Author Guest Post: “The Importance of Muslim Characters in Children’s Books: Fostering Inclusivity and Combating Misconceptions” by Rahma Rodaah, Author of Dear Muslim Child

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“The Importance of Muslim Characters in Children’s Books: Fostering Inclusivity and Combating Misconceptions”

When I was seven, my family left my home country and arrived in Canada. I was the only African and Muslim in my class. I was bullied a lot for being different. Because I couldn’t speak French or English, I learned to read very late compared to other children. Picture books were where I started to learn my first words. But before the words came to me, the images were all I had, and to this day, I remember how none of the pictures ever looked like me or my family. I then understood why I was being bullied; no picture book explained who I was.

Children’s literature is a powerful tool for shaping young minds, influencing perspectives, and fostering a sense of identity. In an increasingly diverse world, literature must reflect this diversity, allowing children to see themselves represented in the stories they read. This is particularly crucial for Muslim children, who often find themselves underrepresented in children’s literature. As Islamophobia continues to rise, the inclusion of Muslim characters in books not only helps Muslim children feel a sense of belonging but also plays a vital role in dismantling stereotypes and fostering understanding among all children.

I cannot overstate the power of representation in children’s literature. When children see characters who look like them, share their experiences, and come from similar backgrounds, it fosters a sense of validation and belonging. For Muslim children, whose identities are often shaped by their faith and cultural background, seeing characters who share their religious beliefs and cultural practices in the books they read becomes an affirming experience. This is one of the reasons why I wrote Dear Muslim Child: I wanted to affirm, celebrate, and normalize the identity of Muslim children.

Representation in literature helps children develop empathy and understanding for those who may be different from them. Exposure to diverse characters broadens their perspectives, cultivating an appreciation for the richness of the world’s cultures. It was important for me to write a book that gives a behind-the-scenes look at the struggles Muslim children deal with due to being misunderstood.

The rise of Islamophobia in recent years has highlighted the urgent need for positive and accurate portrayals of Muslims in all forms of media, including children’s literature. As a woman who veils, I am more hyper-vigilant whenever I am in unfamiliar environments because I fear being attacked. Negative stereotypes and misrepresentations contribute to the perpetuation of harmful biases, leading to discrimination and prejudice. It might seem like a small act, but I think the publishing of proud Muslim characters in children’s books serves as a powerful antidote to these stereotypes, fostering a more nuanced understanding of Islam and Muslim communities.

By offering authentic portrayals of Muslim characters with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and interests, children’s literature becomes a tool for dismantling the monolithic image often associated with Islam. It allows young readers to see Muslims as individuals with unique personalities, dreams, and aspirations rather than reducing them to one-dimensional stereotypes.

Children are naturally curious and open-minded, making them receptive to learning about different cultures and religions. Including Muslim characters in children’s books provides an opportunity to teach young readers about the values, traditions, and practices of Islam in a relatable and accessible manner. This exposure fosters a sense of familiarity, reducing the fear of the unknown and promoting cultural understanding. Moreover, it helps dispel the notion that Muslims are fundamentally different or incompatible with the societies in which they live. As children engage with Muslim characters in stories, they begin to realize the commonality of human experiences, building bridges of understanding that transcend religious and cultural differences.

Imagine reading hundreds of books and never seeing your name, your culture or the celebrations that are so important to you. Fortunately, most of us cannot relate to this experience, but for a lot of us, this is the norm. Children’s literature should be a mirror that reflects the diversity of the world and a window that opens up new perspectives. The absence of Muslim characters in books can inadvertently send a message to Muslim children that their stories are not important or worthy of being told. Inclusion is not only about representation but also about acknowledging the validity of diverse experiences. When Muslim characters are woven into the fabric of children’s literature, it sends a powerful message of inclusivity, telling young readers that their identities are valued and that their stories matter.

Including Muslim characters in children’s books is not only a matter of representation but a crucial step toward fostering understanding, combating stereotypes, and promoting inclusivity. Dear Muslim Child and other picture books are a love letter to Muslim children and a warm invitation to others to witness the joy and love of this community.

