April 16 – National Stress Awareness Month

About the Holiday

Stress Awareness Month has been held every April since 1992, when it was founded by the Health Resource Network. The holiday aims to help people identify the stress factors in their own life as well as to assess how all members of their family are handling various pressures. The goal is for everyone—either individually or together—to look for ways to manage their feelings while adding positive changes to their life. Talking about pressures with kids and doing simple activities with them can often help lessen the load. Sharing today’s book is a wonderful place to start!

A Cup of Quiet

Written by Nikki Grimes | Illustrated by Cathy Ann Johnson

“You ever hear of smiles?” The young narrator’s talking about the two-week “summer camp” she gets to spend with her grandmother every June. In that breathless excitement of children, she reveals the visits give her and her Grandma time to “stitch sock puppets and put on shows, bake Martian Cake that tastes like banana bread and play tea party in the garden with my dolls.” But today, they’re acting out a story—that is until Grandpa’s hammering and loud music become just too much.

Grandma flops into her chair with an “Ugh!” and tells her granddaughter she’s “thirsty for a cup of quiet.” This elicits a giggle and a bit of disbelief, but Grandma’s done with the noise and leads her granddaughter outside to the porch swing. But the city outside their house is just as noisy as Grandpa inside. A trip to the backyard garden is needed. Here, Grandma may be happy, but the narrator is getting fidgety.

Grandma gives her the side-eye and then hands her “an invisible cup” with instructions to “‘walk around the garden and fill this up with any sounds you hear.'” Up for this imaginative challenge, the girl first visits the rose bushes, where a bee is working and “snap[s] up a handful of his buzzing and drop[s] it in the cup.” On the ground below she sees a lizard and “spoon[s] up” the sound of its “scuttling across a dried leaf.” She begins paying more attention to the nature around her and listening harder to fill her cup.

A sudden thunderclap precipitates a downpour, but before she runs inside with Grandma, the narrator adds the first pings of raindrops on the roof to her nearly full cup. After drying off and changing, it’s finally time to enjoy a long sip from that make-believe cup. Ahhhh! So “‘refreshing!'” Her granddaughter thinks so too. Still, she has an observation: “‘… your quiet is awfully noisy!'” Grandma smiles and says, “‘I know, but Nature’s noise is peaceful, and I love that.'” Her granddaughter agrees—”You ever hear of perfect?”

Nikki Grimes invites readers to join in with a grandmother and granddaughter for a day of “summer camp” where love abounds. The easy banter between the two and affectionate gestures—such as Grandma’s playful tug on her granddaughter’s braid and the jump-into-her-arms hug the girl gives her grandma—immediately envelope both child and adult readers in this pair’s warm relationship. Grimes’ inventive call to interact with nature and find comfort there will have kids carrying their own imaginary cups to fill and spark other creative games and activities no matter where they live.

Cathy Ann Johnson’s collage-style, mixed-media illustrations sweep readers into the creative and close-knit atmosphere of Grandma’s house during a week-long visit by her granddaughter. The vibrancy of the pair’s connection is shown through the colorful textures of the fabrics they use for crafting. The allure and importance of nature is likewise emphasized through the vivid greens and swirling motion in the grandmother’s back garden as well as the shimmering beauty of the creatures from which the girl collects sounds. The grandmother and granddaughter’s close bond is evident through their hugs, the way they sit close together (even touching hands while sitting in separate garden chairs), and the care Grandma provides after the rainstorm. The grandmother’s expressions are amusing in their honesty, and the look of wonder in the granddaughter’s eyes is inspirational.

Lyrical, playful, and full of love, A Cup of Quiet is a warm hug of a read aloud that adults and kids will love sharing again and again. The book is a must addition to school library, public library, and home collections.

Ages 3 – 7

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1547610730

A Talk with Nikki Grimes

Photo Credit Marchel Hill

New York Times bestselling author Nikki Grimes was inducted into the Black Authors Hall of Fame in 2023. Her honors include the CSK Virginia Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award, the ALAN Award for significant contributions to young adult literature, the Children’s Literature Legacy Medal, and the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. Author of the Coretta Scott King Award-winner Bronx Masquerade, and five Coretta Scott King Author Honors, she won the Printz Honor and Sibert Honor for her memoir Ordinary Hazards. Her latest titles include Garvey’s Choice:The Graphic Novel, a School Library Journal 2023 Best Book; Lullaby for the King, one of Book Riot’s 25 Best Christmas Books of All Time; and A Walk in the Woods, recipient of 8 starred reviews, and 11 Best Book listings for 2023, including the New York Times, NPR, and Smithsonian Magazine. Ms. Grimes lives in Corona, California. You can visit her at nikkigrimes.com.

Today, I’m honored to be talking with Nikki Grimes about the inspiration behind A Cup of Quiet, how she develops her characters, the joys and challenges of writing for multiple age groups, and much more!

A Cup of Quiet is a perfect book for adults and children to share, not only for outside noise but for times when life gets overwhelming. Tell us about the inspiration for this story and a little about its journey to publication.

There’s a certain quality of quiet in nature that I’ve always found soothing. I need silence for my work because it allows me to concentrate fully when I write. But nature’s quiet is different. It’s rich with sound, but most of it requires you to pay close attention. To pick up the whir of a hummingbird’s wings, you have to be still, and you have to strain to hear it. The stillness that’s required is soothing, and the sounds you become attuned to are a healing balm. I wanted to write a story that celebrated those sounds, and the beauty of that kind of quiet.

