Turtle Tears by Megan Albany illustrated by Paul Seden

"The turtles there cry like we do ... Except when they cry butterflies flutter around 
and drink their tears."
"Turtles live a long time ... because they share their tears."

Grief is a complex emotion and we often struggle to know how to respond. In this book Nan is deeply grieving the loss Pop. She cries a lot and her little granddaughter Ruby is not sure how to help. Then Nan talks about a holiday she went on years ago where she heard that when turtles cry, butterflies drink their tears - such a lovely image to ponder.

I love the way this book openly explores grief and tears and the way Nan is still allowed to cry - the grief has not gone away it has just eased a little. 

Gently ignoring stereotypes, the story ends on a beautifully hopeful note. It also reminds the reader that, even if you or someone you love is very sad, that doesn't mean you can't also have moments of joy and chase butterflies. Reading Melbourne

Blurb from Magabala Books: This heart-warming picture book gently reassures children that it is both natural and healthy for adults and children to cry when they are sad. Narrated from the voice of a child, Ruby, it centres on her no-nonsense Nan who is grieving for her late husband. She tells the child about the turtles she and Pop saw, while on holiday in South America. They cry tears as humans do, and butterflies drink their tears (factual). 

Thanks to Magabala for sending a review copy of Turtle Tears.

I found this information about butterflies and turtles:  Butterflies in the Amazon engage in a behavior known as lachryphagy, where they sip tears from turtles to obtain vital sodium and minerals necessary for their survival. This unique interaction sees butterflies flocking to freshwater turtles, taking turns to land on their heads and drink their tears. The sodium in turtle tears is crucial ... As butterflies drink the tears, they quickly absorb the salt and dispose of the leftover liquid through their rear end. This process allows butterflies to acquire a crucial nutrient that is otherwise difficult to find in their usual diet of plants and other sources. The butterflies’ need for sodium drives them to seek out the tears of turtles, forming a symbiotic relationship where both the turtles and butterflies benefit. While the turtles produce plenty of tears, the butterflies only consume a small quantity, making this interaction sustainable for both parties. Besides butterflies, other insects such as bees and moths also partake in tear-drinking behavior. This fascinating natural occurrence highlights the interconnectedness of different species in their pursuit of survival ...  Butterflies rely on the turtles to provide enough sodium through their tears, ensuring their continued survival, while turtles remain largely unaffected by the butterflies’ feeding habits.  

Read more here. Here is a video of lachryphagy in action (2 minute video suitable for older primary students or background information for teachers).

This phenomena of butterflies drinking tears is probably mentioned in some non fiction books about butterflies - I need to dig deeper in a library to check.

Paul Seden is an author and illustrator of picture books for young readers and he is descended from the Wuthathi and Muralag people of North Queensland. Kick with My Left Foot was a Notable Book in the 2015 CBCA Book of the Year Awards and short-listed for the Speech Pathology Book of the Year Awards – Indigenous Children category. Crabbing with Dad was short-listed in the 2019 KOALA Children’s Choices Award and also for the ABIA Children’s Book of the Year in 2017. Paul loves illustrated text and lives in the Top End of the Northern Territory.

The Shop Train

Megan Albany is a proud Kalkadoon woman. Megan lives in the Northern Rivers of NSW. Her debut black comedy novel, The Very Last List of Vivan Walker (Hachette 2022), was one of four works shortlisted for The Banjo Prize.

Baby by Patricia MacLachlan

A searching, beautifully written story. Kirkus

Larkin lives with her artist mother, father and grandmother Byrd on an island (perhaps it is Nantucket or Martha's Vineyard). The island is overrun with visitors each summer so the residents really enjoy the quieter times when all the mainlanders have left.

