EXCLUSIVE COVER REVEAL: A Teacher Like You by Frank Murphy and Barbara Dan
A Teacher Like You by Frank Murphy and Barbara Dan
Following the success of A Boy Like You and A Girl Like You comes the next book in series that celebrates teachers. This time, Frank Murphy teams up with experienced educator Barbara Dan.
I already knew how important teachers were, but COVID-19 made us all take a step back and really understand just how vital teachers are to our society. Like many others, I now have an overwhelming appreciation of teachers and what their job actually involves.
Teachers have always been the heart of the learning process for children. That’s never been more true than it is now, as teachers strive to implement remote learning plans and support families on how to guide at-home learning for kids. Today, teachers must balance their own childcare and household needs while also connecting with each of their students to maintain growth and progress. That is no small task.
Teachers, we salute you! The forthcoming picture book, A Teacher Like You is dedicated to you and all you do to educate and nurture the children of our future.
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press On-sale Date: March 15, 2020 available for pre-orders now! Written by Frank Murphy & Barbara Dan illustrated by Kayla Harren Reading Level: 5 – 7 years Grade Level: Kindergarten – 2
Synopsis Teachers have the power to change the life of a child with every new school day. Whether they’re discovering math or reading, practicing a new instrument or a new sport, or learning about our wonderful, diverse world, students can count on the kindness, innovation, and patience of a teacher. This is a wonderful celebration of all the ways teachers help their student’s bloom.
Mark your calendars for this March 2021 release!
About the Authors
Frank Murphy is a teacher who writes and a writer who teaches. He has taught a wide variety of grades at the elementary for more than 27 years. A history buff, former basketball coach & Sixers fan, and popular speaker, Frank is the author of many fun historical fiction/biography books for young readers, including several popular Random House Step into Reading History Readers – including the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio 2006 Best Book Award Winner Ben Franklin & the Magic Squares. As a teacher and father, Frank is committed to creating children’s books that expand readers’ knowledge of history and help inspire discussions about kindness, leadership, citizenship, growing up, and more.
Barbara Dan is an elementary school teacher with over 15 years of experience. She strives to expose her students to a diverse collection of books. Discussions in her classroom with students cover topics such as: perseverance, kindness, acceptance, failure, family structure, exploration, emotions, diversity and different abilities.
About the Illustrator Kayla Harren graduated from the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in New York City with a BFA in illustration. Books she has illustrated include A BOY LIKE YOU (winner of the 2019 EUREKA gold award) and THE BOY WHO GREW A FOREST (winner of the EUREKA silver award.) Her work has been featured in the Society of Illustrators, American Illustration, Communication Arts, 3×3 Magazine, and she won the Highlights for Children Pewter Plate Award.
Kayla love animals, playing volleyball, hiking, and eating cookies with frosting. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, Peter Harren, and their adorable dogs. Visit Kayla’s website by clicking here.
Ty’s Travels: A New Early Reader Series by Kelly Starling Lyons + A Giveaway
In creating the Ty’s Travels series, author Kelly Starling Lyons wanted to make something that in her words “embodied Black Boy Joy.”
This is the first I Can Read series that features a Black family. These Guided Reading Level I books are great early readers ages 4 – 8 learning to read. They contain basic language, adorable illustrations, simple sentences and word repetition. Readers will enjoy Ty’s first train adventure and his first race car adventure. I think this is such a delightful series showing kids being everyday kids and having joyful experiences. We’re looking forward to reading the forthcoming books in the series as they are released.
Join Ty on his imaginative adventures in Ty’s Travels: All Aboard!, a My First I Can Read series by acclaimed author and illustrator team Kelly Starling Lyons and Nina Mata. Family time and imagination and play are highlighted in this fun story, perfect for sharing with children 3 to 6.
Ty wishes his family would play with him, but everyone is too busy before dinnertime. Luckily, Ty knows just what to do… Time for fun. Celebrate the power of imagination in All Aboard!
Ty can’t wait to ride his brand-new scooter at the park. Other kids zip and zoom by like race cars, but all Ty can do is wobble! Ty wants to give up, but a new friend helps Ty give it another try.
Celebrate imagination and the power of persistence in Ty’s Travels: Zip, Zoom! by the acclaimed author and illustrator team Kelly Starling Lyons and Nina Mata.
