October 27 – National Black Cat Day

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Picture Book Review

October 15 – Celebrate Fall

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

With the onset of autumn, people love to get outdoors to enjoy the beautiful weather, the colorful trees, empty beaches, and the wealth of fresh fruit and vegetables available at farmers markets. From corn mazes to arts-and-crafts shows, agricultural fairs to pick-your-own orchards, museums to favorite shops and cafes, there’s so much to do! With today’s books you and your little ones can enjoy exploring with the ABCs—why not turn your next outing into a game with these fun take-along board books?!

Thank you to Familius for sharing a copy of C Is for City and F Is for Farm with me for review consideration. All opinions on the books are my own.

C Is for City: A City ABC Primer

Written by Ashley Mireles | Illustrated by Volha Kaliaha

A walk through any city is full of new or favorite sights, sounds, tastes, and smells. Ashley Mireles has collected twenty-six of these to keep little ones looking and learning as they explore whether at home or while visiting. If you’re sharing this book with your little one, they’re probably well acquainted with the entry at B! For all book lovers “B is for bookstore,” of course! Kids fascinated with big trucks will want to take a drive or walk to find the building that represents F—the Fire Station. Everybody hungry? Offer kids a trip to G or I and see which they pick. Do they figure out that “G is for grocery store” and “I is for ice cream shop?” Some of the most charming architecture in a city come in small packages. That’s why “K is for kiosk.” Why not stop by and see what’s for sale?

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Image copyright Volha Kaliaha, 2021, text copyright Ashley Mireles, 2021. Courtesy of Familius.

With all the exhibits, hands-on displays, and maybe even a dino or two, no child (or adult) wants to pass up a trip to M! That’s right! When you open the doors to the museum, you open your child’s imagination to all that’s possible! Perhaps, you just have to run some errands. Those are perfect for seeking out the alphabet too! Need to go to mail a package, get your car fixed, or get a haircut? You’ll be visiting the places at P, R, and S! Ready for some more fun after all of those? You know where to head—the last page, because “Z is for Zoo.”

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Image copyright Volha Kaliaha, 2021, text copyright Ashley Mireles, 2021. Courtesy of Familius.

Ashley Mireles has chosen a wide range of familiar city landmarks, shops, and buildings that little ones will have fun pointing out as they walk, drive, or speed past on the subway. Each letter is represented with a simple sentence that invites adults and kids to examine Volha Kaliaha’s illustrations or use their memory to talk about other things the letter may stand for or other items, workers, or experiences associated with each place. The repeated phrasing makes this an excellent “read along” or primer for new readers.

Volha Kaliaha represents each letter with charming, colorful images that will get kids talking and searching their neighborhood and their home for examples of each alphabetic letter. Her clean lines and winsome details give adults plenty of opportunities to prompt children to find items that begin with letters other than the featured one, making this nicely sized board book perfect for growing vocabularies and language awareness.

Bright, engaging, and just right for little hands, C Is for City offers lots to love for young learners and is sure to become a favorite on home, classroom, and library bookshelves.

Ages Baby – 3

Familus, 2021 | ISBN 978-1641704533

You can connect with Volha Kaliaha on Instagram.

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You can buy C Is for City on the Familius website.

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F Is for Farm: A Farming ABC Primer

Written by Ashley Mireles | Illustrated by Volha Kaliaha

Yeehaw! Little ones are off to the farm in this alphabetic collection of animals, buildings, food, and equipment they’d find out in the country. Ask any child to name a farm animal or two, and they’re sure to shout out the favorites at C (cow), D (ducks), and R (rooster). And how about the delicious foods that farmers provide? Well, “J is for jam,” “M is for milk,” and “X is for ximenia.”

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Image copyright Volha Kaliaha, 2021, text copyright Ashley Mireles, 2021. Courtesy of Familius.

Big rig-loving kids will be looking for the plow and tractor, and they’re here too, as well as some modern farming methods that keep crops and farmers organized and environmentally savvy. Little ones with a thirst for knowledge will be proud to learn the “big words” scattered among the pages, such as “A is for agriculture” and “I is for Irrigation.”

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Image copyright Volha Kaliaha, 2021, text copyright Ashley Mireles, 2021. Courtesy of Familius.

Ashley Mireles brings the farm inside with her enchanting picks from the country that will please little ones. Her simple four-word sentences invite youngest readers to chime in on the repeated “is for” while emerging readers will gain confidence in recognizing these sight words and other familiar words and letter sounds.

