Things had been tough for James Otis and his mama, but when Daddy passes, they go from bad to worse.
“It was a rough few months for Mama and me.
We were already poor, but we got poorer last
April, when Daddy went to sleep on the front
porch and never woke up. Mama cried and cried,
’cause Daddy didn’t have a suit to be buried in.”
In spite of it all, mother and son manage to scrape by.
Months later, when another family in their community loses everything to a fire, Mama says:
“James Otis, we need to help out.”
“How we gon’ do that, Mama? We aine got nothing ourselves.”
It takes a while to decide what he might contribute, but eventually James Otis remembers a special book his Mama had found at the resale shop. He’d read it every night until he had memorized every word.
And that’s when he knew exactly what he would do. He’d write, illustrate, and put together a book just for Sarah. The title? “From My Heart to Your Heart.”
It turns out that, even though Jame Otis and his mama have little to spare, a “gift from the heart” is the best gift of all.
This tender story about gratitude, compassion, and sharing what you have with others makes a perfect book to pair with other books with a similar theme.
Check out the Children’s Book Council’s Fall 2024“Small Moments of Gratitude” for a diverse collection of other books on the theme of gratitude. (Including Finding Grateful, illustrated by Faith Pray and written by me!)
Discover additional picture books and resources to share with What is Given From the HeartHERE.
“For the longest time, I wondered about the impact of teaching young children that they are descendants of slaves without exploring the rich history that came before their enslavement: a beautiful history of Africans that is too often overlooked in studies of world history.” – Maisha Oso, Author’s Note
In writing Before the Ships, Oso shares their story and rich history of “strength, ingenuity, and resilience…”
Here’s a snippet of the author’s gorgeous poetic language:
On the grasslands of the Mara and the sands of the Sahara,
we dreamed —
Our magical minds uncovering the mysteries of the galaxy.
From mathematics, to astronomy, to engineering,
many modern-day sciences stem from our genius.
And another peek at Candice Bradley‘s stunning illustrations:
BEFORE THE SHIPS has received 3 starred reviews to date! Here’s what Booklist has to say:
”This lyrical and reaffirming picture book seeks to give young readers a sense of Black history far beyond the limits of standard school curricula that start with the slave trade and concentrate on African interactions with Westerners… an accessible and fresh perspective and should be considered for most collections.” — Booklist (starred review)
Have you had a chance to read Before the Ships yet? This important picture book deserves to be in every school, classroom, and public library.
Kids who aren’t familiar with the name James Earl Jones, will definitely recognize the deep, resonant voice behind Mufasa in The Lion King and Darth Vader in the Star Wars series. But did you know that Jones kept his voice mostly to himself for eight years because he struggled with a stutter? Although he was able to communicate with family and the animals on the farm, his stutter was painfully embarrassing and, early in his life, he “gave up trying to speak properly.”
No more asking questions.
No more sharing ideas…
If he didn’t talk,
he wouldn’t stutter.
ODE to GRAPEFRUIT, beautifully written by Kari Lavelle with stunning illustrations by Bryan Collier tells the story behind the actor’s silence and his journey to finding his voice through poetry.
When Jones was fourteen, Professor Donald Crouch, a retired college professor, joined the faculty of Dickson High School. There, Professor Crouch learned that Jones shared his love of poetry. Though he knew Jones avoided reading aloud, one day in class, he challenged him to read a poem he’d written.
“The best way for you to demonstrate that
you wrote this poem yourself is for you
to say it aloud to the class.”
Though James was terrified, he was also angry. He had written Ode to Grapefruit using the same rhythm as Longfellow’s The Song of Hiawatha, and so, with that pattern in his head, he presented his poem to his classmates, reciting the words all the way through. It was teh beginning of a breakthrough.
Kids will be inspired to read and learn more about Jones and the remarkable story of the well-known voice behind so many memorable and acclaimed plays, television shows, and movies.
Summer break is officially over and in these early months of school, I wanted to share a few recent picture books to kick off the year.
If you’re not familiar with author/illustrator Monica Arnaldo’s newest book, you’re in for a real treat. MR. S. begins on the first day of school as the kids in room 2B are about to meet their teacher. Even though this is the first time they’ve been to school, they have a good sense that *something* – or maybe someone? – is missing.
“Where’s the teacher?” someone whispered?
“Shouldn’t they be here by now?” asked someone else.
Have a look at the cover and you can guess who the kids decide their new teacher must be. And can a sandwich *really* their teacher? Share the book with your students and let them decide.
Here’s the author reading her book:
Speaking of teachers, you can tell that author/illustrator Drew Beckmeyer is a classroom teacher in his day-to-day life because he so accurately portrays the kinds of things that happen in a classroom, be it on the THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL or any other time of the year. This Junior Library Guild Gold selection and winner of five-starred reviews makes for a hilarious “back-to-school book.”
