May 3 – It’s Get Caught Reading Month and Interview with Author Jody Jensen Shaffer

About the Holiday

Launched in 1999 by the Association of American Publishers and managed by Every Child a Reader, Get Caught Reading Month hopes to instill a love of reading in every child and encourages people of all ages to read more. Celebrities, authors, illustrators, and others participate by sharing pictures of themselves reading an old favorite or new book on social media. Special materials are available for and programs held in schools, libraries, bookstores, and community venues all month long. Why not join in by finding a new book to love—like today’s book?! For more information and to find resources, visit the Get Caught Reading website.

Penguin Random House sent me a copy of A Chip Off the Old Block to check out. All opinions are my own. I’m partnering with Penguin Random House in a giving away a copy of A Chip Off the Old Block. See details below.

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!”

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Meet Jody Jensen Shaffer

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I’m excited to talk with Jody Jensen Shaffer today about what she loves about writing poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, her favorite childhood memories, and her rescue dog, Sophie.

What was the spark for A Chip off the Old Block?

Hi Kathy! Thanks for having me on your blog. The spark for A Chip off the Old Block was the phrase, “Rocky loved his rock star relatives.” It came to me as I was brainstorming picture book ideas, and it felt like the first line of a story. I loved the word play of the line, so I created a story around it. I just had to discover who Rocky was and what his story would be.

A Chip off the Old Block combines terrific storytelling with science and history. What would you like for readers to take away from the book? How have children reacted to Chip?

Thanks! It was lots of fun to write. I hope readers take away from the book the idea that you’re never too small to matter and to never give up on your dreams. Bonus points if they learn a little about rocks, US landmarks, maps, and natural formations! I’ve been really happy with how Chip has been received by children and adults! One class even did a Google maps tour of the places Rocky visits in his travels.

You write across the spectrum of children’s literature from poetry to nonfiction to fiction. Can you briefly describe what you like about each?

I love writing poetry because of the challenge of the form. It’s like putting a puzzle together, and the pieces are brevity, beauty, meaning, and joy.

I love writing fiction because I can choose any characters I want, put them in any situations I want, and have fun with the language, voice, and story.

I love writing nonfiction because I love learning new things! And my interest in science comes to me naturally because of my dad’s influence. He was a college professor of biological sciences (and a great wordsmith).

You’ve said that you loved being a kid. What’s one of your favorite memories? How does being able to tap into that feeling of childhood influence your work?

I have so many great memories of my childhood: fishing with my family at local ponds, riding bikes to the swimming pool, visiting my dad’s lab at the college, even working our huge garden with my siblings (before we were allowed to ride our bikes to the swimming pool). I feel so blessed to have had the parents I had and the childhood they gave me. It’s easy to recall feelings of being loved and valued. I hope to send that same message to my readers through my writing.

You say you can remember the exact moment you learned to read. Can you talk about that a little?

It’s a very brief memory. I was reading an early chapter book and laboriously sounding out each syllable, index finger on page, when it occurred to me that if I just read “lighter,” the words might come to me more easily. I relaxed, I guess, and the words came. It was like a light switch turned on. From then on, I read fluently.

What’s the best part about being a children’s author? Do you have an anecdote from an author event that you’d like to share?

There are so many great things about writing for children, and I feel really blessed to be able to do it, but if I have to choose the best thing, I’d say it’s being able to play with words for a living. In terms of an anecdote, I was Skyping with a class for World Read Aloud Day recently, and a little guy stepped up to the screen and told me how much he liked one of my less well-known books. I felt his sincerity, and I appreciated him telling me.

In 2017, your book Prudence the Part-Time Cow was chosen to represent Missouri in the National Book Festival in Washington DC that is hosted by the Library of Congress. Can you talk about this honor a little? How was Prudence chosen and what did it mean for you as an author and for the book?

I was super excited to learn that the Missouri Center for the Book chose Prudence for that honor! At the National Book Festival, each state chooses a book to represent it. All the states’ books are displayed together in one room for festival-goers. I didn’t attend the event, but several people who did told me Prudence sold out several times!

