Tag: illustrated

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Can it be true? Nobody Likes the Easter Bunny?

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Say it ain’t so! A chick starts off this book with a giant pronouncement: “Nobody likes the Easter Bunny. He’s eggstremely disappointing”. Does this chick have an ulterior motive? Like, maybe they think chicks are better?

Nobody Likes the Easter Bunny, by Karen Kilpatrick/Illustrated by Germán Blanco,
(March 2022, Genius Cat Books), $14.99, ISBN: 9781938447266

Ages 3-7

In this fun and educational Easter story, a chick breaks down why the Easter Bunny isn’t as great as a chick: they only come around once a year; they hide eggs so you can’t find them; they get all the attention! But a group of kids is there to debunk Chick’s protestations, showing the Chick – and readers! – why both Chicks AND Easter Bunnies are pretty excellent. Back matter includes factual information on both chickens and bunnies, including this “Easter Egger” fact about chickens that I never knew! Artwork is vibrant, boldly outlined, and playful. All in all, a playful Easter story with some fun facts about chickens and rabbits. Pair these with the “How to Catch” series by Adam Wallace (which includes How to Catch an Easter Bunny!)

Nobody Likes the Easter Bunny is part of the “Nobody Likes the…” series from Karen Kilpatrick.  You can find Nobody Likes Unicorns at the Genius Cat website, and Nobody Likes Mermaids is coming soon. The Genius Cat website has free downloadable resources, including free books, activities, and lesson plans.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

Self-publishing/Indie publishing spotlight!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’ve got some more self-published and indie publishing books to crow about today!

 

Magic Wanda (Grandma’s Closet #3), by Lois Wickstrom/Illustrated by Francie Mion, (Nov. 2020, Look Under Rocks), $12.99, ISBN: 978-0916176792

Ages 4-7

Lois Wickstrom followed up her 2019 story, Carrie’s Flight, with another fun fantasy about a little girl named Carrie, her grandmother, and some magical flowers. Carrie discovers a box with “Wandas” written on it, so she opens it: there are flowers in the box, but what’s a Wanda? She videochats Grandma, who tells her that the flowers are Magic Wandas, and can help her get ready for her mother’s party. The flowers – named Rose, Lily, and Daisy – come to life and play with Carrie, turning into anything she wishes for. Will she be ready for her mom’s party in time if she keeps playing with the Wandas? A fun little fantasy for preschoolers and kindergartners. There’s a positive, playful relationship between Carrie and her grandmother, and I like the use of videochat to show the two staying in touch. Grandma always seems to have some magical fun up her sleeve, which adds to the enjoyment and might even prompt a child or two to see their grandparents a little differently: after all, who knows what magic they have to share? Soft pastel illustrations add to the gentle magic of the story, and fonts play with words to add interest.

 

 

Dinopotamus Solves a Mystery, by Lois Wickstrom, (Dec. 2020, Look Under Rocks), $12.99, ISBN: 978-0916176884

Ages 3-7

Dinopotamus is a friendly dinosaur-hippopotamus hybrid that likes to sleep in the classroom where he spends his day. He notices that he always gets the warm spot in the room, but when he decides to let the chilly students have his spot the next day, because they’re chilly, the spot isn’t warm anymore. Why is it always warm where Dinopotamus sleeps? This fun little STEM-based mystery looks at the science behind heat and energy. Dinopotamus Solves a Mystery is one of five Dinopotamus books by Lois Wickstrom.

Education.com has a heat transfer activity that’s a good place to start when explaining heat transfer; the activity is suggested for 2nd graders, but you can demonstrate it for younger ages.

 

 

 

Hannah’s Two Homes, by Melodie Tegay, (May 2018), $7.99, ISBN: 978-1641334747

Ages 3-5

Hannah is a 5-year-old girl whose parents are divorced and remarried. In simple, easy-to-understand sentences, Hannah describes her life with her parents and her “extra daddy” and “extra mommy”, her younger siblings, pets, and family holidays. Her Christian mother and Jewish father celebrate holidays like Passover and Easter, Christmas and Hanukkah, in their homes with Hannah; the whole family come together to celebrate Hannah’s birthday. Hannah knows that she’s always loved, no matter who’s house she’s living in. A good beginning for younger readers to understand what it means when parents divorce: that there’s always a place for them, that sometimes, parents will marry other people and have other children, but that they are always loved. Addressing fears and concerns with a comforting “I’ve been there” voice in Hannah, Hannah’s Two Homes is a good additional purchase for collections.

