Updated - Picture Books about....Books and Reading

Learning how to read in an exciting experience for most kids. First, there is the alphabet, then words, then sentences and before long, they are reading all kinds of wonderful, magical stories. Here are some stories about books and reading that budding bibliophiles just might find to be fun and interesting and reluctant readers might find inspiring.  

I Am A Story written and illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

HarperCollins, 2016, 40 pages, age 4+

Here is a wonderful introduction to history of storytelling, beginning with the drawings by people living in caves, to the complicated hieroglyphics of the early Egyptians, to the detailed medieval tapestries and hand-made illuminated books to the invention of the printing press and the publication of books as we know them.  Authors wants to tell their stories and we want read them.  Yaccarino shows the readers the different ways people get their books, the wide variety of emotions they can elicit, the negative reactions to some books that are banned, censored or burned, and the inspiration the can encourage.  Books, he concluded, will live forever.  This is an ideal book for curious young readers who might wonder how books began and developed.  It's also a wonderful read-aloud for working up enthusiasm in kids just beginning to read, as well as kids who already read - I get chills just imagining the discussions each page in this book will encourage.   

How This Book Was Made by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Adam Rex

Disney Hyperion, 2016, 42 pages, age 3+

Now that kids know that stories come from someone's imagination or experience, it's time to see how a story becomes a book.  And Mac Barnett has done just that.  He begins by tracing the idea for a story through draft after draft, explaining the role of a book editor, and what happens up to the point where the author is finished writing.  Then it is off to the illustrator and when he is finished, everything is sent away to be printed until finally the book is finished.  Well, actually, kids may be surprised to discover that a book isn't done until it is in the hands of readers like themselves.  This is a fun book that not only shows how a book it made, but how an author's imagination works to create and embellish stories that kids will want to read again and again.

This Is My Book! written and illustrated by Mark Pett (and no one else)

Knopf BFYR, 2016, 40 pages, age 3+

I really found myself chuckling all the way through this charming book about who really writes a book.  Author friends have told me that sometimes when they are writing, their characters take off in directions that were not part of the plan. And that is just what happens here.  As soon as he draws Percy the Perfectly Polite Panda, the author is informed by the panda that he prefers to be called Spike.  Next thing he knows, Spike has colored on the clean white pages, has added friends, as a few other embellishments like a flap, a pull-tab and a pop-up, all against the author's wishes. In the end, though, author, Spike and friends all concede that a book not only belongs to each of them, but to the reader, as well.  In fact, there is even a small blank book in a pocket at the end for the reader to help them write the book.  Breaking the fourth wall doesn't always work, but this one is a fun way of introducing the idea of metafiction to young readers and inviting them into the writing process, literally.

We Are in a Book! (Elephant & Piggie #13) written and illustrated by Mo Willems

Disney Hyperion, 2010, 57 pages, age 3+

Another favorite book that breaks the fourth wall.  Careful Gerald and his more exuberant friend Piggie discover they are characters in a book after noticing that someone is looking at them.  A monster?  Nope, it's a reader reading the word bubbles.  After making the reader say the word 'banana and laughing themselves silly over it, much to his chagrin, Gerald learns from Piggie that a book ends and theirs ends on Page 57.  What to do?  Ask the reader to read their book again, and what reader wouldn't want to read more Elephant and Piggie?  This is a delightful book, just right for beginning readers.  Willems always seems to know just what kids need and want.  This is probably my favorite E & P book, and it was deservedly a Cybils winner in 2010:

How Rocket Learned to Read written and illustrated by Tad Hills

Schwartz & Wade, 2010, 40 pages, age 3+

Rocket really doesn't have an interest in learning out to read, he would much rather run and play and take naps, but when a little yellow bird hangs up her alphabet banner and begins to read, Rocket finds himself captivated by and oddly curious about the bird's story. And everyday after that, the bird read and taught Rocket the alphabet.  When the bird flew south for the winter, Rocket practiced what he had learned. When the bird returned in spring, she and Rocket spent their time reading all kinds of stories together. This is such a wonderful story about the joy of learning how to read and Rocket's teacher is one smart bird - giving him just enough to make him so curious to know what happens in that first story bird read, that came back for more and was hooked.  And as the seasons show, learning to read is a slow, steady process for young readers like Rocket, but well worth the effort.       

