Tag: Charlesbridge

Posted in picture books

Bienvenida a Casa, Esmerelda/Welcome Home, Esmerelda embrace new beginnings

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Bienvenida a Casa, Esmerelda, by Daniela Ramirez/Illustrated by Maribel Lechuga, (May 2025, Charlesbridge), $17.99, ISBN: 9781623544386

Ages 6-9

Esmerelda is a young girl living with her mom, older sister, and dad, who serves in the military. He comes home to announce that they have short-notice orders to move back to the States, to their hometown of San Antonio, Texas. Mamá is delighted and Mariana, Esmerelda’s older sister, promises this is a great move, but Esmerelda isn’t so sure. The school year isn’t over, and she’s not even from San Antonio. Heartbroken, Esmerelda says goodbye to everything and everyone she knows as the family moves into temporary housing on-base and then boards the plane to Texas. When the family lands, they are surrounded by smiling, exuberant family members who can’t wait to welcome Esmerelda; still feeling like a fish out of water, it isn’t until her Tío George turns up the radio on plays music by Selena that Esmerelda finally feels familiarity and connection. She and her family dance together and she realizes that her “heart is home”.

I read the Spanish version of this story and loved the emotional storytelling, told from Esmerelda’s point of view. We’re never told where her family is stationed, but we understand that it’s overseas and that she’s lived there for most of her life (note: the verso page mentions that the family is stationed in Germany). Ramirez’s story resonates with children of the military that often have to pack up and move at a moment’s notice and the complicated feelings that come as part of the life. As a military spouse and “military kid”, Ramirez notes in an author’s note, she describes her inspiration for writing Bienvenida a Casa, Esmerelda and how the connection to Selena Quintanilla’s music helped smooth her own transitions. Digital illustrations are colorful and have fun details that provide texture to the characters: Esmerelda’s room contains a poster of Selena and a military teddy bear; the family’s belongings show possessions from around the world, giving a clue to multiple deployments. A celebration of family and music, this is a great addition to picture book collections and is available in English and Spanish.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

The Aliens Do NOT Want to Go Home!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Aliens Do Not Want to Go Home!, by Adam Gustavson, (June 2025, Charlesbridge Publishing), $17.99, ISBN: 9781623544942

Ages 4-7

This hilarious book is perfect for every single grownup who has had to endure the end of a playdate/family or friend gathering/insert your own dilemma here. A group of adorable aliens are not ready to go home, and the laugh-out-loud narrative will list all of the reasons, which sound suspiciously like ones we’ve all heard before: they haven’t said good bye yet! They have to put on their shoes (it’s ALWAYS the shoes)! It’s not even dark out, and they have to do something very important that absolutely, positively, cannot be done at home! It’s been so long since their last sleepover; maybe they can just borrow a pair of pajamas? So many delaying tactics; so many excuses, but the aliens are just not ready to go home. Gustavson’s adorable illustrations show aliens engaging in very kid-like behavior and making the funniest faces to delight young readers, who will see themselves in these quirky creatures. The little critters frolic through crop circles and scale clock towers, clean up their messes and settle in at a drive-in just as the tractor beams pull them up from their reverie, still pleading their cases. A must-have for storytime collections, this will be a home-run readaloud that kids will want to hear again and again.

Posted in Fiction, Middle Grade, Middle School, Realistic Fiction, Tween Reads

Touched by… a werewolf? Werewolf Hamlet by Kerry Madden-Lunsford

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Werewolf Hamlet, by Kerry Madden-Lunsford, (Feb. 2025, Charlesbridge Moves), $18.99, ISBN: 9781623544331

