April 17 – National Humor Month

About the Holiday

During April we celebrate one of the most fantastic things about life—humor! Established in 1976 by comedian and author Larry Wilde, National Humor Month promotes all things funny to raise awareness of the benefits of laughter and joy. Whether you’re laughing at a funny joke, your favorite comedian, a comic strip, a silly mistake, or even yourself, a chuckle is good for you! Today, take time to relax and enjoy the small absurdities in life with a few hearty “Ha ha ha’s!” along the way. Today’s book is a perfect place for you and your kids to start!

A big thanks to TOON Books/Astra Publishing for sending me a copy of this book for review!

The Selfish Sister

Written by David Sedaris | Illustrated by Bob Staake

Stop! Before you even open the cover of this book, lock up your valuables, your knick-knacks, your pets! Batten the hatches for the tsunami about to be unleashed. While the girl you’ll meet may look little, she has a BIG appetite for . . . well . . . for everything. Just ask her brother. This girl’s favorite word is “mine, mine, mine” as in hers, hers, hers, NEVER yours, yours, yours. Ready? (If you think there has to be something she won’t want, you’re not ready.) Okay, let’s go.

This “selfish sister” mines the air, the world, the town, her home. Just watch her work: “‘That’s my watch, my witch, my cork / That’s my croc, my tuning fork.'” Just listen to her woebegone brother: “She took my bed, my towel, my chair / my stuffed giraffe, my threadbare hare.”

When she’s on a spree, stand back and hold your breath (or she will no doubt take that too). “Don’t try to ride her bright green trike. / It’s hers alone, the unkind tyke. / It sits un-used, ignored, forsaken / not pedaled yet, no long rides taken.” I know what you’re thinking: surely someone ought to stop her. But when her father said “‘Enough!'” . . . she held fast, and called his bluff.” So as you see, there’s nothing that this girl won’t claim. But cling to this: possession may be nine-tenths of the law, but it isn’t everything—as you will see!

David Sedaris has whipped up a tornado of a tyrant, sweeping readers into his puckish whirlwind of nimble and inventive rhymes that build into a farcical delight that will have kids and adults guffawing even as they absorb Sedaris’s messages about sharing, family, jealousy, and the idea that unkind behavior has consequences. The surprise ending gives kids and adults the impetus to talk about caring relationships.

Bob Staake lends his singular creative vision to The Selfish Sister in an inspired match up with Sedaris’s madcap storytelling. The sister’s greed and pretensions are right there for everyone to see in her green skin and golden crown as she points and picks whatever she wants, whenever she wants it. Staake’s ingenious perspectives, comical facial expressions, clever details, and visual puns will keep readers laughing. The final pages deliver a satisfying comeuppance.

A rollicking read aloud that pairs two comedic geniuses, The Selfish Sister will enjoy enthusiastic circulation at home and for library collections.

Ages 7 – 10

Toon Books, 2026 | ISBN 978-1662665769

David Sedaris is the author of Barrel Fever and Holidays on Ice, as well as collections of personal essays, Naked, Me Talk Pretty One Day, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim, When You Are Engulfed in Flames. Sedaris’ pieces appear regularly in The New Yorker and have twice been included in “The Best American Essays.” There are over ten million copies of his books in print and they have been translated into 25 languages. Visit him at davidsedarisbooks.com.

Bob Staake has authored/illustrated over 75 children’s books, which have been translated into over 12 languages around the world. One of the nation’s most prolific illustrators, Bob Staake’s clients have included The New Yorker, TIME, McDonald’s, Vanity Fair, Amtrak, Young & Rubicam, American Express, Sony, United Airlines, Nickelodeon, and countless others. Visit him at bobstaake.com.

National Humor Month Activity

Silly Balloons

You can have lots of silly fun with balloons! Try some of these ideas—they’re sure to make you laugh!

GOOFY FACES

Blow up a balloon and draw a funny face on it. Rub the balloon on your shirt or a blanket and stick it to the wall, your shirt, or even your mom or dad!

CRAZY HAIR

Rub a blown-up balloon on your shirt or a blanket (fleece works well) then hold it near your hair and watch it go a little crazy!

BEND WATER

This bit of balloon magic will amaze you! Rub a blown-up balloon on a blanket (fleece works well). Turn on a faucet to a thin stream of water. Hold the balloon near the stream of water and watch it bend toward the balloon.

