A Few Beautiful Minutes (Kate Allen Fox)

 

We weren't in the path for a total solar eclipse in April 2024, but this book gave me the vibes I was hoping for if I had experienced it. The poetic style of writing brings a peaceful feeling. 

It didn't take too long for my students to notice that people in the book weren't wearing glasses when they looked at the eclipse though. Perhaps they need a second edition. 

Goodreads says:

A lyrical, exquisitely illustrated tribute to the solar eclipse.

What happens during a solar eclipse? The sun vanishes. Light becomes dark. Day animals sleep, and night animals wake. The moon takes over the sky. People stop what they’re doing and together, they look up. The whole world changes for a few beautiful minutes.

Celebrating the magic of this favorite wonder of the universe, A Few Beautiful Minutes encourages young readers to (safely) discover each stage of a solar eclipse—and to experience how this incredible phenomenon can connect us to one another.

Don't Worry Wuddles (Lita Judge)

 

Lita Judge writes beautiful books, many of which are non-fiction. This one is a fiction story about a sheep that just keeps giving and giving in preparation for winter. My class really enjoyed the repetetive nature of the story.

I couldn't help notice that sadly, in the end, the sheep is, ironically, left cold because she's given so much to others...luckily, all the animals give her a group hug.

Goodreads says:

In this snowy day picture book, a kindhearted but overeager duckling tries to be helpful by sharing Wuddles the sheep’s wool to make sure all their animal friends stay warm—but will there be enough for Wuddles?

Snow is coming, and the barnyard animals are preparing for the cold. Duckling has an excellent idea! Fleecy Wuddles the sheep has plenty of wool to keep everyone nice and toasty. Surely Wuddles doesn’t mind sharing? Soon there’s a goat in legwarmers, piglets in onesies, and more! But will this outpouring of generosity leave Wuddles himself out in the cold? Not to worry—Duckling has one final, absolutely heartwarming idea!

Born To Be Giants (Lita Judge)

 

This book is packed full of information about dinosaurs and animals today that they could be compred to. The illustrations perfectly show them as darling babies and fierce adults. 

Goodreads says:

TOO TINY TO BE TERRIFYING. The fascinating world of baby dinosaurs―in amazing pictures! What did a dinosaur look like sitting on its eggs? What kind of parent was a Tyrannosaurus rex? How could an Argentinosaurus, who probably hatched from an egg no bigger than 18 inches long, grow up to weigh more than 17 elephants? It's a sure bet that kids―always fascinated by dinosaurs―have wondered about these questions.BORN TO BE GIANTS, with its glossary of dinosaurs, easy-to-
understand text, and full-color illustrations, shows little readers how baby dinosaurs grew up to be GIANTS.

Because (Mo Willems)

 

Beautiful story about how we are connected and how any decision one person makes can change another person's life.

Goodreads says:

Mo Willems, a number one New York Times best-selling author and illustrator, composes a powerful symphony of chance, discovery, persistence, and magic in this moving tale of a young girl's journey to center stage. Illustrator Amber Ren brings Willems' music to life, conducting a stunning picture-book debut.

The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly (Margareta Magnusson)

 

This book is a hilarious group of random hilarious personal experiences of the author. She has some fun tips on aging and is a great example of just not stopping. She wrote this book in her 80's! It's a quick read and she has a great sense of humor.

Some of her tips:

• Eat chocolate
• Wear stripes
• The world is always ending....relax
• Look after your hair
• Don't leave empty handed (ie when you're going from one room to another...what needs to be taken to where you're going)
• If you bring something new into the house, take one thing out
• Get rid of your junk so your loved ones don't have to deal with it

I hope I'm as ambtious and wise in my 80s!

Goodreads says:

From New York Times bestselling author of The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning— now a TV series developed by Amy Poehler and Scout Productions—a book of humorous and charming advice for embracing life and aging joyfully .

In her international bestseller The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning Margareta Magnusson introduced the world to the Swedish tradition of döstädning , or “death cleaning”—clearing out your unnecessary belongings so others don’t have to do it for you. Now, unburdened by (literal and emotional) baggage, Magnusson is able to focus on what makes each day worth living. In her new book she reveals her discoveries about aging—some difficult to accept, many rather wondrous. She reflects on her idyllic childhood on the west coast of Sweden, the fullness of her life with her husband and five children, and learning how to live alone. Throughout, she offers advice on how to age gracefully, such wear stripes, don’t resist new technology, let go of what doesn’t matter, and more.

As with death cleaning, it’s never too early to begin. The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly shows all readers how to prepare for and understand the process of growing older and the joys and sorrows it can bring. While Magnusson still recommends decluttering (your loved ones will thank you!), her ultimate message is that we should not live in fear of death but rather focus on appreciating beauty, connecting with our loved ones, and enjoying our time together.

Wise, funny, and eminently practical, The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly is a gentle and welcome reminder that, no matter your age, there are always fresh discoveries ahead, and pleasures both new and familiar to be encountered every day.

Can We Please Give The Police Department To the Grandmothers? (Junauda Petrus)

 

I'm not sure this is written for children. It touched my heart - but I don't think kids would really love it. 

Goodreads says:

Based on the viral poem by Coretta Scott King honoree Junauda Petrus, this picture book debut imagines a radically positive future where police aren’t in charge of public safety and community well-being.

Petrus first published and performed this poem after the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri in 2014. With every subsequent police shooting, it has taken on new urgency, culminating in the 2020 murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, blocks from Junauda's home.
 
In its picture book incarnation, Can We Please Give the Police Department to the Grandmothers? is a joyously radical vision of community-based safety and mutual aid. It is optimistic, provocative, and ultimately centered in fierce love. Debut picture book artist Kristen Uroda has turned Junauda's vision for a city without precincts into a vibrant and flourishing urban landscape filled with wise and loving grandmothers of all sorts.

The Puppets of Spelhorst (Kate DiCamillo)

 

This is a quick read, but I'm not sure it'll be a hit with students. It could make for a good study though because it appears there is some amazing symbolism in there somewhere where I haven't quite gone yet. It's subtitled, A Norendy Tale, and in the bookjacket it references two more books....so maybe there is more to come to help me understand this story? In the beginning of the story the puppets are bought by the sea captain who spends all his time, and eventually dies in bed. In the end, Jane Twiddum takes the puppets to go find her lost love. Was her lost love the sea captain? Was he writing to someone else (she did have the letter) or did we just go full circle?

I need someone with more time than me to help me discuss this book and figure it out. Candlewick press has a bunch of really interesting questions. Perhaps this is meant as a middle school novel, similar to The Little Prince. 

Goodreads says:

From master storyteller Kate DiCamillo comes an original fairy tale—with enchanting illustrations by Julie Morstad—in which five puppets confront circumstances beyond their control with patience, cunning, and high spirits.

Shut up in a trunk by a taciturn old sea captain with a secret, five friends—a king, a wolf, a girl, a boy, and an owl—bicker, boast, and comfort one another in the dark. Individually, they dream of song and light, freedom and flight, purpose and glory, but they all agree they are part of a larger story, bound each to each by chance, bonded by the heart’s mysteries. When at last their shared fate arrives, landing them on a mantel in a blue room in the home of two little girls, the truth is more astonishing than any of them could have imagined. A beloved author of modern classics draws on her most moving themes with humor, heart, and wisdom in the first of the Norendy Tales, a projected trio of novellas linked by place and mood, each illustrated in black and white by a different virtuoso illustrator. A magical and beautifully packaged gift volume designed to be read aloud and shared, The Puppets of Spelhorst is a tale that soothes and strengthens us on our journey, leading us through whatever dark forest we find ourselves in.