Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Cover Reveal: YES & NO by Elisha Cooper

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

How adorable is this new cover for Elisha Cooper’s new book, Yes & No?

Yes & No, by Elisha Cooper, (April, 2021, Roaring Brook Press),
$18.99, ISBN: 9781250257338
Ages 2-6

Elisha Cooper is the critically acclaimed author/illustrator of many children’s books, including Caldecott Honor-winning BIG CAT, LITTLE CAT. This new story is a timeless tale of friendship, adjusting your perspective, and the joys (and trials) of siblinghood.

As a mother of three children, a dog, and a cat, I can tell you that sibling relationships cross species lines. Reading the sneak peek at Macmillan’s website, I realized it, and you will, too, with chuckles and grins. Visit the book’s page at Macmillan’s site for yourself – Elisha Cooper’s artwork is always a joy to see.

Posted in picture books

One Mean Ant is back!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

One Mean Ant with Fly and Flea, by Arthur Yorinks/Illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier, (Oct. 2020, Candlewick Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9780763683955

Ages 4-8

The rollicking, continuing adventures of the Mean Ant continues in this second book, which picks up shortly after the events of the first. The Ant and the Fly are prisoners in a spider’s web, so Ant’s day isn’t getting any better. But, wait! What’s that spot? It’s Flea! With Flea’s acrobatic prowess – he’s a flea circus escapee – the group manage to escape the web, but they’re not out of danger yet! This is the second book in a trilogy, and I rank this up there with Jon Klassen’s Hat Trilogy in terms of laugh-out-loud storytelling. The comedic timing here is spot on: this is a priceless readaloud. Ant is cantankerous, Fly just tries so hard, and Flea is frightened for his life! The wordplay is genius, and the expressive faces and body language enhances the dialogue. I can’t wait for the third installment. A great readaloud choice beyond the little ones, first and second graders will love this story – my third grader laughs out loud when we read it together.

Posted in Early Reader, Fiction, Preschool Reads

Award-winning and hilarious: See the Cat

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

See the Cat, by David LaRochelle/Illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka, (Sept. 2020, Candlewick Press), $8.99, ISBN: 9781536204278

Ages 4-7

The 2021 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award-winner, See the Cat, hilariously breaks the fourth wall, a la Elephant and Piggie, with three stories starring a dog who really just wants to take a nap. In the first story, an unseen narrator tells a story about a cat who rides a unicorn while wearing a green dress. It’s a study in concepts and colors and Max, a dog, insists on each spread that he is nothing of the sort, leading to a laugh-out-loud conclusion. The second and third stories see Max learn how to manipulate a story that’s not going his way; the first, when an angry snake shows up, and the final story, when the narrator keeps pushing Max to do something he just doesn’t want to do. Adorably funny back-and forth dialogue between the main character and the narrator, like Snappsy the Alligator or This is a Taco!, make this a great read-aloud between two readers; if you’re going it solo during storytime, let your dramatic flag fly and have fun with voices and facial expressions! Gouache illustrations are cheerful, and Max’s cartoony exasperation will have readers giggling wildly. A must-have.

See the Cat has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Booklist.  Publisher Candlewick has free teacher tips (I love this offering) and a fun activity kit that I’ll be using as a grab-and-go book activity this week.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

It’s Soosie, the Horse Who Saved Shabbat!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Soosie: The Horse That Saved Shabbat, by Tami Lehman-Wilzig/Illustrated by Menahem Halbertstadt, (March 2021, Kalaniot Books), $19.99, ISBN: 9780998852775

Ages 4-8

This sweet Shabbat tale is inspired by a true story. Bakers Ezra and Esther have a bakery in Jerusalem, where they make delicious challahs for Shabbat. Their delivery boy, Jacob, and their horse, Soosie, take the challahs around Jerusalem, where everyone awaits their delicious Shabbat delivery. But one Friday, Jacob is too sick to make the challah rounds: what are Esther and Ezra to do? Jacob has the answer: Soosie can deliver the challahs! She knows the route! Worried, but knowing the bread must be delivered so that everyone can enjoy their Sabbath. Can Soosie save the day? A gentle story of friendship, Soosie: The Horse That Saved Shabbat is set in early 20th-century Jerusalem and brings the comfort and warmth of Shabbat to readers. The familial relationships between Ezra, Esther, Jacob and Soosie are so loving; Ezra and Esther care for Jacob as they would a family member, and they worry about Soosie as more than a work animal; they fret over her safe return, and they make sure she has her day of rest, as set forth in the Bible. Sound effects, like the clip-clop of Soosie’s hooves and the clink-clang of the coins in the money box are bright red and in a larger size font, providing some nice repetition for readers. An author’s note adds context to the story and provides more background on the Shabbat celebration. The artwork is expressive and friendly, and illustrations demonstrate the diversity of Jerusalem’s people. A charming story that would be a lovely addition to Shabbat gatherings.

