Tag: verse

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Three books for your next lapsit

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

These three books are adorable and perfect for a cuddly lapsit. Some fun fingerplay and song suggestions follow at the end.

Already All the Love, by Diana Farid/Illustrated by Shar Tuiasoa, (Dec. 2024, Little Bee Books), $12.99, ISBN: 9781499815658

Ages Birth-3

We already know that Diana Farid excels at writing in verse; lose yourself in her latest work, a board book that celebrates the love between parent and child. A parent holds their child, imagining what their futures may hold, only to be brought back to the present by the wonder of their baby: “You are already the bloom, the glimmer, and the rise… You are the full moon, a constellation, a shooting star that heard my wish.” Mother holds baby as the two witness the world around them while she also dreams of what wonders may come. Earth-toned illustration has brilliant moments of color that create playful landscapes that include a friendly-faced sun and moon, round, vibrant flowers, and pulsing music. Mother’s body becomes the land: we see her arms in the grass that embraces the two; her body is as strong as a mountain range as she bends over her child; she defines a place in the universe as she gestures toward the cosmos. Farid uses economy of language to make the verse spare and deeplly felt. A beautiful book that parents and caregivers will reach for time and again. Recommended for board book collections.

Readalike: We Sang You Home by Richard VanCamp

 

 

Follow Your Heart, by Emma Dodd, (Dec. 2024, Templar), $17.99, ISBN: 9781536234930

Ages 2-5

Emma Dodd’s books provide some of the coziest readalouds. Dodd’s omniscient narrator stands in for parents and caregivers who want their littles to follow their hearts and find joy while wondering where their decisions will take them: “Will you follow the crowd / and join in the fun, / leaping and laughing / as you play in the sun? / Will you be by yourself / and go it alone, / taking some time / to explore on your own?” As a dolphin parent and child swim through foil-enhanced waters, they encounter rough waters and warm sunlight; the parent dolphin also assuages any fears by letting them know they can always stay by their side if the world feels too big for them. It’s a story about letting go and seeing baby take first steps; letting go and seeing your bigger kid ride their first two wheeler; letting go and seeing your children growing up, while always letting them know you’re there for them. A very sweet addition to storytime collections; children will enjoy Dodd’s animal parent and baby dolphin, and the foil enhancements on spreads and the cover add interest.

 

I See Me! A Guess How Much I Love You Mirror Book, by Sam McBratney/Illustrated by Anita Jeram, (Jan. 2025, Candlewick Press), $8.99, ISBN: 9781536203882

Ages Birth-3

Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare go exploring in this short and sweet Guess How Much I Love You story. Little Nutbrown Hare spies a butterfly; Big Nutbrown Hare discovers a bird in a nest. They head to the pond, where Big Nutbrown Hare encourages Little Nutbrown Hare to look in the pond. What does he see? A mirror at the end of the book lets readers, along with Little Nutbrown Hare, exclaim, “I can see… ME!” A sweet addition to the original Guess How Much I Love You story and a delightful introduction for younger readers.

 

 

I’m a big fan of Jbrary when it comes to lapsits. These two Canadian librarians have videos, written out song lyrics, and fingerplay walkthroughs that got me through my first couple of years of children’s librarianship. I still pull their website up when I’m about to do a lapsit – they’re just that good.

A Hippopotamus Got on a City Bus is one of my favorite silly rhymes at storytime; the Jbrarians turn it into an adorable lapsit.

Eyes, Nose, Cheeky Cheeky Chin is too much fun for toddlers and great for babies, if you don’t feel comfortable bouncing.

I like to incorporate some classic nursery rhymes in my lapsits. Row, Row, Row Your Boat is a great one; parents can hold their littles in their lap and “row” around them or with them, rocking the little one on their thighs:

Row, row, row your boat,

Gently down the stream,

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,

Life is but a dream!

Row, row, row your boat,

Gently down the stream,

If you see a crocodile,

Don’t forget to scream-EEK! (you can cuddle your little one here)

Then, it’s time for “spider fingers”, and that’s the time to get ready for Itsy Bitsy Spider. Parents can do spider fingers on baby’s belly, or have toddlers do spider fingers along with them. Caitie’s Classroom has a fun walkthrough.

