Indie Crushes - March 1, 2019
Understanding our feelings and the feelings of other builds empathy and sensitivity, helping to make us a more supportive, more communicative society. Children are constantly observing, learning from what they see, how others react and interact, and this goes for what they see in the books they read as well.
This week I'm sharing a collection of books that each serve to help children name their emotions, explore feelings that might not be so easily explained, and accept themselves and others as beautiful just as they are.
Some of the most unique and enduring stories come from small, independent publishers in my experience. I often don't read these book on their release day or month (or sometimes even year. But as these stories find their way to me a few will inevitably take root and that's when I know it's my responsibility to share those stories with others.
Here's what I've been crushing on this week from small, independent publishers.
Check out previous Indie Crushes HERE.
INDIE CRUSHES - March 1st, 2019
Pilar's Worries
by Victoria M. Sanchez and Jess Golden (Albert Whitman & Company)
Pilar loves to dance. She pliés while brushing her teeth. She leaps when hurrying to ballet class. But when tryouts for her favorite ballet are held, Pilar is anxious. Auditioning makes her whole body feel scared. But by using some of the coping techniques she’s learned and focusing on her love for ballet, she is able to persevere. This gentle story is a great tool for children dealing with anxiety.
Feelings
by Libby Walden and Richard Jones (Tiger Tales)
A strikingly illustrated peek-through book is complemented by lyrical text that introduces a range of emotions to help children understand the universal and unique nature of feelings.
So Many Sounds
by Tim McCanna and Andy J. Miller (Harry N. Abrams)
Listen! Do you hear a sound? Noises come from all around.Soft and gentle, loud and clear. Oh so many sounds to hear!
So Many Sounds is a wonderful rhyming read-aloud featuring everyday sounds and a refrain that children will love repeating. The playful text and illustrations are sure to delight little ones while also inviting them to pay more attention to the world around them.
The Book That Jake Borrowed
by Susan Kralovansky (Pelican)
Jake and his book from the library are placed in one sticky situation after another in this cumulative tale, an original adaptation of the classic There Was an Old Lady. There's the drip, drip, drip, of a jelly mishap that leads to the lick, lick, lick of a lucky rat, whose luck runs out when he's caught by the cat, all before a dog shows up and that's that for the book Jake borrowed from the library Repetitive phrases, onomatopoeia, and simple choruses make this an easy beginning for young readers while the cut paper and fabric collage illustrations add humorous depth to the sequence of unfortunate events and offer opportunities for hands-on related activities.
All Mine!
by Carol Zeavin, Rhona Silverbush, and Jon Davis (Magination Press)
All Mine is about toddlers' need to feel ownership, so they can better navigate this tricky time in their development when everything is "All Mine " Includes a Note to Parents and Caregivers written by the authors about supporting toddlers' needs for ownership.
Written with simple language and reflective of children's realities, the Terrific Toddlers series is based on understanding of the developmental level of young toddlers. Titles include All Mine , Boo-Boo , and Bye-Bye .
Benji, the Bad Day, and Me
by Sally J. Pla and Ken Min (Lee & Low Books)
Nothing seems to be going right for Sammy today. At school, he got in trouble for kicking a fence, then the cafeteria ran out of pizza for lunch. After he walks home in the pouring rain, he finds his autistic little brother Benji is having a bad day too. On days like this, Benji has a special play-box where he goes to feel cozy and safe. Sammy doesn't have a special place, and he's convinced no one cares how he feels or even notices him. But somebody is noticing, and may just have an idea on how to help Sammy feel better.
In this tender story about siblings, author Sally J. Pla shares her experience of raising sons with different personality traits and needs. Benji, the Bad Day, and Me embraces the philosophy that we are all part of a wide spectrum of neurodiversity. And on those really bad, rotten days, you can always count on family to be there for you.
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