Books by Melissa Castrillón (illustrator)
The Snow Girl
Sophie Anderson, Melissa Castrillón (illustrator)
Tasha is an anxious girl who doesn’t know if she is more afraid of being alone or with people. When she and her grandpa build a snow girl, Tasha wishes ardently that their creation could be real. When her wish comes true Tasha gets the friend she has dreamed of, but what will happen to the snow girl when spring comes? This novel is full of adventure and courage, and there is a lovely message about living and loving fully in the time we do have together. The illustrations add to the sense of winter magic in the story, which is inspired by the traditional Russian tale of Snegurochka, The Snow Maiden.
Ages 8-12
Nano: The Spectacular Science of the Very (Very) Small
by Jess Wade & Melissa Castrillón (illustrator)
An award-winning physicist introduces young readers to essential concepts such as atoms and elements, and to various fields that scientists might study. Young children can relate to questions such as what makes different materials light, heavy, strong or bendy, while older readers can think about how materials are combined and engineered for practical applications such as making seawater safe to drink. An elegant picture book to inspire curiosity about the world around us.
Ages 4-8
Interviews where books by Melissa Castrillón (illustrator) were recommended
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1
A Seed Is Sleepy
by Dianna Aston & Sylvia Long (illustrator) -
2
How Colour Works
by Catherine Barr & Yuliya Gwilym (illustrator) -
3
Bright in the Night
by Lena Sjöberg -
4
The Big Book of Bugs
by Yuval Zommer -
5
Creatures of the Deep: The Pop-Up Book
by Ernst Haeckel & Maike Biederstädt (paper engineer)
Beautiful Science Books for 4-8 Year Olds, recommended by Our Children's Editor
Beautiful Science Books for 4-8 Year Olds, recommended by Our Children's Editor
Scientific picture books provide an enjoyable way for kids to explore different fields of science without realising how much they are learning. Our Children’s Editor picks science books for kids age 4-8 that are informative but also a pleasure to look at, both for children and for the adults that are reading with them.
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1
The False Rose
Jakob Wegelius, translated by Peter Graves -
2
The Secret Detectives
by Ella Risbridger -
3
Above and Below: Sea and Shore
Harriet Evans & Hannah Bailey (illustrator) -
4
The Shark Caller
by Zillah Bethell -
5
A Wish in the Dark
by Christina Soontornvat -
6
Circus Maximus: Race to the Death
by Annelise Gray
Best Children’s Books of 2021
Best Children’s Books of 2021
A lot of excellent books for kids have come out in 2021. It’s turned out to be a very strong year for middle grade fiction (novels for children age 8-12), especially fiction in a historical setting. We made sure to include plenty of picture books and nonfiction as well.
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1
What’s Hiding Under There?
by Daniela Drescher -
2
Safiyyah's War
by Hiba Noor Khan -
3
Sky High! A Soaring History of Aviation
by Jacek Ambrożewski & translated by Zosia Krasodomska-Jones -
4
One Chance Dance
by Efua Traoré -
5
Girls
by Annet Schaap & translated by Laura Watkinson -
6
The Red Fruit
by Lee Gee Eun
Best Kids’ Books of 2023
Best Kids’ Books of 2023
2023 has been a particularly strong year for eye-catching and engaging children’s nonfiction, but as usual our list is dominated by novels for middle grade readers (8-12 year olds). We have also made sure to include plenty of excellent picture books for younger readers, as well as some graphic novels.
