King & Kayla and the Case of the Unhappy Neighbor
by Dori Hillestad Butler
illustrated by Nancy Meyers

When Jillian’s dog, Thor, is accused of digging up Mr. Gary’s garden, King and Kayla put their detective skills to work to clear his name. A witness to the crime tells King that the culprit is a “new guy” who likes to fight. But who could that be? And can they track down this new guy and clear Thor’s name? The King & Kayla series from Geisel Honor Award-winning team Dori Hillestad Butler and Nancy Meyers is perfect for readers transitioning from easy readers to beginning chapter books and great for introducing important concepts of fact gathering, list making, clues, and analytical thinking.

Explore more King & Kayla with the series teacher’s guide and activity kit, and download a free poster!

Lillian’s Fish
by James Menk
illustrated by Louisa Bauer

When Lillian turns six, her favorite gift is an extraordinary, shimmery, and colorful fish. But when the brand-new birthday fish disappears, the other family pets secretly band together to help unravel the mystery. A trail of clues soon leads the animals on a fantastic adventure along the river and deep into the woods, where they encounter new places and strange creatures. James Menk’s delightful, lively tale of discovery and friendship will enchant readers of all ages. Louisa Bauer’s captivating drawings bring this charming story of children and their pets to life.

Dive deeper into Lillian’s Fish with a free discussion guide.

Homer on the Case
by Henry Cole

Homing pigeon Homer and his parrot friend Lulu learn something is afoul when they witness a four-legged crime-spree in their neighborhood. Can Lulu and Homer track down the bandits and lead their human keepers to the culprits’ hideout to stop the thieves? Award-winning author-illustrator Henry Cole delivers a fun, action-packed middle grade mystery that will keep readers guessing if the crime-solving pigeon will get his guy. A supporting cast of animals and humans forms a community that will have every reader wishing they could join in the hunt.

Download this discussion guide for middle grade summer book clubs!

The Girl Who Stole an Elephant
by Nizrana Farook

Chaya, a nobleman’s rebellious, outspoken, no-nonsense daughter, just can’t resist the shiny temptations the king’s palace has to offer. But playing Robin Hood for her impoverished community doesn’t come without risks, and after leaving her village as a thief, can she return as a hero? Or will Chaya’s sticky fingers be the beginning—or the end—of everything for her and her intrepid gang? Own Voices debut author Nizrana Farook spins a page-turning middle grade tale in a lush, fictional Sri Lankan setting. Just right for adventure fans, the book explores themes of friendship and loyalty, risk and reward, and heroism.

Continue your jungle adventure with a free discussion guide!

Hat Tricks
by Satoshi Kitamura

You’re invited to Hattie the rabbit’s magic show! Abracadabra, katakurico… Oh, goodness! Out pops a cat from Hattie’s magic hat. Can you guess what creature will appear from the magic hat next? Perfect for magic-themed activities this summer, renowned author and illustrator Satoshi Kitamura delivers an adorable read aloud with simple, repetitive language, fun magic words, and ample opportunities for prediction.

Recreate some of Hattie’s magic tricks at home with this activity sheet.

Madeline Finn and the Therapy Dog
by Lisa Papp

Madeline Finn and Star are off to Walker Oaks, a retirement community where Star will take his tests to become a therapy dog. They make their way through a variety of challenges and meet several new friends, but Madeline Finn can’t stop thinking about an elderly man in a wheelchair who never smiles. Is there something she and Star can do to help? Author-illustrator Lisa Papp’s empathetic, feel-good story explores the therapy dog training process and provides a realistic and appealing example of a young person making a difference. Ideal for social emotional learning and discussions about self-esteem, volunteering, community, and—of course—therapy animals.

Explore more about therapy dogs, library dogs, and shelter dogs in the Madeline Finn activity kit!

