Simon Abbott's subject-specific trivia books are jam-packed with fascinating factoids.  

100 Questions and About Oceans covers a wide range of ocean-related data including basic underwater geography and ecology, ecosystems, marine animal records, well-known marine biologists, historical shipwrecks, and protecting aquatic life. 

​Information is presented as a series of questions with corresponding answers, formatted in brief easy-to-read statements.

Bright colors fill the pages. Animalia have expressive faces with googly eyes and winsome smiles. Some scientific terms and animal species names appear in bold face type with the pronunciation in parenthesis.  

Text is replete with puns that will delight young readers and probably elicit groans from adults. 

This kid-friendly series is sure to be a hit with those who enjoy interesting and sometimes obscure informational tidbits.

Hearts are fragile things. A heart can be pierced. It can shatter. Some hearts may slowly bleed. Every person, at some point in life experiences the pain of heartbreak. Dear Heartbreak edited by Heather Demetrios is compilation of real letters written by teens. Young adult authors respond to these deeply personal teen self-portrayals.  The original letters and the author's replies acknowledge the reality of heartbreak. Each author relates personally to the down side of daring to trust, of wishing for more, of saying no.  
​Here's what I predict will happen with this book:   It will be read and read again.  It will be misplaced several times. Librarians will find it scattered throughout the library in strange nooks and crannies. It will probably manage to leave the library without ever passing over the circulation desk. Librarians will need to order multiple copies.

A helpful listing of resources includes six free private hotlines as well as contact information for several helpful foundations and organizations.
Brief biographical sketches of the YA authors along with a listing of books published by each can be found in the back matter. Becky Albertalli, Adi Alsaid, Libba Bray, Mike Curato, Amy Ewing, Zach Fehst, Gayle Forman, Corey Ann Haydu, Varian Johnson, A.S. King, Nina LaCour, Kim Liggett, Kekla Magoon, Sarah McCarry, Sandhya Menon, Cristina Moracho, Jasmine Warga, Ibi Zoboi

You could make a bazillion Instagram postings with your own photos and quotes from the book.  It is jam-packed with meme-worthy wisdom. Scroll through your phone. Pick out a few phrases and post away! Be sure to credit the author of the quote.

This board book is a little gem. Consider the following:

• The engaging text has a song-like quality using rhymes and rhythms.
• Lesser-known animal species are introduced.
• Math multiples, an interesting concept rarely covered in picture books, is a major component.  
• It's forever and always a celebration of the enduring love of a parent.

Heather Swain infuses the text with some powerful scientific terminology: appendages, arachnids, cephalopod, isopod, tentacles.  She weaves them so smoothly into the rhymes that they easily roll off the tongue.
Steven Henry's charming illustrations provide important context clues for unknown words.  The bold color pallet and winsome facial expressions on the animal faces are a delight.

Essie, daughter of a Savannah prostitute, spent her childhood nights sequestered in an attic above her mother' bedroom. At the age of fourteen Essie found work as a domestic, taught herself to read, and escaped a life of despair.

Dorcas Vashon, a frequent guest in Savannah, notices this servant and offers her the opportunity to move to Baltimore and start a new life. Essie changes her name to Victoria and commences a rigorous regime of training in the art of becoming a lady of refinement.  It is difficult, but she is inspired by the writings of Frederick Douglass.

This meticulously researched novel of Black aristocracy is a portrait of genteel life, refined manners, glittering receptions and, sumptuous meals. While some individuals fill their days with idle pursuits, others study and advance to positions of importance and influence. Victoria determines that she will devote herself to helping others.

Bolden introduces some of the influential people living and working in our nation's capital in the 1880's.  Readers will want to learn more about these remarkable individuals.

The voice. The first thing I notice about a Karen Rivers novel is the voice. Always distinctive. Invariably haunting and unforgettable.
Written in second person, You Are the Everything invites readers into the mind of Elyse Schmidt.

​Elyse and her best friend Kath are on their way home from a band trip to Paris.

​A smallish sixteen-year-old flutist with a penchant for drawing, Schmidt finds that her seatmate on the return flight is Josh Harris, the object of her unrequited love. As he sleeps, she imagines a romantic relationship with the boy of her dreams.

When this magical little book arrived, it immediately elicited oohs and ahhs from an appreciative audience. Firefly Forest draws readers into a world of wonder and possibility.

We placed the book among the twinkling lights in our garden. It is the perfect book setting. 

Frampton's rhyming text, often in the form of couplets, offers reassuring messages of hope and inspiration.

However, it's her fantastical creations: miniature homes and furnishings, created from natural elements and placed throughout the woodland setting that capture the imagination.

Purchase one of Robyn's miniature doors from her website.

Visit the delightful Garvin Woodland Gardens located in Arkansas. 

Enjoy the New York Botanical Gardens Holiday Train Show.