January 28 – National Blueberry Pancake Day

About the Holiday

Are your favorite pancakes loaded with luscious blueberries? Then you’ve landed on the right holiday! Today’s celebration gives you the perfect reason to indulge, so find those blueberries tucked in the freezer or run to the store and whip up a batch of these palate-pleasing pancakes for breakfast or dinner!

Thank you to Carrie Finison and G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers for sending me a copy of this book for review!

Plenty of Pancakes

Written by Carrie Finison | Illustrated by Brianne Farley

Topsy the opossum is planning a surprise “Welcome Spring” big pancake breakfast to welcome back her bear friend LouAnn from her winter hibernation. She’s already invited all of their friends and now it’s time to start cooking. What’s on the menu? “They’ll have berries with syrup, and cider to share, and plenty of pancakes, enough for a bear!”

Topsy measures and pours and fries up five perfect pancakes. Whistling a tune, she walks away for a moment then hears a “clunk!” Turning around, she sees the plate is empty. She attributes the loss to hungry squirrels, and whips up another batch. Soon, she has “five perfect pancakes, hot from the pan. / Tender and crispy, and all for—”

But in the time it would take to say “LouAnn,” this stack disappears too. Then another and another! At last, Tospy’s relieved to find all of her other guests arriving and ready to help. With so many bakers and a groundhog to guard them, the group gets to work. “Topsy counts pancakes: five, ten, fifteen, twenty. / Twenty’s a lot . . . but she’s not sure it’s PLENTY.” And so . . . they make more.

Just then LouAnn emerges from her cabin with a surprise. She has two new babies to introduce, “. . . but Topsy’s suspicious. / She looks at the cubs and sees there are traces / of pancake all over their sweet fuzzy faces.” Topsy doesn’t let on, though, and just makes a toast “to babies and spring” as the friends all share pancakes aplenty!

Carrie Finison’s recipe for a delectable story time contains all the ingredients kids clamor for—humor, drama, endearing characters, and the chance to be in on a secret right from the start. Finison’s rollicking sentences bounce and bound through the story with perfect rhythm and rhyme, and children will eagerly chime in on the funny repeat and clipped-off phrasing “. . . and all for—.” Plenty of Pancakes is a joy to read aloud, fun for kids who like to count, and a book that both children and adults will choose again and again.

Brianne Farley invites readers to this forest feast with her bright, delightful gouache and pencil illustrations that are loaded with personality and clever details (LouAnn’s alarm clock displays only pictographs for spring, summer, fall, and winter). Farley whips up excitement with action-packed pages where whisks spin, pancakes fly, the serving plate clunks, thunks, and crashes, and everyone pitches in to make this “welcome back” breakfast a blast. Kids will especially like spying the two little cubs that escape Topsy’s notice hiding here and there just within reach to gobble up stacks of treats.

Exuberant, warmhearted, and inviting readers’ giggly participation, Plenty of Pancakes makes a perfect gift and will be an immediate favorite in any home, school, or library collection.

Ages 4 – 8

G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2026 | ISBN 978-0593700174

Carrie Finison writes poetry, stories, and books for kids, including the picture books Dozens of Doughnuts; Pigs Dig a Road; Don’t Hug Doug (He Doesn’t Like It); Lulu & Zoey: A Sister Story; and Hurry, Little Tortoise, Time for School! She lives outside Boston with her husband, their son, their daughter, and two cats who allow her to work in their attic office. Visit her at carriefinison.com.

Brianne Farley is the author of Worm Makes a Sandwich, Secret Tree Fort and Ike’s Incredible Ink. She also illustrated Dozens of Doughnuts by Carrie Finison, the Charlotte the Scientist books by Camille Andros, and No Buddy Like a Book by Allan Wolf. Brianne studied creative writing and art at Macalester College, then received her MFA in illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design. She lives in Michigan. You can visit Brianne at BrianneFarley.com and follow her @BrianneHFarley.

You’ll also enjoy Dozens of Doughnuts, the first book in this series, which also stars LouAnn and her friends! Read my review here!

National Blueberry Pancakes Day Activity

Plenty of Pancakes Activity Pages

Kids will flip for these fun coloring and word search activities inspired by Plenty of Pancakes. You can download them from Carrie Finison’s website, here!

