Month: October 2021

October 11 – National Coming Out Day

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About the Holiday

The establishment of National Coming Out Day was inspired by the October 11, 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, which drew 500,000 people and generated momentum for the movement for four months after the march had ended. During this time, more than one hundred LGBTQ+ identifying individuals gathered outside of Washington, DC. Rob Eichberg, who founded a personal growth workshop and Jean O’Leary, the head of National Gay Rights Advocates, proposed a national day to celebrate coming out and it was decided to create a National Coming Out Day that would officially begin on the 1st anniversary of their historic march. The holiday is now celebrated around the world. The day offers support and encouragement to those who are struggling with telling someone about their sexuality while urging family members, friends, educators, and others to listen with an open, loving, and welcoming heart.

Thanks to Joan Holub for sending me a copy of This Little Rainbow for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own. I’m thrilled to be teaming with Joan in an exciting giveaway of this book and more. See details below.

This Little Rainbow: A Love-is-Love Primer

 

Written by Joan Holub | Illustrated by Daniel Roode

 

Joan Holub’s latest book in her THIS LITTLE series introduces preschoolers to eleven influential artists, scientists, sports figures, soldiers, activists, and politicians who are or were members of the LGBTQIA+ community. From the 1400s to today, these role models have been admired for their talents, opinions, and groundbreaking success in their chosen fields. Their courage has also contributed to a more open and appreciative society for all.

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Image copyright Daniel Roode, 2021, text copyright Joan Holub, 2021. Courtesy of Little Simon, Simon & Schuster.

Each featured profile is presented on a two-page spread. On the left side a rhyming couplet describes what the person is most known for, while on the right children learn a couple of facts about them in two or three short sentences. The book leads off with one of the most prominent painters, inventors, and scientists to have ever lived—Leonardo da Vinci. Readers learn: “This little rainbow / was a genius long ago. / He was a great artist / and an engineering pro.” They then discover that “Leonardo da Vinci painted the famous Mona Lisa and The Last Supper, and could paint with his left or right hand. He was also a scientist, inventor, and architect, who designed a flying machine!”

Moving on to the Jazz Age, little ones learn about Josephine Baker, “who sang and danced onstage,” refused to perform where African Americans weren’t allowed in, and spied on Nazis during World War II. Kids also meet computer scientist and code breaker Alan Turing; Harvey Milk, the first out politician “elected to public office in California. He helped pass an early rule for fairness in housing and jobs for LGBTQIA+ people.”

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Image copyright Daniel Roode, 2021, text copyright Joan Holub, 2021. Courtesy of Little Simon, Simon & Schuster.

Children will also be introduced to Sally Ride: “This little rainbow / launched a satellite / as the first female astronaut / on a US space flight.” Kids then learn that “Sally Ride helped design a big robotic art and then used it to launch communications satellites from the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1983.” Marsha P. Johnson, a transgender woman who, with Sylvia Rivera, “created a group called STAR to help homeless trans people,”

Singer Freddie Mercury, Gilbert Baker and Daniel Quasar, who designed today’s rainbow flags; tennis pro Martina Navratilova; and Shane Ortega, who “was the first person to openly transition during active duty” and “now speaks out for fair rules for all people,” are also represented in these pages.

Following these profiles, a two-page spread provides portraits and information on fifteen other LGBTQIA+ leaders from around the world as well as a glossary of twelve “rainbow terms.”

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Image copyright Daniel Roode, 2021, text copyright Joan Holub, 2021. Courtesy of Little Simon, Simon & Schuster.

Joan Holub’s inclusive introduction to people in the LGBTQIA+ community gives parents, educators, and other caregivers a meaningful way to share the work and lives of people who reflect perhaps their own family or a member of their family, their neighbors, friends, teachers, celebrities, and others. In positive, uplifting language, Holub provides a short history on the struggles, recognition, progress, and contributions of those who identified or identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community while instilling pride and hope in the future for today’s children.

Daniel Roode’s well-recognized illustrations for the THIS LITTLE series offer vibrant imagery of each person backed by a bold, easily identified setting that informs young readers about their work and personality. Each of the eleven featured portraits as well as the fifteen that follow give adults and children a great place to start learning more about these inspiring people.

This Little Rainbow, a Love-Is-Love Primer is a terrific addition to the THIS LITTLE series for all home, classroom, school, and public library collections.

Ages 3 – 5

Little Simon, 2021 | ISBN 978-1534475601

Discover more about Joan Holub and her books on her website.

You can connect with Daniel Roode on Instagram.

One Question with Joan Holub

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Joan Holub has authored and/or illustrated over 140 children’s books, including the Goddess Girls series, the Heroes in Training series, the New York Times bestselling picture book Mighty Dads (illustrated by James Dean), and Little Red Writing (illustrated by Melissa Sweet). She lives in North Carolina.

