2025 Nutmeg Nominees - Elementay

"Dive thirteen thousand feet below the ocean's surface, where no ray of sunlight can penetrate. Resources are scarce, and fellow inhabitants scarcer. This is life in the midnight zone--life for the anglerfish, known as the Seadevil of the Deep. Still largely a mystery to scientists, the deep-sea anglerfish is a true source of fascination and awe. To some, the fish resembles a prehistoric creature forgotten by time; to others, she is the embodiment...

5 stars

First in a full-color graphic novel series for emerging readers about accepting yourself and others from up-and-coming author-illustrator Meggie Ramm, creator of the comic strip The Littlest Dungeon Guard and cohost of the Pop! Whiz! Bang! comics podcast.

Batcat loves being all alone in their home on Spooky Island. Up in their tree house, they pass the time playing video games and watching TV. But when Batcat suddenly...

Based on a real incident that occurred in the island town of Vinalhaven, Maine, this rhyming story recounts what happens when a really big flatbed truck carrying a mysterious, covered load across a small island gets stuck on a tight curve and blocks traffic in both directions.

Inspired by a real incident, this look at the pollution crisis in our oceans follows one of the ducks as it is washed away on ocean currents, encountering plastic-endangered whales and sea turtles and passing through the giant floating island of marine debris known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. A picture book with an ultimately hopeful message about environmental issues and the state of our oceans. An end map documents the widely scattered journey...

5 stars

"A shy girl who feels most at home in the school library gains the courage to extend herself to others when she encounters a group of unique, diverse, inspiring women at the diner where her mother works"--

Tells the story of Joseph Bazalgette, a 19th century engineer who designed London's first comprehensive sewage system

"Chunky Monkey. Cherry Garcia. Phish Food. Truffle Kerfuffle. Chubby Hubby. Legendary ice cream makers Ben & Jerry are behind some of the wackiest, tastiest flavors we all know and love. It all began in 1965 when two groovy guys, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, met when they were twelve years old. Ben liked art, Jerry liked science, and they both loved food... especially ice cream! They eventually started a business together, and with no idea how...