Ricki – Page 28 – Unleashing Readers

Sloth Wasn’t Sleepy by Kate Messner, Illustrated by Valentina Toro

February 11, 2021 by Ricki

Sloth Wasn’t Sleepy
Author: Kate Messner
Illustrator: Valentina Toro
Published: January 12, 2021 by Sounds True

Goodreads Summary: For any child having trouble getting to sleep, the most lovable animal in the rain forest is here to help.

One night at bedtime, Sloth wasn’t sleepy.
“What if I worry when I try to fall asleep?” Sloth said.
“Ah … worries,” Mama said. “We will have to let them go.”

A tough day, a bad dream, a scary noise … these are just a few of the things that can keep kids wide awake and frightened after dark. But Mama Sloth knows the secrets for calming worried minds and getting to sleep—and as she shares them with her daughter, young readers will learn valuable relaxation skills that last a lifetime.

Sloth Wasn’t Sleepy does more than provide a sweet bedtime story—kids will join Sloth to learn mindfulness practices such as “shrinking down” fears in their mind and calming their body through breath and simple visualizations. Kate Messner’s beautiful book helps parents and kids relax into dreamland with a sense of peace, safety, and belonging.

Ricki’s Review: This book is simply magical. Since moving to Colorado, I have understood the value of mindfulness. My kids do meditation at night, and it has really helped their sleep. This book is going to be so helpful to facilitate the process. The charming illustrations drew my attention immediately, and my kids were giggling as we read the book. The words feel carefully and intentionally placed, and they soothed me, as the reader, too! I plan to gift this book to my younger sons’ teachers to use before naptime.

Kellee’s Review: My son is definitely afflicted with a large imagination, specifically when it comes to bedtimes and fears. Reading about Sloth’s worries and her mom’s advice on how to overcome this anxiety is something I will definitely be bringing up whenever these fears erupt at bedtime. I think many kids will find solace in these routines that Mama Sloth set up for Sloth in the story–between the relaxing onomatopoeias, the deep breathing, and the visualization, the story definitely brings a calm over the reader. And to add to this feeling is the adorable and cool-colored illustrations that just tie it all together.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Implicit in this book is a description of anxiety. A common manifestation of anxiety comes with nighttime worrying. I’d love to use this book in literature circles centered around mental health, or in a way that allows children to think about the ways in which they negotiate feelings of worry and anxiety.

Discussion Questions:

What interrupts Sloth’s desire to rest?
How does Sloth work to go to sleep?
How can you adjust your own habits to improve your sleep?
What worries do you have? Shrink them, lay it on a leaf, and set it free.
When else could you use a breathing technique like the one Mama Sloth taught Sloth?

We Flagged: “‘Sometimes,” Mama said, “I like to pretend I’m a tree. Drinking up breath from my roots to my crown, from my toes to the top of my head. Would you like to try that, too?'”

You can also check out:

The Sloth Wasn’t Sleepy PDF Sample on the book’s Sounds True page.
A virtual story time with Kate Messner at @BelmontBooks on Instagram (January 12th): https://www.instagram.com/belmontbooks

Read This If You Loved: Sloth Wasn’t Sleepy by Frann Preston-Gannon; Sparky by Jenny Offill, “Slowly, Slowly, Slowly” Said the Sloth by Eric Carle, Dinosaur Farm by Frann Preston Gannon

Recommended For:

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**Thank you to Samantha at Sounds True for providing copies for review!**

Author Guest Post by Vivian McInerny, Author of The Whole Hole Story

January 31, 2021 by Ricki

Typically, I think of reading as a way to settle and quiet my mind. I hope The Whole Hole Story has the opposite effect on readers. I wrote the story with the opposite intention. I hope the story and illustrations spark and excite young minds to consider the infinite possibilities of their own imaginations.

In The Whole Hole Story, young Zia discovers a hole in her pocket. She imagines all the things a hole might be, from a swimming hole to an elephant trap, and even a tunnel to the other side of the world. It’s a simple concept that allows room for imagination.

