Text Structure – Unleashing Readers

Fighting For Justice: Alice Piper Speaks Up by Sage Andrew Romero and Loralee Sepsey, Illustrated by Morgan Thompson

June 17, 2026June 17, 2026 by Kellee

Alice Piper Speaks Up
(Fighting for Justice #3)
Authors: Sage Andrew Romero and Loralee Sepsey
Illustrator: Morgan Thompson
Published June 2nd, 2026 by Heyday Books
Instagram: @heydaybooks | Facebook: Heyday Books

Summary: Volume 3 in the acclaimed Fighting for Justice Series for young readers: the story of a Native teenager’s history-making fight for equal education.

Alice Piper just wanted to go to public school. The year was 1923, and Alice, a Native Paiute (Nuwuvi) teenager in California, dreamed about learning from teachers, making new friends, and being respected for who she was. So when the school board refused to let her and six other Native students attend, she decided to speak up, and she sued for her right to an equal education. Alice Piper Speaks Up, the first book dedicated to this major champion of civil rights, features new research into Alice’s life and court case. Each chapter begins with lyrical verse and full-color illustrations that invite readers into Alice’s story. Paired with the poems are visually engaging sections filled with keyword definitions, historical context, timelines, primary sources, and questions that help readers relate Alice’s experience to their own lives. The text connects Alice’s case to larger themes about education, Native rights, and movements for school desegregation across the United States. The third book in Heyday’s widely acclaimed Fighting for Justice series, Alice Piper Speaks Up shows how one teen’s action resonates throughout America’s history, even now.

About the Creators:

Sage Andrew Romero is from the Tovowahamatu Numu (Big Pine Paiute) and Tuah-Tahi (Taos Pueblo) tribes. The founder and director of the AkaMya Culture Group, a nonprofit dedicated to cultural revitalization, he lives in Big Pine, California. For more info, see nama.media/sage-andrew-romero.

Loralee Sepsey is a writer and a member of the Big Pine Paiute Tribe of the Owens Valley. Based in Santa Ana, California, she lives with her husband and their two cats. To learn more, visit her website: loraleesepsey.com.

Morgan Thompson is a Cherokee (Cherokee Nation) artist with a love for Indigenous stories. When she’s not working, she enjoys a bit of stomp dancing or some beading on the side. Visit skadoodlin.com.

Instagram Sage Andrew Romero: @digitalndn | Morgan Thompson: @skadoodlin
FacebookSage Andrew Romero: Sage Andrew Romero

Review and Educators’ Tools for Navigation: Integration of education is taught in history classes but primarily focuses on Brown v. Board of Education and it isn’t often shared that there were fights all over the country from different marginalized communities to have the right to an equal education. This book focuses on a fight 30 years before Brown v. Board of Education, when Alice Piper, a 15 year-old Paiute student, along with six other children, sued the Big Pine School District stating that they had the right to attend Big Pin School based on the 14th amendment, AND THEY WON!

This book is MADE for teaching. The creators and publisher of this book know what they are doing. Through the authors’ beautiful free verse intertwined with emotions and onomatopoeia, we experience Alice’s story along with her. Then intertwined between chapters, the nonfiction spreads tie it all together with more history and information. By combining a biography-in-verse with nonfiction information that has vocabulary, timelines, discussion questions, and photographs makes it so the book is so easily cross-curricular as well as supportive of so many language arts standards, both literary and informational.

(And I am so curious about the other two books in the series! Because if they are formatted in similar ways, this series would be perfect for literature circles where each group read a different Fighting for Justice book then shares what they learned about their activist with their classmates.)

And I love that the book ends with “Speaking Up for What’s Right: From Alice’s Day to Ours” to truly connect it all together. Really adds that extra bit to the book.

Oh, and did you know that Alice Piper Day is June 2 in California; this information is featured in the book also and is definitely a person deserving of her own day!

