Mae the Mayfly

March 1, 2020
Preschool-G In this story about making the most of time, Mae is a mayfly who decides to spend her one day of life exploring the big, wide world. At times it is scary, but her brushes and near misses with animals great and small make her experience so fulfilling. Once Mae embraces her fear, she truly begins to marvel at all she encounters and finds unexpected strength when faced with a perilous situation. In rhyming couplets that dance on the page, Brennan-Nelson creates an endearing character who realizes that when you take a chance, the rewards can greatly outweigh the risks. Weiser's colorful illustrations invoke a natural world that can be both terrifying and awe-inspiring. Her images of Mae capture the character's plucky spirit. This book would make a great addition to any nature-themed program and pairs with perennial classics such as In the Tall, Tall Grass (1991), by Denise Fleming. Readers looking for picture books with a similar theme would also enjoy All in a Day (2009), by Cynthia Rylant.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)