You can connect with Joan Holub on her Website and Twitter. 

Hi Joan! It’s wonderful to have this little chat with you! Your list of published books is truly incredible and inspirational for its length and breadth of topics. I can only imagine that you’ve always been an avid reader. Did you have a favorite place to read as a child? Do you still seek out a favorite comfortable place to read now?

When I was a girl, there was a willow tree in our backyard, and I loved how cozy and hidden I felt sitting beneath it, with its green canopy draped around me. It was my favorite hideout and place to read. My family had read a book called A Good Place to Hide, which featured a child hiding under a willow tree, and that fostered in me the idea of me doing the same. My favorite reading spot now is our back deck, which looks out onto trees, with a glass of iced tea beside me.

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You can find This Little Rainbow: A Love-is-Love Primer at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from 

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

 

October 8 – World Octopus Day

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About the Holiday

With fossils dating back 300 million years, the octopus is one of the world’s oldest and most fascinating creatures. It’s also one of the smartest—as it has more than 500 million neurons firing information through its brain and arms, allowing them to learn from experience and solve problems. Octopuses are adaptable and are found in all the world’s oceans. While most prefer warmer waters and living along the ocean floor, some species swim in shallower, cooler waters. Octopuses have an excellent sense of touch and sense of vision—some even see in color. They fool predators by hiding or camouflaging themselves and can escape capture by shooting an inky substance at their pursuers. To celebrate today’s holiday, plan a visit to an aquarium or other sea life center!

All I Want is an Octopus

Written by Tracy Gunaratnam | Illustrated by Valentina Fontana

 

Throughout the city, a little boy sees pets of all kinds going here and there with their humans. He knows kids with dogs and cats, hamsters and turtles, mice and even a horse. “But all he wants is an… octopus!” His dad tells him an octopus “‘belongs in the sea.’” His son’s response? “‘But DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD! My octopus would wash your car. / He’d paint the house and play guitar.’” His dad thinks about it and is pretty impressed. As he sprinkles food into their fish tank, he says he’ll leave it up to Mom.

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Image copyright Tracy Gunaratnam, 2021, text copyright Valentina Fontana, 2021. Courtesy of Maverick Arts Publishing.

But when the boy asks his mom, she tells him the idea is silly and to get ready for bed. Her son’s response? “‘But MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!’” Then he tells her how helpful the octopus would be, and she’s just as impressed as Dad had been. She tells him to go ask his Gran. Gran doesn’t need any convincing at all. In fact, she thinks an octopus will “‘roller skate and jump in puddles… /…Play mini golf and give wonderful cuddles.’”

The boy is star struck—even he didn’t think of these. But while his Gran thinks having an octopus would be a great bet, she’s already invited another pet. Who could it be? Ding Dong! Open the door and you will see!

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Image copyright Tracy Gunaratnam, 2021, text copyright Valentina Fontana, 2021. Courtesy of Maverick Arts Publishing.

Silly in the best way and with dialogue kids are going to love to chime in on, Tracy Gunaratnam’s funny rhyming story is perfect for lively family, classroom, or library story times. All I Want is an Octopus would make a captivating lead-in and prompt for classroom writer’s workshops on pets and family negotiations. At home, kids would have fun imagining what other jobs around the house an octopus could do as well as talking about an unusual pet they’d like to have.

Valentina Fontana’s adorable guitar-playing, hair-styling, mini golf-playing pink octopus will have kids wanting one of their own. Her fresh, vibrant illustrations, rendered in a lovely color palette, also hold clues that kids will have fun deciphering as to why each of the various other pets are a perfect match for its owner. The book Gran is reading also hints at the surprise ending, and the final spread will bring a smile to all kids with big dreams.

A light-hearted read aloud that kids and adults will enjoy sharing at story time or bedtime, All I Want is an Octopus makes a terrific gift and sure favorite on home, school, and library bookshelves.

Ages 4 – 9

Maverick Arts, 2021 | ISBN 978-1848867796

You can connect with Valentina Fontana on Instagram.

World Octopus Day Activity

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Cute Sock Octopus Craft

 

Who wouldn’t like to have a cute octopus for a pet? With this fast and easy craft you can make your own little cephalopod to hang out on your bed, your shelves, or on your desk!

