Picture Book Review - Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña

Hey friends! A lot has happened in the kidlit world since last I posted - namely, the Youth Media Awards (Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, etc.) given by the American Library Association. I've been crowing about it a lot on Twitter, but this year's awards were absolutely fantastic for the amount of diversity and kid appeal they included. So many great winners from so many diverse authors/illustrators! Check out the full list and make sure to buy or check out these and other diverse titles...as always, you can keep diverse books viable by purchasing them for your home, school or library.

It's shaping up to be an exciting spring for me personally and professionally. One of the highlights is that I get to attend the Children's Literature Conference at WWU, where guest speakers this year include Joyce Sidman, Kate diCamillo, Yuyi Morales and Matt de la Peña. Is that a lineup or what?? I'm super excited. I've been reading a lot of each author's backlist in preparation, and their new stuff as well of course, because WHY NOT? :)

Matt de la Peña is probably best known for his teen books, in particular The Living and Mexican WhiteBoy. Sometimes authors who write for older readers have trouble finding the right voice for the littles, but I'm happy to say that's not the case for de la Peña's new picture book, Last Stop on Market Street. This title is brimming with spirit and distinctiveness, in its depiction of a young boy, his nana, and the world of their city.

The story opens as CJ and his nana are leaving church. CJ is a curious guy, and he notices things - like why he and Nana take the bus when others drive cars, why he doesn't have an iPod when others do. Nana's got a simple response for everything, pointing out that what they have -- a bus with a cheerful driver, a fellow passenger with a guitar -- is plenty perfect. CJ visits with his fellow passengers, talking to a blind man about people "watching the world with their ears" and feeling the rhythm of the guitar player's song. Soon enough the pair is at their destination: the soup kitchen, in a rough part of town. CJ comments that the area is dirty; Nana responds "Sometimes when you're surrounded by dirt, CJ, you're a better witness for what's beautiful."

Last Stop on Market Street is a terrific book for sharing with kids of all colors and backgrounds, because of how deeply it makes you think. de la Peña makes his point without being preachy or didactic - that beauty is everywhere, that we can find it particularly in helping our fellow man. It's the calm certainty of CJ's nana that bowls me over. She looks around at what quite clearly could be depressing sights, and finds grace and warmth and color where others see ruin. That's a message I want Sprout to know with certainty, and it's delivered with inclusiveness through the text and the colorful, appealing illustrations done by Christian Robinson (an illustrator to watch, in my estimation!).

Pair Last Stop on Market Street with other city-centered tales of gracious acts, like City Green or A Bus Called Heaven. What de la Peña and Robinson have created is a fresh classic, a book that keeps giving with each subsequent read - and believe me, it's one you'll read time and time again.

Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña, published by G. P. Putnam's Sons
Ages 4-6
Source: Library
Highly recommended

30 Days of Diverse Picture Books - Full, Full, Full of Love by Trish Cooke

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Today is Day 26 of our 30 Days of Diverse Picture Books. This post is coming up a bit late tonight because we had a full day of food, family and time to relax. I did intend to get to the blog this morning, but Sprout wanted to do puzzles - and I never turn that down!

Tonight's pick is one that appears on almost every best-of diverse books list out there, and for good reason. Trish Cooke's Full, Full, Full of Love is a colorful, cheerful celebration of a family gathering that's perfect for holiday time or anytime really. The story surrounds Jay Jay's experiences at Grandma's house, getting ready for Sunday dinner. It's a place Jay Jay adores, mostly because it's bursting with delicious smells, family and friends, and a whole lot of love. Jay Jay himself is clearly the apple of Grandma's eye, and both old and young thoroughly enjoy every minute of their day together.

I love these kinds of happy, sweet stories of family sharing and togetherness. The warm world created by Cooke's text sparks to life with illustrations by Paul Howard, particularly that cover image of Grandma holding Jay Jay close to her heart. Sprout has always liked the center spread of Grandma's table groaning under all that food (who can blame him - makes me want to pull a chair right on up and dig in!). The repetitive text makes Full, Full, Full of Love a great choice to share with emergent readers, who will absolutely be clamoring for more by the end.

Whether you wrap up this book for your kiddos, or add it to your library list, find a way to get your hands on Full, Full, Full of Love for the holidays. It'll make your family celebrations, big or small, all the richer!

Full, Full, Full of Love by Trish Cooke, published by Candlewick Press

30 Days of Diverse Picture Books - Ruby's Wish by Shirin Yim Bridges

It's Day 20 of our 30 Days of Diverse Picture Books. The National Book Awards were presented last night, and I was thrilled to see Jacqueline Woodson take home the honor for her spectacular memoir Brown Girl Dreaming. It is seriously magnificent, people - review coming when Picture Book Month is at an end.

Tonight's pick is one that often ends up on best-of lists, and for good reason - Ruby's Wish by Shirin Yim Bridges, like Woodson's Brown Girl Dreaming, honors a connection to the past and all those who've paved the way for future generations. Bridges tells the story of her grandmother, Ruby, a little girl growing up in China during a time when education was the province of boys, not girls. Ruby loves the color red, and she loves to learn, even putting in extra hours doing her domestic tasks just so she doesn't have to give up her studies when all the other girls do. And her grandfather sees Ruby's dedication and rewards it in a way that's most unusual for girls of that time period.

Ruby's Wish shines with the pride and love a granddaughter has for her grandmother, a message that young readers will no doubt find inspiring. Sophie Blackall rendered the exquisite watercolors for the book, and her art captures the time and place beautifully, as well as providing a gentle backdrop for the relationship between grandfather and granddaughter. (That cover - just amazing, no?) Modern readers may be surprised to learn of the restrictions on education - it's a great way to talk about how those limits continue in many countries, and discuss what we as global citizens can do to help broaden education worldwide.

Ruby's Wish is a stand-out addition to any home or classroom library. Read it for inspiration and history, in equal measures.

Ruby's Wish by Shirin Yim Bridges, published by Chronicle Books

30 Days of Diverse Picture Books - Rain! by Linda Ashman

It's Day 19 of our 30 Days of Diverse Picture Books. Can't quite believe that the month is going as quickly as it is, but the weather certainly seems like November. We've had some beautiful (but cold) days here in the Pacific Northwest, though I hear rain is not that far off. Sprout's anxious for snow, but I think that's going to be a while yet.

