How can it suddenly be Labor Day? Every year on Memorial Day weekend I vow to make every moment of summer count. Ever since I read this column almost 20 years ago, I’ve kept this in mind. Summer is precious.

This summer we’ve had some special family visits with our children, siblings and nieces and nephews. We’ve enjoyed many long hikes both in nature and in our own city. We’ve spent countless hours on our patio reading so many, many books. We’ve walked the neighborhood with Brandy, our greyhound, and had many wonderful conversations with our neighbors. We’ve tried new restaurants and laughed with friends. These are all things we could do almost any time of the year, but somehow summer makes these memorable experiences all that much more special.

I hope you’ve had some equally great experiences and moments this summer! I especially hope you found some time to lounge with some good books. Maybe even some beach reading?! I’m sharing some of my recent finds that I don’t want you to miss. Did you find some new titles you think we should try? Please share those in the comments. Have a great Labor Day!

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The Dress and the Girl

By Camille Andros

Pictures by Julie Morstad

Thank you to @kidlitexchange and @abramskids for the free review copy of this book. All opinions are my own. A little girl and her dress, a dress made by her mother on a Greek Island, long to do something “singular, stunning or sensational. For something extraordinary.” Thus begins this lovely and charming story. It’s a familiar story for so many of us, that memory of a special dress you can’t forget. I have one of those I just can’t part with. It was a “Cinderella” dress chosen in a special shopping trip with my mom. Whenever I see that pink party dress in my memory bin, I’m suddenly once again gathering chocolate Easter eggs with my brother, or bouncing out the door to one of  countless birthday parties I attended. Happily, I can say this story once again brought back those warm memories of a time long ago. And isn’t that one of the reasons we read stories?
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The Dress and the Girl is made even lovelier when the lyrical words of @CamilleAndrosare are joined by the amazing illustrations of @JulieMorstad, one of my very favorite illustrators. Together they help us to understand the dreams of a little girl immigrating to the United States; the dream that maybe “now was the time for something singular, stunning or sensational. For something extraordinary.” The dream shared by immigrants a hundred years ago, as well as today.
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This book is available now. It’s a “must read” to add to your library holds list or your shopping list. I know it’s going on my bookshelf!

Immigration, memories, dreams for the future

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the truth as told by mason buttle  

by leslie connor  

Oh my, I just added another title to my “best of 2018” list!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Mason is in seventh grade, lives in a “tumbledown” with his grandma and his uncle (his mom died in a traffic accident years before), is very large for his age, has dyslexia and lost his best friend a little over a year ago. Mason and Benny were inseparable and stood together against the neighborhood bullies. Their refuge was always their treehouse in Mason’s family’s apple orchard. At least it used to be their happy place, until one day Mason found Benny in a heap at the bottom of the ladder, dead. And Mason’s life has never been the same. The police suspect it was his fault, as do most of the town’s people, and the lieutenant won’t let him be, even though Mason has truthfully told him his story many times.

I loved everything about this book, which is a first person narrative, but the characters in this story are especially remarkable. 🌳Mason – You feel that you know exactly how Mason is feeling. You understand his sadness, his loneliness, his frustration that he is not believed, but you also admire his trust, his kindness and his optimism that all will be better. 🌳Grandma’s faith and love for her family and her fierce determination to protect Mason.🌳Ms. Blinny’s optimism, resourcefulness and support of Mason and the other kids in her social work office, The Swoof.🌳Calvin’s sense of humor, his adventurous spirit and his kindness🌳Uncle Drum’s complete trust in, and love for Mason, even though he is dealing with many problems of his own. 🌳Moonie, Mason’s neighbor’s dog who in Mason’s opinion is “the best dog” and becomes Mason’s dog.
And more. As you can see – remarkable!
🌳This was such a hard book to stop reading! It is full of unfairness and cruelty, but is also full of so much kindness and love. It’s one you will remember for a long, long time.🌳I recommend it to middle graders in grades 4-7. You’ll find in your library now, but be prepared to wait! It’s that good!

Grief, kindness, friendship, dog stories

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All are welcome

by alexandra penfold

illustrated by suzanne kaufman

This is a picture book that needs to find its way into every preschool and early elementary classroom this fall. It’s the perfect book to share at the very beginning of the new year. The vibrantly colored illustrations help to tell the story of the first day of school for many children and their families. It reminds us that all children, no matter the color of their skin, where they are from, what clothes they wear, what religion they practice or who makes up their family, have a place in the school family. Your children will recognize many familiar moments of their day from circle time, to lunchtime, to recess, to the walk home, to sharing time at dinner. It offers reassurance to children that no matter their differences, they are welcome. Something we all need to think about, wherever we are. All are welcome!