Discussion Questions: There are many discussion questions found scattered throughout the book, including:

What does it mean to be respected for who you are, and to respect other for who they are?
When was a timea family member or elder taught you an important skill?
How would you feel if your government decided to change your family’s name?
Some traditional Paiute names are non-lexical. Can you think of some non-lexical names commonly used today?

Flagged Passages & Spreads:

Chaptier 1: Preparing Tüba

Alice is sweaty,
sticky, and ready
to grind.

It’s almost fall in Payahuunadü
and the summer heat still lingers.
Alice, a few months into thirteen,
is helping her family prepare
the season’s first batch of pine nuts–
tüba–
into today’s meal.

Alice’s mother, Annie, places
winnowing baskets on the ground.
Alice’s sisters, Ola and Mamie,
toss handfuls of tüba inside.
The hard shells make a clickety-clack
against the willow reeds.

Chapter 4: A Day at the Day School

“Wake up, Alice,
it’s time for school.”

Alice rubs the sleep out of her eyes
and blinks at her mother.
It’s cold and so dark
that she can still see the stars
in the morning sky.

Alice has a long journey
from Soha-witü–
Fish Lake Valley–
to the Indian day school in Tovowahamatu,
almost forty miles away.

Early mornings are normal for Alice,
and if she wants to learn
as much as she can,
the day must start early.

Read This If You Love: History, Activism

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Blue Slip Media (@blue_slip_media | @blue-slip-media) for providing a copy for review!**

Notre-Dame: The World’s Cathedral by Lynn Curlee

May 6, 2026 by Kellee

Notre-Dame: The World’s Cathedral
Author & Illustrator: Lynn Curlee
Published May 5th, 2026 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Summary: A fascinating visual history of Notre-Dame, “the World’s Cathedral,” that highlights the burning and reconstruction of the cherished building from award-winning author-illustrator Lynn Curlee.

On April 15, 2019, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Paris was almost destroyed by fire, an event that shocked and riveted the entire world as it played out in real time on TV and across the internet.

The story of the fire and its aftermath, along with the rebuilding of the historic cathedral, offers an exciting narrative around which Lynn Curlee builds an illustrated story for middle grade readers about this internationally cherished monument.

In the way that only he can, Lynn illuminates captivating information about cathedrals, gothic architecture, French history, restoration of old buildings, heroism under fire, and even Quasimodo, the famous Hunchback of Notre-Dame.

★ “This handsome offering goes far beyond covering the story of the devastating 2019 fire that
destroyed the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, France. . . Currently the only book available on this subject
for middle-grade readers, this will be an attractive addition for all collections.” – Booklist, STARRED REVIEW

“Soaring tributes to both the building and the workers who preserved it.” – Kirkus Reviews

About the Creator: LYNN CURLEE was educated as an art historian and worked as a fine artist for many years before he began to make children’s books. Three of his books, Capital, Liberty, and Rushmore, were chosen by the Barbara Bush Literacy Campaign as their Book of the Year in three consecutive years. Mr. Curlee has won numerous awards for his work, including but not limited to a Robert F. Sibert Honor Book (Brooklyn Bridge), Orbis Pictus Award (Rushmore), ALA Notable Books for Children (Liberty), and Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year (Parthenon). His other books include Ballpark, Trains, Mythological Creatures, and Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. He lives in Norwich, Connecticut, with his partner and two Great Danes. Find out more on Instagram @LynnCurlee.

Review: This book is beautiful and fascinating! I learned so much about Notre-Dame and Parisian history. I also found the parts about the fire and restoration of the cathedral so interested!

I had not read any Lynn Curlee before this one, and I have now set a goal to read more because I loved the way that he brought his passion for the topic into both the text and the illustrations. Sadly, there is a not in the back from the editor that shares that in early 2025, Lynn Curlee fell “ill and is unable to continue working” and “this book is likely Lynn’s last book.” I am happy to say that this final book is definitely one to be proud of.

Educators’ Tools for Navigation: This book has so much for educators!

