Picture Books about Parental Love

June 20 – Universal Father’s Week

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About the Holiday

Universal Father’s Week is celebrated during the third week of June each year. All week long we give a special tribute to all the fathers (and father figures) who work hard, are caring, lovable, and funny, keep us on our toes as well as the right path, and are just awesome dads. To celebrate, make sure the dads in your life know how much they’re loved and needed!

Thank you to Orchard Books for sharing a digital copy of this book with me for review!

You Make the World

Written by Mượn Thị Văn | Illustrated by Phùng Nguyên Quang and Huỳnh Kim Liên

 

As the story begins, a father and his young child share a drink from a single mug outside their simple campsite—a small tent and a lantern, but a roaring campfire ringed by stones. The child’s father reveals the poetry of nature, how “the sun makes the world hum. / The clouds make the world blue. / The wind makes the world wild. / The rain makes the world new.” He then tells his child a secret—“But you know what else makes the world? You.”

Illustration © 2025 by Phùng Nguyên Quang and Huỳnh Kim Liên, text © 2025 by Mượn Thị Văn. Courtesy of Orchard Books/Scholastic.

The child takes this in, a bit surprised. Dad explains how every “hello,” “smile,” or “hug” creates a ripple effect of joy and love and how acceptance will “make the world grow.” In fact, the child, the world, the entire universe are so entwined that the child’s emotions are felt by all. Not only their feelings, but their actions have consequence. “When you forgive, you make the world kind,” the father says. “When you try, you make the world brave.” But even deeper than these single actions or feelings, the father imparts, the child’s very presence “. . . here where you belong . . . make(s) the world whole.”

Mượn Thị Văn introduces her story with a letter to her readers, revealing that You Make the World was inspired by one of her previous books, Wishes.

Illustration © 2025 by Phùng Nguyên Quang and Huỳnh Kim Liên, text © 2025 by Mượn Thị Văn. Courtesy of Orchard Books/Scholastic.

Phùng Nguyên Quang and Huỳnh Kim Liên’s stunning, color-saturated illustrations carry the father and child as they leave their campsite on a transformative adventure with familiar animals and fantastical beasts. An enormous yak kneels to accept kindness from the child before rainbow-winged birds transport father and child on a flight over fields and streams. Hippos ride the waves with them as they kayak on a raging sea, and the father and child soar into the twilight sky holding the tip of a breaching blue whale’s fin. Along the way, readers will see the growing gathering of shadowed animals keeping watch. As the sun finally sets, the child fills a lantern with starlight before falling to sleep in their father’s arms.

You Make the World is a book that parents, grandparents, teachers, and other caregivers will want to share again and again and one that children will ask for often. The book is a must addition to any home or library collection. It would make a much-loved gift for any occasion, especially for babies and new siblings.

Ages 4 – 8

Orchard Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1338822045

About the Author

Mượn Thị Văn is the author of many acclaimed picture books. From her debut, In a Village by the Sea (2015), to her latest, If You Want to Be a Butterfly (2023), her books have earned many distinctions, including a California Book Award, an Irma Black Honor, and a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. Her recent book Wishes, with Victo Ngai, won the Margaret Wise Brown Prize and was named the #1 Best Picture Book of 2021 by BookPage. Her books have been translated into multiple languages, including Vietnamese, Nepali, Sepedi, and Tamil. Mượn Thị Văn lives and works in California. Visit her at muonthivan.com.

About the Illustrators

Phùng Nguyên Quang and Huỳnh Kim Liên are book creators who live and work together in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Quang and Liên are currently working on illustrations for a number of children’s titles to be published in Vietnam and Europe. Some of their acclaimed picture book projects include Hundred Years of Happiness and The First Journey. Visit them at kaaillustration.com. You’ll also find Huỳnh Kim Liên at kimlienhuynh.com and Phùng Nguyên Quang at phungnguyenquang.com.

Universal Father’s Day Activity

You Make the World Activity Sheets

 

Interact with the world around you with these fun activity sheets proved by Scholastic!

You Make the World Dot-to-Dot and Word Search Pages

You can purchase You Make the World from these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review

March 4 – It’s National Reading Month

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About the Holiday

National Reading Month was designed to  encourage children and adults to read every day and celebrates the joys and benefits that reading together can bring. Reading with your child can be fun and frivolous, but it can also offer ways for children to share their feelings about serious or poignant topics and begin discussions that can lead to understanding or healing.  As the month progresses, look for books to share for all the aspects of your life. 