Volha Kaliaha packs her delightful illustrations with lots of realistic images from a farm as well as sweet details that will make kids smile. Not only does each page introduce the alphabet and a crop of words, the vegetables growing in rows, apples on the trees, pumpkins in the cart, and more welcome kids who love to count. Little ones will be excited to find plenty of items to name, colors to point out, and new foods to try within Kaliaha’s pages.

Ages Baby – 3

Familius, 2021 | ISBN 978-1641704526

You can find more books from Familius that joyfully reflect the habits of happy families, including reading, talking, laughing, eating, working, loving, healing, learning, and playing together as well as the Familius blog The Habit Hub here.

You can connect with Volha Kaliaha on Instagram.

You can buy F Is for Farm on the Familius website.

This post contains affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure statement here.

Picture Book Review

October 11 – National Coming Out Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

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

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.

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

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Picture Book Review

August 30 – Celebrating Family Fun Month with Ellen Mayer

Posted by Kath Carroll

Ellen Mayer is a writer with a background in early childhood and parent education. She has worked as a researcher at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, studying family engagement in children’s learning. She has also worked as an early literacy home visitor with a diverse community of families, supporting young children in early language development through book sharing and play. Ellen held a writing fellowship for Math Picture Book Authors, from the Heising-Simons Foundation, and is a visiting author with the Somerville Family Learning Collaborative of the Somerville, MA Public Schools. Her books include picture books Rosa’s Very Big Job and Cake Day as well as her Small Talk Books series, which includes A Fish to Feed, Red Socks, Clean Up, Up, Up, Banana for Two, and Twinkle, Twinkle Diaper You. Ellen writes her children’s books to entertain and educate both children and the adults who read to them. She holds an M.Phil. in Sociology from Columbia University.

You can discover more about Ellen Mayer and her books as well as activities for kids to accompany all of her books on her website. You can also connect with Ellen on Facebook and Twitter.

Hi Ellen! It’s so great to have you join in on my summer interviews, especially because this is a really exciting time for you! Your books for the youngest readers consistently make “Best of” lists and win awards. Your work before becoming an author centered around families and literacy and your books really show the kinds of caring connections that build strong bonds and learning skills. The two careers seem perfect for you, who I know as someone who is a wonderful friend and loves to bring people together. As summer winds down, I wonder if you’d share a special childhood memory with readers.

One of my favorite memories is pulling a wagon with real human cargo the length of a long dirt driveway through the deep woods, wearing no shoes, during a hot New Hampshire summer. That was one of the most gratifying summer things this seven-year-old did!

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Each summer my family and another spent our vacation in New Hampshire in two houses on the same road. We were brought together because our mothers were friends from high school and our fathers were friends from college. Between our families there were five children ranging in age from one to seven, and I was the oldest. Halfway down the road, the woods broke to a clearing where my father grew sunflowers. I was in charge of managing and operating round-trip wagon rides to “Sunflower Stop.” When we reached Sun Flower Stop, my passengers invariably alighted to stop and look up in awe at the sunflowers, and I got a much-needed rest.

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When it was time for my family to return home to New York City and our friends to Boston after three long summer vacation months, I pulled my wagon into the back of the garage until the next summer. I don’t remember whether I got to take this sunflower back with me, but I like to think that I did.

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What a fun and fantastic story! Those must have been amazing summers. Thanks so much for sharing that special memory with us!

I’m excited to get to your books because your latest board book, Twinkle, Twinkle Diaper You!, recently received a national award from the Carnegie Library, which named it one of the Best Books for Babies for 2021! Carnegie Library chose the books on their list because the librarians “believe they offer something special to babies and their grown-ups and will delight and engage babies age birth through 18 months and the adults who care for them.” This is a great description of your Small Talk Books^®, which always offer ways for adults and kids to play and learn together while looking forward to a bright future.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Diaper You!

¡Brilla, brilla, pañalito! / Twinkle, Twinkle, Diaper You!

Written by Ellen Mayer | Illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu

Ellen Mayer’s newest addition to her Small Talk Books^® series is a charming story that little ones will eagerly respond to and which can help parents turn diaper time into a joyful experience full of opportunities for language and literacy development. Mayer’s clever take on the kid-favorite Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, is infectious and fun for adults to sing while reading with their baby and while diapering. Sweet endearments, playful words, and even a tummy kiss realistically reflect the loving relationship parents and caregivers share with their little ones.

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Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, 2020, text copyright Ellen Mayer, 2020. Courtesy of Star Bright Books.

