DIARY OF A NATURE NERD

A nature-loving kid and her stepsister explore the natural world.

Now in her sixth year of life on the road with her field biologist mom, 9-year-old Brooke is thrilled to embark on more adventures. This year, the team expands: Her new stepdad and stepsister, Jayla, are moving into the RV that Brooke and her mom call home. Together, the quartet set out to document wildlife and glacier melt at Washington’s North Cascades National Park. Creative, excitable, and highly observant Brooke is delighted to have a new animal-spotting partner. But when Jayla serendipitously spots a majestic moose—the only animal on Brooke’s top 10 animals list that she hasn’t yet seen—Brooke begins making increasingly unsafe choices to outdo Jayla’s accomplishment. Interwoven into this emotionally compelling work of graphic fiction are pages from Brooke’s detailed journal highlighting tracking methods, wilderness backpack essentials, and more. Everett’s cartoon illustrations are tremendously colorful and cute without sacrificing accuracy or specificity when it comes to depicting wildlife, while the portrayal of Brooke and Jayla’s relationship highlights both the joys and challenges of a newly blended family. Budding and well-versed nature enthusiasts alike will enjoy gleaning new insights from Brooke’s plentiful observations on the natural world. Brooke is pink-haired and tan-skinned; Jayla is Black.

Infectiously cute and enthusiastically educational.