In the early stages of the book, I’d go out to my garden and listen carefully, and I’d make mental notes of all that I heard that day. I’d jot everything down until I had a good list of sounds to play with.

My main character lived in the city and didn’t spend much time out in nature there, though she occasionally went to the park. But every summer, she’d travel out of the city for long visits with her grandmother who had a garden, and whose house was surrounded by trees, and greenery.

The story grew from there, and I knew immediately that I wanted Bloomsbury to publish the book, and I also knew intuitively who I wanted to illustrate—namely Cathy Ann Johnson. This teaming has proven to be perfect, all around.

If I had a cup to fill with quiet today, I’d add my cat’s little sleepy, dreamy purrs, the whoosh of cars passing my house, the rustle of squirrels in the trees, and a drop of water from my bubbling teapot. What would you put in your cup of quiet today?

I would put a bee’s buzz, the wind rustling leaves of a tree, the whir of a hummingbird’s wings—all the sounds I chose for A Cup of Quiet. Those are some of the sounds I listen for, and pay attention to, whenever I immerse myself in nature.

Cathy Ann Johnson’s mixed-media illustrations are a wonder of color, motion, humor, and the love between grandmother and granddaughter. What was your first impression when you saw her illustrations? Do you have a favorite spread? Why is it a favorite?

First, I was over the moon for the grandmother! She had energy, and spunk, and style. I loved her! And I loved her colors. Then, as I saw the book’s interiors, I was absolutely thrilled! Cathy Ann’s images, and their movements, were as lyrical as my own words. Our partnership on the page was the proverbial match made in heaven. I would be loath to choose a favorite spread. Each one has its own magic.

A Cup of Quiet starts out “You ever hear of summer camp?”—a disarming introduction to the child narrator that’s so true to the way kids approach conversation. The dialogue in all of your work sings in this way with the kind of honesty, humor, emotion, and depth that makes your characters seem almost physically with the reader. I’m curious about your process in developing your characters and stories.

My characters begin with a voice. I’ll hear a scrap of dialogue in my head—nothing extensive, just a few lines. The inspiration might come from the catalog of voices I’ve stored in memory over a lifetime of listening to people around me, or it might be the voice of a particular person in my life whose voice is special or one that has simply stayed with me for a long time. Either way, the voice feels familiar. I’ll jot down that scrap of dialogue as reference, then I’ll begin developing a character sketch and that character’s backstory. I never know how much or little of the backstory I’ll use, but that information guides me as I write. To nail the voice, I have to pay close attention. I climb into the character’s skin and look at the world from his or her perspective and write from that place, attuning myself to that character’s age, birth place, geographical region, quirks, fears—all of it guides me as I make decisions about what that character will say, how they’ll respond to various stimuli that shows up in the plot. If I step wrong, the character will bristle and call me out on it, almost audibly. “Do not put those words in my mouth! I would never say that!” or “I don’t speak like that!” It’s kind of eerie, actually. Characters can be very bossy!

You write books for all ages, from picture books to middle-grade to young adult. Can you talk a bit about the joys and challenges of each? What is one message you want readers in each age category to take away from your books?

Each age format comes with its own set of limitations, constrictions, and also its own range of possibilities. I love mixing it up. Writing for different age groups keeps me on my toes. The picture book gives you very little room to develop character and plot, while, say, a young adult novel gives you so much unlimited space that you run the risk of overwriting, and of getting lost in the weeds of your plot, or tangled in the layers of your story. Being consistent with your tense or bookending your story in a way that is controlled and satisfying and that feels organic, is much more challenging in the long form of middle grade or YA storytelling.

Language choices are tricky, and different with each age group as well. You walk the line between accessibility and sophistication, between simplicity and complexity. The same variance is true of the emotional components appropriate for each age group as well. For those reasons, I think it’s wise to focus on one genre at a time until you work through the quirks of that genre and figure out a process that works for you. Then, by all means, go on and experiment with the next! It’s tough work, but I like that. For me, easy is boring!

As for your question about messages, I don’t write messages. I write stories. And a well-written story offers a number of ideas a reader might take away. It all depends on the particular reader. We bring ourselves to the page, as readers. Our own experiences, personalities, and what we need at a particular point in time, color what we see, what we notice, and what we ultimately take from a story. Of course, as the creator, I have a certain idea, or theme, I intend to weave into my story—and, by the way, it’s hard to know whether or not I’ve always succeeded—but I don’t worry about whether the reader will pick up on the specific note I had in mind. What matters to me is that, somewhere in the many layers of my story, readers find something valuable with which they resonate. Quite often, the things they find come as a surprise to me, but that’s okay. So long as they walk away with something of value to them, that’s all I can ask for.

While I read through your website, your generosity in sharing so much of your life really stood out. I’m sure young readers and writers would love to know about when you first began writing and how you were recognized for your talent, having your first public reading when you were 13. Could you share a little of our writing background with us? What advice would you give to children and young adults who love to write and want to pursue it?

As I reference in my memoir Ordinary Hazards, and elsewhere, I started writing in earnest when I was six years old, and I did so because I would have burst, otherwise. I was so filled with the emotional and mental poison of anger, and pain, and confusion. I was desperate to get my feelings out, somehow. So, I began to pour those feelings onto a page. That’s how my writing began, but as I reached my teens, the idea of possibly pursuing writing as a career took root. I was encouraged by my father, by my sister, by the friends I dared share my poetry with, and later, by a couple of teachers. At the same time, though, I also had peers who laughed me off the block for daring to dream of such a thing at all. But I decided early on to surround myself with other young people who nurtured dreams and goals of their own. Everyone else, I cut out of my circle. I refused to absorb the negativity of naysayers.