VOLLEYBALLOON

This is a fun game for two or more people played like volleyball—but with balloons! All you need is a balloon and a line on the floor. Players form teams and bat the balloon back and forth over the line, keeping it in the air.as long as possible. A team wins a point when the opposing team can’t return the balloon.

You can purchase The Selfish Sister from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | B&N Signed Edition | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

April 15 – World Art Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

World Art Day was declared on April 15, 2012 at the General Assembly of the International Association of Art and celebrates the importance and joy of art in our lives as well as aiming to promote cultural exchange, art appreciation, and the spread of artistic expression around the world. The date was chosen to honor the birthday Leonardo da Vinci as a symbol of world peace, tolerance, freedom of expression, and multiculturalism. To celebrate today, visit a museum or make some art of your own!

My Art Book of Peace

Written by Shana Gozansky | Designed by Meagan Bennett

In today’s loud, bustling, and demanding world, it can be hard for adults and children to find a moment’s peace. My Art Book of Peace is the perfect antidote. Thirty-one famous artworks—paintings, photographs, sculptures, and an installation—from today’s and yesteryear’s most acclaimed artists, including Diego Rivera, Gordon Parks, Joy Labinjo, Javier Calleja, Aliza Nisenbaum, and Cai Guo-Qiang, are woven together with Shana Gozansky’s soothing text that will charm readers of all ages.

Becoming immersed in the pages, you and your child will feel yourselves relax—Ahhh . . .—as Gozansky gently guides you to thoughtful reflections on feelings of peace, where you can find it, and when. Each page also invites readers to actively engage with the images, connecting them to their own experiences and sharing the ideas and feelings each one imparts.

If, in all the hubbub, that tranquil feeling is lost, Gozansky shows you how to discover it again. Before this lovingly curated collection ends, she leaves you to contemplate peace as freedom—freedom to play, freedom to love, freedom to be yourself—and with a last wish that you find peace inside yourself and all around you.

Back matter includes information on each image, including the work’s title and date, the artist’s name, medium, and more.

Shana Gozansky’s lyrical text flows serenely from page to page, connecting readers to illuminating and spectacularly reproduced artworks that provide vivid and evocative illustrations of her ideas. Children and adults will enjoy reminiscing about the peaceful and joyful experiences each artwork elicits as well as discussing the variety of ways peace can be interpreted.

My Art Book of Peace will enhance any library board book or art collection, would be an inspiring cross-curricular addition to classroom and homeschool educators, and will become a family favorite to keep close at hand for frequent reading.

Ages: Preschool and up

Phaidon Press, 2026 | ISBN 978-1837291526

Shana Gozansky wears a lot of hats. She writes books for kids and their grownups, directs plays for everyone, and coaches parents. She is the author of Phaidon’s My Art Books series, How to Be a Witch (with Gabrielle Balkan), and has more books on the horizon. She holds an MFA in Directing from the Brown/Trinity Rep MFA Programs and is a graduate of Bard College. She lives in Massachusetts with her spouse, tween, and a dog named Miss Piggy. Visit shanagozansky.com to find out more.

World Art Day Activity

Peace Sign Coloring Pages

Coloring can be a calming and rewarding activity for all ages. These three peace sign coloring pages give everyone in the family a chance to create and have fun together on this day that’s all about art! You can find more Peace Coloring Pages and lots more at MondayMandala.com.

Plain Peace Sign | Simple Flowers Peace Sign | Floral Peace Sign

You can purchase My Art Book of Peace from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

January 20 – Penguin Awareness Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

I’m excited to be a stop on the blog tour for Zenguin just in time for Penguin Awareness Day! Today’s holiday celebrates these delightfully unique birds, a species in which both females and males share parenting duties, and their tightly knit colonies. The day also raises awareness of the need to protect penguins’ habitats in the face of declining populations. Scientists have found that penguins play a crucial role as indicators of oceanic and polar environmental health and the effects of climate change.

The Penguin Foundation was established on January 20, 2006 in Australia to address ways to support projects that make a positive difference to the environment in general and especially for the penguins and wildlife on and around Phillip Island. In 2020, due to social media attention, Penguin Awareness Day enjoyed a surge in interest. Now the holiday is recognized around the world. To learn more from the World Wildlife Foundation, visit wwf.org.uk. To learn more about Australia’s Penguin Foundation, visit penguinfoundation.org.au.

Thanks to Danna Smith and Workman Kids Publishing for sending me a copy of Zenguin for review!

