Category: Preschool Reads

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.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Manolo and the Unicorn embraces the magic

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’m pushing to get my review TBR read and posted by the end of the year. Stay with me! Today, I’ve got a gentle story about magic and our world through a child’s eyes: Manolo and the Unicorn.

Manolo & the Unicorn, by Jackie Azúa Kramer & Jonah Kramer/Illustrated by Zach Manbeck, (Apr. 2023, Cameron Kids), $18.99, ISBN: 9781951836528

Ages 5-7

Manolo is a young boy who dearly loves unicorns. His belief infuses his world with magic and wonder, communicated by Manbeck’s gentle, colorful illustration, using deep and soft color to create soft lighting around Manolo and his world, making unicorn shapes out of nature. A teacher announces a school project, where everyone will dress like their favorite animal in a Wild Animal Parade, and Manolo’s desire to be a unicorn brings laughter and derision, turning his world to sepia. The magic has been leeched from Manolo’s world until he encounters a unicorn after all, bringing deep greens and blues back to life. The unicorn inspires Manolo to share his magic with his friends, bringing color and magic to their worlds. A story that assures readers that there is magic left in our world, Manolo & the Unicorn brings surreal and beautiful illustration, paired with a narrative that reaches in and encourages the spark in each of us to endure. A gorgeous story for readalouds and picture book collections. Pair this with Bethanie Deeney Murguia’s Do You Believe in Unicorns? for a fun, unicorn-centric storytime. Don’t forget to print out unicorn masks for your storytime circle!

Manolo and the Unicorn was an Indie Next pick.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week and Molly’s Miracle

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Molly’s Miracle: A Chosen Dog, Not a Broken Dog, by w.b. Murph/Illustrated by Luca Mendieta, (Nov. 2023, Wonderbeagmurph Press), $18.99, ISBN: 979-8988246213

Ages 4-7

In honor of National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week, I’m grateful to former veterinarian nurse W.B. Murph for sharing a copy of Molly’s Miracle with me. The story of a sweet beagle who escapes her abusive family is one of those stories that rips my heart out because it’s based on a true story, but it also makes me feel better to know that people like Murph are out there taking care of these pets. In Molly’s Miracle, Molly endures the insults and the physical abuse from her family until she sees her chance to get away; she’s injured in the process, but she’s out. The only problem is, she has nowhere to go and no one to turn to. Living on the street with an injury that won’t heal, she’s discovered by a kind lady who takes Molly to a shelter where she works. Sadly, Molly’s leg can’t be saved, but Molly is – she is adopted by a blind woman who tells Molly that ““My hands tell me all I need I know.” Cartoon artwork is kid-friendly. Back matter includes some questions for thought and a reminder that having a pet is a big responsibility.  A cute additional purchase where pet books are popular. Consider reading and displaying with Belly Rubbins for Bubbins by Jason Kraus and Emma Jackson’s A Home for Dixie for a shelter pet display.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

It’s a Small World after all…

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Now more than ever, kids need – we ALL need – books with diverse points of view, and books that introduce readers to different cultures. Here are a couple I’ve enjoyed.

Sari-Sari Summers, by Lynnor Bontigao, (Apr. 2023, Candlewick Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781536226140

Ages 4-7

Nora loves visiting her Lola – her grandmother – in the Philippines, where she also helps at her Lola’s sari-sari store. The store has everything, from candy to hair clips, mung beans to toys, and Nora cleans, organizes, and helps measure out dry goods for Lola’s customers. When a heat wave hits and Lola’s customer base dries up, Nora comes up with a creative idea: use the ripe mangoes in the tree outside the sari-sari store to make ice candy! Together, grandmother and granddaughter save their business in the yummiest of ways. Sari-Sari Summers is a warm intergenerational tale that introduces readers to Filipino culture with a great relationship between a grandparent and grandchild. Omniscient narration keeps the story’s pace while word balloons add new vocabulary and context to the tale. Digital illustrations show bright, warm colors; the endpapers show gold mangoes over a Lola’s green tablecloth. Nora delights in her job at the store, pictured smiling at the shelves of products and displaying childlike determination as she measures beans into a customer’s bag, one eye squinted closed and her arms tightly drawn in to prevent spills. Back matter includes a recipe for a tasty ice candy recipe that readers can make with their grownups. Delightful and upbeat, this is a great addition to storytime collections. Download Teacher Tips from publisher Candlewick’s webpage.