Tonight's pick is a weather-related one: Rain! by Linda Ashman. We seem to find a lot of books about rain in our travels - not sure if that's just because there's a good audience for such titles in our area, or if there really are a lot of them out there. No matter, though, because they've been some of our favorites, and Rain! definitely can be added to that list. This jubilant title is the perfect way to make a dreary day turn around.

Ashman's written a great intergenerational story, and she's done it with the fewest of words, making this a terrific choice for emerging readers. The two main characters are an older gentleman who's in a grumpy mood because of the weather, and a young boy who just loves it, even pretending to be a frog. I love the contrast here, and the way that the boy's infectious attitude manages to turn the grouchy guy completely around. Christian Robinson's art accompanies Ashman's text, and the graphics truly couldn't be better. If the real world looked like Robinson's version, no one could possibly be in a bad mood, even on a rainy day.

Next time the weather turns gray, don't pout - instead, grab a copy of Rain! and figure out how to turn all those puddles into opportunities for play!

Rain! by Linda Ashman, published by Houghton Mifflin

30 Days of Diverse Picture Books - Lin Yi's Lantern by Brenda Williams & Benjamin Lacombe

It's lucky Day 13 of our 30 Days of Diverse Picture Books. If you have been enjoying our series, you definitely will want to mark your calendars for January 27, 2015 - Multicultural Children's Book Day! This special day is an event that will raise awareness about the need for diverse books and celebrate all the great books already on shelves. Sprout's Bookshelf is proud to be one of the co-hosts of this important event!

Tonight's pick fits right into the spirit of Multicultural Children's Book Day - it's Lin Yi's Lantern by Brenda Williams and Benjamin Lacombe. This gorgeous title is from Barefoot Books, always a great source for high-quality diverse picture books. (Really, you can't go wrong with Barefoot.) And this one is no exception - the story of a young boy tasked to buy supplies for the Moon Festival celebration, who longs for a red rabbit lantern but runs out of money. The choice Lin Yi makes is hard, but he knows it's the right one - and in the end, his love for his family is rewarded.

Everything's beautiful about Lin Yi's Lantern, from the touching storyline to the stunning illustrations. (The Moon Fairy at the end is a special favorite of mine.) I also love the thoughtful touches, from the legend that Lin Yi's Uncle tells, to the explanation of marketing in China, to the activity of making a Chinese lantern. Those are the qualities that help make multicultural literature more relatable to all kids, everywhere, and it's nice to see it so well done in this book!

Pick up Lin Yi's Lantern for the Moon Festival or really any time - it's a story of family and giving that you'll want to read all year round.

Lin Yi's Lantern by Brenda Williams and Benjamin Lacombe, published by Barefoot Books

30 Days of Diverse Picture Books - The Hula-Hoopin' Queen by Thelma Lynne Godin

Today's Day 11 of our 30 Days of Picture Books. As it was Veteran's Day, and gorgeous weather, we spent the day exploring one of the lovely state parks in our area. Hiking, walking the beach, kicking the soccer ball - pretty much a perfect day for Sprout, even though he was disappointed not to be in school!

Tonight's pick is a pretty new book published by one of my favorite publishers, Lee & Low. One of these days I'm going to do a post on the best publishers for multicultural lit and Lee & Low will be at the top of that list. With quality offerings like The Hula-Hoopin' Queen by Thelma Lynne Godin, it's not hard to see why - their books are always very well done and they are some of Sprout's top picks.

Godin's book focuses on Kameeka, who's given some tasks to do for a very special lady's birthday but who's got her mind on hula-hooping instead. Kameeka wants to beat her rival, but in her quest to do so, she almost ruins Miz Adeline's party. There's a surprise twist at the end of this one that makes everything all right, and adds a joyfulness to the story that makes it even better. And the illustrations by Vanessa Brantley-Newton are beautifully exuberant - her renditions of Godin's characters are so expressive they fairly leap off the page. It's absolutely a wonderful title.

The Hula-Hoopin' Queen is full of lessons about putting others first and being thoughtful, but Godin delivers it all in a lighthearted way, making this a sure-fire hit for reading aloud. (You might want to dig out the hula-hoops first though -- pretty sure you'll be needing them after storytime!)

The Hula-Hoopin' Queen by Thelma Lynne Godin, published by Lee & Low Books

Celebrating Grandparents - Our Multicultural Picks!

In the U.S., tomorrow is Grandparents' Day. This isn't as big a deal for Americans as Mother's Day or Father's Day, not by a long shot (you don't see ads like "buy Grandma a diamond necklace for Grandparents' Day", for instance). I'm not sure why this is, although it's an interesting commentary on our culture. The sociologist in me is fascinated by this kind of thing. But the mother in me is busy making sure we have a homemade card and a picture for Oma -- no diamond necklaces here, that's just how we roll.

A fun way to celebrate Grandparents' Day would definitely be an intergenerational storytime. I think this would be an awesome program for a library or bookstore to host, but you could certainly do an impromptu one at your own Grandparents' Day celebration or the next time an extended family get-together comes around. I've gathered up some terrific picks to share for such an event - none of which are specific to Grandparents' Day itself, making them the perfect titles to share for the holiday or any time you want to celebrate these important folks in your kiddo's life.

1. Can You Hear the Sea? by Judy Cumberbatch - this vibrant title, set in West Africa, catches readers right from the front cover (got you, didn't it?). The story is simple enough for the youngest listeners, but works on multiple levels to teach concepts and share relationships. I love the messages about trust and caring for one another.

2. All the Way to America by Dan Yaccarino - kids will recognize Yaccarino's whimsical style, and adults will appreciate his intergenerational theme of a family's immigrant heritage. Based on the author's family's journey to America from Italy, this story of perseverance and connections will get kids thinking about what pieces of their own family are being handed down for generations. A lovely title on all levels.

3. Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji by F. Zia - this was one of Sprout's favorites for a long time, for the fun illustrations and the playful text. This one's great because it really shows the relationship between Aneel and his grandfather, whom he idolizes. And the elements of tall tales that Zia weaves in make this a true joy to read aloud - over and over again!

