QUERIDA PEQUEÑAJA

by Nina Laden

Descubre la magia de las pequeñas cosas.
Planta una semilla y obsérvala crecer. Cuida de la naturaleza y ella cuidará de ti.
En Querida pequeñaja, Nina Laden nos ofrece una magnífica fábula sobre la belleza del mundo que nos rodea, la delicadeza de la madre naturaleza, y los detalles que hacen de nuestro mundo un precioso lugar que habitar, siempre que lo cuidemos; todo ello, acompañado por las magníficas y dulces ilustraciones de Melissa Castrillon.
Nina Laden es autora de muchos libros infantiles, entre los que se incluyen Había una vez un recuerdo, Who Loves You, Baby? y The Night I Followed the Dog . Vive con su marido en Lummi Island, Washington.
Melissa Castrillon es ilustradora y vive en Cambridge, Inglaterra, donde se licenció cum laude en Ilustración. Creció en un pequeño pueblo llamado Hitchin e ilustra El kayak amarillo y Min sin miedo .

Genres: Picture Books, Nature, Childrens, Storytime, Animals, Art, Poetry

32 pages, Hardcover

First published November 2, 2021

Reviews

[Dactylaura]

je suis complètement tombée sous le charme de cet album qui célèbre la nature. dès la couverture on plonge dans un univers coloré, fleuri, c'est juste magnifique! le texte qui accompagne les illsutrations est très poétique, alors que demander de plus? une petite pépite <3

[Katey Flowers]

What a touching celebration of new life and the hopes and dreams parents have for their child and their future experiences. The art is so beautiful. Loved this.

[Rachel]

The text is about taking care of nature and told in rhyming verses but the art in this one is truly gorgeous. Loved the art. *chef's kiss* to the art.

[Robin Verstegen]

Een ode aan de natuur, gepakt in een rijmvertelling met een fijn ritme en geweldig mooie kleurrijke illustraties

[Marissa Elera]

Stunning illustrations!

[Stef]

The story is good and the illustration so beautiful 💜💜♥️♥️♥️

[Cathérine]

3,5 *

[Chelsea Lucas]

This was such a beautiful picture book, and I think it had a lovely message. If you love nature, I would definitely recommend picking up this book for your young one, or even for yourself!

[Amna]

Love the colours and the textures of the illustrations. Lyrical text that sounds nice when read aloud. My son enjoys searching for the dog on every page and pointing it out lol.

[Marathon County Public Library]

This beautifully-illustrated picture book celebrates nature through the eyes of a little girl and her dog. Written as a letter from Mother Nature, this book encourages children to observe the world around them and appreciate everything the earth provides, from tiny insects to tall mountaintops. The lilting rhymes and dreamy illustrations present an imaginative take on the world and will have both kids and adults wondering at everything the earth is and everything it could be. This book also informs children about the roles of the sun and trees, teaches them that they can help create a better future, and provides them with words of affirmation:

“Marvel at the stars,
and the vastness of space.
You are a sparkling part
of this beautiful place.”

I was first drawn to this book by the gorgeous illustrations. The vibrant colors and details will easily enthrall readers of all ages. And as someone who is always trying to live more sustainably, the environmental message touched my heart and made me hopeful for the future. This is a wonderful book to instill a love of nature and a desire to protect our planet!

Katie E. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.

[Sarah BT]

A good choice for Earth Day

[Hobbelbee]

the illustrations in this are just absolutely gorgeous i’m in love

[shesellsseashells]

I loved If I Had A Little Dream, and this book is similarly lush and full of love. I did find some of the stanzas quite awkward and a few times the lack of rhythm was really off putting, but it’s got a great message.

A 3 for the text and a 5+++++ for the artwork.

[Miss_Cultura]

Una novela ilustrada que es una poesía visual en muchos aspectos. Las ilustraciones, los colores y el viaje que hará nuestra protagonista nos enamorará, ya que esa voz que aunque no escuchamos, pero nos habla nos recordará cosas esenciales de la vida, pero que ya estamos olvidando

[Baby Bookworm]

This review was originally written for The Baby Bookworm. Visit us for new picture books reviews daily!

Hello, friends! Our book today is Dear Little One by Nina Laden and Melissa Castrillon, a gorgeous ode to the beauty of the natural world.

Taking the form of a letter, the narration opens with the titular salutation, greeting both the reader and the unnamed child protagonist, who is poking a finger into a rippling body of water. The lyrical text follows as the child explores a series of natural environments with their canine companion, encouraging them to appreciate and marvel at the beauty of nature and the myriad life that fills it – animals, insects, plants, seas, mountains, and more. The author of the letter charges their “little one” to be a steward of the Earth, to preserve it, and to care for it as the Earth cares for them, before signing off – “Love, Mother Nature.”

Gorgeous. Those who are fans of Laden and Castrillon’s previous collaborations, If I Had A Little Dream and Yellow Kayak, will be delighted to find another beautifully written and breathtaking illustrated adventure in this title. The conservationist message isn’t necessarily subtle, but the text conveys it in an imploringly heartfelt tone that never feels preachy, but rather empowering and inspiring. The spellbinding, dreamlike illustrations are simply stunning, blending a palate of cool greens and purples with fiery oranges and reds that is all at once soothing and invigorating. The length is perfect for a storytime, and JJ loved the intricate art and calming tone of the text. A beautiful way to encourage children to explore and revere the natural world, and we loved it. Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Be sure to check out The Baby Bookworm for more reviews!

[Margaret]

Across the street is a large vacant lot. On either side is a row of trees and shrubs. To the west is an occupied home. To the east are two unoccupied houses. Behind them are rows of mature evergreens. It is a forest in a neighborhood. By chance, several days ago, I looked up from working at the kitchen sink out the windows at that vacant lot. Gasping, I watched a fox in the middle of the day running from one side to the other. Now, when out walking with my canine companion, she stops, sits and raises her nose sniffing as soon as we are near that wooded area. She knows.

