30 Days of Diverse Picture Books - Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson

It's Day 30 of our 30 Days of Diverse Picture Books. Wha?? Did that month pass quickly for anyone else?? I can't believe we're at the end of this year's series already. I hope you've enjoyed all the picks we've shared as much as we've enjoyed reading them. When I started the series this month, my husband remarked that he hoped I'd have enough picks to make it -- and I'm pleased to say that there are several I didn't even get to, so look forward to more titles to come! (But maybe a break first. . . )

So, onto today's pick -- Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson. I originally had planned to share this one earlier in the series, but decided to wait, as this seemed like the perfect title to end with. Wilson's story centers around Chloe, who finds it hard to reach out to the new girl in her class. Maya doesn't have as much as some of the other girls, who laugh and make fun of her, and Chloe goes along. Even though Maya desperately wants to a friend, the girls rebuff her - and then Maya is gone from their school, and Chloe's left thinking about kindness, and what might have happened if she'd reached out to this girl who was all alone.

The theme of Each Kindness is a powerful one, one that I feel we all need to read and internalize. It's especially moving for me to read this one now with Sprout, and talk about the importance of understanding others, of walking a mile in their shoes, of demonstrating empathy even if we find it hard to agree. E. B. Lewis did the illustrations, and they are very moving. In particular we like the one that accompanies Chloe's teacher's explanation of kindness, like a ripple moving through a pool of water. It's an image that makes you stop and think in the same way Woodson's text does - quite a message, this.

I encourage you to read Each Kindness yourself, and to your kiddos, and think of it in light of our world today. If you reach out in kindness, to someone unlike yourself, you'll never know how far that kindness can go.

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, published by Nancy Paulsen Books

30 Days of Diverse Picture Books - Maria Had a Little Llama by Angela Dominguez

It's Day 28 of our 30 Days of Diverse Picture Books. Sprout is fortunate that his school starts teaching Spanish in kindergarten. He absolutely adores it! They have class every Monday and I'll tell you, that kid bounces out of bed Monday mornings so thrilled for school and his Spanish class. As a result we've been seeking out bilingual books whenever possible, to give us more exposure and learning opportunities.

And tonight's pick, Maria Had a Little Llama by Angela Dominguez, is one of our favorites! I first heard about this title when it won the Pura Belpré Illustration Honor last year, but it had fallen off my radar for a bit. Then Sprout grabbed it off the shelf at a recent visit to the library and we were both hooked - the illustrations are just so darn cute that you can't help but smile from the cover right on through to the last page!

As you might expect, Maria Had a Little Llama is a spin on the familiar nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb", but freshened up and set in Peru, and with a Spanish text added. Maria's llama loves her so much that he follows her to school, where trouble ensues (naturally) and the llama has to be sent out. But no matter, the two friends are soon reunited and the tale ends on a happy note. The story is simple enough to share with littles, but there are lots of points to talk over with older kids as well -- this would be a great springboard into reading about Peruvian culture, for example.

Maria Had a Little Llama is a terrific example of how to refresh a classic story: add a new location, throw in some cultural details and a second language to make the title accessible to a wider range of readers. Add to that the super adorable pictures, and you've got a title that wins on every level!

Maria Had a Little Llama by Angela Dominguez, published by Henry Holt

30 Days of Diverse Picture Books - Ruby's School Walk by Kathryn White

It's Day 27 of our 30 Days of Diverse Picture Books. You know, sometimes I go along in my little bubble, forgetting how hateful the world can be. And then I'm brought up short by something like social media, where I was informed yesterday that I am "close minded", prejudiced and raising my son to have racial biases. All of which was said "in love". And that reminds me why it's necessary for us to have diverse books - because there are many, many points of view, and intolerance has no place in this world.

So, moving on. Tonight's book is Ruby's School Walk by Kathryn White, part of the series of Ruby books published by Barefoot Books. Sprout saw me preparing to write about Ruby's School Walk and wanted to make sure I mentioned that he likes the pictures best. They really are super adorable, so there wasn't much need for the reminder! Still, he's a fan of illustrator Miriam Latimer's style, as am I - whimsical yet realistic, a great accompaniment to White's story about all the crazy things Ruby sees on her walk to school.

For this is no ordinary school walk, ladies and gentlement. Oh no - Ruby's seeing crocodiles and witches and tigers (where there actually are innocuous, everyday things, of course. Right?). This makes the walk all that more adventurous, but we soon see that Ruby's repeated phrase, "I must be brave, I must be strong" has more to do with the reassurance she needs to get through the school day. Luckily her sweet mama's got Ruby's back, giving her a gentle boost that helps strengthen Ruby's flagging confidence.