About the Author & Illustrator Kelly Starling Lyons is a founding member of The Brown Bookshelf (thebrownbookshelf.com). Her acclaimed picture books include Ellen’s Broom, Going Down Home with Daddy, and Sing a Song: How “Lift Every Voice and Sing” Inspired Generations.
Nina Mata is a New York Times bestselling illustrator and received her degree from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. She has illustrated many books, including American gymnast Laurie Hernandez’s She’s Got This, NBA superstar LeBron James’s I Promise, and the Ty’s Travels I Can Read series. Nina currently lives in New Jersey with her husband, their daughter, and Tabitha, their cat. Visit her online at beautifique.org.
The Giveaway! One (1) lucky winner will win 1 copy of Ty’s Travels: Zip, Zoom! AND 1 copy of Ty’s Travels: All Aboard!. Must be a US resident age 18 and over to enter. Good Luck!
Carole is one of the leading poets writing for young people today. She believes that poetry makes music with words. Her work spans poetry, nonfiction, biography and historical fiction. She wrote her first poem in grade school when she was in the first grade.
InBeauty Mark: A Verse Novel of Marilyn Monroe, Carole channels the actress hailed as the sexiest woman of all time. She is reflecting on her life as she prepares to sing Happy Birthday to President Kennedy. Born Norma Jeane, Marilyn had more than her share of baggage. Not just the duffel bag her troubled mother stuffed her into to steal her from foster parents. Not just her Louis Vuitton luggage or the designer handbags that held her pills. But also parental neglect, sexual abuse, failed marriages, miscarriages, mental breakdowns, and the manipulation she endured under Hollywood’s studio system. For all her misery, Marilyn was also a businesswoman and the brains behind her brand—so much more than the blond bombshell that she portrayed. Through poems that conjure Marilyn’s voice, Beauty Mark goes inside her head and heart, inside the hopes and dreams of a Hollywood legend.
What ideas or influences did you have in mind when creating this work? I was drawn to Marilyn Monroe for several reasons, chief among them her iconic status. I saw young adults rocking Marilyn t-shirts and accessories and decorating their rooms with posters of her. As a child of the 1960s, I could remember hearing about her tragic death. I later learned more about her troubled childhood, marriages, miscarriages, mental illness, and premature demise. To me, Marilyn was not just a movie star; she was a mood and a mystery. Her life was a poem. Though typecast as a blond bombshell, Marilyn was so much more. She was a producer, poet, painter, gardener, avid reader, and, most importantly, the brains behind her brand.
How did you approach writing this verse novel? What were the various stages in its development? I read many biographies of Marilyn—ones that were narrative and others that included collected her mementoes. I approached her story chronologically, reading chapters from various references about the same period or episode. Then, I synthesized the information to come up with my own take. I recreated not only her voice but also emotional backdrops for her narrative.
Can you recall particular problem solving /decisions you had to make in the writing process? First, I had to decide on the novel’s premise. I decided that the story would unfold as a flashback. The first scene shows Marilyn a few months before her death. In a Madison Square Garden dressing room, she is being sewn into her gown to sing “Happy Birthday” to President John Kennedy. During that styling which required Marilyn to stand still for hours—thus the first poem’s title—I imagine Marilyn reflecting on how a former foster child born as Norma Jeane rose to worldwide fame.
There was also one poem that I wrote out of sequence—the one where she is committed to a psychiatric hospital. I feared the darkness of going there with her. So, I wrote that poem next to last.
Which poetic / narrative techniques did you decide to employ, and why?I used first-person point of view to allow Marilyn to speak for herself. In life, her voice was often ignored or minimalized by studio executives. It was important to me that she be heard, that she have agency. Like my book Becoming Billie Holiday,
If there were places in the book where you felt it was best to emphasize the poetic strategies over the narrative strategies, or vice versa – what guided these decisions? Among Beauty Mark’s most poetic lyrics are “The Seven Year Itch: Nine Months Hitched”; “The Physics of Ferragamos”; “Miscarriage Blues: Ectopic Pregnancy, 1957”; “Who is Marilyn Monroe”; and Late: A Litany of Excuses. The rhyming poem, The Seven Year Itch, documents the marriage-ending photo shoot which produced the iconic image of her skirt billowing atop a subway grate. That poem is playful but also bluesy. “The Physics of Ferragamos” shows the interplay between her stilettos and her wiggle. The six-line poem, “Miscarriage Blues: Ectopic Pregnancy, 1957” conveys her deep and unrequited maternal yearnings. One of several list poems in Beauty Mark, “Who is Marilyn Monroe?” views her mystique through the lenses of photographers, film directors, history, and finally herself. “Late: A Litany of Excuses” employs repetition to explore her chronic lateness. The book’s epilogue is a found poem of headlines and quotes.