You’re a dog lover and have a rescue dog named Sophie. I’d love to hear more about her!

How much time do you have? Just kidding. She’s part long-haired dachshund, part chihuahua, we think. Very friendly, a good walking companion, pretty, and a real cuddler. She sleeps under the sheets with us.

What’s up next for you?

In July 2018, just in time for back-to-school, Beach Lane will publish It’s Your First Day of School, Busy Bus! about a school bus’s first day of school. In 2019, Grosset & Dunlap will release my bobble-head biography, Who Is Jackie Chan? I’ve got more projects coming that have yet to be announced, so I better stop there. I’ll continue to publish poetry in great children’s magazines, too.

What’s your favorite holiday? Do you have an anecdote from any holiday you’d like to share?

I really like Earth Day and Arbor Day. I love helping take care of the earth.

Thanks, Jody! It’s been so great chatting with you! I wish you all the best with A Chip Off the Old Block and all of your books and projects!

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**You can find A Chip Off the Old Block at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound | Penguin Random House

(Leaving a review is one of the best ways to support authors and illustrators!)

You can connect with Jody Jensen Shaffer on

Her website | Twitter

Get Caught Reading Month Activity

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Catch the Reading Bug Bookmark and Bookplate

If you love to read, show it with these printable Reading Bug book bling!

I’ve Got the Reading Bug Bookmark | I’ve Got the Reading Bug Bookplate

Picture Book Review

April 28 – National Superhero Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Today, we celebrate superheroes—both fictional and real—who make the world a better place. While fictional superheroes have uncommon strength, endless courage, and powers that defy nature, it doesn’t take super abilities to make a difference. Teachers, nurses, doctors, police officers, firefighters, and soldiers are just some of the professions that require the commitment and dedication of superheroes. Moms, dads, and kids all over the world are also fighting to make positive change. Discover your special abilities today and begin your life as someone’s superhero.

Superpowers! A Great Big Collection of Awesome Activities, Quirky Questions, and Wonderful Ways to See Just How Super You Already Are

Written by M.H. Clark | Illustrated by Michael Byers

Have you ever wondered if you could be a superhero? Pretty much everyone imagines what kind of superpower they’d like—invisibility, super speed, super strength, maybe the ability to fly. What if someone told you you already are a superhero? And even showed you a way to prove it? Superpowers! is that someone. Well, actually, you are that someone. What do I mean? Come along and see!

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Image copyright Michael Byers, 2017, text copyright M.H. Clark, 2017. Courtesy of Compendium.

As you turn to the first page, you’re greeted enthusiastically. Why? The narrator was anticipating that question. The answer is: “Because…the whole world needs you. And we need you to turn on your superpowers.” You might be feeling astonished right now or maybe you’re even laughing. But it’s true—you have superpowers. And the world needs “you and your superpowers. Every day.” So get started on discovering your powers!

First, you’re going to do a little self-reflecting. “What does it feel like when you are you?” Think deeply, think quietly, think honestly. “What makes you so amazing?” A few words that might apply are already provided. What are some others? Write them down or draw them—right in the book! Great job! The next page has some questions about the things you love to do. And there are a few more about what makes you uniquely you because being a superhero “isn’t about being someone who you aren’t—it’s about being really who you are.”

Next there’s a page where your friends can write or draw what they think your superpowers are. Do you think they’re right? Have you ever thought about looking inside yourself just like you look at your outside self? Is your outside appearance and how you feel inside the same? Often it’s helpful to remind yourself of “things you didn’t used to be able to do, but NOW you can.” You’ll be amazed at what a long list you can make!

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Image copyright Michael Byers, 2017, text copyright M.H. Clark, 2017. Courtesy of Compendium.

Would you like to put the word out about you and your superpowers? There’s a letter you can fill in that’s sure to introduce you well. Okay, now that people know you’re out there, it’s time to work on your super identity. What is your superhero name? Write it on the blinged-out sign right on the next page. Now, you need a mission. “What is one good thing you would like to do for yourself, your family, your friends, your school, the world?” Write or draw those things too!