Ruby's School Walk is equal parts fun and affirming, a great blend in a package that will make kids smile. And really, in a world that can be unkind, isn't that what we all can use?

Ruby's School Walk by Kathryn White, published by Barefoot Books

Picture Book Review - It's Okay to Make Mistakes by Todd Parr

So I alluded to it a couple of posts back, but it's official - Sprout has started kindergarten and he loooooves it. Like seriously crazy loves it. In fact this morning he bounded out of bed just a little after 5 a.m. and got dressed and ready without any prompting. Win! As you might imagine, this transition is one of mixed feelings for Hubs and I, but seeing our son so enthused about his class and his teachers definitely helps.

Of course, there's a lot Sprout has to learn about school, and I don't just mean the academic part of it. He's a hard working kid, very dedicated but also leaning toward perfectionism. And so tonight's book came along at just the right time and was one I figured we'd better get read ASAP -- It's Okay to Make Mistakes by Todd Parr. (To be honest, this is one I wish had been around when I was little, because it's a message I sorely needed to hear - then and now!)

If you've ever read a Todd Parr book, you know what you're in for here -- important messages delivered in a simply charming title that will win over adults and children alike. (If you haven't read a Todd Parr title - why the heck not?? He's awesome!) Parr's books aren't so much narrative-driven as they are message-driven, but don't let that put you off. He's managed once again to create situations to illustrate his points that are funny and believable, and present the theme in an accessible way. Kids love the simple drawings and the palette of primary colors, plus all the silly touches. A pink horse? A skunk wearing socks? Whyever not. . . it's a Todd Parr world!

I love the way It's Okay to Make Mistakes can be used both as a tool to reassure kids and to help them develop empathy. In this title, each spread shows something going a bit wonky, like a fish swimming the opposite direction or a girl falling from her horse. Some readers might be in the place where they need to hear "it's okay to be shy" because they are introverted themselves, while others might need to hear it because there's someone in school who seems quieter than the other students. Parr's scenarios work both as windows and mirrors in that sense, and making this a perfect choice for teachers to use at the beginning of school, when kids are just learning about one another.

My favorite part, and Sprout's too, comes right at the end, where Parr's illustration of a line of monkeys, with one upside down, is captioned "Everyone has 'uh-oh' moments. That's how you learn!". This is a message we've tried to teach Sprout, but somehow I know that he's going to take it to heart not so much because of what we've said, but because of the fun way he learned it, thanks once again to the fantastic Todd Parr!

It's Okay to Make Mistakes by Todd Parr, published by Little, Brown and Company
Ages 2-6
Source: Library
Sample: "It's okay if you are clumsy. You might invent a new move."
Recommended

Chapter Book Review - The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Shang

Confession: I do not long for the bygone days of my youth. For the most part, they weren't all that great, and I've no secret longing to relive them in any way, shape, or form. But I do sometimes find myself hankering to have one childhood experience once again: that of picking up a book you've never read and cracking the spine to find yourself peeking back at you.

Ever had that happen? If you ever were a misfit somewhat-on-the-fringe bookworm like I was, it might just have been your biggest relief. Seriously, there was little I found more comforting than knowing that I surely couldn't be the only one for whom middle school was pretty much torture, and then reading a book that showed me someone out there felt the same (and wrote the book about it).

Even today I love finding books like that, because they can be a lifeline for kids who are having the same experience right now. I think that's especially true for kids who stand out in some way, and often that's due to cultural differences in their family life. That's certainly the case for the title character in Wendy Wan-Long Shang's The Great Wall of Lucy Wu. Lucy is relatable, accessible and someone that middle-grade readers will recognize in the mirror, even if they don't share her Chinese-American heritage.

When we meet Lucy, she's primed for a great year in sixth grade. This is going to be her moment to shine, and nothing symbolizes that more than the fact that she'll no longer be sharing a room with her older sister Regina, who's off to college soon. But everything crashes down on Lucy when she finds out that her family will be hosting a visit from Auntie Yi Po, a relative Lucy's never even heard of, much less met. And just guess where Yi Po will be staying, when she's with the family for several months. If you picked Lucy's almost-all-hers bedroom, you win (but in Lucy's view, she loses).

