The Sustainable School: A Journey Through Time and Energy. Written by Erica Fyvie and illustrated by Scot Ritchie. Kids Can Press, 2025. $19.99 ages 9 and up

"The woodstove keeps our class very warm in the winter.
At lunchtime, we can buy a hot lunch for a penny, but 
most of us bring our own lunch in a metal pail. Sometimes
we bring a carrot or potato to school and the midday 
helpers cook a stew in the school kitchen for us to share."

Many surprises await those middle graders who read this book about Birch Elementary and its sixth- grade class that is learning about sustainability. A sudden halt in the construction happening outside their classroom windows leads to them being offered a time capsule from 1900 that the workers have unearthed. The sixth graders from that year had buried it to be found 100 years later. As they examine its contents, they read letters that describe their school at that time. 

Mr. Maron organizes the class into four different teams to consider what life was like then and might be like in coming years. They will work together to create a science fair project, the final assignment for the school year. Each team is given a topic to research by reading letters from the past before looking to the future to investigate and imagine coming changes to electricity, plumbing, buildings, and transportation. The book's structure then follows the teams as they consider what they are reading from the past and considering questions and ideas for the future. 

Time capsule information boxes discuss The Global Seed Vault (Future Fair), The Terracotta Warriors (Electricity), The Wreck of the Titanic (Plumbing), Voyager Golden Records (Buildings) and Scott's Hut (Transportation). Double page spreads for each begin with a focus question, followed a prediction concerning the future, the good news from today, the challenges ahead and a concluding statement. Finally, Mr. Maron's class of 2025 produce their own time capsule for the class of 2125.

Highly informative and sure to intrigue those who read it, this book will have middle grade students keen on thinking about the future and what it holds, based on the learning they do in their classroom. Cartoon style artwork is very appealing. Sepia tones show what life was like in the past, offering today's readers a chance to take a careful look at the differences and similarities from one time to the other. In the end, the students are introduced, instructions are given for creating a 'your very own time capsule', a glossary, a list of resources and an index are added.  

It's an excellent mentor text for any classroom interested in a project concerning energy and a greener and more sustainable future.                                                                                             

Galaxy Mapper: The Luminous Discoveries of Astrophysicist Helene Courtois. Writtten by Allie Summers and illustrated by Sian James. mit Kids Press, Candlewick, Penguin Random House. 2025. $24.99 ages 9 and up

 

"On a road trip in Canada, Helene and her friends drove
to the end of the map just to see what was there. They
found aurora borealis - the northern lights - splashing
like colorful ocean waves across the sky. Why are the 
waves sometimes green and other times red and violet? 

Helene observed. 
           Helene questioned. 
                     Helene had ideas. 

And, in the evenings, the moon was waiting for her."

This is another excellent picture book biography that has helped me learn about something brand new to me. I had no idea I even wanted to know; it does help me see and understand how someone born with an inquisitive scientific brain is born with the curiosity needed to learn how to map galaxies. 

Born in France in a town surrounded by the Alps and having a teacher she adored, Helene Courtois was eager to explore the fields and forests that were part of her home with Miss Colette who encouraged observation, questions, and ideas. Her parents were equally interested in nature and encouraged their young daughter to use a trail map while exploring her mountain surroundings. 

Later in life, Helene and her friends travelled in Canada, using a new kind of map provided by her parents: a road map. More observations, more questions, and a continued interest in what lay beyond the moon, she moved on to university which offered a chance to study medicine. Her upbringing and earlier experiences led her switch her studies to astrophysics. The lone woman in most of her classes, she willed herself to follow in the footsteps of other successful female scientists. 

Continuing to learn as she always had, Helene found a new, undying love for the galaxies she was able to see through her first professional telescope. Her fate was sealed. She turned her attention to mapping galaxies and other structures in the universe. Her experiences filled her with wonder, and her studies led to numerous discoveries. Leading a team of cosmologists, she traveled the world learning more and more. Together, they discovered a supercluster (which includes the Milky Way) that they named Laniakea in honor of those who had come before them. Helene had finally discovered what was beyond the moon; a question she had been asking since her childhood. 

A timeline of her life, a glossary of galactic terms, a list of other fiercely intelligent women in astronomy, instructions for a good location to build a professional telescope, and a selected bibliography complete the book.                                                                            

     

Victor and the Giant, written and illustrated by Rafael Yockteng. Translated by Elisa Amado. Aldana Libros, Greystone Kids. 2025. $24.95 ages 4 and up

 

"He jumped on him, but he didn't wake up.

He punched him, but he didn't wake up. 

He begged the creature desperately, 
but the giant still didn't wake up. 

Victor didn't know what else to do. He 
was so tired he sat on the monster's 
enormous nose. 