4. Suki's Kimono by Chieri Uegaki - a classic title that speaks very much to identity and being confident in your own skin. Suki decides to wear her kimono to school because it reminds her of a special time with her grandma - even though she knows that other kids might make fun of her. All is well in the end, though not unrealistically so. A good choice for older kids just starting to find their identity.

5. Rainbow Stew by Cathryn Falwell - Falwell's books are always a hit in our house and Rainbow Stew is no exception. This one not only has a grandpa taking care of all three of his grandkids, it also emphasizes the appeal of growing and preparing your own healthy food. Great for late fall storytimes about harvest and togetherness.

6. Lottie Paris Lives Here by Angela Johnson - it's hard to say how much I love Lottie Paris. She's pretty much everything I adore about kidlit today - a dynamic personality, full of flair and life, and just a little bit of naughtiness (which makes you love her even more). Lottie's just right for kids who like all things color and sparkle, and will add a burst of liveliness to storytime for sure.

7. My Granny Went to Market by Stella Blackstone - a rhyming book! What fun! This rollicking read features a grandma who's getting around - around the world, that is. Kids will enjoy counting along with granny's purchases even as they are introduced to the concepts of global citizenship. Full of small details that make this entertaining even after the story is done!

There are so many more titles that we could have included, but I hope this list gives you just a taste of all the wonderful intergenerational titles that populate the shelves at your library or bookstore. What are your favorite grandparent stories? Please share in the comments!

30 Days of Picture Books - Old Mikamba Had a Farm by Rachel Isadora

Today's Day 18 of our 30 Days of Picture Books. Tonight I'm sharing a new book from one of the authors that first made me want to blog about multicultural kids' books. When we began our process to adopt a boy from Ethiopia, Rachel Isadora was one of the artists whose work I found especially inspiring and really wanted to add to our collection. I've blogged about a number of Isadora's titles thus far, and there are many more to come. One of our absolute favorites is her version of The Night Before Christmas, which has become a tradition in the Kinser household for the way it marries African sensibilities with the familiar Christmas poem.

Sprout was super excited to see tonight's pick by Isadora, Old Mikamba Had a Farm. The detail he seized on right away was the houses that Isadora has on the front cover, which echo the style of his Ethiopian family's home. We talked a bit before we read the book, because I wanted to explain the back story - Old Mikamba is, as you might expect, a riff on Old McDonald, but instead of domesticated animals, he's a keeper on a game farm in Africa. (Pet peeve: I really wish we could have a specific country identified, rather than the all-encompassing but so generic "Africa".)

So, rather than cows, sheep and chickens, Old Mikamba has zebras, baboons and elephants. Isadora keeps with the format of the song ("E-I-E-I-O" and all), so kids will have fun singing along and inserting the names of different animals along with their characteristic sounds. Sprout liked the baboon best, with his "ooh-ha-ha" noise -- it's tons of fun to get into this! I also love that we have some diversity with the animals here, including less familiar critters like springbok, dassies and warthogs. A nice author's note at the end offers some explanation of the stars of each verse.

And as you might expect with Isadora, the illustrations are fantastic. She blends drawings with collage, and I love the mixed media she uses for each piece. The elephants are our favorite, with their collaged newspaper skin - so adorable! And around each page are lovely borders with scenes from the East African countryside. The gorgeous orbs of orangey sunset are especially nice, and definitely add to the feel that we are close to the land with this one (a close second are the leaping springboks, which pay homage to Isadora's connection with ballet).

If you're looking to refresh your collection of classics at home or in the classroom. Old Mikamba Had a Farm is a terrific choice. It's familiar enough for kids to identify with, but broadens everyone's world nicely. And that, dear reader, is the sign of great kidlit!

Old Mikamba Had a Farm by Rachel Isadora, published by Penguin Young Readers

30 Days of Picture Books - The Thanksgiving Door by Debby Atwell

It's Day 17 in our 30 Days of Picture Books. Today I'd like to share a Thanksgiving title that's new to us this year. I often see -- and pin -- fantastic lists of holiday books, the kinds of lists that are overflowing with awesome choices. I rarely create lists like that, though, because I'm always trying to find holiday titles that are diverse or multicultural in nature. And if you've been reading my blog long, you know books like that are few and far between. So generally when we do a holiday feature, it has some diversity included - makes for a smaller but more impactful list, I think.

Today's book is one I've heard about for a couple of years now but hadn't had a chance to read. I'm so glad we made the effort to seek it out this Thanksgiving though, because it was simply charming. Debby Atwell's The Thanksgiving Door is unique in that the action starts on the front cover of the book - you really need to focus on what's happening there in order to have context for later events, but that's all the spoiler I'm giving you. :)

The story focuses on Ed and Ann, an elderly couple who are all alone for Thanksgiving. Ann accidentally burns their dinner, and it looks like the holiday is going to be ruined. But then Ed decides the couple is going out to eat (taking a page from The Christmas Story, our favorite holiday movie!). They decide to try a new restaurant in the neighborhood - at first they aren't sure the place is serving, but the door was open, so they venture in. Well, actually the family that runs the place was having their own dinner, and some members are a bit dismayed to see guests. But Grandmother believes that hospitality is essential, especially on the family's first holiday in America, so the family welcomes Ed and Ann. And it's a wonderful, if unexpected, Thanksgiving for all!

This is such a heartwarming story of acceptance and inclusion, just right for Thanksgiving. The folk art-infused illustrations definitely add to the classic feel of the story, which would be a good choice to share with preschoolers on up. I love that both parties -- Ed and Ann, and the family -- were uncertain about accepting the other, but overcame their fears and uncertainties and let down their guard. Ed and Ann experience aspects of the family's culture (Atwell never specifies where they are from, just "the old country", but I'm guessing Ukranian?). And the family learns new things too, such as when Ann teaches everyone the conga. Now that's what a holiday should be.

Make the time to seek out The Thanksgiving Door -- it's a colorful and upbeat title that captures the true spirit of giving that is central to this winter holiday!

The Thanksgiving Door by Debby Atwell, published by Houghton Mifflin

30 Days of Picture Books - Grandpa Green by Lane Smith

It's Day 4 of our 30 Days of Picture Books series. Today's pick is a title that I haven't read with Sprout - yet. I know, that's a little unusual for me. But this book honestly gets me so emotional that I'm barely able to read it on my own without crying, so I'm not sure how I'd ever get through reading it aloud. My husband bought it for me last Christmas, and it's a treasured part of my own collection that will, someday, be shared with Sprout.