I’d like to thank Kokila Books/Penguin Random House for sharing a digital copy of Our Lake with me to review. 

Our Lake

By Angie Kang

 

A young boy follows his older brother up a “long and steep” hill to the tip of a boulder overlooking a glistening lake, where their father, now gone, used to take them swimming. He mimics his brother, who has taken on the mantel of responsibility, in their old traditions—taking off his shirt, stretching. But while his brother approaches the lip of the rock, he hangs back, watching him “press his arms tight to his head and slip neatly into the lake.” The water ripples, and then his brother shoots upward, “triumphant.”

Illustration and text © 2025 by Angie Kang. Courtesy of Kokila/Penguin Random House.

His brother calls for him to jump, but his nerves overtake him and he closes his eyes. “On the insides of my eyelids,” he says, “I see Father.” He recalls their routine, the way his father soared before splashing down, and the sound of his laugh as he beckoned his sons to follow.

“When I open my eyes, he joy is still there, humming in my limbs,” the boy says. He hears his brother call to him again and shakes off his fear. As he nears the water, he sees his father meet him, arms outstretched. His brother cheers as he splashes in. They embrace, both feeling the presence of the father they miss.

Illustration and text © 2025 by Angie Kang. Courtesy of Kokila/Penguin Random House.

Angie Kang’s lyrical storytelling soars on the openhearted voice of her young narrator and the caring guidance of his big brother. The boys’ uplifting memories of their father and their joyful embrace of returning to one of their favorite places are moving and comforting, and ultimately inspire reassurance that the spirit of loved ones lives on within the heart. 

Kang’s gloriously rich gouache, crayon, and colored pencil illustrations illuminate the close relationship between the brothers and, individually, with their father, as exemplified by a red hat the older brother is wearing as the story begins. Later, readers learn—in a symbolic image—that this hat belonged to the boys’ father. Each boy’s facial expressions and stances also carry the story forward. Kang’s saturated paintings also offer metaphorical undertones that resonate with the truth of life’s sometimes difficult climbs as well as the wonders of shaking off fear and diving into it headfirst.

A beautiful and poignant story to help any child affected by grief or loss to find peace and joy again, Our Lake is highly recommended for families and is a must for school and public library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Kokila/Penguin Random House, 2025 | ISBN 978-0593698235

About the Author/Illustrator

Angie Kang is a Chinese American writer and illustrator living in LA. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Narrative, The Believer, and elsewhere, and has been generously supported by MacDowell and other organizations. Angie graduated from the Brown-RISD Dual Degree Program with a BFA in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design and a BA in Literary Arts from Brown University. She enjoys painting places she remembers and places she would like to go. Learn more about Angie’s writing and art at AngieKang.net and @anqiekanq on Instagram.

You can purchase Our Lake at these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review

February 14 – Read to Your Child Day

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About the Holiday

Today’s holiday is one one of the best days of the year for kids and adults who love to read together. Reading to children has many benefits from helping with language development to instilling in children a love of books and learning to building bonds that last a lifetime. Today, as it happens, is also Valentine’s Day, and there’s no better way to say “I Love You” than by spending time together with a grrrreat book like today’s! For neat ideas on how to make the most of Read to Your Child Day, visit Days of the Year. 

Thanks to Bloomsbury Children’s Books for sharing a copy of Little Lion Girl with me!

Review by Dorothy Levine

Little Lion Girl

Written by Olivia Hope | Illustrated by Fiona Woodcock

It’s time to line up for a copy of Little Lion Girl, a vibrant tale of mother and daughter taking on the roaring city.

When Leonie spots the orange lights of the train coming to take her to the big city, she knows it’s time for an adventure. On the ride she notices unique characters around her and decides she too will meet the city with extravagance. With the help of a few accessories, Leonie cleverly transforms herself into a lion. When “the city roared like a jungle,” Leonie “roared back at the city. / She shook her mane and swished her tail. / She was lion girl.”

Illustration © 2025, Fiona Woodcook, text © 2025, Olivia Hope. Courtesy of Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

Lion girl spends the day stalking through bustling colorful streets, “through legs like trees between squawks, grunts, and shrieks” finding lions inside and out of a museum as she goes. In a cafe families sit in their “prides;” in the park she declares she is the king of the city.