Zenguin

Written by Danna Smith | Illustrated by Sydney Hanson

Little Penguin had lots of family and friends in his colony and he loved them all, but they were a boisterous bunch—always sledding and splashing and throwing snowballs. Even his little sister, Pip, could be so loud! “All the commotion made Penguin nervous.” His heart would race, and sometimes “he got angry like a fierce Antarctic storm.”

One day weary of it all, he yelled, “‘QUIET!!'” but the squawking simply continued. If only he could feel peaceful and calm like some of his friends. “They called it zen.” Penguin went in search of friends who could help him. He visited Blue Whale, Seal, and Gull. Each one had a different method for finding peace and staying calm. Penguin tried them all and with each one, he felt more relaxed. He felt zen.

One day, Penguin heard Pip cry for help. She had gotten tangled in her knitting. She was flailing and squirming, but this just made her predicament worse. Penguin rushed to help. He “took a deep breath in, and slowly let a long breath out.” He taught Pip how to do it too, and when she became calm, Penguin was able to free her. Pip appreciated her big brother so much that she knitted him a sweater, even weaving in a new name—Zenguin! Penguin thought “it was perfect!”

Following the story, readers find four easy mindfulness activities that children can do to recover internal peace when they feel nervous or anxious, or when strong emotions unsettle them.

Danna Smith engages little ones with simple language and sweet storytelling which acknowledges that even the youngest children feel the pressures and stresses of busy lives and raucous surroundings. While young children may not have the vocabulary to discuss their feelings, with Zenguin Smith gives kids and adults a way to recognize and talk about anxiety, nervousness, anger, and other emotions that interfere with enjoying life to its fullest. Smith then goes further by presenting mindfulness activities that are easy for kids to learn and perform to find inner peace both on the spot or as part of a regular calming routine.

Sydney Hanson’s adorable Penguin, Pip, and all of her other sea creatures invite children to Antarctica where, despite the snow and ice, warm friendships abide. Hanson cleverly fills her lovely, tranquil pages with “squawks” and “pips,” “thwacks” and “thumps,” and “screees” and “wheeees” that young and adult readers can have fun reading aloud to replicate just how loud Penguin’s noisy colony could be. Like Smith’s text, this also gives kids a chance to talk situations that bother them. Little ones will love copying Penguin’s moves as he learns techniques for finding peace and calm, and Penguin and Pip’s loving sibling relationship will endear this pair to all readers.

The length of the book is perfect for pulling off the shelf to calm a child who is experiencing strong emotions. It will also become a favorite recurring read aloud to reassurance children that they can have control over their reactions to situations they may find difficult. Zenguin would make an impactful addition to any home bookshelf and is highly recommended for school and public library collections.

Ages 3 – 6

Workman Kids, 2026 | ISBN 978-1523528660

Penguin Awareness Day Activity

Zenguin Activity Pages

Kids will enjoy slowing down and entering the zen zone with these three activity pages that invite them to color and solve a puzzle with Penguin, Pip, and their friends. You can find a Zenguin and Pip Maze, Zenguin and Friends Coloring Page, Zenguin and Pip Coloring Page, Tips on creating a Personal Zen Space, and defined Zen-Related Words and Concepts on Danna Smith’s website!

You can purchase Zenguin from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

August 15 – National Back to School Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

I know, I know . . . it can’t be time to go back to school already! Maybe not quite, but all over the country, teachers, administrators, parents, and…yes, kids…are preparing for the day when school opens again for another year. Now’s the time to find a new backpack, buy some new clothes, and decide that this year is going to be the best year yet! Reading books about beginning a new school year can also help!

Thank you to Abrams Books for Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book to me for review!

Fall Is for Beginnings

Written by Rajani LaRocca | Illustrated by Abhi Alwar

While Ravi is sad to see summer vacation end, he’s excited to be starting school and seeing his friends, especially his best friend, Joe. They “share jokes, secrets, and sometimes lunch,” at recess they always play together, and—best of all—this year they’ll be in the same classroom.

Ravi and Joe find desks next to each other. Then a new girl, Ellie, sits in the seat next to Ravi. She’s eager and enthusiastic. “‘I just know we’re going to be best friends!'” she tells him. Ravi is taken aback and doesn’t reply. He listens as his teacher explains a project the students will do to celebrate their new accomplishments throughout the year by adding leaves then snowflakes then flowers to a tree of their own.

