Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book from the publisher to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

Most People by Michael Leannah, illustrated by Jennifer E. Morris

Publisher: Tilbury House Publisher
Pages: 32
Format: Hardcover
Age Range: 4 – 7
Grade Level: Preschool – 2
Publication Date: August 15, 2017

Looking for a book to teach kids about kindness?  How about a straightforward book to help children see the good in people even when bad things happen?

Synopsis
The world can be a scary place. Anxious adults want children to be aware of dangers, but shouldn’t kids be aware of kindness too?

Michael Leannah wrote Most People as an antidote to the scary words and images kids hear and see every day. Jennifer Morris’s emotive, diverting characters provide the perfect complement to Leannah’s words, leading us through the crowded streets of an urban day in the company of two pairs of siblings (one of color). We see what they see: the hulking dude with tattoos and chains assisting an elderly lady onto the bus; the Goth teenager with piercings and purple Mohawk returning a lost wallet to its owner; and the myriad interactions of daily existence, most of them well intended. Most People is a courageous, constructive response to the dystopian world of the news media.

Reflection
When you read or watch the news, sometimes it can feel like the only things reported are terrible, depressing events. Am I right? Typically the media tends to concentrate on the negative events and bad people in life, rather than the good. Despite that, I still believe most people in this world are kind. Do you? That’s the overall message of this heartwarming book.

Little readers follow two families (one Black family and one White family) from sunrise to sunset interacting with various other people in their community. Along the way they see people doing both good and bad things until they finally arrive back home again.  The families enjoy dinner and dessert together on the rooftop of their apartment building where all the people from their community also live.

This picture book is filled with various diverse characters of different skin tones and physical abilities. There is even a blind person shown along with their guide dog.  I love the sense of community and messages of kindness. I also like how the book explains that people who do bad things can change.  Because deep down aren’t all humans good people? I like to believe so or at least hope this is true. As the book states, “there is a seed of goodness inside {each person} waiting to sprout.”

The author’s note acknowledges that while children need to be careful of strangers, they also need to know that most people are good, kind and helpful. Our children don’t deserve to be overly fearful of the world no matter how much the media communicates this.  I think this book can help spark lots of great discussions with smaller children whenever tragedies strike as it’s easy enough to understand.  A great book to add to your home or school library.

About the Author
Michael Leannah was a teacher in elementary schools for more than 30 years and is the author of a forthcoming instruction manual for teachers, We Think with Ink. His children’s fiction has been published in Highlights for Children, Ladybug, and other magazines, and he has written two other forthcoming children’s books and contributed to Midwest regional histories and biographies. He is the father of three grown children and one three-year-old granddaughter.

About the Illustrator
Jennifer E. Morris is the author and illustrator of May I Please Have a Cookie?, Please Write Back! (combined sales over 1 million copies) and other children’s books. She also illustrates children’s magazines, greeting cards, party ware, and educational materials and is the recipient of the Don Freeman Memorial Grant awarded by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Jennifer currently lives in rural Massachusetts with her husband and two children.

You Should Meet: Katherine Johnson by Thea Feldman, illustrated by Alyssa Petersen

Publisher: Simon Spotlight
Age Range: 6-8
Grade Level: 1-3
Format: Hardcover or Paperback
Pages: 48

Synopsis
Get to know the woman who made many of NASA’s early missions possible in this fascinating, nonfiction Level 3 Ready-to-Read, part of a series of biographies about people “you should meet!”

Meet Katherine Johnson, a brilliant mathematician who worked at NASA in the early 1950s until retiring in 1986. Katherine’s unparalleled calculations (done by hand) helped plan the trajectories for NASA’s Mercury and Apollo missions (including the Apollo 11 moon landing). She is said to be one of the greatest American minds of all time.

A special section at the back of the book includes extras on subjects like history and math, plus inspiring careers for math lovers. With the You Should Meet series, learning about historical figures has never been so much fun!

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book from the publisher to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

Reflection
I couldn’t stop talking about the movie Hidden Figures when I initially saw it. If you don’t already know, the movie is based on the true story of three African-American women who were critical to NASA’s first space launch.

Hidden Figures introduced many people to Katherine Johnson for the first time. I was already familiar with her since I studied Computer Science, but several people I know had never heard of her before. This level three easy reader chapter book helps little STEM lovin’ readers become more familiar with Katherine Johnson.

Born on August 26, 1918, Katherine Johnson was born in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.  She was the youngest of four children.  Her father owned a farm, and her mother was a teacher.  Katherine was always interested in learning about almost anything.  Her favorite subject and first love was math.  Katherine’s father was also a math wiz who could solve math problems like no one’s business.

I think this book is really great for teaching little readers about Katherine’s childhood and family life, her first job and her many accomplishments achieved throughout her lifetime. Did you know Katherine Johnson started high school when she was just 10 years old and became a college freshman at the age of 15?  Impressive!

Not only was Katherine Johnson a math genius, she was brave.  As a woman, I know working in a male dominated industry like computers or engineering is already tough.  So I can only imagine how much tougher it was to be working in a male dominated industry in the 1950’s in the segregated South as a Black woman.

I am so glad I have the opportunity to share this book with my children and others.  Katherine Johnson’s story is such an important piece of history that everyone should know about.  This book helps kids learn basic facts about an important female who helped change the world through her extraordinary work.  Not only is this book informative, it’s inspirational too.  I am so happy Katherine finally received the recognition she deserved by receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015 by President Barack Obama.

