Blink!  invites readers to take an up-close examination of eyes with these interesting facts: detailed eye closeups of the bay scallop, with over sixty eyes, a dragonfly eye composed of thousands of lenses, the yellow-glowing "eyeshine" behind the bullfrog's eyes which helps it see at night and a whirligig beetle eye which is split into two different parts for seeing separately above and below water.

Boyle's lyrical verse introduces the eye of a specific animal. Leyris larger-than-life close-ups, zero in on the eye. Additional information is displayed inside animal silhouttes. Bold graphic design contrasts the silhouettes with solid background color. Engaging page design.

Leyris' richly hued images span the gutter, filling the entire two-page spread.

Back matter contains a diagram of the human eye and description of "How Your Eyes Work," an Author's Note, a list of Resources, and a Glossary.

Dragonfly describes in detail the evolution, growth stages, appearance, and behavioral characteristics of this species. Did you know that in it's lifetime a dragonfly will molt up to seventeen times or that dragonflies can fly straight up or down, backward, forward, and even upside down? Fascinating!

The narrative thread speaks through the collective voice of these insects.  Scattered on each page are a collection of interesting tidbits of information, expanding on an individual page's main concept. These informational bits shift to a straightforward third person point of view.

Bissonette introduces readers to precise terminology. Illustrations, descriptions, and some context clues assist readers with these scientific terms: naiads, nymphs, predators, molting, aviators, external, iridescent.

Pearon's jewel tone full-page illustrations are primarily in complementary shades of purple, blue and gold. Bold shapes, particularly the wings and eyes have a prismatic quality.

Back matter includes an Author's Note which provides additional information, including the insect's environmental impact. Resources page lists books for children and adults as well as sources for activities.

Boundaries between the dead and the undead, dreams and reality, animals and humans are all fluid.

Ellie has the extraordinary ability to bring back the dead. Her truest companion is her dog Kirby who died five years ago. After his death, she reached into the underworld for her beloved canine and returned him to her world. Now he usually manifests himself as a shimmering transparency which Ellie and some others can see.

​Seventeen-year-old Ellie, an Apache Lipan, has inherited her Six-Great-Grandmother’s capacity to travel to the land Below where ghosts and monsters dwell. 
​Named Elatsoe in honor of her legendary ancestor Six-Great, Ellie continues the matriarchal task of protecting her family and close friends.

But there are rules. Do not speak the deceased’s name or view an image of a departed individual. While she may return animals to the world of the living, she is not to bring people back from the land Below.

It's Kate's birthday and rich Uncle Herman, who wears a banana yellow suit and is a bit unorthodox, presents her with a most unusual gift: a train. Not a toy. This is a mammoth-sized steam-belching machine on a track in her backyard. When Kate and her younger brother Tom climb aboard, they begin an adventure that is beyond their wildest imaginings.

The Silver Arrow is a dream come true. Tom and a Kate create their ideal train with such delightful cars as a library car, a swimming pool car, and even a candy car. But the children soon learn that this will not be a pleasure excursion. They are tasked with transporting endangered species to less hostile environments. Kate is the conductor. She is charged with protecting and finding proper homes for animals such as a white bellied heron and a fishing cat.  Yes, they really exist. I looked them up.

Diversity is a phenomenon found and celebrated throughout nature. All the Birds in the World explores the remarkable variety found within the avian species.

An adorable little kiwi narrates this informative picture book highlighting a vast assortment of birds living in all parts of the globe. The narrative begins with a list of characteristics common to all members of this class of warm-blooded vertebrates: feathers, wings, and beaks.

Successive pages illustrate remarkable individuality. Birds  are different with respect to size, shape, coloration, and behaviors.  They can be found in a range of climates and habitats. 

Kiwi, a native to New Zealand bird, compares itself with others of the species and asks, "But what about me?"

Kiwi is pleased that a stubby critter who cannot sing, has no tail, does not fly, lives underground, and has whiskers is nonetheless a bird and proudly proclaims that "Even me" is a member of this feathered family.

Opie's exquisitely detailed paintings showcase a dazzling array of winged wonders.  Two-page spreads of birds in motion (flying, swimming, and singing or calling) invite careful examination. There are also closeups of eggs, feet, and beaks. The artist notes that some bird images are "not necessarily to scale."

It seems particularly appropriate that How I Trained My Dog in Ten Days published on April 1, a day set aside for practical jokes. Meet the dog who plays the ultimate prank on his owner.

Lewis offers a lighthearted take on the joys of pet ownership. The story’s outcome, while predictable, is none-the-less charming as each page reveals yet another attempt by this youngster to train his dog Scamp. It’s a losing battle. Each day the dog inches beyond the boundaries his owner sets. This necessitates the owner constantly moving the goal post. From the garden to the dining room his pet defies the rules, claiming new territory. Ultimately the dog takes ownership of boy's video games, bathtub, and even the pillow on his bed.
​Each page turn confirms young readers’ growing awareness that the dog is winning this power play.

The authoritative narrator confidently raises his hand while directing readers to be firm and establish clearly defined rules. However it’s Tinn-Disbury’s Scamp who steals the show. The cover image of dog with a smirk on his face and game controller dangling from his mouth makes it obvious who is in charge.

Be sure to view the back cover where Scamp licks his owner’s happy face with a slobbering tongue and a caption proclaims, “Best friends forever!”
Delightful addition to storytime, bedtime, or anytime.

Mae and Hugo create a documentary, interviewing the train’s passengers and recording each individual’s perspectives on love.
A charming romance filled with humor, heartbreak, and transcontinental travel.

