I just love K–2 books, you guys. The sparse elegance of the language and the sense of wonder they inspire about our world make them just like poetry to me. Everyone who knows me knows not to get me started on this topic…not unless they want to hear me wax rhapsodic for a good long time, anyway!

Whenever someone else recognizes our K–2 offerings, it makes me really happy. And guess what? Booklist recognized them! They named our First Step Nonfiction—Map It Out books (cover pictured) a Top 10 Series Nonfiction selection for 2014!

A former elementary teacher crafted this series. Crafted is the operative word here, because not only do the books teach kids how to read and make maps, but they also tell really lovely stories. One has a little girl drawing a map for her grandma to help show her around the neighborhood when she comes for a visit. Another has a boy drawing a fire escape map for his family’s cozy, cool urban dwelling.

On top of the appealing stories, the books feature charming, hand-drawn map illustrations. These are just perfect for teaching kids about all the features of a map.

I hope young readers have just as much fun discovering these books as we did creating them. After all, imagining a child finding inspiration in the books is the only thing that makes me happier than the books themselves!