Shang absolutely nails Lucy's experience of feeling like an outsider even in her own family. While her sister Regina "majored in Being Chinese", Lucy can't speak much of the language and finds pretty much all the food more than she can handle. Now with Yi Po in the house, Lucy's off to Chinese school on the weekends and missing out on basketball - and she's not shy about voicing her opinion, just as her parents aren't shy about expressing theirs. Lucy feels the friction of her two worlds, and struggles to find a balancing point between them. It's a realistic struggle, and the dynamics between the family members are always believable. 

I love the resolution that comes about, mostly because it rings absolutely right and true. You can feel Wendy Wan-Long Shang's passion for her subject and her devotion to making sure that young readers have a denouement that is both positive and plausible. Lucy Wu is a character kids will root for and relate to; though Shang is a debut author, her skills speak for themselves. Hand this to kids who love Judy Blume, Grace Lin or Beverly Cleary - and then we'll all be waiting on pins and needles to read more from this talented author!

The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Shang, published by Scholastic

Ages 9-12

Source: Library

Sample: "Now the desk and bookcase formed a wall between the two beds. The Great Wall of Lucy Wu. When I lay down on my bed, all I could see was my side of the desk and the front of the bookcase. And I hid my favorite picture of my grandmother, the last one we took before she got sick, in my bookcase."

Recommended

Read Around the World Summer Series

If you haven't been following us on Facebook or Twitter (and why not?!), then you've been missing out. As part of the Multicultural Kid Bloggers group, we're happy to be sharing some terrific picks from the Read Around the World Summer Series. Today's it's our turn, so I've picked one of our favorite picture books set in Africa: Rain School by James Rumford. Read our review here, and hit up your library to find a copy of this one-of-a-kind picture book -- this is a great one to read before your kiddos start school!

Picture Book Review - The New Girl...and Me by Jacqui Robbins

We've been thinking a lot about transitions around here lately. For one thing, I'm in the process of transitioning to a new job -- as Collection Development Librarian for the library system I'm currently in. It's absolutely a dream job for me, made even better by the fact that I didn't have to leave the team of folks I already love working with. But as with all new situations it requires a bit of a shift in mindset and workflow, and so I'm between two worlds right at the moment.

Of course, Sprout's about to be in transition himself, as he'll be leaving his beloved preschool behind in the fall when he enters the big time. Kindergarten. I'm in total denial about this, or I was until preschool graduation last night when the director introduced us to the class of 2027. Yeeeeeep. That's a step Mommy's going to have to adjust to gradually -- good things we've got two more months at preschool to get used to the idea.

Transitions are rough for lots of reasons, probably the most significant being that vague fear of the unknown that happens to take hold when you least expect it. I had that in mind when Sprout and I read Jacqui Robbins' The New Girl...and Me, a library pick that we just recently discovered. The story follows a young girl whose class is welcoming a new student. Shakeeta is quiet; all she tells the class by way of introduction is that she has a pet iguana. Our narrator Mia wants to befriend Shakeeta, but she just isn't sure - it can be scary to befriend someone new, after all. Then an incident on the playground leaves both girls on the sidelines, and suddenly Mia works up the courage to reach out. And what she discovers is that sometimes laughter is the best way to bridge the gaps between us.

This is a thoughtful, sensitive story that's as much about being the new child in an already-settled classroom as it is about making friends with a stranger. I love the realness of the story, that there isn't any big dramatic scene but rather a small conflict that kids will really relate to. Being on the sidelines isn't any fun, and of course Shakeeta gets upset, which is what ends up drawing the two girls together. Robbins' skill in telling this story is the way she shoes the quiet strength of friendship, and how relationships can blossom even when there doesn't seem to be much to get them started.

And of course I couldn't talk about this book without mentioning the illustrations by Matt Phelan. At the time this book was done, he was relatively new to the kidlit scene, but of course now he's illustrated books by some of my favorite authors. It's not hard to see why, with his relatable, energetic style that suits the classroom dynamic in this story to a T. There are a few spreads that I find especially poignant: in particular, I love the one-page evolution of the friendship between Mia and Shakeeta, where Phelan shows us the two girls coming together in the space of a walk between playground and school door. It's a great example of the power of words and pictures to work together, the strength of all great picture books.

Making a transition yourself, or anticipating one in the near future? Check out The New Girl...and Me. It's older, so you may need to hit the library, but this is one pitch-perfect picture book that you'll want to read more than once.

The New Girl...And Me by Jacqui Robbins, published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Ages 4-6
Source: Library
Recommended

Keisha Ann Can! by Daniel Kirk

Are your kiddos off to school yet? Sprout's got another year before he packs off to kindergarten, thankfully. But a number of his friends from preschool are headed that way, so we've been talking about it. A lot. There's been speculation about what lunch box he wants (currently Lightning McQueen is leading the pack). He's asked if he'll be riding the bus or if Daddy will still drop him off. And there's been a lot of trips past the site of the elementary school Sprout will be going to -- much attention is focused on this, since the old school was recently demolished to make room for a brand-new building, due to open next fall. Just in time!

