National Network for Equitable Library Service

Ruby is curious about her world and has big ideas about how it works. A delightful picture book celebration of science and creativity, and a welcome companion to Sara O'Leary's beloved This Is Sadie . Ruby is a little girl with a sense of curiosity and enthusiasm that's too big to contain! Ruby is always busy ? she loves to make things, watch things grow and figure out how things work, with her dog Teddy by her side. And Ruby has lots of ideas about what she wants to be: maybe an animal conservationist? Or an archaeologist? She's great at excavating (i.e. digging holes).

What seems scary proves surprising in this magical wordless picture book. Guided by a circle of stars on the horizon, a stag bounds into a thick pine forest. Wolves lurk behind the trees, then begin to run after him. When the stag turns to look at his pursuers, he stumbles over a fallen tree and sinks to the forest floor. The wolves close in ... but, unexpectedly, they become the stag's helpers, bringing water, berries and a bandage! After a short rest, the stag and wolves continue the mysterious journey, still following the stars.

A love letter to Indigenous communities everywhere, this picture book gorgeously illustrated by Julie Flett celebrates seasons, nature, and community. Based on Academy Award-winning Cree icon Buffy Sainte-Marie's song of the same name, Still This Love Goes On is a stunning celebration of Indigenous experience. Breathtaking illustrations from celebrated Cree-Métis artist Julie Flett combine with Sainte-Marie's vivid lyrics to craft a remarkable piece of art.

A celebration of creativity and a child's ability to observe, this playful picture book explores different art forms to be found in the natural world. A group of children follow Nature--the most inspiring of teachers--as they explore a series of colorful landscapes to discover the world's greatest art show hidden in plain sight. Along the way, these young artists create their own fine works of art--from fingerprint bumblebees to sand sculptures and charming paper collages.

The uplifting journey of a bashful cloud ("kumo" in Japanese) who discovers the rewards of feeling seen. Kumo is a cloud whose only wish is to float unseen. When she’s assigned cloud duty for the day, she feels overwhelmed by self-doubt and her fear of being noticed. But after learning that closing your eyes isn’t a good solution to your troubles, Kumo pulls her fluff together and does her duties — drifting, releasing rain and providing shelter — meeting some new friends along the way and inspiring the imagination (and capturing the heart) of a small daydreamer like her.

From the creators of the critically acclaimed The Night Gardener and Ocean Meets Sky comes a whimsical and elegantly illustrated picture book about community, art, the importance of giving back—and the wonder that fell from the sky. It fell from the sky on a Thursday. None of the insects know where it came from, or what it is. Some say it's an egg. Others, a gumdrop. But whatever it is, it fell near Spider's house, so he's convinced it belongs to him. Spider builds a wondrous display so that insects from far and wide can come look at the marvel. Spider has their best interests at heart.

A luminous journey into the sky for daydreamers and cloud enthusiasts big and small, from renowned paper-diorama artist Elly MacKay. A bored and curious little girl wishes for a bit of sunshine on a cloudy day. But a friendly bird soon whisks her off for an adventure in the sky, where she can contemplate questions both scientific and philosophical in nature: how do clouds float? Or carry the rain? Where do they go when they disappear? Are there clouds on other planets? Do they have memories? Have they ever seen a girl like her?

Eric is a foreign exchange student who comes to live with a typical suburban family. Although everyone is delighted with the arrangement, cultural misunderstandings ensue, beginning with Eric's insistence on sleeping in a pantry cupboard rather than a specially prepared guest room. The family takes Eric on a number of excursions, but they're never sure if he's having a good time, as he just doesn't say very much. He's mostly interested in small things he discovers on the ground. When Eric leaves the family suddenly, they're unsure if they've done something wrong.

Annabelle discovers an animal bone in the woods and decides to make it her new plaything. But nature ends up moving Annabelle in mysterious ways. At first, Boney, as Annabelle names him, makes the perfect companion. While Mom is busy with the baby, Boney and Annabelle share a meal, play at the park, and share a bedtime story before Annabelle tucks Boney into his shoebox-bed for the night. But when creatures run wild through her dreams, Annabelle considers for the first time where Boney really belongs.

When a child is asked to "Please, be quiet!" they sit silent ... and their imagination sweeps them away on a breathtaking journey. Through the window, the child can hear the trees breathe and watches them sway back and forth as they begin to dance. Then bears join in, accompanied by the child on their drum, making so much noise they wake up a dragon! The dragon's smoky breath fills the sky, and the wind forms a knight on a steed that gallops through the stars.