Category: Preschool Reads

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Blog Tour: Nona’s Nerves by Modello Brown (Def Jam series)

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’ve got a blog tour for you today! The second book in Modello Brown’s Hip Hop Littles series is out today, and it’s all about tackling nerves. With a great message and a hip-hop rhyme beat, I give you Nona’s Nerves!

Nona’s Nerves, by Modello Brown, (Dec. 2023, Bookbaby), $19.95, ISBN: 979-8350919639

Ages 3-7

Nona’s a little girl who’s been practicing for the school talent show. She’s been working so hard, and she’s ready! But the day of the talent show, when she and her other Hip-Hop Littles are all together, Nona feels a little bit of stage fright coming on. Everyone is just so good… what if she can’t match up? No way, say her friends! When the other Hip-Hop Littles see Nona having a moment of doubt, they gather ’round and remind of her of times that they felt anxious, too. Jordan talks about being afraid that no one would talk to him on his first day of school, and Rian tells Nona that he was afraid of taking the bus. Each of the Littles shares a time they felt scared and anxious, and how another friend stepped in to help: “Anxiety and nervousness are normal things to feel. / But with friends all around you soon enough your hurt will heal”. Supported by her friends, Nona goes on stage and sings her heart out, and her friends are there to celebrate together at the show’s end.

With expressive, colorful cartoony illustration and a catchy rhyme, this multicultural group of friends has lessons to teach. The first story, Jordan’s First Day, is all about that moment Jordan recalls in Nona’s Nerves. Filled with positive messages about friendship and resilience, the Hip-Hop Littles explain that feelings of anxiety and worry are normal and nothing to be ashamed of – and that they can be overcome. A good series for Pre-K and Kindergarten audiences, and a good suggestion for social-emotional learning collections.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Wombats are Pretty Weird… and pretty awesome!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis
Wombats Are Pretty Weird : A (Not So) Serious Guide, by Abi Cushman, (May 2023, Greenwillow Books), $19.99, ISBN: 9780063234437

Ages 4-8

This fun book is all about the wombat; a cute marsupial primarily known for pooping cubes. Wombats are Pretty Weird gives kids the full scoop on these marsupials, with some laugh-out-loud moments, usually to do with the aforementioned cubic poop. Joey the Snake is a comic sidekick to the wombats in this story, acting as a self-insert character for readers. There are loads of interesting facts: a wombat’s teeth never stop growing, and they have backward-facing pouches, unlike a kangaroo. They also have very tough behinds, made of cartilage, to protect their hind quarters from predators!

Kid-friendly with fun sidebars, cartoon art, narration and speech balloons, this is a good addition to animal nonfiction collections and early nonfiction collections. Backmatter includes a glossary and more facts about the three types of wombats.

Visit Abi Cushman’s author webpage for some free downloadable resources, including a Wombats are Weird activity guide!

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Simon Says Good Night by Orit Bergman

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

An adorable game of bedtime Simon Says awaits in this adorable book, translated from the original Hebrew.

Simon Says Good Night, by Orit Bergman/Translated by Annette Appel, (Dec. 2023, Amazon Crossing Kids),
$17.99, ISBN: 9781662514289
Ages 3-7

A bedtime ritual sets the stage for this sweet game of Simon Says. Beginning with the bedtime preparation that Daddy puts forth – “Daddy says: Brush your teeth. Daddy says: Clean your ears” – things are flipped once young Simon is in bed for the night. Wearing his bright yellow crown (a bit reminiscent Where the Wild Things Are‘s playful scamp, Max), Simon lines up his dog and toys for his own game of Simon Says. Starting with the basics, the game heads into imaginative spreads with Simon & Co fly, become giants, and ride wolves into the mountains. And what happens if you complete a task without hearing Simon Says? You’re out of the game for a round! A fun way to teach a classic game to audiences that may not have learned it yet and a great way to make bedtime fun. Mixed media illustration has a charming vintage feel to it and combines narration with comic book word balloons and panels.

A playful addition to storytimes and collections – I’d display my copy with nursery rhyme and fingerplay-friendly picture books like those by Jane Cabrera and Annie Kubler.

Orit Bergman is an Israeli author and illustrator. She was born in Jerusalem and lives and works in Kerem Maharal, Israel. She writes and illustrates children’s books, adapts her stories for the theater, and frequently meets children across the country. Her books have been published in Israel, France, China, and the United States. She studied at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem, where she now heads the illustration-studies department. Learn more about the author at www.oritbergman.com.

Annette Appel is a translator of books for young readers and truly enjoys the challenge of making stories written in Hebrew accessible to English speakers. She recently translated Bear and Fred: A World War II Story, by Iris Argaman and illustrated by Avi Ofer. Annette grew up in Oak Park, Michigan, and now lives with her family on a kibbutz in northern Israel.

 

One lucky winner will receive a copy of Simon Says Good Night, courtesy of Amazon Crossing Kids (U.S. and Canada addresses). Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway here!

