Explanation: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wanted to write about a detective who was brilliant and scientific, using his observation skills to see things that ordinary people miss. Sherlock Holmes was so popular that Arthur became overwhelmed and exhausted. He brought the series to a shocking end, devastating his readers. Eight years later, he had an idea and knew just who to bring back to solve the case. Sherlock remains one of the most famous literary characters, whose stories have been made into television shows and who is often mentioned in popular culture.

Further reading: To learn more about Arthur and Sherlock, borrow Arthur Who Wrote Sherlock by Linda Bailey and illustrated by Isabelle Follath. You can also ask your local library staff to help you find more picture book biographies or children’s non-fiction biographies. There are also many types of mystery books for all readers. Other popular detective and mystery-solving series include The 39 Clues, Cam Jansen, Dragons in a Bag, Farm Crimes, The Hardy Boys, The Mysterious Benedict Society, Nancy Drew and Nate the Great, to name a few. 

Explanation: Technology is advancing, allowing inventors to create equipment that can make things more inclusive for everyone. Other adaptive equipment includes hiking wheelchairs, inclusive playgrounds, mobility carts, reciprocating gait orthoses (RGOs), sit skis, standing frames, therapeutic riding, wheelchairs and wheelchair lifts.

Further reading: To learn more about Piper and Kayla’s story and adaptive equipment, borrow I Can, Too! from your local library. Staff can also help you locate more books on adaptive devices and picture books about making new friends.

Explanation: The origins of jollof rice can be traced to the Senegambian region. It is often served at parties and traditional celebrations in countries such as Senegal, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Cameroon. The dish is made with rice, tomatoes, tomato paste, onions, oil, spices, herbs, vegetables, pepper and choice of meat.

Further reading: To learn more about soca and West African and Indian food, borrow My Soca Birthday Party: With Jollof Rice & Steel Pans by Yolanda T. Marshall and illustrated by Subi Bosa. 

Explanation: Time capsules include everyday objects meant to represent “life as we live it today.” Even in ancient times, people filled containers with mementos and sealed them for future generations. Century boxes, memory chests and cornerstone deposits were all early time capsules.

Further reading: Check out Time Capsule by Lauren Redniss to become an expert on this subject. Follow the story of a kid collecting everyday objects for future citizens of the world to look back on. Read about how time capsules evolved and get ideas for how to make a unique one of your own. Time capsules are also the subject of a number of fiction and mystery titles. Library staff can help you search for them.

Explanation: Capybaras can reach the size of a large dog. These hairy creatures are actually quite mellow and friendly, despite their status as the largest rodent around.

Further reading: Jess Keating is a zoologist turned writer, and she will surprise and amaze you with her book Big as a Giant Snail. This book is part of the “World of Weird Animals” series and follows Gross as a Snot Otter and Pink is for Blobfish. You may also enjoy another one of this year’s Recommended Reads, Extremely Gross Animals: Stinky, Slimy and Strange Animal Adaptations by Claire Eamer.

Explanation: The dove orchid, monkey orchid and large duck orchid are all flower varieties. You can search each name to see pictures of these adorable flowering plants. They really do look like their namesakes.

Further reading: Flowers are Pretty… Weird! by Rosemary Mosco and Jacob Suva is a fun book that shows how even beautiful flowers can have an unexpectedly weird side to them. Butterflies Are Pretty…Gross! is another engaging title by this illustrator/author duo. Check out both books and prepare to challenge your notions about two supposedly lovely things in nature.

Explanation: Cats have whiskers above their mouth and eyes, on their ears, on their jaw and even on the front of their legs. One thing that cats absolutely do not like is having their whiskers touch anything as they eat. This phenomenon is called “whisker stress.” If you’ve ever seen a cat scoop its food out of the bowl before eating it, this is likely what they are experiencing.

Further reading: This fact is from the book, Why Does My Shadow Follow Me?: More Science Questions from Real Kids by Kira Vermond and Suharu Ogawa. Find it at your local library to read up on animals, your body, planets, technology and the universe. Every question in the book came from kids who visited the Ontario Science Centre in Toronto, Canada and were answered by educators and science researchers. If you want more Q&A books, ask library staff for suggestions and be sure to find Why Don’t Cars Run on Apple Juice?: Real Science Questions from Real Kids. It’s by the same author/illustrator team as the first book mentioned here.

Explanation: Entomology is the study of bugs. There are millions of bug species, and scientists estimate that there are around 10 quintillion bugs on earth! There is so much to know about these little creatures.

Further reading: The Bug Club by Elise Gravel will introduce you to a charming cast of creepy critters. Learn bug facts and even meet some made-up bugs from Gravel’s imagination. You may already be familiar with Elise Gravel’s “Disgusting Critters Series.” Are there any bugs you want to read more about? Library staff can search titles about individual insects too.

Explanation: The appendix, tailbone (coccyx) and tonsils are all examples of vestigial structures. Over time, the lifestyles and habits of our distant relatives evolved. Certain body parts stopped being used, but have stuck around in human bodies for millions of years. They are clues to our past and can tell us a lot about how we came to be.

Further reading: For a strange and wondrous read, check out The Museum of Odd Body Leftovers: A Tour of Your Useless Parts, Flaws, and Other Weird Bits by Rachel Poliquin and Clayton Hanmer. This fascinating title is a unique take on anatomy, but another excellent choice is The How and Wow of the Human Body: From Your Tongue to Your Toes and All the Guts in Between by Mindy Thomas, Guy Raz and Jack Teagle.

Explanation: Noticing the migration patterns of animals can be a sign of the changing seasons. Some animals, like those in the Rocky Mountains, will journey for several thousand miles searching for warmer grounds and emerging plants.

Further reading: Have you ever wanted to predict the rain? Or even just notice more about the natural world around you? The Secret Signs of Nature: How to Uncover Hidden Clues in the Sky, Water, Plants, Animals, and Weather is the book for you. Library staff can help you find more books about exploring the outdoors or surviving in the wilderness. 

Explanation: Saffron is an expensive spice and, ounce for ounce, it is more precious than gold. It has also been used to colour fabric a bright, buttery yellow.

Further reading: This year’s TD Summer Reading Club artist, Nahid Kazemi, illustrated an appetizing read called Arab Fairy Tale Feasts: A Literary Cookbook with tales by Karim Alrawi. Savour stories and mouth-watering recipes with couscous, cumin and tamarind. Library staff can also help you find Jewish Fairy Tale Feasts by Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple and Chinese Fairy Tale Feasts by Paul Yee and Shaoli Wang.

Explanation: Franz dreamed of being an inventor, and as he grew up, he collected trash, trinkets and treasures, imagining what he could create with them. At the age of 48, he was inspired at the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels, Belgium. For years, he worked in secret, putting together the objects he collected to build a mysterious, fantastic, phantasmagorical machine. Over 23 years, his machine grew to 6 m (20 ft.) long, 3 m (10 ft.) high and 2 m (7 ft.) wide.

Further reading: To read more about Franz, borrow Franz’s Phantasmagorical Machine by Beth Anderson and illustrated by Caroline Hamel from your library. You can also ask the library staff to help you find more picture book biographies or children’s non-fiction books or biographies on inventors.