Quiet Book and Loud Book
Because it’s February, I decided to dedicate today’s post to a couple of books I love: The Quiet Book and The Loud Book written by Deborah Underwood and illustrated by Renata Liwska. As a librarian, I find I’m partial to The Quiet Book! “There are many kinds of quiet:” Underwood writes. Some are lovely, like “Best friends don’t need to talk quiet” or “Making a wish quiet”. Some will bring giggles of recognition and “uh-ohs!” like “Jelly side down quiet” (I love the animals’ looks of distress as they see the jelly on the rug!) and some give words to feelings that are harder for little ones to express: “Last one to get picked up from school quiet”.
After reading The Quiet Book to kids, they’ll be begging to hear The Loud Book, but before you share it, brainstorm with them the different kinds of loud there are! They may come up with ideas similar to Underwood’s and get to have the thrill of “that’s like what I thought of!” I can imagine that your little ones will come up with some fantastically off-the-wall ideas,(and I encourage you to email Deborah Underwood and Renata Liwska with the best of your bunch!) but I can almost guarantee that they’ll be delightedly surprised with the ideas in the book they’d never considered. Some of my favorites: “Burp during quiet time loud”, “Candy wrapper loud” (Liwska draws the animals in the movie theater), and “Spilling your marbles in the library loud”.
These two books together are perfect if you are working on the Common Core State Standard of Integrating Knowledge and Ideas. You can make a chart to compare the ways to be quiet and the ways to be loud and then try some of ways you’ve read about – preferably outside!
For more information, visit deborahunderwoodbooks.com or renataliwska.com.
Read MoreTales for Very Picky Eaters
Most of you kids’ book fans have heard of the Newbery Medal (given to an author of the most distinguished contribution to literature) and the Caldecott Medal (given to the artist of an outstanding picture book) awarded every year by the American Library Association, but you may not have heard of the Geisel Award given to “the most distinguished American book for beginning readers”. So if you’re looking for a great book for a young reader, the Geisel Award is the perfect place to start!
This year’s winner: Tales for Very Picky Eaters written and illustrated by Josh Schneider. I knew I loved this book as soon as I read the “check yes or no” quiz on the inside flap: “Lumpy oatmeal makes me gag.” “I am repulsed by mushroom lasagna. It smells funny.” “Eggs are slimy and I will not eat them.” James is served such undesirable foods by his father, who has very good reasons for giving them to his son. The oatmeal the father bought is Growing Oatmeal, and if the Growing Oatmeal isn’t eaten, it may grow out of control. Mushroom lasagna is made by a troll in the basement who doesn’t want to return to his previous job at the rat circus. And you’ll never guess why James should eat the eggs!
I can think of several “picky eater” books this would be great to compare to: Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss, I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child, Little Pea written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Jen Corace, and of course The Monster Who Ate My Peas written by Danny Schnitzlein and illustrated by the world’s greatest illustrator (and world’s best husband) Matt Faulkner. Read two books about picky eaters with little ones and compare the problems (what wouldn’t this character eat and why) as well as the solutions. Try bringing in some of the fearsome foods and see who in your class will taste a pea! You’ll be teaching the Common Core State Standard of Integrating Knowledge and Ideas, and perhaps tickling a taste bud or two.
Read MoreI Had a Favorite Dress
As the season of present-giving draws near, I’d like to mention two books that not only make great gifts, but also talk about the value of making the most of what we have as well as recycling. I Had a Favorite Dress written by Boni Ashburn and illustrated by Julia Denos is a terrific twist on Joseph Had a Little Overcoat.The little girl in the story has outgrown her favorite dress, but her crafty mom uses it to make a cute shirt. When the girl outgrows that, mom uses it to make a tank top, etc. I won’t spoil the ending, but it comes full circle beautifully, making it clear that creativity can help us take minor tragedies and turn them into something wonderful. And not only is it eco-considerate, it even teaches the days of the week! Woohoo, Boni Ashburn and Julia Denos! Purchase “I Had a Favorite Dress”
After reading I Had a Favorite Dress to your kids, compare it with the Caldecott-award-winning story, Joseph Had a Little Overcoat by Simms Taback. Both stories talk about taking an article of clothing that’s either worn out or outgrown and turning it into something else. Comparing and contrasting the two books will hit the Common Core State Standard of Integrating Knowledge and Ideas and inspire lots of higher level thinking. After all the analytical thinking fun is done (Venn diagram, anyone?), give your students scraps of fabric, scissors, glue, etc., and encourage them to make something from a bit of what looks like nothing much. Encourage everyone in your life to take their old, worn, outgrown clothing and either make something new or donate the items to charity. In the words of Boni Ashburn: “Make molehills out of mountains!”
For more information, visit boniashburn.com, juliadenos.com, or simmstaback.com.
Read MoreNovember is National Adoption Month
I like that we celebrate adoption in the same month that we celebrate Thanksgiving. For preschoolers and kindergartners, Thanksgiving doesn’t have much to do with Pilgrims and Native American Indians. Honestly, it doesn’t even have much to do with giving thanks for all we have (kids in the single-digit club live in the moment and aren’t prone to introspection.) Nope, for little ones, Thanksgiving is all about a big, lovely meal and family. So let’s celebrate families, in all their wonderful shapes, sizes, and forms, with some of my favorite books about adoption.
Want well-written non-fiction? Get Shelley Rotner’s books. Her latest is called I’m Adopted and it is wonderful. Co-written with Sheila M. Kelly, this book is full of Rotner’s gorgeous photos showing all kinds of kids and families. The book is simply written but not watered down. One of my friends who adopted her son two years ago said the book is “so respectful, and heartfelt”. I’m trying to incorporate more informational books into my storytimes, and I’m Adopted will be perfect for my family-themed read-aloud time.
Todd Parr has been a storytime favorite for years. Who can resist his bright, bold art? I love the straightforward, positive tone of Parr’s books. In We Belong Together, Parr writes, “You needed a home… and I had one to share.” Gets me every time. The cartoon-y people and animals make the book relate-able for every child, and I like that Parr shows all kinds of family combinations.With the big art and short text, I can read this book to the youngest preschoolers as well as my older school-aged students.
For a more lyrical, snuggle-in-together book, try Sweet Moon Baby: An Adoption Tale by 
written by Karen Henry Clark and Patrice Barton. It’s about a baby girl born in China, and a mother and father far away, and the journey that brings their family together. Soft and sweet, this may be just the right book for some of your students who were part of an international adoption.
After you share a book about adoption with your students, let them talk about their own family stories, and when they were babies. Use your digital camera to take photos of your students, and paste the face of each student on a baby die-cut shape (they will fall down giggling seeing their faces on baby bodies!) Have students write or dictate the story of their birth, or the day they came home to their families, and attach the “baby picture”. Celebrate each and every student, because it’s November, and we are thankful for them!
Read MoreGuess Who Is Out of the Den?
