Fern and Otto: A Story About Two Best Friends
Stephanie Graegin

We have lots of new picture books in the store and one of my favorites is Fern and Otto. Fern, a woodland bear, and Otto, a cat. take a walk through the woods and encounter all sorts of characters you’ll find familiar: a dish running away with a spoon, a girl wearing a red cape, three pigs, and so on. The illustrations are sweet and whimsical. The humor is gentle and I love the setting. One of our customers has a monthly subscription with us. Each month we send a picture book to her great granddaughter. That lucky kid will likely find this on the doorstep in the near future!

Roxaboxen
Alice McLerran,
illustrated by Barbara Cooney

This was one of my daughter’s favorite books. She even made a diorama of it in the second grade. I’ve been thinking about it because it’s a story about children making a little town on a hill away from adults, playing together without masks or supervision. We have lost so much! I suspect a child today would find this tale particularly fascinating, a chance to visit a world of freedom, imagination, and companionship.

Barbara Cooney is one of my favorite illustrators. Any book she took on is sure to be worthy.

When the Sky Is Like Lace
Elinor Lander Horwitz,
illustrated by Barbara Cooney

Speaking of Barbara Cooney, here’s another picture book that celebrates girls playing outside, but in this case it’s a fantasy as they dance with otters. This celebration happens when it’s bimulous and the sky is like lace. The beautiful watercolors and the rhythym of the prose make reading this with a child a special experience. 

The Story of Holly & Ivy
Rumer Godden, illustrated by Barbara Cooney

While I’m talking about Barbara Cooney, it’s not too early to start thinking about Christmas. One of my all-time favorite Christmas books is The Story of Holly & Ivy. An orphan called Ivy wants so very badly to find the grandma she’s sure is somewhere, wishing for her. Ivy finds a way to board a train, and gets off at a small town. She wanders around until she comes to a toy store, where a doll (named Holly of course) in the window is wishing just as hard that she could find her girl. A mean toy owl keeps telling Holly that since she’s a Christmas doll she’s going to be put away since no one bought her. I don’t know how many times I’ve read this, but I still always cry when Holly and Ivy find their home. That’s technically a spoiler but you know this isn’t going to end in tragedy. I won’t tell you the beautiful way this happens. Just know that this is as sweet as a book can be.

All Because You Matter
Tami Charles

This book tells the story of a little boy growing up in a world that is often hurtful and unfair to children of color. We all want to protect our children from the hurt and pain of others but often are left to wipe the tears. Charles shares the message that our children matter in a time of unrest and insecurity. The brilliant artwork of Bryan Collier gives homage to his grandmother and her quilt work.

Note: This book will be featured in our holiday catalog and display. It will be released October. 6.

The Lost Forest
Phyllis Root and Betsy Bowen

This book inspired my husband and me to take a hike! We traveled up to the Lost Forty and enjoyed the mile-long hike. The trail was primitive and beautiful with many ups and downs and twists. I took many pictures and was able to reference the plants at the back of the book. Our favorite part of the hike was an encounter with the fawn who just stared at us. I love that this book encouraged us to take hike in the great Minnesota woods.

Pam’s husband, Bob, demonstrating just how large the old growth trees in the Lost Forty are!

Zoey and Sassafras
Unicorns and Germs, Asia Citro

In a pandemic world, this book adds fun to germs and science. Zoey is a little girl who is able to help magical animals with her mom and with science. In this book, the sixth in the series, Zoey and her mom use Petri dishes to grow bacteria from a unicorn’s cut. Zoey then uses items and plants to discover what will best kill the bacteria growing in the unicorn’s cut. This is a fun chapter book for 7 to 9 year olds. I loved the idea of magical animals and science together.