First, it could be used for a read aloud. It is pretty text heavy, so would probably be for older readers, but chunking this like a chapter book would be a fascinating read aloud.

Second, I loved the vocabulary and glossary in this book. It is a great way to discuss vocabulary in nonfiction text.

Third, this book could be used for a mentor text to create their own nonfiction text about something they are interested in.

Fourth, this book would be a great support for any class learning about gothic architecture–I learned so much!

Fifth, make a timeline!

Sixth, do a book club with his other titles in this set then let students share with the class what they learned about their topic.

I just would love to see this text in classrooms and libraries; I hope you grab it!

Discussion Questions:

How did the Parisians change their view of the cathedral during the 900 years it has been around?
Why was the restoration project so successful versus others that took longer?
Why is Notre Dame’s architecture so special?
How did Victor Hugo’s book affect the treatment of the cathedral?
Why is the cathedral so important to modern Paris?
How is our modern technology and advancements negatively affecting Notre-Dame?
How do you think the author chose which parts of the cathedral to include as illustrations?
Why do you think the author chose to jump around time-wise in the book?

Flagged Spreads:

Read This If You Love: Architecture, History, Nonfiction Picture Books for Older Readers

Recommended For:

**Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for review!**

Werewolf Hamlet by Kerry Madden-Lunsford

March 25, 2025 by Kellee

Werewolf Hamlet
Author: Kerry Madden-Lunsford
Published February 18th, 2025 by Charlesbridge Moves

Summary: Humor, heart, and Shakespeare abound in this middle-grade novel about Angus, a 10-year-old theater fanatic, his struggling family, and his changing relationship with big brother Liam.

Perfect for fans of books that handle difficult subjects and family dynamics in a sensitive way, like Better Nate Than Ever and Rule of Threes.

10-year-old Angus is unique. He quotes Shakespeare and wants to stage a Werewolf Hamlet play for his 5th grade legacy project. Angus’s 17-year-old brother, Liam, is like a werewolf now—Angus never knows if he’ll be nice or mean or when he’ll sneak out to get drunk or worse.

Meanwhile, tension continues to build for Liam’s family in Los Angeles. Mom and Dad are going to default on the mortgage. Older sister Hannah is fed up and ready to move herself to Maine, and little sister Sidney doesn’t really get what’s happening. Then Liam goes missing, and Angus decides he has to find him.

A realistic, heartfelt look at the complexities of family relationships and struggles. Along with Angus’s loveable charm, sense of humor, and desire to stage his original play, Werewolf Hamlet is sure to win its audience—on and off the page—over.

★“A story that is rich in wise insights.”—Booklist (starred)

About the Author: Kerry Madden-Lunsford has been a regular contributor to the LA Times OpEd page. For several years, she directed the creative writing program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she is still a professor, and she taught in Antioch University’s MFA program in Los Angeles for a decade. She is the author of the picture book Ernestine’s Milky Way. She also wrote the Maggie Valley Trilogy, which includes Gentle’s Holler, Louisiana’s Song, and Jessie’s Mountain. Her book, Up Close Harper Lee, was one Booklist’s Ten Top Biographies for Youth. Her first novel, Offsides, was a New York Public Library Pick for the Teen Age. Kerry is the mother of three adult children, and she now lives full-time in Birmingham, Alabama. Visit her at kerrymadden.com.

Check out Kerry Madden-Lunsford on social!
Bluesky
Threads
Substack

Review: As an educator, I have over the years sadly heard about so many different tough situations that my students were dealing with: being unhoused, divorce, death in the family, mental health struggles, etc. Too often, middle grade books stay away from tough topics because they are “too mature,” but anyone who has worked with middle graders has wished at different times that there was the perfect book to give to students at a certain moment of time but couldn’t find it–this book is going to be the perfect book at one of those times.