In music class, at lunch, and on the playground, Ellie always joins Ravi and Joe. When they get new instruments, Ellie plays the loudest, she offers tastes of her beet salad (which Joe tries right away, but Ravi does not), and her new suggestions for Ravi and Joe’s Deep Space Explorers playground game make it much more challenging. For some of these new experiences Ravi adds a leaf to his tree.

“Every day, Ellie says, ‘I told you we’d be best friends!'” When Ravi whispers a reassuring “‘But I’m best friends with you'” to Joe, Joe simply shrugs. Every day, Ellie is right in the middle of Ravi and Joe’s favorite fall activities. At the school Halloween party, Ravi dresses as a scoop of ice cream, and Joe is a cone. When Ellie runs up dressed as a bottle of sprinkles because they’re “best friends,” Ravi loses his temper, crying, “‘You are NOT my best friend!'”

Surprised and hurt, Ellie runs off. She avoids Ravi and Joe during the rest of the party and during trick-or-treating in the neighborhood and moves to another desk in the back of the classroom. At home, Ravi mopes on the couch about how much things have changed since Ellie came. When his older sister hears his complaint, she runs off to get the family photo album. Page by page, she shows Ravi how great it was for her before he was born and how she found him so annoying when he was a baby. But, she says, when she got to know him, “‘Things were even more fun than before.'”

Ravi reconsiders his relationship with Ellie amid all the things they do together. Perhaps, he thinks, “Ellie is already my friend?” The next day at school, he shows a change of heart and lets Ellie take the lead. He has fun on the playground and in music class and discovers that beet salad is delicious. Ravi’s tree is filling with leaves representing all of his new experiences, and he feels proud “because fall is for beginnings and friendship.”

Rajani LaRocca shines a light on an important aspect of new school years, old friendships, and the natural changes that occur as children grow up, meet new people, and venture into the unfamiliar. Candid and relatable, LaRocca’s storytelling gives voice to emotions children may feel (and feel badly about) but are unable to express. Reading and discussing the stages Ravi goes through before finally losing his temper and then afterward can give kids an opportunity to talk about their own experiences as well as their ideas for and what to say when assimilating new friends into an established duo or group. Joe’s early nonchalance about Ellie’s proclamations of friendship reveals how the idea of “best friends” can vary from person to person and change over time.

Abhi Alwar’s vivacious, autumn-hued illustrations depict an active classroom in which even amid the usual raucousness, Ellie stands out with her spunky personality. Always in motion, Ellie kicks her feet, runs and leaps and roars, gives her new besties gifts and tastes from her lunch, and in the process overwhelms Ravi, whose apprehension, eventual anger, and regret show in his expressions. Alwar’s combination of chalky line drawings and full color sketches allow her to emphasize certain important moments while presenting dynamic scenes that kids will have fun exploring.

An impactful book to share with children just starting school or as they move through the grades, Fall is for Beginnings celebrates new friends and experiences, while providing a map through some of the trickier bits. The book is highly recommended for home bookshelves and is a must for classroom and library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Harry N. Abrams, 2025 | ISBN 978-1419777400

About the Author

Rajani LaRocca is a physician and an author of books for young readers including Summer Is for Cousins, Where Three Oceans Meet, and Red, White, and Whole, which won a Newbery Honor. She was born in Bangalore, India, and immigrated to the United States when she was very young. She now lives in eastern Massachusetts with her family. You can find her online at rajanilarocca.com.

About the Illustrator

Abhi Alwar is an Indian American illustrator and designer based in New York City. She is the illustrator of a number of books for young readers, including Summer Is for Cousins by Rajani LaRocca and the graphic novel series Super Pancake, written by Megan Wagner Lloyd. Visit her at abhialwar.com.

You can see what Ravi’s up to during the summer in Summer Is for Cousins, the first volume of the Seasons Are for Everything series from Rajani LaRocca and Abhi Alwar.

Back to School Month Activity

Make Your Own School Bus Craft

With a small tea box or other box, some paint, and the printable template, kids can have fun making a model school bus to play with or display. The bus can be made as detailed or simple as they’d like. Maybe they’d even like to draw themselves and their friends in the windows!

