WIND IS A DANCE: Poetry Meets Meteorology

 I've been a fan of WATER IS WATER (by the talented creators, Miranda Paul and Jason Chin) since it released more than a decade ago. Its lightly lyrical (and brightly rhymed) text dances across gorgeously illustrated pages while revealing the stages of the water cycle as the emotional and essential role of water on this planet and in our lives. This offering did not include side bar expository text, but it did provide informative back matter. It has been a consistently popular book, and it should be.

Kids Can Press, 2024

To compare this new picture book to WATER IS WATER is high praise indeed, and I don't do so lightly. WIND IS A DANCE is written by Debra Kempf Shumaker and illustrated by Josée Bisaillon. This extended poem (unrhymed, but liltingly lyrical) moves from page to page through metaphorical comparisons of wind to familiar experiences and encounters. 

Wind is a dance...

Wind is a supportive teammate or ornery opponent...

... a whisk    ...a top    ...a feather  

and more. In each case a few comparative or descriptive phrases follow. On most pages, a brief inset box or bubble is included to name the types of winds (tornado, hurricane, etc.) with a bit of scientifically accessible details. 

The back matter includes a chart that clearly reveals that accelerating and sustained wind speed is a crucial factor in the escalating ways wind can be named and can affect the physical world. The chart also has a column to  describe/name each level, and to note impacts on land, and on sea. On the facing page is a brief description of wind-measuring instruments and sources (both websites and books). The author's "more about" section provides great explainers about various wind phenomena and where they generally occur.

The above are all well and good. I'm a fan of gorgeous writing and also of authentic, accessible science to explain our world experiences. But these are elevated further in several ways through well-suited illustration. The colors used are eye-catching but natural, feeling familiar and safe. The impacts of various winds, though sometimes dramatic or even scary, are mitigated by elements that anchor the metaphors in images- and excited puppy (which we all know can cause havoc!), a spinning top, a whirling whisk, or a delicate feather. Each wind expression allows for reasonable resolve, as is always true in our lived experiences. 

Within those images are effective movement elements: flowing hair, dancing children, swirling leaves, and snow-drifting blizzard. Within each spread, individuals shown are delightfully diverse in skin tone, body size and shape, gender. As a full experience (the way in which EVERY picture book should be read in a first round, and in many successive readings) this offers a beautiful and satisfying experience. The fact that this book also provides information and resources to return to for science and nature investigations is a bonus that should not be ignored. 

Overall, I genuinely encourage you to read this book and share it with young readers across man ages. It will blow you away. 

Happy Book Birthday to 365: How to Count a Year!

 When it comes to picture book releases, a celebration is always in order. Some, though, merit extra attention. That could be due to their unusual topic or treatment, the timeliness of the material, or connections with curriculum that hook readers from page one. Even more than those features (and others) are the track records of the author and illustrator who create the book. 

I am as excited as everyone else when a debut picture book creator knocks it out of the park. It is truly thrilling, and I watch for more offerings from those remarkably talented folks. That was the case for the debut picture book by author Miranda Paul (ONE PLASTIC BAG, ISATOU CEESAY AND THE RECYCLING WOMEN OF THE GAMBIA, Lerner). Since that initial publication, I have praised her picture books (both fiction and nonfiction) in several posts here, here, and here. Her work has garnered positions of honor  on "best of"  and notable lists, have earned many starred reviews, and developed more than a decade of fans among kids, parents, educators, and librarians. Just insert MIRANDA PAUL in the search option of the right sidebar here >>> and you'll see that I am a longtime fan. You'll also find a wonderful interview she participated in some years ago.

BEACH LANE BOOKS, 2023

Speaking of years, that is the topic of her latest release, launching TODAY (September 26, 2023). I was delighted to receive a signed review copy from Miranda (with no promise of my response) and am even more excited to share it with you on the book's birthday!

Of course there are plenty of calendar and season-themed picture books, as well as ones with math twists. In this case, the new release not only confirms that reliable creators are always producing books worthy of our attention. 365: HOW TO COUNT A YEAR also offers unusual twists on prior calendar-focused titles. 