What an interesting mix within this book: Shakespeare, classic movies & movie stars, Los Angeles, growing up, foreclosure, runaway, pet wellness, friendship, and more. It seems like a lot, but it just works in this book because all of it is what makes Angus and his story come to life. Parts were hard to read, such as descriptions of Angus’s brother spiraling into addiction; Angus and his friends making more choices to find his brother; Angus’s families financial struggles and eviction; Angus’s dogs illness; and Angus’s struggles at school, but the author does a great job with including enough for emotional response and plot/character development and keeping the story developmentally relevant.

Educators’ Tools for Navigation: The publisher has created an amazing supplemental page for Werewolf Hamlet which will be perfect to use if teaching the book as a whole or if students are reading it in groups or independently! Visit https://www.charlesbridge.com/pages/werewolf-hamlet for resources about:

Insulting like Shakespeare
Geography and landmarks around Los Angeles
Classic films
Heroes of the silver screen
Hamlet

I also think that the book could be a great introduction to one-man plays, and students could take a story and transform it like Angus did with Hamlet.

Discussion Questions:

There is a Reader’s Group Guide found on the publisher’s resource page, too!

Flagged Passages/Spreads:

The Tar Feeling

Anybody can forget to wear shoes to school. Well, almost anybody. It’s an innocent mistake. And I didn’t forget my trumpet. Why doesn’t that count?

“Mom,” I say as she needles her way through crazy Los Angeles traffic to make it to the bus stop on time with all four of us kids in the car.

“People, I’m trying to sleep,” says my brother, Liam, who is seventeen and always sleeps on the way to school. That’s because he sneaks out at night. I’m not supposed to tell, and I’m going to make him quit doing it.

“We’re going to be late,” Hannah warns. She’s sixteen and thinks life would be perfect if only she’d been born in a hippie commune in the 1960s in Maine, the farthest state from California. She also loves sunflowers and paints them on her ceiling and makes us tiedye shirts. Mom and Dad call her a sunflower girl. She also loves an old-time singer, Joni Mitchell, and she plays her music loud to drown us out sometimes.

Sidney and I are who get dropped off at the bus stop first because we go to a magnet school far away. Sometimes we miss it, making Mom and Liam and Hannah late, and that means Mom grits her teeth and races to the next bus stop in hopes of still catching our bus. Those are not good mornings. After she drops us off, Mom drives to the high school where Liam and Hannah go, where she is the assistant girls’ volleyball coach and PE teacher. Their mascot is a tiger, so they are the Lady Tigers. Roar!

“Mom!” I yell again.

“What, Angus?” She blasts through a yellow light, eyes on the prize of the bus.

“I forgot my shoes at home.”

“We’re not turning around!” yells Hannah. “I have a test first period.”

Liam says, “Show some respect. I need to sleep. Geez.”

“Did you hear me, Mom?” I ask her.

Stony silence. From the look on her face in the rearview mirror, flaring nostrils like a bull and her fingers gripping the steering wheel, she hears me all right. But instead of turning around, she pulls up to the bus stop and says in a low voice, “Out. Now. Have a good day.”

“But Mom! I’m wearing only socks!” I stick a foot in the air.

Mom growls. Maybe more wolf than Lady Tiger, but for sure a growl.

My little sister, Sidney, tugs my arm. “Better forget it, Angus.”

“Fine! I’ll go shoeless! Who cares?” I climb out of the van, and then it happens. Mom yanks off her tennis shoes and hurls them out the window at my head while I’m standing in my socks on the curb with Sidney.

BAM! BAM!

Good thing I duck. Isn’t it against the law to throw shoes at your own children?

Read This If You Love: Sunny Side Up by Jennifer L. & Matthew Holm, The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Blue Slip Media for providing a copy for review!**

Jeffrey Ebbeler’s I Like to Read Comics: Wait a Minotaur, I’m Ogre It, Kraken Me Up, & A Giant Mess

February 22, 2025February 18, 2025 by Kellee

Wait a Minotaur
Published December 17th, 2024 by Holiday House

I’m Ogre It
Published October 11th, 2022 by Holiday House

Kraken Me Up
Published September 7th, 2021 by Holiday House

A Giant Mess
Published April 6th, 2021 by Holiday House

Author & Illustrator: Jeffrey Ebbeler

Summary: Comics-lovers can now share the fun with their kids, students, siblings, and younger friends who are learning to read!

