I BOUGHT 15 NEW PICTURE BOOKS

 

The picture books listed below are on various topics, in various genres, for various ages. Most titles were published in the last two years.Hats-off to Adrienne Gear who suggested some of these titles to an audience at Reading for the Love of It, 2018.* Also, special SHOUT OUT to the terrific teachers at the Reading Recovery Conference 2018 who encouraged me look a little bit closer at picture books that give young students success at reading and consider possibilities for ‘The Best Response to a Story…’ for my keynote address.

THE LAND BEYOND THE WALL: An immigration story by Veronika Martenova Charles

A young girl dreams of escaping a dark, grey world and living in a colourful place where she can pursue her hope to become an artist. This story is based on the  Canadian author’s personal experiences of being an immigrant. A beautiful story of the journey experience and the need to settle into a place called ‘home’.

JABARI JUMPS by Gaia Cornwall

An episode of courage and risk-taking and triumph in this simply detailed adventure about a young boy who is ready to jump off the diving board. A wonderful mentor text to help children consider how to  ‘add details’ to narratives.

MIGHTY MOBY By Barbara Dacosta; Illus. Ed Young

Yes, this is the Moby that rises from the ocean waves to battle with the one-legged captain who pursues him. The poetic text is never more than three lines long on each page. Ed Young is once again a mighty, mighty illustrator.

ONE DAY: Very Short, Shorter-than-ever Stories by Rebecca Kai Dotlich; Illus. Fred Koehler

A perfect invitation for young people to write paragraph narratives by adding two or more sentences to the stories suggested by the author. The picture clues can help build narrative. With much thanks to Adrienne Gear for the recommendation.

“One day I went to school. / I came home. / THE END

“One day I lost my dog. / I found him. THE END

THIS HOUSE, ONCE by Deborah Freedman

A gentle – very gentle – book that  invites readers to consider the separate parts, the building materials , and the background history of the homes we live in.

HAND OVER HAND by Alma Fullerton; Illus. Renne Benoit

“A boat is not the place for a girl,” claims Nina’s grandfather. This story, by gifted Canadian author Alma Fullerton is set in a Filipino fishing village. Hand Over Hand helps to teach both grandfather and granddaughter about determination and collaboration as well as helps young readers to understanding issues of gender equality.

RALPH TELLS A STORY by Abby Hanlan

We all have stories hidden inside of us awaiting to be awakened. Ralph doesn’t think he does but when it’s his turn to read a story about an inchworm he came across in a visit to a park, he learns that his story can be given significance by describing the adventure in a detailed way. He also learns that stories can be found everywhere!

A DIFFERENT POND: Bao Phi; Illus. Thi Bui

A simple story about a fishing trip with a boy and his father, who tells stories about his own fishing ventures in his homeland in Vietnam. A Caldecott honor book.

THE WORD COLLECTOR by Peter H. Reynolds

Jerome collects words the he hears, that he sees, that he read – short words, sweet words, multi-syllable words and words that he thought were ‘marvelous’ to say.  This picture book is a glowing tribute to vocabulary development and invitation for readers to become their own word collectors: “Reach for your won words/ Tell the world who you are/ and how you will make it better.”

WE CAME TO AMERICA by Faith Ringgold

A book celebrating heritage and diversity by masterful artist, Faith Ringgold and an important book for today’s young people to help them think about immigration in their own families, communities and nation.

“We came to America, Every color, race, and religion, From every country in the world.”

ON OUR STREET: Our First Talk about Poverty by Dr. Jillian Roberts and Jaime Casp; Illus. Jane Heinrichs

An important book about the topic of poverty told with accessible text and clear photography that provides readers with additional information about such topics as ‘What is it like to live on the streets?’ ‘Are homeless people the only ones who live in poverty?’ and ‘What are refugees?’

THANK YOU, EARTH: A love letter to our planet by April Pulley Sayre

Through vivid photographs, the author gives thanks to the beauty, the wonder, the glory of nature. The book is sure to inspire young readers to consider their own thank you’s to spaceship Earth and also find their own ways to researcht facts, pay respect and take action to honour this great planet we live on.

BABY MONKEY, PRIVATE DETECTIVE by Brian Selznik and David Serlin

“Who is Baby Monkey? He is a baby. He is a monkey. He has a job.” Baby Monkey is a private eye who is hired to solve five mysteries in five easy to read chapters. Buy this book if you have a four-six year old in your life. It’s funny, it’s adventurous, and it’s a graphic story, a great bridge from picture book to chapter books.  This book invites young kids to solve problems, carefully examine illustrations and enter the world of detective stories. The simple, repetitive text provides emergent readers with an engaging book to read successfully. Buy this book! (Thanks to my friend Debbie who told me her grandson loves sharing this book with his Bubby.)

ALL THE WORLD A POEM: Gilles Tibo; Illus. Gauthier

A celebration and tribute to the world of poems, rhyming and not: “Poems lives in books, yes, but also in the stars, on the moon, in tree-branch tangles”. The whimsical collage art by Manon Gauthier adds picture poetry to Tibo’s words.

SHOUT OUT

EVERYBODY’s DIFFERENT ON EVERYBODY STREET

by Sheree Fitch; Illus. Emma Fitzgerald

If you ever go travelling

On Everybody Street

You’ll see Everybody’s

Different

Than EveryOne you meet

This re-issue of Sheree’s rhyming book invites readers to consider that everyone’s different, everyone has gifts, and everyone carries troubles in some way. The book is designed to help build awareness of mental illness which according to the Afterword by the author “is not an issue of others, it belongs to all of us. Really, it is not an issue at all, but at the very heart of how we look at the world, each other, and ourselves with understanding and compassion.”  Thank you Sheree and Emma for this important book that delights with language and art but inspires heartfelt thought and conversation.

Some of us have visions

Some of us have schemes 

Most of us have wishes

All of us have dreams.