There are so many children’s books about the problems Black kids face in their day to day lives. It’s vitally important to share these with our children to allow them to see themselves in a book or to give children a window into children’s lives which are different from their own. However, Black kids are just like all children who try to find joy with their families everyday. These stories are about kindness, fears, family outings and joy. You’ll smile, you’ll laugh and you’ll discover loving, diverse families who are finding happiness in their daily lives.

Jabari Jumps

By Gaia Cornwall @gaiacornwall

Published by Candlewick Press

Jabari reminds me so much of myself when I was his age. I was terrified of jumping into a pool, even though my mother had sent me to countless swim lessons. To stand on the side of a pool, let alone a diving board as everyone was expecting me to jump, was completely overwhelming. Even though Jabari feels the same, he announces to his dad “I’m jumping off the diving board today.” Of course, though, that’s a little easier said than done! Gaia Cornwall’s illustrations capture his fear, but also his determination and courage. I loved that every page included “pool turquoise” in some way, whether it was the sky, the water or the surrounding trees. This helped me feel like I was standing right there on the board with Jabari as he curled his toes around the edge. If you have a little one who may be wondering if they have the courage to jump in, this is a wonderful book that might provide just the encouragement they need to succeed.

Saturday

Written and illustrated by Oge Mora @oge_mora

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

First of all, look at this cover. Do you see the pure love and delight between Ava and her mother? After a long week of being apart, they get to spend one entire day together, just the two of them without interruptions. But one disappointment after another greets them as they move through their day. First, story time was canceled, then an exploding puddle ruins their new hairstyles, the park is too noisy and finally Mommy loses the tickets for the puppet show. But as the long day draws to a close and they return to their apartment, they realize something rather amazing. Their day was truly splendid because they were together.

This small moment story will draw you in with it’s vibrantly colored collage illustrations, as you feel the warmth and love of Ava and Mommy’s day. It’s a true joy to read and you’ll want to share it with someone special in your life.

The Thing about Bees: A Love Letter

Written and illustrated by Shabazz Larkin @shabazzlarkin

Published by Readers to Eaters @readerstoeaters

This delightful journey describes a day in the life of a black family when they go on a picnic in the park. You see the joy on the faces of Dad and his sons as they chase a balloon and fly a kite, as well as their distress when they encounter some bees. Yes, dad says, there are bees in the park, and they can be annoying and their sting can hurt, but he points out without the bees all of the yummy food on their overflowing picnic table wouldn’t exist; no strawberries, no watermelon, no apples for pies, no cucumbers for pickles, no fruit for smoothies. And then he makes my favorite observation in the book. He lovingly compares his boys to bees, reminding them they can be a bit annoying, too, but he never stops loving them. 

This book came to be because the author always had a “ridiculous fear of bees.” When his sons were born he was determined NOT to pass his fear along to his children. To accomplish this, he learned all he could about bees, and as he did the less scary they seemed. Not only did he create this sweet story, but he also included simple drawings illustrating what happens when “a bee and a flower love each other,” which are perfect for teaching your little one the importance of bees in our world. Finally, he has included lots of information in the back matter including bee etiquette and types of bees from “kind to kinda mean”.

Me and Mama

By Cozbi A. Cabrera

Published by Denene Millner Books/Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers

One rainy morning a little girl creeps down the stairs to find her mama. She’s hoping for some quiet time just with mama, while her brother and Papa are still asleep. The word choice and the vibrant, expressive illustrations immediately invite you into the little girl’s world. You feel the coziness of the home and the smell of cinnamon in the air. You hear Mama’s cheerful voice as she calls out good morning and then optimistically finds joy in the rainy day, when she declares “the perfect day for boots and puddles”. You understand the little girl’s joy in their familiar everyday rituals they do together. You see her happiness when they help each other choose their clothes and dress, eat breakfast together, brush their teeth, take their dog for a walk and splash in the puddles. 

All in all, it’s a book about joy and family. It’s a book your little ones will find familiar and comforting as you share it together.

hair love

By Matthew A. Cherry      @matthewacherry  

Illustrated by Vashti Harrison @vashtiharrison

Published by @kokilabooks

It’s a very special day and Zuri’s hair needs to be perfect. There are only two problems. First, her curly, kinky hair has a mind of it’s own. Secondly, her daddy is exhausted from getting her to school, working, bringing her home, going on a bike ride and fixing her dinner, so Zuri really doesn’t want to disturb him. Soooo, Zuri and Rocky (her faithful cat) decide to take care of it themselves. All is well, until she drops her tablet and wakes Daddy. That’s when Daddy swoops into to save the day. After MANY attempts and some online help, Zuri has the perfect hairdo.

The love between this little girl and her daddy is a joy to see. Even though Zuri has doubts about her hair, Daddy assures her it is truly beautiful making her beam with pride.This reminded me of some everyday moments with my daddy very long ago. When I was doubting myself and lacking confidence, he assured me I truly was beautiful and I just needed to be myself. It’s a reminder that these small moments are so important to our children. 

You will love the illustrations, too. The love between Zuri and Daddy pours out of every page. Their eyes, especially, are full of adoration and joy. These, along with the sweet story, will speak to all children and make lots of little girls think of special times with their daddy.

you matter

Written and Illustrated by Christian Robinson @theartoffun

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

This gentle book is for all of us, young or old, any color, any gender. The lovely diverse illustrations, along with the simple text remind all of us that we matter. Even if we fall down, even if we need to start over, even if we feel lost or alone, even if we are small or old, we matter. It’s a story that will touch your heart and make you pause. It’s a story to share with your children and discuss with your children as you remind them, they do indeed matter.

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2020 picture book and mg favorites!

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I’ve had a wonderful week, even though the Chicago area weather insists upon being gray and gloomy! I spent time with both of my sisters, two of my nieces and some good friends, and finally finished my week by celebrating our son’s birthday. What could be better than that? As a result, I haven’t spent as much time at the library or reading articles on the internet. However, I have lots to share with you today, especially some kids’ books to remember!

kids’ books to remember: read aloud

A Bear Called Paddington by Micheal Bond

Socks by Beverly Cleary

Marvin Redpost by Louis Sachar

KIDS’ BOOKS TO REMEMBER: picture books

Best Friends for Francis by Russell Hoban

Elmer and the Hippos by David McKee

A book about cooperation and kindness.

Dear Mrs. LaRue by Mark Teague

KIDS’ BOOKS TO REMEMBER: chapter books

Matt Christopher Sports Series by Matt Christopher

Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob buyea

Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary

links for mom and dad

ALA Children’s Book Awards

The ALA announced the latest Caldecott, Coretta Scott King and Newberry winners, as well as some other awards.

Maya Angelou

One of my favorite bloggers shares a children’s book by Maya Angelou.

favorite fantasy books for tweens and teens

If your older kids are looking for some new fantasy series, this link might help.

spread a little kindness 

This blog shares more titles to help your kids learn kindness, understanding and appreciation of our differences.

posts you may have missed on red canoe reader

friendship books for kids

kindness picture books for kids

Thank you for inviting Red Canoe Reader into your inbox this week. What titles have you found on your library visits that have become family favorites? Please let us know in the comments below and have a great week!