From “spider fingers” to “twinkle fingers”, it’s time for Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. I have parents and kids open and close their hands, like stars twinkling, through the song:

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,

How I wonder what you are,

Up above the world so high,

Like a diamond in the sky, (here, I have the families make diamonds with their thumbs and index fingers)

Twinkle, twinkle, little star, (back to twinkle fingers)

How I wonder what you are.

I’d love to hear some of your favorites!

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

The Light of Home: Home isn’t always a place

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Light of Home: A story of family, creativity, and belonging, by Diana Farid/Illustrated by Hoda Hadadi, (Sept. 2024, Orchard Books), $19.99, ISBN: 9781338890617

Ages 4-8

Nur is a child who loves her home by the sea where she plays, enjoys time with her family, and fills her room with her artwork. Life drastically changes overnight when the family must leave right away; Hadadi illustrates the urgency of a family fleeing with the clothes on their backs, Nur grabbing a single painting off of her wall as her mother grabs her hand. On the next page, men bearing shovels and stick ransack the rooms and destroy what they can reach. Told in verse, Farid’s story of a family fleeing one home and moving to another is as beautiful as it is heartbreaking. Her exquisite verse finds the beauty in pain; as Nur and her family find places to live, she remembers the sigts, smells, and textures of home: “Sometimes, / [the horizon] breathes tangerine orange and sour cherry clouds, / like the sunsets she used to watch from a picnic blanket”. As the family gets used to living in a new city, in a building unfamiliar and loud, Nur uses her painting, desperately torn from the wall on the night of their departure, as the inspiration to create once again, this time of the “glittery path she loves / even if it’s far away”. Hadadi’s paper collage brings texture that make the memories tangible to readers, using vibrant colors and evocative images. The growing body of work on the refugee/immigrant/migrant experience is incredible and such an important part of collections. Don’t miss this one. Display and read with other stories, including Nicola Davies’s The Day War Came, Yuyi Morales’s Dreamers, Hollis Kurman’s Counting Kindness, and Hannah Moushabeck’s Homeland.

 

Posted in Fiction, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Tween Reads

Invisible Isabel wants to be seen

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Invisible Isabel, by Sally J. Pla/Illustrated by Tania de Regil, (July 2024, Quill Tree Books), $19.99, ISBN: 9780063268852

Ages 8-12

Isabel Beane is an introverted girl lost in the chaos of her home: her two younger siblings are “toddler tornadoes”; her teenaged older sisters chase her away, and her middle schooler older brother just wants to play video games and have his stinky friends over. It isn’t much better at school: her militaristic teacher doesn’t understand the “worry-moths” that cause Isabel to freeze up during class, and new girl Monica has managed to get all Isabel’s former friends to ignore her. Isabel’s parents don’t really hear or see her, either; waving away her fears as normal kid blues. Abandoned by her friends, ignored by her family, Isabel yearns to find her voice, but her fears threaten to overpower her. A sensitive story in verse with soft black and white illustrations, Isabel’s story unfolds as a journey of discovery. The reader gets clues to Isabel’s neurodiversity with mentions comforting routines like rocking, or her sensitivity to sound and scent. Mean girl Monica, Isabel’s antagonist, has reasons for her behavior and has a father who tries to steer his daughter in a better direction. Readers will spend a good part of this book frustrated with everyone around Isabel as they continue ignoring or disregarding her; Pla creates a feeling of responsibility in the reader – we want to protect her! Pla and de Regil create a story of kindness and discovery for all. An excellent choice for realistic fiction and books in verse collections.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Books that Celebrate Play

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Let’s Go Puddling!, by Emma Perry/Illustrated by Claire Alexander, (Apr. 2023, Candlewick Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781536228496

Ages 2-6

Who says “rain, rain, go away?” Not these three families! A group of toddlers and their families delight in a rainy day playdate in this delightful story written in verse. Three families living in the same apartment complex get their littles dressed for fun and meet in the playground, where the children stimp, stamp, stomp through the puddles while other adults rush by, heads down, missing all the fun. Alexander’s digital illustrations bring the softness and fluidity of a rainy day to life; Perry’s spare verse evokes all the joy of play. Great sound effects – “Shake, shake, shake”; “Squish! Squash! Squelch!” – make this a great choice for a readaloud. As much fun to read as it is to listen to.

