Tim's Big Move

Have you ever looked for a book to help a child with a transition such as a move to a new town?  Tim’s Big Move, written by Anke Wagner and illustrated by Eva Eriksson, is a fun read about Tim and his cuddle buddy, Pico, who are preparing for a move. Even though Tim is nervous, he tells Pico about all of the good things about the move.  Pico, however, has many thoughts about the problems he thinks he’ll encounter.  Most of all he’s worried when Tim announces they’ll make new friends.  Pico feels he only needs Tim and worries Tim won’t want him when they move.  The move happens and Pico still worries.  However, a happy ending is in sight as Tim and Pico both make new friends!

We think this would be a great book to read with a child who is moving.  The author makes clever use of Tim’s cuddle buddy, Pico, to express what many children feel when they move.  This is another great book to spark conversations in a family!

Question Collection:

*Have you ever felt like Pico?

*How could what you learned about Tim and Pico help you welcome new children to your neighborhood or school?

*What do you think Tim and Pico do next? 

Each Kindness

Each Kindness, by Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by E. B. Lewis, is a thought provoking book about how we treat others.  Geared for children, it also is a good read for all family members.  I think it’s a great book to read in the summer, or before school starts.  It would also be good re-read when a new student enters a child’s classroom.

Maya, a new girl to the class, is shunned by Chloe and her friends.  Told in first person by Chloe, Maya seems to be less fortunate than the other classmates.  Chloe repeatedly ignores Maya and her requests to join in.  On a day when Maya is not at school the teacher explains how kindness ripples out like a stone in water.  Sadly, Maya never returns to the school, so Chloe is left with her memories of not being kind to Maya.

This book is unforgettable.  It’s sure to be a great discussion starter in your family.  We hope you find this book to read and discuss with your child.

Question Collection:

*Have you ever felt like Maya?

*Have you ever treated anyone like Chloe treated Maya?

*What do you think Chloe learned?

*What do you think Chloe will do the next time a new student comes to her classroom?

Custard Surprise

We love humorous books, as you well know! We’ve found another one in Custard Surprise, by Bernard Lodge and illustrated by Tim Bowers. Dinah and Rufus, two chickens, open Dinah’s diner in this fun I Can Read! Book.  Rufus tries, to no avail, to get the customers interested in his dessert, custard surprise.  The animal customers always request something not on the menu, so Rufus makes various concoctions to surprise them.  However, the custard surprise turns out to be a real surprise as Dinah outsmarts a fox!  

Question Collection:

*Were you surprised by the custard surprise?

*What did you think was the funniest recipe that Rufus made?

*What animal do you think visited Dinah’s Diner next?

Will You Be My Valentine?

Will You Be My Valentine?, by Steven Kroll and illustrated by Lillian Hoban, is a book that takes a look at preschool friendship.  Thomas and Gretchen are the main characters who work out conflicts that can happen between young children. The Valentine’s aspect makes it fun to share at this time of year.  Will You Be My Valentine? Provides many great conversation starters for young children as they are navigating the social world of preschool.  Happy Valentine’s Day!

Question Collection:

*Have you liked someone who didn’t like you?

*How did Thomas and Gretchen become friends?

*What things do you like to do with your friends?

Valentine's Books

We've reviewed several books about Valentine's Day in the last two years.  Here are some you and your family might like to check out:

We also think Valentine's Day is a great time to talk about friendship.  Here are some of our favorites:

We hope that you and your family have a Happy Valentine's Day!

Strawberry Shortcake Be My Valentine

Be My Valentine (Strawberry Shortcake), by Megan E. Bryant, is a typical Strawberry Shortcake story that is centered on Valentine’s Day.  Many young girls enjoy Strawberry Shortcake stories, and this one has some nice features that open up discussions about friendship.  Strawberry discovers a secret valentine and tries to discover who sent it to her while she delivers her valentines.  We like looking at the full page illustrations of the valentines Strawberry has designed for her friends.  One page is a recipe for friendship, one is a seed packet, and another is a scavenger hunt.  We enjoy the creativity and how it sparked some ideas for handmade valentine’s cards!

