Happiness

October 19 – Global Dignity Day

Posted by

0

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-wherever-you-go-cover-image

About the Holiday

Established in 2008, Global Dignity Day aspires to inspire and educate young people to understand their self-worth and achieve their goals. Events take place in schools in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Oceania. On this day speakers from all walks of life speak to children, revealing experiences from their life and work as it relates to dignity and a sense of self-respect, accomplishment, and interconnectedness.

Students then talk among themselves about what dignity means to them, and many speak their thoughts in front of the class. Following this they write letters to themselves outlining their feelings and aspirations. The letters are collected and handed back to them on the next Global Dignity Day so each child can assess how their life has changed and whether they have achieved their goals or are working toward them.

Today take some time to measure your own sense of dignity and to set goals. Discuss the issue with your child or children and make sure they know that whatever road they choose, they deserve dignity and the opportunities to achieve their full potential.

Wherever You Go

Written by Pat Zietlow Miller | Illustrated by Eliza Wheeler

 

“When it’s time for a journey, to learn and to grow, / roads guide your footsteps wherever you go. / Roads give you chances to seek and explore. / Want an adventure? / Just open your door.”

So opens this lovely, inspirational picture book that looks at life through the metaphor of those sometimes straightforward, sometime winding, but always intriguing roads. In these pages “Roads…go” over hills, under bridges, and through valleys. They can take you past vast seas and small streams. “Roads…zoom” through brightly lit cities, and “bend,” taking you on detours “you wouldn’t expect, / showing you various ways to connect.”

Roads can bring you closer to your dreams, but also veer away, giving you choices “To go? / Or to stay?” “Roads…reach” from shore to shore or mountain to mountain, “attaching two places that once were apart.” You can “choose to cross over. Follow your heart.” Some roads are small—only built with one lane, but they merge with another “and the two become one.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-wherever-you-go-roads-reach

Image copyright Eliza Wheeler, courtesy of hachettebookgroup.com

With time and change “Roads…grow,” becoming longer and wider and more populated with people you know and those you don’t—yet. Often “Roads…wait. For click-clacking trains / and boats with tall sails. / Slow-going hay wagons carrying bales. / Stoplights and crosswalks, a deer with a friend. / Roads sometimes pause, or just come to an end.”

Roads also rise to dizzying heights and the sense of accomplishment is well worth the climb. From on top “Roads…remember. Every life landmark, the big and the small. / The moments you tripped, the times you stood tall.” At last when you’re ready there are roads that will help you find your way home. So… “Which path should you choose? / That’s easy to see. / The one that will take you / where you wish to be.”

Pat Zietlow Miller’s lyrical journey down the paths life presents is an enchanting quiet-time and story-time read. Wherever You Go also offers parents, caregivers, and teachers a wonderful opportunity to discuss the concepts of self-confidence and self-respect and also the idea that life is made up of many different experiences that can be accepted or rejected like alternate routes on a map. Miller’s rhymes flow as smoothly as an wide open country road, soaring and winding on her exquisite descriptions and word choice. Adult readers may well find a catch in their throat as they read the last line to their children.

Eliza Wheeler captures not only the literal meanings of the lines in Wherever You Go, but also the heart and thoughts of life’s travels. Her softly hued watercolor-and-ink illustrations glow with the promise and possibilities encountered on life’s roads. Intricate details fill every page to show readers that their journeys are shared. Children will enjoy following the main character, a rabbit who rides a bike along a chosen path, but they will also love keeping track of traveling companions met along the way.

Wherever You Go is a fabulous book for all children and makes a wonderful gift for baby showers, new babies, and graduations. The gender-neutral text offers inclusiveness for all.

Ages 4 – 9 (and up)

Little Brown and Company, 2015 | ISBN 978-0316400022

Discover more about Pat Zietlow Miller, her books, and her writing life on her website!

View a portfolio of artwork and a gallery of books by Eliza Wheeler on her website!

Before taking off on your journey, watch this Wherever You Go book trailer!

 Global Dignity Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-heart-shaped-letter-template

I Love Myself! Heart-Shaped Letter Tempate

 

Before you start life’s journey and while you travel the roads you choose, it’s important to believe and remember that you are unique, wonderful, talented, and valuable. Children and adults can use this printable heart-shaped I Love Myself! Letter Template to write a letter to themselves or their children about what makes them such a fantastic person and the goals they want to achieve.

