Month: July 2023

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Concept Book Party!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I love filling up the Concept book section at my library. They’re such fun ways for little learners to explore the ABCs, 123s, colors, opposites… all of the foundational learning. I’ve got some new (and new-ish) concept books here for you to enjoy. Dive in!

Some of These are Snails, by Carter Higgins, (May 2023, Chronicle Books), $15.99, ISBN: 9781797220185

Ages 2-4

I love a Carter Higgins book. Her 2021 book Circle Under Berry played with shapes and colors, and concepts of proximity in a charming, fun way; he’s back with Some of These are Snails, which promises more rhyming, concept fun. Now we’re learning to sort: Higgins introduces colorful animals and shapes, inviting learners to sort them out: “Can you sort by color? / Can you sort by size? / Can you sort by shape or find the animals with eyes?” Higgins also works with size, putting three shapes together to demonstrate how some are bigger than others, reinforcing which shape is which for reference: “big bigger biggest / owl square purple / small smaller smallest / orange turtle circle”. It’s fun to read, fun to listen to, and the brightly colored collage artwork will keep everyone’s attention (and makes for a fun after-program craft: get paper plates and tissue paper!). There are so many ways to read this story during a readaloud: audience participation, felt boards, cutout shapes, shakers to invite readers to chime in when looking for “animals with eyes” or bees versus ovals. Absolute fun and proof that learning is delightful. Visit Carter Higgins’s author webpage for free companion resources to her books, including Some of These Are Snails.

Some of These are Snails has a starred review from Booklist.

 

1, 2, 3, Do the Robot, by Michelle Robinson/Illustrated by Rosalind Bearshaw, (Aug. 2023, Kane Miller), $13.99, ISBN: 9781684645664

Ages 2-6

This STEM/STEAM focused rhyming adventures stars a a young inventor named Layla, who creates a robot friend. The two create other robots, spend some time tinkering, and throw a robot dance party that will have readers dancing in their seats during a readaloud (or, if you’re like me, get them up and dance). I love a good tinkering story (add The Most Magnificent Thing, Izzy Gizmo, Geraldine, and the Questioneers series for a STEAM-tastic display and readaloud). Layla is a brown-skinned girl wearing an orange jumpsuit and green pompoms on her head – who says science can’t be fun? The rhyme scheme is playful and consistent, making for a fun readaloud; the robots are adorable and look like they’ve been tinkered from items around the house, like a colander and springs. Layla’s room is full of fun details: toys mix with science tools like beakers, yarn, a sewing machine, tape, test tubes, and measuring tape. Fun for early STEAM clubs! 1, 2, 3 do the Robot teaches STEAM concepts and is the companion to Robinson and Beardshaw’s 1, 2, 3 Do the Dinosaur (2020) and 1, 2, 3, do the Shark (2021).

 

Tow Truck 1, 2, 3, by Eric Ode/Illustrated by Ken Culotta, (Aug. 2023, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 9781684645541

Ages 3-7

Three friendly tow trucks save the day in this fun rhyming story that teaches color concepts. Each tow truck has a different color, size, and function; they work together to help rescue other vehicles that need help. Truck One is a flatbed who can use her movable ramp to help a car stuck by a highway; Truck two has a hook and chain to pull a friend stuck in the mud. Truck Three also has a hook and chain, and is smaller than Trucks One and Two, giving them passage to smaller spots and able to rescue a friend who’s gotten stuck in a hard-to-reach spot. Cars are colorful, with bright, primary colors, and with friendly, anthropomorphic faces. Endpapers show the cars heading out from the garage to start their day, and returning at the end of the day with the friends they’ve helped. The rhyme scheme makes for a good readaloud, and kids love car stories. A fun addition to collections where vehicle books, like those by Stephen Savage, Kate and Jim McMullan, and Sherri Duskey Rinker do well.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

A longing for home in Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Homeland : My Father Dreams of Palestine, by Hannah Moushabeck/Illustrated by Reem Madooh, (March 2023, Chronicle Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781797202051