I encourage young people who have a heart for writing to read voraciously, and to read across genres. Every genre has something to teach you, and the quality of your writing reflects the quality, variety, and breadth of your reading. So read, read, read.

Next, write, write, write because writing is a muscle. You have to exercise that muscle if you want to become strong. There is no shortcut to excellence. And if you’re not going to pursue excellence, why even bother? Excellence is what your readers deserve. Remember: the world doesn’t need mediocrity, no matter what field you choose to pursue.

In addition to your many awards over the years, you received the Children’s Literature Legacy Award in 2017 and the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022. In 2023 you were inducted into the Black Authors Hall of Fame. What does this recognition mean to you?

Recognition is affirmation, and who doesn’t appreciate that? But an artist should never be satisfied to sit on their laurels. I use this recognition as fuel to keep pushing forward, to continue to stretch myself as an artist to try genres I’ve never attempted before, to explore forms of poetry I find challenging. Doing so keeps me alive, and grown, and excited about the work I’ve been doing professionally, now, for nearly 50 years. That way, even as I get old, my work never does!

What books of yours can readers look forward to next?

I have a new Dyamonde Daniel chapter book coming out in June. It’s titled Loser, and it’s about healthy and unhealthy competition, and where to draw the line, especially when you’re competing with your best friend.

I also have a new picture book on the horizon, titled Stronger Than, a collaboration with Choctaw author, Stacy Wells and illustrated by E. B. Lewis, who I’ve worked with before. In this story, a Black Choctaw boy discovers the history of one ancestor who survived the Trail of Tears, and another ancestor who survived the Tulsa Race Massacre. Through their stories, he learns that he comes from stronger stock than he knew, and this knowledge helps him overcome one of his worst fears. I’m excited about both books, for very different reasons.

There are a few more books in production, as well, but it’s too soon to talk about those.

Is there a question I didn’t ask that you wish I had? What would your answer be?

No. I think I’m about talked-out, for the moment! This has been fun, though. And I hope you and the young readers in your life enjoy A Cup of Quiet.

Thank you so much, Nikki! It’s been terrific chatting with you! I wish you a wonderful spring and summer of nature’s refreshing quiet.

You can purchase A Cup of Quiet from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

April 10 – National Wildlife Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

National Wildlife Week, dating back to 1938, is the National Wildlife Federation’s longest-running education program. The celebration was designed to connect budding conservationists of all ages to the awesome wonders of wildlife. Each year, we pick a theme and provide fun educational materials and activities for educators and caregivers to use with kids. This year’s theme is Keep an Eye on the Wild. Conservationists and animal lovers are keeping a lookout for wildlife in the most unexpected places as we learn how we can keep their habitats safe and live in harmony with our incredible wild neighbors. Whether you keep your eyes out for the wildlife living near you with a “critter cam” or by walking around and paying attention to your backyard, neighborhood, and wider area, being aware of the creatures around you can help them survive for generations to come. To learn more about National Wildlife Week and find fun activities aimed at connecting kids with wildlife, visit the National Wildlife Week Kids Page!

Finding Home: Amazing Places Animals Live

Written by Mike Unwin | Illustrated by Jenni Desmond

Finding Home begins: “Our planet is home to a mind-boggling number of different animals: at least 6,500 species of mammal, 10,000 species of reptile, 11,000 species of bird, and literally millions of insects. Every single one has its own home.” Just think of it! As your eye sweeps across any vista; as you walk across your yard, local playground, or favorite park, beach, or mountain trail, an untold number of creatures’ homes are within sight or underfoot. We know their names: Den. Nest. Burrow. Taxi (wait, what?). You’ll see, because in their astounding and gorgeous book, Mike Unwin and Jenni Desmond reveal that there is no such thing as a generic animal home.

Take “den,” for instance—a polar bear’s snow den. Unwin and Desmond take you right inside this winter home, where a mother polar bear and her two cubs (born here in the cold of January) welcome you. As you squeeze inside, don’t worry about being cold. The polar bear’s “thick fur keeps the temperature 77°F warmer than outside.”

Next up is “nest.” These are bowls made from twigs, straw, and fluff and, sometimes, found objects like bits of paper or cloth, right? Well, yes—for some birds. But you won’t believe your eyes when you see what appears to be several haystacks lodged within a tree’s branches. This nest, constructed by a whole community of birds smaller than sparrows, can “grow as big as a car, weigh more than a ton, and last 100 years.” Like humans’ apartment buildings, the bird pairs that inhabit this nest look out for each other and help their neighbors. Kids will also be amazed by another type of bird that literally sews leaves together with “plant fiber and spider silk” to create their soft, deep nests.

And how about “burrows?” Yep, Unwin and Desmond showcase a couple of pretty spectacular burrows too. Take the aardvark’s home. You won’t see an aardvark during the day. While the sun is up, they stay below ground, sleeping and tending to their young. It’s only after sunset that these unusual, ant-eating animals (including two-week-old babies) make an appearance topside. This is when they do what they do best: sniff out anthills and termite mounds, dig them up, and have dinner. It takes a hearty meal to satisfy an aardvark: “One aardvark can eat an amazing 50,000 ants and termites in a single night!”

Now, about that “taxi.” Children will be wowed by two, very different types of animals who prefer moving from one area to another by hitching a ride on another creature, from whom they can get food and other necessities of life while helping their hosts as well. Of course, the variety of animal homes don’t stop at these four. Every page transports readers to a different part of the globe to witness creatures of the air, sea, and land living in the home of their choice.

