Picture Books about Self-confidence

January 15 – It’s International Creativity Month

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About the Holiday

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

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

Bear’s Big Idea

Written by Sandra Nickel | Illustrated by Il Sung Na

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ages 4 – 8

Carolrhoda Books, 2024 | ISBN 979-8765610176

About the Author

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

About the Illustrator

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

International Creativity Month Activity

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Expressive Bear

 

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

Supplies

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

Directions

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

Alternatively: Color and play with the paper set

For a Fun Story Time

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

To Play a Game

Supplies

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

Directions

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

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You can purchase Bear’s Big Idea from these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review

November 13 – World Kindness Day

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About the Holiday

World Kindness Day began with a conference in 1997 in which organizations from across the globe met in Japan for the purpose of uplifting and recognizing kindness on a global scale. From this meeting they created a “Declaration of Kindness” and, later, a nonprofit called the World Kindness Movement was formed to support and honor community-scale kindness initiatives. Kindness on any scale, on any day, is important to celebrate. To recognize today’s holiday, we follow a story that shows how just a touch of kindness from another person and a will to persist can help one child reach for the stars and, just maybe, end up touching the clouds. 

Thank you to Carolrhoda Books, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, for sharing a copy of Touch the Sky with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Review by Dorothy Levine

Touch the Sky

Written by Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic | Illustrated by Chris Park

When Vern visits the playground, he yearns to be able to swing like the other children do, “to be one of the kids who swooped until their toes touched the sky.” The only problem is Vern does not (yet) know how to pump. And as much as he tries, yanking his body this way and that, ordering his legs with a scream, nothing seems to work. While Vern tries, other children on nearby swings laugh and swoop by him. 

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Image copyright Chris Park, 2024, text copyright Staphanie V.W. Lucianovic. Courtesy of Carolrhoda Books.

Vern is just about ready to give up, when Gretchen comes along. Even though Gretchen and Vern have never played together, Gretchen confidently snags the swing next to Vern and asks, “Do you want to learn how?”

Through many attempts of running, pushing, swooping and trying again, Gretchen coaches and encourages Vern. When her verbal instructions land Vern in the wood chips a few too many times, she switches strategies, standing next to his swing and doing the motions with her own body upright.

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Image copyright Chris Park, 2024, text copyright Staphanie V.W. Lucianovic. Courtesy of Carolrhoda Books.

Just as Vern starts to make progress, Gretchen must leave. Vern is left with a tough choice: to keep trying on his own or give up. When he decides to continue, the motions Gretchen taught tiptoe down the page along with Vern “Run / Hop / Lean / Stretch / Sweep / Pull / Tuck / Swing” until finally, wonderfully “He [takes] flight with the birds.”

The story then ends with this reminder of the cyclical nature of kindness: After a moment of basking in the meditative motion of pumping, Vern notices another kid in Gretchen’s swing watching him enviously. He repeats what Gretchen said when he felt stuck: “‘It feels hard until you get it, and then it’s not…Do you want to learn how?’”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-touch-the-sky-Gretchen-teaching

Image copyright Chris Park, 2024, text copyright Staphanie V.W. Lucianovic. Courtesy of Carolrhoda Books.

Touch the Sky brings to light a hurdle (learning to swing) that is common for many young folks but not often discussed in day-to-day life or in a picture book. While some new skills come with lessons (swimming, learning to ride a bike, reading) learning to swing is a challenge that children are often left to master on their own. Lucianovic creatively and accurately captures the process of learning to pump; her verbal instructions are catchy, succinct, and clear to follow. The composition of the words on the page mirrors the learning to pump process—sometimes twisting around like chains of a swing and other times flying colorfully across whole spreads. The story is centered in realistic dialogue, with age-appropriate humorous moments for readers (like when Gretchen’s mother admonishes her for petting a cat with cheese). The story is both literal and lyrical. Sweeping imagery of swinging for the first time adds a thrilling aspect to the tale.

