Take It Apart!

You've heard of Maker-Spaces... now it's time to think about Breaker-Spaces!

Take It Apart

by Katey Howes; illus. by Elizabet Vuković 

32 pages; ages 4-9

Carolrhoda Books, 2026

themes: problem-solving, engineering, rhyme

Some call you a Wrecking Ball. Some say Destroyer.

A troublesome, mess-making, chaos enjoyer.

That’s because when they see you unraveling things, busting and breaking them apart, they think that’s all you’re doing. What they’re not seeing is the way you’re thinking about how something was put together; what makes it work; and how those pieces of broken things might be used to repair – or create – something else. There’s a science to breaking things down and sorting and storing the screws and washers, bolts and nuts and hinges. 

What I like about this book: This is a great cross-curricular book that links STEAM and language arts. I like how Katey Hughes expands on the concept of breaking things down. For example, when you’re reading and come across a new word, breaking it into parts is one way to figure out how to read it. And sorting is, at its heart, all about math (think: grouping). Furthermore, she points out that we aren’t the only ones “taking things apart” – consider the compost pile! One of my favorite spreads is where Katey shows how a big project can be broken down into smaller parts. I also like the end pages! Katey Hughes and illustrator, Elizabet Vuković worked together on an earlier book, Be a Maker which is every bit as fun as Take it Apart!

Beyond the Books:

Take something apart. Some libraries have “take apart” days where you can break down old phones, radios, and other electronics to see how they are put together. Is there something in your house you can take apart? Make sure you ask for permission first! And if you need help with screwdrivers and other tools, ask for help.

Sort a bunch of parts. Does someone in your home have a bucket of screws and nuts and bolts? Ask if you can sort them, and put them into groups of like-things.

Solve a problem. In our house it’s figuring out a way to sort recyclables so they end up in the right bin at the recycling center. What kind of problem can you help solve around your house? Once you’ve identified the problem, break it into smaller pieces and build a plan.

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by Blue Slip Media.

Explore Outdoors ~ funky fungi

 Still finding things to do from my beginning-of-the-month list... though I don't always accomplish them. For example: I've had no luck finding glow-in-the-dark mushrooms. That might have to do with the fact that I fall asleep before they start glowing... or that I'm just not in the right location. But I have found lots of cool mushrooms that don't glow! 

 

 What funky fungi do you see around your neighborhood?

A Visit to a Heronry

Heronry

by Barbara Herkert; illus. by Gordy Wright

40 pages; ages 4-8

Tilbury House Publishers, 2026

themes: birds, animal families, conservation 

Spring dawns at the heronry. 

The first bird arrives.

He lights with large, graceful wings, long stilt-like legs.

Page by page Barbara Herkert introduces us to a heron family, from the first sticks of nest-building through raising chicks to fledglings leaving the nest. The combination of lyrical prose and luscious art make this a wonderful nature narrative for reading to children. Aside from the hungry eagle, the story feels peaceful and nurturing. 

What I like about this book: I like the layered text. One side of each spread features lyrical text in larger print. A text box on the other side contains additional supportive information – perfect for an older kid to read, or from which a parent could choose a fun fact of the day to highlight during a read-aloud. The life-cycle of a heron provides a nice arc for the book, and Gordy Wright’s illustrations provide details that will have kids lingering over the page. Plus there is back matter for curious naturalists of any age, and end pages that will have you dreaming of flight- or at least heron-watching. 

Beyond the Books:

Learn more about Great Blue Herons. Here’s a video from Cornell Lab of Ornithology that shows herons fishing, and here’s their heron page at All About Birds.

Watch a baby heron hatch! Video courtesy of Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

How do you compare to a Great Blue Heron? Herons range from 38-54 inches. How tall are you? Their wingspan stretches from 66-79 inches. How wide is your “wingspan” when you stretch both arms out to the side? 

Do you eat like a heron? Great Blue Herons eat mostly fish! But they also eat frogs, crabs, snakes, grasshoppers and other insects. What’s on your dinner plate?

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers.