Unwin ends this fascinating travelogue with a map showing different ways some of the animals in the book tend to the environment, protecting it and keeping it growing for themselves and humans. He also includes a caution, reminding readers that “all these habitats . . . fit together like jigsaw pieces to make up planet Earth. And just like a jigsaw needs all its pieces, a healthy planet needs all its animals and their habitats.” Sadly, humans have not been good stewards of Earth’s bounty. “Today, scientists and conservationists are working hard to put things right.” But everyone is needed to make sure our environment is cared for the way we care for our own families. “Only then will planet Earth truly be home, sweet home.”

Mike Unwin draws readers in with engaging storytelling that allows kids to easily understand how each animal goes about building their home and why it’s perfect for their lifestyle. Children also learn just as much about the animals as the homes they build, giving them deep and well-rounded knowledge of some of the most unusual birds, fish, mammals, and insects on our planet and how many of them benefit humankind. Unwin’s phrasing, vocabulary and conversational lilt make Finding Home a highly satisfying nonfiction read aloud for younger kids. Independent readers will eagerly dip into the book again and again to meet these intriguing creatures.

With the impact of a museum exhibit, Jenni Desmond’s rich, full-bleed illustrations will take your breath away with their stunning realism and personality. Some animals peek out at the reader, while others busily go about their work oblivious to outside interest. From grassy hillsides to treetop canopies to sunny Africa and the snowy Himalayas, Desmond takes readers on an around the world tour like no other.

Gorgeous, educational, and nature nonfiction at its best, Finding Home: Amazing Places Animals Live is a must for all classroom, school, and public libraries as well as for nature- and animal-loving kids and families.

Ages 5 – 8+

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1547615100

About the Author

Mike Unwin has written more than 30 books for both adults and children, including the Encyclopedia of Birds and Migration. He is also a regular contributor to publications such as BBC Wildlife and RSPB Nature’s Home. In 2013 Mike was voted UK Travel Writer of the Year by the British Guild of Travel Writers. Follow Mike on Instagram @mikeunwin.wildtravel.

About the Illustrator

Jenni Desmond is the illustrator of more than 20 books, including Migration, The Wolves of Yellowstone, and The Blue Whale. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages. In 2016 she was made a Maurice Sendak Fellow and her book The Polar Bear became a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book of the Year. When Jenni is not in her studio, you’ll find her cooking, cycling and looking for adventure. Visit her at jennidesmond.com and follow her on Instagram @jennidesmond.

National Wildlife Week Activity

Fintastic Shark Fun

Sharks are awesome creatures and even feature as a home to another animal in today’s book! Follow the directions below and to make your own shark fin.

Supplies

2 pieces of 8.5 x 11 gray cardstock paper
Ribbon
Tape
Scissors
Pencil

fin outline white

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-shark-fin

Directions

Tape the top of the two pieces of paper together
Fold them back together
Measure an inch up from the bottom of the papers (the un-taped side) and trace a straight line across both papers
Trace a shark fin outline onto your paper. The shark outline should stop an inch above the bottom
Cut out the fin on both pieces of paper. If you should cut through the tape, re-tape the tops together
Fold along the lines of both papers so the folds face towards each other.
Tape the folds so the fin becomes a triangle
Cut two slits parallel to the folded lines
Thread ribbon through slits

You can purchase Finding Home: Amazing Places Animals Live from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

April 3 – Find a Rainbow Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

As the old proverb goes, “April showers bring May flowers,” but all that rain brings something else—rainbows! The science behind rainbows was first discovered in 1693, when scientists realized that this phenomenon is caused by light from the sun being refracted through raindrops and causing a dazzling show. Today, I wish you a rainy day and happy rainbow hunting! A perfect place to find rainbows every day and in amazing places beyond the sky is in today’s book!

A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World

By Matt Forrest Esenwine | Illustrated by Jamey Christoph

Rainbows are a universally loved natural phenomenon. The excitement of seeing a rainbow arcing across the sky never goes away no matter how old you get. And a double rainbow? For some people, seeing one of those can be like glimpsing a celebrity. In the 22 poems that make up A Universe of Rainbows, Matt Forrest Esenwine and 19 other poets reveal that you don’t always have to wait for rain to be awed by the brilliance of this spectrum of colors as they abound in nature: on land, in waters, on plants and animals, and even in the depths of space.

Nikki Grimes leads off this lyrical odyssey that invites readers to travel around the world and beyond to discover rainbows in many forms. In Grimes’ “Rainbows of Light,” she channels the disappointment of a child facing a rainy day with “. . . No hopscotch. / No soccer. / No softball / no skip rope. . . .” The child “. . . curse[s] the rain” until they “catch the storm’s apology: / sun-drenched strips of color / arch across the sky— / A rainbow! / Oh! My!”

You might think that rainbows occur in nature only during the day, but Joyce Sidman, reveals otherwise in her intricate and arresting pantoum “Along the Zambezi.” Sidman animates a moonbow, entreating readers to take a moment to look as “This dancer will not leap for long / over the span of Victoria Falls,” where “. . . a full moon crowns the darkened hill” while “. . . Mist swirls up in silver shawls, / bending moonlight’s slanting spill.”

Rainbow seekers do not always need to look toward the sky to find the glorious hues of rainbows. In his rhythmic “Reflections on the Pool,” David L. Harrison nimbly combines assonance and consonance to introduce kids to the surprising Morning Glory Pool in Yellowstone National Park. Harrison describes how this hot spring—a “miracle of nature . . . / Blessed with bacteria tinted blue”—once appeared as vividly blue, but now, because of human interference, is developing a “rainbow of colors” as other types of bacteria take over. Together the poem and sidebar provide a concrete example of the value of conservation and a gripping entry into further study or research.

