2013 Notable Children's Books-All ages

Come down to the shore with this rich and vivid celebration of the ocean! With watercolors gorgeous enough to wade in by award-winning artist Meilo So and playful, moving poems by Kate Coombs, Water Sings Blue evokes the beauty and power, the depth and mystery, and the endless resonance of the sea.

"Brown bear politely/offers to surrender his/den to nosy skunk." Twelve nature-themed haiku accompanied by lush illustrations take the reader from January to December. A great way to introduce children to the traditional Japanese poetry form.

Close-up photos and lightly-rhymed declarative verse capture a bug's-eye view of nature and encouarge children to experience the world outside their doors with care and openness. Includes insect facts.

Named one of the Best Children's Books of 2012 by Kirkus Reviews! Named one of the top Children's Books of 2012 by the New York Public Library! "Add a little natural wonder to your poetry shelves. Because if we’re talking about the best possible compliment to your eyes and ears alike, few have as many perks and grand moments as this." —School Library Journal starred review "Out of a windless August night/A luna moth in ghostly light Beat softly on my window screen/Tick-tick-ticking-all silver green. She whispered secrets in my ear--/I am but a stranger here. The stars are scrawled across the sky/By ghostwriters, the Moon and I. You will not see me here tonight--/I have a thousand stars to write." What could be better than cuddling up with your child and this book on your lap and allowing your imaginations to soar with the words and images? Lovingly selected by U.S. Children's Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis and paired with vibrant animal photography, this collection of poems is an exuberant celebration of the animal kingdom and a beautiful introduction to this genre of literature. Designed for family sharing but targeted to ages 4-8, this dynamic, fresh, yet still classic collection of animal poems is a must-have for the family bookshelf. Featured poets include J. Patrick Lewis, Dorothy Aldis, Emily Dickinson, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Frost, Rudyard Kipling, Jack Prelutsky, Elizabeth Madox Roberts, Robert Louis Stevenson, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, and many more. Divided into chapters that group the poems by theme for extra resonance, the collection is a mix of old and new, classics, and never-before-published. A foreword from Lewis, sets the scene for helping children appreciate this gift of language and this visual feast for the eyes. Chapters include: Welcome to the World (birth of animal young) Big Ones (large animals--elephants, hippos, rhinos, bears) Little Ones (small animals--worms, insects) Winged Ones (birds and other flying creatures) Water Ones (aquatic animals--fish, dolphins, crabs) Strange Ones (curious creatures--armadillos, centipedes) Noisy Ones (loud animals--lions, hyenas) Quiet Ones (silent or still animals--hens, rabbits, snakes) Last Thought (a reflection on the world we share with animals) Releases simultaneously in Reinforced Library Binding: 978-1-4263-1054-6 , $28.90/$33.00 Can National Geographic supports K-12 educators with ELA Common Core Resources. Visit www.natgeoed.org/commoncore for more information.

"A man drives his truck up to a cliff's edge. Unable to go any further, he opens the back door of his truck and a flock of birds flies out, but, as the man soon discovers, a small timid bird remains. Surprised and delighted, the man acts kindly towards the bird and an intimacy develops. After lunch, the man tries to show the bird that he should fly off and join his friends. The man's comic attempt at flight deepens the encounter between these two very different creatures. Soon the bird flies off and the man drives away, but in a surprise twist the bird and his friends return, and in a starkly lyrical moment we see them all experience something entirely new"--