BEARNARD'S BOOK by Deborah Underwood

Image courtesy of Macmillan Children's 

Underwood, Deborah. Bearnard's Book. Illus. by Misa Saburi. New York: Macmillan, 2019. 

Today, I am celebrating a book birthday, welcoming Bearnard's Book into the world! 

Bearnard (a bear) has received a special invitation from The Queen of Storybook Land. He has been invited to her kingdom because he has been selected to be the subject of a book. This prestigious offer sends Bearnard into a flurry of excitement, nervousness, and general "over-wroughtness". What will his book be about? Should he practice? Should he prepare?  He considers the possibilities with her friend Gertie by his side. Should he know how to float?  Should he practice being messy and eating marmalade (like a certain other famous bear?) Should he know how to steal porridge? Gertie walks him through these practice runs, a voice of calm reason and sweet friendship at every turn. 

When it's finally time to head to Storybook Land, Gertie helps him relax. And when they both make it there, everything works out just as it should! (No spoilers here!)

What I appreciate about this book: 

Kids will understand Bearnard's struggle to be perfect. Bearnard also wants to succeed so he starts to study! And Gertie stays right by Bearnard's side, no matter what! Gertie also took Bearnard's mind off of the event by spending time with him doing things they loved! That is a real friend! 

Ultimately, Bearnard shows us that our story is unique and special because it is our very own! This book would be a great mentor text for young authors, showing them the value and importance of telling their stories.

Also be sure to check out the book's case cover: the front and back mirror the beginning and end of the book. Saburi's use of a soft color palette (along with a floral pattern and soft storybook details) pair perfectly with the story. 

(Before I read this book aloud to a kindergarten class, I asked them to think about a book about them! What would the cover look like? What would they do in their book? It was a great starting point for the story!) 

Learn more about Deborah Underwood's books here. 

Read about Misa Saburi's work on her website. 

Authr Deborah Underwood
Image courtesy of Macmillan 

Winter is Here by Kevin Henkes

I received a copy of Winter is Here (HarperChildren's, 2018) in the fall. And when I devoured it the first time, I knew I would be sharing this book in January.

I read this to kindergarten the first week we returned from winter break. It was a perfect choice for several reasons: it's a Kevin Henkes book, it's lovely, and it is a Kevin Henkes book!

Our teachers were also teaching about weather and seasons, so this book fit in nicely with that.

Exploring the book:

Using beautifully illustrated winter scenes, Kevin Henkes tells readers all of the amazing things about winter.  He writes of the ice, the wind, the height of the snow, the colors, and the general beauty of the outdoors when winter arrives. His writing is peaceful, yet engaging. The pace is steady, yet not slow or rushed, either. Always the art and the text compete for your attention, but that is a good thing. It means both are well done.

In a brilliant use of endpapers, illustrator Laura Dronzek shows the passage of one season to another from the beginning of the book to the end. The bright color palette is inviting and comforting. For someone who doesn't experience snow often (if at all, unless I am in Chicago for ALA Midwinter!), I could appreciate Dronzek's art -- remembering my own piles of snow I have trudged through on city streets or my own driveway (once!) Yes, the winter is blue at night. (I have memories of looking out the window the night before a snow day was called, and thinking that the winter IS blue in the evening.)

Books about seasons can make us wish for them (as in my case, as I wish for snow), learn about them if they are unfamiliar, or reconcile them -- if they have overstayed their welcome. They also bring us together in a way, as we all experience weather and have our own opinions about it, no matter where we are from or how old we are.

If it ever does snow here this winter, I will remember this book and be sure to look for the blue in the evening.

Note: Once you share the book, you will have to share the companions, In the Middle of Fall, and When Spring Comes (also by Kevin Henkes and Laura Dronzek). I am hoping there will be a "summer" book, too.

January Back to School

I'm back at school on Monday, as I am sure many of you are as well. You are probably reflecting on your break and wondering if you did everything you needed or wanted to do, and if you are like me, you are realizing you didn't! It really is impossible to make it a perfect Winter Break, I think.

As I look back on my time at home, though, I am grateful. I am glad I took time to read good books, sleep, watch holiday movies, and "be" at home with family. One day rolled into the next, and some days, I had to check my phone to make sure I had the date right. Did that happen to you, too?

I was also thanking myself for staying late on the last day before break to clean up and prep for my return. This is the first time I have done this, and I think I will do it again next year! (Next time, though, I will bring a snack!)

One thing I did before I left that Friday was pull books for January. Here are SOME of the books I will be sharing this week! (Even if the weather isn't very wintery at all right now, these do tie in with our curriculum standards!) All but one are winter/snow books. Squirrel's New Year's Resolution is a sweet story about doing for others.)

What books are your sharing this January?

More Christmas Books!

I was walking around the shelves of our library the other day before winter break began, shelving holiday books that had already been passed around among classrooms. As I was shelving them, I realized there are quite a few holiday books that everyone loves and enjoys. No matter how many of them I find, though, I always come across one I hadn't pulled or even heard of. When I was just about done shelving, I came across The Night Tree by Eve Bunting. I realized I hadn't read it in a long time, so I read it again, right then and there.

Two words I'd use to describe this book: peaceful and lovely. Narrated by the older brother, it's the telling of a family tradition in which the characters of the book go out into the neighboring woods to decorate a tree -- not to chop it down. The writing is in present tense and the reader is experiencing the event as the narrator describes it. 