 

 

 

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Creation through a child’s eyes and hands: My Hands Make the World

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

My Hands Make the World, by Amalia Hoffman, (May 2022, PJ Library/Harold Grinspoon Foundation), $8.99, ISBN: 978-1-7365573-2-7

Ages 2-6

My Hands Make the World tells the Biblical Creation story through a child’s eyes and hands, using fingerpaint and handprints. Narrated by a child artist, My Hands Make the World begins at the beginning: “In the Beginning… My left hand dabbed. My right hand doodled”. Each spread takes readers to another day in the first week, with the child’s left and right hands creating, forming, and telling a story; from dark and light, sky and clouds, living creatures, all the way to the day of rest, colorful, cheery handprints and fingerpainted trees, animals, clouds, and skies make this a sweet retelling that invests kids – and opens the door to creative expressions where children can tell their own stories using their own hands, some paint, and some paper.

Need some creative assistance? Art for Kids has a tree template that you can use, and encourage kids to start by adding their own leaves; encourage them to add on and create fingerpaint birds, flowers, and a sun.

 

Posted in Intermediate, Middle Grade, Non-fiction, Non-Fiction

Welcome Spring with My Big Book of Outdoors

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

My Big Book of Outdoors, by Tim Hopgood, (March 2022, Candlewick Studio), $19.99, ISBN: 9781536215335

Ages 7-10

One part poetry book, one part nonfiction resource, one part craft and activity primer, My Big Book of Outdoors is an illustrated guide to the seasons with activities and mixed media illustrations. Each season is organized like a scrapbook of art, poetry, nature facts, and nature-based projects to create, like chocolate nests (made with shredded wheat and chocolate); leaf mobiles, and bird feeders. Thoughtful observations and questions invite readers to consider nature as seasons move from one to the next; to think about different birds they see in each season, or look for types of plants and trees. The artwork is vibrant. Think of it as a scrapbook that celebrates and encourages active participation in each season. It’s beautiful to look at, enjoyable to read, fun to play with. There are tons of ideas for seasonal programs and grab-and-go programs in here, too – an all-around great resource for kids and educators.

My Big Book of Outdoors was originally published in the UK in 2021.

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

The Great TBR Read-Down continues: Rhinos in Nebrasks, by Alison Pearce Stevens

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Rhinos in Nebraska, by Alison Pearce Stevens/Illustrated by Matt Huynh, (July 2021, Henry Holt & Company), $19.99, ISBN: 9781250266576

Ages 8-12

Twelve million years ago, a supervolcano exploded in what we now call the state of Nebraska; animals who used a nearby watering hole were buried under a blanket of ash, and lay quietly undiscovered for milennia, until 1953, when a 17-year-old farm worker and his father discovered a complete jawbone sticking up out of cliff at a spot called Bone Hill. Rhinos in Nebraska is the story of these animals, the supervolcano that killed them, and the discovery and construction of Ashfall Fossil Beds, where more than 200 perfectly preserved fossils have been uncovered. Author Alison Pearce Stevens worked with Ashfall researchers at the University of Nebraska State Museum as she wrote this story, which reads like adventure fiction, moving back and forth through different time periods to tell the story of this incredible archaeological discovery. Black and white illustrations and photos bring the story to life; the black artwork bringing to mind woodcut artwork that beautifully lends an ancient feel to these prehistoric animals. Alison Pearce Stevens generates emotion as she describes the agonizing deaths caused by the volcanic ash as deftly as she explains how a horse’s hoof evolved from three toes to one for easier movements like pivoting to evade predators. Back matter includes a glossary of terms – bolded in the book’s text – that come up throughout the narrative. There is also an author’s note and additional resources. Essential for ancient history readers.

Author Alison Pearce Steven’s website includes links to fun science videos and to activities related to Rhinos in Nebraska via TeachersPayTeachers.com. You can find more of Matt Huynh’s illustration work at his website. The American Museum of Natural History has a great, printable sedimentary layers puzzle available for free download.

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

Two books for dinosaur fans!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’ve got two fun books for dinosaur fans: one fiction, one non-fiction, both adorable.

I Am Hatzetgopteryx (I Am Preshistoric), by Timothy J. Bradley, (Nov. 2021, Arbordale Publishing), $10.95, ISBN: 9781643518213

Ages 3-7

Look at that brilliant beak! Look at that impressive wingspan! I Am Hatzetgopteryx introduces readers to a pterosaur they may not have heard of – yet. Everyone knows pterodactyls, but Hatzegopteryx is a more recent discovery (2002). I Am Hatzetgopteryx is an early reader that uses repetition and simple, factual sentences to teach readers about this pteranodon. A Hatzegopteryx chick hatches and goes through life, flapping and leaping, dodging and chasing, giving readers a glimpse into the prehistoric world. Artwork is colorful and the Hatzegopteryx’s bright orange and black beak jumps off the page, as does the pteranodon’s often colorful prey.

The For Creative Minds supplement is available on the book detail page at Arbordale’s website, as are quizzes. The book is available in English and Spanish, and is the companion book to I Am Allosaurus, the first book in the I Am Prehistoric series.

