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

Indie author/publisher spotlight!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’m back with more independently published authors! You’ve seen them here before: both Lois Wickstrom and Riya Aarini have been kind enough to share their books with me in the past, and I’m happy to feature more of their books today. Let’s see what Carefree Ollie and Alex the Inventory are up to, and meet some new friends along the way.

How to Make a Flying Carpet, by Lois Wickstrom/Illustrated by Janet King, (November 2020, Independently Published),  $24.99, ISBN: 978-0916176778

Ages 7-11

Alex is a girl who likes science and likes repurposing broken things, so when a frog magnet falls from her refrigerator and breaks, she sees opportunity. Taking the magnet, she discovers that she can rescue her father’s key from the heating vent where it fell, and she can make paper clips dance. She begins experimenting with the magnets to find out what else she can do, and when she discovers a cache of magnets in the garage, she gets an idea… can she use the repelling powers of magnets to make a real flying carpet? Filled with fun and easily creatable experiment with magnets, How to Make a Flying Carpet is a fun STEM/STEAM story that will work really well with a science club/Discovery Club. The illustrations help kids visualize how to work with magnets, especially in a household setting: super-helpful these days, when finding things around the house is the best way to keep kids busy during remote and blended learning days! Alex’s interest in learning and in expanding the scope of her experiments will motivate kids to dig deeper and embrace the fun in learning. If you’re interested in more magnet experiments, Babble Dabble Do has four easy magnet experiments that you can easily do with household items or with a quick trip to the 99-cent store.

Visit author Lois Wickstrom’s website, Look Under Rocks, for more information about her books, including What Do the Plants Say?, her first Alex the Inventor story.

 

Ollie’s Garden (Carefree Ollie #3), by Riya Aarini/Illustrated by Virvalle Caravallo, (Nov. 2020, Independently Published), $15.99, ISBN: 978-1735347325

Ages 6-10

Carefree Ollie has to negotiate between bickering groups of animals in his garden kingdom in his latest adventure. The orange ladybugs won’t let the red ladybugs near the daisies; frogs are chasing toads away from the water because they “ribbit” while toads “croak”; chipmunks and squirrels are quarreling over their tails. With Ollie’s garden kingdom in chaos, it’s up to him to stop the fighting and help bring peace, tolerance, and understanding to the kingdom once more.  A sweet parable on equity, diversity, and inclusion, Ollie’s Garden is a good way to approach embracing our differences and how those differences make us wonderful. Digital artwork is kid-friendly and colorful, and the storytelling is a good starting point for your own discussions about how diversity makes us stronger.

Education.com has some great activities on diversity, including a Kindergarten lesson plan on Appreciating Diversity, a second grade lesson plan on Appreciating Diversity and Differences, and a Welcome All activity for Kindergarten and first graders that helps develop an appreciation for differences and building social awareness.

 

Sam and Sophie, by Kerry Olitzky/Illustrated by Jen Hernandez, (March 2021, Higher Ground Books & Media), $12.99, ISBN: 978-1949798838

Ages 3-7

Sam has just become a big brother to baby sister Sophie, but he’s frustrated. There doesn’t seem to be much time or energy left over for him, and he’s not happy with all the attention baby Sophie is getting. But when Baby Sophie gets sick, Sam finds himself worrying and trying to make her happy and feel better. A moving story that grows from the Jewish tradition of planting a tree when a new child is born, Sam and Sophie includes back matter on the tradition and on trees, people, and their relationship to God. Mixed media artwork has a manga influence. Sam and Sophie is a good book to begin a talk on sibling jealousy and how to navigate complicated feelings that arise when a new baby arrives.

Posted in Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

The cutest board books for your storytimes!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’m back with more board books, and this trio has been vetted as insanely adorable by my colleagues. It was an informal vote, but an enthusiastic one, as I debuted them during a meeting last week. They’ve also been approved by my dog, who is desperate to treat them (and my fingers) as a chew toy, so make of that what you will.

Baby Narwhal: Finger Puppet Book, Illustrated by Yu-Hsuan Huang, (March 2021, Chronicle Books), $7.99, ISBN: 9781797205656

Ages 0-3

An addition to the Baby Animal Finger Puppet Book series from Chronicle, Baby Narwhal is a chunky, small board book that can easily fit in your pocket or bag, and make for a great little storytime anywhere, anytime. Baby Narwhal learns to swim through the water hunt for fish, plays with friends, and heads off for a nap. A plush Baby Narwhal finger puppet lets readers poke a finger through to let the narwhal interact with readers and the story. It’s wonderful for children to explore through touch, and it’s an easy little book to tote around to keep toddlers busy while out and about. Simple sentences make this a simple story to soothe fussy littles, and the plush puppet is soft and snuggly. Absolute fun for babies, toddlers, and rising preschoolers.

