Picture Book Review: Nature Books

Just a few picture books about Nature.

When life gets crazy and overwhelming, sometimes one needs to escape into nature. 

Nature grounds us and lets us remember to slow down, breathe deeply, and be present. I love how there are little Nature Knows moments in the book. 

* Book sent for review

A journal reflecting two types of butterflies, this book is chock full of information.

The illustrations are amazing; I love the set-up of this book.  The timeline goes through June to September.  There are several pages of notes about journaling, sketching, and butterflies. This book is fantastic for any nature lover and older readers 

Review: The Landscapes of Anne of Green Gables

 

This book was:

 part biography of LM Montgomery

part of Anne of Green Gables

and a whole lot of nature.

There were a few points that were redundant, but book was stunning - well worth the library check out for the pictures alone.

Here are a few pictures - I had to force myself to stop.

The house that inspired Green Gables 

Her parents and the house she was born in.

I can see Anne and Marilla walking down this path

I just want to be here

Anne's house

Perfection

The Lake of Shining Waters 

Maud's room - where she brought nature and plants inside

She had a love for flowers - just like Anne

This book made me want to go back to Prince Edward Island, which is not the easiest place to get to. Hopefully one day soon! 

Review: Seyoon and Dean, Unscripted

 

Twenty years ago Dean and Seyoon's parents competed in a wilderness reality TV show. They were both betrayed by one of the friends and lost the show. Now the show is being rebooted with relatives of former contestants. 

When they arrive at the filming site, they have a meet cute moment. They exchange words. Before too long, all the contestants are sent through a course. Seyoon and Dean end up together. She saves him. They both end up making the team after four people are eliminated. Seyoon is the last one to make the competition. 

The contestants are encouraged the team up and form an alliance. It makes sense for Seyoon and Dean to team up given their family histories. But neither of them are prepared for how quickly everything changes. One minute, they are strangers, now teammates, now fake dating to outwit their competition. But will it?

My Thoughts: I love reality TV show books. And this one was fantastic. I loved how Seyoon and Dean had different skill sets. She had survival skills and Dean had strategy skills. Both Seyoon and Dean have baggage and reasons for wanting to win the million-dollar purse. But there are plenty of misunderstandings and miscommunication. There are secrets and betrayals. I loved the behind the scene moments. I loved the fake dating moments while filming and the private moments between Seyoon and Dean. I didn't want this book to end. 

Cover Thoughts: Fantastic:

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A must have romance book for your school and public library 

Middle Grade Review: Winging It

Luna's dad got a new job and their moving across the country to live with a grandmother she barely knows. She's not at all excited. She's not a nature girl - even though her mom was. But at a museum with her father, she spies the moth her mom named her after. Luna's never seen a luna moth. They only fly at night and they have a short life span. 

Her grandmother has a lot of rules. It's hard keeping up with them all. Their relationship is strained, but it's starting to improve.

Luna meets the neighbors. One of them helps her start a nature journal - just like her mother's. 

Will Luna start to fit in - with her grandmother? with nature? with new friends?

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this graphic novel. I love how it felt like a diary with the calendar dates. I loved the nature part of this journal; it made me want to create my own. At the end of the book, it does tell you how to create your own. I felt badly for Luna as things were hard in the beginning but I love how she found herself. I love how she created relationships - especially the Nature Detectives. The camping trip was highly entertaining. 

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for your school or public library collection.

Picture Book Review: Over and Under the Coral Reef

 

 A child and father take a swim in the ocean; the father points out all kinds of amazing things. 

They see so much under the water. There's so much to see; it seems like a magical day.  The illustrations here are beautiful; lovely to our over. There's an author note that talks about coral reefs and how to help protect them. There's a list in the back of the book about all the animals showcased in this book and tiny blurb of information on each one. There are also some suggestions for further reading. This is the 4th book in this Over and Under series and each of them is fantastic. Perfect for older readers.

A must have book for your school or public library collection.

Picture Book Wednesday: Dawn

Spending the morning by the pond with its animal visitors and nature companions.

This is a beautiful book! The illustrations are soft and gorgeous. There aren't too many words, but the words perfectly match the pictures. There's a lot going on in this book - there's lots to talk about and lots to share.

A must have for your school and public library collections.

Review: Field Guide to Autumn

 

This nonfiction book is fascinating and full of information.

There are:

recipes

nature crafts

poems

nature questions answered

And the illustrations are beautiful

This is a fun nonfiction book to pour over.

* Book sent for review

Picture Book Review: Books about Nature

Just a few books focusing on nature:

This is a board book with cutouts of insects that showcase love between parents and child. There are cutouts in this board book. It's a beautiful book - with gorgeous illustrations. 

While this is a picture book, it's full of information and might be more suited to older readers. It's part of a series of books that are equally charming and informative. 

Two little hummingbirds grow up in a nest and travel out into the world. They can do things that most birds can not. These siblings are impressive! 

 

Picture Book Review: Mouse by the Sea

 

* This is the 3rd book in the series *

Mouse heads out on a vacation following the coast. Mouse walks along the beach, seeing all sorts of wonderful things from the boardwalk to the dunes to tide pools.

