February 7 – National Send a Card to a Friend Day

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About the Holiday

Today’s holiday is all about reaching out to a friend or family member with cheerful wishes or a reminder about how much they mean to you. Sure, texting is more immediate, but the sentiments get lost amid long scrolls of typed conversations, shared pictures, and links sent. A card or a letter is more permanent and easy to enjoy again and again without all the dizzying swiping, swiping, swiping to retrieve the message that meant so much to you. Sending cards is such a wonderful way for kids, especially, to keep in touch with friends, cousins, aunts and uncles, and grandparents. Today, encourage your children to share their feelings in a card or letter and get today’s book to read and inspire creative communication whenever your kids are missing a loved one.

Thanks to Tara Knudson for sharing a copy of Paper Wishes with me!

Paper Wishes

Written by Tara Knudson | Illustrated by Kirsti Beautyman

A child wistfully flies a paper airplane through their room, wishing they could fly, sail, take a train or drive to visit their grandparents and “bring a gift by hand.” Spying a piece of red paper on their desk, the child has an idea: Even though you’re far away, there’s one thing I can do. / Fold and crease . . . and fold again. / I made my gift for you!” With a few deft folds and tucks, the child creates an origami heart for their grandmother and grandfather.

Image copyright Kirstie Beautyman, 2024, text copyright Tara Knudson, 2024. Courtesy of Picture Window Books.

The child places the heart in an envelope and places it in the corner mailbox, sending “it on its way.” And then the waiting begins. Each day, they wonder “Is it on a truck? / Is it on a plane? / Is it on a boat? / Is it on a train?” and hope that their gift arrives safely. The child wishes they could see their grandparents’ reactions when they open the gift, and . . . through technology, the child and their grandparents get to share their smiles.

Easy-to-follow, illustrated instructions on how to make an origami heart follow the story.

Image copyright Kirstie Beautyman, 2024, text copyright Tara Knudson, 2024. Courtesy of Picture Window Books.

Tara Knudson’s touching and uplifting story will be treasured by children who miss seeing family members or friends and want to share stories, smiles, and love with them. Knudson’s lively rhymes and easy-flowing rhythms will captivate even the youngest children. Kids will enjoy reading along with the recurring phrasing and evocative vocabulary. Children who are eager gift-makers will love the inspiration in both the story and the included origami craft.

Kirsti Beautyman takes readers over a towering city, across choppy seas, winding past cacti in a sandy desert all the way to colorful townhouses on a shady street in a plane, boat, train, and truck cleverly drawn to mimic origami creations. Readers will immediately empathize with the child, whose expressions show a yearning to see grandparents again, happiness when close to them, pride in the gift they’ve made, and hopeful waiting to hear from family. Young readers are also reassured that family members or friends who are far away are thinking about and missing them too.

A tender, heartfelt, and inspiring read aloud that children will want to hear again and again, Paper Wishes would be an exceptional addition to home, library, and classroom collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Picture Window Books, Capstone Press, 2024 | ISBN 978-1684466184

About the Author

Tara Knudson is the author of multiple picture books, including Christmas Cookie Day, Fun Fall Day, and Valentine’s Day Treats. Tara is a former teacher who has been writing poetry since she was a young girl growing up in Chicago.

About the Illustrator

Kirsti Beautyman is an author and illustrator from the North East of England. After studying at Edinburgh College of Art and graduating in 2016, Kirsti turned her hand to illustrating children’s books and partook in the Picture Hooks Mentorship scheme in 2017. At the end of the scheme, Kirsti exhibited alongside her Mentor in the National Gallery of Scotland and was named “Picture Hooks Illustrator Of The Year”. Since then, she has continued to build on her career as a children’s book illustrator, and works from her studio, nestled away on the outskirts of Newcastle. Kirsti predominantly uses a culmination of digital, dry and wet media to create her illustrations… and is prone to leaving a vibrant jumbled mess in her wake.

National Send a Card to a Friend Day Activity

Paper Wishes Craft

Kids can make their own origami heart to give with the instructions in this Paper Wishes Instruction Sheet.

You can purchase Paper Wishes at these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review

February 6 – Children’s Mental Health Week

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About the Holiday

 

February 3rd-9th marks the United Kingdom’s 11th National Children’s Mental Health week, sponsored by the children’s mental health charity Place2Be. While the US has its own Children’s Mental Health Awareness week in May, it’s always good to share resources and support around mental health for children. This February’s theme is Know Yourself Grow Yourself, with an emphasis on building resilience and coping skills through self-understanding. To honor Children’s Mental Health week, adults and kids alike can engage in mood journaling, verbal processing of emotions, and reading books that explore just what to do to get through hard times.

Review by Dorothy Levine

Just What to Do

By Kyle Lukoff | Illustrated by Hala Tahboub

 

When a loved one is experiencing a loss, it can be hard to know how best to help. Just What to Do is a gentle story that walks readers through exactly that—just what to do. The key? Figuring out how each person best likes to be comforted.

The book begins with a narrator confidently clutching a handmade condolence card with a smiling cactus angel featured on the front. “When my brother’s cactus died,” they say, “I knew just what to do.” As the narrator discovers, however, a card is not how the brother would like to receive support. “Could you tell me a joke instead? I really want to laugh.” he says.

Image copyright Hala Tahboub, 2024, text copyright Kyle Lukoff, 2024. Courtesy of Dial Books.

So, naturally, when the protagonist’s cousin’s goldfish dies, they know exactly what to do; at the library they nab a book of jokes in preparation for a visit. But instead, the cousin asks for a hug.

The pattern continues with the narrator learning a new method of supporting a loved one with each instance of grief. And learning that the same technique does not feel good to the next person in need of their comfort.

