Maple loves her name. It’s a perfect fit for her friendship with her favorite tree. Maple sings and sways for her tree and watches its leaves dance for her in return. As Maple grows and experiences all four seasons, so does her tree. In the fall, she gives the tree a jacket to ward off the autumn chill, and in the winter she introduces it to a snowman friend . . . even if the friendship doesn’t last beyond the spring thaw.

But one day her parents have a surprise for Maple: They have a new baby. Will the kindness that Maple has learned in taking care of her tree help make her a good big sister? And how will Maple balance having two loves in her life, one human and one arboreal?

First-time picture book author and illustrator Lori Nichols combines pencil drawings, digital coloration and lots of white space to tell Maple’s story, whose pace is slowed down or sped up through alternating full-page illustrations, double-page spreads and multiple small illustrations. Details shown in the pictures but not mentioned in the words, including a curious rabbit and a trio of animal toys, make excellent discoveries for young listeners, although some pictorial cues might require outside explanations (like a reference to Maple “when she was still a whisper” accompanying a picture of her pregnant mother). This spare, gently humorous story will please any child who’s ever befriended a new sibling . . . or found a soul mate in a tree.

Jill Ratzan reviews for School Library Journal and works as a school librarian at a small independent school in New Jersey.

Whether you’re an adult or a child, this new picture book biography gives an informed overview of intriguing nursing pioneer Florence Nightingale. It’s not a surprising subject choice for gifted author-illustrator Demi (born Charlotte Dumaresq Hunt, nicknamed by her father because she was half the size of her older sister). Demi is well known for her biographies of historical and spiritual figures, as well as her fairy tales, folk tales and stately art.

Florence was born into a wealthy British family in 1820, but from the start “would imagine running a hospital and made detailed lists and charts of all the medicine, equipment, and expenses.” As Florence grew older, she felt that God wanted her to help people through nursing, even though the idea “horrified” her parents. She learned all she could and used her observations and extraordinary experiences to revolutionize medical care in army hospitals. While in the Crimea, she contracted a fever that left her weak for the rest of her life, but she doggedly continued her work from her bed.

As always, Demi’s illustrations are outstanding. They’re simple and spare, yet bursting with strategically placed bursts of color and pattern that enrich each and every page. Demi gives us glimpses of Florence’s elegant family life, filled with estates, carriages, fancy parties, stylish clothes and furnishings. She also conveys the immense suffering of rows of soldiers lying in a dilapidated hall filled with scurrying rodents. Her artwork deftly manages to contrast these two very different worlds in a unified fashion, rounded out with a nicely detailed timeline and suggestions for further reading.

Tracey Fern is no stranger to well-crafted picture book biographies, having released a handful of well-reviewed ones in recent years. In her newest, Dare the Wind, she tells the true story of Eleanor “Ellen” Prentiss, born in Marblehead, Massachusetts, in 1814. Ellen, “born with saltwater in her veins,” spent her days at the shore and learned at a young age from her father how to navigate a ship and operate a sextant. Because of Ellen’s desire for adventure and her competitive nature (“there is no glory in second place”), her father would often caution her—a recurring theme in this story—that “a true navigator must have the caution to read the sea, as well as the courage to dare the wind.”

After marrying Perkins Creesy, a man who also adored sailing, they set out on a ship named the Flying Cloud on a 15,000-mile trip from New York City to Cape Horn and then up to San Francisco, all in the name of reaching the Gold Rush. If Ellen and Perkins traveled the fastest, they’d receive a bonus as well. It was the dream of a lifetime for her, and she and Perkins set out with fearlessness.

With a lively and dramatic voice, Fern lays out the perils of the voyage—the ship’s mainmast breaks, and Ellen and her crew sail the ship around dangerous waters near the coast of Brazil—and captures the ups and downs of the journey with an almost breathtaking pace. Illustrator Emily Arnold McCully’s watercolors move with ease from placid, peaceful waters to angry, churning seas, and her playful lines give readers a solid sense of the thrill of the journey. In one illustration, we’re below deck with Ellen, shown with an off-kilter perspective, as if we readers are rocking on the waves with her.

Ellen’s voyage beat previous records and lasted for three years, according to the informative Author’s Note and tips for further reading that close the book. It was a remarkable achievement, especially during a time when a woman navigating a ship was altogether taboo.

This is an excellent biography of a record-breaking American sailor.

Julie Danielson features authors and illustrators at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, a children’s literature blog.

There’s something enchanting and timeless about the art of Barbara McClintock. Where’s Mommy? is a lovely follow-up to Mary and the Mouse, the Mouse and Mary, her previous collaboration with writer Beverly Donofrio. In the first book, Mary formed a friendship with a mouse; now, Mary’s daughter Maria has a secret bond with Mouse Mouse, unbeknownst to their moms. This happy coexistence comes alive in McClintock’s illustrations, brimming with exquisite details and creative parallels between the two worlds. The mouse dwelling brings to mind The Borrowers: A colorful sock becomes a rug; clothespins form a bed frame; and a thimble serves as a teacup.

