Tag: Page Street Kids

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Happy Book Birthday to The Three Little Guinea Pigs and the Andean Fox!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Three Little Guinea Pigs and the Andean Fox, by Ana Velez, (Aug. 2024, Page Street Kids), $18.99, ISBN: 9781645678694

Ages 4-8

This spin on the classic tale is set in Andean South America, featuring 3 guinea pigs who have to rebuild after floods destroyed their homes. Like the classic, they each build their home from straw, sticks, and stone, and are suspicious when a fox shows up, exhorting them to come with him. They run from house to house as condors and bears wreak havoc on the sticks and straw, but is Fox really up to no good? The sweet story reaches a delightful conclusion that praises teamwork, friendship, and community. The rhyme scheme makes for a run readaloud, with sound effects in larger, bolder fonts to invite reader participation. Digital illustrations have cultural details, including the endpapers, which feature animals from the story woven into an Andean textile pattern. The story includes words in Spanish and Kichwa (also knows as Quechua), with a glossary in the back matter. Back matter also includes a note on animals of the Andes and a shaved ice recipe. The fox wears a woven scarf and the guines pigs sport hats and sweaters. A very cute addition to storytime collections, and psst… If you need a younger selection to feature and read for Civic Awareness Month, this would be a good choice!

There are some great Andean worksheets and activity sheets on TeachersPayTeachers. I really like this Andean fabric coloring sheet from Tierney Phillips.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Scorch, Hedgehog of DOOM, is fierce (and cute)!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Scorch: Hedgehog of Doom, by Cate Berry/Illustrated by Margherita Grasso, (July 2024, Page Street Kids), $18.99, ISBN: 9781645678670

Ages 4-7

An adorable class pet wants everyone to think she is ferocious, but Class 402 just thinks she’s so darn cute! No matter what she does: sink her fangs into a mango; wields an apple slice like a sword; or storm her little cliff to squeak at her observers, it doesn’t matter; everyone loves to coo at Scorch. When she accidentally finds herself in the snake tank next to hers, she’s got to rely on being both adorable and ferocious to earn everyone’s respect. Author Berry wrote Scorch’s story with the hope that readers will see themselves in her: a flexibility that allows for multiple aspects of a personality – and the self-awareness to embrace those aspects. Grasso’s digital illustrations show a spirited, tiny hedgehog with a determined expression: she clutches her fists; she sees herself consumed by flames of energy; she gnashes her little teeth, and still manages to be the cutest thing in the room. Endpapers depict classroom drawings of Scorch and her slithery neighbor. An all-around fun read that kids will enjoy for multiple readings.

Scorch: Hedgehog of Doom has a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Building a Beak showcases STEM with a heart

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Building a Beak: How a Toucan’s Rescue Inspired the World, by Becca McMurdie/Illustrated by Diana Hernandez, (June 2024, Page Street Kids), $18.99, ISBN: 9781645678687

Ages 4-8

Based on the true story of an injured toucan and the people who helped her, Building a Beak is a touching story of cruelty and empathy. In the Costa Rican treetops, a toucan later named Grecia went about her days and nights until someone – still unknown – caused her to fall and break her beak. Rescuers found her and brougt her to a veterinarian, who determined that without the beak, Grecia would not be able to eat, sing, bathe, or balance. Grecia’s plight went public, prompting activists from all over to push for the passage of animal welfare law 18,298, making it illegal to harm wildlife. Engineers created a blueprint for a 3-D printable beak, successfully attached during a delicate surgery. Grecia’s story is an uplifting tale of human kindness while bringing to light the problems with animal cruelty and how devastating a thoughtless act can be. Humanizing Grecia goes a long way here, from naming the toucan to McMurdie’s providing an inner dialogue for her. Hernandez’s illustrations show brown-skinned scientists, animal rescuers, and activists coming together not only for Grecia’s sake, but the sake of the planet. An author’s note, timeline, and bibliograpy make up the back matter. A strong addition to STEM/STEAM collections.