Park’s illustrations add to the magical feeling of first coasting through a new skill. The illustrations are largely in crayon which gives the images a textured, child-like feel, adding a sense of wonder to the scenes. The pages of instructions include zoomed-in panels for readers to watch each step separately. These panels begin jumbled but then sort out into organized squares as Gretchen’s steps to pumping become clearer to Vern. Park’s use of rainbows and tiny stars when Vern’s situation metaphorically and literally begins to look up immerses readers in the journey he takes to “touch the sky.” 

A heartfelt tale of perseverance and kindness that can be appreciated by all who have struggled and received support from unlikely places, Touch the Sky invites readers to keep trying and to offer helping hands to others when they can. The book would be an excellent addition to home, public, and school libraries.

Ages 5 – 9

Carolrhoda Books, 2024 | ISBN 978-1728460451

About the Author

Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic writes books in the San Francisco Bay Area surrounded by a few kids, a few cats, and one husband. Her work includes The End of Something Wonderful, Hello Star, and The League of Picky Eaters. Visit her at stephanielucianovic.com.

About the Illustrator

Chris Park has been a professional illustrator for over twelve years. Some of his previous clients include TBS, Team Coco, Rolling Stone, American Greetings Co., Cloudco Entertainment, Pro Publica, Sleeping Bear Press, Usborne Publishing and Lightspeed Magazine. He co-authored and illustrated his the picture books Little Sock and Little Sock Makes a Friend with his wife Kia. Chris lives in Minnesota with his wife and two sons. Visit him at chrispark.com.

World Kindness Day and World Kindness Week Activities

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Courtesy of the School of Kindness.

Kindness Bingo

Invite your child or class to spend World Kindness Day, World Kindness Week, or any day playing Kindness Bingo from the School of Kindness at 52 Lives with this game that includes 30 bingo cards, each containing 16 acts of kindness. Visit the School of Kindness website to learn more about their teaching resources.

Also available for free download is the World Kindness Day Pack, which also includes activities that connect to Anti-bullying week, which this year coincides nicely with kindness week.

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You can purchase Touch the Sky from these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review

April 21 – World Creativity and Innovation Day

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About the Holiday

World Creativity and Innovation Day has been observed by citizens and organizations in over 50 countries since 2002. In 2018, the United Nations (U.N.) formally established the holiday to promote the importance of creativity and innovation in all aspects of human development, both at the individual and group levels. This day also highlights the importance of applying creativity and innovation to problem-solving for today’s pressing issues, including scientific, economic, social, and sustainable development. Kids seem to do this inherently as they go about exploring and interacting with all the new things they see, hear, and do every day Books like today’s featured title can spur children to put their own unique talents to work to change an improve the world for all. To learn more about World Creativity and Innovation Day, visit the UN website.

Thanks to Betsy Ellor and Yeehoo Press for sharing a digital copy of My Dog Is NOT a Scientist with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

My Dog is NOT a Scientist

Written by Betsy Ellor | Illustrated by Louisa Vera

 

Yara knows she’s the best scientist in town, but how can she prove it when she always loses the school science fair to her neighbor Eddie, who taunts her about being older and smarter and not having a dog like Renzo to mess up his experiments. This year, though, Yara is determined to win. She already has her question to explore: “What makes paper airplanes fly?” and lots of planes to experiment with. But within minutes Renzo has chased down and torn them all apart. “RENZO!!” Yara yells. “Real scientists don’t chase their experiments,” says Eddie.

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Image copyright Luisa Vera, 2023, text copyright Betsy Ellor, 2023. Courtesy of Yeehoo Press.

Next, Yara chooses to use her scientific observational skills to see if she can illuminate a lightbulb with a lemon. But again Renzo causes a catastrophe and Eddie is right there to see it and make a comment.  Undaunted, however, Yara decides to test her hypothesis about “what makes grass grow fast.” She marks off sections of her backyard that are sunny, shady, dry, and wet and gets to work. Renzo feels the call of nature, too – only in a . . . umm . . . different way than Yara. And, yep, Eddie sees it too.

With one week to go to the science fair, Yara comes up with a hypothesis about insects and does a little problem-solving by erecting a Renzo-free tent to carry out her experiment. Maybe Renzo can’t read or maybe he just has to know, but that dogged dog digs deep and finds a way to upset another experiment.

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Image copyright Luisa Vera, 2023, text copyright Betsy Ellor, 2023. Courtesy of Yeehoo Press.

