Unleashing Readers

Nocturnals: The Slithery Shakedown by Tracey Hecht

June 7, 2018 by Ricki

Nocturnals: The Slithery Shakedown
Author and Illustrator: Tracey Hecht
Published: April 10, 2018 by Fabled Films Press

Goodreads Summary: Discover the friendship and humor of the Nocturnals Brigade! In The Slithery Shakedown, three unlikely friends—Tobin, a sweet pangolin, Bismark a loud-mouthed sugar glider and Dawn, a serious fox—stand up to a big bully snake. In the process, they find themselves some spec-tac-u-lar snakeskin capes!

Includes Bonus Animal Glossary!

About the Author: Tracey Hecht is a writer and entrepreneur who has written, directed, and produced for film. The American Booksellers Association chose her first book in The Nocturnal series, The Mysterious Abductions, as a Kids’ Indie Next List pick. Last year, in partnership with the New York Public Library, she created a Noctural Read Aloud Writing Program for middle graders that has expanded worldwide. She splits her time between Oquossoc, Maine and New York City. Check out our Q&A with her here!

Ricki’s Review: I don’t tend to gravitate to early readers because they can be awfully boring. This book breaks the mold. It’s fun and engaging, and my son loves reading it. I frequently catch him looking through the pages and staring at the pictures. He didn’t know what nocturnal animals were before he read this book, and now, any time we see an animal, he asks if it is nocturnal. The conflict in this book is wonderfully portrayed, and it teaches about the power of friendship and bravery. I recommend this book for folks seeking engaging early readers that will capture children’s attention. It’s wonderfully done.

Kellee’s Review: What a fun book to read! It not only will be great for Trent when he is a beginning reader to practice his reading, it is overall a fun story that is a fantastic read aloud. It looks at the idea of bravery and fear as well as friendship while also introducing scientific ideas like nocturnal animals and carnivore animals.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: The Summer Reading Kit is available on the publisher’s website. This book begs readers to research nocturnal animals, and it provides a lot of opportunity for classroom use.

Additionally, the author uses a ton of alliteration which makes it super fun to read out loud but also gives a chance to introduce this literary device.

Discussion Questions:

Which animal is most afraid? How does friendship influence this character’s bravery?
How does the snake react to the friends? What does this tell you?
What other nocturnal animals do you know?
What do you think the setting of the book is based on the animals?
How does the author use alliteration throughout the book?
What words did you not know in the story? Using context what do you think they mean?

Flagged Passages:

“Chapter 3

‘Did sss-someone sss-say breakfassst?’ the snake said.

Bismark spun around.

Behind hijm was a long, blue, shimmery snake.

The snake slid from the grass.

The snake raised its head.

The snake flicked its flickery tongue.

‘Bismark, look out!’ Dawn cried.” (p. 24-25)

Read This If You Loved: Night Animals by Gianna Marino, Baby Animals at Night by Kingfisher Publications, National Geographic Early Readers

Recommended For:

and

**Thank you to Stacey and Nicole at Fabled Films for providing copies for review!**

StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson Young Readers Edition Edited by Shelby Alinsky

June 6, 2018 by Kellee

StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson
Editor: Shelby Alinsky
Published March 20th, 2018 by National Geographic Children’s Books

Summary: Now abridged for YA audiences, this beautifully illustrated companion to celebrated scientist Neil deGrasse Tyson’s popular podcast and National Geographic Channel TV show is an eye-opening journey for anyone curious about the complexities of our universe.

For decades, beloved astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has interpreted science with a combination of brainpower and charm that resonates with fans everywhere. In 2009, he founded StarTalk, the wildly popular podcast that became an Emmy-nominated talk show on the National Geographic Channel in 2015. Tyson’s pioneering book takes the greatest hits from the airwaves to the page in one smart, richly illustrated compendium for young adult readers. Featuring vivid photography, thought-provoking sidebars, enlightening facts, and fun quotes from science and entertainment luminaries like Bill Nye and Josh Groban, StarTalk reimagines science’s most challenging topics–from how the brain works to the physics of comic book superheroes–in a relatable, humorous way that will attract curious young readers.