Supplies

  • Child’s medium or large size sock, in any color
  • Polyfill, available at craft and sewing stores
  • Ribbon
  • 2 Small buttons
  • Scissors
  • Hot glue or strong glue

Directions

  1. Fill the toe of the sock with a handful of polyfiber fill
  2. Tie the ribbon tightly around the sock underneath the fiber fill to separate the head from the legs
  3. Tie the ribbon into a bow tie
  4. With the scissor cut up both sides of the sock almost to the ribbon
  5. Cut these two sections in half almost to the ribbon
  6. Cut the four sections in half almost to the ribbon
  7. Glue the eyes to the lower part of the head
  8. To display, set the octopus down and arrange the legs in a circle around the head

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You can find All I Want is an Octopus at these booksellers

Amazon | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

October 7 – It’s National Book Month

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About the Holiday

This month-long holiday was established to get families excited about reading. As the weather turns cooler and activities turn indoors, reading together is a wonderful way to spend time laughing, learning, and making memories. Small children love being read to—and so do older kids! Sharing board books, picture books, and chapter books with younger readers opens up new worlds of imagination, feelings, and discovery. Taking the journey of a novel, graphic novel, or biography together with tweens and teens can provide inspiring, emotional, funny, and bonding moments that last a lifetime.

Thanks to Millbrook Press and Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sharing a copy of Who Is a Scientist? for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Who Is a Scientist?

By Laura Gehl

 

Do you love science and think that maybe you’d like to be a scientist when you grow up? But do you also love to dance or surf to paint or bake? Maybe you like to play soccer or ride a motorcycle or you’re considering getting a tattoo like your mom or dad and you think that none of those are things a scientist would do. Maybe you think of scientists as a little bit stuffy with their white coats and endless graphs. Well, think again!

In Who Is a Scientist? Laura Gehl introduces you to fourteen scientists who smash those ideas. And what’s more they’re involved in some pretty fascinating and life-changing sciences and projects that you may never have heard about before but that may inspire you. For example, you’ll meet Isha M. Renata López who works as a meteorologist but “also loves to dance, play volleyball, and eat chocolate.” What’s great about her job? She alerts people to changes in the weather, and when a big storm, blizzard, hurricane, or tornado is coming, she works with emergency crews, the media, and the local government to make sure everyone knows so they can stay safe.

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“Jagmeet Kanwal studies bats and zebrafish to help figure out how the human brain makes decisions.” He’s also working to discover “how our brains allow us to hear different types of sounds.” He’s hoping to be able to “help people with depression, Parkinson’s disease, and memory loss.” What else does Jagmeet like to do? He’s also a painter and nature photographer.

If you like math, you may want to become a mathematician like Mark Lewis, who studies operations research during work hours and enjoys playing basketball in his off time. This kind of science “uses math to help business make good decisions” that affect consumer, such as how long people wait in line, how much items cost, and how transportation can move faster.

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Perhaps you’re interested in health and medical research like Tishina Okegbe whose work makes sure that mothers, babies, and children in Africa and Asia “have access to high-quality health-care services. In her free time, Tishina likes “visiting new places, belly dancing, and eating pizza and ice cream.”

Whether you’re interested in food systems and farming, how the brain works, the environment, space, dinosaurs, or computers, the scientists will inspire you to enjoy all of your passions. In fact, the extracurricular activities you enjoy the most may just lead you to a career you’ll love. The definition of who and what a scientist is broad and exciting as you’ll see when you meet these men and women who are changing the world while being themselves.

Back matter includes a QR code that readers can scan to view a video in which each profiled scientist introduces themselves. There’s also a flow chart that can lead kids to the type of scientist they might want to be or at least research further based on their interests.

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Laura Gehl’s engaging and inspiring look at a variety of scientists and their disciplines will get all kids excited about the wide range of work going on around them and the people who make it happen. Her profiles of these thinkers, activists, and active members of their communities show kids that they don’t need to be defined only by their career and that scientists—who are needed now more than ever—are a diverse group and welcoming to all. Each profile is accompanied by photographs of the scientist in their lab or other work environment as well as action shots of them enjoying their off time in their favorite pursuits.

A smart, inviting, and educational introduction to the people who are helping to make the world a better place through science and other STEM-related fields, Who Is a Scientist? is sure to inform readers on the wide-range of specialized work that falls under the umbrella of science and spark their interest in learning where they may fit in. The book is highly recommended for home bookshelves and is a must for classroom, school, and public libraries.

Ages 4 – 9

Millbrook Press, 2021 | ISBN 978-1728441085

Meet the scientists in this Who Is a Scientist? Book Trailer!

One Question with Laura Gehl

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Laura Gehl is the author of more than a dozen books for children, including One Big Pair of Underwear, Except When They Don’t, the Peep and Egg series, and the Baby Scientist and Brilliant Baby board books. In addition to being an author, Dr. Gehl has a PhD in neuroscience and is the mother of four children. She lives with her family in Maryland. 

You can connect with Laura on her Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Hi Laura! I loved reading your book and getting to know some of the scientists working today. I also enjoyed seeing how some of their other interests are reflected in their work while others are great ways to relax and play—definitely something kids can relate to!