Ages 10-14

Okay, for anyone who sees the titles and thinks this is a fun send-up of Shakespeare set in middle school, I promise you that while you may be kind of right, you need to get ready for some tissues. Angus is our 10-year-old narrator, and he is going through some stuff. His parents are defaulting on their mortgage and behind on the bills; his little sister is worried that the Four Closers are coming to kick them out of their home. He’s struggling with school, and he’s worried about his 17-year-old brother, Liam, who’s acting like a werewolf: he’s staying out late, coming home stinky, and sometimes his eyes are bloodshot. Plus, he’s moody, snappish, and a little bit hairy. Angus also has a “legacy project” he has to do before he graduates, so he thinks up a new version of Hamlet: “Werewolf Hamlet” will be both a great legacy project and his chance to reach Liam. This is a touching story of addiction and family with relatable characters. Angus is immediately a likable character who loves classic Hollywood movies and imagines conversations between himself and luminaries like Charlie Chaplin and Lon Chaney Jr.; his late-night conversations with Liam show a kid struggling to stay connected to his brother, whom he clearly adores. Angus is a quirky character who sees things differently; he and his brother trade Shakespearean insults that will have readers chuckling. His classmates are entertaining and solidly support Angus’s narrative. Angus’s family is realistic, with flaws and strengths that readers will recognize. Cutaways from Angus’s narrative include snippets of Werewolf Hamlet, imaginary discussions with movie stars, and “Conversations with Liam in the Night” that shed light on the brothers’ relationship. A solid book that middle school and middle grade collections should keep front and center in fiction collections.

Werewolf Hamlet has a starred review from Booklist and was a featured Shelf Awareness pick. Find a Shakespearean insult generator, poster, reader’s group guide and more on Charlesbridge’s website.

Posted in Middle Grade, Non-fiction, Tween Reads, Uncategorized

More books for your Earth Day displays!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Earth Day is coming to a close, but we can celebrate our Pale Blue Dot all year ’round. Let Earth Day be the kickoff to a Spring full of environmental awareness for your libraries and communities!

The Secret Life of a Sea Turtle, by Maddalena Bearzi/Illustrated by Alex Boersma, (May 2025, Roaring Brook Press), $19.99, ISBN: 9781250901675

Ages 6-10

There’s bits and pieces of knowledge most of us have about sea turtles: they lay eggs on the beach, the hatchlings hatch, and there’s the “race for life” to get to the ocean before the predators get the hatchlings. What happens after a turtle hatchling makes it to the water? Bearzi, a marine biologist and conservationist, details the life of a sea turtle for readers. Beginning with the hatching, Bearzi continues the story to show readers that making it to water isn’t the end of a sea turtle’s struggle; there are predators in the water and there are humans, whose fishing nets don’t always allow for a turtle to escape. Bearzi also discusses migration patterns and brings the turtle’s life full circle by having the main sea turtle return to the same beach where she hatched, this time to lay her own eggs. Boersma’s realistic illustrations are breathtaking, evoking emotion and awe with each spread. Back matter includes a section on spotting the different types of sea turtles, ways to protect sea turtles, information about sea turtle researchers, and a bibliography. A must-buy for your nonfiction collections. The Secret Life of a Sea Turtle has a starred review from Kirkus.

 

Together, a Forest: Drawing Connections Between Nature’s Diversity and Our Own, by Roz MacLean, (March 2025, Henry Holt & Co), $18.99 ISBN: 9781250864512

Ages 4-8

A class trip to a forest is a study in interconnectivity. Each of the class interacts with their environment in their own ways, illustrating how we each relate to our surroundings. Sasha, a student with a white cane who codes as being blind, listens to the differences in bird sounds as they change position; the surrounding trees and plants creating “sound shadows”. Angel, a student who gets “caught up in the moment” and “often misplaces things”, is much like a squirrel, who buries more seeds than he will need to get through winter, just in case he forgets where he saved everything. Student Joy appears to suffer from anxiety, is worried about her class assignment, but the soothing network of her classmates – her ecosystem – sustains her just as the orchid sustains its environs. A moving meditation on how we all come together to create a diverse and vibrant world and how we are connected to our planet. A good addition to picture book collections. Mixed media illustration includes a diverse and inclusive group. Use this book to encourage discussion. Together, a Forest has a starred review from Kirkus. Download a free activity kit from MacKids School and Library.