Supplies

Printable School Bus Template
Small tea box: 20-bag size (5″ long x 3″ tall x 2 5/8″ deep); or other small box
Bright yellow craft paint
Scissors
Craft glue
Paintbrush

Directions

Print 2 copies of the School Bus Template
Carefully take the tea box apart at the seams, invert it, and glue or tape it back together

To Make the Passenger Side of the Bus

Cut the Door from the template
Glue the door to the box near the front
Cut out and trim the row of windows from the template
Glue the windows near the top of the box
Cut out and trim two of the solid black lines from the template
Glue the stripes onto the side of the box below the windows
Cut out two tires from the template and glue them to the box

To Make the Front of the Bus

Cut out two of the red and orange paired lights
Glue one on each side of the box near the top with the red light on the outside
Add a School Bus sign between the lights
Cut out the windshield in the lower corner of the template and glue it in place
Cut and trim grill and glue it beneath the windshield
Cut and glue white circles for headlights on either side of the grill
Cut, trim, and glue the wide black strip to the bottom as the bumper.

To Make the Driver’s Side of the Bus

Cut and trim the row of windows from the template
Glue the windows near the top of the box
Cut out and trim two of the solid black lines from the template
Glue the stripes onto the side of the box below the windows
Cut out two tires from the template and glue them to the box
Cut out and glue the Stop sign over the two stripes near the front of the bus

To Make the Back of the Bus

Cut out two of the red and orange paired lights
Glue one on each side of the box near the top with the red light on the outside
Add a School Bus sign between the lights
Cut out the two small rounded corner windows
Glue them underneath the lights close to the edge of the box
Cut out and glue the bigger rounded corner window between the smaller windows
Cut out and glue the yellow, red, and white lights underneath the small windows with the yellow light on the outside
Cut out and glue the black rounded corner window centered beneath the lights
Cut and trim the wide black stripe and glue it near the bottom of the box for the bumper

You can purchase Fall Is for Beginnings from these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review

July 30 – International Day of Friendship

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Established in 2011 by the United Nations General Assembly, the International Day of Friendship asserts the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures, and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. “In this year’s observance of the International Day of Friendship,” the UN General Assembly eloquently states, “we’re reminded that real peace is forged not only in negotiation halls or by writing into treaties — it’s built, thread by thread, in the trust we extend to one another in daily life. Friendship, especially among young people, holds a special kind of power. It can cross languages, faiths, and histories that might otherwise divide us. It invites us to listen before we judge, to stay when it’s easier to walk away. And when nurtured across cultures and communities, friendship becomes more than a bond—it becomes a blueprint for reconciliation. It teaches us that understanding isn’t a grand achievement; it’s a habit, a practice, a way of moving through the world that says ‘your well-being matters to me too’.”

Celebrate the International Day of Friendship all year long with today’s story for that can help young children build strong and trusting friendships from the earliest ages. For more information about the International Day of Friendship and a list of actions we can all take, visit the United Nations website.

Thank you to Laura Sassi and Paraclete Press for sharing a copy of this book with me for review!

Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle

Written by Laura Sassi | Illustrated by Farah Shah

Belle Bunny, who lives in a tall, tidy pumpkin on Leaf Lane, is best friends with Boo Chipmunk, whose cozy home is a squat pumpkin shell. Despite the rain that’s been pouring down all week, both Belle and Boo are looking forward to getting together for their annual Pumpkin Day Tea that day. There’s just one hitch: while Belle is finishing her final preparations, Boo is still waiting for his invitation. Where could it be?

When the clock chimes three and with a warm fire crackling in the wood stove, Belle, “. . . grateful for a friend like Boo, . . . set out heaps of treats for two.” But Boo was taking his clues from the drab day, his dank den, and his smoking wet wood in his fireplace. “‘So much for friends like Belle!’ huffed Boo.”

A hour went by and Belle was growing miffed because the tea was cold and the frosting melting. ‘”My tea is ruined! Did Boo forget? / Why hasn’t he arrived here yet?” Meanwhile, Boo was wondering if Belle’s kindness was “just pretend.” They both grabbed their umbrellas and headed outside. Unexpectedly, they bumped into each other on the bridge between their homes.

Instead of hemming and hawing or ignoring each other, Belle asks Boo if he forgot their Pumpkin Tea, to which Boo replies that he never received an invitation. A moment passes between them—could each be telling the truth? Belle breaks the silence with an apology for not double-checking with Boo, and Boo says he could have done the same. With their friendship patched up and the sun beginning to shine, Belle and Boo head back to Belle’s house. There, Belle made new goodies while Boo steeped a new pot of tea, and they both pondered over the missing invitation. A sudden knock on the door answers the mystery with a surprising twist and a new reason to be thankful at their Pumpkin Day Tea!