I was wondering if or how a previous job (or jobs) has influenced your writing and the kinds of books you write. 

I used to work in a neurobiology lab, and I also used to teach science. Both of those jobs made me want to write books about science and scientists! When I taught science, I realized that very few kids had met a real scientist or had read about any scientists more recent than Albert Einstein or Marie Curie. Flash forward twenty years and my new photo-illustrated picture book Who Is a Scientist? features fourteen real scientists working today in different fields from astronomy to entomology to paleontology. While the book talks about the fascinating work these scientists are doing, it also talks about the other things the scientists love…like dancing, soccer, junk food, watching movies, and playing with their pets. I hope this book helps kids realize that scientists are just like them—curious people with lots of different passions who like to ask and answer interesting questions.

Thanks, Laura! Through your books you’ve found a perfect way to share your love and knowledge of science with kids! I wish you all the best with Who Is a Scientist?!

You can find a Teacher’s Guide to Who Is a Scientist? and her other books on Laura Gehl’s website here.

National Book Month Activity

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Static Electricity Experiment!

 

We all know that cooler weather means shock season will soon be here. But you don’t have to wait until the fuzzy socks and fleecy blankets come out to have some fun exploring the science of static electricity. Using a blown-up balloon can be a dramatic way to show kids what’s going on with the electrons that are at the center of this phenomenon.

Babies and young children should be supervised by an adult while playing with balloons.

How does it work? Static electricity is generated when there is an excess of electrons on one object giving it an electric charge. These electrons are attracted to an object with fewer electrons and will jump to it when placed close by.

How do you produce static electricity? Just rub the blown-up balloon on your shirt, on your hair, on a blanket or other surface. Then try these experiments!

CRAZY HAIR

Generate static electricity on a blown-up balloon then hold it near your hair and watch it go a little crazy!

HANG A BALLOON

Generate static electricity on a blown-up balloon and gently place it on the wall and watch it hang all by itself.

BEND WATER

This bit of balloon magic will amaze you! Generate static electricity on a blown-up balloon. Turn on a faucet to a thin stream of water. Hold the balloon near the stream of water and watch it bend toward the balloon. 

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You can find Who Is a Scientist? at these booksellers. Due to shipping delays, preorders are now being taken.

Amazon | Books-a-Million | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

 

October 6 – Get Ready for Halloween

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About the Holiday

October may have just begun, but kids are already thinking of the thrills and chills of Halloween. Witches and jack-o-lanterns, ghosts and skeletons take center stage all month long with fun Halloween-themed books like this one. So get shivering and giggling with the kids and skeleton in today’s book! 

Thanks go to Page Street Kids for sharing a copy of If You Ever Meet a Skeleton for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own. 

Review by Dorothy Levine

If You Ever Meet a Skeleton

Written by Rebecca Evans | Illustrated by Katrin Dreiling

 

Have you ever met a skeleton? No? Phew. Well, if you ever do, there’s no need to be spooked! If You Ever Meet a Skeleton teaches that creepy crawly bones that emerge on Halloween are not as scary as you may think.

On Halloween night, a skeleton claws its way out of the earth, and the trick-or-treating children are frightened. They run away as the bones follow, stumbling over hills and fallen candy. When the skeleton catches up, the kids realize that it may not be as fearsome as they first thought. When they all try to play, the kids find out skeletons have no guts, no muscles, no brains: Because they have no muscle, they can’t win races, and with no brain to count with they play hide-and-seek. “Skeletons have no guts, so they can’t be brave like you. They’re scared of nighttime shadows and owls that say ‘whoooo’”— just like these kids, or maybe me, or you!

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Image copy Katrin Dreiling, 2021, text copyright Rebecca Evans, 2021. Courtesy of Page Street Kids.

Skeletons have no nose to smell the stinky boots of kids. But most of all, “Skeletons have no friends,” and “they’d like to find a few: some kids with stinky feet and little brothers too.” When a child loses his shoe the skeleton returns it to him, and the group of friends invite the skeleton up to their treehouse fort.

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Image copy Katrin Dreiling, 2021, text copyright Rebecca Evans, 2021. Courtesy of Page Street Kids.

They find that “Skeletons like to smile at stories in the dark…” and “they’ll trick-or-treat with you then share their chocolate bar just like buddies do.” And when one friend’s mother brings drinks out to the fort, they love to hear her “SHRIEK!” They dance and play and draw a trio of other skeletons hoping to join their joyous, Halloween romp.

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Image copy Katrin Dreiling, 2021, text copyright Rebecca Evans, 2021. Courtesy of Page Street Kids.