As a result, there's been an uptick in Sprout's interest in school-themed titles. We resurrected one we read a lot last summer, which has definitely stood the test of time for Sprout -- it's Daniel Kirk's Keisha Ann Can!, and it's just as cute as can be. Keisha Ann is the adorable kindergartner at the center of this title, which takes young kids through a typical school day. We see Keisha Ann catching the school bus, lining up with her friends, feeding the class pet (it's a bunny). She gets to paint, play with blocks, have quiet time, count coins. It's a great introduction to what kindergarten looks like, all cheerfully and fearlessly navigated by Keisha Ann.

There's a lot to love about this title, not least of which is the fact that the main character is African American, but it's completely incidental to the storyline. As I've said many times, there's a huge need for this type of book, not just for children of color, but for white children as well. By including books with non-white characters in a home or school collection, we're exposing all kids to a much broader array of heros, and breaking down stereotypes. I love that in this title, there's a diverse group of kids featured in the classroom as well as with the adults. It's a nice slice of life, demonstrating that a book with diverse characters doesn't have to be issues-heavy or serious in tone.

And let me tell you, if your kiddo isn't chomping at the bit to head off to kindergarten before you read Keisha Ann Can!, he or she will be after you flip through this fun book. Honestly, I want to spend a day in a kindergarten class after reading this one. Best of all, the whole tone throughout is upbeat and cheery. This isn't the one to choose if you're looking for a discussion of anxiety about the first day, or how to overcome nerves. There's absolutely a place for books like that, but if you want a book that just affirms how FUN school can be, this is a great choice. Keisha Ann rolls through her day with joy, and it shows - the confidence this girl exudes is infectious. Sprout totally loves calling out the line that's repeated like a refrain throughout - Keisha Ann can!

Maybe we're not on our way to kindergarten this year, but you'd better believe we'll be rereading this one next August, as we prepare to send Sprout off to the big leagues. He's excited to do all the things he's seen Keisha Ann do - and even more, because that's just how he rolls.

Keisha Ann Can! by Daniel Kirk, published by G. P. Putnam's Sons
Ages 3-6
Source: Library
Sample: "Who can paint a picture, and sign it with her name? / Who can guess what words are missing in a rhyming game? / Who wants to make a storybook and comes up with a plan? / Who can share with all her classmates? Keisha Ann can!"
Recommended

Lulu and the Duck in the Park by Hilary McKay

We're in transition around the Kinser household. Reading-wise, that is. Whereas we were once a 3-4 (or 5, or 6) picture-books-at-bedtime kind of family, now we appear to have moved on to chapter books, in a big way. This all started with our family vacation in May/June, where I read Sprout his first chapter books. To be honest, I thought it would take a while for it to stick but he's embraced this new format wholeheartedly. And so now, Mommy often finds herself reading maybe one picture book, as a prequel to the chapter-book-of-the-day.

I'm both strangely unnerved by this transition, and absolutely okay with it. It's a process.

This sea change means that we're visiting a whole new section of the library now. (Moment of huge librarian-mommy pride: when, during our most recent library visit, Sprout approached the desk and asked the clerk, "Excuse me, do you have any dinosaur chapter books?" Swoon.) Thankfully there are some really great early chapter books out there, and we're enjoying the vast majority of the titles we've brought home. But, as with other areas of publishing, diverse characters are few and far between, so we do have to do a fair bit of hunting.

One recent series that I can wholeheartedly recommend are the Lulu books by veteran children's author Hilary McKay. Best known for her award-winning Casson family series, McKay dips her toe into different waters with these books for younger readers. Happily, McKay's knack for creating enthralling characters translates beautifully. The story is peopled with types that readers will find familiar but not boring, a balance that isn't easy to strike by any means. The plot, while easy to follow, offers just enough uncertainty that a preschooler or early elementary kiddo will be on the edge of his/her seat (or in Sprout's case, pillow).

And best of all, Lulu and the Duck in the Park is the kind of book for younger kiddos that doesn't try to be more than it is. It's a simple story about two girls: Lulu, who loves animals, and her cousin/best friend Mellie, who's really quite a character. The friends are in the same class, and their teacher, Mrs. Holiday, is decidedly NOT an animal person. In fact, she even threatens to trade the class guinea pig for a pair of stick insects! So when Lulu unexpectedly begins fostering an abandoned duck egg, it's up to the two girls to keep the egg safe without letting pet-unfriendly Mrs. Holiday know about it. And as you might expect, there are more than a few risks involved in doing so.