We ate dinner as the sun set; candles on the table, the dinner a yearly celebration that tomorrow the island visitors would leave. The seasons on our island rose and fell in a rhythm like the rise and fall of the tides. Autumn was ours with quick colors, leaves flying until they were gone and we could see the shape of the island. The land rose and fell, too, from the north point where the lighthouse stood, curving down into valleys like hands holding pond water. Soon winter would come, the winds shaking the windows of the house, the sea black. Herring gulls would sit out of the wind on our porch, watching for spring that would come so fast and cold, we would hardly know it was there. Then summer, visitors would come off the ferry again, flooding us, the air heavy with their voices. And again, at summer’s end they would be gone like the tide, leaving behind small signs of themselves: a child’s pail with a broken handle, a tiny white sock by the water’s edge. Bits and pieces of them left like good-byes.

But have the summer visitors all left? At the end of chapter one Patricia MacLachlan hints that change is coming and it is coming tomorrow. The family and Larkin's special friend Lalo return from their tradition of farewelling the final ferry to find a baby on their doorstep.

“I cannot take care of her now, but I know she will be safe with you,” Papa read. “I have watched you. You will be a good family. I will lose her forever if you don’t do this, so please keep her. I will send money for her when I can. I will come back for her one day. I love her.”

Sophie's mother loves her baby but she has had to leave her behind. Papa warns Larkin the baby's mother will return.

“I like Sophie,” I said. “I don’t love her.” “Don’t,” said Papa. “Don’t love her.” He sighed. “I like her too,” he said after a moment. “Mama will love her soon,” I whispered. “If not already,” murmured Papa. “I’m scared,” I said after a while. “For Mama.” There was a silence.

There is a hint of sadness to come on the opening page of this book - it is a quote from a poem:

I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground. So it is, and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind: Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Crowned With lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned. —from “Dirge Without Music” Edna St. Vincent Millay

This family are carrying a deep sadness. Mama and Papa won't talk to Larkin about her baby brother who only lived for one day. He never had a name and Larkin never saw his little face.

A tiny stone sat there, surrounded by big headstones with angels and flowers and names engraved on them. There was no name on the tiny stone, just the word BABY and a date that showed that the one buried there had only lived for one day.

A great topic for a PhD could be the portrayal of librarians, school librarians and Teacher-Librarians in middle grade books. I adore Ms Minifred she works at Larkin's school. She is a minor but also important character. She loves words, poetry (spoiler alert there is a love story in this book too) and Rebel (who) had come to the island with his Harley-Davidson motorcycle when he was eighteen and had never left. That was fifteen years ago. We had seen pictures of him then, and he hadn’t changed. He was still thin, and his hair stood straight up. He had a mysterious tattoo on his arm that said “Wild Eunice.”

I often think about collecting the opening sentences of books - perhaps using them as a way to share books with readers or even as writing inspiration. Here is the opening sentence of Baby:

In the evenings my father danced.

Here is another beautiful sentence: Byrd lifted Sophie and whirled her around until Sophie laughed. A small island plane flew over our heads and away. And Byrd’s pearls broke, showering Sophie and falling over the meadow grasses like tears.

Publisher blurb: Larkin's family welcomes Sophie into their home, caring for her and teaching her games and new words. They come to love this baby as their own, all the while knowing that eventually Sophie's mother will return one day to take her from them.

The writing in this book is so far above nearly every book I have read over the last few months. I read a huge number of kids books and while many are okay and a few are good, none quite reach the heights of the exquisite writing in this book. It should not have taken me so long to read Baby which was published in 1995. My friend first mentioned it back in 2012 when she read my post about the most famous Patrician MacLachlan book Sarah, Plain and Tall. The label on this post will take you to lots of other Patrician MacLachlan titles. In this post from 2020 I talk about themes in her books such as music, poetry, questions, and family relationships. You might also notice many books include loss. 