The Society of Distinguished Lemmings
by Julie Colombet

The Society of Distinguished Lemmings aims to be distinguished in absolutely everything. It takes an awful lot of rules to be so distinguished, and Bertie has had quite enough. After venturing outside, Bertie discovers a bear, who is very unlike a lemming. Will the Society ever accept Bertie’s new friend, or is the bear simply too big and clumsy of a creature to be distinguished? This hilarious tale features valuable themes of finding new friends, challenging peers, and questioning the rules. Readers will return to the story again and again to discover the quirks of every distinguished lemming while also learning about the importance of staying true to yourself amidst pressure to conform.

Download this discussion guide to dive into the distinguished world of lemmings, and find out whether you’re more like a bear or a lemming with this personality quiz!

The Thingity-Jig
by Kathleen Doherty
illustrated by Kristyna Litten

Under the light of a silvery moon, Bear wanders into people town and discovers a springy thing, a bouncy thing—a sit-on-it, jump-on-it thing! This Thingity-Jig is too heavy to carry home by himself, so Bear invents a Rolly-Rumpity to wheel the Thingity-Jig home. When it all gets stuck in the mud, Bear creates a Lifty-Uppity, of course! Reading specialist and former educator Kathy Doherty perfectly blends inventive upcycling and STEAM elements with whimsical wordplay and a delightful story celebrating ingenuity. Illustrator Kristyna Litten brings the world to life with incredible settings and empathetic characters.

Start your own wacky inventions at home or in the classroom with this teacher’s guide!

A Shelter for Sadness
by Anne Booth
illustrated by David Litchfield

A small boy creates a shelter for his sadness where he can visit it whenever he needs to, and the two of them can cry, talk, or just sit. The boy knows that one day his sadness may come out of the shelter, and together they will look out at the world and see how beautiful it is. In this timely consideration of sadness and mental health, Anne Booth offers a beautiful depiction of how children (and everyone) must care for their emotions and give attention to their grief on a regular basis. Stunning illustrations by David Litchfield bring the beautiful concept and manifestation of sadness to life.

Pre-order A Shelter for Sadness for your SEL collection today at Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Amazon, or IndieBound!

Perdu
by Richard Jones

Poor Perdu is all alone as he journeys from the countryside to the city in search of a home. The city is a big place when you are very small, but is it possible that someone is searching for a friend like Perdu? In his debut as both author and illustrator, Richard Jones (The Snow Lion and Paper Planes) delivers a warmhearted and poignant story about loneliness, kindness, friendship, and finding a forever family. Classically gorgeous illustrations will have readers returning to its pages again and again.

Add Perdu to your SEL collection today at Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Amazon, or IndieBound!

The Smile Shop
by Satoshi Kitamura

A small boy has saved all his pocket money and visits the market with high expectations. When disaster strikes and he loses his money, he feels very devastated. But wait, what’s that? A Smile Shop? He could really do with a smile. What will happen if he goes in? Featuring charming, classic illustrations reminiscent of Maurice Sendak and Tomie dePaola, Satoshi Kitamura’s (Hat Tricks) The Smile Shop celebrates the value of human connection and offers an absorbing setting for readers to explore themes of independence, self-worth, and the effect of a smile shared between people.

Add The Smile Shop to your SEL collection today at Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Amazon, or IndieBound!

No! Said Rabbit
by Marjoke Henrichs

Rabbit is happy doing his own thing, and he doesn’t want to listen to anyone else. Or so he thinks. Then, Mom makes a suggestion he simply can’t resist! Debut author-illustrator Marjoke Henrichs delivers a laugh-out-loud tale with Rabbit embodying every strong-willed child. Adult readers will recognize and empathize with parenting moments throughout, and a warm and loving twist at the end celebrates the joy of coming together again after a very contrary day. Perfect for bedtime reads with your own stubborn little ones.

Add No! Said Rabbit to your SEL collection today at Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Amazon, or IndieBound!

Best Friend in the Whole World
by Sandra Salsbury

Roland lives a quiet life alone in the forest, but sometimes he feels rather lonely. When he finds the perfect companion in Milton, he is overjoyed. But clues start popping up in the woods, suggesting someone else might be missing their best pine cone friend, and Roland must decide if it’s worth leaving someone else in their loneliness to keep Milton in his life. In this sweet and moving picture book about loneliness, friendship, and compassion, debut author-illustrator Sandra Salsbury celebrates the transformative power of connection and the painful melancholy of loss. Endearingly classic illustrations bring a charming forest world to life.