 

Baby Otter: Finger Puppet Book, Illustrated by Yu-Hsuan Huang, (March 2021, Chronicle Books), $7.99, ISBN: 9781797205663

Ages 0-3

Baby Otter is another finger puppet book in the Baby Animals Finger Puppet series, and just as adorable. Baby Otter plays, looks for food, swims, grooms herself, and snuggles down for sleepy time in this small board book that holds up to multiple readings. I also gave Otter a little bit of a scrub with a soapy washcloth, and she comes clean very easily, too – super helpful if you have teething babies and toddlers! Colorful cartoon illustrations get little ones’ attention, but the star of the show is the finger puppet, smack in the middle of the page. The Baby Animals board books are a fun little library to put together for your Kiddos.

 

Baby Narwhal: Kid-Tested, Doggo Approved.

 

Hug Me Little Puppy: Finger Puppet Book, by Chronicle Books, (March 2021, Chronicle Books), $9.99, ISBN: 9781797205700

Ages 0-3

A finger puppet book that encourages kids to interact with the character, Hug Me Little Puppy is all about the love between a caregiver and child. Big Puppy plays, finds treats to share, carries, and hugs Little Puppy in this board book that comes with huggable arms for readers to use to play along. Great for a lapsit where you can hug and snuggle your own little ones, Hug Me Little Puppy is soft, and adorable, perfect for babies and toddlers. One-sentence spreads make this a great story for emerging readers, too – what better way to learn new words than by learning words about love and fun?

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Mindi and the Goose No One Else Could See looks at childhood anxiety

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Mindi and the Goose No One Else Could See, by Sam McBratney/Illustrated by Linda Ólafsdóttir, (March 2021, Candlewick Press), $16.99, ISBN: 9781536212815

Ages 3-7

A young girl named Mindi is afraid of an invisible goose in her room. Her parents do their best to ease her fears, to no avail. Mindi’s father brings Mindi to visit Austen, a wise farmer who has a wonderful, gentle way to get that goose out of Mindi’s room. Sam McBratney, author of the childhood classic Guess How Much I Love You (1994), created a kind, gentle story about listening to children and understanding childhood fears and anxiety. The author, who passed away last year, had an intuitive way of telling stories that allow children to see themselves, and a wonderful way of showing adults how to put themselves in a child’s place and see the world through their eyes. Linda Ólafsdóttir’s mixed media artwork brings soft colors and gentle artwork to this wonderful story.

Mindi and the Goose No One Else Could See has a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

Posted in picture books

Women to Know: Sarah Gerhardt, Surfer

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Sarah and the Big Wave, by Bonnie Tsui/Illustrated by Sophie Diao, (May 2021, Henry Holt & Co), $18.99, ISBN: 9781250239488

Ages 4-8

Sarah Gerhardt, one of the first female big-wave surfers and the first female to surf Mavericks, an infamous big-wave surf break in California, has her moment in this picture book biography. Sarah’s story begins in Hawaii, where she began surfing small waves as a young girl, working her way up to larger waves and finessing her technique. The story touches on the sexism she encountered, and the joy of finding a group of friends to surf with. Working her way from Hawaii to California, Sarah is ready for the next challenge: The Mavericks, also called “Mount Everest meets Niagara Falls”. An inspiring story for young women about meeting challenges, readers will enjoy meeting Sarah Gerhardt. Talk about mindful practices she uses, like breathing and counting, to help readers understand the need to put oneself in a calm frame of mind when up against hurdles in life. Back matter includes a timeline in the history of women and surfing, going back to the 17th century and famed Hawaiian princess Kaneamuna! Illustrations are simply beautiful, with deep blues and greens inviting readers to embrace the ocean, and action shots of Sarah Gerhardt are dynamic.

There are some good resources on Sarah Gerhardt for more discussion. Keep some of these articles handy for anyone interested in learning more: “Sarah Gerhardt on Big-Wave Surfing in a Man’s World” (Outside magazine, 2018);  “Women in the Wild: Sarah Gerhardt” (The Outdoor Project, 2019); “Titans of Mavericks: Sarah Gerhardt” (Titans of Mavericks), and “Sarah Gerhardt: Girl Meets Mavericks (Visit California, 2021).

