When the Sun Shines on Antarctica: And Other Poems About the Frozen Continent

The team behind Dear Wandering Wildebeest moves from African watering holes to Antarctic expanses in 15 playful, informative poems. In a personal ad of sorts, an Adélie penguin seeks “a guy with a white-ringed eye/ who looks just like me.” Bull elephant seals square off, WWE style (“At stake, the fate of fifty cows/ and the right to roam the beach”). And one poignant poem compares krill to “a trillion/ tiny astronauts/ without/ a ship.” Substantial sidebars offer details about everything from petrels (“When they find a carcass, they often gorge themselves until they become too heavy to fly”) to brinicles (a portmanteau of brine and icicle)—melting, dripping seawater “so cold it causes the water around it to instantly freeze.” Wadham’s paintings adeptly match the whimsical and mysterious notes in Latham’s poems, making for a fascinating study of the Antarctic’s singular creatures and features. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. Illustrator’s agency: Astound. (Feb.)