He could see its huge eyes, an infinite 
forehead, massive eyebrows, wild hair ... 

Nose hairs!"

A close look at the quiet arrival of another day in the peaceful city offers no warning for what is about to happen. As Victor's mother rushes out the door on her way to work, he enjoys breakfast with a cup of hot chocolate. The peace is disrupted when the earth begins to shake. A terrible noise arises before everything becomes eerily quiet. 

It takes one look out the window for Victor to see the total destruction of his city. Buildings, streets, tress, birds, animals ... all have disappeared. His building is the only one still standing. Now, the only thing visible to him is a colossal giant, sound asleep across the mountainside. Victor determines to check it out. The destruction is even more evident as he wanders outside. 

Encountering the giant up close, he tries to wake him. Nothing works, until Victor notices the giant's nose hairs. Using all of his strength, he pulls one out which awakens and terrifies the monster. Victor matches that scream with one of his own. Now that he has the giant's attention, Victor can ask the questions he wants to ask. Turns out the giant was hungry and has no realization that eating everyone and everything in sight is hardly the proper way to handle that hunger. Victor explains. 

After making a plea for understanding, Victor bursts into tears. He misses his mother; the giant wants to help. The solution to the entire problem is a lovely surprise for readers who watch closely as things are returned to what they had been, and reunites mother and son. Will the city be able to help when the giant's hunger rears its ugly head the next time? One can only hope. 

Pencil drawings assembled digitally bring full life to every spread and command attention at every turn. Observant readers will be highly entertained by the tale itself and especially the accompanying scenes created to enhance its power. Perspective holds sway on every spread and will delight young readers with Victor's ability to manage the giant despite the huge difference in their presence on the page.                                                                              

The Peanut Man, written by Carmen Agra Deedy and illustrated by Raul Colon. Peachtree, Penguin Random House. 2025. $25.99 ages 4 and up

"He wore a jaunty hat. His face, as wrinkled
as old tobacco leaves, spread into a toothless
smile.

"Coqui!" he called. 
He knew everyone by name.
And we all knew el manisero,
the Peanut Man. 

Now it was time 
to play our game."

In Old Havana, a peanut man walks the street singing his song for his customers. A young girl rushes to her bedroom window to listen and to smell the mani (peanuts). She is full of excitement as she calls down to Emilio; his pleasure is equally evident. The two are ready to play their game. Coqui sticks her thumbs in her ears, sticks out her tongue, and makes a silly sound before Emilio apes her actions. They love that game, playing it every night. 

When her mother tells her at bedtime one evening that the family is leaving Cuba for the United States, Coqui is confused. Told it is dangerous for her father to speak his truths, the girl wonders if they will ever return. There is no answer for that question. As soon as she hears Emilio on the street beneath her window, she tells him what is happening. He explains that it is a land of 'plenty, liberty ... and beisbol.'

That sparks excitement for a young girl who loves baseball; still, tears flood her face as she must say farewell to her dear friend. It is a long and complicated journey to their new home. The family settles in and makes a new life in Decatur, Georgia. Coqui is always homesick, except for baseball. She and her Papi listen to the games with great anticipation. A birthday surprise results in two tickets to see Hammerin' Hank Aaron with her Papi! On a warm September afternoon, they set out together. 

She doesn't like the stadium smells and wants to go back home to listen. Her father encourages her to persevere, and not miss all the excitement of the game. When she hears the cry of a peanut vendor, Coqui knows it is not Emilio. A warm bag of peanuts in her hands leaves her awash with memory, and leads to a conversation with the peanut man, Big Dee. She gives in to the impulse to teach Big Dee the game she shared with Emilio; Big Dee responds in kind. A warm feeling of home washes over Coqui for the first time since the family moved away from Cuba. 

Lovingly told and illustrated, this family story of immigration and finding a new home is both memorable, and uplifting. Ms. Deedy explains in a poignant afterword how a story she told in her daughter's high school led to her sharing it with another family and their guests. To her great surprise one person in attendance was Henry Aaron. His interest in her and in her story was an amazing encounter, as you might guess! 
                                                                                        

And They Walk On, written by Kevin Maillard and illustrated by Rafael Lopez. Roaring Brook Press, Macmillan. Raincoast, 2025. $25.99 ages 5 and up

 

"Their things are still here
as if they just stepped out: 

jacket by the door,

hair in the brush,

starlight mints by the bed, 

shoes on the floor."

The child whose voice tells this story is confused. His concern is about death and grief. He ponders where loved ones go when they walk on - out of the life he has known with them. There are many places they once loved: the market, the garden, the lake to fish, their other favorite. When they get where they are going, how will they let him know? He knows he will wait because there are things he needs to share. He wants to tell about activities that fill his days, the new accomplishments he has made, the weather. He assumes that walking on is a long journey that might tire them out and lead them back home. 