Children love and respond positively to routine, and the frequency of diaper changing makes this one of babies’ first familiar experiences. Adding parental conversation, songs, smiles, and mirroring of the child’s sounds, expressions, and motions to the dedicated time diapering takes creates a rich educational environment for baby to listen to caregivers and begin the basic foundations of language learning.

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Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, 2020, text copyright Ellen Mayer, 2020. Courtesy of Star Bright Books.

Ying-Hwa Hu’s bright illustrations, sprinkled with silver stars that glitter on the page, will delight little readers. Her clean lines and soothing color palette create a pleasing backdrop to familiar details that give adults plenty to point out and name while reading. The centerpiece of each page is the relationship between mother and child and reflects actions, such as making eye and physical contact, that enhance a child’s learning and self-confidence. Hu’s adorable baby giggles and belly laughs as Mama smiles and talks lovingly while changing and then cuddling her little one. The appearance of the baby’s big sister (perhaps still using diapers herself, or recently transitioned to underwear), makes this a book that will appeal to a wide range of ages. The final spread of the baby’s family reading and cuddling together is heartwarming.

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In ¡Brilla, brilla, pañalito! / Twinkle, Twinkle, Diaper You! the story is charmingly translated into Spanish by Eida Del Risco. Spanish verses share two-page spreads with the English translation, providing a rich reading experience for native Spanish speakers, bilingual families, and those parents interested in teaching their children Spanish.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-twinkle-twinkle-diaper-you-kick-bilingual-version

Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, 2020, text copyright Ellen Mayer, 2020. Courtesy of Star Bright Books.

A Note for Parents, Grandparents, and Caregivers by Dr. Betty Bardige, an expert on language and literacy development in young children, is also included in each book. The note reveals the important connection between talking, singing, and playing with babies and their language learning. Bardige goes on to provide tips for interacting with your child and following their cues as well as for how to share this book with little ones.

Ages Birth – 3

Star Bright Books, 2020 | ISBN 978-1595728937 (English edition) | ISBN 978-1595728944 (Spanish/English bilingual edition)

Read my full review of Twinkle, Twinkle, Diaper You! here.

You can find Twinkle, Twinkle, Diaper You! at these booksellers

You can find ¡Brilla, brilla, pañalito! / Twinkle, Twinkle, Diaper You! here

Storytelling Math Board Books

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Clean Up, Up, Up!

¡Arriba, arriba, arriba a limpiar!/Clean Up, Up, Up!

Written by Ellen Mayer | Illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu

In Clean Up Up Up!, the concept of spatial relations is organically introduced to toddlers through the motions and words used while putting items in their proper place, stepping up on a stool to use something out of the child’s reach, and even when eating. Research shows that talking with children at all ages about math concepts such as positions and locations improves their understanding and leads to better success in school and beyond.

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Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, 2018, text copyright Ellen Mayer, 2018. Courtesy of Star Bright Books.

The loving relationship between father and child in Mayer’s early language development book A Fish to Feed, is expanded on here as the same interracial family enjoys clean-up and dinner time. The engaging dialogue between Daddy, Mommy, and their toddler will captivate young readers and inspire adults to continue the story in their own daily lives.

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Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, 2018, text copyright Ellen Mayer, 2018. Courtesy of Star Bright Books.

Ying-Hwa Hu’s adorable toddler giggles and plays while soaking up the rich language of positions and locations that the father clearly points to while cleaning up. Little readers will be charmed by the enthusiastic child and the little puppy that follows along. Images of books, toys, washing up, and dinnertime all demonstrate the positions and locations referred to in the story, while other details provide an opportunity for adults and children to expand on the text (the fish from A Fish to Feed swims inside its bowl and balls sit inside a bin, for example). Hu’s vivid colors as well as the smiles and enthusiasm with which Daddy, Mommy, and their child interact make Clean Up, Up, Up! a feel-great educational read.

A note for parents, grandparents, and caregivers from childhood education expert Susan C. Levine on how they can find opportunities to talk about spatial relations during everyday activities is included. Gender neutral clothing and hairstyle as well as an absence of pronouns makes this a universal story.

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Clean Up, Up, Up! is also available in a bilingual Spanish/English edition: ¡Arriba, arriba, arriba a limpiar!/Clean Up, Up, Up! translated byAudrey Martinez-Gudapakkam and Dr. Sabrina De Los Santos

Ages 1 – 3

Star Bright Books, 2018 | ISBN 978-1595728012 (English edition) | ISBN 978-1595727589 (Spanish/English edition)

Read my full review of Clean Up, Up, Up! here.

Discover more about Ellen Mayer and her books on her website.

To learn more about Ying-Hwa Hu, her books, and her art, visit her website.

