A PERFECT DAY! A Perfect Picture Book-Meditation on Life

 My recent post featured a quiet book that explores the concept of beauty, HERE. 

Wm. B. Eerdmans BYR, 2021

Now let's consider and compare another picture book that presents a similarly simple concept, A PERFECT DAY. Written and illustrated by Jennifer Yerkes, this book fits perfectly into small hands and curious minds with an entirely different approach to text and illustration. 

The prior large format book effectively used sprawling art and color with occasional elements of white. A PERFECT DAY celebrates and expands white space on these much smaller pages, selectively positioning images created with a  blend of line and filled color pencil art and minimalist text. The colors are vibrant and pure in tone, capturing the essence of the various animals and scenes in tones that suggest pastels rather than jewels. 

The first page and closing pages offer lyrical language in direct and metaphorical sentences, but MOST of the pages move the story through  day outdoors with onomatopoetic expressions and even wordless pages. The result is a rhythmic, nearly musical impact. That sets the stage for the thematic flow and imagery of a perfect day in nature, one that begins in harmony, moves through a symbolic symphonic storm, with drum beats, waves of power, and satisfying, refreshing resolve. 

The natural world portrayed offers familiar scenes and mood, in sounds and critters, in weather and wings. I loved the portrayal of the storm as a natural and necessary part of that perfect day, revealed in line and pacing that suggests its necessity and value in nature. That can be appreciated in concrete terms by the youngest children but elevated to discussions with older readers to discuss that challenges and troubles in our lives play a healing, nourishing, strengthening role.

This delightful offering invites little audiences to chime in with animal sounds, to connect natural settings with the joys and insights of reading/books, and to absorb the subtle truth of the variety of experiences that comprise a perfect day. Kirkus Review (HERE) celebrated many of the same aspects of this treasure, ending with a one-word synopsis: EXQUISITE. I agree. 

Eerdmans provided a copy with no promise of review, but I'm excited to recommend this new picture book and advise those who search for it that there are others with the same title. Many of these ar ebooks i enjoy as well. It couldn't hurt to request them all from your library and celebrate the many ways that days can be perfect. just be sure to include this one in the mix, since it feels to me as worthy of extra attention. 

A Beautiful Picture Book Wondering_ What is Beautiful?

Greystone Kids, 2021

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? Of course. That is as it should be. This gorgeous new picture book makes that point clearly in an elegantly quiet and reflective way. HOW BEAUTIFUL is written by Antonella Capetti and illustrated by Melissa Castrillon. Check out an intensive interview with the illustrator, including amazing interiors, HERE.

Story first, though, since this kid-friendly and seemingly simple narrative preceded the remarkable and inspired art on the cover and throughout each spread that is worthy of close examination. 

Caterpillar is the star, but begins as a very contented, grace-filled being, one who finds that each leaf and munch is satisfying and fulfilling. Its life is enough. Until... a hand lifts caterpillar on a twig, admires it, and comments, "How beautiful!" before returning it gently to the forest floor.

And thus, a quest is launched, but one with both a gentle and mythic quality, to determine "What is Beautiful?" An antagonist arises, reacting to  each repetition of the question to forest-mates. It's an increasingly annoying blackbird who denies the claims of beauty in their responses. He challenges their choices, calling them useful, or comfortable, or otherwise functional but NOT beautiful. Until blackbird ultimately spies an empty tin can, which is his choice as beautiful. At that point, catepillar has learned enough to sense that blackbird's choice is NOT beautiful. Exhausted from following a seemingly failed quest, caterpillar and the others settle to sleep, turning their eyes to the sky. 

There, in the night sky, beauty reveals itself to them, leaving no room for debate: the full moon shows its face. 

For anyone who has read or heard that "quiet stories" in picture books will not find a market, here is the proof that the RIGHT story works, even if it is a quiet one.

This elegantly simple narrative is written by an Italian author, illustrated by a British artist, and released by a Canadian publisher. The art provides suitably universal scenes and characters for this detailed interpretation, with characters assuming a sort of "modern dance" grace within the scenes. the style evokes a sort of Renaissance intricacy and elegance while shaping each character in a modern interpretation that hints at powerful similarities within their differences. 