Readers also learn about a uniquely dressed tree, Rebecca Kai Dotlich’s “skirted pinwheel” of a flower, two varieties of birds, and incredible creatures of the sea and land that shimmer and glimmer with the colors of a rainbow. In “Elegant Danger,” Matt Forrest Esenwine exposes the “captivating beauty / with radiant appeal” of the peacock mantis shrimp that has “An appetite of titans. / Attitude of steel.” into space to float within the Rainbow Nebula with poet Georgia Heard.

Each poem is accompanied by a short and fascinating side bar offering more information about the natural phenomena that inspired the work.

Back matter includes a list of recommended books and websites where readers can find more information about the rainbows described in each poem as well as a glossary.

For the twenty award-winning writers who’ve contributed to Matt Forrest Esenwine’s debut poetry anthology, unique rainbows occurring in nature have inspired a wide range of contemplation and poetic form. Some are awe-struck, others hold a touch of humor, and still others are conversational. One thing they all have in common is an ability to transport readers to another place or just the right moment to witness one of life’s most astonishing sights. Through each poem, readers learn facts but they also discover how to observe with curiosity, appreciate the miraculous, and commit to preserving our natural wonders.

Jamey Christoph’s multi-media illustrations mesmerize with brilliant color that tantalizes like a magic spell, slipping through ice crystals, hiding in plain sight, turning pools of water and majestic trees into artists’ palettes, and clothing creatures of the air, sea, and land. You might be tempted to think that these natural phenomenon can’t possibly be so vivid in real life, but take a look (these poems encourage further research) and you’ll find that Christoph’s full-spread images mirror their inspirations. Beautiful and stirring, each page welcomes you to linger awhile.

Encompassing riveting writing by award-winning poets, spellbinding illustrations of natural phenomena, and nearly endless applications for science, writing, and art study and discovery, A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World is a must for school and public library collections as well as for any reader who loves inspired writing and nature.

Ages 6 – 10

Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025 | ISBN 978-0802855718

About the Author

Matt Forrest Esenwine is a children’s author and poet whose books include The Thing to Remember about Stargazing (Tilbury House), Once Upon Another Time (Beaming), and A Beginner’s Guide to Being Human (Beaming). His work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and featured in numerous anthologies. Also a voiceover actor and commercial copywriter, Matt lives in Warner, New Hampshire, with his family. Visit his website at mattforrest.com.

About the Illustrator

Jamey Christoph has illustrated over twenty books, including The Great Lakes (Knopf), Stonewall (Random House), and Outside My Window (Eerdmans). His books have been named to many best-of-the-year list, including from the CBC and NYPL. Jamey lives in New Hampshire with his husband and their crazy dogs. Visit Jamey’s website at jameychristoph.com and follow him on Instagram @jameychristoph.

National Find a Rainbow Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-rainbow-magnet-craft

Mini Rainbow Magnet

If you’re stuck on rainbows, you can make this mini rainbow to stick on your fridge or locker!

Supplies

7 mini popsicle sticks (or cut regular popsicle sticks in half)
Paint in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, Indigo, violet (ROYGBIV)
Adhesive magnet
A little bit of polyfill
Paint brush
Glue or hot glue gun

Directions

Paint one popsicle stick in each color, let dry
Glue the popsicle sticks together side by side in the ROYGBIV order, let dry
Roll a bit of polyfill into a cloud shape and glue to the top of the row of popsicle sticks
Attach the magnet to the back of the rainbow

You can purchase A Universe of Rainbows from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

April 2 – International Children’s Book Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Each year since 1967 Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday has served as the date for Children’s Book Day. The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), a non-profit organization founded in Zurich, sponsors the day to promote a love of reading. Seventy-five National Sections around the world alternate in hosting the event. The host for 2025 is The Netherlands, and this year’s theme is “The Freedom of Imagination.” Each year a prominent author and illustrator from the sponsoring country prepare materials used to raise awareness of books and reading. Rian Visser wrote this year’s message and the poster was designed by Janneke Ipenburg. To learn more about the initiative, download digital materials, and learn about how children can enter the international drawing competition, visit the IBBY website. Today’s story that tells the tale of a young girl writing a story is a perfect example of the eternal power and influence of children’s books.

Written and Drawn by Henrietta

By Liniers

Henrietta’s mom gives her a new box of colored pencils, which Henrietta says is “as close as you can get to owning a piece of the rainbow.” She sits down to draw her own book and titles it “The Monster with Three Heads and Two Hats.” She begins with an illustration of a little girl, Emily, in bed at night. “I’m scaring myself…,” she thinks. Her thought is played out in her next page which shows Emily asking her stuffed rabbit if it will sleep with her because she’s scared of an unexplained Creak, Creak.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-written-and-drawn-by-henrietta-three-headed-monster

“Hmm…What’s that noise?” ponders the young writer. Her fears make it to the page—Creeak…Creeak…Thump…Crash…Boom. What are those noises, my favorite? Emily asks, her eyes now wide. The Noises! They’re getting closer!!