Ages 5-8

Three girls wait for their father to come so he can delight them with stories of his boyhood in Pakistan. Through his stories, the girls connect to their father and his homeland: a neighbor who farts so powerfully he leaves the chair; his grandmother, who dropped a basket on a rope from the window for the bread man to fill; the sounds of street vendors singing out their wares, the children playing, and the members of the community greeting one another in all languages. He remembers the last day he saw his grandfather, who brought him to a garden by the family café. Father shows his daughters the key to their family’s home – a home others likely occupy now – and a sadness takes over; the girls hope to return one day, but will dream of Palestine until that time. A story of family, hope, and longing, Homeland is one family’s bittersweet story of the Palestinian diaspora, brought beautifully to life by Madooh, whose rich digital illustrations bring daily life in Palestine to readers. Front endpapers show a rendering of black-and-white photos from Palestine; back endpapers show renderings of color photos of Moushabeck’s father and family in America. Gorgeous details throughout show a diverse culture in the streets and cafés of Jerusalem, with food, clothing, and music on each spread. An author’s note and photos provide deeper context and a glossary provides Arabic writing, pronounciation, and definitions for words that come up in the story. An excellent choice for collections, especially as we enter the final days of the All Together Now Summer Reading theme.

Posted in Middle Grade, Non-Fiction, Non-fiction, Tween Reads

National Geographic Kids 2024 Almanac Book Blitz & Giveaway!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Buy | Goodreads

The New York Times best-selling Almanac is packed with incredible photos, tons of fun facts, National Geographic exclusives, games, activities, and fascinating features about animals, science, nature, technology, and more.

This new edition features:

  • EXCLUSIVE National Geographic Explorer interviews and features
  • EXCLUSIVE Interactive Almanac Challenge 2024, plus the results of the Almanac Challenge 2023
  • BONUS SECTION of sidesplitting jokes and riddles
  • NEW fun-tastic things to see and do in 2024
  • NEW cutest animal superlatives and animal rescue stories
  • NEW science and dinosaur discoveries
  • NEW fun games, quizzes, and activities
  • NEW weird and wacky places around the world
  • NEW experiments to do, places to explore, and ways to change the world
  • UPDATED reference material, including fast facts and maps of every country

Check out THIS PAGE for more information and to take the 2024 Almanac Challenge, Elephant-Stagram!

Praise:

“…this gathering of upbeat, vividly illustrated, browser-friendly dips into topics ranging from black holes to blue-footed boobies to Bolivian street food is hard to put down, and the pop quizzes and research guides at each chapter’s end will give studious sorts a leg up, too”.― Kirkus

 

GIVEAWAY!

  • Three (3) winners will receive a copy of National Geographic Kids Almanac 2024
  • US/Canada only
  • Ends 7/2 at 11:59pm ET
  • Enter via the Rafflecopter below

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

The Gilmore Girls go to the picture books!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Gilmore Girls: At Home in Stars Hollow, by Micol Ostow/Illustrated by Cecilia Messina, (Sept. 2023, Insight Kids), $18.99, ISBN: 9798886631449

Ages 4+

Spreading the Gilmore Girls love to a new generation, The Gilmore Girls: At Home in Stars Hollow joins luminaries such as Parks & Rec, The Office, The X-Files, and Charmed in the picture book ranks. At Home in Stars Hollow introduces mother-daughter pair Lorelei and Rory, who look back on their lives after arriving Stars Hollow, from their beginnings in the small shed behind the Independence Inn to Lorelei’s promotion to running the Inn. Popular characters from the show make an appearance, like Melissa McCarthy’s memorable chef, Sookie, and Rory’s friend, Lane. Friendly cartoon art includes series touchstones that will delight fans of the show and intrigue newcomers to the series. Ostow brings the warmth of the series to the printed page by giving the reader a sense of Stars Hollow’s coziness and friendliness; Ostow and Messina together bring the love between mother and daughter, Lorelei and Rory, to the forefront. It’s a great trip back in time for readers, as Ostow herself states in the story: “Once upon a time—back when every schoolchild had a Trapper Keeper and the Go-Go’s ruled the radio—there was a very special place called Stars Hollow”. An essential add to pop culture storybook collections.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Hervé Tullet keeps ’em moving with Tap! Tap! Tap! Dance! Dance! Dance!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Tap! Tap! Tap! Dance! Dance! Dance!, by Hervé Tullet, (May 2023, Chronicle Books), $19.99, ISBN: 9781797221465