All is going lion-tastically when a butterfly—a real wild thing—causes her to wander a bit further from her mother. Without her mama lion, the city jungle starts to feel bigger, and lion girl curls up in fear. Just as she starts to lose her roar, her mother calls to her, and they reunite with a hug and a purr.

Illustration © 2025, Fiona Woodcook, text © 2025, Olivia Hope. Courtesy of Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

Olivia Hope’s upbeat tale will excite wild children and their animal-loving hearts. From barking engines to city bustle grunts and shrieks, Hope’s story is jam-packed with animal-based vocabulary to set the scene. As Leonie and her mother explore the city, the reader’s confidence will grow along with lion girl as she explores the feelings that come with each step of her journey. A sweet story that inspires children to venture out with bravery, while also offering a gentle reminder that staying close to the pack is important too. Little Lion Girl shows kids that it’s okay to feel scared sometimes and to receive comfort from adults.

Fiona Woodcock’s illustrations light up the city in soft primary color hues. Leonie’s cat ears and scarf-tail form an exciting shadow of a real lion as she prowls through the streets. Woodcock illustrates a wonderfully diverse range of characters, including two train passengers dressed to resemble a zebra and giraffe—one of whom is spotted again later at the park. Leonie’s detailed facial expressions reflect her awe, excitement, fear and ultimately comfort when she snuggles up against her mom.

Little Lion Girl would make a lovely addition to home and library collections. It’s the perfect read-aloud to take with you on a train ride or to read while gearing up for an adventure!

Ages 3 – 6

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2025 | ISBN 978-1547616688

About the Author

Olivia Hope is an Irish writer with a special love for fiction about wild children. Before becoming an author, she was a teacher, creative arts facilitator and even an international athlete. She currently lives in the wilds of Southwest Ireland with her family.

About the Illustrator

Fiona Woodcock is an illustrator and picture book author. She studied Graphic Communication at Glasgow School of Art and for many years worked in animation. Her debut book Hiding Heidi was nominated for the 2017 Kate Greenaway award. Look was the winner of the AOI World Illustration Awards 2019, and A Dot In The Snow by Corrinne Averiss was selected as one of ‘The Times Children’s Books of the Year 2016’ and nominated for the Kate Greenaway Award 2018. Fiona lives in London.

Read to Your Child Day Activity

Image courtesy of Hello Wonderful

Paper Tube Lion

Kids can make and display this cute Paper Tube Lion from Hello Wonderful to remind themselves that they are as brave and confident as a lion.

You can purchase Little Lion Girl at these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review

December 17 – National Say It Now Day

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About the Holiday

This brand new holiday, established by National Day Calendar and Legacy+, a branding company, in honor of Walter Green, who was born on December 17 and on his 70th birthday decided to travel for a year to visit those who had been important to him and express his gratitude. For Walter, the result was a book—This is the Moment. For the rest of us, this holiday can inspire us to tell friends and loved ones how important they are and thanking them for all the ways they’ve impacted our lives.

Thank you to Bloomsbury Children’s Books for sharing a copy of I’m Always Loving You with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

I’m Always Loving You

Written by Kathy Wolff | Illustrated by Acamy Schleikorn

 

When you tell your child “I love you,” tousle their hair and say, “love ya, kiddo,” or kiss them on the forehead and whisper, “Goodnight, sweet love,” the “always” of that feeling is understood. But there are times when—struck by a memory, catching sight of a flash of playfulness, or even sharing a struggle over a task or disappointment—you feel an extra squeeze of love come over your heart.

Often these moments go unexpressed; but they shouldn’t! Inherent in times like these is spontaneity, shared experiences, and the details of life. Kids love details, and in I’m Always Loving You Kathy Wolff gives parents and other adults a heartwarming way to share the particulars of those times when their heart bursts with love—from the seemingly mundane to the extra-special. 

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Image copyright Acamy Schleikorn, 2024, text copyright Kathy Wolff, 2024. Courtesy of Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

Wolff begins as the day starts: “I love you when you rise and shine—awake as you can get!” but includes a bit of humor with the adult’s perspective on morning—”I love you when I haven’t even had my coffee yet!” She highlights times of frivolity at home while also reassuring kids that parents, grandparents, and other caregivers are always thinking about and loving them when they’re out in the world—in the car, at the park, at the store, and even “in the longest line we’ve ever seen before!”