Laced with humor and realistic observations (not to mention super-cute illustrations by Priscilla Lamont), Lulu and the Duck in the Park is a great match if you're looking to add some diversity to your classroom or library shelves, without having a heavy message involved. Naturally books on African American history or Latino holidays are important, but so too is the example of people of color living everyday lives - and this title is a lovely instance of that, a light adventure that's familiar enough for most kids to find it relatable. What's even better is that Duck in the Park is only the first of the Lulu adventures, with several out already in the UK and Lulu and the Dog from the Sea just out in hardcover here in the US. I know we'll be reading the rest of the series - if Sprout has his way, probably as soon as they hit the library shelves!

Lulu and the Duck in the Park by Hilary McKay, published by Albert Whitman and Company
Ages 5-9
Source: Library
First lines: "Lulu was famous for animals. Her famousness for animals was known throughout the whole neighborhood."
Recommended

Suki's Kimono by Chieri Uegaki {The Children's Bookshelf}

As Sprout grows and makes friends, we have begun to talk about certain topics more and more. Being kind to others is a biggie, as is sharing (is this not a perpetual talk parents have with preschoolers??). But one topic I didn't expect to talk about as much as we do is identity. You see my darling son, while relatively strong-willed, is also a pleaser, and he wants very much to be just like his friends -- who among us can't relate to that? And so we've seen in the last several months a slow denying of things he likes in favor of things his friends like, or a shift in what he wants to take for "share day" based on what he thinks others will bring.

In these instances, we let him make his own choices, but we also gently remind him that he needs to be true to himself. What Sprout wants is a theme we return to again and again -- as in, is this what Best Friend of the Moment likes, or what Sprout likes? Sometimes he clings to the choice he's made, but sometimes he does rethink and select something we know is more "him". It's an ongoing discussion, and we know it's by no means going to reduce, quite the opposite. But we feel it's important to reinforce that his own identity is pretty awesome.

Naturally books that we share together are a great way to stress this idea with Sprout. One in particular that we recently checked out, Suki's Kimono by Chieri Uegaki, presents a character who's very confident and comfortable in her own skin, even after she has some brief doubts. Suki's determined to wear her favorite outfit on the first day of school. The outfit just happens to be her kimono, which her grandmother gave her on a very special outing over the summer. The outfit brings back warm memories of a wonderful day with someone she loves. Her sisters caution Suki that other kids will tease her, but Suki's unconcerned, even when her friend Penny tells her she's dressed funny ("I'm not dressed funny," Suki replies). She even shares about her kimono in front of the class, and does a little dance like the festival dancers she saw with her grandmother. But then Suki feels a little awkward -- will the other kids laugh, like her sisters warned her?

Delicate illustrations by Stéphane Jorisch are the perfect accompaniment to this tale (we've loved his previous work, especially Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate Cake). The scenes where Suki and her grandmother attend the street festival draw young readers right into the moment, as you can just about hear the beat of the drums and smell the delicious treats too. Most of all, I love Suki's confidence throughout the story. Uegaki could easily have written Suki as embarrassed or slinking off to change her clothes at some point during the day. But she didn't. Instead Uegaki gave Suki the determination to share one of her favorite memories through the clothes she wears. Even when she is faced by a silent classroom after she dances for them, Suki's never willing to hide who she is -- and fortunately, the class all applauds her performance for the wonderful experience it was.

If we want our kids to be themselves, we need to surround them with examples of confidence and self-assurance to inspire them. Suki's Kimono is a terrific instance where a character believes in herself, even when others aren't so sure. And that's exactly who I want Sprout to be, no matter what comes his way.

Suki's Kimono by Chieri Uegaki, published by Kids Can Press
Ages 3-6
Source: Library
Sample: "But Suki shook her head. She didn't care for new. She didn't care for cool. She wanted to wear her favorite thing. And her favorite thing was her kimono."
Recommended

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30 Days of Picture Books - The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School by Laura Murray

It's Day 24 of Picture Book Month -- betcha didn't think we'd get this far with our one-book-a-day project, didja? We're still going strong though, mostly because we make time to read every day and night, despite the busy-ness of a holiday weekend and all kinds of other things going on. After all, that's how you teach kids what priorities are, by finding pockets of time to include those activities no matter what. And it's not always easy to squeeze in opportunities to read, believe me, but we make it work.

