Picture Books Featuring School & More!

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

It is hard to believe it is almost the end of May and thus almost the end of the school year! When are your kids out of school? I only have a week and half left of work with kids in my room. Today I am going to share three new books that have different school themes to them. The first book is Together, a Forest: Drawing Connections Between Nature's Diversity and Our Own by Roz MacLean. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.

From the Publisher:

Explore a forest with a curious classroom in this breathtaking new picture book by the author of the beloved More Than Words, and experience the essential beauty of diversity in humanity and nature.

Joy and her peers are eager to visit a nearby forest for a class trip. But Joy's excitement quickly turns into anxiety when she is asked to choose one thing in the area for a school assignment.

Seeing her classmates connecting with the natural environment, Joy discovers how each of their choices reflect the ways they relate to and interact with the world.

Together, a Forest begins as an exciting journey into nature and blossoms into a meditation on how our unique personalities and ways of being help create a more vibrant and beautiful world. The forest reveals that everyone—including those of us with disabilities and neurodivergence—belong to nature. There is no one right way for a mind, body, or person to be.

Perfect for classrooms and home libraries with accessible social-emotional and STEM themes, this picture book highlights the importance of interdependence, inclusion and celebrating diversity in our communities.

From Me:

A diverse class takes a field trip to the forest. Their teacher gives them the job of an art project of something in the forest they feel drawn to. Joy watches as her friends find different things to connect with while wondering what she will pick. Sasha listens to the birds. The sound helps her connect with the world as a blind girl. Ben finds the moss like a soft blanket. Sofia picks the lichen because she sees them similar to bursts of electricity like what makes her wheelchair zoom. Each child finds their own connection to nature. I love how the book describes the various connections as well as provide a bit of information about the chosen nature. Joy struggles to find something but then sees an orchid. Unfortunately, while distracted by the orchid she falls into the water. Her classmates jump right in to help her. As the class reflects on the ecosystem they were in, Joy realizes they have another one--their class. This is such a sweet book.

This book is a wonderful story about connecting with nature. It is also a great story about the kindness of a class. I love how diverse the class is in both race and ability. The story is fun for kids at home or in a class. I would love to see a class read the book and then go outside to explore nature. Give each child time to connect with what draws them. Give them a sketchbook to create art inspired by it. 

Our next book shares about a day that is surely coming up--the last day of school! It is On the Last Day of School by Maggie C. Rudd and illustrated by Taia Morley. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.

From the Publisher:

For fans of All Are Welcome and Remarkably You, this is a joyful picture book that celebrates the triumphs of the school year and the wistful feeling of it ending – the perfect gift for graduates and classrooms.

Before the final bell rings, there's excitement in the air – but it's bittersweet, too. You'll laugh and cry, play and learn, and remember all the special moments with your friends and teachers. On the Last Day of School is a reminder to celebrate where you started and where you're going next.

Cheers to a school year you’ll never forget.

Don’t miss other books by Maggie C. Rudd:
- I’ll Hold Your Hand
- On the Fourth of July
- On the Days After Christmas

From Me:

For many kids knowing what to expect is important. This book shares some of the common things that happen on the last day of school. After all it is a day unlike most. The morning may start the same, but it is an exciting day. Summer vacation is almost here. Most families have some kind of plans for the summer--a vacation or camp or just staycations. However, kids are also saying goodbye to their teachers and their friends. It can be a bittersweet day for many. This book helps give them an idea of what might happen. It is fun and shares some of the fun activities that do usually occur. 

This book is perfect for anyone preparing for the last day of school especially if it is the first one! I love how the book is full of diverse people and shares so much about what to expect. It is perfect to read at home or in school. I can see teachers sharing it with their classes to explain a bit of what to expect. It is a great preview to help kids plan for the day.

Our final book today helps teach the concept of next to. It is for younger kids--3 to 5. The book is Next to Me by Daniel Salmierei and Sophie Haas. 

From the Publisher:

This joyful and soothing read-aloud, about noticing all the wonderful things around you, is a bedtime gem that's illustrated in gorgeous cut-paper collages by husband-and-wife team Sophia Haas and New York Times Best Illustrated winner Daniel Salmieri.

A walk home from school is an opportunity to observe all the happy details along the way: puffy clouds next to an airplane, the twisty slide next to swinging swings, a backhoe next to a big hole. When you really take the time to observe, there are so many interesting things to see in every moment of every day. What's next to you?

From school to home, afternoon to bedtime, this cheerful book invites children to look closely and with delight at the objects all around them.

From Me:

What is next to you? In this fun book, a child is leaving school and notices all the things next to her. The book encourages kids to look around and notice their surroundings. Each part of the way home there are many things next to others to see. The words are simple with an emphasis on what is being noticed. The illustrations are paper collages and are beautiful. This is a perfect book to read aloud and discuss what else there is to notice. 

This book is perfect for a story time or bedtime. I love how it can open discussions about what one can observe as well as the meaning of next to. The walk home is full of things to notice. The book continues to into home including dinner, a bath and bedtime. Thus, it is a perfect bedtime story as well. I can see kids loving this one and wanting to read it over and over.