Tag Archives: Animals

Elem. – Butt or Face : Ador-A-Butts

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Lavelle, Kari. Butt or Face: Ador-A-Butts. SourceBooks Explore, 2026. 978-1-464-23306-7. $14.99. 40 p. Grades PreK-4.

Butt or Face: Ador-A-Butts continues the guessing game with new animal pictures from around the world. Through close-up images, readers can take a guess at if they are looking at the animals’ tops or bottoms! Each animal and answer is revealed in the following page, and readers get to see the picture of the full animal!

THOUGHTS: Personally, my four-year-old LOVES the Butt or Face books and cannot wait to get his hands on this one! He loves giggling and guessing if it is the animal’s butt or face! Readers who have enjoyed the first three volumes in this series will surely enjoy this one as well! 

Picture Book
591.4 Zoology

Elem. – How to Save an Otter

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Messner, Kate. How to Save an Otter (Wildlife Rescue). Illustrated by Jennifer Bricking. Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2025.  979-8-368-79513-3. $18.58. 118 p. Grades 2-4.

In this early chapter book, Ivy discovers an injured baby otter during a family bike ride in Florida. Because Ivy’s family volunteers as “Critter Couriers,” they know how to safely transport the animal to a nearby wildlife rescue hospital, where the otter begins a long recovery process. As Ivy helps care for the otter and participates in projects for her school’s upcoming Earth Day fair, she also faces the personal challenge of adjusting after her twin cousins—her closest friends—move away. The narrative shifts briefly to the otter’s point of view at the beginning and end, while Ivy’s experiences highlight both the responsibilities involved in wildlife care and the uncertainties of forming new friendships. Throughout, animal facts, rescue procedures, and gentle illustrations support the story’s themes of compassion, environmental awareness, and personal growth.

THOUGHTS: This book offers a warm and engaging blend of animal-rescue adventure and realistic friendship challenges, making it especially appealing to young readers who love animals or enjoy stories grounded in everyday emotions. Ivy’s connection to the otter mirrors her own feelings of loss and uncertainty, giving the story emotional depth alongside its educational focus on wildlife rehabilitation. The clear explanations of rescue procedures feel informative without overwhelming the narrative, and the illustrations add charm that enhances the reading experience. Overall, the book succeeds as both a heartfelt story and an accessible introduction to environmental stewardship, setting a strong foundation for the rest of the series.

Realistic Fiction

Elem. – What About an Elephant? A Fact-Filled Savanna Adventure

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Kerbel, Deborah. What About an Elephant? A Fact-Filled Savanna Adventure. Illustrated by Dawn Lo. Owlkids Books, 2025. 978-1-771-47618-8. $18.95. Unpaged. Grades PreK-1.

A young girl on a safari befriends an elephant. As she follows the elephant around, she is able to observe its eating and drinking habits. She also plays in the mud and water with the elephant, meets the elephant’s family, and takes a picture with all of the elephants. Each two-page spread features a fact about elephants that pertains to the action in the story. For instance, when the two are playing in the mud, an aside explains that elephants actually use mud and dirt to protect their skin from getting sunburned. The book’s end matter contains additional facts about elephants. Pleasant, watercolor-style illustrations add color and charm to the entire story.

THOUGHTS: This is a very straightforward, informative work about elephants for young readers. Fans of Felicia Bond’s classic title, If You Give a Mouse A Cookie (1985), would enjoy this book, for the narrative reads in a similar manner. After the elephant ate, it was thirsty and went off in search of water; along the way, the elephant got hot, so it fanned off with its ears–and so forth. This would be a solid choice for preschool and early elementary collections.

599.67 Ungulates; Elephants

Elem. – Baby Ballena

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Gundersheimer, Ben (“Mister G”). Baby Ballena. Illustrated by Marcos Almada Rivero. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2025. 978-0-593-62484-5. $18.99. Unpaged. Grades PreK-2.

Born in the warm waters of Mexico, Juana is a one-day-old gray whale. She and her pod head north towards Alaska, where they will be spending their summer. They pass landmarks like the Rocky Mountains and the Golden Gate Bridge, and they are careful to avoid ships, fishing nets, and orcas. After arriving in Alaska, Juana spends her summer eating and growing before she must make the return journey to Mexico to spend the winter. Beautiful illustrations accompany this extremely accessible introduction to the migration patterns of baleen whales.

