Most Popular Books by Shelley Rotner

See the blue water. Hear the waves crash. Smell the suntan lotion. Touch a soft feather. Taste the salty seawater. The seashore stimulates all of our five senses in exciting ways. This book is a wonderful discussion and activity starter for children visiting the seashore, while at the same time it is ideal for classroom use in studying the five senses.

In this charming photo-essay, authors Shelley Rotner and Sheila Kelly describes the roles grandparents play in their grandchildren’s lives.

A home is more than a house. There are many different kinds of homes. What do they have in common? Colorful and diverse photographs show how people make a home as they eat, sleep, work, play, and love.

The world is full of colors-- explore it with this beautiful book from an award-winning photographer! A red fire truck races, orange pumpkins glow, and purple flowers bloom. Vivid pictures of familiar scenes, animals, and objects inspire young readers to look carefully at the world around them. Full of striking close-ups on fruits, flowers, and animals, as well as striking portraits of kids from diverse backgrounds, Colors is a bright, brilliant concept book from the creator of the award-winning Shades of People. Filled with unexpected examples of the colors all around us, from the yellow yolk of an egg to the green of a cat''s eyes, this picture book full of kid-friendly vocabulary and beautiful photography is sure to be a favorite.

See the tall buildings. Hear a train speeding by. Smell the nuts roasting at a street stand. The city stimulates all of our senses in exciting ways. This book is a wonderful discussion and activity starter for children who live in or visit the city, and also ideal for classroom use in studying the five senses.

Stunning photographs by a National Geographic photographer invite children to look around and find a world of circles, triangles, squares, and much more. Beautifully photographed, a diverse group of children explore the unexpected shapes of everyday sights and objects. "Eggs, grapes, lemons and leaves. Jellybeans, seeds, sunglasses, and balloons." They''re all ovals! Shelley Rotner, an accomplished photographer and a former kindergarten teacher, gently challenges children to think creatively about shapes in real life. The lyrical text provides much for readers to consider as they find circles in the sky (the moon, the sun), squares in the playground (hopscotch), and more. A companion book to Rotner''s acclaimed Colors, which received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews for it''s "crisp, glowing, and crystal clear" photographs.

"Full-color photographs and simple text illustrate a variety of basic things for which people are thankful"--Provided by publisher.

Photographs and simple text show how everyone has something they do well.

Striking photos show 14 animals as they grow and transform in this stunning introduction to life cycles for preschoolers. Readers follow along as a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly, a tadpole into a frog, and egg into a chicken. This engaging and accessible look at natural science introduces young children to the stages of growth for a diverse variety of animals. The bright, clean layout makes it easy for kids to follow along, while the paneled photographs allow readers an up-close look at each stage of development. Perfect for children curious about the world around them. Shelley Rotner, a National Geographic photographer and prolific children''s author, applies her trained eye for crisp colors and details in this latest book for young readers.

You can read a book, but did you know that you can also read a face? A face can tell you what someone is feeling. In this expressive photo-essay, simple text and photographs introduce basic emotions – happy, grumpy, thoughtful, and more – and how people show them. Whether shared with a group, parents, or a counselor-individually or in a class-this title provides the tools to facilitate discussion about children and their feelings."—School Library Journal

"Full-color photographs and simple text illustrate the concept of love in its many forms"--

Get ready for the first day of school—and beyond—in this reassuring photo book. From bus rides to reading and math to recess and field trips, simple text and bright photos offer young readers a look at what happens throughout the school year. See a diverse range of kids taking part in morning meeting, visiting the library, going to lunch, playing on the playground, and much more. Perfect for preschoolers preparing to start school as well as early elementary students getting ready to begin a new year!

Shelley Rotner’s vivid photographs help you see, hear, taste, smell, and touch your way through a season on a working farm.

Friends can come in many different colors, shapes, and sizes. Through bright photographs and simple text, young readers will discover the many ways to be a friend and how to celebrate all the different kinds of friendships they have.

"Full-color photographs and simple text illustrate a variety of skills and abilities people have"--Provided by publisher.

Hand-tinted photographs and simple text follow the stages of feelings that a young child experiences as his parents split apart, in a title that looks at the sensitive issue of divorce.

Through vivid, full-color photographs and easily understood sentences, see how children from around the world practice their religious beliefs. Looking at the rich diversity as well as the underlying similarities of a variety of spiritual traditions, young readers understand that, although the world’s religions have many differences, their primary goals are the same – to “love and care for one another...and for our beautiful Earth.”

What can you find in nature? Look for bright flowers and listen to buzzing bees! Feel rough tree bark and taste a sweet apple! Join author and photographer Shelley Rotner as she encourages kids to use their senses to safely explore the outdoors. With simple text and photos featuring kids in nature, this book invites children to search for colors, shapes, and more in the world around them. Back matter includes easy activities to enhance the outdoor experience.

Includes photographs that show that wheels can be found everywhere.

Most young children consider the local supermarket the source for their food, and quite logically so. Urban children are especially uninformed when it comes to knowing what food looks like in its natural state: that French fries start as potatoes growing underground, that bread begins as grain on stalks in wheat fields, or that maple syrup is drawn from trees. This photo essay takes a look at a variety of childhood favorites, tracing different kinds of foods back to their source in words and photographs.