Image copyright Hala Tahboub, 2024, text copyright Kyle Lukoff, 2024. Courtesy of Dial Books.

When the narrator’s best friend’s grandmother dies, they are unsure what to do. Would she want a card, a snack, a hug? How could they know? Finally, they decide the best way to find out is simply to ask: “Can you tell me what to do? I don’t know how to help.” While the friend is at first unsure how to answer this question, the narrator and friend find ways to seek out comfort and connection by spending time together. The story ends with a wordless spread of them swinging, talking, picking flowers and a spread with the word “together” in which they share a flower crown.

Image copyright Hala Tahboub, 2024, text copyright Kyle Lukoff, 2024. Courtesy of Dial Books.

Just What to Do tackles a tough but topical topic for children, what to do with grief and how to support others through it, something that even adults struggle with. Oftentimes, people make the mistake of thinking there is a cookie cutter “one size fits all” fix for working through grief, but, as Lukoff poignantly shows, this simply is not the case. Readers will learn and grow with the protagonist as they explore new ways of helping and providing care for a diverse cast of family and friends.

Hala Tahboub creates simple sketches featuring an androgynous-appearing elementary-school-aged narrator. Wordless spreads of characters connecting are interspersed in the story and are contrasted with more bare pages focused solely on the narrator when they reach emotionally salient moments. There is a clarity in the images and an intricacy in the facial expressions that allows the audience to focus on the main character’s internal struggles. The words of the story are expanded on in the images, with different characters expressing their grief in unique ways (a babysitter commemorating her dog with dog toys, the cousin holding her goldfish’s tank under a large shady tree with a bouquet of flowers, etc.)

Just What to Do is an essential addition to library and home collections, as well as counseling centers. The book lovingly guides readers through a difficult subject with an appropriate amount of levity and learning to make for a perfect read aloud.

Ages 3 – 7

Dial Books for Young Readers, 2024 | ISBN 978-0593462942

About the Author

Kyle Lukoff is the author of many books for young readers. His debut middle-grade novel, Too Bright To See, received a Newbery honor, the Stonewall award, and was a National Book Award finalist. His picture book When Aidan Became A Brother also won the Stonewall. He has forthcoming books about mermaids, babies, apologies, and lots of other topics. While becoming a writer he worked as a bookseller for ten years, and then nine more years as a school librarian. Visit him at kylelukoff.com.

About the Illustrator

Hala Tahboub is a children’s book writer and illustrator. She started her creative journey as an architect and interior designer. She won the SCBWI Canada East chapter’s Storyteller Award for Illustration in 2019, and she was the SCBWI’s December Featured Illustrator in 2020. Hala believes in kindness, coffee, chocolate, and in the immense power of stories. She lives in Montreal. Visit her at halatahboub.com.

National Children’s Mental Health Week Activities

Place2be Activity with Ricky Martin

 

Art Room Activity

Watch the Art Room’s video on this self-awareness art activity and create your own identity plant.

Exploring Emotions Tip Sheet for Families

Download this Exploring Emotions Tip Sheet for families on how to encourage children to explore and express their emotions.

You can purchase Just What to Do at these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review

January 31 – It’s National Mentoring Month

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About the Holiday

Learning—and the success that comes with it—can be easier and more fun when it’s shared with a mentor. Teachers, instructors, coaches, crafters, family members, and other adults like passing on their knowledge to younger generations, and while kids gain valuable skills, they also benefit from the bonds that form between them and their mentor. If you’re interested in becoming a mentor check out the resources at mentoring.org. National Mentoring Month is also a terrific time to thank a mentor in your life and tell them what a difference they made. 

Thanks to Tundra Books for sharing a copy of Professor Goose Debunks the Three Little Pigs with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Professor Goose Debunks the Three Little Pigs

Written by Paulette Bourgeoise | Illustrated by Alex G. Griffiths 

Professor Marie Curious Goose—”renowned and distinguished scientist”—is on a mission to correct the science in her great-aunt Mother Goose’s stories. This time, she’s tackling The Three Little Pigs. The story starts off in the familiar way: “Once upon a time, there were three little pigs.” The first pig liked to eat and play. The second little pig liked to laze in the mud. And the third little pig worked hard and sweated every day. One day their mother sends them off into the world with the admonition to “‘Save your own bacon!'” Sounds about right, right?

Image copyright Alex G. Griffiths, 2024, text copyright Paulette Bourgeois, 2024. Courtesy of Tundra Books.

But wait! Before you move on in the story, Professor Goose reveals that even these brief profiles are full of erroneous myths! To clear things up, the professor imparts zoologist-approved information, including such facts as pigs don’t gorge themselves, they lay in mud to lower “their body temperature on hot days,” and, because pigs have few sweat glands, they always stay fresh and dry. 

Finally on their own, the siblings get down to the business of living their best lives. The first little pig builds himself a house of straw then goes off to play basketball. Here, Professor Goose takes a moment to imaprt a lesson on the states of Matter and what Matter is made of. By now the wolf has caught up with the first little pig, who rebuffs him with the familiar “‘Not by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin.'” Despite this the wolf does his huffing and puffing—you know the drill—and the pig runs off to his sister’s house. But waaaiit . . .. The prof takes exception to a few tidbits here, too, such as the chinny-chin-chin line and the house destruction method.

Image copyright Alex G. Griffiths, 2024, text copyright Paulette Bourgeois, 2024. Courtesy of Tundra Books.

Soon, while the wolf is menacing the second little pig, Professor Goose works herself into a lather over the “lone wolf” attack and the story’s depiction of wolves in general. To calm herself down, she instructs readers in details about structures and construction. 