Posted in professional development

Adventures in Readers Advisory: Celebrity Book Clubs

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Not kidlit related, but YA crossover into adult related.

My library still has grab-and-go service, so browsing is a challenge, especially for my senior patrons who may not have online access – or may not want it! That’s been the biggest frustration voiced by many of my patrons, for kids, teens, and adults alike: they miss browsing. We’ve taken some measures where we can, like putting up a browsing table behind the pick-up request area, where patrons can see look over some books and ask to see them. One of us library staff can head over, pluck the books, and hand ’em over. I’ve managed to get a lot of kids’ books circulated this way.

Remember when everyone and their aunt or uncle had a celebrity book club? When I first got the idea to promote celeb book club picks, I figured I’d have my pick of names to show off books for. Welp, it looks like most of those have dried up in the pandemic, but I found a few mainstays: Jenna Bush Hager for the Today Show, Good Morning America, Reese Witherspoon, and the original celeb book club powerhouse, Oprah Winfrey. Luckily for me, Oprah recommends four books for February and Jenna Bush Hager’s spotlighting two this month!

Easily created in Google Slides, it’s really just a book cover, blurb, and title of the slide. Place them around pickup areas to provide a browsing opportunity that won’t lead to folx spending a lot of time in the library (we have a max number patrons allowed in at a time), yet still providing them with some new books that they can request. For those of you with tech-savvy patrons, add a QR code that will link straight to the book detail page on your website and let patrons request the book right away. I doubt I’ve got these in the building at the moment (I’m writing this from home today), because the second a new book club pick is announced, the holds blow up, but if you have any copies in your location, keep them at your circ desk, ready to hand off to anyone who wants a copy to take home then and there.

Want to do these with kidlit? Why not? Here are a few I came up with today.

I’m sure more creative friends can do something even more exciting in Canva or Publisher. Share if you do, I’d love to see!

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Welcome to the world, Robobaby!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Robobaby, by David Wiesner, (Sept. 2020, Clarion Books), $17.99, ISBN: 9780544987319

Ages 4-7

Three-time Caldecott Medalist David Wiesner is back! Robobaby is the giggle-worthy story of the chaos a new baby brings to the family, set in a robot world. Baby Flange arrives at his family’s home; he’s got great packaging and he’s a big baby: 278 pounds! Big sister Cathode, nicknamed Cathy, is positively aglow at her brother, but no one is letting her help: until a series of hilarious catastrophes, that is! Remaining calm and relying on her tools and tech smarts, she manages to make sure updates are installed, instructions are followed, and brand new Robobaby is adorably – and correctly – assembled. Perfect for a STEM/STEAM storytime, this loving tribute to girls in science is also a great idea for Women’s History Month storytimes. The artwork is incandescent, with bright yellows and artistically placed shadows to provide depth and interest. Barely-controlled chaos reigns across the spreads, which you can play for laughs during a readaloud. Sparse text is relegated to word balloons from characters, further proving the David Wiesner doesn’t need words to tell a great story: he does all the talking with his artwork. Kids will recognize and enjoy the familiarity of new baby pandemonium: the relatives arriving en masse, everyone contributing opinions, and most importantly, kids being shuttled aside in the interest of letting the grownups talk. Having Cathode triumph over the adults to bond with her brother is such a lovely, respectful way to let kids know that we see them. Must-have for collections.