Awards for Baby by Patricia MacLachlan:

• WINNER 1994 ALA Best Books for Young Adults
• WINNER 1996 South Carolina Children’s Book Award
• WINNER 1994 Texas Bluebonnet Award

There are only a handful of children's middle grade authors that I put into the category of superb - Patricia Maclachlan; Kate DiCamillo; Sara Pennypacker; Kevin Henkes; Patricia Reilly Giff; Katherine Paterson; Jason Reynolds and Katherine Applegate from the US. Katherine Rundell and Onjali Q Rauf from the UK. And Zana Fraillon, Judith Rossell, Deb Abela, Tristan Bancks and Shirley Marr from Australia.

Companion books:

The Naming of Tishkin Silk

The Summer we found the baby

Foxlight

Here is the full poem by Edna St Vincent Millay:

“I am not resigned to the shutting away of loving hearts in the hard ground. 

So it is and so it will be, for so it has been, time out of mind: 

Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Crowned 

With lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned. 

Lovers and thinkers, into the earth with you. 

Be one with the dull, the indiscriminate dust. 

A fragment of what you felt, of what you knew, 

A formula, a phrase remains, - but the best is lost. 

The answers quick and keen, the honest look, the laughter, the love, - 

They are gone. They are gone to feed the roses. Elegant and curled 

Is the blossom. Fragrant is the blossom. I know. But I do not approve. 

More precious was the light in your eyes than all the roses in the world. 

Down, down, down into the darkness of the grave 

Gently they go, the beautiful, the tender, the kind; 

Quietly they go, the intelligent, the witty, the brave. I know. 

But I do not approve. And I am not resigned.”

Midge and Mo by Lara Williamson illustrated by Becky Cameron

Midge has changed schools. Everything is strange and all he wants to do is go back to the way things were. The teacher assigns a classmate to look after him. Mo is a happy and very positive girl. She loves the idea of showing Midge around her school but Midge just does not react to anything - not a soccer game, the school friendship flower garden, the giant sunflowers the class have been growing, or the climbing frame. Midge just sits under a tall tree in the playground. 

Through his eyes the world is a grey and sad place to be. In art he draws a sad rainy-day picture (sadly the teacher misinterprets this). After two days of trying so very hard to reach Midge, Mo talks to her teacher Mr Lupin. I love his advice:

"Don't give up Mo ... Nothing is in the right place for Midge at the moment. Perhaps he doesn't feel like he's in the right place either. New beginnings can feel like that ... You were new here once ... That's why I asked you to be Midge's buddy, because I was sure you would remember how your first day here felt, too."

Mo goes home and talks to her mum and dad and togther they come up with a really special gift for Midge and while I am sure he will still have sad days a little sparkle has entered his life at last. Oh and those huge sunflowers have now opened up and are showing off their own bright yellow happy colours. I also love the character names - Mo (I wonder if this is short for something) and Midge.

Publisher blurb: Midge doesn’t want to go to a new school. He wants everything to go back to the way it was – with his old school, his old friends and his parents back together. Mo is Midge’s buddy at his new school. She’s super smiley and can’t wait to be his friend, but the more Mo tries to make friends the more Midge retreats. It’s like there’s an invisible raincloud hanging above his head – drip-drip-drip. Then Mo remembers how she felt when she was new, and it makes her even more determined to help Midge feel happy and to show him that the sun will come out for him again soon.

This book is from the Little Tiger series published by Stripes. I have mentioned books from this series previously. I highly recommend adding lots of these titles to your school library. These are so appealing with their hardcovers, high quality paper, colour illustrations and most important of all - really good stories that are easy to read but also contain authentic and emotional narratives.

I previously talked about:

The Long way home

Little Rabbits big surprise

Little Bird Lost

Two Sides

A sea of stories

I also thought of another small chapter book from many years ago that also features a snow globe - Snow Dog by Malorie Blackman (it was a Corgi Pup title from 2001). It was reprinted with a different publisher in 2010 so you might find this in a library. 

