Dianne White – Mom Read It

Baby and Toddler Storytime is the best time!

Posted on June 13, 2024June 12, 2024 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Since our children’s librarian is on vacation this week, I get to be a children’s librarian again – and boy, have I missed it. Today, I did our weekly storytime and I’m pretty sure I enjoyed it more than the kids. Here’s what we did:

Welcome Song: We Clap and Sing Hello
We clap and sing hello,
We clap and sing hello,
With our friends at storytime,
We clap and sing hello!
(Stomp and sing hello; jump and sing hello.)
Credit: Storytime Katie

It’s Your Time to Shine, by Dianne White/Illustrated by Nanette Regan, (March 2024, Little Simon), $8.99, ISBN: 9781665932035

Ages 0-3

The Littles enjoyed this story about a little girl growing up and learning that life is full of ups and downs: “Sometimes you’ll feel nervous, embarrassed, or small. / Soon you’re back on your feet with a smile, standing tall”. The child goes from a baby to a young woman, gaining confidence as she goes; she learns that it’s her time to shine and embrace all that she is. Adorable for a graduation or an inspirational readaloud, the verse is empowering and realistic, letting readers know that life is never a straight path, but it all contributes to building resilience and character, making us all ready for our moment to shine. Regan’s colorful illustration sets the characters and settings off against the white background of each page. The main character has light-brown skin and curly reddish-brown hair. A sweet addition to board book collections.

Song Break!

Active Rhyme: Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes

Bubble Bubble Pop (I pick colors the Littles are wearing to incorporate into my song)
One little red fish swimming in the water, swimming in the water, swimming in the water.
One little red fish swimming in the water, bubble, bubble, pop.
Two little blue fish swimming in the water, swimming in the water, swimming in the water.
Two little blue fish swimming in the water, bubble, bubble, pop.
Three little yellow fish swimming in the water, swimming in the water, swimming in the water.
Three little yellow fish swimming in the water, bubble, bubble, pop.
Credit: Jbrary

This Baby, That Baby, by Cari Best/Illustrated by Rashin Kheriyeh, (Feb. 2024, Anne Schwartz Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9780593564639

Ages 3-7

This went over so well! The story of two babies who live across from each other really clicked with my Littles. Two city-dwelling babies live in apartments across from one another on a “beep-beep street” and happily greet one another from their windows. The day goes on and the two play with their parents, have diaper changes, eat, and nap, only to discover each other on a walk in the afternoon. It’s a sweet story that reminds me of Mem Fox’s Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, with its joyful storytelling and recognizable moments in Baby’s day; having it set in a city, with all the “beep-beep streets”, “bumpy sidewalks”, and various neighbors visible in their windows, made it something the kids in my community can relate to. Best hits a homer with her descriptive storytelling, and Kheiriyeh’s mixed media illustration creates two adorable, expressive children and a cozy and bustling city. With starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and BookPage, this is a book that should be in your storytime collections.

Classics Song Break!

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

The Itsy Bitsy Spider

Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star

I finished up with Finding Grateful, which brought things to a gentle close. We brought storytime to an end with one final song – Yo Te Amo, courtesy of Jbrary – and then we did our Goodbye Rhyme, Tickle the Clouds, courtesy of Laptime Rhymes:

Tickle the clouds (we reach up high)
Tickle your toes (we reach down low)
Now reach up and tickle your nose (tickle noses, make a sneezing sound)
Reach down low (we reach down low)
Now reach up high (we reach up high)
Storytime’s over for now, so let’s wave goodbye! (wave goodbye)

That was it! My first storytime in a while, and I felt pretty good shaking the rust off. I’m hoping to fit some more storytime programming in during Summer Reading. I’ll keep you posted.

picture books, Preschool Reads

Finding Grateful any place, any time

Posted on April 24, 2024April 23, 2024 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Finding Grateful, by Dianne White/Illustrated by Faith Pray, (Apr. 2024, Chronicle Books), $17.99, ISBN: 9781797211237

Ages 5-7

A child and her mother embrace mindfulness and find gratitude in everything around them in this lyrical picture book that encourages readers to take time to enjoy the small moments: waving at neighbors, running barefoot in the grass and listening to a plane fly overhead, admiring dandelions push their way up through a crack in the pavement. Filled with poetic observations like “Mama says: / you don’t need a map / to find grateful”; “be where your feet are”; and “maybe grateful is a cold spray on a hot day”, Finding Grateful honors the small moments that too often go overlooked. Watercolor, crayon, pencil, and linoleum blocks create soft illustrations; the child centered in the spreads while life goes on around her in the background, giving readers a real sense delight and exploration. The child’s body movements are a celebration of discovery: hands thrown up, she runs through grass after she frees her feet from her sandals to be in touch with the grass; arms back as she runs forward, tongue out, she catches water from a sprinkler; arms thrust out in front of her, she greets a neighbor and holds out a flower. Finding Grateful is a wonderful introduction to small moment storytelling. A very good addition to storytime and picture book collections.