Henrietta knows that in a good story something always happens “suddenly,” and so she draws a mysterious hand and a mysterious foot emerging from Emily’s wardrobe. The plot thickens and finally the full terrifying monster with three heads pops out of the wardrobe.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-written-and-drawn-by-henrietta-in-bed

They acquire names from Henrietta’s imagination—Huey, Dewey, and Louie Bluie. . She is stuck for a bit as to how to go on, then gives Emily a question: What were you doing inside my wardrobe? The monster answers that it is looking for a hat. Emily joins them in their search, entering her wardrobe. She’s aghast to find that it is full of…clothes! (The wardrobe had been made in Narnia, the well-read Henrietta tells her cat, Fellini).

When the monster and Emily wonder which way to go, they meet a direction-giving mouse, and the story takes off—even Henrietta can’t wait to see what happens. She draws a huge pile of hats (she’s learned about “hat-o-logy” from the encyclopedia—the printed version!). The creature’s two heads with hats begs the third head to choose a hat before “the monster” shows up. Emily is terrified again—Another monster? What has Henrietta concocted this time? A monster with one head and three hats! This horrible beast suddenly appears and chases the crew through the wardrobe. Everyone is shouting Aaaaaaaaaaa—even the author.

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Emily and the first monster lose the tremendous beast, ask the direction-giving mouse how to escape, and burst out of the wardrobe just in time. Henrietta thinks the story should have a happy ending, and before the monster with three heads and now three hats flies out the window, they give Emily a present. What could it be? Henrietta is so curious! It’s a wonderful hat, of course!

The End

“Now,” Henrietta says, “to find a publisher!”

This classic Toon Book by Liniers is a wonder as it reveals the inner-workings of children’s imaginations and the spontaneous nature of their brilliant creativity. Henrietta’s thought process as she conjures up her story is shown in neat comic-style panels with speech bubbles, while her story is depicted in colorful kid-like drawings and dialogue written in all capital letters. This interplay between the young artist/writer and her work enhances the fun, suspense, and surprise of this story-within-a-story.

Ages 5 and up

TOON Books, an imprint of RAW Junior, LLC, 2015 | ISBN 978-1935179900

International Children’s Book Day Activity

CPB - Comic Panel

Create Your Own Story

It’s so much fun to let your imagination fly! Use this printable Comic Style Page to create a story as unique as you are!

You can purchase Written and Drawn by Henrietta from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

April 1 – Reading Is Funny Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Funny stuff abounds on April 1st, so why not share funny books too? Books that elicit giggles are not only entertaining but contribute to a lifelong love of reading and help kids see the world in a new, positive, and even quirky way. To celebrate today, read some laugh-out-loud books with your kids and find new ones to add to your home, classroom, or library shelves. Today’s featured book is a perfect place to start!

Thank you to Bloomsbury Children’s Books for sending me a copy of We Are the Wibbly!: A Tadpole’s Tail for review.

We Are the Wibbly!: A Tadpole’s Tail

Written by Sarah Tagholm | Illustrated by Jane McGuinness

A sweet, pink-cheeked frog egg heartily addresses whoever is gazing down upon the frogspawn with a warm welcome: “We are eggs.” Then they add a little: “We are egg friends.” They become loquacious: “We float and are all very relaxing. It is niceable.” You can feel it, right? Bobbing along within the pond grass? But suddenly confusion reigns. Our little egg watches the other eggs become “longish,” and then—”What! What! What!”—they become longish. And it’s not even a minute later that—”OH MY CRIKEYS!” everyone is “bursting out of the Wibbly” except them.

They try to call the others back, but it’s too late. Despite not wanting to, they break out of the wibbly too only to find that there’s so much more room now and, instead of relaxing, their friends are “water-flying.” They begin waggling their tale the same as everyone else and jet off too, only not as fast. Perhaps harkening back a moment or so to their younger self, they sharply regret the loss of doing relaxing: “We are too OLD for relaxing.” But they don’t have time for such reminiscences since a “hunger-muncher” is on the prowl. The extra impetus speeds up this little tadpole’s water-flying, and they’re happy to feel at last that “we are the same!”

Always exceedingly alert if but a bit behind, the excitable tadpole suffers and then exults as the group and finally they themselves grow legs and arms. They become smug as they watch the others lose their tails “because now, I am the fasterest and my tail is not doing a shrinking!” They dart away, not realizing that they are also becoming a frog.

When a passing water beetle points the baby frog to “the Up” during their search for their friends, they break the surface of the water only to . . . “OH MY CRIKEYS! The Up is BAD!” . . . come face to face with a “furry danger-monster.” But this intrepid frog musters all their courage to “do a water-flying to get away” and discovers “air-swimming,” much to the astonishment of their friends who are watching nearby. The friends are all so impressed that they want to “do air-swimming” and beg to be taught. Leading the way, our newly minted, rosy-cheeked frog proudly proclaims, “Now we ARE the same! WE ARE FROGS!”

A factual account of the four steps of the frog life cycle follows the story.

Who knew kids and frogs have so much in common? Sarah Tagholm, that’s who! As Tagholm taps into the idiosyncrasies of a frog’s metamorphosis, she also reassures human youngsters that everyone grows and develops at their own pace while encouraging them to accept challenges and embrace new experiences. Tagholm’s quirky and playful language bounces and zips from one unexpected development to the next, compressing time into hilarious juxtapositions as the little egg/tadpole/frog tries to keep up. Both kids and adults will laugh out loud at this young hero’s endearing pronouncements and cheer their eventual full assimilation into the group.

Adorable, expressive, and comical, Jane McGuinness’s lovely mixed-media illustrations, punctuated by her dynamic typography, buoyantly captures all the silly fun of Sarah Tagholm’s story while also clearly and empathetically depicting the emotions of the lovable narrator. Readers will have a blast diving into each frothy page to witness the transformation of these little tadpoles along with the snails and other creatures that call the pond home.

