Writings, Wanderings

A very touching children's book. This tale about a mother elephant and her baby is told in a delightful rhyme pattern that is perfect for a read-aloud. Each action is one that a young child can relate to, loving gestures of a parent. The illustrations created with pencil, acrylic, and Photoshop pull their design from knitting and other objects such as doilies and baskets. The visuals are lovely.

For Everyone  by Jason Reynolds This book really resonated with me. As an adult you're expected to have it all together and yet there are those moments where to paraphrase a popular meme, you find yourself looking around for a more adultier adult. Other days you just don't feel as though you are where to want to be. And some days, you simply feel lost. This collection of poems addresses these emotions in honest, reflective verses. I felt like I was part of a conversation as I paged through the four parts of the book, the words pulling me along. One of my favorite segments was when he talked about how creativity was for everyone, not just the typical artists. Jason's words were encouraging and also motivating. The writing wasn't just to make you feel ok about where you were in life but to keep moving forward, no matter the stage or walk you were in. I recommend this book "for everyone" but especially anyone who's searching for the n...

Sometimes I read a book and it's just so good that I want to give it more attention than adding it in to a monthly wrap-up of reads. This Caldecott Honor Book is one of those stories. As a Spanish teacher, I am always keeping my eyes open for any literature that connects to my classroom; Spanish, English, bilingual, I simply want more good options for my students to connect them to the language and culture. When I saw this book at the library, I knew I had to evaluate it and today while my Spanish IV students read their own free-reading choices, I opened the book up. I had expected a basic story that explained the traditional Hispanic naming pattern of two last names, but I was immediately endeared to spunky Alma who found her string of given names too long. However, as her father explained the family connection to each name, the little girl beamed with discovery of similarities to her relatives. I loved this! The message of the importance of family came through clearly wit...