Books 'n Blogs 'n Articles of Note

BOOKS 'N BLOGS 'N ARTICLES OF NOTE

On this page, RIF of NOVA features articles and blogs about children's literacy, along with book reviews about Pre-K through Young Adult (YA) books -- discussed by members of our reading community. If you'd like to try your hand at writing a blog on a literacy or book-related theme or a book review about a new or favorite book, we'd be glad to consider it for publication here. Connect with us at our email: rifnova@gmail.com.

Children's Book Ideas for May -- Asian American and Pacific Islander Month

16 Exciting Books for Kids Featuring Asian and Pacific Islander Characters That They Won’t be Able to Put Down
by Latifah Miles, former parenting editor Bestproducts.com

If you take a look at your kid's bookshelf right now, you might be surprised at the lack of diversity amongst the titles.

Whether their shelves are full of car books or titles that feature characters that only fit a certain mold, there's plenty of room for books that introduce them to other types of characters and cultures. With vast ethnicities that cover large swaths of the world, storytime is a great way to introduce your child to all of the amazing cultures that make up Asian American and Pacific Islander populations.

The books in this list are wonderful, uplifting titles that will educate, entertain, and delight your little ones. From picture books for you to read during your bedtime routine to chapter books for your older kids to explore on their own, these are our favorite books featuring Asian American and Pacific Islander characters that you should add to your kid's library. Click here to find this list.

Other great lists feature more books to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Month. One comes from School Library Journal. Find that list of 20 books here.

ALSC featured a blog on the topic with more great book recommendations. Find that at this link.

Reading Rockets, always a good source of book ideas, has a great list, too. Click here!

On this list from Penguin Classroom, find 90 books to celebrate Asian and Asian-American voices. Each featured book is clickable, allowing you to learn more about each one!

Last, but certainly not least, check out this list from A Pragmatic Mom with many more great ideas for AAPI.

Cathy Guthrie with a delivery of gently used books donated by the NOVA RIF community!

Cora Kelly ES librarian and NOVA RIF liaison Cathy Guthrie offered a list of her favorite books for the month:

A Different Pond written by Bao Phi and illustrated by Thi Bui
Drawn Together by Minh Le and illustrated by Dan Santat
Danbi Leads the School Parade by Anna Kim
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
I used The Name Jar in September this year when we talked about our names and where they came from and what their meaning is. I love this story. :)
Front Desk by Kelly Yang
This is a chapter book for upper elementary. I loved it. I read it with fifth graders for a book club this year.

A favorite on many lists! Credit -- Publisher, Random House; Author/Illustrator Yangsook Choi

Leslie Broughton with several tables of new and gently used books for Polk's NOVA RIF book distribution in April

Leslie Broughton, James K. Polk librarian and NOVA RIF liaison offered her ideas for Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, too! Here they are.

Picture Books

Round is a Mooncake - Roseanne Thong
Grandfather's Journey - Allen Say
Uncle Peter's Amazing Chinese Wedding - Lenore Look
The Name Jar - Yangsook Choi
Red Lollipop - Rukhsana Khan
Eyes That Kiss in the Corner - Joanna Ho
Lift - Minh Le
Bilal Cooks Daal - Aisha Saeed
Lon Po Po - Ed Young
Big Mooncake for Little Star - Grace Lin

Chapter Books

Dumpling Days; Year of the Dog - Grace Lin
Thing About Luck - Cynthia Kadohata
Listen Slowly - Thanhha Lai
Amina's Voice - Hena Khan

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Celebrate Earth Day with these wonderful books! -- by Janice Perreault

"Earth Day is a time for thinking about ways we can be better stewards of the Earth: conserve resources, recycle, and plant trees and gardens," notes Janice Perreault, RIF of NOVA liaison and librarian at Bailey's (lower) School for the Arts and Sciences in Fairfax County. She shared some of her great Earth Day suggestions based on what the children at Bailey's love to read.

For younger children choose It’s Earth Day, Cookie Monster! by Mary Lindeen. Cookie Monster learns about caring for the Earth and about the history of Earth Day. The always popular author and primary color illustrator Todd Parr wrote The Earth Book. His message is about the simple things children can do to help our planet. Trees Make Perfect Pets by Paul Czajak is a new picture book about a girl who wants a pet tree. They are inseparable until the day she has to plant the tree.

Have a chapter book reader at home? How about Judy Moody Saves the World by Megan McDonald? Judy and her class take on an environment-saving project. Or maybe Annie Glover is Not a Tree Lover by Darleen Beard, which tells the story of a fourth grader’s campaign to save her town's ancient elm tree from development.