Beginning with the straightforward (and familiar) starting point that most years have 365 days, the very next page-turn sparks engagement with references to 365 routine happenings, explored with humor and surprises. Yes, 365 good mornings and good nights, but also, "hopefully, 365 pairs of clean underwear". The fun continues with accurate, amusing, and curiosity-inducing narrative, shifting to the ways in which such big numbers  can be made friendlier by grouping into weeks or months. In a clever circle-story cycle, the text revolves back to the twelve months and a full year,  in which that long-awaited, once-a-year birthday returns. This is a seemingly simple subject that is executed with shining success in the text.

Now, about those illustrations! Julien Chung is a prolific illustrator whose characteristic approach is to make "out-of-the-box illustrations for children's books." He is true to form in this latest of at least twelve picture book creations, many of which deal with familiar topics in lively and smile-inducing, brain-stimulating ways. In this case, the cover illustration alone reveals that his vibrant but seemingly simple images are layered with levels of connections and comical appeal. That lion (irresistible, right?) travels throughout in countless roles: as the face of the morning sun, the model for that daily underwear change, and countless (pun intended) other ways. The cover also is a masterful approach to retaining focus on the big idea- 365 days make a full year, completed with that return of a birthday celebration. In fact, though, the overall images invite a pause to examine it more closely, hinting at the complexity of that year. Those include the solar system's role in creating one trip around the sun each year, the role of calendar concepts, and even aspects of this topic that are not directly addressed but allow for further investigation. Did you notice that MARCH is the calendar page LION is roaring toward, coming on strong? From jacket/cover, to front and back endpapers, to each colorful spread, time-related connections are revealed in the illustrations that are not directly addressed in text but expand understanding and inspire questions and "AHA" moments. (See yearlong phases of the moon on the "365 goodnights" spread.)

I urge you to celebrate this lovely release with me. For those of you who are new to Miranda Paul or Julian Chung, this is likely to nudge you to get your hands on more of their work. I have no doubt you'll agree with me that they are picture books worthy of cake and ice cream, but mostly, of reading and sharing.

Time-limited note: Until Saturday, September 30, 2023, this is a personal invitation to join her in celebrating her new release. Wish I could be there!

FROM MIRANDA PAUL: I want to personally invite all of you to join me for a Book Birthday Party at Lion's Mouth Bookstore in downtown Green Bay on Saturday, September 30 at 11:00 a.m. The event is free, and there will be FREE gourmet cupcakes and cake from the fabulous local bakery Bake My Day. (With some gluten-free ones!). I'll be signing books and doing a very short presentation. Mostly, we'll celebrate life and just hang out for an hour.

WOMEN in Congress: Contemporary and Historic Change-Makers!

Calkins Creek, 2023
Imprint of Astra Books for Young Readers

I'm eager to share two important picture books about United States Congresswomen. The first is, in fact, about the very first woman who was elected and served in Congress. A TAKE-CHARGE GIRL Blazes a Trail to Congress is written by Gretchen Woelfle and illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon. Jeannette Rankin's story begins in "the old West". As a teen in Missula, Montana, she helped care for younger siblings, cooked, cleaned, sewed, and stepped up in every emergency that arose. She was no slouch when it came to brains, earning a college degree, teaching school, studying science, and working as a dressmaker and hat designer. Nothing felt "right" to her, until, at age twenty-seven, she visited a San Francisco neighborhood of destitute poverty. She decided she could do the most good by training as a social worker.

After working there and in New York City with women and children in need of everything from food to clothing to health care to shelter to education, she saw an even greater need than one woman or organization could meet. Rankin resolved that the best way to help was to change the laws. But women did not even have the right to vote. In 1910 she traveled and spoke and campaigned across the country for federal laws to allow women to vote. When her home state of Montana led the nation in guaranteeing women's rights to vote in 1914, Jeannette went a step further and ran for office. Her take-charge approach included a grass-roots effort to reach every voter in Montana, and that finally included women. She was a tireless advocate for protections and rights for children and women, declaring, accurately, that she might be the first woman serving in Congress but she would not be the last! 

More than a century has passed since Congresswoman Rankin was sworn in, and female representatives are still far fewer than the 51% of women within our national population. Even so, the current Congress has a record number of female representatives, 29%. That's exactly 128 women members of the total 440. Back matter in this important biographic profile of a female political change-maker highlights some of her many historic accomplishments, including a timeline of her life.