While skeletons seem spooky to the kids at first, Rebecca Evan’s lyrical rhyming prose about skeletons’ parts helps readers to realize they’re not so scary after all. The story contains an underlying message encouraging readers to not be scared of making friends that may seem different at first glance. The story of friendship is simple, sweet and a delight to read. It’s a perfect bedtime story for anyone who may be frightened of (or excited by) spooky Halloween creatures. Treat yourself by getting into the Halloween spirit with this quirky read!  

Katrin Dreiling is well known for her spooky, yet adorable drawings. She says, “the spooky is a fascinating genre to work with because you need to create a certain atmosphere in a spooky illustration. Also, it is very challenging to achieve a balance so that the finished work is neither too scary nor too bland.” Her multi-medium illustrations in If You Ever Meet a Skeleton accomplish this exactly. The skeletons and children mirror each other with the same cute and spooked expressions. With spreads that are fully black and white, adding to the late-night Halloween scene, pops of red, gold and green draw attention to the diverse cast of children and glorious candy details of the story.

A creative tale of friendship and festivities on Halloween night, If You Ever Meet a Skeleton combines spooky and sweet framed by the tradition of trick-or-treating. The story can also provide a fun way to introduce anatomy to young readers throughout the year.

Ages 4 – 8

Page Street Kids, 2021 | ISBN 978-1645672159

Discover more about Rebecca Evans, her books, and her art on her website.

To learn more about Katrin Dreiling, her books, and her art, visit her website.

Get Ready for Halloween Activity

A Little Artsy A Little Craftsy Q-tip Skeleton Image 2

Q-tip Skeleton from A Little Artsy A Little Crafty (littleartsylittlecraftsy.blogspot.com)

 

Create Your Own Q-tip Skeleton Friend

 

You can make a skeleton just in time for Halloween with this easy craft by A Little Artsy A Little Craftsy. Will your skeleton be dancing, walking, scaring—or maybe trick-or-treating? You can find the directions for this craft as well as other fun crafts and delicious recipes on A Little Artsy A Little Craftsy.

You Will Need

  • Q-tips
  • Glue
  • 1 piece of black or other dark colored construction paper
  • 1 piece of white paper or white foam sheet
A Little Artsy A Little Craftsy Q-tip Skeleton Image 1

Q-tip Skeleton from A Little Artsy A Little Crafty (littleartsylittlecraftsy.blogspot.com)

 

What to Do

To Make the Bones

  1. Draw and cut out a skull from the white paper or foam sheet
  2. Cut eyes, a nose, and a mouth in the skull
  3. Cut 2 Q-tips in half for the legs
  4. Cut 2 Q-tips shorter than the leg parts for the arms
  5. Use 4 Q-tips to create the ribs (the top two sets will be slightly shorter than the bottom two)
  6. Cut 1 short piece from the end of one Q-tip to make the neck
  7. Cut 2 short pieces from the ends of one Q-tip to make the feet
  8. Use the stick part of one Q-tip to make the spine
  9. Use the stick part of one Q-tip to cut small pieces for the fingers

To Assemble the Skeleton

  1. Decide how you will pose your skeleton
  2. To make elbow, knee, and ankle joints, glue the “bones” to the construction paper tip-to-tip, end-to-end, or tip-to-end by following the example in the picture.
  3. Follow the picture to place the ribs, neck, and fingers

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You can find If You Ever Meet a Skeleton at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

October 5 – National Do Something Nice Day

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About the Holiday

Similar to Random Acts of Kindness Day, National Do Something Nice Day encourages people to think of others and do nice things for them. These don’t have to be big or expensive; in fact, small gestures or thoughtful actions can make all the difference in the way a friend, family member, or stranger feels. These acts of kindness will make you feel good too! To celebrate today, keep an eye out for ways you can lend a hand, times you can share a smile or a conversation, or ways you can make a new friend. Kids may enjoy sharing the encouraging cards found below with friends, siblings, and teachers or by leaving them at school, the library, shops or anywhere that someone may find them.

Sometimes It’s Hard to Be Nice

Written by Maggie C. Rudd | Illustrated by Kelly O’Neill

 

It seems like being nice should be easy, but there are so many emotions that often surround that one little word that sometimes doing the considerate thing is really hard. How hard? Like smiling and saying “that’s okay” when “your mom says you have to share” your favorite toy with a friend, sibling, or cousin and they break it. Like sitting through your brother or sister’s boring performance, game, or recital when you’d rather be somewhere else—anywhere else. Or like eating your least favorite food and thanking the cook for the meal because you don’t want to hurt their feelings.

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Image copyright Kelly O’Neill, 2021, text copyright Maggie C. Rudd, 2021. Courtesy of Albert Whitman & Company.

