Multicultural Children's Book Day 2018

How are you promoting an interest in diverse cultures with your children?

#ReadYourWorld

Read with a child this weekend and open their world to the far horizon.


I regularly review picture books featuring different languages, cultures, and countries.

Here are some of the Perfect Picture Book Reviews from the past months.
Blue Sky, White Stars, by Sarvinder Naberhaus and Kadir Nelson
Moses Goes To The Circus, by Isaac Millman
The Shark God, by Rafe Martin and David Shannon
Sleep Tight, Snow White, by Jen Arena and Lorena Alvarez
Never Forgotten, by Patricia McKissack and Leo and Diane Dillon

For young readers, try
Jasmine Toguchi, Mochi Queen, by Debbi Michiko Florence and Elizabet Vukovik
Alvin Ho is Allergic to The Great Wall, The Forbidden Palace, and Other Tourist Attractions, by Lenore Look and LeUyen Pham

A few of my favorite multicultural middle grade reads are
The Grand Plan to Fix Everything, by Uma Krishnaswami and Abigail Halpin
Save Me a Seat, by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan
The Whole Story of Half a Girl, by Veera Hiranandani

I don't read much YA, but Nora & Kettle, by Lauren Nicolle Taylor, was fantastic—earth-shattering—a biracial love story set in a dark part of America's past.

Set in 1953, NORA AND KETTLE explores the collision of two teenagers facing extraordinary hardship. Their meeting is inevitable, devastating, and ultimately healing. 

–From the author's website

Blue Sky, White Stars,
by Sarvinder Naberhaus and Kadir Nelson

Nora & Kettle, by Lauren Nicolle Taylor
Cover by Marya Heiman

The Whole Story of Half a Girl,
 by Veera Hiranandani

Alvin Ho, by Lenore Look and LeUyen Pham

A Tribute to Dianne De Las Casas

It's Picture Book Month, time to celebrate the profound effect picture books have on the world and spread the love. Sadly, Dianne De Las Casas, one of the key creators of this event, was killed tragically and unexpectedly this year.  I can't think of a better way to spend Perfect Picture Book Friday than honoring Dianne by introducing you to her books. Champion them and all picture books. Follow Dianne's motto: Read * Share * Celebrate!

And please check out the very special anti-bullying series Dianne and her fiance, John Couret, created, Captain Deadeye.

The first in the Captain Deadeye series
The Bully Shark

Be a lifesaver. Share Captain Deadeye and the Bully Shark

Thank-you to all those who keep Picture Book Month active and help it transform lives.

Picture Book Month 2017

I hope you'll join us each day of Picture Book Month for insightful interviews and encouraging posts centered around the world of picture books: the people that create them, the people that read them, and the people that love them.

Grab a color-your-own or full color version of this year's calendar of speakers.

Thanks to Elizabeth Dulemba, Joyce Wan, and others for the PBM calendar and logo and heartfelt prayers to Captain Deadeye and his family.

2017 Hobbit Feast

Sorry I can't give you the recipe because
I can't remember where I copied it down from. 

For our Hobbit Day feast I planned eggs and hash for breakfast.

Second breakfast was bacon and potatoes.

We had freshly baked blueberry scones and lady fingers for Elevensies.

Luncheon was honey ham on bakery rolls with carrots, celery, tomatoes, and hummus.

I bought Fancy Yancy cheeses for our afternoon snack along with a selection of crackers.

Sam was an expert at cooking rabbit stew and PoTayToes! So I opted for Welsh Rabbit, smashed potatoes, and roasted vegetables (from Farmer Maggot's, of course.)

I laid out lady fingers and cream, apple cider, and fig newtons for a light dessert.

Mike Hendry’s ultimate Welsh Rarebit recipe
Courtesy Llansantffraed Court Hotel
Delicious!

Man was never built to eat like a hobbit. Today I plan to spend the day hiking to Mordor to work off the excess calories.

Eating was interspersed with sketching and reading, games, and our youngest son's first viewing of The Fellowship of the Ring, 2001.

Themed Monopoly by Hasbro and 
Ravensburger's LOTR version
of King's Gate

Prancing Pony dartboard made by
 the Noble Collection

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”

PPBF: I Like Old Clothes

Happy Hobbit Day!

Tune in tomorrow for the gastronomical triumphs from our Middle Earthly feast.

