Month: March 2016

March 10 – National Pack Your Lunch Day

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Lunch Money and Other Poems About School by Carol Diggory Shields and Paul Meisel picture book review

About the Holiday

When you pack your own lunch, you can’t wait for the clock to strike lunchtime! Today is a day to celebrate the joy of a midday meal featuring your favorite foods and snacks. So if you usually just eat what the cafeteria offers, think outside the tray and create a lunch that’s delicious, nutritious, and even fun!

Lunch Money and Other Poems About School

Written by Carol Diggory Shields | Illustrated by Paul Meisel

 

Ask a kid what their favorite part of school is and they’re likely to say, “Lunch!” So it’s appropriate that this poetry collection about the fun and foibles of school contains several poems scrutinizing that special half hour out of the classroom. In “Decisions” a boy contemplates the school menu stuck to the refrigerator. Tacos, pizza, burger, nachos? Buy it! Beef stew, baked beans, tuna-cabbage crunch, mushroom-chicken bake? Bag it!

“Lunch Money” finds a boy asking first Dad, then Grandma, and finally Mom for cash. But who can he rely on? Only his own piggy bank. “Swap” is a rollicking round robin rhyme of traded sandwiches, swapped fruit, bought and sold drinks, bartered cookies, exchanged bagels, and great deals made. But does the result on the plate look oddly familiar?

Lunch isn’t the only subject in this delightful collection, though. In “Eight-Oh-Three” a boy “Legs pumping, heart thumping, / Running down the drive,” and late for the bus—“A moaning-growning, blinking-winking / Yellow dinosaur”—asks the ironic question: “How come I have to run so fast / To catch a bus so slow?”

“Code” is medical code for “cold” in a short poem about the linguistic acrobatics of a stuffy nose. “And the Answer Is…?” offers an impassioned debate between one student who likes to answer the teacher’s questions and another who just wants to hide under the table. And “Whew!” is a delight in which a student who isn’t prepared for the day finds a substitute standing at the front of the class. Other topics that make an appearance are the school mischief maker, the class pet, recess rules, homework, recess, and the inevitable school nightmare that follows you into adulthood.

Carol Diggory Shields understands school—the moments of camaraderie, embarrassment, mayhem, wishful thinking, and more—that make up each day. Her flowing, easy-to-read rhythms and humorous twists makes this poetry collection enchanting and an excellent addition to any home library.

Paul Meisel’s illustrations are populated with all kinds of kids you’d want to meet. With curly hair or straight, pony tails or bows, wearing stripes or polka dots, shorts or pants, each child is given his or her own personality as they romp through the scenario of their accompanying poem. Whether the kids are in a classroom or at home or on the playground, the details of their environment are richly drawn. The counters are lined with science projects, the clock moves so slowly a spider has spun a web on its hands, and the kindergarten play as well as the lunch room are humorously chaotic. There is so much to see on each page that kids will recognize, but experience anew.

Ages 4 – 8

Puffin Books, 1998 | ISBN 978-0140558906

National Pack Your Lunch Day Activity

CPB - Bento Box (2)

Decorated Sandwich or Snack Container

 

Who says your snack or sandwich container has to be boring? Take your lunch to school in a container you decorate yourself! It’s easy with a few colored markers and your imagination!

Supplies

  • Disposable plastic food containers with lids
  • Colorful markers

Directions

  1. Decorate sandwich or snack size containers with your favorite designs or characters

March 9 – Learn What Your Name Means Day

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The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi Picture Book Review

About the Holiday

 

American onomotology enthusiast Jeffery Hill established Clelbrate Your Name Week in 1997. Each day of the first ful week of March is dedicated to self discovery and the fun of learning more about names and your name in particular. Today’s holiday encourages people to learn not only what your name means, but also to reach out to parents or other and discover why you were given the name you have. 