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Fried Rice & Marinara and VOOKS!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’ve been catching up on emails, and have been chatting with a publicist who sent me the cutest book link on an app called VOOKS. Have you heard of this? I swear, being away from day-to-day children’s librarianship, I feel so out of the loop (one of the reasons I still fight to keep working on my blog!). VOOKS is a storytime app with animated, read-along narration. It’s adorable! There is a subscription fee for the app, but you can also watch videos for free on their YouTube channel; that’s how I enjoyed Fried Rice & Marinara, a VOOK original story by NFL Network anchor Mike Yam.

Fried Rice & Marinara, by Mike Yam/Illustrated by Laura Dong, (Apr. 2023, VOOK Books),
ISBN: 9781737726951 ($17.99 for a hard copy available)

Inspired by Yam’s cultural heritage: growing up with a Chinese immigrant father from Hong Kong and an Italian mother, this rhyming story celebrates diversity and family. Young Mikey Yam’s fourth birthday is coming up, and he’s got a big choice to make: what kind of food should he have at his party? He loves all the delicious Italian foods on his mom’s side of the family, but there’s also such amazing Chinese food on his dad’s side! What’s it going to be: “Ravioli or Dumplings? Linguine or Lo Mein? All of these options were hurting his brain.” He asks his grandmothers, Bahboo and Nonna, but he’s still not arriving at an easy answer until the most delectable decision of all comes to him: why choose just one? The animation and rhyming narration is fun to listen to, and kids will love the expressive cartoon artwork. The story depicts a multicultural, multigenerational family and friends that come together to celebrate and cook together – Mikey’s friends help create the final dish – and celebrate Mikey’s party and everyone’s rich cultural differences.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Everything Changes helps kids cope with divorce

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Everything Changes, by Clare Helen Welsh/Illustrated by Åsa Gilland, (March 2023, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 9781684644940

Ages 4-7

A family – mom, dad, child – are enjoying a summer vacation at the beach when the parents break the news: they will not be living together any longer. The child goes through a storm of emotions as his parents lovingly explain that they will both always love him. As the seasons change, the boy spends time with both parents, his thoughts and emotions churning; his parents lovingly reassure him each time: while sledding with his mother, sharing hot cocoa with his father, even meeting his mother’s new partner. At the boy’s birthday party, both sides of the family are there as he celebrates his day. Welsh’s validations will reassure readers experiencing similar challenges: “I know things won’t always be easy… but they won’t always be so hard”. The seasons changing show a passage of time that acts as a comfort, reinforcing change as a constant and that love endures. Dad appears brown-skinned, Mom is light-skinned, the child has light-rown skin and curly hair. A helpful book to have handy for collections.

Sesame Workshop has a helpful webpage with resources for dealing with divorce.

 

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Tiny Jumper: A picture book biography of a female daredevil

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Tiny Jumper : How Tiny Broadwick Created the Parachute Rip Cord, by Candy Dahl/Illustrated by Maithili Joshi, (Oct. 2023, Little Bee Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781499813944

Ages 4-8

Just when you think you’ve read the all coolest biographies of female innovators, Candy Dahl and Maithili Joshi prove you wrong. In 1893, Georgia Ann Thompson was born, weighing only 3 pounds, but her impact is still felt today. Nicknamed “Tiny” because of her diminutive size, she set out to climb up: up tobacco leaves and cotton mill machinery in her childhood jobs; up trees as she dreamed of getting away from tobacco fields and cotton mills; and up, up, up into the air as an aeronaut, after seeing Charles Broadwick rise up in a hot-air balloon and parachute to the earth. Tiny learned from Broadwick and became famous, touring the country and performing daring feats. Pushing the envelope, she became the first woman to parachute from an airplane and created the parachute ripcord when one of her jumps encountered problems. Dahl uses quotes from Broadwick to allow readers to step into her shoes and experience the excitement and the bumps and bruises of the aerialist: “I had broken bones an dislocated shoulders… I loved it. I loved the excitement” and how women were treated at the time: “It burned me up having to dress like a baby doll and having that name tacked on me!” An author’s note provides further detail on Tiny’s life; a bibliography provides more resources for further reading. The State Archives of North Carolina provides a lesson plan on Broadwick and publisher Little Bee offers downloadable activity sheets on their webpage. A good addition to picture book biographies!

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Wild Blue: Taming a Big-Kid Bike, by Dashka Slater and Laura Hughes

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Wild Blue, by Dashka Slater/Illustrated by Laura Hughes, (Feb. 2023, Candlewick Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781536215670