Undeterred, the wolf high tails it to the third little pig’s house of bricks, where she and her siblings are cozily ensconced. The wolf huffs and puffs, can’t blow the brick house down, and the pigs are triumphant. But is this where the story ends? No! The prof explains how many fairy tales—just like this one—use a pattern of three and that patterns are found in everything, including nature, music, and math. Finally, Professor Goose concludes with her own version of what became of these three pig siblings—and the story even turns out well for the wolf!

Image copyright Alex G. Griffiths, 2024, text copyright Paulette Bourgeois, 2024. Courtesy of Tundra Books.

Paulette Bourgeouis’s clever take on the familiar tale of The Three Little Pigs will have kids captivated and laughing from beginning to end as Professor Goose points out foibles in the story and connects the setting, the wolf’s powerful breath, the pigs’ houses, the pigs themselves, and the story’s structure to a wide range of scientific principles. Through Professor Goose’s Fact Checks, kids learn surprising and educational facts about zoology, matter, weather, architecture, patterns, and even coding. 

Alex G. Griffith’s engaging illustrations make for a fun and funny learning experience that will have kids in stitches and their eyes glued to every page. Griffith’s tiny details, facial expressions, and slap-stick humor give a fresh, comic-style look to this well-known story and enhance the science-based facts this fractured fairytale is built on for today’s kids.

A unique retelling of a favorite classic that takes superb advantage of all a fractured fairy tale can offer, Professor Goose Debunks The Three Little Pigs is sure to be asked for again and again…and again. The STEM-related connections make this book a terrific and educational introduction to a variety of units for science educators.

Ages 3 – 8 and up

Tundra Books, 2024 | ISBN 978-0735267329

About the Author

Paulette Bourgeouis is best known for creating Franklin the Turtle, the character who appears in the bestselling picture books illustrated by Brenda Clark. The series has been translated into thirty-eight languages and adapted into an animated television series, merchandise, and feature-length films. She is also the author of award-winning books for children including Oma’s Quilt, which was developed as a short film by the National Film Board of Canada, and more than two dozen non-fiction science books. She is a member of the Order of Canada, received an honorary doctorate degree from Western University, an award of merit from the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists and most recently graduated with an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia. Paulette frequently teaches and she has been the writer-in-residence at UBC, Whistler, BC, and Terra Nova National Park, Newfoundland.

About the Illustrator

Alex G. Griffiths is a children’s book illustrator originally from London, UK. The majority of his work is done by hand, using a combination of pen and ink line work and brush textures in a messy way to create an unusual illustration style. He now lives in Canada with his wife and two children. Visit him at alexgfriffiths.com.

National Mentoring Month Activity

CPB - Playhouse craft

Cardboard Playhouse

Kids love pretending with their toys and playhouses. With this craft you and your child can make a playhouse with recycled items and lots of imagination. While you and your child make the house, talk about the building process and ask questions that get them thinking about how various parts of a house work. Once the house is finished, kids can make up their own stories with it—or create their own fractured tale of The Three Little Pigs! 

Supplies

  1. Cardboard box

     2. Recycled items, such as:

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

    3. Craft paint

    4. Markers

    5. Glue

You can purchase Professor Goose Debunks the Three Little Pigs at these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review

January 21 – National Hugging Day

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About the Holiday

Created in 1986 by Kevin Zaborney, National Hugging Day is a heartwarming holiday that encourages people to express their affection and care for one another through the simple act of giving hugs. Hugs are a universal form of physical affection that can convey love, comfort, and support. This day reminds us of the positive impact of a warm embrace and the importance of human connection. So today give your kids, spouse, parents, siblings, and friends extra hugs. You can even send virtual hugs to loved ones who are far away. To extend National Hugging Day throughout the year, add today’s snuggly hug of a book to your bedtime story collection. It’s sure to become a favorite! 

Thanks to Bloomsbury Children’s Books for sharing this review copy of Goodnight, Sleepyville with me!

Goodnight, Sleepyville

Written by Blake Liliane Hellman | Illustrated by Steven Henry

 

“In Sleepyville, the sun is setting, and everyone’s done for the day.” They head home from work or school or running errands. At the Acorn Cafe, the owner is just sweeping up. At the library the last book is being checked out. And as Mr. Bear leaves downtown, he’s reading an interesting article in the newspaper. Where is everyone going? Home! “To simple homes, dome homes, teensy-weensy homes, …and very fancy homes.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-goodnight-sleepyville-sweeping

Image copyright Steven Henry, 2020, text copyright Blake Liliane Hellman, 2020. Courtesy of Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

At home it’s time to wash up and enjoy a family supper—with milk and cookies for dessert. Later, in cozy pajamas, it’s time to “snuggle, wiggle, cuddle.” The moon rises and “though some are tucked in, snug as a bug…others need a lullaby. And maybe a bedtime story.” Then each resident of this little hamlet drifts off to sleep in their own way under a sky twinkling with stars and flitting fireflies. Then we say, “Goodnight, Sleepyville” and watch “all the lights go out… except one.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-goodnight-sleepyville-supper

Image copyright Steven Henry, 2020, text copyright Blake Liliane Hellman, 2020. Courtesy of Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

If you’re looking for a cozy, welcoming place to lay your head at the end of the day, there’s no place like home—or Sleepyville. In Blake Liliane Hellman’s tranquil town where close-set cottages and tree-trunk homes reflect the close-knit community, evening  comes with comforting routines and the welcome of family. Hellman’s charming alliteration and gentle rhymes turn each sentence into a lullaby just perfect for bedtime reading. Her final line is sweetly clever, and will lead little ones to try and guess which light remains glowing and why. The answer on the next page is sure to spark requests for another read.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-goodnight-sleepyville-moon

Image copyright Steven Henry, 2020, text copyright Blake Liliane Hellman, 2020. Courtesy of Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

Steven Henry’s adorable seaside community enchants with quaint details and a relaxed, happy atmosphere rendered in delicate lines and soft, warm colors. Babies and adults welcome home family members with cheery enthusiasm (you don’t want to miss the two ladybugs rushing to embrace at their toadstool home’s front door or the sprawling Victorian treehouse). Images of the fox family having supper around the table and then doing the dishes together are homey, and kids will giggle at two sleepyheads wearing mixed-up pajamas. After the sun has set, a momma or papa wolf howls a lullaby to three cubs while the bunny clan listens to a story before being tucked in. With the crescent moon shining and the town in slumber, one little light still glimmers. Where does it come from? Turn the page and see!