THOUGHTS: Although the story itself is very straightforward and simple, I believe this book has a lot of potential uses in an educational setting. The book is written in both Spanish and English, so it would be a great selection for a bilingual storytime. It also could be used to introduce a unit on migratory animals. The story does manage to incorporate simple facts about gray whales, such as their sizing, their migratory patterns, and the fact that they eat shrimp. The author’s note at the end highlights some conservation efforts we can make to protect the whales in our oceans. Overall, the book seems like it would be a valuable addition to any elementary bilingual/science collection.

Picture Book

Elem. – Not a Spot to Spot: The True Story of Kipekee, the Giraffe Born Without Spots

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Verdick, Elizabeth Weiss. Not a Spot to Spot: The True Story of Kipekee, the Giraffe Born Without Spots. Illustrated by Zoe Waring. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2025. 978-1-665-96202-5. $19.99. Unpaged. Grades PreK-2.

One hot July day, at the Brights Zoo, Mama Giraffe gives birth to a very special calf. The baby giraffe is born without spots, a very rare occurrence in the animal world. Although everyone is surprised by the calf’s appearance, they are also amazed. The other giraffes embrace the baby, and visitors come from miles away to visit the unique animal. Eventually, after asking people to vote on potential names, the zookeepers decide to name the baby giraffe “Kipekee,” which means “unique” in Swahili. Kipekee stands tall in the spotlight each and every day, proud to be one of a kind. Digitally rendered, cartoon-like illustrations depict a diverse cast of characters, all with cheerful, welcoming smiles that reinforce the book’s positive focus on embracing others kindly.

THOUGHTS: Based on the true story of Kipekee, a giraffe born without spots at a Tennessee zoo, this tale is a celebration of uniqueness and unconditional love. It is about being accepted as we are, despite (or maybe even because of) our differences. Back matter provides some additional information about the real Kipekee for readers who may be interested. This is a charming story that oozes affirmation and love.

Picture Book

Elem. – The Buzz on Wild Bees: The Little-Known Pollinators That Keep Our Planet Humming

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Vermond, Kira. The Buzz on Wild Bees: The Little-Known Pollinators That Keep Our Planet Humming. Illustrated by June Steube. Owlkids Books, 2025. 978-1-771-47617-1 35. p. $22.95. Grades 3-5.

While honeybees are among the most familiar pollinators, there are approximately 20,000 known species of wild bees worldwide. In fact, wild bees make up more than 90% of the bee species on earth. Evolution is to thank for why our planet has so many different types of bees. Flowering plants have changed over time to attract pollinators; bees also have changed, so they can gather food more easily from the plants that grow near their habitats. Alkali bees are known to nest near one another, whereas other species are solitary; in contrast, the cuckoo bee leads a parasitic lifestyle. The female cuckoo bees lay their eggs in the nest of a different bee while they are away searching for food. All bees, no matter their species, play a vital role in pollinating plants. Unfortunately, climate change, habitat loss, pesticide use, and disease pose a serious threat to bee habitats and survival. That’s why it’s important for humans to plant patches of native wildflowers, construct bee hotels, and avoid pesticides. It is especially important to save wild bees because their plant pollination is responsible for about one in three mouthfuls of food we eat. Consequently, protecting the diversity of wild bees through habitat conservation and sustainable practices is vital for maintaining the food supply we depend on.

THOUGHTS: This accessible and engaging nonfiction title introduces readers to the remarkable diversity of wild bees by using rich, reader-friendly descriptions to explain key concepts. Vibrant, detailed illustrations portray bees in their natural environments. Bee-themed jokes and puns add humor alongside abundant fact and practical guidance. Back matter includes a glossary and a selected bibliography for further inquiry. This would be a great purchase for an upper-elementary library.

500s Science/Zoology

Elem. – Dude, Be Nice

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Scheerger, Sarah, Brent Camalich (primary contributor), and Jamie Camalich (primary contributor). Dude, Be Nice. Illustrated by Alex Macnaughton. Flamingo Books, 2025. 978-0-593-35060-7. $18.99. 34 p. Grades PK-3. 