Now the science fair is tomorrow, and while Eddie has a neat and tidy, perfect-looking project to present, “all Yara has to show is Renzo’s damage.” How can she report what she’s learned like a real scientist when she hasn’t learned anything? Yara thinks. With tears in her eyes she’s ready to concede to Renzo that “Eddie’s right…. You’re NOT a scientist . . . and neither am I.” But then Yara looks at her experiments in a different way—from Renzo’s point of view. Renzo, she realized, asked questions, made observations, and “even formed a hypothesis and tested it.”

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Image copyright Luisa Vera, 2023, text copyright Betsy Ellor, 2023. Courtesy of Yeehoo Press.

Her new perspective gave Yara another idea for her science project. The next day at the science fair, Renzo was Yara’s star exhibit. “Is My Dog a Scientist?” her display asked. Yara tells the judges how Renzo followed his curiosity, how he asked questions, observed, made a hypothesis, and then tested it—just like a scientist. “‘My project proves my dog really IS a scientist,’” she said. The judges agreed and presented Yara with the first-place ribbon. Even though Eddie whined, Yara knew she and Renzo were the best scientists in town—and now everyone else knew it too.

Back matter includes a step-by-step description of the scientific method, some question starters to get young scientists thinking about their own hypotheses, seven questions to spark experimentation, and an invitation for readers to email Yara and Renzo about their experiments. More ideas for experimentation as well as a curriculum guide are also available on Betsy Ellor’s website.

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Image copyright Luisa Vera, 2023, text copyright Betsy Ellor, 2023. Courtesy of Yeehoo Press.

In her clever and creative story, Betsy Ellor perfectly melds the scientific method with sure-to-produce-guffaws humor that will make this book a favorite with kids who are already hard-core scientists as well as those who just like tinkering to explore life’s mysteries. Yara’s determination to win the science fair provides Ellor with a compelling frame to drop examples of real science-based questions and vocabulary into realistic dialog and suspenseful storytelling. The competition between Yara and Eddie also increases the stakes and will have readers rooting for Yara through every mishap. Yara’s inspired thinking on the night before the science fair encourages kids to never give up and prompts them to look at problems with new perspectives and fresh ideas.

Luisa Vera gives kids so much to see and think about in her dynamic illustrations that readers will love exploring for the science, humor, and plentiful details that define the scientific method while demonstrating Yara’s and Eddie’s different approaches to research. But with Yara’s first exasperated “RENZO!!” all eyes will be on this mischievous mutt who just can’t help it if he has a heart for science and a penchant for mischief. Renzo’s various antics will have kids laughing out loud through each of Yara’s experiments and even to the science fair, where even Eddie’s entry attracts the “Renzo” effect.

Funny, effervescent, and loaded with real science, My Dog Is NOT a Scientist is sure to be a catalyst to spark kids’ interest in and understanding of the scientific method as well as the idea that scientific observation and experimentation is a creative process and one that can be unique to each person. The book would enhance any science curriculum for teachers or homeschoolers and is highly recommended for home, classroom, school, and public library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Yeehoo Press, 2023 | ISBN 978-1953458469

Discover the real-life inspiration behind My Dog is NOT a Scientist!

About the Author

Betsy Ellor lives in a home filled with kid shenanigans, canine chaos and creative projects run wild. Her picture book debut, My Dog is NOT a Scientist launches in 2023 from Yeehoo Press. Her 2021 anthology Heroic Care: 35 Writers & Artists Show What It Means To Care reached the top 30 on Amazon, and her family musical Sara Crewe has been performed across the US.

Midwest-born, Betsy started as a playwright, earning a degree in Creative Writing from Ball State University before shifting her focus to novels and picture books. Betsy works as an interior designer. This explains her uniquely visual voice and her passion for stories that keep creative thinking at the heart of scientific exploration. Betsy lives near the beach in Massachusetts with her son and dog (aka the bringers of chaos). She spends way too much time on the computer but frequently escapes for hiking, biking, paddle boarding, and beach time. Visit Betsy on her website.

