National Gingerbread Cookie Day!

 November 21st is National Gingerbread Cookie Day!

CELEBRATE with your favorite Gingerbread Cookie. Here’s mine—

THE GINGERBREAD COWBOY!

Picture Book Friday

 

Papá's Magical Water-Jug Clock by Jesús Trejo with illustrations by Eliza Kinkz

 

This 2024 Pura Belpré Honor Award book is a lively story of good intentions gone awry!

Little Jesus is determined to be the best helper ever when he gets to join his Papá for a day of work in his landscaping business.  Jesus is given a very important job. He will be in charge of the magical water-jug clock. Papá explains that by the time the jug is empty their day’s work will be done. But landscaping is dry, dusty work! The sun is hot! And kind-hearted Jesus is soon offering drinks to an amusing collection of thirsty animals encountered at their various jobs—a sweater-wearing dog, an assortment of old of cats, even a flock of peacocks. When he and Papá need cups of water, the jug is empty and it’s only noon!

Kinkz’s vibrant artwork pairs perfectly with Trejo’s spirited prose. Together they convey the joyful chaos that follows Jesus with every turn of the page.

Spanish words are skillfully integrated into the story-telling providing readers a chance to learn some vocabulary and making the whole reading experience more fun!

Papá's Magical Water-Jug Clock would be a delightful addition to home or school libraries.

Picture Book Friday

 

Natthe Cat Takes a Nap: Ready-to-Read by author/illustrator Jarrett Lerner.

Nat the Cat is built on a simple, but clever premise. He wants to take a nap, but his efforts are consistently thwarted by a narrator who interrupts to describe Nat’s actions as portrayed in the illustrations. The resulting confusion provides plenty of silly fun that will have youngsters laughing.

Poor Nat grows more and more grumpy as he struggles to cat-nap and fails to get more than a few ZZ’s before he’s awakened, again! As if the incessant chatter isn’t enough, the narrator further complicates matters by misinterpreting Nat’s remarks. When Nat exclaims, “Oh brother!” after being awakened yet again, the narrator confidently concludes, “Nat is calling for his brother,” sending the story spinning in a new direction that ultimately leads to a satisfying resolution.

With beginning readers in mind, Lerner employs short, three-to-five-word sentences and basic, repetitive vocabulary. The simple, action-packed illustrations paired with strong facial expressions, provide plenty of visual clues to aid in understanding.

Three- to five-year-olds will enjoy the story and build confidence at the same time.

Picture Book Friday

 

Scroll by Hui Li is a wonderfully imagined story of discovery and adventure.

This is Li’s debut author/illustrated book for young readers and it is a delight on so many levels. What a clever and fun way to introduce children and adults to the beautiful history and culture of this ancient art. A two-page introduction provides an easily understood background about Chinese calligraphy. The story that follows quickly immerses the audience in stunning illustrations combining water colors and flowing ink strokes that carry the story forward with Lulu’s remarks enhanced with speech bubbles.

Chinese characters labeled in English appear at the top of each page to provide context and challenge viewers to find their match in the story.

In an Author’s Note, Hui Li shares her memories of growing up in China. In particular, she discusses her experience learning the art and history of Chinese characters. In choosing to draw upon this special passion, she has crafted a marvel we can share.

The target age for Scroll is 4-8, but I would encourage both children and adults to take this opportunity to expand their cultural knowledge with this engaging read.

Recommended for homes, schools, and libraries.

I always love seeing the many imaginative and fun ways my books find audiences! Lasso a good book and READ!

Picture Book Friday

Hidden Gem by author and illustrator, Linda Liu, offers a clever portrait about finding confidence in being yourself. 

“I rock and roll and tumble,” says a little pebble as curiosity draws it to the Museum of Rocks to see the World’s Most Beautiful Gem. Once inside, the pebble encounters rocks in every variety of shape and color. The discovery leads the pebble to wonder how to become as special as the others. It imagines how it might need to change until… it finally comes face to face with the most beautiful gem of all. The little pebble sees it’s reflection in the gem’s glowing surface and understands, at last, that “…being special is being me!”

Liu’s minimalist rhyming text is paired with bold visuals that allow the art to do much of the story telling, while the words define the narrative.

