5 out 5 stars. “The Girl Who Figured It Out” has the potential to be a very important book in the children’s picture book space. I think it will appeal to kids with and without disabilities and deserves to have a place in elementary school libraries and classrooms.
4 stars. “Always Together” by Patricia Kreiser is a picture book to help kids grapple with the topics of loss and grief. The illustrations are very nicely done. The text is appropriate for the target age range. One concern I had is that it might be difficult to see because of the font size and color contrast between the font color and illustrations in the background. Otherwise, I think this is a good option for helping kids navigate their big feelings.
5 out of 5 stars. Chronically Loved was written by Natasha Graves and beautifully illustrated by Winda Mulyasari. This is one of (if not the first) picture book I’ve come across that talks about having a relative with a chronic illness that includes invisible symptoms. In this story, Aaliyah’s Aunt Nia has a chronic illness that includes pain, fatigue, and brain fog. It’s told from Aaliyah’s perspective – talking about how Aunt Nia can sometimes go out and about but sometimes needs to rest at home. Aaliyah talks about the fun activities they do together. But, she also talks about how sometimes Aunt Nia gets frustrated and might seem like she’s mad at Aaliyah but she really isn’t. Aaliyah also gets frustrated because sometimes she wants to play and do things with Aunt Nia or thinks Aunt Nia is taking too long to get ready to do something.
5 out of 5 stars. Everything Changes written by Carol Dodd and illustrated by Erin Huybrechts is a children’s picture book, but the message within the pages is one suitable for ALL ages. This rhyming book is filled with gorgeous watercolor style illustrations and features q variety of landscapes, animals, and people of varying cultural, racial/ethnic and religious backgrounds. My only complaint is that disability is not (visibly) represented. Despite this, I would still recommend this book to others as a great tool for talking about how change is okay and a normal part of the human experience.
4 out 5 stars. How Does My Body Work? is a fun and extensive book detailing the different body systems for kids. There are a lot of interesting activities to help explain the different concepts. I think some of the activities sound difficult and/or requires adult help even when it’s not indicated. But overall I think this would be a great book for classroom teachers, homeschooling, or the kid interested in how the body works.
5 out of 5 stars. Be a Bridge by Irene Latham and Charles Waters is a gorgeously illustrated book with a message that all can benefit from. The text is fun and engaging. Even in digital format I can tell that the illustrations will be amazing in a printed format. The cast of characters throughout the book is quite diverse. There are kids and adults of all races and ethnicities. There is a young girl wearing a hijab. There’s a student who uses a manual wheelchair. I can see this book being an excellent addition for a child’s home library or a classroom library. In fact I’ve already suggested that my friend who’s a first grade teacher consider adding it to her classroom library once it’s released. The authors also include a listing of additional books and activity ideas to reinforce the concepts described in the book. There is also a Bridge Builder Pledge that kids can sign. The authors also provide a link for a downloadable version of the pledge which would be perfect for classrooms or similar groups.
3 out of 5 stars. Ever since seeing the Disney movie Finding Dory I’ve been obsessed with Sea Otters. They’re so cute! I was excited to see The Secret Life of the Sea Otter by Laurence Pringle on NetGalley. I read it on my iPad but I think it would be better in print. The illustrations were nice in the digital form but I think will be gorgeous in the print version. One slight concern I have related to this though is the readability of the text. The story explores the daily life of Lutris and her baby. I felt like there some good educational content in there but the “storyline” felt a little choppy to me. At the end of the book there was more information about Sea Otters as well as a glossary of terms. I liked the glossary. I don’t think that the “additional information” added much to the book though to be honest. I’m not sure exactly what the suggested age range is for the book but the extra info was too advanced. I would rather the author have included more kid friendly resources. All in all, I think the illustrations included in the book will be gorgeous but I’m not sure about the text content. I’m a little disappointed.
5 out of 5 stars. This is a book I wish had been around when I was a kid. I struggled with anxiety and even though I loved to talk, I think I had trouble explaining what I was worried about sometimes. I appreciate the fact that this book is kid oriented but doesn’t feel ”babyish”. It seeks to validate the child’ feelings while providing concrete steps and actions they can take to alleviate their fears. I also like the notes at the bottom of many of the pages providing more background information on the topic or actions described. For example, the term catastrophizing is explained on one page. There is a section at the back of the book with specific affirmation statements parents/adults can share and model. There are also examples of tactics such as grounding and an adorable story that can be used for practicing meditation. There are also general resource links that parents or adults can reference for additional information. All in all, I could see this book being a great tool for parents/caregivers/family members to work through with a child who is struggling with lots of feelings. I could also see it being used by counselors, psychologists and social workers when working with kids. In these uncertain times, helping kids to understand how they are feeling and how to handle these feelings is critical. The book even includes pages about reacting to local or worldwide events!
Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful day yesterday spent with family and friends whether it was in person or virtually. This…
A few weeks ago i had the opportunity to visit 2 first grade classrooms at a local elementary school as part of a new curriculum…