What poetic / narrative effects were you hoping to achieve? I wanted the narrative to read like a one-woman show, in which Marilyn was recalling her story in an intimate setting.
What are your thoughts on the verse novel as a form? I love to read and to write verse novels. The form resonates with me as a reader and as a poet. With spare text and distilled emotions, verse novels can pack a more powerful punch than prose. The economy of language can also make verse novels more appealing to reluctant readers who are put off by the dense text in novels.
Have verse novels you have read been influential on this work in some way? My own Becoming Billie Holiday probably had the most influence on Beauty Mark. In the twelve years between writing about two iconic female entertainers, I faced mental illness in my own family. That allowed me to take an even deeper dive into Marilyn’s life, loves and losses.
What have you learnt about writing verse novels from the verse novels you have read? There is no limit to the subject matter than verse novels can tackle. The form is ripe for experimentation. That stimulates me as a writer.
Carole Boston Weatherford reading a poem entitled Age Three from Beauty Mark: A Verse Novel of Marilyn Monroe
Title: Beauty Mark: A Verse Novel of Marilyn Monroe
Grade Level : 9 – 12
Hardcover : 192 pages
Publisher : Candlewick (September 8, 2020)
Reading level : 14 – 17 years
About the Author
Carole Boston Weatherford, a New York Times best-selling author and poet, was selected as the Children’s Book Guild 2019 Nonfiction Award Winner. Her numerous books for children include the Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor Book Becoming Billie Holiday, illustrated by Floyd Cooper; the Caldecott Honor Books Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, and Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement, illustrated by Ekua Holmes; and the critically acclaimed Schomburg: The Man Who Built a Library, illustrated by Eric Velasquez. Carole Boston Weatherford lives in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Visit Carole’s website to learn more about her and her work.
Your turn: Have you read any of Carole’s books? If so, what are some of your favorites? Feel free to share in the comments.
I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes & Gordon C. James (A Book Review)
Title: I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James Published byPengin Kids Pages: 32 Age Range: 4 – 8 years
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Penguin Kids in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.
Synopsis An upbeat, empowering, important picture book from the team that created the award-winning Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut.
I am a nonstop ball of energy. Powerful and full of light. I am a go-getter. A difference maker. A leader.
The confident Black narrator of this book is proud of everything that makes him who he is. He’s got big plans, and no doubt he’ll see them through–as he’s creative, adventurous, smart, funny, and a good friend. Sometimes he falls, but he always gets back up. And other times he’s afraid, because he’s so often misunderstood and called what he is not. So slow down and really look and listen, when somebody tells you–and shows you–who they are. There are superheroes in our midst!
Reflection As a parent, my goal is to present my children with a full spectrum of Black and brown characters in a variety of books. I want their experiences of story and representations of the world to include people of color, people they can imagine being like — people like Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela, Kamala Harris, and Chadwick Boseman — or fictional characters from books or movies with whom they can identify.
While I think it’s important to teach kids about history and other topics, it’s also equally important to expose them to stories about joy. Let’s normalize having more inclusive conversations about joy, specifically Black joy. I believe children of all races need to be exposed to “feel good” stories that feature Black children being celebrated and feeling joyful. Picture books like I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes is a good place to start.
This powerful picture book is the companion to the award-winning book Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut. In the introduction, the author dedicated the book to Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin and five other Black boys who were senselessly killed by police officers. The illustrator dedicated the book to his autistic son Gabriel. Fun fact: Gabriel is the boy featured on the cover of the book.
I Am Every Good Thing is a beautiful book that encourages readers to celebrate everything that makes them the person they are. Kids learn they can be a leader, an explorer, the life of the party, and an undisputed champion. They also learn it’s okay to make mistakes, to get back up when they fall down, and to be a shoulder to cry on when needed.
This affirming book will likely leave kids (and adults) feeling like they can achieve anything. My heart was so full as I read this with my kids and I shed happy tears. I want to gift this to every child I know to let them know how special they are.