Picture Book Review

September 29 – It’s National Piano Month

Posted by

0

The Bear and the Piano by David Litchfield picture book review

About the Holiday

Invented around 1700, the piano was not an immediate hit with composers and performers. It took several decades before musicians embraced its versatility, and over the next 150 years the piano underwent many changes in tonality, size, and shape. In the 19th century the instrument became larger and more powerful to accompany soloists in concert and on tour with large orchestras. At the same time, individuals and families took the piano to heart – and hearth – as it became the primary source of home entertainment and piano lessons a must for all children. The United States became a major producer of pianos, with factories in Boston, New York, and Philadelphia. New technology in the twentieth century provided other types of entertainment that came to toke precedence over the piano, and domestic sales declined.

Today we celebrate the beauty of the piano—both in shape and sound—and all the musical artists who play and compose for this storied instrument.

The Bear and the Piano

By David Litchfield

 

One day a bear cub happens upon a piano in a clearing in the middle of the forest. Wondering what it could be, he approaches and lays his paw on the keys. The strange thing goes PLONK!—such an awful sound. The bear cub leaves, but is drawn back again and again for days, months, and years. Over time the bear grows up and learns to play the piano. The music is beautiful and transports him to strange and wonderful places.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bear-finds-piano

Image copyright David Litchfield, courtesy of davidlitchfieldillustration.com

Other bears soon gather in the clearing to hear the “magical melodies” the bear plays. The bear is happy entertaining his friends. One night a girl and her father hiking in the forest come to the clearing. They listen and then tell the bear what his strange instrument is. They invite him to move to the city with them, where he will be able to play grand pianos for hundreds of people. The music he will play and hear “will make your fur stand on end,” they tell him.

The bear is conflicted. One on paw he knows that leaving the forest will make the other bears sad; on the other he longs to explore the world, to play the piano better, and master more intricate music. He decides to go with the girl and her father.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bear-in-big-city

Image copyright David Litchfield, courtesy of davidlitchfieldillustration.com

In the city the bear is a sensation! He quickly becomes a celebrity with his name on marquees and playing to sold-out crowds. The bear records albums that go platinum, he appears on the covers of magazines, and wins awards. His experience is everything he could ever wish for. But deep in his heart there is another longing. He misses the forest and his friends there.

He decides to leave the city and rows a boat across the expanse of water to his old home. Excitedly he runs to the clearing, but when he arrives everything has changed. His piano is gone and there are no friends to greet him. The bear worries that everyone is angry at him for leaving, or worse—that they have forgotten him.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bear-playing-for-friends

Image copyright David Litchfield, courtesy of davidlitchfieldillustration.com

Suddenly an old friend peeks around the trunk of a tree. The bear hails him with a hearty “Hello!” The other bear remains silent, however, and then turns and runs into the trees. The bear follows, plunging deeper and deeper into the forest. Suddenly he stops. In front of him is a sight that makes his fur stand on end.

There, protected in the shade of a tree and surrounded by the albums, magazines, t-shirts, and other mementos of the bear’s success sits the old piano. The bear’s friends have not forgotten him and they are not angry. They are proud and welcoming. The bear tells them all about his adventures then sits down to play again—for the most important audience of all.

David Litchfield’s very original and moving story is such a wonderfully conceived microcosm of the changes life brings. Stumbling upon a talent, cause, or inspiration; opening up to other influences; and acting on hard decisions are all part of growing up. These concepts are honestly and sensitively presented in The Bear and the Piano, and the reassuring ending brings comfort as well as a tear to the eye.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bear-giving-concert

Image copyright David Litchfield, courtesy of davidlitchfieldillustration.com

Litchfield’s touching illustrations—rendered in gorgeous hues of browns, greens, yellows, and blues—brim with yearning and mystery. The piano sits in a misty glow, silent and draped with vines, when the cub discovers it. While the bear grows and learns to play, the air clears and the colors become brighter. When the bear moves to the city, the pages glint and swirl with the glow of marquees and concert halls announcing his enormous achievements. But as he sits on a rooftop one night contemplating his life and looking out toward his old home, the lights around him are the elements of normal life—lamps in apartment windows, stars, and the moon glimmering on the water. His nostalgia to be home will resonate with both kids and adults.

The Bear and the Piano makes a wonderful gift for any age—especially as a graduation or new-job gift—and is a must-have for anyone’s personal library.

Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016 | ISBN 978-0544674547

To learn more about David Litchfield, his books, and his artwork, visit his website!

While I take a few personal days during this month, I am reposting earlier reviews updated with new links, interior art, and book trailers.

Watch the beautiful The Bear and the Piano book trailer!