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Jory John is sure that Something’s Wrong… but what could it be?

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Jory John has a new picture book coming out and it is laugh-out-loud hilarious and so sweet. Something’s Wrong – the story of “A Bear, A Hare, and Some Underwear”, is read-aloud, sight gag GOLD. Don’t believe me? Take a look at this trailer.

I’ve got Something Wrong mini-celebrations going on all week – watch this space and join the fun!

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

Outdoor School is in session!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’m excited to be a super influencer in Macmillan and Odd Dot’s Outdoor School campaign! Outdoor School is a series of books that’s going to help kids (and us grownups!) “re-wild” our lives, by helping reacquaint us with the outdoors and the world around us. Launching at the end of April, Outdoor School will have three definitive, interactive nature guides: Animal Watching; Rock, Fossil, and Shell Hunting, and Hiking and Camping. There are also two smaller, pocket Essentials Guides on Animal Tracks and Survival Skills; made with durable Tyvek material, these little guides are waterproof and tear-proof. Finally, there are Spot and Sticker books on Animals, Plants, and Birds, each with over 400 illustrated stickers for kids to use as decoration; plus, the book folds out into a checklist poster where kids can keep track of animals they discover along the way.

It’s been a heck of a year, and one thing we have started doing more is embracing the outdoors. I know, during the initial lockdown, we started walking around more because it was somewhere to go, somewhere to be able to see our friends and let my Kiddo run around and have while being able to keep a safe distance. Being able to take this a step further, with these guide books and sticker books, will make the spring and summer even more fun for my Kiddo and for my library kiddos: think of your local green spaces, like public parks. Think of local wildlife – we found raccoon footprints the cement over by a house near Kiddos’s school, which made us laugh, thinking about a raccoon leaving his little mark on wet cement in the middle of an urban borough. These books are beautifully constructed, with colorful pages and artwork, and it fosters a real respect for and love of the outside.

This is just the beginning of the promotion, so keep an eye out for lots more content and challenges until the books publish at the end of April. Watch this space for more.

Posted in Animal Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Fiction, Humor, Intermediate, Middle Grade

Kitty Sweet Tooth serves up movies and magic candy!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Kitty Sweet Tooth, by Abby Denson/Illustrated by Utomaru, (Apr. 2021, First Second), $17.99, ISBN: 9781250196774

Ages 6-10

Kitty Sweet Tooth is a cat who loves candy and movies, so when her Pop-Pop gives her the chance to realize her dream of running a combination restaurant and movie house, she is thrilled! With the help of magical candy makers, she’s off and running. But playing with magic is never easy, so when the creations start taking on lives of their own, Kitty and her viewers all get a little more than they bargained for! Manic, adorable, and just plain fun, Kitty Sweet Tooth is perfect graphic novel reading for younger readers who love a good, silly story. The artwork is bright and jumps off the page, enchanting readers with magical food like crepes that grow into waving towers, rainbow chips that give the snacker their own case of the stripes, or blooming tea and scones that grow into a veritable garden inside the theatre! Luckily for Kitty, her customers love it all! This is the first in a new series of adventures for intermediate readers. Back matter lets readers create their own candy-making magic with an illustrated recipe for rock candy, including step-by-step instructions, ingredients, and a suggestion to seek grownup help.

 

 

Posted in Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Board Book Bonanza!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I haven’t done a board book bonanza in a while, so let’s get right to it! There are OODLES of great board books out and hitting shelves soon, so make sure you have your collections ready for your littlest learners!

Surprise! Slide and Play Shapes, by Elsa Fouquier, (Feb. 2021, Twirl Books), $14.99, ISBN: 9782408024697

Ages 0-3

Way too much fun! A cat goes on an adventure in this adorable book with chunky sliding panels and colorful spreads. Readers can twist, push, wiggle, and slide colorful shaped blocks to reveal hidden panels that pop up to delight and surprise: Make birds fly, shoot stars into the sky, grow a tree, and reveal a happy rainbow. Sturdy pages will hold up to multiple readings; if your budget allows, buy two: the kids will thank you.

 

Sleep, Cat, Sleep!, by Antje Damm, (March 2021, Prestel), $9.95, ISBN: 9783791374482

Ages 0-3

This board book about a cat who wants to go to sleep is perfect for naptime and bedtime. Cat want to have a nap, but the reader’s woken him up by opening the book! With every turn of the page, sleepy cat just gets grumpier… but, wait! Cat notices YOU look a bit sleepy, too… would you like to take a nap together? Sleep, Cat, Sleep! is a silly, funny way to nudge readers toward a nap: toddlers will see themselves in a grumpy cat who doesn’t want to be woke up once he falls asleep, and they’ll also appreciate cat’s expressive facial expressions. Ask your little ones if they want to peek in and see Cat, but that they mustn’t wake him… and watch the giggles begin. If you’ve ever read Grover and the Monster at the End of the Book, you know what to do here. Colorful spreads and playful fonts will make this a book your littles will come back to often.