Enjoy this interview with the author and be sure to check out another of his books, I AM A TORNADO.
Just as the students settled in…. they were told some alarming news: The schoool librarian, Ms. Stack, had moved away over the summer.
“THAT CAN”T BE!” yelped Birdie.
“She was my FAVORITE!” moaned Marty.
Much to their chagrin, the kids will have a new librarian – Ms. Bangle. Convinced that nobody can replace the wonderful Ms. Stack, the kids decide they will NOT welcome the new librarian and REFUSE to read with her until their beloved Ms. Stack returns.
Ms. Bangle is very different from Ms. Stack, but she is more than able to win the kids over with a brilliant plan of her own. Check it out!
There’s a skill to learning what a real apology looks like, and often, for those for whom apologizing is especially hard, there’s often a story behind their reluctance or inability to come up with the right words. I’M SORRY YOU GOT MAD by Kyle Lukoff and illustrated by Julie Kwon is a book I’ve been hearing a lot of good buzz about in the weeks since it’s been out and now that I’ve had a chance to read it, I can’t agree more. The book has already garnered 5 starred reviews, including this from School Library Journal: ” “Smartly told…Lukoff models good behavior for kids (and, let’s face it, adults) without being lecturing or preachy. A must-have.” —School Library Journal, starred review.
Told as a series of apology notes that Jack’s teacher, Ms. Rice, has asked him to write to Zoe, his classmate, readers will watch as the mystery of what happened unfolds.
It’s realistic and heartfelt and just the kind of picture book that belongs in every classroom and home. This quote from BookPage’s starred review sums up the book perfectly:
“An incredible conversation starter… I’m Sorry You Got Mad goes a long way in teaching children the different ways an apology can sound, the ways it can fall flat, and the ways we can repair and restore beloved friendships. Julie Kwon’s expressive character illustrations will help readers identify the difference between anger, regret and remorse.” –BookPage, starred review
I enjoyed reading this INTERVIEW with the author and I bet you will too!
This past weekend was the American Library Association’s mid-year conference and I was finally lucky enough to meet poet and author Rebecca Gardyn Levington. We’ve known each other for several years on social media and it was a treat to finally meet in person, take a photo, and get a signed copy of her book, WHATEVER COMES TOMORROW.
I was also able to attend a session with Rebecca and several other poets the next day in which Rebecca talked briefly about her own bouts with anxiety — as a child and still, on occasion, as an adult. Don’t we all have those moments when we need to remind ourselves that we’re stronger and braver than we think?
You can’t control what happens next – the what, the where, the how.
The only thin in your control is you.
Right here.
Right now.
Beautifully illustrated in bright, bold colors by Mariona Cabassa, with helpful “Tips for Managing Worries” written by a child development specialist in the backmatter, Whatever Comes Tomorrow is just the right reminder to ease the jitters we all feel from time to time.
Whatever comes tomorrow, however steep the hill…
… you’ll find your path. You’ll journey on. You’ll make it through.
You will.
🦋 Enjoy this wonderful Activity Guide to accompany the book!
I love discovering books about people I have not heard of before, people who have made a significant difference yet whose contributions are largely unknown. Minerva Hoyt is one such woman. Her love of the Mojave Desert caused her to advocate on its behalf, eventually convincing President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the National Park Service that this desert was worth preserving.
On August 10, 1936, her efforts paid off when President Roosevelt signed a law creating the Joshua Tree National Monument, saving over 800,000 acres of the Mojave desert.
CACTUS QUEEN, beautifully written by Sibert Honor and Junior Library Guild award-winning author Lori Alexander with charming illustrations by Jenn Ely powerfully captures Minerva Hoyt’s passion and persistance: “This desert… possessed me, and I constantly wished that I might find some way to preserve its natural beauty.” — Minerva Hoyt
I’m so pleased to welcome Lori to ReaderKidZ to share a little more about her newest book!
DIANNE: Welcome back to ReaderKidZ, Lori! Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions.
You’ve written longer nonfiction for middle grade, including the Sibert Honor award winner, All in a Drop, but this is your first nonfiction picturebook. One of the obvious differences between the two formats is length and the need to distill Minerva Hoyt’s personality and accomplishments in a way that is still relatable to the younger picture book audience. After writing two longer nonfiction books, did you find the picture book format easier or harder? In what ways?
LORI:I do love picture book biographies! The very best are able to paint vivid and lasting images of the remarkable lives of (typically lesser-known) historical figures. I hope I’ve accomplished that with Cactus Queen: Minerva Hoyt Establishes Joshua Tree National Park.