(And then just minutes ago, yes today, November 16, 2021, as we rounded that familiar corner close to our home on our walk, the crows were more vocal than normal. Out of a row of trees on our left, the fox ran, stopped on a grassy area, crossed the road in front of us, and stopped on the lawn of a house on the right before disappearing into those woods. He was gorgeous, red and with lots of bright white on his tail. I was trying to get my phone out of my pocket to get a picture, but also gaze at him at the same time. Mulan, my dog, just stood silently and watched.)

As we get older, we see the world with a wider and deeper perspective. For many adults, but not all adults, it is clouded by past events and life experiences. What we need to retain is the constant curiosity and bliss we had as children in investigating the world outside our homes. Dear Little One (A Paula Wiseman Book, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, November 2, 2021) written by Nina Laden with illustrations by Melissa Castrillon is a love letter to our natural surroundings and all the minute marvels they hold.

My full recommendation: https://librariansquest.blogspot.com/...

[Suzan Mulders]

‘Lief kleintje’ is een prachtig geïllustreerd prentenboek dat de natuur viert en eert. Geschreven als een liefdevolle brief van Moeder Natuur aan kinderen, nodigt het uit om de wereld om ons heen te bewonderen en er zorg voor te dragen. Van bloemen en bomen tot bijen, regen en wind: alles mag er zijn en verdient onze aandacht.

De tekst op rijm leest heerlijk vloeiend en loopt ritmisch lekker. De illustraties zijn werkelijk schitterend. Zacht, dromerig en vol fantasie. Met prachtige kleuren, fijne details en een mooie balans op iedere pagina.

Een boek met een waardevolle boodschap die wat mij betreft breed verspreid mag worden: verwonder je over de natuur, koester haar en zorg ervoor. Zodat jij ook kunt twinkelen op jouw plek in de tijd.

Een mooi verzorgd prentenboek van Nina Laden en Melissa Castrillon dat niet misstaat als cadeautje bij een geboorte.

[Rose Rosetree]

According to School Library Journal, this picture book delivers a “visually stunning ode to the beauty of nature.” Whereas, to some readers like me, this storybook with the big visuals is a little much for me.

Besides the dreamlike illustrations, are there rhymes? You bet. Here's a sample:

Celebrate the flowers.
Be grateful for bees.
Their work bears fruit.
Worship the trees.

RATING THIS BOOK

I do this, as always, on behalf of the intended readership. For this one, those in this kind of worshipful groove will no doubt be REALLY grateful. On their behalf, FIVE STARS.

[Zahnii (Suzanne) Artis]

I would love to know what little ones think of this picture book. I enjoyed the illustrations with contrasting warm and cool colors. Some of the pages had tremendous detail- favorites being the two page “dig in the ground” spread, “swim with the fish,” and “marvel at the stars.”

PS. I love foxes! They are my favorite, but this one joining their duo felt wrong…somehow contradictory of respecting nature. All the other creatures shared space but at a distance. *shrug*. Not sure if that makes sense but that was my feeling.

[Opetoritse]

A heartfelt (if somewhat heavy-handed) letter of encouragement to the young and curious, Laden's celebration of nature is sure to inspire future scientists and environmentalists alike. Save for a few rhythmically awkward stanzas, the text has a relaxing flow and an easy, gentle rhyme scheme. This is well complimented by Castrillon's whimsically luscious illustrations, the intricate color-play of which is especially impressive for pencil work.

[Cam]

(3) Pas particulièrement touchée par l’ensemble. Pour autant, l’album n’est pas dépourvu de charme. Je pense que le message passé autour de la nature me paraît trop récurrent dans ce type d’album, même s’il reste très important et à ne pas négliger. Les dessins font vraiment la différence, surtout deux des doubles pages qui m’ont assez marquées.

[Gladimore]

I wish I could give this a million trillion stars! I felt like my heart and soul were in union with this book. The words, the illustrations and my heart melded together. I wish that everyone could see the Beauty and wonder of this book!

[Jena Gray]

Five stars because it is so beautiful and gets across the message I want to pass on to my kids, as well as live in my own life. The only down side is that there's no real "story" so I don't know if my adventure seeking readers will re read often. Definitely going to pick up a copy though!

[Amber]

A sweet letter from mother nature to little ones (although big ones could benefit from her letter too) encouraging them to explore and enjoy all that the world has to offer while reminding them to be respectful of all the earth's gifts.

[Chantal HK]

Quel joli livre pour revenir à l'essentiel, à la nature, au bonheur... Belles images, plein de bienveillance, de douceur, de rappel de l'importance de prendre le temps, d'être dans le moment présent. Un album pleine conscience magnifique.

[Mireille Duval]

Très belles illustrations, très belle histoire poétique. Il faudra que je le relise plus attentivement qu'à une séance de bibliothèque où tous les parents lisent tour à tour à leurs petits; mais c'était un concept mignon!

[Christine Joy]

Such a visually stunning, gorgeous book. I love the writing and themes. If I had a child, I would want to read this to them. It was nice to think that I was the target audience while I read it, though:)

[Natasha Roslosnik]

Oh my goodness - this was beautiful! A beautiful poem with equally brilliant illustrations.

I appreciate that the main character we see is a little girl doing solo exploration; discovering the world around her and how she might fit into it.

[Erin Buhr]

Nina Laden writes this as a letter from Mother Nature to young children. The rhyming text and simple, warm message are all consistent with Nina Laden's wonderful style for babies and toddlers.

[Jo Oehrlein]

A letter from Mother Nature, but also a mini-sermon for kids (that's not religious).