CLARIOON BOOKS, 2022

For a contemporary look at one of those 128 current women elected to serve, read about a Congresswoman whose success is equally remarkable and historic. MAMA IN CONGRESS: Rashida Tlaib's Journey to Washington, is co-authored by Rashida Tlaib, Adam Tlaib, and Miranda Paul, with illustrations by Olivia Asser. The narrator's voice is that of Rashid's son, Adam, who recounts the ways in which his family supports his mother's campaigns and her service, as well the struggles and outright resistance their family has met to help her succeed. Across the intervening century, active resistance is less about her being a woman than it is about her identity. But she was not, would not be stopped.

The causes supported by both Tlaib and Rankin center on JUSTICE, on ensuring a level playing field  for all, and on providing the security of basic life needs for everyone, regardless of background or origins.There is much to learn from both women in these two outstanding picture books, and each title is likely to spark curiosity while  inspiring young girls and women to consider engaging with political roles. There are also valuable nuggets of learning about government functioning and processes in each. Don't miss out on either title.

POETRY and PHYSICS: A Powerful Pair In a Picture Book!

 Science provides surprisingly wonderful topics for poets, and that has been true for many decades and generations. Two of my favorite titles from the past (now out of print but searchable and obtainable, and worth the effort) are Myra Cohen Livingston's SKY SONGS and SEA SONGS. 

I'm not the least bit ashamed to admit that Livingtston's work and these two classics first crossed my path when I changed school districts many years ago. I found myself in a classroom with actual shelves full of books provided by the school(!) instead of relying only on my personal collection. I immediately asked students to spend a few minutes locating their favorite books and then sharing with me why they chose those books. These two poetry collections focus on scientific facts and emotional reactions to aspects of the Sea and the Stars. They were not only among those chosen, but were the favorites of MANY. The books were well-worn and some poems were recited by heart. What a perfect way to be introduced to poetry collections by one of the all time iconic poets for young readers.

WORDSONG, February, 2023
Astra Books for Young Readers

A recent addition to this niche genre of  solid science explored through a collection of poems is PUSH-PULL MORNING: Dog Powered Poems About Matter and Energy, written by Lisa Westberg Peters  and illustrated by Serge Block. Several of Peter's many publications are also powerful poetry collections on science topics. Another student favorite (and a favorite of mine in this vein) is EARTHSHAKE: Poems From the Ground Up (2004). 

Harking back to my classroom experiences, there are few topics that engage kids more eagerly than the elementary physics of force, energy, and simple machines. Few topics in basic science more directly affect daily life than these. Unfortunately, as essential as screws, planes, axles, magnets, and motion are in everything we do, the current pressure to account for each minute in a classroom has limited time for the hands-on explorations that make any science, but especially this topic)  come alive for learners. 

In this recent release, the author and illustrator have packaged basic concepts accurately and entertainingly within  every day interactions between a child and their dog.With comic style illustrations and lively personalities, they reveal Newtonian properties and processes like gravity, inertia, and motion, as well as sound, matter, electricity, reflection and more. The table of contents offers topic tags for each poem, while brief and kid-friendly back matter expands slightly on examples of each with modest doses of added science. These helpfulm additions make the book a handy "grab" to reference" in classrooms and studies, but the whole is never greater than the sum of the poems. This every day awareness of forces and energy at work in a child's life is ideally suited to spark curiosity, investigation, further reading, and conversations. 

More examples of poetry power in science are abundantly at work in Miranda Paul's BEYOND: Discoveries from the Outer Reaches of Space, and, by Joyce Sidman, UBIQUITOUS: Celebrating Nature's Survivors with Poetry, reviewed HERE. In fact, I urge you to click on Sidman's name to learn more about each and every book she has produced to bring science to awaken the poetic language and learning worlds of kids.

These titles and the topics they explore are rich ways to integrate poetry and fine literature into content area studies or personal interests, and also to integrate key concepts into literacy studies, including them as mentor text for young writers to incorporate investigations and topic studies into the flexible forms of poetry. Of all the topics, none can be more immediate and recognizable in daily life than everyday applications of energy, matter, and force. Picture books are guaranteed a warm reception when  they star such a lively and comic pair as this kid-plus-pup. Check it out!

KID VOICES: Amplify, Support, Celebrate, RIGHT NOW!