Goodnight, Sleepyville is dreamy reading for bedtime that families will turn to again and again and would be a welcome addition to home and public library collections. Pair with the first book in this little series, Welcome to Morningtown, to begin and end the day with favorite friends.

Ages Birth – 5

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2020 | ISBN 978-1681198767

Blake Liliane Hellman has degrees in journalism and English from the University of Colorado and a master’s in film production from American University/FAMU, Czech Republic. She is an abstract artist who also works with mixed media and collage and is the author of Goodnight, Sleepyville, Something Smells! and Cuddle Monkey. She lives with her family and cat in Seattle, Washington. Visit Blake Liliane Hellman on Instagram at blakecake8.

Steven Henry is the illustrator of the beloved Ella the Elegant Elephant books (as Steven D’Amico), written by Carmela D’Amico, It’s Raining Bats & Frogs, written by Rebecca Colby, and Hanukkah Hop, written by Erica Silverman. His work has also appeared on PBS Kids, Nick Jr., and the Disney Channel. He lives in Seattle, Washington. Visit him at stevenhenry.net.

You’ll also love the adorable Welcome to Morningtown! Read my review of this sweet readaloud, including an interview with Blake Liliane Hellman and Steven Harvey!

National Hugging Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-hug-coupons

Free Hug Coupons

Everyone needs a hug now and then! With these Free Hug coupons you can extend National Hugging Day to every day of the year and make sure all your favorite people get a sweet hug when they need it most.

Supplies

Directions

  1. Print the Free Hug coupons
  2. Color the coupons and cut apart
  3. Hand out the coupons to your friends and family members and tell them that each coupon is good for one free hug from you.
  4. When someone hands in a ticket to you, give them your best biggest hug!

You can purchase Goodnight, Sleepyville at these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review

January 20 – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and Interview with Dean Robbins

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celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-you-are-a-star-martin-luther-king-jr-cover

About the Holiday

Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebrates the life and legacy of the man who dedicated his life and work to teaching—as Coretta Scott King once stated—“the values of courage, truth, justice, compassion, dignity, humility and service” and who led a non-violent Civil Rights movement to enact racial equality and justice through state and federal laws. President Ronald Reagan created the national holiday in 1983, setting it on the third Monday of January to coincide with Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday on January 15. To commemorate the holiday, learn more about the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. We still have a long way to go before there is true justice and equality for all, and it’s more important now than ever to look for ways to offer help and hope.

Thank you to Scholastic Press for sharing a copy of You Are a Star, Martin Luther King, Jr. with me. All opinions on the book are my own.

You Are a Star, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Written by Dean Robbins | Illustrated by Anastasia Magloire Williams

Opening the cover to this visually engaging biography, readers are first introduced to Martin Luther King, Jr. as he stands at a podium on August 28, 1963 ready to address the throngs of people who had joined the March on Washington and now filled the National Mall. He wonders if he’s prepared the right words to offer hope for a better future. His thoughts take him back to when he first experienced discrimination, and readers follow along, learning about segregation in schools, restaurants, recreation areas, even at drinking fountains.

Kids learn that even when Martin Luther King, Jr. was their age he was already thinking that “someone had to change these unfair rules” and deciding “Why not me?” Through the book’s first-person narration, children gain a close portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr. as a committed intellectual, believer in the foundations of America, and outspoken advocate for equal rights. They learn of his life as a minister, his work with Rosa Parks and others to end discrimination on public busses, and his adoption of nonviolent protests to affect change. 

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-you-are-a-star-martin-luther-king-jr-finds-voice

Image copyright Anastasia Magloire Williams, 2025, text copyright Dean Robbins, 2025. courtesy of Scholastic Press.

Readers come to understand how success in Montgomery spurred Martin Luther King, Jr. and others to work toward ending segregation in other places—like stores and restaurants—and even to “challenge American leaders to make a national law against segregation.” They learn how Martin Luther King, Jr. ended up in jail in Birmingham, Alabama, after a peaceful protest and wrote a letter to the world about oppression. Kids also hear about the Children’s March, which took place at the same time and during which more than 2,000 children were also arrested. 

Returning to the March on Washington, Dr. King decides to abandon his written speech and talk from his heart. The result is his now-famous “I have a dream” speech. Following this gathering of 250,000 people and more calls for a national law against segregation from around the country, Dr. King reveals that “In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights act.” But even then Dr. King says, “I knew we had more work to do. Many places still had rules to keep Black people from voting.” 

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-you-are-a-star-martin-luther-king-jr-I-have-a-dream-speech

Image copyright Anastasia Magloire Williams, 2025, text copyright Dean Robbins, 2025. courtesy of Scholastic Press.

Another peaceful march was planned for Selma, Alabama, with a 50-mile march to Montgomery. This time, however, Alabama’s governor send troops to attack the marchers. The participants were not intimidated, though, and even invited more Americans to join them. Thousands answered the call. “Maids, students, and movie stars. Parents pushing baby carriages. People on canes and crutches.” Five days later, they reached Montgomery. “The Selma protest was our movement’s greatest victory,” Dr. King tells readers. “It led to a national voting rights law!”