Sometimes knowing what you don’t like or aren’t so interested in doing is important too. It’s okay to have things like that. No one can like everything. It can be hard to admit your “anti-superpowers,” but it’s good to able to do it, so there’s a page where you can. Then it’s on to filling up your superpower tool kit. These tools can be anything! What would you need? “A rocket ship? A basketball? A pizza, a parachute, or maybe nothing but a pencil?”

Now, imagine where you’d keep that toolkit and where you’d practice your superpowers. Where is it? What does it look like? Is it “a library? A swimming pool? A concert hall?” It’s time to think ahead. Picture yourself winning an award for something you’ve done. Here’s the trophy, but what’s inscribed on the base? Go ahead and write it in! Then decorate that trophy just the way you’d like.

Ready to make your story legend? Check off the way you would describe your journey on the special Superpower Legend page. Finally, you’re going to look into a crystal ball. What incredible thing do you see yourself doing? When you really know yourself and appreciate your superpowers, you can make this vision come true!

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Image copyright Michael Byers, 2017, text copyright M.H. Clark, 2017. Courtesy of Compendium.

The beauty of Superpowers! is in its ability to get kids thinking about themselves and their talents in a new way. The questions—which are always uplifting, intriguing, and fun to answer—prompt kids to look at themselves in the way they honestly feel and to think about the image they project to the world. When children discover the words (or pictures) for the emotions, actions, and personality traits that inspire them, spark their creativity, and give them focus, the path toward the achievements they want to make is clearer. Examples like “basketball,” “concert hall,” and even “pizza” sprinkled throughout show readers that “everyday” activities can be someone’s superpower.

The text is written in a friendly, conversational tone that kids will respond to, and the full-color pages and bold images offer hip, retro, futuristic, and enticing backdrops to the areas provided for kids to answer the prompts.

A unique tool to allow children to think on their own or to jumpstart conversations with adults about things they’d like to accomplish now and/or in the future as well as for choosing afterschool activities and lessons, Superpowers! would be welcome on any child’s bookshelf.

Ages 6 – 11

Compendium, 2018 | ISBN 978-1943200757

Discover more about Michael Byers and his art on his website.

National Superhero Day Activity

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Superhero Coloring Pages

Do you have a POW! or ZAP! in you? Or do you make Girl Power your mantra? If so, here are some Superhero Coloring Pages to enjoy.

Girl Power Superhero Coloring Page | Kapow! Superhero Coloring Page | Zap! Superhero Coloring Page

Picture Book Review

April 23 – National Take a Chance Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Sometimes it takes a special nudge to get us to leave our comfort zone and try something new—even if it’s something we’ve been wanting to do for a long time. Today’s holiday provides that push by encouraging people to let go of the fears and doubts that hold them back. Whether you prefer to try new things a little at a time or decide to dive right in, you’ll feel happier and more excited by life if you reach for that gold ring when it comes around.

What Do You Do with a Chance?

Written by Kobi Yamada | Illustrated by Mae Besom

One day, a child says, they got a chance. The chance seemed to know them, but the child wasn’t sure why it was there or what to do with it. The chance was persistent, but unsure, the child “pulled back. And so it flew away.” Later the child thought about that chance and realized they “had wanted it,” but even now they didn’t know if they had the courage to take one.

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Image copyright Mae Besom, 2017, text copyright Kobi Yamada, 2017. Courtesy of Compendium.

The next time a chance came by, the child tried to grab it, but they “missed and fell.” They felt embarrassed, and “it seemed like everyone was looking at [them].” That was a feeling they never wanted again. Now whenever they saw a chance, “[they] ignored it.” They let so many pass them by that chances stopped coming. Then the child worried that they would never get another one.

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Image copyright Mae Besom, 2017, text copyright Kobi Yamada, 2017. Courtesy of Compendium.

