WHEN MOLLY ATE THE STARS
A girl reaches for the stars, only to gobble them up in this enchanting picture book about selflessness, generosity, and friendship.
Have you ever tasted the stars? On a cold, clear night, Molly gazes up at the bright stars above, which look good enough to eat. If she could reach far enough surely it wouldn't hurt to try just one. Would it?
Luminous and dreamlike as a falling star, this gorgeously illustrated picture book is a modern fable that shares timeless truths—how the consequences of our actions affect those around us and how generosity and friendship glow brightest of all.
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BEATRICE WAS A TREE
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Beatrice dreams of becoming a tree. She grows roots and leaves, and she stretches her branches toward the sky.
From Joyce Hesselberth, the award-winning creator of Mapping Sam and Pitter Pattern, Beatrice Was a Tree introduces young readers to everything there is to know about trees. This beautifully illustrated informational picture book is an exceptional choice for home as well as classroom sharing. Includes backmatter about the science of trees.
When it’s time to go to bed, Beatrice imagines how much fun it would be to stay outside with the trees all night long. If she were a tree, she would have a trunk and branches and lots of leaves. Her roots would reach deep. She would catch the morning sun with her limbs and cradle a bird’s nest in her branches. And when the air turned crisp, Beatrice would wait patiently for spring.
Beatrice Was a Tree is a great read-aloud that illuminates the importance of trees to our planet. This picture book includes information about tree anatomy, shows how trees change with each season, gives a simple explanation of photosynthesis, and includes a checklist of animals that appear throughout the story. A perfect pick for language arts and science classrooms, as well as story time.
PITTER PATTERN
Patterns are everywhere! How many can you find?
Pitter, pitter, pat! Pitter, pitter, pat! Hey, it’s a pitter, pitter, pattern!
Lu and her friends love spotting patterns in their daily activities. Lu learns that patterns can be found at soccer practice, during her piano lessons, in dance class, at snack time, and even at the park! How many patterns can you spot as Lu goes about her week?
“The puzzle-like spreads invite readers to consider what type of patterns appear on each page and then to anticipate an element and fill in what comes next.” (Booklist)
“Geometric illustrations are chock full of patterns to spot . . . There's lots to discover.” (Kirkus Reviews)
“Hesselberth incorporates auditory and visual patterns into her pithy text and mixed-media pictures.” (Publishers Weekly)
“An exploration of patterns that are easily observable in the natural and manmade world . . . A strong choice for group sharing.” (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books)
“In this concept book, Hesselberth follows Lu and her family through a week where each day is full of patterns . . . A picture book that invites discovery, inside and outside the pages.” (Horn Book Magazine)
MAPPING SAM
An adventurous cat named Sam explores her neighborhood at night in this gorgeously illustrated book. Informational, beautiful, and deeply moving, Mapping Sam is both a book about how maps work and an engaging, character-driven story.
Bologna Ragazzi Special Mention for Non Fiction
“First readers explore a neighborhood map of the feline’s initial travels before embarking on a journey that will take them to the edge of the universe and back...An eye-catching introduction to maps, charts, and diagrams for the youngest of cartographers.” School Library Journal (starred review)
“The flow of the story is smooth, and the introduction of each new piece of cartography feels organic. Hesselberth’s artwork...is clear and will show well in large groups. ...A winning choice for just about anywhere that’s on a map.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“After Sam the cat’s family is asleep, she slips out the back door. Where does the orange tabby go? With the help of a map, children see her path. Hesselberth uses this opportunity to explain the purposes of maps and their characteristics. ..Sam takes mapping in many delightful directions.” ALA Booklist
“For kids who like their days filled with observation and information, this cozy nocturnal adventure may be their ideal bridge to bedtime.” Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
SHAPE SHIFT
Round, curvy, pointy, or straight-shapes are all around us.
With vibrant illustrations that highlight shapes in all their forms, this informative book reinforces the identification of circles, squares, crescents, diamonds, triangles, rectangles, trapezoids, and ovals while encouraging kids to pair shapes together to make new forms.
"Get your sketchbooks ready: “Shape Shift” is the kind of book you’ll want to read with a pen and paper nearby, since it works as a storybook and a creative tool, too. . . Sure to inspire nascent builders and budding artists, too." The Boston Globe
"Most shape books ask readers to find shapes in the everyday world; Hesselberth does the opposite and sparks children's imaginations." Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
A CHILD'S BOOK OF ANIMAL POEMS AND BLESSINGS
These poems, prayers and blessings about animals are drawn from around the world and throughout history. Speaks to a child's sense of connection with the animal kingdom. By turns amusing and reverential, Blanchard weaves together a collection that inspires gratitude and joy for a world rich in diversity and wonder. Sources include the Bible, African and Native American cultures, Lewis Carroll, William Wordsworth and Christina Rosetti. Illustrations by Joyce Hesselberth.