Add Best Friend in the Whole World to your SEL collection today at Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org, Amazon, or IndieBound!

Spi-Ku
A Clutter of Short Verse on Eight Legs
by Leslie Bulion
illustrated by Robert Meganck

We’ve met tiny critters living in the leaf litter layer, soared with the best and brightest denizens of the bird world, and bounced along with the lively participants of the amphibian acrobat show. Now, dive back in to the entertaining world of science poetry with Spi-Ku, a humorous exploration of the silk-spinning, bungee-jumping, hunting, trapping, trick-filled world of spiders!

Meet spitting spiders spinning prey-pinning silk, scuba diving spiders donning snazzy silver bubbles, bulky, burrowing, trap-setting spiders, and so much more. Watch as the Tiger Wandering Spider attracts mates with her perfumed silk trail, or perhaps hitch a ride with some Dock Spider eggs as they travel in their mother’s jaws. Award-winning author and master of science poetry Leslie Bulion’s clutter (a collective noun for spiders) of Haiku and other short poems pairs wonderfully with Robert Meganck’s humorous illustrations to celebrate the amazing attributes of Araneae.

Read on for helpful sidebars, call-outs, and backmatter, including a glossary of science terms, notes about the poetic forms, a list of common and scientific names, a spider-hunting adventure how-to, resources for further study, and a relative-size chart. This must-read is sure to entertain little scientists, young animal fans, and lovers of all things with eight legs!

See more of these fascinating creatures in this excerpt, and the eight-legged fun never has to end with this teacher’s guide.

Explore more science poetry from Leslie Bulion!

“Cheerfully illustrated… As always, Bulion uses both evocative vocabulary and a variety of poetic forms; these are chosen with care and defined in the backmatter… Engaging and information rich, this is wonderfully well woven.” —Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“Notes on poetic form are on hand for readers who gravitate to the “A” in their STEAM curriculum, but the verses are also effective as mnemonic devices…teasing wordplay…and wry Gorey-esque bait for the spider grossout fans… Meganck’s digital artwork balances light-hearted cartooning with reliably detailed anatomical drawing.” —Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Book

Find Spi-Ku spinning onto a bookshelf near you this March at your local library, indie bookstore, or Barnes & Noble, and be sure to check out the rest of our brand-new picture books and middle grade and YA titles coming to Peachtree this season!

Stan Steiner, PhD was called the Bookman by his students due to his vast knowledge of children’s literature. He was a K-5 elementary teacher for 15 years prior to his professorship at Boise State University, where he teaches courses on children’s and young adult literature. Stan has written and co-authored many articles about children’s literature and education and a book, P is for Potato: An Idaho Alphabet, with his wife Joy. 

Joy Steiner, MA Early Childhood Education, is a former preschool teacher and school librarian. She has traveled extensively as a professional storyteller and enjoys writing original nature tales.

Oh, the wonder!  Oh, the joy!  Oh, the thrill of discovery!

Few things are as powerful as sharing books and adventures with young children. Curiosity is awakened in the outdoor world, prompting questions and rich language exchanges with young learners.  Nonfiction books are an essential part of the experience, expanding and increasing the learning.

We strapped our baby daughter into her piggyback backpack, fastened her wide brim hat, and took to the high mountain air.  We talked and sang along the way, while she bounced happily, and upon our destination, snuggled close to the edge of a crystal clear alpine lake.  Small brook trout flashed in the water.  “Look!  Fish,” we exclaimed.  “See the fish?”  After returning home, we bundled our little one for bed and read a board book with large fish pictures and just a few words (try Stockdale’s, Fabulous Fishes or Sill’s About Fish).  The next evening, our baby pronounced her very first word.  We were sharing tiny bites of fish and vegetables in her bowl; behind her, colorful carved fish hung from our apartment ceiling.  She turned around in her high chair, pointed to the hanging fish, and said, “Ish?”  She was barely nine months old.

