Lucas County in Ohio is starting an initiative to distribute books to children who attend subsidized child care in the county. They plan to give out 2400 books to 800 children! In addition, the county will provide early literacy training for child care providers who have county contracts.
Think of the niche for librarians here! We already know about early literacy and how to train parents and child care providers. We know what books to use. Anyone else feel a grant coming on?
Comets, Stars, the Moon and Mars: space poems and paintings by Douglas Florian.
What a winner of a book! A combination of space and poetry! The subject lends itself to the imagery of poetry, the rhythm of it, the dance. Each planet as well as the sun and moon get their own poem, explaining their unique feature in a quick verse with a clever little ending. Florian’s accompanying illustrations are equally accessible and evocative, a gateway to complexity just as his poems are.
Share these great poems with children who are not necessarily poetry lovers. The popular subject will allow us to sneak in the poetry to scientific, logical children who may not yet have allowed the muse into their hearts. What a great way to tie literature and science together.
Cures for Heartbreak by Margo Rabb.
This is the story of Mia whose mother died twelve days after finding out she had cancer. Now fifteen-year-old Mia, her older sister and her father must find their ways to a life without her mother. Mia struggles with the loss and along the way encounters a series of characters who offer moments of levity. Mia’s voice is strongly written and believable. I enjoy that she is the type of teen who likes shopping, makeup and clothes. She is not an intellectual, but doesn’t have to be to make razor-sharp comments about those around her.
Her battle to overcome the loss of her mother is filled with laugh-out-loud moments that blend into sober, dark times filled with grief. I found this to be a powerful device, emblematic of the real tumult of loss. The characters such as Mia’s sister and father are well-drawn and developed. Though Mia and her sister are opposites in most ways, they come together in the humor they both see around them.
Recommended for teen girls who enjoy romances, stories of loss, and most of all a good laugh through the tears.
Badger’s Fancy Meal by Keiko Kasza.
Badger has a den full of food, but he wants something fancier, so he heads out to look for it. He sees all sorts of yummy-looking animals as he explores, but they all escape him. What he doesn’t realize is that they are all escaping into his food-filled den. Only when he has lost it, does he realize the value of what he already had.
This is a clever book that will be very familiar to adults, but is fresh for children. The device of using a turning page to hide from badger what happened on the last page but allows children to view it is very clever and fun. As always, Kasza’s illustrations are winningly done and will project well to a group of children.
I would recommend this for a thanksgiving story that is free of Pilgrims. It shows not only a love of food but offers a device to really talk about what we should be thankful for.
Disney has signed an exclusive deal with the legendary Stan Lee of comic book fame. He is the creator of Spiderman, the Hulk and the X-Men. The agreement allows for production of all kinds of entertainment, so hopefully we will see great things come out of this.
Red, red, red by Valeri Gorbachev.
Turtle hurries through town telling everyone who asks him where he is going that he is off to see something red, red, red. Each animal he passes wonders if it is their red thing that he is looking for. No, it isn’t the roses, no not the watermelon, and not even the fire engine! What could it be?
As always, Gorbachev has created a world filled with a little mystery and lot of friendly animals. The illustrations are very friendly with a vintage feel. I appreciate the focus on color and children will enjoy guessing what the next offer of red will be and also guessing before the final page what Turtle was really looking for.
Share this with preschoolers who are working on their colors. This book is perfect for color-related story times as well.
New Socks by Bob Shea.
This cheery, clever little book features a chick who has gotten new orange socks. There is very little actual storyline here, but the joy of new sock is completely contagious. From sliding on wood floors to allowing a chick to be brave enough to slide down the big slide, these socks can do almost anything!
The graphic art is hip, fun and bright. The words are catchy and will rely on the reader to read them with enthusiasm. Though the book is short enough for even toddlers, I would think that kindergarteners on up will appreciate the quirky humor and imagination of this book.
Great to read aloud at any time, don’t save this one for your chicken or clothing storytimes, though it will work well there too.
Nickelodeon is showing a TV movie on Saturday, June 9th that is based on the Shredderman books by Wendelin Van Draanen. Shredderman Rules! is definitely going on my TiVo!
You can also check out the cool Shredderman.com website from Random House where you can meet the characters, find computer fun, and play Shredderman WebQuest.
Water Boy by David McPhail.
A boy is told by his teacher that he is mostly water, and the story begins. At first he worries that if he is scratched water will pour out of him or that he will turn to ice in the winter, but soon he finds himself drawn to water. His grandmother makes him a sweater of ocean blue and he wears it every day. But then strange watery things start to happen and he finds a power that he would never have imagined he had.
McPhail has the ability to create amazing stories that envelop a reader, leading them further and further along a fantastic path. I believe his realistic art style adds to the sense of a fantasy that is real. The softness of the illustrations and their rather old-fashioned feel create a sense of home and warmth on each page, even when waves are singing and raindrops are balanced on tips of fingers.
This is a great first taste of reality-based fantasy, allowing children to see fantasy as not just books with monsters, dragons and wizards. Instead it is a book about how the tangible can become strange and different through a single child. And what power that is to give our children.
Share this during units on weather or liquids/solids. It is a great addition to rainy day story times as well. Recommended for Kindergarteners and first graders on moist and misty days or the driest of summer weather.
