Books to Inspire, Thrill and Engage Children
After reading A Strong Right Arm about Negro League player Mamie "Peanut" Johnson, I immediately picked up We are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball by Kadir Nelson when I spotted it at the library. What a beautiful book! Nelson not only wrote the book, he also painted all the pictures. Even if... Continue Reading →
"Henry loved books. But not like you and I love books, no. Not quite..." reads the front fly of this book. I'm afraid to say more about the story - I mean you can guess the gist of it. But if I tell you more, I might give away the ending. And it's a lovely... Continue Reading →
The Hueys are all the same. And there are quite a lot of them. They think the same, do the same things, and look the same. No one is different. Until one Huey - Rupert by name - knits a sweater. Then all pandemonium breaks loose. The Hueys in The New Sweater by Oliver Jeffers... Continue Reading →
Would you like to make an apple pie? The little girl in How to Make and Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman does. She makes a list of ingredients she needs, and heads to the market. But the market is closed! What should she do? The narrator has many interesting suggestions -... Continue Reading →
Children dealing with deployed parents can gain comfort from Year of the Jungle by Suzanne Collins (yes, the author of The Hunger Games). Collin's father was deployed to Viet Nam when she was six. In this picture book, she remembers what life was like with her dad gone, and the questions she asked about his... Continue Reading →
Author/illustrator Kate Samworth has hit on a novel idea in her Aviary Wonders Inc.: Spring Catalog and Instruction Manual. This picture book reads like a catalog. The premise is that birds are nearly extinct, so you can create your own bird by ordering parts from Aviary Wonders Inc. The pages are full of beautiful illustrations... Continue Reading →
The interesting title encouraged me to pick this book off the library shelves. "It befell that on the first day of Lent, Brother Hugo could not return his library book. 'I shall have to inform the Abbot of this, Brother Hugo,' said the librarian." That wonderful first sentence granted Brother Hugo and the Bear by... Continue Reading →
This weekend Christians all over the world celebrate Easter, arguably the holiest of Christian holidays. Children and adults alike will hear the story of Jesus and the week leading up to his crucifixion and resurrection. For families celebrating Easter, The Easter Story by Brian Wildsmith is a beautiful retelling of the story. Beautiful, not only... Continue Reading →
As a child, I thought science was a dull and boring subject. I think it was because my childhood was missing fantastic science books - the kind that make kids sit up and take notice, and realize science is very interesting (though still not my favorite subject). Bones by Steve Jenkins is one of those... Continue Reading →
For preschoolers learning about other people groups and the alphabet, Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions by Margaret Musgrove is the perfect picture book marrying the two. Musgrove works her way through the alphabet, telling a bit about a different African tribe for each letter. The tribal illustrations by Leo and Diane Dillon are as interesting... Continue Reading →
Cultivating Readers 