This oversized, intricate, and intriguing art uses saturated jewel tones with intentional white insertions. The sturdy matte papers allow the story and art to progress without need for gloss or shimmer. I'm not the only one who has fallen into the undeniable beauty of these scenes. Check out  Kirkus Review, HERE. Observations by others in-the-know about such things offer plenty of buzz that this may well be among finalists and winners of 2021 awards for illustration and perhaps for story. 

I received a copy of this lovely book with no expectation of a reveiw from GREYSTONE KIDS, a publisher of picture books that have  impressed me objectively, and captured my heart as well. If this publisher is new to you, I hope you'll click their name above and take time to consider the titles they've been producing. Along with offering an expanded platform for underrepresented voices, visions, and stories, they also embrace stories that stretch the more familiar structures often expected by picture book readers and buyers. 

Take Time For This Magical Exploration of Time

 

Tundra Books, 2021

This artful and interpretive creation by a renowned Canadian author/illustrator merits attention and sharing. TIME IS A FLOWER is the inspired and inspiring concept picture book by the very talented Julie Morstad. If this creator is new to you, take a moment before reading on, or after finishing this read, to check out her website (Click HERE).

With an opening firmly anchored in conventional time-telling (tick-tocks, numbers/words, a cuckoo clock), a single page turn sweeps readers into a wide range of perspectives, metaphors, art styles, and color choices. As a seed measures time by sprouting, blooming, then withering, as a butterfly reflects time passed within a chrysalis, and as a boy-and-tree beginning life at the same time will measure their height and growth with dramatically different results over time, young readers (and their adult readers) are led through example after example of ways that the natural world is a time keeper around us on a daily (and lifetime) basis. Some are familiar (day-to-night, snapshots capturing  a single moment in ever-changing lives) while others present explorable and thought-provoking moments.

Tundra Books Interior, Julie Morstad, 2021
TIME IS A FLOWER

My favorite (and I am always reluctant to name favorites, especially among these powerful and delightful spreads) offers this text:

"Time is a face whose lines and shapes change little by little, year by year."

With line sketches and shading on a pale background, individual faces are arrayed across a double spread, four-by-four per page, with individuals connected to their aging selves with simple arrows, some aging fromm infant to elder, or from girl-child to young woman, etc. Some proceed through three phases, others through only a single step, and in every direction. With simple indicators of a global range of identities, this universal and gradual process is preceded by a spread on which stacks of snapshots are drawn. This felt so inviting, prompting a dive into personal/family photos to view grandparents (or selves!) as younger, to imagine parents (and selves!) ten or fifty years ahead. 

In this and so many ways I found this to be both a stimulating and soothing exploration of the passing of time in nature, in lives, and in the pages of a truly special book. I hope you'll check it out.Praise For Time Is A Flower…

"Thoughtful metaphors and diverse characters take viewers through the manifold dimensions of time. . . . This exuberant vehicle will expand the thinking of those just beginning to comprehend clocks and calendars." —STARRED REVIEW, Kirkus Reviews

Best (Poetic) How-To: HOW TO MAKE A BIRD

Candlewick Press, 2020

I'm taking a side-step from my intensive reading of nonfiction elementary and middle grade books as a CYBILS AWARDS Round One panelist to share a remarkable, ethereal, immersive picture book. 

HOW TO MAKE A BIRD is written by Meg McKinlay and illustrated by Matt Ottley. One glance at the cover art should reveal why I chose those adjectives. 

I'm an unapologetic fan of birds and bird books. Just type BIRD in the search box (>>>over there in the side bar) and you'll find links to many prior posts featuring bird-related books, both fiction and nonfiction. 

In this case, I found the book to be breathtaking, literally. The text is direct but lyrical, light, and minimalist. It's distinctly poetic and fictional, but framed around facts that incorporate magical realism into the narrative. Yes, birds' bones are their foundation, and yes, they are so light and small that you barely feel them in your hand. Then there are feathers. Oh, those feathers. Whisper light but serving heavy-duty purposes of warmth and flight and waterproofing. The eye, the beak, every element of a bird is another magical ingredient that contributes to the eventual outcome- flight. (Yes, we know some birds do not fly, but even they have these remarkably adaptable and curious components.)