The idea is similar to the kind of “constraint” prompts often used in writing workshops such as, write about two strangers on a bus or write about this particular object for ten minutes —go! The paradox is that rigid constraints incite rather than stifle imagination.

I took several Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCS) through the University of Iowa taught by leaders of their famous Iowa Writers Workshop. (Highly, highly recommend —and they are free.) One class suggested writing a short story in which every sentence contained a number. Some participants created clever lists. Others wrote stories in which the numbers were more or less buried, and might even go unnoticed by an unsuspecting reader.

I’m one of those annoying workshop participants who initially dismissed such “tricks,” convinced they wouldn’t work on me. It was a delight to discover constraints useful for jumpstarting ideas. It occurred to me later that as a staff journalist for a daily newspaper, I routinely wrote with rigid constraints. Facts were a kind of constraint. (Despite opinion of the media to the contrary, most journalists really do rely on facts!) Looming deadlines were a form of time constraint.

I think young children often feel discouraged by a world of which they have little control. I hope Zia prompts them to consider imaginative thinking as an ultimate form of autonomy.

Classroom discussion suggestions from author Vivian McInerny and illustrator Ken Lamug.

Imagine the possibilities of an ordinary object such as a crochet hook or colander. Like Zia, they can imagine the object bigger, smaller, rigid, flexible, bent, filled, turned this way or that, multiplied, etc. (As a past volunteer coach with The Odyssey of the Mind program, I found this prompt useful.)
Consider how the imaginative illustrations of Ken Lamug further the story. When the elephant is trapped in the hole, Lamug imagines Zia with a rope to help him out. When Zia digs the hole deeper, Lamug imagines buried treasure, dinosaur bones, and a busy mole. And when the hole falls on top of Zia for two whole pages, Lamug adds the element of time with day turning to night. None of those things are mentioned in the text but come from the unleashed imagination of the artist.

From illustrator Ken Lamug

Draw what you think could come out of the hole.
Talk about India and what kind of outfits the elephant might wear. Significance of those outfits. clothes.
Consider the different kinds of animals that go to the watering hole. Significance of water as a finite resource. How would you preserve water?
Playful things you can make with mud?
What are cool things to collect that fit in your pocket?

Published January 12, 2021 by Versify

About the Book: In Vivian McInerny’s playful debut, readers will fall in love with wonder again as Zia imagines what might happen if the hole in her pocket became big enough to fall right through. The Whole Hole Story is perfect for readers looking for a fresh take on the classic Harold and the Purple Crayon.

Zia is used to the hole in her pocket—she frequently fills it with frogs and other objects. And as it gets bigger and bigger, she starts to wonder what might happen . . . if she fell right through. Would she cover it with a blanket to catch an elephant, or dig a tunnel to the other side of the world? The possibilities are endless, and readers will love following Zia’s adventurous imagination from beginning to end.

With hilarious wordplay paired with Ken Lamug’s bright and colorful illustrations, The Whole Hole Story will appeal to kids’ divine sense of silliness. Perfect for fans of Du Iz Tak?, and They All Saw a Cat.

Video Interview with publisher Kwame Alexander, illustrator Ken Lamug & author Vivian McInerny:

Vivian McInerny is a journalist and fiction writer. Her short stories are published in several literary magazines including 805 Lit+Art, Dunes Review, and Literature for Life. The Whole Hole Story is her first children’s book. Vivian McInerny Twitter: Facebook Ello

Illustrator Ken Lamug is an award-winning professional dabbler. He was born in the Philippines and moved to the US with his entire family during his teenage years. Currently, he enjoys his life as an author/illustrator of picture books and graphic novels for middle-graders to middle-agers.

In his past life he was a beekeeper, race car driver, filmmaker and chicken herder. He currently lives in Las Vegas (although he doesn’t gamble) where he spends time with his family and two dogs.