As the ending states, “I am worthy of success, of respect, of safety, of kindness, of happiness. And without a shadow of a doubt, I am worthy to be loved.” Isn’t that such a beautiful message to read with kids?
While this book is a celebration of Black joy and self-love, it’s a story to be enjoyed by everyone. Children of all races and cultures can appreciate the uplifting and positive messages in this book. If your children or students ever start do doubt their own beauty and begin to reject themselves, let this book serve as a mirror for children by reflecting and reminding them of how special they are. I Am Every Good Thing is an excellent resource to help reinforce a positive self image.
Your turn: How do you help children find joy in everyday life? What are your best tips for teaching kids about self-love and acceptance? Feel free to share in the comments.
Bookworm Essentials: Tools & Resources to Enhance Your Family’s Reading Life + A Giveaway!
With the growing accessibility of books and reading materials, bookish accessories are in high demand now more than ever before. But let’s face it, being a bookworm is a lot of work. It takes dedication, concentration and plenty of time. Below I’ve compiled a list of essentials I have found to be essential to ensure a pleasant, stress free reading experience.
Read Everyday. Essential #1: Something to read If you’re going to be a bookworm (or a writer), you’re going to need a lot of books to read. So start by compiling a wish list of books you’d like to read and start reading.
No Dog Eared Pages, Please! Essential #2: Book Darts These magical little bookmarks are invaluable for not only marking your place, but prepping for book club (or blog post writing). Mark not only your page, but the exact line you want to remember. Once you try them you might not want go back to your old bookmarking ways.
Say Goodbye to Flapping Pages. Essential #3 Page Anchor If you’ve ever struggled with pages flapping in your face while reading a physical book, this little accessory may just be your reading BFF. You can read my previous review of the Page Anchor here. BONUS: Use my coupon code HEREWEEREAD15 to get 15% off your Page Anchor! Head over to www.page-anchor.com now!
Let there be light! Essential #4: An LED Book light If you read in bed like I do, you may want to have an LED book light like this one handy. I find portable book lights really useful for reading in bed at night. I also use my book light in the car or while traveling by plane.
Protect your bookish investments. Essential #5: A book sleeve Whether you’re book is in your home, at the bottom of your beach bag or the top of your carry-on, it will be protected from the bumps and bruises of travel inside a cute protective sleeve.
Read while you eat. Essential #6: A wooden book holder Do you love to read books while eating,cooking, drinking tea, having coffee, or while knitting? Do you need a gadget to hold books open while you are reading? Then you might want to invest in a wooden book holder like this one. Bonus: It also doubles as a cookbook recipe holder or a tablet holder.
Set a daily reading timed goal. Essential #7: A reading timer I aim to read for at least 20 – 30 minutes daily in the morning and at night right before bed. I find using a reading timer helps me stay on track with my daily reading goals. Simply set the timer for the allotted period, read until it goes off, then lights out. Both of my kids use this children’s reading timer since they don’t have mobile devices of their own yet.
Bookmark It. Essential #8: Literary Tattoos Ok, so these are not essentials, but they are fun… Literary Tattoos! Just add water: Simple stick, wet, and peel instructions mean easy application for all of these temporary tattoos.
Bookmark It. Essential #9: Bookmarks I’m really picky when it comes to bookmarks. In the past, I have used paper bookmarks, bobby pins, paper clips and index cards to save my place in a book. However, over the years I’ve learned bookmarks have to be functional, easy to use and long-lasting. Today, there are so many types of bookmarks to choose from – even magnetic ones!
Lately, I’ve been loving the durable leather bookmarks from our friends at Ox and Pine. Oh, and did I mention their bookmarks can be personalized? They also sell beautiful journals and a few other bookish items.
And hey, fellow bookworm, have you heard of our diverse summer reading challenge? Although summer is almost over, you can still use this resource all year round. Happy Reading!
My kids are absolutely LOVING Adventure Academy and I can’t lie, so am I! It is so good, truly. Created by the creators of ABC Mouse, Adventure Academy builds critical knowledge of essential topics in language arts, math, science, social studies, and more. It’s recommended for kids ages 8-13.
Our family recently got a sneak peek into WordPlay, a new series that will soon be featured on Adventure Academy. We were invited to an exclusive virtual screening and we can’t be more excited about this forthcoming show for kids!
