I’ve been a Bernard Waber fan since I was a child. I have distinct memories of reading Ira Sleeps Over, and Lyle the Crocodile still makes me laugh. Somehow, I missed his Courage until just a few years ago, and I’m here to tell you that it’s a delightful addition to our July Family Focus Traits booklist, “Books Featuring Courageous Role Models.” Read on to see what makes Waber’s Courage one worth reading!
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We recently finished reading Poppy and Rye by Avi (the second book in his “Dimwood Forest” series) with the girls, and as I closed the book, it dawned on me that in the last few months, we’ve used three different chapter book series about mice for our family read-aloud books! Each of these series is written on a different level and has a unique feel to it, so other than the mice, they don’t really have much in common… But I figured I’d share them anyway, because they all made for wonderful read alouds!
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When Kane Miller told me about their new series, the Family Heroes series, given the massive health and lifestyle changes this year due to COVID-19, I knew immediately that I wanted the opportunity to take a look at these two titles, Family Heroes: Keeping Us Healthy and Family Heroes: Keeping Things Going. And I’m here to tell you that these books do not disappoint! From the accessible text to the inclusive illustrations to the important introduction to all sorts of community heroes, the “Family Heroes” series is worth a read with your young audiences!
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Do you have fond memories of reading Harold and the Purple Crayon as a child? And do your children love Harold’s creative adventures in Crockett Johnson’s original books as much as you did? It’s hard to believe that it was published in 1955! Well, if you and your children are fans of Harold and his crayon just like we are, then I’ve got good news for you — Harper has released a new Harold adventure, anonymously published, but just as full of charm and imagination: Harold’s Treasure Hunt!
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Are your children scared of thunder or fascinated by it? In our house, the answer is a very strong “Yes!” to both! We live in an area of the country that gets little rain and even fewer storms, so thunder is a real novelty for our girls, something they only experience when we visit family in the summers. As a result, afternoon thunderstorms are something they really look forward to, but nighttime thunderstorms can scare them.
Enter Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco. Thunder Cake both feeds their fascination with storms, helps them overcome their worries about thunder, AND is all about cake! Read on to see what makes Thunder Cake delightful enough to have been on repeat in our house all summer.
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Okay, y’all, Your Name is a Song is an incredibly important book for both children and adults to read in the back-to-school season (and yes, even if back to school means back to distance learning this fall, the message is just as important and applicable!). It’s important for students who worry about how others will say their names on the first day of school, and for teachers who might feel the same way about how students pronounce their names. Important for families supporting these students. Important for teachers who studiously review their class lists to prepare for the first day of school. Important for students who yearn to create a welcoming environment for new students in their classes, and important for their parents as they help their children develop traits of inclusivity and respect. Read on to see what exactly makes Your Name is a Song, written by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow (who also wrote Mommy’s Khimar) and illustrated by Luisa Uribe, so important.
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At first glance, Lone Wolf by debut author Sarah Kurpiel is a sweet story about a husky dog questioning and then recognizing her real place within her real family. And that in and of itself makes this a delightfully sweet story to read with children, especially since it’s told from the point of view of Maple, said husky. However, upon closer examination of this story and the illustrations, it is so much more than just a story about a dog finding her place in her pack. Read on to see a few things that make Lone Wolf so delightful!
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Up today, I’ve got a lyrically written story of friendship, moving, goodbyes, and new adventures, illustrated with an incredible amount of personality — Izzy and Frank, written by Katrina Lehman and illustrated by Sophie Beer.
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Do you have daughters or granddaughters? Do you teach girls, coach girls, or babysit girls? Do you mentor girls at church or babysit for girls down the street? If you can even come close to answering yes to any of these questions, then please check out A Girl Like You by Frank and Carla Murphy, illustrated by Kayla Harren!
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Do your children love seek-and-find books? Especially seek-and-find books that first and foremost tell a story, but have an added element of seeking and finding along the way? The kinds of books that are enjoyable to adults to read out loud over and over (and over) again, but that also beg to be read over and over (and over) again as children discover something new every time? If your children are like mine, and your answers to those questions were “Yes!” then you definitely need to check out All Along the River by Magnus Weightman.
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