Lola at the Library by Anna McQuinn, illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw

Charlesbridge, 2006, 32 pages, age 3+

Lola loves Tuesdays.  It's the day she and her mom go to the library. Lola packs her backpack with books to return and, of course, her library card. Sometimes there is story time, other times there is singing with the other kids at the library.  After checking out their books, Lola and her mom end their morning out together with a snack. This is a great book for introducing young kids to the library and how it works.  And, I know story time is very popular and always packed at my library. I really like Lola's enthusiasm about going to the library, bringing back her books and getting new ones, and that her mom also checks out books for herself - a little modeling behavior by mom. Parents who like read generally have children who like to read. The colorful illustrations are done in acrylics and compliment the text. A perfect book for parents and teachers to share with budding readers.  

Madeline Finn and the Library Dog written and illustrated by Lisa Papp

Peachtree, 2016, 32 pages, age 4+

Sometimes, beginning readers just don't like to read because they can't figure out the words, and reading out loud is particularly difficult.  Madeline Finn would like nothing more than to star sticker from her teacher, but all she gets is a heart that says Keep Trying.  But when the librarian introduces Madeline to Bonnie, a big white dog who is a good listener, she can't help liking the dog and discovers it's fun to read with her.  But one day, Bonnie isn't at the library, but later, with her new reading skills, Madeline finally gets her desired star for reading.  And Bonnie?  Well, let's just say when Bonnie returns to the library, Madeline has a much larger puppy audience to read to.  Reading to animals is something that is being done around the country, mostly in animal shelter.  According to the ASPCA, as children improve their literacy skills, they also learn compassion towards the animals, while the animals become more socialized increasing their chance of being adopted.  You can check with your local shelter to see if they have programs like this.

A Child of Books written by Oliver Jeffers, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston

Candlewick, 2016, 40 pages, age 4+

In spare text and with line drawings that combine with the words and sentences of a variety books, Jeffers and Winston have created an homage to the power of books and the stories they tell. A young child, a child of books, invites a boy to come with her on an imaginative journey to show him the world of books. To get there, they climb the mountain of make-believe, lose themselves in the forests of fairy-tales, escape monsters in haunted castles, all created by using snippets of texts from stories like The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, and Hansel and Gretel, among others, many others.  This is a celebration of the written word and ideal for young readers just starting out on their own journeys through the world of books.  We took a magnifying glass to read all the words and titles used, which kept us busy for a long time and generated lots of conversations and curiosity about books and reading.  This is definitely one book you won't want to miss sharing with young readers.

How To Read a Story by Kate Messner, illustrated by Mark Siegel
Chronicle Books, 2015, 32 pages, age 5+

Sure, your young readers may already know how to read, but do they really know how to read a story. In this charming picture book, the 10 simple to follow steps are outlines for really reading a story. Each step elaborates just what is involves.  The whimsical illustrations are done in ink and watercolor in bright, happy colors and compliment the text on every page. I loved how he depicts the young reader following the step listed and then reading his story aloud to the family dog so well that he begins to attract and draw other family members into his listening circle.  This is a great read aloud and could easily become a family favorite.

The Children Who Loved Books written and illustrated by Peter Carnavas
Kane Miller, 2013, 32 pages, age 4+

Here is a delightful story about a family that loves reading so much, that even though they don't have a TV or a car or even a house (they live in a small old fashioned trailer), they do have books, lots and lots of books, piled here, there and everywhere.  But what the day comes that there are so many books they don't fit in the house anymore, the family realizes it it time to do something. This is a wonderful, charming homage to books, reading, book lovers and libraries! And it is sure to become a favorite wth all like-minded folks, young and old. 

Here is an article you might be interested in reading called "How to Encourage Your Children to Read at Home" by Maria Jose Meneses, which includes a list of suggested reading skills by age. 