Praise: “Most notable throughout the book, as on the original television show, are the connections between science and creativity, art, and wonder. Educational and entertaining, this will engage loyal followers and recruit new fans.”—Booklist

Review: This book is everything you would think a book by Neil deGrasse Tyson named after his National Geographic Channel’s late-night talk show and his podcast. Tyson mixes culture, creativity, and science in a fun and interesting way that will suck in readers of all kinds in.

I loved the structure of the book! The mix of Tyson’s answers to science-based questions, fun facts about the topics, extension activities, and all sorts of other fun text features! And the topics are so interesting! Split into space, planet earth, being human, and futures imagined, the text looks at so many interesting topics including going to Mars, evolution, Superman, and Bigfoot!

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I love texts like this because they can be used for research or as interest starters or just for fun! This book is perfect for classroom libraries, school libraries, and as a class resource!

Discussion Questions: Almost every page has a discussion question!

Flagged Passages:

Read This If You Love: To learn, Science, Astonomy, Neil deGrasse Tyson

Recommended For:

Mission Defrostable by Josh Funk BOOK TRAILER PREMIERE!!! (with Prediction Activity)

February 14, 2021June 5, 2018 by Kellee

We are honored to premiere the book trailer of one of our favorite authors, Josh Funk. Josh has made a huge mark in the field of children’s literature, and we are thrilled to share the book trailer for his third book in the Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast series (below).

Not only is Josh a favorite of parents and teachers, he is a favorite of kids! Our sons are so, so excited for the new book in the series. As teacher moms, we thought it would be fun to build their anticipation and help them learn about making predictions. We invite you to have this same fun with your own children or students!

We asked Trent to review Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast (Book #1).

Warning: Trent’s review has a bit of a spoiler in it!!!

Trent’s Review: Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast were fighting. They both wanted syrup. The adventure through the refrigerator was silly. I liked the broccoli forest and jumping over the strawberry. But the awful waffle is the bad guy. Baron von Waffle makes me grumpy because I wouldn’t like if someone ate all of my food. I do like that they [Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast] didn’t fight eventually. And the rhymes were silly willy!

Kellee’s and Ricki’s Review with teachers’ tools, discussion questions, etc. can be found here.

We asked Henry to review The Case of the Stinky Stench (Book #2).

Warning: Henry’s review has a bit of a spoiler in it!!!

Henry’s Review: I think that there were things in the book that were stinky! At the beginning of the book I thought Croissant was making the smell. The fruitcake was stinky and rotten and sad. I think Baron von Waffle got him that way. I like when the fruit cake stands next to cheese. “Type that, Mommy. It’s important.” The book is very good. I like Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast. I really like the gummy bears on the cover because I am really hungry for one right now. The story is so good. I would give it to a friend to read, but I want to keep it for myself. It’s my book that I like to read a lot.

Ricki’s and Kellee’s Review with teachers’ tools, discussion questions, etc. can be found here.

Then to get the boys excited about the next book, we decided to have them take part in a prediction activity!
Here is a graphic organizer for the activity:

First, we told them what the new Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast title was:

Mission Defrostable

Trent’s prediction: Sir French Toast is going to get frosting. But I don’t know who is the bad guy.
Henry’s prediction: I think Sir French Toast is going to get defrostable. I don’t know what will happen with Lady Pancake. Can I see the cover now?

Next, we showed them the cover of Mission Defrostable and asked them if they wanted to change their prediction:

Henry’s prediction: Somebody is going to drop into the big container! Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast are going to…maybe they will eat some of the ice cream. I hope they don’t get hurt. I want to have this book. Can we get it, Mom?
Trent’s prediction: Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast are running from the bad guy. I don’t think the popsicles are the bad guys because they are dancing with their friend, ice cream. Maybe the waffle is the bad guy again.