Ages 2-6

The master of the interactive storytime book, Hervé Tullet, is back with a new readaloud that’s meant to get fingers and hands moving. With bold, bright primary colors, handprints, and shapes, Tullet leads readers through a hand dance where little hands can tap, whoosh around pages, jump across dots and swirls, and make loop-the-loops to their heart’s delight. With smaller storytime groups, I’ve let them put their hands on the book and follow Tullet’s illustration; with larger groups, get the fingers in the air and let your circle time twirl, hop, and jump in their spots. This could work as a fun Scarf Storytime or a Flannel Storytime; it’s really about the space you’re working with and the numbers in your room. Tullet’s fun instruction is a joy to read out loud and the bold paint scribbles and smears are so much fun to look at. Can your storytime kids come up with their own moves to add? Now’s the time to find out. Every Tullet book is a delight between two covers. Add this one to your collections.

Tap! Tap! Tap! Dance! Dance! Dance! has a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly.

Posted in Teen, Uncategorized, Young Adult/New Adult

Chilling Dystopian YA: The Chaperone by M Hendrix

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Chaperone, by M Hendrix, (June 2023, Sourcebooks Fire), $11.99, ISBN: 9781728260006

Ages 13+

I thought I’d burned out on dystopian YA, but the premise of The Chaperone sounded so plausible, so very close to where we balance these days, that I picked it up. I was rewarded. In New America, things are very different for young women; they have rules: “Deflect attention. Abstain from sin. Navigate the world with care. Give obedience. Embrace purity. Respect your chaperone.” From the moment a girl begins menstruation, men – including fathers – can no longer show affection, treating their female family members as commodities. A chaperone moves in with the family to keep the young woman “safe” at all times, and keep them from sin. The girls learn different from boys and college is a pipe dream. They are here to marry and breed. Stella, a teen living in New America, loves her chaperone, Sister Helen; she’s closer to her than her own mother. Sister Helen’s sudden, violent death sends her into a tailspin, and when her new chaperone, Sister Laura, moves in, Stella is initially reticent to open up. Sister Laura is different. She takes Stella to secret self defense classes. Gives her books that she isn’t supposed to read. Asks her provocative questions. Leaves her by herself in public. As Stella begins seeing the world with new eyes, she starts questioning her life in New America. And when her father starts pushing her into a marriage of his choice as graduation approaches, she knows she has big decisions to make, and soon. A taut thriller set in a frighteningly possible near future, The Chaperone has elements of Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, but puts greater emphasis on Stella and her growth throughout the story. Readers will appreciate the complex relationships Stella has with her parents and the conflicting loyalties to Sister Helen, her first chaperone, and Sister Laura, her latest chaperone. The Chaperone has an optimistic, empowering viewpoint that encourages young women to stay in the fight.

The Chaperone has a starred review from Booklist.
Posted in Intermediate, Non-Fiction

Kids Ask About Bears

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Bears (Kids Ask About), by Christopher Nicholas/Illustrated by Pedro Julio Gonzalez, (Jan. 2023, Sequoia Kids Media), $20.99, ISBN: 9798765400319

Ages 7-10

This intermediate nonfiction series takes the big questions that come up and intersperses fun facts. There are lots of questions about bears: Where do they live? Which bear is the biggest? Which one is the smallest? What’s up with the koala: is it really a bear? Presented in a question-and-answer format, Kids Ask About: Bears is illustrated in full-color, with realistic images and photos of bears throughout. Questions and answers show up in speech bubbles; bulleted lists and callout speech bubbles provide additional facts. Colorful fonts are eye-catching and the facts are brief and easy to read and remember. A table of contents allows readers to go directly to questions they want to read about: “Where do polar bears live?” “How do sloth bears get their name?” “Do all bears eat animals?” Very user-friendly and kid friendly, the Kids Ask About series is a nice addition to your nonfiction collections. Visit the Sequoia webpage for printable companion worksheets, activity sheets, and coloring pages.

