As the days have truly grown colder here, winter has set in. It is a time to get cozy and of course that makes me think of knitting. Today I am going to share with you a fun new picture book about knitting as well as a round-up of knitting for kids ideas. The book is Knitting for Dogs by Laurel Molk. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
What kind of Christmas tree do you have? Is it real or fake? How big is it? Christmas trees are something I have been discussing this year with my sisters since we spend the holidays at our house on Cape Cod and none of us actually live there. My sister decided to get and decorate a tree there again this year since she plans to spend New Year's there as well. To learn more about the history of Christmas trees be sure to check out this post and to learn about our tree traditions read here. Today I am going to share a wonderful picture book about the small Christmas tree that feels forgotten. The book is Needles, the Forgotten Christmas Tree by Richard Wagner and illustrated by Sydni Kruger. This book is being released in March of 2023 so it will be for next Christmas! I am including a round-up of Christmas tree crafts and there is a giveaway at the end!
Over the next few weeks, I am going to share with you some fun picture books. Today's focuses on a boy who experiences growing pains, but also is curious about the tree he helped plant the previous day. It is such a sweet book. The book is Growing Pains by Alison McLennan and Melissa Johns. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
Do you know any child who is trying to understand when his or her mom is seriously ill? Today I am sharing a book about a child dealing with her mom having cancer. The book is Brave Like Mom by Monica Acker and illustrated by Paran Kim. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
Christmas is coming up fast!! This year I have two fun new picture books to share with you. One is a wonderful one that shares the spirit of the season and the other shares a real Icelandic tradition. The first book is Season of Light by Jess Redman and illustrated by Raymond Kaulitzki. It is recommended for ages 3 to 6.
Today I am going to share a book that I should have shared with you awhile ago. Unfortunately, I am still trying to find balance between teaching and life and finding time to read. The book I am sharing today is The Tiltersmith by Amy Herrick. It is recommended for ages 8 to 12.
It is hard to believe November is almost over and harder for me to believe that I have not shared any resources for Native American Heritage Month. It is one of my favorite heritage months! Although I do share various Native American books throughout the year, I almost always have something new for November! Today I get to share with you a wonderful new picture book written by Native Americans or First Peoples that share a Native American story of the first Thanksgiving based on stories from the Wampanoag. The book is Keepunumuk: Weeâchumun's Thanksgiving Story by Danielle Greendeer, Anthony Perry and Alexis Bunten and illustrated by Garry Meeches Sr. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7.
My life has gotten a bit crazy. My reading time is definitely cut down, but I found time to read today's book and loved it. We can start with the adorable picture on the cover. This book is a new middle grades novel written completely in verse. It is Odder by Katherine Applegate. It is recommended for ages 8 to 12.
It is hard to believe there are people who do not believe the Holocaust actually happened. But there are. If we do not study history, we will repeat it and the Holocaust is not a part of history I care to ever have repeated. With this in mind, I am sharing today's book. It is We Survived the Holocaust: The Bluma and Felix Goldberg Story by Frank W. Baker with Tim E. Ogline and Esther Goldberg Greenberg, Karl Goldberg, and Henry Goldberg. It is a graphic novel, and it shares the stories of survival of Bluma and Felix Goldberg. They lived through the concentration camps and so much more of World War II. At the end I will share some crafts to go with this book.
I love sharing multicultural children's books with you. Every January I get excited for Multicultural Children's Book Day. Today I get to share with you a beautiful new multicultural book. When I first read it, I couldn't wait to share it. It is fabulous and simple. The book is All of Us by Gökçe Irten. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
Do you know an animal lover? Or perhaps you have a unit coming up on Africa and its animals? I have a beautiful new book to share with you that is perfect for both!! It is Can You Spot the Leopard? An African Safari by Karen B. Winnick. This is the type of book Hazel would have loved when she was younger.
