Science and history discoveries

Finding Family

Laura Purdie Salas
(Millbrook Press 2023)

This picture book tells the true story of how two loon parents adopted a mallard duckling and became a family on a Wisconsin lake. Researchers who were studying the loons do not know what ­happened to the loons’ original clutch of eggs or how the mallard duckling got separated from her family. During the summer of 2019, though, the researchers’ regular observations documented the ­unexpected way two rival species bonded and how the duckling adapted to loon ways, including riding piggyback on her parents’ backs and diving for minnows and snails. Alexandria Neonakis’ digitally created ­illustrations beautifully enhance the text, and concluding endnotes explain more about the birds’ story. Ages 5-8

Wind: Discovering Air in Motion

Olga Fadeeva
(Eerdmans 2023)

Author and illustrator Olga Fadeeva teaches children about the many facets of wind in this informative extended picture book. Fadeeva begins by defining wind and providing examples of the types of wind before exploring the way wind works in nature, travel, energy production, and even outer space. The book’s playful and ­colorful pictures make the information more accessible to children through helpful visual aids, such as labeling the different types of winds across the globe and depicting the way a ship can sail into the wind. It would make a useful addition to the home or school library. Note: Brief mentions of different cultures’ wind gods. Ages 7-11

The Mona Lisa Vanishes

Nicholas Day
(Random House Studio 2023)

Although Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa may be one of the most famous paintings of all time, it wasn’t always the recipient of such widespread acclaim. The painting’s rise to fame began after a poor laborer stole the Mona Lisa from the Louvre and sparked a worldwide manhunt. Author Nicholas Day takes readers back to the scene of the crime in turn-of-the-century Paris, crafting a fast-paced and engaging detective story centering on the uproar, search, and eventual recovery of the priceless work. Throughout the narrative, Day flashes back in time to chart the arc of da Vinci’s life and that of the mysterious woman known simply as Mona Lisa. A fun nonfiction read for middle graders. Ages 8-13

Catch a Crayfish, Count the Stars

Steven Rinella
(Random House 2023)

In this more than 300-page volume, outdoorsman Steven Rinella has compiled a slew of outdoor activities geared for middle graders. Although Rinella cautions kids to first seek adult approval and/or supervision, he also encourages them to act responsibly and use ­situational awareness as they gain confidence outside and leave digital distractions behind. The topics range from crafty (e.g., making a walking stick or wind chimes) to savvy (e.g., walking in a straight line through the woods, or hunting for and then preparing game meat). Scattered throughout the chapters are short essays about outdoorsmen and -women and their contributions to history and science. Note: Occasional ­mentions of millions of years and evolutionary perspective. Ages 8+