Explore Outdoors ~ Finding our Colors

One of the things on my list of Things To Do in Fall (posted last week) is to watch the maple trees turn red. Or gold...  So that's what I've been doing this past week and I've noticed something. For sure, there's a "peak season" when most of the leaves will be at their most brilliant, but there's a long period of time when just a few are closing down their chlorophyll factories and putting on their fall colors. 

 

Watching them slowly change as the earth turns towards winter reminds me that we all change in our own time. Some of us, like the trees around me, are the first to turn red, orange, gold. Some of us are stragglers, the last ones to paint our leaves and join the party. And in the end, it doesn't matter because we all get there.

 

How are the leaves changing where you live?

 

Sharks in Kansas?

Sharks in Kansas: The Ancient Sea in the Middle of America

by Melissa Stewart; illus. by Becca Stadtlander 

40 pages; ages 4-8

‎Random House Studio, 2026

themes: sharks, prehistoric ocean, nonfiction

Sharks in Kansas? Seems impossible, right? After all, Kansas is smack-dab in the middle of the United States – more than 1,000 miles from the closest ocean…

… and when we think of Kansas we imagine waving fields of wheat, not ocean waves! But here’s the thing: our world hasn’t always looked the way it does now. And Melissa Stewart takes us back in time to 85 million years ago to show us what scientists imagine Kansas looked like, and some of the amazing creatures that lived there. Back then, it was part of a vast interior seaway, with dinosaurs roaming the shores and sharks swimming the deep waters. Many kinds of sharks including the Cretoxyrhina which grew to 26 feet long! (That’s like five of me lined up head to toe!)

What I like about this book:  I love the diversity of sea life that Melissa introduces, with quick facts in sidebars. Not only does she tell what they are, their size, and where they sit on the food chain, she provides a pronunciation guide for each creature. That 26-foot-long shark, for example: kruh-tox-ee-RIE-nuh. Through words and illustrations we see the inland seaway shrink until all that’s left are chalky bluffs filled with coccolithophores and fertile soil beneath which the SHARKS lie! Back matter tells more about the geological changes over time.

Beyond the Books:

What did your state look like 90 million years ago? Check out the ancient earth globe.

Try one of the shark crafts listed at https://craftprojectideas.com/now-trending/shark-week/. I like the “feed the shark” activity myself.

Watch the sharks at the Georgia Aquarium via their “shark-cam”.

How long is a shark? Use chalk to draw a line 26 feet long on a sidewalk (or use a clothesline on a lawn). Have you and your friends lie down end-to-end ... how many of you does it take to make one giant prehistoric shark?

Melissa writes tons of books about science and is a member of the STEAM Team Books group. You can find out more about her at her books at her website https://melissa-stewart.com. You can find more about recently released STEM and STEAM books at www.steamteambooks.com

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by Blue Slip Media, who graciously shares publisher’s copies with reviewers like me.

Explore Outdoors ~ Things to do This Season

 Fall is here! How do I know? Things are falling all around: acorns, locust pods, chestnuts, maple leaves...

 

Here are just a few things to do this season: 

• watch maples turn red
• collect acorns
• pick apples
• find glow-in-the-dark mushrooms
• follow woolly bear caterpillars
• map monarch migration
• make leaf prints
• hunt for insect galls
• do bark rubbings
• collect flower seeds
• make a compost pile
• take a sock walk
• rake leaves into a pile and jump in
• take a night walk
• make applesauce
• discover where ladybugs hide

What will you do today?

Welcome Back ~ Let's Talk Like an Animal!

 Hello! Hola! <uncurl and streeeeetch>

Welcome back from that rather extended summer break. I got busy moving, and am in a new home in a new town in a new environment that I'm exploring on my daily walks. Since those walks involve a dog (my grand-pup) we often end up at the park with other dogs, so I've had plenty of opportunities to observe how these canines meet and greet their friends. So today I'm sharing... 

 

 

 

Say Hello Like an Armadillo: And Other Animal Greetings from Around the World 
by Zewlan Moor; illus. by Karen Obuhanych 
40 pages; ages 4-8
Nosy Crow, 2026 

themes: animal communication, movement, read aloud

People like to say, “Hello!” 