Nonfiction books inspire scientific explorations close to home, as well.  Our growing preschooler and her new brother witnessed a miracle in our backyard rose bush.  After reading The Ladybug by Gallimard Jeunesse (also read Curious About Insects, Sill and A Place For Butterflies, Stewart), we discovered the striking appearance of ladybug larvae and searched for them in our yard.  There they were, devouring aphids in the rose bush.  To our amazement, a larva stopped, glued itself to a leaf, and squeezed sticky bug juice from its backside.  The goo hardened into a pupa and our young scientists patiently observed the changes.  Ten days later, we held magnifying glasses and watched a tiny set of mandibles chew through the pupa, struggle to push out, and emerge as a glistening yellow beetle.  The sun dried the new ladybug, yellow darkened to orange, and spots appeared.  We were in awe.

Later, Joy taught preschool children with developmental delays.  One three year old came to school with no language.  He enjoyed playing with friends, but communicated with facial expressions, physical action, roars, engine sounds, and laughter.  By chance, Joy’s co-teacher discovered the boy loved horses.  They transformed the classroom into a ranch with horse pictures and toys, cowboy hats, boots, a saddle, and piles of horse books (try Touch and Feel Ponies and The Everything Book of Horses and Ponies, published by Dorling Kindersley).  They read one on one with the boy, making sure he focused on the clear pictures and repeating the words.  The highlight of the horse study was a trip to a working ranch to watch cowboys skillfully guide their horses as they cut and culled the cattle.  In the weeks that followed, Joy overheard the boy and his friends as they mounted the imaginary horse in the dramatic play area.  He was telling them to, “Hold on!  Sit saddle!  Go!

Real life experiences teamed with realistic pictures and clear text in nonfiction board books encourage literacy in young children.  Embark on outdoor discovery adventures with little ones.  Prepare to be surprised by wonder.

Curious About Insects
by Cathryn Sill
illustrated by John Sill

Insects are fascinating and often misunderstood creatures, and no two species are exactly alike. Some insects come out during the day, and others come out at night. Some get their food from plants while the peskier insects find food in your pantry! From the author and illustrator team that brought you the acclaimed About… series, Curious About Insects introduces the youngest readers to the diverse world of insects through basic facts about what they look like, where they live, what they eat, and how they move.

This new addition to the Discovering Nature board book series provides early opportunities to compare, contrast, and observe physical and behavioral patterns in nature. Educator and author Cathryn Sill’s simple vocabulary and wildlife illustrator John Sill’s realistic portrayals of insects and their habitats are perfect for young outdoors enthusiasts learning to describe what they see outside the classroom and in their own backyard. From the helpful Honeybee to the beautiful Luna Moth, the variety of fascinating creatures introduced is sure to captivate bug buffs and little explorers alike.

Meet some of our six-legged friends in this excerpt.

Discover the Sills’ About… and About Habitats picture book series for more educational opportunities, perfect for young nature enthusiasts.

Praise for About Insects

“In image and text the Sills succeed in conveying a great deal of information at a very basic reading level. Excellent classroom or pleasure reading for science and nature fans and for any beginning readers drawn to nonfiction.” —Booklist

Look for Curious About Insects this March at your local library, indie bookstore, or Barnes & Noble, and be sure to check out the rest of our brand-new picture books and middle grade and YA titles coming to Peachtree this season!

Arlo the  Lion Who Couldn’t Sleep
by Catherine Rayner

Arlo is a very tired lion, and he’s tried everything to get to sleep. But the grass is too prickly, the trees are too noisy, and his family wriggles awfully too much. Goodness! How is an exhausted lion ever to get a wink of shut-eye? Luckily, owl has a few tricks up her sleeve and Arlo couldn’t be happier to give them a whirl. Perfect for reluctant or troubled sleepers, author-illustrator Catherine Rayner’s breathtakingly beautiful bedtime book has a calming, meditative message of mindfulness and centeredness.

Get your copy today at Amazon, Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, or your indie bookstore!