Although the child acted as if they didn’t care, they really did. They just didn’t know if they “would ever be brave enough” to take a chance. But then the child had a new idea and thought that maybe being brave “for a little while at the right time” was what it too. The child decided that the next time a chance came around, they were going to grab it. The child even went out to search for it, and then on a regular day, a glow appeared in the distance. Could this be it?

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Image copyright Mae Besom, 2017, text copyright Kobi Yamada, 2017. Courtesy of Compendium.

The child was ready. Racing toward the light, they didn’t feel afraid; instead, they were excited. As the child got near, they saw that it was an enormous chance. As soon as they could reach it, they climbed aboard and soared wherever it took them. Now the child understands that when they ignore chances, they miss out on all the wonderful things they wants to learn and do and be.

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Image copyright Mae Besom, 2017, text copyright Kobi Yamada, 2017. Courtesy of Compendium.

Whether the reader is a natural risk taker or on the more hesitant side, a child or an adult, Kobi Yamada offers encouragement and inspiration for those times when doubt or fear interferes with taking an opportunities when they come along. Kobi’s use of a first person narrator provides a level of comfort as the focus isn’t on the reader, but on feelings shared with a kindred spirit.

Quiet children or those with anxiety will see that there are others for whom leaving their comfort zone is difficult. Kobi’s concrete language echoes the inner monologue of questioning, hope, embarrassment, and regret that can hinder people from trying something new or big. He also presents gentle, solid advice and reveals that small voice of determination and courage that does lie within most hearts. When the child finally grabs onto the greatest chance, readers will also feel emboldened and will be ready to soar too.

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Image copyright Mae Besom, 2017, text copyright Kobi Yamada, 2017. Courtesy of Compendium.

Mae Besom brilliantly depicts the child’s contrasting feelings to be free, spontaneous, and courageous on one hand and secure and protected on the other through her use of space and color. The mystical, medieval-type town the child lives in is crowded, with homes wall-to-wall and stacked one on top of the other. The friends or family the boy follows walk together tightly grouped, and these are all rendered in charcoal, white and dusty yellow. In contrast, the chances—origami butterflies with long tails—are golden yellow and fly away from the town, touching down on the child’s reflecting pool, over fields, and into the vast sky.

The child’s clothes are earthy brown, and the grass underfoot always green. As the child embraces bravery, animal companions also gain color, and as they all race toward the huge chance, they appear closer to the reader, filling the page. At last as the child soars on the wings of the chance, the town appears in the distance but is now also a place of color, light, and opportunity.

Without gender pronouns and a child with neutral clothing and hairstyle, What Do You Do with a Chance? is universal for all children.

The final book in the series, which includes What Do You Do with an Idea? and What Do You Do with a Problem?, What Do You Do with a Chance? is a must-own for home and classroom libraries to inspire discussions about overcoming fear, taking chances, and being yourself. The book will be an often-read addition to any bookshelf.

Ages 5 – 10 and up

Compendium, 2017 | ISBN 978-1943200733

National Take a Chance Day Activity

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Colorful Clothespin Butterfly Craft

Butterflies are a lot like chances. They don’t start right off fully formed, but go through different stages, waiting times, and some amazing changes on their metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly. Chances also take time, practice, and spreading your wings to be fulfilled.

With this easy Colorful Clothespin Butterfly Craft, you can make your own butterfly that will always remind you to take a chance when it flies your way.

Supplies

Wooden pin clothespin
Tissue paper in a choice of colors
Craft paint in a choice of colors
Black craft paint
Paintbrush
Toothpick
Scissors
Fishing line, thread, or string for hanging (optional)
Adhesive magnet for hanging (optional)

Directions

To Make the Body

Paint the clothespin, let dry
When dry add accent dots or lines and eyes. I used a toothpick with the point cut off to make the dots on the purple butterfly. I used the pointy end of a toothpick to make the eyes and the lines on the pink butterfly.