National Piano Month Activity

CPB - Record Bulletin Board

Make a Record Chalkboard Bulletin Board

 

Do you play the piano or another instrument? Would you like to make a record some day? Why wait? In this fun craft you can create your own record bulletin board—and even create your own label art! While this record may not spin on turntables around the world, it will drop in a more important place—your very own room!

Supplies

  • Printable Record Label for you to design
  • Foam board, or a corkboard at least 12-inches x 12-inches square
  • Adhesive cork
  • A 12-inch round plate, record, or other round object to trace OR a compass
  • Chalkboard paint, black
  • X-acto knife
  • Paint brush or foam paint brush
  • Mounting squares

Directions

  1. Cut a section from the adhesive cork a little larger than 12 inches by 12 inches
  2. Affix the cork to the foam board
  3. Trace the 12-inch round object onto the cork/foam board OR use the compass to make a 12-inch circle
  4. With the x-acto knife, carefully cut out the circle (adult help needed for children)
  5. Cut out a ¼ -inch circle in the center of the record bulletin board
  6. Paint the cork, sides and inside the spindle hole with the black chalkboard paint. Let dry
  7. Print the label template and design your own record label
  8. When the paint is dry, glue your label to the center of the bulletin board
  9. Hang your bulletin board with the mounting squares
  10. Decorate!

Picture Book Review

September 28 – Good Neighbor Day

Posted by

0

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-uncorker-of-ocean-bottles-cover

About the Holiday

With our busy lifestyles it’s sometimes hard to get to know our neighbors. We might give them a quick wave and smile as we’re driving in and out, but finding time to stop and chat can be more difficult. Today’s holiday encourages us to get to know our neighbors and become friends. Why not take the opportunity to say “hi” to someone on your block or in your building or even share a special note of thanks for being a great neighbor!

The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles

Written by Michelle Cuevas | Illustrated by Erin E. Stead

 

A man in a red stocking cap and clam digger pants sits at his kitchen table with a cup of coffee, sharing space with a tabby cat. His day as the “uncorker of ocean bottles” is about to begin. He follows the path from his isolated house on the hill down to the water’s edge, where he keeps “his eyes on the waves, watchful for a glint of glass.” When he sees a bottle floating past, it is his job to retrieve it and read the message inside.

“Sometimes to deliver a bottle, he needed only to stroll to the nearest village. Other times, he would journey until his compass became rusty and he felt loneliness as sharp as fish scales.” Some messages have been buffeted by the seas for a long time, and while some messages are sad, most make their recipients very happy, “for a letter can hold the treasure of a clam-hugged pearl.”

Although the man doesn’t mind living alone and loves his job, he sometimes feels a niggling wish to receive a letter himself. It is a fleeting dream, however, and as likely as finding a mermaid’s toenail on the beach,” because the man “had no name and no friends who would ever write him a letter.” One day, thoiugh, the man opens a very singular message: “I’m not sure you will get this in time, but I am having a party. Tomorrow, evening tide, at the seashore. Will you please come?”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-uncorker-of-ocean-bottles-beach-party

Image copyright Erin E. Stead, text copyright Michelle Cuevas, courtesy of Penguin Random House

Without a name or an address the Uncorker is at a loss as to how to deliver this very important invitation. It is such an intriguing invitation, in fact, that the man finds that he wants to go himself. With reasoned purpose, the Uncorker rides his bicycle into town to investigate who might know something about the letter. The maker of cakes studies the note but can offer no insight beyond the fact that he, too, would like to attend such a get- together.

At the candy shop neither the owner, nor a woman buying candy, nor a young girl know anything about the note, but they too wish they had been invited. The Uncorker meets others—a sailor, a seagull, and a one-man band—but no one can help him. The man goes home feeling dejected. Never before has he failed to deliver a message. Lying awake in bed he decides the only thing he can do is to meet the sender of the letter the next night at the seaside and apologize.

He arrives early with a gift of seashells and discovers the seashore “draped in seaweed and starfish. Candles floated in clamshells, There were sand sculptures and umbrellas.” Standing in the festive atmosphere are the maker of cakes, the candy shop owner, the woman and her daughter, and all the others the Uncorker had met in his search the previous day. As the rest of the group play music, the little girl asks the Uncorker to dance, and although the man says he isn’t sure he knows how, he twirls the little girl on the golden sand.

Later, sitting quietly the party gazes out at the ocean that has brought them together. The Uncorker has opened a gift chosen specifically for him and is enjoying a piece of cake while “his heart was a glass vessel filled to the brim.”