Animals do, too. 

From whales to armadillos, which “hello” is right for you?

If you’ve ever wondered how to greet an elephant or a whale or even an armadillo, then this book is for you. Just like you, animals have their own way of saying “hello” to friends and neighbors. From fin shakes and tongue clicks to waving claws, these animal greetings invite kids to follow along – and maybe even experiment with different ways they can greet their own friends.

 

 

What I like about this book: It’s fun to read, with large-type verbs that will have kids trying out new moves. And, in addition to showing a diversity of animal species, it highlights the diversity kids might find in their friend groups. Plus – there is backmatter that expands on the animal greetings introduced in the read-aloudable text.

Beyond the Books:

If you have a dog or cat living with your family, how do they greet the humans in the family? How do they greet new people coming into the house to visit? And how do they greet other dogs (or cats)? 

Learn how to say “hello” in different languages from around the world. Here’s a video to get you started.

Try some of the animal greetings from the book: click like a whale, stretch like an armadillo, wave like a crab.

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers.

Explore Outdoors This Summer

Summer is the perfect time to play outside! To string up a hammock and read books! To build sandcastles and ... 

 

watch fireflies
explore mud puddles
watch mud wasps build their nests
dance in the rain
watch a spider weave her web
listen to bird songs    
follow a bumblebee
look for worms
pick blueberries
ride a bike
look under stones
look for dragonfly larvae in streams
smell the earth
write haiku
hang T-shirts on clothesline to dry
get to know a moth
watch for bats
listen for hummingbirds

Archimedes Notebook is taking a break for the summer. You'll find my nature posts and 1-minute book reviews over on my facebook page this summer ~ picture books, middle grade, young adult, adult, graphic novels, fiction, nonfiction... because, Summer Reading.

 

Have Fun & See You in September October*! 

*we are moving... so book reviews and posts will happen once I get settled

Oooh! Aaah! Fourth of July Science

Bang! The Art, History, and Science of Fireworks 
by Ron Miller 
104 pages; YA
Twenty-First Century Books, 2026

review copy provided by publisher

“This book is all about pyrotechnics,” writes Ron Miller. He’s not lying; this book explodes with research on the art and science of fire and explosions. And beyond, because he reveals the more mundane world of matches, roadside flares, and other non-weapon applications. The first chapter lays down early history. From there he explores fireworks as art. Though he mentions that different chemicals are used to create the colors we see in fireworks displays, he doesn’t explain which chemicals produce what color. I was hoping for a color wheel… 

 

Ron takes readers on an armchair field trip to explore how firecrackers and fireworks are made – and keeps us safe from accidental explosions. Later, he takes us on a movie set where pyrotechnics are used as special effects. After touring world holiday celebrations that include fireworks, he touches on environmental considerations and mentions some alternative ways, and less noisy ways, to create festive celebratory displays.

Fizz! Pop! Boom! 

Here's how to make some quiet Fourth of July explosions in your backyard:  

•  Fizzy sidewalk chalk fireworks ~ pffff!
•  Exploding paint Bags ~ more pop than boom!
• Erupting Rainbow ~ Of course vinegar is involved! 

Explore Outdoors ~ Wallflowers

I'm always amazed at how persistent plants can be. They'll find a foothold just about anywhere! I once found a sunflower sprouting in the nook of a tree branch...

 

 

Where's the most unusual place you're found flowers growing in your neighborhood?
 

Pollinator Pit Stops!

I can't think of a better way to end the week than with this book!

A Pathway for Pollinators 

by Michelle Schaub; illus. by Blanca Gómez 

40 pages; ages 4-8

Norton Young Readers, 2026

themes: ecology, pollinators, plants

Flitter.

Flutter.

Buzz.

Hum.

Come … watch a meadow thrum.

As cities grow, meadows go – where will the pollinators feed? In this book, children work together to create a chain of pollinator pitstops that connect the wild meadows beyond town limits to a city park. From rooftops and window boxes to patches of yard, they sow seeds of native plants that provide what the local insects, birds, and bats need.