What is WordPlay? WordPlay is a brand new 10-episode kids video series created by Kwame Alexander. Wordplay will be available in September exclusively within Adventure Academy. The educational series provides a master class in storytelling and writing for elementary students. In essence, WordPlay teaches elementary-age children how to write short stories in a highly engaging format. Kwame Alexander created, executive produced, and serves as the host of the show.
Each episode of WordPlay features Kwame working through a key stage of the storytelling process with the help of his diverse group of friends. Celebrities and other well-known guests make an appearance in the episode shows. For example, actor and author Maulik Pancholy of 30 Rock and former VP of Animated Shorts for Nickelodeon Samantha Berger, offer insights into various elements of the storytelling process, such as exposition, character development, and how to build a sense of mystery.
WordPlay with Kwame Alexander
WordPlay also features “The Pajama Drama Club,” a book club of kids who act out stories by performing literary songs and jokes in a theatrical production.
Do your kids or students use Adventure Academy? Feel free to share in the comments. Look for the Wordplay series to be rolled out to Adventure Academy starting in September 2020.
EXCLUSIVE COVER REVEAL: I Am Smart, I Am Blessed, I Can Do Anything! by Alissa Holder and Zulekha Holder-Young
Who can forget the viral video of three- year-old Ayaan Diop reciting his daily affirmations while walking to school? With his backpack on his back and a banana in-hand, Ayaan repeated the positive thoughts on his walk with his mother, who posted a video on her Instagram account.
Ayaan Diop’s viral affirmation video taken by his mom Alissa Holder (video here), received hundreds of thousands of views on social media. Ayaan’s affirmation, I Am Smart, I Am Blessed, I Can Do Anything, was met with excitement from viewers everywhere including the Today Show, CBS This Morning, and Ellen Degeneres. Check out the synopsis of the book from the publisher written below.
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers On-sale Date: December 29, 2020 available for pre-orders now! Written by Alissa Holder and Zulekha Holder-Young, illustrated by Nneka Myers
Based on a viral video comes the story of one boy’s positive energy and how a sunny outlook can turn everything around.
It’s a new day and Ayaan has woken up on the wrong side of the bed, where nothing feels quite right. What if he doesn’t know the answer at school? What if he messes up? But as he sets out that morning, all it takes is a few reminders from his mom and some friends in the neighborhood to remind him that a new day is a good day because… HE IS SMART, HE IS BLESSED, AND HE CAN DO ANYTHING!
Mark your calendars for this December 2020 release.
I Am Smart, I Am Blessed, I Can Do Anything! Art by Nneka MyersI Am Smart, I Am Blessed, I Can Do Anything! Art by Nneka Myers
About the Authors
Alissa is graduate of the State University of New York at Albany, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology. She has always had a passion for working with children and is currently working as teacher at a child care center in New York City. Alissa has always had a love for reading and a goal of writing her own children’s books. She is the mother of Ayaan Diop and Ayaan’s little sister.
Zulekha is a graduate of Spelman College, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in economics. She has always loved reading and has passed that love along to her three children Amari, Amir, and Aria. She currently lives in North Carolina with her husband, children, and furry Dogter Mochi.
About the Illustrator Nneka Myers is an illustrator and character designer based in Toronto, Canada. Since graduating with a BAA in animation from Sheridan College, her vibrant illustrations and designs have been published in several children’s books and in animated preschool shows.
Visit Nneka’s website here to see some of her work.
I Wish We Could Stay Here Forever: My Woodloch Story
Disclaimer: Thank you to Woodloch for providing me and my family with complimentary access to the resort. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.
Nominated as the number one all-inclusive family resort in America by USA Today, Woodloch has been owned and operated with pride by the Kiesendahl family since 1958. Woodloch is a beautiful four-season Poconos family resort nestled in a pristine mountain lake vacation setting. As their website states:
Their traditional warm hospitality has been nurturing and embracing the spirit of spending quality time with friends and family for nearly sixty years.
If you’ve followed the blog for a while, you may know our family takes literary road trips each year. This is a tradition we started in 2016 and it continues to be something we look forward to each year.
During our road trips we visit various family resorts or museums and then find the nearest local library or bookstore to visit as well. Our literary road trip series is always a hit and well received by our audience. Many people are eager to know the best libraries or bookstores in surrounding areas when visiting family-friendly locations.
Vacationing During a Pandemic? Deciding to take a summer vacation in the middle of a pandemic was not an easy decision to make. With two small kids, safety and cleanliness were our two biggest concerns. Thankfully, Woodloch helped ease our minds with their Resort Responsibly initiative.