Published February 6th, 2024 by Balzer + Bray

About the Book: This inspirational picture book from the author of Dear Black Child encourages Muslim children to take joy and pride in their Islamic faith. Perfect for fans of In My Mosque and The Proudest Blue.

Dear Muslim Child, your story matters.

In this lyrical ode to Islam, Muslim children all over the world are encouraged to celebrate their faith and traditions.

From DEAR MUSLIM CHILD by Rahma Rodaah, illustrated by Aya Ghanameh. All rights reserved. Used by permission of HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray.

About the Author: Rahma Rodaah was born and raised in Hargeisa, Somaliland. At the age of eight, her family immigrated to Canada, where she still resides today. She is a mother of four children and enjoys reading and coming up with silly bedtime stories. She is also the author of Dear Black Child and two self-published picture books. You can visit her online at rahmarodaah.com.

About the Illustrator: Aya Ghanameh is a Palestinian illustrator, writer, and designer from Amman, Jordan. She received her BFA in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design with a concentration in Literary Arts, and completed a year-long Children’s Books & Gifts Design Fellowship at Chronicle Books. You can visit her online at ayaghanameh.com.

Thank you, Rahma, for this reminder of the importance of mirrors (Sims-Bishop) in books for all ages!

Remember Us by Jacqueline Woodson

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Remember Us
Author: Jacqueline Woodson
Published October 10th, 2023 by Nancy Paulsen Books

Summary: National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson brings readers a powerful story that delves deeply into life’s burning questions about time and memory and what we take with us into the future.

It seems like Sage’s whole world is on fire the summer before she starts seventh grade. As house after house burns down, her Bushwick neighborhood gets referred to as “The Matchbox” in the local newspaper. And while Sage prefers to spend her time shooting hoops with the guys, she’s also still trying to figure out her place inside the circle of girls she’s known since childhood. A group that each day, feels further and further away from her. But it’s also the summer of Freddy, a new kid who truly gets Sage. Together, they reckon with the pain of missing the things that get left behind as time moves on, savor what’s good in the present, and buoy each other up in the face of destruction. And when the future comes, it is Sage’s memories of the past that show her the way forward. Remember Us speaks to the power of both letting go . . . and holding on.

About the Author: Jacqueline Woodson (www.jacquelinewoodson.com) received a 2023 Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship, a 2020 MacArthur Fellowship, the 2020 Hans Christian Andersen Award, the 2018 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, and the 2018 Children’s Literature Legacy Award. She was the 2018–2019 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, and in 2015, she was named the Young People’s Poet Laureate by the Poetry Foundation. She received the 2014 National Book Award for her New York Times bestselling memoir Brown Girl Dreaming, which was also a recipient of the Coretta Scott King Award, a Newbery Honor, the NAACP Image Award, and a Sibert Honor. She wrote the adult books Red at the Bone, a New York Times bestseller, and Another Brooklyn, a 2016 National Book Award finalist. Born in Columbus, Ohio, Jacqueline grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, and Brooklyn, New York, and graduated from college with a B.A. in English. She is the author of dozens of award-winning books for young adults, middle graders, and children; among her many accolades, she is a four-time Newbery Honor winner, a four-time National Book Award finalist, and a three-time Coretta Scott King Award winner. Her books include Coretta Scott King Award and NAACP Image Award winner Before the Ever After; New York Times bestsellers The Day You Begin and Harbor MeThe Other Side, Caldecott Honor book Coming On Home Soon; Newbery Honor winners FeathersShow Way, and After Tupac and D FosterMiracle’s Boys, which received the LA Times Book Prize and the Coretta Scott King Award; and Each Kindness, which won the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award. Jacqueline is also a recipient of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement for her contributions to young adult literature. She lives with her family in Brooklyn, New York.

Review: Remember Us may be a historical fiction book, taking place in the 1970s, but Sage’s story is timeless. In the book, you have so many layers to look at. First, Woodson’s vignettes are beautifully crafted which makes the book such a wonderful read. Then you have the layer of the fires in Sage’s neighborhood and fire in her own life. There is also her love of basketball, and her amazing talent, as well as the questioning about her identity this leads to. Finally, it is a story of family and friends with Sage’s mom and Freddy playing star roles. All of this leads to a multi-layered novel that is a truthful look at growing up and remembering the past.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation and Discussion Questions: Check out this Educator’s Guide from Penguin Random House!

