Oh, Student - Your bravery wows me. Your calm eyes meet mine through a screen. Housebound, masked-up, yet your heart is free. Months have passed, our classroom unseen. You truly inspire We all await our Monday meet, When we hear friends’ voices abound, The shares, stories, songs, all a treat; Your smile, warm like fire,… Continue reading Ode to My Student, by Rose Vignola
Author: Rose Vignola
Rose’s Garden, written and illustrated by Peter Reynolds
This precious fable features Rose, a character who uses imagination, purpose and patience to build a community that is beautiful in every sense of the word. The plot involves Rose traveling in her teapot to a new land, a barren urban setting. She makes a plan to transform her new home. This eventually involves the… Continue reading Rose’s Garden, written and illustrated by Peter Reynolds
Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee, by Chris Van Dusen
Chris Van Dusen's beloved characters of Mr. Magee and his little dog Dee win the heart of every reader! In Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee, Van Dusen has this duo head off for a day's adventure of fun on the water. Their day of boating takes an unexpected turn when one playful whale… Continue reading Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee, by Chris Van Dusen
What’s Cooking at 10 Garden Street? by Felicita Sala
Sala’s book dedication reads, “For my mother, whose door is always open, whose table is always full.” This serves as the prelude to a beautiful book about bringing people together to share a meal. Lead by the smells of cooking wafting from the windows, the text offers a peek inside each inhabitant's unit of a… Continue reading What’s Cooking at 10 Garden Street? by Felicita Sala
Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border, written by Mitali Perkins and illustrated by Sara Palacios
Mitali Perkins’ words and Sara Palacios’ illustrations weave together seamlessly to tell the emotional story of a family’s trip to see Abuela during the holiday season. Maria, her little brother, Juan, and their mother travel by bus from San Diego to the U.S-Mexico border. Having not seen Abuela in five years, their experience is fueled… Continue reading Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border, written by Mitali Perkins and illustrated by Sara Palacios
Saffron Ice Cream, written and illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh
As Rashin experiences her first beach day at her new home, she shares her memories of the Caspian Sea. She tells the mini-story of a chaotic beach day when the Islamic beach guards frantically repaired the curtain dividing the male visitors from the female visitors. That memoir morphs into her real-time experience of riding the… Continue reading Saffron Ice Cream, written and illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh
Parker Looks Up: An Extraordinary Moment, by Parker Curry and Jessica Curry, illustrated by Brittany Jackson
How could someone look so real and so magical at the same time? Who is she? In that moment, Parker saw more than just a portrait -- she saw a road before her with endless possibilities. What begins as an ordinary day for young Parker Curry turns into an extraordinary moment as young Parker becomes… Continue reading Parker Looks Up: An Extraordinary Moment, by Parker Curry and Jessica Curry, illustrated by Brittany Jackson
Leila in Saffron, written by Rukhsanna Guidroz and illustrated by Dinara Mirtalipova
Tonight I am on the lookout for parts of me that I like... Leila’s weekly family dinner at her grandmother’s house leads to self-discovery and identity. Through gorgeous and vibrant illustrations and text, Leila in Saffron, written by Rukhsanna Guidroz and illustrated by Dinara Mirtralipova, invites readers to: Note and notice the use of senses… Continue reading Leila in Saffron, written by Rukhsanna Guidroz and illustrated by Dinara Mirtalipova
My Mommy is a Hero and My Daddy is a Hero, Written by Isabel Otter-Barry Ross and Illustrated by Hannah Tolson
Teacher Thoughts: Written in simple rhyme with many full spread illustrations, these are two beautiful books honor our brave and selfless service women and men. Each set of pages focuses on a different post or role in our armed services. The book lends itself to a variety of conversations such as: Who is the narrator?… Continue reading My Mommy is a Hero and My Daddy is a Hero, Written by Isabel Otter-Barry Ross and Illustrated by Hannah Tolson
The Sun Shines Everywhere by Mary Ann Hoberman
The Sun Shines Everywhere by Mary Ann Hoberman, author of the You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You series, engages audiences of all ages as Hoberman describes the power of sunshine. Her text describes how the sun unites and nourishes all of us --- animals, plants and humans – throughout the globe. Through her… Continue reading The Sun Shines Everywhere by Mary Ann Hoberman