Then, we read them the summary of Mission Defrostable and asked them to prediction what else they think would happen in the book:

Our favorite breakfast food friends are back and all bready for their next adventure! Can they save the fridge before all the food is iced? It’s mission . . . defrostable.

“And now with the two of you out of the fold,
I’ve got my revenge and I’m serving it cold!”

Brrr! There’s a frost in the fridge—and it’s hardened Pudding Pond and frozen Yogurt Falls. Agent Asparagus is on the case, and she begs Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast to join her superspy team. But when the enemy snatches Asparagus, Pancake and French Toast have only one dough man to turn to for help: the evil Baron von Waffle! Will he help them save the fridge . . . or are they doomed to become frozen food?

Trent’s prediction: Yes. They’re frozen food. Because the refrigerator is really cold, and waffle won’t help because he is a bad guy. The popsicles are dancing because it is cold.
Henry’s prediction: They are going to be frozen food! I think Agent Asparagus is going to become a bad guy and get Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast and catch them and shoot a web over them with sticky slime to get them caught!

Finally, we showed them this WORLD PREMIERED book trailer and asked them what they thought now:

Henry’s prediction: I think the popsicles on the cover are going to come into the book more and Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast are going to lick them and get their tongues stuck. Baron von Waffle…I don’t know what is going to happen to him. But I think it is bad. I don’t know any guesses about what might happen to him though. We will see in the book when we get it. It’s going to be fun to get to read it. After this one, is there going to be another one coming out? I think there should be, and it should be called Mission Accomplished.
Trent’s prediction: Baron von Waffle is going to ruin the world because his friends, the popsicles, want the refrigerator cold. The bananas look bad also. Maybe the big bad person are in the castle! Maybe the popsicles aren’t dancing, they are laughing and that is why Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast are running because the popsicles are bad. I’m excited to see about the popsicles–I want the book!

The boys’ summary (the last part of the prediction activity) and review will be shared when we review the final title!

We are so excited to be able to premiere this book trailer with the world!
Thank you, Josh, for the incredible work that you do. You are a gift to the literary world.
And we cannot wait to share our (and the boys’) thoughts about the newest title!

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It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? #IMWAYR 6/4/18

June 4, 2018 by Kellee

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA!

It’s Monday! What are you Reading? is a meme started by Sheila at Book Journeys and now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. It is a great way to recap what you read and/or reviewed the previous week and to plan out your reading and reviews for the upcoming week. It’s also a great chance to see what others are reading right now…you just might discover the next “must-read” book!

Kellee and Jen, of Teach Mentor Texts, decided to give It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? a kidlit focus. If you read and review books in children’s literature – picture books, chapter books, middle grade novels, young adult novels, anything in the world of kidlit – join us! We love this meme and think you will, too.

We encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting at least three of the other book bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

Last Week’s Posts

Tuesday: Teaching Tuesday: Kellee’s Lunch Book Club

Wednesday: My Magic Breath: Finding Calm Through Mindful Breathing by Nick Ortner and Allison Taylor

Thursday: Pink is for Boys by Robb Pearlman

Friday: Where’s Halmoni? by Julie Kim

Sunday: Author Guest Post with Teaching Tools!: “Talking to Kids about World War II” by Diane C. Taylor, Author of World War II: From the Rise of the Nazi Party to the Dropping of the Atomic Bomb

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

Last Week’s Journeys

Kellee

I wanted to just take a bit to apologize in advanced for the upcoming weeks (through mid-July) where I may or may not be able to post or visit your posts. I’m about to go to the International Competition with my Future Problem Solvers club again followed by some family time, teachers’ guide creation time, ALA Annual, and a conference for Jim. I do hope to keep posting and stopping by your blogs, but I wanted to apologize now just in case 🙂 Now, without further adieu, my last couple of weeks of reading:

The President Has Been Shot by James L. Swanson is the last middle grade/young adult nonfiction book by him (I think?), and just like the others I was fascinated by it! It is sad how little I learned about history while in school; thank goodness for authors and books like this!
A Possibility of Whales by Karen Rivers is a coming of age story mixed with a look at gender identity, family, friendship, and whales–I look forward to reviewing it soon!
Illegal by Eoin Colfer is so powerful! It tells the story of Ebo who is a refugee hoping to make his way to Europe and freedom. Told in a then/now format, the story builds in suspense and worry as we learn more about the perilous journey he is on and where he came from.
HiLo is one of my, and my students, favorite graphic novel series! I didn’t know that book 4 had come out, so when I saw it at the book store, I bought it immediately! And it did not disappoint. If you loved the first ones, this one is a must get.