Upon arrival all guests have their temperature checked in the wellness check area. In addition, all guests (ages 2 and older) and staff are required to wear masks in all public places except when eating, drinking or swimming. There are plenty of hand sanitizing stations throughout the property and an array of socially distant activities. During our stay we felt very safe and welcomed by the staff and other guests.
You can read Woodloch’s COVID-19 special statement here to see how they’re handling their guests’ safety during the pandemic.
Activities Galore at Woodloch There is literally something to do at Woodloch for people of all ages. The best part? Since they are a four-season resort open year round, their activities change and adapt with each season.
Here are just some of the resort amenities:
Indoor Spash Zone (water slide and splash pads)
Indoor and outdoor heated pools + hot tubs
Miniature golf (one of our family favorite activities)
Archery
Bumper cars
Climbing wall
Bumper Boats
Lakeside activities
Indoor and outdoor playgrounds
Water Skiing
Tennis courts
Snow tubing (during winter)
Ice skating (during winter)
Exercise rooms and so much more!
All classes and activities must be booked in advance using the Woodloch App. This allows Woodloch to monitor and cap class sizes for social distancing. It also allows for proper sanitizing between guests. Also, by having a scheduled time we didn’t have to worry about waiting in a long line causing the kids to get antsy. It was easy to just show up at our scheduled time and participate in the activity. Overall, our family thoroughly enjoyed all of various daytime activities and nighttime entertainment Woodloch has to offer.
The Food Let’s talk about how GOOD the food was…yummmmm! Each meal we had was so delicious and tasty. They have meal choices, drinks and dessert for both adults and children.
We enjoyed the fact that each family is assigned the same table during mealtimes throughout their stay. We never had to worry about others sitting at our table (for safety reasons) when it was time to eat breakfast, lunch or dinner.
If you don’t feel comfortable eating in the dining hall, you have the option have your food or drinks packaged as take-out to enjoy in your room or at one of the many outdoor picnic areas on the property. There are also quick bite ala carte options on-site at North Lodge Bar, Gigi’s Coffee Shop, the Poolside Bar, and Lake Grill.
The Hawley, PA Public Library We opted to explore and visit the Hawley, PA public library. The library is just a short 15-minute drive away from Woodloch. There you’ll also find a local park, playground and walking trail right next to the library.
The children’s librarian was kind enough to share their outdoor art storytime trail with us which was so much fun! She read the book The Little Engine that Could and at each character on the art trail we had to try and figure out the riddle before moving on to the next one. If you’re ever in the area, be sure to visit and support this quaint library. I was pleased to see so many diverse children’s books prominently displayed on their bookshelves.
Hawley, PA Public Library
I cannot recommend Woodloch more! Visit at least once to experience all the resort has to offer for a fun family adventure. Yes, even during a global pandemic. You won’t regret it!
Ready to head to Woodloch for your next family trip? Head to their website to book your adventure! Also, be sure to help Woodloch win the title of Best All-Inclusive Family resort for the second year in a row – cast your vote for them HERE.
Age Range: 5 – 7 years Grade Level: Kindergarten – 2 Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Capstone Editions
Synopsis It’s time for the first science lab, and nobody can agree on an experiment. But why pick just one when Bear is around? Bears makes the best science buddies, and Bear proves it by helping each group use the scientific method for its special experiment. This fourth picture book in Carmen Oliver’s Bears Make the Best…series will bring the excitement of science to a new level. One of the four experiments used in the book is detailed in the back matter.
Reflection When you stop and think about it, all kids are natural born scientists. From a very young age, they start experimenting with different things to see what will happen next. Once they are old enough to talk, they start asking, “why?” to everything.
I love that this book allows kids to nurture their spirit of curiosity. Children will see a diverse group of students with faces that match their own and learn the proper way to conduct a science experiment.
In addition to learning all the important safety protocols to conducting a science experiment, kids will also learn the four steps in the scientific method:
1. Observe 2. Make a Hypothesis 3. Experiment 4. Analyze Results
Bears Make the Best Science Buddies is perfect for aspiring scientists and classroom read-alouds. As a fun added bonus, this book also features one of the four science experiments to try on your own in the back matter.
Be sure to check out the other books in the series too!