Few would argue that kids have voices, opinions, personal interests, and attitudes. This is true physically (walk past any playground or swimming pool for proof) and figuratively (recall times when their voices are NOT in agreement with yours!). In the case of this upcoming (September 7, 2022) picture book, the voices speaking up refer to specific contemporary individual youths as well as addressing any young person who encounters the text. In fact, in the closing pages the author charges/challenges adults in the lives of those young folks to actively support their efforts and encourage their drive to improve the world, not settling for our "hopes" for their future but helping to improve it now.

CLARION BOOKS, 2022

RIGHT NOW! Real Kids Speaking Up For Change is written by Miranda Paul and illustrated by Bea Jackson. The cover is wrapped with images of the named examples whose brief profiles demonstrate the power of a committed young voice with following actions, but every single page reveals who the YOU of direct address text might be: diverse in age, ethnicity, ability, issue, and pursuit. 

The common denominators for the various images are their smiles, their determined expressions, and their unity in support of each other. More than sixteen individual examples are shared, with each example providing a brief background story, a direct quotation (cited in back matter), and a continuity of the general text which frames the individual as a potential "you", including the circumstances that led to the individual activism on behalf of a wider community. Those commitments ranged from medical discoveries to making life-needs available to the hungry and unhoused, to global causes like immigration, rights of girls and women, treatment of those with disabilities/differences, and basic kindness.

Backmatter includes a brief author note (with that challenge to adults), tagged ways-to-speak-up for eleven of the issues spotlighted within the profiles, a simple glossary, and bibliography with quotation sources. Paul has a polished talent for presenting nonfiction content in accessible, appealing ways that "speak" naturally to young readers without patronizing or oversimplifying. That is enhanced by the gifted art of illustrator Jackson. The colorful, recognizable images of these diverse, specific examples are couched in identifiable situations and settings, with a comfortable realism but a slight/inspiring glow to their demeanors. These, and the general characters throughout, could be found in any school anywhere, and they are. It matters that we (adults) recognize that in them, and help young people recognize in themselves the voices and interests that can change the world. A book like this is a ticket to begin that journey.

Carolrhoda Books
August, 2022

 

Two other new picture books encourage similar attitudes in young people. Both are charming and reinforce the call to action of RIGHT NOW, although they feel best suited to underscore or reinforce that text. BE A BRIDGE is written by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, with illustrations by Nabila Adani. It is written in rhymed lines with a direct address to younger readers, occasionally tending a bit didactic, but with wonderfully charming and colorful illustrations of diverse kids. Framed in a school setting, each reappears in various scenes, sometimes choosing positive actions and sometimes benefitting from the advice to calm down or deal with life in kind ways. 

BEAMING BOOKS
2022

Finally, SARAH RISING deserves a close look and sharing. In this case the tentative young voice is that of Sarah, who loves nature and her little "pets", a living collection that we later learn are lovingly cared for. observed,  and then released back into nature. Sarah, too, is lovingly cared for and will one day be released into her own future, but for now she is learning first hand from her dad that every voice should be raised to speak out for those being treated unjustly. The situation of a protest has a somber, worrisome tone, but Sarah's impulse to save an injured monarch butterfly outweighs her fear of the "BIG" people surrounding her. Her kindness separates her from her father, but results in care and kindness from other BIG people who lift her up to locate her dad inn the crowd. The sense of Sarah rising to a need, rising above her fear, naming her emotions, and being raised to see herself as able and with agency are all worth considering and discussing openly. Author Ty Chapman achieves an authentic young girl's first person voice and perspective, while illustrator DeAnn Wiley achieves an appealing balance of dark-skinned characters within joyful, safe, and happy scenes/relationships as well portraying widely diverse individuals involved in the protests and police groups, in which the overall tone and perspectives convey the shifting moods within the story arc. The recovered monarch being freed at the end offers a just-right dose of introductory lessons on symbolism. 

Overall, this threesome deserves a place on the list of "back to school" picture books across many age levels.

SPEAK UP! Out of the Mouths of Kids!

Clarion Books, 2020

When SPEAK UP first released last fall, I purchased it immediately. 

I loved it from the first reading  and have appreciated even more about it on each reread. What was evident from that initial reading (and in each return to it) was the timeliness AND timelessness of its language, message, and appeal.