To Make the Wings

For the top wings, cut a 6 ½ -inch circle from tissue paper
For the bottom wings, cut a 5 ¼ – inch circle from tissue paper
With the head of the clothespin facing down, insert the larger circle into the split in the clothespin so that half of the circle shows on either side.
Gently pull the circle down tightly into the split, pulling it as far in as possible—about half way
Next insert the smaller circle into the split and repeat the above step.
Gently fan out the wings if necessary

If hanging the butterfly, attach fishing line, threat, or string

If making a magnet, attach the adhesive magnet to the back of the butterfly.

Picture Book Review

April 21 – National Kindergarten Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

As the school year winds down, all of those soon-to-be preschool graduates are looking forward to going to kindergarten in the fall. Becoming a “big kid” with new friends to make, new responsibilities, and lots of new things to learn is exciting. National Kindergarten Day celebrates that feeling and wishes all young learners the best start to their school career.

My Good Morning

Written by Kim Crockett Corson | Illustrated by Jelena Brezovec

A little girl wakes up before the sun to start her day. She’s ready and rarin’ to go so why aren’t Mommy and Daddy? Slippers on, she runs to wash her hands “without a hitch” even though—Oops!—the soap is so slippery! Next she brushes her teeth, which is a cinch once there’s more toothpaste in her mouth than in her hair and on the mirror. She’s even got the potty thing down.

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Then, says the girl it’s “Onto the bed, where I jump up and down. / Whee! There’s no time to waste as I flop around. / Mommy wrestles me into my clothes. / Daddy slide socks and shoes over my toes.” She ties her own shoes over mismatched socks, and her coat, though askew, is buttoned bottom to top. Before school she has just enough time to slurp down some milk. Her kitty laps up the splashes and drips.

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Bundled up for the cold, the little girl strides out the door, but just at the edge she trips over the rug. Not to worry, she says. “I pick myself up, / then I wave and smile.” And so what if “getting me into the car seat / takes a while.” At school she climbs the stairs without any help. She puts her backpack on the shelf and her coat on the hook—well, almost.

In the classroom, the little girl says hi to her friends and then with “so many puzzles and toys, / I’m ready to play! / I hug Daddy good-bye, / I’m going to have a great day!”

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In Kim Crockett Corson’s “can-do” book for young readers, a little girl is exuberant and positive as she gets ready for school. Kids will love the girl’s infectious personality that turns every experience into a self-confidence boosting success. The cheery rhymes echo the little girl’s attitude, making My Good Morning a perfect book to share with readers who are beginning to make their way in the world.

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Jelena Brezovec’s colorful illustrations offer both humor and encouragement as she juxtaposes the little girl’s view of her accomplishments with the small mishaps that accompany them. The girl’s parents are in turn smiling, frazzled, watchful, and ultimately proud. Brezovec’s portrayal of an interracial couple is welcome, and the curly-haired little girl will become a fast friend to little readers.

Ages 4 – 6

Clavis, 2017 | ISBN 978-1605373423

Discover a gallery of illustration work by Jelena Brezovec on her website!

All or Nothing Day Activity

Today is a Good Day Coloring Page

You can make every day a good day just by remembering the good things (even one good thing) that happened. Color and hang this printable Today is a Good Day Coloring Page. It will make you smile!

Picture Book Review

April 20 – National Look Alike Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Do people say you look like someone else—a family member or friend or maybe a celebrity or historical figure? If so, today is the day to embrace that dopplegänger and perhaps have a little fun with the resemblance. The holiday got started in 1980 when television news reporter Jack Etzel was looking for a feature story on a slow news day. Out on the sidewalk with his camera crew, Etzel spotted a man who looked like Humphrey Bogart. He stopped him and asked him who people said he looked like. Etzel and his crew went on to ask more people about their look-alikes. The next day, Etzel contacted the people who organize the Chase Calendar of Events and proclaimed April 20 as Look Alike Day. Why not join in the fun and go all out? Dress up as your look alike, talk and act like them, and enjoy a day of fame!

