Eyes That Weave the World's Wonders (Joanna Ho)

 

This story is beautiful. It would be perfect for anyone that is adopted....all the wondering about how you came to be adopted. 

Goodreads says:

From  New York Times  bestselling Joanna Ho, of Eyes that Kiss in the Corners, and award-winning educator Liz Kleinrock, comes a powerful companion picture book about adoption and family. A young girl who is a transracial adoptee learns to love her Asian eyes and finds familial connection and meaning through them, even though they look different from her parents’. Her family bond is deep and their connection is filled with love. She wonders about her birth mom, and comes to appreciate both her birth culture and her adopted family's culture, for even though they may seem very different, they are both a part of her, and that is what makes her beautiful. She learns to appreciate the differences in her family and celebrate them.

Threads: Zlata's Ukrainian Shirt (Lina Maslo)

 

A good story to read about communism and the on-going disputes between Russia and Ukraine. It was published in 2024, so the Russian invasian had started - but it's not mentioned.

Goodreads says:

Threads is an inspiring picture book about a girl’s survival of the 1930s Ukrainian Famine-Genocide, messaging hope, pride for one's heritage, and context for today's War in Ukraine.

The threads on Zlata’s beautiful birthday blouse were knotted by her mother’s hands. “Red is for love, and black is for sadness,” her Papa says. Her Mama warns her not to show it off. Ever since the Communists came from Russia to Ukraine, they prohibited the teaching of Ukrainian culture. They’ve even taken the grain from Zlata's family's fields. But despite the danger, her parents refuse to give up their art, language, or beliefs.

As Zlata works to help her community survive, she finds that the dream of freedom is stitched deeper into the Ukrainian spirit than she could ever imagine.

Drawing from her own family’s experience in the 1932-33 Ukrainian Famine-Genocide, Lina Maslo weaves a thoughtful story that dares us not the forget the pain of the past as it informs the present conflict in Ukraine and inspires hope for the future.

The Fitness Curveball (Tim Borys)

 

I had hopes that this book would talk about how to always be an exercises, even when life throws you curveballs. It doesn't really do that though. It does have some good information on habits and belief systems although some of the practices he suggests are a little weird and a waste of time, if you ask me. Having a good foundation of habits definitely is helpful though for when things go sideways, so I'll give him some credit. There is a lot on proper form for exercise too - which is hard to soak in through reading. I bet he's a good personal coach. He book was just so so if you ask me though. 

Goodreadsa says:

Nothing!! There's nothing on Goodreads and mind was the first review. Now that's new! 

Eclipse: How the 1919 Solar Eclipse Proved Einstein's Theory of General Relativity (Darcy Pattison)

 

Isaac Newton showed that light bends by taking pictures of the 1919 eclipse. Lots of good scientific info in here! 

Found on Epic

Goodreads says:

In 1915, British astronomer Arthur Stanley Eddington was fascinated with Einstein's new theory of general relativity. The theory talks about how forces push and pull objects in space. Einstein said that the sun's gravity could pull and bend light.

To test this, astronomers decided to photograph a solar eclipse. The eclipse would allow them to photograph the stars before and during the solar eclipse. If the star's position moved, then it was evidence that that light had bent. Eddington and his team traveled from England to the island of Principe, just off the African coast, to photograph the eclipse.

In simple language, this nonfiction illustrated picture book explains how the push (acceleration) and pull (gravity) of space affects light.

Back matter includes information on Einstein, Eddington, and the original photograph of the 1919 solar eclipse.

My Tree (Hope Lim)

 

This would work with plant life cycles, extreme weather, storms, etc. It would also be a good topic of discussion in our imagination unit.

Goodreads says:

When a young boy's beloved plum tree falls in a storm, he feels like he's lost both a friend and a connection to his old home.

A young boy, recently arrived from Korea, finds a glorious plum tree in his new backyard. It reminds him of a tree his family had back home, and he names it Plumee for the deep purple plums on its branches. Whenever the boy is homesick, he knows he can take shelter in Plumee's tall branches.

And when a storm brings the old tree down, he and his friends have all kinds of adventures on its branches, as it becomes a dragon, a treehouse, and a ship in their imaginations. But soon it's time to say goodbye when the remains of the tree are taken away. Before long, a new plum tree is planted, new blossoms bloom, and a new friendship takes root.

For Laika (Kai Chng Thom)

 

This story tugs on the heart strings. I guess there was a stray dog that a Russian scientist adopted for an experiment on Sputnik 2. It burst into flames when it returned to earth and Laika, of course, died. The author says it is part fable, part dog story and part history lesson. It is not surprising that a transgender person who is often ostricized and forgotten would have the empathy to write a story about this dog. Oh my heart! 

If I were to read this to a class, it would definitely have to be on a day when there is time to discuss it after.

Goodreads says: 

The heart-rending story of Laika, the brave space traveler, by the co-authors of From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea.

By two of the co-authors of the acclaimed children’s book From the Stars in the Sky to the Fish in the Sea: the moving beautifully told story of Laika, the dog who learned the names of the stars. Laika is an orphaned stray dog who lives in the streets of Moscow in the then Soviet Union. Although she is loved by her pack, Laika longs one day to learn the names of the stars, since she knows that all dogs become stars when they die—including her parents. One day, a Russian scientist named Vlad offers Laika the chance to travel to the stars by helping him with an important experiment, an event that will change the entire world.

Part fable, part dog story, part history lesson, young and older readers alike will find themselves captivated by Laika’s brave and loving heart, and by her story, which holds important lessons about world peace, science, and the deep bonds between humans and every other creature with whom we share the planet.

As Brave As A Lion (Erika Meza)

 

Amazing illustrations! I could feel what it is like to stand at the top of a very high slide.

Kids should do hard things! This is my new motto amidst all the accomodating that seems to be the rage these days.

Goodreads says:

A child and her lion have a one-of-a-kind friendship in this vibrantly illustrated story of overcoming fears—and being there for each other when it matters.

No matter how fast I go, or where I end up, my brave lion sticks with me—my lion’s always there!

When she and her lion are together, one little girl feels like she can do anything. Whether she’s afraid of the dark, or too shy to speak and in need of finding her voice, her big, bold companion always looks out for her. But one day, the inseparable pair decide to climb the new, dizzyingly high rocket slide at the playground together, and the girl discovers that even lions sometimes get afraid. Can she summon the strength to be his lion when he needs her? Joyful, expressive artwork glowing with bright primary colors brings to life the story of a special bond—and a child’s discovery of unexpected courage.