The Name Jar

By Yangsook Choi

 

Unhei has recently moved to the United States from Korea. Although Unhei is excited about the first day of school, on the bus ride she misses her former home and looks at the wooden name stamp her grandmother gave her. A boy sitting behind Unhei notices the unfamiliar object and asks about it. Then other kids notice Unhei. They ask what her name is, and when she answers, they mispronounce it, laughing and making jokes.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-name-jar-on-the-bus

Image copyright Yangsook Choi, courtesy of Random House

Unhei is embarrassed and glad that those kids head to a different classroom than hers. As Unhei enters her own room, her classmates smile and greet her—it is obvious that their teacher has prepared them for a new student, and they are excited.

Of course, they first question her about her name, and remembering the experience on the bus, Unhei is reluctant to answer. She quickly says that she hasn’t picked a name yet, but will tell them next week. At home, Unhei tells her mother that she wants an American name, a name that is easy to pronounce.

Her mother is dismayed; Unhei’s name was chosen by a master so that it would describe her uniqueness. But Unhei doesn’t want to be different, she just wants to fit in. Later while she and her mother are at a Korean grocery store, she introduces herself to the owner, who exclaims that her name is beautiful and means “grace” in English. 

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-name-jar-mom

Image copyright Yangsook Choi, courtesy of Random House

At home Unhei tries out American names in front of the mirror—Amanda, Laura, Susie—but they don’t feel or sound right. The next day at school Unhei finds a jar on her desk with pieces of paper in it. On each piece of paper is a name—suggestions from each of her classmates. Her new friends have chosen these names thoughtfully. Daisy is the nickname of one girl’s baby sister; Tamela is a smart and brave heroine from a story; and Wensdy is the day Unhei joined their class.

At the end of the school day, a classmate named Joey comes to her. He knows she actually does have a name, and Unhei, while not wanting to say it out loud, shows him the characters on her wooden stamp. Joey thinks it is beautiful and asks to keep the paper. Day by day the glass jar fills up with names. Unhei will have to choose soon.

One Saturday Unhei returns to the Korean grocery store. When Mr. Kim calls her by name, the one other customer turns around. It’s Joey! Carefully and slowly he says Unheis name until he gets it right. On Monday when Unhei enters the classroom, she discovers that the jar is missing. It’s all right, though, Unhei has chosen her name.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-name-jar-friend

Image copyright Yangsook Choi, courtesy of Random House

She walks to the chalkboard and writes her real name in English and Korean. She tells the class that her name means “grace.” Other kids reveal the meaning of their names, and they all practice saying Unhei’s name. That evening Joey comes to visit. He explains that he took the jar because he wanted Unhei to keep her original name. He suggests putting Korean nicknames into the jar for their classmates to pick—just as he already has. Mr. Kim helped him choose the prefect nickname: Chinku, which means “friend.”

Ages 3 – 8

Random House, Dragonfly Books,  New York, 2003 | ISBN  978-0440417996

Discover more about Yangsook Choi, her books, and her art on her website!

Yangsook Choi’s The Name Jar is as timely now as when it was first written. Through compelling and detailed storytelling, Choi explores the themes of identity, empathy, family, friendship, and more  with sometimes heartbreaking honesty. Unhei’s varied experiences at school, at home, and at the market provide an opportunity for adults and children to discuss and embrace the diversity of our multicultural world. Choi’s warm-toned illustrations reveal the conflicts that Unhei encounters and her growing confidence as she makes friends with Mr. Kim and Joey who accepts her as she is. 

Learn What Your Name Means Day Activity

CPB - Name Jars standing

Love Your Name Organizer Jar

 

Everyone needs a place to store their special stuff! Here’s a way to recycle a plastic jar and make a cool organizer jar with your or your friend’s name on it.