In fact, “sometimes being nice takes practice” like when a little brother or sister destroys your stuff and you yell at them, but then later you realize they didn’t really understand what they were doing. Or like when visiting someone you love in a nursing home or new place is scary and you hang back, not wanting to see them but then decide you won’t be scared next time you visit. And then there are times like these on the playground “when you have been waiting in line for the big slide, and a kid jumps in front of you because he didn’t see you standing there. And your mom says that the polite thing to do is to let him go first. But it’s your turn so you go anyway. Somehow it isn’t as fun. Next time you’ll let him go first.”

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Image copyright Kelly O’Neill, 2021, text copyright Maggie C. Rudd, 2021. Courtesy of Albert Whitman & Company.

So what does all that practice lead to? The good feeling you get when you are nice. Like when you let your baby brother sit with you as you play a video game, “and he claps for you the whole time.” There’s also the great feeling you get when you’ve cleaned up after playing and your parents really appreciate it, or “when you’re late for soccer practice and your mom can’t find her keys, so you help her look for them . . . and find them in the doorknob! And your mom says she doesn’t know what she would do without you!”

While these examples may be hard because you feel slighted or tired or rushed or scared, there are times when being nice takes all your courage—like when you befriend the new kid or the kid everyone picks on and find out you have lots in common. Or when the bullies come around and you stand up for your new friend even though it’s scary and you end up in the principal’s office. So why would you want to be nice? Because “it’s worth it.”

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Image copyright Kelly O’Neill, 2021, text copyright Maggie C. Rudd, 2021. Courtesy of Albert Whitman & Company.

Maggie C. Rudd’s excellent primer to the emotions and circumstances around being nice presents children with realistic scenarios involving family members and friends, favorite toys and activities, and common situations at school that often require extra effort to respond to in a positive way. Rudd’s conversational writing style directly engages the reader, and while every example may not be an exact match to the reader’s experience, many will be spot on and the others easily recognized and adaptable.

Rudd’s four-step progression acknowledges that showing kindness or even just good manners can be difficult, but that it can become easier—especially when a situation seems unfair or is disappointing—with practice and perspective. Rudd’s examples of when being nice feels good are sprinkled with humor and warm family feelings that will bring smiles that support her point. A thread involving a favorite Galactic Star Crusher action figure ties several of the vignettes together, adding a sense of relationship and connectedness among the characters.

Kelly O’Neill illustrates each example for readers with clearly depicted scenes involving kids like them playing video games, visiting with grandparents, playing on the playground, helping their parents, and standing up for another child. In every instance, the children’s emotions are easily understood, which opens up many opportunities for adults and kids to discuss the feelings and issues surrounding how one treats others from both a child’s and adult’s perspective and experience. O’Neill’s bright colors, familiar settings, and uncluttered, well-conceived pages put the focus on her engaging children and elegantly complement Rudd’s important message.

Sometimes It’s Hard to Be Nice is a superb read aloud for honestly addressing the complexities and rewards of showing kindness and being nice. It is a book that families, teachers, and caregivers will find themselves turning to again and again in helping children navigate and learn this important social skill. The book is a must addition to home, classroom, school, and public library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Albert Whitman & Company | ISBN 978-0807575734

Discover more about Maggie C. Rudd and her books as well as an Activity Kit for educators and parents on her website.

To learn more about Kelly O’Neill, her books, and her art, visit her website.

National Do Something Nice Day Activity

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Say Something Nice! Cards

 

Do you want to give someone a nice surprise? Print out these cards and give one to a friend, to someone you’d like to know, or to anyone who looks like they need a pick-me-up! If you’d like to make your own cards, print out the blank template and write and/or draw your own message! You can also print these on adhesive paper and make your own stickers.

Say Something Nice! Cards | Say Something Nice! Cards Blank Template

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You can find Sometimes It’s Hard to Be Nice at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from 

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

October 4 – World Habitat Day

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About the Holiday

Today we have two special holidays to share: World Habitat Day and National Ship in a Bottle Day! World Habitat Day was created by the United Nations to emphasize the right for all to have access to a home, or a habitat. It is meant to teach more about both humanitarian and environmental issues, as well as their many intersections. This year’s theme is Accelerating Urban Action for a Carbon-free World. To learn more about World Habitat Day and the various activities happening this year to honor it, check out the United Nations World Habitat Day Page.

Today also marks National Ship in a Bottle Day, a holiday founded in 2013 on the birthday of Jack Hinkley, the founder of the Ship in Bottle Association of America. This holiday is meant to celebrate the magical craft of placing a tiny model ship within a glass bottle with a narrow opening. It is a tricky feat that takes a lot of preparation, skill, and careful execution.

You are probably now wondering what book could possibly bridge these two seemingly divergent holidays. The answer is Shipwreck Reefs— a nonfiction picture book from the Imagine This! series published by Albert Whitman & Company.