I especially appreciated the illustrations and found them to have a distinctive energy, both in the expressions of the characters and in the depth of the color palette (especially in the color of the night sky.) In particular, there is a double page spread in which the family is singing into the night. I found myself mesmerized with the faces, almost hearing their voices. 

Here are more Christmas books I've enjoyed this season: 

Board book! 

One of my favorites! 

Great nonfiction! 

Published in 2018, a new favorite

I enjoy reading holiday books, and I hope we get a lot more of them! (Especially chapter books! I definitely would love to see more of those!) But even when we get new books, we keep reading our favorites and we love them just like we love the ornaments we've had for years! 

P.S. The best shoes to wear while reading or shopping for holiday books? BOOTS, OF COURSE! 

I've been wearing these ankle booties from Macy's a lot lately because they are cute and comfortable! 

What holiday books have been your favorites this year? 

The Holidays are Here!

December has arrived and it doesn't seem real to me. The days go by and by!

One of the very best parts of this time of year is making sure the library is extra comfortable and festive for the holidays! Schedules are busy and change by the hour (unintentionally) and so I want our community to feel that they can always count on the library to be their school "living room".
Whether it's book displays, cardboard tube snowmen, or posters, etc., I like finding little things that can make everyone smile!

Here are a few of those "little things"!

I found this idea on Instagram for my Lightbox! I always struggle to find the right book message for it, so I am grateful to those librarians who post and share ideas!  Do you have a light box in your library? I am so glad I purchased one at the beginning of the year (although I do wish my set had an apostrophe)!

The Grinch is very popular this year, so everyone has been loving my Grinch Book Face! (Again, thank you, Pinterest!) 

We made these cardboard snowmen and reindeer! I found the idea on Facebook.

And I also like to put up this "virtual" fireplace for readers to enjoy.

Now, I want to share a few books that I have really enjoyed lately and found so delightful.

This is one of my latest book purchases! I'd heard so much about this book, and it lived up to every good thing I'd heard about it. It's engaging from beginning to end and the illustrations are so vibrant and filled with energy. A lovely story of family and traditions! 

Another one of my latest book purchases: Santa Bruce! Ryan T. Higgins gives Bruce a holiday story that once again endears him to all of us! Pay attention to the illustrations! It makes me laugh every time I read it! This one also has a great case cover! 

I ordered the UK version of One Christmas Wish, and I am so glad I did. The case cover is phenomenal, and the illustrations are reminiscent (at least to me) of Roger Duvoisin (of the Petunia books). It's the story of a boy who is lonely at the holidays! He makes a wish and a beautiful adventure begins! 

Thank You, Omu! is a must-have picture book! What a wonderful story of generosity! I was captivated by every page! Thank you, Little Brown! Around the holidays, there is a focus on giving. This story fits right in with the spirit of the season. 

Do you know Pine & Boof? The second book in the series is Pine & Boof Blast Off! Pine is, of course, a porcupine, and Boof is a bear! They are friends and in this story, they happen upon an unlikely adventure, and they meet a challenge head on and with great fun! Thank you, HarperCollins! 

Now that this post is finished, I can say that I am very proud of myself for blogging again. It's been a few -- or more -- weeks! This was an item on my to-do list, and now, I will celebrate for accomplishing it! 

I hope your holidays are filled with joy and good books. 

October in the Library

How is it already November? Is that a question you are asking yourself, too?

Looking back at October:

We celebrated Halloween by reading Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown. We decorated the library with creepy carrots and I incorporated it in Makerspace, too - creating fences to contain the carrots.

We also read Stumpkin by Lucy Ruth Cummins. Kindergarten enjoyed this quiet book, and it fit in well with their harvest of our school garden.

Whether they are new books or not, once you find a good Halloween/pumpkin/October book, you stick with it! Another new Halloween book I enjoyed was Herbert's First Halloween. 

I also really appreciated this board book from Abrams! The pictures change as you turn the pages! 

Now I am already thinking about decorating for the holidays. Will I put out any turkey decorations? I will probably have students make some in centers this week. 

Another week begins tomorrow! Hope it is a good on in your classroom or library! 

Earthrise: Apollo 8 and the Photo That Changed the World

Gladstone, James. Earthrise: Apollo 8 and the Photo That Changed the World. Illus. by Christy Lundy. Toronto: Owlkids Press, 2018. Print. 

Do you have a photo that reminds you of an important moment in your life? How about a picture that has a backstory? A very IMPORTANT backstory? Of course you do! We all do! 

Earthrise: Apollo 8 and the Photo That changed the World tells the story of this very famous photo in history by the same name. Beginning with the launch of the Apollo 8 spacecraft in 1968, the book sets up the atmosphere in country on the day of liftoff, telling how people gathered to watch it on television, then recounts each step of the first important space mission to the moon. Astronauts Jim Lovell, Frank Borman, and William Anders traveled manned this mission. Anders took a photo from lunar orbit showing Earth and part of the moon, showing us our planet from space. 

The text walks through the timeline of the mission at a good pace, with the vintage style illustrations guiding the way smoothly.  A powdery blue is the predominant color in the palette, with soft swishes of dots accentuating objects on each page. A backmatter page gives more information on the mission and its impact, while also inspiring readers to connect to the content. I can think of connecting it to units on the moon and Earth Day. 

I found myself doing my own research while reading this book, and I know it will inspire other readers to do the same. 

Read more about the book here.