Carmen Oliver is the author of picture books A Voice for the Spirit Bears: How One Boy Inspired Millions to Save a Rare Animal, a Junior Library Guild spring 2019 pick, Bears Make the Best Reading Buddies and Bears Make the Best Math Buddies. She’s also the author of the forthcoming picture books Bears Make the Best Writing Buddies, Bears Make the Best Science Buddies, The Twilight Library (North-South Books, 2021) and The Favio Chavez Story (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers).
Carmen’s work has been shortlisted for the Rainforest of Reading Award, The Writers’ League of Texas Awards and the CLEL Bell Picture Book Awards for Early Literacy. In 2014, she founded the Booking Biz, a boutique style agency that brings award-winning children’s authors and illustrators to schools, libraries, and special events. She also teaches writing at the Writing Barn and The Highlights Foundation and loves speaking at schools, conferences, and festivals.
The Giveaway! Five (5) lucky winners will win a copy of Bears Make the Best Science Buddies. Must be a US resident age 18 and over to enter. Good Luck!
EXCLUSIVE COVER REVEAL: Michelle’s Garden by Sharee Miller
Michelle’s Garden by Sharee Miller
Today, I am thrilled to collaborate with author/illustrator Sharee Miller to reveal the cover of her forthcoming picture book Michelle’s Garden. This is reveal is especially exciting because Former First Lady Michelle Obama will be debuting her podcast on Spotify later this week! Check out the synopsis from the publisher written below.
About the Book A tribute to Former First Lady Michelle Obama and her contributions in building a healthier future for all children from acclaimed author and illustrator Sharee Miller.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama had an idea. A big, inspiring, and exciting idea! She would grow the largest kitchen garden ever at the White House. This wouldn’t be easy, since she’d never gardened before: Where should she start? What tools did she need? What would she plant?
Everyone needs help when they’re learning something for the first time, even the first lady of the United States. So she gathered the help of local students, the White House staff, and even President Barack Obama. Together, they wouldn’t just grow a garden — they would inspire a nation!
Mark your calendars for this March 2021 release.
About Sharee Miller
Sharee Miller lives and works in Jersey City with her husband and their two cats, Pumpkin and Spice. Her illustrations combine bright colors, patterns, and expressive characters to tell the stories she wishes she had as a kid. She is the author of Princess Hair and Don’t Touch My Hair!
Visit Sharee’s website here to see some of her work.
Author Interview: Up Close and Personal with Zetta Elliott
I recently had the pleasure of asking the legendary and ever inspiring, Zetta Elliott a series of bookish questions in an interview. Her latest book for kids, A Place Inside of Me is my favorite picture book of 2020 (so far).
Check out the highlights below including a snapshot of what’s currently on her nightstand and her upcoming projects.
How did you come up with the story line for A Place Inside of Me? APIOM wasn’t really a story; when I wrote it back in 2001, it was a poem. I wanted to express the range of emotions that Black children feel in this country. At the time I was living in Ohio and I would often take a break from writing my dissertation (on lynching) to write stories for kids. It was therapeutic, in a way, to take such heavy material and turn it into something a child could comprehend. My editor, Grace Kendall, had the idea to use the illustrations to reflect a protest narrative. We rearranged some of the stanzas and that helped with flow.
What messages are you hoping readers will take away from A Place Inside of Me? The subtitle really says it all—“a poem to heal the heart.” I hope that young readers will honor their emotions—all of them—and know that it’s okay to feel afraid or upset. When we’re honest about how we feel, we have the chance to forge connections with others; shame only leads to silence and isolation. I hope kids understand that connecting with others and working together is how we create change.
What are some of your must-have children¹s books for a home library? I don’t read a lot of kid lit and I don’t have kids, but I’d encourage parents to do an audit of their home library to make sure it’s inclusive.
Besides reading, what are some other things parents can do to set their children up for literacy success? Understand how the publishing industry works (or doesn’t work). Then demystify the process—make sure your children understand what “gatekeepers” are–and encourage your kids to write! As a child I just accepted that books magically appeared in my classroom and at the library. I didn’t understand that a handful of people were deciding which stories would become books and which books would wind up in my hands. Kids have a keen sense of what’s fair and what’s not; they might become more engaged as readers when they realize the power of bypassing gatekeepers and becoming storytellers themselves.
Do you have a favorite book that you have written? If so, what is it and why? That’s like asking a parent if they have a favorite child! I don’t have a favorite, but some characters stay with me longer than others.
