I Am Not Boring: The True-Life Story of a Log
Lena Podesta
Ten Speed Young Readers
Ages 3-5
Available May 26th, 2026

This log wants you to know that it is NOT boring! It might not talk, or sing, or eat, although countless creatures like fungi, lichens, and bugs make it their dinner. He might just sit there, but its cozy insides make for a great skunk home, and its mossy outsides are the perfect perch for a bird friend. The life of a log may not be glamorous, but it sure is useful.  

In tandem with the quirkiness of her characterizations, Lena Podesta’s illustrations bring our narrating log to life in a way that makes it feel anything but boring. The wood is textured with colored pencils, and the surrounding flora & fauna, with that same sketchbook-esque style, add depth and movement to each page. The animals are drawn in a playful, cartoon-like style that keeps the story fresh, fun, and approachable. The scientific concepts are woven in smoothly, and it helps that the log itself has a bit of an attitude, making this an engaging, entertaining blend of both non-fiction and narrative picture book. 

The backmatter includes all of the log’s roles: house, food, gardener, and helper, and Podesta’s author’s note adds a nice personal touch, sharing how she grew up flipping over logs and ended up discovering just how much life they can really hold. I Am Not Boring: The True-Life Story of a Log is a fun, informative read, bringing charm & wit to a topic we rarely see explored in science class. Maybe logs aren’t so boring after all!