Martin Luther King, Jr. reminds readers, though, that there’s still more to do to “see the good in one another,” “live with each other in peace,” “join together and change the world with love,” and “make my dream come true.”

Beneath the narration of Dr. King’s story, a comic-style panel highlights a single talking point, event, or fact—such as during the Montgomery bus boycott, one man “rode to work on a mule”—often with a light-hearted approach. On the righthand page, Robbins defines concepts such as nonviolent protests, boycotts, freedom of speech, protest songs, the Children’s March, polling place intimidation, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 in easily understood language. 

Extensive back matter includes an Author’s Note, how children can “Be Like Martin,” notable quotations by Martin Luther King, Jr., four types of Nonviolent civil rights protests, a brief timeline of Dr. King’s life from his birth on January 15, 1929 to 2011, when the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial was dedicated in Washington, DC. Also included are a glossary of important terms and a list of resources.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-you-are-a-star-martin-luther-king-jr-more-to-do

Image copyright Anastasia Magloire Williams, 2025, text copyright Dean Robbins, 2025. courtesy of Scholastic Press.

Dean Robbins’ immediately welcoming and dynamic first-person narration style not only draws young readers into Martin Luther King’s life and the history of the Civil Rights Movement, but makes children feel that they have a personal connection with Dr. King’s legacy. Robbin’s clear, factual writing, is presented in short, separated sentences. These make it easy for children to digest and understand King’s nonviolent approach to protest as well as the social and legal issues of the time and how, unfortunately, vigilance is still needed today. Robbins ends on a note of hope and an invitation to readers to join others and use their talents to help make Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream come true.

Accompanying Robbins’ text are Anastasia Magloire Williams’ compelling illustrations that are at once realistic and accessible for today’s visual learners. Her stirring depiction of Martin Luther King, Jr. speaking at the 1963 March on Washington sets the tone for children to discover the impact King has had on people’s hearts, minds, and actions for more than 60 years. Through Williams’ expressive portraits, children see Martin Luther King, Jr.’s commitment to studying, practice, and rallying support as well as the effects of segregation, the determination of protestors during the Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycott, and how people from all parts of society working together created—and can still bring about—much-needed change.

With its graphic-style illustrations and well-researched content, You Are a Star, Martin Luther King, Jr. is vibrant and captivating. The book offers exhilarating learning opportunities for individuals, classrooms, and homeschoolers and may spark extended study or activism for a favorite cause. It is highly recommended for home bookshelves and a must for school and library collections.

Ages 5 – 7 and up

Scholastic Press, 2025 | ISBN 978-1338895100

Meet Dean Robbins

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-dean-robbins

Photo credit David Giroux

Dean Robbins is a journalist and the author of the children’s picture books Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass, Margaret and the Moon: How Margaret Hamilton Saved the First Lunar Landing, and Miss Paul and the President: The Creative Campaign for Women’s Right to Vote. His award-winning books have received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly and Kirkus Reviews and have been praised in the New York Times and USA Today. Dean grew up idolizing Apollo astronauts and loved working with Alan Bean on The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon. Learn more at deanrobbins.net.

Hi Dean! I’m thrilled to be talking with you today about your latest book, the impact heroes have always had on your life, and the importance of having heroes for children.

This biography about Martin Luther King, Jr. joins your You Are a Star series that began in 2022 with the story of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Other inspirational figures in the series are Jane Goodall and Malala Yousafzai. Can you discuss a little about how this series came to be and how you choose the subjects?

My passion is writing about my personal heroes, some of whom are relatively unknown and whose stories I can share with children for the first time. But then there are those like Jane Goodall, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Malala Yousafzai who are widely admired and frequently represented in children’s books. I developed the You Are a Star series with Scholastic to present such iconic figures in a new way for young readers, striving to combine emotional storytelling and humor. Each title tells an exciting life story from the subject’s point of view, including anecdotes and quirky details that don’t appear in other picture-book biographies. I hope this approach makes Jane, Ruth, and Malala feel like human beings that kids can relate to rather than like distant statues on Mount Rushmore.           

In You Are a Star, Martin Luther King, Jr., you so clearly present and connect the pivotal moments in King’s life as well as the Civil Rights Movement so children can understand and even feel as if they know Martin Luther King, Jr. How did you approach writing this biography? What kind of research did you do? What was the most meaningful part of the research and writing for you?

It’s a challenging subject to write about for elementary school students—that is, to write about both clearly and entertainingly. I tried to explain such important ideas as desegregation, free speech, and civil disobedience while also telling a page-turning story that, while concise, does justice to Dr. King’s life and work. I’m so glad you think I pulled it off! As a journalist, I love to do research, so the best part was immersing myself in the extensive literature on the civil rights movement to find material that might surprise and delight young readers.

As a library assistant in the children’s department of my local library, I see how excited kids are to read graphic novels. I love the way the format of the You Are a Star series bridges traditional picture books with that of the graphic style. Can you talk about the design of this striking series, and especially about Anastasia Magloire Williams’ dynamic illustrations in this book?

The format is what allows me to have so much fun with You Are a Star. It features a main story that flows throughout the book, supplemented by a two-panel comic and an essential-fact sidebar on each spread. The comics and sidebars offer the chance to introduce key concepts and funny details without bogging down the narrative.

As you noted, the format also provides a showcase for Anastasia’s brilliant illustrations. She artfully combines poignant and playful images, making Dr. King and his movement come alive on the page. She also has a genius for visualizing abstract ideas so that kids can understand them and feel their power. In one of the sidebars, for example, I introduce Dr. King’s comment that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” How on earth do you illustrate such a thing? Anastasia’s creative solution was to show Black and white hands building a wall together, with bricks marked “Justice,” “Equality,” “Unity,” “Change,” “Love,” “Peace,” and “Freedom.” What a lovely way to help children grasp Dr. King’s humane vision.

