I’ve struggled with anxiety since childhood, but it wasn’t until I was an adult that I even realized that I could do something about my anxiety. Then, when my seven-year-old daughter was diagnosed and began therapy for her anxiety, I knew other kids deserved to learn these tools, too. No child should have to suffer with anxiety like I did for years. Instead, it’s my hope that through fiction books like these, kids can identify with these characters suffering from anxiety, see themselves in their stories, and be equipped to manage their anxiety so that they can flourish in their lives—starting right now.
I like that this book showcases what not to do when you encounter someone struggling with anxiety—as the book’s overzealous protagonist (prone to messes of all sorts!) discovers when she wants to help a classmate who’s so afraid of bugs that she won’t even play at recess.
When Veronica’s first instincts don’t work (humor, distraction, etc.), I loved that the book spotlighted a different mental-health tactic: exposure therapy or systemic desensitization, a technique that I haven’t seen other books introduce to children.
I also loved that the book specified that you can’t force someone to get over their fears; it has to be something they want for themselves. Instead, Veronica acts as an invaluable (and endearing!) support network for her friend when she decides to face her fears for herself.
Recess rocks--at least that's what Veronica thinks, but second grader Maya doesn't agree. Maya's so terrified of bugs she chooses to spend every recess in the principal's office. Veronica is intent on helping Maya conquer her fear, but when her tactics misfire (and make a massive mess), Veronica's sure she's made things worse for Maya ...until her mom and dad turn the tide with some good advice. Veronica's best friend Cora, big brother Jude, and Jude's best friend Ezra help rescue Veronica's rescue mission--and the Fix-It Friends are born! Told from Veronica's hilarious perspective, and with a diverse cast, the…
I’ve been in love with animals my whole life. I loved them so much in fact, that I wished to become one, whether it was a sea otter, wild horse, or a dolphin. Today, I’m fortunate enough to not only write about animals, but I also advocate for their protection as an ambassador for Wild Tomorrow and Defenders of Wildlife. As co-founder of the Children’s Book Creators for Conservation, I help other children’s book writers and illustrators connect with conservation stories in the field. I hope you’re as inspired by these books as I am!
I wish I could singlehandedly scrub away the fear humans have of spiders. Alas, that is not possible, but you’ll think twice about killing a spider after reading this book. This stunningly illustrated picture book invites readers into the fascinating world of (arguably) one of the cutest arachnids around, the jumping spider.
“What if you were very small?... What would your world be like?” Immediately, you are transported into the mind of a jumping spider, how they navigate their world, and what makes them so important to their ecosystem. This book is a must-read for anyone curious to learn more about these incredible little creatures and the smaller world right in our own backyard.
1
author picked
Jumper
as one of their favorite books, and they share
why you should read it.
This book is for kids age
4,
5,
6, and
7.
What is this book about?
What if you were small as a bean, and could walk on the walls and ceiling, sense vibrations through your elbows, and jump five times your body length?
That is Jumper's world.
This beautifully illustrated nonfiction picture book explores the tiny, secret world of backyard jumping spiders, with robust back matter sure to delight young readers and educators alike. Perfect for fans of Katherine Roy, Candace Fleming and Eric Rohman, and Jason Chin.
I’m a New Englander by birth, a Canadian by circumstance, and a Nova Scotian by choice. For as long as I can remember, I’ve told stories, first to my little sister—a captive audience—then to my children, then at my book readings, and now on my podcast, Kate and Friends, which I’m lucky enough to record with two professional musicians. For me, the ultimate test of a story is whether it can be told without visual aids. While I love picture books, and the way an artist can deepen a child’s experience of a story, I gravitate to satisfying, stand-alone tales with a good twist. They’re difficult to write, easy to remember, and great fun to tell!
One of my daughter’s perennial favourites, I read this so often I had it memorized, and found it great to tell even without the hilarious pictures. In this story, Kate is facing her first day of school. So miserable is she at the very idea, she gets out on the wrong side of the bed. So of course, everything goes wrong! Her school is a dungeon, her teacher is a gorilla, and the dinner lady serves spiders, snails, and snakes for lunch. Brave Kate fights back, runs home, and saves her own day when she gets up all over again, on the right side of the bed. This is, underneath, a story about attitude, and reassures kids about the reality of school by comically exaggerating one child’s fears. But it’s also great fun to tell, with silly voices, unexpected developments, and a fine arc of tension till Kate decides to…
Every child's worst nightmare is brought to life by Fancesca Simon's enchanting and witty text and by Peta Coplans' bright, bold and quirky illustations. This funny, original book is full of charm and humour - and it has a happy ending!