The picture book biography Wangari’s Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa by Jeanette Winter tells the story of environmentalist and Noble Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai. Learn about her effort to encourage women to help her plant trees to re-green our world. And what child doesn’t love Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold? Check out his nonfiction book Fly Guy Presents: Garbage and Recycling. If you like to do crafts at home with your children, Earth-friendly Crafts by Veronica Thompson might be a good pick.

Credit -- Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group; Author: Mary Lindeen

Credit -- Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; Author: Todd Parr

Credit -- Publisher: HMH Books; Author Jeanette Winter

Read Across America 2021 -- Book Ideas from Dora Sue Black & Jackie Pippins

Every March, children and schools across the country celebrate Read Across America Day and National Reading Month. At Arlington's Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary, school librarian Dora Sue Black is highlighting Caldecott Winners over the years. As she notes:

The books are honored for their extraordinary art. I always stress to the students that the illustrations extend the story through the eyes of the illustrators. Here are a couple of Caldecott winners from years back that the students always ask to be reread.

Lon Po Po, written and illustrated by Ed Young, is a version of Little Red Riding Hood and won in 1990. The story engages the children and causes elation when they make the connection with the

traditional Little Red. The story has three children instead of just one. The children love the trickery that is used to get rid of the wolf and his ill intentions. Young’s art takes the children from their own classrooms into a beautiful Asian countryside.

Another fun book is The Three Pigs by David Wiesner, which won the Caldecott medal in 2002. The author starts with the traditional story; however, the pigs are blown out of the pages to visit other nursery rhymes and fairy tales.

A forever favorite is the The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (Caldecott 1963). Peter loves to play in the snow. As March is a transitional month, we may have snow and remember making snowballs, snow angels, and marching around in the crunchy snow.

Older students will like the poetry of Kwame Alexander in The Undefeated, illustrated by Kadir Nelson (Caldecott 2020). This wonderful book shares Black history through its illustrations and mighty words.

Some of the stories are wordless and lead us to encourage the children to

Credit -- Publisher: Philomel; Author/Illustrator: Ed Young

make up their own dialogue, such as in the books Wolf in the Snow by MatthewCordell (Caldecott 2018) and Flotsom by David Wiesner (Caldecott 2006). From the winter snow to the ocean's depths, it allows the children to share their creativity and imagination.

Books like these open the world up to children through their illustrations, writing, history, and imagination. Share a wonderful book and Read Across America!

-- Dora Sue Black, NOVA RIF board; Librarian, Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School

Dora Sue Black (l) and Jackie Pippins celebrated Read Across America Day at Barcroft ES in Arlington!

The top recommendation for Read Across America Day from Jackie Pippins is If You Come to Earth by Sophie Blackall. Jackie notes the book has an inclusive message, delightful pictures, and is perfect for kids returning to school.

Credit -- Publisher: Chronicle Books LLC; Author/Illustrator: Sophie Blackall

If you come to Earth, there are a few things you need to know. . .
We live in all kinds of places.
In all kinds of homes.
In all kinds of families.
Each of us is different. But all of us are amazing.
And, together, we share one beautiful planet.

A New York Times Best Children's Book of 2020, the book is described as "a call for us to take care of both Earth and each other."

Jackie's other recommendations include Carmela Full of Wishes by Matt de la Pena, Magnificent Homespun Brown by Samara Cole Doyon, Outside In by Deborah Underwood, and Fight of the Century; Alice Paul Battles Woodrow Wilson For the Vote by Barb Rosenstock. "I thought the last one would also be good for Women's History Month."

-- Jackie Pippins, NOVA RIF liaison; School Library Media Specialist, Barcroft Elementary School

Representation Matters
By Carylee Carrington

Through 2020, the hashtag "#representationmatters" has been widely used to discuss the lack of representation of the African-American culture in society. Specifically, it has been a mentorship program aimed at connecting people who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) who are interested in publishing and literature, with publishing professionals who can help their mentees learn about, getting into the industry.

This has given rise to many industries wanting to showcase more children's literature that would fit this mission. Though some still may ask, why does representation matter in children's literature?

Children's literature is the bedrock of learning and understanding. Those books influence our growth and our thinking. No, this is not just about having black kids read books with black characters. Giving all children the ability to see other children or people, other than themselves, depicted in books, allows them to see far beyond the face or culture that is often always around them and broadens their view of the world.
Most people will remember the first book they read as a child. The first book that we read cover to cover by ourselves. For most children that is such an achievement. For me that book was “Fun With Dick and Jane.” And I remember several books I read throughout my childhood, “Frog and Toad Are Friends” and “Three Little Kitten’s Who Lost Their Mittens”. Of all books I remember as a child, none of them had covers with characters that looked like me.