You can purchase Plenty of Pancakes from these booksellers

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Picture Book Review

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

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Picture Book Review

January 14 – National Soup Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

On a frigid January day, there’s nothing more satisfying than a steaming-hot bowl of your favorite soup! Or if you live in a southern climate, a cold soup can be so deliciously refreshing. While there are many tasty prepared soups, in honor of today’s holiday, you may want to try cooking a pot your own. Why not check out recipes from your heritage, geographical location, or even inspired by your favorite book? Bon appétit!

Soup’s On Around the World

Written by Denyse Waissbluth | Illustrated by Chelsea O’Byrne

Denyse Waissbluth and Chelsea O’Bryne invite readers to pull up a chair at a communal table where people from around the globe dip their spoons into bowls of delicious, nourishing soup. Traveling first to Thailand, children meet people living and plying their trade on a river. On open porches—feet dangling above the water—in boats, and even from floating restaurants people enjoy spicy tom yum goong (or tom yam goong) made from shrimp, lemongrass, and herbs and spices, including hot pepper flakes.

From spicy hot soup, Waissbluth pivots to cold with gazpacho, a cool refreshment of blended veggies, vinegar, olive oil, and bread from Spain once eaten by farmers working the fields, but now enjoyed worldwide. She also takes kids to countries where soup is the star of celebrations. In Haiti soup joumou is served every January first to commemorate the country’s Independence Day. Likewise, Mexican families dine on pozole, a meat and vegetable soup that comes in three types: green, white, and red to represent the Mexican flag to celebrate their Independence Day. In addition, those who observe Ramadan often break their fast after sundown with harira soup, a mix of meat, tomatoes, noodles or rice, and spices.

In all, Waissbluth serves up the stories and scrumptious ingredients for 20 delectable soups that we and our global neighbors enjoy for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even dessert! She also reminds us that soup isn’t strictly for meals, either. We all know the healing balm of chicken soup, and soup-making (and eating) have brought communities together for centuries. Soup really is a universal language!

Back matter includes an author’s note as well as recipes for Denyse’s and Chelsea’s favorite soups.

As in her first book in this series, Teatime Around the World, Denyse Waissbluth ferries young readers from country to country to get a taste of a dish that, while universal also bursts with unique flavors that represent diverse cultures; varied, local ingredients; and even history. Her light touch, broad range of countries and cultures, and admiration for the stories or traditions behind each type of soup keep children engaged and will spur them to think more deeply about their own relationship to special traditional family meals.

In her vivid illustrations, Chelsea O’Bryne dishes up charming scenes that drop readers into the midst of homes, picnics, celebrations, cafes, and even mountains where they join in with preparations and enjoyment of a wide variety of soups. Her clever illustrations reward thoughtful viewing with their depth, cultural details, and humor.

A meaningful way to engage young readers in cultural and social studies and of particular interest to children who love to cook and explore different foods and flavors, Soup’s On Around the World is highly recommended for home and library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Greystone Kids, 2025 | ISBN 978-1778401671

About the Author

Denyse Waissbluth has eaten her way through every Canadian province and territory and more than twenty countries. Her appreciation for how food (like soup!) opens doors to different cultures, and her love of travel has inspired her first two children’s books Teatime Around the World, and now Soup’s On Around the World, both published by Greystone Kids. When she’s not working in the agricultural sector, you can find her exploring new places—both near and far—with her husband and son, enjoying a good book, or sipping a cup of tea. Visit her at denysewaissbluth.com.

About the Illustrator

Chelsea O’Byrne is an artist and teacher living and working in Vancouver, BC. She is the acclaimed illustrator of four books, including Hello, Crow! by Candace Savage (Greystone Kids, 2019), and Teatime Around the World, both published by Greystone Kids (Greystone Kids, 2020). One of Chelsea’s favorite things to eat in her studio is a nice big bowl of home-cooked soup . . . but she is very careful not to spill any on her drawings! You can visit her at chelseaobyrne.ca.

National Soup Month Activity

Soup’s On Around the World Curriculum Guide

This fun and colorful curriculum guide for Soup’s On Around the World provided by Greystone Books is the perfect way for teachers, parents, and other educators and caregivers to engage kids in interacting with their own favorite kinds of soup as well as the memories and stories this hearty meal inspires!