About the Illustrator

Luisa Vera was born in Elda, Alicante. After Luisa finished her fine-arts career in Valencia, she went to New York, where she attended the School of Visual Arts. Since 1990, she has dedicated herself professionally to illustration. She is the author/illustrator of Let’s Go to the Museum, a Modern Art Museum Maze and has illustrated Casas del mundo, Salta que salta, among other Spanish-language titles for children. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Dallas Morning News, the Wall Street Journal, the International Herald Tribune, and The Vanguard, and her characters have worn their best clothes on book covers, posters, catalogs, children’s stories, and exhibitions. Luisa lives in Barcelona, Spain. You can follow Luisa Vera on Instagram.

Meet Yara and Renzo in this sneak peek of the book!

World Creativity and Innovation Day Activity

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Kids love inventing and experimenting, and these sparkle test tubes give children a fun way to be creative while making a cool way to relax and on those hectic days.

Supplies

  • Plastic test tubes with tight-fitting screw cap, available at craft or science supply stores. Having two or three will allow for more experimentation
  • Glitter glue
  • Hot water
  • Fine glitter
  • Chunky glitter
  • Small glass beads (optional)
  • Neon food coloring (optional)
  • Test tube stand (optional)
  • Whisk
  • Mixing bowl
  • Teaspoon

Directions

  1. Fill a test tube 1/3 full of hot water and pour the water into the mixing bowl
  2. Add 1 – 2 teaspoons of glitter glue (the more glitter glue that is added the thicker the liquid will be and the more the objects will be suspended in the liquid. To allow the objects to flow more freely when the test tube is shaken, add less glue
  3. Whisk the water and glitter glue together
  4. Add chunky glitter, glass beads, or try other small objects
  5. Pour into test tube
  6. Add more water to within a ½ – 1 inch of the top to allow for shaking
  7. Experiment with amount of glitter glue, glitter, and colors

More Science!

Are your kids excited to discover more about the world – and even the cookies they like – through experiments like Yara and Renzo? Then they’ll love the 13 fun and eye-opening experiments on Betsy Ellor’s website. You’ll find them here!

A My Dog is NOT a Scientist Curriculum Guide for teachers, homeschoolers, librarians, and group leaders is also available for download on Betsy Ellor’s website here!

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You can find My Dog Is NOT a Scientist at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop

Picture Book Review

March 14 – Celebrating the Book Birthday of Just a Worm

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Just a Worm

By Marie Boyd

Worm is inching along on a beautiful summer day singing a happy little ditty: “La la la la… Slop, slip, wiggle. / I’m taking a little twirl. / Dop, dip, squiggle. / I’m off to see the world.” And so he was! But on his way he passed two kids who just didn’t see worm the way he saw himself and made him wonder…. Worm bolstered his self-confidence, telling himself that there were a lot of things he could do. 

Just then he wiggled up to a row of brilliant purple flowers, where caterpillars, a chrysalis, and a butterfly were hanging out. Just out of curiosity, worm asked one of the caterpillars what she could do, and—Wow!—when he learned about making a chrysalis and metamorphosis, and becoming a butterfly, he was impressed. And maybe a bit intimidated.

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Copyright Marie Boyd, 2023, courtesy of Greenwillow Books.

Butterfly also seemed to have multiple talents as did Spider and Dragonfly, who informed worm that he’d never be able to fly because he was “‘just a worm.'” Worm seemed resigned to his fate when he came upon ladybug and asked what she could do. Ladybug said, “‘I protect plants by eating insects, like aphids.'” This reminded worm that he did have a talent. “‘I eat dead animals and plants and keep the garden clean,'” he said with growing confidence.

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Copyright Marie Boyd, 2023, courtesy of Greenwillow Books.

By the time worm meets bee, he’s ready to advocate for his own contribution to the garden. Then when snail crawls by and tells worm about the slime that protects him, worm realizes he’s found a friend he can relate to because worm makes slime too! Snail thinks that’s pretty cool, and worm agrees! In fact, worm understands that he can do a lot of things and that many of them benefit the garden. He even lists them all for snail, and as he looks around at the beautiful flowers and luscious berries, he takes some credit for growing “all of this” and proudly states “I’m a WORM!”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-just-a-worm-ladybug

Copyright Marie Boyd, 2023, courtesy of Greenwillow Books.

