Each month, or more precisely every 29.5 days, here on earth we are treated to the most extraordinary of ordinary sights, a constant and recurrent phenomenon that occurs no matter the weather or season; no matter where we are located or who we are with; no matter, indeed, whether or not we can actually see or perceive this sky-high dazzling with our eyes or an enhanced lens. Can you guess what I’m referencing? Perhaps a small poem by contemporary children’s book author Amy Sklansky would help:
World Poetry Day, which takes place every year on March 21, was founded in 1999 by UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) to celebrate, in their words, “one of humanity’s most treasured forms of cultural and linguistic expression and identity.” It was intended as a day to honor poets and to bring greater public awareness to all the different types of poetry. To celebrate this upcoming day, I wanted to highlight the various types of poetry books that we have available to grade school readers, especially those who may just be getting interested in or exposed to poems as a creative expression. Continue reading “Celebrate World Poetry Day”
Books are often the first exposure children have to the broader world outside of their homes. I have spent much of the past few weeks thinking about these early reading experiences, especially as it relates to Black History Month, and I focused on two questions:
How important are these early book choices, whether we are making them with our children or for our children?
When should parents and caregivers start intentionally choosing books for children that directly address topics like race and racism? Especially white parents and caregivers, like me?
Author Amina Luqman Dawson’s first novel Free Water, a middle-grade book about a secret community of formerly enslaved people living in the wilderness, received both the 2023 John Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Book Award from the American Library Association. She is the first African American author to win both awards.
I turned, as I often do in these crucial parenting moments, to the experts for some support. Luckily, I only had to turn as far as the list of people and places I follow on Instagram. One of my favorite follows — and one of the country’s leading voices on the importance of Black history for early education — started her career right here in Columbia. Dawnavyn James is a Stephens College graduate and former kindergarten teacher at Parkade Elementary, where she gained national recognition for her TikTok videos and Black History Club toolkit. Continue reading “It’s Always a Good Time to Celebrate Black History”
I love books! Which is great since I work in a library, but I specifically really love nonfiction books. Fiction books are a great way to escape or get lost in a story, but I have to say nonfiction books are some of my favorites. I love learning new things about the world around me and I love learning about real people just living their lives. When I picked up “I Am Not a Label” it was love at first sight. “I Am Not a Label: 34 Disabled Artists, Thinkers, Athletes and Activists from Past and Present” by Cerrie Burnell and illustrated by Lauren Baldo is a beautifully illustrated book about people from all over the world with disabilities. Continue reading “Books We Love: I Am Not a Label”
I love winter, especially snow. This is probably one of the reasons I love sharing winter-themed activities. I’ve also discovered a new appreciation for crafts that can be adapted in multiple ways.
These melted snowpeople can be created with or without paint, allowing children to practice fine motor skills while creating art.
Crochet, knitting, macramé, weaving… Fiber arts seem to be popping up everywhere these days! Weaving is a great place for beginners to start, as there are no complicated patterns or fancy stitches to trip you up. You don’t even need a ready-made loom to get started. With some recycled cardboard and a little math know-how, kids can DIY their own!
This creative project puts practical STEM skills to use, like using a ruler and doing some simple multiplication. For this reason, this weaving project is probably best enjoyed by kids ages 7 and up. Younger kids who may struggle to construct their own loom or put on the finishing touches may enjoy collaborating with a parent, caregiver or older sibling to design a woven wall hanging of their very own. Regardless of age or ability, everyone can come away from this craft with a basic understanding of the age-old art of weaving and a beautiful, homemade wall hanging! Continue reading “Easy Woven Wall Hanging”
I tend to read a lot of fantasy, so I think that’s often what my eye is drawn to when writing these blogs. This time, I’ve kept it all contemporary realism! Well, mostly. There is an anthropomorphized bird, but that’s kind of standard for a picture book. I hope you enjoy these new books, and that they help you to walk a mile (or two!) in someone else’s shoes.
Picture Books
“Finding Papa” written by Angela Pham Krans and illustrated by Thi Bui
Mai lives with her mama and papa in a small village in Vietnam and loves playing with Papa. Her favorite game is “crocodile chomp” when Papa chomps his hands together like a hungry crocodile. One morning, Papa says an extra-long goodbye and doesn’t come back. He’s gone to find them a new home, and Mai consoles herself by playing crocodile chomp alone. Finally, Mama gets a letter and they pack a bag and leave to find Papa. Through rivers and boats and unfamiliar cities, Mama and Mai make their perilous journey together. Crocodile chomp paves the way for their eventual reunion with Papa. Love and hope shine from these pages, and the author’s notes at the back provide touching context from their personal immigration stories. Continue reading “Brianna’s Books: February Favorites 2023”
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, which means you’ve probably already encountered plenty of heart-shaped items in stores across town, from pillows to candles to cookware and, of course, candy, candy, candy. Growing up as a future poet and all-around word nerd, I was always drawn to the snippets of love language stamped on Brach’s tiny conversation hearts, even though the actual taste and texture of these chalky candies left MUCH to be desired. (Sidebar: wintergreen and banana flavoring in the same package??? XOXO, no.) This year, instead of falling into the same old nostalgic trap of thinking “hmmm, maybe this time these hearts will be both adorable and delicious” (which they just never are), I decided to get my fill in a different way: by making my own long-lasting conversation hearts out of bakeable clay!
💖🔤💜💖🔤💜💖🔤💜
To make your own conversation hearts, you will need the following:
Oven-bake polymer clay, in Valentine’s and/or Brach’s colors like red, pink, yellow, orange or pastel purples and greens (or whatever colors you like!)
A cutting board or clean work surface
A paring knife or craft knife
Small metal alphabet stamps and/or toothpicks to draw your own letters in the clay
We are now just shy of one month into the new year of 2023, a dazzling number that perhaps seems more at home in futuristic science-fiction stories than IRL. To help you (and myself if I’m being honest) wrap your mind around the sheer mundane magnitude of those four digits — and the two thousand and twenty-three years since the beginning of the Common Era that they represent — I’ve got a math-tastic list of stories and resources to practice and polish that most elementary and essential art of counting. 🔢
Each month, or more precisely every 29.5 days, here on earth we are treated to the most extraordinary of ordinary sights, a constant and recurrent phenomenon that occurs no matter the weather or season; no matter where we are located or who we are with; no matter, indeed, whether or not we can actually see or perceive this sky-high dazzling with our eyes or an enhanced lens. Can you guess what I’m referencing? Perhaps a small poem by contemporary children’s book author Amy Sklansky would help:
