QUICK NOTE: No Place Like HOME!

 

Eerdman's
Books for Young Readers
2024

When a  picture book gains wide acclaim, I realize that I need to squeeze in my own "AMEN!". That's true even though I had intended to take a few days off from posting. 

That's exactly the case with a picture book collection of poems entitled HOME. This remarkable book won starred reviews from School Library Journal, Booklist, and Shelf Awareness. It also made the Middle Grade NOTABLE CHILDREN'S BOOK LIST from ALSC and is a A 2025 Mildred L. Batchelder Honor Book from American Library Association. That certainly will get my attention. I hope it gets yours, too!

I'm always thrilled to share another remarkable picture book that spans so many genres: poetry, science, empathy, all with phenomenal illustrations. Regular readers here will know I'm a sucker for bird books, and this is no exception. Actually, the poems and illustrations focus on twenty-seven different animal species, but still- look who made the cover! Written by Isabelle Simler and translated by Vineet Lai, the poems are elegant in their full text and absolutely glow with imagery and figurative language.

Some further thoughts about it follow:

This poems ih this gorgeous collection are inspired by distinctive animal homes/structures, including water and land creatures, animals from insects to sea critters to mammals and birds. The book format is narrow and tall, with full spreads that glow with both detail and impressionistic appeal. The poems incorporate accurate terminology yet sing with mood and style. It's no wonder this book has won awards. It belongs in classrooms, libraries, and homes.

So, despite not having time to post for today, here it is! I hope obsession to get this out to reader will inspire you not only to read and share the poems, images, and information, but also to take a closer look at the marvel of nature that surrounds us. Spring has its hand on the latch of the gate and will make appreances soon. Don't miss the show!