Today's pick is guaranteed to produce some serious laughter from Sprout every time we pull it off the shelf. Books like this one make reading fun, which in turn furthers our goal of having daily family book time. It's interesting that given the chance, Sprout will almost always choose books that represent a wide spectrum of reading moods, from hilarious to introspective and everything in between. That not only injects a good amount of variety into our nightly reading routine, but it makes for plenty of opportunities to reflect on how books, like people, have very different personalities.

The book of the day, The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School by Laura Murray, is a clever twist on a classic story. We love it because of that and also because of its theme (Sprout's nuts for any book set in a school). As the story goes, a class project results in the mixing of dough and baking of a gingerbread man. Gingie comes to life, but just then the class is called out to recess, leaving their poor Gingerbread Man behind. Undaunted, the Gingerbread Man heads out to find his friends. The route he takes gives him face time with teachers and even the principal. There are some dead funny moments here -- Sprout especially likes it when the Gingerbread Man ends up in the art teacher's lunch!

As Sprout's daddy is a big comic book fan, he appreciates illustrator Mike Lowery's technique of telling the story in panel form (anything to introduce Sprout to the mechanics of reading comics!). The illustrations are cute but not saccharine, with realistic backgrounds that give a peek into the world of elementary school. And the story is told in such a way that even the younger set will have no trouble following it, though you may have to explain who the various teachers are. Best of all, the resolution is satisfyingly funny, with the Gingerbread Man finding his place among the school children.

This would be a fun book to share at back-to-school time, particularly for kids just heading into kindergarten. We read it with an eye toward holiday baking time, and now Sprout cannot wait to make gingerbread men of our very own!

The Gingerbread Man Loose in the School by Laura Murray, published by G.P. Putnam's Sons

Picture Book Review - Sumi's First Day of School Ever by Soyung Pak

Fall is in the air! It's hard to believe, because our summer started so late, but pretty soon those big yellow buses will be rolling out and the kiddos will be on their way back into the classroom. And as with all transitions, the new school year can be a tough thing for many students, especially those who are learning new languages and new living situations as well. Whether the child is an adoptee or part of a family of immigrants, an unfamiliar place presents more than a few challenges and fears.

In Sumi's First Day of School Ever, Soyung Pak tells the story of a young girl just beginning her first day of classes. Sumi is Korean, and she speaks very little English, though her mother has taught her what to say if someone asks her name. She's never been to school before and she finds the whole experience frightening. From the forbidding fence around the schoolyard to the noisy, boisterous children who all seem to know just where they belong, Sumi is overwhelmed. School is a scary place, Sumi thinks, and she hangs back, watching others to know just what she should be doing. It's all pretty intense for this shy newcomer.

Fortunately Sumi's teacher is kind and gently encouraging to her new student. When she's allowed to draw a picture later in the morning, things begin to seem a little better. And then at recess, Sumi finds a stick and is drawing in the dirt when another student approaches. Mary quietly joins Sumi in drawing a scene, then introduces herself. And Sumi knows just what to say, thanks to her mother. Maybe, Sumi thinks, school is not-so-lonely after all.

Pak's sensitive portrayal of a young girl struggling to find her place in a new environment will hit home with many readers, particularly those who have felt the same way Sumi does, like she's in over her head. Joung Un Kim's soft color palette and warm backgrounds add depth to the story, and Sumi's emotions are evident in every scene. Kim keeps Sumi as the focal point of each spread, but provides appropriate context for what's happening, such as the scene where another boy makes fun of Sumi (he later apologizes after prompting from the teacher). Most importantly, the book doesn't make light of Sumi's feelings or her struggle to find her footing. Rather, it emphasizes that the most important key to fitting in might just lie in being yourself. When Sumi begins to draw, she finds common ground with another student, and in such a simple moment a friendship is born.

For those transitioning to a new environment, whether that means a new school or a new country, Sumi's First Day of School Ever can be a great tool to open discussion about how they are feeling. Equally important, this is a great way to talk with other kids about how to reach out to an unfamiliar face in their classroom, making a new friend and building a connection that benefits everyone.

NOTE: this is an older title and not readily available - check your library or a used bookstore, it's worth finding!

