The theme for today seems to be compassion and dogs. Earlier today I shared a book about a young girl learning compassion through her dog. Now I am sharing a book about a dog who learns compassion by listening. The book is Willie's Gift by Clairmarie H. Field and illustrated by Maggie Sullivan.
Have you ever taken in a stray? I have but I was able to get it home to its actual owners several towns away. It was a stray cat. Today I get to share a book from a very special series of books about stray dogs and the kids who take them in. I am going to review Charlotte & Boo Boo by S. K. Edwards. It is part of The Doggos Series. And at the end of this post there is a giveaway for the whole series!!
August seems to be the month of children's books with animal themes. We have been sharing books about all sorts of animals: zebras, coyotes, hippopotamus, snails, dogs, and more! Today we are sharing two new books about various animals that were released this week. One is a board book and one is a lift, look and find picture book. We will start with the board book which is Hoot Hoot by Georgette. It is recommended for ages 0 to 3.
How do you like your stories? Andrea Zuill let's readers know that she likes them a little spooky in today's book dedication. The book is perfect for this season because it involves fresh tomatoes!! It is also a great book for the Halloween season. The book is Bob the Vampire Snail by Andrea Zuill. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8 and at the end of this post is a snail craft roundup to go with the book! (You'll have to add fangs if you want vampire snails!)
Today I am sharing a new picture book (released last week) that is pure fun. Imagine if animals wore shoes. What kind of shoes would each animal choose? That it is the premise of the book. The book is What Kind of Shoes Does a Hippopotamus Choose? by Kat Maconie and illustrated by Sebastien Braun. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7.
Disclosure: I was sent a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I am working with The Children's Book Review and Malia Grace to bring you this post.
Are you getting ready for back to school? When does school start for you? Teachers go back in a couple of weeks for me. It is hard to believe my summer is almost over. I haven't done half the things I hoped to but have had an amazing summer! I'm also looking forward to the new school year, but I know this can be hard on kids especially the first time they go to school or go to a new school. Today we are sharing an amazing book about a young coyote finding his place at school even after a difficult beginning. The book is Cody's Whisper by Malia Grace and illustrated by Lauren Elise Reeves. There is a giveaway at the end of this post and I created a free printable with lessons from the book!
When kids are young, we tend to read alphabet books. Some have themes and others are funny, but most don't get read too many times. Today I am going to share a fun one with you that I can see quickly becoming a favorite book to be read over and over! The book is A Bus Can't Drive Empty: An Alphaballiteration Adventure by Davon Miller. And since the post is part of The Children's Book Review Virtual Book Tour there is a giveaway at the end!!
When you hear disability what do you think of? Many of us have been programmed to go to someone in a wheelchair and with mental issues. While this is a true disabled person there are many of other types of disabilities and some cannot be seen. July is Disability Awareness Month or officially National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Some places even call it Disability Pride Month and have parades. This year we are celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, so it is extra special! Today I am two books that share what life is like with different disabilities and a bit about loving someone with a disability. One book is a middle grade graphic novel, and the other is a young adult nonfiction book sharing real stories from couples of different abilities. We will start with the graphic novel. It is Mixed-Up by Kami Garcia with art by Brittney Williams and lettering by Tyler Smith. It is recommended for ages 8 to 12.
The start of school is fast approaching and that means time to think about back-to-school. For some kids this is very stressful. School can be very tough for the kids who are different. They may be quiet and shy or outspoken and dress uniquely. At some point someone may bully them, and the truth is there is only so much the adults in kids' lives can do to help end bullying. Schools have rules and states have laws but the enforcing of either can be difficult. It is important for kids to be able to be themselves at school and be comfortable. If they are not comfortable, they are not going to really learn at school. Today we are sharing a fun picture book about a young boy finding the courage to be comfortable with himself and have the bullying end. The book is Randy Rainbow and the Marvelously Magical Pink Glasses by Randy Rainbow and illustrated by Jaimie MacGibbon. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
There are many different types of loss, and each one tends to hurt. However, the death of a loved one especially a caregiver can be extremely tough. Today we are sharing a beautiful picture book about a young girl dealing with the death of her grandmother. It is a wonderful resource for any child going through the death of a loved one. Last week I also shared a middle grade novel about dealing with loss as well for older kids. Today's review also includes a giveaway at the end of the post and is part of The Children's Book Review Virtual Book Tour.
We are sharing our final summer theme for this year!! And it is one of my favorites. I remember doing this theme when Hazel was much younger and the truth is we often explore this theme in different ways at different ages. We will be reviewing a book for ages 9 and up but there are so many resources in our roundup for younger children as well as teenagers! It is such a versatile theme. The theme is exploring color!! To begin this theme, we are going to share Fun with Colors! Easy Painting Activities for Kids by Azabu Atelier. Again it is recommended for ages 9 and up.
In this chaotic time many people feel a bit helpless. We see the news and all the changes and don't feel like our actions make a difference. Imagine what it must be like for the children if adults are feeling this way. Today we are sharing a new picture book about a young girl who decides to take action to try to save the community center. The book is Anjali Can! by Sheetal Sheth and illustrated by Lucia Soto. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8 and is the third book in the Always Anjali Series.