Supplies

  • A large plastic jar, such as a peanut butter jar or mayonnaise jar with the label removed
  • Acrylic multi-surface paint or markers
  • Chalkboard paint
  • Paint brush
  • Chalk

CPB - Name Jars on sides

Directions

  1. Paint a rectangle on the front of the jar with chalkboard paint
  2. Decorate the rest of the jar with paint, markers, or paper

 

March 8 – International Women’s Day

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Who Says Women Can't Be Doctors by Tanya Lee Stone and Marjorie Priceman picture book review

About the Holiday

When the United States celebrated International Women’s Day in 1911, it paved the way for more extensive recognition of the contributions of women. Women’s Day stretched to a week officially in 1981 when Republican Senator Orin Hatch of Utah and Democratic Representative Barbara Mikulski of Maryland co-sponsored a Joint Congressional Resolution that established Women’s History Week. Six years later Congress named March as Women’s History Month.

March is a great time to discover and learn about the women who have shaped our country in all fields of endeavor from the arts to education to the sciences and beyond. Today we celebrate a woman who changed the medical profession forever.

Who Says Women Can’t be Doctors? The Story of Elizabeth Blackwell

Written by Tanya Lee Stone | Illustrated by Marjorie Priceman

 

Once upon a time there were no women doctors. Women weren’t even allowed to be doctors. Sounds like a fairy tale, doesn’t it? Fortunately, this one-time fact has entered the realm of fiction—all thanks to Elizabeth Blackwell. Elizabeth was not like other girls of the 1830s. She loved to explore and take on challenges. She could lift her brother over her head, and to toughen herself up she slept on the hard wood floor. To get a better look at the world she climbed to the roof of her house and leaned waaaaay out with a spyglass. What did she see? Maybe she saw her future. But it wasn’t what she imagined at the time. Blood made her queasy, dissection was disgusting, and being sick just made her want to hide from all the fussing.

But a comment by a sick friend, puts a bee in her bonnet. Mary Donaldson tells Elizabeth that she would much rather have been examined by a woman than her male doctor. “You should be a doctor, Elizabeth,” Mary says.

What a crazy notion, right? Well… Elizabeth can’t stop thinking about it. She asks around. Some people think it’s a good idea, but impossible; others just think it’s impossible. They believe women aren’t strong enough or smart enough and they laugh at her. By this time, though, Elizabeth is determined.

She applies to 28 medical schools, and they all say, “No.” But one day a “Yes” arrives in the mail. Elizabeth packs her bags. The townspeople all come out to see this new medical student, but they aren’t outside to welcome Elizabeth; they just want to whisper and point and stare. Surely, Elizabeth thinks, the students will be happy to see her.

But she receives the same reception on the college campus. In fact, she learns, the only reason she was accepted is because the men voted to let her in as a joke! Elizabeth knows how to handle it. She studies hard and gives her opinions, and soon she wins the respect of her fellow students—even if the townspeople still don’t accept her.

On January 23, 1849 Elizabeth Blackwell graduates from medical school with the highest grades in the class. She has become the first woman doctor in America! Many people hope that she would be the last. But as we know…she was Not!

Tanya Lee Stone magnificently imbues this short biography of Elizabeth Blackwell with enough mystery, conflict, and history for even the youngest readers to understand the type of girl and woman Elizabeth was as well as the challenges she faced. The details of Blackwell’s life that Stone includes are deftly chosen, and make her instantly recognizable and relatable to children. One line in the text written in the present tense amid the historical past transforms this biography into a universal story for all generations. Blackwell may have started out as a reluctant dreamer, but once she dared to believe she accomplished more than she or anyone could have imagined. It is what we want for all our children.

Marjorie Priceman’s illustrations, swirling with words, angled on the page and floating in white space, are as topsy-turvy as the world Elizabeth Blackwell created. Blackwell’s boldness is echoed in the rich colors and strong lines of the gouache and India-ink paintings, and the emotions she stirred in others—from derision to horror to admiration—are cleverly and exceptionally drawn in a minimal style on the characters’ faces.

Ages 5 – 9

Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt and Company | ISBN 978-0805090482

International Women’s Day Activity

CPB - Doctors Clothespins

Doctor Clothespin Figure

 

Make one of these clothespin figures that honors International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month as well as everything doctors do to help us stay healthy.