Quackers

By Liz Wong

Quackers, a little orange tabby, wants to say hello! “Meow.” Quackers is a duck. “He knows he’s a duck because he lives at the duck pond with all the other ducks.” Not only that, but all of his friends are ducks. Sometimes, though, when he looks around at all the white feathers and orange beaks, he feels a bit out of place, and communicating is sometimes difficult. There’s also the issue of food—some of the things he’s given to eat are pretty slimy or tiny or hard to chew, and duckweed seems to be on the menu all the time. The worst, though? Getting wet.

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One day, Quackers meets another duck who looks like him and sounds like him. In his joy, Quackers blurts out, “‘I’ve never met a duck who understands me!’” The gray kitten, Mittens, is confused at first and then understands and then laughs. At last, she invites Quackers to follow her. They end up at a farm where Mittens lives with “a whole flock of strange ducks. Ducks just like Quackers.”

Mittens shows Quackers how they “chase mice,” which Quackers prefers to swimming; “drink milk,” which is more delicious than duckweed; and clean themselves, which Quackers is a bit iffy on. Soon, Quackers is napping with his new friends. As much as he enjoys being a cat, Quackers starts to miss the duck pond. He even finds that he has a craving for duckweed. He scampers back and discovers that “most of all, he missed his friends.”

Now Quackers splits his time at the pond and the farm. Sometimes he’s a duck, and sometimes he’s a cat. But all the time “he’s just Quackers, and that makes him completely happy.”

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As mom to a cat who thinks he’s part person and possibly part dog, I fell in love with Liz Wong’s little Quackers and little readers will too. Kids will giggle as Quackers sits contentedly on a lily pad, accepts slugs and snails as snacks with a meow-nimum of fuss, and explains to Mittens that he’s a duck. Readers, who are beginning to develop their own identity, will be cheered when Quackers embraces both his duck and cat sides. They’ll understand that it’s what’s inside a person that matters and that being yourself is the best thing you can be. Wong’s adorable kittens and ducks will charm kids, and her simple hand-lettered text and speech bubbles create a cozy reading experience that’s like a sweet hug in a book.

Full of humor, self-acceptance, and inclusion, Quackers should find a home on any child’s and classroom’s bookshelf.

Ages 3 – 7

Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2016 | ISBN 978-0553511543

Discover more about Liz Wong, her books, and her art on her website.

National Look Alike Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-match-the-kittens-puzzle

Match the Kittens Puzzle

These adorable kittens all have a twin, but they’ve gotten mixed up while playing. Can you find the matching pairs in this printable Match the Kittens Puzzle?

Picture Book Review

April 9 – International Unicorn Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

If you ask a child—maybe even an adult—to name a magical creature, chances are they’ll say, “a unicorn!” Unicorns have been part of legend since ancient times, undergoing changes from an image of fierceness and power to a representation of strength and true love to today’s more glittery superstar. To celebrate, learn more about the history of these mystical animals and check out your favorite unicorns of book, TV, and toy fame!

Thelma the Unicorn

By Aaron Blabey

“Thelma felt a little sad. / In fact, she felt forlorn. / You see, she wished with all her heart / to be a unicorn.” Thelma was a little pony—brown and short and overlooked. Her best friend Otis told her, “‘You’re perfect as you are,’” but when Thelma compared herself to the sleek white mare on the farm, she said, “‘I’m not.’” Then she saw a carrot left over from dinner and had an idea.

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She tied the carrot to her forehead and told Otis, “‘I’ll say that I’m a unicorn! / It might just work… / who knows?’” At this very moment a truck driver passing by caught sight of Thelma and careened off the side of the road. “As Thelma watched the swerving truck, / it very nearly hit her. / Would you believe that truck was filled / with nice pink paint and glitter?”

In the blink of an eye Thelma was doused in sparkles and had become what she always dreamed of. She was a unicorn and “special now!” Crowds lined up at the farm gate to see the pink unicorn. The media descended with their cameras and video recorders, and Thelma quickly became a world-wide phenomenon. Everywhere she went fans screamed her name, took pictures, waved signs, and wanted to be near her. She even got her hoofprint on the Walk of Fame.