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Image copyright Acamy Schleikorn, 2024, text copyright Kathy Wolff, 2024. Courtesy of Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

Children who are apprehensive about separation will find comfort in the words “I love you when you’re close to me, and also when you’re not, / and no matter what I’m doing, I sure think of you a lot!” Importantly, kids also hear that adults’ love extend to those times when their child is helping out around the house or doing chores, and—maybe more surprising—when the adult must tell them “no.”

Just as adults love their kids at the beginning of the day, as the day wanes a dad reveals, “I love you when we’re snuggled up all cozy with a book, / when you’re feeling kinda yawn-y and you’ve got that droopy look.” Through changing into pajamas, goodnight kisses, and turning out the light, love prevails, allowing children to sleep soundly and awake to another day full of love.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-I'm-always-loving-you-snuggling-wth-book

Image copyright Acamy Schleikorn, 2024, text copyright Kathy Wolff, 2024. Courtesy of Bloomsbury Children’s Books.

Kathy Wolff’s jaunty rhymes that encapsulate so many parts of a child’s and parents’ or caregivers’ day are a joy to read aloud and are sure to lead to fun discussions about specifics in the readers’ lives. Many of the examples Wolff includes are equally applicable for children to say to the adults or siblings in their lives, from getting up in the morning to sharing silly, busy, or quiet moments to when they are near or far away.

Acamy Schleikorn’s bright, active illustrations allow kids to clearly see and recognize experiences and places as well as emotions, such as happy, silly, and serious, that are part of their everyday lives, reinforcing the idea that no matter where, when, or what’s happening they are always loved.

A perfect and reassuring book to snuggle up with, bring out when times are a little more challenging, and talk about all the times your family feels that glow of love, I’m Always Loving You would be an often-asked-for book on home bookshelves and a meaningful addition to school and library collections.

Ages 3 – 6

Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2024 | ISBN 978-1547614202

About the Author

Kathy Wolff lives in Overland Park, Kansas with her husband and her two funny kids. She attempts to balance writing, mom-ing, and greeting-card making . . . all while trying to remember not to forget anything. Visit Kathy at kathywolffbooks.com.

About the Illustrator

Acamy Schleikorn is an illustrator from Las Vegas. She began drawing at a very young age and was encouraged by her grandma to keep going. As an adult, she discovered the magical world of children’s books, and became passionate about creating stories that make a difference in a child’s life and reflect the diverse world that we live in. Anytime she creates art, she wants it to bring some kind of good into a world filled with a lot of hurt. She is inspired by her two children to create work that they will love, enjoy, and see themselves in. Visit Acamy at acamydesigns.com.

National Say It Now Day Activity

CPB - Heart Jar

Jar of Love

 

With this craft, kids can say “I love you” to parents, siblings, family members, friends, and anyone who fills their heart with joy by giving them a felt heart to express their feelings.

Supplies

  • A clear jar with a lid—you can up a jar from home, buy a mason jar, or find a decorative jar at a craft store
  • Red felt
  • Scissors

Directions

1. Cut red hearts from the felt and add them to the jar.

2. Whenever you feel that special burst of love toward someone, give them a heart to show it!

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-I'm-always-loving-you-cover

You can purchase I’m Always Loving You at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

July 18 – Global Hug Your Kids Day

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About the Holiday

The purpose of today’s holiday is simple: show your child or children that you love them by giving them a hug. And why stop at just one? Such closeness builds strong family bonds and also helps with a child’s brain development and social and emotional learning. Give hugs throughout the day, and tell your kids how much and why you love them! 

Thanks to Tundra books for sending me a copy of Baby Squeaks for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Baby Squeaks

By Anne Hunter

 

In those early days when Mama Mouse held Baby Mouse, Baby was quiet. But then that long-awaited time came, and “Baby said Baby’s first word!” It was long before Baby said another. And then another and another and many, many, many more. In fact, Baby talked all the time. And to anything—even an acorn. Desiring a little peace and quiet, Mama put Baby right outside the door, where a mama bird was about to feed her little bird a nice, juicy dragonfly. 

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Copyright Anne Hunter, 2022, courtesy of Tundra Books.

Baby Mouse squeaked hello. Baby even climbed up to where Mama Bird and Baby Bird were sitting and “talked and talked … and talked.” When Mama Bird spied another dragonfly floating past, she and Baby Bird took off in pursuit. Lucky for Baby Mouse, a rabbit was now munching a small flower at the base of the tree. Baby Mouse squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeaked. And squeaked some more until the rabbit hopped away.

