want to go swimming with a jellyfish...

Final verdict: I loved it! I thought this book was great! I might buy it for myself and I would definitely recommend it to others.



How Do I Love Thee?
by Jennifer Adams; illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal

Available as: hardcover
Pages: 32
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publication date: December 18, 2018
Suggested tags: picture book, poetry, retellings, love



From Goodreads:

"A gorgeous reinvention of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's famous "Sonnet 43" from the bestselling author of the BabyLit board books and the acclaimed illustrator of Over and Under the Snow.

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

Whether in soft sunlight or rain-drizzled night or winter's frost-etched breath, three children share the love and joy of friendship while exploring the wonders of nature.

Bestselling author Jennifer Adams has reimagined Elizabeth Barrett Browning's beloved "Sonnet 43," best known by its opening lines, creating a lyrical, evocative ode to the love of family and friends. Christopher Silas Neal brings the poetry to life with his beautiful, imaginative, and whimsical illustrations."

A sweet and beautifully illustrated modern retelling of Elizabeth Barrett Browning's classic poem. The simple, lyrical words show the beauty in everyday moments, and the whimsical illustrations depict kids playing in nature through the seasons and finally being welcomed home lovingly by their parents. The original poem is included at the back of the book too, to introduce to young readers who are ready for their next literary adventure. I think this is a lovely way to share a classic work of poetry with young readers, making it understandable and relatable for even the youngest listeners through the beauty of both the words and pictures.

Final verdict: I loved it! I thought this book was great! I might buy it for myself and I would definitely recommend it to others.

{ My reviews are honest and my opinions are my own; 

your reading experience may vary, so give it a read and see what you think. :) }