The text assumes a reader who will follow directions carefully, beginning, "To make a bird..."  Illustration spreads alternate between DaVinci-like anatomical sketches of bones and assemblages on parchment-like backgrounds to luminous sand-and seascapes using colors that both soothe and swell the spirit. Set on an island-like isolated sprawl of sand, a child lives in a lofty perch that appears to be assembled by an experienced nest-builder. Toward the end, the narration adopts direct address.  That tone and the sprawling skycapes invite the reader to join this magical transition to flight, to imagine fully the air currents, swirls of cloud, sun, and sky that could infuse a carefully constructed bird with life.

I'm tempted to get a bit magical in my own thinking here. The time I spent reading and immersing myself in these elevating illustrations and reverent, minimalist text felt like a spiritual experience. Perhaps that's a result of youthful appreciation of blue-sky religious art and later experiences as a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. I've held a bird (many birds) in my palm and felt the moment when a stopped or feeble heart recovered, bounding against a delicate rib cage, and transforming a lifeless bundle of parts to the miracle of flight. Those were miraculous moments. Readers can experience some of that magic in this book.

WE WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL! Universal Public Education in Our Country

 

Albert Whitman & Company, 2021

The blurb on the back cover says it all:

"There once was a time when millions of kids weren't allowed to go to school. Here's the true story of how children with disabilities fought for their rights, and won!"

WE WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL! The Fight for Disability Rights, by Maryann Cocca-Leffler and Janine Leffler, is informative, appealing, and celebratory. Janine, one of the co-authors, introduces the main text with a personal message to readers, explaining that her public school education was welcoming, included necessary services, and accommodated her special needs. She wrote this to documents what other disabled kids dealt with during the reality before the laws finally changed to protect her education and the public education of all children.

With colorful illustrations in familiar settings, Janine's story explains that her birth condition, cerebral palsy (CP), presented mobility and independence challenges. Even though walking and talking were delayed (muscle-based activities), she learned early to read and think (brain-based activities). When she eventually realized that luntil aws were changed, countless children with specific needs had NEVER BEEN ALLOWED to attend public schools. She recognized a need for this book.  Her account reveals ways young people were isolated or made to pass tests, meet specific demands, or otherwise demonstrate that  they could "get by" without extra help or disruption to the ways schools had always been. 

Children were often kept home, unschooled, or even placed in residences where they were "tended to" but not educated. Wealthier parents might pay for private services at home or in special schools. In a limited number of public schools, separate (often inferior) locations, staff,  and curriculum might be provided. 

Year after year, at any given time, MILLIONS of kids were being denied their rights to a free and equal public education. In 1971, seven disabled children (named and drawn with class-picture appeal) challenged these restrictions in court. 

It was in those years that I began my own long career as a special education teacher, with the full understanding that I'd likely work in one of those separate, private institutions. Public schools were not yet required to offer education of any kind to children with special needs, and certainly not with teachers who could provide high levels of expertise. Through those early years of challenge (and several pages of well-drawn and clearly explained text), the course of their legal challenge and eventual success is shown through the lives of kids. 

The kid-figures on the page are diverse in apparent ethnic identity, needs, and appeal, leading to a double-page spread that portrays the faces of "about 1,000 kids", with the text encouraging readers to image EIGHTEEN PAGES with a thousand faces on each. That is a superb way to indicate the representation of 18.000 kids in the Washington D.C. area who were NOT receiving public education at that time. Then the point is made that, across the USA, more than EIGHT MILLION kids were being denied services due to disabilities. 

The celebratory ending follows pages depicting the tension of court arguments, a long and stressful wait for a decision, and then, finally, the news that THEY WON! Back matter follows with informative and accessible text describing the central rights of the court case and new law, a note from Janine, another from her mother Maryann (the co-author), a timeline, and a note from the attorney who led the court arguments that gained disability education rights. 

To make the law a reality was a bumpy road that is not part of the story here, but kids, their families, and teachers like me persisted at making public schools accessible, equitable, and a welcoming home for every kid with every kind of need.  

Maryann Cocca Leffler has a long and successful career as author/illustrator of children's books. Her adult daughter, Janine, has a degree in communications and works for an organization that assists adults with disabilities. She also hosts a website, JANINE'S PARTY, HERE, which offers a welcome and resources for ALL visitors to join in community with each other and celebrate the ways we are more alike than different.