Michelle Cuevas’s unique story of a man adrift in life without the anchor of family or friends is a gorgeously written reminder that companionship is often waiting if we just invite it in. With moving language and fresh, evocative metaphors—in two of my favorites, loneliness is “as sharp as fish scales,” and some messages are “very old, crunchy like leaves in the fall”—Cuevas gently nudges readers to acknowledge the little voice inside and discover what else the world has to offer.

Erin E. Stead’s warm green, gold, and gray-hued illustrations rendered in delicate lines and gossamer washes are as wistful as the Uncorker himself. The man’s calm resolve is echoed in the serene ocean water, the soft companionship of his cat, and the tidy seaside town. There is a wonderful quiet, unhurried feeling to each page which seems to allow not only the Uncorker but the reader to enjoy contemplative moments. The final scene of the party happily enjoying the view and each other’s company fulfills not only the Uncorker’s deepest longing, but that of readers as well.

For it’s beauty and message The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles should find a place on every child’s and school library’s book shelf. Adults will enjoy this book as much as children and it would make a wonderful coffee table book.

Ages 4 and up

Dial Books for Young Readers, Penguin, 2016 | ISBN 978-0803738683

Discover more books by Michelle Cuevas on her website!

View a gallery of artwork and children’s book illustration by Erin E. Stead on her website!

Good Neighbor Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bottle-of-friendship-craft

Bottle of Friendship

 

Sometimes a small gesture means so much more! With this easy craft you can make a unique-to-you message for a neighbor or friend that can later also be used as a vase. After making the Bottle of Friendship, take it to a recipient or leave it on the doorstep as a nice surprise!

Supplies

  • Recycled glass or plastic bottle, or a decorative bottle from a craft store
  • Glitter (Or Glitter Glue)
  • Glue
  • Real or imitation flowers
  • Small piece of paper
  • Thread or string

Directions

  1. Wash and dry the bottle
  2. Along the bottom (or in any design you’d like) spread the glitter glue. If using glue and glitter separately, spread glue and sprinkle with glitter.
  3. Let the bottle dry
  4. Write a note of thanks or friendship on a small piece of paper
  5. Roll and tie with thread or string
  6. Add flowers and the note to your bottle
  7. Deliver!

Picture Book Review

 

September 27 – It’s Fall Hat Month

Posted by

0

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-mr-brown's-fantastic-hat-cover

About the Holiday

As the weather turns cooler in certain parts of the world, it’s time to pull out those old favorite cozy hats or buy a stylish new one to keep your head and ears warm! Whether you like wearing felt hats, knit hats, furry hats, or even top hats—like the character in today’s book—this is the season for you!

Mr. Brown’s Fantastic Hat

By Ayano Imaí

 

Mr. Brown lived alone and, if you asked him, he’d tell you he liked it that way. He “had no friends and he didn’t want any.” If you were privy to his secret thoughts, however, you’d learn that Mr. Brown was actually very lonely. Mr. Brown liked to take long walks, and when he went out, he always wore his “smart,” distinctive hat. “One day while Mr. Brown was sleeping, a woodpecker flew down and started tapping a hole in his hat, thinking, ‘What a wonderful nest this hat would make!’”

When Mr. Brown woke up he was shocked to discover that a bird had moved into his hat. Someone living this close to him was not what Mr. Brown had in mind at all. Then to Mr. Brown’s dismay the “woodpecker soon told all his friends about the wonderful new home and invited them all to join him.” Soon Mr. Brown’s hat was full of holes—and birds! You might think a regular hat would not have enough room for so many residents—but Mr. Brown’s hat was no ordinary one. As more and more birds moved in, his hat grew taller and taller!

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-mr-brown's-fantastic-hat-birds-live-in-hat

Image copyright Ayano Imaí, 2014, courtesy of minedition

As the days went on Mr. Brown discovered that he was beginning to enjoy the birds’ singing and their company. Now Mr. Brown had renewed purpose in his daily walks: “He loved to show off his hat. Everywhere he went it was full of the music of singing birds.” People on the street took notice and wanted to emulate Mr. Brown. All over town people began wearing tall hats, “but the birds preferred to stay with Mr. Brown no matter how hard people tried to persuade them.”

