It’s the most wonderful time of the year! I have been patiently waiting for fall to come around again since the end of last November. Now that it’s finally here, I can share one of my new favorite graphic novels. I read this book way back in the dog days of summer and have been biding my time until I could share it with you! “The Accursed Vampire” by Madeline McGrane is utterly enchanting.
Our main character, Dragoslavia, is a vampire child, and as if that isn’t bad enough, they have been cursed by a witch! Dragoslavia must do the witch’s bidding, or she will turn their flesh into worms! The witch’s latest task takes Dragoslavia and their friends Quintus (a Black vampire) and Eztli (a vampire with bird feet) on a journey, and along the way, the party meets some kind (and not-so-kind) strangers! Quintus and Eztli also help Dragoslavia realize that their relationship with the witch is not healthy. This sweet graphic novel deals with a host of topics: chosen family, how to break off an abusive relationship, queer representation and vampires! What’s not to love? Happy haunting …. Errr, I mean reading!
Hello again! Are you enjoying autumn so far? After you’re done stomping on crunchy leaves and sipping apple cider, snuggle up somewhere cozy with one of these new books.
Picture Books
“Wombat Said Come In” written by Carmen Agra Deedy and illustrated by Brian Lies
Bush fires are raging in Australia, but Wombat isn’t worried. He knows he’ll be safe in his cozy, underground burrow and prepares to snuggle in with his favorite quilt and a mug of tea. Then a knock on his door introduces a succession of animals fleeing the fires, and Wombat invites them all in with unfailing hospitality. But Wallaby, Kookaburra, Platypus, Koala and Sugar Glider are not the most considerate house guests, and Wombat is eager to regain the serenity of his home after the danger is over. Yet when one of the animals doesn’t have a home to return to, Wombat’s compassion overrules his frustration with his guests. Kids can giggle at the animals’ antics but this book also creates a wonderful opportunity to discuss our responsibility to help others in need. And the Australian setting introduces fun animals that might not be as familiar to our North American audiences. Continue reading “Brianna’s Books: October Favorites 2022”
Did you know that our state lies on the ancestral lands of the Chickasaw nation, the Otoe-Missouria tribe, the Illini tribe, the Osage nation, the Ioway tribe and the Quapaw tribe? In last year’s blog recognizing Indigenous People’s Day, we learned a bit about Missouri’s Native heritage and featured some excellent picture book picks by Native authors. This year, I wanted to switch gears and highlight some chapter books!
Photo via Canva
All of the books in this list are written by authors who identify as Indigenous and come highly recommended by various Native American cultural groups and civil rights organizations. Several of these are recent publications from Heartdrum, a children’s and YA publishing imprint curated by Native author Cynthia Leitich Smith. More and more publishers are beginning to raise up Native voices, and it’s so exciting to finally see these underrepresented authors get the recognition they deserve. Please join us as we honor this year’s celebration and remembrance of Indigenous people past and present with a selection of chapter books for middle-grade readers! Continue reading “Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2022: Chapter Book Spotlight”
It’s fast approaching that spooky time of year again and, as another sequel to my previous Halloween posts, here is another batch of frightening books for older grade-school readers:
Happy October! I hope you’re enjoying the crisp chill in the morning air; the new hues of the leaves and grasses as they golden and rust; and the spice-warm scents of your favorite fall beverage. Besides welcoming in the seasonal shift from summer to autumn, October is well-known for another important phenomenon: it’s spooky season, y’all!!!
Happy autumn equinox! Today marks the beginning of fall in the Northern Hemisphere as the sun crosses the earth’s celestial equator and the amount of day and night are approximately the same. From here on out, days get shorter and nights get longer.
To welcome this shift and prepare for longer nights ahead, you might gather your kids for a read-aloud with blankets, hot cocoa and candles. Or, consider making a favorite fall treat and watching a spooky movie. Or, if you’re feeling extra adventurous, take your little ones — or big ones — for a neighborhood walk and see if you can find a Y-shaped tree branch or two to make this craft together, which was inspired by this wonderful book in our collection. For younger kids, be mindful of pointy edges and keep a close eye when assembling.
Materials needed:
Y-shaped tree branch or single straight branch
Yarn,
Scissors
Nature objects (optional)
A few things to keep in mind: Thick yarn and branches with a narrow Y shape make for quicker projects than thin yarn and branches with a wide Y shape. Younger kids may wish to wrap a single straight branch.
After finding your branch, begin by tying a double knot at the base of the Y section.
Did you know Missouri is the home for the only award in which children under the age of five pick the winner? It is called the Missouri Building Block Award. This year we have a great selection of books about sharks, lions, dinosaurs, skunks and more. Narrowed down from hundreds of nominations, the Building Block committee has chosen these ten titles based on how well each book reads aloud, appeals to children, how well the pictures and words work together and overall enjoyment.
Children are encouraged to read as many of the ten nominees as possible, then vote for their favorite between September and January. The winner will be announced next February.
The Sunday after Labor Day is recognized nationally as Grandparents’ Day. Maybe your family celebrated the grands in your life with Sunday brunch, or maybe your school put on a Grandparents’ Day celebration. Or perhaps this day quietly slipped you by. Maybe your kiddos lost their grandparents too soon or perhaps outside factors have led to strained relationships. Nevertheless, instilling an appreciation for the older members of our families and communities in the next generation is essential for the future health of our society. And when elders create connections with the young people in their lives, both groups are statistically proven to lead healthier, happier lives. In celebration of intergenerational relationships and everything elders bring to our children’s lives, I’ve put together a simply GRAND collection of picture books to share with all ages! Continue reading “Celebrating Grandparents and Elders in Picture Books”
Summer is winding down and school is here, but that doesn’t mean the adventures have to stop! With your library card, you can go on a virtual vacation from home using library resources.
To show you how easy it is, let’s travel to a location on my bucket list: Egypt!
CultureGrams Kids is a great place to start. You’ll find photos, recipes, maps, history and more. Did you know that Egypt has its own dialect of Arabic? It’s called Egyptian Arabic. This is similar to different dialects of English (think English spoken in the United Kingdom vs Missouri). My favorite part of any travel is trying out traditional food that I may not encounter in my daily life. CultureGrams provides recipes so that you can create this experience at home! I cannot wait to make Mahshi Krump (stuffed cabbage leaves) or Aish (traditional Egyptian flatbread). Continue reading “Adventures From Home”
Summer is winding down and school is here, but that doesn’t mean the adventures have to stop! With your library card, you can go on a virtual vacation from home using