Immigration, Acceptance of Differences, Windows and Mirrors

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 no fixed address

 by susin nielsen

Thank you to @randomhousekids and @kidlitexchange for a review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
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This is a book you truly need to read the moment it is released on 9.11.18! Felix’s story will grab you from the very first page. We immediately feel his fear about being in a police station and being questioned by a kind, but nonetheless a police officer, about his iffy living arrangements and about his quirky, but loving mom. We learn about his astute P.O.O. (powers of observation) that help him to better understand the world around him. And then we learn a little more of Felix’s story about how he and his mom have been living in a stolen van for the past four months; a situation he insists is only temporary. He insists he’s definitely NOT homeless.
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This book provided everything I’m looking for in a good story. It had family, friendship, resourcefulness, lovable characters and most of all kindness. I loved that Felix was surrounded by so much kindness. Even though his quirky mom stretches the truth and is a little distrusting of the world, she has a great deal of love for Felix and so much pride. Felix’s friends, Winnie and Dylan, as well as their families, were extremely welcoming and kind to Felix. Monsieur Thibault was the caring and supportive teacher we all hope our children will have. Even Mr. and Mrs. Ahmadi showed great kindness to Felix, once they realized his situation, even though he had stolen a banana from their store. I loved how all of these characters worked together to support Felix and his mom, when they finally understood their situation.
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This is my first Susan Nielsen book, but I’m sure it won’t be my last! It needs to be in every public and middle school library. Be sure it’s on your fall order!

Kindness, Homelessness, Friendship, Resourcefulness, Pride

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2018 is proving to be an amazing year for children’s literature. I’ve shared many of my favorites this spring and summer, but my list keeps growing! School may have started, but I hope you’ll still be taking trips to the library. Here are more favorite kids’ books to add to your list, or maybe your children will find them in their school libraries.

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be kind by pat Zietlow miller

We need so much more kindness in our world! A great place to start making this happen is during read alouds with our little ones. Be Kind is the perfect conversation starter! It not only tells the story of how kindness in a classroom can happen, but also in the neighborhood and at home. It helps children to understand that kindness is friendliness, patience and working to right a wrong. It can be a small gesture, or something more, that will lead to a greater kindness. I highly recommend this very special book be shared with children 3 – 8 years old, both in classrooms and home. It’s definitely one you’ll want to add to your family library.🌼

Kindness, empathy, friendship, school

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I Walk with Vanessa: A story about a simple act of kindness by Kerascoët

This charming wordless picture book won my heart when I saw the cover and after “reading” the story I knew I needed a copy of my own. It tells the story of a young girl who has just moved into the neighborhood and is new at school, a boy who isn’t very kind, and a teacher and classmates who show little empathy to the girl’s plight. No one asks her to join the class basketball game or sit with them. After school she’s left to walk home alone, ignored by all except one little boy who says some unkind things. Since it’s a wordless book, we don’t know what was said, but the colorful and expressive illustrations – especially the interaction of the two children which is contained within a bright red cloud of color, leave us no doubt as to what unkind words might have been said. We quickly realize no one has noticed the altercation, except for one little girl. She is obviously bothered by what she saw and shares her concern with her friends. Overnight she isn’t able to forget, and the sadness lingers during her happy family breakfast. But then she suddenly has an idea about how to help the little girl.

Your little ones will be able to find so many details in this book as you all retell the story over and over again.  The vivid illustrations of the characters’ expressions will leave no doubt in children’s minds about what they are thinking and feeling.They will recognize the familiar situation of a moving truck arriving and a new family moving in, whether they have moved themselves or they have a new neighbor. They will be able to imagine how a new girl feels, and they can theorize why someone might choose to bully a newcomer. The story will provide you with the perfect introduction to talk about what they can do to welcome newcomers to their neighborhood and school, about teasing, about name-calling and about being an ally, and especially about how one small act of kindness can mean so much.

The book offers a useful guide with suggestions about helping someone who is being bullied, as well as some helpful words to use during your discussions. And finally, don’t forget to notice the difference in the end papers from the beginning of the story to the end. Those alone are a wonderful thing to discuss with your children! I recommend this book be added to your home library, as well as to every public and school library for ages 4 – 7.

Kindness, empathy, friendship, school

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50 States Fun Facts: celebrate the people, places and food of the usa!

and the 50 states activities book 

by Gabrielle Balkan

Thank you to @kidlitexchange for sharing these books with me. All opinions are my own.
🚘
Are you going to be traveling this fall? If that includes a road trip, a flight or even the possibility of some rainy days, these books should definitely be in your suitcase! Both are exceptionally detailed guide books with colorful illustrations, which will help both you and your kids learn more about the cities or states you’re visiting, as well as plan your trip. You will learn fascinating, and sometimes obscure facts, as well as the usual facts we all learned when we studied the states and cities in elementary school. For example, did you know there is a tiger sanctuary in Missouri or that shark attacks in New Jersey inspired the movie, Jaws? The city guide will also help you find lots of special places to visit, that you might not know about. I especially loved reading the Portland guide which told me about The Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden, Mount Tabor, (an extinct volcano), as well as their Art museum, Museum of Science and Industry and Holocaust Memorial. It makes me want to plan a trip soon! Both books also include detailed indexes to help you easily find what you’re looking for. The activity book even includes a fold-out map/poster and 50 stickers! These books would be great additions to your family library.

