The Forever Garden by Laurel Snyder & Samantha Cotterill

 

image source: Amazon.com

The Forever Garden by Laurel Snyder & Samantha Cotterill (2017)

by AHK

Laurel loves her next-door neighbor Honey, who is an avid gardener. Honey teaches Laurel about the joys of fresh-grown food, and the love of growing and tending plants and animals. One day there's a "For Sale" sign outside Honey's house--Honey needs to move in order to take care of a sick parent. Laurel tries to warn Honey about potential dangers of her new home, but Honey correctly interprets these warnings as Laurel's way of saying, "don't go" and "I'll miss you." Laurel wonders why Honey bothers planting strawberries, since they won't be ready until after she's gone, and Honey tells her that the garden belongs to everyone, really. Just as she ate grapes planted by someone else, the strawberries will be enjoyed by the next owners of the home. Together, they plant a tree in Honey's yard, and say goodbye. Eventually a new family moves in and Laurel teaches them about the garden. This one is probably too long for toddlers, but would work for preschool storytime or a special-event type storytime or farmer's market outreach.

Themes/Topics: Gardens, friendship, moving, moving away, nature, food, vegetables

Sample text from the wordiest spread:

We walk to the porch for a cool glass of water. "When will the berries be ready?" I ask.
"Next summer," says Honey. 
"But then...you won't be here to eat them." Honey takes off her gloves. 
"Nope," she says. "But someone will."
"That's not fair," I say. "It's your garden."
"This garden isn't really mine,' says Honey. "It belongs to everyone."
"But you did all the work," I say. 
Honey shakes her head. "I didn't plant the grapes. I only ate them."
"Then who did?"
Honey shrugs. "No way to know. But that's just fine. The new folks will enjoy these strawberries, the way I enjoyed the grapes. And if they add something, the garden will keep going...maybe forever." 

Bat Count: A Citizen Science Story

Bat Count: A Citizen Science Story by Anna Forrester illustrated by Susan Detwiler

Jojo prepares a campfire, waiting for the rest of the family to come out for their loving evening ritual to watch and count the bats that emerge from their barn. Years ago, there were many bats, but the population has dwindled due to disease, and the family participates in 'citizen science,' counting and reporting the bat population numbers. Drama is introduced into the story since they are down to a single maternal bat, and they hope that they will see her with a baby, signaling growth in the population again.  The family relationship is warm and the story is well-told, making this a good tie-in for STEM programs, and older storytime groups.

Themes/topics: nature, bats, science, STEM

Sample text from opening spread--this is a longer story.
The sun is dropping behind the ridge and the red-winged blackbirds have quit their squalling, so I know it's almost time. Mom and Dad wash the dishes while I gather twigs. When my hands are full, I carry them down to the fire pit and pile them into a little teepee. I'm allowed to build fires on my own. "You know the way, Jojo," Mom says, "just keep and eye on our baby boys!" 

 

Round by Joyce Sidman illustrated by Taeeun Yoo

Round by Joyce Sidman illustrated by Taeeun Yoo (2017) #ownvoices

Look around—what round things do you see? For a little girl who loves round things, this book explores the many places she sees her favorite shape, and the sensory delight she finds in roundness. This book doesn’t rhyme, but Sidman’s chops as a poet are on full display in the first-person narrative. The words, as smooth and rich as a ripe berry, burst in your mouth and beg to be read out loud. Yoo’s illustrations are soft and lovely, inviting readers to spend time looking. Just lovely!

Themes/topics: Shapes, outdoors, nature, friendship, the moon

Sample text from final three spreads:
I can be round, too…in a circle of friends with no one left out.
Or, I can curl by myself in a warm, round ball.
I love round things. 

How to Find a Fox by Nilah Magruder

How to Find a Fox by Nilah Magruder (2016) #ownvoices

A plucky little adventurer sets out with backpack and camera in hand—determined to find a fox. The narrator explains the best way to go about finding a fox, while the illustrations show the girl stymied at every step and the sly fox always just out of her sight.  As soon as she gives up or turns away, there’s the fox doing just what she wanted it to. Highlights include the fox disguised as an owl and a raccoon. Frustrated, she wants to give up, but the narrator instructs her to take a deep breath and a mental break before going on. And, of course, the fox shows up in the end and the final spread is a bunch of snapshots of their time together. I love that the girl gets to explore nature on her own terms, and the way that the text provides a script for what to do when you’re frustrated and want to give up. Kids will love looking for the fox’s tricky antics.

Themes/topics: Adventure, persistence, nature, animals, searching, tricksters

Sample text from two spreads:

Tread slowly over the ground. Foxes have keen hearing. You don’t want to startle them. Be sure to look for fox tracks. They’re like dog tracks, but sneakier.

Take a picture of a family of raccoons. They have bushy tails kind of like foxes. Put out more bait. Wait longer this time.