As he watches his family pack up his grandmother's house, he notes that everything is just as she left it. Spending time in each room, he can feel the love that memories hold for him. He smells the household smells, sees the ordinary sights, touches those things that are so familiar, hears common kitchen sounds and travels back in his memory to times spent with his grandmother. 

"When they walk on , 
          they stay with us 
                    like the glimmer of a distant star."

Everything they have been will always be a part of those they leave behind; those left will always walk on together in their honor. 

This is an exquisite explanation of grief, sure to assuage hearts that are dealing with the death of a loved one. Rafael Lopez captures the essence of cultural traditions using acrylic, watercolor, and colored pencils assembled digitally to bring beauty, warmth and understanding. He blends the Seminole connections of the author with his own Mexican influences in his spectacular images. Careful observation will result in welcome discoveries. 

Back matter is a valuable addition, including explanatory notes from both creators, and a recipe for Kevin's Grape Dumplings. 

"Maybe they're just running late
and they will call me
from their special place."                                                                                           

The Quiet Hunt: A Poem for Young Foragers, written by Jean E. Pendziwol and illustrated by Risa Hugo. Groudwood Books, 2026. $21.99 ages

"Our ancestors wandered, 
tools in hand - 
         sticks for digging,
         knives for trimming, 
         baskets and slings and 
         bags made of skins -
gathering roots and leaves, 
mushrooms and berries, 
fruits, flowers,
nuts and seeds. 

I read this lovely book when it arrived in the mail, and then I read it again. This morning as I prepare to tell you about it, I have just finished reading it one more time. Each read brings new thoughts and feelings for its message to young children. 

Pairing her graceful words with the elegant colored pencils and watercolor artwork of Risa Hugo, Ms. Pendziwol tells her readers the story of how humans have always been able to forage for food that nourishes. She begins in ancient times when all food came from the wild. She explains how humans spend their time in nature wandering in search of what would sustain them: meat, birds, fish. 

She then describes 'the quiet hunt' which took the people into forests and fields, rivers and creeks, and under the earth to find what else they were looking for: roots and leaves, mushrooms and berries, fruits and seeds. What they foraged had many uses and kept hunger away. Their knowledge of what was safe for consumption was passed from one generation to the next. 

As they hunted, those looking for food left offerings to the wild for the bounty provided. Being in the wild to do their collecting provided them with sustenance for their souls. Today, things are quite different. Those who continue to quietly hunt are steeped in the knowledge passed along to them from those in the know; the people who advise on what is good and safe. The sounds and beauty felt outside on the quiet hunt continue to feed souls. What a celebration of our connection with nature.                                                                               

The Moving Book, written and illustrated by Lisa Brown. Neal Porter Books, Holiday House. Penguin Random House. 2025. $25.99 ages 3 aand up$

 

"Grandpa lived far away, but Nana and Poppa 
were near. 

When Grandpa visited, we all went to a restaurant
where the food came on little carts. 

We could take the bus with Mom and Dad downtown
to visit the museum - the one with the dinosaur. You 
were so afraid. 

We didn't live there very long."

In my long life, I have lived in 7 different places all in the same city; three before 5, three in the early years of our marriage, and the last 53 years in the house I still call home. I hope to be here for the rest of my life. I have fond memories of each one of those moves and the changes they brought to my life.

This story's family has many moves under their belts. The older brother is narrator and is explaining to his little sister that, even if she doesn't remember all of those moves, he does. As he shares his memories of their homes, he also describes the surroundings. A move into a big apartment building with three elevators was perfect for trick-o-treating, a dim sum restaurant was close by, and public transportation took them downtown to the museum where there were dinosaurs. Moving into one of the homes offered new experiences. They each had their own bedroom, and there was a yard to play in with neighborhood children. 

The upcoming move means they will be living with Grandpa. 

"Mom says that we will probably 
stay in this home for a long time, 
but you never know. 

                       It's okay ... 

                            we are good at moving."

In a story filled with charm and humor, Ms. Brown shows in her mixed-media and expressive artwork a different reality at times than the memory being shared. At every turn, readers are treated to scenarios that invite careful looks. It's refreshing to see the variety of homes they inhabit as the years pass, while ending on a hopeful note that this might be their last move. If not, they have experiences that prove being together, no matter where, is home. 

As she did in The Airport Book (Roaring Brook, 2016) and The Hospital Book (Holiday House, 2023), the author uses the same family to tell her story. Imagine having all three together as a reading experience for your family! What a fun trip to the library that would be. What might you discover?