Robobaby has starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Booklist.
Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

More Multicultural Children’s Book Joy: A Gift for Amma

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

A Gift for Amma, by Meera Sriram/Illustrated by Mariona Cabassa, (Aug. 2020, Barefoot Books), $16.99, ISBN: 9781646860616

Ages 4-7

This is a concept book that hits all the right notes! Inspired by the author’s hometown of Chennai, India, A Gift for Amma follows a little girl as she explores a street market in Southern India, searching for a gift to bring home to her amma (mother). All the colors relate to objects the girl discovers in the marketplace: saffron orange strands, jasmine white blooms, green peacock feathers, all considerations for gifts, paired with necessities like herbs, sweets, and peppers. Bright, vibrant color decorate the spreads, inviting readers to surround themselves in the sights, smells, and textures of an Indian market. An exctiing new take on concepts with a gentle story about a little girl who loves her mother, I can’t say enough good things about A Gift for Amma. Back matter includes descriptions of what the girl found at the market, and a peek at five markets around the world.

I’d love to put together a sensory storytime that would invite kids to experience different textures… consider creating texture boards or boxes for each kiddo (safety first, right?) using cloth, feathers, plastic bowls, plush… anything you can think of for your kiddos to touch and enjoy! Consider fun crafts, like this peacock from Artsy Craftsy Mom, or this elephant from Activity Village.

A Gift for Amma has starred reviews from School Library Journal and Foreword Reviews.

 

The MCBD jazz:

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2021 (1/29/21) is in its 8th year! Thisnon-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen; two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those book into the hands of young readers and educators.Eight years in, MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves continues. Read about our Mission & History HERE.

MCBD 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Medallion Sponsors!

FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Prgamaticmom) and Valarie Budayr’s (Audreypress.com)Platinum Sponsors: Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 50+ Languages, Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media

Gold Sponsors: Barefoot Books, Candlewick Press, Capstone,Hoopoe Books,KidLitTV, Peachtree Publishing Company Inc.Silver Sponsors: Charlotte Riggle, Connecticut Association of School Librarians, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, Pack-N-Go GirlsBronze Sponsors: Agatha Rodi andAMELIE is IMPRESSED!, Barnes Brothers Books, Create and Educate Solutions, LLC, Dreambuilt Books, Dyesha and Triesha McCants/McCants Squared, Redfin Real Estate, Snowflake Stories, Star Bright Books, TimTimTom Bilingual Personalized Books, Author Vivian Kirkfield, Wisdom Tales Press, My Well Read Child

MCBD 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!

Poster Artist: Nat IwataAuthors: Author Afsaneh Moradian, Author Alva Sachs & Three Wishes Publishing Company, Author Angeliki Stamatopoulou-Pedersen, Author Anna Olswanger, Author Casey Bell, Author Claudine Norden, Author Debbie Dadey, Author DianaHuang & Intrepids,Author Eugenia Chu & Brandon goes to Beijing, Green Kids Club, Author Gwen Jackson, Author Janet Balletta, Author Josh Funk, Author Julia Inserro, Karter Johnson & Popcorn and Books, Author Kathleen Burkinshaw & The Last Cherry Blossom, Author Keila Dawson, Maya/Neel Adventures with Culture Groove, Author Mia Wenjen, Michael Genhart, Nancy Tupper Ling, Author Natalie Murray, Natalie McDonald-Perkins, Author Natasha Yim, Author Phe Lang and Me On The Page Publishing, Sandra Elaine Scott, Author Shoumi Sen & From The Toddler Diaries, SISSY GOES TINY by Rebecca Flansburg and B.A. Norrgard, Susan Schaefer Bernardo & Illustrator Courtenay Fletcher,Tales of the Five Enchanted Mermaids, Author Theresa Mackiewicz, Tonya Duncan and theSophie Washington Book Series, Author Toshia Stelivan, Valerie Williams-Sanchez & The Cocoa Kids Collection Books©, Author Vanessa Womack, MBA, Author Veronica Appleton & the Journey to Appleville book series

MCBD 2021 is Honored to be Supported by our CoHosts and Global CoHosts!

MCBD 2021 is Honored to be Supported by these Media Partners!

Check out MCBD’s Multicultural Books for Kids Pinterest Board!

FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day

Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and ParentsHomeschool Diverse Kidlit Booklist & Activity KitFREE Teacher Classroom Activism and Activists KitFREE Teacher Classroom Empathy KitFREE Teacher Classroom Kindness KitFREE Teacher Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Poverty KitGallery of Our Free PostersFREE Diversity Book for Classrooms Program

TWITTER PARTY! Register here!

