ADDISON’S HALLOWEEN: a collection about festivals and celebrations around the world, and of fashion
Wriiten by Ana Alvarez
llustrated by Andrés Balcázar
This book is part of a series of picture books that feature multicultural festivals and celebrations. In Book 5, Addison eagerly anticipates celebrating Halloween in the United States. She brings readers with her as she shows them decorations around her house, a play at school, her family’s preparations for their Halloween party, her friends and their Halloween costumes enjoying food and friendship at her party, and finally the whole group trick or treating in the neighborhood. At the end of the story, readers receive a bonus. They may choose a link to dress Addison in several different paper costumes.
This book contains lots of fun illustrations and suggestions for enjoying the Halloween holiday. I highly suggest it as a read aloud for children, especially those ages three through eight.
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The author presents an interesting set of exercises for children to discover the “superpower” within themselves. She encourages her readers to use mindfulness practices to dig within themselves and discover cognitive, emotional and physical strengths. Simple objects like a seashell, index cards, stones, and a hula hoop, as well as food items, are used in the exercises. By performing these activities children will become much more aware of the abilities they possess.
I would recommend this book primarily for a middle-grade audience as the book is a bit difficult for younger children to follow. A parent, teacher, or counselor would enhance the usefulness of the skills being taught.
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In partnership with The Children’s Book Review and Acorn Publishing
SYNOPSIS
WHAT TO DO ABOUT YOUR MONSTERS
Created by Jessica Woo
Publisher’s Synopsis: Meet Kinzie. She has a bunch of fun-loving, slightly smelly, Monsters that live in her room. They never let her sleep at night. But that’s ok, her parents always help her out. Until one day they decide it’s time she learns to sleep on her own. What will Kinzie do about her Monsters?
What To Do About Your Monsters is a heartfelt story about a girl who has sleep issues. At its core, however, the story is not just about having problems sleeping, but about being afraid to try something new.
Jessica Woo is an author-illustrator and a mom of two wild things. Her debut children’s book, What To Do About Your Monsters, was inspired by her oldest child. Very quickly after Jessica became a mother, she found that while adults like to sleep, kids are way too busy to ever go to bed.
Other than convincing her little ones to sleep at night, Jessica’s talents include professional animation, art direction, and illustration. In Illustration, Jessica most recently worked on a concept art piece for Universal. In art direction, her recent project, Dinner Party, was accepted in the exclusive Sundance film festival. Finally, in animation, her work is featured in movies such as Kung Fu Panda, Monster vs Aliens, Shrek 4, Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special, Kung Fu Panda 2, The Croods, and Turbo.
An active member of SCBWI and 12 by 12, Jessica currently lives in Toluca Lake California with her family.
Little Kinzie experiences the same problem every night at bedtime. The monsters in her room simply refuse to let her sleep. They bang on the walls and bedpost. Kinzie puts on a sad face and tries to get her parents to let her sleep in their room or stay in her room.
Eventually, that strategy no longer works. Desperate to sleep, Kinzie decides to put on a stern face and take charge. Perhaps a glass of warm milk or a bedtime story will lull them to sleep. Then Kinzie comes up with an ingenious solution.
The protagonist teaches her preschool and primary grade readers that they should take charge of their fears. Woo’s illustrations are pleasing to the eye. My only suggestion would be to make the text a bit larger and easier to read.
I would recommend this book as a bedtime story or read-aloud discussion book.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win a copy of What to Do About Your Monsters, autographed by Jessica Woo.
Two (2) winners receive:
A signed copy of What to Do About Your Monsters
Giveaway begins October 6, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends November 6, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. MT.
The Adventures of Tweet Tweet: A really awesome Penguin
Written and illustrated by Eleanor Wint and Lois Wint-Rose
This sweet little story is coauthored by a grandmother and nine-year-old granddaughter. It is based on a stuffed penguin who is personified in this tale.
Tweet-Tweet, the young penguin, brings beginning readers on a journey that explains how he broke his wing. Along the way, readers learn a bit about life in the Arctic, how penguins move and communicate, and an accident that lands Tweet-Tweet in the hospital.