But I wanted to share Lane Smith's Grandpa Green with you, dear reader, because it's the perfect book for Veteran's Day. The story is poignant and lyrical, laced with the hints of memories shared and stories long past. Narrated by his great-grandson, the book tells of the story of a young boy who grew up on a farm, having adventures and living an everyday life (complete with chicken pox). The boy became a man who wanted to study horticulture, but a war got in his way; instead he went to France, fell in love, got married, had a family. The man grew old, and started to forget things - luckily he found a way to blend his memories into his landscape, and keep the past alive.

My description cannot in any way do this book justice, because the text and Smith's winsome illustrations blend together to create the entire experience of the story. (It won a Caldecott Honor - need I say more about the absolutely breathtaking nature of this pictures?) We watch Grandpa Green's grandson as he wends his way through the garden, narrating the events of his great-grandpa's life in the manner of one who has heard the stories all his life. The intensity of familial feeling permeates the story, and we feel what the boy feels - by the end, you'll love Grandpa Green just as much as our hero does.

Smith leaves the door open for all sorts of discussions at the end of this: talking about aging, family history, relationships, and the fragile nature of memory. Kids will draw their own conclusions about the story's themes, as will adults, but one thing is clear: this is an homage to remembrance, to honoring the lives and sacrifices of those who came before. And that makes it the perfect choice for today: Veteran's Day, when we stop to remember our freedom, and the price at which it comes.

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith, published by Roaring Brook Press

Bonus: Publisher's Weekly interviews Lane Smith about Grandpa Green

Rainbow Stew by Cathryn Falwell

Two posts in one week?!? Could it be that I'm getting my blogging mojo back?? I hope so. It's been an odd summer, mostly because having finally finished grad school, I had a real sense of wanting to step away from (most) non-work, non-family commitments. I wish I could say that I read a ton of novels during that time, or that I organized my kitchen cabinets. Not so much, though - mostly there was just playing with Sprout, spending time with my husband, getting a few household projects done and even catching up on TV watching (gasp!).

So now there's a backlog of AWESOME titles that we read together as a family, which I've got to somehow translate into blog posts -- since, after all, you cannot peek into my oh-so-cluttered brain and discern which were the best of all the many books we checked out this summer. Hope you've got your library list at the ready, dear reader, 'cause there's some good stuff coming your way!

First up is a new title by one of Sprout's favorite author/illustrators. We've reviewed a couple of Cathryn Falwell's books here on the blog -- Christmas for 10 is one, Butterflies for Kiri another. We were waiting for her newest title, Rainbow Stew, very anxiously, and I'm pleased to say it's just as excellent as the other books by her that we've read and loved. Most fun of all, it takes place on a rainy summer day, something we as Northwesterners definitely have our fair share of, so Sprout could totally relate. :)

The story follows three kiddos who are visiting their Grandpa, and who are more than a little disappointed to discover the aforementioned showery weather when they make their plans for the day. But Grandpa has another suggestion: suit up in rain gear and venture out to his garden, where they pick all the ingredients for a tummy-warming bowl of rainbow stew. The kids have a great time harvesting -- and playing -- in the rain, getting all kinds of muddy and loving every second. (Side note: this is *exactly* what Sprout would do, given the same opportunity. Falwell completely gets little ones.) Then it's inside to dry off (newspapers on the floor = Grandpa's one smart cookie), change clothes, and prep the veggies. While the stew cooks, there's time for a little reading and resting, and then everyone gets to enjoy the fruits of their labor -- just in time for a rainbow to peek through!

Where to start with all the things I love about this cheerful, vibrant book? Falwell's illustrations are of course terrific, featuring just the right balance of details to make each scene come to life. Of course I love that there's teamwork going on here. Everyone helps out in harvesting, prep work and eating the delicious lunch, which naturally means the whole process is that much more fun. (If you want to make your own rainbow stew, the recipe's helpfully included right at the end.) I also really dig that we have Grandpa in the main role here, performing many tasks usually left up to moms or grandmas. It's so nice to see a male figure given domestic duties, from making breakfast to helping the kids tidy up after playing in the mud. In the day and age of so much pink- and blue-gender specificity, having Grandpa be the main caregiver was a very nice touch.

Make it a point to seek out Rainbow Stew on your next trip to the library or bookstore. And if your chosen branch doesn't have it, this would be a great purchase suggestion to make to the manager or children's librarian. A colorful book about food and fun, written with a catchy rhyme? It's every bit as yummy as Grandpa's Rainbow Stew!

Rainbow Stew by Cathryn Falwell, published by Lee & Low Books
Ages 2-5
Source: Library
Sample: "We jump around like grasshoppers and buzz about like bees. / We creep along like ladybugs, and all get muddy knees."
Highly recommended

Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz

One of the things I love about the interwebs, and blogging in general, is that I come into contact with so many books that I would never otherwise have heard about. Although I don't have time to follow a ton of blogs, I do read my share, and keep a running list of books coming out that I'm interested in. (And I pin some of them too, just for future reference.) It's a very dangerous habit to have, considering that my average workday already brings me into contact with all kinds of bookish goodness, but at least this way I'll never run out of things I want to read, right?

Somewhere in my bloggy travels, I ran across a review for today's pick, Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz. The book stuck in my head, probably as much for the unique title as for the cover art, which is flat-out awesome -- kudos to Candlewick for such an eyecatching cover. And I'm so happy I had this one on my radar, because it's absolutely one of the most incredible middle-grade novels I've read in quite some time.

First off I need to say that this is not going to be everyone's cup of tea. It's far from formulaic in the subject matter, it's historical, and it's got a slow start. Okay, then, so if you're still reading along, let me say that what makes this work is author Gewirtz's absolute fearlessness in her writing. She never pulls a punch, never backs down from a tense moment in the plot and isn't afraid to make her characters inscrutable. You don't often see that kind of bravery in one who writes for such a young audience - not to say that there aren't amazing middle-grade authors out there, but honestly there aren't many who are willing to pull their characters through the wringer with no definitive solution to the crisis in sight. That's guts, my friends.