Thanks to Albert Whitman & Company for sharing a copy of Shipwreck Reefs for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Review by Dorothy Levine

Shipwreck Reefs

Written by Aimée M. Bissonette | Illustrated by Adèle Leyris

 

“Splash! Kick! Swim down into the deep.” Readers join scuba divers in learning about coral and reefs. However, not all of these reefs discussed are typical. They are sometimes born from sunken shipwrecks or other non-living, human-placed materials. The book begins with some background on coral reefs, and then readers flip the page to a sunken ship, inhabited by seagrass, algae, barnacles and colorful fish. “But is this a coral reef? Yes…and no.”

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Image copyright Adèle Leyris, 2021, text copyright Aimée M. Bissonette, 2021. Courtesy of Albert Whitman & Company.

Shipwrecks provide hard surfaces for small animals like baby corals and barnacles to attach onto and grow into colonies. Over time, sunken ships can become entire ecosystems as the corals grow, providing shelter and food for other animals. More specifically, readers will learn about silver bellied yellow jack, long spine squirrelfish, plankton, rainbow parrot fish, loggerhead sea turtles and more.

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Image copyright Adèle Leyris, 2021, text copyright Aimée M. Bissonette, 2021. Courtesy of Albert Whitman & Company.

Artificial reefs have been around for ages. “In the 1830’s, ocean fishermen in South Carolina constructed artificial reefs out of logs.” Reefs can be constructed from many different materials, from wooden plants to scrap metal, old tanks to sunken ships. “Whether a subway car or oil rig, army tank or shipwreck, artificial reefs do many jobs.” Around the world, there are many reefs that function as both art installations and tourist attractions for deep-sea divers.

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Image copyright Adèle Leyris, 2021, text copyright Aimée M. Bissonette, 2021. Courtesy of Albert Whitman & Company.

The book also discusses how human-caused climate change, pollution from a wide range of contaminates, and the burning of carbon dioxide-producing fuels has caused changes to our oceans that have harmed coral and the other marine life that relies on them. Readers also learn how artificial reefs are beneficial to the ocean habitat. The story reveals: “Artificial reefs help ease the human activity at natural reefs by offering other locations for research, fishing, and diving. Artificial reefs can give natural reefs time to heal, which helps our ocean stay healthy.”

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Image copyright Adèle Leyris, 2021, text copyright Aimée M. Bissonette, 2021. Courtesy of Albert Whitman & Company.

Aimée M. Bissonette follows the story with a page of further information on “Remarkable Resourceful Artificial Reefs,” specifically discussing the experimentation done with artificial reefs and the different creative types that exist. The storyline is interspersed with text in smaller print explaining terms such as ecosystems, scuttling, coral polyps, moray eels, and more for extra-curious readers. Bissonette’s writing is straightforward, and neatly compacts complex terms into simple explanations. The author explains climate change, CO2, and coral bleaching in comprehendible terms to teach young audiences to care about these pressing issues.

Adèle Leyris’s mesmerizing illustrations immerse readers in a deep-sea ecosystem with flashy colored fish, detailed coral, and water-colored blues. The scenes feel authentically underwater, exciting, and full of enticements for the audience to take an extra-long look. The scuba divers are depicted in darker shadows, with spots of light that radiate from the page. One page stands on its own with no text: a murky underwater subway car inhabited by a school of fish, with colorful corals wrapped around the pole. The beautiful illustrations will get readers inspired to learn more about reefs, marine life, and how they can help protect them.

Visually striking and loaded with information that will spur kids to learn more about both artificial and natural coral reefs as well as the sea creatures that rely on them, Shipwreck Reefs is a must for any budding naturalist, classroom science collection, or public library.

Ages 5 – 9 

Albert Whitman & Company, 2021 | ISBN 978-0807512876

Discover more about Aimée M. Bissonette and her books on her website.

To learn more about Adèle Leyris, her books, and her art, visit her website.

World Habitat Day and National Ship in a Bottle Day Activities

 

Exploring the Coral Reef Video

 

Watch this educational video to see some real-life coral reef ecosystems! 

Scout Life Ship in a Bottle Craft

Image courtesy of Scout Life (scoutlife.com)

Make Your Own Ship in a Bottle

 

To make your own ship (or artificial reef!) in a bottle, visit Scout Life for detailed instructions.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-shipwreck-reefs-cover

You can find Shipwreck Reefs at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

October 1 – International Raccoon Appreciation Day

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About the Holiday

International Raccoon Appreciation Day was begun by a young girl in California to celebrate raccoons and all animals that are considered to be pests or “nuisance animals,” but who are actually an important part of their ecosystem. Raccoons help out by eating carrion, keeping the numbers of some other animals in check, and spreading seeds while foraging and eating berries and nuts. Raccoons live in diverse climates, and in rural, urban, and suburban areas. Despite habitat loss, their population has continued to increase in North America. One remarkable aspect of raccoons is their hand-like paws, which are almost as nimble as ours and from which they derive their name. “Raccoon” comes from the Powhatan word aroughcun, which means “animal that scratches with its hands.” The Aztecs named them mapachitli, which means “one who takes everything in its hands.” Today’s book stars a raccoon who makes good use of her hands while having a grand adventure.