I love these books. The illustrations are charming and beg to be poured over. There are flaps that let you look inside little shops, homes, and nooks and crannies. There are author pages in the back that talk about the items in nature Mouse found. I hope there are more Mouse books to follow. This is a new favorite book. 

* As this book has lots of flaps, it's not recommended for library purchase

** However, it makes a wonderful gift

*** Book sent for review

Nonfiction Review: A Meerkat Diary

 

Suzi Eszterhas shares her journey as a photographer of wildlife. She's sharing photos and moments of her day. 

There's a lot of information here and amazing photographs. I love how Suzi and her team followed one family and watched the pups. I learned how they spend their day - eating and looking for food and playing. I love how Suzi and her team gave the pups nicknames. The pictures are so cute! There were some moments of danger and some moments of aww. 

If you like animals, this is on you won't want to miss. 

Library Recommendation: A must have book for your public and school library 

Picture Book Review: The Day We Got Lost

A mom, two kids, a grandfather, and a dog go for a walk in the woods. But they don't always stick to the path.

I really loved this book. I love how it celebrates nature. I love that it shows the frantic part of being a parent. I love how everything turns out. The illustrations are charming. 

Picture Book Wednesday: No Bear Anywhere

Bruin is happy to go on a vacation, he wants to find a bear! As they walk along the path Bruin finds so many things - but no bear.

My Thoughts: This is such a cute story - about nature and family. I love how Bruin finds treasures in nature with his family. I love the soft illustrations in this story. This is one to read again and again! 

A must have book for your public and school library

Picture Book Wednesday: T is for Trails

An alphabet book about hiking trails.

This is a beautiful book - the illustrations are gorgeous. There's so much information here about hiking (equipment, safety procedures, wildlife, and trails. Many National Parks are mentioned. This book is one to pour over and look at all the details.

Review: There's a Mountain in this Book

 

What do you know about mountains? I definitely learned about mountains and their environments. 

The illustrations in this book are soft and charming. Information about animals, how mountains are formed, and the different environments of a mountain the higher it grows. There's a glossary at the end of this book about mountain terms. 

This wonderful book makes a great gift and is perfect for the summer reading theme

* This isn't a book for libraries as there are flaps that showcase more information.

** This book was sent for review

Review: Big Book of Nature Art

 

This book will make you spend some time outside - looking at nature and collecting it. 

It uses a blend of craft supplies and items found in nature

The instructions are easy to follow and the illustrations/pictures are fantastic.

This is a wonderful book for crafts! 

* Book sent for review

Review: Controlled Burn

 

Maia's lucky. Or so they say. 

She's lucky:

She had an inkling something was wrong

She's lucky she smelled smoke

She's lucky she pulled her sister to safety

But Maia would also tell you that she caused the fire. That she feels guilty for wasting time. That she froze before pulling her sister out of the house. That she wishes she had been braver. 

When her parents drop her off at her grandparent's house for the summer, Maia can't help but feel it's her punishment. But she decides to attempt to conquer her fears and learn to control her anxiety. Can she become a braver version of herself? 

My Thoughts: I really loved this book - it was both heartbreaking and heartwarming. I wanted to wrap Maia up in a hug. I felt so badly for her. But I am also so proud of her - for so many reasons. I loved her adventures at her grandparents house - her new friends - and finding her braver self. I loved the moments in the box fort. I loved the moments with the dog and the deer. I love how Maia began to understand her grandfather. I tore through this book, not wanting it to end, but also wanting Maia to find comfort and to forgive herself. Grief and healing are in the forefront of this novel. I also loved the nature moments and how Maia found herself loving the outdoors.

Cover Thoughts: Spooky

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A must have book for your library's collection

Picture Book Wednesday: National Park Books

This series from Abdo Kids Jumbo is great. The photographs are amazing. Each book talks about echo systems, nature at the park, climate, and more. It gives just enough information to make the reader want to visit that park. 

In Maine, I've been here - to that exact spot on the cover. And it's fantastic. 

I would love to travel here.

Traveled to Zion a few years ago - really pretty!

Hiked rim to rim once a few years back and going again this year.

On my list of places to travel

Have you visited any of these parks?

Picture Book Review: Hike

I'm a big fan of hiking and so I loved this almost wordless picture book.

It's about a father and a child getting up, going for a hike, planting a tree, and coming back to capture the moments. It's sweet, full of the wonder of nature, and all about adventure. The illustrations are amazing. A beautiful story that's begging to be shared.

I love that more and more picture books are talking about nature, camping, and hiking.

I did a hiking storytime at the library this week. Here's a picture from it. 

I've talked about my hiking vacations a few times on the blog before. If you've missed them - here are a few pictures from Acadia National Park and one for Bryce National Park and Zion, and one for the Grand Canyon.

Are you a fan of hiking? Do you have a favorite hiking spot?

Picture Book Review: River

A traveler takes her canoe down the Hudson river and has herself an adventure.

This is an older picture book for early elementary school students. It's about hardship, determination, and adventure. The woman has a plan but of course things don't go as expected, but through it all, she stays strong. She meets animals. She sketches her trip. She makes the best of things. The illustrations are amazing and peppered throughout the story - in a watercolor format. The ending of the book is sweet. This a fantastic book to share!

* Release Date: October 1, 2019