Forge (Seeds of America Trilogy - Book 2) by Laurie Halse Anderson

Forge continues the story of Isabel and Curzon begun in Chains, picking up the threads of it almost 10 months later, beginning on October 7, 1777 and ending on May 18, 1778. And while Chains was told from Isabel's point of view, in Forge it switches to Curzon's voice.

Isabel and Curzon have gone their separate ways.  Isabel has run away, determined to find her sister Ruth while Curzon finds himself first in the midst of the Battle of Saratoga after saving the life of a Patriot soldier name Eben Woodruff of the Sixteenth Massachusetts Regiment and nephew of the regiment's commanding officer. From Saratoga it was on to the winter encampment at Valley Forge. Curzon enlists in the army in the hope of gaining his freedom and in the process, besides Eben, he makes a few other friends and a few enemies.

Valley Forge proves to be a real challenge.  There are no barracks, so they are ordered to built huts that are always cold and leaky, many of the soldiers don't even have shoes anymore, and must stand in the cold snow in bare frostbitten feet, many are ill with disease and every one is cold and hungry all the time, desperate for food, warm clothing and shoes that never seem to arrive.  And for Curson, because he is African American, it also meaning dealing with constant racism.

Isabel and Curzon may have gone their separate ways, but he never stops thinking about her.  Nor has Curzon forgotten his former master, the cruel, sadistic James Bellingham.  In Chains, Bellingham had enlisted Curzon to take his place in the army with the promise of his freedom after the war, a promise he has no intention of honoring.  When he shows up at Valley Forge, Curzon finds himself again in his clutches, having enlisted again as a free man when he was still owned by Bellingham. And to real surprise, after arriving at the house where Bellingham is staying, he finds that Isabel has also there, as well as another slave, Gideon, who refuses to even acknowledge Curzon. To keep Isabel in her place and, Bellingham has placed an iron ring around her neck as a constant reminded of her enslavement, and only he has the key to unlock it.

Curzon begins plans to escape Bellingham again, and tries to talk Isabel into going with him, but she seems more interested in Gideon now, and eventually reveals that they have their own plans to escape.  But Curzon doesn't trust Gideon, and it turns out, with good reason. When the truth about Gideon is discovered, will Curzon and Isabel be able to mend their friendship enough to attempt escape from Bellingham?

Like Chains, Forge never lets the reader forget the irony of African Americans fighting for the freedom of the country that has enslaved them, perhaps expressed best by Curzon's friend and fellow soldier Eben Woodruff who tells him "Two slaves running away from their rightful master is not the same as America wanting to be free of England." (pg 65) And Laurie Halse Anderson explores this irony in the attitudes and beliefs of a variety of different characters, American and British, rich and poor, as they impact the lives of Curzon and Isabel.

Isabel was such a compelling narrator in Chains, and I found that to be true of Curzon in Forge. By switching narrators, Anderson presents the harsh conditions on the battlefield and as well as in a house with a white man is a harsh master over his enslaved servants. I have to be honest and say that what happens on battlefields isn't something I am generally interested in, yet I found I couldn't put this down and have a better understanding of what the Patriot soldiers experienced than I ever did when we studied the Revolutionary War in school.

Just as she did in Chains, Anderson has included quotes at the beginning of each chapter, so taken from original sources and adding to the authenticity of the novel.  She also includes the dates during which each chapter occurs.  This kind of timeline approach also helps situate the reader in terms of what was actually happening in the Revolution.

Forge is a wonderful sequel to Chains, but it is also a novel that can stand alone.  And as I did with the first novel, I cannot recommend this highly enough.