Marie Boyd’s clever story combines salient information about a variety of insects with worm’s confidence-boosting journey from feeling inferior to the other garden dwellers to realizing his own role and importance in the plants’ growth and vibrancy. From page to page, readers can sense worm’s developing appreciation for his talents, and when he shakes off his misgivings and gives ladybug a small list of his accomplishments, kids will be right there to cheer him on. Readers may be surprised to discover just how much worms do contribute to a healthy garden ecosystem even as they come to understand that there is no such thing as “just a worm” in nature. Worm’s personal growth will also resonate with children, who are trying out new things and beginning to find their place in the world. 

Boyd’s beautiful and original illustrations, created with intricate paper quilling are wonderfully detailed, textured, and expressive of the uniqueness and interconnectivity of nature. She also weaves in metaphorical clouds, which at worm’s lowest point, turn grey and black as they build overhead. But with his newfound confidence, they dissipate to be replaced with white, fluffy clouds that also blow away to reveal a clear, blue sky.

A multilayered story that delivers two important life lessons in a unique and charming way, Just a Worm will become a quick favorite for home, school, and public library story times. The book would be especially fun to pair with home gardening or planting activities for classrooms, libraries, and extracurricular organizations.

Ages 4 – 8

Greenwillow Books, 2023 | ISBN 978-0063212565

About Marie Boyd

Marie Boyd is a law professor, author, illustrator, and self-taught quilling artist. Her author and illustrator debut, Just a Worm (Greenwillow Books 2023), follows worm through the garden as he learns about his neighbors and how he helps keep the garden healthy. Originally from Salt Lake City, Marie lives in Columbia, South Carolina with her husband and two young children. You can find her at marieboyd.com and on Instagram.

Just a Worm Book Birthday Activity

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Make a Quilled Snail

Author/illustrator Marie Boyd built worm’s gorgeous garden world with quilled paper, and now you can make worm’s friend snail for yourself with this tutorial on her website!

Quilled Snail Craft

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You can find Just a Worm at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

January 3 – Book Tour Launch for Love Made Me More

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I’d like to thank Two Lions and Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy of Love Made Me More for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Love Made Me More

Written by Colleen Rowan Kosinski | Illustrated by Sonia Sánchez

 

An origami crane reveals how it came to be after its origins as “just a piece of paper—orange with white and blue spots” and the day when “a boy folds me many times, giving me a head, tail, and wings” under the watchful eye of his grandmother. The crane becomes an instant favorite, and for the crane, the boy is “My Boy.” The young child places the crane on his nightstand, so that he sees it right before going to sleep and again as soon as he wakes up.

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Image copyright Sonia Sánchez, 2022, text copyright Colleen Rowan Kosinski, 2022. Courtesy of Two Lions.

Over the years, the origami crane shares in his play, his dreams, and his wishes and it comforts him in his grief of losing a loved one and when shadows scare him. But as the boy grows older, finds new friends and interests, and becomes braver, he talks less and less to the origami crane. And while the crane still sits on his nightstand, the paper has grown dusty.

Then “one day,” the origami crane says,”My Boy places a photograph in front of me. I peek around and see a picture of a girl with an orange, white, and blue shirt. My colors. I fume.” The crane is jealous that “now she is the last thing he sees” at night and the first in the morning. But more years pass, and a day comes when the boy reaches for the origami crane once more. The crane is hopeful that they will play together again as in the past, but instead the boy unfolds it and “scrawls tickling words” on the paper before refolding it.

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Image copyright Sonia Sánchez, 2022, text copyright Colleen Rowan Kosinski, 2022. Courtesy of Two Lions.

The origami crane has not been forgotten during all of these years. In fact, the crane’s stature has only grown, now offered to the girl with a love-affirming question hidden inside. “‘Yes, I will marry you,’ she says.” The crane embraces her as “My Girl too” as the boy refolds it. Soon, the origami crane finds itself in the center of a flock floating above a crib where a baby, wrapped in an orange, white, and blue blanket sleeps. “My colors,” the crane thinks happily.

