Book Finder

As a child, “Josef Albers saw art in the simplest things…” His interest in color and the way colors changed forever altered the way color theory was taught. The author was Albers’ neighbor as a child and provides an assessible, engaging glimpse of how one man’s vision can change the way things are viewed.

Edna Lewis grew up on a Virginia farm where she developed a deep appreciation for the rhythm of nature, the beauty in growing things, and the warmth in sharing a home cooked meal. Edna’s early life and passion led to a career as a professional chef known for preserving cooking traditions. Several recipes are included in this handsome, lively book.

A Newbery Honor book that accounts the life and musical career of the great African American vocalist, Marion Anderson, in the context of the history of civil rights in the United States.

Written in verse, this is a Pura Belpré Award-winning portrait of Juan Francisco Manzano, the poet who was born a slave in Cuba in 1797. Margarita Engle explores Manzano’s poetic interpretations of his world and what freedom really means in a slave society.

Take a journey through the life of Renaissance man Ludwig Bemelmans, author of the beloved Madeline series and accomplished painter. This book was written by his grandson, John Bemelmans Marciano, who has since continued the legacy of Madeline.

Tom Moran dreamed of seeing the western United States, painting places that were unknown to most. He was allowed to join a team of geologists heading to “the Yellowstone,” the year before it became a national park. Read about what early explorers saw and how they recorded it in picture book biography.

Stunning photographs combine with a clear text to show how early use of Yellowstone, changed it completely. The elimination of a predator altered wildlife and vegetation and had other unforeseen consequences until the process started to be reversed in the 20th century. “Returning the wolf is helping to make Yellowstone whole again.”

Many people have heard of Davy Crockett and the Alamo. But this story is based on a real but little known woman named Susanna Dickinson who survived the battle at the Alamo in San Antonio. This dramatic, illustrated story is told to engage young listeners (or readers) and bring history to life.

Long ago in 1787, a group of men known as the Founding Fathers of the United States met in Independence Hall in Philadelphia. (It’s now a national park.) There they discussed, argued, and finally agreed upon a document that still in use today — the U.S. Constitution. Their story is told with verve and humor in this playful book.

The Grand Canyon is a national park established in the early 20th century. At the bottom of the canyon is the remote village of Supai, accessible only by helicopter, horse, or mule. Join Anthony the Postman as he delivers the mail to his hometown on the Havasupai Indian Reservation, leading a mule train down the steep, striking canyon.

As an Indian storyteller guides a boat of children down the sea of grass, he reveals the story of the landscape’s formation of what was to become a subtropical national park home to many unique animals. This carefully crafted and handsomely illustrated cautionary tale urges conservation, as the future of the Everglades depends on it.

Made to look like a scrapbook, this history of man’s interest in space flight, the space race, and the first lunar landing will appeal to sophisticated readers. This detailed presentation requires multiple examinations.

Poetic language and striking illustrations evoke the drama of the first lunar landing. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s first impressions are captured with awe and may well inspire young scientists.

Apollo 13 attempted to repeat Apollo 11’s successful Moon landing. An explosion, however, changed the mission to just get the astronauts home safely. Dual texts and dramatic illustrations tell the remarkable story and extend the information presented.

Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin takes the reader on a journey through centuries of air and space aviation, from Isaac Newton to exploring Mars to futuristic space tours. Fascinating details and a timeline are embedded throughout.

Young children will appreciate the basics of how astronauts travel, what they eat, and their spectacular view from space in this sturdy board book, just right for young hands.

The alphabet is the device used to pique curiosity about astronomy, space travel, and things related from A to Z. Illustrations use different media to create the look from the Sputnik era for a playful introduction.

Based on a well-known almanac, these portable, colorful cards will engage children as they learn more about dinosaurs through activities, games, and more. Each is presented on sturdy cards as is the accordion answer card included for challenged adults.

Have you ever wondered about the creator of Mickey Mouse; the man whose name is synonymous with theme parks and family films? Meet Walt Disney in this readable (though unauthorized) biography.

Each room of every house holds items, objects, and other surprises that were invented at one time or another. A kitchen calendar, for example, comes from a 16th century. Detailed, interactive pages are filled with fascinating tidbits sure to intrigue and inspire.

Follow the life of a puffin pair as they nest, hatch, care for, and teach their “puffling” until it can live independently. A note about the Puffin Project concludes this handsome and dramatic book.

Relive the journey of the Apollo 11 where the first people stepped on the Moon’s surface and saw Earth from a very different perspective. Eloquent language and illustrations combine to present this historical event in a unique, unforgettable way.

If all of the 300 million people were simply one village of 100 people, its diversity is easier to understand. That’s just what the author has done to make the complex make-up of the U.S. residents (in terms of languages spoken, ages, and more). Colorful illustrations accompany the understandable text. Additional resources complete the book. If the World Were a Village: A Book About the World’s People (opens in a new window), also by Smith, looks at the inhabitants of the world as a village to allow its diversity to become more understandable for adults and children.

Underwater photographers, Hayes and Doubilet, provide basic information about their work as photographers as well as about sharks, their habitats, and the challenges faced by sharks in lucid text and stunning photographs, the latest in this captivating series.