So on to the plot: It's June, 1980, against the backdrop of the Iran Hostage Crisis. Annie and Rew are living with their grandmother, a loving but reclusive woman who has trouble dealing with everyday life. They remember their mother, who dropped them off with Gran and gave scarcely a backward look. But their father is a blank. Gran tells them he was killed by "an angry man", in a fight gone badly. So Annie makes up possible stories to assuage her curiosity, and in the meantime she pretty much takes care of everything around the house when Gran is debilitated. It's not a perfect situation, but it works.

Until one night there's a noise at the back door, and an escaped convict appears in their kitchen. Annie and her brother are scared witless. It's evident that the man means to keep the little family hostage. And then Gran comes downstairs, and in a flash Annie and Rew discover that what they thought they knew about their lives is all swept away. In its place is a new reality, one each child approaches from a different perspective.

I won't give away the secrets here, but suffice to say Gewirtz employs multiple layers of issues to drive her story along. There is gorgeous imagery here, the kind that makes you want to reread entire passages to catch all of it. The character development unfolds slowly; though their roles may be familiar, their personalities are wholly unique. Annie herself is an unreliable narrator at times, and she admits it. In fact, honesty and truth are a running theme throughout, as readers discover that the lives of these characters are as variegated as the Zebra Forest that sits behind their home. There are no easy answers, just like in real life, a facet of this novel that I particularly appreciate. It would be simple for Gewirtz to wrap things up with a bow, but that wouldn't be true to the spirit of her characters. Lucky for us, Gewirtz chooses authenticity.

In the Zebra Forest, chocolate oak and white birch trees mingle to give the wood a striped light-and-dark element. In the same way, Zebra Forest the book threads conflict and heartache with hope and truth. Watch out for this one, it'll get under your skin.

Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz, published by Candlewick Press
Ages 9-13
Source: Library
Sample: "Gran never went out there except near dusk, when the shadows gathered. She usually didn't go out in full sunlight, and told me once she didn't like the lines the trees made. Gran was always saying stuff like that. Perfectly beautiful things -- like a clean blue sky over the Zebra -- made tears come to her eyes, and if I tried to get her to come outside with me, she'd duck her head and hurry upstairs to bed. But then it would be storming, lightning sizzling the tops of the trees, and she'd run round the house, cheerful, making us hot cocoa and frying up pancakes and warming us with old quilts."
Recommended

The Matatu by Eric Walters {The Children's Bookshelf}

Note: The Children's Bookshelf is going on vacation! We're taking the summer off with this linky, so we can all read even more terrific kidlit titles to share with you in the fall. Enjoy today's posts and remember you can always read any of our past posts for The Children's Bookshelf here.

Why read multicultural books to your kids? There are lots of reasons, many of which I've talked about here in the past. First and foremost, it opens up a child's mind to the notion that there are many people the world over who live in ways both different and the same. It helps connect them to their heritage, which is especially important for families who share multiple ethnicities. Multicultural literature develops tolerance and understanding, making kids mindful that we are all global citizens. And it's fun - young readers can travel around the world through litearture, all the while learning about traditions, customs and backgrounds from various countries.

Today's pick is a perfect example of a book that can accomplish all of the above, and that's got a good dose of humor besides. A brief note at the beginning explains that Eric Walters has been accepted as an elder of the Kamba people in Kenya; as such he is a cultural insider with the authority to relate one of the Kamba's stories in the form of his picture book The Matatu. What I love about this book is that Walters just tells the story - he doesn't exoticize the matatus, the buses that carry passengers and goods from village to village. And the traditional Kamba tale is tucked nicely into a story about young Kioko and his grandfather.

Kioko is excited to be celebrating his fifth birthday with a ride on a matatu! He rushes to get on board, then waits impatiently for his Babu, who seems to be taking forever. When the pair is finally settled in their seats, Kioko notices the dogs chasing the bus and asks his grandfather about them. Babu instructs Kioko to first look for sheep and goats, and see how they react when the matatu comes past. Then Babu tells Kioko the story of Dog, Goat, and Sheep, and how these animals took a ride on the matatu together. When it came time to pay, each animal had a different experience - and these encounters are why the various species run from or toward an approaching matatu. (No spoilers here - but if you've ever driven in Africa, you'll know the animal behaviors are spot on!).

An author's note explains the details of matatus and their role in Kenyan daily life, which adds even more authenticity to the tale. Eva Campbell did the illustrations and they are as colorful and lively as an African village. There's no shortage of excitement when a matatu rumbles through, and Campbell captures that spirit perfectly. Though the story of the dogs, goats and sheep forms the center of this story, the real heart of the book is Kioko's relationship with his Babu. It's terrific to see the the esteem with which the other villagers treat Babu, and this and his wonderful stories add to Kioko's appreciation of all his grandfather is for him.

The Matatu is a text-heavy title, which makes it a perfect choice for older preschoolers. Its sly humor is also best received by a slightly older audience (or really, their parents). This is a great addition to any unit about Africa. The genuine respect Walters feels for the Kamba people is evident throughout, and Campbell's illustrations bolster that feeling, which will translate to readers as well. Just don't be surprised if your kiddos want to jump on a matatu themselves!

The Matatu by Eric Walters, published by Orca Book Publishers
Ages 4-8
Source: Library
Sample: "Kioko raced toward the market. He passed huts, houses and stalls, not even glancing at the sweet mandazi for sale. / He ran past people, pushcarts and bicycles. Then he saw it - the matatu. A crowd of passengers waited to board. The roof was heavy with bags of maize, bundles of grass, a bed frame, a mattress and three chairs."
Recommended

Bonus: check out this clip of a matatu from Eric Walters' website

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This post is part of The Children’s Bookshelf, a weekly linky party with the goal of connecting parents with great books for their kids. Do you have a book review, literacy or book-related post that you think will be helpful for parents? If so, please add your link below.

NOTE: By linking up you are giving permission for any of the co-hosts to pin and/or feature a your photo on a future The Children’s Bookshelf post. Kindly link up to an individual post, not your blog’s homepage. The hosts reserve the right to delete any links to homepages, commercial links, repeat links or otherwise inappropriate links. Thank you for your understanding.

