For the past few months I have been reading with two of my nieces through Facetime each week. Autumn just finished first grade and Harper just finished second grade. We've been reading a lot of early chapter books aka transitional chapter books, and I've really enjoyed learning more about this special kind of book. Reading with my nieces is also one of the things I most look forward to. It's been a great way to connect with them since we live so far away from each other. They live in Arizona!
I've been reading every early chapter book series I can get my hands on. I've read a few series I did not like at all (sorry not sorry Magical Bunnies). There have also been a couple books I've read with Harper that were surprisingly challenging (Nancy Clancy comes to mind). Most of the series have been fun to explore and a couple are true gems. Too Small Tola, which I mentioned yesterday, is at the top of the list. I also love Ivy & Bean and the Zoey and Sassafras series, which I'll talk about in this post.
Here are the rest of the amazing books I read in May:
Kiyoshi's Walk by Mark Karlins and illustrated by Nicole Wong (Picture Book)
I really appreciate how Kiyoshi's grandfather, Eto "shows" him what poetry is rather than "telling" him. Though not all senses were represented, Eto demonstrates that poems are a combination of exploring our senses, listening, paying attention to our feelings, and using our imagination. The most beautiful moment for me was when Eto explained that poetry is about how our outside and inside worlds come together. All of this is done in few words with simple text and illustrations. It's a really great way to talk about poetry with all ages.
The Cat Man of Aleppo by Irene Latham & Karim Shamsi-Basha and illustrated by Yuko Shimizu (Picture Book)
The Poop Song by Eric Litwin and illustrated by Claudia Boldt (Picture Book)
This is my new favorite potty training book to recommend. It highlights the differences between the way animals and humans go potty. Though elephant poop doesn't really weigh a ton (thank goodness) and space Martians may or not poop by faraway stars (a delightful experience I'm sure), this book is so much fun to read and shows kids that using the potty like a big boy/girl is such a rockstar thing to do! It also has a catchy tune (look it up) and is guaranteed to give you at least one laugh (that will last the entire book).
The Zoey and Sassafras series by Asia Citro and illustrated by Marion Lindsay (Juvenile Fiction - Early Chapter Book)
This series is so great! Zoey's mom is a scientist who can see magic animals and one day Zoey finds out she can see magic animals too! Zoey and her mom offer their help any time the magical animals need it. Because Zoey's mom is a scientist, they tackle their problems with the scientific method. And the problems are so interesting and unique! For example, why is the dragon that shows up at their house so weak? And in later books, why does the monster grow mold on his back and what's polluting the merhorses stream? This beautifully illustrated early chapter series is perfect for kids interested in both science and fantasy. Included in the back of each book is a glossary for challenging words like 'hypothesis' and 'conclusion.' And I can't forget Zoey's cat, Sassafras, who can also see the magical animals and is an adorable sidekick and helper in all of Zoey's journeys to uncover the solutions to the magic animals' problems.
Malala Yousafzai by Isabel Sanchez Vegara and illustrated by Manal Mirza (Picture Book - Nonfiction)
This beautifully illustrated short bio of Malala focuses more on her life after the Taliban attacked her. I like how this book talks about the Taliban, which isn't an easy thing to do for the intended audience of this picture book. Vegara writes, "it was like being in prison for doing nothing wrong" when she talks about how women and girls weren't allowed to express themselves and have an education. I also appreciate the brief mention of Malala's college education and how she is fighting for women's rights along with other women from Pakistan, Nigeria, and Syria.
Planting the Trees of Kenya by Claire A. Nivola (Picture Book - Nonfiction)
After reading a small blurb about Maathai and wanting to learn more about her, I was delighted to discover the library has several picture book bios to choose from. If you are fascinated by Maathai's story of perseverance and her passion to help others "take charge of their environment," you may want to read all the picture books written about her (and maybe more). Though each picture book bio offers something a little different, Nivola's book was my favorite! It's a little wordy but not too wordy and it really focuses on the story of how Maathai positively impacted Kenya by planting just a few seeds. The illustrations are also beautiful, both soft and vibrant.
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