It is hard to believe that school is almost out, and summer is almost upon us. We had the high school graduation on Friday. I have some classroom cleanup to do and then conferences next week, but otherwise I am done! Summer means so many things. Of course, there is often a summer reading assignment as well as summer reading programs at libraries and Barnes and Noble. Grades 1 through 6 can read eight books this summer and get a free book at Barnes and Noble. When Hazel was younger, I liked to come up with different themes for us to explore in the summer. This summer I plan to share some themes and resources with you. We will start today with a roundup of new picture books that are perfect for 4 to 8-year-olds. With each book there are ideas of activities or more books to check out with it. Happy reading!
The crayons are back! I love this series of books!! A new one is being released this week. It is The Day the Crayons Made Friends by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers. If you haven't checked out this series yet, be sure to this summer!
From the Publisher:
The hilarious Crayons from the #1 New York Times bestselling The Day the Crayons Quit are back for another adventure—and this time they explore Duncan's room. Will they want to leave the crayon box for good after they make new friends?Duncan’s crayons just can’t seem to stay put!
After convincing one group of crayons to go back to work after they wanted to quit and rescuing another group who got lost in the most inconvenient places, Duncan’s crayons have disappeared once more.
But this time they’ve gone out into his room to make friends. From Red Crayon who fulfills his dream of driving a firetruck, to Blue Crayon, who meets a fashion doll desperately in need of a head, to fan favorite Esteban, who is off to tame a teddy bear (or as he would call it, a wild beast), each crayon has an exciting story to share about the new objects they’ve met and the new adventures they’ve had.
The #1 New York Times bestselling team behind the international Crayons sensation have come together to create another clever and hilarious tale that will keep children—and grown-ups—laughing.
From Me:
Just like the other books in this series, this book is fun and humorous. Kids and adults will be laughing. The crayons have moved out of their box and found new things to try from baking to shepherding. Each crayon has written Duncan a letter telling him about his/her new adventures. Duncan knows there is only one thing to do--have them all over for dinner so he can meet their friends!
The book will quickly become a favorite, and adults will be asked to read it on repeat for younger kids. It is the same for the other books in the series which I highly recommend reading all of them! To go with this book, obviously doing some coloring with crayons and crayon crafts would be amazing!
Our next book takes us down to New Orleans and the bayou. It is Down on the Bayou by Glenda Armand and illustrated by Alleanna Harris. It has a fun story introducing the bayou as well as a poem throughout it.
From the Publisher:
From the award-winning creators of Ice Cream Man and Good Things comes a journey through the mystical world of the Louisiana Bayou. Follow along as a young boy learns about the environment and the history of the bayou while on a boat ride with his grandpa. This stunning picture book features sidebars with fun facts and snippets of a poem woven throughout the narrative.The bayou’s calling out to me.
“Come back, my son,” it says. “Come see.”
What holds me back, I do not know,
But I promised, and so I’ll go.
While Troy is on vacation in Louisiana, his grandpa has promised to take him down to the bayou. Grandpa explains that the bayou is not only a shallow, slow-moving, muddy river—but also so much more.
When the time finally comes, Troy and Grandpa climb into Uncle Joe’s pirogue and set off on a unique adventure that stirs up Grandpa's memories and Troy's imagination. Grandpa shares stories about their enslaved ancestors who escaped to the bayou, the ghosts who rise from the moss, and a chorus of creatures that sing around them.
At the end of the day, Grandpa gives Troy a notebook so that he can write about everything the bayou has taught him, or even compose beautiful poems like Grandpa’s. Troy discovers that there is so much to learn about the legends, history, flora and fauna, and yourself, down on the bayou.
Award-winning author Glenda Armand's inviting and informational text along with illustrator Alleanna Harris's lush illustrations capture the young protagonist's imaginative perspective, the lovely bond between a grandfather and grandson, the power of poetry, and the beauty and history of the bayou.
From Me:
Troy wants his grandfather to take him to the bayou after hearing about it. Grandpa keeps putting it off but finally the day comes. They meet Grandpa's friend who has a special boat who is a retired tour guide of the bayou. The trip to the bayou includes a history lesson as well as some of Troy's ancestry and stories from Grandpa and his friend's childhood together. The story goes into the history of Black people and Choctaw and Houma people living peacefully in the bayou together. Throughout the book, Troy is encouraged to use his imagination whether it is seeing the images of people and stories he is being told or imagining his own stories. Grandpa also is writing a poem, and verses of the poem are shared throughout the book with the complete poem at the end of the book. I love how this book shares the history of the bayou. It goes into slavery, indigenous people, customs, voodoo as well as the animals and ecosystem. There is so much packed in this book. The book also has information asides about things like Spanish moss.
To go with this book, I would suggest exploring books about New Orleans and the bayou. I have reviewed several books featuring New Orleans but would definitely recommend a Cinderella story from the area, The Talking Eggs. It also would be fun to make some traditional foods from New Orleans--jambalaya, beignets, and jumbo perhaps. Also explore some jazz music.
Our next book takes us to India and shares an amazing tradition and wonder. The book is Living Bridges: The Hidden World of India's Woven Trees by Sandhya Acharya and illustrated by Avani Dwivedi. It is being released tomorrow.