Norris Kaplan, a black French-Canadian leaves all that is familiar and heads to the weird world of high school in Austin, Texas. The school’s counselor offers him a blank notebook. He decides to create a field guide, documenting high school life. He catalogs cheerleaders, athletes, and loners with biting insight, Kaplan carries the diary with him everywhere, skewering his classmates with his wit. Then he makes the mistake of showing his diary to a student. Mistake. Bad mistake.

Norris realizes that several of his initial assessments are not only inaccurate, but cruel. The cheerleader is more than a “laboratory engineered little bag of evil.”
The tall rich kid who wants to play ice hockey has a pain-filled history.
​Norris has misjudged his classmates. It may be too late to repair the damage that his notebook has caused.

​Lucy Everhart lives in a small town on the Massachusetts Coast. Her father is a member of the Salem Police dive team. Her mother, a marine biologist with a special interest in sharks died five years ago of a brain aneurysm. Lucy and her next-door neighbor Fred are inseparable companions. Recently they undertook a monumental summer project: creating a field guide to document Rockport animals. Fred, the detail-oriented science nerd writes the copy. Lucy illustrates.
A shark is caught off the coast and brought ashore. Lucy is baffled and intrigued. She wants to learn more about sharks in order to precisely enter the fish into the field guide.
 Without warning, Fred dies in a tragic drowning accident.
Lucy’s narrative is raw, painful, and honest.  Her struggles to make sense of the deaths of her friend and her mother are revealed in simple details. Her voice is one of wonder, hope and small moments of joy.

The Line Tender is a book of many things: A moving recital of the stages of grief. Fascinating glimpse into the world of sharks and marine ecosystems.  ​Description of a friendship which may be something more. Above all, it's story of a girl who discovers a part of herself that she never expected to find.

Lucy Everhart lives in a small town on the Massachusetts Coast. Her father is a member of the Salem Police dive team. Her mother, a marine biologist with a special interest in sharks died five years ago of a brain aneurysm. Lucy and her next-door neighbor Fred are inseparable companions. Recently they undertook a monumental summer project: creating a field guide to document Rockport animals. Fred, the detail-oriented science nerd writes the copy. Lucy illustrates.

 Without warning, Fred dies in a tragic drowning accident.

Lucy’s narrative is raw, painful, and honest.  Her struggles to make sense of the deaths of her friend and her mother are revealed in simple details. Her voice is one of wonder, hope and small moments of joy.

Bulion takes flight (most of the time) in her latest collection of STEM inspired poetry.

This antholog of verse celebrates the avian species. Meet a dozen birds, each exhibiting a distinguishing characteristic that can be classified as superlative. Discover which bird has the widest wingspan (wandering albatross), most feathers (emperor penguin), longest round-trip migration (Arctic tern), and most accurate hearing (barn owl).
Lots of fascinating trivia tidbits here.

​Thoughtful page design presents engaging text that is easy to read. A superlative trait appears as side vertical banner. A corresponding poem describes the bird's unique and noteworthy characteristics. All poetic verses are accompanied by a brief science note containing additonal information. Meganck's softly-colored line drawings, while anatomically accurate have a whimsical appearance, especially the bird’s facial expressions. Charming! The narrator, a chick-a-dee, provides running commentary on each page and ties individual pages together with a common thread.

Books that are a delight for adults and young children to read together are a rare breed. Meg Rosoff has pulled off this feat with Good Dog, McTavish, a story brimming with wit and charm.

Rosoff turns the familiar rescue dog trope on its head. McTavish is indeed a dog. But his task is to rescue a family.  When he decides to adopt the Peachey family, he knows that this going to take time and a great deal of work.

Ma Peachey has announced that she is giving up on being a mother. No more cleaning. No more cooking. No more nagging. Pa Peachey and the three Peachey children are on their own. Needless to say, the entire household is in a state of chaotic disarray.

McTavish and eight-year old Betty devise a plan, actually several plans, to restore order to the home. 

Youngsters will chortle as McTavish puts his plans into action. Beginning with the piles of discarded clothing and shoes scattered throughout the house, McTavish systematically trains the family to clean up, pick up, be punctual, and feed themselves.

The ongoing efforts of the father and his children are interspersed with descriptions of Ma Peachey, intoning "ohhhmmm" while executing near-perfect looping cobra and dancing warrior yoga poses.

When the family takes ownership of the home and contribute to its order, Ma quietly rejoins the family.

Meg Rosoff is the author of Guardian Children's Prize and Michael L. Printz award-winning How I Live Now and National Honor Book finalist recognition for Picture Me Gone.  She also received the 2016 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. With Good Dog, McTavish, readers can enjoy another side of Rosoff. Her sparkling writing with clever asides is tailor-made for entertaining family reading. Enjoy this brief interview with the author.

Grace Easton's illustrations add a fine touch of whimsy.  Love the details. Of special note is McTavish's eye roll.  It speaks volumes.

Meet dad. Meet the family cat. Dad and cat are alike in many ways. Both have fluffy yellow hair, enjoy a tasty meal followed by a nap, even have similar fears. They make a great pair.
​But that’s just the beginning.
​The real story on these pages goes beyond a charming tale of a man and his cat. Readers wonder about the family member narrating the story. Who can it be?

The storyteller's identity is discovered by carefully examining the illustrations. Observant readers will recognize that there is more to this family than a man and his cat.
There will come an "ah ha" moment when it is obvious that the narrator i.e.  additional family member is a bird! That's right. The bird refers to its sibling as "my cat." Clever. Clever indeed.

The complete family portrait with dad, mom, cat, and bird graces the final page.

Crooning tunes at the keyboard.

Snoozing: Nap time is lap time.

Meet Thao Lam and learn about the inspiration for this book. View her creation process.

Share the book and video with students. An interesting extension activity would be to provide kids with a selection of patterned papers and other art materials. Then invite them to create a portrait collage of their own family.