SPEAK UP is written in flawless, flowing rhymed text by the talented and prolific Miranda Paul. The comparably talented Ebony Glenn illustrated a visual narrative of a "day in the life" classroom of diverse and enaged kids whose interactions demonstrate the direct and wise text with natural flair and convincing results. The scenes and text involve using their voices for friendship, gratitude, ally-ship, kindness, self-advocacy, rallying support for a project or cause, and more.The two-page back matter begins with an anecdote about the author's son who spoke up about a potentially dangerous situation, and her own practice of preparing her voice to speak strongly and clearly when addressing a group.

That is followed by six short paragraphs that depict real-life kids who used their voices to improve their lives and the lives of others. The page concludes with two brief lists of ideas about WHEN SHOULD YOU SPEAK UP and WAYS TO SPEAK UP WITHOUT SAYING A WORD. 

Ebony Glenn is a young and enormously talented illustrator who merits our attention for this and future works. Her characters in this book are comfortably age-and-grade non-specific but wonderfully expressive and individualized, allowing readers across many ages and grades to see themselves on the page. With bright colors, an effective mix of edges and lines, and universally simple shapes, her figures convey movement, relationships, and attitudes clearly, while allowing young audiences to imagine themselves capable of creating similar work of their own. 

Miranda Paul's work speaks for itself, and that includes past publications and upcoming  releases. She has a valuable guest post in a series called "nonfiction fest", for writers. If you are a writer, or caregiver, or teacher, or librarian, or KID, this is worthy reading, and fun reading, too..

As the title of this post says, out of the mouths of kids...

Last week our United States Senate spent time hearing and viewing the evidence that a former president had incited a mob to insurgency and undermined the free, fair, and repeatedly authenticated presidential election in November, 2020. I've always had more faith in the potential and authenticity of kids than in adults. Kids are open and eager to learn, grow, improve. 

Adults, not so much. 

Not  enough of them, anyway. 

That was evident last week, when the needed two-thirds majority of the Senate failed to find that former president was responsible and should be barred from future federal elected office or other civil roles. Some Senators who voted "not guilty" followed their vote with scathing remarks that condemned and confirmed the charges lodged, but used technicalities or fear to justify a Not Guilty vote. 

My hope for the future rests with kids. So many young people followed that process, and are growing up with books like these. The premise of this book is that SPEAKING UP is the right thing to do when it protects others, seeks justice, and defends identities. Kids "get it" that this is NOT the same as tattling, whining, or throwing a tantrum or a fist. Or beating someone with a flag staff. Or otherwise attacking our democracy with violence.

In case you missed my post on Valentine's Day, please check it out HERE. That's the day the CYBILS AWARDS for 2020 were announced, including the category for fiction picture books, on which I served as a Round One Panelist. You really need to check this winner out.

What Is Poetry?

Anchoring this post in time and space:
"Safe at Home" response to Covid19 pandemic continues, and that means libraries are still closed. The hold list for my library account is nearly maxed out, I've been direct ordering some titles from local (and distant) independent bookstores, and I've re-sorted my own personal (quite large) collection of picture books. Future posts will feature some of the gems that surfaced in that latter process. For now, I find myself frustrated at not having stacks and stacks of picture books at my fingertips in my work space. 
I appreciate libraries now more than ever.
Since April is poetry month, I decided to take a different tack with this post. I'm hoping that, after reading here, some of you will participate in comments. 

What this quotation calls to mind, for me, is the complexity of reactions people have to the word/concept POETRY. Some imagine poetry as sing-songy nursery rhymes, while others flinch at schoolage memories of tasks that demanded analysis and rote memorization of poems that felt disconnected from personal experience. 

Such is not the stuff of poetry, to me.

Here's a list of qualities of poetry that some former eight-to-nine-year old third graders developed with me years ago, representing only a PARTIAL list for identifying and defining poetry: 

Poetry is literature with special feelings, word choices, forms, and patterns.

Poetry:

·      Needs to use words

·      Does not have to be written on paper

·      Should go through the writing process to polish it to a shine

·      Does not have to be in a book

·      May have things in it to figure out

·      Can rhyme, but doesn’t have to rhyme

·      Can be long or short

·      Can describe things or people

·      Can be about nature

·      Can be about anything

·      Can be funny, sad, or mad (the more emotions it makes you feel, the better)

·      Usually has a title (the title may be a line of the poem, or might be repeated in the patterns, but it doesn’t have to be)

·      Can have pictures (that might or might not help understand the meaning of the poem)

·      Needs an author (but some authors are anonymous)

·      Can be true or not

·      Can be real or not

·      Can have word patterns that make the ideas stronger

·      Can be silly, with mixed up ideas

·      Can use names, made-up words, or other word play

·      Can be a tongue-twister, or use special writing styles or forms

·      Needs a careful reader who rereads several times to “get it all", to find all that the author is saying

Millbrook Press, 2019. Editor Miranda Paul

What would you add to this list of traits? 

