Lola M. Schaefer

So simple yet so perfect. From the lowest on the food chain in a cypress swamp (mosquitoes) to the highest (alligator), Lola Schaefer captures the activity of the swamp in two-word sentences, then a verb: "Dragonflies swoop. Dip."...."Turtles dive. Snap. Alligators chomp." As well as a great demonstration of the food chain for a science class through Paul Meisel's colorful watercolor illustrations and the author's endnote describing the food chain, the book is great for a language arts class show more studying verbs. show less

This is a cute, festive read that focuses on the way zoos prepare and enjoy Christmas. It tackles decorating for guests and preparing treats for their wild residents. As a zoo fan, I love that this book mentions enrichment and presents the behind-the-scenes aspects of special events in zoo communities!

This is a quick fun way to approach the arrival of a new sibling. Despite the rambuctious beginning and the rebus nature of the story, it winds down both visually and verbally by the end. It encourages the young reader or listener to practice quiet and gentle, as much as the larger than life qualities of a young child.

This beautifully illustrated fold-out book is an excellent way to draw picture book lovers into early nonfiction. Every page focuses on a plant that flowers before it produces food. Each flower is explored through a cross-section diagram on top of illustrations of plants, pollinators, and children interacting. The text nearly has a cadence, and the words are a bit (ahem) flowery. But! There is a helpful glossary in the back, right after the book’s miniature growing guide.