friday's five, the beauty of nature

Spring has (supposedly) sprung, so what better topic to explore in picture books than nature right about now? I'm a huge fan of getting little ones outdoors and encouraging them to observe and enjoy the natural world. These books have varying focuses, but they all involve appreciating some part of the world around us.

Let's do this!

1. A BIG Mooncake for Little Star written and illustrated by Grace Lin

2019 Caldecott Honor Book

When Mama makes a large and delicious mooncake, she reminds her daughter, Little Star, not to eat it, but Little Star just can't help herself. That first night she takes just a few nibbles before rushing back to bed. But, night after night, she does the same thing, and soon enough, the mooncake's shape begins to change. By the end of the month, all that's left are some crumbs, and it's time to make another one! Lin's delightful illustrations and lovely relationship between mother and child make for a fun way to talk about the moon's cycle.

2. Flame written and illustrated by Chengliang Zhu and translated by Helen Wang

This book is written in Chinese with English translations in the end accompanied by smaller versions of the illustrations. For English-readers, the main part of the book can first be read like a wordless picture book, building the story from the images and then can be compared to the English text. A mother fox faces the loss of one of her babies because of deforestation and hunters, but her determination is strong and she works hard to get her baby back. The story is fast-paced with beautiful illustrations that keep the action going.

3. They Say Blue written and illustrated by Jillian Tamaki

I was so drawn in by this cover illustration and every page brought the same joy-- it's simply gorgeous. Tamaki has written a book that introduces the concepts of colors, seasons, and emotions all woven together into a lovely narrative that follows a young child's daily life. The child is observant and emotionally expressive, and the story is rich and evocative. I love everything about this one.

4. Quiet written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola

There is a joy to be found in the quiet, and this lovely little picture book by one of the masters of kid lit is perfect in its simplicity. This won't be a long read-aloud experience, but there is much to be discussed and observed beyond the text. This is the type of book that would be great to bring outside to be enjoyed so that young children can draw parallels to the world around them. dePaola's distinctive illustrative style brings a spring day in the park to beautiful life in bold lines and pastel colors. I adore everything about this book!

5. The Stuff of Stars written by Marion Dane Bauer and illustrated by Ekua Holmes

Okay, this one is quite different than most picture books in content and style, and with its subject being the creation of the universe as we know it, it's a bit more complex and abstract than might work with younger children. As a whole, though, it's a gorgeous exploration of how everything came to be and how wonderful our world truly is. The artwork is amazing in its splattering colors, and younger children may just be drawn to the illustrations which are conducive to conversation, too. 

Happy reading!