You can purchase Soup’s On Around the World from these booksellers

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Picture Book Review

January 9 – Welcome Winter

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

For children who live in northern climates, winter brings dreams of snow and all the enjoyment that goes with this fluffy, malleable, cooold precipitation. Snow isn’t just for playing in (or shoveling) though. It provides plenty of opportunities to engage with science in a fun and fascinating way—as you’ll see in today’s book!

Flurry, Float, and Fly!: The Story of a Snowstorm

Written by Laura Purdie Salas | Illustrated by Chiara Fedele

As readers open Flurry, Float, and Fly! autumn is welcoming its first impromptu snowflakes. The golden hues of fall still carpet the hills as “clouds lie heavy, gray, and low,” animals watch, and two children, anticipation in their hearts, don coats and boots. The siblings emerge from their house and pull out their sled.

There’s movement in the atmosphere: “From the north, a polar freeze . . . from the south, a humid breeze. All winds advance. They mix and dance.” And yet the children wait; they watch, and sit. There is no snow for sledding. But the winds are just getting started—picking up dust, working together. At last, a “tiny drop turns into ice— / six small sides, / arranged. / precise.”

The crystals grow and begin to drift. They’re all unique. How can that be? “Each cloud’s type— / how cold?— / how wet?— / shapes each crystal’s silhouette.” The kids are ready; the snow is falling! Mom tells them that dinner’s calling. All night long the flakes float down. In the morning the world’s transformed into a winter playscape for snowmen, snow forts, and finally . . . sledding “before it’s time to say goodbye to flakes that flurry . . . float . . . and fly!”

In her back matter, Laura Purdie Salas describes in clear and easy-to-understand language the science behind the formation of snow. She addresses the ingredients of a snowstorm, the polar jet stream, how snowflakes form and fall, and even how long it takes for a snowflake to drift to Earth. Salas also describes six common shapes of snowflakes (along with photographs) and includes websites, videos, and books for further research.

Mixing winter hopes with science, Laura Purdie Salas’s rhyming storytelling flows as smoothly and joyfully as a sled ride down a snowy hill. Young readers will be just as invested in the suspense of the changing weather as the two siblings and forest animals who watch and feel it coming. Salas’s lyrical descriptions of how snowflakes are created are as much a marvel as the real thing, sparking excitement for learning as well as for the wonders of the season.

Chiara Fedele’s gorgeous watercolor, gouache, and colored-pencil illustrations are sumptuous portrayals of a landscape in flux as clouds bearing snow form above hills sparsely populated with homes. As winds roil, readers join two children with their minds set on sledding. As Salas’s verses begin portraying the scientific creation of snowflakes, Fedele spatters a spread with hazy white dots that with just a page turn become clearly delineated, luminescent crystals children can marvel over. Cozy images of the children and their mother through the home’s windows glow with familial warmth as squirrels, a badger, and a fox curl up in their snug dens.

Both young and adult readers will enjoy spying the squirrel, fox, badger, and raven from page to page, as well as the sibling’s changing fortunes. As the snow and dusk begin to fall at the same time, Fedele masterfully gives children a bird’s eye view of the conversation between the siblings and their mother, entirely understood by the characters’ gestures. The final two spreads reward the sibling’s patience as their friends arrive for exuberant winter play—and that long-awaited sled ride.

An exquisite and spellbinding story, Flurry, Float, and Fly!: The Story of a Snowstorm is creative nonfiction at its finest. The book is one you’ll want to add to your home or library collection. Teachers, science and nature educators, and homeschools will find this book to be a valuable resource to engage all learners. See below for how to access activities and resources to accompany the book.

Ages 4 – 7

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1547603503

About the Author

Former teacher Laura Purdie Salas is the author of more than 130 books for kids, including Lion of the Sky, We Belong, Water Can Be…, and BookSpeak! Laura grew up in Florida, but she has lived in Minnesota all her adult life. She loves thunderstorms, snowstorms, and brainstorms. She’s also a big fan of game nights, donuts, and getting up early in the morning. Visit her at laurasalas.com and on Instagram @laurapsalas.

About the Illustrator

Chiara Fedele was born in Milan and now lives in a nearby village. She took a degree in Illustration at La Scuola del Fumetto. Chiara works with Italian and international publishers. She has won a number of awards including the Premio Cento Illustrator Competition in 2008, Sydney Taylor Award Silver Medal in 2018 and 3×3 International Illustration Award Merit in 2019. You can visit her at chiarafedeleillustrator.it and on Insta: @chiaraillu.

