Our five favorite books for April will help kids celebrate each other’s unique differences, process with the emotions of moving, learn about the culture of Haiti — even teach them a few magic tricks!
For Pre-K – K (Ages 3-6):
“Bad Bye, Good Bye”by Deborah Underwood
In very few words, this warm and reassuring picture book captures the emotions kids experience in the process of moving. Over the course of the story, a boy goes from sadness to joy as his family moves from the country to the city, saying goodbye to old friends and hello to new ones.
For 1st & 2nd grade (Ages 6-8):
“Not Your Typical Dragon” (First Book Marketplace Special Edition) by Dan Bar-el
Kids will laugh out loud at this funny, lovable story about a young dragon who can breathe everything but fire. A terrific lesson in recognizing and appreciating everyone’s unique talents!
For 3rd & 4th grade (Ages 8-10):
“Magic Shop Series #1: The Vanishing Coin” by Kate Egan
This engaging chapter book series hooks kids with a fun plot and a great bonus – lessons for performing magic tricks! Kids with attention issues or those struggling with bullies will especially relate.
5th & 6th grade (Ages 10-12):
“Stella by Starlight” by Sharon Draper
Through the eyes of a quirky, relatable 12-year-old, readers are transported to 1932 when the Klu Klux Klan resurfaces and unsettles a close-knit community. Kids will root for Stella as they witness her inspiring determination to face her biggest fears head on.
7th & up (Ages 13+):
“Hold Tight, Don’t Let Go”
by Laura Rose Wagner
This deeply affecting novel provides a rich exploration of Haiti’s culture through the experiences of Magdalie, a teenage survivor of the 2010 earthquake. Magdalie’s resolve to make a better life for herself makes this an empowering story for anyone who is suffering a loss or coping with tragedy.
The post Our Five Favorite Books for April appeared first on First Book Blog.
You know that feeling that you’ve missed something? Well, I had that feeling last week when I pulled out the titles for my class’s mock Caldecott. I blithely grabbed Bad Bye, Good Bye and thought, “Uh-oh. I never wrote about this one, did I?” In true Robin Smith fashion (ask any of my editors what a procrastinator I am), here I am, just under the wire, to chat about this fine book.
I first read about this book months and months ago when Jules Danielson interviewed the illustrator, Jonathan Bean, here on her blog. Go and read the link, because his explanation of color separation (old school!) is interesting and clear. In the comments are technical questions about brayers and Prismacolors and friskets. I got lost there for a little bit.
Here’s the skinny:
- I love the emotional intensity of the illustrations — even the endpapers start with a very dark blue-black and end with a sunny yellow. The title page shows one angry boy glaring at the moving man. Even his dog is furious. The stripes on the boy’s shirt are parallel with the spine of the dog, leaving no question about how these two are feeling about their family’s move to a new town and new house. The background shows the movers moving at full speed, rendered only in pencil. The title is placed on the page a little wonky, implying movement. The page turn shows the boy redder even than before—all the way to his scarlet scalp! We all know that feeling.
- That anger has to abate, of course, and the long nap in the car and dip in the motel pool seem to be a turning point for everyone. By the time the family arrives in the new town, after mom and dad take turns behind the wheel, everyone seems ready for the new house. Even the movers seem to have happy energy.
- The illustrations deftly extend the spare, rhyming couplets. I especially appreciate the “Road games /We’re here” page. It’s a brilliant interpretation of the alphabet game we always played in the car to pass the time. Bean draws a variety of signs with just about every letter of the alphabet shown, including q in antique. Another spread (“New house/New wall/New room/New wall”) shows that creepy feeling when you walk into an empty house or apartment for the first time. Everything is still in boxes and the illustrations are layered with the details that add to that strange feeling: the lone light hanging from the ceiling in the hall, other people’s wallpaper, stacks of chairs and boxes marked “pots” and “sheets.” Seeing the boy cautiously opening all the doors, one at a time, brings me right back to all my Army brat moves.
- The happy resolution is just right, too: this is a book for the very young reader, and it needs to be comforting. It is — right down to the fireflies, a neighbor boy who will clearly be a friend, and a climbing tree.
There is a lot going on in these illustrations, inviting the reader to slow down and explore every inch of the page. That also allows committee members lots to talk about: artistic technique, satisfying page-turns, and emotional punch. It would also make a dandy book for new readers. Geisel and Caldecott committees, pay attention to this one!
The post Bad Bye, Good Bye appeared first on The Horn Book.