Sumi's First Day of School Ever by Soyung Pak, published by Viking
Ages 3-7
Source: Library
Sample: "A boy stuck out his tongue. He made a noise. He squished his eyes. / School is a mean place, Sumi thought."
Recommended

Picture Book Review - Rain School by James Rumford

One of the things you learn very quickly when you're in the process of an international adoption is that much we take for granted in the United States runs a bit differently in other countries. Electricity, for instance, isn't always a guarantee for many reasons, and so communication via email or even telephone can be quite difficult. That's especially true during certain periods of the year. In Ethiopia, during the height of the rainy season (roughly August through late September/early October), the courts actually close down. It's just too hard to do business, to get around to where people need to be and to be assured that the lights will be on when they do get to work. For Americans, this can be incredibly frustrating; for Ethiopians, it's an inconvenience that is just part of daily life. Not good, not bad, just a feature of what you have to do.

And that's pretty much the premise of Rain School by James Rumford, the notion of working around the seasons in order to get things done. The book takes place in Chad, where Rumford and his wife were stationed while in the Peace Corps. The storyline was inspired by Rumford's encounter of the ruins of a primary school in one village, a school made from mud that was destroyed during the rainy season. The experience fixed itself in Rumford's mind, and years later he used it as inspiration for a bold and evocative picture book.

So too goes the story of Rain School, where incoming students learn that the first lesson is one of construction, as they must assemble their own school building from the ground up. Working together, the younger students learn how to make mud bricks, drying them in the sun until they are ready to be used in the construction. Built around a simple wooden frame, the school also features mud desks, wood stools, and a simple thatched roof. Once the school is assembled, the students gather inside to begin. They find that the learning process is accomplished in much the same way, by first acquiring the building blocks to literacy (learning to recognize and write letters), and then gradually adding to that structure through the other lessons the teacher shares.

At the end "(t)he students' minds are fat with knowledge", and the teacher is bursting with pride. Not much longer, the rains come, and the school the students worked so hard on is reduced to nothing. But the school has served its purpose for that year, as the lessons are carried forward by the students into the next year of learning - and building - the Rain School.

This is a sensitive, deftly written title, one that celebrates the ingenuity of individuals to accomplish their goals. Rumford clearly has great admiration for the Chadian people, which comes through in this story of perserverance. Let's be honest, many of us would give up, wouldn't we? But the ability of the citizens to recognize the value of education is clear, and even the youngest student is willing to work hard to build the school because the payoff is great. I love the students' enthusiasm, particularly Thomas, a new student at the beginning of the book who by the end is a "big brother", anxious to teach others what he learned the year before. And I love that this is a story where no one swoops in to save the day, but where the residents of the village take on all the work themselves.

Rain School is an excellent look at what learning is like in other countries, but at its heart, it's about community and the strength of everyone pulling together as a group. Pair with books like The Weber Street Wonder Work Crew by Maxwell Newhouse or Rent Party Jazz by William Miller for other looks at community and the power of togetherness.

Rain School by James Rumford, published by Houghton Mifflin
Ages 3-8
Source: Library
Sample: "Thomas arrives at the schoolyard, but there are no classrooms. There are no desks / It doesn't matter. There is a teacher. 'We will build our school,' she says. 'This is the first lesson.'"
Recommended

Bonus: fascinating interview with James Rumford from Paper Tigers

Preschool Bound

Much as I hate to say it, my baby is growing up. Suddenly he's all kid and we've left the infant and even toddler years behind. Yep, folks, we've got us a little man in the house, God help us.

Part of this now-I'm-a-big-boy process has meant moving him from his beloved in-home daycare to a more formal preschool environment. This means bye-bye to his familiar, more laid-back routine and hello to a structured program. It's a blessing in a lot of ways (not least because we really needed five-day-per-week care) but like every other transition it requires a bit of advance preparation on our part.

Bibliotherapy, if you must know.

As with every other phase in our lives, when we found a preschool for Sprout I immediately zipped off to the library in search of books to help walk him through what this change was going to mean. And fortunately I found some great titles that were really helpful in beginning to think about how his day was going to be structured, what kinds of activities he'd likely be doing and just what being a "big boy preschooler" actually meant.

First up is My Preschool by Anne Rockwell. Rockwell is a legend in kidlit, with books on just about every topic and transition kids experience. In this entry, a preschooler explains his day, walking the reader through all the fun things he gets to do and how his school works. This was a great one to start out with for Sprout, as it introduced concepts like circle time and sharing, choice time and music. Sprout likes the part where the kids do yoga, especially the boy in tree pose ("That's silly, Mama! He's not a tree!"). Rockwell also touches on the conflicts that inevitably arise at school, when our hero's block tower gets knocked over by his friend Will. The incident is swiftly and satisfyingly resolved, and the kids head outside for playtime. Like all of Rockwell's work, My Preschool rings with clarity and simplicity, and its smudgy monoprint art strikes just the right note.