Are you beginning to panic, just a little bit? It’s less than three weeks until Christmas and you don’t even have ideas for everyone! I’m here to help! Here is a list of some of the best picture books for holiday gifts, no matter what age the recipient might be.

picture books for holiday gifts: friendship

It Came in the Mail By Ben Clayton

This picture book is about a very unique and caring friendship between a little boy and his mailbox. Liam really wants mail, but he never receives a thing. Then, one day he had an idea! Maybe if he wrote a letter, the recipient would write back.

Max and Marla by Alexandra Boiger

Max and Marla are great friends, even though Marla is an owl. Their dream is to be winter Olympians! This story tells the tale of their perseverance and teamwork as they work together to overcome the many obstacles they encounter as they struggle to achieve their goal. In the end, they realize the real prize they have earned is their friendship!

Strictly No Elephants by Lisa Mantchev, illustrated by Taeeun Yoo

This little boy and his elephant show everyone the true meaning of friendship. Friends “help each other, lift each other over cracks, brave the scary things with you, and never leave anyone behind.” May our kiddos find friends, as well as be one.

Be a Friend  by Salina Yoon. The story of Dennis and Joy, how they express themselves and the friendship that follows will encourage your children to reach out to others and to “be a friend.”

 The Adventures of Beekle, the Unimaginary Friend by Dan Seekle, won the Caldecott Medal for best picture book of the year in 2014 and is truly a gem. Beekle was born on the island of imaginary friends and was awaiting his turn to be imagined by a child, but his turn never seemed to come. So he did the unthinkable –he sailed through some very scary waters to the real world. It turned out to be such a strange place and he struggled to find something familiar. When he stumbled upon a playground filled with children he felt much happier, but he still didn’t find his child. When he had just about given up hope, his child found him, and together they found that the world seemed to feel a little less strange! Not surprisingly, the illustrations are amazing, extremely colorful and somehow very comforting. Especially at the end when Beekle’s child finds lots of friends – real and imaginary. This is definitely a book that deserves a special place on your bookshelf!

 Bear and Bunny by Daniel Pinkwater. This is a sweet story about friendship, as the two friends are on their quest through the forest to find the perfect pet. As they consider each possibility, it’s a great opportunity to talk with your child, or with a class, about the reading strategy of comparing and contrasting that occurs in the story as Bear and Bunny comes to a conclusion.

 The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles by Michelle Cuevas. I was initially drawn to this story by the intriguing title, because I’ve always been fascinated by the magic and mystery of finding a message in a bottle. Then when I realized it was illustrated by Erin Stead, one of my favorite illustrators, I was sold! However, that all came before I read the charming story. Michelle Cuevas’s lyrical language pulled me into the book and it was as wonderful as I hoped. The Uncorker of Bottles leads a lonely life as he rescues, and then delivers the bottles he finds which have washed ashore. Until one day he opens one that leads him to the best surprise of all: friendship.

picture books for holiday gifts: kindness

Sidewalk Flowers by JonAmo Lawson and Sydney Smith. A little girl walks through a gray city with her distracted father and picks flowers along the way. The flowers become gifts to those she encounters, and in the process transforms the city and it’s inhabitants. May your children find beauty in their world and share it with others.

My Heart Will Not Sit Down by Mara Rockliff and illustrated by Ann Tanksley. Kedi, although she and everyone else in her African village have very little, is inspired to help the children of New York City during the depression, because her heart “will not sit down.” Perhaps Kedi’s story will inspire your little ones’ hearts “to not sit down”, so that they will want to help those around them in a way that they can.

Seeds of Freedom, The Peaceful Integration of Huntsville, Alabama, by Hester Bass, illustrated by E.B. Lewis.We can work together peacefully to make big changes. “It starts with one person; that could be you.”

Good People Everywhere, by Lynea Gillen and illustrated by Kristina Swarner. “Today millions and millions of people will do very good things. And so will you. I wonder what you will do?”

The Three Questions is a beautifully written and illustrated story by Jon J. Muth and is based on Leo Tolstoy’s short story, The Three Questions. Tolstoy’s story was written for adults, and in this version, Mr. Muth tells the story with kindness and warmth so that children can understand Tolstoy’s ideas.

Boxes for Katje by Candace Flemming. The historical fiction story is set in Holland immediately after the second World War. Food and clothing were extremely scarce, due to the fact that nothing could be farmed or manufactured during the war. One day, a little girl, Katje, receives a box from America containing socks, soap and chocolate. It caused a huge celebration in Katje’s family, and she sent a thank you note to the little American girl who sent the package.This prompted another box to arrive, which was so large that Katje could share the contents with her neighbor. This continued, until the Americans had sent enough food, soap, warm clothing and chocolate for the entire town! And then Katje sends a thank you gift to America. This story will lead to an understanding of conditions after the war, and how the kindness of a few people can help so many.

 Because Amelia Smiled, by David Ezra Stein. It’s a delightful story about the magic of a little girl’s smile and how that magic traveled the world.  This is an enchanting story which describes how one little girl’s act of kindness can change lives.

A Girl with a Cape, by Amy Logan. Amy was inspired to write this book after becoming very concerned about adults lack of kindness and courtesy toward others. She is a big believer that children model adult behavior, so this was very distressing to her. She was also concerned about the bullying that was occurring in schools and increasing every year. Out of this concern, came the idea for her book. It explains how a child’s small acts of caring and kind words, and an adult’s response and praise for those acts can add up to make a real difference.

How to Heal a Broken Wing by Bob Graham. This book is great for a read aloud and gives the kids the opportunity to create a conversation for each page. The story describes a little boy’s kindness and his parents support as he helps a bird with a broken wing.

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson. This book is a beautiful illustration of the impact that kindness can make in the world when a little girl learns that “each kindness makes the world a little bit better.”

Enemy Pie by Derek Munson. In this story a little boy learns how to turn a “best enemy” into a best friend with his dad’s help.

picture books for holiday gifts: Ones you don’t want to miss

Waiting by Kevin Henkes. This tells the story of some toys who are happily waiting on a windowsill. They are all waiting for marvelous things, but they are very happy to patiently wait until something amazing happens! This is a Caldecott Honor Book and I certainly understand why. The pastel illustrations draw you into this charming story and leave you with a warm and cozy feeling.

When Spring Comes by Kevin Henkes. The latest book from Kevin Henkes, is beautifully illustrated by his wife, Laura Dronzek (I’m not familiar with her illustrations, but this book definitely makes me want to see more. Actually, I think I’d like for her to decorate my house!). This is a lovely, sweet story that pulls you in through the beautiful and vibrant illustrations covering the end papers and then keeps you turning each page to learn what’s coming next. It made me feel so joyful and cozy, as it engaged all of my senses. It’s a wonderful read aloud for preschool children, which will lead to an understanding of what to expect as Spring emerges all around them.

Night Gardener by Terry Fan and Eric Fan. A wonderful new picture book that has received starred reviews in Kirkus, School Library Journal and Publisher’s Weekly. It has amazing illustrations and is a charming story about the magic of how a young boy brings a small town together.

