Reviews of the Week 1/30: Picture Book Edition

Time for another round of some awesome picture books. Illustrative ability plays a big part in these reviews, but there's also a spot for my favorite aspect: good humor! Especially with the last book here. It's a new release that's coming out in just a week and is sure to please pet-lovers and makes for a wonderfully hilarious readaloud. Check 'em out:

A Laughing Librarian - Vol. 4

Because sometimes, January is just a drag. So we better get some laughs going, right? And if this isn't enough, don't forget about Volumes 1, 2, and 3.

If that yoga doesn't help, by all means, continue on:

Presidential Reads: Favorite Books about U.S. Presidents

Inauguration Day was not even a week ago. A new president now heads the country. Let the new presidential book publishing begin!

Now, whatever your personal politics may be, I've learned that, as a librarian, those personal biases have to be left at home. All sorts of people from all wakes of life will be looking for information about something and hoping that your library has the books they need.

So...a book about our newest president? Whether that's a painful thought or a celebratory one, here's a new book that I'm excited to recommend. Plus, I have all sorts of other classic presidential books that can be pulled out for display (Presidents' Day is coming up!) or as a reminder for recommendations.

Reviews of the Week 1/23

A fresh foot of snow yesterday had me excited to read some more snowy picture books (even after the activity-packed Yeti book highlight post a week back). Also on the docket? A brand new superhero middle grade novel that's all about...squirrels. Because they're awesome. (Hey and don't forget! It's the ALA Youth Media Award 2017 announcements today! See which books will get new shiny stickers on their covers! And no, I was not even close with my Mock Caldecott and Newbery...)

Flannel Friday: 5 Little Love Bugs

You know, today, I'm in the mood for some love. Not any of that other stuff. Good thing the Flannel Friday roundup today is the Valentine's Day Extravaganza! So I decided to share this little flannel love bugs. Because I need a hug.

Reviews of the Week 1/16

This week includes some really inventive reads—unique ideas and storylines that had me rereading and appreciating and...sometimes scoffing. And laughing. And enjoying. It was quite the selection of awesome books this week. Hooray for creativity, right??

  

15 Extension Activities for The Thing About Yetis

Welcome back to my new series of posts highlighting some of my very favorite, favorite books and the supplementary games, songs, and activities you could use with them. This could be useful for library programs, the classroom, homeschooling, or (of course) to just have fun with your kids! Previously, I've created fun activity lists for books like I Want My Hat Back and Mother Bruce. Now I'll share ideas for...

The utterly adorable Yeti. He loves winter so much! But sometimes, on the coldest, wettest, windiest of winter days...he misses summer. The Think About Yetis is the perfect book about seasons, emotions, and fluffy little yetis. And it's the perfect time of year to do some book activities because—HELLO—we're in the middle of winter and it's flippin' cold outside. But even if you're not where there's snow, there's still lots of fun to be had! Check out these activities that are perfect for the book's target audience of 3 - 7 years.

1. Make your own yeti—The fluffy, adorable star of the book can also be a fun craft activity! In fact, Arty Crafty Kids had the same idea and made this paper plate yeti in honor of the book. With some cotton balls and glue, kids will have a super fun time making their own yetis. 

Guest Post from Rochel Lieberman, Author of Pearla and her Unpredictable Perfect Day: "Building Self-Kindness"

Hello, all! We have a very special guest post today. Rochel Lieberman is a Speech Language Pathologist and a PhD student in Communication Sciences and Disorders, with a field of interest in social emotional literacy and stress in language development. Yeah. And she wrote a picture book. A very special picture book. It addresses anxieties in children and how to best handle them. It's perfect for kids to read themselves, as well as any adults that work with kids—there's a lot to learn! Check it out! And see what Rochel has to share about self kindness—the basis of her new book...

About the Book

Pearla and her Unpredictably Perfect Day: A story about how a sprinkling of mistakes can be a recipe for success
Written by Rochel Lieberman, illustrated by Lloyd Jones
From Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Released: December 21, 2016

"Pearla loves to bake! Her favourite foods are cookies and cupcakes, which she sells at her dad's bakery. She always tries very hard to make her baking absolutely perfect, but one day Pearla is so busy that she makes a huge mistake! Have fun with Pearla as she learns how to adapt when her day doesn't go to plan and realises it could turn out to be pretty perfect after all.

"This is a scrumptious tale for children aged 4-12, particularly those who experience anxiety or developmental issues. It demonstrates that you can't succeed unless you try and that it's ok to make mistakes. Pearla's strategies for solving her problems will help children to overcome their own hurdles."

Building Self Kindness into Pearla’s Plot as a Calming & Esteem Building Technique

by Rochel Lieberman

The following scenario is a typical one, which often occurs in early adolescents:
Ben crafted a scene from the Civil War for his History Fair at school. However, on the morning that he was to transport his project to school, the clay figures had still not hardened. This made gluing the figurines to the base of the project difficult. He had not planned for this complication and felt at a complete loss.

How might his mother intervene?

Reviews of the Week 1/9

I'm going to try to read more chapter books this year. There's so many excellent early readers and so many good middle-grade novels, that I often forget about all those readers in between. So here's a good way to kick that resolution off...

  

My Favorite Books Published in 2016

Happy New Year! A time to reflect...on favorite books. Right? Right. So here it is! My list of favorite books published in 2016. And really, there's no rhyme or reason to this list; these books are just my straight up favorite favorite. Personal bias all the way!

Let's cover every age group, shall we?

Reviews of the Week 1/2

The holidays are winding down and new books are on the way. I'm definitely excited for what 2017 has to offer! In fact, the first book I'm reviewing is one to look forward to. The others reviewed here, of course, were for my own holiday break entertainment. Who doesn't love getting books for Christmas??