There are some good Hatzegopteryx resources available for readers who want to learn more. Check out Earth Archives, and Planet Dinosaur’s wiki page dedicated to the pterosaur.

 

Never Teach a Stegosaur to Do Sums, by Rashmi Sirdeshpande & Diane Ewen, (Jan. 2022, Kane Miller), $12.99, ISBN: 9781684643424

Ages 3-7

Imagine what would happen if you could teach a dinosaur to do math? The little girl who almost caused a dinosaur uprising by teaching a T. Rex to read is back with a new dinosaur friend in a companion book to Never Show a T. Rex a Book (2021). Here, she teaches a stegosaurus to do math, leading to delicious baked goods, coding, even building a rocket ship to go to the moon! But wait! What happens when you can do math so well that you accidentally create a possible robot uprising? Never Teach a Stegosaur to Do Sums is a celebration of all things mathematics, with fun illustration details including cameos from our T. Rex friend and his storybook. The cartoon artwork portrays a young girl of color exploring all the things math lets you do, with exciting moments like opening a book and unleashing a whirlwind of numbers, pie charts, and bar graphs; unlocking codes and recipes; engineering bridges, and building rockets and robots. A poster of NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson graces the girl’s bedroom wall, and rocket ship curtains frame her window; a dinosaur blanket covers her bed. The light, fun storytelling inspires kids to love math by illustrating its presence in our everyday lives. Pair with its companion book or with another fun dinosaur, like my old friend Dexter T. Rexter, for a fun dinosaur storytime: and don’t forget the Laurie Berkner soundtrack (and book)!

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Blog Tour and Giveaway: This is (Not) Enough

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Orange and Purple Fuzzy Friends are back! Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant’s adorable twosome are wracked with anxiety over the perfect gift in This is (Not) Enough.

This is (Not) Enough, by Anna Kang & Christopher Weyant,
(March 2022, Two Lions), $17.99, ISBN: 9781542018517

Ages 4-8

The two BFFs are excited: they’re giving each other gifts! But how do you find a gift that’s worthy of your best friend? Like Orange says, it “has to be COOL and FUN and BIG and ‘WOW’!” Each tries to choose the perfect gift for their perfect friend, only to discover that the love and time that goes into the gift is everything. Perfect for preschoolers and younger school-age kids who are navigating those strong feelings and how to communicate them, This is (Not) Enough is all about the moment we realize that the best gifts come from the heart. The dialogue between the two friends is heartfelt, and two additional friends add even more humor to the story. The artwork brings the humor  to the forefront, with hilarious facial expressions and body language. Another fun readaloud with characters we’ve grown to love.

 

Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant are the creators of Theodor Seuss Geisel Award winner You Are (Not) Small as well as series titles That’s (Not) Mine, I Am (Not) Scared, We Are (Not) Friends, and It Is (Not) Perfect. They also wrote and illustrated Christopher Award winner Eraser, Hudson and Tallulah Take Sides, Can I Tell You a Secret?, and Will You Help Me Fall Asleep? Christopher’s work can also be seen in The New Yorker and the Boston Globe and his cartoons are syndicated worldwide. This husband-and-wife team lives in New Jersey with their two daughters and their dog, Hudson. Visit them at www.annakang.com and www.christopherweyant.com.

Twitter: @annakang27 @ChristophWeyant

Instagram: annakangbooks; christopherweyant   

Facebook: Anna Kang – Author; Christopher Weyant

 

One lucky winner will receive a copy of This is (Not) Enough, courtesy of Two Lions (U.S. and Canada). Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!

Posted in Fiction, Intermediate

Maps of My Emotions takes readers on a social-emotional adventure

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Maps of My Emotions, by Bimba Landmann, (Nov. 2021, Schiffer Kids), $18.99, ISBN: 9780764362217

Ages 5-8

A boy embarks on a journey where he encounters emotions like hope, fear, anger, joy, and love as he travels through landscapes both exciting and perilous. An oversized hardcover in graphic novel format, Maps of My Emotions lay out emotions and landscapes, with destinations like the Island of Desires and Hills of Future; the Sea of Doubt and Great Lake Horror; the Labyrinth of Anxiety, and Awkwardness Seatown. The format follows a layout where panels lead the boy to his next destination, and a spread with the lay of the land for each spot on the journey. Each map looks like a part of the body – The Land of Hope is laid out like an eye; the District of Anger stretches out over a hand; the Shadowlands of Sadness mirror a pulmonary system – and each area has a dominant color that shades the area. Good for discussions on our emotions, where we feel and process them, and what colors kids see as their “fear color” or “joy color”.

There are some good emotions resources on Education.com to use in conjunction with this book; I chose “third grade” as a filter to cover the age group I think would get the most use of Maps of My Emotions at my library. You should look over the offerings and see what would work best with yours.