Ages 3-7

A little girl named Kaya loves her pink pony – a pink tricycle – when Daddy tells her it’s time for a new bike. She’s outgrown pink pony, he tells her, as he takes her to the bike store to “wrangle a new one from the herd”. Told from Kayla’s point of view, bicycles become horses in a metaphor that’s expertly delivered in a combination of storytelling and illustration. Kayla names her new two-wheeler Wild Blue, and Wild Blue is a little ornery; she bucks Kayla off a few times, and despite Dad’s telling her to “show her who’s boss”, it’s not until Kayla and Wild Blue share a moment of calm together in the park, watching the other bikes zoom by, that girl and bike come together, united in purpose, and ride. Has Wild Blue been tamed? Nah: “She’s still wild… But so am I”. Slater beautifully pairs the experience of learning to ride a bigger bike and learning to ride a horse, seamlessly blending the two experiences into a story that readers will enjoy time and again. Hughes’s acrylic illustrations bring Slater’s words to life, with moments like Kayla seeing herself in the mirror, donning a cowgirl hat, as she puts on her bike helmet; visuals shift between a blue bike and a strong, determined blue horse. An open field shows Kayla in the forefront, hand on Wild Blue, as to her left, groups of bike riders ride a trail; to her right, a herd of riders and horses gallop. A great story to have in collections and great for readers tackling those big “firsts”.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Jumper treats readers to a spider’s world

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Jumper : A Day in the Life of a Backyard Jumping Spider, by Jessica Lanan, (Apr. 2023, Roaring Brook Press), $19.99, ISBN: 9781250810366

Ages 4-8

Have a look at a day in the life of a backyard jumping spider in this informative and playful story that is sure to capture readers’ hearts. Jumper is a spider in a community garden frequented by people and animals in the neighborhood. Driven by a thought-provoking narrative that asks questions – “What if you were very small?” “What if you could sense tiny vibrations through your elbows and knees?” “What if you could jump five times your body length?” – and responds with all the ways Jumper moves, feels, or jumps, giving readers the chance to think about how they experience their world and how Jumper experiences her world. Ink, watercolor, and gouache illustrations  use shifting perspectives to move from close-ups of Jumper as she hides from a wasp or avoids a chickadee, to aerial views that capture large spreads, including a fold-out in the middle of the book. Back matter includes noteson spider physiology and behavior, a glossary, and notes on finding and identifying spiders. Superbly illustrated and written to inform and delight an audience, Jumper is an essential for collections. Pair this with Bethany Barton’s I’m Trying to Love Spiders (2019) for a fun, spidery STEM storytime.

Jumper has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and School Library Journal.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Farm Boots teaches kids about the seasons on the farm

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Farm Boots, by Lisl H. Detlefsen/Illustrated by Renee Kurilla, (March 2023, Feeding Minds Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781948898119

Ages 3-6

An enjoyable rhyming look at farming and the seasons using the different boots farmers and farm workers use for different tasks at different times of the year. Colorful pages show diverse families lacing up work boots, slipping on rubber boots, and getting ready for a day of work and play. Rhyming verse keeps the story fun and upbeat – “On rainy days, / use boots for puddles. / Feed newborn friends, / get cozy cuddles” – as the seasons progress. Young farmers help milk cows, show their prized animals at fairs and ride horses and muck out stables, harvest pumpkins and cranberries, all showing off the many different types of boots it takes to get the jobs done. Short sleeves give way to sweatshirts and flannel, then puffer jackets and hats, back to rolled-up jeans and t-shirts; farm chores go from outside chores to keeping sheep safe and warm in a barn, sipping cocoa, and harvesting a tree for the holidays. Back matter includes an illustrated glossary of the different types of boots appearing in the story, with descriptions to provide further context. A fun readaloud for all that pairs well with books like Clothesline Clues to the Jobs People Do (2012) by Kathryn Heling, Deborah Hembrook, and Andy Robert Davies and Julia Cook’s What Shoes Will You Wear? (2014).

Download an educator guide and coloring sheets at Feeding Minds Press’s website. Add some farm coloring pictures from JustColor.net for a fun storytime extension activity.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Holiday Reads: Eight Nights, Eight Lights by Natalie Barnes & Andrea Stegmaier

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

How was everyone’s Thanksgiving? I hope all who celebrate had a wonderful gathering. Now, it’s time for the winter holiday to kick into high gear! Here’s my first pick for holiday books this season: Eight Nights, Eight Lights.

Eight Nights, Eight Lights, by Natalie Barnes/Illustrated by Andrea Stegmaier, (March 2023, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 9781684644414

Ages 4-8

A thriving community celebrates Chanukah and readers enjoy each night through a new set of eyes in this story that explores the feeling of community, history, and embracing differences. A young boy named Max rushes home with his grandfather to light his family’s heirloom menorah; a young girl named Lara, alongside her father, shares homemade jelly donuts with neighbors. Families welcome visitors, share food and play games, give gifts, and gather at the synagogue for the story of Chanukah. Children think upon the Biblical king’s determination to force the Jewish people into giving up their religion in mature pondrance: “People can be scared when they see differences in other that they don’t understand. But we are all different… that’s what makes everyone special”. Songs and fireworks close out the last night of the celebration. Sharp-eyed readers may notice Christmas trees in the street scenes, a nod to two dovetailing holidays. Note the London Eye in the background on the final spread – Eight Nights, Eight Lights was first published in Great Britain in 2022. A helpful guide to the menorah on the verso gives readers more context, and endpapers feature menorahs on a background of blue. A great introduction to the holiday for readers.