Sandra Markle continues to write nonfiction that is so important and well done. This one looks at trying to rescued the Southern White Rhino species in Africa while they are being threatened by poachers. It goes into the history behind their poaching, the different species of rhinos, the law surrounding rhinos, and what we can do to help.
Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers is a picture book that I can’t believe I haven’t read yet. It is a perfect picture book for younger readers to learn about the Statue of Liberty and older students to delve deeper into.
Meet Yasmin by Saadia Faruqi is a must get for any early elementary teacher! Yasmin has a huge imagination, is a great problem solver, has so much ambition, is creative, and is just someone you’d want your kid to hang out with (or at least be in the same class with!). Yasmin also will fill the role of a window or a mirror! She is Pakistani-American and has a multi-generational family who she lives with. Students will either finally see someone like themselves in an early reader or be exposed to a culture that may be new.
I was so excited to find Gabi’s If/Then Garden by Caroline Karanja because not only is it a perfect companion to Josh Funk’s How to Code a Sandcastle, it is also another book that is going to inspire young kids, girls especially, into looking at how to code thus expanding interest in STEAM.

I cannot believe that I didn’t know that Square had come out! Triangle is a BIG favorite of ours, so as soon as I found out (2 weeks ago during IMWAYR), I got us a copy of Square. Through a very different story than Triangle, Barnett and Klassen expand the shape universe and introduce us to Circle who is a very special character indeed!
The rest of these titles are rereads that Trent and I read and listened to in the car using read-along e-books!

Ricki

You Choose by Nick Sharratt and Pippa Goodhart is our family’s favorite book. We read it every night together (all four of us), and we each pick our homes, jobs, foods, etc. It brings so many good laughs. I LOVE this book.

Nocturnals: The Slithery Shakedown by Tracey Hecht is great. My son really enjoyed learning about the nocturnal animals in this fun tale. In fact, he’s currently rereading it in his bed (when he is supposed to be sleeping).

My son has recently gotten very into Mo Willems’ Elephant and Piggie series. Above are five of the eight or so books that we read this week. These ones stand out to me. 🙂 My favorite so far is Can I Play, Too? because it is so funny!

This Week’s Expeditions

Kellee

I know, I know! I can’t believe I haven’t finished it either, but I just have had most of my reading time not at home, so the books I have on my phone have been getting more reading. I will finish Harbor Me this week though!
Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro is a multi-tiered special novel that I’m surprised isn’t getting more hype! I am glad someone (who were you?!?!) recommended it to me!
I’m very excited for What Can a Citizen Do? by Dave Eggers and illustrated by the same illustrator as Her Right Foot, Shawn Harris, and Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo, the companion to Raymie Nightingale!
I also have a pile of books I brought home from school, a pile of books next to my couch, a pile of books by my computer, and a ton of books on my phone that I want to read 🙂

Ricki

I am listening to (AND LOVING) Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone. This book is definitely worth the hype.

Upcoming Week’s Posts

Tuesday: BOOK TRAILER PREMIERE!: Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast: Mission Defrostable by Josh Funk

Wednesday: Startalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson: Young Readers Edition

Thursday: Nocturnals: The Slithery Shakedown by Tracey Hecht

Friday: Teaching Rescued by Eliot Schrefer in a Middle School Reading Classroom

Sunday: Author Guest Post with Teaching Tools!: “How can we tell we’re living in a global village?” by Carla Mooney, Author of Globalization: Why We Care About Faraway Events

So, what are you reading?