What I like about this book: I love the lyrical language Michelle uses to bring us into the world of pollinator corridors. And the text reminds folks to be mindful about the ways we tend the plantings, by avoiding the use of chemicals that harm the pollinators. Back matter discusses why we need pollinators, why the pollinators need us, and the importance of choosing the right plants for a pollinator garden. There’s also a section about the importance of pathways as well as why we want to think about trees and shrubs as part of a pollinator pit stop. From the end pages through the pages, Blanca’s bright images invite us to explore the world of pollinators and their plants.

Beyond the Books:

Make a map of your neighborhood. Put in flowering trees that line the streets, and draw in where  people have planted flowers in gardens or window boxes. Is your neighborhood a good place for pollinators?

Create a pollinator pit stop. If you don’t have space in a yard, consider a 15-inch diameter container for a patio or balcony. Check out the lists of native plants for your region at XERCES 

Go pollinator-watching. You can watch bees or butterflies, hummingbirds, or even bats (in the evening). Keep a list of all the pollinators that live in and visit your neighborhood.

Michelle is a member of the STEAM Team Books group. You can find out more about her at her books at her website www.michelleschaub.com. You can find more about recently released STEM and STEAM books at www.steamteambooks.com

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers.

Pollinator Week ~ plant some flowers

 ... or let some wild flowers grow in your garden or yard. Often, nature will provide plenty of flowers - plants that most folks call "weeds" such as: henbit and deadnettle, mullein, ox-eye daisies, asters, goldenrod,  red clover, Queen Anne's lace, and black-eyed Susans. 

When I want to add color and height, I'll plant cosmos, coneflowers, calendula, bee balm (monarda), and zinnias. I'll let some of the oregano, thyme, and basil go to flower - the bees love them. And I usually plant sunflowers and marigolds just for fun.

The other thing a pollinator patch needs is water. I pour water in a shallow dish and put in some rocks to give insects a place to perch as they drink.

And if you're growing flowers to attract pollinators, ditch the pesticides and herbicides. 

Explore Outdoors ~ Flower Flies!

 Not everything stripy and buzzy flying in my garden is a bee! Some of the hardest working pollinators are flower flies! Some folks call them hoverflies because they hover over blossoms. According to one horticulture educator, hoverflies pollinate strawberries, apples, plums, pears, cherries, raspberries and blackberries. 

So how can you tell if that yellow-and-black buzzy insect is a fly or a bee? Get a close look.

Not THAT close! A couple hand-lengths away should allow you to observe them without making them nervous. Look at:

• their eyes. Flies have large eyes that meet at the top of their head. Bees and wasps have smaller eyes that sit on the side of their heads.
• their antennae: Flies have short, stubby antennae that sometimes look like tiny clubs. Bees and wasps have long, thin antennae that are made of segments.
• their wings. Flies have only one pair of wings and tend to hold them out to the side when on a flower. Bees and wasps have two pair and tend to fold them over their back when resting.

There are 6,000 kinds of flower flies around the world - what kind do you see on the flowers in your yard?

Pollinator Week ~ bumble bees!

Some of the easiest pollinators to catch "on the job" are bumble bees... they tend to stay focused on their work, and they don't get too bothered by people getting a close look at them.

If you're lucky to find a bumble bee humming about the flowers in your yard, take a few moments to observe them:

• what colors are they? (some have orange stripes!)
• what kinds - and colors - of flowers are they visiting?
• do different bees visit flowers in the morning vs afternoon?
• can you hear a difference in the sounds they make?
• after visiting a flower, what's the next flower they go to?

You can make a "bee map" of your yard by following a bumble bee when she's on a pollen-collecting trip (but don't get so close that you bother her). Use some bamboo skewers to mark the flowers she visits. Poke one into the ground next to each flower she visits. Then when she flies away, draw a map of her journey and color in the flowers. 

Welcome to Pollinator Week!

 

This week is Pollinator week! And this year’s theme is Life on a Leaf: Celebrating Caterpillars and Host Plants. The theme highlights the importance of lepidoptera in the United States – the nearly 11,000 species of moths and 750 species of butterflies that pollinate flowers – and the  plant species they depend on for breeding, feeding, and overwintering.