Activity books, geography, 

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the cure for cold feet: a novel in small moments by beth ain

Thank you to @kidlitexchange for sharing the review copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
🌺
Izzy is in sixth grade. Not only is she navigating middle school, she’s also adjusting to her parents’ divorce, her father’s new fiance, her mother’s new girlfriend (who just happens to be the mother of one of the FOUR ANNOYING BOYS from elementary school) and her adored older brother who has dyed his hair blue and abandoned her for his own friends. 🌺
Both middle graders and middle school kids will find a lot of themselves in this wonderful novel in verse. They will find much reassurance to learn their struggles with friendship, first crushes and family issues are not unusual, but actually very normal. I especially loved the relationship between Izzy and her mom. It made me think this would be a perfect story to partner read with your daughter. It provides so many opportunities to begin a conversation about the angsts of growing up, as well as to share many laughs. 🌺
I highly recommend The Cure for Cold Feet. This is a book that needs to be added to both elementary and middle school libraries.

Novel in verse, middle school, divorce, friendship, family 

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where the watermelon grows by cindy baldwin

Thank you to the author for a review copy of this middle grade book. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this middle grade book! It’s definitely one of my 2018 favorites! The imagery and the sense of place shines through on every page. The reader is transported to the small, close knit, coastal North Carolina town which is full of caring people who have known each other for most of their lives. You feel the heat and humidity as they struggle to survive the drought that is threatening their livelihoods. And Baldwin’s vivid descriptions of the characters make them come alive. You feel their kindness and their eagerness to help one another. You know exactly how they look, and what their passions are. This provides a great foundation for the important story about Della and her family.
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Della is twelve years old and yearns to have a “normal” mom who gives her hugs, doesn’t worry that many of her favorite foods will make her sick and isn’t a germ aphobic. However, Della’s mom suffers from schizophrenia, so Della never quite knows what to expect from Mama. Mama has been better for a few years, but Della and her daddy begin to realize, that in addition to their need to deal with the record breaking heat and drought that is threatening their farm, they must also face the fact that she is suffering a relapse; a fact they strive to keep secret from everyone, even Della’s grandparents.
🍉
My heart ached for Della as she blamed herself for Mama’s illness, wondered if she, too, would suffer from schizophrenia when she was older and tried her best to keep the family secret. She felt completely alone, even though many neighbors reached out to help.
🍉
This is such an important story. So many families are living with a similar situation, and they, like Della’s family are keeping it a secret. But as Della’s daddy tells her after her mama returns to the hospital, schizophrenia is an illness like cancer is and they shouldn’t be ashamed. Most importantly, when the secret is shared with friends and loved ones, families will learn they are surrounded by so many caring people who want to help, just as Della learned about the kindness, support and understanding that was right there for her, if she would just accept it. People who not only would give her a hug, but would help her to understand that she was not at fault, that Mama will always have her good and bad days, but that her Mama will always love her. This is a book that should be in every elementary and middle school collection, as well as in the offices of school and hospital counselors. It offers a mirror to the kids in this situation; a mirror they need so badly.

Kindness, mental health, family, community, schizophrenia

what are some favorites you’ve found this summer? Please share them with
all of us in the comments below!

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REMEMBER, YOU CAN ALSO FIND ME ON:

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and

TWITTER @REDCANOEREADER

 

Thank you to Blue Slip Media and Two Lions Publishing for the free copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

The little girl in What if Everybody Said That? (Words by Ellen Javernick; Pictures by Colleen Madden), will immediately remind you of someone you’ve encountered, or perhaps even of yourself at one time. She’s a little girl who never thinks of anyone, but herself. She’s one who never “thinks before she speaks”, something my mother was always reminding me to do when I was growing up!

Every page of this story offers a perfect opportunity to begin a conversation about how the little girl’s, or another child’s, harsh words are making the other kids feel. The boldly colored and expressive illustrations add so much to the story. Your little ones can study every child’s expression to imagine just what that child is feeling and thinking after they hear the thoughtless words.  This can lead to wonderful discussions about what else the little girl might of chosen to say that wouldn’t have led to sad feelings.

Here’s one of my favorite scenarios in the book.

Happily, by the end of the story the little girl begins to have an understanding of the words, “What if EVERYBODY said that?” Her kindness begins to shine!

This book provides a perfect read aloud for children ages 3-7. It would be great to read during the first week of school as the classroom climate is being established. Perhaps it might even be a fun “back to school” gift for your little one’s new class!

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Ellen Javernick is the author of more than twenty books for children, including the Children’s Choice Book Award finalist The Birthday Pet, illustrated by Kevin O’Malley, and the bestselling picture book What If Everybody Did That?, illustrated by Colleen Madden. She has been an elementary school teacher for more than twenty years and currently teaches second grade. She lives in Loveland, Colorado.

Colleen Madden is the illustrator of numerous children’s books, including the picture book adaptation of All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey and the bestselling picture book What If Everybody Did That? by Ellen Javernick. She lives in the Philadelphia area with her husband and two sons. To see more of her work, visit: http://www.mbartists.com/cgi-bin/iowa/artists.html?artist=77

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REMEMBER, YOU CAN ALSO FIND ME ON:

INSTAGRAM @REDCANOEREADER

and

TWITTER @REDCANOEREADER