Supplies

CPB - Doctors Clothespins on box

Directions

  1. Draw a face and hair on the clothespin
  2. Cut out the outfit you want your doctor to wear (color pants on your clothespin if you choose the lab coat)
  3. Wrap the coat or scrubs around the clothespin. The slit in the clothespin should be on the side.
  4. Tape the clothes together
  5. Wrap the cap around the head and tape it.
  6. If you’d like to display your clothespin doctor on a wire, string, or the edge of a box or other container, cut along the dotted lines of the clothes template.

 

March 7 – National Cereal Day

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There's a Lion in My Cornflakes by Michelle Robinson and Jim Field picture book review

About the Holiday

Did you know that breakfast in a bowl actually began with an experiment that went wrong? Or just maybe it was right! John Harvey Kellogg and his brother Will Keith Kellogg were experimenting with boiled wheat in 1877 when they left some out overnight. In the morning the wheat was stale. The brothers decided to roll it out instead of throwing it away, and they found that each wheat berry created a flake. Boiled corn worked the same way, and from this process the Kellogg brothers invented Corn Flakes, the first dry cereal!

Today’s holiday celebrates all the varieties of your favorite cereal—whether it’s made of corn, wheat, bran, rice, or a mixture of flakes, fruit, and nuts. So pour yourself a big bowlful and enjoy!

There’s a Lion in My Cornflakes

Written by Michelle Robinson | Illustrated by Jim Field

 

Who could resist clipping cereal box coupons to receive a free lion? Nobody, that’s who! I mean, it would be so cool, right? A lion to take on walks, ride to school, and open tin cans—awesome! So a boy and his brother, Dan, take a year’s worth of their allowance, make “a million” trips to the grocery store, and start cutting.

But all those boxes of cereal squeeze out the other food on the pantry shelves, so Mom says the boys have to eat cornflakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner until it’s gone—and, oh yeah, they don’t get an allowance until then either. It’s all worth it, though, because they’re going to get a real live lion.

There’s just one hitch—every other kid in town has the same idea, and while the brothers wait for their lion to arrive, everyone else is out playing with their new pet. Finally, the delivery truck pulls up in front of the house, and out walks…a grizzly bear?! That’s not right, and it’s even delivered to the wrong house. Well, the bear’s not too crazy about the situation either, and shows it. The kids and the bear have to clean up the neighbor’s yard and apologize.

A letter of complaint to the cereal company brings resolution in the form of…a crocodile?! The crocodile spends all its time in the bathroom, and the grizzly bear is still causing havoc. Dad calls the cereal company and to make up their mistake they send…a gorilla?! The gorilla stomps on Dad’s car and rips the door off. Well Dad’s had enough!  The whole crew piles into the car so Dad can “give those cereal people a piece of my mind.”

The cereal people sure are sorry for the mix-up. They make amends by letting the family keep the grizzly bear, the crocodile, and the gorilla, AND the company gives them…a lifetime’s supply of cornflakes! But really, what good are all those boxes? The boys can’t walk them or ride them or even open cans with them.

You know what, though? Mom’s discovered the crocodile has some pretty sharp, can-opening chompers. The grizzly bear can walk forever and even wear a fanny pack. And the gorilla makes a very cool chauffeur. Why bother having a lion when everyone else has one?

Besides, what are the cereal people offering now—a free tiger?! Hmmm….

Michelle Robinson has taken the lure of free stuff to its ridiculous best. There’s a Lion in My Cornflakes serves up the benefits of individuality and drawbacks of consumerism in a silly, over-the-top scenario that will have kids laughing at every page and escalation of the brother’s problem.

Jim Field’s bold, vibrant illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to this boisterous tale. As the boxes of cornflakes and clipped coupons pile higher and higher and the free animals cause more mayhem, the boys’ expressions go from excited to nonplussed to shocked and finally  to acceptance as day after day brings new and unexpected results of their actions. Kids will love the funny details on every page that highlight the story.