Education.com has a Philippines flag coloring page to hand out as an extension activity. Raise Curious Kids has a whole Philippines preschool unit with facts, crafts, and videos.

 

 

Rivka’s Presents, by Laurie Wallmark/Illustrated by Adelina Lirius, (July 2023, Random House Studio), $18.99, ISBN: 9780593482070

Ages 4-8

Rivka is a young Jewish girl living in the Lower East Side in 1918, the year of the Great Flu. Although Rivka wants to go to school, her father is ill and her mother must work; Rivka has to stay home and watch her baby sister, Miriam. To pass the time, Rivka turns to her neighbors to help her learn: from the grocer, to read and write; from the tailor, mathematics; from elderly Ms. Langholtz, who is studying for citizenship, Rivka learns about America. She trades chores for knowledge, and when her father is feeling better, Rivka’s family and neighbors have a celebration in store. A moving story about an immigrant community and how everyone watched out for each other, Rivka’s Presents touches on the impact that the Great Flu of 1918 had on an immigrant community, while providing a slice of life look into day-to-day life in the Lower East Side. Mixed media provides color spreads of tenements and pushcarts; of families living in one room and of small businesses who knew their neighbors by name. After every lesson, a spread shows Rivka, framed by her window, practicing what she’s learned, embracing the joy that learning inspires. While in color, illustrations appear to have a sepia overlay, giving a vintage feel to the artwork. Endpapers show a colorful mix of flowers, packages, letters, and numbers. Back matter includes an author note on 1918 and the Lower East Side and a glossary of English and Yiddish words that show up in the story. A wonderful look into a difficult time, Rivka’s Presents is an excellent addition to collections. Author Laurie Wallmark and Illustrator Adelina Lirius created a teachers guide, available at Wallmark’s website.

To talk to kids about tenement life and the Lower East Side, the best place to go to is the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. They’re one of my favorite museums. The National Archives has great resources about life on the Lower East Side, as does the Jewish Women’s Archive.

Posted in Early Reader, Fiction, picture books, Preschool Reads

Garrrrr! Pirate Pearl needs Potatoes!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Potatoes for Pirate Pearl, by Jennifer Concepcion/Illustrated by Chloe Burgett, (Sept. 2023, Feeding Minds Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781948898157

Ages 4-8

Pirate Pearl and Petunia, her trusty parrot sidekick, sail the seas aboard the Jolly Oyster, but there’s a problem: all they have to eat is hardtack, and Pirate Pearl is sick of it! They make land and set off to find some better food, only to encounter Farmer Fay, who teaches Pearl all about potato farming. This informative, fun adventure uses pirate puns and bright, playful illustration to instruct learners on how to plant, grow, and harvest potatoes – and all the delicious ways to enjoy them. At the end of the day, Pearl and Petunia set sail, having made a new friend, and with a new food that’s just as easily grown on her ship as it is in Farmer Fay’s field. Back matter includes potato facts and recipes, with a heads-up from Pirate Pearl herself about having an adult help with any preparation and cooking. A charming and informative story for kids, and a great accompaniment to a STEAM or gardening program or lesson. Download a free activity kit from publisher Feeding Minds Press.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

Halloween Picture Books for Spooky Fun Read-Alouds

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Vlad the Fabulous Vampire, by Flavia Z Drago, (Sept. 2023, Candlewick Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781536233322

