Tag Archives: nature

Butler Bookshelf

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Books can be the perfect escape, so for this week’s Butler Bookshelf, we’re exploring the natural world through nonfiction! Whether it’s a trek through the rainforest, swimming down to the deep, dark sea, venturing back to dinosaur times, or investigating animal antics—did you know wombats poop cubes?!—there’s a little bit of science for everyone in each of these week’s picks. Our featured book is Welcome to Whalebone Mansion: Creatures That Lurk at a Whale Fall by Laken Slate and illustrated by Bindy James. Take a dive down below to see what’s lurking in the dark depths of the ocean! Sunken skeletons, “whale falls,” make the perfect nutritious hang-out spot for a slew of spooky sea creatures. From vampire squids to goblin sharks—zombie worms too!—maybe it’s time to start your Halloween celebrations a tad bit early this year! (No scuba gear necessary.)

Check out some more nature nonfiction below! 

The Forest That Grows Around Me
Charlotte Guillain
Illustrated by Vuon Illustration
The Quarto Group / words & pictures
Available now!

Farting Fish: and 49 Other Weird and Wonderful Scientific Discoveries
Alice Harman
Illustrated by Sam Wedelich
The Quarto Group / Happy Yak
Available now!

Welcome to Whalebone Mansion: Creatures That Lurk at a Whale Fall
Laken Slate
Illustrated by Bindy James
Charlesbridge
Available October 7th!

From Bam! to Burp! A Carbon Atom’s Never-Ending Journey Through Space and Time and You
Melissa Stewart
Illustrated by Marta Álvarez Miguéns
Charlesbridge
Available October 28th!

3 Weeks in the Rainforest: A Rapid Inventory in the Amazon
Jennifer Swanson
Charlesbridge
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

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For this week’s Butler Bookshelf, we’re taking a trip outside to explore the outdoors and observe the world around us. Whether you’re listening for bird calls, searching for a giant sea creature, or watching a murmuration of starlings, there is always something amazing to discover in nature. In this week’s feature, A Forest Song by Kisten Hall and illustrated by Evan Turk, readers take a journey through the forest, noticing and appreciating the world around them. Hall utilizes the words of other famous poets in this cento poem to inspire young kids to think deeply about their natural world and observe the beauty that surrounds them. Featuring lines from writers like Edgar Allan Poe, Mary Oliver, and Lucy Maud Montgomery, Hall’s poem beautifully illustrates the vast wonders of the forest. Turk’s stunning gouache illustrations pair perfectly with Hall’s poetry, using bright colors to bring the forest to life. With whimiscal poetry and immersive illustrations, A Forest Song will inspire readers to step outside and soak in the world around them.

Check out more books that showcase the outdoors below!

A Forest Song
Written by Kirsten Hall
Illustrated by Evan Turk
Published by Random House Children’s Books/Random House Studio
Available now

The Pony and the Starling
Written by Jennifer McGrath
Illustrated by Kristina Jones
Published by Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press
Available now

The Search for Carmella: What Mystery Lurks in the Deep?
Written and illustrated by Chloe Savage
Published by Candlewick Press
Available now

A Sky That Sings
Written by Anita Sanchez & George Steele
Illustrated by Emily Mendoza
Published by Lee & Low Books
Available now

Wave Warrior and the Reef Rescue
Written by James Sellick
Illustrated by Patrick Corrigan
Published by The Quarto Group/Ivy Kids
Available now

Butler Bookshelf

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It’s officially the holiday season, which means it’s time to start thinking about what gifts to give. For this week’s Butler Bookshelf, we have compiled a list of books that would make any nature-lover happy! From board books to nonfiction, this list has something for every young reader, including The World in Our Backyard, written and illustrated by Jami Gigot. In this picture book, Gigot encourages young readers to look for the nature in their backyards, whether they live in a rural, suburban, or urban community. Gigot uses a soft, light color palette to bring backyard nature to life, showing realistic scenarios, like playing as animals and bugs “play their gentle country songs” (pp. 9-10) and splashing in water flowing from a fire hydrant. She also adds whimsy to the book by including imaginary adventures, such as bugs hiking through thick forests and children diving through a pool into an coral reef. Throughout it all, Gigot emphasizes the importance of paying attention and delighting in the nature at our fingertips, reminding readers that “the whole world is made up of our backyards, full of wonder just waiting to be explored” (pp. 23-27). With its colorful charm and imaginitive scenes, this book will make a wonderful gift for teachers, parents, or librarians who want to share their love and appreciation for nature with the readers in their lives.

Check out more nature-themed books below!

Creaturepedia: Welcome to the Greatest Show on Earth
Written and illustrated by Adrienne Barman
Published by Wide Eyed Editions
Available now!

I Bug You
Written by Dori Elys
Illustrated by Riley Samels
Published by Little Simon
Available now!

Peppa Pig and the Nature Walk
Part of Peppa Pig
Published by Candlewick Entertainment
Available now!

Magic Tree House: Windy Night with Wild Horses
Written by Mary Pope Osborne
Illustrated by AG Ford
Published by Random House Children’s Books
Available now!

The World in Our Backyard
Written and illustrated by Jami Gigot
Published by Paula Wiseman Books
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

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It’s time for another round up of new nonfiction books in the Butler collection! From books about environmental activism to facts about animals all over the world, our collection has an array of nonfiction books to satisfy knowledge-seekers of any age. This week’s Butler Bookshelf feature is Wonderful Words That Tell a Tale: An Etymological Exploration of Over 100 Extraordinary Words written by Tom Read Wilson and illustrated by Ian Morris. Inspired by his experience of traveling around the UK and sharing his first book, Every Word Tells a Story with young readers, Wilson collected over 100 words he heard from children and shares them in this book, along with their fascinating histories. Readers can learn about where words like “barbecue,” “chortle,” “orange,” and many more, as well as where those words originated from and other words they might be related to. Wilson switches between short paragraphs sharing fun facts and lyrical poems to keep readers engaged with the information. Morris’s colorful, whimsical illustrations accompany Wilson’s text to depict the objects, actions, and concepts listed in the book. Wonderful Words That Tell a Tale is an exceptional follow-up to Wilson’s first book and will delight word nerds of all ages!

Check out more nonfiction books in our collection below!

An Animal a Day: 365 Amazing Animals to Take You Through the Year
Written by Miranda Smith
Illustrated by Kaja Kajfež, Santiago Calle, Mateo Markov, and Max Rambaldi
Published by Bright Matter Books
Available now!

Brown Bears
Written by Dr. Nick Crumpton
Illustrated by Colleen Larmour
Published by Candlewick Press
Available now!

Ice Journey of the Polar Bear
Written by Martin Jenkins
Illustrated by Lou Baker-Smith
Published by Candlewick Press
Available November 26, 2024!

Loop de Loop: Circular Solutions for a Waste-Free World
Written by Andrea Curtis
Illustrated by Roozeboos
Published by House of Anansi Press
Available now!

Wonderful Words That Tell a Tale: An Etymological Exploration of Over 100 Extraordinary Words
Written by Tom Read Wilson
Illustrated by Ian Morris
Published by words & pictures
Available now!