Ages 3 – 7

Bloomsbury Children’s, 2015 | ISBN 978-0802738363

National Cereal Day Activity

CPB - Spoon Lion

Spoon Lion Puppet

 

Spoons are just the thing for eating cereal! But with this craft you can make a ROARingly cute lion puppet!

Supplies

  • Wooden mixing spoon
  • Yellow Fleece
  • Brown felt
  • Colorful Fleece or felt
  • Fabric glue
  • Light brown marker
  • Dark brown marker
  • Hot glue gun or super glue
  • Scissors

CPB - Spoon Lion with stuff

Directions

To make the lion’s face

  1. Draw a nose, mouth, and eyes on the front/bowl of the spoon

To make the mane

  1. Measure the rim of the spoon from one side of the handle to the other
  2. Cut a strip of yellow fleece as long as rim measurement and 4 inches wide
  3. Fold the piece of fleece in half long-ways
  4. Glue the open edges of the fleece together
  5. Along the folded side cut a fringe, leaving the loops intact

To make the ears

  1. Cut round ears from the brown felt

To make the bow

  1. Cut a 3-inch x 1 ½-inch piece of colorful fleece or felt
  2. Cut a long thin strip of fleece or felt
  3. Pinch the bow in the middle and tie with the longer piece of cloth. Trim as necessary

To make the tail

  1. Cut three thin 4-inch-long strips of yellow fleece
  2. With fabric glue, glue the tops of the strips together
  3. Braid the strips
  4. At the bottom, glue the strips together, leaving the ends free

To assemble the lion

  1. Glue the ears to the back of the spoon
  2. Glue the mane to the back of the spoon
  3. Glue the bow to the handle
  4. Fold the top of the tail and push it into the hole in the handle of the spoon

March 6 – Dentist’s Day

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Just Going to the Dentist by Mercer Mayer Picture Book Review

About the Holiday

Most of us visit our dentist twice a year, but amid all the whirring and brushing and spitting do we thank them for keeping our teeth healthy? March 6 is recognized world-wide as a time to remember all the things dentists do to make our teeth stronger and our smile prettier.

Just Going to the Dentist

By Mercer Mayer

 

Little Critter needs to go to the dentist even though he doesn’t think he does. In the office the nurse gives Little Critter a big smile (he thinks she’s showing off her teeth) and asks him and his mom to wait. Little Critter sees a girl with braces and thinks they’re so neat that he wants some. While he waits, he plays with the toys and reads a book.

When the nurse calls Little Critter’s name, he goes off with her somewhat bravely to a room that looks like the inside of a spaceship, with its lights, monitors, tools, and the funny dentist chair. The hygienist cleans his teeth, which leads to the best part of the visit—spitting into the sink. After Little Critter’s X-rays are taken, the dentist examines his teeth. The dentist tells him he has one cavity. Little Critter gets a shot to numb his mouth, and before he knows it the cavity is filled!

Little Critter leaves the office with a free gift and, tuckered out from his adventure. sleeps on the ride home.

Mercer Mayer’s Little Critter books are an excellent way to introduce children to the people and places that may at first seem scary or intimidating. Told from Little Critter’s point of view, this book can be comforting to children who may be wary of visiting the dentist as he voices opinions and questions that most kids probably have themselves. By giving Little Critter and his frog companion humorous comments and facial expressions, Mayer hits just the right tone.

Ages 3 – 7

Random House Books for Young Readers, New York, 2001 | ISBN 978-0307125835

Dentist’s Day Activity

CPB - Dentist's Day Word Search (2)

Smile for the Dentist Word Search

 

Dentists make our smile brighter with regular checkups and good advice. Can you find the words that help our teeth stay healthy? Have fun with this Smile for the Dentist Word Search! Solution included.

March 5 – Expanding Girls’ Horizons in Science and Engineering Day

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celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-look-up-henrietta-leavitt-cover

About the Holiday

March has been designated by the Expanding Your Horizons network as a time to increase awareness of and promote programs for girls and young women in the sciences and engineering fields. Giving girls interested in pursuing careers in science and engineering more access to resources and opportunities for education will benefit all.