Sonya's Chickens by Phoebe Wall

Sonya loves her chickens. She has three and she has raised them from tiny chicks. She makes sure they have enough water, fresh straw, and lots of delicious corn. It is not a surprise that one day Sonya finds the perfect gift - a smooth, warm, brown egg. But ...

"One chilly night, Sonya woke to a ruckus of squawking and shuffle-y bump noises from outside. ... The floor of the coop was frosted with feathers, and Sonya cried out as she counted not three, but two frightened chickens cowering in the rafters above. The third was nowhere to be seen."

Sonya is desperately upset but her father offers some beautiful wisdom. Yes this does seem very unfair but now let's think about the fox. That fox also works hard to feed his babies. 

"He didn't care that it was our chicken he took. He just saw it as a chance to feed his family. I know you feel sad, but you wouldn't want those baby foxes to go hungry, would you?"

Sonya's Chickens was published in 2015 and it won an Ezra Jack Keats award for a new illustrator. I was very surprised to discover it is not out of print. Here are some details of the paperback edition. 

Here is my Pinterest collection of picture books about chickens. You can see more books illustrated by Phoebe Wahl here. Here is a video of Sonya's Chickens. I would share Sonya's chickens with slightly older children aged 7+ and you should make sure you leave time for discussion and questions. 

Bookseller blurb: When Sonya discovers the answers, she learns some important truths about the interconnectedness of nature and the true joys and sorrows of caring for another creature.

A reassuring story about death in the natural world, thoughtfully designed and illustrated. Kirkus Star review

Companion book:

Fox: A Circle of life story

Telephone of the Tree by Alison McGhee

"You know what she told them? To stop it. To go away. 

That she was waiting for Kiri to come home."

Early in this story there are fragments or tiny hints that Kiri will not come home. Ayla thinks about the significant events from their past together such as drawing trees in their second grade class when Mr Nesbitt said to draw 'what you want to be when you are thirty' and both Ayla and Kiri draw trees. A telephone appears in Ayla's tree. Ayla has no intention of using it, after all it is not connected to anything, but others want to use the telephone and one of these is a little boy with the nickname Gentleman. He is mourning the loss of his pet lizard named Sweetheart. The death of this beloved pet is another tiny story hint about the absence of Kiri. Then the pizza guy uses the phone to call his dad. Then another person comes - a dad with his tiny baby who wants to talk to his wife.

"The pizza guy told me about this telephone. He comes here and talks to his dad when he needs to."

The trees in this street are all markers of life and death. Ayla can name each tree and match it with a birth or the end of a life. Then she sees a new tiny birch tree has been planted and her anger flares.

Reading this book needs to be gentle quiet experience - you already know the outcome or the destination, so it is important not to race to get there but rather to slow down and let the story gently unfold. And yes, even though I knew Kiri was not coming back I cried when Ayla finally allowed herself to revisit the awful events that led to death of her friend. 

Raw and sad but lit with occasional glints of humor and ending, as it should, on a rising note. Kirkus Star review

Publisher blurb: Ayla and her best friend Kiri have always been tree people. They each have their own special tree, and neighbors and family know that they are most likely to be found within the branches. But after an accident on their street, Kiri has gone somewhere so far away that Ayla can only wait and wait in her birch, longing to be able to talk with Kiri again. Then a mysterious, old-fashioned telephone appears one morning, nestled in the limbs of Ayla's birch tree. Where did it come from? she wonders. And why are people showing up to use this phone to call their loved ones? Especially loved ones who have passed on. All Ayla wants is for Kiri to come home. Until that day comes, she will keep Kiri's things safe. She'll keep her nightmares to herself. And she will not make a call on that telephone.

I was so interested to read Alison was inspired to write this book after reading about a telephone in Japan outside the town of Otsuchi. It is an old fashioned disconnected rotary dial telephone that people from all over use to call deceased loved ones.

"The image of the phone and the reason for its existence was so powerful to me that I knew, right away, I wanted to create a book inspired by it."

Thanks to the person who commented and alerted me to this picture book.  You can read more here. 