 

Joy Ride, by Sherri Duskey Rinker/Illustrated by Ana Ramírez González, (Apr. 2023, Candlewick Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781536207743

Ages 4-8

Joy is a little girl who needs something to keep her busy over summer vacation, so her mom sends her to her grandfather’s, where she finds a bike. Joy and Granddad work together on the bike: he fixes, she “fancies it up”, and when she takes that first ride, she’s enchanted: “Today I’m not just Joy: I’m JOY!!!” Sadly, other kids tease her, causing Joy to push the bike down a hill, but she soon realizes that the other kids all look alike. There’s nothing special about them. She fetches her bike, bringing it back to Granddad so she can ride again. A sweet story of individuality and taking a stand against bullies, Joy Ride is a wonderful multigenerational story, a tinkering story, a story about embracing what makes you happy. Digital illustrations are bright, colorful, bold; Rinker’s narration, told from Joy’s point of view, has moments that all kids can relate to, from the boredom of having nothing to do all summer, to the connection between child and grandparent, to the delight of riding a bike, streamers “whippity-whip-whippity-whip-whip”-ing in the breeze. A great choice for a readaloud.

 

Color and Me, by Michaela Dias-Hayes, (March 2023, Kane Miller), $13.99, ISBN: 9781684645282

Ages 2-5

A brown-skinned little girl fingerpaints, discovering what she can make by mixing colors together. When she makes brown, she is delighted: “Brown is MY color. This is ME.” Illustrations are playful and bright, with paint-spattered endpapers to add to the sense of play. The girl’s joy extends to her hair, shown in different styles including her natural style, braids, twists, and puffs. The playful rhyming verse makes this a pleasure to read aloud, and the combination of artistic play and positive self-image makes this an excellent choice for storytime collections and readalouds. Color and Me was originally published in Britain in 2022.

Consider a storytime art project where kids make a handprint rainbow, inspired by a spread in the story. If that’s too messy for some, help kids trace and cut out their handprints on construction paper to create wreaths and rainbows. Consider reading with Kathryn Otoshi’s Beautiful Hands.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Tales from the TBR: I Am Smoke

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

We all have our TBRs. I’ve got an impressive or terrifying one, depending on how you look at it. I have such wonderful folx sending me their books, and even if it takes me a while, I do want to talk these books up; hence, the Tales from the TBR feature I’ve been running. There are some truly outstanding books here, and deserve some more face time. When you’re freshening up your backlist, consider adding some of these to your carts, or, if you already have them, put them up. Let’s rock.

I Am Smoke, by Henry Herz/Illustrated by Mercè López, (Sept. 2021, Tilbury House Publishers), $18.95, ISBN: 9780884487883

Ages 6-8

Henry Herz has been putting out some great stories over the years, but his 2021 book, I Am Smoke, is in a class by itself. Written in verse from the point of view of smoke, the story is part anthropological study, part scientific study. Smoke begins with a declaration: “I am Smoke. / I twirl in dark dance from every campfire”, alongside early Native Americans dancing by firelight. The thoughtful verse wanders through time, imparting wisdom and caution in equal amounts: “Even fearless firefighters dare not breathe me when battling flames”; “I cannot touch, but I can help ease pain”. Mercè López’s illustration is breathtaking; created by smoke, watercolor, and Photoshop to create haunting and ethereal images. Copious back matter provides deeper context and resources for further reading. A brilliant book on every level: if you haven’t added this one to your collections yet, you may want to look again.

I Am Smoke has a starred review from Kirkus and has been named to Evanston Public Library’s Blueberry List: Kids’ Book that Inspire Love of Nature and Action for Planet Earth; it was named to the ALA Children’s Notable Children’s Books of 2022 list, and selected for Notable Social Studies 2022 booklist. It also made Kirkus’s List of 150 Most Anticipated Fall 2021 Books.

