The most important thing we can do for our kids is spend quality time with them. Today we are sharing three new picture books about parents spending time with their children. Two of them work on building kids' imagination and two are about bringing children to work. The first book is Indigo Hands by Sita Singh and illustrated by Maithili Joshi. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
About the Book:
Here is a heartwarming picture book about family, tradition... and indigo!An Indian girl accompanies her grandfather to his indigo studio, where she learns, step-by-step, how to dye cloth--and her hands!--the color of the midnight sky.
Neela can't wait to go to her Dadu's indigo studio, where he'll teach her to dye white cloth a brilliant indigo blue.
On the way, Dadu and Neela stop at the indigo farm, so she can see how this special dye is made. They watch as women collect indigo leaves and men stomp on them in water-filled tanks. Then, it's off to Dadu's studio where they mix last year's indigo in a big pot with lime and date juice. At last, the indigo dye is ready. Neela dips in her cloth, waits for it to dry, and--magic!--it turns a shade of blue like no other. And now her hands are stained indigo, too, just like Dadu's.
This touching intergenerational story, accompanied by vibrant artwork, celebrates passing down a beloved tradition and showcases the how-tos of a unique and important craft.
From Me:
In this book, Neela is excited to go with her father, Dadu, to his studio where he dyes fabric with indigo. However, she is a bit surprised when they make a few stops first. Dadu wants to show Neela the entire process of making from harvesting the flowers to the fermentation process and finally his part in dying the fabric. Neela gets to dye her first fabric and brings it home for her baby brother. The book shares the entire process of indigo dye as well as the traditions for Neela's family.
I love that the book shares the entire tradition and uses some of the terminology from making the dye. Neela and her father watch the process. The book explains the process they are watching, and it is a science. It also teaches how important the entire process and work is for their culture. The book also describes a bit about the village that Neela lives in, so it teaches a bit of the culture of India. It is a fun book about family, tradition and community. It is perfect to teach about how fabric gets color as well a bit about the Indian culture.
Our next book is also about taking a child to work but this trip takes place each week and the child hopes for a "normal" Saturday instead of spending the day at her mom's work. The book is The Brunch Shift by Adrienne Thurman and illustrated by Mags DeRoma. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
About the Book:
The lazy sun peeks out from the clouds as Mama and her daughter wait for their cross-town bus. Saturdays aren’t for sleeping in. Saturdays are for the egg crackin’, pancake flippin’, orange juicin’ brunch shift. A shift Mama can’t afford to miss. To pass the time, Mama and her daughter tell stories-- first, they're brave knights escaping a dragon as they hop on the bus. Later, as they do the dishes, they're digging for gold during the gold rush!
Sometimes, though, the girl imagines herself with the families in Mama's section-- cheersing with hot cocoa before they head to the park. Sometimes she wishes she had someone else's Saturday.
Here is an ode to working parents everywhere, and an ode to the magic of childhood and the power of a parent’s love.
From Me:
In this book a young Black girl gets up early on Saturday and goes to the diner with her mother for her mother's shift. Her mother turns the trip into different adventures. They become knights who rescue a dragon, and they try to catch art thieves and even go into space. The mother makes the mundane tasks of her job at the diner and the trips to and from into creative and imaginative adventures. She teaches her daughter to use her imagination and plays with her whenever she can.
I love the creativity in this book and how the mother uses and teaches imaginative play to make the boring day into big adventures at every stage of the day. It is a book that honors the single working parents who are doing their best to give their children life they can. It is a wonderful book sharing a different lifestyle than many kids might have. I also love how Neela sometimes gets jealous of the kids with their parents eating at the diner. She dreams of a "normal" Saturday. She wants to sleep in and not have to sit quietly at the diner waiting patiently for her mother's shift to be over. However, she also realizes how lucky she is to spend time with her mother and how amazing her mother is.
Our final book is all about the magic of childhood and finding treasures. It is Night Treasures by Allison Wortche and illustrated by Alison Farrell. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7.
About the Book:
This lyrical picture book celebrates the special bond between a father and daughter as they embark on a night walk and discover priceless treasures in the natural world around them.Bundled and pj-ed with blue boots on, Quinn held Daddy’s hand and stepped outside into the dark.
After a long day of rain, a father and daughter venture into the night in search of treasure. Under glowing streetlamps, they find orange leaves and berries strung like beads on vines. But none are quite what Quinn is searching for. She keeps hunting until... there! Under an oak that soars to the sky are acorns that shine like little moons. Quinn and Daddy select the smoothest and the roundest and carry their treasures home, where warm beds await.
This gorgeously written and illustrated tale is an ode to nighttime, to seeing the world with fresh eyes, and to the greatest treasure of all: moments shared with those we love.
From Me:
In this book, a daughter wants to go on a treasure hunt with her father. She is surprised when he offers to take her right then in the dark. As they walk in the dark, they pass many things some kids would consider treasure, but the girl keeps saying that isn't their treasure yet. After a long walk they find that night's treasure--acorns shining in the moonlight. They collect some and then begin the long journey home.
This book is a wonderful story of a magical trip between a young girl and her father. It shares how kids can be so imaginative. It reminds me of all the fun I had with Hazel pretending different stories from fairies to being the Dish and the Spoon. It is also the same as collecting rocks, shells, feathers and all the other treasures kids love. We have done several acorn crafts over the years which would be fun to go with this book besides going on your own treasure hunt.