You’ve talked about the wide range of heroes you had as a child, from sports stars to early social and political reformers. Some of these are represented in the books you’ve written, but could you name some others? What do you think it was about them and yourself that drew you to these specific people?

Ever since I read Superman and Wonder Woman comics as a child, I’ve been attracted to those who overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles to make the world a better place. And how thrilling is it that our world has real-life analogues to Superman and Wonder Woman? I hope I live long enough to publish a children’s book about every heroic figure whose picture hangs on my office wall, ranging from Jackie Robinson to Emily Dickinson to Louis Armstrong. 

Why do you think it’s important for children to have heroes?

Someone has to demonstrate the best that human beings are capable of, right? Especially when we’re so often confronted with the worst. The more kids who grow up to be like Dr. King, the better our world will be. In the back matter of You Are a Star, Martin Luther King, Jr. is a list of tips titled “Be Like Martin,” which I hope will facilitate this process!

I’ve read that you relish traveling to historical sites. Which place is your favorite or made the biggest impact on you and why?

One of the most stirring places I’ve seen is Susan B. Anthony’s house in Rochester, New York. On my tour of this national historic landmark, the guide pointed out the parlor where Susan would have tea with her neighbor and fellow activist Frederick Douglass. It was news to me that Anthony and Douglass socialized in this way, and I was moved by the idea of two titanic reformers humbly sipping tea while sharing their hopes and dreams. The experience inspired me to write my Scholastic picture book Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass.

Not only has your life included careers as a K–12 school teacher, a journalist, and an author, but you also present fascinating pieces about famous people—from Houdini to Theodore Roosevelt to Harrison Ford to a full stadium’s worth of musicians and sports stars—and their connection to Wisconsin on Public Radio. How did this collaboration come about? Could you take readers through a bit of your process in writing and recording the segments?

It’s yet another way to spread the word about my heroes, and I like doing so in a different medium—one with sound effects! I’ve included some of these pieces in a book of essays that will be published in April by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press. Wisconsin Idols: 100 Heroes Who Changed the State, the World, and Me offers my perspective on heroic figures with often surprising connections to Wisconsin, including Oprah Winfrey, Duke Ellington, and Georgia O’Keeffe. It makes the case for Wisconsin as a notably influential place: a crossroads for people who transformed the world.

What do you enjoy most about being a children’s author?

 When kids tell me that one of my heroes has now become one of their heroes. I can’t begin to describe how gratifying that is.

As a former teacher, you must love going to schools for presentations. From the photos on your website, it looks like you and the kids have a fantastic time! Could you describe what your presentations are like?

My own child has inspired much of my writing but is now 28 years old, so these days I visit schools to hang out with my favorite demographic. With their curiosity and enthusiasm, elementary school kids never fail to restore my hope for the world. The presentations are geared toward maximum interaction so we can get to know each other. I joke, read, ask questions, and give them lots of chances to clap and shout things out. I tell them about my favorite heroes, and they tell me about theirs.

What’s up next for you?   

Next year, Scholastic will publish a book about another one of my heroes: Albert Einstein. The Genius Next Door is based on a little-known true story that, I hope, will make Einstein seem relatable and math seem fun!

Thanks so much for sharing your insight and some background on your wonderful You Are a Star series. I wish you all the best with this book and am looking forward The Genius Next Door.

Look for the rest of the books in the You Are a Star series!

You can visit Dean Robbins on his website at deanrobbins.net | Instagram | X

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Activity

Students and kids at home will enjoy spending time with these fun and thought-provoking printable activities about Martin Luther King, Jr. from A Day in Our Shoes.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Activity Pack

You can purchase You Are a Star, Martin Luther King, Jr. at these booksellers

Mystery to Me (Dean Robbins’ hometown independent bookstore)

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

Picture Book Review

January 17 – It’s National Book Blitz Month

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About the Holiday

Whenever you and your family visit the bookstore or library, do you look around, and think “if only I had the time for them all . . .. ” Are you always looking for more shelves for your collection? Is your library card the first one on your ring? If so, you’ll love Book Blitz Month! During this month book lovers are given the green light to read, read, read as many books as possible! Or if there’s a tome you’ve always wanted to tackle, crack the cover and let yourself become immersed in someone else’s story. For kids, Book Blitz Month can be particularly exciting. Sit down with your child or students and make a stack of books they’d like to read. Find time every day to read one, two, or a few of the books in the pile. Seeing the stack shrink gives kids a sense of accomplishment, and they might even want to build it up again! Mix reading with fun activities to encourage a new generation of avid readers!

Thanks to Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books and Barb Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sharing a copy of Snow Is . . . with me. All opinions on the book are my own.

Snow Is . . .

Written by Laura Gehl | Illustrated by Sonia Sánchez

 

The very fact of snow is a wonder. While rain nourishes, snow transforms. The world looks, feels, sounds, and even smells different with the advent of snow, and a playful giddiness bubbles up in both young and old, pushing off the task of shoveling out. Laura Gehl’s lovely poetry expresses those moment-to-moment changes snow brings both outside the window and in our hearts. 

Image copyright Sonia Sánchez, 2024, text copyright Laura Gehl, 2024. Courtesy of Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books

Gehl’s story begins as so often happens with a child waking to a surprise snow day. Drawn to the window, he gazes out, then suddenly “snow is a thunder of feet and a shout. / Snow is two happy pink tongues sticking out” as he grabs his scarf, boots, hat, mittens, and sled and tears downstairs, rushing outside with his dog. His dad, steaming coffee in hand, comes out to watch.