 

If you haven't figured out by now that I am a fan of this book and feel personally invested in making it well known, I must not be a very effective writer. I devoted my life to delivering high quality education to EVERY child, and would have loved to have this available in the past. 

I follow many blogs, news releases, and other information sources for Chidlren's books, but was not aware of this title until it was nominated in the Elementary Nonfiction category for Cybils Awards. I'm very happy to know about it now, and hope readers here will take a close look and share it widely with families, teachers, and librarians.

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Indigenous Peoples Day: Celebrate and Learn

Interior, Indian Community School. Franklin, WI

 I have the joy and privilege of living quite near THE INDIAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL in a metropolitan/suburban community in southeast Wisconsin. I've visited it several times and am friends with some who teach in that state-of-the-art building. It was designed and built to reflect  the authenticity and authority of the Native People who first established the school more than fifty years ago. 

Today, the second Monday in October, was officially named Indigenous Peoples Day by President Biden. Students at this Wisconsin school took on the challenge of gaining this designation locally (Milwaukee County) several years ago. Their real-world project involved research, documentation, persuasion, cultural integration, public speaking, and more.

Signing ceremony, October, 2019

All of that, including the "and more", resulted in Milwaukee County officially designating the day. They moved forward with their effort to the state level the following year, which was not immediately successful or officially established. 

In 2019, though, Governor Evers arranged to  sign the proclamation in person at their school, creating the first INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY in Wisconsin in 2019.

What is most impressive about these accomplishments is the motivation behind this effort. The students had been learning about indigenous people and their places in American history since the earliest days in school. Their mission was not only to express pride in their own identity and heritage, but to take steps to inform the broader community and to dispel myths and misconceptions about Native People and their history. 

Charlesbridge, 2021

WE ARE STILL HERE: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know is a nonfiction picture book that shares this mission. Written by Traci Sorell and illustrated by Frane Lessac, this important and appealing book opens onto a title page spread that invites the community to attend a school celebration of INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY. Readers travel trough the event by reading a brief introduction to who Native Nations are, then see a white board display of the topics-presentations the students have planned. which serves as a table of contents. 

Each expansive spread presents one of twelve historic topics, from Assimilation to Sovereign Resurgence. Each lays out facts in simple and objective statements, displayed within clearly illustrated scenes that help to clarify the content and fully respect the cultures of those portrayed. 

Each describes painful realities, but without an inflammatory or accusatory tone. (Back matter offers resources to learn more and to pursue verification of the content.) Each double spread concludes with text placed on the lower right page to assert the most significant truth of all: despite the injustices and mistreatments described, "WE ARE STILL HERE". Despite denial, displacement, and systemic destructive forces in legal and de facto practices, Indigenous People  continue to live, work, and survive in a society that has often tried to eliminate them. 

Joyful and contemporary images are included, in a style that is colorful, welcoming, and kid-friendly. Young readers will be drawn to the characters on the page, recognizing more similarities than differences. Consciously or unconsciously, the images allow readers to unpack any stereotypical assumptions or misunderstandings they might have about Native Americans in the past or present.

Back matter includes short paragraphs about other facts that should be noted. An annotated  timeline  begins in 1871 when the United States officially STOPPED  writing and honoring existing treaties, after which Indigenous people were subjected to the patterns and practices described in the book, and also became virtually invisible in American culture and curricula. A glossary, sources, and author's note extend the usefulness of this picture book from early elementary through upper grades (and adult!). 

This creative team has earned starred reviews and praise already, with awards likely Their previous collaboration, WE ARE THANKFUL: Ostaliheliga,  honors the language, culture, and heritage of Cherokee People, acknowledging and celebrating life in the past and in contemporary society. The author is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation and both books are infused with joyful pride and honest details, both values that resonate in the illustrations. 

This new offering is a nominee in the elementary nonfiction category for 2021 Cybils Awards, and merits the attention, careful reading, and discussion that the subtitle states: Native American Truths That Everyone Should Know. Don't miss it!

YAY for Big Brothers: Interactive Nonfiction At Its Best

Arbordale Publishing November, 2021

When author Janet Halfmann has a new picture book, I pay attention. Her titles range from powerful biographies to informational historical accounts intended for established readers, to lively and light text for the youngest readers and their families. Among these she has won numerous awards/stars and praise from reviewers, organizations, states, and countless readers/fans. I've reviewed and recommended several of these in prior posts, HERE, HERE, and HERE.

