PanoramaAs promised, I’m going to be doing a bunch of book recommendations this week to help promote the Share a Story – Shape a Future Blog Tour for Literacy. Thanks to Green Dads for alerting me to the event.

As it happens, the fine publicity department at Abrams Books for Young Readers sent me a boxful of their new titles for spring, with no obligation. It is a fine collection throughout, with the superb artwork that is Abrams’ hallmark, as well as memorable and engaging stories. (At least according to my five-year-old, who was a willing participant in my review process.) I’m happy to write about them.

My pick for today is Panorama: A Foldout Book, by Fani Marceau and Joelle Jolivet.

The large-format book is folded into a 32-page fan that expands into a strip over 13 feet long, taking the reader on a journey to different countries around the world, one place blending into the next. Each scene shows both the natural world and the human habitats nearby. Simple, almost haiku-like sentences describe each scene. On the reverse of the fanfold, the same locations are shown at night.

A great book for lovers of travel and the natural world. The language is plain enough for young children, but the striking artwork and original format may make this a favorite of children (and adults!) even in later years. The fan is made of heavy cardstock, and should hold up well under the multiple foldings and unfoldings that children will doubtless put it through.

The book comes out April 1, just a few weeks away, and is available for pre-order at Amazon and elsewhere.