Ages 3-7

Flavia Z Drago returns to the world of Gustavo the Shy Ghost (2020) and introduces readers to Vlad, a vampire whose passion is fashion – but he’s so worried that his friends will discover that – GASP! – he has rosy pink cheeks that make him look “horribly alive”! He tries to design fabulous fashion to disguise his cheeks, but he know that deep inside, he isn’t being honest to himself or his friends. One day, he discovers that Shelley, his best friend, has been keeping a secret of her own, and the two form an even stronger support system that inspires them to love their unique qualities and encourage uniquene in others. Mixed-media illustrations and folk-art illustrations bring this story to life, with positive, affirming storytelling. Readers will love spotting Drago’s other characters, Flavia and Gustvavo. A delightful addition to picture book collections. Download a free activity kit at publisher Candlewick’s page!

 

 

 

There Was a Young Zombie Who Swallowed a Worm, by Kaye Baillie/Illustrated by Diane Ewen, (June 2023, Kane Miller), $13.99, ISBN: 9781684645787

Ages 3-6

In this Halloween-y take on There Was an Old Lady… a young zombie gobbles up everything around him with amusing consequences. Young zombie, a green-skinned kid with head bandages, a torn green shirt and bright red ragged pants, munches his way through a bevy of creepy crawlies and ghouls, from the titular worm through bats, ghosts, and trolls until his tummy finally gives out. A fun seasonal take on the cumulative favorite, the rhyme scheme makes for a fun readaloud, with phrases like, “He swallowed the bat to catch the worm. / I don’t know why he swallowed the worm. / It made him squirm” and “He swallowed the troll to bother the beast, / Who grizzled and grumbled at being his feast”. As the story continues, kids wll be able to chime in with some passages they remember, and there are plenty of chances to get readers up and squirming, fluttering and flapping, giggling, and cackling. Colorful, expressive characters are cartoony, never scary, and endpapers show everyone who ends up in the Young Zombie’s hungry maw. A fun additional purchase for holiday collections.

There Was a Young Zombie Who Swallowed a Worm was originally published in 2022 in the U.K.

 

 

Billy and the Beast, by Nadia Shireen, (June 2023, Kane Miller), $13.99, ISBN: 9781684645893

Billy is a little girl who can think fast – and she needs to, because she and her trusty sidekick, Fatcat, have to thwart a big, hairy beast from eating some adorable forest friends… and Fatcat! Billy is a girl of color, out on a stroll with her feline friend, saying hello to a Hedgehog, a Fox, some mice, and bunny rabbits, when they come across a big, blue, hairy Beast who’s making a “big pot of TERRIBLE soup” and needs “all sorts of unusual ingredients”. A quick look at the recipe, and Billy realizes that those ingredients include the animals she and Fatcat just encountered on their walk! Her quick mind and resourcefulness helps her come up with ways to keep the animals safe from the Beast, but when he reveals his final ingredient, Billy decides to enact some old-school fairy tale justice in a laugh-out-loud resolution. Cartoon artwork and expressive facial expressions make this a great read-aloud choice. Pair this with Alyssa Satin Capucilli and Tom Knight’s Bone Soup (2018) for a snacky storytime.

Billy and the Beast was originally published in the UK in 2018, and has two companion books, Billy and the Pirates and Billy and the Dragon.

 

The Pumpkin Who Was Afraid of the Dark, by Michelle Robinson/Illustrated by Mike Byrne, (June 2023, Kane Miller), $13.99, ISBN: 9781684647286

Ages 4-7

Boo is an adorable pumpkin who doesn’t like Halloween: she isn’t scary and she doesn’t want to be! All the other spooky pumpkins in Boo’s patch are chosen, but poor Boo sits all by herself. She doesn’t have scary cutout eyes or a wicked smile; she’s round, has big, friendly eyes, and a sweet smile. It turns out that she’s the best pumpkin choice for a brother and sister who venture into the patch: the little boy, dressed as a bat, is afraid of scary things! Told in rhyme, this sweet story takes the spookiness out of Halloween and talks about the fun: being with family, dressing up, and choosing the perfect pumpkin from the pumpkin patch; a pumpkin that will softly glow and keep the creepy stuff away. The brother and sister are brown-skinned, with expressive faces; Boo is softer than her fellow Jack-0-lanterns. She’s round and softly outlined; she’s a colorful orange with slightly more orange cheeks and bright green stringy arms, legs, and hair. A fun rhyming readaloud for holiday collections and a great opportunity to hand out pumpkin crafts!