What to Do with a Box by Jane Yolen. Have you ever searched for the perfect gifts for your little one for the holidays, and then when all of the presents were opened and the wrapping paper scattered everywhere, all they really want to do is play with the boxes? Especially, if they are really large boxes? To the character in this story, a box can become anything, and provide hours or even days of entertainment, when he lets his imagination go. It’s muted illustrations and imaginative text will make you want to rush out, find a box and sail away to some far off destination!

Last Stop on Market Street by Matt De La Pena. This book won almost more awards than you can count. In addition to the 2016 Newbery Medal, it also won a 2016 Caldecott Honor Book Award,  a 2016 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book Award,  a New York Times Book Review Notable Children’s Book Award of 2015 and a Wall Street Journal Best Children’s Book of 2015. It tells the story of a boy and his grandma’s bus ride through the city on a Sunday after church. Grandma’s appreciation of everyone and everything they encounter helps CJ to find the beauty in the world that he never thought about before.

Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear by Lindsey Mattick. From the amazing end papers, through the family photo album at the end of the book, the story and the illustrations in this year’s Caldecott Winner, tell the story of the little bear who inspired the Winnie the Pooh books, It was written as a true story for the author’s son about his great great grandfather and his bear who became Winnie in the A.A. Milne books. I think this is going to be my new “go-to” gift! This is one to keep!

Ask Me by Bernard Waber. The illustrations in this book by Suzy Lee captivated me when I first saw it on the book store shelf. The golds, oranges, and reds are so alive and so happy. Ask Me is a heartwarming story about a walk that a father and daughter take through the park and woods. We learn that this is just an ordinary walk on an ordinary day, but each of them are delighted to be with one another, to be outside and to be enjoying and observing everything around them. The little girl keeps up a running narrative telling her dad to ask her lots of questions about everything from ice cream cones to lightening bugs. This continues until Daddy tucks her in with a good night kiss.

I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld. This is a charming story that would be a perfect graduation or baby gift. The narrator wishes the children many things from “I wish you more ups than downs,” to “I wish you more stories than stars.” And each wish is accompanied by a darling picture which perfectly illustrates the wish.

The Dark by Lemony Snicket. It tells the story of Laszlo who is afraid of the dark. It would be a great read aloud with your child who might be feeling the same way. It brings up lots of thoughts and ideas about the dark and why we need it. A wonderful bonus for this book, are the illustrations by Jon Klassen. You may recognize his style from another very popular book during the last year, Sam and Dave Dig a Hole.

Families, Families, Families! By Suzanne Lang and Max Lang. This is a heartwarming book that will help all children understand that families don’t have to be just like their family. In fact, it doesn’t matter who makes up a family, but what actually matters is “if you love each other, then you are a family.” The delightful illustrations of all kinds of animal families march through the pages of this book. The story will bring lots of giggles, as it offers opportunities for discussions about their friends, and how their families might be different than their own. Hopefully, these conversations will lead to acceptance, understanding and kindness toward others. I am a strong believer that our little ones can lead us to this end, if we give them the guidance. This book is a great place to begin!

The Journey by Francesca Sanna. Our world is struggling with the refugee crisis and our children are hearing about it. Unfortunately, during the past year in our own country, many unkind things have been said about refugees, which might leave our kids with a poor understanding of what it really means to be a family who must flee their country to save their lives. Journey helps children learn what it truly feels like to be forced to travel to an unknown country to insure their safety and to not be frightened any more. This book is based upon many refuge stories the author heard at a refugee center in Italy. She made a collage of these personal tales to create this touching book.

Have you Seen Elephant by David Barrow. This book is sure to become a favorite that you will reading over and over again. The charming illustrations from this first time author just give you a happy feeling. You might notice that it is all dialogue, with the best line being when the elephant tells the little boy that “I must warn you though. I’m VERY good.” when they begin to play hide and seek together. Your children will soon be emphatically (and probably very loudly) pointing out the elephant in each hiding place, as the dog is doing on each stop along the way, but the little boy just can’t find Elephant.

This is Sadie by Sara O’Leary. The charming illustrations of this book pulled me in and then the story captivated me. As you can tell, I love this book! It describes all of the places and all of the things a child can do with imagination. It’s tells about the childhood that we dream about, and wish for all of our children. It’s definitely on my baby gift list!

This list is a lot longer than I planned, but 2016 has been a great year for picture books, and I don’t want you to miss any as you search for the perfect books for the little ones on your list! What picture books are you giving for holiday gifts this year? Please let us know in the comments below!

On the blog:

36 Chapter Book Gifts for Kids

Midsummer Reading Ideas for Your Kids

New Picture Books for All Ages

Friendship Books for Kids

Last Tuesday was the big day! My husband and I made our pilgrimage to The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA. The mission of the museum is to inspire a love of art and reading through picture books. It definitely fulfills this mission! Presently, there are three exhibits on display – Robert McCloskey, Louis Darling, the illustrator of the early Beverly Cleary books, and the new one titled, Eric Carle Through the Years. I had so much fun seeking out the hidden letters and names in the Eric Carle works, reading the correspondence between Louis Darling and Beverly Cleary, and seeing the original sketches for many of Robert McCloskey’s books. We ended our visit by visiting the picture book library and meeting and chatting with the librarian, Mrs. Betty Matthews. This cozy library, where families may take a break and browse through the more than 3000 picture books in the collection, is also the location of story times throughout each week. As we left, I whispered to Mrs. Matthews that I think she has an amazing job and she agreed!

Americana on Parade: The Art of Robert Mccloskey

The first exhibit in our pilgrmage to the Eric Carle Museum included many of Mr. McCloskey’s original sketches for Blueberries for Sal, Bert Dow and One Morning in Maine, as well as background information about the stories. In 1946 Robert McCloskey purchased a home on Deer Isle, Maine, and summered there annually with his family. Out of his experiences in Maine, came four books, Blueberries for Sal (1948), a Caldecott Honor Book, One Morning in Maine (1952), another Caldecott Honor book, Time of Wonder (1957) and Burt Dow Deep-Water Man (1963). Time of Wonder received the Caldecott award, his second.

This brings me to another fact that I learned about Robert McCloskey. He began as an artist with paintings similar to Thomas Hart Benton and Edward Hopper. Unfortunately, although his paintings won many awards in New York City, he was not able to achieve financial success. He only sold a few water colors and none of his oil paintings. He then realized that perhaps the best choice would be to write and illustrate picture books. It took him three years to develop a draft of his first book, Lentil, which was published in 1940 and proved to be very popular with children everywhere. Two years later, he wrote Make Way For Ducklings, his first book to be awarded the Caldecott Award. While writing that story, in order to make certain that his ducklings were authentic looking, he kept six southern mallards in his Boston apartment for two weeks. He crawled around his studio and sketched them as they waddled about and even put them into his bathtub to learn about their swimming movements! He then explored the parks, rivers and ponds of Boston to make his sketches of the settings of the story. All of his work paid off, since more than two million copies of this book have been sold and it is still loved today over seventy years later!