You can also follow The Children’s Bookshelf on Pinterest or visit TCB’s co-hosts: Sprout’s Bookshelf, What Do We Do All Day?, No Twiddle Twaddle, Smiling Like Sunshine, My Little Bookcase, The Picture Book Review, MemeTales and Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns. You can find more details here.

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Beholding Bee by Kimberly Newton Fusco

Summer is right around the corner, and that can only mean one thing - Summer Reading! If you've followed this blog for very long, you know that I was a very bookish child who has become a bookish adult with a serious soft spot for Summer Reading. It was my favorite time of year: curling up in a sunny spot with my dog and a good book, or making a pilgrimage to the bookmobile (later the library) only to emerge with a bag of books I could barely carry. I read everything that caught my fancy in those years, and many things that I never would have otherwise tried, but for the fact that I suddenly had plenty of leisure time to explore new literary worlds.

Heaven, for me, is books, no question.

And today's pick is one that the young me would have devoured, and then gone right back to for a second read-through. Kimberly Newton Fusco's previous books have garnered starred reviews and awards, and no wonder, because they are just amazing. But in her latest book, Beholding Bee, a WWII-era novel, Fusco has scored a home run - a character whose voice is so indelible and unforgettable that she draws you right into her story, and you never look back.

Bee has lived with Pauline ever since her parents died when she was three, and the traveling carnival where Pauline works is the only world Bee's ever known. It's not an easy life, and it's made tougher by the presence of Bee's "diamond", a prominent birthmark that draws the attention of everyone who comes to buy hot dogs from Pauline. Bee knows her diamond makes her special, but it sometimes seems too much to bear. And then things get even tougher: Pauline takes up with a boyfriend and leaves Bee behind to manage the hot dog cart all by herself. Bee takes as much as she can stand from unpleasant carnival boss Ellis. But finally she's had enough, so Bee and her dog Peabody, plus a piglet named Cordelia take off at a run, literally. And eventually Bee finds herself at a house that looks like gingerbread, where two quirky old ladies seem to have been expecting her. It's not what Bee bargained for, but it might just be everything she needs.

Beholding Bee is a historical novel for all kinds of kids, but especially for those who know what it's like to be an outsider. As an orphan and an outcast, Bee's developed a unique perspective on the world, and that informs her every decision in a way that makes her a character you can't help but root for. She reminds me so much of other strong girls in literature: Gilly Hopkins, for one, or Hollis Woods, even a younger Dicey Tillerman. She's got heart, but she's not fragile - Bee's a girl who has taken what life dishes out to her and keeps going, because she must. I love the complexity of this character, and Fusco never takes the easy way out for Bee, which makes me love her all the more.

Older readers will likely suss out some of the more mysterious elements a little sooner, but that doesn't take away from the pure enjoyment of the story. And believe me when I tell you that Bee's voice will linger in your mind: I finished this novel over a week ago, and I can't stop replaying Bee's story, thinking about her and the other characters in this vivid, unforgettable tale. With this effort, Fusco confirms her place on my list of writers I'll continue to look out for -- and I hope the Newbery committee feels the same.

Beholding Bee by Kimberly Newton Fusco, published by Alfred A. Knopf
Ages 9-12
Source: Library
Sample: "I hear one lady tell her girl I must have done something horrid to be stained all over my face like that. Or maybe my mama is the one who did something awful, or maybe my daddy, and I am the one being punished. . . . But Pauline holds me and whispers they are not right. Otherwise, why would I have a beautiful jewel on my cheek the color of a rose at dusk and they do not? / I do so like Pauline's way of looking at things."
Highly 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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This post is part of The Children’s Bookshelf, a weekly linky party with the goal of connecting parents with great books for their kids. Do you have a book review, literacy or book-related post that you think will be helpful for parents? If so, please add your link below.

NOTE: By linking up you are giving permission for any of the co-hosts to pin and/or feature a your photo on a future The Children’s Bookshelf post. Kindly link up to an individual post, not your blog’s homepage. The hosts reserve the right to delete any links to homepages, commercial links, repeat links or otherwise inappropriate links. Thank you for your understanding.

You can also follow The Children’s Bookshelf on Pinterest or visit TCB’s co-hosts: Sprout’s Bookshelf, What Do We Do All Day?, No Twiddle Twaddle, Smiling Like Sunshine, My Little Bookcase, The Picture Book Review, MemeTales and Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns. You can find more details here.

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Wind Flyers by Angela Johnson {The Children's Bookshelf}

Three years ago next month, I flew home from Ethiopia with a chubby-cheeked baby boy that had just joined our family. I was so worried before the trip about how he would react to the air travel, but I needn't have been - he settled right in like he was born to cruise through the clouds.

And thus began a love affair between my son and airplanes. He just adores them. We live quite near a regional airport, and for a long time now, just about every time a plane goes over, Sprout rushes to the window to see if he can catch a glimpse. We've been on a couple of family vacations since he came along, and Sprout's favorite destinations are "fly-away" ones -- sometimes I think he likes the airplane part better than the actual vacation!

So it's no surprise that a recent library find, Wind Flyers,  was a huge hit with him. Honestly, even if it wasn't about air travel I think it would have been a winner, seeing that it was created by two award-winning kidlit luminaries: author Angela Johnson and illustrator Loren Long. But the fact that the cover features a young boy and his dog climbing aboard a yellow-and-red barnstormer? That just put Sprout over the top.

Johnson adopts an introspective tone with this tale, narrated by a boy who is telling the story of his great-great-uncle, who all his life wanted to fly. As a lad Uncle would do just about anything to try to touch the clouds, including jumping out of a barn window (don't worry, he landed safely in a mound of hay). When he grew up, Uncle enlisted as a Tuskegee Airman, flying missions in World War II in the famous squad of African American pilots. "We were something." Uncle tells his young nephew. "Some of us didn't come back, but we never lost a plane we protected." And Uncle still flies now, mostly just to keep the feeling of the wind, but also, we learn, to pass that feeling on to a new generation.