The Pumpkin Who Was Afraid of the Dark was originally published in the UK in 2022.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Blog Tour: Willow and Bunny, by Anitra Rowe Schulte/Illustrated by Christopher Denise

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

A bunny who needs a home, a welcoming willow tree, and the power of kindness. This is the moving story of Willow and Bunny.

Willow and Bunny, by Anitra Rowe Schulte/Illustrated by Christopher Denise,
(Oct. 2023, Two Lions),
$17.99, ISBN: 9781542025690

Ages 4-7

 

A Bunny finds home in the loving branches of a willow tree, who keeps him warm and safe. When a stormy spiral tears through the forest, terrified animals run in search of shelter and find it within Willow’s embrace. With Bunny to help soothe them, Willow holds and protects all the animals from the storm, holding steady and strong in the face of the storm’s rage. After, when the animals discover the disastrous effect the storm has had on Willow, they come together to help her heal, and to spread her love. Using soft natural colors, Caldecott Honor artist Denise creates cozy settings using a soft, maternal glow of sunlight against the backdrop of warm greens and browns, creating the embrace of nature taking in the lone Bunny. Willow appears massive compared to the tiny bunny, but never overpowering; she is welcoming, beckoning, protective of her new charge. Schulte’s story weaves itself around the reader, creating a tale of mutual love and respect, of community, and empathy, while describing the chaos and terror of a disaster and the hopeful aftermath as members come together to heal and rebuild. This is a Giving Tree for a new generation, where everyone contributes to the benefit of all.

 

“This tale provides a vehicle for conversations both about weather catastrophes and, more generally, about strong bonds that endure through change.” —Publishers Weekly


“The cozy, kindhearted story is beautifully told, mixing moments of sweet simplicity and light peril with a gentle hand. . . . A gratifying glimpse of generous friendship.” —Booklist

Anitra Rowe Schulte is the author of Dancing with Daddy, which won the Christopher Award and the Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award. She has worked as a journalist for The Kansas City Star and the Sun-Times News Group, as a staff writer for Chicago Public Schools, and as a publicist. She lives in the Chicago area with her husband and their three daughters. Visit her at http://www.anitraroweschulte.com or @anitraschulte on Twitter.

Christopher Denise wrote and illustrated Knight Owl, a 2023 Caldecott Honor winner and New York Times bestseller. He is also the illustrator of many critically acclaimed children’s books, including Anika Aldamuy Denise’s Bunny in the Middle, Alison McGhee’s Firefly Hollow, and Anne Marie Pace’s Groundhug Day, as well as several in Brian Jacques’s award-winning Redwall series. Christopher lives with his family in Rhode Island. Visit him at http://www.christopherdenise.com and @christopherdenise on Instagram.

Posted in Early Reader, Fiction, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Halloween Reads for Littles!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Halloween is my favorite holiday! I get to be spooky and goofy and dress up, encouraging everyone around me to do the same. Halloween storytimes are also my favorite, for the same reasons. I’ve got a few Halloween books to book-shout, but let’s start with the wee ones first, shall we?

Peekaboo: Pumpkin, by Camilla Reid/Illustrated by Ingela P Arrhenius, (July 2023, Candlewick Press), $9.99, ISBN: 9781536229813

Ages 0-3

Any time I get to enjoy Ingela P Arrhenius’s artwork is a good day. Peekaboo: Pumpkin is the latest in the Peekaboo series from Reid and Arrhenius, taking little readers through a series of rhyming words and accompanied by sliding panels, surprises, and adorable illustration. Sliders let little fingers explore a pumpkin’s shifting eyes, light candles, enjoy a game of peekaboo between a ghost and a cat, a frog and a spider, and other delightful pairings. A mirror reveals itself at the end, inviting a game of lapsit peekaboo. Arrhenius’s illustrations have expressive, cheerful characters, colors pop off the page. The pages are sturdy and the sliding panels will hold up to a great deal of exploring. This one’s a keeper for collections.