Flagged Passage: 

After the year of fire
vines rise up
through the rest of our lives
of smoke
of flame
of memory.
As if to say
We’re still here.
As if to say
Remember us.

1

The moon is bright tonight. And full. Hanging low above the house across the street where an orange curtain blows in and out of my neighbors’ window. Out and in. And past the curtain there’s the golden light of their living room lamps. Beyond that, there is the pulsing blue of their tele­vision screen. I see this all now. I see a world continuing.

And in the orange and gold and blue I’m reminded again of the year when sirens screamed through my old neighborhood and smoke always seemed to be billowing. Somewhere.

That year, from the moment we stepped out of our houses in the morning till late into the night, we heard the sirens. Down Knickerbocker. Up Madison. Across Cornelia. Both ways on Gates Avenue. Down Ridgewood Place. Rounding the corners of Putnam, Wilson, Evergreen . . .

Evergreen. Sometimes a word comes to you after time has passed. And it catches you off guard. Evergreen. The name of a family of trees. And the name of a block in Brooklyn. Evergreen. Another way of saying forever.

That year, nothing felt evergreen.

Palmetto. A word that has never left me. A word that in my mind is evergreen. Palmetto. The name for both a stunning tree and an oversize cockroach. Palmetto was also the name of a street in my old neighborhood. And that year, Palmetto Street was burning.

2

That was the year when, one by one, the buildings on Palmetto melted into a mass of rock and ash and crumbled plaster until just a few walls were left standing. Walls that we threw our balls against and chased each other around. And at the end of the day, when we were too tired to play anymore, they were the walls we simply sat down by and pressed our backs into, staring out over a block that was already, even as we stared at it with our lips slightly parted and our hands shielding the last of the sun from our eyes, almost gone.

We said Well, nothing lasts for always, right?

We said One day even the whole earth will disappear.

We were just some kids making believe we understood.

But we didn’t. Not yet.

We didn’t understand the fires. Or life. Or the world.

But we knew that neighborhood was our world.

And we knew . . . our world was burning.

Read This If You Love: Jacqueline Woodson’s books such as brown girl dreaming and Harbor MeTroublemaker by John Cho, The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez, The Unsung Hero of Birdsong USA by Brenda Woods

Recommended For: 

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**Thank you to Penguin Young Readers for providing a copy for review!**

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 2/19/24

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
For readers of all ages

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop we host which focuses on sharing what we’re reading. This Kid Lit version of IMWAYR focuses primarily on books marketed for kids and teens, but books for readers of all ages are shared. We love this community and how it offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. The Kid Lit IMWAYR was co-created by Kellee & Jen at Teach Mentor Texts.

We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.

Happy reading!

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Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Coping with Creative Arts” by Rebecca Weber, Author of The Painter’s Butterfly

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

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Kellee

It’s my week off! To learn more about any of these books, click on any title/image to go to the book’s Goodreads page or check out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

I had to see what the hype was all about. I must admit—this book was very well-done. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas fits in the new romantasy genre (fantasy and romance), but it is much lighter on the romance than Fourth Wing. I thought that the fantasy world-building was magnificent, and I really appreciated the intelligence behind some of the plot maneuvers. I am not typically compelled to read second books (and onward) within a series, but I am tempted with this one.

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Ricki

Reading for class SSR: Gone Wolf by Amber McBride

Listening: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Reading for book club: Solito by Javier Zamora

Reading with my 7yo: Tyrannosaurus Wrecks by Stuart Gibbs

Reading with my 10yo: Holes by Louis Sachar

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Tuesday: Remember Us by Jacqueline Woodson

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “The Importance of Muslim Characters in Children’s Books: Fostering Inclusivity and Combating Misconceptions” by Rahma Rodaah, Author of Dear Muslim Child

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Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

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Author Guest Post: “Coping with Creative Arts” by Rebecca Weber, Author of The Painter’s Butterfly

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“Coping with Creative Arts”

From the time I could speak, I wanted to be a teacher! I bet you thought I was going to say author. But professional writing seemed like the kind of career that only lottery winners and famous-people-who-were-not-me could achieve. I spent much of my childhood bossing around my younger sister and cousins, forcibly sitting them in front of a stand-up chalkboard and passing out quizzes to be sure they were paying attention to my genius lesson plans. With each scrape of the chalk against the blackboard, I had not a single doubt that teaching was the career path meant for me.