Welcome Winter Activity

Flurry, Float and Fly! Coloring Pages and More!

Laura Purdie Salas welcomes children, readers, and educators to engage with Flurry, Float and Fly!: The Story of a Snowstorm through coloring pages, a winter trivia activity, and a teacher’s guide, plus so many more activity pages and ideas that will keep kids excited about words, writing, learning, and observing for home and classroom use. Just take a look through her dropdown menus to get started having fun!

Laura Purdie Salas Downloadables & Resources

You can purchase Flurry, Float, and Fly!: The Story of a Snowstorm from these booksellers

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Picture Book Review

January 5 – National Skating Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

National Skating Month is sponsored by U.S. Figure Skating and as a week-long celebration in March 2002 following the Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City. Now co-sponsored by Learn to Skate U.S.A. and celebrated during the entire month of January, the holiday gives ice-skating rinks, clubs, and programs an opportunity to invite new families to the ice by offering free lessons and skating demonstrations. If figure skating isn’t your thing, you might like to take your skills to the hockey rink or just to a local pond for some free-style skating. However you choose to enjoy the ice, skating is fun and for everyone! To learn more about ice-skating programs in your area, visit usfigureskating.org and learntoskateusa.

The Three Canadian Pigs: A Hockey Story

Written by Jocelyn Watkinson | Illustrated by Marcus Cutler

Three pigs were just finishing their hockey scrimmage when a wolf sprang from behind some bushes, fangs sharp and claws at the ready to satisfy his hunger since they looked so delicious. But as they quickly took off their skates and packed up their gear, they said, “‘I’m soorry there, Wolf, you are soorely mistaken—'” To which the wolf replied, “‘Oh no! But I’m not! You’re Canadian bacon!'” The pigs jumped on their snowmobile and hurried home to their snow fort in town.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-three-canadian-pigs-fight-back

Image copyright Marcus Cutler, 2022, text copyright Jocelyn Watkinson, 2022. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

It didn’t take long for the wolf to catch up with them, and from outside their door, he shouted, “‘Little pigs! Little pigs! Let me come in!'” But they just replied, “‘Not by the pads on our shinny-shin-shins!'” The wolf threatened to blow the fort down, but this was no flimsy home built of sticks or straw. In fact, they told him, “‘there’s not one single flaw!'” The wolf wasn’t going to give up easily and he collected Moose and Bear to help him break in.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-three-canadian-pigs-snow-fort

Image copyright Marcus Cutler, 2022, text copyright Jocelyn Watkinson, 2022. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

When the three pigs had just enough of the wolf’s team’s attack, they came out and challenged them to “‘settle this fight the Canadian way'” with “‘a hockey game showdown.'” With a Canada goose as a ref, they took to the ice, attracting a crowd of spectators. The wolf and his team thought they’d win with ease, but the pigs “deked and they cut: / the pigs couldn’t be caught,” and when they scored, the wolf took to underhanded measures to stop them.

But the pigs were too quick and too nimble, and they ran up the score. When the ref blew her whistle ending the game, the pigs celebrated saving their home, but the wolf “… full of frustration and hunger and spite, / … threw down his gloves and dove in for a bite.” It looked like the pigs were goners for sure, but Bear and Moose called him out on his poor sportsmanship. Wolf dropped the three pigs, feeling ashamed but still hungry.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-three-canadian-pigs-wolf

Image copyright Marcus Cutler, 2022, text copyright Jocelyn Watkinson, 2022. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

Dragging his stick and hanging his head, the wolf trudged off the ice, but one pig called out to him, inviting him to join them in a feast back at the fort. When the wolf saw their spread of poutine, tourtière, beaver tails, butter tarts, and so many other mouthwatering delicacies, he apologized: “‘Pigs, I’m so sorry that I was a brute.'” / “‘There’s nothing for you to be soorry a-boot.'” a pig graciously told him. The pigs, Wolf, Bear, and Moose all made amends and piled up their plates. Then they settled in to watch a game on TV. And as “they put up their feet,” the wolf had to agree that “‘being friends with Canadian bacon is sweet!'”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-three-canadian-pigs-hockey-game

Image copyright Marcus Cutler, 2022, text copyright Jocelyn Watkinson, 2022. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