If you could give parents one piece of advice about reading with children, what would it be? Let your child be an active participant—let them choose the books you read together and help them make books of their own. Children can be creators and not just consumers of books.
Any advice for aspiring writers and authors? Develop a writing practice and set aside time every day to do nothing but write—even fifteen minutes a day is enough time to journal or write a haiku. For me, writing is 70% dreaming so you might also need to set time aside for that. Most importantly, have your own definition of success so that you aren’t pointlessly comparing yourself to others.
Hardcover, Paperback or e-book (when reading a book on your own)? I don’t read e-books but would like to give audio books a try. Mostly I like the feel of a book in my hands. No preference for hard or soft cover, though the latter is more affordable.
Fiction, non-fiction or some other genre (when reading a book on your own)? I only read non-fiction for research; I’m trying to read more poetry but mostly I read speculative or historical fiction.
What books are on your nightstand or e-reader right now?
The books currently on Zetta Elliott’s nightstand
Are you working on any special projects that you want to share with others? Too many! I have a MG novel-in-verse that’s due to my editor at the end of August, but I just finished my second collection of poetry, American Phoenix, and I’m also working on an experimental novel about four teen girls working on an Amish farm here in Central PA.
How can people get in touch with you on social media or on your website? There’s a contact form on my website (www.zettaelliott.com) and I’m on IG and Twitter: @zettaelliott.
About Zetta Elliott
Zetta Elliott is a Black feminist writer of poetry, plays, essays, novels, and stories for children. She was born and raised in Canada, but has lived in the US for over 25 years. She earned her PhD in American Studies from NYU in 2003; she has taught at Ohio University, Louisiana State University, Mount Holyoke College, Hunter College, Bard High School Early College, and Borough of Manhattan Community College. Her poetry has been published in New Daughters of Africa, We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices, the Cave Canem anthology The Ringing Ear: Black Poets Lean South, Check the Rhyme: an Anthology of Female Poets and Emcees, and Coloring Book: an Eclectic Anthology of Fiction and Poetry by Multicultural Writers.
Her essays have appeared in School Library Journal, The Huffington Post, and Publishers Weekly. Her picture book, Bird, won the Honor Award in Lee & Low Books’ New Voices Contest and the Paterson Prize for Books for Young Readers. She currently lives in Lancaster, PA.
Diversify Your Bookshelves: Download this FREE Printable Checklist
If you’ve been following me for a while, you may know by now how passionate I am about teaching people understand the importance of daily reading and having diversity in literature. Through years of reading and research on my own, along with my own firsthand experience being a parent, I decided to create this checklist and other resources I’ve given away for free over the years, to help people like you and pass on the knowledge I’ve learned.
My ultimate goal is to help parents, caregivers, grandparents, homeschoolers, librarians, and educators create a diverse library at home or school so they can teach the children in their lives about the importance of diversity, inclusion and the power of reading.
By downloading this “Diversify Your Bookshelf” checklist, you can take your reading routine/habit the next level AND help diversify your bookshelf!
This checklist is for you if…
You are a parent, caregiver or expecting parent and have a desire to diversify your home library
You are an educator or librarian who wants to enhance and diversify your school library
You have a desire to help children understand the importance of reading books that serve as both windows and mirrors (a phrase coined by Rudine Sims Bishop)
You want to raise anti-racist children
Here are a few things to keep in mind if you have a goal to diversify your bookshelves:
1. Start with a smallsubset of books if you have to, but just start. It’s okay if you start with a small, curated list of high quality books. If you can’t afford to purchase books all at once, borrow them from your local library or a discounted thrift store. Don’t worry about trying to check off all the boxes on this list at once. Curating a library takes time.
2. Keep going. Learning to embrace diversity and anti-racism is an ongoing lifelong commitment. Once you’ve started reading diverse books, one of the most important things to do is to make it a priority. Be sure to include diverse titles in your family’s ongoing reading year round. By doing this, you may find that your conversations will deepen over time and the connections between the books and your real life may grow organically.
3. Let this be about you as much as it is about your kids or students. It’s great that parents and educators are now envisioning a more hopeful future for their children or students, but it’s important to also take this journey alongside them. Always remember, kids learn more from what we do than what we say. Be sure to invest any necessary time looking inward too. This may include diversifying your own bookshelf and expanding your immediate social circle. Relish in the journey together.