Here is the author web page

Companion books:

Love that Dog

I recognised the author's name when I spied this book in Melbourne last month. I read Snap (published in 1999) decades ago and then re-read it for this blog in 2015. I have also included covers of other books by Alison McGhee. I think Maybe a Fox covers similar themes to Telephone of the tree. Alison McGhee is also the author of the junior novel series Bink and Golly and picture books like Countdown to Kindergarten, Someday illustrated by Peter Reynolds and Always illustrated by Pascal Lemaitre.

Snap

Maybe a Fox bookseller blurb: Sylvie and Jules, Jules and Sylvie. Better than just sisters, better than best friends. Jules’ favourite thing is collecting rocks, and Sylvie’s is running – fast. But Sylvie is too fast, and when she runs to the most dangerous part of the river one snowy morning to throw in a wish rock, she is so fast that no one sees what happens when she disappears. At that very moment, in another part of the woods, a shadow fox is born: half of the spirit world, half of the animal world. She, too, is fast, and she senses danger. When Jules goes to throw one last wish rock into the river for her lost sister, the human and shadow worlds collide with unexpected consequences. Written in alternate voices – one Jules, the other the fox – this searingly beautiful tale tells of one small family’s moment of heartbreak as it unfolds into something epic, mythic, shimmering and, most of all, hopeful.

Wolf and Bear by Kate Rolfe

You could begin by reading my recent post about picture books that explore the topic of depression. This is a topic I am still pondering. 

If you have read Listen, Hippo! by Gabriel Evans this book - Wolf and Bear - has a similar story line. 

"Sometimes a great heaviness would fall over Bear and the shadows of the mountain would draw him away."

Wolf tries so hard to reach her friend. She brings gifts and has lots of suggestions of games they could play together Then it starts to snow and Wolf invites Bear to skate or skid or slide. But Bear just says no and NO!

Wolf is sad that she cannot reach her friend and so she climbs up the mountain and sings her sorrow to the moon. Bear hears this beautiful sound and so he follows the sound back into the light and back into the arms of his friend. He still does not want to romp and play but ...

"we could sit together and I could listen to you sing ... So that is what they do. Whenever a bright moon rises over the horizon, Bear slips out of the shadow to hear Wolf's song... and she sings it just for (her friend) Bear."

So, this is a book about sadness or depression. It does not offer an easy solution and I was impressed that Bear is 'allowed' to be depressed again from time to time. There is no sense in this book the Bear is wrong or that Bear needs to be fixed. Wolf is just a wonderful friend who wants to bring back their connection but for now sitting together enjoying a sweet song is enough. 

A complex tale containing challenging ideas, but also a rewarding read that reinforces the importance of all forms of creativity in our lives. Just Imagine

Altogether, Wolf and Bear, a picture book of empathy and friendship, around sorrow and darkness, love and understanding, is quite wonderful. Bookwagon loves and recommends this beautiful, beautiful book.

There’s an authenticity about Bear’s experience (and Wolf’s reaction to it) that draws us deep into this story and makes it easy to engage, but fundamental issues about mental health, wellbeing and relationships are also being explored in ways that prompt reflection, discussion and growth. Books for Keeps

You can read more about the way Kate Rolfe creates her art here. 

This book was short listed for the Waterstones Children's book prize 2024. It is the twentieth year of this award. Here is the full set of picture book titles. I have already talked about The Secret Elephant and The Seach for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish:

Companion books to read after Wolf and Bear:

The Rabbit Listened

Listen, Hippo!

Listen, Hippo! by Gabriel Evans

"Billy was having a bad day. ... Billy wished there was someone he could talk to."

He tells his friend Hippo that he is feeling sad and that his brain is whirling like a pinwheel but Hippo is not listening properly. Hippo sees himself as the master of fun. He suggests dressing up, dancing, climbing a tree, sailing on the high seas or perhaps a magic carpet ride will help or a party with cake!