Full of clever rhymes, puns, valuable lessons, and dialogue that winks at Canadian pronunciations, Jocelyn Watkinson’s story flows as smoothly as a hockey puck on ice. Her regional take on the traditional Three Little Pigs story is fast-paced and suspenseful while touching on themes of sportsmanship, remorse and forgiveness, and friendship all framed with high-energy hockey action and plenty of humor. Especially welcome is Watkinson’s depiction of Bear and Moose confronting Wolf when he reneges on his agreement to let the pigs go if they win the game. Standing up to a friend or for what’s right can be hard, but Watkinson shows readers that having the courage of your convictions is honorable, honest, and can often turn a negative situation into a positive experience.

Marcus Cutler scores with his funny, emotion-packed illustrations that will have kids laughing and cheering for the pigs from page to page. Winter sports fans will love all the hockey action and will want to linger over the pigs’ hard-won trophy, on which Cutler had fun hamming it up with the names of some of hockey’s greats, The spread of favorite Canadian foods is sure to inspire game-night treat feasts. Cutler also highlights the important role of Bear and Moose, who ultimately appeal to Wolf’s better nature.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-three-canadian-pigs-snow-mobile

Image copyright Marcus Cutler, 2022. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

In a humorous and foreshadowing scene, Bear halfheartedly scratches at the pigs’ snow fort with one paw while holding a steaming mug in the other as Wolf exhorts his friends to “ram and claw and maul” their way inside. When Bear and Moose finally challenge Wolf to live up to his deal, their disapproval is clearly visible to readers. Wolf’s resulting feelings, as well as their cause, are also evident, giving kids and adults openings for meaningful discussions on behavior.

Whether your kids wait all year for hockey season, are fans of fractured fairy tales, or simply love a great story, The Three Canadian Pigs is a funny and impactful read aloud that’s sure to become a story time favorite all year long and a book you’ll be glad you added to your home, classroom, school, or public library.

Ages 4 – 7

Sleeping Bear Press, 2022 ISBN 978-1534111608

Jocelyn Watkinson is a children’s picture book author and ex-pat Canadian living in California, with her husband, son, and golden retriever. Visit her at jocelynwatkinson.com.

Marcus Cutler is the author/illustrator of I Do Not Eat Children and the illustrator of You Might Be Special!, The Three Canadian Pigs, and Travel Guide for Monsters Part Deux: A Canadian Adventure, among others. Visit him marcuscutler.com.

National Skating Month Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-three-canadian-pigs-maze

The Three Canadian Pigs Activity Kit

The game’s on with the two puzzles and two coloring pages inspired by today’s book! Just download and print them from the Sleeping Bear Press site here:

The Three Canadian Pigs Activity Kit

**You can purchase The Three Canadian Pigs: A Hockey Story from these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

January 1 – Global Family Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

A desire for world peace is an idea that most people can agree on and that many around the globe are working toward. One way to bring this about on a direct and personal scale is to build and strengthen families and communities. Which brings us to today’s holiday and what Global Family Day is all about. Today’s holiday has its underpinnings in the United Nations General Assembly’s January 1, 2000 launch of the International Decade for the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World, which revolved around the idea that some day, in the future, there could be a time when there is no more war on the planet. Because the launch was so successful, the United Nations decided to make it an annual event called Global Family Day. Today’s book, which brings families together through 30 international cultural tales contains the seed for more understanding and peace among individuals and communities.

Thank you to Bloomsbury Children’s Books for sharing a copy of this book with me for review!

Super Great Kids’ Stories: From Storytellers Around the World

Stories curated by Kim Normanton

Would you like to take your kids on a global adventure this year? How about taking that trip without ever leaving home? You can do it with Super Great Kids’ Stories, a new companion book to the popular Super Great Kids’ Stories podcast. Through the thirty tales in this collection, families can travel through North America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Oceania while enjoying glimpses into the culture and traditions of a wide range of countries.

Young readers will gain a sense of camaraderie with their peers around the world as they read or listen to stories with familiar characters and themes that just undergo a tweak here and a name change there. For example, kids who know the Cinderella story will be excited to recognize similar aspects in “Keeya and the Purple Fish,” an intriguing tale from Eswatini, a country in southern Africa.