The story was inspired by the sentiments of joy and gratitude found in Psalm 118:24, which appears on the final page.

Laura Sassi’s breezy and heartening rhyming story for little ones is layered with depth and insight about the nature of friendship, expectations between friends, and generosity of spirit. Belle’s and Boo’s changing emotions are depicted honestly and in language that young children will understand, and when Boo and Belle meet on the bridge and a moment of doubt passes between them, adults and children have an opportunity to discuss how they think the characters feel, how they would feel in the same circumstance, and how they would resolve the issue with their own friends. Metaphors found in the weather and how each character responds to it as well as in the bridge where Belle and Boo meet and reconcile also offerareas for discussion. Bitsy’s entry into Boo and Belle’s long-standing tea for two also brings cheer and open-heartedness to the story.

Farah Shah’s cozy pumpkin homes are washed in warm tones and full of charming details that children will adore. The crackling fire in Belle’s wood stove reflects her sunny personality while Boo’s smoking logs reflect his unhappy mood. The stormy weather outside foretells the coming clash between Boo and Belle. Both character’s facial expressions are easy to read and provide talking points for adults and kids. Just as Belle and Boo clear up the misunderstanding, the weather lightens and shines brightly with the inclusion of a new friend.

Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle is a charming and meaningful read aloud that’s perfect for friendship building at the beginning of the school year, Thanksgiving celebrations, and any time that empathy and understanding are needed. The book is highly recommended for home and library collections.

Ages Preschool – 3

Paraclete Press, 2025 | ISBN 979-8893480191

About the Author

Laura Sassi has been a teacher, homeschool mom, children’s ministry director, and more. She is the author of multiple books for young children including the best-selling Goodnight, Ark (Zonderkidz), which was a 2015 Christian Book Award Finalist, the My Tender Heart series (Paraclete Press), Happy Birthday Christmas Child (Paraclete Press), Love is Kind (Zonderkidz), Faithful Feet (WorthyKids) and more. She writes daily from her home in New Jersey and finds special joy in sharing messages of kindness, comfort, and hope at school visits, church gatherings, and other events.

About the Illustrator

Farah Shah is a children’s book illustrator who was born in West Yorkshire and is now based in the South of England. If she is not drawing characters at the kitchen table, then you can often find her traveling around the UK in search of sun, sea and a bit of inspiration.

International Day of Friendship Activity

Pom-Pom Pumpkin Village – by Laura Sassi

Read Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle, then, inspired by a spirit of friendship and the adorable map on the opening spread, make your own pumpkin patch village out of pom-poms! Arrange the village in a cozy spot, then use your imagination to retell the story or create your own story of friendship and community.

To make a pom-pom pumpkin village you will need:

orange yarn
stiff drawing paper
scissors
tacky glue
colored pencils, markers, or crayons

Directions:

For each pumpkin pom-pom, loosely wrap a single strand of orange yarn 60-80 times around four fingers or a similarly sized sturdy household item (such as a coaster). Next, gently slide the loopy bundle off your hand (or coaster). Cinch the looped yarn in the middle and tie securely in a knot with a separate piece of yarn. Snip the loops to make a ball. Then fluff and snip the uneven bits as desired. These will be your pumpkins. Repeat to make as many as you want. The more you have, the bigger your village will be.
Transform each pom-pom pumpkin into a house by cutting sturdy white paper to create a base. Glue the pom-pom to the base, then decorate each front yard using colored pencils, markers, or crayons. Cut doors, windows, and stems from the scraps, coloring them with whatever details you want. Finally, using ample tacky glue, affix the doors, windows and stems onto the pom-pom pumpkins, as shown above.
When everything is dry, set up your pumpkin village in a cozy spot. Retell the story or imagine new adventures you and a friend (or several) might have in a pumpkin patch village. Have fun!

You can purchase Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

June 25 – National Day of Joy

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Established by Comfort Keepers, who offer uplifting in-home care for seniors, The National Day of Joy encourages everyone to look for simple moments and expressions of happiness in daily life. Cheerful smiles and greetings, random acts of kindness, upbeat moods, and general positivity can affect not only immediate interactions but can change our moods and improve our health. To honor the day and the idea, find ways to start each morning with a positive attitude for the day to come. Need ideas for how to get started? Say “Hello” to those you meet, listen to and encourage others, happily help out where needed, send a surprise letter, card, or text to a friend or family member far away. And, of course, doing something fun with your kids always makes the day better. Oh! And don’t forget to treat yourself too! When you feel good, those around you will respond in kind!