Look Up! Henrietta Leavitt, Pioneering Woman Astronomer

Written by Robert Burleigh | Illustrated by Raúl Colón       

 

Henrietta Leavitt loves the stars. Every night she sits on the front porch and asks herself what were in the early 1900s unanswerable questions. How high was the sky? How far away are the stars? She traces the form of the Big Dipper to the North Star and feels that the stars are trying to tell her something.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-look-up-henrietta-leavitt-student

Image copyright Raúl Colón, text copyright Robert Berleigh. Courtesy of simonandschuster.com

As a young woman she takes an astronomy class—one of the few women to do so. She learns about light years, planets, and the vast distances that fascinate her. After graduation she takes a job at an observatory, and while it houses a large telescope to study the sky, Henrietta is not allowed to use it. She and the other woman who work at the observatory are only there to record, measure, and calculate data, not to have new ideas.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-look-up-henrietta-leavitt-studies-star-map

Image copyright Raúl Colón, courtesy of Simon & Schuster

But in doing her job, Henrietta begins to notice a pattern in the brightness of certain stars. She discovers new “blinking” stars. Taking careful measurements, Henrietta finds that a star with a slower “blink” time—the time it takes for a star to go from dim to bright, or from off to on—contains more light power than stars with faster blink times. But what does this mean? After more study she realizes that the blink time can determine the true brightness of any blinking star, even those far, far away.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-look-up-henrietta-leavitt-makes-notes

Image copyright Raúl Colón, courtesy of Simon & Schuster

Henrietta has made a breakthrough in astronomy! By knowing the true brightness of a star, astronomers can figure out the star’s distance from Earth. Henrietta publishes her star chart in a magazine, and it helps other astronomers measure first the Milky Way and then galaxies they didn’t even know existed! Henrietta is an astronomer–one who advances her beloved science! Even as she grows older Henrietta continues to look to the sky, to ask questions and dream.

More information about Henrietta Leavitt and her discoveries, Internet and print resources on astronomy and other women astronomers, a glossary, and more are provided on the final pages.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-look-up-henrietta-leavitt-sees-stars-in-sleep

Instead of first presenting Henrietta Leavitt as an adult already working as an astronomer, Robert Burleigh chooses to introduce her as a child, when all she had were questions and dreams about the sky and the stars. It’s a fitting emphasis for a picture book aimed at children who themselves are only just discovering the questions that will guide their lives.  Burleigh’s style is simple and straightforward, revealing pertinent facts about the working conditions of a woman scientist in the early 1900s, but emphasizing Henrietta’s internal contemplations that led to her important discoveries. It’s good for children to see that one does not always need to be the “astronaut” rocketing to the Space Station; the life of the mind is just as noble and needed a pursuit.

Raúl Colón’s watercolor and ink illustrations echo the theme of dreams and contemplation with soft muted colors and antique, sepia tones. Brightness on the pages comes from the points of light that fill the skies and Henrietta’s mind. As a child and young woman, Henrietta sits and stands in the glow of the stars and, one imagines, her own thoughts.

Ages 4 – 8

Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books | ISBN 978-1416958192

Expanding Girls’ Horizons in Science and Engineering Day Activity

CPB - Star Coloring Page

Be the Star You Want to Be Coloring Page

 

Everyone has “stars in their eyes”—dreams and hopes for what they will accomplish in life. Decorate this printable Be the Star You Want to Be coloring page to show what’s in your imagination and in your heart.