Laurie Halse Anderson has excellent teaching resources for Forge.  You can find it HERE

This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was purchased for my personal library

Thunder Boy Jr. by Sherman Alexie, illustrated by Yuyi Morales

Thunder Boy Jr. by Sherman Alexie, illustrated by Yuyi Morales
Little, Brown BFYR, 2016, 32 pages

When he was born, Thunder Boy Smith Jr was given his name by his dad, Thunder Boy Smith Sr, and he really loves his dad a lot, he thinks his dad is just awesome, but...Thunder Boy Jr hates his name and just wants to have one his own.  A name that sounds like who he is, one that celebrates something cool that he has done, or expresses something about his personality. So, Thunder Boy Jr tries on a bunch of different names that reflect the things he has achieved or wants to in the future, like climbing a mountain and being called Touch The Clouds, or learning to ride a bike at age three and being named Gravity's Best Friend, or traveling the world with the name Full of Wonder:

What a surprise, then, when his dad tells him it is time for Thunder Boy Jr to have a new name.  And the name he chose is just so fitting. Thunder Boy Jr is renamed Lightning. Now, father and son are amazing- their love is loud and bright and together they light up the sky:

Thunder Boy Jr. is told in the first person, so readers know exactly how he feels about his name, and he has some very strong opinions about it. Thunder Boy is an endearing character, a bundle of energy, and has a great imagination. And all that is superbly captured in Yuyi Morales' bold, colorful digitally painted illustrations.  And there is a wonderful story behind the illustrations, which were made from the remains of an antique house in Xalapa, Mexico. You can find out how that what done in the note by the artist at the front of the book.

I think this is a smart book about a young Native American boy asserting himself and declaring his individuality within a loving intact family and community.  But, it is not a book about Native American naming traditions which are many and varied among the different tribes. Rather it is a book about identity, about finding oneself. Sherman Alexie has said in an interview that when "you talk about the Native American search for identity...it's almost always a story of loss and pain. I wanted to write a picture book in which a kid goes on a search for identity in the context of a loving family." (The Washington Post April 18, 2016)  Inspired by Jack Ezra Keats' The Snowy Day, Alexie went on to say "I wanted to replicate that experience [of a brown-skinned character, a boy who is just like him], because in literature in general, there aren't many Native American children."  I certainly hope he continues to explore this need and create more picture books like Thunder Boy Jr.

This is a book that shouldn't be missed - by anyone.

This book is recommended for readers age 4+
This book was sent to me by the publisher, Little, Brown BFYR

NOVEMBER IS NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

Chains (Seeds of America Trilogy - Book 1) by Laurie Halse Anderson

Much of this review was posted on my other blog, The Children's War, as part of a Revolutionary War Reading Challenge a few years ago.  

Chains is the story of a young slave girl who yearns for freedom.  It takes place during the American Revolution and he time period covered in this first book of a trilogy is May 27, 1776 to January 19, 1777.  

Living in Rhode Island, Isabel, 13, and her younger sister Ruth are quickly sold by a greedy nephew for the money they will bring after their somewhat benevolent owner, Miss Fitch, passes away.  But Miss Fitch had promised them freedom after her death and Isabel can't get that promise out of her head. And unlike most slaves at the time, Isabel knows how to read. 

Now, as the American Revolution begins, the sisters find themselves in a Loyalist household in New York City at the mercy of a cruel mistress, Mrs. Lockton.  The Locktons, who believe their bread is buttered on the side of the Loyalists and King George III, despise the Patriots who want independence from them and everything they stand for.

It isn't long before Isabel meets Curzon, a young slave working for the Patriots, and known for the red tricorn hat he is always seen wearing.  Curzon convinces Isabel to spy on Mr. Lockton, and report anything she hears that might be useful to the Patriots.  Isabel isn't very enthusiastic about doing this, but when she is given the devastating news that Mrs. Lockton has sold Ruth, she changes her mind.  It had just been discovered that Ruth suffers from seizures and the very ignorant, superstitious Mrs. Lockton believes that they are a sign that the devil is in Ruth.

Curson proves to be a good friend to Isabel, although she has very mixed feelings about him, the war between the Patriots and the Loyalists and which side would be most beneficial to her in terms of getting her freedom. 

As the war heats up, so does Isabel's determination to find her sister and, as she is told by an elderly slave known as Grandfather, to find the way to cross her own River Jordan* to freedom.

Chains is written in the first person, so we always know exactly what is going on in Isabel's mind, how she perceives everything around her and, most poignantly, how she feels about the things that happen to her.  But by spying on Mr. Lockton and his friends, we are also given a certain amount of insight into the Loyalist side of things. 