 

How to Explain Climate Science to a Grown-Up, by Ruth Spiro/Illustrated by Teresa Martínez, (March 2025, Charlesbridge), $17.99, ISBN: 9781623546205

Ages 4-8

You know, sometimes it’s just up to kids to get things done, especially when grown-ups don’t want to listen. That’s where this “How to Explain” series comes in handy, and climate change is a particularly important one for kids to be aware of AND about how to talk to grown-ups. Written with the assumption that kids are in charge, Spiro – whose Baby Loves Science series we love! – offers comic book panels, simple and factual explanation (so grownups can understand!) and Pro Tips to fall back on when stubborn adults insist that climate change isn’t a real thing. Martínez’s illustration offers helpful diagrams for visual explanation and comic book dialogue to keep everyone engaged. It’s a tough job, being a kid, especially when you have to explain everything to those spacey grownups: stock your collection with this series to help a kid out. Download an educator kit, a Kid Expert certificate, and badge from Charlesbridge’s website.

 

History Smashers: Earth Day and the Environment, by Kate Messner/Illustrated by Justin Greenwood, (March 2025, Random House Books for Young Readers), $9.99, ISBN:  9780593705308

Ages 8-12

This series does gangbusters in my library, which is no big surprise, because it’s penned by Kate Messner. Here, Messner gets to the truth behind the Earth Day history and myths. Messner gets into the first Earth Day in April 1970, but gets to the roots of the holiday with discussions on Indigenous populations who developed sustainable farming practices, environmental activists going back to the 18th and 19th centuries, and the science behind global warming. Messner’s straightforward discourse has the ability to empower a new generation to take up the cause: plant a tree, throw out some trash, recycle the bottles! Greenwood’s black and white illustrations go from the realistic-factual to comic book panels depending on the ideas he communicates. A home run for graphic novel fans and more visual readers that will find a great home in nonfiction collections.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Christmas? Hanukkah? We have books for that!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

In today’s “books for holiday storytimes”…

Gingerbread Dreidels, by Jane Breskin Zalben/Illustrated by Thai Phuong, (Aug. 2024, Charlesbridge), $17.99, ISBN: 9781623543655

Ages 4-7

Christmas and Hanukkah fall on the same day this year! Siblings Sophie and Max are confused: they normally celebrate both holidays, but let’s get to the big question: will this mean they get half the presents? This sweet holiday story is all about family, traditions, and yes, the kids get presents. Sophie and Max bake up a mess in the kitchen with their parents until both sets of grandparents arrive and take over: latkes and applesauce! Sweet potato pudding and turkey! It’s a holiday feast to remember, followed by the stories of both Hanukkah and Christmas, singing holiday songs, a few spins of the dreidel, and then it’s time for gifts. A warm story of family, tradition, and blending faiths, Zalben includes a history of the dreidel and a tasty gingerbread dreidel recipe in addition to an author’s note. Grandma Gold, an Ethiopian Jew as clarified in Zalben’s author note, is depicted as brown-skinned; Papa, her son, is darker-skinned. Cheerful illustrations and warm storytelling will have kids asking for this every holiday.

 

 

 

Luna Loves Christmas, by Joseph Coelho/Illustrated by Fiona Lumbers, (Dec. 2023, Kane Miller), $15.99, ISBN: 978168464641

Ages 4-8

A new Luna story is always a fun time! This time, it’s Christmas. Luna gets to decorate and celebrate at Mom’s, and then at Dad’s, but this year, she and Mom are doing something different: they are volunteering! Luna’s a little cold when she and Mom start out, but as she delivers food, plays with a friend, and joins in with a group of carolers, the warmth she feels inside at doing good deeds warms her up and she doesn’t notice the cold. After volunteering with Mom, it’s off to Dad’s, where the two make cookies and hang stockings. On Christmas Day, they eat dinner at town hall with other families – and where Mom is serving dinner! – including both sets of grandparents. When Santa arrives at the end of the day, it’s the best way to end an exciting Christmas. A sweet story about giving and community, Luna Loves Christmas also supports children of divorce by illustrating life between two households. Her parents seem to have a healthy relationship and co-parent their child in a respectful manner. Illustrations are soft and cheerful. Luna is bi-racial and portratyed with light brown skin and curly hair; her father is dark-skinned. There is diversity in all the families depicted in the story. Originally published in the UK in 2023, there are fun details in the illustrations that hint at British holiday traditions, like the wearing of paper crowns. An insert “Christmas Story” lets readers enjoy a story that Luna and a new friend share. A sweet additional holiday purchase.