There’s a crisis at hand, however. Maria’s mother seems to have disappeared, just as Mouse Mouse’s mom is nowhere to be found. Donofrio’s spot-on text moves the story along with increasing urgency, and preschoolers will delight in the frenzied search for these two moms and the reassuring twist at the end. Where’s Mommy? manages to straddle the best of two worlds, serving up a bounty of old-fashioned treats infused with just the right touch of modernity. Here’s hoping this won’t be the last of Mouse Mouse and Maria’s lively adventures.

Kristy Dempsey revisits a watershed moment in performing arts history in her sparkling new book, A Dance Like Starlight. The story’s spirited young heroine, an African-American girl who dreams of becoming a ballet dancer, lives with her mother in Harlem. The year is 1951. Struggling to make ends meet, the girl’s mother takes in washing. She also sews costumes for the ballet school, and the girl often accompanies her there. It’s a magical place, and the girl harbors secret hopes of joining the other students in class. When she dances by herself in the theater one day, the ballet master takes note. He’s impressed by her grace and invites her to take lessons.

Although the girl is forced to stand in the back of the studio during ballet class, she works hard and grows as a dancer. When she sees a concert at the Metropolitan Opera House featuring ballerina Janet Collins, the first African American to be hired by the revered institution, the performance proves incredibly inspiring. “It’s like Miss Collins is dancing for me, only for me, showing me who I can be,” the girl says.

A gifted ballerina, Collins was instrumental in breaking down racial barriers in the world of the performing arts. Dempsey skillfully intertwines the true story of Collins’ performance with that of her ambitious young heroine, building an inspiring narrative out of brief, poetic lines. Floyd Cooper’s expressive mixed-media paintings capture the transformative atmosphere of the theater and communicate the girl’s sense of awe and wonder as she watches Collins dance. His illustrations of old New York have a wonderful retro glow that adds to the magic of Dempsey’s story. A bravura performance from start to finish.

Sarah Rector was born on March 3, 1902, near Twine, I.T. (Indian Territory). Sarah and her family were “Creek freedmen”—black members of the Creek tribe. Like most Creek freedmen, Sarah, her parents and her three young siblings were extremely poor, living together in a ramshackle two-bedroom cabin. However, that would all soon change. In Searching for Sarah Rector: The Richest Black Girl in America (ages 10-14), Coretta Scott King Honor-winning author Tonya Bolden tells the story of Sarah’s meteoric rise to wealth, and the whirlwind of drama it created.

Sarah, her siblings and her parents were all allotted 160 acres of land, as part of the United States takeover of the Indian Territory. Most people in Sarah’s town made their living by farming their allotments or selling them when money became scarce. However, Sarah’s allotment was leased to a prospector during the beginning of the Oklahoma oil boom. When the prospector placed an initial, then many, producing wells, Sarah became very wealthy, almost overnight. However, that wealth opened the door to problems Sarah and her family could never have imagined.

Using the framework of Sarah’s unlikely wealth, Bolden offers a wide-ranging book discussing the creation of the Indian Territory and Oklahoma, the rise of black towns and boomtowns, and the greed and corruption that surrounds money. Searching for Sarah Rector draws upon photographs, census records, sensationalist newspaper articles and first-person interviews to tell a fascinating account of a little-known time in American history. Reminiscent of Steve Sheinkin and Tanya Lee Stone’s narrative nonfiction, Searching for Sarah Rector is an engrossing, fast-paced and extremely well-researched story that will engage even the most reluctant of nonfiction readers.

No part of Malcolm X’s life was free from conflict and contradiction, including his childhood. Raised in a spiritual and pacifist home, Malcolm grew up to espouse a more violent philosophy in pursuit of social justice and died violently himself. Malcolm Little tells the story of his early years as part of a large, loving family whose lives were torn apart by racial aggression. This lovely, inspiring book reveals how young Malcolm was able to draw on inner resources to find himself.

Author Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X, writes affectionately about her father’s mischievous streak and endless thirst for knowledge. Whether he was planting peas in the family garden plot or listening to his father preach, young Malcolm was observant and reflective.

Using a palette of autumnal colors, illustrator A.G. Ford emphasizes Malcolm’s wide brown eyes, taking in everything around him and gazing at his mother, who read to the children from a book clutched in one hand while folding laundry or preparing supper. A Monarch butterfly makes a recurring appearance throughout Malcolm Little, and Malcolm’s mother explains that it was once a caterpillar whose beauty develops over time.

