UNICORNS, TIGERS, and TRUCKS, OH MY!

Believe in yourself and do not give up on your dreams.

             

 

Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn by Shannon Hale; illustrated by LeUyen Pham; published March 23, 2021.

 My absolute favorite book this week -- a little kitten is convinced she is a unicorn. But Parakeet and Gecko try to dissuade her with inconsiderate and unkind comments.  Kitty-Corn responds with confidence - until a true unicorn appears. But there's more to this unicorn than meets the eye! I love, love, love this book. The illustrations are adorable and the message is timeless. Flaunt your inner Kitty-Corn! This would actually pair nicely with Laxmi's Mooch.

Laxmi's Mooch by Shelly Anand; illustrated by Nabi H. Ali; published March 2, 2021. 

 One day during recess, Laxmi's friends suggest that she should play the part of the cat in their game because she has whiskers like a cat. Laxmi is suddenly aware that she has hair on her lip - and all over which makes her different and self-conscious. But her parents lovingly explain that hair is not just for heads and mustaches (or mooches) aren't just for boys. All of the women in Laxmi's family have them. Laxmi returns to school with a new attitude and soon all of her friends are begging to have a mooch, too! A great book for teaching kids that differences are cool. I think it is important that this book shows that her friends did not mean to be cruel - but their words still made Laxmi sad and eroded her self-confidence. It would be a great discussion starter about being kind and always aware of what we are saying.

Mr. Brown's Bad Day by Lou Peacock; illustrated by Alison Friend; published November 10, 2020.

Mr. Brown is a VERY busy tiger. One day, while eating his lunch in the park, his VERY important briefcase is accidentally stolen by a baby. Mr. Brown goes on a frantic chase to recover his VERY important briefcase - and readers who follow the fun will be rewarded with a peek at the VERY important contents of Mr. Brown's briefcase! I would pair this with Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Pete Brown for a tiger storytime. And I know my friend Gerald (the tiger) would approve!

Big Rig Rescue by Chris Gall; published January 5, 2021.

Oh no! There's a bad snow storm and an 18-wheeler has flipped over! Don't worry - the driver is safe and the tow truck is on its way help. Hand this book to your truck lover - they will read it over and over. A plus - one of the tow truck drivers is a woman. 

 

Ready to Fly: How Sylvia Townsend Became the Bookmobile Ballerina by Lea Lyon and A. LaFaye; illustrated by Jessica Gibson with a foreword by Sylvia Townsend; published January 28, 2020.

Such an inspiring book - Ready to Fly is the true story of Sylvia Townsend, an African American girl living in Northern California in the 1950s who refused to give up on her dream. She falls in love with ballet but the ballet schools would not allow her to enroll. Fortunately, there was a bookmobile and a helpful librarian. Sylvia began teaching herself - and her classmates - how to dance. After she and her dance troupe appear in the school talent show, she is introduced to a teacher who believes dance is for everyone.
Be sure to read the foreword from Sylvia Townsend plus the author's note that explains how she learned about Sylvia's story. There is also a brief history of the bookmobile and a further reading list.