Question Collection:

*Who did you think the secret valentine was from?

*Which valentine card did you like the best?

*What kind of valentine card could you make?

The Biggest Snowman Ever

The Biggest Snowman Ever, by Steven Kroll and illustrated by Jeni Bassett, is a story about two mice who enter the town snowman contest.  Both are trying to build the biggest snowman ever to win.  The book follows them and their friends as they go through the steps in building their snowmen.  The rivals soon discover the same idea---they can work together.  Their cooperation leads to winning the contest and developing their friendship. 

This book can be enjoyed for its story, a mentor text for writing instructions, and a discussion starter for social skills needed to develop friendships.   It’s a fun book that young children will enjoy!

Question Collection:

*Which snowman did you like best?

*What do you think Clayton and Desmond learned?

*What did you learn from this story?

Cookies, Bite-Size Life Lessons

Cookies, Bite-Size Life Lessons, written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Jane Dyer, is a beautiful book exploring character traits.  Cookies are used as the item to depict how the character traits (examples:  respect, compassion, loyalty, etc.,) are defined in various situations.  The book can be read in its entirety, but it a page or two can be read and discussed when needed.  I think this book is a great teaching tool for families and classrooms.  The pages are interesting while also exemplifying how our actions affect others.  And, as an added bonus, a recipe for chocolate chip cookies is included in the back of the book!

Question Collection:

*Which part of this book did you like the best?

*Have you shown any of these character traits?

*Which character traits are important in a friendship?

Otis

A beautiful story of friendship and great illustrations characterize Otis, a book written and illustrated by Loren Long.  The friendship of Otis (a tractor) and a calf is developed through the beginning of the story.  The reader is drawn into the story by the tractor’s positive outlook on life.  He likes to work and enjoys his life.  The calf is calmed by Otis and follows him around the farm.  Sadly, a big yellow tractor eventually replaces Otis.  However, when the calf is stranded in Mud Pond and no one else can rescue her, Otis comes to the rescue.  Once again the friends are united!

Question Collection:

*Why do you think Otis and the calf became friends?

*How do you think Otis felt when the yellow tractor came to the farm?

*What do you think Otis and the calf are doing now?

Mine-O-Saur

It’s back to school time!  Along with returning to school comes learning to cooperate in a classroom setting.  A fun book that helps children reflect on their behavior is Mine-O-Saur, by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen.  Children are usually interested in dinosaurs and the author uses this interest to create a character who alienates his friends because he can’t share.  The  illustrations by David Clark add to the playfulness of this book while also helping children picture how it looks when they don’t share.  This short story can have a long lasting impact on helping children learn how important it is to share.  We enjoy learning from this book!

Question Collection:

*Why do you think the character’s name is Mine-O-Saur?

*How do the other children feel about Mine-O-Saur?

*What does Mine-O-Saur learn about sharing?

*What are some ways you can share with others?

Can I Play Too?

Can I Play Too?, by Mo Willems, is another delightful story about Gerald and Piggie.  We love to read these books!  They are perfect for the beginning reader to practice known words, learn new words, and most importantly, enjoy a good book.  There is much to learn about friendship in these books, and this one has an important lesson about learning to include others.  We find it quite amazing that such a short story can make us laugh and learn at the same time.  Enjoy!

Question Collection:

*How do you think Snake feels about having no arms?

*How do Gerald and Piggie try to include Snake?

*What did you learn about friendship?

Are You Ready to Play Outside?

Are You Ready to Play Outside?, by Mo Willems, finds Piggie having problems with the weather while she is trying to play outside.  Her friend, Gerald, comes to the rescue by helping Piggie.  Once again, Willems uses a simple story to illustrate friendship in a way that is easy for young children to understand.  As with other books by Willems, this is a book that can be read over and over for enjoyment. 