 

Halfmann has a unique ability to find and explore unknown or seldom told histories/stories, as well as recognizing original approaches to everyday topics. Here's what she says about the inspiration for this latest release, YAY FOR BIG BROTHERS! 

"I was inspired to write this book when our toddler grandson became a big brother. Becoming a big brother is not always easy, and I thought all big brothers needed a book to celebrate them." 

That thought led her to investigate big brothers in the wild, resulting in this colorful and clever nonfiction picture book by Arbordale, a publisher whose special benefit includes appealing nature books. This title and their others include four pages of excellent back matter, a section called CREATIVE MINDS, offering age-appropriate learning activities and glossaries, extended facts, and Q/A based on charts and tables provided. 

 

In this interactive text, Halfmann writes approachable and informative examples of animal families in which sibling behaviors have been observed, ones that mirror ways human big brothers (or sisters!) might act. Crows help feed younger broods, wolves teach pack patterns through play, Tamarin monkeys and beavers carry siblings on their backs, while naked mole rats and African Wild Dogs babysit and keep smaller ones safe. 

On each spread, the example provided includes a prompt question framed as: Do you..., What can..., How does... ?  All of these allow potentially NEW big brothers or sisters to predict and imagine how they will interact with a coming younger sibling. This will continue to be valuable as siblings grow together and share experiences during ensuing years. 

The bonus in this approach is the likelihood that this will spark enthusiastic curiosity about familiar and unusual animals, sending kids to the back matter and beyond to investigate. I can imagine them noticing and more closely observing animals in the wide world of nature.That thought led her to investigate big brothers in the wild, resulting in this colorful and clever nonfiction picture book by Arbordale, a publisher whose special benefit includes appealing nature books. This title and their others include four pages of excellent back matter, a section called CREATIVE MINDS, offering age-appropriate learning activities and glossaries, extended facts, and Q/A based on charts and  provided. 

In this interactive text, Halfmann writes approachable and informative examples of animal families in which sibling behaviors have been observed, ones that mirror ways human big brothers might act. Crows help feed younger broods, wolves teach pack patterns through play, Tamarin monkeys and beavers carry siblings on their backs, while naked mole rats and African Wild Dogs babysit and keep smaller ones safe. 

On each spread, the example provided includes a prompt question framed as : Do you..., What can..., How does... ?  All of these allow potentially NEW big brothers to predict and imagine how they will interact with a coming younger sibling, and continue to be valuable as they share experiences during ensuing years. The bonus in this approach is the likelihood that this will spark enthusiastic curiosity about familiar and unusual animals  (all mammals), sending kids to the back matter and beyond to investigate. I can imagine them noticing and more closely observing animals in the wide world of nature.

Arbordale Interior, 2021 (Shennon Bersani)

Halfmann's illustrator for this book is Shennen Bersani, who captures a wonderful blend of accurate details and interactions in portrayals of animals in natural habitats, suggesting many of the parallels to human behaviors reflected from the text. 

 

If you've ever pondered what kind of gift to take to a baby shower, or a birth gift, this should spring to mind in the future for any families in which the newcomer will have an older brother. Easing that sibling into the spotlight, providing a gift directed at them specifically, and valuing their adjustments and altered responsibilities are gifts in themselves.

 

Check out the details in the interactions of these Wild African Dogs.

                    Arbordale, Interior YAY FOR BIG BROTHERS (Shennon Bersani)

This delightful new offering (available in both English and Spanish) was due for release in September, but delays in supply chain and shipping are affecting the publishing industry across all genres. If this sounds like a book you need sooner rather than later, for a particular child or for potential needs to come, it can be preordered now and shipped immediately on its new release date, November 2, using this link to book sales.

Learn more about what's coming next (and past publishing successes!) with the following links:

Janet Halfmann website: https://www.janethalfmannauthor.com

On twitter: @Janet Halfmann

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janethalfmann

 

 




What Can You Do With A Rock? Ready... GO!

SOURCBOOKS, 2021

If you are already tabulating a list of the many things to do with a rock, just pause for a moment and ask yourself this: What do you get when you combine the writing talent of multi-award-winning Pat Zietlow Miller with kid-channeling illustrations by Katie Kath? 