Finally, I was fascinated to see the original miniature sculpture of the ducklings which is now in The Public Garden in Boston. I’ve visited there many times, and enjoyed seeing the sculptures, but I didn’t know the story behind the work.

The sculpture was created by internationally-acclaimed artist, Nancy Schon, in 1986. However, Robert McCloskey was a very private man and was reluctant to commercialize any of his work. Therefore, he was not a supporter of the statue. In fact, after visiting Ms. Schon’s studio and seeing the final sculpture, he was even more reluctant to give his permission. He felt it was much too large. However, after it’s installation in Boston’s Public Garden, he gave his blessing and approval to Ms. Schon. The sculpture has become one of the most beloved landmarks in Boston.

I had another interesting experience concerning the sculpture a few years ago, when one of my nieces was attending graduate school in Boston. She frequently passed by the sculpture as she made her way around the city. Later that year, she studied in Moscow for one semester, and was very surprised to find a replica in a park she was visiting with friends! After some research, she learned that First Lady Barbara Bush had given the sculpture to the children of the Soviet Union. It was “given in love and friendship to the children of the Soviet Union on behalf of the children of the United States.” I find this very touching that Robert McCloskey’s work continues to spread joy and love on the other side of the world.

The Art of Eric Carle: Hide and Seek

Eric Carle has written over seventy picture books during his fifty year career. The surprising thing is that he has hidden names and letters in many of these books. These are the first letters of his son’s first names, R and C, as well has the names of many friends and family. In this exhibit, many of Eric Carle’s original work is displayed with a flip card next to each one where you can check your answer.

I was also fascinated to see a display of Mr. Carle’s paints and tissue paper that he uses to make the collages in his books. He cuts and layers the shapes to create the images in his stories. Children are often inspired to create their own stories by using the collage technique. Eric Carle considers this to be the ultimate compliment. Children who visit the museum Art Studio, where the goal is to encourage visitors of all ages to make, appreciate and think about art, have the opportunity to make their own creations with tissue paper shapes, or to participate in a new art activity each week. You can follow the Art Studio on their blog, where you might get some ideas for your own art activities!

The paints and tissue paper that Eric Carle uses to make the collages to create the images in his books.

Louis Darling: Drawing the Words of Beverly Cleary

The last exhibit displayed the illustrations by Louis Darling for Beverly Cleary’s early books, as well as correspondence between the author and illustrator. Louis Darling was assigned by Beverly Cleary’s publisher in 1950 to illustrate her books, which he did for the next 20 years. I saw so many amazing sketches, which was really fun, but I most enjoyed reading the quotes from Beverly Cleary concerning the illustrations, as well as reading the letters the two exchanged.

Louis Darling’s last illustration for one of Beverly Cleary’s books was made shortly before his death in 1970. Over the years, their friendship, and the admiration for one another, had grown and was valued by both the author and the illustrator. Beverly Cleary was very saddened by Louis Darling’s untimely illness and ultimate death. In tribute to the illustrator, Ms. Cleary dedicated Runaway Ralph to him.

It was an amazing visit and I highly recommend it if you are in the area (or even if you’re not!!). In fact, as I look through the description of activities, plays, lectures and author visits, which are offered each year, I so wish that I lived close by! The people of Amherst are very fortunate to have this highly regarded museum in their hometown!

Eric Carle Picture Book Museum Video: Highlights from 2014 – 2015

After reading about the opening of the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in 2002, I knew I wanted to visit. The museum was founded by Eric Carle and his wife, who after visiting Japan in the 1980s and visiting many picture book museums, decided to create their own picture book museum. This opened in 2002 in Amherst, Massachusetts. It houses over 6000 illustrations in its permanent collection, as well as many more pieces in the many exhibitions which are held every year. The good news is that I get to visit next week! My husband and I are traveling to our niece’s wedding in Doylestown, PA this week. After the festivities and the special family times that are sure to occur, we are taking a road trip to Massachusetts! I plan to take lots of pictures and share them with you once we get back home.

eric carle museum exhibitions

When we made the decision that we would add the museum to our travel plans, I began doing my research. I was delighted to learn that there are three special exhibitions at the Eric Carle Museum this summer, featuring three renown American illustrators, Robert McCloskey, Eric Carle and Louis Darling. After learning this, I checked out many books by these men, and as a result had so much fun revisiting old favorites!

The art of eric carle: hide and seek

During Eric Carle’s fifty year career, he has illustrated more that 70 books. In reading about this exhibit, I was amazed to learn that Mr. Carle has hidden an R and a C in many of his illustrations, which are the first letters of his children’s names. He’s also hidden names of people and places that are important to him. This exhibit invites the visitor to find these hidden gems. We’ll see how well I do!

Americana on Parade: The Art of Robert McCloskey

When I read about this exhibit at the Eric Carle Museum, I couldn’t have been happier. You see, I began a love affair with Robert McCloskey’s books when I was in my Children’s Literature class at Purdue, many many years ago. My professor was friends with Robert McCloskey, so we were extremely fortunate to have him visit our class and talk about his books. I remember him as a quiet man and very kind. I didn’t really realize at the time how amazing it was to have this opportunity to chat with a two time Caldecott Award winner in our small group setting. I look back now and I can’t really believe it! However, I have proof. Here’s my signed copy of Time of Wonder. Two years later my brother started college in Boston, so I was able to have many joyful visits to The Public Garden, the swan boats and of course the duckling statues. And thanks to Robert McCloskey’s books, I also developed a love of the rocky beaches of Maine.

The Eric Carle Museum’s exhibit is in celebration of the 75th anniversary of Make Way for Ducklings. The exhibit of over 90 pieces includes sketches, drawings, watercolors and paintings. I can’t wait!

Louis darling: drawing the words of Beverly cleary

The Eric Carle Museum is celebrating Beverly Cleary’s 100th birthday by presenting this exhibit of Louis Darling’s illustrations of Beverly Cleary’s books. Mr. Darling illustrated Ms. Cleary’s books beginning with her first work, Henry Huggins in 1950 until his untimely death twenty years later. In all, he illustrated twelve of Beverly Cleary’s books. After learning about this exhibit, I visited my local library and was able to find these copies that are illustrated by Louis Darling. After his death, and through the years new copies of her older titles were newly illustrated, but if you look hard you can find some titles with the original illustrations. Here are two that I found!

I’ll be posting again in a few weeks and report on our trip. In the meantime, why don’t you visit your library or peruse your book shelves for copies of Eric Carle’s, Robert McCloskey’s and Beverly Cleary’s books? I’m sure you’ll enjoy revisiting these classics, as much as I did! Can you find the hidden letters in Eric Carle’s books? Let us know in the comments below.

I am sitting on a deck in Michigan on a beautiful day and looking out at the glittering lake. I hope your summers are going as well as mine, and you are enjoying lots of happy family times in the warm weather. We receive such a limited number of these perfect summer days, so I try to make the most of every one!