Posted in Intermediate, Non-Fiction

That’s the way the ball bounces: Bounce! is a history of rubber

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Bounce! A Scientific History of Rubber, by Sarah Albee/Illustrated by Eileen Ryan Ewen, (Oct. 2024, Charlesbridge), $18.99, ISBN: 9781623543792

Ages 6-9

Learners who love the “why” of things will enjoy this one: illustrations and history pair with scientific explanation to deliver a concise and fascinating history of rubber. Entertainment in Europe wasn’t terribly exciting in the early days: to play ball, one had options like leather stuffed with feathers or an animal bladder stuffed with dried peas. You know where there were bouncing balls, though? The pre-Columbian Americas, where the rainforest had trees that yielded latex. The Spaniards “discovered” the balls along with everything else they “discovered”, leading to centuries of experimentation and innovation and culminating with simultaneous discoveries by American Charles Goodyear and Englishman Thomas Hancock; they discovered how to “vulcanize” rubber, making it moldable, shapable, and less likely to melt in the summer or freeze in the winter. Illustrated scientific explanations appear throughout the history, and pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations show people through the ages bicycling, sitting on inner tybes, splashing through puddles, and swimming underwater. Endpapers show a variety of balls bouncing across the spreads. Notes on history, details about rubber, a timeline, and a bilbiography round out the back matter. An excellent nonfiction resource.

Bounce! A Scientific History of Rubber has a starred review from Kirkus.

 

 

Sarah Albee is the New York Times best-selling author of more than 100 books for kids, including Troublemakers in Trousers: Women and What They Wore to Get Things Done and Accidental Archaeologists: True Stories of Unexpected Discoveries. Prior to being a full-time writer, Sarah worked at Children’s Television Workshop (producers of Sesame Street) for nine years. She played basketball in college, and then a year of semi-professional women’s basketball in Cairo, Egypt. She lives in Connecticut.

Eileen Ryan Ewen is the illustrator of many books for children, including H is for Honey Bee, Jonas Hanway’s Scurrilous Scandalous Shockingly Sensational Umbrella, and Nature’s Friend: The Gwen Frostic Story. http://www.eileenryanewen.com

Posted in Fiction, Intermediate, Non-Fiction, picture books, Preschool Reads

It’s AANHPI Month!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

What’s AANHPI? It’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and May’s dedicated to recognizing the contributions and influence of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders have and continue to have on American culture and history. Here are some books to think about when putting together collections and displays.

If Lin Can, by Richard Ho/Illustrated by Huynh Kim Liên & Phùng Nguyên Quang, (Apr 2024, Charlesbridge Publishing), $18.99, ISBN: 9781623543723

Ages 7-10

Posed as both a narrative and a series of thought-provoking questions, this picture book biography of basketball star Jeremy Lin touches on the obstacles Lin encountered on his way to becoming the first Taiwanese American to play in the NBA and inspiring “Linsanity” among fans. The story emphasizes Lin’s perseverance over racism and those who underestimated him, paralleled with Asian-presenting children encountering similar obstacles and connecting with Lin, who they see on TV or in the newspaper: “Have you ever tuned in to a radio, / turned on a television, / or opened a newspaper, / and discovered someone who looks like you?” Liên and Quang’s expressive illustrations show Asian-presenting children being ignored or bullied by light-skinned children, adjacent with Lin’s similar experiences. An inspiring addition to sports biographies and picture book biographies.

Read more about Jeremy Lin at the Jeremy Lin Foundation webpage, his Basketball Reference page, and his Instagram.

 

 

Archie Celebrates an Indian Wedding, by Mitali Banerjee Ruths/Illustrated by Parwinder Singh, (Apr 2024, Charlesbridge Publishing), $17.99, ISBN: 9781623544188

Ages 4-8

The second Archana (her nickname is Archie) story focuses on Archie and her family preparing to celebrate her Uncle Poppy’s wedding to Julie. Archana, an Indian girl, helps acclimate Julie’s niece Emma, to the excitement of an Indian wedding and helps calm Julie. Emma is a stand-in for the reader, who Archie guides through the wedding celebration, explaining food, clothing, henna painting, and customs like the ceremony and stealing the groom’s shoes. Vibrant art captures the lively atmosphere, and Emma and Archie become friends as they become cousins after the wedding. A fun additional purchase for picture book collections, Archie Celebrates an Indian Wedding is the companion to Archie Celebrates Diwali (2021). An author’s note about Indian weddings and a glossary complete the book.