And now on to today's Perfect Picture Book Friday pick


newly illustrated I Like Old Clothes,
by Mary Ann Hoberman and Patrice Barton

I Like Old Clothes

Written Mary Ann Hoberman
Illustrated by Patrice Barton

Alfred A. Knopf
originally published 1976, New illustrations 2012
Ages 5-8, 32 pp


Themes:
Childhood, Differences, Individuality


Opening:
I like old clothes,
Hand-me-down clothes,
Worn-outgrown clothes,
Not-my-own clothes.

This book was originally published with illustrations by Jacqueline Chwast

Synopsis:
The main character tells how she loves receiving used clothes even though other people might not like old clothes. This is more of a concept book. The MC likes to imagine where the clothes have come from and in the beautifully circular ending, where they are going to next. She likes hand-me-downs because she can play without messing them up, or dress up, or remake them into something new.


What I Love:
This sweet circular "story" by Mary Ann Hoberman has been reissued with new illustrations. I love how Patrice Barton introduces a gentle, vintage vibe into her illustrations without being sentimental.
I love the creative ways the MC uses her clothes. I appreciate the book's ability to deflect embarassment over consignments shopping and an upcycled life-style. The book is perfectly suited to today's environmentally-conscious parents who take advantage of the used clothing that comes their way. The illustrator uses a nice variety of collage-style back grounds and vignettes with plenty of character appeal.

I generally flinch when a past illustrator's work is cast aside, but this new edition is worthy of the timeless text. It's so cute!


Bonus: 

Ingenious cookie packages from Cake Central

1. Reading Rockets never fails to disappoint with their author interviews in text or video format.

2. View a delightful sketch interview with illustrator Patrice Barton on the Texas: Austin SCBWI blog, or the traditional kind with Kathy Temean's indepth Q&A with lots of pictures!

3. Take kids on a shopping spree to the local consignment shop for school clothes, play clothes, dress up costumes, and clothes for crafting. Use the time to review making change and budgeting.

4. Blogger Marilyn Rodrigues posts about the ups and downs of the hand-me-down lifestyle while Recycle Now has suggestions for less-than-quality donations.

5. Teach kids about charity by donating to actual charities like Salvation Army and World Wear Project. Note that Goodwill is a for-profit business and Boxes like Planet Aid can be highly suspect. Do your research.

6. Check out these and more Perfect Picture Books at your local library.

Reviewed by Jennifer

Reviewed by Erik

Reviewed by Joanne

Reviewed by Rhythm

Reviewed by Maria

Reviewed by Julie

Have you reviewed a Perfect Picture Book along this theme? Please leave the link in the comments below. Thanks!

Check out all the recommended titles for Perfect Picture Book Friday
for Friday, September 22, 2017 available on Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.

Hobbit Day 2017

Wouldn't it be fun to do this 3D Middle Earth Map puzzle together?

Celebrate Bilbo's 174th birthday (and Frodo's 96th). Give gifts. Have a party. Eat a lot. Enjoy life because September 22 is officially Hobbit Day.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt compiled a Merry list of ideas for the occasion including a Dwarvish rune alphabet and an event hashtag.

Hobbits traditionally give gifts to others on their birthdays. Stock up on the One Ring from ThinkGeek, that is, if you have the willpower to give them away freely.

Kick back and reread your favorite Tolkien passages. Set the mood with soy candles from Frostbeard Studio in The Shire or Oxford Library scents. After all, Tolkien spent a lot of time in both places.

Check back Saturday for photos of our Tolkien marathon for which I've planned hobbit-themed food and games.

Tenna' san'

Aa' menealle nauva calen ar' malta*

*Thanks to the Grey Company

It Be Talk Like A Pirate Day, Matey!

Here be some picture books fer pirates. They be especially good fer those of us what can't read.

Are Pirates Polite? by Corinne Demas,
Artemis Roehrig, and David Catrow

Pirates at the Plate, by Aaron Frisch and Mark Summers

The Pirates Next Door, by Jonny Duddle

That scalawag Jonny Duddle has books fer cabin boys, too.

Jolley-Rogers #1 the Monsters Gold, by Jonny Duddle

And fer all you dandy land lubbers who can make out more of those infernal scribbles, ye might be liking the books below.

The Jupiter Pirates #1, Hunt for the Hydra,
by Jason Fry and Jeff Nentrup

The Dagger Quick #1,
 by Brian Eames and Amy June Bates

Airborn #1, by Kenneth Oppel and Larry Rostant

If ye be ready for stronger meat, waylay some litrate teen to read you these beauties.