For kids who can’t make up their mind between hearing a ghost story or a funny story, there’s “The Ghost of the Bloody Finger,” a tale from the United States retold by Tiernan Douieb, which if read with the spookiest and most dramatic voice, will have them shaking . . . with laughter! Children will also travel to South America to discover “How Snakes Got Their Poison,” a story of a sly trade from the Indigenous people of the Amazon rainforest retold by Tuup, and two other stories.

Visiting Asia, readers find six stories, including “Inch Boy,” a story from Japan, retold by Masako Carey that offers a thrilling twist on a tale many may recognize as “Thumbelina.” They’ll also marvel at “The Boy Who Used His Head,” a story from South Korea retold by Pamela Marr. Wending their way to Europe, children will be engaged by “Molly and the Leprechaun,” an Irish story perfect for Saint Patrick’s Day retold by Kate Corkery. They’ll also love “Little Half Chick,” a story from Spain retold by Rebecca Lemaire that they’ll remember whenever the wind changes, plus four more delightful tales.

Leaving Europe kids land in Oceania, where they learn two First Nations stories from Australia retold by Warren Foster, one about Bungoo the flying fox who jumps from friend to friend, and the next about how the Lyrebird got its voice. Two Māori stories from New Zealand retold by Emmy Bidois follow—the first about the trickster demigod Māui, and the second a legend about how the kiwi lost its wings.

To enhance listeners’ experience each story is visited by the Story Owl, who offers interesting tips on how the story can be made interactive with sounds or motions and provides facts about an aspect of the story. Back matter includes short biographies of the book’s storytellers and illustrators as well as quotes from each storyteller about where they first heard the story they tell here.

You can’t help but be pulled into the intrigue, twists, and surprises of the tales curated by Kim Normanton in this beautiful book. Each story sings with the unique voice of the storyteller and stunning illustrations that bring the action and characters to life. Super Great Kids’ Stories provides a perfect way for families to spend rainy or snowy days together, send kids off to dreamland, or spark a child’s imagination. Teachers, homeschoolers, and other educators or group leaders will find the stories in this book to be a high-interest way to introduce world cultures to students or to inspire meaningful writing or presentation projects.

Ages 5 – 7

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1547619283

Kim Normanton is the curator of this collection and presenter of the podcast Super Great Kids’ Stories. She has been telling traditional stories in schools and museums around the world for 20 years. Kim uses rhymes and singing and has a wide repertoire, from African fables to Indian fairytales. She also produces social documentaries for BBC Radio. To learn more visit www.supergreatkidsstories.com.

Stories retold by

Sheila Arnold, Emmy Bidois, Masako Carey, Kate Corkery, Peter Chand, Tiernan Douieb, Amy Douglas, Warren Foster, Wangari Grace, Emily Hennessey, Rebecca Lemaire, Juliana Marin, Pamela Marre, Daniel Morden, Kim Normanton, Winston Nzinga, Baden Prince Junior, Gayle Ross, Simone Shüemmelfeder, Wendy Shearer, and Tuup.

Stories illustrated by

Sally Agar, Camila Carrosine, Tinuke Fagborun, Melissa Greenwood, Kaley McKean, and Terri Po.

Global Family Day Activity

Draw Your Family Coloring Page

Kids can celebrate Global Family Day by drawing their family in this snow globe.

Global Family Day Coloring Page in Blue | Global Family Day Coloring Page in Black and White

You can purchase Super Great Kids’ Stories from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

December 12 – International Sound Check Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Today’s holiday began with a bit of serendipity in 2012, when some people online noticed a connection with the abbreviated date notation 12/12/12 with the well-known phrase “check one two, one two” that musicians, speakers, and sound engineers use when testing microphones before a live event. This recognition grew over time to celebrate not only the suspense inherent in those momentary sound checks, but the importance of this preparation to performers and audiences alike as well as to all the creative professionals behind this technology. Likewise, today’s book sweeps readers away on a wave of sound.

Thank you to Eerdmans Books for Young Readers for sharing this book with me for review!

Sound: Discovering the Vibrations We Hear

By Olga Fadeeva | Translated by Lena Traer

If you have a child who loves sound—making it and listening to it—and who often asks, “Didja hear that?” then they’re sure to love today’s book. Olga Fadeeva begins her fascinating deep dive into sound with a quick discussion that pings from the most simple definition (sound is “what we perceive with our ears”) to how physics describes it as a “wave that creates a vibration that passes from molecule to molecule through almost any medium,” to a visual representation using the way a stone dropped into water creates waves, plus a couple of other interesting tidbits to boot.

