You are Never Alone by Elin Kelsey illustrated by Soyeon Kim

"Your imagination smiles when you climb a tree."

"Every moment this beautiful planet showers you with gifts. Clouds contain fresh water to quench your thirst. Your lungs swell with oxygen that plants create. Earthworms, ground beetles, and ants plow the soil where your vegetables grow. Nature touches every bite you eat."

Every page in this book could be used for a science or writing lesson (the word choices and deeper meanings conveyed through deceptively simple sentences would make a wonderful study topic with an older group of students). There are so many ideas in the text quote above and that is just the text from the first four pages of this book. Think about the water cycle, life cycles, plant respiration, soil micro-organisms, bees, whales, bacteria, weather patterns, sunlight and shade, digestion, simbiotic relationships such as bacteria on our skin and so much more. It is not surprising that Elin Kelsey has a science PhD. 

There are two videos and teachers notes on the publisher (Owl Kids) web page.

Publisher blurb: Drawing examples from the clouds and the cosmos, the seafloor and the surface of our skin, it explores how we are always surrounded and supported by nature. Whether it’s gravity holding us tight; our lungs breathing oxygen synthesised by plants; the countless microorganisms that build our immunity; or the whales whose waste fertilises the plankton that feed the fish we eat: nature touches every aspect of how we live. Using lyrical text grounded in current science alongside detailed diorama art, this informational picture book presents the idea that we thrive through connections to the land and sea and sky, and togetherness is key to nature. It encourages inquiry-based learning, inviting readers to wonder, ask questions, observe the natural world, and engage with big ideas.

In her author notes Elin Kelsey says:

"Too often, in our well-intentioned efforts to raise awareness of environmental problems, we leave kids with the idea that the Earth is wrecked and it is up to them to fix it. Environmental issues are real, and many of them are urgent, but all that gloom and doom simply leaves kids feeling worried and hopeless. And it ignores the extraordinary power and resilience of ecosystems all over the planet."

Soyeon Kim creates her work using dioramas - there is a whole art lesson in this too. This is the fourth book illustrated by Soyeon Kim that I have really enjoyed. If you live in Toronto you can see an exhibition of her work (June 2023).

Wild Ideas

A Last Goodbye

A Last Goodbye by Elin Kelsey illustrated by Soyeon Kim

 "After you die, friends and family will gather. Some will travel long distances and stay for many hours. Others will place wreaths or drape you in a blanket of forest green."

Kirkus Star review - Staggering.

Kirkus Star - A remarkable achievement.

Kirkus Star - Both important and breathtakingly beautiful.

Kirkus Star - Profound and entirely wonderful.

The Last Goodbye is one book in a series by elin Kelsey illustrated by Soyeon Kim. The library I visit each week has all of these books and all of them should be added to your school library. In a previous post I talked about Wild Ideas. 

A Last Goodbye is, as the title implies, a book about the end of life. In this case the end of life for various animals such as the elephant, killer whale and chimpanzee.  As we saw with Fox: A circle of life story, A Last Goodbye is a cycle of life story. 

Blurb: "From the treetops of Madagascar to the vast waters of the Pacific Ocean, species all over the planet express grief and care for each other at the end of life. For some, the last goodbye is loud and communal. For others, death is marked by small offers and quiet observation."

Take a look at this web site from the Canadian publisher Owl Kids. You can see the art processes used by Soyeon Kim, read about the topic of death and grief and how to approach this with a child and also find some teacher notes for A Last Goodbye. I am not sure I would use this book with a whole class but used quietly in a family this book could help open up some important conversations. This is not a book to read immediately after the death of a loved one but rather it is book you might read alongside other books about animals hopefully months or even years before your young reading companion has to face the sadness of death in their own family or wider circle. This book is about a tough topic but it is handled with care and a light but truthful touch. Please take the time to watch this four minute video about the importance of talking to children about grief well before they need to process these difficult emotions. This is a very special book. Kirkus (see above) said "staggering".

The discussion topics in this guide are written to allow for broad conversation of loss and grief with all students. Loss can refer to the death of a loved one, as depicted in the book; yet we all experience many different kinds of change and loss throughout life. Examples of loss can include moving to a new home, leaving your classroom at the end of the year or a friend moving away. The discussions in this book are meant to foster social-emotional learning, including skills such as identifying emotions, coping with emotions, and empathy. From the teacher notes.