This year’s “Pollinator of the Year” is the Swallowtail Butterfly. There are some thirty species of the Swallowtail here in the U.S. and nearly 600 species around the world – here’s the one I commonly see in my garden. You can find swallowtails around gardens, lilac trees, and puddles - they love slurping up salts from the mud. 

Pollinator Week is also your chance to get involved in a community science project: Pollinator Bioblitz. All you have to do is sign in on your iNaturalist account and join the project. (If you don’t have an iNaturalist account, it’s pretty easy to set up.) Then, during pollinator week, take photos of the bees, wasps, butterflies, moths, hoverflies, hummingbirds, and bats you see flying around and landing on flowers.  

An Underwater Fieldtrip to Seagrass Meadows

 

Meadows of the Sea: The Wonders of Seagrass 
by Michelle Schaub; illus. by Khoa Le 
40 pages; ages 5-8
Sleeping Bear Press, 2026

themes: ocean, animals, ecology
 

Where ocean meets shore, 

beneath the waves, 

vast grasses sway.

If you’re heading to the ocean this summer, you might want to know more about the mysterious wonders of seagrass. They form underwater pastures filled with leaves that twist and curl, billow and bend. Although they’re called “seagrasses” they aren’t really grasses. “They’re underwater flowering plants that evolved from land plants about 100 million years ago,” writes Michelle Shaub. She takes us on an underwater field trip to look in the nooks and crannies of the seagrass meadows, pointing out the fish, turtles, and other marine creatures that live there. 

 

What I like about this book: I love the lyrical language that gently draws you into the underwater environment. I also like that Michelle shows how seagrass meadows are integral to the health of the planet. The plants sequester carbon, produce oxygen, and act as filters to help clean the water. As tough as they are, withstanding wind and waves, the seagrasses suffer from increasingly frequent marine heatwaves and chemical pollution. Fortunately, we can all be seagrass heroes, and Michelle ends with a list of things kids (and adults) can do to help keep the seagrass meadows strong. Back matter includes a closer look at the marine life that call seagrass meadows home, and a glossary. And did I mention that I love the artwork? Illustrator Khoa Le fills the pages with colors of the sea, and the rhythm of the plants swaying in the tide. Her art is informed by her personal observation of sea meadows during free-dives.

Beyond the Books:

Get to know a few kinds of seagrass from the Florida Museum. Draw your favorite one.

If you are at the shore, put on some snorkeling goggles or wade into the water and look down at a patch of seagrass. If you stay still, you might be surprised at what you see. The best places to search are shallow, sheltered places like bays and estuaries, where the sunlight reaches all the way to the sandy bottom. Look for dark green patches of plants.

Check out Michelle’s activity guide for a Seagrass matching game, writing a poem, and how to be a Seagrass Hero (and more!) at her website, www.michelleschaub.com/meadows. Click on the “download here” button.

Michelle is a member of the STEAM Team Books group. You can find out more about her at her books at her website www.michelleschaub.com. You can find more about recently released STEM and STEAM books at www.steamteambooks.com

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers.

Explore Outdoors ~ Spittlebug Season

 

The other morning I headed out to take photos of all the spiderwebs in the "tall grass" - a section of lawn we've let grow. It's not so much grass as it is a mix of wild flowers and plants that have grown up. Along with the numerous webs, I noticed lots of spitballs ...

 

Yep, it's that time of year again: spittlebug season! Spittlebugs are juvenile "froghoppers" that suck plant sap, spill it all over themselves, then blow air out their butts to create a froth of bubbles.

 

 This is what they look like if you wipe some of the spit off their faces. Cute little buggers, aren't they?

 

 I see them on so many different plants, but I've never taken the time to make a list of:

• what plants do I find them on?
• do they prefer mid-level living or top floor?
• are there any plants they won't choose?
• how many spittlebug friends share the plant?

 This week head out on a Spittlebug Search!

What do you DO with a 40-pound Cabbage?