This  past month has been a whirlwind of family activities! We drove to Lubbock, Texas, to attend our niece, Haley’s Honor Ceremony and Graduation from Texas Tech. She is now a Speech Language Pathologist and we couldn’t be prouder! It meant so much to us to be able to be a part of the special weekend. We then visited old friends in Colorado and Kansas and created lots of special, new memories. The fun didn’t stop there. We then returned home and hosted a wedding shower for our niece, Kelly! Now we are looking forward to her July wedding and to our niece, Julia’s shower and wedding later this summer. It’s a little crazy, but giving us so much joy and great family memories!

I know school has been our for many of you for a few weeks now, and because I remember what happens once the newness of summer vacation begins to wear off, I want to share some books that might add some fun and joy to your summer. Some of these are for the parents and teachers, and some are for the kids.

SUMMER ACTIVITY BOOKS

Nature Anatomy by Julia Rothman, is perfect for all of your little ones who are fascinated by nature and are bombarding you with questions! I gave this to a special little neighbor and he keeps it by his bed, making sure it’s always available to answer his questions. It is a wonderful book for any family who loves the outdoors and are taking those summer walks to the park or the woods or the beach. And as a bonus, that this former librarian loves, it introduces the concept of research to your kids!

 Henry David Thoreau for Kids by Corinne Hasfield Smith, a tour guide at Thoreau Farm, in Concord Massachusetts, has written a book which is a good choice for parents and kids to read together to introduce older children to the wonders of the world. It provides background about Thoreau and 21 hands on activities that relate and honor Thoreau’s ideas, such as  keeping a daily journal, planting a garden, baking trail-bread cakes, going on a half-day hike, and starting a rock collection. It even integrates technology with nature activities such as describing and providing a link to a birdcall identification app.

PARENT AND TEACHER SUMMER READING SUGGESTIONS

If you are looking for a feel good book that will inspire you to read to your kids every day, this is it! In The Reading Promise Alice Ozma shares the story of her father reading aloud to her for eight straight years. If you are wondering if spending so much time each evening reading to your children, is truly worth it, this will surely convince you that it is!

I first read about Thirty Million Words by Dana Suskind last fall, and immediately knew I wanted a copy. Dr. Suskind  is a Cochlear Implant Surgeon who discovered the true value of talking to and with your children from birth through age three. She  was concerned about why some of the children who were returning to see her for their post operative appointments were so talkative and some were not. Were the cochlear implants not successful with some children? However, after much research she discovered that some of the children were hearing lots of language in their homes and some were not. This book will tell you how to create the “best language environment” for your child. It will help you to understand why the first step to successful lives for our children is to simply talk to your children in a way that builds their brains. This is a perfect gift for young parents and early childhood teachers.

I first learned about Reading Picture Books to With Children by Megan Dowd Lambert on the Eric Carle Picture Book Museum Facebook page. I truly think it’s an important book that all teachers and librarians need to read! It describes the techniques to use when reading aloud to help the children interact with the story and to truly see and understand the importance of the pictures and to get them to “think with their eyes”. I always thought it was so important to interact with the kids when I was sharing a story (that’s why my story times were always so long!), but this opened my eyes to new techniques and vocabulary to use during my story times in the future.

TWO HISTORICAL FICTION BOOKS FOR KIDS

The War that Saved my Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, a Newberry Honor book for 2016, is the story of Ada and her brother, Jamie, during World War II in both London and then the English countryside. I read this in a few hours. I just couldn’t put it down! Children will learn so much about history during World War II and the impact that it had on the children.

Ada has a club foot and her mother is very ashamed of her. Ada is never allowed to leave their one room apartment in the slums of London and is punished by being locked in the cabinet under the kitchen sink. When Ada learns that Jamie is leaving on the train with many other London children to escape the war and live with families in the English countryside, she decides she must go with him. This story describes their adventure beginning with their escape from their apartment, their harrowing train ride and then their new life in a small village. Because Ada has never left her apartment, she has so much to discover and to learn to trust. You share her joy, as well as her terror that she may have to return to London and face the wrath of her mother.

Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood tells the story of Gloriana June Hemphill and her life in Hanging Moss, Mississippi, during the summer of 1964. Glory is so excited. School is out and it’s just a few weeks until the most important day of the year – her birthday on the 4th of July. Every year she celebrates in the same way. She invites all of her friends to have cake and ice cream and to go swimming at the town pool. However, this year things are different. There are rumors that the town pool may close because it must now be integrated. Glory can’t believe it, so she decides to write a letter to the town newspaper to protest. The story is a memorable novel about family, friendship and making choices.

CHAPTER BOOKS, BEGINNING CHAPTER BOOKS AND PICTURE BOOKS FOR KIDS

Finally, I want to remind you to visit my past posts that will give you some more ideas for your kids when they just don’t know what to read next!

Beginning Chapter Book Series List is Here!

New Picture Books for All Ages!

New Kids Books You Don’t Want to Miss!

The Chapter Book Series List has Arrived!

Are there some books you would like to suggest for the summer reading lists? Please let us know in the comments below.

Happy Summer!

 Well, it’s Mother’s Day and I just received phone calls from both of my sons, so it’s been a good day! This book, This is Sadie, is all about a child and her imagination. I loved this book for many reasons, but probably most importantly because it reminded me of my own kids when they were growing up. Just like Sadie, they had lots of toys and art supplies, but some of the most fun they had, at least in my memory, were the times when they were lucky enough to have an appliance box to play with. It would morph into so many different things from a ship to a Millennium Falcon to a castle. In the winter there were always pillows and blankets, along with the dining room table to help them hatch a new idea for another adventure. I hope your Mother’s Day was as special as mine, and your days are full of happy memories with your little ones. 💕

My last post was about new picture books and chapter books for kids. There were so many picture books that I wanted to include in that post, but the list was getting a little lengthy, so I decided to write about some more new picture books this week. I’ve included ideas about using the books, which I hope are helpful. These are books that were published recently, and I didn’t want you to miss them!

I WISH YOU MORE BY AMY KROUSE ROSENTHAL AND TOM LICHTENHELD

This is a heart warming story that would be a perfect graduation or baby gift. The narrator wishes the children many things from “I wish you more ups than downs,” to “I wish you more stories than stars.” And each wish is accompanied by a darling picture which perfectly illustrates the wish. In fact, I just put it into my Amazon cart so I’ll be prepared for those graduations!

Read aloud for all ages; great baby or graduation gift

ASK ME BY BERNARD WABER

The illustrations in this book by Suzy Lee captivated me when I first saw it on the book store shelf. The golds, oranges, and reds are so alive and so happy. Ask Me is a heartwarming story about a walk that a father and daughter take through the park and woods. We learn that this is just an ordinary walk on an ordinary day, but each of them are delighted to be with one another, to be outside and to be enjoying and observing everything around them. The little girl keeps up a running narrative telling her dad to ask her lots of questions about everything from ice cream cones to lightening bugs. This continues until Daddy tucks her in with a good night kiss.

Read aloud preK – grade 2, illustrations, families.

LITTLE RED BY BETHAN WOOLLVIN

The illustrations are all black and white except for a tiny bit of red on each page, which gives a sinister feel to the story from the very beginning of this “fractured fairy tale” about Little Red Riding Hood. This Little Red isn’t at all afraid of the Big Bad Wolf. She sees through his disguises and his trickery and decides to play along, which leads to an unhappy ending for the wolf. The story requires a lot of inferences throughout the book, which will lead to many discussions whether it be one on one or in a class setting. In fact, I am using this as an example of an updated fairy tale when I am a guest teacher in some second grade classes.