Dude is a bear who loves being nice to his friends in town. One day he decides he is going to be EXTRA nice, but Dude sometimes misses the mark and makes more work for his friends or does something that while his intentions are good, ends up being less-than ideal, like pouring water over a cake because he saw fire. Throughout the book, Dude starts to learn that sometimes we just need to let people ask for help and tell us how we can help instead of just jumping in and assuming. 

THOUGHTS: This book would be WONDERFUL for kindergarten and first grade when teaching kindness, empathy, and respect. I personally am excited to use it as a book that I share with classroom teachers when we have the character trait of kindness in the upcoming months. 

Picture Book

Elem. – Pop! Goes the Nursery Rhyme!

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Bird, Betsy. Pop! Goes the Nursery Rhyme! Illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi. Union Square Kids, 2025. 978-1-454-96046-1 $18.99 Grades K-3. 

What would happen if a weasel popped into all your favorite nursery rhymes? Well, Betsy Bird has written a book for you! The book starts out with the nursery rhyme of Pop Goes the Weasel. Then other classic nursery rhymes are introduced but right before ending in each new rhyme, the weasel pops into the story and causes mayhem. A bird interrupts the shenanigans and explains that isn’t the way the rhyme goes. The next rhyme is the same and so on. The bird gets flustered and when reciting a poem, expects the weasel to pop out any moment. The element of surprise adds excitement to nursery rhymes that children know.

THOUGHTS: This hilarious adaptation of nursery rhymes is fun to read and fun to listen to. Nursery rhymes are almost always read the same way which is comforting for children but may not be for the adult reading them. Betsy Bird talks about how tired she was of reading the same rhyme again and again to her own children, so she started inserting the weasel. This sparked laughter and an idea for a book. The rhymes picked are classic rhymes that American children should know, but it could be used as a fun read at the end of a nursery rhyme unit to review the previous rhymes already heard. The illustrations are fun and add to the story line of each rhyme. Children will giggle at them. 

Picture Book

Elem. – Cat Nap

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Lies, Brian. Cat Nap. Greenwillow Books, 2025. 978-0-062-67128-8. $19.99 Grades K-5. 

Caldecott honoree Brian Lies gives us a romping variation of the classic cat and mouse game. A young cat, who is taking a nap, is disturbed by a mouse and gives chase through an advertisement poster for the Egyptian Antiquities at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. Readers, along with the cat, are taken through paintings and encounter sculptures while on the chase. This romp gets the kitten lost in the museum. Eventually, a gentleman in a painting helps the cat return to his home. 

THOUGHTS: This book is an amazing tribute to art. Brian Lies seamlessly blends the story with the art. The whimsical story of a cat chasing a mouse will keep young students interested and lead to discussion about the art the cat encounters during the chase. Readers also will connect with being lost and needing some help to make it home. A teacher could read this book then take a digital trip through an art museum or create their own class museum modeled after famous art pieces. This would make a wonderful collaboration project with the school’s art department. In the back of the book, there is an extensive note spread on how the art was physically recreated for the story. Brian Lies explains that while he could have used digital art, the simple act of making art was satisfying to him.  The book also includes a paragraph on each piece of artwork from the museum that was used.

Picture Book

Elem. – Spot the Differences (Series NF)

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Spot the Differences. Bullfrog Books, 2025. $22.54 each. $495.88 Set of 22. 24 p. Grades K-2.

Austen, Lily. Chipmunk or Squirrel? 979-8-892-13675-4.
—. Seal or Sea Lion? 979-8-892-13687-7.
Gleisner, Jenna Lee. Deer or Elk? 979-8-892-13678-5.
—. Wolverine or Badger? 979-8-892-13690-7.
Deniston, Natalie. Goose or Duck? 979-8-892-13681-5.
—. Octopus or Squid?  979-8-892-13684-6.

Spot the Differences is a book series that takes two similar animals and teaches the reader how to tell them apart. The books use colorful pictures of each animal, as well as charts to help the reader tell them apart. The books are clearly laid out, and each one follows the same format. There is a table of contents in each, as well as a picture glossary. There is also an index as well as some ideas for parents and teachers of how to best use this book.

THOUGHTS: Overall, this is a great book to introduce these animals, or to introduce the idea of compare and contrast. Great addition to any elementary school library collection.

500s Animals