When Hazel was young, we did a lot of exploring the world and different cultures from home. We participated in blog group series like Around the World in 12 Dishes and Global Learning for Kids as well as the various cultural heritage months series with Multicultural Kid Blogs. But one of Hazel's favorite things to do was read a collection of folk tales and fables from other countries. She would have loved today's book when she was younger. The book is Children's Favorite Arabic Stories: Fables and Folk Tales from Across the Arabic Speaking World by Jehanne Moharran and illustrated by Chaymaa Sobhy. It is recommended for ages 5 to 13 and it is part of the Children's Favorite Stories series.
Are you a baseball fan? Or any sports fan? Sports have gotten pretty intense in the past couple of decades, especially youth sports. Most athletes play one sport all year long now. This of course has plusses and minuses. Athletes are really honing their skills, but they are also more prone to serious injuries since they are using the same muscles over and over like never before. Today I am sharing a new novel with you about a high school baseball superstar and how he and his community struggle with the societal pressures that come with great skill. the book is The Right Call by Tommy Greenwald. It is a Game Changer Companion Novel. I have not read Game Changer, so I do not know how closely they are related but this book stands on its own. The book is recommended for ages 10 to 14. I would like to add adults into this category or say 10+. I think anyone working with (parenting, teaching, coaching, etc.) a youth athlete could get a lot from this book.
As the summer goes on my middle grades and young adult pile to read seems to be growing. However, this week I have two new picture books to share with you. Each was released this week, and they both are multicultural. Each is special in its own way. The first book is A DÃa de Muertos Story. Although the young boy in the story is preparing for the DÃa de Muertos, the book is not necessarily just about a DÃa de Muertos (a Day of the Dead) but the characters look like the traditional painted skeletons. The book is This Moment Is Special by John Parra. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I am working with The Children's Book Review and Herald Press to bring you this post.
Has your community or family suffered from gun violence? I feel like all the school shootings and random shootings are make us apathetic unless it is in our circle. I remember when the Columbine school shooting happened. Do you? It was one of the more significant school shootings that really changed how school shootings were covered. I was teaching in public school in Massachusetts then, but it was a school vacation week. I remember watching it on television and yelling at the reporters and cameramen to stop and help the kids running out of the school instead of sharing the story. As a teacher I couldn't imagine adults not caring for the kids who just went through this awful experience. When we got back to school, we had to address it. Kids were telling me their parents helped them plan out escape routes from any class they had. Now I feel like we hear about a shooting at a school, a mall, etc. and we may say a prayer for the victims, but it is not as big of a deal. Even the media doesn't cover it like they covered Columbine. Hazel has brought up what it is like to be growing up in this time of school shootings. We tried to hide it from her when she was young, but as grew older and the shootings became more commonplace, she heard about them. Today we are sharing a powerful book about a community finding a way to spark peace after some gun violence. The book is Sparking Peace by Teresa Kim Pecinovsky and Hannah Rose Martin and illustrated by Gabhor Utomo. At the end of this post there is a giveaway as well!
Summer is always full of fun, but there are those days when the weather doesn't agree with getting outside. It can be too hot or too wet. And kids can get bored inside. Personally, I have always loved origami. It can be made as a lesson, I use it in my geometry class all the time, as part of a gift or craft, or just for fun. Today I am sharing some new origami resources for different ages and abilities as well as roundup of resources we have reviewed previously. Today's new resources include four books and three packs of origami paper. We will start with the book that comes with its own paper and is for ages 6 to 9. It is The Origami Kid: A Paperfolding Adventure by Robert McGuire. The previous review roundup includes over 100 products and projects!
Independence Day is past. Summer is quickly passing. Kids are enjoying their break from school as are teachers. But what is happening to your kids' math ability this summer? According to Learner.com, 70-78% of elementary students experience a decline in math skills over the summer. (Source) Most schools now assign summer reading to prevent the summer slide in literary skills, but does your child's school assign summer math? Most high schools do these days. Now I am a huge advocate for a break! I love summer! It is my favorite season, and I remember the days of having nothing to do and being able to hang out with friends and relax. However, summer slide is real. (There is a slide after any vacation and the longer the vacation the more skills lost.) There are things to do to help with the math summer slide even if your child does not have math summer work. Today I am going to review two great resources for different ages to help with the summer slide or just give extra practice to two ages groups: middle grades (8+) and high school. These books are amazing resources to help with math skills and also can give students extra practice or a leg up on the upcoming math year. At the end of the post, I have a roundup for different ages math products and activities to try this summer to keep your child's brain thinking mathematically.
Ready for another summer theme? It is a good one--artists. Art and artists are a fun summer focus. You can read books, watch videos, do crafts and visit museums. It is so fun!! Today we are going to focus on the Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai. At the end of the post will be a roundup of resources on Hokusai as well as a roundup of resources on other famous artists. Today's products are not completely books. The first is Hokusai Prints Sticker Book: A Collection of Over 160 Removable Color Stickers by the Great Artist compiled by Tuttle Studio and illustrated by Katsushika Hokusai.