Children learn about family bonds, adapting to change, and being resilient. The color illustrations add charm to the story. Readers will enjoy the dialogue format and personification of the characters. Two more books are in progress to continue Tweet-Tweet’s adventures.
Recommended especially for children ages five through eight.
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This book encourages children to be positive and enthusiastic about life and their role in it.
Hawkes uses a little acorn as a metaphor for human growth and potential. The young reader watches a little root pop out of an acorn shell and then traces its path of growth from the earth into a sapling and finally an acorn tree.
I like the use of alliteration and body movements to encourage the reader to participate in the little acorn’s growth cycle. Children are encouraged too find Snippy Snail hidden in each picture. Hawkes includes interactive activities that readers may use to relax and stay calm.
This book may be particularly useful during the pandemic when children are feeling unsettled. Recommended for elementary school readers.
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A delightful science book about trees targeted for preschoolers and primary grade children. The author poses the question, can trees be blue? and goes on to examine different types of trees and the colors of their leaves. She explains that many trees change colors in the fall. Winter changes them into grays and browns. Sauble reminds readers about evergreens and how they retain their green leaves. Just when the reader concludes no leaves are blue, the author introduces a surprise.
The illustrations are simple but explain the text appropriately. I enjoyed the interactive features of searching for bugs hidden throughout the pages and the scavenger hunt activity. This is a fun book to add to a science homeschool or distance-learning curriculum.
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Princesses Don’t Have Sticky Hair: A Fairy Bedtime Story
Written by Angela Castillo
Illustrated by Cher Jiang
This picture book for young children features princesses displayed in unusual roles. Can they mix with mermaids, brownies or fairies? Do they do homework?
This book explores the potential to assume roles that are not typical and presents beautiful illustrations. Preschoolers and primary grade children might enjoy this short bedtime story.
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The Night the Monsters Came: A Fun Way to Teach Kids Healthy Habits as Part of Their Bedtime Routine
Written by Junia Wonders
Illustrated by Lisa Ciccone
Siblings Jack and Joy are getting ready for bed when Jack warns his sister, the monsters are outside and hungry. He dresses as a wizard and Joy puts on her fairy dress and crown.
As the monsters barge through the door, the children are steadfast. They warn the monsters they are not appealing targets because they follow good hygiene. Why does that turn the monsters off? Read the book to find out.
The rhymes are clever with extensive use of onomatopoeia and bright colors outlining new vocabulary. Illustrations are appropriate and colorful. I highly recommend the book for toddlers and primary grade children.
Publisher’s Synopsis: In the stand-alone companion to the New York Times–bestselling A Wolf Called Wander, a young orca whale must lead her brother on a tumultuous journey to be reunited with their pod. This gorgeously illustrated animal adventure novel explores family bonds, survival, global warming, and a changing seascape. Includes information about orcas and their habitats.
For Vega and her family, salmon is life. And Vega is learning to be a salmon finder, preparing for the day when she will be her family’s matriarch. But then she and her brother Deneb are separated from their pod when a devastating earthquake and tsunami render the seascape unrecognizable. Vega must use every skill she has to lead her brother back to their family. The young orcas face a shark attack, hunger, the deep ocean, and polluted waters on their journey. Will Vega become the leader she’s destined to be?
A Whale of the Wild weaves a heart-stopping tale of survival with impeccable research on a delicate ecosystem and threats to marine life. New York Times-bestselling author Rosanne Parry’s fluid writing and Lindsay Moore’s stunning artwork bring the Salish Sea and its inhabitants to vivid life. An excellent read-aloud and read-alone, this companion to A Wolf Called Wander will captivate fans of The One and Only Ivan and Pax.
Includes black-and-white illustrations throughout, a map, and extensive backmatter about orcas and their habitats.
This book drew me in from the opening chapter. The personified characters make you feel you a member of the whale pod. A compelling adventure that also provides readers with a wealth of knowledge about the dangers of life in the ocean. I highly recommend this beautiful book for elementary and middle-grade audiences. That doesn’t mean adults won’t enjoy it just as much!
A Whale of the Wild is at the top of my book list on the subject of whales. You will find other suggestions as you read on in the blog post.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rosanne Parry is the author of the novels Heart of a Shepherd and Last of the Name, among other acclaimed titles. She lives with her family in an old farmhouse in Portland, Oregon, and writes in a treehouse in her backyard. www.rosanneparry.com
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Lindsay Moore is an artist and writer with roots in Northern Michigan. She studied marine biology and fine art at Southampton College on Long Island and figure drawing at the Art Students League of New York, and earned her master of science in medical and scientific illustration from Medical College of Georgia, now Augusta University. Lindsay Moore lives with her family in Bowling Green, Ohio.
GIVEAWAY
Enter for a chance to win a copy of Rosanne Parry’s A Whale of the Wild!
Five (5) winners receive:
A copy of A Whale of the Wild, by Rosanne Parry
Giveaway begins September 1, 2020, at 12:01 A.M. MT and ends September 15, 2020, at 11:59 P.M. MT.
Interested in finding additional great books about whales?
Here are a few suggestions:
Song for a Whale
Lynne Kelly
Ages 8-12
In the spirit of modern-day classics like Fish in a Tree and Counting by 7s comes the Schneider Family Book Award-winning story of a deaf girl’s connection to a whale whose song can’t be heard by his species, and the journey she takes to help him.
National Geographic Readers: Great Migrations Whales
Lynn Marsh
Grade Level : 2 – 4
Over the course of their 70-year lifespan, sperm whales will easily travel the circumference of the Earth in search of food and the need to breed and find a mate. Males will travel as far north as the Bering Sea and as far south as Antarctica in order to find enough food to sustain their ways of live—up to 700 squid a day! Along the way, these massive beasts battle 30-feet-long giant squids, and each other, to sustain their ways of life.
Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises
Mark Carwindine
Illustrated Martin Camm
Reference book for all ages
Authoritative text, detailed illustrations, and a systematic approach make DK’s Smithsonian Handbook of Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises the most comprehensive and concise pocket guide to cetaceans. With more than 900 illustrations, this visual recognition guide is designed to make identification as simple and accurate as possible.
This book is one of a series covering plants, animals, and other natural phenomena from around the world and is published in association with the Smithsonian Institution.
Baby Belluga (Raffi Songs to Read) Board Book
Written by Raffi
Illustrated by Ashley Wolff
Age one through preschool
Raffi’s most popular and beloved song about the “little white whale on the go” is available in a sturdy board book edition–just the right size for babies and toddlers!
Singing supports and encourages even the youngest child’s speech and listening skills, which makes Baby Beluga perfect for early learning. Join this adorable baby whale in a busy day at sea, culminating in a warm mother-child bedtime ending. With its delightful illustrations, this is the ideal sing-along for a whole new generation of readers.
Wally Whale’s Mighty Tail: A Book about Happiness
Written by Kim Linette
Illustrated by James Loram
A Multicultural Book for Elementary Readers
At least that’s what Koa hears, and so he sets out in search of Wally Whale and the valuable knowledge that he hopes Wally will share.
Determined to discover Wally’s secret to being mighty, Koa follows the whale through waves and reefs, never knowing the truth was inside him all along!
Wally the Whale helps Koa – the little island warrior – learn the real secret to being mighty! And you already have it inside!
It’s a lesson of emotional intelligence that is essential for any child—including Koa, who learns as he journeys through the Pacific with Wally Whale.
Get to know the entire EQ Explorer’s Series—including how we donate 100% of profits to help underserved kids around the world.
Sam is an unusual sloth. Unlike the rest of his species, Sam does not enjoy sleeping or staying inactive. One day he searches the rainforest for a playmate.
He meets Tammy the Toucan, Amy the Armadillo, and Oscar the Otto. Each has a favorite game, but they do not share the same set of skills. Will they be able to find a game in which each can use their unique talent to excel?
This charmingly illustrated picture book teaches children about animals of the South American jungle. They also learn that individual differences are not a roadblock to friendship and shared activities.
This book is a good choice for preschoolers as well as primary grade readers. In addition to the tale, readers are challenged by interactive activities like finding the hidden fruits, spotting the differences in pictures, word scrambles, and a fun fact pages on each of the animals featured in the book.
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October 21, 2020
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