Nonfiction November, Secrets, And More!

This is the book that inspired me to make a Beautiful Biology list. It’s a stunningly illustrated picture book about bioluminescence, depicting a mother and daughter exploring the many ways bioluminescence is present in our world, on land and in water. Kuo explores bioluminescence in lyrical language but then provides more detailed information in short paragraphs on each page. It’s a perfect marriage of poetry and science, both in language and in illustration.

This innovative nonfiction uses a three-color lens to reveal hidden pictures within the illustrations. Each section describes an ecosystem from around the world, and readers can use various lenses to reveal insects, habitats, and other invertebrate creepy crawlies that call that ecosystem home in the layered illustrations. It’s a book bug lovers of all ages can get lost in for hours. It’s really fascinating.

This beautiful concertina-style exploration of the sea unfolds to reveal each layer of the sea, from otters diving along the surface to anglerfish deep in the ocean’s depths. This is a book that requires a lot of room, as it unfolds to about 10 feet! It also provides lots of fun facts about the ocean.

This picture book is a little different from the other three in that not only does it provide a fascinating glimpse into the Elwha River’s ecology, but it also gives a call to action to protect the environment, gives a history of how the U.S. government took land from Indigenous Americans — particularly the Strong People — and shows how contemporary Indigenous Americans lobby for their land rights and rehabilitate ecosystems. The book is beautifully illustrated by Métis illustrator Natasha Donovan, and it’s a great way to look at broad topics like environmentalism, the effects of overpopulation, and the history of how the U.S. government treated Indigenous Americans by focusing on one single example — the Elwha River.