Fadeeva addresses how humans produce sounds and how we hear them, reveals what an echo and echolocation are (as well as the longest recorded echo), and swoops into the world of birds to break down the “two different types of birdsong: songs and calls.” She talks about how birds learn their particular songs and how they adapt to humans’ noise so they can be heard. Fadeeva then wings her way from birds to the sounds that animals and undersea creatures make.

Next, Fadeeva touches on the 7,000 world languages as well as sign language and hearing aids before taking readers on a marvelous time-traveling odyssey. With the turn of a page, children find themselves in the prehistoric world, listening for “the hack of a stone ace, the murmur of the wind, the crackling of a fire, the distant roar of wild animals.” Fadeeva imagines how these sounds and the peoples’ natural clapping, stomping, and vocalizations became music accompanied by the first percussion instruments—”drums, mallets, and rattles made from dried gourds filled with seeds or stones”—and wind instruments—”pipes and flutes made from reeds, bones, animal horns, and seashells.”

From prehistoric times, readers move on to the Ancient World with its innovation and astounding amphitheaters and actors’ face masks, both created to amplify sound from dramatic performances in an age well before microphones. Kids also drop into the Middle Ages; the early Modern Period of the 16th to 19th centuries, during which the “‘hoot’ of a steamboat whistle, the puffing of a steam train . . . [and] the sounds of a piano” first filled the air; and today’s Modern Age, where so many disparate sounds meet our ears while the music scene has exploded with innovation and experimentation.

Fadeeva’s coda to her absorbing work includes information on musical notation, orchestras, and various recording devices. Young readers will also be entranced by the different ways people interpret animal sounds around the world and how music can affect how we feel. Even the endpapers offer trivia and experiments to try. Sprinkled throughout the pages are fun “Try It!” activities that engage readers in experimentation.

Fadeeva’s text is dynamically accompanied by her enthralling acrylic-and-water illustrations that bring sound, history, the animal kingdom, cities, and the world of music vibrantly alive for young readers.

Lena Traer’s smooth and captivating translation of the text from Russian creates an engrossing and rewarding reading experience. She has also translated Olga Fadeeva’s Water: Discovering the Precious Resource All Around Us (2024) and Wind: Discovering Air in Motion (2023).

Part of the Spectacular STEAM for Curious Readers series, Olga Fadeeva’s scintillating Sound: Discovering the Vibrations We Hear synthesizes all types of aural experiences and devices, inviting young readers to engage their sense of hearing and imagination as she introduces them to the mechanics, history, and impact of sound. The book is a must addition to any library collection as well as for media specialists and teachers looking for an exciting cross-curricular way to engage their students, music educators, and children who respond to sound or have music flowing through their veins.

Ages 8 – 14

Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2025 | ISBN 978-0802856487

Olga Fadeeva is the author and illustrator of Water: Discovering the Precious Resource All Around Us, Wind: Discovering Air in Motion (Eerdmans), and many other books for children. Wind earned a starred reviews from Kirkus and was named a USSBY Outstanding International Book, and Water earned starred reviews from Booklist and School Library Journal. Olga’s art has been honored in Italy, China, and her home country of Russia. Follow Olga on Instagram @olgafadeeva_illustrations.

Lena Traer is a Russian- and English-language translator with a focus on books for children and young adults. She has translated Wind: Discovering Air in Motion, Water: Discovering the Precious Resource All Around Us, and On the Edge of the World (all Eerdmans) into English and has also translated a variety of picture books and scientific materials into Russian. Born and raised in Siberia, Russia, Lena now lives in San Francisco.

International Sound Check Day Activity

It’s Instrumental! Game

Roll the dice in this fun game to gather all the instruments you need to create a music group. The first person to collect all 6 instrument cards is the winner!

Supplies

Printable Paper Cube Template
Printable Musical Instruments Cards—print one page for each player
Scissors
Tape

Directions

Print the Paper Cube Template, cut it out and assemble the cube die.
Print the Musical Instruments cards, cut out cards, and separate the instruments into piles
Players take turns rolling the die cube to collect musical instrument cards
The first player to collect all 6 instrument cards is the winner

You can purchase Sound: Discovering the Vibrations We Hear from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

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