As you might expect, coming from two such gifted artists, this is an incredible book. First and foremost it serves as an important introduction to a group of heroes whose contribution to our nation's history must never be forgotten. And it's also just a beautiful book to share with a young child. Johnson's narration is spare and perfect, each word set precisely as a stone in a beautiful mosaic. Long's paintings capture the elegance of the prose in visual form, lifting the viewer up into the wind that Uncle loves, the smooth wind, the magic wind of the Tuskegee wind flyers. This is the sort of book you read through several times just for the experience of it. Sprout can never get enough on just one reading, and often asks us to stop on one page or another, drinking in the heady mixture of poetry and light that is word and picture combined.

Whether you read it for the history, for the airplanes, or just for the lyricism, make sure you add Wind Flyers to your reading list soon. It's a piece of art as smooth as the wind that carries it.

Wind Flyers by Angela Johnson, published by Simon and Schuster

Ages 4-6

Source: Library

First lines: "Great-great-uncle was a wind flyer. A smooth wind flyer. A Tuskegee wind flyer. . . . "

Highly recommended

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This post is part of The Children’s Bookshelf, a weekly linky party with the goal of connecting parents with great books for their kids. Do you have a book review, literacy or book-related post that you think will be helpful for parents? If so, please add your link below.

NOTE: By linking up you are giving permission for any of the co-hosts to pin and/or feature a your photo on a future The Children’s Bookshelf post. Kindly link up to an individual post, not your blog’s homepage. The hosts reserve the right to delete any links to homepages, commercial links, repeat links or otherwise inappropriate links. Thank you for your understanding.

You can also follow The Children’s Bookshelf on Pinterest or visit TCB’s co-hosts: Sprout’s Bookshelf, What Do We Do All Day?, No Twiddle Twaddle, Smiling Like Sunshine, My Little Bookcase, The Picture Book Review, MemeTales and Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns. You can find more details here.

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Guest Post - Gregor the Overlander (The Underland Chronicles) by Suzanne Collins

Eeeek! I'm in the throes of my final semester in grad school and things are getting a little, well, nuts. So my sweet husband Jacob took pity on me and wrote me this guest post, about a series he's just finished reading and which he cannot WAIT to share with Sprout.

In my lifetime of reading experience I have found that when a book gets turned into a series the sequels are usually never as strong or compelling as the first book. That however is not the case in the Underland Chronicles series of books. I tried to separate each book to review it on its own, but Suzanne Collins wrote this series so seamlessly it feels like one large continuous book (in a very good way).

In the first book, Gregor the Overlander, we are introduced to Gregor, a typical 12 year old boy who lives with his mom (Grace), and two younger sisters Lizzy and Boots, and his ailing grandmother. They live in a small apartment in a low income area of New York, where they struggle to make ends meet. The adventure begins when Gregor is not able to go to camp because he has to watch his grandmother and younger sister because his mother has to go to work. When Gregor goes to do a load of laundry, his sister falls through a grate. Gregor goes after her and quickly discovers himself surrounded by giant talking rats, bats, cockroaches, spiders, and a strange race of underground humans called Regalians. 

He is befriended by the humans who believe that he is the “Warrior” of several ancient prophecies (written by Bartholomew of Sandwich, the leader of the Overlanders who came to live in the underworld). This puts his and Boots' lives in peril as they travel through this fascinating and dangerous underground world. They fight rats, carnivorous plants, dangerous ants, and lots of other things. They also make friends with some unlikely Underworld creatures on their mad rush to try to get back to their Overland lives, and their family.

The supporting characters are a wonderful hodgepodge of underworld creatures, which include the harsh future queen Luxa and her bat/bond Aurora; the precocious Boots, who is three and believes that this is a great game as she befriends the “Crawlers and Nibblers”; Tic and Temp, the two cockroaches who befriend Boots as a very strange set of nannies; Ripred a surly “rager” rat who is an outcast of the rat community; Howard, cousin to the future queen; Ares the giant bat; and Vikus who is Luxa’s grandfather. They are believably flawed and great fun to read as they react to fights and down time of this series. During the series these characters are revealed more and more, so that you discover why they are how they are. Just like in life you start liking some of them despite their short comings.

A nice plus about this series is that Gregor is African American. It's wonderful to find a series that is action-packed and full of fantasy, but that also has a main character and supporting cast with diversity. Gregor is your average city kid who is thrust into a world most unlike his own, and there is a lot of relevance to the experience of people of color who may be struggling to find their place.

This is a great book series for anyone to read. It has the perfect amount of action and mystery that is revealed at a great pace for the reader to potentially figure out things on their own. (Don't skip around though, you need to read these in series order! And for those who enjoy audiobooks, the narrator of this series is excellent - this would be a terrific series to listen to on a family road trip.) It is a rare thing that I mourn the end of a book series - but as I was nearing the end of this one, I found myself regretting the fact that I read the books so fast. If you have a tween or teen that likes adventure books this is a must-read, and you'll enjoy them too, I promise.

The Underland Chronicles series by Suzanne Collins:

Book 1: Gregor the Overlander

Book 2: Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane

Book 3: Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods

Book 4: Gregor and the Marks of Secret

Book 5: Gregor and the Code of Claw 

My Granny Went to Market by Stella Blackstone {The Children's Bookshelf}

What is it about rhyme that's so appealing? I'm not sure, but you can't argue the fact that books that rhyme are not only more fun for kids to listen to, but also a lot more fun to read. Rhyme is one of the cornerstones of early literacy, as it helps kids begin to isolate and identify the individual phonemes, or sounds, that comprise words. As kids become aware of sounds, and start to associate them with letter groupings, they are that much further along the road to reading. So rhyming books are more than just cute, they are educational too!

I can still recite from memory a few of the early rhyming books we read with Sprout when he first joined our family. Recently he's begun to experiment when we read a rhyming story, trying to guess from the context and from the sounds what word might be next. It's so incredible to see these pieces of the literacy puzzle sliding into place for him, and as a a result I've begun to keep my eyes open for even more library picks that incorporate a strong rhyme scheme.

Today's pick does just that, besides being a great one for developing global citizenship. In My Granny Went to Market, renowned Barefoot Books author Stella Blackstone teams up with illustrator Christopher Corr to present a colorful excursion to marketplaces all around the globe. Readers jump right into the action on the first page, when Granny buys a flying carpet to sail around the world doing her marketing. (How much do you wish you had one of those to do your errands with?)