One day as autumn settled in, Mr. Brown noticed that all the birds had flown away. He was sad and didn’t understand where they had gone or why they had left him. He wondered if he would see them again. The idea of a quiet life no longer held the appeal it once did, and Mr. Brown missed his friends. He tried to convince himself that he didn’t care that the birds had left, but he continued to fill the feeders and watch out for them every day.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-mr-brown's-fantastic-hat-looking-out-to-sea

Image copyright Ayano Imaí, 2014, courtesy of minedition

Even though it was time for Mr. Brown to take a long winter’s nap, he tried to stay awake, worried that there would be no one to care for the birds if they returned. But nature took its course, and Mr. Brown fell into a deep sleep. One morning after a particularly vivid dream in which Mr. Brown could hear the birds singing, he woke to a tapping sound. He went to the door and peered out.

Spring had come and with it Mr. Brown’s hat had grown roots and sprouted branches and leaves. The old holes were filled with their previous tenants. The sight filled Mr. Brown with joy, and he finally could admit to himself that sharing his life with friends “was better than being alone.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-mr-brown's-fantastic-hat-hat-grows-into-tree

Image copyright Ayano Imaí, 2014, courtesy of minedition

Ayano Imaí’s gloriously beautiful book plumbs the nature of solitude and loneliness as well as the value of friendship with an honesty that is at once heartrending and uplifting. For so many quiet, introspective people—children and adults alike—navigating the world of small talk, casual relationships, and making friends is similar to traveling uncharted territory, where the language and mores are foreign. It can become easier to tell oneself that it doesn’t matter, when in reality it matters a great deal. Many times happiness comes when one finds their niche or, in some surprising way, a niche finds them.

Imaí tells the story of Mr. Brown and his fantastical hat in straightforward narration, but more profound meaning is revealed in her illustrations. Mr. Brown, it is discovered, is a brown bear who has taken on the aspects of humans. He walks upright, carries an umbrella and bag, owns a home, and wears a hat. His fur is even the same color as the townspeople’s clothing. But while he may be among people, he is not of them. His home has a grass floor which sprouts mushrooms and weeds; another weed pokes out from the bristles of his brush; a tree branch juts from a wall; and mushrooms share space with the laundry on the drying line.

Mr. Brown comes from nature and belongs with nature, so it is no surprise that the birds flock to him and prefer him to humans, who in an ironic twist long to be like Mr. Brown. I especially like the ending of Mr. Brown’s Fantastic Hat, in which Mr. Brown stays true to himself. He does not suddenly discover his “wild” side and become someone that he is not. He is able to remain a quiet, introspective bear while also embracing his friends, his love for them, and his place in the world. He finds inner happiness and loved ones to share it with.

Ages 3 – 8 (and up)

minedition, 2014 | ISBN 978-9888240845

Fall Hat Month Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-favorite-hat-matching-puzzle

Favorite Fall Hat Matching Puzzle

 

Each child has a favorite hat for cooler weather. Follow the paths in this printable Favorite Fall Hat Matching Puzzle to find out which hat each child chooses!

Picture Book Review

September 21 – World Gratitude Day

Posted by

2

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-thank-you-book-mo-willems-cover

About the Holiday

In 1965 an international gathering in Hawaii established World Gratitude Day as a time for people everywhere to formally appreciate and give thanks for all the wonderful things in the world. In 1966 the attendees celebrated World Gratitude Day on this date in their individual countries, beginning a tradition that has grown over time. The benefits of positive thinking have become well documented. The founders of Gratitude Day also recognized that by taking a day to celebrate the amazing parts of our lives we might become happier, more content people.

The Thank You Book: An Elephant & Piggie Book

By Mo Willems

Piggie and Gerald are relaxing together when Piggie thinks “I am one lucky pig. I have a lot to be thankful for….” Then it dawns on her that she “had better get thanking!” With resolve she vows to thank every important person in her life. Gerald doesn’t believe Piggie will be able to do this and is sure she will forget someone—even someone important. But piggie is determined, emphasizing, “I. Will. Thank. EVERYONE” and she trots off on her “Thank-o-rama” while Gerald stands by in awe.

First Piggie encounters her squirrel friends and thanks them for their great ideas, next Piggie gives Snake a big hug for playing ball with her. The Pigeon is thanked for “never giving up,” and Piggie even apologizes for The Pigeon’s never being in their books, although the sly Pigeon knows better. Piggie whistles and dances away to continue her mission, while Gerald reiterates that she will forget someone.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-thank-you-book-mo-willems-thank-o-rama

Image copyright Mo Willems, courtesy of Disney-Hyperion

Piggie comes upon Mouse, Birdies, Rhino, Hippo’s Big Sister, Barky Dog, Pelican, Bear, Hippo and Worms, and thanks them all for “being great friends.”  Doing a cartwheel, Piggie says, “See that, Gerald? I am a thanking machine!” But Gerald is miffed because Piggie has forgotten someone important, and he gives Piggie a big smile. Piggie seems to get the hint and promises that her next thank you will be a big one. And it is! Piggie yells up at Whale, “Thanks, Whale! You are nice!”