Fast forward to student teaching in college and I got a hard dose of reality real fast. Education is stressful for everyone involved: administrators, teachers, and students alike. While I loved working with kids to enhance their wonder of the world, the nearly unattainable standards and diversity of learning styles threw me for a loop, not-to-mention my undiagnosed anxiety acting as my own worst enemy. I made it through student teaching mostly emotionally intact, and one of my favorite memories of the whole experience was when I created a poetry unit for my fourth grade class. I’d been head-over-heels for poetry since elementary school, and surely the kids would explode with excitement over poetry too.

Not exactly! I got quite the mixed response to my unit plan. Some kids took a very simple approach, creating poems that rhymed but didn’t have much personal significance. Some kids stared at me like I’d grown three heads when I brought up “haikus” and “syllables” and “structure.” I’m sure they were thinking “Poetry is for old people long dead. What’s it matter to me?.” However, there were a select few that completely transformed through the week or two of my unit. One boy in particular, an athlete and class clown, read multiple poems in front of the class, each with deep emotional significance and obvious natural talent. He had never written poetry in his life, and yet his words entrapped me, bared his soul for everyone to see. Without it, I probably wouldn’t have glimpsed his ‘truth’. Proud isn’t a strong enough word. I’ll never, ever forget how poetry helped him unfurl his vulnerability.

Poetry is but one of many forms of art essential to living. I’m of the belief that everyone should have something in which to channel their passion. With anxiety and mental illness pervading current day society as it does, the arts have never been more necessary (or underappreciated). Creative arts allow people to see and understand themselves, to sort through emotional struggles or questions in a proactive and beautiful way. And yet, education insists that tests are the true measure of learning. I taught preschool for many years in a private school because it gave me the freedom to teach kids in a way that suited them best. Preschool makes self-expression a priority through fun first: singing, arts and crafts, dance, and active play. As teachers, we wove academic learning into those artistic activities. And the kids were better for it. Preschoolers are essentially at an age where they’re learning to be functioning humans, but who decided that once kids reach elementary, middle, or high school they’ve suddenly achieved full self-awareness? The idea seems ludicrous to me.

In my debut middle grade novel, The Painter’s Butterfly, 12 year-old foster child, Nova, uses her innate talent for drawing to cope with a lifetime without a permanent home. In fact, I’d say the only reason Nova survived her nomadic lifestyle is because of her art. She finds a kindred spirit in her newest guardian, painter Mr. Russell, and they use their mutual love of art to build a positive bond with one another. While The Painter’s Butterfly is a work of fantasy and fiction, the creative arts hold the same merit and potential in our everyday lives. Writing, painting, drawing, music, you name it…each allow us to channel confusing emotions into something tangible that can be more easily understood. The arts allow us to truly be seen.

The creative arts put human passion and well-being ahead of everything else, and I know many educators who utilize these incredible tools in their classrooms, despite the “teaching to the test” mentality.. I hope one day society puts the arts on their deserved pedestal, but until then…

Have you been creative today?

Published February 7th, 2023 by Kinkajou Press

About the Book: What if art could come alive and guide you home?

Twelve-year-old foster child Nova longs to find her one true home. When jealousy of her art ability upends her most cherished placement, Nova’s dropped in the middle of nowhere to live with painter Mr. Russell in his ramshackle farmhouse.

While exploring, Nova sneaks into the attic and discovers a magical easel that brings paintings to life. She puts her art skills to the test and gets caught in a whirlwind adventure, complete with rainbow butterflies, a devious leprechaun, and a journey to the rainforest.

Following the magic, Nova stumbles upon an underground cellar that houses a startling secret. She’s forced to choose: escape to a prior foster home, or mend her relationship with Mr. Russell. Nova makes a dangerous mistake when she strikes a match of revenge. She must survive the inferno to learn the true meaning of home.