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Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, 2018, text copyright Ellen Mayer, 2018. Courtesy of Star Bright Books.

Sing Along!

Adults will have fun sharing “Wash Up, Up, Up!,” a song inspired by the story, with little ones as they wash their hands! The lyrics are also available for download and printing. Listen and sing along here:

“Wash Up, Up, Up!”

**You can find Clean Up, Up, Up! at these booksellers**

**You can find ¡Arriba, arriba, arriba a limpiar!/Clean Up, Up, Up! here**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | Bookshop | IndieBound

A Fish to Feed

Written by Ellen Mayer | Illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu

Dad plans a fun trip into town with his young child to buy a pet fish. He says, we will get “‘a fish to swim in our bowl. A fish we can look at and feed.’” The pair are excited to go together and have time to “‘walk…and talk.’” The two head out and soon pass a store. In the window the child sees a T-shirt with the picture of a fish on it and points. “‘Look—fish! Fish! Fish!’” Dad reinforces the observation using complete sentences that model conversation and increase his child’s vocabulary—“‘Yes, I see the fish on the T-shirt too.’” He further explains: “‘That’s a fish to wear, not a fish to swim in our bowl.’”

As Dad and his toddler visit other stores, the child finds more fish on a backpack, toys, and other items. When they get to the pet store, the child is excited to find a fish that swims. They take the goldfish home, where it swims happily in their bowl. They’ve found a pet they “‘can love and feed.’”

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Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, text copyright Ellen Mayer. Courtesy of starbrightbooks.com

Ellen Mayer’s story of a dad and his child out for an afternoon together as they look for a pet to love offers adults and children a sweet way to spend time with one another. The story, set in the familiar environments of home and stores and revolving around a close parent-child relationship, will engage even the youngest readers. The back-and-forth conversation between Dad and his child as they shop models ways in which adults can follow a child’s lead while providing language and literacy development.

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Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, text copyright Ellen Mayer. Courtesy of starbrightbooks.com

Ying-Hwa Hu’s illustrations are vibrant and joyful. When Dad bends down to be at eye-level with his toddler as they talk, the close bond between them is obvious in their smiling and laughing faces. The shops are full of colorful toys, clothes, backpacks, and other items that will capture kids’ attention. Spending time looking at each page allows adults and children to point at the various items, name them, and talk about them.

A Fish to Feed contains die-cut holes in the pages that kids will love peering through as they shop along on this adventure to find a special pet.

Ages Birth – 5

Star Bright Books, 2015 | ISBN 978-1595727077 (English edition) | ISBN 978-1595727589 (Spanish/English edition)

Read my full review of A Fish to Feed here.

**You can find A Fish to Feed at these booksellers**

**You can find Un pez para alimentar/A Fish to Feed at these booksellers**

Amazon | Books-a-Million | IndieBound

A Sneak Peek at the next Small Talk Books® Math Board Book, Yellow, Red, Green – GO!

The third book in the Small Talk Books® series (joining Banana for Two and Clean Up, Up, Up!) to focus on math talk, Yellow, Red, Green – GO! features the math of patterns for children ages 1-3 and welcomes back the interracial family from A Fish to Feed and Clean Up, Up, Up! In the story Mommy and her child bicycle through their neighborhood to Grandma’s house and, along the way, discover lots of patterns – from the traffic lights that each change from yellow, to red, and then to green – to the windows, lights, and doors on each of the row houses on Grandma’s block.

Yellow, Red, Green – GO!, illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu, releases in Spring, 2022 in English as well as in a bilingual Spanish/English edition.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-cake-day-cover You can read a review of Cake Day and find a delicious recipe to make here.

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Find my review of Rosa’s Very Big Job and paper dolls of the characters plus clothes and accessories to download and print here.

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Read my full review of Banana for Two and find a fun shopping game to play with little ones here.

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You’ll find my full review of Red Socks and a fun matching puzzle to do with little ones here.

Family Fun Month Activity

CPB - Playhouse craft

Come Inside! Playhouse

Kids love pretending with their toys in playhouses. With this craft you and your child can make a playhouse with recycled items and lots of imagination. While making the house, talk with your child about the building process using spatial relation words and ask for their ideas on what it should look like.

Once finished, you and your child can make up stories using words that use spatial relations as characters come in the house, go out of the house, peek in or out of a window, sit on the roof, wait under the window, sit next to a friend while having tea, and so much more!