A tremendously joyful and rewarding read aloud that will instantly become an often-requested favorite, We Are the Wibbly! A Tadpole’s Tail is combined entertainment and learning at its best and a must for all home, classroom, and library collections.

Ages 2 – 6

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1547615742

Reading is Funny Day Activity

Hop Along Matching Game

Hop along now and help these frogs! Each of these fantastic frogs has a twin, but they’ve gotten separated. Can you spot the identical pairs? Print out the Hop Along Matching Game and draw a line between the pairs.

You can purchase We Are the Wibbly!: A Tadpole’s Tail from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

March 27 – It’s International Ideas Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

This month we celebrate Ideas! Ideas are amazing things, appearing in your mind seemingly out of nowhere, but really, they’re often fueled by curiosity, by something you’ve seen, or by something you think could be better or done differently. Innovations in science, technology, engineering, art, and math are like that. Ideas can even transform home life too. The spark behind this month’s holiday is to encourage adults and kids alike to write down the ideas they have and explore making them work. You never know what a good idea might lead to!

The Little Lab: Fantastic Science for Kids

Margie Markarian (Text and Editing) | Rachel Rothman (Editing) | Ashley Prine (Design)

Whether you have kids who can’t get enough of hands-on learning, are exploring science with your children or students, or looking ahead to all those summer days to fill, The Little Lab: Fantastic Science for Kids has you covered! Inside, this go-to resource, you’ll find 22 exciting experiments accompanied by

Informative photographs
Detailed supply lists of items you probably already have at home
A “Make a Prediction” prompt
Step-by-step instructions that are simple to follow
A “What Happened?” explanation of the science behind the results

Photo courtesy of Hearst Home Kids.

Chosen and tested by nine scientists, engineers, and other experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute, these fantastically fun experiments encourage kids to think like a scientist while following the scientific method of observing, asking questions, and making predictions before doing the experiment and then evaluating what they see happen. The experiments also address core scientific concepts, such as the states of matter, energy, motion and force, and simple machines.

If your kids are anything like mine were while growing up, your kitchen is their favorite room in the house. Why not transform this gathering space into a little laboratory where food chemistry and creativity really cook?! With ingredients from your fridge and cupboards, kids can make an abstract masterpiece while learning about liquids; test the pH scale of various foods; experiment with puffed up marshmallows; challenge their nose to a taste test; and explore more with a “gadgets and gizmos” matching puzzle.

Curious kids will really make a splash with the experiments in Chapter 2: Water Works as they get in the swim of discovering why certain objects float while others sink; blow rainbow-colored bubbles; test the strength and absorbency of various paper products; and—get this!—create a drawing that floats in water, without any paper or other medium.

Powerful learning comes in Chapter 3, where young scientists work with energy to make their own rainbows; bake up solar s’mores—yummy!; light a florescent bulb just by rubbing a balloon on their hair; put Newton’s three Laws of Motion to the test by launching pom poms and/or marshmallows; and play around with sound. The Explore More! exercises in this chapter spark kids’ interest in listening for high and low pitches in their environment and investigating the force of friction.

Chapter 4 sends kids outside, where they’ll try balancing like a flamingo; discover what makes balls bounce high, higher, and highest; get the dirt on what’s in dirt; give white carnations a bit of color; and— in a creative way to bring weather science down to earth—get to make “rain clouds” from shaving cream. The Explore More! section teaches kids how to read clouds—from wispy Cirrus to cotton ball-like Stratus—as well as the favorite flower colors of bats, bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

In Chapter 5, the scientists at Good Housekeeping present experiments that are not only hands-on, but hands-all-in! Here kids get to clean old pennies to try and reclaim their original shine; discover the most reliable way to un-stink smelly sneakers; make slime; find out how long it takes to really wash away germs on your hands; and learn about the viscosity of various liquids.

Throughout the book, experiments are also accompanied by quick “Fun Fact” and “Did You Know?” information related to each section’s topic, and here and there the Good Housekeeping scientists pop up to impart interesting tidbits that will get kids thinking. There are even funny puns to get them laughing. Each experiment also includes a Time, Difficulty, and Mess-o-meter indicator.

Following the chapters are a glossary, a STEAM index that ticks off which disciplines (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) each experiment embodies, and an in-depth index.

Good Housekeeping’s The Little Lab: Fantastic Science for Kids is a treasure trove of intrigue, excitement, and discovery. Offering so many opportunities for fun learning, the book would be a favorite addition to any home library for rainy days, empty weekends, science-themed parties, playdates, or any time you hear “There’s nothing to do!” Teachers, child-centered organizations, libraries, and anyone involved in elementary age science education will also find this book a valuable resource.

Ages 4 – 8

Hearst Home Kids, 2023 | ISBN 978-1950785926

International Ideas Month Activity

Kinetic Sand

Sand is so much fun to play with at the beach that you just wish you could bring it home. With this recipe for kinetic sand, you can use science to make dry sand just the right consistency to form and play with. Kinetic sand makes a great stress reliever too!

Supplies

1 cup sand
½ tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon dish soap
Water as needed – about ¾ cup
Bin or bowl for mixing dry ingredients
Bowl for mixing dish soap and water

Directions

In the bin combine the sand and cornstarch and mix well
In the bowl combine the dish soap and water until the water is bubbly
Slowly add the water mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing and adding water little-by-little until the desired consistency is reached. The grain of the sand will determine how much water is needed.
The sand can be formed with cookie cutters, molds, hands, etc. and is strong enough to stack. Or just let it drip and ooze through your fingers.