In fact, being a person of color, the first book that I remember reading that had characters that represented me was, “Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.” I was in the 6th grade. It would take 11 years, before I was introduced to a book that had characters who looked like me. Unfortunately, for many children who are not of Caucasian descent, this has been the norm.

In recent years, we have seen an increase the publication of diverse books. Although, as we have been living in the 21st century for some time now, I would have hoped that we would have been further along in promoting diversity.

Fairytales, Disney movies, most of characters introduced to children have been either animal or Caucasian. In 2019, the
Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC) released its survey results on diversity in children’s and YA literature. The report,

which breaks down the number of children’s and YA books by and about BIPOC from the previous year. In 2020, for the first time, they also counted books by and about Pacific Islanders. In years past, these were counted with the Asian/Asian American count, but this was not an accurate label.

Studies have shown that children gain a sense of pride and confidence when reading a book with characters that mirror some aspects of themselves. This helps to impact their sense of self-worth, outlook on the world, and growth as the next generation who will be our future leaders. “Representation Matters” should not be whittled down to merely a hashtag or a Black History Month message, but as a true movement of diversity, that will continue to impact change for generations to come.

Carylee Carrington is a RIF of NOVA board member. Read about her books for children on our New Books...with a NOVA Connection page.

NOVA RIF board member Maureen McLaughlin before the birth of her new baby Izzy

The Benefits of Reading to Your Baby in the Womb
By Megan McCoy Dellecese
October 29, 2020

You may think the only benefits of reading to your unborn baby are the relaxation and bonding you feel. But science shows that reading to baby in the womb helps develop early language learning. In small children, reading is proven to help with language development and increased word recognition. Reading can also create a positive bond between parent and child. It can provide a great wind-down before bedtime and spark an early interest in learning. Maybe talking, singing, or playing music to a baby while in the womb comes naturally to many expecting couples. There’s much to be said for reading to a child in utero. There are numerous advantages—both for baby and the parents. We can be very focused on the preparation for the coming of new life and the general health needs of the mother and baby. However, early attention through reading to your unborn baby builds a wonderful foundation to solid future relationships. Reading to your unborn baby also helps you slow down, relax, and experience the fun moments of early parenting. You’ll enjoy the sweetness and simple lessons (which can be great at grounding adults in times of stress) of a good picture book.

Will reading to your baby in the womb make her smarter?
Legend has it that cellist Pablo Casals started to sight-read a piece of music and soon realized he knew what was coming next, without reading it. He later learned that his cellist mother had rehearsed the piece daily in the later stages of her pregnancy. Talking, reading, and playing a variety of music can help stimulate baby’s senses and improve her brain development, according to Dr. Michael Roizen. “Exposure to different sounds and scenes is essentially what helps establish connections from one set of neurons—the nerve cells of the brain—to another. This is how we all learn.”

Parent-Baby Bonding and Lower Maternal Stress
Many studies show that reading (particularly from the mother’s relaxing voice) causes a baby’s fetal heart rate to lower. Also, the bond that is experienced between parent and child later on can start to occur while Mama or Papa read to the baby prenatally. It’s also a great way to kickstart secure attachment in infants. Participation in reading is also a great way for other family members to connect with the baby. An older child can read or talk about her favorite parts of the story. And the new baby can start to learn his sibling’s voice. A study at the University of Oregon found when pregnant mothers were given a recording that included a made-up word to play near the end of pregnancy, the babies were able to recognize the word and its variations after they were born (source). They could discern this by neural signals emitted by the babies that showed they recognized the pitch and vowel changes in the fake word. The babies who heard the recording most frequently displayed the strongest response, suggesting that infant language learning begins in utero.

When should you start reading to your baby in the womb?
At about six months along, a baby is already quite familiar with the sounds of the womb, from the mother’s heartbeat to digestive sounds. From outside the womb, sounds are extremely clear, although about 10 decibels lower. From Week 25 forward, a baby’s primary connection and information to the outside world comes in the form of sound. By this point, the soothing, rhythmic sounds of a simple story should be quite audible, although the tones and cadences of the voice are more important than enunciation of the actual words.