Supplies

Cardboard box
Craft paint
Markers
Glue

Plus Recycled items, such as:

Bottle caps for door knobs,
Small boxes for a chimney
Use the cardboard cut from the windows to make shutters
Scraps of cloth for curtains

August 27 – Banana Lovers Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

If you love bananas, you’re not alone! Bananas are the most popular fruit in the United States and one of the most popular worldwide. How popular are they? On average each person eats 100 of these delicious fruits every year. Bananas’ are versatile and nutritious, making them a perfect addition to breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack time. Today, banana lovers can celebrate by enjoying this appealing fruit in their favorite way. But first, you’ll need to buy a bunch. Make the shopping fun for you and your little ones with today’s book!

Banana for Two

Written by Ellen Mayer | Illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu

As a mother strolls her shopping cart through the grocery store, she engages her toddler, who’s brought along two stuffed bunnies, in choosing the items they need. Mama talks to her child about the one roll of paper towels she puts in the cart, then it’s off to the cereal aisle. Holding up a colorful box, Mama says, “‘Here’s your favorite cereal’” to which her toddler enthusiastically answers, “‘MORE!’” Playfully, Mama holds the box up to one eye and says, “‘we don’t need more—just one box. Peek-a-boo! Can you see just one eye?’”

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Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, 2017, text copyright Ellen Mayer, 2017. Courtesy of Start Bright Books.

Her little one giggles as they head for the dairy aisle for yogurt. Here, the child’s wish for “‘MORE!’” is granted, and Mama lets her little one hold the containers. “‘One, two—one for each hand,’ says Mama.” The child laughs and kicks, excited to help. As they pass through the fruit section, the toddler grabs a banana from the display and holds it up triumphantly. Mama is happy to add the one banana to the cart to eat later. “‘Look—one banana for one hand!’” she points out.

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Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, 2017, text copyright Ellen Mayer, 2017. Courtesy of Start Bright Books.

At check-out, Mama names each item and the quantity they are buying as she puts the banana, yogurt, carrots, potatoes, milk, and other things on the conveyor belt. But her little one wants to help too! Suddenly, one of the stuffed bunnies is riding toward the smiling clerk on top of the roll of paper towels. Back home, it’s time for a snack. As Mama cuts the banana in half, her toddler proudly exclaims, “‘TWO!’” showing an understanding of the concept of two.

A note for parents, grandparents, and caregivers by early math expert Deborah Stipek is included. Gender neutral clothing and hair and the absence of personal pronouns in the text make this a universal book for all children.

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Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, 2017, text copyright Ellen Mayer, 2017. Courtesy of Start Bright Books.

Ellen Mayer’s joyful math board book for the youngest readers introduces parents and other caregivers to ways that they can add math talk to everyday activities. In Banana for Two, grocery shopping becomes a fun opportunity for an adult and child to talk together about quantity—an important early building block for math understanding and future math success. Connecting concepts a child already knows—such as two containers of yogurt for two hands—as the mother does in Banana for Two is another way to strengthen understanding.

Mayer’s conversational style—indeed the whole story is a conversation between mother and child—is sweet and loving and full of the kinds of moments that may seem routine to adults but that children cherish sharing with parents, grandparents, or other caregivers. And the final image of the little one happily savoring slices of banana will have kids asking for “‘MORE!'”

Ying-Hwa Hu’s exuberant illustrations of mother and child will make little ones and adults smile. Cheerful eye contact between the two shows the love they share and their enjoyment in spending time together. Colorful boxes and containers line the grocery store shelves, giving the pages a fresh and sunny feel. The items Mama adds to the cart are clearly shown in quantities of one and two. Little readers will love the adorable stuffed bunnies and join in the toddler’s pride as they too recognize the ideas of one and two.

Banana for Two will charm little ones and would made a perfect book to share before shopping, at meal or snack time, or during playtime to reinforce the lesson and the fun of learning. The book also makes an excellent shower or new baby gift and is highly recommended for home, preschool classroom, and public library board book collections.

Ages Birth – 2

Star Bright Books, 2017 | ISBN 978-1595727886 (English edition) | ISBN 978-1595727992 (Bilingual Spanish/English Edition)

Banana for Two is also available in bilingual editions in these languages. See the Star Bright Books website for more information and how to order. To find all of languages Star Bright Books titles are published in, click here.

To discover more about Ellen Mayer and her books as well as find lots of resources for adults and fun activities for kids, visit her website.

Learn more about Ying-Hwa Hu and her art, and her books, visit her website.

Banana Lovers Day Activity

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Math Fun Is in the Bag Grocery Shopping Game

Little ones love to pretend to go grocery shopping! With the printable game pieces and instructions here, you and your child can fill a bag with items in quantities of one and two and share some math fun!