An additional purchase for collections where you have learners who learn and communicate more visually, Maps of My Emotions would work with a program where you invite your learners to create their own emotion maps.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Blog Tour and Giveaway: I Am You: A Book About Ubuntu

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

“I am, because you are.”

Ubuntu is more than just a word; it’s a philosophy. It’s an African ideal that speaks to the concept of community as a building block of society; we share a bond as humans that connects us all. Author Refiloe Moahloli and illustrator bring that idea to life in their picture book, I Am You: A Book About Ubuntu.

I Am You: A Book About Ubuntu, by Refiloe Moahloli/Illustrated by Zinelda McDonald,
(Feb. 2021, Amazon Crossing Kids), $17.99, ISBN: 9781542035668
Ages 4-7

Originally published in South Africa in 2020, I Am You: A Book About Ubuntu is filled with inspiring, powerful messages that all come back to an essential element: I am you. I love you, and I love myself. By caring for you, I care for myself; to hurt you is to hurt myself. Refiloe Moahloli tells her story in simple, uncomplicated, evocative verse, repeating this simple and dynamic idea. Zinelda McDonald’s digital illustration shows children of all color interacting with one another; they hug, they ride bikes, they share laughs, warmth, and friendship, illustrating the idea of caring as community. A breathtaking spread shows a tree hosting life above and below ground, and a child hugs it, becoming part of nature’s web: we are connected to each other, and that includes every living thing.

An essential book for readalouds and collections, I Am You: A Book About Ubuntu is a gentle voice encouraging unity in an increasingly divisive time. A gorgeous marriage of verse and illustration that you and your readers will turn to again and again. Read it to babies, read it to children, read it to adults.

I Am You: A Book About Ubuntu has a starred review from School Library Journal.

Amazon Crossing Kids aims to increase the diversity of children’s books in translation and encourage young reading from a range of cultural perspectives.

★“[Refiloe] Moahloli’s work makes for a stunning picture book for young readers and their grown-ups that focuses on our shared sense of community…. Celebrates our shared humanity and the strength in treating others with love and respect. A recommended first purchase.” ―School Library Journal (starred review)

“An edifying, unifying picture book that’s much needed in these divisive times.” ―Kirkus Reviews

 

Refiloe Moahloli is a bestselling South African picture book author. She is passionate about writing stories that bring out the best in the human spirit. She spent the early part of her career in the corporate world, but an eye-opening assignment to Mumbai led her to pursue her dream of becoming a full-time writer. She currently lives and works in Johannesburg. Learn more at refiloemoahloli.com, and follow her on Instagram @RefiloeMoahloli.

Zinelda McDonald is an award-winning South African illustrator who lives in Wellington in the Western Cape of South Africa. She has illustrated numerous children’s books and is also a well-known designer and illustrator of children’s book covers. Awards for her work include the Alba Bouwer Prize and the Exclusive Books IBBY SA Award. Follow her on Instagram @Zinelda.

One lucky winner will receive a copy of I Am You: A Book About Ubuntu, courtesy of Amazon Crossing Kids (U.S. and Canada addresses).  If you’ve won a Rafflecopter giveaway in the last six months, please don’t enter again: give someone else a chance! Thanks so much! Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway here!
Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Calm your hurly-burly hullabaloo! Meena’s Mindful Moment

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Meena’s Mindful Moment, by Tina Athaide/Illustrated by Åsa Gilland, (Nov. 2021, Page Street Kids), $17.99, ISBN: 9781645672869

Ages 4-8

Meena is a little girl who is excited to visit her Dada (her grandfather) – and so is her hurly-burly hullabaloo, the imaginary character that takes on the excited, can’t-sit-still feelings that Meena feels. Once she arrives in her Dada’s South Asian village, she runs rampant, cartwheeling and causing a ruckus. Dada’s neighbors aren’t happy, but he quietly sends them away and teaches Meena how to quiet her hullabaloo through mindfulness and meditation: and introduces Meena to his hullabaloo, too! Meena’s Mindful Moment is a sweet intergenerational story about mindfulness; that moment when excitement and new experiences just take over and can get a little out of control, and empowers kids to take back that control while letting kids know that we adults get the hullabaloos, too. Set in Goa, India, characters are shades of brown. The digital illustrations have texture and movement, with vibrant colors and lively fonts to denote action. The hullabaloos take on playful imaginary monster personas; Meena’s is turquoise with black and pink striped arms and legs; Dada’s is white with pink and white striped arms and legs. Endpapers show colorful mango plants, which ties into the story’s opening. A fun story about embracing your hullabaloo, but letting them know when there’s a time to be calm. A nice addition to yoga and mindfulness storytimes.

Author Tina Athaide’s website has links to educator guides for her books, including Meena’s Mindful Moment.