Aimée Sicuro – illustratör

A pigeon that has trouble homing in the usual way has a unique ability that ends up guiding his lost flock in this sweet tale about following your instincts.A pigeon named Seven is born alone, instead of in the usual pair, and it soon becomes clear that he’s not like the rest of his flock. While pigeons always build their nests from straw and twigs, Seven lines his with rose petals (their scent is dreamy!). While the rest of the pigeons gobble crumbs in the park, Seven can’t help drifting from the flock to follow the nutty aroma of rice. What’s more, although pigeons are expected to home – to find their way home from wherever they may be by following landmarks – Seven gets too distracted by the tangy scent of peaches, the earthy smell of evergreens and the honey of a butterfly bush. But when his flock takes a long trip to the countryside and the fog rolls in on their way home, Seven’s keen sense of smell might just be what leads them all back safely. Sandra Nickel’s charming tale, paired with Aimée Sicuro’s endearing illustrations, celebrates the different ways that folks of all feathers navigate the world.

A little girl and her father have an opportunity to appreciate the wonders of the night sky.Phoebe helps her dad set up telescopes on the sidewalk outside his store. It’s a special night — Saturn and Mars are going to appear together in the sky. But will Phoebe be able to see them with all the city lights?Raindrops begin to fall, followed by lightning and thunder. Phoebe is filled with disappointment as she and her father hurry inside to wait out the storm.But suddenly the power fails and then, amazingly, the rain and clouds disappear. Phoebe and her dad and all kinds of people spill into the street. And there, in the bright night sky, the splendor of the planets and a multitude of stars are revealed for all to see.An illustrated afterword includes information about the solar system, planetary conjunctions and rings, moons, telescopes and light pollution. A glossary and recommended further reading are also included.Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.3Describe characters, settings, and major events in a story, using key details.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.1Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.7Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot.