Megan Elizabeth Baratta,illustrator, text set*

 In a recent college news publication I read that Megan Elizabeth Baratta had graduated from the same college (now university) as me! To my delight, I realized I had already read and reviewed one of the books she had illustrated (I Begin with Spring-The Life and Seasons of Henry David Thoreau). Below are two more books she has illustrated. I highly recommend both books.

The Secret Stream by Kimberly Ridley 

Readers encounter the start of a stream, its journey, the different creatures it encounters along the way, both in the water and along the banks, until it becomes a river. A great book to read and study when learning about water and habitats. Delightful illustrations. I especially love the end pages (the map of its entire journey).

-Borrowed from the library.

Most Days written by Michael Leannah (*Megan Elizabeth Baratta's debut picture book)

I love this simple picture book that celebrates the ordinary days filled with extraordinary moments, which urges readers to observe and celebrate. I like this sentence, "Another day will come tomorrow, full of extraordinary things filling ordinary minutes". Ms. Baratta incoporates a racially diverse cast of characters, a variety of ages, people who need a wheelchair or who need sign language to communicate, and diverse settings (city and farm). Her illustrations celebrate all people. The dandelion clocks are whimsical and lovely.

The Tide Pool Waits by Candance Fleming illustrated by Amy Hevron*

 What a beautiful, informative book-the illustrations are bold and colorful, and the word choice is descriptive-concrete nouns and strong verbs. I loved how the words begin before the title page! The author has included an illustrated guide to the animals in this tide pool. A cross-section of the layers of the tide zones and their descriptions offer additional fascinating facts.

*Highly recommend.

-Borrowed from the library.

A Place to Start a Family by David L. Harrison illustrated by Giles Laroche

Poems About Creatures That Build
Divided into home locations (underground, in the air etc), these poems magnify the amazing creation of our God!  I especially appreciated the additional information about each creature found after the poems.  I learned something new about each creature (even if common, i.e. beavers).The author also recommends additional picture books to read about each creature. 
-Borrowed from the library

Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal*

With description language, Ms. Messner showcases the interesting life found in and around the pond.  A mom and her son spend the day in a boat, moving slowly across the waters, appreciating the sights, sounds and smells of the pond.

*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.

Above and Below by Patricia Hegarty and Tanera Simons illustrated by Hanako Clulow

Explore the world's diverse habitats.  Each habitat has a lift the flap page.
An introductory paragraph offers an overview of the habitat.  Additional facts about plants, trees and animals are written alongside whimsical illustrations.
-Borrowed from the library.

Grand Canyon by Jason Chin*

I love Mr. Chin's habitat books.  In each book he features a young person with a vivid imagination.
In this book a young girl and a male adult hike the Grand Canyon, seeing the different levels and the wildlife in each ecosystem.
Beautiful illustrations.
Mr. Chin promotes evolution and an old world view (billions of years old) so it provides a great opportunity to discuss the different viewpoints on evolution/creation and how old the world is.
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.

Because of an Acorn by Lola M. Schaefer and Adam Schaefer illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon*

Very simple text reveals how all parts of the ecosystems depend on each other to thrive.  The focused ecosystem in this book is the white oak forest of the Cumberland Plateau.
The illustrations definitely enhance the "story" and give greater meaning to the words.
Strategy: cause/effect
*Highly recommend.
-Borrowed from the library.

Tree of Wonder by Kate Messner illustrated by Simona Mulazzani*

Ms. Messner amazes me-she writes incredible chapter books and also writes interesting, well organized nonfiction picture books.  She is not limited by genre!
"The Many Marvelous Lives of a Rainforest Tree"
In this book she reveals how vital the almendro tree is to the surrounding habitat and how the creatures that depend on it also support its survival.
A multi-age book-larger font with great information for a young audience and additional information in smaller font for older listeners.
A fun math book too-I had my kindergartner figure out the counting pattern as we read it (and had him practice adding numbers to themselves).  In the back are nine math problems that relate to the illustrations and events in the book.  They organized by difficulty and answers are provided.
Ms. Messner recommends other books to read about rain forests and a DVD to watch.
Text features: different font sizes, bold font, further resources
*Highly recommend.
Borrowed from the library.