Finding Grateful has a starred review from Kirkus.

picture books, Preschool Reads

A walk through the evening: Dark on Light

Posted on December 28, 2022December 28, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Dark on Light, by Dianne White/Illustrated by Felicia Sala, (Dec. 2022, Beach Lane Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781534487895

Ages 3-8

Three siblings pull on their boots and grab a flashlight to go exploring in this quiet and lovely meditation on the nighttime world, written as a verse that makes for a wonderful readaloud. The siblings encounter the quiet beauty of a sleepy world awakening as they observe a mother deer and her fawn, lavender blooms, moss on trees underneath a dark sky, and nocturnal animals going about their evening. Returning home to their loving parents, they settle down for the night. The verse is delightfully spare and lyrical: “Inviting the trail. Timid the fawn. / Dark the hedge that borders the lawn”; “Silent the owl. Still the night. / Dark the meadow beneath his flight”. Watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil illustrations are sedate, moving from the deep reds and oranges of dusk and twilight to the midnight blues and deep greens of night The colorful surroundings never detract from the evening setting, keeping the reader in the story throughout. Night sky endpapers set the sleepy tone for the story. A very good addition to storytime collections. Display and booktalk with Lizi Boyd’s Flashlight.

Dark on Light has starred reviews from Kirkus and Publisher’s Weekly.

“This is a book capable of banishing nighttime fears, showing the night to be a time of wonder, exploration, and even comfort… Lilting, haunting, rhyming, and as unforgettable as a dream the daylight just can’t quite erase.”
— Kirkus Reviews, *STARRED REVIEW*, 9/15/2022

“Closing bedtime scenes in a shared bedroom embody warmth and security… in this quiet celebration of chiaroscuro in the natural world.”
— Publishers Weekly, *STARRED REVIEW*, 10/24/2022

Dianne White lives in Gilbert, Arizona, with her family. She is the author of Who Eats Orange?, Blue on Blue, Green on Green, and Dark on Light.

Felicita Sala is a self-taught illustrator and painter. She has a degree in philosophy from the University of Western Australia. She now lives and works in Rome. She draws inspiration from nature, children, mid-century illustration, folk art, and architecture.

picture books, Preschool Reads

Welcoming Winter: Winter Lullaby

Posted on December 24, 2021December 23, 2021 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Winter Lullaby, by Dianne White/Illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki, (Dec. 2021, Candlewick Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781536209198

Ages 3-8

I’ve been on a bedtime story kick lately; I must be missing the days I put my own littles (not-so little now) to bed with a story or 3… or 4. This latest lullaby centers on Small Bear, who doesn’t understand – despite the snow falling to the ground! – why he has to get ready to sleep the winter away. After all, he’s seeing other friends running around, like Mouse, Skunk, and Hare; why can’t he stay up? Mama patiently explains each time that each of the animals is preparing for their own winter nap, whether they are gathering food or finding a warm, comfortable spot to bed down. She soothes Small Bear’s frustration by promising that they’ll wake up to a beautiful, green spring, and they’ll spend brighter, warmer days at play. But for now, it’s time to dream. Kids and caregivers alike will recognize Small Bear’s resistance to bedtime, and pointing out the injustice of having to go to sleep while other kids get to stay up. Rhyming couplets add a soothing cadence to a readaloud, and the digital artwork has gorgeous texture, using cool and warm winter colors to bring the story to life. Different sized fonts alert readers to the change between Mama Bear and Small Bear’s dialogue. Mama and Small Bear are playfully affectionate. Illustrations and verse teach readers about various animal homes as we see skunks bed down underground, hares sleeping in a hollowed out tree, and badgers snuggling in their dens. Pair with the humorous Hush Up and Hibernate! by Sandra Markle (2018) for a hibernation storytime or lesson. Author Dianne White has an activity kit for Winter Lullaby available on her website.

picture books, Preschool Reads

Blog Tour: Sometimes A Wall…

Posted on October 20, 2020October 9, 2020 by Rosemary Kiladitis

A group of children play with walls, both figurative and literal, at the neighborhood playground in this rhyming picture book that explores the feelings that come up when walls enter the conversation. Walls have been a big topic of discussion in our adult lives over the last few years, and a book like Sometimes a Wall… helps put things into perspective for children AND adults.

Sometimes A Wall, by Dianne White/Illustrated by Barroux,
(Oct. 2020, OwlKids), $19.95, ISBN: 9781771473736
Ages 3-7

There are so many walls at the playground! A sprinkler can make a spill wall; kids can climb a rock wall. These are walls that invite people to work together, to play together. But some walls come between people, as one child finds out when friends make a wall to hide behind, taunting and being cruel to those left out. Being behind a wall gives children a different point of view, as we see one child adopt a crown and refuse to play with others entirely, and then we discover that walls can separate and bring feelings of isolation and regret. But these kids can look at a wall as a new opportunity, and decide to make it a structure that welcomes everyone in the end. Some paint and a feeling of community is all it takes to mend walls and hearts.