Books to read to your baby in the womb
You can use any of the books that are piling up in gift baskets for baby to enjoy when he arrives. Particularly, books with a clear rhythm and perhaps rhyme patterns provide a soothing, almost melodic listening experience. Anything from Dr. Seuss and Eric Carle to Goodnight Moon and Guess How Much I Love You work well for this. Predictable books like Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? or Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (both by Bill Martin, Jr.) are also perfect for prenatal reading, as well as classic repetitive nursery rhymes and fairy tales. But, don’t feel that you need to stick to the classics when choosing books to read to your baby in the womb. This is your chance to experiment with newer characters and authors. Especially if you haven’t read a picture book since your own childhood. There are fabulous modern stories that are equally enjoyable to parents as they are babies. Some newer favorites include Mo Willems (while his characters, “Pigeon” and “Elephant and Piggie,” are particularly popular, try some of his others for a hilarious surprise), the Llama Llama series by Anna Dewdney, and any irreverent book by Jon Klassen.

Whatever text you choose to read to your unborn baby—funny or classically heartwarming—it’s the process of prenatal reading that matters. The experience of reading will surely benefit your little one. Even if just through the time spent together and the soothing rhythm of familiar voices. It also provides some intentional calm time and peace for the parents and siblings. And you’ll be sure to set a book-loving precedent that will last into your baby’s life.

Connect with School Librarian Megan McCoy Dellecese on her site, Meg Acts Out
Article Courtesy: Green Child Magazine

Dora Sue Black enjoys a reading moment with a favorite friend!

Celebrating Children with Literature – Ideas from School Librarian Dora Sue Black

My students at Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary School in Arlington reflect the world. The good news is that the school library can reflect the world, too, with so many wonderful stories whose characters and topics share many different cultures and history. The American Library Association held its 'Midwinter Conference Virtual Event' in January. Over the course of several days, we heard from many different authors and poets whose works celebrate many different cultures, ages, and history that I am now purchasing for my library. I am also sharing the Virginia Reader’s Choice books for 2020-2021 to my students.

Below are three of the many wonderful books that my students have loved and ones that I would recommend, particularly as we celebrate Black History Month and multiculturalism. We are lucky enough to have diverse schools where we teach the students to respect one another. Note: Dora Sue Black is a member of the NOVA RIF board.

Credit -- Publisher: Roaring Brook Press; Author: Carole Lindstrom; Illustrator: Michaela Goade

We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Michaela Goade is the 2021 Caldecott Medal winner. This beautifully illustrated book, by an author and illustrator who are both of Native American heritage, is about taking care of our planet’s water and resources. The pictures add to the text and allow us, in a very lyrical way, to learn about Native American heritage and respect for the land. It is an absolute gem.

In this time when we should be celebrating all cultures, this book allows us to learn about and to appreciate indigenous cultures and history. In a non-didactic way, it is also a wonderful discussion starter about how to care for the Earth and how we need to pay attention to how we treat our planet.

Credit -- Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers; Author: Monica Clark-Robinson; Illustrator: Frank Morrison

Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson and illustrated by Frank Morrison was a 2019 Coretta Scott King Illustration Honor Book. This picture book recounts the 1963 Children’s March in Birmingham, Alabama when more than a thousand African American children volunteered to march for their civil rights after hearing Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speak.

This book allows children to learn about a real moment in history and start a conversation on how they can continue to make an impact on our need for equality for all. The beautiful illustrations make the book accessible for all ages. In my opinion, it is an important history lesson that does not shy away from sharing the disturbing behavior.

Credit -- Publisher: Random House Children's Books; Author: Ruby Bridges

Ruby Bridges spoke at the ALA conference, and I was lucky enough to hear her. She recounted her memories of entering the all-white Louisiana public elementary school in 1960 at the age of six, escorted by federal marshals, in the midst of chaos, hatred, and segregation.

Ms. Bridges has authored a new book, This Is Your Time. From her presentation, it sounds amazing! While I am waiting for it to be delivered, I am sharing her earlier book, Ruby Bridges Goes To School, My True Story, to my students. They love to hear stories from prime resources and love the real photographs. This is a wonderful story -- with engaging pictures and an important message -- for kindergarten through first grade. (Note: In a Today Show interview, Ms. Bridges discussed her new book and why she wrote it. Find that here.)

Why It's Important for Kids to See Themselves in Books

Discover three important reasons to choose books with characters who resemble your child.
By Jodie Rodriguez
March 1, 2018

For far too long, children's books that featured culturally diverse characters were hard to come by. But, that has changed significantly in the last few years. It is becoming easier than ever before for parents and kids to find diverse titles. And that's good news because, according to the 6th Edition Scholastic Kids & Family Reading Report, 47% of parents want books featuring people of color.