Raccoon and the Hot Air Balloon

Written by Jill Atkins | Illustrated by Kristen Humphrey

 

Even though Raccoon was happy living in the forest, she longed for adventure, so when she heard a screech, she went to investigate. What she found was a baby eagle that had fallen from her nest and become stuck between two branches. Raccoon easily climbed up the tree, rescued the chick, and returned it to its nest. Just then the chick’s mother swooped down, and Raccoon felt a pang of fear. But the eagle just wanted to thank her for helping her baby.

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Image copyright Kristen Humphrey, 2021, text copyright Jill Atkins, 2021. Courtesy of Maverick Arts Publishing.

Raccoon went back to her tree, wishing that she could fly. As she napped, she dreamed “of faraway places where she would go if she could fly.” She was suddenly awakened by a loud roar. Looking up, she saw a hot air balloon soar by and land in the nearby field. Raccoon was astonished and decided that she would ride in it too. “‘It would be such a fantastic adventure!’” she told herself.

As the riders left their balloon, Raccoon hopped in and nibbled through the rope tethering it to the ground. “Up shot the hot air balloon! ‘Whee! I’m flying! It’s the beginning of my great adventure!’” Raccoon exclaimed. Seeing their balloon take to the air, the riders chased after it. The balloon continued to rise and rise. It soared over the eagle’s nest, rivers, forests, and fields.

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Image copyright Kristen Humphrey, 2021, text copyright Jill Atkins, 2021. Courtesy of Maverick Arts Publishing.

In a little while, Raccoon decided it was time for lunch. But how could she get the hot air balloon to go down? There was a red button in the basket, but pushing it did nothing. Raccoon tried pulling on the rope that hung from the balloon, but this just made the balloon go higher. “‘Help! I can’t get down!’ she shouted” as the ground appeared smaller and smaller. “At that moment, she heard a swoosh of wings. The mother eagle landed on the basket.” With the promise to help, the eagle flew away. Soon she was back grasping a big rock in her talons. “She dropped it in the basket” and took off again.

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Image copyright Kristen Humphrey, 2021, text copyright Jill Atkins, 2021. Courtesy of Maverick Arts Publishing.

Suddenly, the sky filled with birds all carrying stones. One by one they dropped them in the hot air balloon’s basket. Slowly, the hot air balloon began to descend—right in her very own tree. Raccoon called out a relieved “‘thank you!’” to the eagle. She’d had a wonderful adventure, but she was happy to be home—until she saw the motor boat zooming by and decided “‘I think it’s time for another adventure!’”

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Image copyright Kristen Humphrey, 2021, text copyright Jill Atkins, 2021. Courtesy of Maverick Arts Publishing.

Jill Atkins’ clever and accessible story about how good deeds are often repaid in kind offers young readers humor, excitement, and adventure along the way. Her engaging storytelling clearly shows kids the reciprocal friendship that grows between Raccoon and Eagle after Raccoon rescues her chick. Atkins also helps readers see that exploring new things leads to opportunities to meet new people, learn new skills, and discover parts of their neighborhood, state, or even the world that they’ve never seen before. Eagle’s rescue of Raccoon is an ingenious solution to his predicament and will also shows kids that many helping hands—including theirs—can make a big difference.

Kristen Humphrey’s bright illustrations of Raccoon’s forest, populated with deer, bears, owls, and other birds, mirrors Atkins’ evocative storytelling and will please kids. When Raccoon makes his dream to fly come true, readers can watch step-by-step as he takes his wild ride. Humphrey’s images provide excellent prompts for readers to predict what will happen to the hot air balloon and Raccoon. As Raccoon quickly recovers from his harrowing experience and decides to have another adventure, readers will knowingly laugh to see him at the wheel of a motorboat.

Raccoon and the Hot Air Balloon is a humorous and impactful title to share ideas of following ones dreams and the importance of helping our friends and neighbors near and far for all kids.

Ages 4 – 9 

Maverick Arts Publishing, 2021 | ISBN 978-1848867772

Discover more about Jill Atkins and her books on her website.

You can connect with Kristen Humphrey on Instagram.

National Raccoon Appreciation Day Activity

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Raccoon Coloring Pages

 

If you like mischievous raccoons, you’ll enjoy these two printable coloring pages!

Raccoon in the Woods | Raccoon by the Shore

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-raccoon-and-the-hot-air-balloon-cover

You can find Raccoon and the Hot Air Balloon at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review