The story is touching, using few words, but they are words that wield power, especially when paired with Barroux’s colorful artwork. When the children work together, there’s color and happy faces; when the wall initially goes up, the landscape is dominated by the giant gray wall, giving the children’s cruel facial expressions even more menace; putting a gray cloud around the child left brings a sadness to their posture and to the reader. The artwork and text work beautifully together, never overwhelming the page or the reader, to tell a moving story as eloquently and simply as possible.

A wonderful book to have ready to read to younger children, and a good choice to have available for school-age children, to start important discussions.

A conversation with a friend got author Dianne White thinking about different kinds of walls, both physical and metaphorical. Sometimes a Wall… is an exploration of these, and, with it, an invitation to take down barriers and find common ground. Dianne’s other books include Green on Green and Who Eats Orange? A long-time elementary school teacher, she lives with her family in Gilbert, Arizona. To learn more, and to download discussion guides and more, visit Dianne’s website at DianneWrites.com. You can follow her on Twitter @diannewrites or on Facebook.

Barroux lives in Paris, France, and has studied photography, art, sculpture, and architecture. His work has been published in The New York Times and The Washington Post. He believes that the world needs fewer walls and more trees. You can follow him on Instagram @barrouxillustrations.

“Rhyme, rhythm, and simple art – all including references to walls – show children expressing different emotions and behaviors… Mending walls for the nursery crowd.” – Kirkus Reviews

Author Dianne White has put together a fantastic packet of information for readers, parents, and educators:

The “Why” Behind the Book

A Letter to Parents and Educators

A Letter to Young Readers

Discussion Guide

Sometimes a Wall… Discussion Guide

A lesson in 3 Movements…

Intro to the Unit (PLEASE READ FIRST!)

What’s Different About Reading Wordless/Nearly Wordless Picture Books?

1st Movement: TOGETHER (I Walk With Vanessa by Kerascoët)

2nd Movement: APART (Draw the Line by Kathryn Otoshi)

3rd Movement: REGRET. NEW START? (Sometimes a Wall… by Dianne White, illustrated by Barroux)

Coloring Pages for Younger Students

We Are Kind coloring page

Be Kind coloring page

picture books, Preschool Reads

Book Birthday: Who Eats Orange?

Posted on August 14, 2018August 13, 2018 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Who Eats Orange?, by Dianne White/Illustrated by Robin Page, (Aug. 2018, Simon & Schuster Kids), $17.99, ISBN: 9781534404083

Ages 3-6

Need a fun, new concept book on your shelves? Who Eats Orange looks at the eating habits of animals from bunnies to bears. Four animals eat one color, and the fifth doesn’t – but eats a different color, which brings us into the next group of animals. There’s quite a bit of information, broken down into simple, easily understandable bites, to be found here: colors, animals and what they eat, and their habitats: “Who eats orange? Bunnies in their hutches do. / Chickens in the henhouse too. / Who else eats orange? Goats. / Pigs. Gorillas too. Gorillas? NO! The repetitive text pattern gets kids ready; they’ll learn quickly who doesn’t eat a chosen color, and join in with a hearty “NO!” when the time comes. The text brings things right back to kids, encouraging them to eat the rainbow, with a colorful spread of fruits and vegetables. The back matter organizes the animals, and their foods, by habitat (farm, Africa, ocean, forest, rainforest, tundra) and provides more information on animals and their culinary tastes.

The digital art is wonderful; reminiscent of one of my favorite realistic animal artists, Steve Jenkins. (Robin Page also dedicates the book to Steve Jenkins, which was pretty great to see.) The vivid artwork stand out against stark white backgrounds, inviting readers to imagine the roughness of a hippo or the bushy fur of a fox and marmot. The faces are gentle, with expressive eyes that will draw storytime fans right in. It’s such an interactive book, with opportunities to get the kids talking about animals, food, and color. There’s an activity kit available for download that comes with animals masks to cut out, a rainbow recipe, and writing activities.

I read Who Eats Orange, along with one of my old favorites, Who Hops?, to my 6-year-old. Who Hops? works in a similar manner, introducing different animals who hop, swim, crawl… and then one animal that obviously cannot! Anyway, we had big laughs, he pronounced Who Eats Orange “so much fun”, and laughed at me when I suggested he start eating the rainbow with me. Hey, I tried.

Who Eats Orange is way too much fun for toddlers and preschoolers! A fun add to concepts and animal collections, and a good gift book for rising preschoolers and kindergarteners.