Posted in Intermediate, Non-Fiction

Do You Know: Boats and Water Transport and Musical Instruments

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Do You Know: Boats and Water Transport, by Laurence Muguet, (Apr. 2023, Twirl Books), $16.99, ISBN: 9782408042554

Ages 5-8

The most recent Do You Know? book in the Twirl series is a good summer reading choice: it’s all about boats and water transportation. Originally published in French in 2021, the English translation reads easily for intermediate readers and introduces them to all sorts of watercraft. Beginning with the basics: “What is a boat?”, informative text and labeled illustrations take readers through different kinds of watercraft and where they dock, including shipyards, ocean liners, and riverboats. Thought-provoking questions invite discussion. There is an easily searchable index, fun facts run throughout the book, and the writing is clear and easy to undertand. This a good purchase for intermediate nonfiction collections.  Originally published in France, Do You Know: Boats and Water Transport seamlessly translates into English.

 

 

Do You Know: Music and Musical Instruments, by Julie Delas, (Aug. 2023, Twirl Books), $16.99, ISBN: 9782408042530

Ages 5-8

The newest Do You Know? book is all about music and musical instruments, and is a fun and informative read. Originally published in French (2020), the translation is flawless and easy to read. Bright illustrations show a variety of people singing and playing instruments together. Music instruments and history cover a global scale, from medieval times to today’s popular music like rap and K-Pop; instruments featured include the Australian didgeridoo, Senegal’s kora, and the Inuit qilaut drum from Canada. The book covers jobs in music, venues, and dance, making this a helpful volume to have in your 700s. Fun facts, prompts for discussion, and review sections round this volume out. A full index makes for easy searching. This may be my favorite Do You Know? yet.

Posted in Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

New sibling kit: Just One Me

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Just One Me: A Big Sibling Kit, by M.H. Clark/Illustrated by Chelsea Bianchini, (June 2023, Compendium), $36.95, ISBN: 9781957891019

Ages 3-7

This is an adorable gift idea for new big siblings. A cuddly koala is the star of the show in Just One Me, a sweet baby book for older siblings to record thoughts, hopes, and notes about themselves and their new sibling. Gentle illustrations of the little koala and prompts run throughout the book, with spaces for recording notes about what the two siblings can share and what the older sibling may want to keep for themselves; ways big sibling can help parents; and brag space for the big sibling to write about the things they can already do and what they loves as babies. It’s a sweet keepsake and a way for the older sibling to share their feelings about the new baby, encouraging them to claim their own space. It is a sweet way to celebrate an elder child’s accomplishments while welcoming a new little. A soft plush koala comes with the set.

 

Posted in Intermediate, Non-Fiction

Mini Doodles: Fun prompts and activities

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Gina Perry, who has written one of my most popular storytime books (Small, 2017), has turned her illustration talents to activity books. Normally, if it doesn’t circ, I pause before blogging about it, but these books are adorable and they’re super handy to have around if you want to have a program that calls for some creativity. At 8 bucks a pop, you can put some budget money in and pick up a few of these to have on hand.

Let’s Draw Dinosaurs, by Gina Perry, (June 2023, Bushel & Peck Books), $7.99, ISBN: 9781638192022

Ages 4-8

How adorable are these dinosaurs? Gina Perry’s illustration is playful and kid-friendly, and her suggestions and prompts are so much fun; it’s like she’s standing there, encouraging kids to be their creative selves: “Now, let’s just get some teeth on these dinos, what you do you think?” Some prompts are original: “Write your name in bones”, complete with bone alphabet to help provide a frame of reference. Her instructions are clear and simple, and her line illustrations are bold, clear, and easy to follow. Let’s Draw Dinosaurs is sure to make budding artists out of kids (and adults: you know you want to make an Apatosaurus valley).

 

Let’s Draw Magical Creatures, by Gina Perry, (June 2023, Bushel & Peck Books), $7.99, ISBN: 9781638191612

Ages 4-8

If dinosaurs leave you wanting more, Gina Perry also has magical creatures to play around with. Let’s Draw Magical Creatures is all about drawing unicorns, dragons, mermaids, fairies, and more. Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions show readers how to create their drawings, and fun prompts offer readers the chance to engage their imaginations and put their drawings in different settings: put gnomes on stumps, have a dragon face-off, or have unicorns gallop across a field en masse. Adorable creatures, fun prompts, easy-to-read and easy-to-follow instructions: it’s all in this series.

If you’re looking to circ these, try putting those “please do not write in book” strips across the cover (we do it with our test prep books with some success). Want more Gina Perry? Visit her website, where she has activity kits and drawing sheets in the spirit of the Mini Doodles series!