The crane is proud that his flock is “the last thing Our Baby sees each night and the first thing he sees each morning” and that “he loves us.” As the baby grows into boyhood and learns how to make an origami crane himself—with his father’s crane close by—the origami crane realizes that what has made it so much more than “just a piece of paper” is all the love it has been shown and has been a part of.

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Image copyright Sonia Sánchez, 2022, text copyright Colleen Rowan Kosinski, 2022. Courtesy of Two Lions.

Colleen Rowan Kosinski’s unique story, told from the perspective of an origami crane that has been molded by a boy from a simple piece of paper to become a beloved keepsake, reveals the endurance and transformative power of love. Infused with feelings of belonging and purpose, the story flows through the changes a lifetime brings not only for the boy but for the origami crane. Just as the boy finds friends, meets a girlfriend, gets married, and has a baby, the crane slowly learns to integrate other people and, finally, a flock of origami cranes into its sphere, changes often told with honest emotions and a sense of the years passing by.

When the boy proposes to the girl with the help of the crane and it now accepts his fiancé as “My Girl too,” the crane seems to gain a sense of new life and autonomy when the boy refolds the paper. Instead of defining itself as “his Origami Crane” it now asserts itself as “Origami Crane.” The idea of the importance of being seen, embraced, and given love over an entire lifetime is woven throughout the story and becomes the central theme as the crane realizes that the baby loves it too. Readers take away the knowledge that it is love freely given—and accepted—that makes all the difference in a person’s self-esteem and the way their life evolves.

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Image copyright Sonia Sánchez, 2022, courtesy of Two Lions.

Sonja Sánchez’s vibrant and lively illustrations glow with the magic and comfort that the origami crane brings to the boy’s life as a child. Using angled images, strong lines that suggest the creasing that defines the origami crane, and warm earth tones, Sánchez centers her illustrations on the crane. Pages full of movement and color paint a picture of the boy’s childhood spent playing, wishing, and dreaming with the crane always by his side give way to a spread shrouded in brown, where the boy and his friends appear only as silhouettes and the orange crane, pushed to the side of the desk and dwarfed by the boy’s new interests in a computer, guitar, and other objects, is the only bright spot in the brown and darkened room.

Time passes and within two page turns, the boy, grown into a young man, once again has the crane in hand. Its former glow of magic is back as the boy unfolds, writes on, and refolds the paper. A baby comes along and, like his father, sails into imagination and play with the crane, finally learning how to fold his own crane as he grows into boyhood.

Love Made Me More is a singular story to share with children to reaffirm their special bond with a favorite toy or memento, but more: to remind and reassure them of the power of enduring love, expressed in so many ways, to transform people, experiences, and life itself. The book would be a unique, uplifting, and affecting addition to home, school, and public library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Two Lions, 2022 | ISBN 978-1542006200

About the Author

Colleen Rowan Kosinski is the author of A Home Again and the author-illustrator of Lilla’s Sunflowers and A Promise Stitched in Time. She received her BA from Rutgers University in visual art, is an alumna of Philadelphia’s Moore College of Art and Design, and spent many years as a successful freelance fine artist. Colleen calls New Jersey her home and resides there with her family. To learn more, and to watch a tutorial on making an origami paper crane, visit www.colleenrowankosinski.com. You can connect with Colleen on Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

About the Illustrator

Sonia Sánchez is the illustrator of a number of picture books, including Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away by Meg Medina, A Crazy-Much Love by Joy Jordan-Lake, and The Little Red Fort by Brenda Maier. Her books have been nominated for the Eisner Award and named a CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People and a Bank Street College Best Book of the Year. She lives with her husband, her kids, and a sleepyhead cat in Barcelona, Spain. You can connect with Sonia on Instagram.

Love Made Me More Tour Launch Activity

Make an Origami Crane

 

Follow along with this tutorial from Origami Tsunami to make your own Origami Crane to love!

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You can find Love Made Me More at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

October 25 – Celebrating the Book Birthday of Herbert on the Slide

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Thanks to Hippo Park Books and Deborah Sloan for sending me a copy of Herbert on the Slide for review consideration. All opinions about the book are my own.