Now I love a good jigsaw puzzle. I have shared the benefits of doing them several times. In my classroom I have a puzzle table set up. (I even got a puzzle table cover with drawers to organize the pieces in case we need to move it.) My classroom is popular before school, during lunch, and during study halls. Many different kids come to work on the puzzle. Some only put a piece in and others are there every day. Now I got some mathematical themed puzzles, and it took several months for them to do a 1,000-piece mandala puzzle. They have been doing the other ones quickly though. Today I am going to share a perfect puzzle for the holiday season or a snowy day or in my case for when you are stuck home with Covid. The puzzle is called In the Winter and the artwork was done by Luci Gutiérrez.
Now I know it is only October, but if you are going to make holiday cards, gifts, or wrapping paper, now is the time to begin! So today I am sharing a fun holiday stamp set with some different ideas for the fall, holidays, and beyond for you and/or your kids to make. The stamp set is called Jingle Stamps, and it includes 22 stamps and a duo ink pad of red and green ink.
What is in a name? Well, William Shakespeare asked that question in Romeo and Julliette back in the 1600s. But what really is in a name? Think about it. What does your name mean to you? For some it is very special. It may honor a family member, or it has a special meaning for your family. Yet, in our society women often change their names when they get married. I know I did. It was a hard decision since it is like giving up a part of you. Then there are the names everyone has trouble pronouncing. They may be from a different culture or a new name that is pronounced differently. I'll be honest I often have trouble with correct pronunciation of names. It is from my childhood speech issues, and I always feel awful about it because a name is important. Today's book is about just that--names are important. The book is My Name is Not Ed Tug by Amy Nielander.
Today I am sharing the second new book for Hispanic Heritage Month. It is a Latinx mythology book that will have Percy Jackson and other Rick Riordan fans seeing a new culture. The book is the first in a duology. It is The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas. Not only does it take place in Latin America but it also has quite a bit of talk and characters who are transgender. The book is recommended for ages 13-18.
It is hard to believe that Hispanic Heritage Month ends this week. I am so behind the ball these days. Getting used to working full time, having older parents and getting sick, are not giving me the time to write as much as I would like. I have two books I want to share for Hispanic Heritage Month and today I will share the picture book. It is Until Someone Listens by Estela Juarez with Lissette Norman and illustrated by Teresa Martinez. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8 and is also available in Spanish.
What happens in your house when you are (or mom is) sick? I was lucky. As a stay-at-home mom of a toddler, I actually sort of got sick days. My mother-in-law lives five minutes from us and was always willing to take Hazel for the day. This meant I got some sort of time to rest. It had its own issues like feeding Hazel bacon after the stomach bug. Yup, she came home early that day. But I knew how lucky I was. I had several friends who had no one to help so when they were sick, they still had to be mom. It is hard. Now imagine what it is like if mom is really sick--seriously sick. How do the kids feel? Let's face it moms are important to kids. Mom being sick is a very scary thing for most kids. Today I am sharing a book with you that helps kids find their own role in helping when mom is sick. The book is When Mom Feels Great Then We Do Too! by Phyllis Schwartz and illustrated by Siski Kalla.
Gender identity is a hard concept for some to understand (and to accept). I know many people in my own generation and the generation before mine that struggle with it. I also imagine it could be a hard thing for young children to truly understand. Today I am sharing a new picture book that features a nonbinary character who is struggling to find a Halloween costume that truly expresses themself. The book is A Costume for Charly by C. K. Malone and illustrated by Alejandra Barajas. It is recommended for ages 4 to 12.
This past week National Geographic Kids released a new all-encompassing book about dinosaurs. It is the final book in our Back to School with National Geographic Kids series. I am guessing that for the final week of September schools across America have opened now. The book is National Geographic Kids Dinosaur Atlas. It is recommended for kids ages 7 to 10.
Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am working with The Children's Book Review and Carole P. Roman and will receive a small stipend for my review. All opinions are my own.
Looking for a fun book for middle school and high school kids? Do they love super heroes and adventure? Check out today's book, Grady Whill and the Templeton Codex by Carole P. Roman. Now I will admit I love Carole P. Roman's books for younger children in the past and shared several of them here before. Carole has also been an author sponsor of Multicultural Children's Book Day in the past as many of her books, including this one, are multicultural.