Ice Cream Penguin receives gratitude for the ice cream, and Doctor Cat is thanked for “being a great doctor” while Gerald tags along behind. Piggie meets Brian Bat and thanks him for sharing drawing time. By now Gerald is getting a bit steamed, and tries to attract Piggie’s attention quietly and then with a shout—“PIGGIE!”—that sends Piggie reeling. “You are forgetting someone,” Gerald reminds her, looking her straight in the eye. “Someone VERY important.”

Finally Piggie understands. She gazes at Gerald wide-eyed and says, “Now I know who you are talking about.” Gerald smiles, but his happiness is short-lived as Piggie thanks the flies for cooking with her. Gerald can’t take it anymore. Waving his arms he shouts, “NOT THE FLIES, PIGGIE! But Piggie gives it right back—waving arms and all: “I CANNOT THINK OF ANYONE ELSE I HAVE FORGOTTEN TO THANK, GERALD!”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-thank-you-book-mo-willems-great-friends

Image copyright Mo Willems, courtesy of Disney-Hyperion

Gerald displays an “it’s obvious” pose and finally Piggie does understand. She is shocked and contrite. “Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, Elephant Gerald!” Piggie gushes, holding Gerald’s hands. With a hug Piggie continues, “You are the best friend a pig could ever have!” Gerald accepts Piggie’s thanks, but reveals that he did not think Piggie had forgotten him. Piggie is so confused! She explodes: “WHO DID I FORGET TO THANK!?!”

“Our reader.” Gerald says “You forgot to thank our reader.” Poor Piggie is so embarrassed. “You are right!” she says. Piggie looks straight out from the page and with sincerity says, “Thank you for being our reader!” Gerald joins her to say, “We could not be ‘us’ without you,” and Piggie agrees: “You are the best!” The two friends congratulate each other on their thanking and return to relaxing together. “Yep,” Piggie thinks once more. “I am one lucky pig.”

With this 25th Elephant and Piggie Book, Mo Willems brings his award-winning early-reader series to an end in an emotional tribute to all of the duo’s friends and their readers. In The Thank You Book Gerald and Piggie’s special relationship, born of humor, conflict, misunderstandings—and ultimately understanding, is on full display. The evocative illustrations reveal Gerald’s growing discontent and consternation while the dialogue, displayed in speech bubbles and with varying type sizes, expresses the changing dynamics of the story.

While regular readers of the Elephant and Piggie books will be sad to say goodbye to new stories, Willems has left them with many wonderful memories and adventures to return to again and again. New readers will be—like Piggie—very lucky to discover these two friends and develop their own relationship with this unique pair.

Ages 3 – 7

Disney-Hyperion, 2016 | ISBN 978-1423178286

Find books, games, activities, and lots more on Mo Willem‘s website and play along with Pigeon and the gang on Pigeon Presents!

Do you want to know what’s up next for Gerald and Piggie? Head over to Mom’s Radius: life. love. books. and find out! You’ll also discover a whole bookcase-worth of books you’ll want to read!

World Thank You Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-thank-you-poster

What Are You Thankful For? Poster

Write all of the amazing things in your life that make you happy on this colorful, printable What Are You Thankful For? Template! Then display it in your room or locker to make you smile or remind you to thank everyone who is important to you! 

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-thank-you-poster

Picture Book Review

September 16 – Collect Rocks Day

Posted by

2

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-rhoda's-rock-hunt-cover

About the Holiday

Today’s holiday allows anyone who just can’t resist picking up a particularly pretty or unusual stone to indulge their whims and fancies. Rock collecting can be a fun and educational hobby as each type of stone has its own fascinating history and science to learn about. Why not go on a hike today and discover the unique shapes, colors, and feel of the rocks below your feet.

Rhoda’s Rock Hunt

Written by Molly Beth Griffin | Illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell

 

Rhoda has gone camping with her Auntie June and Uncle Jonah. On a days-long hike, her shower is a “bucket of cold lake water, dinner was salami and cheese, and her bed was a skinny little pad and ratty sleeping bag.” But Rhoda puts up with it all because along the way she finds rocks—and Rhoda loves rocks.