K – 6; fractured fairy tale example; inferences

FINDING WINNIE: THE TRUE STORY OF THE WORLDS MOST FAMOUS BEAR BY LINDSEY MATTICK

From the amazing end papers through the family photo album at the end of the book, the story and the illustrations in this year’s Caldecott Winner,tell the story of the little bear who inspired the Winnie the Pooh books, It was written as a true story for the author’s son about his great great grandfather and his bear who became Winnie in the A.A. Milne books. I think this is going to be my new “go-to” gift! This is one to keep!

Read aloud for all ages; baby gift

LITTLE TREE BY LOREN LONG

Little Tree loves his life in the forest and especially loves his leaves. When autumn arrives, he refuses to let his leaves fall, although all of his friends surrounding him have shed theirs. In the spring, he notices his friends have grown a bit, but he’s just the same. This continues for many years until Little Tree is by far the smallest tree in the forest, which finally convinces him to let go of his leaves and to begin to grow. This sweet story encourages us to have the strength and the bravery to face change and to welcome the future. Loren Long, the author of the Otis books, has given us another very special book to add to our libraries.

Read aloud for all ages; growing up; bravery

IDEAS ARE ALL AROUND BY PHILIP STEAD

The newest book from Caldecott Medal winning author, Philip C. Stedman, which has earned four starred reviews, is a remarkable and simple picture book with a mixture of photographs and splatter art, as well as ink and watercolor drawings. It is the story of the author and his dog’s wanderings through their neighborhood as they notice everything around them from the frog in his pond, to the line at the soup kitchen, to a train roaring by. As the author sits and talks with his friend, Barbara, and his dog, Wednesday, chases squirrels, he realizes that thoughts lead to more thoughts and that ideas are truly all around. You just need to know where to look!

Read aloud for all ages; imagination; creativity

Octopuppy by Martin McKenna

Edgar wanted a dog for his birthday, but somehow he ended up with an octopus named Jarvis. Edgar does his best to make Jarvis into a puppy, but Jarvis just doesn’t fit in. After disappointing Edgar many times, Jarvis leaves. This book teaches a great lesson that we need to appreciate our friends for their talents and not expect them to change into someone we want them to be.  Be sure and check out the amazing end papers!

PreK – grade 2; friendship

last stop on market street by matt de la pena

This book won almost more awards than you can count. In addition to the 2016 Newbery Medal, it also won a 2016 Caldecott Honor Book Award,  a 2016 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book Award,  a New York Times Book Review Notable Children’s Book Award of 2015 and a Wall Street Journal Best Children’s Book of 2015. It tells the story of a boy and his grandma’s bus ride through the city on a Sunday after church. Grandma’s appreciation of everyone and everything they encounter helps CJ to find the beauty in the world that he never thought about before.

Read aloud PreK – grade 5; appreciation of beauty; optimism

please mr. panda by steve antony

I learned about this book through an Instagram post by Appyreading.com. By following Appy Reading, I have learned about many wonderful books, including this one. Mr. Panda has an entire box of donuts he wants to share with his friends. He asks each friend, and they always have an answer, but it’s never the right one until one friend knows the perfect way to ask for a treat! Your little one will be willing each animal to ask the “right way”. The story provides a great opportunity for a conversation about the polite way to ask for something, whether it’s at home or when they’re at the library or a restaurant!

Read aloud preK – grade 2; manners; sharing

this is Sadie by sara O’Leary

The charming illustrations of this book pulled me in and then the story captivated me. As you can tell, I love this book! It describes all of the places and all of the things a child can do with imagination. It’s tells about the childhood that we dream about, and wish for all of our children. It’s definitely on my baby gift list!

Read Aloud; PreK – grade 2; imagination, illustrations, baby gift.

who done it?  by Olivier tallec

I learned about this through an online friend, who writes amazing book reviews on her blog and on Instagram, averyandaugustine.com. This book provides lots of opportunities for conversation with your preschooler, which in turn gives them practice in conversing, and helps teach inferential and early reasoning skills. It’s going to be a favorite for both of you, because you’ll love hearing your child’s different answers every time you read, Who Done It?

Read aloud; PreK – grade 2; inference, questioning, early reasoning skills.

the dark by Lemony snicket

I was first attracted to this book because of the author, Lemony Snicket. He was a favorite in my library for many years, because of his chapter book series, A Series of Unusual Events. I was curious about what his picture book might be about. As it turns out, it is just what the title suggests! It tells the story of Laszlo who is afraid of the dark (as I sometimes am during the dark winter days in northern Michigan!). It would be a great read aloud with your child who might be feeling the same way. It brings up lots of thoughts and ideas about the dark and why we need it. A wonderful bonus for this book, are the illustrations by Jon Klassen. You may recognize his style from another very popular book during the last year, Sam and Dave Dig a Hole.

Read aloud preK – grade 3. Fear of the dark.

raindrop rolls by april pulley sayre

I first learned about this book, through a review on A Storybook Year blog. This is an ambitious family project where they read aloud a new storybook every day and then share a review on their blog. I’m sure you’d find some new books, if you browse through the posts.

The cover photograph of Raindrops Roll gives you an idea of the delight you will feel as you turn the pages of this photo illustrated nonfiction book. Raindrops Roll tells the story of what happens to all of nature in a forest, both during a rain shower and after the rain stops. It includes a brief science section at the end of the book that explains what is happening to the water on each page.

When I was with a three year old this past week, who was fascinated with taking pictures of his aunt to be as she tried on her wedding gown, I had an idea about this book. This would be a great introduction to your children about photography and science, and perhaps they could make their own photographic science book!

Read aloud all ages; science of water cycle; nonfiction; photography

Are there some new picture books you’d like us to know about? Please let me know in the comments!

Spring has come to the Midwest! We’ve had an amazing weekend that felt more like summer than spring and so far this week, we’ve held on to the warm weather. I was even able to take some of my pictures outside, which seems to be easier with better results. As you all enjoy our great weather, here are some new kids books you that you might want to investigate.

As most of you know, I’m a recently retired elementary school librarian. Throughout the over 20 years in my job, I kept up with book reviews through library magazines and more recently online sources. However, because I was also trying to save some time during the evenings and on the weekends for my husband and family, I missed learning about some books.  One of the best parts of my retirement, is that I now have the time to peruse the online sources, social media and literature blogs to learn about new books and authors. It has been so much fun! I spend a part of each day reviewing these sources and making notes about ones I want to try. I’ve become a very frequent visitor to our wonderful public libraries (which amazingly always seems to have the books I am looking for!) to check out these books so I can determine if I agree with the reviews. Most of the time I do! I have found that the quality of the writing, as well as the illustrations, is impressive. Therefore, because of my past experiences, I understand how hard it is for you busy moms, teachers and grandmas to keep up with it all and to find some special books for your kids. Hopefully this list will help! If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll recognize some of the titles, but there are lots of new ones as well. Here we go!

new Middle grade kids books  

El deafo by Cece Bell

This book won the Newberry Honor this year and after reading it, I think it was an excellent choice. It’s a graphic novel memoir which is very touching, but full of humor. Cece became deaf after contracting meningitis when she was four. She describes her experiences and the reactions of those around her. She just wanted to be accepted and have friends, but it wan’t always easy. It would be a great book to read with your child. It would also be a wonderful choice to share with hearing impaired kids and their friends. I think it helps all of us have empathy and a better understanding of the world of a hearing impaired child.

