Happy Women’s History Month! Every March since 1988, Americans have celebrated Women’s History Month, honoring all the amazing contributions women have made throughout time. Personally, I’ve been celebrating women’s history every day since I was born!
Here are a couple of my favorite new biographies celebrating outstanding women and their achievements:
“Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré” written by Anika Denise and illustrated by Paola Escobar
Belpré originally came from Puerto Rico to New York City to attend a wedding and ended up staying! She answered an ad in the newspaper for a bilingual librarian at the New York Public Library, and while there, she told stories and did programs in Spanish for children. She soon discovered that the library had no children’s books in Spanish, so she began to write her own stories! This is a delightful biography about an amazing librarian who saw a need and creatively found a way to meet it. Her legacy continues with the American Library Association award named for her. The Pura Belpré award is presented to Latinx authors and illustrators for outstanding portrayals of Latinx culture in literature.
“The Only Woman in the Photo: Frances Perkins & Her New Deal for America” written by Kathleen Krull and illustrated by Alexandra Bye
Perkins was dedicated to learning all she could and went to college in a time when many women did not receive much education. During her years at school, she was required to observe working conditions in local factories and mills, and she saw how poorly women and children were being treated there. After witnessing the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, she started advocating for safer work environments for everyone. Her grandmother always said “When someone opens a door to you, go forward.” She followed that advice all through her life, including when Franklin Roosevelt asked her to serve in his presidential cabinet, making her the first woman to hold such a position.
I’ve included these books and more on a new book list to celebrate formidable women: “Picture Book Biographies About Women.” These awesome ladies come from all over the world and have achieved greatness in their respective fields. Firefighters, ballerinas, doctors, politicians and more come together to answer the age-old question:
As always, I am so excited to share these books with you! Don’t forget to put holds on whatever interests you, and remember that not all of these have been released yet. I can’t buy the ebooks or downloadable audio until their release date, so if you check the catalog later you might be able to snag a digital copy!
Picture Books
“I Am Not a Dog Toy” written by Ethan T. Berlin and illustrated by Jared Chapman
Sometimes friendship can surprise us. When a fancy stuffed animal bear (with pockets!) is given to a little girl for her birthday, the girl is unimpressed. The bear is sure they will be best friends, but the girl carelessly tosses him into the dog’s water bowl instead. The dog is delighted. The bear endures callous treatment from the girl, all while the dog tries to convince him how much fun they could have together. Eventually the bear comes to realize that friendship only means something when it’s reciprocated. Not only is this a great chance to discuss friendship with your little one, the story is told all in dialogue, which makes it a perfect choice to read aloud! Continue reading “Brianna’s Books: March Favorites 2021”
This arts and crafts project encourages children to use their fine motor skills and creativity to make a hanging to celebrate spring. Younger children can tear the different papers into strips to create the sky and the elements of the little bird’s nest. Older children may enjoy cutting the twigs rather than tearing and weaving them together to form the nest. This is a fun project that will result in a pretty hanging your child will be proud of. Continue reading “Build a Bird Nest”
Spring is almost here, FINALLY! To celebrate the new season, here are some great books, songs, videos and a fun activity that will hopefully help your family appreciate the joys and wonders of this most rejuvenating time of year.
A boy and his dog take a walk through a winter night and take cover during a snowstorm. When they wake up in the morning, they see the first signs of spring as the ice and snow begin to thaw. On their morning walk, they say hello to the new leaves, budding flowers, green grass and the singing birds who have returned. Continue reading “Virtual Activity Bundle: Spring”
Posted on Thursday, February 25, 2021 by Jessica S
Bugs are the best. They are the squishiest, the smallest and the creepy crawliest! I love to see them—from a distance. In this Virtual Activity Bundle, I will share some of my favorite bug-themed activities, books, music and more. Enjoy!
This book will take the reader from the intimate details of the creature’s life (Are bugs born as eggs? What do they eat? How fast do they grow?) to the bigger picture, offering a chance to explore their wider habitat and their friends and enemies. Continue reading “Virtual Activity Bundle: Bugs”
Children across Missouri have voted, and the winner of the 2020 Missouri Building Block Award goes to “Dandy” written by Ame Dyckman and illustrated by Charles Santoso. About 8,700 preschoolers and kindergartners participated, choosing “Dandy” as their favorite.
“Dandy” is a laugh-out-loud story of a father desperate to destroy the dandelion marring his perfectly manicured lawn and his daughter’s fierce attempts to save it. When Daddy spots a solitary weed in his lawn, he’s appalled (along with all of his neighborhood friends). But his daughter Sweetie has fallen in love with the beautiful flower, even going so far as to name it Charlotte. Racing against time and the mockery of his friends, Daddy has to find a way to get rid of the errant dandelion without breaking his little girl’s heart.
Here’s a picture of my bird feeder. It stays busy during these cold winter months.
Looking for a family-friendly activity to do from the comfort of your home this winter? Try bird watching! February is National Bird Feeding Month, so this is the perfect time to get started. More importantly, as you and your family enjoy watching the different birds that come to visit your bird feeder, you help your feathered friends stay warm and healthy.
Begin your bird watching hobby by first choosing an outside location that is clearly visible from inside your home. For example, our family chose our second-story deck, which is visible through sliding glass doors. Continue reading “Family Fun With Winter Birding!”
Sensory bags can be a great tool to help children get started learning their letters and numbers—especially if they don’t yet have the fine motor control to use writing tools. Children can use their fingers to trace letters and numbers on the bag. If they need some assistance, write the letters or numbers on a piece of paper, and place the paper under the bag for them to trace. Once you’ve gathered your supplies, you can follow along with our YouTube video. Continue reading “Recipes for Fun: Sensory Bags”
Hello friends and happy February! This month will slip by, and before we know it March will be here! For my second-to-last blog post of the winter, I’ve got some great options for you. Happy reading!
Squirrel is leading a quiet life in her apartment with her pet mouse, Chamomile…until a new neighbor moves in. Bear is large, with terrifying teeth and claws, and Squirrel is sure he is nothing but trouble. Yet the illustrations show a different story, as readers observe that Bear is clumsy but gentle, and loves baking cookies. Chamomile discovers this and spends time with Bear, much to Squirrel’s chagrin when she discovers them sharing a peaceful afternoon together. Not only will this book make a fantastic read aloud, it will be an excellent conversation starter about how to keep an open mind about others, free from misconceptions and prejudice. Continue reading “Brianna’s Books: February Favorites 2021”
One of the first things we teach children are the names of colors. Color words offer us a way to describe things in our world. Knowing colors is an important part of a child’s development. It helps children understand the objects around them and put words and concepts together. One of the best ways to introduce and reinforce this knowledge is through fun books and activities like the ones listed below.
“Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré” written by Anika Denise and illustrated by Paola Escobar
“The Only Woman in the Photo: Frances Perkins & Her New Deal for America” written by Kathleen Krull and illustrated by Alexandra Bye
One of the first things we teach children are the names of colors. Color words offer us a way to describe things in our world. Knowing colors is an important part of a child’s development. It helps children understand the objects around them and put words and concepts together. One of the best ways to introduce and reinforce this knowledge is through fun books and activities like the ones listed below.