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Copyright Anne Hunter, 2022, courtesy of Tundra Books.

Next, Baby Mouse found a porcupine family and then a fawn. Baby found a seat between the fawn’s ears and “talked and talked … and talked” until the fawn lay down to take a nap. Baby lay down on the fawn’s back and went on talking as the little deer fell asleep. Back at home, Mama Mouse was enjoying the silence until she realized it was “TOO quiet.” She went outside only to discover Baby missing. 

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Copyright Anne Hunter, 2022, courtesy of Tundra Books.

She climbed to the top of the tree to survey her surroundings and then “heard the sound of Baby Mouse talking.” Mama followed the squeak, squeak, squeaks and found her baby. She held Baby in a tight hug, and for a moment all was quiet. But on the way home, Baby “talked and talked … and talked.” But that’s okay, because Mama Mouse and Mama Bird found the perfect solution for when they both need a little quiet time.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-baby-squeaks-outside

Copyright Anne Hunter, 2022, courtesy of Tundra Books.

Anne Hunter’s endearing story, infused with love and humor, is made for snuggly story times with plenty of giggles—and maybe some shared memories too. The repeated phrasing is sure to have kids chiming in, and children who are beginning to read independently will enjoy demonstrating their skills. Hunter’s lovely illustrations invite kids into the heartwarming relationship between Mama Mouse and Baby Mouse as lap time, feeding time, play time, and even bed time are carried out to the sound track of Baby’s endless chatter.

Baby’s enthusiasm to meet new friends and discover new things is infectious and may prompt kids and adults to imagine what Baby might be saying in each speech bubble. Adults will no doubt smile in appreciation of Mama Mouse’s and the rabbit’s wide-eyed expressions as Baby Mouse’s squeak bubbles float around them. Looking out for images of Mama and Baby Bird (as well as a beetle) across the pages will reward readers as the story comes to it’s charming conclusion.

A story that parents, grandparents, and other caregivers will love sharing with their kids, Baby Squeaks will become a quick favorite. The book is highly recommended as a gift or addition to home, school, and public library collections.

Ages 3 – 7

Tundra Books, 2022 | ISBN 978-0735269095

Discover more about Anne Hunter, her books, and her art on her website.

National Hug Your Kids Day Activity

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Free Hug Coupons
 

Everyone needs a hug now and then! With these printable Free Hug Coupons you can extend Global Hug Your Kid day to every day of the year! Why not fill a jar with these coupons and display it so that all your favorite people can get a sweet hug whenever they need it most.

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You can find Baby Squeaks at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

June 22 – It’s National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month

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About the Holiday

National Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Month ushers in a full summer of delicious and nutritious eating with bushels of scrumptious strawberries, blueberries, peppers, squash, lettuce, tomatoes, and so much more. Whether you enjoy the season’s delicacies in a smoothie, as dessert, or as the highlight of a main course, the flavor of locally grown produce can’t be beat. June is also a perfect time to get kids involved in gardening and learning about the growth cycle of plants, fruit, and vegetables from the tiniest seed to ready to pick. Today’s book cleverly combines children’s fascination with this wonder of nature with their own beginnings. 

How You Came to Be

Written by Carole Gerber | Illustrated by Sawsan Chalabi

 

Little ones are always interested in where they came from and how they were born, and parents fondly remember all those months of anticipation and love that led up to the birth of their child. But how can a mom (or dad) relay those special feelings and extraordinary changes in a way that a toddler or preschooler can understand?

In How You Came to Be, a mother talks lovingly to her baby using sweet, conversational language that is straightforward and sure to make both adult and child smile. Carole Gerber begins with the moment of conception when “…a wiggly little cell from another / joined a round little cell from me. … Together these two tiny cells formed / one brand-new cell that would become YOU.” Then with each month, Gerber offers size comparisons to a fruit or a vegetable to help little ones visualize their growth and the developmental changes that came with it, from a pea in the first month to a melon in the ninth.

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Image copyright Sawsan Chalabi, 2022, text copyright Carole Gerber, 2022. Courtesy of Rise x Penguin Workshop.

Along the way, kids discover that in the second month they were the “size of a kidney bean. / Your head was really big, / with lots of room inside / for your brain to grow.” They also learn about how their face was taking shape and the umbilical cord that nourished them. In the fifth month, little ones find out that while they were now the size of a banana, their bones were beginning to develop, their legs were getting longer, and they were able to kick. “Sometimes when I rubbed my belly, / I felt you thump back. / Was that your way of saying hello?” What a wonderful line for a mom to read to show a little one how strong their bond is and how long they’ve been communicating.

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Image copyright Sawsan Chalabi, 2022, text copyright Carole Gerber, 2022. Courtesy of Rise x Penguin Workshop.

“In the ninth month,” the mother narrator says, “you were large enough and strong enough to come out into the world.” She recalls all of the preceding months and ends with this message that every child will want to hear: “I loved you from the beginning / and I always will.”

Back matter includes a glossary of five words that adults can use for extended discussions with their child, a list of stages as a fetus develops the ability to move and the five senses. Two paragraphs also describe a vaginal birth and a C-section birth in language that is age accessible.

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Image copyright Sawsan Chalabi, 2022, text copyright Carole Gerber, 2022. Courtesy of Rise x Penguin Workshop.

It’s easy to imagine a parent and child reading How You Came to Be while snuggling, giggling, and being amazed together. Carole Gerber’s scientifically sound and charming storytelling will make this book a family favorite, and offers a fun way to revitalize grocery shopping as well!

Sawsan Chalabi’s gorgeous illustrations, which juxtapose lush depictions of fruit and vegetables entwined with vines or growing on trees or in gardens with images of mothers thinking about and preparing for their baby’s arrival and are placed on velvety black backgrounds, draw readers of all ages into the marvels of birth. Her two-page spread of a mother cradling her newborn surrounded by wildflowers is as simply beautiful as the expression of love the page’s verse contains.

A tender and evocative way for parents and children to share their exquisite bond and unending love, How You Came to Be will make a much-appreciated baby shower or new baby gift and a favorite addition to family bookshelves as well as public library collections.

Ages 2 – 4

Rise x Penguin Workshop, 2022 | ISBN 978-0593225738

Discover more about Carole Gerber and her books on her website.

To learn more about Sawsan Chalabi, her books, and her artwork, visit her website.

National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month Activity

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Play with Your Food Games

 

Young children will have fun testing their memory and matching these fruits and vegetables from today’s book.

To Play a Memory Game

  1. Print two copies of this Play with Your Food Memory Game Template
  2. Cut the cards apart
  3. Place the cards randomly face down on a table 
  4. Turn over one card and try to find it’s match. If the images on the card match, put them aside. If the cards don’t match put them back on the table and try again until a match is made. Continue playing until all the cards are matched.

To Play a Matching Game

  1. Print two copies of this Play with Your Food Matching Game Board Template
  2. Cut one template into individual fruit and vegetable cards
  3. Let toddlers or preschoolers match the individual cards to the fruit and vegetables on the game board

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You can find How You Came to Be at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

December 1 – Celebrating the Book Birthday of Dancing with Daddy

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Dancing with Daddy

Written by Anitra Rowe Schulte | Illustrated by Ziyue Chen

 

Elsie was shopping for the perfect dress to wear to her first father-daughter dance. Should she choose the pink one that will make her look like a princess or the red one that’s the same color as her daddy’s soccer jersey? As her mom held them up, Elsie reached from her wheelchair and “grabbed the red dress and pulled it close. This one,” she thinks. “It’s perfect for dancing with Daddy.” She gets a matching bow headband and heads home as snowflakes flurried around them. Elsie was worried the dance would be cancelled.

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Image copyright Ziyue Chen, 2021, text copyright Anitra Rowe Schulte, 2021. Courtesy of Two Lions.

At home, Elsie’s sisters, Daphne and Rosalie, raced to meet Elsie at the door while Daddy asked her if she picked out a good one. Elsie replied by touching the “special” picture square in her PODD communication book. After dinner – noodle bowls for Daphne and Rosalie and a push of food through a feeding tube for Elsie – the sisters went to Elsie’s room to see her dress and talk about the dance. Soon it was time for bed, and “Daddy read Elsie’s favorite bedtime book,” the Nutcracker. “As the dancer in the story twirled, Elsie’s heart did pirouettes. I can’t wait to see my dress spin,” Elsie thought.

That night Elsie dreamed about the dance, but the snow kept falling. In the morning, Elsie stared out the window with disappointment. She saw snow edging her window panes and heard the sound of snow shovels. She just knew the dance would be cancelled. Then her mom came in and told her “‘the dance is a go!'” All day the sisters practiced dancing and twirling and dipping Elsie’s wheelchair “until she found her groove.”

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Image copyright Ziyue Chen, 2021, text copyright Anitra Rowe Schulte, 2021. Courtesy of Two Lions.

At last the time came to get ready and leave for the dance. Daddy complimented all of his daughters on their dresses as they made their way to the dance hall. That’s when Elsie realized she didn’t have her bow. While crossing the parking lot, Elsie’s wheels got stuck in a snowbank, but Daddy pushed it through. Once inside, the other girls all reminded her of the dancer in her favorite book. She wished she had her bow and put her hand up to touch her hair. Reminded, her dad pulled the headband from his pocket and set it in place. Then he spun her around; “her ruffles took flight.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-dancing-with-daddy-gym

Image copyright Ziyue Chen, 2021, text copyright Anitra Rowe Schulte, 2021. Courtesy of Two Lions.

Inside the gym, the music boomed, and everyone was dancing. When a “tender tune began to play, Daphne and Rosalie took a break. Elsie’s daddy picked her up. “Elsie pressed her forehead against Daddy’s, and together they danced. He swung her high and held her tight. It was just like her dream, “except better.” Afterward, Elsie tasted the frosting from her piece of cake, then she touched the “dance” picture in her book. Elsie and Daddy returned to the dance floor and “joined Daphne and Rosalie under the lights and dance and danced into the night.”

An Author’s Note at the front of the book introduces readers to Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome, its prevalence, affects, and the tools people with WHS use to eat, communicate, and get around.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-dancing-with-daddy-book

Image copyright Ziyue Chen, 2021, text copyright Anitra Rowe Schulte, 2021. Courtesy of Two Lions.

Inspired by her own daughters, one of whom has Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome like Elise, Anitra Rowe Schulte’s story glows with family love, support, and encouragement. As Elise gets ready for a father-daughter dance, readers will get caught up in her excitement and universal concerns, such as choosing the “perfect” dress and whether a much-anticipated event will be cancelled because of adverse weather. Schulte’s evocative storytelling beautifully incorporates both emotion and factual information through the use of realistic, uplifting dialogue and intermittent lyrical lines that echo the movement and music of dance. Children also see that while Elsie may be nonverbal, her thoughts are like their own, just expressed differently.

Ziyue Chen’s lovely illustrations shine with sisterly camaraderie and family devotion. As the story opens and Elise chooses the red dress over the pink one by pulling it close, kids can read in her face and body language how important the dress, the dance, and surprising her dad are to her. Likewise, readers will share Elise’s excitement and her worries and celebrate the fun she has at the dance. Particularly moving are two mirrored illustrations: the first, a gorgeous image, lit by golden orbs and tiny stars, of Elise dreaming of the dance to come, and the second a tender two-page spread later on when her dream comes true. 

In her illustrations of Elise, Chen realistically depicts the facial features of children with WHS as well as the wheelchair, orthotics, feeding mechanism, and PODD books used by many. Children who use tools similar to Elise will be excited to see themselves represented in these pages, and others will be interested to learn about them and to meet Elise.

A joyous and heartfelt story of a loving and supportive family and which celebrates the common hopes and dreams of all children, Dancing with Daddy is highly recommended for home libraries and is a must for school and public library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Two Lions, 2021 | ISBN 978-1542007191

About Anitra Rowe Schulte

Anitra Rowe Schulte has worked as a journalist for The Kansas City Star and the Sun-Times News Group, as a staff writer for Chicago Public Schools, and as a publicist. She is the mother of three beautiful girls, one of whom has Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome and is the inspiration for Elsie in this book. She lives in the Chicago area, and this is her first picture book. Learn more about her at www.anitraroweschulte.com and follow her at @anitraschulte on Twitter.

About Ziyue Chen

Ziyue Chen is the Deaf illustrator of a number of children’s books, including Mela and the Elephant by Dow Phumiruk, How Women Won the Vote by Susan Campbell Bartoletti, and Rocket-Bye Baby: A Spaceflight Lullaby by Danna Smith. She lives with her loved ones in Singapore. Find out more at www.ziyuechen.com or follow her @ziyuechen on Instagram.

To see Ziyue Chen bring her illustrations to life on the page, watch these videos.

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