The Nature of Things

Clover loves the scenes on display in May. Her appreciation of “The Nature of Things” is to be expected—she’s a honeybee, and blossoms are her bucks in the bank. Cashing in on honey is almost as important to your bee buddy as choosing great books.

To that end, Clover’s focusing on Picks that combine nature with her admiration for stories that pull readers in, that bee-dazzle with memorable illustrations certain to win wows of approval.

Dig into this month’s trio of books certain to prompt a walk on a special trail, a fishing day with Gramps or an outing in the woods to commune with feathered friends.

The Community Literacy Foundation, in partnership with Neighborhood Reads, and with support from its sponsors, provides these books at no cost to 37 schools in Washington, Union, Pacific, St. Clair and surrounding communities and to the Washington Public Library. Learn more at CommunityLiteracyFoundation.org.

Youngest Read

An unreliable narrator baits readers in “Don’t Trust Fish,” a zany, laugh-out-loud newbie by Neil Sharpson. Pair Sharpson’s clever story with bold, creative illustrations by Dan Santat, and you’ve got a whale of a terrific tale certain to spawn guffaws and giggles.

The book starts out sensible enough with an explanation of the characteristics of a mammal, reptile and bird, but it goes off the rails when the subject of fish come up, a despised species that “… don’t follow any rules. Some have gills. Some have lungs. Some live in salt water. Some live in fresh water. They are rebels and outlaws,” we are warned, “DON’T TRUST FISH.”

Though the ocean looks peaceful, readers are warned about the perils of finned beasties hanging out in its dark depths. One of whom is Jeff, the “craftiest fish of all is Jeff,” the fish leader, who looks kind of sleepy and kind, “but don’t be fooled,” the narrator insists.

The aquatic creature most misaligned by fish is the crab, who appears throughout the story, and is victimized by fish, often eaten in one gulp, which is a sad state of affairs considering how “innocent” crabs are, their big eyes attesting to the fact that they are to be trusted. But are they?

More is revealed when “Don’t Trust Fish” comes to its hysterically creative conclusion, an end that’s a real whopper!

Buy the book at Neighborhood Reads

Middle Read

They are large, with piercing yellow eyes, and massive feathered bodies—they are creatures of the night, and all the little girl in “To See an Owl” wants to do is finally see one. Her quest comes to life in a gorgeous story about owls with expressive writing and illustrations by Matthew Cordell, an honored Caldecott Medalist.

Birding has long been a hobby of the little girl and her mother, and sighting an owl would be a dream come true for the child. Oh how she wants to experience these “birds of the night,” with their “silent, knowing faces.

Her teacher, Me. Koji, encourages his class to venture into the woods to try and spot an owl. He’s been passionate about them since he was a boy. “’To see an own can be very difficult. To see an owl is magic,” he tells his class.

Thanks to her teacher, the girl learns all about owls, the different types and their individual calls. Her drive to see one becomes stronger by the day, as she sets out with her mother at night, flashlights in hand, to map out her birding territory to show to her teacher.

Months go by and the girl’s passion grows. She learns to expertly draw owls and learns patience too—she grows in wisdom like an owl, her eyes wide in wonder until one fateful, snowy day—“Hoo-hoo-hoo. Hooooo-hoooo…

Buy the book at Neighborhood Reads

Oldest Read

Finn’s in trouble. His act of vandalism made the newspaper—turning over gravestones in a cemetery in his Lake Placid community. Finn’s also in danger of failing PE and English. To raise his grade, Finn’s assigned to write 20 poems about heroes.

Finn’s plight kicks off “The Trouble with Heroes,” by Kate Messner. This page turner has it all, a troubled main character, a challenge he must accomplish, an admirable canine companion and a backstory certain to elicit sympathy.

One of the gravestones Finn disrupts belongs to a woman who climbed each of the Adirondack’s 46 High Peaks, Edna Grace Thomas. She was most certainly a hero, as was Finn’s father, a fireman and paramedic who became famous after a photograph appeared in the news of him carrying a woman away from the World Trade Center on 9-11. His dad also saved lives during the pandemic—but Finn struggles to understand this father who died—a dad who was there for everyone but his family.

To make restitution for the graveyard fiasco, Finn is presented with a challenge. Climb each of the Adirondack’s High Peaks, reach the top of all 46 by the end of the summer. Smart-alecky Finn hits the trail with a splintery chip on his shoulder begrudgingly writing poetry after trekking in the woods all day, accompanied by a drooling dog assigned to him that he cares nothing about.

Written in verse, “The Trouble with Heroes” takes readers on one adventure after another, on trails that grow increasingly difficult, the awe of the Adirondacks captured in words and photographs. Readers will appreciate the courage Finn displays as he accomplishes more than he ever imagined and comes to better understand his father, who he connects with on the trails in miraculous ways that merge the past and present.

Buy the book at Neighborhood Reads

Written by Chris Stuckenschneider.

Copyright 2025, Community Literacy Foundation.