Then one day, the Little family home was burned to the ground. The fire burning against the night sky is frightening, but the flames echo the gentle colors of the butterfly. Later, Earl Little died at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan. The family was then separated, and Malcolm lived with neighbors in the community. Isolated at first, he very slowly regained his confidence and a sense of joy by remembering the lessons his mother passed along.

Malcolm Little is a terrific introduction to a polarizing historical figure and an inspiring tale that children can apply to their own lives. We all face adversity at one time or another; it’s how we respond that counts.

Award-winning author Doreen Rappaport delivers another perfectly polished historical gem with To Dare Mighty Things: The Life of Theodore Roosevelt. In this impressive picture-book biography, she skillfully blends the personal and political stories of the nation’s 26th president, adding Roosevelt’s own words to the mix through quotes that enrich the narrative while delivering a sense of the plainspoken eloquence for which he was famous. (Proof that Teddy was ahead of his time in the sound-bite department: “Speak softly and carry a big stick, and you will go far.”)

This thorough yet kid-friendly narrative provides a fascinating peek into the politician’s early years. Born in New York City in 1858, Roosevelt suffered so badly from asthma as a boy that he had to sleep sitting up. He was a serious reader of books about science and history, but he was also a mischief-maker who loved pulling pranks. He graduated from Harvard University in 1880 and embarked on a political career studded with milestones, serving as U.S. Civil Service Commissioner, as New York City’s police commissioner and as assistant secretary of the Navy. In 1898, when the United States went to war with Spain, he established the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, known as the Rough Riders, whom he led in the famous attack on San Juan Hill. At the age of 42 he became the youngest president of the United States, earning a reputation as a “trust-buster” and an advocate of conservation projects.

Rappaport, whose previous biographies include Abe’s Honest Words: The Life of Abraham Lincoln, hits all the high points in Roosevelt’s life. C.F. Payne’s detailed illustrations have a timeless authenticity, and they successfully reflect the many moods of a multi-faceted man: stern speechmaker, intrepid explorer, fun-loving father. A reading list and timeline of key events add to the appeal of this inspiring biography.

When we first meet Vasya Kandinsky in The Noisy Paint Box, he is dutifully studying math and history like “a proper Russian boy.” But when his aunt gives him a box of paints, the book’s color scheme shifts from dull blues and grays to bright reds and yellows. As a boy and later as a young man, Vasya can hear colors in a way that will later become known as synesthesia. Unlike his contemporaries, he’s not interested in painting houses or flowers or people; he wants to create works of art that aren’t supposed to be anything.

Illustrator Mary GrandPré, best known for her covers and illustrations for J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter books, joins author Barb Rosenstock to demonstrate how words and pictures can work together to tell a story—in particular a story about words, pictures and sounds. Vibrant colors match equally vibrant, sonorous descriptions (“burbling green, clanging orange, and tinkling violet”), and the judicious use of a sans-serif font for emphasis adds typographical interest without being overwhelming. Sometimes sound-related words become pictures, as when Vasya’s clicking metronome seems to march down a staircase; other times sound-related pictures become words, as waves of color hiss out of Vasya’s paint box.

Attentive readers will also notice references to Kandinsky’s real paintings in the illustrations—especially on the final page, where a child carrying a stuffed toy similar to young Vasya’s completes the cycle of viewing and creating. An author’s note, bibliography, quotations and thumbnails of Kadinsky’s work will inspire young artists to learn more about this pioneer of abstract art.

This lyrical tribute to Sugar Hill, the historic Harlem neighborhood of the 1920s and ‘30s, and its legendary inhabitants packs a lot of information with an economy of words and R. Gregory Christie’s colorful, stylized paintings.

It’s a powerful notion—that one neighborhood housed so many African-American luminaries in such wide-ranging fields (but primarily the arts), from Duke Ellington to Zora Neale Hurston to Thurgood Marshall. Author Carole Boston Weatherford pays tribute to each with a text possessing a distinctive rhythm, which begs to be read aloud. But she also pays tribute to the ordinary (that is, non-celebrity) neighborhood dwellers, those who encouraged the arts and culture in the lives of their children: “Where grown-ups lift the young ones high and give them wings to touch the sky.”

The book’s font plays with color and type to accentuate the author’s rhythms, and Christie’s art pulses with energy and reverence for the subject matter. The book closes with an informative Author’s Note about Sugar Hill and the Harlem Renaissance and a list of Who’s Who from the book.

It’s a joyous celebration of community and a poetic tribute to one of this country’s most exciting cultural movements.

Julie Danielson features authors and illustrators at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, a children's literature blog primarily focused on illustration and picture books.