Are there picture books that spring to mind as you read these ideas about poetry? 

     During poetry month and beyond, give some thought to buying, reading, and being inspired to write poetry. An outstanding place to start is the poetry anthology, THANKU, an uplifting compilation of works by talented writers, edited by Miranda Paul. Among those poems you'll find many of the qualities my former students recognized, and more. You'll encounter works by Joseph Bruchac, Margarita Engle, Liz Garton Scanlon, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Naomi Shihab Nye, Charles Waters, and Jane Yolen, and more. (Click each name to check their websites for books you may already have at home!)

      

    There is no better time than now to turn to poetry. What do you recommend? How do you use poetry? What would you add to that descriptive list? Care to share some of your own work?

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Profiles in Kindness: Biographies of Everyday Heroes

As I've been reading and examining picture book biographies, I've noted the challenge to portray famous adult lives and their accomplishments while not losing touch with the children from whom they grew.Two recent books do that particularly well. 

Abrams Books for Young Readers

YOU ARE MY FRIEND: The Story of Mister Rogers and His Neighborhood uses words by Aimee Reid and pictures by Matt Phelan to reveal the deep roots of Fred Rogers- as a child. 
With gentle, minimal text and images, the well-known adult Fred Rogers comes to life on the page first  as a sickly, timid, lonely little boy. Everyday experiences reveal his gradually developed ability to entertain himself with imagination (and puppets), to listen intently to those he trusted, and to absorb and apply their wise words in his own life. 
He finally developed the confidence to consider running along a stone wall. When he dared to ask permission, the gathered adults told him no. But Grandpa McFeely said yes, and then affirmed Fred's courage when the boy came back with a skinned knee.
Unlike some biographic picture books, this one successfully keeps the focus on Fred as a child long enough for readers to identify with him as a child. They are able to see him as an ordinary boy, one who could be in their classroom or neighborhood. 
Only then do they see him move ahead to become an observant, curious adult with a keen eye for making the world better. In one important case, a pivotal event, he imagined how making the new world of children's television could make the whole world a better place for... children.
Of all the ways he opened the world to young viewers, Fred Rogers never lost sight of those childhood messages: Look for the helpers, I believe in you, and you are wonderful just the way you are. The ways in which this ordinary hero changed lives is immeasurable.  This picture book biography plants the seed of truth: anyone can be a hero. Everyone IS a hero when they live up to their best selves.
Added back matter and resources are accessible and add valuable details and insights.

Clarion Press

The second biography that impressed me is LITTLE LIBRARIES, BIG HEROES, written by Miranda Paul and illustrated by John Parra. The narrative begins with another small boy whose struggle had to do with reading. That was a particular pain for a boy whose mother was a reading teacher and loved books. 
We quickly learn that she saw beyond her son's struggles and did not measure his worth by fluency. Instead she instilled a magical message in her son, Todd Bol, a seemingly ordinary boy. She shared her belief that he was gifted, that he could change the world, that he could do anything.
He never forgot that.
This book is as much a biography of the message as it is of Todd or any of the other cameo heroes included. Each had special gifts, ways of becoming heroes. 
This is the story behind the global movement that resulted in Little Free Libraries being built, registered, filled, and stewarded by people who love books and reading as much as Todd's mother did.
It is the story of Todd's search, as an adult, for a way to move beyond sadness when his mother died. To honor her, he decided to build and fill and steward a streetside little free library in her memory. 
This is also the story of Todd never giving up, believing his mother's message about making a difference. He moved his effort into nearby towns in Wisconsin with the help of a big-thinking buddy and volunteers, then on into public awareness, then on into communities around the country and around the world as his message spread.
It also offers anecdotes of  just a few everyday people who took on the role of Little Free Library stewards in their own communities, celebrating individuals for bringing the love of books and reading to their neighbors. Some of those stewards launched their efforts as  young as six years old.
In this book, too, the added details and resources in back matter elevate an inspiring story to nonfiction excellence and mentor writing. Content includes added details, but also notes links to learn more about this global effort. The nonprofit organization website allows you to explore a world map of active locations, find more individual stories, and learn how to become a steward in your own neighborhood.