 

The Cabbage Seed's Colossal Secret
by Karen M. Greenwald; illus. by Alejandra Ruiz 
40 pages; ages 4-8
Tilbury House Publishers, 2026

themes: garden, food, community

If someone gives you a tiny seed, you’ll want to plant it in a secret spot.

When a child plants a tiny seed, she wonders what secrets it will reveal. She waters it and nurtures it and the tiny plant grows and grows and grows until it is huge! What does a kid do with a 40-pound cabbage?

What I like about this book: If you’ve ever grown a cabbage, then you know just how large they can grow! I like how Karen Greenwald shows her character, Katie wondering, and watching, and then realize that she might have to do arm-strengthening exercises in order to harvest the cabbage! And then how she dreams of what she can possibly do with such a huge vegetable… and eventually how this one girl’s dream of feeding people turned into a charity that encourages people to grow food for hunger relief programs. 

 

Backmatter tells more about Katie’s Krops and has some practical guidelines for how kids can nurture goodness in their own gardens.

Beyond the Books:

How many things can you do with a cabbage? Sure, you can turn it into coleslaw and sauerkraut, but there must be other things? Buy a cabbage and experiment with recipes!

Plant a seed – something you like to eat. And then watch it grow. Document its growth by drawing pictures or taking photos and measuring it. If you only have a small space, look for veggies that can grow in containers.

Find out more about Katie’s Krops, and see if there are similar programs in your area. Our town has community raised bed gardens behind the food pantry, and when people don’t need everything they grow, they donate it to the pantry.

In a couple weeks, on June 24, Karen’s joining a bunch of us to chat about writing agriculturally-related books over at the GROG blog. She is also a member of the STEAM Team Books group. You can find out more about her at her books at her website www.karengreenwald.com You can find more about recently released STEM and STEAM books at www.steamteambooks.com

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Explore Outdoors ~ Seeds of Flight

 I find dandelion puffballs fascinating. The seed heads look like a constellation of stars. Then, as they are blown by the wind, it begins to look downright scraggly. What amazes me is how dainty the fiber parachutes look, and how sturdy the little seeds appear. 

 

 

 

If you've ever wondered how far a dandelion seed can travel, the best time to find out is when they go to seed. Pick a dandelion seed head (no one will yell at you for that!), mark a launch zone, and pull off a few seeds with their parachutes. Then hold them up as high as you can and let go. Follow one (or more) and put a marker down where they land. Then measure the distance. Sometimes they fly so far you have to count "giant steps"...

 

Check out the dandelion seeds in your yard... 

 

Dive into the World of Aquatic Insects

 

 

When You See Us: The Mysterious World of Aquatic Insects 
by Katherine Hocker; illus. by Svabhu Kohli 
32 pages; ages 3-7
Candlewick, 2026

themes: nature, insects, water
 

 We are born on the sides of boulders or under leaf skeletons, in the waving stems of water moss or on a pond’s rippling skin.

Spread by spread, Katherine Hocker takes us on a field trip into the mysterious and fascinating world of aquatic insects. We learn where they hide, what they eat, and how they move.

 

What I like about this book: The language is luscious and lyrical and so inviting that you almost forget this is a factual look at aquatic insects. For example, because they have exoskeletons, the larvae need to molt (shed their skin) as they grow. Katherine writes that they eat and grow “…until we split open like flower buds…” which is such a cool way to think about underwater bugs. The illustrations are wonderful, capturing the feel of these insect lives both as aquatic larvae and as adults that fly through the air. And I love the back matter, where readers can learn more about the insects, and how to get a closer look at them in real life.

Katherine was one of the featured authors at the Sixth Annual GROG Arthropod Roundtable on Earth Day 2026, and you can find out more about her book – and her love for bugs – here. 

Beyond the Books:

Go water-bug watching. Stand or sit in a comfortable (and safe) spot next to a stream, lake, or pond. Then focus your eyes on a stick or stone beneath the water’s surface and gaze around. Soon you’ll see things crawling, swimming, or wriggling in the water.

Draw a picture of one (or more) insects you find living in the water.

