Susannah Buhrman-Deever

A simple but effective look at a keystone species. Sea otters are the key to healthy kelp forests on the Pacific coast of North America. There have been several recent titles for older readers about the critical role sea otters play in the coastal Pacific ecosystem. This grand, green version presents it to even younger readers and listeners, using a two-level text and vivid illustrations.

This arresting long-distance tale of animal devotion will captivate readers, especially bird lovers. Munro draws from actual events for this story of Katerina and Luka, a monogamous stork couple whose bond endures even the harshest setback. During the birds’ southward migration, Katerina is shot down over a village. A farmer and a little girl rescue her, bring her home, and nurse her back to health. Her mate remains nearby, afraid to approach, but eventually comes to her.

by Christina Soontornvat ; illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell ‧ Earth’s beauty and fragility provide the impetus for activism in this introduction to climate change. In the opening and concluding compositions, Bell’s gouache and digital full-bleed spreads employ a circular motif to frame and represent the book’s subject. “One person. / Small, quiet, / insignificant” appears on the landscape, a brown-skinned child wearing shorts and a green, flowing scarf.