Posted in Animal Fiction, Fiction, Middle Grade, Tween Reads

Odder will melt your heart

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Odder, by Katherine Applegate/Illustrated by Charles Santoso, (Sept. 2022, Feiwel & Friends), $16.99, ISBN: 9781250147424

Ages 8-12

Newbery Medalist Katherine Applegate does it again. Odder is the “Queen of Play”: a curious young otter who loves to play in the water and wander where she really shouldn’t. While splashing in the water with her best friend, Kairi, they have a run-in with a hungry great white shark, and Odder is injured. Rescued by the same humans that saved her as an otter pup, the story takes an introspective turn as Odder confronts truths about herself and life in the ocean. Inspired by the true story of a Monterey Bay Aquarium program that rescues otters, Applegate creates movement and emotion through her verse: “…there is time for a bit of deep diving / wave chasing / tail spinning / smooth gliding / bubble blowing / FUN”; “She doesn’t just swim to the bottom, / she dive-bombs. / She doesn’t just somersault / she triple-doughnuts. / She doesn’t just ride the waves, / she makes them”. Applegate makes strong points about conservation and throughout the story and in her author’s note, which provides background on her inspiration for Odder. Charles Santoso’s black and white illustrations guarantee that you’ll need to stock your nonfiction section with more books on otters; kids will fall in love with gentle story. A glossary helps readers with new vocabulary. Visit Katherine Applegate’s author website for more about her books and educator resources.

Education.com has some otter-related coloring sheets and worksheets for a book club or STEM extension activity.

Odder has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist.

Posted in Middle Grade, Non-fiction, Tween Reads

Pauli Murray: An activist’s life in verse

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Pauli Murray: The Life of a Pioneering Feminist & Civil Rights Activist, by Rosita Stevens-Holsey & Terry Catasús Jennings, (Feb. 2022, little bee books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781499812510

Ages 8-12

Haven’t heard of Pauli Murray before? Remedy that and pick up this biography in verse, written by one of the civil rights activist’s nieces and Terry Catasús Jennings, author of the Definitely Dominguita chapter book series. Born in 1910, Pauli Murray chafed under the Jim Crow South and what she called “Jane Crow”: further prejudice against women. She would become a friend to Eleanor Roosevelt and a voice for the oppressed; she created arguments that would eventually form the Brown vs. Board of Education Topeka backbone (with no credit) and the 1964 decision that won workplace equality for women (credited, thanks to Ruth Bader Ginsburg).

Pauli Murray is told in verse, giving poetic gravitas to her life from her early childhood; the early death of her mother and separation of the siblings, which saw Pauli Murray  move to Baltimore to live with her aunt, who eventually adopted her; her life in the Jim Crow South, which awakened the activist in her, and her work to dismantle the white male patriarchy that sought to “other” her and hold her, and other women and people of color, down. Queer and Black, she was a force for positive change. She went to jail for refusing to sit in a broken seat in the back of a bus long before Rosa Parks, and, like Martin Luther King Jr., was inspired by Ghandhi’s promotion of protest through nonviolence.

Back matter includes author’s notes, a timeline of Murray’s life, endnotes, and a bibliography. An eloquent, powerful biography for upper middle graders and middle schoolers.

Read more about Pauli Murray at the Pauli Murray Center for History and Social Justice’s website and the National Women’s History Museum. VideoNotes and More has a free mini doc on Pauli Murray at TeachersPayTeachers.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

Discover Israel with this rhyming tour

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

My Israel and Me, by Alice Blumenthal McGinty/Illustrated by Rotem Teplow, (Sept. 2021, Kalaniot Books), $19.99, ISBN: 978-1-7350875-3-5

Ages 3-8

Told in verse through the eyes of the diverse groups of people living in and visiting Israel, My Israel is a celebration of both the ancient and modern-day country.  Verse shares space with factual information about areas like The Dead Sea, the modern city and Israel’s status as a “Start-Up Nation”, kibbutzes, Biblical history, and more. Alice Blumenthal McGinty celebrates Jewish and Muslim culture and family life, and Rotem Teplow’s colorful artwork takes readers on a journey across the small country with a big history. Endpapers show a plethora of objects to take readers on a visual journey, like camels, kites, olive leaves, and cats, all of whom are waiting to be discovered in the pages.

To extend a lesson on Israel, visit TeachersPayTeachers, where you can find a map of ancient Israel from Taylor Beck; an Israel Activities Pack from Marshal Jewish Learning Center, and more! Download a free educator kit from Kalaniot’s website.