The Pirate's Son, by Geraldine McCaughrean

Mad Kestrel #1,
by Misty Massey and Shelly Wan

Lady of Devices #3, Magnificent Devices,
by Shelley Adina

Library Card Sign Up Month

Sign-up for a library card 

during the month of September!

Grab some Titans swag for your library!

The American Library Association sponsors events all year long. This is the month to raise awareness for the power of libraries. This year's super poster bears the Teen Titans (not MY Titans of course, but respectable and well-loved heroes for today's kids.)

The ALA has listed creative ways to showcase the comics theme and bring patrons into the library. If you're not ready to hold a cosplay event or don't know a local comics artist, try something more straightforward. Take the neighborhood kids on a field trip to the local library. Get them their own library cards, and watch magic happen.

The ALA store has plenty more magical media, from Newt Scamander to Batgirl. Buy. Keep. Trade. Donate. There are no losers when we increase circulation for our community library systems.

How will you celebrate this month?

Dia de Los Ninos

Book Day is here!

El Dia de Los Libros

Join libraries and schools around the country in celebrating Dia. No events in your area? Organize an event of your own or donate some diverse books to your kids' classrooms.


I just finished Nora & Kettle, Clean Teen Publishing, 2015. This first book in the Paper Stars series had me riveted to the page despite its Mature rating. Racial prejudice and disparity are major themes in the book along with the intense scenes of physical abuse. As uncomfortable as those scenes were, each felt like a necessary part of the narrative. Though the Peter Pan veneer was forced, the characters stayed with me long after the last chapter.

Written by Lauren Nicolle Taylor
Cover by Marya Heiman

Drawing from Memory

The Inker's Shadow

Allen Say's graphic memoirs are beautiful and moving. His experiences present an opportunity to analyze some disappointing parts of our national history.



I haven't read it yet, but others have recommended A Place Where Sunflowers Grow for the picture book crowd, Children's Book Press, 2012.

Written by Amy Lee-Tai
Illustrated by Felicia Hoshino

El Dia de Los Ninos comes once a year, but Dia is a year-long commitment. Let's pledge to introducing cultural diversity to local families through books...todas las dias!

May Events



There are a host of great bookish activities at the beginning of May, but I've committed to


Join Screen Free Week May 1-6, 2017

As part of my pledge to be screen-free, there will be no Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, Wednesday Quote, or Perfect Picture Book Friday postings this week. There are a host of bookish online and community activities you should know about if you aren't eliminating the tech.

Children's Book Week

Support Every Child A Reader
Poster by Christian Robinson

7 mauscripts in 7 days
Paula Yoo's NaPiBoWriWee

Star Wars Day

If you are interested in celebrating screen-free, I've rounded up some suggestions.

• Green Child has a checklist of 50 non-tech activities for you and your family.
• This is the perfect week to catch up on your reading, dabble in some of those crafts or recipes on Pinterest, or create some lasting family memories.
• If you haven't prepped ahead of time, take a trip to the book store: there's nothing better for getting your kids on board than letting them pick out a new book. If it's DIY, then follow up with a trip to the craft or hardware store.
• Stuck inside? Visit your local game café to get addicted to the latest tabletop offerings.

My recommendations? Build a tree fort, bake cookies, play Zooloretto, or dive into a new book series like The Uncommoners, by Jennifer Bell.

 

And don't forget to stock up on Star Wars comics and games for May the 4th!

 





What are you waiting for? Get off the internet and get screen-free!
See you on May 8th.





Poetry in April

April is

sorry I'm late



Need some ideas?

• There's still time to participate in the Dear Poet project.
• Sign up for the educator's newsletter for help in the classroom.
• Carry a poem in your pocket on April 27.
• Picture books are a great way to introduce young people to poetry. You'll find a partial list from Perfect Picture Book Friday on Susanna's blog.
• Sarah Tregay had compiled a huge list of middle grade novels in verse on her site.



Booked,written by Kwame Alexander
Cover by Steve Gardner
Reviewed by Karen Yingling

I highly recommend Kwame Alexander's Booked. Not only is it a gripping story with authentic voice told in poetry, but the main character is obsessed with soccer, making this book a perfect compliment to the National Library Day theme "Libraries Transform" represented by soccer star Julie Foudy.



Download the poster
 as a PDF from Poets.org

What other ways will you celebrate National Poetry Month?