How we define our heroes probably defines us.  

We sometimes urge kids to look beyond media-enhanced superheroes to recognize admirable folks in their midst, the ones who make a daily effort to live up to and exceed the responsibilities of life. 
Not often enough, I'm afraid.
With kids, that effort often yields a more fully developed understanding of role models, of leaders, of  admirable human qualities. Young people may interview and write about those close-at hand heroes, too.

As we pause in gratitude for all that we have, as we gather today and throughout the upcoming holidays, I urge you to share stories of the personal heroes you found in your own lives, especially when you were very young. Share some stories of how Mr. Rogers was a part of your life.

After a full meal, gather up some gently loved books to exchange and take a walk to a Little Free Library near you. (Check the map!) If there is none near you, why not open a conversation about becoming an steward in your own front yard. 

And remember, before stumbling into heated or hurtful conversations, that the young ones gathered round are watching, listening, and absorbing what you say and do. What they see and hear, directly and indirectly, will shape who they one day become. 

As Fred's Grandpa McFeely told him, what he always remembered and grew up to share, "You are wonderful just the way you are."

Happy Thanksgiving.

Two Books by Sue Fliess: Rhyming Rocks!

Those of us who work diligently at writing picture book text are often frustrated by the widespread insider advice AGAINST writing in rhyme. The premise behind that advice is that publishers don't buy rhyming text. That's obviously not true, but this is: writing rhyming text is VERY hard to do, even harder to do WELL, and rhyming text is very challenging to edit. So, the REAL advice should be, don't write in rhyme unless it's absolutely the only/best way to tell your story. Then, if that's the case, study the best and do it WELL.

Author Sue Fliess seems to have figured out the secret sauce for a recipe for successful rhyming picture books. Her latest two releases are good examples of her rhyming skill in storytelling.

Two Lions, 2018

Since the orange of Halloween has been stored away and shops are filled with red and green, it's not too early to share her Christmas book. MRS. CLAUS TAKES THE REINS is illustrated by Mark Chambers. When Santa has the sniffles and opts out of Christmas, Mrs. Claus saves the day. She's well-suited in her green cardigan outfit, red socks and hair, and elfin glasses. 
She and her loyal troops weather storms, incoming ducks, snug chimneys, and exhaustion to "get 'er done"!
There are no real surprises in this rollicking adventure, but it's fun to follow a highly competent Mrs. Claus carry the toys, the spirit, and the joy of holiday giving around the world in a single night. 
The story reveals that Christmas magic is not Santa-specific, but seems to be anchored in (or lifted by) good will, generosity, determination, and love. Fliess incorporates all within this rousing, tightly-metered rhyming text that makes a lively and lovely read-aloud with a strong woman saving the day.

Running Press Kids, January 2019

You'll need to put her second title on your wish list because it won't release until early January, 2019. NINJA CAMP is illustrated by Jen Taylor. There are plenty of ninja picture books, a testament to the many wannabe ninjas among kids (and their parents!). 
Quite a few, although not all, are written in rhyme. Sharply metered, power-packed rhymes, many using onomatopoetic slams, bangs, chops, and kicks, suit the concept well. That's true of the text in NINJA CAMP, and the action-dense story is illustrated to enhance the text.
Fliess has managed to find an original take on the ninja theme in portraying a training camp and inter-camp challenge. The action is enhanced in the nighttime setting by using dense color tones with figures outlined by streaky white lines to suggest the backlighting of the starlit skies. There are plenty of page-turning twists throughout, with (no surprise) a happy ending for the young ninja stars. 

While you're waiting for NINJA CAMP to release, make a stop at your library and check out a few other fun Ninja picture books:
DOJO DAYCARE by Chris Tougas,
NINJA! by Arree Chung (The first in a series featuring this adorable little Ninja)
and 10 LITTLE NINJAS by Miranda Paul, featured in a an earlier post, here. (Now available as a board book)

Good Night Rituals with BOOKS, and More!