Auntie June doesn’t mind Rhoda’s collecting rocks—as long as she carries them in her own pack. Rhoda agrees. One day while hiking through a birch forest Rhoda spies “jagged rocks and bumpy rocks and one with tiny sparkly bits that glinted in the dappled sunlight. Ooo!” Rhoda puts them all in her pack and trudges on, sweating a bit with the effort.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-rhoda's-rock-hunt-crossing stream

Image copyright Jennifer A. Bell, courtesy of jenniferabell.com

The next day while crossing a stream, Rhoda reaches into the cool, flowing water and comes up with a bunch of smooth stones. One has “a curve that fit into her palm just right. Ooo! Into the pack they all went—Yarg!” Rhoda is beginning to slump under the weight of her pack, but she continues on. After a sleepless night, Rhoda is tired, hungry, dirty, and a little bit crabby—until she sees the lake. “Waves crashed on the shore, and gulls called overhead. The water stretched out to the horizon, and the beach was covered with millions and billions of rocks!”

Rhoda lies on the “sun-warmed treasures,” studying the beauty of each stone. She finds red ones, blue ones, and stripy ones. “Then she discovered tiny banded ones that glowed the color of sunsets. Ooo!” She pours them all into her pack. When Auntie June and Uncle Jonah tell her it’s time to go, Rhoda grabs her pack, but it stays put. She pushes, pulls, and tugs, but the bag doesn’t budge. With no one to help carry her pack or any of the rocks, Rhoda has a hard decision to make. She doesn’t want to give up any of her stones, but she knows she must.

Then she has an idea. Carefully working “with the weight of each rock, with the curves and bumps and bulges of each rock,” she stacks them on a flat slab of stone near the water’s edge until they all “balanced in perfect towers.” Well, almost all. Into her pockets “went the one glinting forest rock, and the one palm-snuggling river rock, and a small handful of tiny glowing agates from the Big Lake.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-rhoda's-rock-hunt-making-cairns

Image copyright Jennifer A. Bell, courtesy of jenniferabell.com

As she heads on her way she looks back at her rock cairns—her gift to others passing by—and continues on with Auntie June and Uncle Jonah to the cabin. There, on her windowsill, she builds her own cairns from her beloved treasures.

Collectors everywhere will relate to Rhoda and her enthusiastic gathering of treasures beyond price. Each on is unique and almost calls out to be taken along life’s road. As Rhoda discovers, however, the physical items can begin to weigh you down, impeding progress. Molly Beth Griffin, in her distinctive and quietly powerful book, remind readers that freedom and happiness come from sharing your talents and treasures—and yourself—with others. With evocative description of a camping trip (and well-placed expressions of “Ooo!”), Griffin captures with honesty, grace, and humor the vexations and thrills of childhood.

Jennifer A. Bell gorgeously depicts the forest with its birch stands, rushing streams, vast lake, and variety of stones in soft greens, reds, purples, and blues that blend to reflect the depth and beauty of nature. Adorable Rhoda expresses the range of emotions—from excitement in finding her beloved rocks to annoyance at the travails of camping—that readers will recognize and respond to. Detailed illustrations of the rocks Rhoda finds reveal their attraction to the young collector, and the final spread of the cairns Rhoda builds will have kids wanting to build their own.

A wonderful accompaniment to a hike or camping trip and a quietly inspirational read, Rhoda’s Rock Hunt makes a welcome addition to children’s bookshelves.

Ages 3 – 8

Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2014 | ISBN 978-0873519502

To see more books by Molly Beth Griffin for children and young adults, visit her website!

View Jennifer A. Bell’s illustration work for picture books, chapter books, and more on her website!

Collect Rocks Day Activity

CPB - Nasty Bugs magnet II (2)

Rock This Craft!

 

Smooth stones can give talented artists like yourself a natural canvas for your creativity! With a little bit of paint, pins or magnets, and some imagination, you can make refrigerator magnets, jewelry, paper weights, and more!

Supplies

  • Smooth stones in various sizes
  • Paint or markers
  • Small magnets, available at craft stores
  • Jewelry pins, available at craft stores
  • Paint brush
  • Strong glue

Directions

To make magnets

  1. Design and paint an image on the stone
  2. Attach a magnet to the back with strong glue, let dry
  3. Use to hang pictures, notes, or other bits of important stuff on your refrigerator or magnetic board

To make jewelry

  1. Using a smaller, flatter stone, design and paint an image on the stone
  2. Attach a jewelry pin to the back with the strong glue, let dry
  3. Wear your pin proudly

To make a paper weight

  1. Using a large stone, design and paint an image on the stone
  2. Let dry
  3. Display and use on your desk to keep those papers in place

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-rhoda's-rock-hunt-cover

You can find Rhoda’s Rock Hunt at these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review

September 15 – Make a Hat Day

Posted by

0

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-hooray-for-hat!-cover

About the Holiday

Hats are great for cold days, days when you want to dress up or express a certain fashion statement, or to cover up a bad do or bedhead. Today’s holiday may spur you to learn how to knit a hat or inspire you to invite your friends to a crazy hat-designing party! Make a Hat Day also shares the spotlight with Felt Hat Day, which exhorts people to rediscover an old and cherished fashion accessory.

