The Collectors

March 1, 2021
Grades K-3 Winslow and Rosie are best friends who love spending their time exploring nature, recording their discoveries, and bringing specimens back to display in their tree house. On this particular day, the girls realize that they only have room for one more thing in their collection. Muted but detailed digital artwork confers the aesthetic of an old, well-loved museum onto the page as packed shelves of mounted butterflies, bird feathers, sparkling geodes, fossils, and more are revealed. Amid these curiosities, a large bell jar sits empty, awaiting something extraordinary. The girls strike out into the forest, determined to complete their collection. Almost immediately, they begin making spectacular discoveries that, for one reason or another, they can't bring back to the tree house. Kids will enjoy shouting along with the girls as they declare their finds "Too heavy!" "Too big!" and so on. Eventually, a startling encounter sends them racing back to the tree house, empty-handed but satisfied with the realization that the experience of exploring was extraordinary in its own right.

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April 5, 2021
In her authorial debut, Feagan (School Days Around the World) tells the story of white-skinned Winslow, a “fearless finder,” and brown-skinned Rosie, a “clever cataloguer,” best friends who have filled their tree house with “an impressive collection of natural wonders.” Now the girls need just one more object—“something extraordinary!”—to fill the last empty space. The adventure that follows involves a series of discoveries that prove variously impossible, even for the intrepid pair: a huge amethyst is “TOO HEAVY,” an underground dinosaur skeleton is “TOO BIG,” and a large, angry bear puts an end to finding anything “TOO HIDDEN” in a deep, dark cave. Happily, nature steps up to provide the pair with the crowning touch they’ve been seeking. Feagan’s cut-paper collages, which are full of drama and detail, give readers a sense of an expansive and largely exploration-friendly landscape. A cutaway scene that shows the girls diving from a wooded shore into a sunlit turquoise lake and spotting a huge gold nugget resting at the bottom feels like a story in and of itself. Ages 3–7.

Starred review from July 1, 2021

PreS-Gr 2-Two inquisitive friends set out on an expedition to find something extraordinary to cap off their extensive collection of natural wonders.Through a Goldilocks-style framework, the girls happen upon a series of fantastic discoveries that all have some fatal flaw ("too big!" "too heavy!") until their journey comes to an end, and they realize they've come away empty-handed. The narrative sends a valuable message about the process of discovery, however, when the girls reflect on how much they learned through trial and error. Moreover, a happy ending is assured when a nest of baby birds hatches right outside their window, gently reminding readers to appreciate the good things that can happen right in front of their eyes. The adventure-filled plot and appealing illustrations will make this cheerful book a surefire hit at story hours. It truly hits all the right notes, featuring science-loving girls, diversity (one of the friends has brown skin, the other is pale), and the importance of teamwork and friendship. VERDICT This engaging first-purchase story offers a positive depiction of girls with an interest in STEM, and encourages exploration and discovery.-Allison Tran, Mission Viejo Lib., CA

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