Bantam Rahman’s The Library Bus tells the simple story of Pari, an Afghan girl who’s about 5 years old. Pari’s mother drives a bookmobile to villages and refugee camps where girls have no schools.
It’s a cute story to introduce children to Afghanistan, but I’d like more character development. Even small children have distinct personalities.
The story with its charming illustrations is worth a read.
A fun children’s book about early America read by Jill of Prager Prep.
Amy Krouse Rosenthal’s Christmas Cookies: BiteSized Holiday Lessons reminds me of a classic book on etiquette or behavior for children. It’s a clever book to help children understand concepts like reciprocal, prosperity, charitable, tradition and more all through the making and eating of Christmas cookies. The tone would go over with pre-schoolers who want to know how to be good.
Jan Dyer’s illustrations evoke a nostalgic Christmas.
Warning: You’ll want some cookies after you read this.
My newest cousin, Katrina of the Park City Library, shares picture books with kids during the lockdown.
Here’s a charming story about the Census long ago. The illustrations are cute as is the story about a village full of people who don’t understand why they’re being counted so they try to fool the poor Census Taker.
If you need to finish your census call 844-330-2020 or go to 2020census.gov
I have fallen behind in my Goodreads 2020 Reading Challenge so I was looking for a quick read. When I worked at the small library in my district we helped with youth and adult books and I saw that Nate the Great books were popular. I thought I’d get one to see what the fuss was about.
I accidentally got the The Complete Big Nate #4 ebook and it turned out to be 370 pages. Even though it’s a comic book, 370 pages were more than I bargained for. I did make it through.
Nate is a mischievous boy, who reminded me of Dennis the Menace, and the books show him aggravating his older sister, exasperating his teachers, and annoying the object of his affections, Jenny. Nate’s cute and rambunctious. Yet, I soon tired of the episodes and thought some of the jokes were aimed more at middle aged men, than younger audiences. I see the prime audience as boys in 3rd – 5th grades so the jokes about the divorced dad going to his high school reunion or putting on weight didn’t seem like they’d make kids laugh.
The drawings were cute and Nate and his friends were likable, while not unique. I feel if you read one Nate the Great, by Lincoln Peirce you’ve read them all.
If you need help finding a book for a child or teen, Brightly is a site that’s sure to help. Used by librarians and teachers, Brightly offers reviews and lists of books for every sort of reader, e.g. 20 Early Chapter Books for Boys, 14 Best Books for Kindergarten Graduation Gifts, 7 Picture Books that Celebrate Great Teachers, Books for Star Wars Obsessed Kids, and more. It’s easy to search by age or interest. The site publishes new articles regularly. In addition to book posts, Brightly offers articles on parenting with topics including social media and kids, communication and dealing with perfectionism. It’s a terrific resource.
A beautiful, wordless book, Leaf by Daishu Ma captivated me. In this environmental tale, a young man discovers a mysteriously glowing leaf which propels him on a journey in search of understanding. Along the way he explores a city that reminded me of a set from Terry Gilliam’s Brazil, without the bleak vibe and a scientist who studies extinct plants.
Though Ma’s palette includes only yellow, gray, blue and a touch of white, the illustrations are mesmerizing. The book doesn’t preach, but does take readers on a magical journey that’s sure to bolster one’s appreciation and wonder at nature.
I’m one of those aunts that likes to give books as gifts. For years though, I’ve usually just given an Amazon gift certificate, but this year I’m tired of giving gift cards. I can see their merit, but I wanted more challenge. Besides with all this library knowledge I’m accumulating, I felt I should test out what I’m learning.
So with the help of the American Library Association’s lists of books for young readers, I’ve spent a few hours selecting books for nieces and nephews. I used their list of books for the college bound and notable children’s books. They’ve got lots to choose from. Booklist also offers information that helps
NPR’s Book Concierge led me to a title I think my mother will like. I’ll give it as part of a bundle of gifts.
For our module on Immersion I discovered some virtual worlds designed for children and wondered about cybersafety. I felt that as an adult who’s not a parent nor someone who works with children I shouldn’t pretend to be a child and sign up. While I know my motives are professional and ethical, it’s disturbing to realize that anyone can pose as a child and get into a site designed for children.
One of my classmates responded saying that such sites do have adult supervisors in the various areas who make sure the interactions are appropriate, which sounds responsible since schools must hire adults to supervise children under their care. Sports and other extracurricular activities have adults to supervise the safety of children as well.
Connectsafely.com provides tips for parents and guardians whose children may use virtual worlds. The tips caution parents by suggesting they talk frequently about virtual world activity, view the virtual world with the child, teach children about good passwords and discuss bullying.
I investigated Petra’s Planet, a virtual world for ages 6 – 11. Petra’s Planet informs parents that the virtual world protects children by limiting the chat feature to a selection of set phrases. Thus when a child want to greet another child, she can select from a number of possible “hello’s” or “goodbyes.” There are several choices and not only does this protect children, but it probably allows for smoother interactions considering that younger players have limited literacy skills.
OmoresOtempora
smkelly8
Xingu, Volume 2 
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