There are some good Grecia resources available online, including this article from Costa Rica Ricos. Visit Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center’s webpage to learn more about the center where Grecia recovered and lived after the attack. My Dear Journal has a fun toucan paper plate craft for a post-storytime or extension activity.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

No matter the weather, Walkies are essential!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Walkies: A Dog’s Tale, by Estrela Lourenço, (May 2024, Page Street Kids), $18.99, ISBN: 9781645678717

Ages 4-8

It’s a miserable day outside, but that doesn’t stop Dog from wanting to go for a walk! Kid gets home from school and just wants to relax and stay dry, but Dog can be very convincing. Amusing moments that every dog person will recognize punctuate this adorable, wordless story that starts with a grumpy Kid reluctantly venturing out with Dog and turns into a sweet buddy tale. Digital illustrations feature an expressive kid, clad in a bright yellow raincoat, silently steaming as Dog sniffs every tree and dances in every puddle. As Kid spends more time away from his computer, though, he starts to appreciate the outside, rain or no rain: the animals in the trees, the simple fun of being with his Dog, who loves this time with Kid, and appreciating the world around him. When the rain clears up, Kid and Dog aren’t quite ready to call it a night… and go get Big Sister for some fun, too. The wordless story allows readers to take in the pictures and create their own stories. Expressive characters communicate easily with pre-readers and reluctant readers, and Dog will win over everyone. A joyful ode to pet ownership and reducing screen time.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

I Want to Be Big! – but what happens if you get TOO big?

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I Want to Be Big, by Tiffany Golden/Illustrated by Sawyer Cloud, (Apr. 2023, Page Street Kids), $18.99, ISBN: 9781645676300

Ages 4-8

A brown-skinned young boy wants to be big: “Bigger than Big Brother. Bigger than Big Sister. Bigger than Mom. Bigger than Dad”. Being big comes with perks, after all: being able to reach the cookie jar; swimming with sharks and being best friends with Bigfoot, all sorts of cool things. His wish is magically granted, and he’s delighted! He’s bigger than everyone! Unsatisfied, he wants to be even bigger, and that’s where things go a little haywire. The boy is simply TOO big. Too big for his favorite pants. Too big to go down the slide. Too big to play with his siblings and cuddle with his parents. Will he be able to reverse his wish and be small again? And will he be happy if he does? A gently funny “be careful what you wish for” story, I Want to Be Big is the refrain many a parent, caregiver, or educator has heard, making this an amusing and relatable story that reminds kids the best parts about being small. Colorful digital artwork plays with size, showing the boy’s giant shoe making an appearance at a family barbecue and a close-up of the boy with a tiny, tiny pair of pants on his nose. The story touches on realistic problem-solving, and how size isn’t always an issue if you can figure out how to use your environment as a workaround (no workarounds for being friends with Bigfoot, sadly). A fun readaloud choice for collections.

Posted in picture books

A musical tale: The Note Who Faced the Music

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Note Who Faced the Music, by Lindsay Bonilla/Illustrated by Mark Hoffman, (March 2023, Page Street Kids), $18.99, ISBN: 9781645676317

Ages 5-8

Half Note doesn’t feel like she measures up to the other notes. She can’t fill a whole measure like Whole Note, and she doesn’t have a cute little flag like Eighth Note. Whole Note suggests everyone have a nap, and Half Note decides to run away, deciding that it’s “time to face the music. I’ll never measure up. The staff will be better off without me”. Composer discovers Half Note is missing and panics: she’s integral to the whole piece! Composer comes up with a brilliant idea that will lure Half Note back and assure her that she’s an important part of her musical staff. Filled with musical terminology and puns, anthropomorphic illustrations of friendly-faced musical notes, and colorful artwork, The Note Who Faced the Music is a fun story about teamwork and realizing one’s own worth. A glossary and explanation of musical terms fills the back matter. A good additional purchase where musical books do well.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Great storytime fun: Watch Out for the Lion!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Watch Out for the Lion!, by Brooke Hartman/Illustrated by Anna Süβbauer, (Feb. 2023, Page Street Kids), $18.99, ISBN: 9781645676287

Ages 4-7

Interactive storytime fun and a silly narrator (that’s you) make Watch Out for the Lion! just too much fun. There’s a lion prowling within the book, and the narrator is very nervous! Warning readers to keep an eye out, the narrator provides a helpful picture pointing out how to spot a lion. Following spreads feature a “brushy bristly tail”; “curvy claws”‘, “twitchy ears”, and more, but is it the lion… or a slightly less intimidating animal? Camouflaged illustration invites readers to guess along with the reader, and laugh out loud at the reveals. Final endpapers and the cover underneath the book jacket show the lion and a lion cub, giving more context to the story. Bold, colorful digital illustrations and bright, large fonts make this an easy readaloud; bring your best dramatic skills to the reading and let your Kiddos be part of the story. An excellent choice for collections. Pair with readalouds like Bill Cotter’s Don’t Touch This Book! or Jory John’s I Will Chomp You!