Join us on Friday, Jan 29, 2021, at 9 pm EST for the 8th annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day Twitter Party!This epically fun and fast-paced hour includes multicultural book discussions, addressing timely issues, diverse book recommendations, & reading ideas.We will be giving away an 8-Book Bundle every 5 minutes plus Bonus Prizes as well! *** US and Global participants welcome. **Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation, connect with like-minded parts, authors,publishers, educators, organizations, and librarians. See you all very soon on Twitter!Hashtag: Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.

 

Posted in Middle Grade, Non-fiction

Happy Multicultural Children’s Book Day! Let’s visit Amazing Places!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

It’s Multicultural Children’s Book Day!! Every year, the books get more diverse, more joyful, more fun to read and explore. The book I received this year is from one of my favorite newer publishers, Barefoot Books. Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, this is a publisher that seeks out the diversity and the equity in everything they publish. I’m thrilled to talk up Amazing Places – read on!

Amazing Places, by Miralda Colombo/Illustrated by Beatrice Cerocchi,
(Sept. 2020, Barefoot Books), $19.99, ISBN: 9781646860678
Ages 8-12

Get ready to stamp your virtual passport with this fabulous tour through 15 of the world’s most incredible monuments! Amazing Places takes you around the world to visit breathtaking cities carved in sandstone (Petra, Jordan) and marvels of modern architecture (Sydney Opera House, Australia). See where gladiators battled (Colosseum, Italy) and visit giant, mysterious Moai statues that hold vigil across Easter Island. Loaded with facts and colorful illustrations, this is a treat for armchair travelers anywhere. Give this book to your kiddos who love Atlas Obscura, and A World of Cities by James Brown. Have printable passports ready for your kids; let them create their own passport stamps to color in their books. I really like this passport bundle from Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Designs, and this passport template from Ashley McKenzie, both available at Teachers Pay Teachers. Fun tip: mention to your Disney-loving Kiddos that Neuschwanstein Castle, featured in this book, inspired the castles in both Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty.

For fun activity extensions, check out Education.com and TeachersPayTeachers for activities about each of these sites – there are coloring sheets and activities all over the Internet, too! I think I may have to craft a folder full of activities to pair with this book… you know how I love my Program-In-A-Book, especially these days. Make a whole armchair travel program by diving into one or two sites a week, and find travel videos and books to read together. Find a country-related craft for each stop on the tour, too: create mandalas when you visit India, make a yarn painting to bring back from Mexico, make paper birds’ nests and snakes to commemorate your trip to Brazil. Learn something new with each turn of the page.

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2021 (1/29/21) is in its 8th year! This non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen; two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those book into the hands of young readers and educators.
Eight years in, MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves continues. Read about our Mission & History HERE.

MCBD 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Medallion Sponsors!

FOUNDER’S CIRCLE: Mia Wenjen (Prgamaticmom) and Valarie Budayr’s (Audreypress.com)

Platinum Sponsors: Language Lizard Bilingual Books in 50+ Languages, Author Deedee Cummings and Make A Way Media

Gold Sponsors: Barefoot Books, Candlewick Press, Capstone, Hoopoe Books, KidLitTV, Peachtree Publishing Company Inc.

Silver Sponsors: Charlotte Riggle, Connecticut Association of School Librarians, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, Pack-N-Go Girls

Bronze Sponsors: Agatha Rodi and AMELIE is IMPRESSED!, Barnes Brothers Books, Create and Educate Solutions, LLC, Dreambuilt Books, Dyesha and Triesha McCants/McCants Squared, Redfin Real Estate, Snowflake Stories, Star Bright Books, TimTimTom Bilingual Personalized Books, Author Vivian Kirkfield, Wisdom Tales Press, My Well Read Child

MCBD 2021 is honored to be Supported by these Author Sponsors!