About the Author: Rebecca is a Midwestern girl with a lifelong passion for books! She spends most of her time nurturing her baby girl and two Boston Terrier fur-babies, and flipping houses with her realtor husband. It took fifteen years to find the courage to craft her first novel, The Painter’s Butterfly, but now she’s never letting her feather pen go! While she misses teaching preschool-aged children their ABC’s, Rebecca is thrilled to have the chance to reach middle graders worldwide with her fantastical stories.

Social Media Info:
Twitter: @RWeberWrites
IG: rebeccaweberwrites
Facebook: Rebecca Weber – Author
TikTok: @rweberwrites
Email: rebeccaweberwrites@gmail.com

Thank you, Rebecca, for reminding us of the importance of creativity!

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 2/12/24

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
For readers of all ages

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop we host which focuses on sharing what we’re reading. This Kid Lit version of IMWAYR focuses primarily on books marketed for kids and teens, but books for readers of all ages are shared. We love this community and how it offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. The Kid Lit IMWAYR was co-created by Kellee & Jen at Teach Mentor Texts.

We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.

Happy reading!

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Tuesday: Educators’ Guide for The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

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Kellee

Middle Grade

   

  • Iveliz Explains is All by Andrea Beatriz Arango: A beautifully written book about Iveliz learning how to stand up for how she feels and the help she needs. Written in verse, the book gets to the heart of advocacy.
  • Drawing Deena by Hena Khan: I reviewed this a couple of weeks ago!
  • Anzu and the Realm of Darkness by Mai K. Nguyen: This new fantastical graphic novel reminds me of a Miyazaki film–full of magic, adventure, and a bit of weirdness. It was a wonderful read, and I cannot wait to share it with my students!
  • Remember Us by Jacqueline Woodson: I look forward to reviewing this next week.
  • The Probability of Everything by Sarah Everett: This book. WOW! It is about the end of the world. The apocalypse. But unlike any book I’ve ever read and any you have either. Just read it.

  • Nightshade and Nightshade Revenge by Anthony Horowitz: These are the last two Alex Rider books that have come out (#13 & #14). This series is about a teen spy (now 16 though was 14 when the series started) and each book takes you on such an adventure! These last two are no exception–I couldn’t put them down! (I am worried that #14 is the last one though…….. 😢)

Young Adult

 

  • The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson: Oh man. This book is genius. Jackson did a fantastic job of revamping Stephen King’s Carrie, but she “ramps up the horror and tackles America’s history and legacy of racism in this suspenseful YA novel.” I can definitely see why it got the praise it did and is on the Florida Teen Reads list.
  • Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon: This book made me laugh, made my heart sing, made me cry, and made me not want to stop reading. I couldn’t ask for any more in a romance book. Nicola Yoon knows what she is doing.
  • The Mary Shelley Club by Goldy Moldavsky: What happens when a prank club gets pranked themselves? This book is full of chaos and twists and turns throughout. I did not see the end coming at all!
  • You’re Not Supposed to Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron: Whoa! This was definitely more horror than I was prepared for and had quite an odd twist that I didn’t see coming. I still am not sure how I feel about it, but I know that it was way more twisted than I saw coming!
  • They’ll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman: This thriller is more than meets the eye. It seems to be about a serial killer who has returned, but it is about so much more. The teens are quite complex and the extra element of the sister rivals with anger issues makes it so the mystery isn’t resolved until the end of the book.