Designed for readers 4-8, this book is a charming reminder that we are all special in our own way. The subtle messaging provides parents and teachers with a variety of talking points for conversations about self-confidence, inclusion, and acceptance of ourselves and, by extension, others.

Recommended for home and school libraries.

Picture Book Friday

 

Beneath by author and illustrator Cori Doerrfeld

Did you ever have one of those days when you just wanted to stay in bed with the covers pulled over your head? Today is one of those days for Finn who “doesn’t want to talk about it!”

Even when Grandpa coaxes Finn into taking a walk in the forest, the quilt goes too. That’s okay with Grandpa. “I’ll remember to think of what’s beneath,” he promises. Over the course of the walk, Grandpa gently draws Finn’s attention to what’s beneath in nature—the roots of massive trees, the teeming aquatic life under the quiet lake waters, the delicate eggs snug beneath a nesting bird—to name a few. Eventually, Finn’s curiosity leads to a question about whether or not their observations apply to people.  Finn learns that beneath appearances are experiences, beneath differences are similarities… and best of all… empathy and understanding.

Doerrfeld’s approach to this delicate subject matter is simple, honest, and straight forward honoring the child’s feelings without becoming preachy.

The lovely artwork provides lots of visual clues for young readers to find and decode. The images not only furnish insight into what’s beneath in nature, but also offer hints to what is going on with the assortment of hikers encountered later in the story.

Pairing the child’s emotional place with the hidden depths of the natural world discovered on the forest walk creates ample opportunities for a conversation about hidden feelings that can often be hard to identify or bring into the open. That conversation is further enhanced by the addition of a broad variety of individuals who may require a second look to learn more about them—a subtle reminder to look past first impressions.

BENEATH offers a wonderful means to introduce a discussion about feelings and experiences and I can imagine some thoughtful SEL lessons predicated on this nature-as-a-metaphor theme.

Recommended for home and school libraries.

Picture Book Friday

Elena Rides by author and illustrator Juana Medina is a lively tale of challenge and persistence that is sure to produce smiles in beginning readers.

 Elena, the elephant, is determined to learn how to ride her two-wheeler, but success doesn’t come easy. Falls and tumbles lead to tears, but she’s not alone. A little red bird is with her at every turn offering encouragement. She tries again and goes, goes, goes… right into her biggest crash yet! She’s ready to quit! And then…she gives it one more try. AND ELENA RIDES!

Bold artwork—this is a purple elephant after all—sets the tone and fully embraces the storyline. The crashes fill double-page spreads and seem to leap off the paper with each surprising scene. And Elena’s determination is fully on display!

Children and their parents will recognize and appreciate Elena’s struggle to master a new skill and share some giggles along the way.

Recommended for home and school libraries.

Picture Book Friday

 

Worm and Caterpillar Are Friends, written and illustrated by Kaz Windness, is an entertaining and informative story for beginning readers in the popular graphics style.

What a happy way to learn some very basic details about two of nature’s creatures as they compare and contrast their lives. Worm eats dirt: caterpillar eats leaves. Worm crawls on his belly; Caterpillar has legs. But both of them fear hungry birds!

And in the process of learning about each other, these two face a real challenge to their friendship when Caterpillar undergoes metamorphosis. Is that change going to be one difference too many? “Can we still be friends?” asks Worm. “Yes, best friends,” answers Butterfly.

Windness offers an introduction to graphic format and provides simple information about how to recognize speech and thought bubbles with a reminder to read each page left to right and top to bottom. Short sentences, basic vocabulary, and bright eye-catching visuals make for an altogether fun read.

Windness also provides additional enrichment with pages illustrating the life cycle of a worm and a butterfly along with simple step-by-step instructions on how to draw both.

This Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book would be a charming introduction to a nature study of these two creatures. It would be equally useful as a resource for a discussion of friendships as it conveys the value of recognizing and celebrating both our differences and similarities.

Recommended for home and school libraries.