Author Alice Blumenthal McGinty is an award-winning author. You can find educator guides on her website, along with more information on her books, and information about school visits. Visit illustrator Rotem Teplow’s website for more of her artwork.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads, Uncategorized

Guess the birdie! Who is Singing?

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Who is Singing?, by Janet Halfmann/Illustrated by Chrissy Chabot, (July 2021, Pen It! Publications), $20.99, ISBN: 978-1954868373

Ages 2-6

Take a walk and listen on any given day, and you’ll hear a cacophony of birds: tweets, chirps, screeches, and coos abound; even city kids can hear a dove coo, a pigeon scold, and a blue jay (like the one who likes to argue with the squirrels, right outside my window). Who is Singing? is author Janet Halfmann’s tribute to some colorful, musical birds, all identifiable by their songs. Using each bird’s defining song, repetitive verse, and a noticeable characteristic for each bird, Janet Halfmann introduces readers to the gentle art of bird-watching and bird-listening, giving readers 11 fairly familiar birds to start out with. You’ll recognize pigeons, “begging for treats along a city sidewalk”; “bully loud and bold” blue jays screaming; cheery chick-a-dees, “dressed up for dinner in a black cap and bib”, and more. Ms. Halfmann encourages the birds to “take a bow”, making for a fun readaloud where you can invite your littles to take a bow – or let a bird puppet or flannel take their own bows when you announce them, too.

Chrissy Chabot’s illustrations are bright and lovely, photorealistic birds that will help readers more easily spot and identify them the next time they’re out and about. A lovely little story to read out loud, and works well with a lapsit. Print out some coloring pages and let the kiddos envision their own colorful birds and make some music of their own!

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

More Mother’s Day Wishes!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’ve got more Mother’s Day books for the big day, but first, Everything Is Mama Activity Pages from Jimmy Fallon’s publisher, Macmillan! Enjoy three pages of activities and coloring with the kiddos!

What the Road Said, by Cleo Wade/Illustrated by Lucie de Moyencourt, (March 2021, Feiwel & Friends), $18.99, ISBN: 9781250269492

Ages 6-10

If loving advice for living a good life could be summed up in verse, What the Road Said is it. Poet, activist, and one of Marie Claire’s 50 Most Influential Women in America Cleo Wade reminds young and grown readers alike to pay attention to the journey, not the destination. Sometimes, you may think you’re on the wrong path: keep going; “sometimes we go the wrong way on the way to the right way”. You may not always move forward, and you may need help on the way or feel alone. Keep going, the poem urges. Lead with kindness and love, even when met with hate, and just keep going. Illustrator Lucie de Moyencourt’s watercolor and ink artwork begins with an urban landscape, with nature scenes painted on buildings; a child watches them as they walk, and the city streets give way to lush, green pastures, beaches, dark forests, mountains, even outer space, the child following paths up mountains and through the woods; standing triumphant on the top of the world, and meditating on the growth from a caterpillar to a butterfly. Together, Cleo Wade and Lucie de Moyencourt encourage readers to reach for the stars on their journey through life. These comforting, inspiring words and artwork are the perfect story to pass to your little ones and they’re the words we parents need sometimes, because, as Cleo Wade states in her author’s note, “Being a grownup is hard and the Road  reminds me to take it one day at a time”.

 

I Love You, Baby Burrito, by Angela Dominguez, (January 12, 2021, Roaring Brook Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781250231093
Ages 2-5
This book is ADORABLE. A set of new parents greet their new baby – swaddled like a burrito – in this bilingual book of pure joy. Tender images of parents and baby pair with images of a new bird family in a nest outside the family’s window. The parents gaze, hold, and swaddle their little one, marveling at their new bundle, taking such care with every moment. Spanish words are in bright green, and English prose repeats the phrase, helping emphasize terms in both languages. A glossary at the end provides phonetic pronounciation. Mixed media illustrations are soft, gently colored, giving a real feeling of those quiet moments when baby and parents are still getting to know one another. I can’t wait to read this to my library families. An excellent Mother’s Day gift or baby shower gift, too; consider pairing with Hayley Barrett and Juana Martinez-Neal’s Babymoon.