Hooray for Hat!

By Brian Won

 

Elephant wakes up on the wrong side of the bed. He’s hardly had a chance to fully shake off sleep when the doorbell rings. He clomps down the stairs yelling, “‘Go away! I’m grumpy!’” But there’s no one at the door. Instead Elephant finds a prettily wrapped present on his doorstep. Unwrapping it Elephant finds the grandest hat he’s ever seen. It has everything – A pompom, a star, a feather, a mortar board with a tassel, a crown, a coo-coo clock bird, and even a cup holder! Elephant puts it on. How can he be grumpy with such a hat on his head? He can’t! “‘Hooray for Hat!’” he cheers and goes off to show Zebra.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-hooray-for-hat!-gift-for-elephant

Image copyright Brian Won, courtesy of brianwon.com

Elephant finds Zebra sitting alone on a tree stump. She doesn’t even turn around when her friend approaches. “‘Go away! I’m grumpy!’” she states. Elephant removes the top hat from his own new chapeau—a party hat with the pompom—and gently places it on Zebra’s head. Zebra can’t help but smile. “‘Hooray for Hat!’” they both cheer and head out for Turtle’s house.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-hooray-for-hat!-hat-for-zebra

Image copyright Brian Won, courtesy of brianwon.com

Oh, but Turtle is so grumpy that they won’t even come out of their shell. Elephant lifts down the cowboy hat with the star and feather from his own towering hat and gives it to his pal. Out pops Turtle who proudly joins the parade. “‘Hooray for Hat!’” they all cheer and march off to show Owl. “But Owl did not want to see them or their hats. “‘Go Away! I’m grumpy!’” she hoots from her tree trunk hole.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-hooray-for-hat!-hat-for-turtle

Image copyright Brian Won, courtesy of brianwon.com

But Elephant is as wise as Owl, and thinks the striped mortar board is just the thing to change her mood. “‘Hoo-Hoo-Hooray for Hat!’” Owl says, leading the way to find Lion. But Lion’s frowning face peers out at them from his den, and he shoos the group away with the familiar “‘Go Away! I’m Grumpy!’” Down comes the golden crown from Elephant’s hat and while Lion loves it, he’s more concerned with their friend Giraffe who isn’t feeling well. “‘What can we do?’” Lion asks the group.

They all know exactly what to do. They pack up the very special hat and take it to Giraffe, who is standing with her head hidden in a treetop. “Do Not Disturb” reads the sign hanging on the trunk. But as soon as Giraffe dons that hat, a toothy smile breaks out, and the six best buddies cheer, “‘Hooray for Friends!’”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-hooray-for-hat!-hat-for-owl

Image copyright Brian Won, courtesy of brianwon.com

Brian Won’s joyful celebration of the power of surprise, friendship, and a great hat is a day brightener for anyone, whether they wake up grumpy or feeling fine. His adorable animal friends don’t mind a little grumpiness—they’ve experienced it themselves—but only want to make each other happier. The repeated phrasing throughout the story invites kids to read along, and the absence of pronouns offers open interpretation and inclusiveness. The confetti-colored hats will make kids smile and the tribute to friendship will have them cheering along with this fun picture book.

A cheer-ful book, Hooray for Hat! would make a happy addition to children’s libraries for those days when they need a little more encouragement or inspiration. Kids will want to get together with Elephant, Zebra, Turtle, Owl, Lion, and Giraffe again and again and will no doubt love to create a magnificent hat of their own!

Ages 3 – 7

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishers, 2014 | ISBN 978-0544159037

Visit the world of Brian Won on his website

Hooray for this book trailer!

 Make a Hat Day Activity

celebrate-picture-book-picture-book-review-hat-match-game

Hats Off to You! Matching Game

 

Can you match the pairs of identical hats? Of course you can!

Supplies

Directions

  1. Print 2 pages of the Hats Off to You! game cards (or more to make the game harder)
  2. Cut the cards apart
  3. Shuffle the cards
  4. Lay the cards face down on a table
  5. By turning one card over at a time, find all the matching pairs