From the Publisher:
A boy learns how to care for and weave the roots of the living tree bridges in his village in India in this narrative nonfiction picture book perfect for fans of We Are Water Protectors and The Tree Lady.In the mountains of Meghalaya, India, a living bridge stands tall, connecting the land and its people with the interwoven roots of tall, wide ficus trees. The bridge is called Jingkieng Jri, and it’s alive. A little boy can’t wait to learn to weave the roots together just like the generations before him.
But when he notices litter on the bridge and scars on the roots from people stealing sap, he knows Jinkieng Jri doesn’t just need shaping, it needs love. By rallying his community and even visiting tourists, the boy protects the living bridge and shares his message of care.
From Me:
I found this book so interesting. I didn't know about the bridge and love how the young boy is excited for Kni to teach him to care for the bridge. The book shares about the ecosystem that is the bridge. In the roots live insects, birds and worms. The bridge is alive, and the people must care for it and continue to weave the roots. There are also spots of damage by people who take the white sap from the roots. I also love how the young boy is brave and protective of the bridge. He goes to a group of tourists who have littered to have them pick up their trash and help keep the bridge healthy.
I love how this book teaches us about the amazing bridge as well as the care that it takes. The people need to respect and love the bridge. People need to work together to keep the bridge healthy and alive. It is work but it is meaningful for the people living near the bridge. To go with this book, I would recommend learning more about India. We have shared books about India as well as crafts and food from India. One of the books we have shared is a Cinderella tale from India as well.
Our next book shares a tradition from Ghana, Africa. It about Kente. The book is Kente for Jojo by Bernard Mensah and illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon. This book is also being released tomorrow.
From the Publisher:
A joyful picture book of a big brother weaving a Kente cloth for the new baby in his family, with lyrical text and textured artwork that sings.Kente is more than a cloth, it is a symbol of love. And the big brother in this story loves new baby Jojo so very much! Together, the family travels to pick out a special Kente for Jojo--it must be perfect. With some inspiration from a passing rainbow and a little help from a skilled weaver, they do just that!
Come along as author Bernard Mensah shares the legend of how Kente came to be, and discover the many beautiful patterns of traditional Kente through Elizabeth Zunon's warm and textured art!
From Me:
Before opening the book, be sure to feel the textured edge of the cover near the spine. It feels like Kente. I love how this book shares the excitement the young boy has over Kente. It is a special day where the family is going to pick out his brother's Kente. On the way there the boy asks his father to tell the story about how Kente came to be. When they get to the store, they see all sorts of colors and designs of Kente as well as the weavers creating more. The boy looks all around and asks a weaver to teach him to weave Kente. She asks him what they will use for inspiration and says the rainbow out the window. She helps him weave and weave with the colors of the rainbow. He makes a mistake, but his parents and the weaver say that makes it even more special. Throughout the book the reader learns about Kente and what it is and why it is important.
At the end of the book there is information about the history of Kente and the culture of it. Then there are pages about different designs of Kente and the meanings behind them. Kente is special woven cloth that has meanings depending on the pattern and the colors. To go with this book the obvious activity is to weave. We have shared many weaving projects over the years.
Our final book in today's roundup is about the author/illustrator James Marshal. The book is Jim! Six True Stories About One Great Artist: James Marshall by Jerrold Connors.
From the Publisher:
A picture book biography of the late, great James Marshall—illustrator of Miss Nelson is Missing and the George and Martha series—and as clever, delightful, and daring as Jim himselfAuthor and illustrator James Marshall let kids in on the joke. He knew little kids were smart, and he didn’t talk down to them in his stories. He was right—kids loved his picture books. Decades after his death, the characters he illustrated—Miss Nelson, Viola Swamp, George and Martha, Goldilocks, Fox and His Friends—are still beloved. James Marshall should be at least as famous as his characters, and now he is, in his own picture book biography. Created in an irreverent style inspired by James Marshall’s own art and storytelling, this delightful biography, featuring James as a fox, celebrates in both form and content what made James—“Jim” to his friends—so talented, funny, and special, and what has made his tales last. This time, Jim is the main character.
From Me:
This book is divided into six sections or chapters. The book shows that Jerrold is obviously a huge fan of James Marshall. He shares bits of James Marshall's life and works. Each chapter or story shares different elements of it. The first shares about how James Marshall and his friend, Harry, publish their first book about Miss Nelson. The second chapter shares about how Jim did not like his artwork to be called cute and tried classical music to be taken more seriously. However, he discovered he liked drawing more than playing the viola. In the third chapter, the reader meets some of Jim's competition. The competition is two of Jim's friends who also are authors. The fourth chapter is about how Jim is sick of his work being called cute still and would love to get an award. However, his friend and he discover that when Jim put himself into his work he forgot about needing an award to be happy. In the fifth story, there is a school visit. Jim shares something about his own experience in school. In the final chapter, Jim is in the hospital. It shares the fact that he is dying with him asking his parents to tell the kids he is gone.
At the end of the book is the Author's Note. It shares a bit more about Jim and it goes through the six stories sharing more about each story and what was exaggerated or not told in the chapter. To go with this book, the obvious thing is to read James Marshall's books. It would be fun to do an author/illustrator study. See which books kids like more--the ones James Marshall is the author or the ones where he is the illustrator. You can also do some other author studies similar to what we did in the Virtual Book Club, perhaps with more information about each author.
And of course, there have been many new picture books we have reviewed recently, so be sure to check out some of them! And stay tuned for the summer roundups of middle school and young adult books!! Happy reading and happy summer!