Little Tigers
by Jo Weaver

As hunters approach their home in the jungle, Mother Tiger and her cubs must venture to find a new home away from danger. Together, they explore different homes, but the ones they find aren’t suited for tigers, and some are just downright unwelcoming. But with their mother’s help, they may be able to find one that’s just right. With gentle text and stunning monochromatic illustrations, Jo Weaver reveals the wonder of nature, the excitement of discovery, and the strength of familial bonds.

Get your copy today at Amazon, Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, or your indie bookstore!

Lion vs. Rabbit
by Alex Latimer

Lion bullies all the other animals until finally they can’t take it anymore. They post an ad, asking for help. One animal after another tries and fails to defeat Lion. Can no one stop him? Finally, a rabbit arrives. No one thinks that such a small animal will be brave enough or strong enough to defeat Lion. But perhaps this rabbit is smart enough? This hilariously quirky tale from Alex Latimer features visual puns, wordplay, and an entertaining and unique message about working together to defeat a bully.

Get your copy today at Amazon, Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, or your indie bookstore!

The Snow Lion
by Jim Helmore
illustrated by Richard Jones

After moving to a new home, Caro wishes she had a friend, but she’s too shy to meet the neighborhood kids. With a little imagination, however, Caro finds the Snow Lion. Together, they have all kinds of fun racing, climbing, and playing hide-and-seek. But when the boy next door asks Caro to come play, Caro isn’t so sure. Then, the Snow Lion has an idea! Making new friends isn’t always easy, but it is always worth it in the end. This gorgeously illustrated and gentle story celebrates the joy in making new friends and will appeal to any shy or lonely young reader.

Get your copy today at Amazon, Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, or your indie bookstore!

Tiger in My Soup
by Kashmira Sheth
illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler

Sometimes it’s almost impossible to get your big sister to read your favorite book to you. Sometimes you have to go to great lengths even to get her attention! But if you’re really creative and use your imagination, you might just get what you want. Take care, though, not to go too far. Once you conjure up a tiger, there’s no telling where it might lead… Author Kashmira Sheth brings readers a humorous, reading-centered story of the dynamic between a younger brother and older sister, imagination, and tigers!

Get your copy today at Amazon, Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, or your indie bookstore!

We asked Mary Batten about her inspiration and writing process for Life in a Frozen World, a stunning new nonfiction resource perfect for an informative introduction to climate change.

Q: What inspired you to write this story? How did you first get involved with The Cousteau Society and explorer Jacques Cousteau’s campaign to protect Antarctica?

A: I was working as editor of the Society’s membership magazine, Calypso Log, during the late 80s and early 90s when Captain Cousteau led the Society in launching a campaign to protect Antarctica from mineral exploitation. As editor of Calypso Log, it was my responsibility to report on The Cousteau Society’s campaigns and missions. The emphasis of this campaign was to protect this pristine continent for future generations. As part of the campaign we launched a children’s petition to protect Antarctica and obtained signatures on petitions from tens of thousands of children all over the world. To further dramatize that goal, the Society mounted a special expedition. Captain Cousteau took six children—one from each of the other continents—to Antarctica. He asked me to go as a kind of mother figure for the children. I was honored that he asked me and was looking forward to this expedition adventure, but I developed pleurisy a few weeks before departure date and was unable to go. I was devastated not to be able to take part in this expedition—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. As the photos and film footage came back to the U.S., I saw what an incredible opportunity I had missed and became fascinated with everything I was seeing and learning about the frozen continent and its importance to the planet. This book is my “virtual journey” to Antarctica.

Q: What about Antarctica interests you the most?

A: Everything about Antarctica interests me, but its profound impact on global sea level, weather, and climate interests me most. Here is a frozen continent at the bottom of the Earth, seemingly so far away, but its impact touches life everywhere.

Q: One of the main themes in this book is climate change and how it’s affecting creatures living in this particular environment. Why do you think this is such an important issue to discuss, especially with younger readers?

