Tag: support

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Tales from the TBR: Akash and Mila and the Big Jump

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Akash and Mila and the Big Jump, by Anthony C. Delauney/Illustrated by Chiara Civati, (Apr. 2024, Mascot Kids), $18.95, ISBN: 978-1637558607)

Ages 4-6

“Dadvisor” Delauney’s back with another story of overcoming fears and supporting one another. Akash and Mila are two friends excited to start their first gymnastics class, but Akash falls during a springboard jump. He’s embarrassed, which leads Mila to feeling self-doubt. Neither want to continue participating until their classmate, Dash (readers of Delauney’s books will recognize the character) comforts them by telling them he felt the same when he started gymnastics, and introduces them to his friend, Lulu. Together, Lulu and Dash provide encouragement to Akash and Mila, telling them that ““Making mistakes is okay. / We know they’re never planned. / But now you get to choose. / Do you want to try again? / We’ll support you no matter what happens in the end”. The two friends try again and receive cheers from their friends as they succeed. Civati’s illustrations are colorful and cheerful, with diverse characters. The rhyming text is appealing to younger readers. A good additional purchase for collections.

Posted in Uncategorized

Mother’s Day is Coming!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Hi all! Mother’s Day is coming THIS SUNDAY. Wow, that got away from me; 2021 is serving a lot of the same stuff 2020 did. ANYway, let’s see what kind of books we’ve got for Moms, along with plenty of books to snuggle by.

How BIG Is Baby?, by Kirsten Hall/Illustrated by Aki, (April 2021, Chronicle Books), $14.99, ISBN: 9781452173825

Ages 3-5

This lift-the-flap is SO CUTE. A great book for siblings-to-be, each spread takes a child and their mom through the nine months of pregnancy. From the initial “We’re having a baby!” announcement, our new sibling is so excited! As mom and child share their journey together, lift-the-flaps reveal how big baby is at each stage; the storytelling gives readers an idea of size: a poppy seed, blueberry, grape, all the way up to a pineapple! Flaps reveal the growing baby in Mom’s belly, with fun facts about baby’s development. At the end of the story, Mom, big sibling, and baby all lay together in a big snuggle. Adorable artwork will endear this to parents and kids alike, and big siblings will be excited to see how their new baby is developing.

 

Overcoming the Mom-Life Crisis: Ditch the Guilt, Put Yourself on the To-Do List, and Create a Life You Love, by Nina Restieri, (April 2021, Post Hill Press), $16.99, ISBN: 9781642937213

I normally cover kids and YA here, but it’s Mother’s Day, and parenting books fall under my Children’s Room purchases, so here we are. Many, many, MANY moms have guilt. We’re measuring ourselves against working moms if we stay at home; we measure ourselves against stay-at-home moms if we work. We’re not Pinterest Perfect; we’re not Instagram Fabulous enough – we beat the heck out of ourselves! Overcoming the Mom-Life Crisis sees us and wants us to put ourselves first (sometimes is okay, right?). It’s a handbook, it’s a guide to self-care, it’s a real-talk path from someone who’s been there. It’s a good choice for your parenting collections.

 

The ABCs of Being Mom: Advice and Support from the Mom Next Door, Birth Through Kindergarten, by Karen Bongiorno, (April 2021, She Writes Press), $16.95, ISBN: 9781647420109

Another solid parenting guide, this one for new moms through the start of school, The ABCs of Being Mom is a book that takes into consideration that, other than the What to Expect books, there’s no handbook for being a Mom. Written by another mom, the book breaks down ages and stages and provides tips, suggestions, organization tips, and helpful information with each page. Helping moms navigate the changes and mini-upheavals, this is a book version of coffee with your mom friends. Another good choice for your parenting collections.

 

What are some books you’re looking forward to for Mother’s Day? Post ’em here!

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Encouraging words for kids: Have I Ever Told You?

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Have I Ever Told You?, by Shani King/Illustrated by Anna Horvath, (Jan. 2019, Tilbury House), $14.95, ISBN: 9780884487197

Ages 4-7

Framed within a repeated question – Have I ever told you? – kids receive strong, loving encouragement and life lessons with this picture book. The reader wants their little ones to know that they can be anything they want to be in this world; that they are special and unique, and that they must be kind. There are looks at the sillier sides of life that we love so much – “Have I told you that I love the way you get food on your forehead when you eat?” – and share moments that assure our kids that we will always make time for them: “Have I told you that taking care of you and protecting you is the most important thing I do?” “Have I told you that if you hear a word that makes you uncomfortable, you can ask me what it means and we can talk about it?” There are reminders to treat others with respect and kindness, and to stand up for others being picked on, and reassurances that disagreements are okay, disrespect is not.

I really enjoyed the artwork in Have I Ever Told You?, which focuses on hands: small hands within larger hands; holding hands; hands using sign language; hands wearing puppets, hands waving hello. It creates a safe space, a loving, comforting space for readers, and really drives home the comforting, loving messages contained within the pages. The mixed media artwork features swirls, little animals and gadgets, communicating feelings and featuring hands of all colors. This one is a lovely storytime book and a very nice addition to your empathy collections. If you have kids who loved Hands Can in their storytimes when they were younger, this is a wonderful next step.

Have I Ever Told You? received an Indie Excellence Award and a Next Generation Indie Book Award.