Big Boy Joy

Written by Connie Schofield-Morrison | Illustrated by Shamar Knight-Justice

It’s playground time, and the little boy who’s about to conquer the slide and the swings, unexpectedly make a new friend, and use his skills introduces himself: “I am a BIG boy.” As he tears down the sidewalk, he demonstrates—”I can run FAST. I can walk SLOW. I can climb HIGH! I can Go! Go! GO!” Slipping down the slide, too fast to stop, he crashes into another boy walking by with a basket of dinosaurs. They both go tumbling, the dinos spilling out.

The boy cries, but he’s also a big-enough boy to apologize and turn the accident into an opportunity to make a new friend. The two play—”RAWR, RAWR”—with the toys, they “STOMP and CLOMP.” The two move to the sandbox for a “CRASH and SMASH” demolition derby with their trucks, and when a wheel comes off: “I can fix. TWIST and TURN TA-DA!”

But the day’s not over, these fast friends share snacks, play chase, and swing “right into space!” Dad waves. It’s time to leave, with a high five between the boys and a promise to play again.

Connie Schofield-Morrison infectious ode to boyhood and unfettered play is a joyous read aloud, with vivacious rhymes full of personality and pride in what the narrator can do. From releasing all that big-boy energy to turning a crash-bang mishap into friendship to exhibiting ingenuity and manners, Schofield-Morrison’s young child shows just what it means to be a “big boy.”

Emerging and new readers will love being able to read the story on their own, and younger children will quickly catch on to chiming in on all of the high-spirited onomatopoeic words. The story is also perfect for acting out for rambunctious story times.

Shamar Knight-Justice’s young child brims with happiness and excitement as he tackles the playground; shows an awareness of others and their feelings; and races, chases, tumbles, and climbs a slide ladder so tall you have to turn the book sideways! Vivid primary colors, dynamic typefaces, all the big-kid equipment that makes a playground so enticing, and two boys who know how to roar, stomp, kerplunk, share, and have fun together shine from the pages.

Big Boy Joy is a lively read aloud that will capture the hearts of kids and adults alike and will quickly become a much-asked-for favorite for home bookshelves and library collections.

Ages 3 – 5 (and up for newly independent and emerging readers)

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1547611515

About the Author

Connie Schofield-Morrison captured the rhythm of the neighborhood in her first picture book, I Got the Rhythm, and again in I Got the Christmas Spirit and I Got the School Spirit. She is also the author of the picture book biography Stitch by Stitch: Elizabeth Hobbs Keckly Sews Her Way to Freedom. Connie has been writing since she was a young girl and is inspired every day by the big sounds and bright colors of the world around her. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia. Visit her on Instagram.

About the Illustrator

Shamar Knight-Justice is an illustrator based in Atlanta, Georgia. He grew up with a crayon in his hand and a love for patterns. He currently serves as the principal of an elementary school in Southwest Atlanta, where his scholars’ stories and personalities inspire him to create illustrations that honor their identities. When not drawing, Shamar loves to spend time hoarding collage materials, going on long walks with his family, and devouring the nearest pancake. Visit him at shamarknightjustice.com.

National Day of Joy Activity

Playground Spot-the-Differences Coloring Page

Search for all of the differences between these two pictures then color the scenes!

Playground Spot-the-Differences Coloring Page

You can purchase Big Boy Joy from these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review

February 13 – It’s Random Acts of Kindness Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

If you’re celebrating Random Acts of Kindness Week (February 9–15 in the UK and February 14–20 in the US), you can consider yourself a RAKtivist—a Random Acts of Kindness Activist. Being a RAKtivist is awesome! And easy! All it takes is to be kind to anyone you meet. Acts of kindness don’t have to be big, or hard, or expensive. In fact, the best kindness acts are free! If you see someone having a bad day, give them a smile. If someone’s struggling with a box, a bag or keeping their stuff in their locker, give them a hand. Does someone always eat lunch alone? Sit with them and get to know them. There are many other ways to embrace the slogan of the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation: “Make Kindness the Norm” and show you care about people near and far. You can learn how to become a RAKtivist and find lots of free resources to download for schools, households, and workplaces at randomactsofkindness.org. Here’s a daily Kindness Calendar to get you started!

The Welcome Book

Written by Danna Smith | Illustrated by Juliana Perdomo

New experiences and new people to meet are all around us every day. This is especially true for young children as they begin exploring the world around them. On the playground, in the classroom, at the library, on the bus or subway, in stores, and even during visits by extended family, little ones are always learning how to work or play together with someone new.

