Children Just Like Me

Children Just Like Me, A Unique Celebration of Children Around the World, by Barnabas and Anabel Kindersley, is a fascinating nonfiction book to introduce readers to other children around the world.   As a DK Publishing book, it maintains the high standards readers are accustomed to as they learn through their books.  We like learning about other cultures so we really enjoy this book.  

This book is divided into five sections:  The Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Southeast Asia and Australia.  Children from various areas representing those sections are presented through detailed photographs of themselves, their families, homes, and artifacts from their daily lives.  This book is another great nonfiction book that may best be seen through a picture walk when it is introduced. 

Some children’s stories are told in one page while others are told in two pages.  There are so many interesting facts and photographs that it might be fun to just read about one or two children at each reading time.  One fun thing we like is that each child writes his/her name so it can be seen with the article.  We’d recommend you have a globe/world map handy when you read this book.  It’s fun to find the countries as you read about each child!

Question Collection:

*Which children have lives most similar to you?  Most different?

*Which children would you like to meet?

*What did you learn about other children?

*What would you like to ask these children?

The Snowy Day

The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats, is a classic story that we love to read.  Winner of the 1963 Caldecott Award, it continues to engage the reader as Peter encounters a snowy day. The illustrations depict all of the ways in which Peter enjoys his snowy adventures.  Taking a picture walk through this book encourages young listeners/readers to anticipate the story.  It’s a fun book to read in anticipation of snowy weather!

Question Collection:

*Which snow activity do you like to do best?

*Which illustration is your favorite?

*What do you think Peter and his friend do after the next snow?

Alphabet Times Four, An International ABC

Do you and your children like to learn words in other languages?  Alphabet Times Four, An International ABC, by Ruth Brown, provides an alphabetical list of words in four languages (English, Spanish, French, and German) accompanied by intriguing pictures.  The pronunciation is given below each word which is helpful as you read through the book.

We think this book is a fun way to explore other languages.  Some words appear the same, but have different pronunciations which can lead to good dialogue about languages.  We think you’ll enjoy this book!

Question Collection:

*What other languages have you heard before?

*What words are your favorites?

*Which language had all capitalized words in this book?

Read more children's ABC books here!

Amelia to Zora, Twenty-six Women Who Changed the World

As a family, we like to find nonfiction books that inspire us.  Amelia to Zora, Twenty-six Women Who Changed the World, written by Cynthia Chin-Lee and illustrated by Megan Halsey and Sean Addy, is a book that meets those criteria.  The multicultural female role models in this book are outstanding examples of lives to be studied.

The author names an inspiring woman for each letter of the alphabet (by first names), a narrative that tells more about their lives, and a quote from each woman.  The illustrators use a variety of artistic techniques that exemplify each woman’s achievements.  Amelia Earhart, Imogen Cunningham, Quah Ah, and Wilma Mankiller are a few of the unforgettable women who are listed. This book is a book that’s meant to be re-read for meaning.  It is sure to pique you and your family’s interest.  Fortunately, Ms. Chin-Lee has included a selected bibliography so that you can find more books about the women she introduces in the book.

This alphabet book is a great way to introduce children to biographies.  With twenty-six women to study, it’s easy to see how at least one of them will inspire children to dig deeper into a study of other people’s lives.

Question Collection:

*Which women had you already heard about?

*Which women were new to you?

*Which stories did you find most inspiring?

*What special techniques did the illustrators use to convey the accomplishments of these

women?

*Which quotes did you find most inspiring?

Read more children's ABC books!

Easy Street

Do your children like to watch road construction?  As we run errands and travel in the summer, we’ve found our “waiting” time during stops for road construction can be turned into learning opportunities.  Easy Street, by Rita Gray and illustrations by Mary Bono, is a great way to read more about how streets are made.  The sequential three dimensional clay people and construction materials make the book’s rhyming story even more fun.  The diversity of the workers also makes the book more realistic.  After a few readings, children will be able to quote these fun rhymes and understand the street making process. An added page by the author also gives more detailed explanations of how asphalt is used in the street making process.  We hope you enjoy this fun book!

Question Collection:

*Which job would you like to have on Easy Street?

*What kinds of tools are used in making a street?

*Can you tell some rhyming words you heard?