Michele A. Shaw

2 months ago | slj.com | Mark Leiren-Young |Michele A. Shaw |Irene Latham |Matt Forrest

. (Orca Wild). Feb. 2025. 104p. Tr $24.95. ISBN 9781459838956. COPY ISBN Gr 4-7–Researchers are still discovering new things about octopuses (not octopi) almost every day, even new octopuses! There are at least 300 different kinds, ranging from species tinier than an eyeball to the giant pacific octopus, explored by award-winning author, filmmaker, and podcaster Leiren-Young in this installment of the “Orca Wild” series.

Aug 22, 2024 | slj.com | Michele A. Shaw

Gr 2-5–Sofia is an inquisitive young girl whose teacher says has her head in the clouds. The very serious teacher is weary of Sofia’s constant questions including, “Can you measure a cloud?” Sofia has imaginary birds that color her world, and she offers one of these birds to her teacher, hoping it might encourage her to take things less seriously. The text of the story is in handwritten style, with some cursive and some print, which may be difficult for young children to read independently.

Aug 22, 2024 | slj.com | Michele A. Shaw

Gr 2-5–Nowruz, Persian New Year, has been celebrated for 3,000 years, and marks the first day of spring. In Persian folklore, Amu Nowruz (Uncle New Year) heralds in spring, while Naneh Sarma (Mother Forest) represents winter. With her wintersweet gown and snow white hair, Naneh Sarma lives in a snow castle atop the highest mountain, and is happy spreading snow, frost, and ice throughout the land. With no one to share her love of winter, she decides to seek out Amu Nowruz in the land of spring.

Aug 22, 2024 | slj.com | Michele A. Shaw

PreS-Gr 3–Griso, the last of the Unicorns, gallops across the plains in search of another unicorn. On each vibrantly illustrated page, he travels the world encountering creatures, from chameleons, to buffaloes, to sea-unicorns.

Sep 22, 2023 | slj.com | Dave Eggers |Michele A. Shaw |Caroline Kusin

Gr 3-7–Johannes, a free dog in an urban park by the sea, runs so fast that humans are blind to him. He is the “Eyes” of the park, and each day he is tasked to report the happenings he sees to the Bison. Meredith, Samuel, and Freya are the elderly bison who must protect the Equilibrium of the Park and watch out for problematic people, known as Trouble Travelers. Johannes’s narration is imbued with humor, complete with exaggerated and sophisticated vocabulary.