Raising World Children has more fun facts about Indian weddings.

 

 

Other books to display/read/purchase:

 

Continental Drifter, by Kathy MacLeod,
(Apr. 2024, First Second), $14.99,
ISBN: 9781250813749

 

 

Fried Rice & Marinara, by Mike Yam/Illustrated by Laura Dong,
(Apr. 2023, VOOK Books), $17.99,
ISBN: 9781737726951


Pie in the Sky, by Remy Lai,
(May 2019, Henry Holt & Co), $21.99,
ISBN: 978-1-250-31410-9


Jhupli’s Honey Bee Box, by Achintyarup Ray/Illustrated by Shivan Choudhary
(Oct. 2023, Amazon Crossing Kids), $17.99,
ISBN: 9781662514678

 


Anni Dreams of Biryani, by Namita Moolani Mehra/Illustrated by Ghaaya Prabhat,
(Sept. 2022, Two Lions), $17.99,
ISBN: 9781542030410

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads, Uncategorized

New Earth Day Reads!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Earth Day is right around the corner! There are some great new books to have ready for a great readaloud. Let’s take a look.

Miss MacDonald Has a Farm, by Kalee Gwarjanski/Illustrated by Elizabet Vuković, (March 2024, Doubleday Books for Young Readers), $18.99, ISBN: 9780593568163

Ages 3-7

It’s a new spin on an old favorite! Miss MacDonald has a farm, and she loves to grow her own food in this ode to farm-to-table food. Kids are going to love this easy-to-learn song, with repetitive phrases like “Miss MacDonald has a farm. / She loves things that grow” and “E-I-E-I-GROW”. Miss MacDonald grows all sorts of yummy food, like tomatoes and green beans, sweet corn and pumpkins, and she “shuck-shucks” and “thrish-thrashes” her way through her fields, planting and harvesting her wares to bring to a farmer’s market and feasting at a community table with a diverse group of neighbors. It’s a fun way to illustrate where our food comes from and how it gets to the table, with colorful and appealing illustrations that show a young female farmer of color growing and harvesting her food. Back matter includes vocabulary that explains the steps in getting food to grow from seed to table, and a recipe for a harvest vegetable bake included in the story. I sang this story to a pre-k class during a school visit this week, and they loved it! This is a great story for anyone who’s doing flannel storytimes, too – get those colorful sheets out and make yourself a vegetable garden.

Chicken Soup for the Soul KIDS: The Sunshine Garden: Being a Team Player, by Jamie Michalak/Illustrated by Jenna Nahyun Chung, (March 2024, Charlesbridge), $14.99, ISBN: 9781623542863

Ages 4-7

The Sunshine Squad returns in this sweet story about kindness, teamwork, and gardening. The Sunshine Squad are six friends who loves to pretend they’re superheroes, and do some pretty great everyday superhero stuff. Mia, one of the Squad, learns that her grandma’s friend, Mr. Angelo, is sick and unable to tend to his community garden and steps in to help… but it’s a much bigger task than she realized. The rest of the Sunshine Squad step in and use their “superpowers” to get the job done and save the day! It’s a sweet story about helping one another and being kind, while showing kids that kindness can be a superpower. Back matter includes tips on being part of a team, with suggestions that work nicely within an Earth Day setting. It’s a good additional add to picture book collections, especially where Chicken Soup for the Soul books do well.

 

 

You Are a Little Seed, by Sook-Hee Choi, Translated by Jieun Kiaer, (March 2024, Charlesbridge), $15.99, ISBN: 9781623544287

Ages 2-5

Originally published in Korean in 2013, this is a gentle story that reads like poetry, describing seven types of flowers that bloom from different types of seeds and became beautiful flowers: “A seed, a seed blowing / in the wind… / took root in / the wild and bloomed / as a dandelion”. Children show up in the flowers as seeds and fully bloomed, showing readers that we can bloom under all sorts of conditions. A soft color palette creates a soothing setting, and the flower illustrations are breathtaking. A wonderful metaphor for how we grow and our beauty in diversity. My only concern is a pssage that describes a seed as “ugly and wrinkled”, which reads more like the author is referring to the child as unsightly; I’m hoping it was more of a moment where the child may feel that way but blossoms into themselves? Other than that, You Are a Little Seed is lovely.