Ken is the Illustrator Coordinator for Nevada Chapter of SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators). He also teaches graphic novels for Storyteller’s Academy and a team member of #KidLitGN Pitch event.

Thank you, Vivian, for sharing about the book!

Sofia’s Kids’ Corner: Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk

January 23, 2021 by Ricki

Sofia is an 9-year-old brilliant reader who aspires to be a book reviewer. On select Saturdays, Sofia shares her favorite books with kids! She is one of the most well-read elementary schoolers that we know, so she is highly qualified for this role!

Dear readers,

If you are looking for a book that takes place maybe 100 years ago then this is the book for you. The book, Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk takes place in 1925! It is an amazing historical fiction adventure about a girl, named Crow, who is curious about where she came from and who her parents are. I recommend this book for 10-13 year olds. By the way, when I started reading this book I was a bit confused, but after maybe the thirtieth page I understood everything. I am saying this so you don’t get discouraged in the first few pages.

When Crow was a newborn baby she got sent off on a skiff and landed on a beach where a person nicknamed Osh took her in and cared for her. Osh’s neighbour, Miss Maggie, came over every day to help him with Crow and bring her gifts. As Crow grew older she began to wonder more about her background, where she came from and who her parents were. Ever since she lived on the island everybody avoided her except for Miss Maggie and Osh. Due to her mysterious appearance a lot of people thought she was from Penikese, an island where a few years before people sick with leprosy, a bad sickness that can kill people, were sent to live in. She gets even more curious about her background when a mysterious fire appears on Penikese. She tells Osh about it and tells him that she wants to go there. Osh says that is just the old bird keeper and that all is ok on the island but she convinces him to go there anyway. If you were wondering, Penikese is burnt down when he says that. A few days later when they go to the island they meet a big mad man. He claims to be the bird keeper, but Crow heard a clunk before he came to greet them that makes her suspicious. Do you think something is wrong with that acclaimed bird keeper and the clunk or do you think that it was nothing?

I love this book because of the different lifestyle she lives. She basically lives in a cottage made of pieces of ships that got shipwrecked. She also lives a different life because she is homeschooled and because she helps out on a farm anytime she wants for fun. I also love this book because no matter how weird it seems, a lot of people can relate to Crow! For example I related to Crow when she sees the fire on Penikese island and wants to investigate it, I would do that too. Enjoy the ride!

If you liked this book then you might want to check out The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart, which I wrote a review about last week! The characters are alike in the way that they both don’t really live a normal life.

**Thanks so much to Sofia for this review! We love historical fiction, and we are excited to feature this one on the blog!**

Sofia’s Kids’ Corner: The Remarkable Journey by Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart

January 16, 2021 by Ricki

Dear readers,

Presenting: The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart!!! This is a story of a brave girl who is determined to get a memory box which she buried with her mom and sisters before they got killed in a car crash. She made a promise to get that box and she isn’t the type to break promises! This book is recommended for ages 9-12.

Coyote’s mother and her two sisters died five years ago in a car crash so Coyote’s dad, Rodeo, is the one who takes care of her. After the death of his wife and two daughters he bought a school bus and named it Yager. The bus, Yager, would now be their new home. Coyote’s dad forbids her to say anything related to her family which includes the words mom, dad, sister, Ava, Rose and many more. He also tells her not to think of her sisters and mom. And that’s why, for five years, Coyote and Rodeo have been traveling around the country, avoiding their home because it gave them too many memories. Coyote talks on the phone with her grandma every Saturday to catch up. One time when they talk her grandma tells her that the park that she used to play in was going to be destroyed on Wednesday! Coyote remembers that that is where her mom and sisters had buried a time capsule back when they were still alive. She devises a plan to dig up the time capsule before the park is destroyed. That is pretty complicated for two reasons, one the park is in Washington and she is in Florida which means they would have to drive about 3,600 miles to get there and two, the second that she told her dad about it he was going to say it was a no-go. It takes a lot of planning but finally Coyote comes up with a plan. I can’t tell you the plan but I can say that after a bit of time on the road they pick up a man named Lester and even later when they are bickering about a map they drive off and forget Coyote! Will they come back for her or will they forget about her?

