One North Star: A Counting Book

“Who lives here/ under one north star?” asks this quiet homage to Minnesota’s wildlife and ecosystems. Root (Snowy Sunday) uses a cumulative structure as she counts up to 10 but introduces new flora and fauna with each page turn: “Five walleyes fin near wild rice/ four blue flag irises flower/ three mudpuppies wriggle/ two loons call/ one porcupine sleeps in a jack pine tree/ all along a lake/ under one north star.” Prange and Bowen combine rough-hewn woodcuts with bright watercolors to give a sense of bustling marshes, sweeping plains, and snow-covered forests. Thorough endnotes dive deeper into each of the habitats and the animals that call them home. Ages 3–up. (Aug.)