I began working on this post by searching for previous posts in which I discuss the importance of bedtime books in my childhood. I addressed the importance of books from birth onward in this post. It seems I never directly addressed the powerful role my own parents played (BOTH Mom and Dad) in shaping me and my siblings as lifelong readers. I honestly cannot remember a night that didn't include time spent with read-aloud/follow-along books, most often with the kids all piling into one of our beds like puppies. 
I grew up at a time when publishing children's books and our limited economic conditions meant access to books was NOTHING like the current plethora of glorious choices available to families today. Our home kid-lit library contained only about five or six traditional-tale anthologies and a couple of well-worn Disney books (based directly on the movies). Here's a look at our nightly go-to collection: 

Repetition was NEVER an issue, since both Mom and Dad loved to read, recognized the impact of ritual, and would interpret the voices, drama, and humor of those stories with unlimited variations of expression and style. 

Now that school is back in session, it's a perfect time to establish reasonable bedtimes with a read-aloud ritual. To encounter resistance to summer's end and summer habits is not uncommon and becomes most clear at bedtime. The first two books here reflect some of that normal pattern in ways that are both amusing and comforting, while also serving to ease the day to its end in the best possible way- with books!

GOOD NIGHT! GOOD NIGHT! is written and illustrated by Carin Berger. If yours is already a GOOD NIGHT MOON family, you'll recognize some parallels with this book, but also appreciate its delightful, unique approach. The back cover question says it all: Will these silly little bunnies EVER go too sleep? 
The spare text combines with simple but charming collage illustrations to make the problem and the pattern clear:  After early page turns revealing familiar rituals, there this: 

"Good-night hugs. AGAIN. 

Good-night... DANCES!

dances?"

It's a sheer delight, a giggle-inducing discovery that holds up during repeated readings. 

A less subtle version of bedtime resistance can be found in 10 LITTLE NINJAS, written by Miranda Paul and illustrated by Nate Wragg. I wrote about this book and bedtime battle in a prior post that included other great bedtime books. You can check those out, here. It would be fun to include both of these titles in a nightly rotation. The kids will be reciting along with you, easing themselves to sleep in the process. 

What matters even more than the books you use (or how limited your selection of books may be) is the message your children will absorb, the feelings they'll develop, the sense of empowerment they'll gain. You'll transmit all that and more by spending a few minutes at your child's bedside each night sharing books, stories, and even music. You'll be raising book-lovers and readers. That's absolutely true.
But you'll also be raising individuals who have an enormous capacity to see themselves as competent actors on the world stage.

I say that in a purely anecdotal and personal way. I was privileged to grow up in a stable, loving home with plenty of daily squabbles but a huge amount of security. Trying to separate the effects of our nightly readings from the other hours of the day and say definitively that this variable made the difference in my own life is unsupportable, but feels undeniable. I know with certainty that all of it mattered, but those nightly minutes with Mom or Dad are some of the warmest memories of my long life. And what I gained from them stretches far beyond literacy.  

Author Michael Leannah must know this truth, too. Perhaps that awareness comes from his own childhood experiences, but I'm certain it also comes from his perspective and practice as a parent. His recent release, GOODNIGHT WHISPERS is illustrated by Dani Torrent. (If you or the kids in your lives have had concerns about frequently reported acts of violence in our society, you'll want to know about Michael's earlier picture book, MOST PEOPLE, review and interview HERE.)

I'm confident of Michael's agreement because his text cuts to the heart of the bedtime ritual. 

In his story the loving father does not read to his growing child, but begins with nightly whispers and progresses to a lifetime of loving whispers. Each whisper is an affirmation of his daughter's goodness, strength, persistence, skills, determination, and capacity to succeed in the world. In a very real sense this dad's day-to-day reassurances and comforts are the opposite of the much-maligned lament that "kids today" are over-praised and becoming "snowflakes". 
Instead, the situation-specific whispers acknowledge a child's shortcomings, failures, and struggles while providing reassurance that the dad has seen and values the unique qualities, inner strengths, and attitudes his daughter displays amid the challenges of life. 
What matters in this book, in the  whispers, bedtime stories, and even family dinnertable time, is the consistency of the practice, the ritual, and the many ways in which the messages convey confidence and love. 
And WORTH.
So, YES to reading at bedtime, for all of the literacy and life practices that will develop. 
But an even more powerful YES to doing things intentionally with kids, on a consistent and caring basis. These will be the moments, repeated daily, that will seep into the characters of kids and carry them on through life. 

To read about another family ritual, here's an archived Father's Day post about the FUNNY PAPERS.