And believe you me, Granny is getting around - Thailand, Switzerland, China, Australia and more. Each spread is bursting with Corr's folk-art infused illustrations, so vivid they'll capture the attention of anyone who picks up this title. The rhyme scheme is great here, keeping the pace moving just as quickly as Granny, who jets off somewhere new with each turn of a page. For kids who are working on their counting, Blackstone adds a nice device wherein Granny buys a increasing number of things at each stop -- the entire list is repeated at the end of the story for a great skills review. And the endpapers are also part of the fun. Kids can trace Granny's route from country to country, following the trail of colored dots as she picks up each new item.

You'll find yourself flipping back through this title when the reading is done, too. Sprout likes all the small details included in the pictures, which really add a sense of depth and texture to the story. Last time we read this, he spent quite a bit of time examining Granny's carpet in the different frames, which I couldn't quite figure out -- until he pointed out that Granny's stash of goods grows in each new picture. Smart kid, that one, but it just goes to show that kids pick up on so much more than we adults.

Next time you head out the door to market, ask your kiddos what you should bring back on your flying carpet. I'm willing to bet at least a few of Granny's goodies make it onto your list too! :)

My Granny Went to Market by Stella Blackstone, published by Barefoot Books
All ages
Source: Library
Sample: "She bought the flying carpet from a man in Istanbul, it was trimmed with yellow tassels, and made of knotted wool."
Recommended

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This post is part of The Children’s Bookshelf, a weekly linky party with the goal of connecting parents with great books for their kids. Do you have a book review, literacy or book-related post that you think will be helpful for parents? If so, please add your link below.

NOTE: By linking up you are giving permission for any of the co-hosts to pin and/or feature a your photo on a future The Children’s Bookshelf post. Kindly link up to an individual post, not your blog’s homepage. The hosts reserve the right to delete any links to homepages, commercial links, repeat links or otherwise inappropriate links. Thank you for your understanding.

You can also follow The Children’s Bookshelf on Pinterest or visit TCB’s co-hosts: Sprout’s Bookshelf, What Do We Do All Day?, No Twiddle Twaddle, Smiling Like Sunshine, My Little Bookcase, The Picture Book Review, MemeTales and Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns. You can find more details here.

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Spring Ahead! Four Picture Books to Plant Some New Ideas

It's spring! Lovely, glorious spring! We had a terrific time over Easter weekend, playing outside, going for bike rides, and just generally enjoying the feeling of not being bundled up in raincoats and boots. While we're not silly enough to think that the rain is gone yet -- after all, we do live in the Pacific Northwest -- it was wonderful to have a bit of spring idyll.

And of course that spring weather means that we're in the mood to read about all things growing. Spring provides a host of excellent topics for children's books, providing an introduction into the growth cycle and the rhythm of the seasons. All the aspects of spring are so much fun, aren't they? Planting, watching flowers bloom, seeing butterflies and birds, getting outside and becoming more connected to the earth. Can't wait to do more of that this year with Sprout, now that he's getting old enough to do more than just eat handfuls of dirt. :)

We brought home a ton of great spring-themed reads from the library, and sorting through to find the best was no mean feat. I took my cue from Sprout on this one, as he once again has some very definite preferences among the titles we read together. His most favorite was a title that I added as an afterthought, and I'm glad I did: City Green by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan. This book has an urban setting, so it's perfect for kids who maybe won't be sowing seeds in their own backyards. When an old building is knocked down in Marcy's neighborhood, all the neighbors work together to turn the patch of land into something beautiful -- all but Old Man Hammer, who is nothing but unpleasant about the whole thing. But Marcy stumbles on Old Man Hammer's secret, and soon discovers that, just like with the earth, when you scratch the surface of someone, there are hidden places underneath. This is a lovely story of community involvement and intergenerational relationships, and the diversity included is definitely an added bonus.

A friendship between young and old also forms the basis for George Shannon's Seeds. Illustrated by Steve Björkman, the pictures capture the spirit of Shannon's story perfectly, lending a slightly impressionist feel that's energetic at the same time. Warren and Bill are friends -- Warren helps Bill in his yard, and the older man draws or plays games with Warren. But then Warren's family moves away, and he misses his friend terribly. So Warren writes Bill a letter, and Bill writes back, with a surprise that makes Warren's loneliness -- and his yard -- much brighter. Not only does this book touch on the themes of loss and connection, it also provides a great example of the notion that friendship, like a beautiful garden, blooms in unexpected places. (Check your library or used bookstore for this older title.)

One of my favorite things about spring is the blossoming of the flowering cherry trees. Sprout knows this, and so every time we see one when we're out and about, he yells, "There's your pink trees again, Mama!". And so the fact that Diane Muldrow's We Planted a Tree features a spread with pink cherry blossoms just delighted him, enough that we read this one several times together. This is definitely an eye-popper, with retro-vibed illustrations by the delightfully quirky Bob Staake. Honestly, I could look at his work forever, it's that fun and full of life, as is Muldrow's poem about the growth of trees and their connection to humans. The book shows people from all corners of the globe experiencing the joy of trees - from their leaves to their shade, from fruit and flower to maple syrup and beyond. The message, that as trees grow and thrive, so do we, is timely and spot-on. Best of all, there's a reference to the Green Belt Movement of Kenya's Dr. Wangari Maathai, a connection to East Africa that seals this one as a winner in our book.

Last but not least is Butterflies for Kiri, a book about art and perseverance, that wraps its message in the beauty of a spring day. Cathryn Falwell's previous books have been favorites of ours, and this one's no exception, both intriguing to the mind and to the eye. When Kiri's Auntie Lu sends her a book of origami for her birthday, Kiri sets out at once to make a beautiful origami butterfly. But the paper folding is much harder than Kiri bargains for, and she soon gets frustrated. Still, she's determined, so every day she practices making a butterfly with scrap paper. And then one day, inspired by the gorgeous spring weather, Kiri decides to capture her feelings with an art project. At first things don't turn out how she intended them to, but this time Kiri's not giving up -- and all that practice pays off as she completes her piece with a perfectly folded butterfly. I love the message here, that difficult things take practice and patience, and I especially love the smile on Kiri's face as she shows off her completed masterpiece.

As the days get longer, there's more light for reading just one more bedtime pick. If you're squeezing in one of these springtime favorites, you may want to leave time for a reread (or two!).