How to Train Your Amygdala
Written by Anna Housley Juster
Illustrated by Cynthia Cliff

Most kids have never heard of the Amygdala, but it plays a vital role in keeping them safe. The author uses creative imagery to explain in simple language how it works. Sometimes worrying about what might happen can make the Amygdala work overtime so it is important to train it not to set off false alarms.

Juster provides children with strategies and techniques to relax and remain calm. Examples include deep breathing, relaxing, and connecting with favorite people. The interactive part of this book provides step by step directions for children and an accompanying guide for adults working with children.

Kudos to the author for writing this guide in simple, easily understandable language with large text and appealing illustrations. Recommended for children from preschool through primary grades and the caretakers who love and support them.

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What is Hanukkah?: Your guide to the fun traditions of the Jewish Festival of Lights (Jewish Holiday Books)

Written by Shari Last

A comprehensive picture book about this Jewish celebration including lots of additional resources. Last provides facts about its basis on the lunar calendar, the history of the Maccabees, the lighting of the menorah, and the word’s many spellings. Going beyond that, she reveals how Hanukkah is celebrated in different countries, foods and recipes, and how to play the dreidel game associated with the holiday.

The illustrations are bright and appealing and the text large enough to read easily for beginning readers. Language is informal and geared to the elementary school age target audience. This book is a good choice to place on a classroom multicultural holiday bookshelf or as a family activity book to celebrate the Hanukkah holiday at home.

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Sensing The World With Momo : A fun quick science learning chapter books for ages 8-10 (Kids Books Momo’s Science Adventures: The Nervous System Series)

Written by Rizu Shami

An innovative approach to teaching children about stimuli and the nervous system. Part of a series of books done in comic book format featuring a character named Momo speaking in simple phrases located in balloons.

Momo teaches readers about internal and external stimuli, the five senses, and the way our bodies react to these stimuli. While the book is targeted for readers ages eight and older, the simple pictures transmit the message effectively to younger children.

Recommended to parents and teachers as a teaching tool about the nervous system.

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Thankful Day In Animalsville: Thanksgiving Story About Being Thankful And Showing Kindness to Others By Serving The Community

Written by  Virtuous Nyamesem Cornwall

This book is a beautiful and effective way to explain the meaning of giving thanks and putting the message into action. It is particularly effective for young children.

Using animals as the main characters, the author explains that the town has decided to express gratitude on Thanksgiving Day by doing kind things for others. Thinking as a community, each family decides on a way to help someone outside their own family. Then the families of Animalsville present the action steps. Examples include visiting a food pantry, cleaning up trash, visiting a nursing home, assisting the homeless, and cleaning house for the elderly.

At the end of the book, young readers receive a list of suggestions to practice their own action steps of gratitude in their own communities.

Highly recommended for parents and teachers of children from ages five and older to teach the values kindness, respect, gratitude, and civics.

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Profitable Money Skills for Kids

Written by Michael Slochowsky

This is a basic primer for kids with all the necessary information to understand money.

It is written in fairly simple language though I believe younger children will need additional guidance for complete understanding. The author begins with an introduction as to why he wrote the book, and why he included interactive strategies to implement its lessons.

Chapter One explains the history of money and its purposes. Then we move on to different types of saving strategies, budgeting, and tools to use. Kids learn the differences between needs and wants, and how to invest smartly. There are suggestions about how kids can earn money, give to charity, and avoid scams. Finally, there are goal-planning strategies, and discussions about planning for a sound financial future.

This book is a valuable financial literacy tool that can grow with the child providing a strong foundation for a sound financial future. Highly recommended to parents and teachers.

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The Knock – A Collection of Childhood Memories: Level 2 Reader for Children 9 – 12

Written by Carolyn Watkins

Illustrated by Lindsey Erickson

This is a poignant children’s book that creates a valuable resource for children living in military families.

This memoir is written from the point of view of an eight-year-old child whose father is called to serve in the Vietnam War. Readers learn about the fears of a child for his father’s safety, the difficult adjustment of a single mother and the turbulent life of military families who must pick up and move at a moment’s notice.

The book is written with the intention of providing an outlet for today’s children and military families to become a vehicle to express their hopes and fears.

The Level 2 Reader is appropriate for middle-grade readers. There is a Level 1 edition written in simpler language for military children who are younger.

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My Superhero Mom

Written by FA Khan

Illustrated by Noor Alshalabi

Soha is excited when her teacher announces an essay competition. She is confident that she can win. Her enthusiasm is dampened when the topic is announced. The students must write about why their mom is a superhero. Soha’s classmates share with her that each of their mothers have important positions in the community like teachers, doctors, and pharmacists. Soha’s mom is a stay- at- home mom.

Soha soon realizes that she is wrong. Her mom volunteers at soup kitchens, bake sales, and the food bank. She is a valuable member of the community. Soha learns that not all heroes are paid for their work. The value lies in the results that they produce for others.

This picture book is a valuable teaching tool. Children realize that a community needs responsible citizens who know the value of teamwork, empathy, kindness, and respect.

I highly recommend this beautifully illustrated multicultural book for readers in elementary and middle school. A worthwhile addition to both home and classroom libraries.

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Furry Fighters to the Rescue: How to Stop Feeling Angry Kids Book

Written by Lieve de Lint

Illustrated by Debby Rahmalia

A brilliantly vivid picture book to help preschool and primary grade children deal with feelings of anger.

They learn to face their feelings by identifying with furry, firefighting creatures who team up to identify and analyze their strong feelings and get them under control.

A good resource for parents, teachers, and counselors who work with children experiencing anger issues.

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Luna is Missing: A Children’s book about the friendships & adventures of a girl, her dog and her cat

Written and illustrated by Tanya Preminger

I enjoyed reading this simple picture book about a little girl who lives with her dog and cat pets named Max and Luna.

As children read the pages, they learn about the responsibilities in taking care of pets. The pet owner teaches her pets manners, responsibility, safety, and having empathy for the needs of each other.

The simple illustrations fill in the gaps and help young children understand the plot better. When Luna goes missing, they can look for clues in the pictures to help find her.

Recommended for primary grade readers, especially animal lovers and would be pet owners.

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The Douglas Bastard: A Historical Novel

Written by J R Tomlin

An interesting choice for young adults and adults who enjoy medieval history. Narrated from the perspective of a nine year old boy, Archibald Douglas, who is orphaned in fourteenth century Scotland and exiled with the Scottish king to France.

It follows the career of Douglas as he passes through the stages of knighthood and eventually returns to Scotland to revenge the king. The author has a lot of experience with nonfiction so there is much attention to historical detail. The language with Scottish inflection is sometimes difficult to follow. Tomlin attempts to remedy that with an extensive glossary.

This book is part of a series. Readers who seek a satisfying ending may be disappointed. For readers who enjoy history with interesting characters and battle scenes, this series will fit the bill nicely.

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