It is really essential that we fill our kids' home libraries with books featuring characters that look like them. Here are three important reasons why:

1. It helps to inspire and create an impact.
Kids need to see people who look like them who have faced challenges, overcome obstacles, and made a difference in the world. Whether it's reading about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad or Cesar Chavez and his work for migrant workers, reading about people from our culture who look like us gives us insight into our history and background.
Stories of other people's lives can impact our own by helping us better understand our world. Seek out books about inspiring individuals who are culturally reflective of your kids.

2. It provides a mirror to identity.
Some books our kids enjoy should be mirror books. These are books with characters that look just like our kids. Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, children's literature scholar and recipient of the Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement, says, "Literature transforms human experience and reflects it back to us, and in that reflection we can see our own lives and experiences as part of a larger human experience. Reading, then, becomes a means of self-affirmation, and readers often seek their mirrors in books."

Not all mirror books need to be about a specific person who has achieved great things. Kids also need to see kids just like themselves doing ordinary kid stuff like visiting the library, going to the pool, and playing in the backyard. Highly relatable books allow kids to identify with the characters. It's validating for kids to meet a character in a story who has hair that resembles theirs or wears glasses just like they do.

3. It allows for connections to be built.
When kids enjoy reading titles with characters who look like them, it helps form a connection to the book on another level. Identifying with the characters in a story allows for a deeper comprehension of the text because kids are making these kinds of self connections.

That is not to say that all books must have characters that look like our kids. As Bishop says, books also act as windows into other cultures, allowing us to travel to other places and connect with others who are not exactly like us.

Filling your kids' reading diet with books that act as mirrors and windows allows for a deeper and more well-rounded reading experience for them. Help your kids find titles where they see themselves, and beyond.

Connect with Jodie Rodriguez on her site, Growing Book by Book
Featured Photo Credit: © FatCamera/iStockphoto
Article Courtesy: Scholastic Parents

Credit -- Publisher: Clarkson Potter Publishers; Author: Melissa Clark with Daniel Gercke

"Kid in the Kitchen" -- A Book Review

Kid in the Kitchen: 100 Recipes & Tips for Young Home Cooks by Melissa Clark with Daniel Gercke, New York, Clarkson Potter Publishers, 2020.

Kid in the Kitchen is sophisticated, and Melissa Clark’s tone is straightforward and never condescending or “cutesy.” It is probably better understood and appreciated by tweens and teens than elementary school-aged children. In fact, the use of the word “kid” in the title is unfortunate and a bit misleading since the word kid can imply young children. Younger children can make recipes from this book, but they would need more help from adults.

The recipes are carefully explained, and Clark uses them to teach certain skills and to answer questions like why different brands of farro need different cooking times. The first few pages of the book are dedicated to a thorough explanation of techniques -- like whisking versus stirring, how to properly use a knife, and how to chop, in addition to a useful section on kitchen equipment and a ten-step “How to Cook Any Recipe.”

And, because it is 2020, author Clark even offers food photography hints so young chefs can take better photos of the dishes they have cooked in order to post social media.

The recipes cover the usual ones typically found in children’s cookbooks like burgers, tacos, pancakes, and directions for hosting an ice cream party. However, Clark has modernized her book with recipes for currently popular dishes like Pho, sesame noodles, Pajeon (Korean scallion and vegetable pancake), Piccadillo (Latin American ground meat), grain bowls, and quick pickles. Clark even includes some of her famous “sheet pan meals” but doesn’t promote the use of any special equipment or appliance. Every recipe includes a “tips and tweaks” section to help young cooks adapt a recipe, and most recipes are accompanied by a photograph. The index is not perfect which, sadly, is all too common in newer cookbooks and making some dishes hard to find. Also, there are no suggested prep times – perhaps on purpose so as not to put pressure on young cooks to meet a preparation standard.

This is a very comprehensive cookbook for young cooks (and adults) looking for reliable, easy-to-use recipes. If you have a teenager looking to learn some elements of cooking, this is a great option.

Food writer and cookbook author Melissa Clark is a staff reporter for the New York Times “Food” section, where she writes the popular cooking column “A Good Appetite.” She lives in Brooklyn with her co-author husband, Daniel, and 12-year-old daughter, Dahlia. She has written over 40 cookbooks, and this is her first for children.

Fairfax County librarian Marie Cavanagh

Marie Cavanagh is a librarian at the George Mason Regional Library in Annandale, Virginia. She coordinates a monthly book club called “Cook the Book!” where members cook from the same cookbook and discuss their results.

Marie tried the pancake recipe from the Clark book. "I wanted to try something super basic to see how they compared (to common pancake recipes). I wanted to weigh the ingredients instead of using measuring cups. Clark explains why (the pancakes) need to rest 10 minutes -- it makes them super fluffy, although they don't stay that way too long. Yes, I recommend them."