I Like to Read® Comics are perfect for kids who are challenged by or unengaged in reading, kids who love art, and the growing number of young comics fans. Filled with eye-catching art, humor, and terrific stories, these comics provide unique reading experiences for growing minds.

Like their award-winning I Like to Read® counterpart, I Like to Read® Comics are created by celebrated artists and support reading comprehension to transform children into lifelong readers.

Wait a Minotaur: When his new school hallways start to feel like a labyrinth, how will Gus the minotaur and his human pal Nick stay calm and find their way to the correct classroom? Find out in this action-packed early reader from comics artist Jeffrey Ebbeler.

It’s Nick’s first day at a new school! As he walks in, he meets an easily excitable and impatient minotaur named Gus. It’s Gus’ first day, too—so he grabs Nick’s hand and charges straight into the building. There’s so much to see and do! They dance along with band practice, bounce around the school gym, end up in the boiler room, and. . . okay. They’re lost.

They may not know where to go, but they know what to wait a minute, calm down, and retrace their steps so they can find their classroom. Young comics readers are sure to resonate with comics illustrator Jeffrey Ebbeler’s hilarious, slapstick take on a common coming-of-age experience—and parents will love the subtle lessons of patience and critical thinking.

I’m Ogre It: An ogre turns out to be the best neighbor ever in this punny easy reader comic.

A family gets a surprise when a fun-loving ogre moves in next door and helps a sister bond with her screen-obsessed brother.

Ollie is so absorbed in the video game Smash Tower that he doesn’t notice that his sister and an ogre named Tim have emptied his room and constructed an obstacle course that mirrors the levels of the game in the yard. But a tell-tale red string leads him to the challenges. This comic is perfect for reintroducing kids to the fun of in-person play.

Kraken Me Up: Izzie and her unusual pet make a big splash at the county fair in this punny easy reader comic from a beloved children’s book illustrator and comics artist.

Izzie can’t wait to debut her pet at the county fair. While the other children have brought pigs or chickens, Izzie brought a…Kraken!

Even though everyone thinks Kraken is big and frightening, he is not. He’s like Izzie, sweet and shy. Kraken and Izzie use creativity and humor to win over the crowd in this hilariously adorable comic. The variety of panel styles, speech bubbles, and fonts are all perfect for engaging developing readers.

A Giant Mess: A gigantic tyrannical toddler is out to play . . . with the whole town! A hilarious early reader from comics artist Jeffrey Ebbeler.

Molly doesn’t want to clean her room; she wants to play. Before Molly can argue with her mom, they hear BOOM! BOOM! A giant toddler is on the loose!

Molly watches dumbfounded as Jack picks up cows and plucks airplanes out of the sky all for fun. He even picks up Molly and pretends to fly her around. Vroooom! When his giantess mother calls him home, he gleefully dumps everything and turns to leave. Now it’s Molly’s turn to “Stop! This is a giant mess!”

About the Author: JEFFREY EBBELER is a New York Times best selling illustrator. He has illustrated and occasionally written over 60 books for young readers. His published work includes picture books, middle grade and chapter books, and graphic novels.

Review: These I Like to Read® Comics are must gets for so many reasons!

First, they are such a great introduction to mythological and fairy tale creatures. Although most of the stories don’t go into the backstory of them, there are definitely allusions to their origins, such as ogres living in caves, the minotaur understanding directions, etc.

Second, they are wonderful first comics! I love that this series, and especially these books, make graphic novels and comics so accessible!

Third, the titles are so punny! They just make me so happy!

Fourth, each of these stories are so unique and fun. Although they can be utilized as a set, they all definitely stand alone also.

Last, I am a huge fan of Ebbeler’s artwork. It is colorful, eye-catching, expressive, and just perfect for these books.