Watch how aquatic insects move. Take a shallow white tub and a cup to a pond. Collect some pond water in the tub. Then scoop up any insects you find on or under the water’s surface. Watch how they move their legs, whether they twirl or dive… and write down some words to describe what you notice. Then put everyone back where they belong.

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.
https://susannahill.com/blog/

Explore Outdoors ~ a foggy morning walk

 Some mornings the fog rolls in and sticks around for a couple of hours. It's still cool, and the perfect time for a nature walk. Not only that, water droplets in the air stick to spider webs and make them stand out.

 

 

What cool things do you find on an early morning walk? 

 

Books for Sleepy Time

Today I’m sharing two perfect picture books to read at bedtime. The first is brand new, and the second – well, we’re tossing confetti and passing out cupcakes to celebrate its One Year Birthday!

Themes:  nature, bedtime, poetry

 

Northwoods Lullaby 
by Mary Casanova; illus. by Jordan Sundberg
32 pages; ages 0-8
Univ of Minnesota Press, 2026

It’s time to sing a lullaby,
a pine bough swaying lullaby, 
a lady’s slipper lullaby …
a lullaby for you.

From loons to foxes, bear cubs to peepers, this book takes readers on a gentle evening walk through the Northwoods. The poetry is rhythmic, soft, and soothing, and too soon the walk ends and we’re being tucked into bed.

 

 

 What I like about this book: I picked up this book because of the nature connection: Northwoods animals! That would have been enough, but there’s the lyrical language. The words beg to be sung to a lullaby tune – and indeed, when you go to the publisher’s website there is a link to listen to it. Then there is the art! Jordan Sundberg’s collage illustrations capture the softness of a lullaby, and the stillness of a frog pond as spring unfurls. She used a combination of physical and digital tools – scanning her watercolor washes, ink splatters, and even fabrics (for the texture) into her computer and then layering them into the illustration. 

 

 

This Is Not My Bed! 
by Jennifer Dupuis; illus. by Carol Schwartz     
32 pages; ages 4-8
Tilbury House Publishers, 2025

 

Time for bed. Here is my polka-dot pillow, but what is under my blanket? Sharp sticks, mushy mud, loads of logs…

No thank you! That is not MY bed! Page by page this young camper looks at different styles of beds, from a spider web to an eagle’s nest, from a coyote den to a woodchuck’s burrow. Jennifer Dupuis provides lists of bedding materials, some crunchy, some hard as a rock until our camper finally finds a happy ending.

What I like about this book: After reading – and loving – Jennifer’s earlier book, This is Not My Lunchbox, I knew I had to read this one. I was not disappointed. The fact is, no matter what sort of animal we are, we need a safe and cozy spot to sleep. I like how Jennifer compares different nesting/sleeping spots and shows that what’s comfy for one animal may not be the right place for another. And I love the attitude that shines through with the repeated statement: “I will NOT sleep here! This is not my bed!” I also like the way she uses the page turn to give kids an opportunity to guess who might sleep in such a spot before revealing it on the next spread. A fun good-night read with a dash of science.

Beyond the Books:

Listen to the Northwoods Lullaby, sung as a lullaby and listen to Jordan talk about creating illustrations at the University of Minnesota Press website.

Go to a spot of nature for an evening listening walk. What animals do you hear? In my neighborhood this month we were hearing birds singing their good night songs, and night-active frogs (and owls) singing out their “hello, we’re here!” greetings.

What kind of bed do you sleep in? Write down a list of the materials that make up your bed. 

Create a collage to show your nesting/sleeping spot, or that of an animal living in your area. 

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers.

Explore Outdoors ~ hairy leaves!

 

My garden is full of wild flowers this spring: dandelions, violets, deadnettle, speedwell, and these rosettes of fuzzy leaves that will grow into mullein plants as tall as me.

The fuzz on the leaves is soft, like velvet.  Some folks describe it as feeling like wool, but it's so soft...

The hairs help the plant conserve water by blocking the sun's rays and keeping wind off the leaf surface.

This is what they look like close up:

I wondered what other plants might have hairy leaves. 

Dandelions? Nope.