I absolutely love this story because this story is unusual. Think about it, a twelve year old who lives in a school bus named Yager. Most stories start with girls living a normal-ish life but Coyote is a more interesting and different character. The name Coyote Sunrise even sounds exciting! She lives differently than other people, is just simply different in her characteristics and has things that she can’t say or think about without getting into trouble. Not every character in a book can do and does what Coyote Sunrise does in this book. The second reason I love this book is because the front cover illustration is amazing! For this I have to say that the cover illustrator did a great job and that the cover gives the book a nice feel to it when you are reading it. I usually don’t do this but while reading this book sometimes I just flipped to the front cover and started staring at it and then I got back to reading. Another reason I love this book is because once I started it I could not put it down. Well unless of course I had to, like when I had to eat or sleep or go to school. But still! I really hope that you love this book as much as I do!

**Thanks so much to Sofia for this review! We love those books that are so, so difficult to put down!**

Eyes that Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho, Illustrated by Dung Ho

January 14, 2021 by Ricki

Eyes that Kiss in the Corners
Author: Joanna Ho
Illustrator: Dung Ho
Published: January 5, 2021 by HarperCollins

Summary: This lyrical and stunning picture book tells a story about learning to love and celebrate your Asian-shaped eyes, in the of spirit of Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry

A young Asian girl notices that her eyes look different from her peers’. They have big, round eyes and long lashes. She realizes that her eyes are like her mother’s, her grandmother’s, and her little sister’s. They have eyes that kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea, crinkle into crescent moons, and are filled with stories of the past and hope for the future.

Drawing from the strength of these powerful women in her life, she recognizes her own beauty and discovers a path to self love and empowerment.

This powerful, poetic picture book will resonate with readers of all ages and is a celebration of diversity.

Ricki’s Review: This book is beautiful and poetic. You could give it to any reader of any age, and they would be captivated by how beautifully it is conceived, constructed and delivered. The lyrical lilt of the words as it is read aloud are captivating. I found myself pausing at the end of reading each page to take in the beauty of the author’s language. Ahh, and the illustrations! The cover is just a teaser for the stunning pictures within this book. I am really excited to gift this book to friends and family. It exemplifies the beauty and power of pictures books. I plan to read it aloud to my YAL class next semester. This book just hit the shelves, and I expect it to be very popular.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Teachers can use this book to offer students examples of figurative language. Often, figurative language can feel forced, but here, it flows magically with the storyline. I found that reading this book inspired me to want to write!

“Mama’s eyes that kiss in the corners and glow like warm tea

crinkle into crescent moons…”

Discussion Questions:

How does the author use figurative language effectively?
What do you believe to be the author’s and illustrator’s message? How do they convey this message?
Who does the main character draw strength from? Who do you draw strength from?

Flagged Spread:

Image from: https://www.joannahowrites.com/eyes-that-kiss

Read This If You Love: Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry; Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard; A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin

**Thank you, Keely, from SparkPoint Studio for sending a copy for review!**

Sofia’s Kids’ Corner: The Amelia Six by Kristin L. Gray

January 9, 2021 by Ricki

Published June 30, 2020

Dear readers,

This book, called The Amelia Six by Kristin L. Gray is soooooo cool but also a bit scary, so I will warn you: DO NOT READ THIS BOOK BEFORE YOU GO TO BED! I literally had to hide under the covers and only leave a little hole so I could breathe! This book is recommended for ages 8-12.