 

 

 

Holiday Magic: Happy Halloween!, by Harriet Stone/Illustrated by Giovana Medeiros, (Aug. 2023, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 9781684646401

Ages 0-3

Blend a fun Halloween rhyme with Venetian window panels and playful illustration, and you have a great interactive board book. Happy Halloween features shifting panels and clever cut-outs to create a rhyme about how vampires, mummies, werewolves, and black cats all get ready for Halloween, letting each friendly character change before a reader’s eyes: “This mummy’s tangled bandages are startingto undo! / Underneath, a skeleton jumps up and shouts out, BOO!” Perfect for a Halloween storytime, kids will delight in seeing a vampire morph into a bat, a mummy into a skeleton, a little boy into a werewolf, and a black cat into a witch in front of their eyes. The characters are friendly, never scary, and use of purples and dark blues, plus gratuitous smiling spiders, pumpkins, and other Halloween touchstones set a playful stage for Halloween. Buy a copy for your storytime reference, as the shifting panels may get worn out by curious learners who will open and close the book repeatedly to see how the change takes place. Holiday Magic: Happy Halloween! is a holiday companion to the Animal Magic series from Kane Miller, which includes In the Jungle, In the Ocean, In the Night, and In the Snow, all of which employ Venetian paper design. (And there will be a Merry Christmas book, too!)

 

 

See the Ghost: Three Stories About Things You Cannot See, by David LaRochelle/Illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka, (July 2023, Candlewick Press), $9.99, ISBN: 9781536219821

This is one of the best Easy Reader series in recent years. If you loved See the Dog and See the Cat, you’re going to go bananas for See the Ghost, which brings Dog and Cat together with a Ghost and a Fairy for three hilarious stories. Each story can be read as a standalone, but they also build upon one another to create a laugh-out-loud trilogy. The first story, “See the Ghost”, has Ghost scaring Dog and Cat… and eventually, themselves! In “See the Wind”, the Wind gets a bit carried away, blowing everything off the page: including the words to the story! “See the Fairy” introduces Trixie, a fairy “so small that you cannot even see me”. Trixie is a playful fairy with a mischevious streak, and Dog, Cat, and Ghost have to teach Fairy how to play so that everyone has fun. Easy-to-read sentences make this a great book to give emerging readers, and large fonts and colorful, playful illustration makes for an easy readaloud. Spreads use an omniscient narrator and word bubbles; sentences get tossed to an fro with the wind, playing with format.

See the Ghost has starred reviews from Kirkus and Booklist. Download fun activity sheets and a teacher’s guide at publisher Candlewick’s website.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Nibbles goes to bed… or does he?

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Nibbles: The Bedtime Book, by Emma Yarlett, (March 2023, Kane Miller), $16.99, ISBN: 9781684644933

Ages 4-7

Nibbles, my favorite book-nibbling monster, is back at bedtime in this latest adventure. After a long day of escaping into libraries and eating his way through all the books, it’s finally bedtime and Nibbles is in crate… but a quick lift of the flap shows readers that he isn’t: he’s off on another book-nibbling escapade, hilariously chomping his way through bedtime stories like The Ugly Duckling, Cinderella, and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Will Nibbles finally slow down and get tired? Will fairy tales ever be the same? Flaps and die cuts reveal Nibbles’s adventures to readers, and the bright yellow monster pops off the quieter, darker backgrounds, letting readers easily spot him. A little bit of rhyme, mixed with exasperated storytelling and fractured fairytales, give readers a little something for everyone. A delightful addition to fairy tale collections.