In her joyful and openhearted story, Danna Smith celebrates all the opportunities children have to embrace others and make them feel at home. In her uplifting rhyming verses, she tells little ones how much the word “Welcome!” and the warm feelings behind it mean to someone new or someone who is alone: “Welcoming someone shows that you care. / You’re happy to see them. You’re glad they are there.”

Smith also presents a pleasing array of examples of everyday and special occasions when children can make a difference by offering friendship—including calling someone over to join a lunch table or group activity, cradling a new sibling, greeting a dog with hugs, and listening when someone is sad. She ends her story with the reassuring knowledge that friendship shared is friendship gained.

Readers can’t help but smile at Julia Perdomo’s vivid illustrations that radiate the warmth of welcome on each page. Kids will connect with Perdomo’s varied scenes of diverse groups of kids supporting each other as they play and work together. Her expressive characters and clearly depicted situations invite kids and adults to talk about their own experiences in both being the new person and welcoming others as well as to role play “What if?” scenarios.

A bright, cheerful, and thoughtful board book to open the world of kindness, empathy, and friendship to the youngest readers, The Welcome Book is a story parents, teachers, and other adults will love sharing with their little ones and that kids will eagerly reach for again and again. This sweet book would make a heartwarming addition to home bookshelves and is a must for daycare, school, and public library collections.

Pair The Welcome Book with The Thank You Book by Danna Smith and Juliana Perdomo to spark an understanding and appreciation for gratitude in young children.

Ages Baby – 4

Little Simon, 2025 | ISBN 978-1665952026 (Board book)

About the Author

Danna Smith is a poet and award-winning author of numerous books for children, including One Blue Gnu; Rooftop Garden; Wake Up, Freight Train!; and several Little Golden Books. Her nonfiction picture book, The Hawk of the Castle: A Story of Medieval Falconry, received two starred reviews and is a Junior Library Guild Selection and a Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year. Danna currently lives in northern California, where she is hard at work on her next book. For more information about her books and teaching activities, visit her website at DannaSmithBooks.com.

About the Illustrator

Juliana Perdomo is a writer and illustrator born in Bogotá, Columbia, surrounded by a huge loving family, friends, bright colors, music, weird fruits, sunshine, and lots of rain but also rainbows. She now lives there with her amazing son, Luca, her rocker partner Iván, and their crazy old dog, Menta. Juliana has a background as a psychologist and an art therapist, but her passion is children’s literature. She tries to make her work diverse, heartfelt and personal, folkish, a bit retro, joyful, and with a Latin touch. She feels deeply grateful to have participated in many beautiful projects: books, puzzles, animations, branding, family portraits, and magazines all over the world. Find out more at JulianaPerdomo.com.

Random Acts of Kindness Week Activity

The Welcome Book Coloring Pages

Have fun coloring these cheerful pages from The Welcome Book!

Welcoming the Rain | Welcoming a New Friend

You can purchase The Welcome Book from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

About the Holiday

The Selfish Sister

Written by David Sedaris | Illustrated by Bob Staake

National Humor Month Activity

Silly Balloons

GOOFY FACES

CRAZY HAIR

BEND WATER

VOLLEYBALLOON

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About the Holiday

My Art Book of Peace

Written by Shana Gozansky | Designed by Meagan Bennett

World Art Day Activity

Peace Sign Coloring Pages

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About the Holiday

Zenguin

Written by Danna Smith | Illustrated by Sydney Hanson

Penguin Awareness Day Activity

Zenguin Activity Pages

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About the Holiday

Fall Is for Beginnings

Written by Rajani LaRocca | Illustrated by Abhi Alwar

Back to School Month Activity

Make Your Own School Bus Craft

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About the Holiday

Pumpkin Day for Boo and Belle

Written by Laura Sassi | Illustrated by Farah Shah

International Day of Friendship Activity

Pom-Pom Pumpkin Village – by Laura Sassi

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About the Holiday

Big Boy Joy

Written by Connie Schofield-Morrison | Illustrated by Shamar Knight-Justice

National Day of Joy Activity

Playground Spot-the-Differences Coloring Page

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About the Holiday

The Welcome Book

Written by Danna Smith | Illustrated by Juliana Perdomo

Random Acts of Kindness Week Activity

The Welcome Book Coloring Pages

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