I don’t know if I’d call any category of children’s books easy to write, but in this case I did find the picture book format a bit simpler, as the length of this manuscript was closer to 1000-words instead of the 10,000+ words of a nonfiction chapter book. In addition, the content of this story felt right for a younger audience. While this book is listed for grades 2-5, even the kindergartners I saw at this year’s school visits were quick to understand the ideas of conservation, protecting the places you love, and caring for earth’s plants and animals. The chapter book format has its merits, too. In my previous books, I’ve used the extra space to show how daily life was different in the 1600s-1800s, the time periods when my historical figures lived. I added sidebars to dive deeper into their scientific discoveries, topics such as microbes, genes, and DNA. The majority of Cactus Queen takes place in the not-so-distant mid-1900s, and it doesn’t contain any advanced science concepts, so I found the picture book format perfect for telling Minerva’s story of passion and persistence.
DIANNE: Did research for this book differ significantly from the research you did for All In A Drop and What’s a Germ , Joseph Lister? If so, how?
LORI: The process was quite similar. Once I have a subject in mind, I do a deep dive online to find any posts or links to newspaper articles. I check the library for any books that have been written about, or even just mention the historical figure, and I read, read, read. I also reach out to historical societies and I search for archival photos (my biographies have all been illustrated but each includes a number of photographs, and the acquisition of photos falls to the author, not the illustrator). Finally, if it’s feasible, I travel to the site. In this case, the whole family came along on a trip to Joshua Tree National Park, where I was able to meet with the park’s archivist and education department to gather more information (and make contacts with the expert readers who would eventually fact-check my text).
DIANNE: It’s a powerful addition when an author is able to include quotes from their subject from primary source materials. Was it yours or your editor’s idea to weave quotes by Minerva Hoyt throughout the story?
LORI: My first nonfiction editor, Ann Rider, who is now retired, taught me that quotes from the historical figure “bring the text to life.” They were sprinkled throughout our works together: All in a Drop and A Sporting Chance and What’s a Germ, Joseph Lister? While I’m working with different editors and publishers now, I continued to include rich quotes throughout my texts, pulled from primary sources such as letters, interviews, and scientific papers. Cactus Queen begins with these words from Minerva: “This desert possessed me, and I constantly wished that I might find some way to preserve its natural beauty.” A great quote, as it also sets-up the story problem and Minerva’s motivation.
DIANNE: Jenn Ely’s illustrations are marvelous! Do you have a favorite?
LORI: Jenn’s illustrations are lovely! Many people think “dry wasteland” when they hear the word desert. But Jenn created such a vibrant scene of the Mojave’s varied plants and animals. I adore every page but especially the nighttime spread, where Minerva camps out with the Joshua trees, and the final spread, when Minerva wins her hard-fought battle to protect the region she loved so much.
DIANNE: What can your readers look forward to next?
LORI: I have another biography releasing in 2025 and I’m back to the chapter book format. It’s called Seeds of Discovery: How Barbara McClintock Used Corn and Curiosity to Solve a Science Mystery and Win a Nobel Prize. The title is long, as was Barbara’s quest to gain recognition in her field of genetics. It was wonderful to write about a female scientist and the fully-illustrated, colorful artwork by Rebecca Santos energize the entire manuscript. I can’t wait to share this one with budding scientists! I also signed a board book contract recently, a fun little rhymer—more details to come!
DIANNE: Oooh! More nonfiction, and another board book. Wonderful! Can’t wait to learn more. Thanks, again, for chatting about your picture book process!
Nonfiction Bio:
In addition to picture books, LORI ALEXANDER writes chapter books about the fascinating history of science and medicine. She won a Sibert Honor Award for All in a Drop: How Antony van Leeuwenhoek Discovered an Invisible World, and A Sporting Chance: How Ludwig Guttmann Created the Paralympic Games was named a Kirkus Reviews Best Book. Her recent release, What’s a Germ, Joseph Lister?: The Medical Mystery That Forever Changed the Way We Heal, is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection. Lori resides in Tucson, Arizona, with her scientist husband and two book-loving teens. lorialexanderbooks.com
Do you see me as I truly am? Do I see others as they truly are? People, not only with needs and wants, hopes and dreams? But with histories, stories, a culture, and a color uniquely their own?
Each spread, beautifully illustrated by Laylie Frazier, shares the story of the actions and achievements taken by leaders whose work has had a large impact on the fight for representation, equality, and change in the United States.
From the authors:
“We want to recognize and celebrate the racial diversity and variety of cultures in our society by seeing each other completely, listening to each others’ stories, and learning how to create a more equitable world.
From the flap copy:
Part ode to an array of beautiful skin tones and part introduction to changemakes in US history, I SEE COLOR is an anthem for all generations. ”
Nonfiction Bio:
