Starring Bella Blake

Written by Gemma Stringer

An interesting coming-of-age story for middle-grade and young adult readers.

Bella Burke desperately wants to be an actress. She lives outside of London. Her family is not wealthy, and they do not have unlimited resources to make her dreams come true.

Bella receives an opportunity to attend a local high school where she will be able to receive acting training, but she will also have to apply herself to singing and dancing lessons. These are not Bella’s strong suits. Can she muster the strength to put out the extra effort required to achieve her goals?

The author portrays Bella’s struggle to cope with the competition, the jealousies, and difficulties of succeeding in an industry fraught with challenges. Bella’s mom is her number one advocate, but her father harbors doubts and fears about his daughter’s chances of success.

This book inspires readers who aspire to find their own path to success.

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The Midwife of Parramatta River: Life, Love, and Childbirth on the Australian Frontier

Written by Werner Stejskal

For fans of historical fiction, this short novel is a good choice.

Set in the early nineteenth century in the rugged frontier of New South Wales colony, the protagonist is Sergeant James Graham, who is a member of the Coldstream Guards. The journey to Australia is long and dangerous. Upon his arrival, Graham builds a cottage and divides his long days between duties of a police guard and a struggling farmer.

Graham is lonely and soon writes to his brother seeking a good English woman who would be willing to settle in this untamed land. He finds a strong woman who soon helps him build a midwife practice along the Parramatta River.

The story depicts the difficult life in the early Australian frontier and reveals a tender love story. It is a moving historical portrait of the difficult life of pioneers in a setting unfamiliar to most readers.

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Save the Scraps (Save the Earth Book 5)

Written and Illustrated by Bethany Stahl

Alex teaches Mateo a valuable food lesson. After finishing lunch, the two friends are ready to get rid of the trash. Alex shows Mateo the compost bin and explains how it can be used to grow more nutritious food.

They teach readers that not all trash can be composted. Their friends, Mr. Squiggles, the worm, and some friendly bees, join to complete the process.

At the end of the book, parents and teachers find a list of questions for children to answer, and a step-by-step list of directions for creating their own compost bin.

Another book in this author’s series that I recommend highly for preschool and primary grade readers.

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I Have Feelings, Too: Understanding Dog Communication

Written by Anissa Svoboda

Illustrated by Aneta Knoppova

A wonderful teaching tool for children. It explains how dogs communicate with their bodies, unlike humans, who generally communicate with spoken words.

Readers learn that different breeds of dogs use different parts of their bodies to express different emotions. I enjoyed the parent paws section, which provides an easy-to-understand teaching point. Children learn empathy and respect for our four-legged friends, and how to better communicate with them.

The comprehension questions are useful for parents and teachers to review and reinforce the lessons taught.

I would highly recommend this book to parents and teachers of children ages three through ten.

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Written by Leia Barrett

Illustrated by Shannon McKeon

This very short picture book of twenty pages is ideal for young children and reluctant readers.

It relates the tale of a rescue dog who finds herself in an animal shelter. Before her life in a shelter, she learns to survive on her own. Her other animal friends teach her their habits and lifestyle.

One day, the dog is adopted. Her new mom and dad find the dog’s strange habits unnerving, but, in the end, decide to accept her exactly the way her lifestyle has shaped her.

The author teaches young readers lessons of acceptance, love, and the value of being true to oneself.

Recommended for preschoolers and early elementary school-age readers.

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Molly Morningstar, Music Show Surprise: A Fun Story About Courage and Kindness (Molly Morningstar Series)

Written by Andrea Coke

Illustrated by M. Fernanda Orozco

Molly is proud of her father. He is entering a singing contest. When her dad decides to write an acceptance speech in case he wins, Molly is eager to assist him.

Molly thinks of questions her dad can use in developing his speech. When the big night arrives, she proudly accompanies her mom and dad. Will he perform flawlessly? Does Dad get the opportunity to deliver his speech?

Read the charming story to get the answer. A lesson of bravery and courage with a surprise ending.

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I Can Sleep When The Wind Blows 

Written by Heather Lyn Davis

Illustrated by Roberta Malasomma

A delightful picture book or early reader. It emphasizes the values of hard work and anticipating when things do not go according to plan.

The simple plot involves an elderly farmer who needs help managing his farm. Only one applicant applies. Jim is a seventeen-year-old who is willing to work hard. His statement, “I can sleep when the wind blows,” baffles the farmer.

One night during a storm, the meaning becomes clear.

Recommended for early primary readers as an inspiration to work hard and be prepared.

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A CHECKLIST FOR PARENTS

Signs Your Child May Be a Natural Leader

Observing natural leadership qualities in children early can help parents, teachers, and caregivers encourage and develop those important life skills.

If you want to identify and support your child’s leadership qualities, here are some signs to consider:

Talkative

Does it sometimes drive you crazy that your child talks so much? Actually, being talkative may be a sign of things to come. A chatty nature indicates a child with excellent verbal skills, which are important for good leaders. Did your child talk early and proficiently? This may be a sign that he or she will be a good leader.

Treats Others with Respect

If you notice that your child seems to end up in responsible positions – team captain, for instance – and you know he didn’t get that position because of “muscling” his way to the top or bullying others, then this may be a sign of leadership ability. Notice if your child seems to have others “gravitate” toward her and wish to emulate her. Take note as to whether or not this is due to respectful treatment. If it is, you may have a strong leader on your hands.

Sees Both Sides

Some kids exhibit an ability to understand both sides of an issue, rather than being overly committed to one point of view. These children often act as peacekeepers who help their peers find an agreeable middle ground.

In the Know

Does your child always know what’s going on? Is he or she always aware of the latest happening at school or in the family? This is not the same as being a gossip (that’s not a good leadership quality), but it does mean that he or she is paying attention and interested in what’s going on with others.

Inquisitive

A good leader is not afraid to ask questions, but he/she is not afraid to go looking for answers on his own, either. Too much questioning may indicate self-doubt – your child is always trying to make sure about things – but healthy questions that spring from a true desire to know more about something may be a sign of leadership ability.

Mimi and Nanny

Written by Deniese Dennis

Illustrated by Tian

An excellent book for parents introducing a nanny to the family.

In this tale, Mimi and her sister react differently to the information that a nanny will soon become a part of their busy family. Mimi does not want someone who is not their mommy living and working within the family. She quickly learns that a nanny is not trying to replace her mother. This nanny can bring a new dimension of fun and open up new horizons.

I would especially recommend the book to parents of preschoolers who do not understand the role of a nanny with the family. This book is fun to read and uses humor to get the message across clearly.

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India – The Land of Festivals: A Monthly Guidebook to Diverse Celebrations (Indian Festival Series 1)

Written by Anuja Mohla

Illustrated by Gowthami Maruthapandiyan

This book contains a wealth of information with colorful illustrations about the diversity of life in India. The author covers each of the six major religions practiced in India. This book is organized by month.

Many of these celebrations, however, are based on the lunar calendar. Each page describes which religion is celebrated in that month and discusses the foods, rituals, customs, and types of celebrations. The reader learns native vocabulary and the significance associated with each.

This book is an excellent choice for teachers who want to explain Indian customs and culture and share multicultural traditions. Indian families can use it as a springboard to explain the rich culture of their homeland.

As a teacher, I appreciated the section at the end of the book that includes matching and recalling information about the festivals.

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