Great Nonfiction, Sunflowers, and More!

Globally renowned shark scientist Melissa Cristina Márquez recounts her childhood growing up in Puerto Rico, where she spent her days on the beach. Tide pools fascinate her, and then one day, Jaiba, a crab, invites her to join him on an underwater adventure where she learns the importance of shark conservation, setting her off on a lifelong journey as Mother of Sharks.

I love Chris Sasaki’s illustrations, and his books are always an auto-buy for me. In this wonderful book, I learned so much about how animals construct the most incredible structures.

This graphic novel doesn’t release until October 3, but I wanted to get it on your radar now because it’s so good! The illustrations are luminous and gorgeous. Written by a Vietnamese wildlife conservationist, environmental activist, and writer, known for tackling the illegal wildlife trade in Africa and Asia, this book follows Chang, who rescues an injured and abused elephant named H’Non. But can she find someone who can teach H’Non to live independently in the wild after decades of abuse?

I adore Jennifer Thermes, and not just because she is the creator behind the gorgeous maps that grace all of my Vanderbeeker books. She tackles wonderful topics in her books, including the history of Manhattan and explorers like Grandma Greenwood and Tom Crean. In this book, she examines the relationship between people and horses and their role in changing history.