It's a fun new offering for young readers that comes with a guarantee of lasting appeal and long shelflife in classrooms, libraries, and family collections: WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH A ROCK?

Endpapers with classifications on labeled rock samples invite close inspection and also serve as a sort of field guide for beginning collectors. Then a simple text written in  direct address invites YOU, the reader, to pay attention and notice rocks. 

Suggestions for what YOU can do with the rocks you find expand the mundane (kick it, skip, it drop it) with lovely language and lively images. Reminders to extend the range for searching, respect areas/spcimens that should be collected only as memories, and ideas for ways to sort, catalogue, and display collections entice readers to begin a new hobby. 

If this sounds a bit didactic, have no fear. The lively language, colorful spot- and full-spread  illustrations, and the emerging personalities on the page portray a lovely friendship and imply some larger truths. 

Noticing can lead to discovering. 

Imagining can lead to creating. 

Beauty and value lie below the surface of first appearances. 

And, of course, sharing makes everything better.

Back matter offers further suggestions, including a brief but excellent list of titles on this timeless  topic. 

What's in YOUR Parking Lot?

I'm excited to share the news that I will again serve as a CYBILS AWARDS Round One Panelist. In the past seven years I've been involved with several different categories, including fiction picture books, board books, elementary and middle grade nonfiction, and poetry. For 2021, I'll be taking a very close look at elementary and middle grade nonfiction titles with these other amazing panelists. To learn more about the CYBILS AWARDS, including how to nominate your favorite titles in any/all categories, click HERE. Public nominations open from OCTOBER 1 to OCTOBER 15, so I'm going to squeak this nonfiction picture book recommendation in before I begin hauling home stacks and stacks of your nominated titles. I won't be surprised is this one is among them.

 * * *

 I never doubted that there would be books of many kinds related to the 2020-21-and-counting pandemic. Those Covid 19-inspired books are hitting the market now. As a global event that cost millions of lives, this is an important way to process the reality for current kids and for future young readers, in my opinion. Even so, the quality of storytelling, information sharing, writing, and illustrating should be as high or higher for these as they are for any other published works, whether incorporated into fictional stories, inspiring poetry, of explored in picture books. 

MINEDITION: A Maria Russo Book. 2021

SEA LIONS IN THE PARKING LOT: Animals on the Move in the Time of Pandemic is written by Lenora Todaro and illustrated by Annika Siems.

Todaro is an ecological writer/activist/guide who shares her thoughts about this new book in a brief interview that deserves a careful listen, HERE.

Siems is a master of scientific illustration (with a background in fashion design!) who clearly identifies and reveals the lives inside the creatures she brings to the page.

This timely nonfiction picture book is a tremendous documentation of ways in which our "built human landscape" was reclaimed by nature and animals during the "anthropause". What is that, you ask? Anthropause is a term coined when the pandemic led to a pause in typical human patterns, effectively removing humans from public spaces. This allowed scientists and naturalists to observe changes in animal patterns, globally. 

With brief but informative and accessible text blocks that describe particular species and their changes, readers are invited to a dozen places across our planet in which animals wasted no time at all in noting newly-available territories and found their places among them.

Several of these fabulous illustrations call to mind images that spread via social media during past months. Others feel  like entirely new revelations. In expansive and artful  double page spreads they are rendered with accuracy and perspectives that celebrate their natural/scientific qualities while placing them in settings that they would normally avoid. A gentle humor and wryly ironic point of view surfaces in several of these, 
The curiosity, resilience, and (temporary) adaptations of various land and water species from around the world are eye-popping and smile-inducing, while the often lyrical text remains accessible and clarifying about the places, circumstances, and consequences of this human-absent effect on  otherwise nature-unfriendly environment. 

As gloriously fascinating as this new picture book is, it should also be considered a valuable resource for readers of all ages, including older ones who will find rich connections and content for discussion regarding climate change, habitat, wildlife behavior, and finding balance between progress and environmental responsibility. Back matter includes an epilogue (with real-time and future action plans), along with brief notes about each of the twelve species and their natural biomes. A few kid-friendly resources are provided along with links to  more materials about the "anthropause".

I encourage you to take a close look at this, to suggest it to teachers and families, and to reflect on the compelling question of your/our place in the world.