You can purchase Good Housekeeping’s The Little Lab: Fantastic Science for Kids from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

March 25 – National Reading Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

No matter whether you live in a city, a small town, or a farm, in a house or an apartment, you can travel anywhere through books. The magic of reading lies in its ability to transport readers through history, to far-away places and long-ago times, or perhaps to the future, where all it takes is one’s imagination to make it so. National Reading Month invites readers of all ages to experience the world in new and unfamiliar ways through amazing books like today’s that celebrates the hands-on, individual learning of homeschooling.

A Thank You Letter to My Homeschool

Written by Deb Adamson | Illustrated by Airin O’Callaghan

A boy and his little sister stand on their front porch, backpacks on, supplies at the ready, and big grins on their faces. “I’m thankful to my homeschool. Because with homeschool, I’m free to be me!” the boy says. He and his sister are off on an adventure with other kids to a nature preserve, where they learn about owls, pan in a river, and draw what they see.

Other road trips have taken them into the city to visit museums, with hands-on experiences; to a farm, where they feed a cow, play with bunnies, and learn about chickens. Remembering other adventures, the boy says he’s “thankful for . . . gazing out from the tip-top of a lighthouse. For standing at the feet of a giant T. Rex.” As much as this student loves his field trips, he also welcomes the days at home when he can read to his sister and study in the way that’s right for him. These days provide “extra time to figure out the tough stuff” and let ideas percolate.

The siblings appreciate how their classroom isn’t just one room but the community garden, where they learn to watch and wonder and wait. They visit the beach, where they collect, count, and sort shells while exploring and learning by seeing living sea creatures; and spend time in a makerspace, where they invent, build, ask questions, and learn new skills. In fact, his classroom can be anywhere he and his sister go.

“I’m thankful that every homeschool day is as different as each snowflake,” he says. “And that I am always free to be me!”

Through the voice of her protagonist, Deb Adamson writes lovingly and enthusiastically about homeschool and all of the benefits this educational model provides for students. She emphasizes the individualized and exploratory nature of homeschooling that takes children into their communities and beyond to learn in a wide range of settings and from a variety of educators and professionals. Adamson also highlights the social aspects of homeschooling and making new friends, be these with others in a network or met along the way.

Airin O’Callaghan’s cheerful, action-packed illustrations buzz with the excitement kids feel when learning in hands-on environments and shine with smiles and curiosity. Every page has so many details for readers to explore and these are sure to spark ideas for projects, field trips, and collaborations for any homeschool family.

A Thank You Letter to My Homeschool is a welcome and vibrant portrait of homeschooling that homeschool families will happily embrace as a favorite read aloud. Those unfamiliar with homeschooling or who may be interested in it will find much to recommend this learning method. The book is a must for public library collections to round out back-to-school and classroom-based offerings.

Ages 4 – 8

Sourcebooks Explore, 2025 | ISBN 978-1464216183

About the Author

Deb Adamson is a former broadcast news journalist, freelance essayist, and syndicated columnist for Gatehouse News Service. Her column about homeschooling her son was read in over 250 print newspapers nationally and online, where it is still available as a resource to homeschool families. Deb writes picture books, board books, chapter books, and middle grade novels in both fiction and nonfiction, and she’s a member of SCBWI. In addition to authoring children’s books, Deb writes for adults and hosts workshops on memoirs, humor, and revision. Deb currently lives on the Connecticut shoreline with her husband. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @DebAdamsonBooks. To learn more, visit debadamson.com.

About the Illustrator

Airin O’Callaghan is an illustrator, muralist and educator who mainly draws for children. Her work includes Some Bodies and The Mermaid With No Tail. She is the founder of Mural Wish, a nonprofit that donates murals for critically ill children. Airin lives in the Bay Area, California, where she finds inspiration in her son and in the beauty nature never fails to show. You can learn more about Airin and her work by visiting airinocallaghan.com.

National Reading Month Activity

A Thank You Letter to My Homeschool Activity Kit

You can show how much you love your homeschool—and go on a scavenger hunt with these A Thank You Letter to My Homeschool Activity Pages!

You can purchase A Thank You Letter to My Homeschool from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (discounted books and support for your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

About the Holiday

A Cup of Quiet

Written by Nikki Grimes | Illustrated by Cathy Ann Johnson

A Talk with Nikki Grimes

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About the Holiday

Finding Home: Amazing Places Animals Live

Written by Mike Unwin | Illustrated by Jenni Desmond

National Wildlife Week Activity

Fintastic Shark Fun

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About the Holiday

A Universe of Rainbows: Multicolored Poems for a Multicolored World

By Matt Forrest Esenwine | Illustrated by Jamey Christoph

National Find a Rainbow Day Activity

Mini Rainbow Magnet

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About the Holiday

Written and Drawn by Henrietta

By Liniers

International Children’s Book Day Activity

Create Your Own Story

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About the Holiday

We Are the Wibbly!: A Tadpole’s Tail

Written by Sarah Tagholm | Illustrated by Jane McGuinness

Reading is Funny Day Activity

Hop Along Matching Game

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About the Holiday

The Little Lab: Fantastic Science for Kids

Margie Markarian (Text and Editing) | Rachel Rothman (Editing) | Ashley Prine (Design)

International Ideas Month Activity

Kinetic Sand

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About the Holiday

A Thank You Letter to My Homeschool

Written by Deb Adamson | Illustrated by Airin O’Callaghan

National Reading Month Activity

A Thank You Letter to My Homeschool Activity Kit

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