No no no. Billy just wants someone to listen. Finally, Hippo stops all this activity and he notices Billy is sad. He makes two mugs of hot chocolate with extra marshmallows and the pair of friends sit down on the comfy couch and Billy is able to talk. 

Here is an audio interview with Gabriel Evans. This interview is with Good Reading Magazine. Joy Lawn talks to Gabriel for her blog Paperbark Words. You can see more books by Gabriel Evans who lives in Western Australia on his own web page. 

Listen, Hippo is a special book that you could share side by side with your young reading companion. I think that would work better than sharing this book with a big group of children in a library. Then perhaps you might stop and listen to your own child and ask if they have feelings or fears that they need to share. I also suggest making a delicious hot chocolate to sip while you are reading. Oh, and I do hope you love the final page (no spoilers) - it certainly made me smile. 

Companion books:

The Rabbit Listened

Other books by Gabriel Evans - pop each title into my side bar for more details or click his name at the bottom of this post or read this post which I penned after meet Gabriel at Gleebooks here in Sydney.

Meet me at the Moon Tree by Shivaun Plozza

This is a highly emotional story that follows the journey of grief taken by a family after their father dies quite suddenly. Each member of the family handles their grief in a different way but the main journey, for the reader, is through the eyes of the younger daughter Carina. She and her father shared a very special bond over science. Dad was a science high school teacher. Carina's father has told her a wonderful story about seeds that were taken in to space.

"On the thirty-first of January 1971, an astronaut named Stuart Roosa flew into space aboard the Apollo 14. They were headed for the moon, but Colonel Roosa wasn't going moonwalking ... his mission was to carry hundreds of tree seeds - loblolly pine, sycamore, sweet gum, redwood and Douglas fir - into space for an experiment. Scientists wanted to know if zero gravity made trees grow differently."

Carina calls these trees Moon Trees. She and her father had a plan to hunt for them all over the world. 

Mum, Carina, brother Jack and Gramps have now moved from the city to the aptly named very small town of Forrest in Victoria.  This is actually a real town with around 200 people. 

Mum is grieving but for her this means keeping busy and not talking and not showing any emotion. The house is in need of huge repairs and mum works all day and all night and it feels to Carina that her mum no longer loves her.

Jack is just angry - he does not communicate either. Instead he snips and snarls at Carina and at times he is just despicably mean to her. 

Gramps is trying to get on with life. He is optimistic that things will get better. He plans and builds a new garden, enjoys his coffee, makes friends in the town and tries to help Carina as she navigates this terrible time.

Carina is sad and confused and lost but she holds onto the hope that she can find moon tree. She is sure finding the tree will give her way to connect again with her dad. Carina does find the tree with the help of a friendly cockatoo and she also makes a new friend - a girl called Betty. This was one of those books where I just wanted to HUG the friend and thank her for her kindness and quiet wisdom. Every child who is suffering like Carina needs a beautiful friend like Betty.

Ways to identify a Moon Tree:

• Extra twisty branches
• Leaves that glimmer silver in the moonlight
• A feeling of being very ancient and very special
• Golden sap that sparkles with stardust

Meet me at the Moon Tree will be published by University of Queensland Press in July, 2023. I really like the cover by Verónica Fabregat Sebastiá. You can see other books by Shivaun Plozza on her web site.  I expect to see this book listed as a CBCA Younger Readers Notable for the 2024 award. Huge thanks to Beachside Bookshop for my advance copy (note sadly this wonderful independent bookshop is due to close at the end of June). 

Companion reads:

Catch a falling Star

A dog called Homeless

Bird

Wishtree

Mikki and me and the Out of tune tree

The Heart and Mind of Frances Pauley

No Longer Alone by Joseph Coelho illustrated by Robyn Wilson-Owen

There are three little girls on the cover of this book - can you tell which one feels alone? Can you guess why she feels this way? 