I
teach memoir writing for a living, so I read a lot of memoirs. Abigail Thomas’s
memoirs are the best of the best.
What I love about her writing is her humor, attention to detail, and lack of pretentiousness. And, in this book,
I’m reminded of something else I love about her work, which is her ability to
turn life’s most mundane moments into art.
Though she is specifically examining
life at the age of eighty, this is a book with acute wisdom for readers of any
age.
In her new memoir, Abigail Thomas ruminates on aging during the confines of COVID-19 with her trademark mix of humor and wisdom, including valuable, contemplative writing tips along the way.
As she approaches eighty, what she herself calls old age, Abigail Thomas accepts her new life, quieter than before, no driving, no dancing, mostly sitting in her chair in a sunny corner with three dogs for company-three dogs, vivid memories, bugs and birds and critters that she watches out her window. No one but this beloved, best-selling memoirist, could make so much over what might seem so little.
Of all the intelligent species (both real and fictional), humans fascinate me the most. For me, it’s the creativity and diversity of humans that both divide and unite us. Our eternal struggle to understand one another and overcome our differences fascinates me. I love first-contact science fiction that lets us view the values and behavior of our own species through the lens of true outsiders. I find great value in these parables when they increase self-awareness of our identities and our effect on others.
As a big fan of xenofiction, I appreciated that large parts of the book were written from the perspective of non-humans. I loved the author’s imagination, which, while innovative, never strayed into the implausible.
I was very interested in the timespan of thousands of years and the concept of accelerated evolution, and I found the intelligent, massive spiders to be both creepy and fascinating. For me, Children of Time was a good page-turner and a great read.
Winner of the 30th anniversary Arthur C. Clarke Award for Best Novel
Adrian Tchaikovksy's critically acclaimed, stand-alone novel Children of Time, is the epic story of humanity's battle for survival on a terraformed planet.
Who will inherit this new Earth?
The last remnants of the human race left a dying Earth, desperate to find a new home among the stars. Following in the footsteps of their ancestors, they discover the greatest treasure of the past age - a world terraformed and prepared for human life.
But all is not right in this new Eden. In the long years since the…
This Urban Fantasy is one of the best series I’ve ever read, and it has a unique main character (she’s spiderkin). She has trouble fitting in, reading people, and understanding nuances even though she has a human form because she was raised via spider culture more than human ones.
The two books in the series have been fantastic and fascinating so far. The main character has a unique way of attacking problems, investigating mysteries, and using her seer abilities. It was an engrossing read, and I can’t wait for the next book.
As a spider-kin seer, Liliana’s eyes can see the future. What she didn’t see was her visions leading her out of her voluntary seclusion and into the lives of the first friends she’s had in decades. Friends Liliana just rescued from the deadly venom of widow spiders.
Determined to keep the warmth of belonging and stay out of her shell, she looks into the future again and sees death. Her friends Pete the red wolf, Siobhan the fairy sprite, and Nudd the goblin doctor will all die soon—if she doesn’t take steps to nudge the future and discover who was…
I’ve loved words from the moment I met them. I wrote my first poem when I was eight years old and haven’t stopped yet! As a children’s book author, I love incorporating rhyme, poetry, or lyrical prose in the stories I write. I was a shy kid and often felt like my poetry wasn’t “good enough.” It is my goal to get kids excited about all forms of poetry and I want them to know that they can be poets if they want to and that writing, reading, and sharing poetry is fun and rewarding.
Like Daniel, young kids may have heard the word “poetry,” but what exactly is a poem?
The collage illustrations will draw you in as Daniel takes a walk through the park asking creatures, “what is poetry,” the spider answers, saying, "to me poetry is when morning dew glistens.” Or maybe it’s “moonlight on the grass.” Daniel finds that poetry is different things to different animals, and he learns that to find his poem all he has to do is look around and listen. A perfect introduction to poetry!