Katherine is proof that if you stay grounded in what you love, the places you go can be out of this world!

The book is broken out into five small chapters and the back matter includes information about how sailors use stars to guide them, useful information about different creative careers and a fun quiz to see what you’ve learned.  Be sure to check this one out if you’re looking for a historical non-fiction easy reader chapter book for kids.

How Long to Read This?  Find out here.

Your turn: Are you looking forward to reading this book with your kids or students?  Feel free to share in the comments.

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book from the author to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.

I Am Peace: A Book of Mindfulness by Susan Verde, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 32
Age Range: – 4 – 8 years
Grade Level: Preschool – 3
Publication Date: September 26, 2017

Synopsis
When the world feels chaotic, find peace within through an accessible mindfulness practice from the bestselling picture-book dream team that brought us I Am Yoga. Express emotions through direct speech. Find empathy through imagination. Connect with the earth. Wonder at the beauty of the natural world. Breathe, taste, smell, touch, and be present.

Perfect for the classroom or for bedtime, Susan Verde’s gentle, concrete narration and Peter H. Reynolds’s expressive watercolor illustrations bring the tenets of mindfulness to a kid-friendly level. Featuring an author’s note about the importance of mindfulness and a guided meditation for children, I Am Peace will help readers of all ages feel grounded and restored.

Reflection
It is astonishing the level of stress children (and adults) can experience these days. There are so many distractions surrounding us fighting for every second of our attention.

Last year my daughter practiced mindfulness in school and she seemed to really like it. At home whenever she started feeling overwhelmed she would tell me she was going to her room for 3 minutes to practice mindfulness. Why 3 minutes? I have no idea. Maybe that’s how long it lasted in her class. In any event, when she finished her mindfulness she was much more calm. So whatever they were teaching her in school seemed to work.

After reading this book it reminded me to start cultivating in my children the habit of spending a little time each day being mindful – appreciating the moment and being able to observe the world around them. No electronics, no books, just being at peace for 3-5 minutes each day.

I Am Peace helps children do just that – learn to be in the moment. In the beginning, a little brown skinned boy with dreadlocks talks about being anxious worried about what might happen next or what happened before. In the end, he learns to appreciate what he has and reflects on his feelings.  The beautiful watercolor illustrations really seem to pop off the page and immediately make you feel at peace.  Although the text is spare the messages of kindness and gratefulness come across loud and clear. Children will also learn about being aware of their bodies and see how sharing kindness with others helps them make a difference in the world.  There is also a helpful guided meditation you can do with your kids or on your own in the back of the book. An author’s note provides more information about the benefits of practicing mindfulness with children.  A great beginner book to go deeper exploring silence and meaningfulness with children.

About the Author
Susan Verde is the author of I Am Yoga, The Museum, and You and Me, all illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, as well as My Kicks, illustrated by Katie Kath.  She teaches yoga and mindfulness to children and currently lives in East Hampton, New York.

About the Illustrator
Peter H. Reynolds is the illustrator of many bestselling and award-winning picture books, including The Dot, Ish, and I Am Yoga.  He currently lives in Dedham, Massachusetts, where he operates the beloved shop Blue Bunny Books and Toys.

Your turn: Do you practice mindfulness on your own or with your children?  Feel free to share in the comments.

Grandma’s Tiny House by JaNay Brown-Wood, illustrated by Priscilla Burris

Publisher: Charlesbridge
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 32
Age Range: 2 – 5
Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
Publication Date: August 8, 2017

Synopsis
This sweet, rhyming counting book introduces young readers to numbers one through fifteen as Grandma’s family and friends fill her tiny house on Brown Street. Neighbors, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and grandkids crowd into the house and pile it high with treats for a family feast.

But when the walls begin to bulge and no-body has space enough to eat, one clever grandchild knows exactly what to do.

Where there’s a will there’s a way when families grow and come together.

Reflection

Tiny in size, at the edge of Brown Street,

sits Grandma’s old house, where we all go to meet.

That is how the book opens with an adorable illustration of Grandma and her two pets peeking out of the window of her tiny house.  Grandma’s family members are about to gather at her house to have a feast.  The book doesn’t say what the family is celebrating perhaps it’s Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, a family reunion or just a regular Sunday dinner.  Whatever the celebration is, I wish I was there right there with them eating some yummy food: turkey, collard greens with ham hocks, biscuits, sweet potato pie and more.

Children will enjoy counting from one to fifteen as different family members and neighbors start to arrive at Grandma’s house.  The illustrations are so bright and cheery and remind me of huge family gatherings we used to have at my grandma’s house when I was younger.  There are several multi-generational aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews all sporting different hairstyles (most people have beautiful afro-textured hair).

When the house begins to overflow with too many people one clever grandchild has an idea to take the party outside to the backyard.  The party must go on!

As Grandma’s Tiny House illustrates, family gatherings are not just about eating.  They are about getting the family together in the kitchen and dividing up the tasks so that everyone is involved and contributing to the family meal, whether it’s by chopping, baking, stirring, bringing a dish to share or setting the table.  In addition to the cute illustrations and fun rhyming text, the thing I like best about this book is you can feel the passion for family gatherings.

The one addition I would have liked to see in this book is the actual numbers 1-15 shown on the pages instead of just the written number words.  I think this would have made it easier for smaller readers to make the connection to the numbers as well as the words.  Overall, a cute counting book for children ages 2 – 5 years old.

Your turn: Do you have a tradition of getting the family together on a regular basis, cooking and eating? Tell me about it!