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 with Teaching Tools!: “Talking to Kids about World War II” by Diane C. Taylor, Author of World War II: From the Rise of the Nazi Party to the Dropping of the Atomic Bomb

June 3, 2018 by Kellee

World War II: From the Rise of the Nazi Party to the Dropping of the Atomic Bomb
Diane C. Taylor
Published May 1st, 2018 by Nomad Press

Summary: Why did the world find itself immersed in another global conflict only two decades after World War I?

World War II: From the Rise of the Nazi Party to the Dropping of the Atomic Bomb introduces kids ages 12 to 15 to the political, military, and cultural forces that shook the globe from 1939 to 1945 and beyond. Middle school students examine the events leading up to, during, and after WWII and the repercussions of these events on populations around the world, from Germany’s invasion of Poland to the resulting domino fall of events that engaged several countries and caused the deaths of 60 million people, including 40 million civilians. They also see how the dark side of Hitler’s ideology was always present, eventually resulting in the Holocaust, the systematic murder of 11 million people, including 6 million Jews and other populations.

About the Author: Diane C. Taylor is a freelance writer whose published works include both fiction and nonfiction. She has written educational material for a nonprofit arts program in Dallas, Texas, and has been an English instructor for students in middle school, high school, and college. Diane lives in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Author Guest Post:

“Talking to Kids About World War II”

No event of the twentieth century was as big or as bad as World War II. For six years, from 1939 to 1945, a conflict that started when Germany invaded Poland quickly encompassed all four corners of the globe. No one—neither countries nor individuals—sat out this conflict. The political and economic reverberations of the war were simply too widespread to be ignored.

Like it or not, there was no such thing as being a disinterested party to World War II.

I think the same can be said as it pertains to teaching this subject to children. World War II fundamentally changed the world, and it’s not done affecting us even today. Conflict between Israel and Palestine. Tensions within the European Union. The role of the United Nations. The challenge of caring for displaced persons. The nuclear arms race. Just listen to the news and you’ll hear about scores of international issues that trace their origins back to the Second World War.

If all the world is a stage, then World War II is the de facto backdrop of the ongoing drama. This is why teaching about World War II and the Holocaust is a crucial part of raising future generations who can solve problems that were created before these kids were even born.

But how do you explain something as monstrous—and as monstrously complex—as World War II to a 12-year-old child?

That was the foremost question on my mind the entire time I was writing World War II: From the Rise of Hitler to the Dropping of the Atomic Bomb. To my immense relief, I discovered that World War II can be dismantled and reassembled into a coherent narrative that a young reader can understand. If you take one piece of the story at a time, and strip it down to its barest essentials, you can put it all back together in a way that makes sense of the mass insanity that was the Second World War.

By working to ensure our kids know the history and consequences of the greatest conflict in human history, we can do our best to avoid future wars on the same scale.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation:

Hands-on activities are another great way to make the experiences of World War II feel relevant and important to teenagers. Try one of these!

Prevent Starvation

Throughout World War II, starvation was a constant concern. Food was scarce everywhere. As a result, people frequently planted vegetable gardens in any available outdoor space.

Form a group with friends or classmates and take a walk around your neighborhood. Your goal is to figure out where you can grow food.

How much land is available? Do homes have front or back yards? Are there parks or medians that you can use?
Is the available terrain easy to garden? Is it hilly or flat? Heavily or sparsely wooded? Do you have access to water?
Does the soil lend itself to gardening? How can you tell?

Draw up a map of where you will plant your gardens and indicate what you will grow. Can you calculate how much food you will produce or how many people will you be able to feed?

To investigate more, find out as much as you can about where you food comes from right now. Is much of it grown locally, or is it transported from far away? If the food distribution system in your area were disrupted, what products would stop showing up in the grocery store?

The President Speaks

On December 8, 1941, Americans tuned their radios to hear President Roosevelt declare war against Japan. You can listen to that address at this website.

Or try searching these words together: Roosevelt, congress, war.

