Orpheline by Katelyn Aronson (author) and Dow Phumiruk (illustrator) (Candlewick). Walking along the beach one day, a young girl is stunned to find an infant mermaid washed up on the sand inside an abalone shell. “I’m Cora,” the girl says. “Don’t be afraid. You aren’t lost anymore. You’re found.” The baby isn’t afraid, and she quickly comes to love Cora as much as Cora loves her. But her mysterious shell pendant keeps whispering, “Orpheline, Orpheline…” Might there be someone — or something — out in the sea trying to call its child home?

Island Storm by Brian Floca (author) and Sydney Smith (illustrator) (Neal Porter Books). The skies are rapidly darkening, but the siblings can’t resist the thrill of running around the village to experience the storm’s approach for themselves. “We see the waves coming, pushed in from the sea to SMASH on the rocks and EXPLODE into spray that flies in the air and falls on our faces. We stand there just to feel it all, wind, stone, wave, water!” But with the tempest suddenly upon them, will they make it back to their own snug home in time?

Thank You, Sun by Dan McCauley (author) and Jo Loring-Fisher (illustrator) (Free Spirit Publishing). “When the sun gets hot, Mama and I play. We splash each other with water, and we dance. We laugh and we run…Even when the sun disappears behind the clouds, I can still feel its warmth. ‘Thank you, Sun,’ I whisper.” It’s easy to forget how much sheer beauty there is in the world, and how it’s right there for us to enjoy. This sweet, simple tale serves as a needed reminder.