Stunning collage art full of rich color, glorious details, and a sense of wonder—reminiscent of the work of Ezra Jack Keats—illustrate this delightful story celebrating the poetry found in the world around us.
What is poetry? Is it glistening morning dew? Spider thinks so. Is it crisp leaves crunching? That’s what Squirrel says. Could it be a cool pond, sun-warmed sand, or moonlight on the grass? Maybe poetry is all of these things, as it is something special for everyone—you just have to take the time to really look and listen. The magical thing is that poetry is in everyone,…
I identify as a member of the GLBTQ+ community. My husband and I had a church wedding. I have written several stories that have GLBTQ+ representation and are love stories. I have also read and familiarized myself with many GLBTQ+ children’s books.
In this story, two worms fall in love with each other. When they decide to get married, their friends ask who will wear the dress and who will wear the tux. In the end, it doesn’t matter what they wear, because worm loves worm.
I love the simple, noncomplicated theme that no matter who you want to spend your life with, love is love. The illustrations are delightful and charming.
Perfect for fans of And Tango Makes Three and The Sissy Duckling, this irresistible picture book is a celebration of love in all its splendid forms from debut author J. J. Austrian and the acclaimed author-illustrator of Little Elliot, Big City, Mike Curato. You are cordially invited to celebrate the wedding of a worm ...and a worm. When a worm meets a special worm and they fall in love, you know what happens next: They get married! But their friends want to know-who will wear the dress? And who will wear the tux? The answer is: It doesn't matter. Because…
I fell deeply in love with books as a child, wrote oodles of stories growing up, majored in English literature, and built a writing career in advertising and TV. But my deep love of children’s books never faded. Somewhere in my 30s, I had an epiphany sitting on the couch one day: I clearly saw that writing children’s books was what I wanted to build my life around. It took a lot of time and effort to accomplish that, but with the aid of a helpful hamster named Humphrey – and his friend Og - I found my happy place, and I hope I never, ever “grow up.”
Charlotte’s Web has it all: animal characters, a strong story with life and death at stake, yet as gentle as a breeze. Starring a naïve pig named Wilbur who faces a daunting future… and a unique friend in a spider named Charlotte. Again, a tale of true friendship when brave Charlotte soars beyond the limitations of a spider to save Wilbur.
Charlotte’s depth of character and creativity, paired with Wilbur’s innocence, makes this a classic book for all ages. Yes, she spins the words “Terrific” and “Some Pig,” but in the end, Charlotte herself is one terrific and memorable spider.
Puffin Classics: the definitive collection of timeless stories, for every child.
On foggy mornings, Charlotte's web was truly a thing of beauty . Even Lurvy, who wasn't particularly interested in beauty, noticed the web when he came with the pig's breakfast. And then he took another look and he saw something that made him set his pail down. There, in the centre of the web, neatly woven in block letters, was a message. It said: SOME PIG!
This is the story of a little girl named Fern, who loves a little pig named Wilbur - and of Wilbur's dear friend,…
I’ve been reading Tolkien since I was seven years old, mumblety-mumble years in the distant past, but it wasn’t till much later that I got serious about reading critical works on Tolkien, and then turned to writing about him, myself. Twenty years ago, I published my first book on Tolkien. Since then, I’ve edited a number of essay collections, published many papers, consulted on the Hobbit movies, amassed a respectable personal library, and edited Mythlore, one of the major journals in the field of Tolkien studies, since 2006. My love of Tolkien has led me on many adventures and to deep and abiding friendships around the world!
I love a good, solid, chewy book of critical essays around a specific theme—I know, it’s a specialized taste. This is a good one.
Yes, I’d love to tramp peacefully around Middle-earth with the field guide I reviewed above, but there are horrors there as well, and this collection gives Tolkien’s dragons, wolves, spiders, and other monsters their due.
Fear and horror are an inextricable part of Tolkien's great mythology and his use of medieval sources for his evocations of fear and horror contribute to the distinctive tone of his work. This collection of essays shows how his masterly narrative techniques transform his sources, both familiar and unfamiliar, so that hitherto benign characters, objects and landscapes, as well as his famous monstrous creations, engage with deeply rooted human fears. The essays, by an international group of scholars, confirm Tolkien's worldwide reputation. They highlight the depiction of the fear associated with marginalised characters; explore the moral implications of light and…
