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.
A few weeks ago I shared a middle grades book about the first trip to the moon and the amazing photograph of Earth. In that post I shared some pictures from our recent visit to Kennedy Space Center. Today I am sharing a fun book about a rocket, Artemis III to be exact and that turns into a toy rocket. The book is Read-and-Play Rocket by Bridget Heos and illustrated by Sona Avedikian. Even though it is a board book, it is recommended for ages 4 to 8. I would say the story itself if for the older side of this group.
Disclosure: I was sent a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I am working with The Children's Book Review and Amplify Publishing Group to bring you this post.
These days knowing what the Constitution says seems more important than ever. In our current situation it seems like many people are pushing the limits of the Constitution. Some are even wondering who is protecting it as our law. But who among us has actually read the Constitution? It is an old document written in English from another time. It is a boring read however today I get to share with you a book that kids will enjoy reading that has them reading and understanding the Constitution. It is The Constitution Kids by Gary Gabel.
Are you a berry lover? What is your favorite berry? Mine is blueberries. Perhaps that is why I'm so excited to share today's book. The book is I Love Blueberries! by Shannon Anderson and illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett. A few years ago, I reviewed their other book: I Love Strawberries! It is recommended for 5- to 9-year-olds. At the end of this post I have a roundup of blueberry recipes and crafts.
Do you remember being embarrassed by your feelings? How about when you farted? Ever let a toot go and hope no one realized it was you? Or perhaps you cried or yelled in front of everyone and later regretted it? Feelings can be very hard to navigate especially when you are young. Today I get to share with you a book that normalizes all feelings. The book is Feelings Are Like Farts by Christopher Willard and Tara Wosiski and illustrated by Toshiki Nakamura. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
Spring has sprung however you wouldn't know it here. I saw snow mixed in with our April showers today. I however love spring. I love seeing the world come back to life after the long winter. I love seeing the blooms and thinking about things like gardening, getting outdoors and for my family, Easter. What do you think about when spring comes? Today I am sharing four books with you that are perfect for celebrating spring and Easter. We will start with the books for just spring. The first is Alfred Blooms by Carrie Kruck and illustrated by Carmen Mok. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
Do you ever struggle with words? Perhaps you struggle to find the right ones? Do you remember struggling with words as a child? It was always so hard to find the right ones at the right time. I also went to speech therapy so there were words I just struggled to pronounce. Today I am sharing a book about words and how we use them. The book is Words by Kathrine Davis-Gibbon and illustrated by Anne Berry. There is a giveaway at the end of the post!
I have a confession to make. I still play with dollhouses. Well, I build them and love decorating them. I recently got into book nooks thanks to a friend. We actually ran a mini course for our students in February where the kids (and we) created our own book nooks. We had a kit for the box of the book nook but then we mostly made everything that went into it. We did take the kids to Michael's for supplies so some bought furniture or decor. However, many made them completely out of things like clay, cardboard, popsicle sticks, and fabric. Some of them were amazing!! I actually made two. I did a backyard one with bird feeders and a tea shop one. They were so fun! In fact, I think I like creating my own things better than the kit ones. Today I get to share an activity book for kids who love to create and build. Instead of a dollhouse they get to build an entire town with this book! It is My First Town: A Building Block Book created by Merrill Rainey. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
Have you heard of the Keeper of the Lost Cities Series by Shannon Messenger? It is a young adult fantasy series. I hadn't read any of them although Hazel did a long time ago. Today however I get to share with you the newest book in the series. Shannon Messenger calls it book 9.5 because it gives some back story to the overall story. The book is called Unraveled. The suggested ages by customers is 11 and up.
It has been a while since I shared a coloring book. I used to share them every week with Relaxing Friday posts. Today I am going to share two coloring books that are recommended for ages 7 and up. They work for kids or adults. They are by Coco Wyo. The first is Cozy Cuties.
Disclosure: I was sent a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I am working with The Children's Book Review and Alysson Foti Bourque to bring you this post.
I am very excited to share another Alycat Series book with you today!! Have you checked out the Alycat Series yet? I have reviewed a few of them previously. Today's has a STEM theme as well as the lesson about friendship each book has. The book is Alycat and the Copycat by Alysson Foti Bourque and illustrated by Chiara Civati. At the end of the post there is a giveaway!!
Earth Day is next month. I believe we all need to focus on our planet every day, however so many celebrate Earth Day. I always like to share books that help promote taking care of the planet and our natural resources and other life on our planet. Today I get to share a book that shares the story of whales in the water near New York City. The book is Whales in the City by Nancy F. Castaldo and illustrated by Chuck Groenink. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
This past weekend we returned from our spring break vacation in Florida. This year we decided to each choose a place we wanted to go and plan a day. Steve chose the Kennedy Space Center. He is a huge space enthusiast and wanted to see the rockets and buildings he has read about in real life. It was fun although I wish we had more time to explore even more there. It was the perfect timing as I have a book about a famous photograph taken during one of the first space missions. The book is Earthrise: The Story of the Photograph That Changed the Way We See Our Planet by Leonard S. Marcus. It is recommended for ages 10 to 14.
Today we are sharing another of the After-School Heroes Series. These are great easy reader chapter books and perfect for fans of superheroes. Today's book is Ghost-Spider's Unbreakable Mission by Mackenzie Cadenhead and illustrated by Dave Bardin. It is recommended for ages 5 to 9.
As a parent we all have had those nights. Those nights where the baby won't go to sleep no matter what we do. On one of those nights, Sandra Salsbury wrote the book I am sharing with you today. It is The Baby Who Stayed Awake Forever by Sandra Salsbury. The reading age is 3 to 7, but I am sure there are some young kids who will be amused by this book and some parents who will remember those nights.
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.
We all know about the Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House and the pardon of the turkey for Thanksgiving, but what other holidays are celebrated at the White House? When did the celebrations start? According to a Classroom Resource Packet from the White House, there was a New Year's Day reception from 1801 until 1932. President John Adams and his wife, Abigail, were the first to celebrate Christmas in the White House. The Christmas celebrations were usually private. President Calvin Coolidge was the first President to preside over the public celebration that included a tree lighting ceremony in 1923. It wasn't until 1979 when the National Menorah was lit. It was lit by President Jimmy Carter. The first public Easter Egg Roll happened in 1878 and was hosted by President Rutherford B. Hayes. You may notice that Passover or the Seder dinner of Passover is not mentioned in these holidays. Now Passover is a more important holiday to Jewish people than Hanukkah. Today I get to share a book that shares about the first Seder Dinner at the White House. It is called Next Year in the White House: Barack Obama's First Presidential Seder by Richard Michelson and illustrated by E.B. Lewis. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
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.
Our world seems to be very chaotic lately. Many people are upset by the election. Yet, our society does it by popular vote at least by popular vote to electors, and Kamala Harris did not win. Today however I am sharing a beautiful picture book about Kamala Harris and all she has accomplished. The book is If Kamala Can ... You Can Too! by Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrated by Ariana Pacino. It is recommended for ages 5 to 10. It is a perfect book for Women's History Month as well as Black History Month and Asian and Pacific Island Heritage Month.
What can you make a handprint into? There are so many possibilities. Today I am sharing a sweet board book that looks at just that. The board book is My Hand Is the Sun by Christine Naumann-Villemin and illustrated by Géraldine Cosneau. It is recommended for ages 2 to 4. I am also sharing a handprint animal craft roundup to go with this adorable book.