Picture Book Friday

 

Maribel’sYear by Michelle Sterling with illustrations by Sarah Gonzales

A year can feel like a very long time when you’re missing someone you love. For Maribel, the year is not only long, it begins in a new country, eight thousand miles away from her home, and most importantly, her Papa. Month by month, Maribel offers insights into her experiences as she tries to find her place. The struggle feels very real, but Maribel consoles herself with recollections that create sharp contrasts between present and past—gray, rainy March is no match for her memories of swimming in the warm sea of the Philippines beneath a dazzling canopy of stars. The passing seasons fill her days with hopeful moments as she makes friends and discovers new-found pleasures in her first Thanksgiving.  But beneath each joy lies a yearning for her heart’s desire. Until… her wish is granted and Papa’s arrival makes home a reality.

Sterling’s narrative is a tender and heart-warming story that brings into clear focus the experience of new immigrants and offers readers a charming glimpse into Filipino culture. Maribel’s perspective is honest and simply stated enabling readers to easily empathize with her experience. What could be more universal than finding one’s way in unfamiliar situations and missing a loved one?

Gonzales’ clever artwork is rich in detail. And her use of color reinforces the text by offering bold contrast between the traditional American landscapes of gray winters and bronze autumns with the vivid tropics of Maribel's homeland.

Recommended for home and school libraries.

 

Picture Book Friday

 

The Only Way to Make Bread by Cristina Quintero with illustrations by Sarah Gonzales

Oh, good times! Every once in a while, I come across a book that strikes a personal note—as a life-long bread baker—this was one.

 

Quintero’s celebration of all kinds of bread is also a celebration of cultures. Built on a framework of the process, the narrative unfolds from selecting a work space to breaking bread with a friend. There’s a delicious variety: Challah, Focaccia, Shokupan, Canadian Dinner Buns, Arepas, Puri—eleven in all described at the end. What’s your favorite?

And just in case this enticing list triggers a sudden need from some fresh, warm bread, recipes for Arepas and Pandesal are included, too.

Gonzales’s warm, soft-edged drawings pull the reader in to explore the rich depth of detail and create an intimacy paired with a sense of fun.

Loaves, rolls, buns—baked, steamed, or fried—hearty or delicate—stuffed or sliced…

Whatever your preference, make it your way.  And always add a pinch of love!

Here’s a wonderful story to share with young readers, introduce them to the language of food, and explore worldwide cultures.

Highly recommended for home and school libraries.

 

Picture Book Friday

 

If I Was a Horse by Sophie Blackall is a delightful romp.

 

Giddy-up and go along on this charming fantasy adventure as a child imagines being a horse for a day. The fun combines horsey nonsense with fanciful human activities. Galloping across meadows, rolling in rainy puddles, and giving rides are contrasted with relatable human activities. The true scale of silliness becomes boldly apparent once this massive creature moves indoors—helping itself to lunch, refusing to bathe in the cramped bathroom, and sleeping standing up on a too-small bed.

Blackall, a two-time Caldecott Medalist, lets her illustrations tell the story supported by a clean simple text of one or two short sentences on each double-page spread.

A personal favorite is the center spread with the horse, in a ruffled tutu and polka dot party hat, parading in circles in the living room led by the family’s youngest child. The detail in each page encourages a second look and a third.

Like every talented storyteller, Blackall surprises the reader with a charming twist on the very last page.

Recommended for home and school libraries.

 

 

Picture Book Friday

 Fox Has a Problem (My First I Can Read) by author/illustrator Corey R. Tabor

Follow Fox as he tries devise a plan to get his kite out of a tree. In the process, Fox’s problems go from bad to worse. Not only do his solutions fail, they create bigger problems for his friends—until at last, they all band together to save the kite!

Short, three-to-five-word sentences and simple vocabulary paired with action-packed illustrations makes this an appealing first reader.

Recommended for beginning readers.

Picture Book Friday

 

Peek-A-Boo Haiku: A Lift-the-Flap Book Board Book written by Danna Smith and illustrated by Teagan White

 

“in white winter coats/long-eared friends play hide-and-seek/moon says, ‘I see you’”

 Delightful riddles invite young readers to identify the hidden animals before lifting the flap to confirm their guess. The engaging text and adorable creatures in their woodland setting makes this book a real charmer that youngsters are sure to adore.

 The illustrations guide the reader through the seasonal changes in weather, environment, and the associated colors—pastels in spring, warm oranges and browns in fall. The satisfying result provides a variety of visual details to attract the eye and offer points of discussion about the natural world.

 Recommended for the very young readers in your life.