Favorite May Reads Part 1

I've been reading SO much and so many excellent books I am behind on everything else in my life.  

This will be a double post!

Get Your Community Moving by Jenn Carson (Adult Nonfiction)

A great resource for anyone looking to implement programs for all ages that develop and encourage physical literacy. A few great ideas I love are the idea of a Wild Rumpus parade or taking another book that's all about movement and bringing it to life, sensory bins filled with everyday things like yarn and paper towel rolls, and creating a weaving wall. I also thought the section about how long it takes kids to dive into deep play was interesting.

Toasty by Sarah Hwang (Picture Book)

Toasty is a slice of magical bread who really just wants to be a dog. Though I felt sorry for Toasty it didn't stop me from laughing the entire way through his incredible journey from toast to toast-dog. The illustrations have a lot to do with this. For example, there is a hilarious picture of Toasty woofing like a dog. I can't do it justice by writing about it, but I will say I laughed like a maniac when I saw it. Toasty has lots of struggles - he battles sogginess, being chased by dogs, and almost gets eaten. But there is no need to worry. Toasty has a surprising but happy ending. 

Grasshopper by Tatiana Ukhova (Picture Book)

I enjoyed this wordless picture book way more than I thought I would. I am always skeptical of wordless picture books because it's tough to carry a story without words, and I am usually flummoxed by the end of the book. I like how the girl keeps encountering nature in all its wildness and brutality and that it's not just expressed in one moment. I also like how she initially humanizes the grasshopper and provides shelter and a "friend," but eventually embraces his wildness. The illustrations are beautiful - so cheerful and lively - and provide the perfect backdrop for the story.

Malala's Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai and illustrated by Kerascoët (Picture Book - Nonfiction)

I've enjoyed most Malala books because her story is so impactful and empowering and her family support is such a beautiful thing. This Malala book is my favorite though, because of how the illustrations depict the inspiration Malala took from the magic pencil program she watched as a child. The changes Malala hopes to make are illustrated as an added golden layer to her current reality and become words of action through her persistence, courage, and belief in herself and her family/community/country. 

Too Small Tola by Atinuke (Juvenile Fiction - Early Chapter Book)

Tola is a spunky and determined girl who lives with her brother, sister, and grandmummy. Her brother and sister seem pretty involved with their own interests, but the family is strong and supportive of each other. 

Tola's life in Lagos, Nigeria has unique challenges I've never experienced. Her family cannot depend on electricity and water and she is sometimes late to school because they need to stand in line and pump their own water, their grandmummy works six days a week, and her father lives in another country in an effort to make money he can send to his family. 

Though there are extra challenges in Tola's life, there is routine, reminders to be thankful, and lots of family love. When Tola wakes up one morning and discovers they do not have water she grumbles only briefly before getting to work. Sometimes a small line in a story speaks loudly to me, and there is one in Too Small Tola that really stands out: 

"Under the table are six empty jerry cans waiting for mornings like this when the taps run dry - again." 

Though there is exasperation in this line, there is also acceptance, and more importantly, the jerry cans are right where they belong, ready to go. This line lets the reader know that though there are lots of things in Tola's life that are out of her control, her grandmummy is doing everything she can to create stability and comfort. The family and their community of neighbors felt very real to me and made it easy for me to instantly settle in and feel like I was a part of the story. The book contains three stories but they all flowed well so it didn't feel like I was reading three separate stories. I also enjoyed the simple illustrations. Though they're simple and in black and white, the characters' expressions always shined through. I hope this series continues!

Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake and illustrated by Jon Klassen (Juvenile Fiction)

A surprisingly in-depth look at personalities, relationships, and behaviors. There is Badger, who is set in his ways, has a routine, and is a serious petrologist. And then there is Skunk, who comes to live with Badger. He is spontaneous, loud, creative, and loves the company of chickens. Does Skunk win Badger over or does Badger kick Skunk out? 

As a person with a Badger personality, there were a few times I cringed and almost couldn't continue. Skunk was so lovable but so disruptive! When a hundred chickens invade Badger's workspace for storytime I could feel my blood pressure rising. But thankfully I stepped beyond the comforts of my Badger personality and continued to read this charming book. 

It's incredibly silly, at times bordering on ridiculous. But it's also sweet and weirdly introspective at times. After Badger says mean things to Skunk he ponders his behavior, and his observations are quite astute: 

"His behavior had revealed things about him that he'd rather not know and now he knew. He should change. But he was a badger set in his ways. It would be just like him to fall right back into his old patterns and not make a single change." 

The writing is incredibly imaginative: lightbulbs hum "fluorescently," muffin tins are "barnacled with batter," and their kitchen turns into "a chicken biome of the Tropical Chicken Forest sort." 

I also feel like it's my duty to warn future readers (especially readers with Badger personalities) that a potato is flung into the kitchen corner during one of Skunk's creative breakfasts. It sits there the entire book and Badger keeps hoping Skunk will do the right thing and pick up the "rocket potato." But something better happens to the potato at the end. It becomes a representation of Badger and Skunk's relationship. Potato power! You'll have to read the entire book to find out whether the "rocket potato" is ever picked up off the floor though! 

While I wait for the second book to come out, I'm going to go find a chicken whistle and invite every chicken in the county to my house for a storytime!

The Library Bus by Bahram Rahman and illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard (Picture Book)

Pari's mom drives a library bus and brings books and education to kids who live in remote villages and refuge camps and cannot go to school. When Pari asks when she will learn to read like the kids on her mom's bus route, her mom tells her she will be able to learn to read at a real school. Even though school should be a necessity rather than a privilege, I like that Pari's mom is up front with Pari about this problem. I also think Pari's mom is an excellent role model and a great example that all it takes is one person to make a positive impact on the lives of others.