March 4 – It’s Umbrella Month

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celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-umbrella-queen-cover

About the Holiday

Today I am celebrating a month-long holiday. As spring returns with its rainy weather, walkers everywhere appreciate the protection umbrellas give. The need for umbrellas has been recognized since earliest days, when palmetto fronds were used by ancient civilizations. The Chinese were the first to create waterproof umbrellas by waxing or lacquering their paper parasols. Parasols were a woman’s accessory until Jonas Hanway, a Persian travel writer, used one in public in England in the 1700s. English men took up the practice, calling their version a “Hanway.” The first collapsible umbrella was designed in 1710, and in 1928 the folding pocket umbrella appeared. Since then, umbrellas have become fashionable and necessary accessories

The Umbrella Queen

Written by Shirin Yim Bridges | Illustrated by Taeeun Yoo

The residents of a small village in Thailand are well known for the beautiful paper umbrellas they make and sell in the local shops. The umbrellas are colorful, but always decorated with flowers and butterflies. Every New Year’s Day the villagers hold an Umbrella Parade, and the woman who has painted the most beautiful umbrella is chosen as the Umbrella Queen.

Noot is a little girl who longs to paint her own umbrellas and partake in the parade. One day her mother gives her an umbrella to paint and shows her how to copy her design. Noot is a natural artist, and her finished umbrella is nearly indistinguishable from her mother’s. She is given her own painting spot in the garden and five umbrellas to decorate.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-umbrella-queen-village

Image copyright Taeeun Yoo, courtesy of taeeunyoo.com

Noot paints the familiar butterflies and is about to start on the flowers when she is inspired to draw elephants instead. She covers all five umbrellas with elephants doing handstands, playing and squirting water, walking trunk-to-tail, and just being silly. When her mother sees these umbrellas, she is unhappy. Flowers and butterflies sell in the local shops, not elephants. Noot understands the importance of the money made from the umbrellas to her family. For the next year she paints the large umbrellas with the traditional design. At night, however, using bits and pieces, she fashions tiny umbrellas. These she paints with elephants, and displays them on her windowsill.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-umbrella-queen-emperor-visits

Image copyright Taeeun Yoo, courtesy of taeeunyoo.com

As New Year approaches there is much excitement in the village. It is rumored that the king will be visiting and will choose the Umbrella Queen himself. One day the villagers receive the message that the king will indeed arrive. The villagers spruce up their town and each woman displays her umbrellas in front of her home.

The king walks the length of the street, considering each umbrella until he comes to Noot’s house. He is very impressed with the umbrellas painted by Noot’s mother, but his gaze wanders to Noot’s windowsill, and he asks who painted the “strange” umbrellas.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-umbrella-queen-emperor-judges-umbrellas

Image copyright Taeeun Yoo, courtesy of taeeunyoo.com

A bit embarrassed by the attention, Noot shyly answers the king’s questions about the size of the small umbrellas and the unusual designs. In trying to explain herself, she forgets to look at the ground when talking to the king, and when her eyes meet his she realizes that, instead of judging her, he is charmed. “I like elephants,” she tells him, and he laughs.

The king takes Noot’s hand and names her the Umbrella Queen because “she paints from her heart.”

Shirin Yim Bridges has written a unique story that presents the often conflicting dilemma of responsibility to others while staying true to yourself effectively and engagingly. Noot’s journey from an observer in her family’s business to a valued artist is told straightforwardly and the familial love and support are clearly emphasized. The king’s recognition of Noot’s talent and heart will be highly satisfying for young readers or listeners.

Taeeun Yoo’s delicate illustrations in gold, red, black, and green set the story firmly in Thailand and perfectly demonstrate the close-knit village and relationships as well as the intricate beauty of the umbrellas and the pride the villagers take in them.

The Umbrella Queen is a wonderful story about family, discovering your talents, and self-expression that would find a welcome spot on any child’s bookshelf.

Ages 4 – 8

Greenwillow Books, Harper Collins, New York, 2008 | ISBN 978-0060750404

Learn more about Taeeun Yoo, her books, and her art on her website!

Umbrella Month Activity

CPB - Umbrella Matching Game

Rainy Day Mix Up Matching Game

A sudden storm scattered all the umbrellas and raincoats! Can you put the pairs together again? Draw a line to connect the umbrella and the raincoat that have the same pattern. Print the Rainy Day Mix Up Game here!