Family is important. Each family is unique. Each family has its own traditions. And each has its own problems. Family can be blood relatives or ones we pick. Families can be human families or animal families. Today we are sharing a roundup of new picture books about families. These books are for the range of 4- to 8-year-olds. Each has powerful messages and each is very different. We will begin with Fierce Aunties! by Laurel Goodluck and illustrated by Steph Littlebird.
In our chaotic world, sometimes it is not hard to think about the end of the world. After all we have environmental problems everywhere. The wildfires have been raging around the world and certainly across the country. Hazel and I recently binge watched the show, The 100, on Netflix. It is about the human world after a nuclear war. Many people were able to leave Earth and live in space. However, their united ships are now running out of air and supplies. They decide to send 100 teenagers who have been imprisoned for breaking a law to Earth to see if it is inhabitable yet. As we were watching this show I began to read The Flicker by H.E. Edgmon. The book and show have many similarities as both are dystopia. There are some similar thoughts and ideas and yet they are so different. Today I get to share The Flicker with you. It is recommended for ages 8 to 12.
Earth Day is coming up in April, however in this day and age we need to think about our world every day. Today I get to share a new book (released today) about how indigenous people and others saved the salmon and lampreys in California. It is written by a Native American who shares her point of view and her own participation in the protests. The book is I Love Salmon and Lampreys: A Native Story of Resilience by Brook M. Thompson and illustrated by Anastasia Khmelevska. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
Schools are starting back which means September is almost here. Hispanic Heritage Month begins September 15th and today I am sharing two books that are perfect for it. One is for middle grades (10-14-year-olds) about the history of Mexican Americans (released last week), and the other is an autobiography for young adults. Obviously, both are nonfiction. We will start with the book for the middle grades. It is a book from the Race to the Truth Series. It is Borderlands and the Mexican American Story by David Dorado Romo.
Looking for a way to add some more culture to your child's reading? Today I get to share a great new middle grades novel that introduces Mexican mythology. The book is the first in the Legendarios series. The book is Wrath of the Rain God by Karla Arenas Valenti and illustrated by Vanessa Morales. It is recommended for ages 7 to 10.
Today I get to share with you a new picture book about a Native American family and it is written and illustrated by Native Americans. The book was released this week!! The book is Too Much: My Great Big Native Family by Laurel Goodluck and illustrated by Bridget George. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
Winter begins in a few days. Of course, in New England we feel like it has been winter for a while. However, I often think of winter books in January. Today I am sharing two new books--a board book and a nonfiction book about animals in the winter. The board book is Whose Prints? by Kari Allen and illustrated by Kim Smith. It is suggested for preschool and up.
November is Native American Heritage Month. This year I have not done as much as I normally do for November. We shared a Native American picture book about protecting our water earlier this month. Today I am sharing a middle grades novel that is also written by a Native American. It shares a bit of folklore and myth about the origin of the Messenger's Feast. It is called Eagle Drums by Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson. The suggested reading age is 8 to 12.
Water is essential to life for humans and all living things. Yet the water on Earth is mostly salt water and otherwise undrinkable. Humans have been using the water at record levels as well as polluting the clean water to make it undrinkable. A group of indigenous people are working to protect the water. We shared a book about them a few years ago for Earth Day. Today we are sharing a book about one (well kind of two) of these amazing women. The book is Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Bridget George. It is recommended for ages 4 to 9. To go with this book, I am sharing some fun facts about water to show why we all need to be water warriors as well as some ideas for activities to go with the book.
It is hard to believe November is almost over and harder for me to believe that I have not shared any resources for Native American Heritage Month. It is one of my favorite heritage months! Although I do share various Native American books throughout the year, I almost always have something new for November! Today I get to share with you a wonderful new picture book written by Native Americans or First Peoples that share a Native American story of the first Thanksgiving based on stories from the Wampanoag. The book is Keepunumuk: Weeâchumun's Thanksgiving Story by Danielle Greendeer, Anthony Perry and Alexis Bunten and illustrated by Garry Meeches Sr. It is recommended for ages 3 to 7.
Today I get to share a new middle school novel with Native American characters--Ojibwe to be exact and written by someone of Ojibwe descent. It is about finding oneself after you have hit rock bottom. It is The Second Chance of Benjamin Waterfalls by James Bird. It is recommended for ages 10 to 14.
Today we continue our celebration of Women's History Month by learning about the first person of color who became famous as a sculptor. Besides being a famous artist, she also had a very interesting life story and background. Throughout her life she dealt with racism and sexism. She was orphaned at a young age. She was biracial--Black and Native American. Her name is Edmonia Lewis or Mary Edmonia Lewis or Wildfire.
Today we are going to explore Native American fry bread and share a picture book about it. Fry bread is a bit controversial in the Native American society. Some love it and others hate it due to its history. When Native Americans were forced away from their ancestral lands, they took everything they owned and could carry and walked to new lands which were nothing like their original homelands. One such "walk" is known as the Trail of Tears. Thousands of people died on the long walk. After this displacement, some of which is still occurring, the Native people could not live the way they always had. They could not get the food they knew or even grow the food they usually grew. The United States Government subsidized some basic foods and it is said the Navajos were the first to create fry bread with flour, baking powder, salt and water.
Today I turn our focus back to Native American Heritage Month. I'm sharing a book that gives us a look at the true spirit of the warriors with quotes, photographs, and artwork. The book is Spirit of Indian Warrior edited by Michael Oren Fitzgerald and Joseph A. Fitzgerald.
We are continuing our celebration of Native American Heritage Month with a middle grades novel today. This novel delves into Native American life but it also has important messages for everyone to learn. It is such an interesting story and has fascinating characters. The book is The Brave by James Bird.
Protest! What comes to mind when you hear the word? There have been so many protests throughout history and many in recent times even during the world pandemic. Some protests are peaceful and some are not, but today's book will focus on peaceful ones. The book is Protest! How People Have Come Together to Change the World by Alice and Emily Haworth-Booth. This book is recommended for ages 8 to 12.
November is always an interesting month for me. Halloween is over and fall is winding down. It is a month of thankfulness and Native American themes. Of course, I feel all year should be full of thankfulness and Native American themes, but that is a different topic. In November we also prepare for the gift giving holiday season, whatever ones you celebrate. In my house we also begin to prepare for a birthday party and this year she is turning 13--officially a teenager! So this month will be full of posts having to do with Native American themes (like this one), preparing for the holidays (including my holiday gift suggestion list) and of course holiday (including Thanksgiving) crafts and more. Stay tuned for some Native American and Christmas book reviews as well!
Do you know what the oldest living participatory democracy on earth is? It is the Iroquois League or Iroquois Confederacy. It was formed in 1142 and some of our Founding Fathers like Benjamin Franklin actually learned from them and used ideas of their set up when forming the United States. They even have a constitution that was recorded and kept alive on a wampum belt. (Source) Today I am going to share a new picture book that shares the story of the formation of the Iroquois League. It is written for ages 10-14, so it is not your typical picture book. The author and illustrator are both Native American. The book is A Peacemaker for Warring Nations: The Founding of the Iroquois League by Joseph Bruchac and illustrated by David Kanietakeron Fadden.