Watch Out for the Lion! has a starred review from School Library Journal. Download an activity guide here!

Posted in picture books

Biographies for Women’s History Month

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’ve got some great bios for Women’s History Month. Add these to your displays!

Only the Best: The Exceptional Life and Fashion of Ann Lowe, by Kate Messner & Margaret E. Powell/Illustrated by Erin K. Robinson, (Oct. 2022,. Chronicle Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781452161600

Ages 5-8

How do you tell the story of the first nationally known African-American fashion designer? You assemble an award-winning author, a costume historian, and a fashion designer and illustrator. Ann Lowe, granddaughter of an enslaved seamstress and daughter of a designer for society ball gowns, learned her craft at her mother and grandmother’s sides. Refusing to be overlooked, even when her white employers took credit for her work, she made a name for herself, catching the eye of Jacqueline Bouvier, fiancée to John F. Kennedy. Messner and Powell reconstruct Lowe’s life from various sources, including interviews with Lowe, to create this picture book biography of a woman who knew her worth. Robinson’s digital artwork uses color and texture to create spreads that look like they were created from mixed media; she sets stages that Lowe’s life plays out upon for readers. When readers see Ann Lowe standing at last in front of her own store front, arms raised in victory, they will rejoice along with her. An author’s note, quotations, and photos make up the back matter, and there is a bibliography for further reading. Endpapers show a textured rendering of scissors and fabric flowers, for which Ann Lowe was so well known. A stunning book and an excellent choice for picture book biographies.

Only the Best has starred reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and Kirkus. The National Museum of African-American History and Culture has an extensive webpage on Lowe; The New Yorker and The Vintage Woman both have detailed articles with photos.

 

Courage in Her Cleats: The Story of Soccer Star Abby Wambach, by Kim Chaffee/Illustrated by Alexandra Badiu, (Jan. 2023, Page Street Kids), $18.99, ISBN: 9781645676294

Ages 5-8

This picture book biography on U.S. Women’s soccer player Abby Wambach is a study in perseverance and determination. Beginning with Wambach’s childhood, Chaffee draws a verbal picture of an outspoken competitor who refused to give up when the going got tough. As Chaffee emphasizes throughout the story, when things get tough, “Abby was tougher”. The narrative follows Wambach through high school, college, and the U.S. Women’s Olympics Team; her 2008 injury and rehabilitation, and her return. Wambach emerges as a dedicated teammate who is quick to share the spotlight and encourage her teammates. Badiu’s colorful illustrations bathe Wambach in colorful, star-studded waves, setting her apart from everyone else. Badiu’s rendering of Wambach’s iconic pose, holding the American flag, greets readers at the title page. Facts on Wambach, a brief glossary of soccer terms, and a bibliography round out back matter. A good choice for sports collections.

Interested readers and sports fans can visit Abby Wambach’s webpage for more info. She also has a biographical page on the U.S. Women’s Team webpage.

 

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Tales from the TBR: Heart Strings, Hedgehogs, and the Moon

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Heart String, by Brooke Boynton-Hughes, (Dec. 2022, Chronicle Books), $17.99, ISBN: 9781452181653

Ages 3-6

A string connects us all together: parents and children; neighbors and friends, we are all connected to one another and our world through this Heart String. Written as an ode to connection, Boynton-Hughes loving, gentle voice could be a teacher reading to their classroom, a parent to a child, or a friend to another. The repetitive phrase, “My heart is tied to yours” brings home the lovely sentiment that we are all together: “Across the garden, across the street, over the city and through the trees”; sharing emotions like joy and sorrow, no matter how near or far; our hearts are tied to each other as we work, play, learn and live. It’s a comforting thought that dispels anxiety and fear; we are part of a family, a neighborhood, a community, a world. Endpapers show a variety of people from all walks of life interacting and engaging with one another. Pencil and watercolor illustrations are soft, gently colorful, conveying a message of warmth and hope, with a warm, glowing string that goes from one person to the next as they work together in neighborhoods; console one another in times of grief; enjoy tea parties, and celebrate being together. A delightful readaloud for storytime collections.