Hearing impaired, empathy, kindness, graphic novel, humor

Escape from Basters’ Barn by Rebecca Bond

This new kids book will be a winner with fans of Charlotte’s Web. The Story is told from the animals’ perspective and describes their friendship, loyalty and teamwork as they try to solve a life threatening problem in the barn.

Animal story, friendship, loyalty, teamwork, adventure, read aloud for all ages

The wild robot by Peter Brown

This fantasy book is the first chapter book from the award winning picture book author, Peter Brown. Roz, a robot, finds herself alone on a deserted island with no way to get home. Roz is very intelligent, and very adaptable, however, so she quickly learns how to cope with living in the woods by observing the unwelcoming animals on the island. After a while, the island begins to feel like home when Roz and the animals become friends. This novel is both heart warming, and full of action, and is one you won’t want to miss!

Fantasy, adventure, great read aloud for all ages

paper wishes  by Lois Sepahban

This historical fiction book is Manami’s diary from 1942 which describes her family’s experiences as they are relocated from their home on Bainbridge Island to a Japanese American camp in the California desert. She is very sad to go, but refuses to give up her dog, as is required. She tries to smuggle Yujiin onto the train that will take them to their new home, but he is taken from her after he is discovered. From her new home, Manami writes letters and draws pictures for Yujinn everyday promising to take good care of him when he returns home.

Historical fiction, World War II, good read aloud for grades 3-5

brown girl dreaming by Jacqueline woodson

This is another Newberry Honor book. It is Ms. Woodson’s autobiography about growing up in South Carolina and New York in the ’60s and ’70s, and is all told in verse. Each poem vividly describes her experiences as she deals with both discrimination and the Jim Crow Laws. However, her love of writing shines through in the poignant verse.

Historical fiction, Civil Rights Movement, poetry, autobiography, good read aloud for grades 3-5

new picture books

have you seen elephant? by david Barrow

This book is sure to become a favorite that you will reading over and over again. The charming illustrations from this first time author just give you a warm feeling. You might notice that it is all dialogue, with the best line being when the elephant tells the little boy that “I must warn you though. I’m VERY good.” when they begin to play hide and seek together. Your children will soon be emphatically (and probably very loudly) pointing out the elephant in each hiding place, as the dog is doing on each stop along the way, but the little boy just can’t find Elephant. A School Library Journal starred review, which will be enjoyed by all!

 preschool – grade 2 read aloud

When Spring Comes by Kevin Henkes

The latest book from Kevin Henkes, is beautifully illustrated by his wife, Laura Dronzek (I’m not familiar with her illustrations, but this book definitely makes me want to see more. Actually, I think I’d like for her to decorate my house!). This is a lovely, sweet story that pulls you in through the beautiful and vibrant illustrations covering the end papers and then keeps you turning each page to learn what’s coming next. It made me feel so joyful and cozy, as it engaged all of my senses. It’s a wonderful read aloud for preschool children, which will lead to an understanding of what to expect as Spring emerges all around them.

seasons, preschool – grade 2 read aloud

bear and bunny by daniel pinkwater

This is another book which received a starred review from School Library Journal. That happens to be the best recommendation a book can have, in my opinion! If a book received this, the book was always at the top of my “to be purchased list” for my library. Of course, now, this is really dangerous, because I want to add every starred title to my home library! This is a sweet story about friendship, as the two friends are on their quest through the forest to find the perfect pet. As they consider each possibility, it’s a great opportunity to talk with your child, or with a class, about the reading strategy of comparing and contrasting that occurs in the story as Bear and Bunny come to a conclusion.

read aloud preschool – 2, compare and contrast, friendship

boxes for katje by Candace Fleming

This isn’t a new book, but it’s new to me and I wouldn’t want you to miss it! The historical fiction story is set in Holland immediately after the second World War. Food and clothing were extremely scarce, due to the fact that nothing could be farmed or manufactured during the war. One day, a little girl, Katje, receives a box from America containing socks, soap and chocolate. It caused a huge celebration in Katje’s family, and she sent a thank you note to the little American girl who sent the package.This prompted another box to arrive which was so large that Katje could share the contents with her neighbor. This continued, until the Americans had sent enough food, soap, warm clothing and chocolate for the entire town! And then Katje sends a thank you gift to America. This story will lead to an understanding of conditions after the war, and how the kindness of a few people can help so many.

read aloud for all ages, historical fiction, World War II, empathy, kindness

the first step: how one girl put segregation on trial by susan e. goodman

Sarah Roberts was attending a school in Boston in 1847 that was near her home, had lots of supplies and books and many teachers. Then she is told she can’t attend, because it is a school for white children. Sarah is sent to a a school for African American Children, which is a long distance away and has only one book. Out of concern for Sarah and their anger at the situation, Sarah’s parents go to court and “put segregation on trial.” This story describes the long battle that Sarah’s family and some hard working lawyers fought to achieve integration in Boston schools. Fairness was finally schieved in 1855 when the mayor declared Boston to be the first city with integrated schools. The story continues to describe the journey toward integrating schools in all of the United States, which concluded with the 1954 Supreme Court Decision which declared all schools must be integrated.

Historical fiction, Civil Rights Movement, segregation, read aloud for grades 2-5

a tale of two beasts by fiona robertson

This is a fun story told from two points of view – a little girl on her way home through the woods from Grandma’s house and a strange little beast she finds along the way. First of all, be sure and notice the end papers. They will put a smile on your face before you even begin reading the story. They are also a good discussion starter with your child. Then as you proceed, there are so many details in every illustration for you to find and to point out. It would be a lot of fun to share this story with a child while you are curled up together, or with a class. It would definitely be high on my list for a read aloud with my kindergarten or first grade classes!

Point of view, read aloud preK – grade 2, kindness, friendship

 There are so many more books I want to share with you, but I’ll save those for next time. What are some new books you would like to share? Let us know in the comments below.

P.S. One of my favorite bloggers, Modern Mrs. Darcy, recently published a post titled, Twelve Terrific Books for Tween Girls. Be sure and check it out. It has some terrific recommendations!

Before I began to write this blog, I followed several people who blogged about adult books and their lives. My two favorites, by far, are Modern Mrs. Darcy and Emily P. Freeman’s blog, Chatting at the Sky. This past Friday, I received an update from Chatting at the Sky, titled “Let’s Share What We Learned in January”. I’m sure I’ll be reading a similar post from Modern Mrs. Darcy in the next few days. I love this practice, because it encourages you to look back and appreciate your experiences. In September, I started keeping lists of what I learned each month. It’s amazing how many things one learns, large and small, each month. This got me to thinking about all the new books from 2015. In an average year over 5000 children’s books are published. That number is always amazing to me! So I decided to put a little bit of a twist on “What I Learned this Month” and change it to “New Chapter Books I have learned about in 2015”.

