Scholastic sent me a box filled with books! ARCs and preview copies - it was fun to open it up and go through the contents. There were three picture books and I will briefly discuss them here.
Chicken Little and the Big Bad Wolf by Sam Wedelich; published March 2, 2021. This is a story about not jumping to conclusions, always checking your facts, and finding space in your own tribe for those that need a place to belong. This would be great for story time!
Wishes by Mượn Thị Văn; illustrated by Victo Ngai; published May 4, 2021. A sad but hopeful book about leaving one home in search of another. Told from the perspective of one of the children, the sparse text of the story follows a series of wishes as a mother and her three young children board a ship in search of a new home. The author's note explains that she fled Viet Nam at a young age for Hong Kong, eventually coming to the United States. The illustrations are beautiful! Spend some time with this one.
The Little Butterfly That Could by Ross Burach; published April 6, 2021. Does that butterfly look familiar? If you read Burach's book about a very impatient caterpillar, the answer is yes! Finally a butterfly, our insecure protagonist is attempting to migrate with fellow butterflies 200 miles across a large body of water - but is separated. What to do? Seek advice from a whale! Even though filled with fear and trepidation - butterfly does eventually work up the courage to finish the trip. Butterfly's expressiveness reminds me a lot of Mo Willems' pigeon. Another good book for story time - or to share with toddlers and preschoolers who are worried about, "What if I can't?".
Thank you for these books, #Scholastic! I'm looking forward to reading all the chapter books, too!
I also checked out a few new books from my local library - and read one that won't be out until September, 2021!
Keeping the City Going by Brian Floca; published April 27, 2021. This is the first picture book that I have read that focuses on the pandemic and how it impacted us. Set in New York City, it is a thank you to all of the people who kept things going and also an acknowledgement of what it was like for those who stayed home. I think this is a great book to share with your family as a way to explore and discuss some of the emotions from the past fourteen months. Maybe it will inspire you to step out on your own porch at 7:00 PM and shout, "Thank you!"
It's So Quiet: A Not-Quite-Going-to-Bed Book by Sherri Duskey Rinker; illustrated by Tony Fucile; published February 23, 2021. First let me say - I do like this book! I think it is a good story time book, it is a great books for noises and onomatopoeia and for encouraging kids to listen. The illustrations are fun - there's an older grandpa mouse, dozing on the front porch in his rocking chair with his dog beside him. And all kinds of critters and things making noise. Frogs and owls, trees and houses. The book is rhyming and it is also repetitive. In fact, I had to go back and double check because, at first, I thought the book had been bound with duplicate pages. It hasn't - it's just little mouse realizing that things are not so quiet after all. I think kids will enjoy making all the different sounds - and, of course, there is a bit of shouting involved which is always fun. This is one that you want to be familiar with before you read it, though - so you can use a different level of intonation for the repetition.
Norman Didn't Do It! (Yes, he did!) by Ryan T. Higgins; due to be published September 7, 2021. Put this one on your radar - especially if you are a fan of Higgins' Bruce books. Norman is a porcupine. His best friend is a tree. Named Mildred. If you can wrap your head around that, then this is the book for you! Just go with it. A seedling sprouts up beside Mildred and Norman is JEALOUS. He wants Mildred all to himself so he does something that is not very nice. Upon reflection, he realizes he has made a mistake. Fortunately for Norman, his actions can be amended. This will be a big hit at story time or any read aloud, for that matter. Plus - so much room for discussion!