Supplies

Printable Math Fun Is in the Bag template
One 8 ½” by 11” piece of paper, or your own paper sandwich bag
Scissors
Tape
Crayons (optional)

Directions

To Make a Bag

Fold the 8 ½” by 11” piece of paper in half and tape on the side and at the bottom
Your child may enjoy decorating your homemade bag or a paper sandwich bag with crayons

To Play the Game

After printing the Math Fun Is in the Bag template, talk with your little one about the quantity of items in each picture. Even if your child is not talking yet, they are listening and learning.
Help your child cut the pictures apart
Ask your child to find a picture of one banana and put it in the bag
Continue with the other pictures, noting the quantity of the item
For older children, print two (or more) copies of the Math Fun Is in the Bag template and have them add two bananas, two cartons of milk, four carrots, and four containers of yogurt to the bag.
Older children may also enjoy paying for their groceries with pennies in quantities of one or two (or more). Set a price for each item and help children count out the coins needed to pay for them.

More Math Fun!

You’ll find more Math Fun, including printable bunny puppets to make, pretend play suggestions, and tips for talking about two on Ellen Mayer’s Website!

**You can find Banana for Two at these booksellers**

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Get Energized! Word Search Puzzle | Get Energized! Word Search Solution

Picture Book Review

August 24 – Celebrating Family Fun Month with Tara Knudson

Posted by Kath Carroll

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Tara Knudson is a former teacher who has been writing poetry and stories since she was a young girl growing up in Chicago. Her published work can be found in children’s magazines, greeting cards, calendars, and a poetry anthology for teens. Christmas Cookie Day, Easter Egg Day, and Valentine’s Day Treats are all part of Tara’s collected works celebrating a childlike approach to beloved holiday celebrations.

You can connect with Tara Knudson on her website | Instagram | Twitter

Thanks so much for stopping by to chat, Tara! I’m happy to be celebrating Family Fun Month with you since your books always invite kids and their families to enjoy the seasons together at home, with friends, and on special outings. You always include some kind of hands-on element to your books – either recipes, tips, or touch-and-feel pages – to get kids and adults spending extra time together. It makes me wonder if your previous job or jobs have influenced your writing and the kinds of books you write?

One of my favorite books when I was a child was Richard Scarry’s BEST WORD BOOK EVER. I remember sitting in a big chair and reading as many words as I could. I loved to learn and play school when I was younger, so it’s no surprise that later I became a teacher. I was a teacher for many years before becoming an author. I taught Spanish to K-12 students and math to elementary students in Chicago. I also taught English to middle school students in Barcelona, Spain where I lived as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar for a year.

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Given my experience in education, I think my books will always have some teachable moments in them. From making Christmas cookies, to dyeing Easter eggs, or creating a heart-shaped cake from a round cake and a square cake, I like to incorporate fun lessons in my books that early childhood teachers can incorporate into their classroom lessons.

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In my board books for the youngest readers, little ones can experience the unique sights and sounds of a fall day or a lively parade and learn new words along the way!

I am excited to be able to do in-person author events once again as schools safely welcome back students and teachers again. What a joy it is to teach with my own books!

Your experiences in the classroom have certainly inspired wonderful books for little ones! Congratulations on your upcoming book Parade Day Fun, which is releasing from Zonderkidz in March 2022! I’m sure little ones will be lining up to bring the excitement of a parade home!

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Fun Fall Day: A Touch and Feel Board Book

Written by Tara Knudson | Illustrated by Juliana Motzko

Tara Knudson’s playful rhymes will charm little ones as they join in on the fall fair excitement. Along the way, kids meet many different animals and engage with shapes and colors. Knudson’s lyrical verses perfectly reflect the fun and cozy atmosphere of fall. Sensory patches invite eager fingers to pet the horse and goat, touch grainy sugar, enjoy the woody texture of a fallen leaf, and feel the smoothness of a pumpkin shell.

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Image copyright Juliana Motzko, 2020, text copyright Tara Knudson, 2020. Courtesy of Zonderkidz.

Juliana Motzko’s fall fair enchants with adorable animals and the bright colors of the autumn season. Delighted smiles abound as the young fair-goers visit the petting zoo, craft table, baked goods display, play area, and pumpkin patch. Motzko’s textured illustrations of golden hay, rich soil, whole grain bread and apple pie as well as crunchy leaves and a straw-filled scarecrow blend well with the touch-and-feel patches and enhance the opportunity for adults and kids to talk about sensory awareness.