Image copyright Sonia Sánchez, 2024, text copyright Laura Gehl, 2024. Courtesy of Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books

When the ground becomes blanketed and roofs frosted in white like a cake, for a mischievous child “snow is a hoard that is set for attack. / Snow is Dad’s face . . . when a snowball goes WHACK!” And when Mom brings the baby out, bundled up against the chill, “snow is bright eyes and small cheeks cold and rosy” while for big brother and Dad, who’ve been making snow bricks, “snow is a castle that’s roomy and cozy.”

But as the sun starts to set and it’s—so reluctantly—time to go inside, snow becomes “. . . warm cookies . . .” and “. . . a fire with snuggles and books.” And, at last, warm in pajamas and under “. . . blankets pulled tight,” snow is ‘I love you’ and snow is ‘Good night.'”

Image copyright Sonia Sánchez, 2024, text copyright Laura Gehl, 2024. Courtesy of Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books

Adults will adore sharing Snow Is . . . with their kids, and children will beg to hear the story again and again. In her smooth-as-a-sled-ride rhyming couplets, Laura Gehl captures not only the mercurial nature of snow itself but all the sights, sounds, and tiny details that make snow days so thrilling, cozy, and memory-making for kids and adults alike. Gehl’s descriptions and language are a delight and engage all the emotions with their humor, poignancy, sweetness, and awe.

Sonia Sánchez’s stunning illustrations take readers into the heart of a snowy day with action-filled scenes of swirling flakes, twirling feet, and packing of snow into a snowman, snowballs, and bricks. Readers can almost feel the pre-sliding suspense of the child standing at the edge of a long hill. As night falls and the family goes inside, Sánchez imbues her pages with quiet coziness, sibling and parental love, and that heartwarming tug of home.

Snow Is . . . will quickly become a family favorite read aloud for years to come. Teachers and librarians will find the book an exciting addition to their collections as well as for story times, with many applications for art, writing, and even science connections. 

Ages 4 – 8

Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 2024 | ISBN 978-1665915595

About the Author

Laura Gehl is the author of One Big Pair of Underwear, Cat Has a Plan, Goat Wants to Eat, Pig Makes Art, Dog Can Hide, Cat Sees Snow, Frog Can Hop, Snow Is…, You’re the Sprinkles on My Ice Cream, You’re the Pumpkin in My Pie, and The Elevator on 74th Street. She lives with her husband and their four kids in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Visit her online at LauraGehl.com.

About the Illustrator

Sonia Sánchez’s picture book, Here I Am, written by Patti Kim, received a starred review from Kirkus Reviews, who called her illustrations “beautiful, evocative” and raved, “Sánchez has captured a kaleidoscope of emotion and powerful sensations in a way children will grasp completely.” Her illustrations have been nominated for the prestigious Eisner Award in the category of Best Painter. Sonia lives with her husband and a cat in Barcelona, Spain.

National Book Blitz Month Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-sock-snowman-craft

Snow Buddies

This is a fun and easy craft for kids to make on a snowy day inside to share with a friend! 

Supplies

  • Child’s white dress ankle socks
  • Polyester Fiber Fill
  • Tiny buttons for eyes. I added a little heart button to the larger snowman too.
  • Fleece or ribbon, enough for a scarf
  • Toothpick
  • Twigs
  • Orange craft paint
  • Cardboard
  • String or white rubber bands
  • Fabric or craft glue

Directions

To Make the Snowman

  1. Cut a circle from the cardboard about 2 inches in diameter for the base
  2. Place the cardboard circle in the bottom of the sock
  3. Fill the sock with fiber fill about ¾ full or to where the ribbed ankle cuff begins. Pack tightly while making a sausage shape. 
  4. Stretch out the cuff of the sock and tie it off near the top of the fill with string.
  5. Fold the cuff down around the top of the filled sock to make the hat.
  6. Wrap a rubber band or string around the middle of the sock to make a two-snowball snowman. For a three-snowball snowman, use two rubber bands. Adjust the rubber bands to make the “snowballs” different sizes.

To Make the Scarf

  1. Cut a strip of fleece or ribbon 8 to 10 inches long by ½ inch wide
  2. Tie the fleece or ribbon around the neck of the snowman

To Make the Face

  1. Dip one end of the toothpick into orange paint, let dry
  2. Cut the toothpick in half
  3. Stick the toothpick into the head or top portion of the snowman
  4. Attach two mini-buttons to the face for eyes with the fabric or craft glue

To Make the Arms

  1. Insert small twigs into each side of the body of the snowman
  2. You can also use wire or cardboard to make the arms

You can purchase Snow Is . . . at these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review

January 15 – It’s International Creativity Month

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celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bear's-big-idea-cover

About the Holiday

Are you an artist, a writer, a decorator, a chef? How about a floral arranger, a woodworker, a fashion designer, or a gardener? Inside almost every heart lies a desire to create. Whether you use your ingenuity in your job or as an escape from the routine, this month celebrates all that is innovative. Sometimes this comes not in something you can see or touch but in a new thought or novel way of solving a problem—as seen in today’s book!

Thanks to Carolrhoda Books and Barb Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sharing a copy of Bear’s Big Idea with me! All opinions on the book are my own.

Bear’s Big Idea

Written by Sandra Nickel | Illustrated by Il Sung Na

 

Fish and Bear were best friends. They did everything together, and usually—well, always—Fish was the one with the ideas. “Every morning, Fish would wake up, put on her glasses, and just like that, she would know the perfect thing to do.” Every day of the week, Fish found something—a rope, a sled, an umbrella, and a blanket—and dreamed up an innovative way to have fun with it.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bear's-big-idea-Monday

Image copyright Il Sung Na, 2024, text copyright Sandra Nickel, 2024. Courtesy of Carolrhoda Books.