Brimsby is a hat maker. He lives in a tiny cottage in the country, and his best friend, a badger, visits daily to chat over delicious hot tea. When his bestie leaves to become a sea captain, Brimsby is lonely and sets out to make some new friends. Birds high up in a tree are too busy keeping warm to pay him any mind. When Brimsby returns with hats for each, large enough to cover their nests and keep out the wind and snow, he makes more than enough new friends in one fell swoop. 

One of many things debut author-illustrator Andrew Prahin does so well here is regulate the careful and generous pacing of this story. Never rushing, he gives readers just enough time to believe in the friendship of Brimsby and his friend, and he devotes two spreads to Brimsby’s subsequent loneliness. We feel Brimsby’s loss. In one spread, we see four seasons go by in 12 small vignettes, as Brimsby sews by the window where his friend once sat with him. Prahin also uses white space to great effect. In several illustrations, we see copious white for the abundant snow, as heavy-hearted Brimsby trudges forward to make someone’s acquaintance. It’s moving and possesses a poignant restraint.

The color palette of Prahin’s digitally created art is also smart, as he replaces the warmer colors of his best friend with the cooler, more muted colors of sadness and heavy winter. When Brimsby strikes up a friendship with the birds, glowing pinks are introduced. And when they all head out to visit the sea captain at the book’s close—new friendships never cancel out the old ones, after all—we see vivid greens, as everyone sits by the shore in summer, having tea as a group. 

Brimsby’s Hats is a very promising debut and a touching story of friendship from a storyteller I hope we hear from again. 

Julie Danielson features authors and illustrators at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, a children's literature blog primarily focused on illustration and picture books.

Eric Carle asked a handful of children’s illustrators a question: What’s Your Favorite Animal? The answers are creative jewels by 14 beloved artists, including Mo Willems, Rosemary Wells, Lane Smith and Jon Klassen. Children and adults alike will enjoy the varied responses, each on a two-page spread, including anecdotes, childhood memories and more—all with illustrations, of course.

For example, Nick Bruel, creator of the wonderful Bad Kitty books, begins seriously, with an intriguing pictorial essay titled, “Behold the Octopus,” about the marvels of these eight-legged creatures. Bad Kitty quickly intervenes, outraged at being left out, and the resulting interchange between the wide-eyed feline and his creator is hilarious.

Peter Sís recalls growing up in the Czech Republic, where residents traditionally eat carp on Christmas Eve. Sís describes people buying live carp from barrels in the street, then putting them in their bathtubs to keep them fresh. Often, he says, children become attached to these new “pets.” Sís explains: “You would see many families coming with their carps to the river and blue fish swimming toward the ocean. This gave us all hope! So my favorite creature of hope is the blue carp.”

Carle writes about his cat Fiffi’s treasured string bean (of all things). Susan Jeffers recalls her childhood dreams of white horses, while Steven Kellogg tells of wallpapering his room with drawings of cows.

What’s Your Favorite Animal? is a great way to explore a variety of children’s illustrators (short bios are included). Extend the enjoyment by grabbing several books by each of these artists, and you’ll be ready for a lengthy session of excellent children’s literature.

Let me tell it like it is: Bob Shea makes some of the funniest picture books today. He’s written and illustrated a stack of smart, entertaining books that are irresistible in their energy, wit and heart. He’s best known for his Dinosaur vs. books, and his latest is just as winning.

Buddy is a monster, and he means business. When we meet him, he’s barking at everything in his path, all in the name of swagger. (“You’re not so hot, SUN! You better run, birds!”) When he meets some cute, fluffy bunnies, he doesn’t mince words, announcing he’ll devour them all.

When the bunnies declare (and despair) that they’re about to bake cupcakes—we see them huddled together in fear from the inside of Buddy’s mouth—he takes pause. Even monsters prefer cupcakes first and bunnies for dessert.

And so it goes. Each time Buddy plans to consume them, the bunnies suggest another chummy event, distracting him and drawing him even closer to them in friendship. “I promise to eat you tomorrow,” he repeatedly asserts, all the while having rowdy fun with his new pals.

When the bunnies inform Buddy why precisely he can’t eat them (I won’t give away Shea’s comic rimshot toward the book’s close, though the title is more than a hint), he believes he’s been tricked—only to have his friends tell him that wasn’t their intent at all: “We wouldn’t do that. We like you, Buddy.” Cue Buddy’s joyful epiphany, complete with a happy dance.

Shea gets lots of humor out of Buddy’s exaggerated facial expressions and the bunnies’ overly (and genuinely) sweet antics. He’s liberal in his use of colors here, and no shades are shrinking violets, by any means. Everything is bold and vibrant. The playful use of font type and colors also add to the fun and humor. Buddy pops right off the page, and if the book’s title is any indication, we’ll see more Buddy and the Bunnies tales in the future.

It’s a story to sink your teeth into. Just have your cupcakes first.

Julie Danielson features authors and illustrators at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, a children's literature blog primarily focused on illustration and picture books.