You Are a Little Seed has starred reviews from Kirkus and Foreword Reviews.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Where Do Ocean Creatures Sleep at Night? Fun for bedtime and storytime

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Where Do Ocean Creatures Sleep at Night?, by Steven J. Simmons & Clifford R. Simmons/Illustrated by Ruth E. Harper, (Apr. 2024, Charlesbridge Publishing), $17.99, ISBN: 9781623542979

Ages 3-7

Ocean animals sleep just like land animals do – and like kids do, too! This rhyming story is nonfiction that reads like a bedtime story and will appeal to younger learners. Beginning and closing with human children to place the reader in the story, Simmons and Simmons weave a playful rhyme that delves into the sleeping habits and underwater areas of a plethora of sea creatures including stringrays, whales, sharks, and octopuses. The story educates as it charms, giving readers interesting facts like “A clownfish can wiggle and do a dance. / It eats tiny animals and also plants. / It lives in anemones that keep away foes; / these homes are poison, and other fish know. / But for the clownfish it’s safe to stay, / and here it sleeps at the end of each day”. Harper’s realistic watercolor illustrations show the colorful range of different underwater flora and fauna, with gorgeous texture that brings life to every spread (seriously – I want a print of the octopus spread). Beginning with a group of children enjoying a day at the beach and playing with toys of the very animals we meet throughout the story, and closing with the kids winding down for a good night’s sleep – with their sea friends nest to them as they drift off in their “nice, dry bed[s]”, this is a great choice for bedtime, pajama storytimes, or under the sea-themed storytimes. Where Do Ocean Creatures Sleep at Night? is the third book in a series that includes Where Do Creatures Sleep at Night and Where Do Big Creatures Sleep at Night? and is a fun addition to early nonfiction collections.

I Heart Crafty Things has adorable Sea Creatures coloring pages for a post-storytime activity. LucyJaneLovesLearning on TeachersPayTeachers has free sea creature student name tags, if you have large storytime groups and do name tags.

 

EDITED TO ADD: There’s a downloadable activity kit for Where Do Creatures Sleep at Night? Download it here!

Posted in Non-Fiction, picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Guess Who and What’s on the Menu? Animal non-fiction for kids!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Eye Guess: A Forest Animal Guessing Game, by Phyllis Limbacher Tildes, (Jan 2024, Charlesbridge), $8.99, ISBN: 9781623544478

Ages Infant-3

Play a game of Guess Who? with littles with this illustrated board book that offers clues and extreme close-ups. Spreads alternate question and answer, with close-up illustrations and a brief clue and a full spread of the animal in its environment… and a sneak peek at the next animal for readers to discover. Realistic illustrations are in full color and pay attention to details and are reminiscent of Steve Jenkins’ books. Fonts are easy to read and the repetitive question and answer format will help readers identify animals after a few reads. A good addition to board book collections.

 

 

 

Menus for Meerkats and Other Hungry Animals, by Ben Hoare/Illustrated by Hui Skipp, (March 2024, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 9781684648306

Ages 6-9

Kids who have ever wondered what’s on the menu for different animals will get a kick out of this friendly book that describes what different animals eat and why: who’s a vegetarian? Who’s a meat-eater? Who dabbles in both? There are 10 profiles of animal appetites in here, including the dung beetle and the different types of poop they snack on, so be ready for a lot of laughs. Spreads alternate between a menu, offering a few general facts about the animal’s eating habits and what they eat and drink, and a dinner spread, which gets into more detail about how they eat what they do: grizzy bears are omnivores who will dig up roots, eat berries, and fish for bears, and they eat most of the time they’re awake because they hibernate through the winter, for instance. Fun fact boxes provide more statistics, like length and weight. A glossary and index make up the back matter. Hot pink endpapers have animal illustrations, and the interior illustrations are colorful, bright, and cheerful. A fun additional add to animal collections, and let’s be honest here: can you ever have enough books on poop? The kids at my library would say no.