Question Collection:

*What do you like to play outside?

*Have you ever felt like Piggie?

*How does Gerald show his friendship?

My Friend is Sad

My Friend is Sad, by Mo Willems, is an insightful story about friendship.  Children can read along to find out why Gerald is sad and how Piggie tries to make him happy.  We love how Willems uses his character’s facial expressions and body language to tell the story along with the words.  An important lesson about friendship is found in this story.

Question Collection:

*Have you ever felt sad like Gerald?

*What is Piggie trying to do help Gerald?

*Do you think Gerald is happy at the end of the story?

*What did you learn about friendship?

I Am Invited to a Party!

I Am Invited to a Party!, by Mo Willems, is an imaginative story that can be read and enjoyed by beginning readers. Gerald and Piggie are in a dilemma about what to wear to a party.  You’ll have fun following along with their decisions about costumes.  Since dress-up time is an important part of play at our house, we especially enjoyed seeing Gerald and Piggie dress up.  We laughed out loud at the ending!

Question Collection:

*What was your favorite costume?

*How do you like to dress up?

*What do you think they did at the party?

I Broke My Trunk!

Mo Willems is such a masterful storyteller and illustrator.  We can’t wait to read each of his books.  We’ve been checking out several of his books from our public library this summer.  They’re great for beginning readers and fun for the whole family.

I Broke My Trunk! garnered a lot of laughs in our home!  Gerald has broken his trunk and tells Piggie the story of how it happened.  Of course there are lots of twists and turns in the story---that’s what makes a story by Willems so fun!  We hope that your family is familiar with Gerald and Piggie.  If you’re not, we hope you meet them soon!

Question Collection:

*Had you figured out how Gerald broke his trunk?

*What was the funniest part of the story?

*How do you think Piggie felt at the end of the story?

Library Lily

Are you planning some fun trips to the library this summer?  Our library has a great summer program promoting books and providing fun literary experiences.  If your child is an avid reader, he or she is sure to connect with the character of Lily in Library Lily, by Gillian Shields. Lily finds many adventures in books and simply can’t put her book down!  On an adventure in the park (encouraged by her mother to go out and play) Lily meets Milly, who hates to read.  Milly is an adventurous girl who shares her fun activities with Lily.  Then, Lily takes Milly on adventures through books.  A friendship is born when the girls share their loves.  This book can spark many discussions about reading, adventure, and friendship.  We hope you enjoy meeting our new friends, Lily and Milly!

Question Collection:

*Are you more like Lily or Milly?

*What do Lily and Milly discover?

*What do you think they wrote about in their book?

Every Cowgirl Needs Dancing Boots

Meet Nellie Sue, a spunky, creative girl who learns about friendship in Every Cowgirl Needs Dancing Boots, by Rebecca Janni. We loved learning how Nellie Sue is trying to make new friends. The author writes with such vivid descriptions that we feel like we personally know Nellie Sue. Many phrases left us laughing out loud.  We readily pictured Nellie Sue’s bike being her two-wheeled horse and the fun everyone had at the Barnyard Bash.  We hope that you enjoy learning about the story of Nellie Sue as she makes new friends!

Question Collection:

*Would you like to have gone to Nellie Sue's Barnyard Bash?

*How did Nellie Sue show friendship to the new girls?

*What did Nellie Sue learn about friendship?

*What was your favorite part of the book?

Otis

Otis, by Loren Long, is a heart-warming story about a friendship between a tractor and a calf.  There are also other lessons to be learned from Otis the tractor.  Through the story a child can learn about change and never giving up.  This is a book that can grow with a child as he/she learns more about the world.  As you read this you’ll be cheering for Otis as he demonstrates true friendship.

Question Collection:

*How does Otis show his friendship?

*How does the calf feel about Otis?

*What do you think the farmer learned in this story?