This book is a gentle exploration of loss and grief. It was published in 2019 and I think it should be added to all Primary school library collections. The library I visit each week have shelved this with parent reference books but I do think it could be added to your general collection. 

Mum has obviously died but this is not stated anywhere in the story we just know the little girl narrator is acting differently, she is sad and confused. Others do observe her new behavious this but they don't seem to understand. Finally her beautiful father sits down with the little girl and we see all the family photos on the wall behind their lounge and as readers we begin to understand what may have happened.

"Dad says ... 'Try to be the old you, the get-up-an-go you. The loud-and-active you, the happy you, the you, you used to be.'"

"I tell him how I don't feel myself right now, how I feel different, like someone else. I tell him all the things that are worrying me, upsetting me, making me feel alone. And he listens ... like the sun listens to leaves, like the ocean listens to raindrops, like the stars listen to the glide of their plants. And right NOW starts to feel different."

Bookseller blurb: A new picture book from award-winning performance poet, Joseph Coelho. This touching picture book subtly deals with big emotions such as loss, with an uplifting and hopeful message about being yourself and the importance of family and talking about worries. Told through the voice of a little girl who is labelled as quiet and shy, No Longer Alone follows her tumult of emotions as she navigates the world around her. But when she finally shares her feelings and tells her Dad all the things that are worrying her, she no longer feels so alone. Joseph's warm, authentic voice offers an insightful take on the way children feel and how they perceive the world and it's perfectly complimented by gorgeous artwork from talented new illustrator, Robyn Wilson-Owen.

Now take at the UK cover for this book - which one do you prefer?

I have talked about another book by Joseph Coelho:

My Beautiful Voice

Big and Small and In-between by Carter Higgins illustrated by Daniel Miyares

 

I have coveted this 2022 book since I first saw it many months ago, so when one of our best Sydney bookshops (Gleebooks) announced their 20% sale prior to moving to new premises I was able to grab this book for less than $30. 

There was a competition recently for the best end papers. Big and small and in-between could certainly be a strong contender. These end papers are different front and back, the front ones have a sunrise hue and the back ones night is falling. These pages are filled with the big and small objects from the book such as a chipped tea cup, a key, shells, coins, a cassette tape, dice, a whistle, a feather and a skipping ripe. 

Publisher blurb: This lovely, lyrical book collects the world by size. Divided into three chapters with three specially paper-engineered separations, every page encapsulates one precious moment that perfectly represents both a size and an experience. A beautiful, giftable meditation on what it means to be a kid - and what it means to be a human. This book has a beautiful blend of lyrical text and interpretive illustrations. The big, small and in-between things all lend themselves to deep conversations.

The three chapters in this book are big, in-between and small. Let's Talk Picture books explains the paper folds:

But perhaps the most exciting part of the book's design is the different paper folds we see on the section headers. Decreasing in intricacy and size as they go, they perfectly build up to the bonus surprise chapter and gatefold at the end of the book. The impact of the gatefold is amazing after all that!

I love all the pages in this book but especially these:

BIG - the trophy you got for the jump-rope contest because your feet remembered the pattern.

In-Between - the leftover balloons that are losing their oomph but not all the way droopy.

SMALL Things - the PLIP of a raindrop and the PUDDLE where it falls for a butterfly to sip.

I would be tempted to share this book very slowly with a class of older students (Grades 4-6) and only reveal one page each day. This book might not survive multiple library borrowers because of the paper engineering but it is one you could gift to a teacher or a special friend or perhaps it might be a gift to celebrate the arrival of a new baby. 

Truly a book that soothes the worries and congratulates the soul for being here and celebrates the amazing thing we are living - together - called a life.  These are magical moments that connect us.  These are sad and happy things we all share because we are human beings living side by side on this planet.  What an amazing celebration of being alive and here today. A Book and a Hug

Here are some other books illustrated by Daniel Miyares:

I previously talked about Bring me a Rock!