“Sweeney’s rhyming poetry highlights the sights and sounds of a “noisy puddle” in this captivating tribute to underappreciated vernal pools and their role in supporting healthy wetland ecosystems. Framed as a series of nature walks that take place over the course of a year, lines urge “LISTEN./ LISTEN.” and “LOOK! LOOK!” as a pale-skinned, dark-haired child and caregiver accompany wildlife observations rendered in rhyming verse.”

– Publishers Weekly

“A sensory experience promising to tickle the curiosity of young naturalists, whether in-classroom or on the scene.”

– School Library Journal

“​​Enjoy these four upcoming releases that encourage natural curiosity.”

– OwlKids Newsletter

“A sweet read-aloud for younger readers to help them learn how the individual is part of a greater community; a standout for conveying complex concepts in an accessible format.”

– Carrie Voliva

“Read This If You Love: Simplistic picture books that teach big lessons.”

– Google Reviews

This book by @linda_booth_sweeney_creates and @arielrutland is simple, yet so powerful! It helps students understand how separate things transform into new creations. There are so many connections to dive into.

— Books and Bytes

“As the sixteenth president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln fought to bring together a divided country only to be assassinated for his ideals. Readers will be drawn in by how these two stories intersect as they follow Dan Chester French’s career from the creation of one stunning statue after another to his ultimate masterpiece- the Lincoln Memorial-, a true monument honoring not only a great leader but the ideals that make our country great. History truly comes to life with Linda Booth Sweeney’s engaging text and Shawn Field’s incredible illustrations.”

–  Dr. Cheryl S. Vanatti, Cybils 2019, Elementary Non-Fiction finalist

“If ever a book was crafted to explain the artistic life to young readers—indeed, to inspire artistically minded young people to pursue their own dreams and gifts—Linda Booth Sweeney’s gem of a biography is the one. Daniel Chester French always hoped his sculpture would appeal to, and inspire, young people, and Monument Maker will help do so.”

— Harold Holzer, author of Monument Man: The Life and Art of Daniel Chester French

“Both the artistic vision and engineering requirements of the memorial are detailed in beautiful soft pencil pages, making this volume another little paper museum in and of itself.”

– Publisher’s Spotlight

“…beautifully illustrated and inspiring!”

– Youth Services Review

“This handsome book introduces sculptor Daniel Chester French and the monumental statue that he created for the Lincoln Memorial… Strong, graceful, and expressive, Fields’ artwork captures the period setting while making even unnamed people look like individuals… (in) this engaging tribute to French and the Lincoln Memorial.”

“An ode to winter that hums with a zingy, excited energy . . . . Icy pale blues and purples contrast with brightly colored winter wear and the children’s warm brown skin . . . . A joyful winter read-aloud with an infectious enthusiasm for everything that the season brings.”

— Publishers Weekly

“Country and city kids alike will relate to this joyful romp celebrating family, snow, community, and the wonders of nature.”

– School Library Journal

“When the Wind Blows by Linda Booth Sweeney has a writing style that makes turning each page feel as if the wind itself is blowing the reader toward the end of the book. Uncommon for a children’s book, the story is written in verse and uses poetic language that describes how things throughout the city move as the wind blows. Conveying how each item moves in the wind only requires that Sweeney use a simple two-word sentence. By the ocean, “water ripples. Buckets tumble. Birds scurry. Castles crumble.” In the park, “strollers stroll. Kites glide. Bells clang. Puppies hide.” Further description of each item is not needed because paired together, one can imagine the setting and envision the images that Sweeney tries to create. The lyrical verse paints an image of how the wind’s movement has various effects, from sails and boats out at sea to swings and wheels at the park. As if the beautifully and carefully-selected words aren’t enough, Christy’s illustrations show items as they move with the wind. White lines fill the page, representing the wind’s every move.

“For many people, a windstorm might be reason to stay inside safe and sound. However, the family in this book looks at a windy day as an adventurous day for kite-flying fun. Simple, rhythmic two-word phrases appear on each page in four-line stanza. “When the wind blows” repeats every three stanzas to create a dependable structure in this poetic text. Strong verbs such as “whistles,” “flicker,” “swish,” and “clang” allow readers to experience the blustery day with sounds, feeling, and imagery.

“This picture-book tribute to windy days features satisfying, singsongy rhyming couplets that creatively describe a variety of windblown neighborhood adventures. Beginning with basic descriptors (“Windows rattle. / Doors creeaaak. / Chimes sing. / We peek”), the action tracks Mom, Grandma, a young boy, and his toddler sister as they fly kites, visit the seashore, splash in puddles, chase after hats, and dodge raindrops.

“Linda Booth Sweeney (The Systems Thinking Playbook), making her children’s book debut, and Jana Christy (How to Hug) pay homage to the changing of seasons in this picture book tale of a warmhearted family and their cozy seaside home.

Laundry wafts on the line as a child and dog peer out of an upstairs window in a blue-roofed cape house. “When the wind blows…” reads the opening line in a hand-lettered purple that matches the home’s exterior. “Windows rattle./ Doors creeaaak./ Chimes sing./ We peek,” the text continues in white type that pops against cornflower blue skies. Grandma takes the boy and dog out to fly a yellow kite, while his mother, clad in a blue coat, pushes a baby in a red stroller. A lighthouse hints at a nearby body of water, and cows complete the pastoral scene.

“Artfully, beautifully, playfully, seriously, clearly Linda Booth Sweeney invites us to join her in a deeper understanding of the profound principles of living systems. Tapping wisdom connected to many cultures and many times, Linda weaves memorable simple stories into a tapestry holding enormous complexity. A book that is at once a work of art, a representation of science, and an invitation to think more deeply and playfully, Connected Wisdom is a gift. Whether the reader is six or sixty, it matters not. These pages open us more fully to the world around us.”

– Judy Sorum Brown, Author, Senior Fellow, The James MacGregor Burns Academy of Leadership

“Beautiful …. The writing so seamlessly tied together [the author’s] ecological concepts with the stories … chosen. And such handsome bookmaking! I am doing a keynote on tales of kindness for the National Storytelling Network Conference in Hawaii and will add this to my bibliography.”

–Margaret Read MacDonald, Author and storyteller

“Our actions, connected to the people and the natural world around us, are not only worth seeing, it is the point at which you are actually seeing. Connected Wisdom uses simple language, pictures, and parables to explain and beautifully illustrate natural principles in our relationships to each other and the natural world. This book helps parents and children alike see our world made up of many parts for what it is – connected.”

– Steve Swenson, Aldo Leopold Foundation

“I have used some of the same stories described in Linda’s book in training courses with environmental professionals from many countries as well as in introducing systems thinking into my own organization. There is a universal appeal to stories by Dr. Seuss, for example, and much wisdom hidden just behind the wild drawings and imaginative language. Linda’s unique contribution lies in showing teachers and parents how they can use a wide range of enchanting stories to tap into this deeper meaning in order to improve problem solving abilities in everyday life. The book’s recommendations on using stories can easily be applied to improving our parenting and teaching skills by listening more carefully to the stories children tell, asking better questions, and sharing responsibility with our children for interpreting the answers.”

— Don Robadue