A: Climate change is real. More than a hundred years of science supports it, and accelerating rising seas and melting ice packs from the Arctic to Antarctica are already affecting global climate and sea level in coastal areas. In 2019, the World Health Organization predicted that climate change would kill more than 250,000 people each year. Already, people, referred to as “climate refugees,” are having to move as sea-level rise makes their homes unlivable. This issue is especially important to discuss with young readers because they will inherit the conditions left to them by the older generation. Young Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg led mass demonstrations with young people around the world, demanding that their leaders take more aggressive actions to combat climate change. In many cases, the young people are more educated and concerned than some of the so-called “leaders” who deny climate change is happening, claim it’s a hoax, and support the fossil fuel industry rather than alternative energy.

Q: What was your research process like?

A: I watched many films about Antarctica, including the old Cousteau expedition to Antarctica and videos taken by scientists doing current research in Antarctica. I interviewed scientists working in Antarctica and read books and articles reflecting recent research. My favorite part of the research is speaking with and/or emailing scientists because they’re the ones on the ground or, in the case of Antarctica, under the water, gathering information on animals and plants and their behavior. It’s their work that gives us knowledge about Antarctica, and I’m grateful to everyone who generously took the time to speak with me and answer my questions.

Q: How did your experience with writing nature documentaries for television contribute to the development of this book?

A: I think visually. When you write a nature film, you are working with the visual material—the footage. There’s interplay between the film’s narration and the images. The same is true when writing a picture book. Words and images must support each other, not just repeat each other. When writing a film, the first 30 seconds, called the “tease,” are the most important because they will either hook the viewer or they will switch to another channel. The first page, the first paragraph of a picture book functions in the same way as a film’s “tease.” I want to hook the reader so they will persist in reading the book all the way through. So I use some film-writing techniques in crafting a picture book text. And then, just as a film writer works with the film editor when narration and visuals are put together, my wonderful editor, Vicky Holifield, and I work together once the book’s designer flows Thomas’ illustrations into the page layout and we see what adjustments need to be made in order to achieve the best visual presentation of the whole book. Sometimes I have to cut some of the text to avoid a visually crowded page. Each page has to be pleasing to the eye as well as stimulating to the brain. The illustrations are key to whether a person will pick up the book in a bookstore or when browsing online. The illustrator’s images are as important as a film’s footage in selling the book.

Q: How did you react when you first saw Thomas Gonzalez’s illustrations? What do you like most about his art style?

A: WOW! I’m thrilled with Thomas’ illustrations. His larger-than-life style makes for visual impact. The scenic illustrations are spectacularly beautiful, and the illustrations of different species are accurate and bring my words to life. I feel fortunate indeed that Thomas is the illustrator for this book as well as the next one.

Q: What’s one thing you had to omit from the final version of the book that you wish you could have included?

A: We had to leave out a lot of details about how scientists work on the ice to obtain ice cores and what the cores tell about the history of climate on Earth.

Q: What’s the most interesting thing you learned in your research for Life in a Frozen World?

A: There’s no one most interesting thing. The adaptations that some animals have evolved for life in this frigid world are particularly fascinating—such as the ice fish’s natural antifreeze that prevents its blood from freezing solid, the food chain’s dependence on tiny krill, the effect of melting glaciers on penguins in West Antarctica, the “forest” of plants growing underwater. Everything about Antarctica is interesting, and I hope readers will finish this book with excitement. Maybe some of them will want to become scientists who study this remarkable continent.

Q: What was your favorite species to write about in this book?

A: The tiny crustaceans called krill and the ice fish.

Q: What is the most important thing you want readers to take away from this book?

A: That what happens to Antarctica’s ice affects not only the animals that live in Antarctica but also creatures, including humans, in every other place on Earth. Antarctic species need the ice to survive and so do we in order to keep our planet livable.

Life in a Frozen World
Wildlife of Antarctica
by Mary Batten
illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez

Picture Antarctica: intensely cold, windy, and dry with ice as far as the eye can see. But if you look a little closer, you’ll find a bustling ecosystem with dense seaweed forests, upside-down fields of algae, and fascinating creatures that have evolved over millions of years to survive in this extreme environment. But what does this continent at the bottom of the world have to do with us, and how do our actions affect the amazing organisms that call this frozen habitat their home?