Fun Fall Day, a nicely sized board book—not too small or too big for little hands—is a story that’s a joy to read aloud and one that kids will want to hear again and again. It would make a much-appreciated gift for babies and toddlers and a favorite on home, preschool, and public library bookshelves.

Ages Baby – 4

Zonderkidz, 2020 | ISBN 978-0310770213

Discover more about Tara Knudson and her books on her website.

To learn more about Juliana Motzko, her books, and her art, visit her website.

**You can find Fun Fall Day: A Touch and Feel Board Book at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | Bookshop | IndieBound

Holiday Books

Kids enjoy getting ready for the holidays with these sweet books by Tara Knudson and Pauline Siewert.

You can find printable coloring pages for each book on Tara’s website.

To connect with Pauline Siewert, visit her on Instagram.

Christmas Cookie Day!

Written by Tara Knudson | Illustrated by Pauline Siewert

Mama bear and her little bear get ready for one of the most fun days of the year. “Cooke day, / Time to bake. / Aprons on, / Lots to make!”

Tara Knudson’s jaunty rhyming story captures all the giddy anticipation and fun of a day baking Christmas cookies. Short, lively verses follow Mom and her cub step-by-step as they make and decorate special treats for their annual cookie party and invite little ones to join in on repeat readings. Knudson delights in the enjoyment Mom and her little one feel during their day of baking and goes on to celebrate the deeper meaning and joy of Christmas as the two wrap up their cookies and give them to family and friends.

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Image copyright Pauline Siewert, 2018, text copyright Tara Knudson, 2018. Courtesy of Zonderkidz.

With tender smiles for each other, Pauline Siewert’s Mama bear and her cub spend a snowy day baking cookies in their cozy kitchen accompanied by a helpful mouse. Siewert’s vibrant colors mirror the cheerful companionship mother and child share on this much-loved day, and her engaging details, like a dusting of flour on the cub’s nose, will charm children. A double-spread scattering of the cookies the two make give little ones a chance to show their knowledge of shapes and Christmastime figures. The heartwarming final scene of the cookie party might just inspire a party of your own. Little ones will also be enchanted by the sparkly cover that opens this adorable book.

Ages 2 – 6

Zonderkidz, 2018 | ISBN 978-0310762898

**You can find Christmas Cookie Day! at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | Bookshop | IndieBound

Tara Knudson captures the enthusiasm little ones have for expressing their love in her warm rhymes that transport kids into the middle of exciting Valentine’s Day preparations. As the little raccoons cut and paste, color and paint, and add stickers and lots of glitter, kids will be eager to get out their own supplies to make homemade cards for those they love. And just one look at Knudson’s clever cake will have them running to the kitchen to make that too. Of course, Valentines are to share, and readers will be eager to see who gets the little raccoon’s special treats.

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Image copyright Pauline Siewert, 2020, text copyright Tara Knudson, 2020. Courtesy of Zonderkidz.

Pauline Siewert’s adorable raccoons craft and cook their way through Valentine’s Day to make special cards and snacks for their friends. Her vivid images are cheerful and lively and charmingly include the little spatters and splashes that are all part of the fun. Little ones will enjoy soaking up all the details in the craft room, the kitchen, and the friends’ house and pointing out the ones they know. When adults point out these details while reading, kids will find it easy to read along too, as Knudson uses them to make her bubbly rhymes and flowing rhythm. Kids will also like keeping their eye on the tiny house mouse who is also making itty-bitty Valentine’s Day treats.

Ages Baby – 4

Zonderkidz, 2020 | ISBN 978-0310768395

**You can find Valentine’s Day Treats at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | Bookshop | IndieBound

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Easter Egg Day

Written by Tara Knudson | Illustrated by Pauline Siewert

Little ones love the magic of dyeing Easter eggs, and Tara Knudson’s bright, bouncy rhymes perfectly convey the giggly excitement kids feel during this once-a-year tradition. Readers will eagerly anticipate each step and page turn along the way as the bunnies turn their carton of white eggs into a basket full of creative, colorful treasures. Of course, Easter eggs are made for hiding and finding, and Knudson invites kids to join the bunnies and little moles and mice as they scamper through the yard on this most joyful of all hunts.

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Image copyright Pauline Stewert, 2020, text copyright Tara Knudson, 2020. Courtesy of Zonderkidz.