Picture Books

  • Rumi: Poet of Joy and Love by Rashin Kheiriyeh: This picture book is a narrative biography of Persian poet Rumi that definitely honors his story and his words. His wisdom and timelessness radiate off the page and are beautifully decorated with Rashin Kheiriyeh’s art that adds to the enchantment.
  • The Artivist by Nikkolas Smith: I saw Nikkolas Smith speak at our Florida Library Conference in November, and he shared this book with us, and I knew I had to read it because it combined what I think are two of the most important things in the world: Art and Activism, and this book is a call to action for both.
  • Something, Someday by Amanda Gorman, Illustrated by Christian Robinson: Amanda Gorman’s poetry has a flow and rhythm that just makes it so special. Combine that with her beautiful messages of community, togetherness, kindness, and how wonderful this world could be, and reading her work just moves the reader. Then you mix in Christian Robinson’s artwork, which is some of my favorite, and you have a book that is a call to action and a piece of art.
  • My Block Looks Like by Janelle Harper, Illustrated by Frank Morrison: What a wonderful love letter to the character’s block, and with Frank Morrison’s artwork, the book is one that will be fun to read aloud and one that kids will love to read independently. Also, I used to teach a short story (or an excerpt), I believe it was by Walter Dean Myers, that was about listening to your neighborhood, and this picture book reminds me so much of that. I used that story to teach imagery, and I can see this book fitting into that exact same lesson. Kids can hear what the protagonist’s block is like: picture it, hear it, imagine it. Then they can write their own.
  • The Magical Snowflake by Bernette Ford, Illustrated by Erin K. Robinson: What a perfect winter picture book! It captures the love that kids have when snow arrives and all the magic that comes with it. In addition to all of the feels the story and beautiful illustrations bring, the writing is magical also–filled with imagery and figurative language all that bring the book to life.

Classic

  • The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway: I own an original copy of The Old Man and the Sea that was printed in LIFE magazine, and Trent asked me what it was, so we decided to listen to it together.

To learn more about any of these books, click on any title/image to go to the book’s Goodreads page or check out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

See you next week!

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Kellee

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Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Coping with Creative Arts” by Rebecca Weber, Author of The Painter’s Butterfly

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Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

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Educators’ Guide for The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo

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The Puppets of Spelhorst
Author: Kate DiCamillo
Illustrator: Julie Morstad
Published: October 10th, 2023 by Candlewick Press

Summary: From master storyteller Kate DiCamillo comes an original fairy tale—with enchanting illustrations by Julie Morstad—in which five puppets confront circumstances beyond their control with patience, cunning, and high spirits.

Shut up in a trunk by a taciturn old sea captain with a secret, five friends—a king, a wolf, a girl, a boy, and an owl—bicker, boast, and comfort one another in the dark. Individually, they dream of song and light, freedom and flight, purpose and glory, but they all agree they are part of a larger story, bound each to each by chance, bonded by the heart’s mysteries. When at last their shared fate arrives, landing them on a mantel in a blue room in the home of two little girls, the truth is more astonishing than any of them could have imagined. A beloved author of modern classics draws on her most moving themes with humor, heart, and wisdom in the first of the Norendy Tales, a projected trio of novellas linked by place and mood, each illustrated in black and white by a different virtuoso illustrator. A magical and beautifully packaged gift volume designed to be read aloud and shared, The Puppets of Spelhorst is a tale that soothes and strengthens us on our journey, leading us through whatever dark forest we find ourselves in.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation and Discussion Questions: 

Please view and enjoy The Puppets of Spelhorst educators’ guide I created for Candlewick Press:

You can also access the educators’ guide here.

You can learn more about The Puppets of Spelhorst on Candlewick’s page.

Recommended For: 

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 2/5/24

Share

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
For readers of all ages

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is a weekly blog hop we host which focuses on sharing what we’re reading. This Kid Lit version of IMWAYR focuses primarily on books marketed for kids and teens, but books for readers of all ages are shared. We love this community and how it offers opportunities to share and recommend books with each other.

The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. The Kid Lit IMWAYR was co-created by Kellee & Jen at Teach Mentor Texts.

We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up below, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs.

Happy reading!

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Tuesday: Drawing Deena by Hena Khan

Sunday: Author Guest Post: “Traveling the Globe with the City Spies” by James Ponti, Author of City Spies: Mission Manhattan

**Click on any picture/link to view the post**

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Kellee

It’s my week off! You can learn more about any of the books I’ve been reading by checking out my read bookshelf on Goodreads.

Ricki

This week, I read The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. I absolutely loved this book. It is one that I will always remember. The main character can change past regrets and see where her life would be if she chose differently. The book made me very self-reflective.

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Tuesday: The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo

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Link up below and go check out what everyone else is reading. Please support other bloggers by viewing and commenting on at least 3 other blogs. If you tweet about your Monday post, tag the tweet with #IMWAYR!

 Signature andRickiSig