Little School by Beth Norling has a more diverse focus, following 20 little ones throughout their day at preschool. This one has a great representation of diversity, with children of multiple ethnicities depicted engaging in all the usual preschool activities. I love the fact that each child's experience is unique and yet they are all experiencing the same basic framework of art, play time, story time, etc. Norling presents every one of the kids as an individual and shows how the program they are in develops and builds their day. This one's practical, too - even bathroom time is included, in a tasteful way. Colorful and full of detail, we loved looking at this one together. (NOTE: this is an older title and not widely available for purchase; check your library or used bookstore!)

And though the notion of taking turns wasn't unfamiliar to Sprout, we felt he needed to understand that in preschool, no one gets their way all the time. For that we turned to Sometimes You Get What You Want by Meredith Gary, illustrated by Lisa Brown. In this simple yet effective title, a pair of siblings experiences school together. Each spread presents two scenarios: in one, the child gets what he or she wants, while in the other, he or she goes along with the group. For example, "Sometimes your friends want to do what you're doing. Sometimes they want to do something else." This quiet but affecting title really got Sprout to thinking, and we have revisited it a couple of times since preschool began. Slowly he's realizing that it's all right if things don't always go his way, that he'll get a turn, though it isn't always soon enough (it's a work in progress).

If you've got a little one starting a new school this fall, consider conducting a little bibliotherapy of your own. Books can present great opportunities to see behaviors being modeled, and to soothe apprehensions about what a typical day will be like. Best of all, they open up the chance to dialogue with your kiddo about what preschool means - and they might just make everyone feel a little more at ease with this whole growing-up scenario.

Picture Book - Marshall Armstrong is New to Our School

Sprout's at that age where anything new is automatically suspect. I served him dinner the other night in a bowl he hadn't seen before - immediately he protested and didn't want to eat because "this not my bowl". I assured him it was just the same, and eventually hunger won out, but not before a healthy dose of "I don't like this bowl". And that's just one example: try out a new pair of shoes, an unfamiliar route to the grocery store or a movie he hasn't watched and you're guaranteed to hear, at least once, "I don't like this".

This is, of course, a common developmental feature. Kids love to order their world, putting like things with like things. All the cars go here, all the books go there, you get the idea. And they do the same with people, as studies have shown (one of the reasons that skin color is noted at a very early age by children). So anyone who doesn't fit into the categories they know already is bound to be viewed with a very critical eye, if not an "I don't like him" or two.

And that's what happens to our narrator in David Mackintosh's Marshall Armstrong is New to Our School. Marshall is, as you might expect, the new kid, and he's most definitely not like everyone else. For one thing, he's very pale, with lots of red bumps from mosquito bites. He wears a funny hat and glasses and ties his shoes in a different way. Marshall reads the paper instead of watching TV, and even his lunch is not the same as everyone else's ("space food", it seems like). In short, Marshall simply does not fit in.

So when our hero is invited to Marshall Armstrong's birthday, well, he just knows it's going to be awful. Probably it will be all sitting still and being quiet and no birthday cake. "And everyone will have a terrible time. Especially ME." But things don't turn out quite like he thinks - for one thing, Marshall Armstrong's house is amazing! Where else can you do an obstacle course, play with a jungle tent, and slide down a fire pole - all inside the house? And there's even real lemonade, with seeds. Maybe Marshall Armstrong is different, our narrator learns, but sometimes different can be just as fun - or maybe more so!

I love Marshall Armstrong for lots of reasons: the engineering-inspired details like Marshall's eyes behind his glasses, the subtle and not-so-subtle ways Marshall is truly unique, and the narrator's absolute reversal on his predetermined impression of Marshall himself. Here's an "issues" book that is fun to read, never heavy-handed but just presenting the real truth: that those who look and act different from us can still be some of our most wonderful friends.

While Sprout's a little young for Marshall Armstrong yet, I'm certain this is one that we'll be returning to, for those times when he himself is on the outside just as when he is the one excluding others. Marshall's completely unflappable confidence in being exactly who he is provides just the right message for kids - that there's honor in staying true to yourself, and that you can have even more fun doing so. Brilliant!

Marshall Armstrong is New to Our School by David Mackintosh, published by Abrams
Ages 4-7
Source: Library
Sample quote: "Marshall Armstrong doesn't have a TV at home. He prefers the paper. His dad says it gives him a good perspective."
Recommended

Bonus: Daniel Handler's review of Marshall Armstrong from the NY Times