In conditions too harsh even for human survival, these resilient creatures have a few tricks to withstand freezing temperatures. Icefish produce a natural antifreeze so their blood doesn’t freeze, and their lack of scales allows them to absorb oxygen straight through their skin! And did you know that penguins spread an oil over their dense feathers to keep them waterproof? From the smallest microorganism and shrimplike krill to the magnificent blue whale, every species plays a special role in the food chain to keep the ecosystem in balance. But scientists have noticed worrisome changes over the past decades. Will the icefish, whose bodies are made especially for cold temperatures, be able to survive in a warmer climate? And where will penguins go when their icy breeding grounds have melted?

Award-winning nature writer Mary Batten and New York Times bestselling illustrator Thomas Gonzalez pose these important questions as they take readers on a guided tour of Antarctica. Gonzalez’ stunning illustrations will incite wonder and awe at the beauty of this mysterious continent, and Batten’s urgent message of conservation is an ideal introduction to climate change for young readers and budding scientists. Backmatter includes a map of Antarctica and its surrounding seas, a glossary, ten interesting facts about the discovery and exploration of the continent, and an inspiring author’s note to inspire the next generation of activists.

Take a peek inside this important new nonfiction picture book below, and see more in this excerpt.

Author Mary Batten shares her passion for Antarctica and inspiration for the book in this author Q&A.

Don’t forget to download the comprehensive teacher’s guide for in-depth classroom instruction, perfect for introducing students to climate change.

“Informative…fascinating… The text makes a compelling case for understanding and caring about Antarctica. Gonzalez’s illustrations provide an intriguing depiction of the setting…. A superb choice for students who are studying animal adaptation and how climate change impacts Antarctica. The well-researched text and captivating illustrations work well to convey the importance of conservation.” —School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

“Descriptions are clear, concise, and interesting… [Batten’s] text is relatively substantial for a picture book, and it’s set against a backdrop of gorgeous Antarctic scenes created by Gonzalez.…the scenery is magnificent…. Sobering news in a handsome package.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Thomas Gonzalez’s watercolor illustrations are lively and precise, helping to make this an enchanting, educational introduction to Antarctica’s biodiversity.” —Foreword Reviews

Find Life in a Frozen World this November at your local library, indie bookstore, or Barnes & Noble. And don’t forget to check out the rest of our brand-new Fall 2020 titles as well as our picture books and middle grade titles coming to Peachtree this season in paperback!

Lula and the Sea Monster
by Alex Latimer

Lula loves living by the beach. But soon, her family must leave their home to make way for a new highway. Counting down the days to her move, Lula walks along the beach to find keepsakes and discovers a small sea monster that she names Bean. Each day Lula returns to the beach to feed him. And each day Bean grows bigger and bigger. But what will happen to Lula’s new friend once she moves away? From popular children’s book author-illustrator Alex Latimer comes this delightfully odd story of friendship and standing up for others.

Bo the Brave
by Bethan Woollvin

Bo wants to be just like her brothers and capture a fearsome monster, but her brothers say she is too small. Luckily, Bo isn’t one to take no for an answer, and so she sets off on a quest to catch a monster of her own. Can Bo defeat the monstrous creatures she encounters, or has she got the wrong idea about who the real monsters are? Author-illustrator Bethan Woollvin, creator of the New York Times Best Illustrated Book Little Red, delivers an original fairy tale with a spirited female protagonist, a vibrant medieval backdrop, and a clever twist ending.

Mr. Penguin and the Catastrophic Cruise
by Alex T. Smith

Mr. Penguin and his Adventuring gang board a luxury cruise ship for some much-needed rest and a little entertainment, and Mr. Penguin isn’t even bothered that he can’t swim and is deeply afraid of water. But when a series of odd events infiltrates a façade of glamorous parties, film stars and politicians, Mr. Penguin can’t help but feel that something shifty is happening on board. This third installment in the humorous, page-turning series from Alex T. Smith, the author-illustrator of the popular Claude series, is sure to thrill young readers looking for a good adventure.