Sometimes I read a picture book and I’m very curious to know how the author came up with the idea. Such was the case with HOW TO DRAW A HAPPY CAT.
What was the inspiration behind a book about drawing when the author didn’t illustrate his words? I have no idea, but what I do know is that Ethan T. Berlin writes and teaches comedy, has written for both kids and adults, and once upon a time created a daily web comic series. He’s obviously a creative guy with all sorts of ideas and this book (and the sequel, HOW TO DRAW A BRAVE CHICKEN) are fun, interactive read-alouds that invite kids on a hilarious journey, while also using simple shapes and lines to create characters that they’ll be anxious to draw for themselves.
Similar to books like PRESS HERE by Hervé Tullet, How to Draw a Happy Cat, breaks the forth wall, speaking directly to the reader as they read, draw, and interact with this fun story.
Jimbo Matison‘s illustrations are created with common shapes that kids can easily replicate. He even provides a drawing lesson video HERE! And more lessons HERE.
A friend recently told me about a new picture book — SMALL THINGS MENDED by Casey W. Robinson and Nancy Whitesides – and because there’s something about “small things” that has always appealed to me, I knew I’d need to pick up a copy from the library.
This tender book begins as a kind older gentleman, Cecil, who appears to live alone, hears something unexpected – “a bright happy sound” – outside his window.
“Cecil could see Lily from next door
carwtheeling and laughing and — whoops!
Something shiny flew out of her pocket.
Uh, oh! Can Cecil fix it? He’s good at mending, but it had been a while and he’d “forgotten how much he liked fixing things.”
The next day, Lily’s friend Alfred appears at the door. Can Cecil repair his broken music box? Tools in hand, Cecil “tweaked and tied until PLINK PA-PA PLING! a jaunty tune sprang to life.”
The older man continues happily repairing “small things” until one day a girl arrives holding her small stuffed elephant. Can Cecil fix Daisy’s broken heart? One thing leads to another, and though, at first, Cecil isn’t sure what to do, eventually he comes up with an idea.
I won’t give away the ending. Suffice to say that this Kid’s Indie Next List Pick, and 2024 New England Book Award Winner is a heart-warming story about community and the ways healing can arrive unexpectedly.
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!
