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The world is our classroom, as the popular saying goes. However, we can’t always travel the globe—but we can bring the world to our home’s study rooms and libraries and open a whole new avenue for learning.
In these selections, we take a look at nature, peeking inside trees or glancing up at the treetops. We also go back in time and travel the world through legends and myths. For those who love to discern patterns or mull over whodunits, there are mysteries and puzzles to solve. And, there is never a better time to learn a new language than when children are young.
The Beauty of Nature
By Olga Ptashnik
In this beautifully illustrated picture book, a baby chickadee wonders how it can ever learn to fly and observes how other birds fly. As the chickadee explores different birds’ wing shapes, altitudes, and flying skills, the chickadee must find the “just-right” balance for itself.
Children will be introduced to the albatross, the barn owl, and the pelican, as well as discover birds that “fly” in the water and those that run fast on the ground.
Readers curious to know the term used for a group of starlings flying in their own choreographed dance will find the answer and many more interesting tidbits about all things wings and feathers. Young bird-watchers (starting from preschool age) will love the information and illustrations presented in this book.
Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 36 pages, Sept. 2, 2025
By Yorick Goldewijk, Jeska Verstegen, and Laura Watkinson
The tree is a world in itself—a microcosm of living things that depend on its wood, leaves, fruits, and blooms in order to survive. A scurrying noise and the rustling of leaves hint at the creatures that move stealthily along its trunk and its branches and burrow deep in its bark and roots.
Readers will be able to peek their heads into these tall woody plants and take a closer look at the moon moth caterpillar, the aphid, and the mayfly. They may also catch sight of the sloth hanging from a branch or the brown bear cub sleeping under the biggest root of the tree. Each animal entry is accompanied by hauntingly beautiful illustrations set against a night sky or under the dim canopy of forest trees. A perfect book on woodland creatures for children 8 years old and up.
Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 88 pages, Oct. 14, 2025
By Emily Rand
With a tagline of “Calming activities for creative minds,” this book seeks to wind down the school day with a look at the patterns and symmetry found in nature. It gives the budding naturalist a template and a guide to drawing dots, shapes, stripes, and lines, as seen on ladybugs, honeycombs, spiderwebs, and tree branches, to name a few. It’s great for nurturing the young artist’s talents. Some creative projects at the end of the school day will help balance out a hard day’s work of left-brain activities. Great for children 8 to 10 years old.
Laurence King Publishing, 64 pages, June 24, 2025
By Rita Gould
Nature lovers who are a little more advanced in their art skills will benefit from the 20 step-by-step tutorials found in this how-to book. Before getting started, there’s a quick discussion on materials (synthetic versus natural-hair brushes, student- versus artist-grade paints, and types of paper) and methods (the tea-to-butter method and how to hold a brush).
Eager painters will need to first warm up with some brushstroke exercises before diving right in. Badgers and barn owls, fairy helmet mushrooms and tiger moths, deer and a salamander are ready to come alive on the pages of a blank paper. This is a great resource to have for those who would love to go to art school—from the comforts of their home. It’s a great way to de-stress and unwind after a hectic school week.
Quarry Books, 144 pages, Oct. 14, 2025
Tales of Long Ago
‘An Atlas of Mythical Journeys: Discover Heroic Quests, Daring Voyages and Epic Adventures’
By Emily Hawkins and Iryna Dobrovetska
This book presents the legends and myths of different countries through their heroes’ quests and adventures. Starting in Greece, Odysseus makes his long journey home after the Trojan War, and, in the British Isles, Sir Percival sets out on a quest for the Holy Grail. The stories of the Egyptian goddess Isis, the pious Chinese daughter Mulan, the sailings of Sinbad of Baghdad, and the adventures of the Polynesian demigod Maui and his brothers represent African and Asian civilizations. In North America, Paul Bunyan makes the cut, as well as several stories from the Native American tribes. This is a great around-the-world book in 96 gloriously illustrated pages. A great reference book to have for those who love the stories of old.
Wide-Eyed Editions, 96 pages, Oct. 14, 2025
‘Spin to Survive: The Pharaoh’s Curse’
By Emily Hawkins and Ruby Fresson
A map to a pharaoh’s tomb had been stolen! It’s the reader’s job to stop would-be tomb raiders from getting to the Valley of the Kings and its many hidden treasures. In this choose-your-own-adventure format, readers will participate in this quest armed with a hieroglyphic code and a “Survival Spinner.” As readers move from page to page, they will also learn a little bit more about the Egyptian gods and goddesses, as well as the ordinary lives of men who live near the mighty Nile River. Readers will participate in a chariot race or elude a tomb guard’s arrows (if they have the Eye of Horus amulet!). This interactive journey will make learning so much fun, young readers will want to pick a new adventure each time. Great for young Egyptologists, 8 to 12 years old!
Wide-Eyed Editions, 64 pages, Sept. 2, 2025
Logic and Language
‘The Official Agatha Christie After School Club Detectives Club: 50 Mystery Puzzles for Children’
By Gareth Moore and Laura Jayne Ayres
This book of cases and puzzles will keep youngsters engaged as they work through several cases (à la Agatha Christie). For each of the five cases, they have to work these out through a series of puzzles and clues using logical and deductive reasoning. The wannabe Miss Marples and Hercule Poirots must learn to organize the information collected and narrow down and eliminate suspects. They can also take to heart Poirot’s advice on never ignoring one’s instincts. It is great wholesome fun for kids who like to hang out after school and pick each other’s brains for answers. No peeking at the end where the solutions are posted. For ages 10 and up.
Laurence King Publishing, 160 pages, Oct. 28, 2025
By Janet Moreno, Jennifer A. Fusco, and Ziyue Chen
Learn a new language—that is, American Sign Language. Using the Bible story of Noah’s ark, color words like “red,” “yellow,” and “orange” are demonstrated in this simple board book. Key words from Scripture, such as “forever,” “protect,” and “strength,” are signed by the book’s characters. Sure to provide wonderful interactions with young ones who are still grasping language and concepts, this child-friendly, colorful book will be a hit with the whole family.
WaterBrook, 20 pages, Oct. 21, 2025
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