Capture the essence of summer with kids having fun and enjoying nature''s wonders in this book filled with a National Geographic photographer''s eye-catching photos! Whether biting into a juicy peach, dropping a fishing line in a pond, or splashing at the beach, these crisp, gorgeous photos of children celebrate quintessential moments of summer. In a simple but lyrical text, Rotner documents iconic warm-weather activities as well as changes to plants, animals, and weather that occur during a temperate summer. This fourth and final book in a well-reviewed series about the four seasons takes children from the last blush of spring to the height of summer to the beginning of autumn. A glossary explaining terms such as summer solstice, nectar, and pollen is included.

Big or small, similar or different-looking, there are all kinds of families. Celebrate diversity with this picture book for very young children about the many faces of contemporary families. Bright photographs by National Geographic photographer Shelley Rotner capture families having fun together, enjoying all the ways they are similar and different. Some families have one parent, and some have two; some have aunts and uncles and grandparents living with them. Some have adopted children, some have children born to them. Whether they live all together or far apart, families love and care for each other. Designed to showcase the wide variety of modern families and spur discussions about young readers'' own family history, this beautiful picture book is a must-have for children beginning to learn about the world and the people around them.

Join this photographic celebration of differing physical and neurological abilities from a National Geographic photographer. We have different ways to move around. Celebrating children of different abilities, this photographic book presents large, clear images of children moving around their community, using scooters, wheelchairs, walkers, and more. The text presents their experiences navigating the world, from the park to the beach, in simple relatable language. Every Body celebrates children with varying abilities, covering neurological differences, physical differences, and health challenges. The book includes contributions from internationally-known disabilities activist Judith Heumann whose work is profiled in the oscar-nominated Netflix documentary Crip Camp. Shelley Rotner, a National Geographic photographer and prolific children''s author, applies her trained eye for crisp details in this latest book for young readers.

It is hot outside? Why does it rain? Are tornados and twisters the same thing? The wonders of weather are explained to young children. Photos of puffy clouds, dramatic storms, and rainbows alternate with buoyant portraits of a diverse group of children experiencing the natural world. Seasons, precipitation, wind, clouds, storms, and climate change are all introduced in a format that younger children can grasp from a trusted name in children''s nonfiction. From the author-photographer behind the celebrated Hello Seasons! series, What''s the Weather? continues Shelley Rotner''s exploration of the world around us. Rotner has also worked as a National Geographic photographer and is a former kindergarten teacher. Back matter includes a statement from a climatologist and a thorough glossary.

"Full-color photographs and simple text illustrate a variety of good-bye situations"--Provided by publisher.

Cocoa, tan, rose, and almond—people come in lots of shades, even in the same family. A perfect resource for starting conversations about race with young children, Shades of People celebrates the diversity of everyday life. This beautiful picture book and its board book edition, All Kinds of People, pair simple text and vibrant photographs to explore one of our most notable physical traits. At school, at the beach, and in the city, diverse groups of children invite young readers both to take notice and to look beyond the obvious. Combining lively action shots and candid portraits, Shelley Rotner''s photographs showcase a wide variety of kids and families—many shades, and many bright smiles. For even younger readers, this title has also been adapted as a board book, All Kinds of People. An ALA Notable Book.

Perfect for the youngest readers, this board book adaptation of the acclaimed Shades of People celebrates the diversity of everyday life. Cocoa, tan, rose, and almond--people come in lots of shades, even in the same family. Skin color is one of our most noticeable physical traits, and this beautiful board book, with its vibrant photographs and very simple text, provides a perfect starting point to talk about race and diversity with very young readers. At school, at the beach, and in the city, diverse and joyful groups of children invite young readers both to take notice and to look beyond the obvious. Combining lively action shots and candid portraits, Shelley Rotner''s photographs showcase a wide variety of kids and families--many shades, and many bright smiles.

In this fascinating introduction to skeletal systems, images show how different types of skeletons work. Full-color photographs of people and animals are overlaid with illustrations of bones to show these supporting frameworks. Kids will learn that bones come in all shapes and sizes to serve myriad functions and will be able to compare human skeletons to those of other vertebrates.

From A to Z, in full-color photographs, children are seen acting out verbs for every letter of the alphabet, including arching, blowing, climbing, and diving.

This collection of colorful photographs strung together with a simple text focuses on boats. Most spreads feature three or four bordered photos that share a line or two of text....Clear and well composed, the photos will give kids many kinds of boats to look at and talk about. - Booklist

A little girl narrator introduces young readers to the natural treasures of the seashore, including sand dunes, driftwood, crashing waves, seashells, grasses and tide pools, in a work complemented by color photographs.

There are different ways to show and be who you are in this affirming photographic picture book that offers a celebratory and informative look at kids and their wide-ranging gender identities. "Sometimes it''s hard when kids say you have to be a boy or a girl when you''re not. Everyone should feel safe to just be who they are." Girls, boys, neither, both, or just not sure. Kids are kids! There are different ways to show and be who you are. It''s up to you--how you feel, how you dress, how you act, how you play, learn, and love. Who is the true you? With the permission of their parents, the children in this photographic picture book were recorded and transcribed by authors Gwen Agna and Shelley Rotner as they were photographed. These powerful testimonials paired with a spare narrative and vibrant, joyful portraits offer up a humanizing and moving exploration of kids and how they feel about their true selves.

Describes the varieties of apples, how they are grown and harvested, and their uses. Includes a recipe for apple pie, and apple facts.

Introduces perspective and scale through pictures of objects taken from three different distances.

With simple text and bright photographs presents a portrait of nature through the seasons of the year.