 

Sharing, by Alice Le Hénand/Illustrated by Thierry Bedouet, (Feb. 2021, Twirl Books), $12.99, ISBN: 9782408019716

Ages 0-3

Twirl’s Pull and Play books teach toddlers and preschoolers valuable social and emotional skills. In Sharing, Little Bear, Little Cat, and their friends are learning how to share. It’s not always easy, but thank goodness their grownups are there to help support them! Little Crocodile isn’t so sure about sharing his car with Little Kangaroo, but when Mom suggests letting Little Kangaroo play with another toy while he’s got the car, the two friends even figure out a game to play together. Little Kangaroo doesn’t really want to give up space on Mama’s lap, even for her baby brother, but Mama encourages her to scoot over, showing her that there’s room for both. Each spread has a pull tab that shows readers the before and after effects of sharing, and straightforward, simple text helps guide parents through the not-so-easy work of negotiation. The books are durable, the illustrations are colorful, and the characters are expressive. Great additions to your social-emotional learning collections.

 

Pacifier, by Alice Le Hénand/Illustrated by Thierry Bedouet, (Feb. 2021, Twirl Books), $12.99, ISBN: 9782408024611

Ages 0-3

Another addition in the Pull and Play series from Twirl, Pacifier is all about the big moment: moving away from the pacifier. Little Bear, Little Crocodile, and their friends still use their pacifiers, but their parents encourage them to leave them behind, little by little: a slow, gradual separation; say, to take a walk or go play outside. Parents encourage their little ones to think about whether or not they want to use the pacifier any more, or mention that sometimes, the pacifier is a hindrance, making it harder to be understood when speaking. When the children all leave their pacifiers behind, even for a little while, the parents cheer their children on! They’ve taken big kid steps today! Pull tabs show each character with the pacifier and in the process of putting it away. Straightforward text helps give adult caregivers easy ways to talk to children about the process of separating from the pacifier. Pull and Play Books are all about support, encouragement, and empowering our children, making them a good addition to your collections. There are nine other books in the Pull and Play collection, covering a wide range of topics for toddlers, including potty training, feelings, siblings, and saying please and thank you.

 

Drive the Race Car, Illustrated by Dave Mottram, (March 2021, Chronicle Books), $9.99, ISBN: 9781452178868

Drive the Fire Truck, Illustrated by Dave Mottram, (March 2021, Chronicle Books), $9.99, ISBN: 9781452178851

Ages 0-3

We’ve got a twofer here, with Dave Mottram’s super-cute Drive the Car books! The wheel-shaped books open up to let little hold onto the book like a steering wheel and play as their grownup reads the rhyming stories of a day in the life of a race car and a fire truck. Each spread lets the reader imagine themselves behind the wheel of a vehicle, watching the action take place from the dashboard.  The race car puts the reader on a race track, where they can see other cars they’re racing against. They can pretend to press the buttons on the dashboard and make all the fun sound effects of a race car on the move!

Drive the Fire Truck! puts the reader in the driver’s seat of a fire truck as a call comes in: there’s a fire and they have to go to the rescue! The dashboard shows readers button including the siren, horn, and the radio, all of which come into play throughout the story. The action on the streets unfolds in front of the reader as they see the black smoke, and drive toward the fire. Perfect for lapsits, and if you’re able to secure copies for a few families to read their own copies during the storytime, even better. If you’re doing a virtual storytime, this comes in handy: hold the book up and let the readers imagine they’re at the wheel as you read.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Art Storytimes to Inspire your Little Artists

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

When you start off a day with a post about Frida Kahlo, you’re going to have art on your mind for the rest of the day. At least that’s how I’m wired. So I dove into my TBR and came up with a handful of art books to inspire your little ones.

