Rhyming text imagines the dialogue between mother bird and the last chick, reluctant to leave the next. The illustrations are soft and have a certain vintage look to them. They capture a variety of perspectives as the young bird ponders the vastness of the sky and the distance to the ground in comparison to the coziness of the nest. It takes a bit of coaxing and convincing and bribing on the part of mother bird, while baby bird stalls and voices his fears, but in the end he does indeed say goodbye to the nest and hello to the sky as he’s on his way to everywhere. The story offers young readers an analogy to which they can relate whatever fears they’ve faced or overcome, and the tone of encouragement is easily transferable to human growth.
Category Archives: Recommendation
Tomie DePaola’s Book of Christmas Carols
This is a refresh of his 1987 book and it is filled with 32 songs with music and lyrics. Accompanying illustrations are the wonderful artworks that we expect from this great author/illustrator. This book will be a treasure to anyone that chooses to add it to their Christmas collection. Highly recommended, of course!
Crankosaurus
Cranky Chicken and Speedy the Worm engage in all kinds of silliness in this simple graphic novel. Each chapter is a separate short story, ranging from “The Happiest Nap Ever” to “Best Feathered Friend”. Stories are sweet and somewhat reminiscent of “Elephant and Piggie”. And, there are plenty of giggles for adults in the room (Note the Star Wars and Where’s Waldo references). Give this to your young readers who enjoy the above-mentioned “Elephant and Piggie” or “Narwhal and Jelly”. They won’t be disappointed!
Snack Cabinet Sabotage
The Hunger Heroes (a bean, chip cheese and tomato) are on the case when a babysitter is left without snacks. Her “hanger” is rising and only they can save the day. Unfortunately, Ava (the jealous super-fan avocado) attempts to foil their rescue using a variety of methods – all of which fail. The super hero foods save the day and Gabby, the babysitter, is ready to do her job with a smile after a few well-chosen snacks. The Hunger Heroes plus Ava (they forgave her) fly off into the night in their taco hovercraft to await the next snack emergency.
This graphic novel chapter book is a fun read for kids who are ready to try something a bit more than a traditional early chapter or picture book. Its spare text and colorful illustrations are are engaging and accessible. Kids will eat this up!
There’s Always Room for One More
On the surface it’s the story of a family purchasing and preparing a larger dining table in preparation of having their grandfather move in and enlarge the family, while the youngest member of the family has a hard time giving up the comfort of the familiar table. Neighbors and extended family help get things ready, and are invited to join in the welcome dinner, until quite a party is built around the new table, full of love all around. What makes it so relatable for students is the way the sentiments of uncertainty in the face of change can be extended to so many aspects of life that bring change, and often leave young ones reluctant to let go of the familiar in order to embrace the new.
Remembering
This is a beautiful and touching book. The text is simple, and yet poetical, with only a single sentence or phrase per page, and the illustrations are bright and rich and full of details that make them relatable as they bring the text to life. It shows a family grieving the loss of a beloved pet dog, building an ofrenda for De de los Muertos as a means of holding onto and honoring their memories. One of the details in the illustrations that I especially like is that all the framed photos of beloved pets show their subjects reaching out beyond the frames, reminding us all that in remembering we keep them with us.
They Lead: the wolf pack
It is both beautiful and informative. It can be read on two levels: large font provides only a single sentence, or a few, per page, written in almost a poetical tone; a smaller font provides more details for curious readers. The focus of the book is on how the pack works together, with different roles for each member, and it’s written in a cyclical manner, beginning with a mated pair getting ready for pups, and continuing through until grown wolves are ready to set out on their own to begin a pack of their own. It does a good job of describing the dangers the wolves face along the way, without getting overly gruesome. The soft illustrations pay tribute to these beautiful animals. It touches the heart even while informing the brain.
Merry Christmas, Strega Nona
If you’ve got the original Strega Nona in your library, this makes a fine Christmas sequel, that fans of the original will enjoy. Without first knowing Strega Nona and Big Anthony from their first story, I’m not sure readers who pick this one up first will really connect them, as the character development pretty much assumes you already know them and will understand Big Anthony’s repeated urging of Strega Nona to just use her magic to accomplish the chores to prepare for Christmas. In the end, Big Anthony, known for his laziness/foolishness, proves the hero this time, as he arranges a Christmas surprise for Strega Nona.
The Littlest Weaver
The illustrations a soft and pretty, offering an inviting, if romanticized image of old-time live in the Appalachian mountains. The story tells of a young girl and her pa who live alone in the mountains, weaving story rugs that they take to town on market days to sell. It’s suggested that the reason Laurel makes such beautiful rugs is by they guidance of “her mama’s angel hands.” When a gloomy new neighbor moves to town with a look of loss in his eyes, Laurel recognizes it and she and her father set out to try to welcome him with their rugs but they are rebuffed. Eventually they created a design into which they poured their own tears, which spoke to the man. The gift of it seemed to help move him through his grief, and in the end he accompanies Laurel and her pa on their next visit to town.
I Can Be All Three
Multicultural Day is coming and the teacher has assigned a project. Students will make something that tells the story of who they are. Kids begin cutting, pasting, drawing and planning. But, there is one student that is struggling. Does she highlight her mom’s German culture or her dad’s Indian heritage? What about her American roots? All are integral to who she is as a person. After much thought, the child displays items from all three cultures. She doesn’t have to be one or two cultures. She is all three, “telling the story of who she is”. And, guess what? Other students come forward to share their multicultural stories, too!
This important book will lead to some wonderful conversations about who we are – a marvelous combination of those that come before us! Proudly embracing our cultural heritage is told in simple language with beautifully rendered illustrations. In a day and age when we are even more a mix of so many vibrant cultures, this book is a winner. Share it with everyone!