Flagged Spreads:

I'm Ogre It by Jeffrey Ebbeler, Paperback | Barnes & Noble®

Read This If You Love: Early graphic novels

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Sara at Holiday House for providing copies for review!!**

Educators’ Guide for The Hotel Balzaar by Kate DiCamillo, Illustrated by Júlia Sardà

December 10, 2024 by Kellee

The Hotel Balzaar
Author: Kate DiCamillo
Illustrator: Júlia Sardà
Published: October 1st, 2024 by Candlewick Press

Summary: In a wise and magical follow-up to The Puppets of Spelhorst, Kate DiCamillo revisits the land of Norendy, where tales swirl within tales—and every moment is a story in the making.

At the Hotel Balzaar, Marta’s mother rises before the sun, puts on her uniform, and instructs Marta to roam as she will but quietly, invisibly—like a little mouse. While her mother cleans rooms, Marta slips down the back staircase to the grand lobby to chat with the bellman, study the painting of an angel’s wing over the fireplace, and watch a cat chase a mouse around the face of the grandfather clock, all the while dreaming of the return of her soldier father, who has gone missing. One day, a mysterious countess with a parrot checks in, promising a story—in fact, seven stories in all, each to be told in its proper order. As the stories unfold, Marta begins to wonder: could the secret to her father’s disappearance lie in the countess’s tales? Book two in a trio of novellas bound by place and mood—with elegant line art by Júlia Sardà—The Hotel Balzaar masterfully juggles yearning and belief, shining light into every dark corner.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation and Discussion Questions:

Please view and enjoy the educators’ guide I created for Candlewick:

You can also access the educators’ guide here.

Recommended For:

Drawn Onward by Daniel Nayeri, Illustrated by Matt Rockefeller

October 22, 2024October 22, 2024 by Kellee

Drawn Onward
Author: Daniel Nayeri
Illustrator: Matt Rockefeller
Published October 8th, 2024 by HarperCollins Children’s Books

Summary: In this enthralling and emotional palindrome picture book by Daniel Nayeri and Matt Rockefeller, a young boy grieving the loss of his mother embarks on a lushly fantastical adventure that illuminates what remains when our loved ones are gone.

All alone

He was not so brave…

His heart needed to know

The answer.

This lyrical, heartfelt story a young boy who’s lost all hope braves the dark forest to ask, “Mom, were you glad you were mom?” Gorgeously illustrated, Drawn Onward gently guides readers through the depths of grief and provides comfort and hope to those who seek answers when it feels like all is lost.

Praise:

⭐“Magnificently illuminated, video game–like spreads by Rockefeller feature stone ruins, menacing dragons, and ornaments that give the pages a book-of-hours feel. Printz Medalist Nayeri, meanwhile, distills an experience of grief, imparting the importance of seeking time alone to relive moments of shared love.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

⭐“A touching triumph of artful collaboration between wordsmithing and world building. Nayeri’s text is sparse but heartrending, sparking large questions that drive readers forward and allowing Rockefeller ample space to construct an evocative fantasy world.” — Booklist (starred review)

⭐“A grieving young boy goes on an impossible adventure and returns, healed. The illustrations are so filled with detail that they demand repeat visits, which will prompt little ones and their grown-ups to delve into the ellipses and explore both text and subtext further.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

About the Creators:

Daniel Nayeri likes to read things backward even when it doesn’t make sense to do so. He is the author of Everything Sad Is Untrue (A True Story), winner of the Printz Award, the Christopher Medal, and the Middle Eastern Book Award. He loves letter-unit palindromes, like “toot” and “God’s dog,” and word-unit palindromes, like “Never say never” and “Fall leaves after leaves fall,” and if he didn’t say how much he likes and loves his wife and son, he wouldn’t be Daniel Nayeri.

Matt Rockefeller is a visual storyteller inspired by adventuring in the mountains, interpretive dancing with friends, and pondering the many wonders of the universe. In addition to drawing and writing comics, he creates artwork for TV and film animation. He lives in Portland, Oregon, with his family including a little dog that may or may not be a fox.

