This
book is complete picture book perfection. It’s got a classroom of kids, a
seemingly unremarkable plant named Jerry, a patient teacher who’s smarter than
he seems, frustration, problem-solving, creativity, love, growth, humor, and
the absolutely most unexpected but perfect ending a picture book could ever hope
for. And, it is exceedingly well-written.
I’m a hard sell when it comes to picture
books making me laugh, but this one got me. And, it’s charming as heck. So
charming. You’ll never look at a houseplant the same after reading this story.
Trust me: You need this book! And so do
any children in your life.
An irresistible picture book about a boy and his classmates who long for a class pet, but discover the joys and rewards of nurturing a class plant.
Room 107 has a cockatiel. Room 108 has a chinchilla. Even the Art Room has a bearded dragon. But in Room 109, Arlo's classroom, there is a plant. A mostly green, hardly growing, never moving plant. Even though it doesn't squeak, whistle, or whimper, Arlo’s teacher says the plant is “more than enough excitement for us.” But what could possibly be exciting about a plant?
I consider picture books a success if they make me want to hug them, and this book totally delivered on that count.
This book is about some students who find
out their school librarian hasn’t returned for the new school year. They vow to
ignore the replacement until the beloved Ms. Stack (ha!) comes back. Their plan
is foiled — or is it? — by Ms. Bangle, the new librarian.
This book has more text than a lot of
picture books released today, but it totally works. And, it is full of
hilarious asides including references to lithographic printing, hemming pants,
rotator-cuff surgery, lesson plans and lima beans. What more could you really
want?
This is Cara Devins’ debut, which makes
me curious about what she’ll create next. I bet it will be awesome.
A brilliant librarian helps students to welcome big changes in this picture book by Cara Devins with illustrations from K-Fai Steele.
It’s a new school year, and something is different. The students’ beloved librarian, Ms. Stack, has retired. The new librarian, Ms. Bangle, is not the same! She has different ways of doing, well, everything! How will the students ever adjust?
Change isn’t easy, but it can be a positive experience. With a bit of patience, and a lot of heart, it can be positively brilliant.
This book blew me away. It’s
the sort of book that made me ask, “Why didn’t I think of that?” Because the
topic is so perfect, and the style is just the sort of thing I would love to
take credit for. But I can’t. And that’s OK, because
Jessica and Nicole did such a stellar job.
Enough is... addresses the age-old
question, “How much is enough?” It’s a question that applies equally well to
small children, tweens, teens, young adults, middle-aged folks and senior
citizens.
Whether you want the latest heavily
marketed toy or iPhone, are trying to decide how much house you can afford,
what you can spend on a vacation, or how much you’ll need to comfortably
retire, it’s a question we’ve all pondered.
The book is absolutely
gorgeous and full of quotable lines. I strongly urge you to acquire it as soon
as possible, read it, and then talk about it with someone in your life. You’ll
both be better for it.
How many friends, turns, clothes, toys, fashion accessories, books? How much of anything? The pictures follow one child as she learns the difference between wanting and needing and, in the end, feels the contentment that flows from being satisfied with what she has. The text, meanwhile, frames a difficult idea in simple, spare language: "Somewhere between a little and a lot, there is Enough. It might be hard to spot, but it's always there."
Have you ever dreamed of building something?
Maybe something little – like a birdhouse? Or something big – like a
skyscraper? If you can envision it, you can build it!
A Girl Can Build
Anything is a playful celebration of
all the different ways readers can make things – from tinkering to
tool-wielding. From ideas on paper to big, lived-out dreams that require brick
and mortar. This fun and empowering ode to self-expression will inspire readers
to jump up and immediately start to build. Because they can.
This book was inspired by the real-life Lumber
Club Marfa, a group of girls in Marfa, Texas, aged seven to 14, who build and
sell all sorts of things.