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Thelma sailed to foreign ports on a ship named The Fairy Princess, attended by stewards who fulfilled her every wish. “But soon she found that so much fame / was kind of tricky, too….” Her fans mobbed her with crushing zeal; chased after her wherever she went, screamed, cried, laughed, and pointed whenever they saw her; and hounded her day and night for her autograph. “It NEVER EVER stopped.”

When Thelma asked “the screaming crowd” not to chase her anymore, they said “‘We’ll chase you all we want….We’re fans, so it’s allowed.’” Then there were the people who “were not her fans at all. / No, some were really mean. / And some just did the meanest things / she’d really ever seen.” Some threw eggs while she roller skated for charity and others held up signs reading “I don’t like unicorns” where she was sure to see them.

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Back in her fancy hotel room, all alone and bedraggled, soaked in egg, and with her “horn” losing its luster, Thelma looked at a photo of Otis. “…she felt quite sad, / this famous little pony. / She said, ‘I thought that I’d feel great… / but all I feel is lonely.’” Right then, she decided to make a change. She washed off all the pink paint and sparkles and removed her horn.

She left and “walked right past the crowd. / They didn’t even notice / She thought how nice that it would be…to see her lovely Otis.” Back at the farm, Thelma happily stood underneath a tree with Otis, When he asked her about her trip, she simply said, “‘Oh, it was fun, but I’d rather be just me.’”

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Aaron Blabey’s cautionary tale of a pony who is granted her wish to be “more” than she is, deftly reveals the pitfalls of abandoning your true nature for what appears to be the perks of celebrity with a splash of humor and some no-nonsense honesty. Through Blabey’s smoothly flowing rhymes, readers see that being special is not based on a sparkly appearance that pleases false friends. Instead, each person is remarkable for their unique personalities and talents that true friends will appreciate.

Today’s social media-savvy children will recognize Blabey’s screaming crowds and overzealous fans and will come to understand, with Thelma, that being “in the pink” can be short-lived and that glitter soon fades.

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Blabey’s distinctive illustrations portray Thelma’s transformation from “regular pony” to celebrity unicorn and back again with flair and all the bling that goes along with superstardom. The crowds are giddy, awed, obsessive, and adoring until the backlash starts, which Blabey portrays with candid examples. His final spreads in which Thelma goes unrecognized by her fans and is then lovingly welcomed back by Otis beautifully sum up the theme of the story.

Aaron Blabey’s light touch coupled with his encouragement to be true to yourself makes Thelma the Unicorn a great choice for home and classroom libraries.

Ages 3 – 7

Scholastic Press, 2017 | ISBN 978-1338158427

Scholastic Press sent me a free copy of Thelma the Unicorn to check out. All opinions are my own.

Discover more about Aaron Blabey, his books, and his art on his website

International Unicorn Day Activity

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Magical Unicorn Coloring Page

Grab your crayons—and your glitter—and make this printable Magical Unicorn Coloring Page sparkle!

Picture Book Review

March 2 – Read Across America Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Today’s holiday, established by the National Education Association in 1997, encourages children all across the country to celebrate reading and all of its joys and benefits. To commemorate the day, authors, illustrators, politicians, athletes, librarians, and families hold special reading events in schools, libraries, bookstores, and community centers. A love of reading is one of life’s greatest pleasures and begun early can be a powerful force for future success. Celebrate today by reading with a child or on your own. There are fabulous worlds and stories waiting to be discovered.

Tough Tug

Written by Margaret Read MacDonald | Illustrated by Rob McClurkan

In a shipyard in Anacortes, Washington, a new tugboat is being built. He watches every weld and rivet and tells the workers to make him strong “so big waves can’t break me!” Tough Tug is happy to see that he’s being painted red—his favorite color. When he’s all finished, Tough Tug is launched into the sea, where the older tugs are waiting to welcome him. “‘Hooray! I’m floating! This is fun!’” Tough Tug says. He can’t wait to show what he can do.