In an era before television, this is most likely how you would have experienced this historic event.

Discuss your reaction to FDR’s speech among your classmates or friends, or write a journal entry.

What is the atmosphere surrounding this speech?
Did you learn anything new by listening to this broadcast?
What is your impression of President Roosevelt?

Would you have chosen to take the United States to war, or would you have followed the lead of Rep. Jeanette Rankin, who voted against the war? Compose and deliver a brief speech of your own, outlining your reasons for either going to war or staying out of the fight. Assume your audience is made up of friends or classmates.

To investigate more, click here to listen or watch speeches that other presidents of the United States have given. Contrast and compare one of those speeches to the one you listened to from President Roosevelt. How do they differ in style, language, and substance? How are they similar?

Find more resources in the free classroom teaching guide!

Thank you so much, Diane and Nomad Press!

Where’s Halmoni? by Julie Kim

June 1, 2018June 1, 2018 by Kellee

Where’s Halmoni?
Author: Julie Kim
Published October 3rd, 2017 by Little Bigfoot

Summary: Where’s Halmoni? is a picture book in a graphic novel style, which follows the story of a young Korean girl and boy whose search for their missing grandmother leads them into a world inspired by Korean folklore, filled with mischievous goblins (dokkebi), a greedy tiger, a clever rabbit, and a wily fox.
Two young children pay a visit to Halmoni (grandmother in Korean), only to discover she’s not home. As they search for her, noticing animal tracks covering the floor, they discover a pair of traditional Korean doors, slightly ajar, new to their grandmother’s home. Their curiosity gets the best of them, and the adventure begins when they crawl through and discover an unfamiliar, fantastical world. As they continue to search for their grandmother and solve the mystery of the tracks, they go deeper into the world of Korean folklore and experience their cultural heritage in unexpected ways, meeting a number of Korean-speaking characters along the way.

Translations to Korean text in the story and more about the folktale-inspired characters are included at the end.

About the Author: Julie Kim is an author and illustrator living in Seattle, WA. She has published with Cricket Magazine, Scholastic, and Mondo. Where’s Halmoni? is her authorial debut.

Praise: “Julie Kim has created a visually stunning world that effortlessly infuses Korean text (Hangul) in rich, expressive art.”—Cybils Awards, winner

“For its jaw-dropping art, encouraging bilingual attitude, and conscientious portrayal of Korean culture, Where’s Halmoni? is a perfect choice.” —School Library Journal, starred

“A sophisticated mélange of urban households, traditional Asian landscapes, vibrant color schemes, cultural details, subtle visual jokes, [and] pitch-perfect dialogue… This book is an excellent choice for either the picture-book or graphic-novel collection.” —Booklist, starred

“Kim’s bright, expressive illustrations are a delight…an accessible, diverse title for a broad readership.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred

“The sibling banter is believable and delightful, [and] Kim’s panel sequences teem with energy.” —Publishers Weekly, starred

Review: This book is a piece of art. The way that Kim combined traditional Korean folklore characters, including giving an explanation about each of them in the back; realistic sibling relationships; an adventure with beautiful settings; and her amazing artwork lent to the creation of a very special book. There is so much to unpack including homage to traditional Asian art styles, inferring opportunities, introduction to Korean folktales, and inclusion of Korean language. This book will be perfect as a read aloud with discussions, lit circles looking at folktales, or as an independent book for your adventure or graphic novel fans.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Where’s Halmoni? and its back matter are a perfect addition to a folklore unit including a discussion on how authors fracture/retell/modernize folktales in all cultures.

And P.S. a whole discussion/lesson could be done around the end pages!

Discussion Questions:

How did Kim intertwine traditional Korean folktale characters into her story?
What do the end sheets tell you that the rest of the story did not?
What clues were there at the beginning of the book that ultimately they would encounter a tiger and a fox?
How could you infer that Halmoni was their grandmother?
Before reading the translations of the Korean in the back of the book, use the context clues and try to guess what the characters are saying.
Would you consider this book a picture book or a graphic novel? Why?