With sunny yellows, tender-grass greens, and vibrant oranges, purples, and reds, Pauline Siewert drops kids as gently as an egg into dye into spring and the enchantment of Easter egg fun. White eggs marked with creative crayon designs will give readers a few ideas for their own eggs while the sweet smiles and enthusiasm of the bunny siblings and their parents mirror their own feelings. As the bunnies and their friends dash off to find the eggs, little ones will be just as excited for their own Easter egg traditions.

Adorable and endearing, Easter Egg Day will be a favorite spring read for adults and kids to share before Easter and to remember family fun.

Ages 2 – 4

Zonderkidz, 2020 | ISBN 978-0310767527

**You can find Easter Egg Day at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

June 15 – National Electricity Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Today’s holiday commemorates the date in 1752 when Benjamin Franklin conducted his famous experiment in which he flew a kite outfitted with some wire, silk, and a key to prove that lightning was caused by a discharge of electricity. His successful experiment led to a better understanding of positive and negative charges as well as to the invention of the lightning rod. To read the whole story of Benjamin Franklin’s experiment visit Checkiday.com.

Energy Animated

Written by Tyler Jordan | Illustrated by Elsa Martins

Little ones are fascinated by the magic – or what seems like magic – all around them. Flip a switch and the lights come on. Push a button and pictures appear on a screen. One box keeps food cold, another makes it hot. How do all of these things work? With the interactive Energy Animated, kids can learn the basics of where the energy comes from to create electricity.

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Image copyright Elsa Martins, 2021, text copyright Tyler Jorden, 2021. Courtesy of Familius.

Pull tabs, wheels, flaps, and toggles let kids see how different ways of collecting electricity makes everyday objects run. Little ones get to toggle an oil pump and see how oil is stored deep under the earth’s surface, past a bunny sleeping in its hole, worms aerating the soil, and ants building tunnels to where dinosaurs are buried. They learn about coal and uranium, which “can be used as fuel to heat water and created steam. The steam goes through a fan called a turbine to generate electricity.”

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Image copyright Elsa Martins, 2021, text copyright Tyler Jorden, 2021. Courtesy of Familius.

Readers may be familiar with solar panels from hearing parents and teachers talk about them or even from their own homes. Here, kids also learn how the sun is used to store energy from the sun with mirrors. As children turn the wheel, night turns to day, and they see how sunshine is absorbed by mirrors and solar panels to generate steam and electricity.

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Image copyright Elsa Martins, 2021, text copyright Tyler Jorden, 2021. Courtesy of Familius.

Turn the page and the same wheel turns the blades of a wind turbine. Next, they take a trip to the beach to learn that “when wind blows over the ocean, it makes waves. The waves move buoys up and down, and we can capture that energy too. Then readers can dive in and with the pull of a tab make the buoy move up and down. Surprise! A little fish is watching too! Finally, readers get to lift the gate on a dam and let the water rush through a turbine to create even more electricity.

Little ones follow up on all the electricity they’ve generated by flying a plane and steering a ship by way of sliders as they learn how electricity is collected at power stations and brought to their house through the long power lines they see above them.

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Image copyright Elsa Martins, 2021, text copyright Tyler Jorden, 2021. Courtesy of Familius.

Tyler Jordan’s informative text teaches young readers a wide range of vocabulary used when talking about energy, the environment, and the processes used to collect, generate, and use electricity. Her short, straightforward sentences make the science concepts digestible for children and promote discussion between them and adult readers.

Jordan’s text is paired with Elsa Martin’s bright illustrations that put the focus on the pumps, turbines, solar panels, mirrors, buoys, dam, as well as the vehicles and home appliances and electronics that use electricity and energy. Uncluttered by non-essential details, Martin’s pages make it easy for young readers to see where the materials we use to generate electricity come from and how they are used. The interactive elements will entice kids to learn more about each alternative energy source and make them more aware of the power lines, solar panels, and other energy producers in their area.

An entertaining and educational way to teach young readers about energy sources and how electricity is generated, Energy Animated is a terrific addition to home, school, and public library collections for science learning.

You’ll also want to check out Physics Animated, an interactive way for kids to learn about how things move. You can read my review of Physics Animated here.

Ages 4 – 6

Familius, 2021 | ISBN 978-1641702546

To learn more about Elsa Martins, her books, and her art on her website.

National Electricity Day Activities

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Get Energized! Word Search Puzzle

Can you find the sixteen words about energy in this printable puzzle?

Have Fun with Static Electricity!

You and your kids can have lots of surprising and giggly fun with static electricity using blown-up balloons!

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.

More Experiments!

You can find some awesome and easy experiments to do with static electricity and current electricity from Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls.

**You can find Energy Animated at these booksellers**

To support your local independent bookstore, order from