Millie along with five other girls is invited to spend the night at Amelia Earhart’s house! Millie’s dad drops her off in the middle of a big snowstorm which will last the whole night and tells her that he is only one call away. When she arrives she thinks the building is beautiful and goes inside it. There she meets the five other girls named Thea, Natalie, Cassie, Robin and Wren. The person who basically runs the house is called Birdie. Birdie takes the six girls on a tour of the house and she tells the girls to pick their bedrooms but Amelia Earhart’s room is off limits. When Mille looks for her room she opens a door by mistake and in a glass box in the room there are Amelia Earhart’s goggles! Then the girls, along with Birdie, go downstairs and have a wonderful meal. Some of the dishes that the chef prepared were Amelia’s favorite back in the day. After that they go on a scavenger hunt and Millie realizes that Amelia’s goggles are gone! At first she and her partner Wren think it’s part of the game but when Birdie gets poisoned they know it’s not part of the game. To make matters worse Mille was the last person who saw them so all fingers are pointing at her!

I love this book so much because of how the story affected my mood. You see, no other book that I have ever read made me hide under the covers or look twice in the hallway in my house and then flee to get to the bathroom to brush my teeth! Also, this book basically begged me to read on! If I decided that I was going to read one last chapter I would probably break my promise because most of the chapters ended like this! “And that’s when a hand grabbed my arm.” or “And the whole house grew dark.”. Seriously! I can tell you that the only time that I actually decided to go to bed while reading this book was when the words started dancing all over the page and my head kept helplessly flopping to the side. So that meant that I was really tired and thanks to this book that was around 11:30 pm! Have fun!

**Thanks so much to Sofia for this review! We will be sure to read it well before our bedtimes!**

Review and Giveaway!: Scooper and Dumper by Lindsay Ward

March 21, 2021January 7, 2021 by Ricki

Scooper and Dumper
Author and Illustrator: Lindsay Ward
Published: January 1, 2021 by Two Lions

Goodreads Summary: Introducing two new vehicles who work together no matter what!

The best of friends, Scooper the front loader and Dumper the snowplow take care of their town in all kinds of weather. One day a snowstorm hits, and the big city needs their help to clear the roads. Each of them must be brave in their own way to get the job done.

This wintry adventure spotlights the ideas of individual strengths, teamwork, and friendship in a vehicle buddy story that boys and girls alike will love.

About the Author: Lindsay Ward is the creator of the Dexter T. Rexter series, as well as Rosie: Stronger than Steel, This Book Is Gray, Brobarians, Rosco vs. the Baby, and The Importance of Being 3. Her book Please Bring Balloons was also made into a play. Lindsay lives with her family in Peninsula, Ohio, where vehicles such as Scooper and Dumper take care of the roads all year-round. Learn more about her online at www.lindsaymward.com.
Twitter: @lindsaymward
Instagram: lindsaymward

Review: I loved this fresh take on vehicles. This is a story that teaches about the power of working together to get a job done. Parents and teachers can easily transfer it to lessons of togetherness and contribution. The winter scenes are beautifully illustrated, and the book flows easily to make for a fun read-aloud. Each page uses a unique ABCB rhyme pattern, which makes every page finish with a satisfying lilt. The rhyme feels natural and works well with the story.

My four-year-old is obsessed with vehicles, and this book inspired him to try reading it aloud. He absolutely loved the story. Here’s a brief clip of him reading the first page aloud:

I recommend this book to parents and teachers who seek to teach wonderful lessons with a topic that kids love!

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I would love to use this book as a model for kids to write about a time that they worked together toward a common goal. Students might draw a picture and write sentences below the picture to describe the moment or event. Then the pages could be posted on a bulletin board, working together in a quilt fashion.

Discussion Questions:

How do Scooper and Dumper work together? What is their goal?
What steps are required to clear snow?
What is one time you’ve worked with one or more people toward a common goal?
Why does working together matter?

Flagged Passage:

Read This If You Loved: Dump Truck Duck by Meghan E. Bryant; Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker, Demolition by Sally Sutton, Little Blue Truck by Alice Shertle, Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night? by Brianna Caplan Sayres

Giveaway!:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Barbara from Blue Slip Media for providing a copy for review!**