Herbert on the Slide (A Hippo Park Pals Book)

By Rilla Alexander

 

“Herbert loved everything about the slide.” Rilla Alexander’s first sentence speaks directly to the hearts of little ones who fully understand its simple, lovely truth. As Herbert climbs to the top, his teddy bear and truck in tow; settles in on his high perch; launches his “test run” with first Teddy and then truck—”clanky-clank-clank”—and finally counts down to his turn, kids will follow along, entranced by Herbert’s adventure and memories of their own.

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Copyright Rilla Alexander, 2022, courtesy of Hippo Park.

Of course, a slide is never just a slide, and Herbert goes “…again! And again! … sliding down, down, down…into his imagination!” One time, on his belly, “Herbert and Teddy are diving into a deep, purple sea!” Next time, “Herbert is a truck climbing up, up, up a mountain. Chug-chug-chug!” But Herbert isn’t the only one at the playground. His little sister is ready for her turn—and so is mouse and frog and turtle. There’s just one thing to do. “Line up and you can start all over again!”

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Copyright Rilla Alexander, 2022, courtesy of Hippo Park.

Rilla Alexandra’s endearing story for little ones, matched page-by-page by her adorable, “awww”-inspiring art is snuggle-up story time reading at its best. Perfectly reflective of a child’s playfulness and imagination, Herbert on the Slide is not only a story that will captivate them time and time again but a wonderful entry into the world of literature.

A subtle subplot involves Herbert’s younger sister, Fiona (soon to be the star of her own Hippo Park Pals book, Fiona in the Sandbox, coming February 7, 2023). She is at first unidentified and only seen in the distance, heading to the sandbox with her pail, a detail sure to pique kids’ interest. She’s later heard telling Herbert—who, mesmerized by an imagined chase and its successful conclusion, is resting on the bottom of the slide—that it’s her turn. Turning the page, kids see that she’s sitting atop the slide with a line of other wanna-be sliders waiting behind her. Alexander’s encouragement for Herbert to get in line and start again is a gentle and reassuring life lesson.

Sweet smiles and a sunny ambiance welcome readers on every clean, slide-focused page. Each scene is colored with the texture of crayons in bright shades and with the “messy” enthusiasm of children’s art.

A Special Note: The book’s small size (5 1/4-inches by 4 3/4-inches) makes it a perfect take-along, easily slipped into a backpack, diaper bag, or even a pocket for picnics, snack time, or just reading-time fun at the playground, park, beach, farmers market, or anywhere waiting may be required.

Cute as a button and perfectly reflecting the excitement and imagination of children’s free play, Herbert on the Slide is a must for any baby’s or preschooler’s home bookshelf as well as for school and public library collections. The book would be a favorite story time read aloud for daycare, preschool, and kindergarten classrooms as well as for public libraries’ preschool programs. It would also make a much-loved gift for baby showers, new siblings, birthdays, and the holidays. 

Ages 2 – 5

Hippo Park Books, 2022 | ISBN 978-1662640117

Discover more about Rilla Alexander, her books, and her art on her website.

Herbert on the Slide Book Birthday Activity

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Herbert on the Slide Coloring Pages

 

You can find three fun coloring pages from Herbert on the Slide to print on the Hippo Park homepage at Astra Publishing House or here.

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You can find Herbert on the Slide at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

October 21 – My Name Is Not Ed Tug Book Tour Stop

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I’d like to thank The Children’s Book Review and Amy Nielander for sharing a digital copy of My Name Is Not Ed Tug with me. 

My Name Is Not Ed Tug

By Amy Nielander

 

Edimorwhitimormiligimmus Tug knew where he came from and just where he fit into his family. After all, “he was named after his Grandpa Edimor,” who helped him learn how to spell his name with a tall tower of blocks; “his Great Uncle Whitimor,” who taught him how to play the accordion; his Aunt Mili,” who ran a butterfly farm; “and his Granny Gimmus,” who filled his tummy with warm, homemade soup.” Anyone hearing his name might think it was gibberish, but Edimorwhitimormiligimmus thought “it was perfect.”

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Copyright Amy Nielander, 2022, courtesy of West Margin Press.