Poster Artist: Nat Iwata

Authors: Author Afsaneh Moradian, Author Alva Sachs & Three Wishes Publishing Company, Author Angeliki Stamatopoulou-Pedersen, Author Anna Olswanger, Author Casey Bell , Author Claudine Norden, Author Debbie Dadey, Author Diana Huang & Intrepids, Author Eugenia Chu & Brandon goes to Beijing, Green Kids Club, Author Gwen Jackson, Author Janet Balletta, Author Josh Funk, Author Julia Inserro, Karter Johnson & Popcorn and Books, Author Kathleen Burkinshaw & The Last Cherry Blossom, Author Keila Dawson, Maya/Neel Adventures with Culture Groove, Author Mia Wenjen, Michael Genhart, Nancy Tupper Ling, Author Natalie Murray, Natalie McDonald-Perkins, Author Natasha Yim, Author Phe Lang and Me On The Page Publishing, Sandra Elaine Scott, Author Shoumi Sen & From The Toddler Diaries, SISSY GOES TINY by Rebecca Flansburg and B.A. Norrgard, Susan Schaefer Bernardo & Illustrator Courtenay Fletcher, Tales of the Five Enchanted Mermaids, Author Theresa Mackiewicz, Tonya Duncan and the Sophie Washington Book Series, Author Toshia Stelivan, Valerie Williams-Sanchez & The Cocoa Kids Collection Books©, Author Vanessa Womack, MBA, Author Veronica Appleton & the Journey to Appleville book series

MCBD 2021 is Honored to be Supported by our CoHosts and Global CoHosts!

MCBD 2021 is Honored to be Supported by these Media Partners!

Check out MCBD’s Multicultural Books for Kids Pinterest Board!

FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day

Diversity Book Lists & Activities for Teachers and Parents

Homeschool Diverse Kidlit Booklist & Activity Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Activism and Activists Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Empathy Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Kindness Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit

FREE Teacher Classroom Poverty Kit

Gallery of Our Free Posters

FREE Diversity Book for Classrooms Program

TWITTER PARTY! Register here!

Join us on Friday, Jan 29, 2021, at 9 pm EST for the 8th annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day Twitter Party!
This epically fun and fast-paced hour includes multicultural book discussions, addressing timely issues, diverse book recommendations, & reading ideas.
We will be giving away an 8-Book Bundle every 5 minutes plus Bonus Prizes as well! *** US and Global participants welcome. **
Follow the hashtag #ReadYourWorld to join the conversation, connect with like-minded parts, authors, publishers, educators, organizations, and librarians. See you all very soon on Twitter!
Hashtag: Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Blast off on the Sadie Sprocket Blog Tour!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Let’s hear it for Science Kids! I’ve got a rhyming STEM/STEAM story that’s going to rock(et) storytimes!

Sadie Sprocket Builds a Rocket, by Sue Fleiss/Illustrated by Annabel Tempest,
(Feb. 2021, Two Lions), $17.99, ISBN: 9781542018036
Ages 4-6

Sadie Sprocket is a little girl with a big wish: she wants to go to Mars! She maps out the distance, puts together a crew of her most trustworthy stuffed toys, and gets to work building a rocket. They blast off from Earth and arrive at Mars, where they take pictures and gather samples, but when it’s time to head back to Earth, there’s a problem: can Sadie get herself and her friends back home? Lively rhyme and adorably bright and friendly, cartoony artwork make this an eye-catching readaloud. Sadie is a smart cookie who knows how to plan a mission and lay out the problem in order to solve it – just like our Kiddos learn at school. Facts about Mars and women in space make up the back matter, and make this a phenomenal choice for Women’s History Month in March, too. Pair with Andrea Beaty’s Questioneers series, Sol Regwan’s Geraldine series, and Ken Wilson Max’s Astro Girl. Consider adding some Mars picture books, like Brianna Caplan Sayres’s Night Night Curiosity,  or Buzz Aldrin’s Welcome to Mars for Kids. Remind kids that nothing is out of reach by inviting them to create coffee filter planets after reading.

“Inspiring, adventurous fun for aspirational kids.” —Kirkus Reviews

Sue Fliess is the author of more than thirty children’s books, including Mrs. Claus Takes the Reins, illustrated by Mark Chambers; Shoes for Me!, A Dress for Me!, and Books for Me!, all illustrated by Mike Laughead; and Let’s Build, illustrated by Miki Sakamoto. She lives with her family and their two dogs in northern Virginia, where they admire the moon, stars, and sometimes even planets from their backyard. Learn more about Sue at www.suefliess.com.

On Twitter: @SueFliess 

Facebook: Sue Fliess Author 

Pinterest: Sue Fliess

Annabel Tempest is the illustrator of a number of picture books and board books. She holds a degree in fashion and textiles and has worked as a freelance illustrator on everything from maps and packaging to greeting cards and children’s books. She lives in the beautiful Somerset countryside in the UK with her husband and a houseful of muddy boys and dogs. Learn more about Annabel at www.annabeltempest.com.

On Instagram: annabel.tempest