Hello Hello

Brendan Wenzel speaks to the uniqueness and diversity of life in his latest picture book Hello Hello.  Its spare text ebbs and flows with an exquisite cadence and meaningful connections throughout.  The creatures in the book are joyfully rendered with a masterful use of color and careful, considered composition.  A beautiful harmony and balance are achieved between word and picture, with a profound ending that instills in its reader awe and wonder about the wonderful complexity of our world, but also the undeniable similarities that we all share.  The book concludes with guide to all of the animals appearing in Hello Hello, along with their endangered status.

Hello Hello was written and illustrated by Brendan Wenzel and published by Chronicle Books.  It's out on March 20 and is available for pre-order now.

The Things That I LOVE About TREES

Definitely some deep roots of nostalgia in this one as most of us have memories of content childhoods spent in and around special trees in our neighborhoods.  There’s something about a tree.  It’s a natural creator of community — people gather around them, kids designate them as meeting spots on summer mornings and they are settings for adventures and hours of imaginative play.  Commitments are carved into their trunks.  Weddings take place at them.  They’re also places where we spend time alone, sitting and connecting with our thoughts, or deeply engaged in a story for the afternoon.

The Things That I LOVE about TREES is the loveliest ode to trees with observations about their many changes throughout the year and reasons why they hold such dear places in our hearts.  In addition, readers learn arboreal habits of each season, such as how trees do most of their growing in spring and early summer.  And how “in hot weather, a big tree can drink as much as bathtubful” of water each day!  Charlotte Voake’s delicate, soft palette and organic, expressive line is a perfect complement to Chris Butterworth’s unique text.

The Things That I LOVE about TREES was written by Chris Butterworth, illustrated by Charlotte Voake and published by Candlewick Press. Out on March 13.

I Really Want to See You, Grandma

A sweet mixed-up adventure about what happens when Grandmother and Yumi decide they want to visit each other one day and things go humorously awry.  Taro Gomi’s watercolors have a way of gently unfolding a story in a charming, playful way, always with a beautiful palette.

I Really Want to See You, Grandma was written and illustrated by Taro Gomi and published by Chronicle Books.  It'll be out on April 3.   It was originally published in Japan in 1979.  

The Magic Garden

Chloe is taking a walk through her garden but little does she know that it’s a magical one and that wonderful, amazing changes happen there every day.  The wind lets her in on a few fascinating secrets about the garden’s creature and plant inhabitants.  A wonderful introduction to science, nature and seasons for little ones and an invitation to engage in wonder and explore the world just outside our door.  Included is an author’s note about eight different natural phenomena such as why fireflies glow, why animals have bright colors and how/why spiders and birds spin and weave.

The Magic Garden: Take a Journey Through the Magical World of Nature was written and illustrated by Carme Lemniscates and published by Walter Foster Jr.  It’ll be out on March 6.

Cycle City

Cycle City is a unique place — all of its residents are on bicycles!  There’s Polar Bear on a delizioso gelato bike, the Bunny family and their super loooong box bike and Owl making rounds on her bookmobile (one of our personal favorites).  We’re along for the ride as Mayor Snail helps deliver the last few invites to tonight’s event, The Starlight Parade.  Scores of special details await in this delightful story and seek-and-find adventure for fans of Richard Scarry (and their kids).

Cycle City was written and illustrated by Alison Farrell and published by Chronicle Books.  Cycling into town on March 20 but of course, available to pre-order now.