Hide-and-Seek with Little Hippo, by Géraldine Elschner/Illustrated by Anja Klauss,
(Feb. 2021, Schiffer Kids), $8.99, ISBN: 9780764361111
Ages 0-6

This is a board book in one of Schiffer Kids’s new series, First Steps in Art. Inspired by a different work of art, each of these books weaves a little adventure, with concepts and an explanation of the piece that inspired the book. It’s such a great idea! Hide-and-Seek with Little Hippo is inspired by an ancient Egyptian figurine (pictured on the back cover); the story is a counting, color concept story about Little Hippo, who loves playing hide-amd-seek with his friend, Butterfly.  The story is colorful, bright, and so cheery and a brief explanation of Little Hippo’s origins at the end provides a nice little art history lesson for emerging readers. Pair the First Steps in Art books with Schiffer’s Lily series for an art storytime your little will love.

 

 

Antoinette the Tree Frog, by Géraldine Elschner, Illustrated by Xavière Devos,
(Feb. 2021, Schiffer Kids), $8.99, ISBN: 9780764361104
Ages 0-6

The next First Steps in Art book is all about impressionism: Antoinette the Tree Frog is inspired by Claude Monet’s beautiful water lilies. Little Antoinette is a tree frog, happily napping on a water lily as Mr. Claude paints nearby. A gust of winds blows his straw hat away, and a magpie tries to grab it, until Antoinette makes a fuss! When the magpie drops the hat, Antoinette discovers a comfortable new place to nap. A word about Claude Monet’s garden concludes the story. The artwork is soft, gentle, with Monet’s Impressionist influences apparent in the light color work and pastoral setting. Monet makes a cameo in this story, a painter sitting on a stool by the water, his watercolor canvas featuring his beloved water lilies. A very sweet story for young and emerging readers. I’m looking forward to seeing what other stories we’ll get from this series! Can you imagine a Halloween story from Edvard Munch? A story featuring Andy Warhol, or Roy Lichtenstein’s pop art?

 

A Purr-Fect Painting: Matisse’s Other Great Cat, by Joan Waites,
(May 2021, Schiffer Kids), $16.99, ISBN: 9780764361128
Ages 5-8

Inspired by artist Henri Matisse’s cats and the illness that spurred his paper-cut art, A Purr-Fect Painting: Matisse’s Other Cat is an adorable story of La Puce, one of Mattise’s three cats. La Puce seems to be the most artistically-minded of Matisse’s cats; he’s the feline that sits with Matisse, watching him create art, while Minouche and Coussi sleep in the sunlight or get in trouble. When Matisse falls ill and is confined to his bed, La Puce thinks of ways to inspire his master to create art again. Henri may not be able to pick up his paintbrushes, but when La Puce makes a mess, Matisse sees potential in the brightly colored splashes of paint that go flying: and calls to his assistants to bring him painted sheets of paper and scissors! A colorful, kind-hearted story about love and art, A Purr-Fect Painting is an adorable readaloud for budding artists and cat lovers alike.

 

Need more inspiration? Here are more books inspired by art!

Posted in picture books

Women to Know: Frida Kahlo

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Two Fridas: Memories Written by Frida Kahlo, Illustrated by Gianluca Folì, (March 2021, Schiffer Kids), $18.99, ISBN: 9780764361166

Ages 5-8

When most people think of Frida Kahlo, they usually think of adult Frida, with flowers in her hair and thick eyebrows. Maybe they’ll think of her love for animals and her many pets. The Two Fridas, taken from the artist’s own diary, introduces readers to a younger Frida; a child who creates an imaginary friend and a fantasy world. The “other” Frida is a friend that will always listen to Frida’s “secret problems” and will always play and laugh with her. The Two Fridas is a peek into a child’s imaginary world; artwork in shades of grey, black and white has minimal, quiet color to emphasize Frida’s journey into her fantasy world. At the conclusion, we realize that this is Frida’s own recollection, as the art moves into an artist’s workroom, with the Frida people have come to know, seated and working on a self-portrait. The Two Fridas lets children know that it’s okay to have an imaginary place to go, an imaginary friend to spend time with, and to take that joy with you into adulthood. A biographical note on Kahlo talks about the artist’s relationship to her sisters, the ailments that kept Frida home, even bedridden, and the imaginary friend that meant so much to her that she dedicated a painting to her in 1939. Originally published in Spanish in 2019, The Two Fridas provides a new look at an iconic artist.

For more information about Frida Kahlo, visit The Frida Kahlo Foundation and The Blue House, the museum located in Frida’s former residence.  The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has a page dedicated to her. Education.com has a free, downloadable biography worksheet on the artist, and Teachers Pay Teachers has many free activities for all ages, including Llamame Spanish’s Spanish-language biography worksheet, Art with Mrs E’s coloring sheet, Lindsey Carter’s Frida paper doll, and Fun for Spanish Teacher’s presentation.