Isabel is a very strong willed girl and Mrs. Lockton knows it and is determined to break that will and so she is constantly trying to tighten the chains of slavery that bind Isabel.  Yet, it takes a while for the realization that Mrs. Lockton cannot chain her soul to really sink in to Isabel's consciousness, even though all her actions had always already proven it to be true.  Her strength in the face of Mrs. Lockton, her wavering between the Patriots and the Loyalists, her determination and her innate sense of kindness despite everything all make Isabel such an exemplary protagonist. 

In fact, Anderson has created a whole cast of characters in Chains who play their parts to perfection.  Set against the backdrop of New York City,  Anderson has written a brilliantly crafted novel in which the fictional walk through the historical and it is spot on.  Anderson has even turned New York into a character in its own right, by staying true to the history of the time (NB: I used to teach New York history to my 4th graders and it was my favorite thing to teach).

One of the things I really liked about Chains were the quotes used at the beginning of each chapter. These quotes are from actual sources of the time that help situate the reader and gives the novel a real feeling of authenticity.

I don't think I could possibly recommend this book highly enough.

Laurie Halse Anderson has excellent teaching resources for Chains, including a section on how to put on a colonial tea (with some really good recipes).  You can find it HERE

This book is recommended for readers aged 10+
This book was purchased for my personal library

*I was talking to a friend about Chains and she said she didn't get the River Jordan reference, which is a reference to God's command that after the death of Moses, Joshua would lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt to freedom in the promised land by crossing the River Jordan.

Fascinating: The Life of Leonard Nimoy by Richard Michelson, illustrated by Edel Rodriguez

One of my favorite memories of my brother is watching old Star Trek reruns together on television. They ran on local stations in syndication then and as far as we were concerned, it didn't matter how many times we saw each episode - and eventually we saw them all. And while Captain Kirk was the lead character of the show, for us, it was really Mr. Spock, played by Leonard Nimoy.

Naturally, when I learned there was a new picture book about Leonard Nimoy, I was very excited.  I no longer watch Star Trek (well...maybe once in a while I do), but I was aware of Nimoy's acting/directing career, as well as his photography books.  I realized, however, that I knew nothing about his early life, other than the little I had read in his obituary.

Fascinating is written by Leonard Nimoy's good friend and gallerist Richard Michelson, and if Michelson's name rings a bell, it is because he has written his share of excellent children's books besides being a gallery owner.  Michelson begins his biography with Nimoy's first stage performance - singing "God Bless America" at a talent show in Boston's West End, where the family lived.

His performance was well received, but Lenny's parents had emigrated to the United States from Russia and were less then encouraging about following his dreams, unlike his Bubbe and Zayde who both advised him to do just that.  By 17, Lenny had been bitten by the acting bug and saved all his money to travel to Hollywood and become an actor.

Michelson follows Lenny's acting career as well as his interest in photography but basically ends the book with his role as Spock on Star Trek and the influence of both his hair style for that role and his Vulcan greeting "Live Long and Prosper." The hand gesture that went with it was part of a blessing Lenny saw during a Rosh Hashanah service when he was a young boy.  He was fascinated by it and practiced getting his fingers to separate in the middle by taping them together.  Who knew it would become such a famous gesture world wide?

Fascinating is a really well-crafted biography that introduces the life of this beloved actor to adult fans as well as a whole new generation of kids.  And Edel Rodriguez's colorful illustrations compliment and enhance the text, making it a very accessible book.

Star Trek hasn't disappeared from TV and so neither has Leonard Nimoy.  There are also the movies, some of which he was able to reprise his role as Spock.  And you may recall he also made a guest appearance as Spock on a The Big Bang show before his death.

This is an insightful and inspiring book about a man who found his passion(s) and successfully pursued them.  If for no other reason, it is a book to share with kids today.

This book is recommended for readers age 5+
This book was purchased for my personal library (because deep down, I'm still a Trekkie)

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge is a weekly celebration of 

nonfiction books hosted by Alyson Beecher at Kid Lit Frenzy