But Fish didn’t want Bear to feel left out, so on Thursday she said that the next day they could do Bear’s idea, “‘Of course, said Bear. ‘My brand-new big idea.'” But Bear was worried. She “didn’t have an idea, not even an old and small idea.” Bear tried to sleep that night, but she was afraid that not having an idea meant she wasn’t a good friend. Would Fish take her bowl and leave? Anxiety muddled Bear’s brain, and all she could think of were now-old ideas.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bear's-big-idea-Wednesday

Image copyright Il Sung Na, 2024, text copyright Sandra Nickel, 2024. Courtesy of Carolrhoda Books.

The next morning it was the same. Bear looked everywhere for a brand-new big idea but found nothing. She kept checking in with Fish, asking if she was still there. “‘Always and forever,’ said Fish” with added reassurance. At last, Bear confessed that she couldn’t see an idea anywhere. “‘Don’t worry,’ Fish said. ‘Just because you can’t see something, doesn’t mean it’s not there.'”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bear's-big-idea-no-idea

Image copyright Il Sung Na, 2024, text copyright Sandra Nickel, 2024. Courtesy of Carolrhoda Books.

So Bear thought some more, she listened, and she felt the wind whipping up. Suddenly, the air was filled with all of the old things from the past week. As Bear watched the things flying by, she saw it! Her brand-new big idea! She quickly gathered the items together and grabbed Fish’s bowl then rode the sled down to the beach, where she turned those individual items into an ingenious brand-new big idea that even impressed Fish! As pleased as Bear was with her idea, though, she was even happier to discover that good friends were “always and forever there.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bear's-big-idea-sleepless-night

Image copyright Il Sung Na, 2024, text copyright Sandra Nickel, 2024. Courtesy of Carolrhoda Books.

The second book in Sandra Nickel’s Bear and Fish series is a charming story that gently addresses children’s common fears about performance and pressure as well as the nature of friendship itself. Throughout the story, Nickel presents Bear’s conundrum realistically as she first alludes to having a big idea and then worries through the night and part of the next day that she will let down and maybe even lose her bestie because she has no idea at all.

Nickel—through Fish’s encouraging comments and confidence in Bear’s abilities—is always right there, though, with reassurance that children will find comforting in their own life. Nickel’s excellent pacing as well as her metaphorical dark and fog that stymies Bear until her approaching idea clears it away adds depth to the story and shows kids that things such as ideas, learning, self-confidence, and growth come to each person in their own time.

Children will be happy to see Il Sung Na’s fast friends back again in a new adventure. Il Sung’s soft-hued illustrations place Bear and Fish in a whimsically surreal mashup of vegetation from Bear’s forest and Fish’s underwater worlds. Bespectacled, ever-faithful Fish regales Bear with reassuring philosophy from her bowl, but also enjoys a madcap experience of her own thanks to Bear’s big idea. Through Il Sung’s clear depictions of Bear’s emotions, children can empathize with and cheer on Bear while gaining their own sense of self-confidence.

An uplifting, reassuring, and confidence boosting story, Bear’s Big Idea is sure to prompt requests for multiple readings and can spark discussions about feelings of fear, external and internal pressure, true friendship, and using one’s imagination. Bear’s Big Idea would make a valuable addition to home, library, and classroom collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Carolrhoda Books, 2024 | ISBN 979-8765610176

About the Author

Sandra Nickel is a writer of nonfiction picture books for children. Her work includes The Stuff Between Stars, Nacho’s Nachos, and Breaking Through the Clouds. She is the winner of a Christopher Award and holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. When at home in Switzerland, Sandra loves ambling and rambling and eating carrot muffins just as much as Bear and Fish do.

About the Illustrator

Il Sung Na was born in Seoul, South Korea. In 2001, he moved to London to pursue a BFA in Illustration and Animation at Kingston University, where he discovered a passion for children’s books. He completed his MFA Illustration Practice at MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art) in 2015. Il Sung has illustrated several books including Wild Peace, My Tree, and ZZZZ: A Book of Sleep. Currently based in Kansas City, Il Sung teaches illustration courses at KCAI (Kansas City Art Institute) and works on new books.

International Creativity Month Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bear-craft

Expressive Bear

 

You can talk about different emotions and feelings or make up your own stories with this Expressive Bear Craft! Use the templates and/or make your own expressive eyes, eyebrows, and nose and mouths. You can also play a game in which the first person to collect all the parts of the bear’s face is the winner.

Supplies

  • Printable Bear Head Template
  • Printable Eyes and Noses Template
  • Printable Eyebrows  and Ears Template
  • Light brown felt or fleece (or color of your choice), 8 ½ x 11 inch piece
  • Dark brown felt or fleece(or color of your choice), 8 ½ x 11 inch piece
  • White felt or fleece, 8 ½ x 11 inch piece
  • Black felt or fleece, for pupils
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • 1 playing die (optional)

Directions

  1. Print templates
  2. Cut bear head from light felt or fleece
  3. Cut eyes from white felt or fleece
  4. Cut nose and inner ears from dark brown felt or fleece
  5. Cut pupils from black felt or fleece
  6. Glue pupils onto white eyes

Alternatively: Color and play with the paper set

For a Fun Story Time

Give the bear different faces and make up stories of why he looks that way!

To Play a Game

Supplies

  • 1 plastic playing die. Or print this playing die template and draw one of the six facial features on each side.
  • Pencil, pen, or markers (if using printed die template)
  • Cut out, fold, and tape the die together

Directions

  1. Roll the die and follow the instructions below to collect parts of the bear’s face.
  2. The first player to create a full face is the winner.
  • Die dots correspond to:
  • 1—one eyebrow
  • 2—second eyebrow
  • 3—one eye
  • 4—second eye
  • 5—nose
  • 6—inner ears

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bear's-big-idea-cover

You can purchase Bear’s Big Idea from these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review