For a fun post-storytime activity, print out some person templates and get some yarn. Ask families to decorate them and use the yarn to connect them. Who are they connecting to?

 

 

Hedgehog and the Art Show, by Özge Bahar Sunar/Illustrated by Ceyhun Sen, (Oct. 2022, Schiffer Kids), $14.99, ISBN: 9780764364617

Ages 4-7

Little Hedgehog is all set to start school, but has an accident the day before. His little fingers need to be bandaged up, but the teacher has announced that there will be a class art show! Little Hedgehog cannot write… with his fingers! He refuses to miss out on his first big art show, and finds ways to create his art using his quills and some leaves! In fact, his creativity inspires his friends to create their own original artwork, making the art show even more exciting. A sweet story of ingenuity and determination that inspires readers to think outside the box, Hedgehog and the Art Show lends itself to a great readaloud, especially for Kindergarten and first graders. Sentences are brief but expand on the basics, adding more details. Sen’s illustrations are textured, with swirling backgrounds and shades of greens, browns, and oranges.

Add this one to your art storytimes, and have plenty of mixed materials to create with for an after-story activity.

 

 

Mending the Moon, by Emma Pearl/Illustrated by Sara Ugolotti, (Nov. 2022, Page Street Kids), $18.99, ISBN: 9781645675600

Ages 4-8

One night, the moon shines so big and so brightly that it becomes to heavy to hold itself up and tumbles down, shattering as it crashes into our world. A girl named Luna witnesses the fall, and, horrified, wakes her grandfather. Grandfather gravely worries about the Earth without a moon, and the two set about collecting the pieces to mend the moon, aided by a group of forest animals. A gorgeously illustrated story with the fantastic feel of a legend, Mending the Moon will delight readers and get a workout as a storytime favorite. Breathtaking illustration shows a cadre of animals working side-by-side with Luna and Poppy; a purple and blue-tinged white backgrounds bring the moon’s cool beauty to the pages, and vibrantly colored animals and people alike are cartoony and kid-friendly. There is magic in every turn of the page as readers will wait breathlessly to find out whether or not the moon will make it back to the sky. Endpapers show a cool, crisp night with moths fluttering around the moon’s light, and Poppy and Luna’s cabin atop a mountain. Mending the Moon is a lovely starting point to talk about legend, STEM (moon concepts!), and the larger idea of working with nature to keep our world safe.

 

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

The Best Kind of Mooncake is one you share

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Best Kind of Mooncake, by Pearl Au-Yeung, (Oct. 2022, Page Street Kids), $18.99, ISBN: 9781645675563

Ages 4-8

A young girl sits by her family’s booth in a busy Hong Kong market, waiting patiently for her end-of-the-day treat: a mooncake with a double-yolk center. The best kind! A stranger comes charging into the marketplace, exhausted and hungry after leaving his village, sleeping in trees, and stowing away on a ship to cross the border. At first, no one pays attention to him until the girl’s mother gives him the very mooncake the girl was promised, which he hungrily gobbles up. At that point, he becomes visible: people begin speaking with him and offering him kindnesses. The girl’s mother explains that seeing someone receive a kindness often reminds others of when they received kindness. A warm story of compassion and gratitude, AuYeung’s story is inspired by true events, explained in an author’s note, alongside pictures of the author’s family. Digital illustrations have an animated feel to them, with movement, big expressions, and texture. The Best Kind of Mooncake is a story of kindness and compassion, with a poignant observation about seeing what stands in front of us even when we are tempted to look away. Endpapers show the bustling street market referenced in the story. An excellent story for Lunar New Year readalouds and for the winter holiday season – the emphasis is not on the mooncake (usually eaten during the Mid-Autumn Harvest Festival); rather, on empathy and kindness.