Review and Educators’ Tools for Navigation: This sparsely-worded text has so much to say. It has so many beautiful layers that readers can dive into. Nayeri’s storytelling is clear, even with little text, and Rockefeller’s illustrations are reminiscent of video games and epics. Drawn Onward is perfect for lessons on visual literacy as the text gives some guidance to the reader but the story is most clear through images. Students could could even write their own narrative to add to the images! And I also would love to hear a conversation of readers discussing the symbolism and theme of the book.

Discussion Questions:

What is the theme of the story?
Why do you think the author chose to title the book a palindrome?
How was the story symbolic of a palindrome?
What do you think the forest symbolized? The sword? The dragon? The dark? Did you notice any other symbols?
What strategies did the illustrator use to portray the narrative and emotions through the images?
How does this book reflect a hero’s journey?
How does the tone and mood of the book change from beginning to middle to end?

Flagged Spreads:

Read This If You Love: Journey by Aaron Becker, Zelda

Recommended For:

**Thank you to HarperCollins for providing a copy for review!**

My Towering Tree by Janna Matthies, Illustrated by Ashley Wolff

September 10, 2024 by Kellee

My Towering Tree
Author: Janna Matthies
Illustrator: Ashley Wolff
Published August 27th, 2024 by Beach Lane Books

Summary: Discover all the joyful moments and adventures waiting right outside your door in this mindful rhyming picture book celebration of backyard nature.

In my yard’s a towering tree. It reaches high to cover me. I lie beneath the towering tree and think my thoughts, and breathe, and be. There is much to do and so much to see beneath the branches of a towering tree! Step inside a leafy backyard world where squirrels are zipping, bees are buzzing, the sun is shining, and a curious, creative child is noticing and absorbing it all. This tribute to the wonderful worlds that exist in a backyard invites readers to stop, take a breath, and appreciate the natural world around them.

“This book is sure to delight . . . beautifully written rhymes blend perfectly; the pacing is ideal for reading aloud. A strong addition to the shelves and an accessible title to add to nature lessons or even story hours about mindfulness, with its emphasis on simplicity and an appreciation of nature.” – School Library Journal

“A gentle appreciation of the nature around us, from the ground to the sky.” – Kirkus Reviews

About the Creators:

Janna Matthies is a picture book author and early elementary music teacher in Indianapolis. Her books include Here We Come!; God’s Always Loving You; Two Is Enough, which made the 2016 Bank Street list and New York Times Book Review; The Goodbye Cancer Garden; Peter, the Knight with Asthma; and Monster Trucks. Janna is a longtime volunteer with the Indiana SCBWI and provides editorial services to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra for picture books supporting their Teddy Bear Concert Series. When she’s not writing or making music, Janna can be found digging in the garden, swimming laps, walking Juneau the howling Husky, or keeping up with her husband and three mostly-grown kids.

Ashley Wolff lives in Vermont and is the author and illustrator of more than sixty books for children, including the modern classic Miss Bindergarten series by Joseph Slate, and her own celebrated Only the Cat Saw; Where, Oh Where, Is Baby Bear?; Baby Bear Counts One; and Baby Bear Sees Blue. Visit her at AshleyWolff.com.

Review: In a world where everyone, even kids, are usually GO GO GO, it is important to remind how important stopping, relaxing, focusing on nature, breathing, and appreciating. Matthies’s lyrical, meditative words mixed with Wolff’s full page, colorful, and captivating illustrations lend to readers wanting to find the beauty in the world around them.

Tools for Navigation: Towering Tree is reminiscent of “The House that Jack Built,” so it would be a great way to talk about variations/retellings and allusions of nursery rhymes. It also has a great rhyming pattern that can be analyzed also.

The book also lends to taking kids outside then having them draw and journal about what they see in their backyard or a park.

Discussion Questions: