Celebrated in schools across the country, National Reading Day was established to encourage students in PreK through 3rd grade to develop a love of reading, which is the basis for becoming a lifelong learner. Schools, libraries, organizations, bookstores, and parents provide activities to connect young readers with books they’ll love.
Sterling Children’s Books sent me a copy of Mirabel’s Missing Valentines to check out. All opinions are my own.
Mirabel’s Missing Valentines
Written by Janet Lawler | Illustrated by Olivia Chin Mueller
Mirabel had always been very shy, and as Valentine’s Day approached she was nervous about giving cards away at school. Still, “despite her nerves, the night before, she crafted works of art.” When she was finished, she signed them and drew a heart. In the morning, though, she was reluctant to go to school, and ended up leaving late. In her hurry to get to school, she didn’t notice that her bag was getting lighter and lighter.
Image copyright Olivia Chin Mueller, 2018, text copyright Janet Lawler, 2018. Courtesy of Sterling Children’s Books.
Mirabel rushed past a lonely lady who was checking her mailbox—and then checking it again just in case. But as Mirabel hurried down the road, the lady turned and saw a valentine lying next to her. “She smiled and thought, How nice!” As Mirabel turned a corner, “construction workers sweating / as they dug around a pole / laughed to find a sweet surprise / half-buried in the hole.”
A baby found a valentine that had floated into their stroller, and for a jogger who’d just stepped in gum, the sparkly card on the ground made her day better. Others, too, found valentines that made them smile. Suddenly, though, the neighbors all heard a cry: “‘I’ve lost my valentines!’” Mirabel had discovered a hole in her bag and that all of her cards were gone. Everyone realized what had happened. They rushed to find Mirabel and return the valentines. “‘Your cards have made us smile! / Thanks for sharing them with us, / if only for a while,’” they told her.
Image copyright Olivia Chin Mueller, 2018, text copyright Janet Lawler, 2018. Courtesy of Sterling Children’s Books.
Seeing all of their happy faces cheered Mirabel and made her feel braver. She waved goodbye to her new friends and followed the other students into school. Later, she joined in her class party and was excited to share the valentines she’d made. On the way home from school, Mirabel didn’t notice the jogger, dad, construction workers, and others slip valentines into her bag as she passed by. But when she got home, she discovered that her bag was overflowing with love.
Image copyright Olivia Chin Mueller, 2018, text copyright Janet Lawler, 2018. Courtesy of Sterling Children’s Books.
Janet Lawler’s endearing story of a little mouse who is nervous about Valentine’s Day will resonate with little ones and adult readers as well. Sharing one’s feelings and talents—as Mirabel does with her homemade cards—can be daunting, but Lawler shows that friendship shared is often returned in kind. Little ones will find much to admire in Mirabel’s bravery to go to school even though she is apprehensive about what the day will bring. The reminder that children occupy a special place in the heart of many people, including family, friends, teachers, librarians, and others that they interact with, will cheer them and inspire them to reach out and accept the love offered on Valentine’s Day and every other day.
Image copyright Olivia Chin Mueller, 2018, text copyright Janet Lawler, 2018. Courtesy of Sterling Children’s Books.
Olivia Chin Mueller’s Mirabel is an adorable friend for little readers. As she cowers under a blanket, contemplating going to school, kids will send her encouraging thoughts and be happy to see her change her mind and hurry along to join her classmates. As the valentines begin to fly out of Mirabel’s bag, readers will wonder who will find each card and will look forward to each page turn. The smiles on the faces of those treated to the surprise gift are heartening as readers see what a positive impact little Mirabel has on those around her. As Mirabel hands out her valentines to her classmates, hearts abound, demonstrating along with the students’ smiles and surprised expressions the warm feelings of friendship that are contained not only in each unique card but in Mirabel’s kind spirit. The final image of Mirabel clasping her bag full of valentines is endearing.
Ages 3 – 7
Sterling Children’s Books, 2018 | ISBN 978-1454927396
Discover more about Janet Lawler and her books on her website.
To learn more about Olivia Chin Mueller, her books, and her art on her website.
National Reading Day Activity
Monster Love! Maze
Help the love monster gobble up all the Valentine’s Day candy snacks in this printable maze!
Today, I’m posting a review for Multicultural Children’s Book Day, a literary event that takes place every January and, this year, culminates on January 25 with a huge online celebration. Throughout the month bloggers, reviewers, and individuals post reviews of children’s books that offer multicultural themes, characters, and stories to inspire young readers and introduce them to their peers around the world as well as to global celebrations, ideas, and conditions. The mission of Multicultural Children’s Book Day is twofold: to raise awareness of children’s books that celebrate diversity, and to get more of those books into classrooms and libraries. To learn more about Multicultural Children’s Book Day and discover downloadable resources for teachers and individuals as well as a list of all the books reviewed during the month, visit the Multicultural Children’s Book Day Website.
Just Like You
Written by Keosha Sath | Illustrated by Yashushi Matsuoka
A little wide-eyed girl has lots of questions and big plans, but first she wants to know why she has to go to school. Her mom tells her “so that you can be whatever you want to be when you grow up.” It’s sage advice because this young girl sees possibilities all around her. When she reads a book all by herself, her mom encourages her, and the girl thinks that maybe she’d like to be an English teacher when she grows up.
Image copyright Yasushi Matsuoka , 2018, text copyright Keosha Sath, 2018. Courtesy of Mascot Books.
Thinking about jobs makes her wonder where her mom works. Mom explains that she works in a medical office as the chief executive and makes sure that everything runs smoothly. Her daughter decides that sounds pretty cool and says, “I want to be a chief executive officer of a medical office. I think so.” But not so fast! Her dad is the chief of police, and she thinks that maybe she’d like to do that. The little girl tells her mom that her throat hurts. After a trip to the doctor, the girl says, “I think I want to be a pediatrician. I think so.”
Image copyright Yasushi Matsuoka , 2018, text copyright Keosha Sath, 2018. Courtesy of Mascot Books.
A trip to the veterinarian convinces this bright child that she wants to help animals stay healthy, after going to the bank, being an accountant looks like a good option, and a discussion on voting inspires her to aim at being the President. But she also loves honey and wants to know where it comes from. Her mom tells her, “It comes from bees. Bees store honey inside their hives, and beekeepers sometimes protect the bees.” Fascinated, the girl determines, “I think I want to be a lead beekeeper. I think so.”
Image copyright Yasushi Matsuoka , 2018, text copyright Keosha Sath, 2018. Courtesy of Mascot Books.
Cooking, using math, going on adventures, and running also spark a desire to try being a head chef, mathematics professor, cartographer, and engineer. After all the encouragement her mom has given her, the little girl has made up her mind about just what she wants to be. She gives her mom a hug and says, “Mommy, I know what I want to be when I grow up! It isn’t an astronaut, a mathematician, or an engineer. I want to be a great mommy, just like you!”
Image copyright Yasushi Matsuoka , 2018, text copyright Keosha Sath, 2018. Courtesy of Mascot Books.
Keosha Sath opens up a world of possible professions in her sweet conversation between mother and daughter. The little girl is brimming with enthusiasm and curiosity about the jobs and workers she encounters. Her strong self-confidence and interest in all types of professions will inspire readers to see themselves in positions of leadership and to use their talents to reach for the stars. The girl’s decision to be a mom like her own reinforces the importance of the job parents do while demonstrating that children do notice and appreciate all the support parents give.
Yasushi Matsuoka’s vivid illustrations portray a happy, inquisitive, curly haired young girl imagining herself as a CEO, walking the moon as an astronaut, examining a puppy as a veterinarian, removing a full honeycomb as a beekeeper, and performing other jobs that attract her. Her supportive mom and dad are nearby to nurture her natural curiosity, and the final image of a family hug is endearing.
Just Like You is a charming way to foster discussions about talents, activities, and favorite subjects as well as a fun story for family bonding at story time.
Learn More about Multicultural Children’s Book Day
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2019 (1/25/19) is in its 6th year and was founded by Valarie Budayr from Jump Into A Book and Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom. Our mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves while also working diligently to get more of these types of books into the hands of young readers, parents and educators.
MCBD 2019 is honored to have the following Medallion Sponsors on board!
We’d like to also give a shout-out to MCBD’s impressive CoHost Team who not only hosts the book review link-up on celebration day, but who also works tirelessly to spread the word of this event. View our CoHosts HERE.
TWITTER PARTY Sponsored by Make A Way Media: MCBD’s super-popular (and crazy-fun) annual @McChildsBookDay Twitter Party will be held 1/25/19 at 9:00pm.E.S.T. TONS of prizes and book bundles will be given away during the party ( a prize every 5 minutes!). GO HERE for more details.
Today, I’m posting a review for Multicultural Children’s Book Day, a literary event that takes place every January and, this year, culminates on January 25 with a huge online celebration. Throughout the month bloggers, reviewers, and individuals post reviews of children’s books that offer multicultural themes, characters, and stories to inspire young readers and introduce them to their peers around the world as well as to global celebrations, ideas, and conditions. The mission of Multicultural Children’s Book Day is twofold: to raise awareness of children’s books that celebrate diversity, and to get more of those books into classrooms and libraries. To learn more about Multicultural Children’s Book Day and discover downloadable resources for teachers and individuals as well as a list of all the books reviewed during the month, visit the Multicultural Children’s Book Day Website.
Beautiful, Wonderful, Strong Little Me!
Written by Hannah Carmona Dias | Illustrated by Dolly Georgieva-Gode
Lilly, a girl with “divinely dark skin” dotted with freckles and hair that’s “frizzy, wild, never tame” wakes up, prepares for the day, and heads out into the city. She skips along listening to music and smiling brightly. “‘I’m a smart unique girl, / happy and proud!’ / I run out exclaiming / and singing out loud!” Soon, she meets her friends and they go off to play. They explore, swing, play hopscotch, hit baseballs, and make mud pies.
Image copyright Dolly Georgieva-Gode, 2018, text copyright Hannah Carmona Dias, 2018. Courtesy of Eifrig Publishing.
When they find puddles left from a recent rain, they jump and splash. Lilly bends over the clear, blue water. “In the reflection I clearly can see. / That all of my friends do not look quite like me.” Her unique looks, Lilly reveals, lead to many questions as kids wonder, “‘Is your family Hispanic or maybe Egyptian? Indian, Brazilian, or a little Sicilian?’” They can’t pin it down—where does she come from? “‘Do you speak Portuguese / Or Spanish at all? / Do you come from Peru, Ecuador, or Nepal?’”
Image copyright Dolly Georgieva-Gode, 2018, text copyright Hannah Carmona Dias, 2018. Courtesy of Eifrig Publishing.
All these questions and prodding make Lilly sad because her looks are not all that she is. She says, “‘I’m sassy and smart / With a kind giving heart. / I’m courageous and brilliant / and fierce and resilient.’” She’s proud of herself and of all the things she can do, and she greets the world with the confidence all children should have.
An Author’s Note following the text points out positive words used in the story. Readers are then invited to write down uplifting descriptions and draw a picture of themselves, including the traits that make them unique, in the space and frame provided.
Image copyright Dolly Georgieva-Gode, 2018, text copyright Hannah Carmona Dias, 2018. Courtesy of Eifrig Publishing.
For every child who wants to be seen for who they are inside, Hannah Carmona Dias has written an uplifting and empowering story. With honesty and admirable confidence, Dias’s main character, Lilly, addresses all those who are concerned only with figuring out where someone comes from and encourages them to instead focus on their intelligence, talents, kindness, and spirit. Clever rhymes carry the story and make the ideas accessible to all.
From Lilly’s bedroom to her dress patterned with rainbows to a sun-drenched day at the park, Dolly Georgieva-Gode’s vivid illustrations joyfully emphasize Lilly’s happy and self-confident personality. Lilly’s smile and eagerness to embrace her neighborhood and friends is infectious and will buoy readers to feel the same. Lilly’s friends, a group of diverse children, including one boy in a wheelchair, is a welcome depiction of community.
Image copyright Dolly Georgieva-Gode, 2018, text copyright Hannah Carmona Dias, 2018. Courtesy of Eifrig Publishing.
Images of Lilly at home, walking in the city, and playing with her friends are interspersed with portrayals of her feelings of being under a microscope, feeling like a jigsaw puzzle to be solved, and comparisons to typical movie princesses. One illustration that sums up Lilly’s feelings—as well as the message of the book—shows her explaining to others that Lilly (and every child) equals love.
A celebration of self-love and self-confidence, Beautiful, Wonderful, Strong Little Me! is an inspiring story for any child who faces questions from others, needs reassurance, or enjoys honoring their own strong self-image.
The mission of Eifrig Publishing is to create books that are “good for our kids, good for our earth, and good for our communities.” They “are passionate about helping kids develop into caring, creative, thoughtful individuals who possess positive self-images, celebrate differences, and practice inclusion. Our books promote social and environmental consciousness and empower children as they grow in their communities.” To learn more about Eifrig Publishing, visit their website.
Check out the Beautiful, Wonderful, Strong Little Me! book trailer!
Multicultural Children’s Book Day Activity
Wonderful Me! Initial Bookend
You can show pride in yourself with this easy craft that will keep all your books tidy on their shelf! This craft makes a great gift for friends and family too!
Supplies
Sturdy wooden letter blocks in the child’s first and last initials. Or, if the child would like to try on a new name or nickname, the first letter of their new name.
Chalkboard or acrylic paint
Colored chalk
Paint brush
Directions
Paint the letters, let dry
With the chalk write words that describe you or names of your heroines and/or heroes
Display your bookends
Learn More about Multicultural Children’s Book Day
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2019 (1/25/19) is in its 6th year and was founded by Valarie Budayr from Jump Into A Book and Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom. Our mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves while also working diligently to get more of these types of books into the hands of young readers, parents and educators.
MCBD 2019 is honored to have the following Medallion Sponsors on board!
We’d like to also give a shout-out to MCBD’s impressive CoHost Team who not only hosts the book review link-up on celebration day, but who also works tirelessly to spread the word of this event. View our CoHosts HERE.
TWITTER PARTY Sponsored by Make A Way Media: MCBD’s super-popular (and crazy-fun) annual @McChildsBookDay Twitter Party will be held 1/25/19 at 9:00pm.E.S.T. TONS of prizes and book bundles will be given away during the party ( a prize every 5 minutes!). GO HERE for more details.
You’re a cat lover, right? You just can’t help watching cute kitten videos or smiling at those sweet cats on Twitter or frisky kitties on Instagram. Maybe you even have a cat at home that makes you laugh with their antics or cuddles up for some snuggle time. If you are a cat lover, this month was created just for you. So indulge in all things feline – and if your home and heart are yearning for a ball of fluff, consider adopting a new friend from your local shelter.
I Am a Cat
By Galia Bernstein
Simon, a little gray tabby, proudly introduces himself, saying, “I am a cat. Just like you!” You might think this sweet greeting would be met warmly, but instead, the kitten’s audience stares at him wide-eyed and then…bursts out laughing. The tiger, lion, cheetah, puma, and panther think this is the funnies thing they’ve ever heard.
Copyright Galia Bernstein, 2018, courtesy of Harry N. Abrams.
The lion protests that the little ball of fluff can’t be a cat because “cats have a mane and a tuft at the end of their tails” and a fierce roar because “they are the king of all beasts.” The cheetah didn’t think the gray cat had the legs or speed to be a cat. The puma had never seen such a small and weak cat living in the mountains like he did, and the panther knew cats were black and lived in the jungle.
Copyright Galia Bernstein, 2018, courtesy of Harry N. Abrams.
The tiger may have been the most skeptical of all. He thought that the gray creature in front of him might be a rat, but a cat that wasn’t orange? Ha! Simon looked at each cat with their individual traits and wondered aloud how they could all consider each other cats, but not him. Well, replied Lion, it’s “‘because we also have many things in common. We all have small, perky ears and flat noses…long whiskers and long tails.’” They also all showed Simon their teeth and claws and eyes that could see in the dark.
“‘I have all those things,’” Simon said. “‘Only smaller.’” The lion, tiger, puma, cheetah, panther, and tiger took a second look. They couldn’t deny it: Simon was a cat. They even admitted that he was one of the family. Then they played and pounced and prowled, “like cats of all sizes do.”
Copyright Galia Bernstein, 2018, courtesy of Harry N. Abrams.
Galia Bernstein’s ingeniously uses a variety of “big cats” to expose the kinds of smug, narrow-minded thinking that leads to prejudice based on color, abilities, social standing, and size. Simon’s polite push-back to the rebuffs he gets from the other cats echos the kind of honest, probing questions that little ones often ask. To their credit, the other cats recognize and admit to their blind spots and welcome Simon into the family. Bernstein’s straightforward storytelling provides a perfect setup for the satisfying and enriching ending.
Bernstein’s bold images of each big cat interacting with adorable and earnest Simon cleverly demonstrates the differences as well as the similarities between them. The lion and Simon lie side by side, their paws crossed and their tails intertwined. The puma and Simon sit next to each other leaning slightly to the left. And the panther and Simon both lounge in a tree batting at the same butterfly. The final spread of all the cats frolicking together is joyful and will make children smile knowingly.
I Am a Cat is a story that’s as fun as it is meaningful and deserves a place on any child or classroom bookshelf.
Ages 3 – 7
Harry N. Abrams, 2018 | ISBN 978-1419726439
Discover more about Galia Bernstein, her book, and her art on her website.
You’ll love watching this I Am a Cat book trailer!
Adopt a Cat Month Activity
Purr-fect Friends Maze
One little kitten wants to play with her friends, Can you help her find her way in this printable puzzle?
Do you own a business or have dreams of opening your own shop or service company? An important step toward success is to write a clear business plan, and that’s what this month is all about! Established to help businesses plan efficiently, stay organized, and run smoothly whether they’re big or small, today’s holiday can inspire you to reach for and achieve the work life you’ve always wanted. Even job seekers benefit from writing a business plan of sorts to clarify what they’re looking for in the perfect job.
Duck Gets a Job
By Sonny Ross
Duck needed a job. All of his friends talked about their super office jobs in the city and encouraged him to get one too. Duck scoured the want ads in the newspaper. There were lots of jobs in tech, finance, and business. He imagined himself working with spreadsheets like his friends did. The jobs “seemed boring, but he applied anyway. And he got an interview!”
Copyright Sonny Ross, 2018, courtesy of Templar Books.
Duck agonized over what he’d wear. He tried on an outfit that made him look cool, one that was very professional, and one that was his natural, casual look. He decided to go with the professional style. Next, Duck thought about how he would get to the office. “Flying would make him tired and sweaty, but public transportation is tricky for ducks.” In the end he walked… and he got lost. Once in the city, he hailed a taxi, and while he rode to the interview “he gave himself a pep talk.”
Copyright Sonny Ross, 2018, courtesy of Templar Books.
Talking to the interviewer made Duck very nervous, but, still, he was offered a job. Sitting in his little cubicle with “spreadsheets full of facts and figures” in front of him, Duck realized that this job “did not interest him at all.” Duck decided to quit. Duck had always dreamed of being an artist, so he looked at job ads for the Creative Quack Magazine and found one he thought he’d like. “For his interview, he dressed in his natural look and put samples of his best work in a portfolio.”
He prepared for his trip into the city, and when he got to the office he didn’t feel at all nervous. He showed the art director his portfolio feeling confident about his work. The art director loved his work and offered him a job. Now Duck loves his job, and he’s especially glad “that he had decided to follow his dreams.”
Copyright Sonny Ross, 2018, courtesy of Templar Books.
The strength of Sonny Ross’s affirming story comes in its straightforward approach to recognizing when an action is not right for you and feeling free to change course. While Duck is looking for the perfect job, the story is appropriate for any activity that children embark on as they find their place in the world. Ross peppers his story with clues that will alert readers to Duck’s true feelings about the two jobs—internal thoughts, clothing styles, and confidence level to name a few—feelings that they too can rely on to guide them in the choices they make.
Copyright Sonny Ross, 2018, courtesy of Templar Books.
Ross’s matte mixed-media illustrations are fresh and stylish in a palette of blues, reds, and golds. Kids experimenting with their own look will appreciate Duck’s dilemma in choosing between cool, professional, and natural clothing styles. They’ll also empathize with his previous attempts at using public transportation and his travails in getting to the first interview on time. When Duck decides that a “spreadsheet job” isn’t for him, the page backgrounds lighten, his road to the interview is smooth, and his happiness is evident. A clever contrasting juxtaposition comes in the depictions of Duck’s two very different interviews. While the businessman sits at his desk peering down on tiny Duck who can barely see over the desk and is nearly swallowed up in his chair, the art director kneels down to Duck’s level to shake his wing in congratulations on getting the job.
Both an entertaining story and a lesson for kids on trusting their gut and staying true to themselves, Duck Gets a Job is a confidence-boosting tale for any home or classroom bookshelf.
Ages 3 – 7
Templar Books, 2018 | ISBN 978-0763698966
Discover more about Sonny Ross, his books, and his art on his website.
National Write a Business Plan Month Activity
Dream Job Application
Before you can know your customers, you need to know yourself and find your perfect job. Here’s a printable Dream Job Application to get you thinking about what job you’d like to have!
This United Nations-sponsored holiday aims to raise awareness of the crucial importance of mountains to the livelihood and even survival of the world’s population. Covering nearly one-fourth of the earth’s land mass, mountain areas are home to almost one billion people, and over half of the human population relies on mountains for clean energy, food, and water, including 60 to 80 percent of the world’s freshwater supply. Today, mountains are under threat from land degradation, over exploitation, natural disasters, and climate change. This year’s International Mountain Day theme is Mountains Matter, and scientists, activists, and others involved in protecting these unique ecosystems will be advocating for recognition and protection on social media and directly to politicians who can enact change. To celebrate, learn more about the importance of mountains and consider getting involved locally or with national organizations.
A Chip Off the Old Block
Written by Jody Jensen Shaffer | Illustrated by Daniel Miyares
Rocky had an impressive family. There was Aunt Etna, Uncle Gibraltar, and his Great-Grandma Half Dome. His cousins were pretty well-known too. In fact, “tons of his relatives were rock stars.” Rocky loved hearing his parents’ stories about his family. Rocky wanted to be important too, but his parents thought he was too little. He may have been “just a chip off the old block” like his dad said, “but inside, Rocky was a boulder!”
Image copyright Daniel Miyares, 2018. text copyright Jody Jensen Shaffer, 2018. Courtesy of Penguin Random House.
Rocky made a plan, and in the morning he hopped on a pickup truck headed for Arizona to join his cousin The Wave. As soon as he got there, though, a gust of wind blew him away. He landed hard and “noticed that a piece of him had broken off.” Undeterred, he caught a flight with an eagle out to Wyoming and another cousin, The Tower. Rocky was almost settled in when a rainstorm washed him over the side.
At the bottom of the long slide down, Rocky hitched a ride on a car bound for Texas. There, he thought he could watch over the sauropod tracks at Dinosaur Valley State Park. But it didn’t take long for an armadillo to dig him out and send him back on the road again. this time he was determined to go to South Dakota. When he arrived, tinier than when he’d begun his trip, he decided that he’d make a terrific souvenir of his cousin Rushmore.
Image copyright Daniel Miyares, 2018. text copyright Jody Jensen Shaffer, 2018. Courtesy of Penguin Random House.
Just then he heard the news. The park was closing because a crack had been discovered in Abraham Lincoln’s nose. “Rocky was crushed.” His dreams of being important would never come true now. But looking up at his cousin, he realized that maybe he could help. A passing lizard gave him a ride to the top, and Rocky jumped. He tumbled down, down and right into the crack in Lincoln’s nose. “He was a perfect fit! I did it! I did something important! I saved Abraham Lincoln!” Rocky exaulted, excited and proud.
Down below, visitors and park employees cheered. Reporters relayed the news, and photographers took pictures. The park was saved, and it was “all thanks to Rocky, the little pebble that wouldn’t be taken for granite.”
A guide to igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks, illustrated descriptions of some of the world’s most majestic rock formations, and an Author’s Note about Mount Rushmore follow the story.
Image copyright Daniel Miyares, 2018. text copyright Jody Jensen Shaffer, 2018. Courtesy of Penguin Random House.
There’s so much to love about Jody Jensen Shaffer’s A Chip Off the Old Block! Part adventure, part educational travelogue, and completely inspirational—with lots of funny wordplay to boot—Shaffer’s story will charm kids. Little Rocky is a sweetie of a go-getter who has big dreams and sets out to achieve them. He overcomes obstacles, setbacks, and disappointments and adjusts to changes with optimism while never losing heart and building up his self-confidence. Kids will cheer when Rocky finally finds the place where he can make the most monumental difference.
Daniel Miyares’ gorgeous illustrations depict the splendor of Rocky’s magnificent cousins and the landscape they dominate while cleverly tracing his journey from state to state, carried along by a truck and a car, in a backpack, and with the help of some animal friends. Rocky is full of personality and childlike expressions that will endear him to readers. Miyares’ full-color, full-bleed pages will get kids excited to learn more about geology and each rock formation, and will no doubt inspire some vacation wish lists.
A Chip Off the Old Block is a smart and witty book that will excite a child’s imagination. It would be a terrific addition to home bookshelves and should be included in classroom libraries to accompany STEM, STEAM, and English Language Arts lessons and well as fun story times.
Ages 5 – 8
Nancy Paulsen Books, Penguin Random House, 2018 | ISBN 978-0399173882
Discover more about Jody Jensen Shaffer and her books and find teachers’ resources and activities on her website.
To learn more about Daniel Miyares, his books and his art, visit his website.
You can find A Chip Off the Old Block at these booksellers
International Ninja Day may have started out as an marketing idea by Ninja Burger in 2003, but the day has grown to embrace all manner of Ninja fun. If you love the stealthy cunning of these masters of martial arts warfare, then today’s for you! To celebrate, watch a favorite ninja movie or TV show, put a bit of charity into the day and perform an act of kindness while remaining “invisible,” or share a great book about ninjas with your kids. Here’s a terrific one to enjoy all year round!
The Secrets of Ninja School
By Deb Pilutti
Ruby, a little red-haired girl, is excited to be attending Master Willow’s School for Ninjas. The school, located in a huge house on the outskirts of town, is open only one weekend each summer. Master Willow called his students “‘saplings,’” and each child attended his school eager to learn how to appear invisible, jump skillfully, show patience, and be brave. “But most of all, they came to Master Willow’s School for Ninjas to discover their very own secret skill.”
Copyright Deb Pilutti, 2018, courtesy of Macmillan Publishers.
While the other saplings learned quickly, Ruby could not get the hang of sneaking invisibly, jumping with skill, being patient, or feeling brave. Most disappointing, Ruby could not discover her own secret skill. She went to see Master Willow, who told her that through practice she would improve and find her skill. Ruby did practice and did improve, but her special skill still eluded her.
Copyright Deb Pilutti, 2018, courtesy of Macmillan Publishers.
At bedtime, Ruby felt homesick. The other kids told her that saplings did not miss home, but, still, she told them how her father read stories to her when she couldn’t sleep, how her mother lit a nightlight and kissed her nose when she was afraid of the dark, and that her grandmother would bring out her craft box and “they would spend hours making the most magnificent creations” when she was worried.
Copyright Deb Pilutti, 2018, courtesy of Macmillan Publishers.
Not a sound broke the silence. But then Ruby heard “a sniff and a gasp and a wail. Before she knew it all the other saplings were crying.” Ruby knew just what to do. She “sneaked down the hallway” invisibly, jumped over the cat with skill, and “snipped and stitched and stuffed” patiently. She even bravely explained why she was out of bed when Master Willow caught her.
Back in the dormitory, Ruby turned on a lamp, “gave each of the saplings a stuffed dragon and told them stories of bravery and daring.” Master Willow watched and listened with a smile on his face. When Ruby handed him a stuffed dragon too, he told her that her skills were no longer a secret. “‘You are a wonderful storyteller, a fine dragon maker, and a very good friend.’” Ruby was happy, but she “kept practicing, because being brave isn’t always easy. Even for a ninja.”
Copyright Deb Pilutti, 2018, courtesy of Macmillan Publishers.
Deb Pilutti’s uplifting story takes an honest look, through a fun Ninja lens, at the worries some children have when they compare their skills and talents to others and even against their own expectations. While Ruby struggles to pick up Ninja skills, readers will see that Ruby has other talents, such as perseverance, creativity, and the courage to ask for help. Ruby may feel—like all kids do at times—that she’s different from the others, but she discovers that emotions are universal, allowing her to appreciate and share her gifts for empathy, kindness, and friendship.
Pilutti’s bright illustrations will endear Ruby to readers as she excitedly goes off the ninja school, keeps practicing despite some mishaps, and sees dragons in clouds and shadows. Images of the saplings jumping, throwing, and meditating will delight little home ninjas-in-training, and the fully stocked Ninja Craft Area where Ruby creates her stuffed dragons will cheer young crafters.
You can make Ruby’s Dragon Softie too!
Clear instructions and patterns for an adorable dragon that kids can make at home are included at the end of the story.
Ages 4 – 8
Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt and Company, 2018 | ISBN 978-1627796491
To learn more about Deb Pilutti, her books, and her art and to find fun book-related activities, visit her website.
International Ninja Day Activity
Stealthy Ninja Maze
One little Ninja has gotten separated from her group. Can you help her find her way back in this printable maze?
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