Violet? No hair there.

No for clover and speedwell as well. But the deadnettle leaves looked a bit silvery.

So I took a close look at their leaves... why yes, those are hairs. But whereas the mullein hairs stick out at wild angles, the deadnettle hairs look neatly combed.

Take a close look at leaves this week. 

See any hairs?

Sloth & Moth are Better Together

 
Sloth & Moth: A Better-Together Friendship 
by Helen Taylor; illus. by Gavin Scott 
32 pages; ages 5-8
Sleeping Bear Press, 2026

themes: sloths, friendship, moths, nature, symbiosis
 

Everywhere Sloth went, Moth followed.

From branch to branch, playing tag – and even down the tree for Sloth’s weekly “business” trips. As Sloth grew older, he outgrew the close friendship. Sloth wanted to be left alone. And for a while, being alone was good. But then he realized that Sloth and Moth are better together.

What I like about this book: This is such a fun book to read and read aloud. Sloth and Moth are great reflections on the kiddos for whom this book is aimed. Who among us has not wished an older or younger sibling would just leave us alone?! And sometimes, even best friends need a break. I particularly love the dialog balloons… when Sloth climbs down the tree very slo-o-owly, Moth repeatedly asks, “Are we there yet?” The illustrations are adorable. 

But you know what I really like? Yep, you guessed it: the Back Matter! There’s a great section on sloth-moth symbiotic relationships, a photo glossary, and a branch full of fun facts. Did you know that a single sloth can host more than 100 moths in its fur? I did not know that!

Beyond the Books:

Find out more about sloths and how they live.

Make this sloth-handprint craft out of paper. Here's how. Add your own moth.

There is mutualism happening right outside your door: pollinators and flowering plants! Learn more about a pollinator-plant relationship in your area and draw a picture or write a short story.

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Explore Outdoors ~ portrait of a dandelion

 I just love the curly hair on top of this one! OK, in reality I know those are sticky stigmas sticking up - awaiting pollen carried by bees, flies, wasps - all three of which I saw in the garden on dandelions.

This week catch a close-up of a flower in your neighborhood.

See Your World Anew

 Last week I shared The Nature of Play, a handbook for exploring the world around us in all seasons. This week I want to dive a bit deeper into the theme of exploring nature. 

Stickler Loves the World (A Stickler Story)

by Lane Smith 

40 pages; ages 4-8

Random House Studio, 2023

theme: mindfulness, wonder, appreciation

Many strange creatures lived in the part of the forest where shadow met tree. 

But the strangest of all was Stickler.

Stickler loves sticks more than anything in the world. Except maybe fluffy clouds, buzzy bees, and prickly plants! Our world, says Stickler, has some pretty weird stuff – this coming from a character with eight – or six, or five – eyes that never seem to stay in the same place.

“Oh, to see it all anew. Wouldn’t that be amazing?” Stickler muses. When an alien shows up, Stickler has that very opportunity. The two set out to see the world, Stickler narrating all the wonders as they walk. Puffballs (dandelion seed heads), rocks, the wind…  the changing colors of the sunset.

What I like  LOVE about this book: As Stickler “shows” things to the space alien, readers can see things Stickler either misses or simply ignores. That space helmet? Not a helmet at all. When Stickler alludes to all the wonders we pass by every day “without even noticing,” we can see the creature in the woods. 

I love the language. The wind is like a whisper. Maple samaras whirl, twirl, spin as they fall. I especially love it when Stickler discovers who is really under that space helmet, and how they have both had their eyes “opened” that day. I love the art!

Beyond the Books:

Share the world outside your house with someone who can’t see it. Maybe blindfold a friend and describe what you see, smell, feel. Or call a cousin and tell them about the nature right outside your door.

Paint or draw a picture of the nature growing around you. How does creating art influence the way you see your world?

Collect some bits of nature that are on the ground – acorns, fallen leaves, sticks, stones – and pay attention to how they feel, their colors, whether they have a smell.

Describe the wind, how the sunshine feels, what the earth smells like before (or after) rain. 

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. I borrowed this book from my local library, Candor Free Library.