Flagged Passages:

Read This If You Love: Retellings and new takes on folktales

Recommended For:

**Thank you to little bigfoot for providing a copy for review!**

Pink is for Boys by Robb Pearlman

May 31, 2018 by Ricki

Pink Is for Boys
Author: Robb Pearlman
Illustrator: Eda Kaban
Published: June 5, 2018 by Running Press

Goodreads Summary: An empowering and educational picture book that proves colors are for everyone, regardless of gender.

Pink is for boys . . . and girls . . . and everyone! This timely and beautiful picture book rethinks and reframes the stereotypical blue/pink gender binary and empowers kids-and their grown-ups-to express themselves in every color of the rainbow. Featuring a diverse group of relatable characters, Pink Is for Boys invites and encourages girls and boys to enjoy what they love to do, whether it’s racing cars and playing baseball, or loving unicorns and dressing up. Vibrant illustrations help children learn and identify the myriad colors that surround them every day, from the orange of a popsicle, to the green of a grassy field, all the way up to the wonder of a multicolored rainbow.

Parents and kids will delight in Robb Pearlman’s sweet, simple script, as well as its powerful message: life is not color-coded.

Ricki’s Review: I have two sons. I very much appreciate all of the wonderful girl-empowering books that have been published recently. I am constantly shooting up my fist and shouting “Hooray!” when these books are published. But as a mom, I appreciate even more the opportunities to tell my son, “Yes, it’s okay that your favorite color is ‘rainbow,'” “No, boys are not necessarily better at fixing things” (I’ll secretly admit that this one is actually true in our house—my husband is an engineer), or “Yes, it’s okay if your favorite Disney song is ‘Let It Go,’ even when you are the only boy in your class who thinks this.” (I should backtrack here and say that Moana is far better than Frozen.)

I have one more anecdote. The day after I read this book to my son, I went to a birthday party with my sons. My 19-month-old crashed into a boy who was about 2 and half. My kid, who is oddly resilient, popped right up, but the other boy cried. His dad said, “You need to man up. Boys don’t cry.” This kind of stuff has to end. It’s only with the publication of books like these that we will be able to defy these gender norms that drive me bonkers. Pink is for boys.

The basic (but well-conceived) drawings of this book make it shine. The point is clear—and younger readers will easily make sense of it. The characters are drawn as simple sketches and are understated. This makes the message all the more powerful.

Kellee’s Review: My son loves all the colors. Except, according to him, pink and purple. Where did this come from?! In my house, all colors are wonderful colors and girls and boys can like and do whatever they want, but he must have been told by someone ‘out there’ that pink and purple are girl colors, and Trent, wanting to be accepted, now felt he couldn’t like these colors. I try to counteract this notion in my house, but it is ‘out there’ that minds need to shift or I am fighting a battle so much bigger than I may be able to handle. When will we [general societal we] stop saying “You throw like a girl” as an insult or “Man up” as a way to tell kids to not cry?! I can teach my son to be a feminist, but until things like those stated above change, society will always be pushing against what I am teaching him at home.

Within the text, in addition to promoting the brilliance and beauty of all colors, I also truly appreciated how the characters were diverse in all aspects of the word and that the author purposefully rotated between girls and boys & boys and girls to show that neither deserves to go first.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book makes us itch to teach young kids. We would ask students to create their own versions (or posters) of this book. For example, they might create books called Crying is For Boys or Dirt is for Girls. As a secondary teacher, this book would be a great discussion starter about gender prejudice and assumptions in society.

Discussion Questions: How does the illustrator use simplistic drawings to better convey the meaning of the text?; How does the author convey the message implicitly and explicitly?

Flagged Passage:

Read This If You Loved: Julián Is a Mermaid by Jessica Love, Red: A Crayon’s Story by Michael Hall, The Boy In the Dress by Michael Walliams, The Sissy Duckling by Harvey Fierstein

Recommended For:

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**Thank you to Casey at Media Masters for providing copies for review!**