When I was a school librarian, I always kept up with the new books by reading many reviews from so many sources. I received weekly emails notifying me about what was coming. I was able to keep up to date with my favorite authors and my favorite genres which enabled me to keep the library collection current. Unfortunately, when I lost my school email address I lost touch with those organizations Luckily, now I am renewing my contacts with many sources, and as I do that I am discovering some new kids’ chapter books that I missed. So I decided to share these with you. I hope you might find some special books to share with your child or your class.

Chris Grabenstein chapter books

We’ll start with the chapter book, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. This is a great adventure that reminds me of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Mr. Lemoncello, the most creative and notorious game maker in the world, being very similar to Willy Wonka. The characters are led on a wild and crazy game while they are locked in the amazing, state of the art library. Happily, the author, Chris Grabenstein has published two more books, which are equally fascinating, The Island of Dr. Libris and Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Olympics.

Wendy Mass Chapter books

Wendy Mass has been one of my favorite authors for many years. Her books all contain a surprising twist with a little magic and wonder mixed in! They appeal to both boys and girls. My favorite of all is probably Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life. Jeremy and his best friend spend the summer before his 13th birthday searching for the key to a mysterious wooden box which is said to contain the meaning of life. 

I was delighted when I was looking at my local library “Battle of the Books” shelf and discoverd a new book by Miss Mass that I didn’t know about, Pi in the Sky. 

She has written so many other notable and extremely popular books as well, such as Every Soul a Star and her Willow Fall Series.

lisa graff chapter books

I was delighted to see that another favorite author had written a new book, Lost in the Sun. This book has appeared on all of the “Best of 2015 Chapter Book” lists, and I’m not surprised. She has written so many well loved books in the past. Her books can be mystical or they can tug at your heart strings, but they are always memorable.

pam munoz ryan chapter books

The first Pam Munoz Ryan book I read was a historical fiction book, Riding Freedom, which described the first female rider for the Pony Express. This book is especially memorable to me, because I partner read this book with my third grade niece, Julia, many years ago. I was taking a Children’s Literature class at the time and one of the assignments, was to partner read a book with a child. Julia was living in New Jersey, but thanks to email, we were easily able to share our thoughts about the book. In fact, if you have a child in your life who is not close by, I highly recommend this method! It is wonderful to have that shared experience and when you do visit with the child, you have so much to chat about.

Miss Ryan published a highly reviewed book in 2015, Echo. In fact, this is a Newberry Honor book. As a reminder, this is an award given to  the author of “the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.” There is one winner, as well as three honor authors honored each year.

brian selznick chapter books

Brian Selznick’s previous popular books, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, the 2008 Caldecott Winner for the best American picture book of the year, and Wonderstruck were always difficult to check out in my library, although we had six copies of each title. The kids loved the amazing black and white illustrations on every other page and the intriguing stories. I was so happy to see that Mr. Selznick has published a new book, The Marvels, where he creates two new stand alone stories, with the first being completely comprised of illustrations and the second an intriguing puzzle in prose. 

sheila turnage chapter books

In 2013, Miss Turnage published an extremely popular book, Three Times Lucky, a Newberry Honor book. This is a hilarious mystery, with endearing characters. Happily, two more books were added to the series this year, Ghosts of Tupelo Landing and Odds of Getting Even.                                  

rick riordan chapter books

Finally, I want to tell you about a new fantasy series, by Rick Riordan, author of the hugely popular Percy Jackson and Olympus Series books. It is Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard. After his mother’s death, Magnus is tracked down by a mysterious uncle his mother has always warned him about as being dangerous, but his uncle tells him an impossible secret. He confides that Magnus is the son of a Norse God. The second book in the series will be published in October.

I’m afraid this post, has gotten a little lengthy, but there are just so many new books I want to share with you. I’ll do that in the coming months, I promise! Hopefully, some of these titles will be favorites for the children in your life!

Author, Peter Brown

In early 2006, I was reading my school email one Sunday evening (yes, yes, I know I should have been relaxing and not doing school work, but that’s just not what teachers do!) and found a request from a local independent bookstore addressed to all of the librarians in the two city school districts. She was asking if anyone would be interested in hosting a first time author for an author visit in their school later in the week. Because author visits are usually so costly, I jumped at the chance to host a free one even though the author was new, young and inexperienced at presenting to kids! The author/illustrator was Peter Brown and his new book, was The Flight of the Dodo (AR, 4.1, Lexile 870).

It turned out to be a very good decision! Peter was easy to work with and great with the kids. He even drew several poster size illustrations to demonstrate his techniques and left the posters with us. Those posters have been framed and hanging in my school for many years. In fact, every time I share one of Peter’s books, we enjoy looking at the posters and I tell the story about Peter Brown visiting Patterson before they were born!

Since that time Peter Brown has gone on to illustrate many more picture books, both ones he has written and ones written by other authors. This includes the book, Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds, for which Peter won a Caldecott Honor award in 2013 and The Curious Garden, as well as the Chowder series about a lonesome dog who finds his true calling once he discovers the joys of a trampoline!

In The Curious Garden, (AR 4.4, Lexile 840) a little red head, Liam, who loves life and is full of optimism, discovered some deserted, raised railroad tracks in his dreary, drab city as he was out exploring on a rainy day. After he climbed the steps to the top, he found a small patch of dying wildflowers which obviously needed a gardener’s help. Liam became that person with inspiring results. His work and optimism transformed a depressing place into a welcoming spot for all of his neighbors to gather, visit and join him in supporting the blossoming gardens. Mr. Brown was inspired to write this book after noticing the raised train tracks near his home, which are now a beautiful and welcoming walkway for New Yorkers, The Highline, thanks to the kindness and hard work of many volunteers. When I shared this book with my class we would look at the website for The Highline, http://www.thehighline.org, which includes photographs and videos about how the walkway came to be. You may also find an excellent lesson guide at the following site to support you, parents or educators, as you share the book.       Curious Gardens Group Guide 

You will want to read several of Peter’s books. His more recent ones, such as Mr. Tiger Goes Wild, (AR 1.5, Lexile 170), winner of the 2014 Boston Globe Horn Book Award for picture books, and You Will Be My Friend, a New York Times Bestseller (AR 1.7 and Lexile 260) are written on a lower level but still include his amazing illustrations. They would be perfect books for partner reading between mom or dad and an early reader. As you read the books, you can discuss the different styles of the illustrations and why your child thinks Mr. Brown made the choice to change styles from book to book.

Peter Brown is now working on his first chapter book,  The Wild Robot, which will be published in the spring. Be sure and look for it! If you would like to learn more about Peter Brown, visit his website, www.peterbrownstudio.com.

I hope you will appreciate and enjoy Peter Brown’s books as much as I do and as much as my students did during read alouds. We had so much fun and shared so much laughter. I remember it fondly!