I was please to see the name Mary Beth Leatherdale associated with this book. I met Mary Beth in the US a couple of years ago at the USBBY conference in Austin Texas. We were both invited to speak at the Texas Book Festival about publishing trends in our respective countries.

Is this Panama? by Jan Thornhill illustrated by Soyeon Kim

Sammy, the young Wilson's warbler, knows it is time to make his first migration to Panama. The problem is he does not know the way and the other birds seem to have already left. In the style of "Are you my mother" Sammy asks everyone he meets if they can help him. He talks with a ptarmigan;a caribou; a flock of sandhill cranes; a garter snake; some green darner dragonflies; and luckily some other warblers.  Did you know there are many kinds of warblers. They are all shown on the end papers. You will see the Black-Throated Warbler; the Bay-Breasted Warbler; the Hooded Warbler; the Magnolia Warbler; and our hero the Wilson's Warbler.

Sammy finds the other warblers but he is only half way to Panama. His new friends explain the way they follow the stars at night but in cities lights on buildings can be a dangerous hazard. Sammy crashes but after a rest he carries on with his journey but once again he is alone. Luckily he meets some beautiful Monarch butterflies.  Next he meets a godwit.  This is the bird which features in Circle by Jeannie Baker. The godwits fly fast and do not take beaks. Sammy falls from the sky on to a migrating humpback whale. He is able to finally hitch a ride to Mexico and eventually he makes it all the way to Panama.

This book is a combination of narrative and science non fiction. I have mentioned Canadian illustrator Soyeon Kim in a previous post. It is clear she has done extensive research to create the scrumptious illustrations in this very special book.On the final pages Jan Thornhill gives readers extra information about each of the animals found in her book along with a map facts about the ways animals migrate. Take a look at this review in Quill and Quire. Read this post about Narrative Non Fiction by Melissa Stewart.

In a previous post I talked about The Sea Swallow and the Humpback Whale and Wild is the Wind. I picked these up in my favourite school library and the timing was perfect. A colleague in a local school asked me for text ideas to pair with Circle by Jeannie Baker.

You may already have these books about bird migration - now here is another to add to your library shelves. The exquisitely illustrated - Is this Panama? A paperback version is now available (ISBN 9781771474474 ).

As I finish off this post I will mention one of my all time favourite books which by chance also mentions Panama.  I know I use the phrase "one of my all time favourite books" quite often but after 35 years of reading children's books I have certainly gathered some wonderful treasures. The Trip to Panama by Janosch is not a migration story but it does involve a journey.  You could use this book as part of a mapping unit with young children. Both mapping the journey in the story and finding Panama on the world map.

Wild ideas: Let nature inspire your thinking by Elin Kelsey illustrated by Soyeon Kim

... pure magic Quill and Quire

This is a work that will be read and examined again and again, with something new to be discovered at every turn.  Profound and entirely wonderful. Kirkus Star review

Animals, like humans, are ingenious problem solvers. Orangutans weave safe places to rest; Chimpanzees fold leaves to spoon "cool drinks of water"; Humpback whales blow bubbles to "trap tasty fish"; and Ravens use gestures to offer ideas.  I said humans are problem solvers but after reading this book I am certain we all need to observe the natural world more closely because there are important things we need to learn. Take a look here to discover some of the creative ways animals solve problems. There are a wealth of things to explore from this link.

The paperback edition of Wild Ideas has a different cover (I wonder why) but at least, as a paperback, it has a lower cost so if your school library has a limited budget you will be able to add this important title to your collection. I strongly recommend you consider doing this. Here is a detailed lesson plan to use with this book.

My friend from Kinderbookswitheverything has just introduced me to the art of Soyeon Kim. It is utterly wonderful. Soyeon Kim was born in Korea and now lives in Toronto, Canada. I have said this many times but Canadian publishers really do produce some wonderful books. You probably know how much I adore Shelter by Celine Claire illustrated by Qin Leng. Take a look here to see in very fine detail exactly how Soyeon Kim creates her dioramas inside boxes. 

Next month this book will be published it might be a good comparison text to use with Wild Ideas:

Elin Kelsey says:  Soyeon’s dioramas are filled with artistry, feelings, an imagination. She captures the excitement and beauty of what it feels like to have a great idea.  I have added some other books illustrated by Soyeon Kim to my to read list:

Here is another book by science educator Elin Kelsey. In this podcast she talks about her work.