School, of course, was a challenge since the other kids had a hard time spelling or even remembering his name. And his teacher, Ms. Mell, found that her mouth grew “quite tired” just trying to pronounce it. But one Monday, Ms. Mell announced that a new student, Ty, would be joining their class. Mrs. Mell had made name tags for each student to make it easier for Ty to remember their names, and she slapped one on Edimorwhitimormiligimmus’s shirt. When he looked, Edimorwhitimormiligimmus saw that the tag simply read “Ed.” He gazed at the tag with sadness. “Edimorwhitimormiligimmus Tug was shocked. He was perplexed. He felt like his heart had been stung by a giant bee. Twice.”

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Copyright Amy Nielander, 2022, courtesy of West Margin Press.

After school, Edimorwhitimormiligimmus went straight to his room and stayed there, thinking. When he emerged, he had a plan (and a very perfectly sized name tag taped to his sweater). The next day, he approached Ty, who was playing with puzzle blocks. He stood proudly, displaying his sweater, and introduced himself—his whole self. He slowly said each part of his name and, miraculously, Ty repeated it. Edimorwhitimormiligimmus “was so happy his curls bounced.” Then as he and Ty constructed a tall bridge with the blocks, he explained how he and his Grandpa Edimor “love to build things together”—and had even invented those blocks.

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Copyright Amy Nielander, 2022, courtesy of West Margin Press.

At lunch he did the same thing with the kids at his table, and they also repeated his name. To explain how important his Uncle Whitimor was to him, Edimorwhitimormiligimmus, he played his uncle’s favorite song on the accordion. When the class went out for recess, he told more kids about his Aunt Mili and pointed out, and they too learned his name.

On Tuesday, Mrs. Mell was out sick, and Edimorwhitimormiligimmus saw an opportunity to be kind and explain about his name. He and Ty delivered a steaming pot of Granny Gimmus’s soup to her doorstep and told her all about cooking with his granny. “The delicious soup warmed her heart.” Edimorwhitimormiligimmus’s plan worked. Now everyone, including Ms. Mell, knew—and used—Edimorwhitimormiligimmus’s full name.

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Copyright Amy Nielander, 2022, courtesy of West Margin Press.

The experience prompted Edimorwhitimormiligimmus to come up with a new plan, a project to ensure all of his friends knew their names were just as perfect for them as Edimorwhitimormiligimmus was for him. And he and his classmates got started with the gift they made for Tyvantennyson to give him at his birthday party.

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Copyright Amy Nielander, 2022, courtesy of West Margin Press.

Amy Nielander’s heartwarming and affirming story will captivate kids from the first recitation of “Edimorwhitimormiligimmus Tug”—a name that initially elicits giggles but soon rolls smoothly off the tongue. As they learn how each piece of Edimorwhitimormiligimmus’s name reflects not only the family member he’s named for but also the special things they do together, readers will empathize with the pride he feels in his name and his disappointment when they can’t get it right.

While Nielander’s clever story revolves around one child’s name, there are many other important lessons for both kids and adults woven throughout. Children will understand that their names, personalities, heritage, talents, and dreams are perfect for them just the way they are. For adults, Ms. Mell’s dismissive mangling and shortening of Edimorwhitimormiligimmus’s name to “make it easier for all of us” reminds us that every child deserves to be really seen and accepted for who and everything they are.

Nielander’s illustrations are full of warmth and love, charm and humor as she introduces the unique talents of each member of Edimorwhitimormiligimmus’s inclusive and close-knit family. As Edimorwhitimormiligimmus puts his plan to teach each classmate and Ms. Mell his name into action, the children’s sweet faces and palpable excitement are infectious and will draw readers into this universal hug of a story. The surprise reveal of Ty’s full name and the collective gift the class makes him—with the promise of the same for each child—will delight readers and is sure to spur them to create name signs for themselves.

An engaging, multi-layered story about acceptance, self-esteem, family, and friendship, My Name is Not Ed Tug is a story kids will want to hear again and again. The book is highly recommended for home bookshelves and is a must for classroom, school, and public libraries.

Ages 4 – 8

West Margin Press, 2022 | ISBN 978-1513134871

Discover more about Amy Nielander, her books, and her art on her website.

Take a peek at the book trailer for My Name Is Not Ed Tug!

 

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You can purchase My Name Is Not Ed Tug at these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop 

Picture Book Review