Non-Fiction Wednesday - Women's Early Rules

Visit Alyson Beecher on Wednesdays for Non-Fiction Picture Books at Kidlit Frenzy.  Thanks to her hosting and sharing and those who add their posts, you can discover and celebrate terrific nonfiction picture books!  I always learn from these books, am happy that they are more and more available today for children, for everyone!

           This is not a non-fiction story, but a story for younger children to help them begin to understand the rules made for girls and women long ago of things they could not do. It will inspire good conversations and a desire to learn more! Backmatter added will help that journey. We've heard about those things allowed only for men and boys, still sadly happening today. This time, it's bicycle riding and the terrible things that could happen when girls (or women) rode this new, wonderful invention. 
          In the story, Louisa Belinda Bellflower, a young girl wants badly to ride her brother's bicycle, no matter that she might get "bicycle face". The story shares that is because "girls aren't strong enough to balance, that your eyes will bulge, and your jaw will close up from the strain of trying--maybe FOREVER." Belinda flings off her skirt, puts on her brother's pants and asks him to teach her to ride! One other great thing about the book is the never-give-up attitude shown by Belinda. She falls, then falls again, but keeps getting back on until she is riding! Her eyes did bulge, her mouth did widen, into a "gigantic, joyous smile"!
         Larissa Theule adds extra information at the back, "About Bicycle Face" and the warnings about women riding along with the dangers of not only "bicycle face", but "bicycle leg" and "bicycle hump". Nevertheless, women and girls rode, called Wheelwomen and new fashions were devised as well. There is also a page explaining the bicycle influence on the women's right-to-vote movement.
        This quote by Susan B. Anthony is found at the beginning: "Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman riding by on a wheel."     

        Kelsey Garrity-Riley's colorful illustrations not only show Belinda's story and joy in her riding but tell a second story of the historical background with her mother working with other suffragettes in the right-to-vote movement. It ends with the mother sewing herself a pair of bloomers and both she and her daughter ready to ride! 

        In a personal family story, I was told that my grandmother caused quite a stir when she rode her horse through the little town where she had gone to live with her new husband. She rode astride wearing riding pants! I'm glad times have changed, am sorry women are still fighting for power to make their own decisions.

Monday Reading - A Range of Wonderful Books

Visit Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders and Jen at Teach Mentor Texts to see what they've been reading, along with others who post their favorites.  

Yesterday I celebrated Grandparents Day with five wonderful picture books. When you have time, be sure to check them out HERE!

As brutal and terrifying as the original, perhaps more so with the images already there by Renee Nault. It is a message needed, for daughters and granddaughters, the future. It does include less narrative information so if you haven't read the original, you may miss some important points.

Thanks to Candlewick Press for the advanced copy of these next three!

         Randy Cecil has written another brief chapter book (with four Acts) for early readers, this time about a little mouse named Douglas and a young girl names Iris Espinosa. Iris loves going to movies, buys popcorn each time from a vendor before the movie, but this time didn't expect to bring a mouse home in her sweater's pocket. It's easy to hear giggles as sweet Iris is thrilled to find the mouse, not alarmed at all. Loving adventure movies, she names him after her favorite actor, Douglas Fairbanks. I think kids may need to look that name up, but it is cute to see that not only does she give him a name, but a vest from one of her dolls. How the adventure continues makes an imaginative story that moves quickly, including a woman from the theater, Iris' older sister and boyfriend, and a cat with six toes. The hijinks, scary escapes and, thank goodness, satisfying ending along with Cecil's detailed illustrations that fill most of the page will be fun for beginning readers. 

Celebrating Grandparents Day

Hurrah, it's a day for celebrating. Happy Grandparent's Day!

I have a heap of books to share this day, all newly published, all thanks to Candlewick Press! 

            There may be important moments in one's life, high school and/or college graduations, getting one's driver's license, first job, perhaps marriage, and on. After becoming a parent which is on a list all its own of best things comes becoming a grandparent. That is the phase I'm in in my life. It is a special, special thing. I also must say that my own memories of being with grandparents are wonderful, too. (I had good mentors!)

My three grandchildren in a scene at the beach t
his past June. Yikes!
Is that a sea monster about to attack?

            In bright and friendly watercolor and collage, Joowon Oh creates a loving picture book about one special day a week when Papa welcomes his granddaughter for her weekly visit. Deliberately going to bed early to prepare, stopping by an arts and craft store for supplies, plus two orders of dumplings to go, he is ready for that "run-for-a-hug" seen on the book's cover. My granddaughters live near and each has a special "grandma" day with me and like this story, I prepare according to specific "likes". It only takes a few words and a satisfying play to show the love the two in this story have for each other. Papa says: "I got us some dumplings for lunch." His granddaughter says, "Yay! I love dumplings!" And so their time goes, eating and creating and playing together, a "grandparent" kind of day!

       Henry wants to play yet his Grandpa keeps gardening, seems not to hear when Henry asks questions in this story by Wendy Meddour. His mother says "Give him time" and we readers realize that something is not quite the same anymore. A favorite game is sharing favorite "top threes" which Grandpa finally answers with his top three sandwiches after Henry shares his own. Sweet Henry runs off to make Grandpa's favorites, pulling Grandpa into their special "game", which later includes "top three jellyfish" while eating those sandwiches at the pond. The story's heart is revealed when Henry asks about Grandpa's top three grannies. Grandpa answers with love as we realize his favorite granny is gone. While this may be a surprise to children reading, it is a way to talk about grieving and ways that might help when finally, finally we talk about missing loved ones. Soft watercolors by Daniel Egneus include the varied emotions of the story as Henry and his Grandpa smile over their 'top threes', even when they speak of those grannies. 

         In every culture, grandmas and grandchildren share a very special bond. This time Mina Javaherbin lets a young girl share all the wonderful things she shares with her grandma, up early for prayers, going to the Mosque together, playing under a table draped with all her grandma's chadors, and visiting best friends that include one for both. The mix of Iranian and Islamic traditions of the grandma and the Christian traditions of her best friend show the loving ways that connect all of us. It is full of things in this culture that connect to all cultures, eating, playing and praying together. Lindsey Yankey's weaving of parts of Iranian culture in her illustrations adds to the story, but the love between the grandmother and granddaughter is universal. There is a sweet note at the back from the author.

          You will recognize this cumulative tale, made new by Melanie Heuiser Hill through sharing the diversity included in all the ways families and neighbors share the bounty "around the table that Granddad built". Not only do they share the glasses from Mom's and Dad's wedding, but the silverware from Dad's grandma and the napkins sewn by Mom. The tale diverts from the continuing tale when food is introduced, a wonderful variety of food that is set on that table. There's garden squash and 'beans, overflowing', to 'toasty tamales' and rice pudding. There are the pies, too, of course. It's a delightful gathering full of happiness shown with Jaime Kim's child-like acrylic and crayon drawings.

       
                 Perhaps we all have a "yesterday" we would love to return to. Alison Jay's story starts at the beginning with this boy who tells his wishes and uses as many scientific ideas as possible to time travel back to "yesterday" which in his mind was "the best day". He calculates the speeds he must travel, tries to find a 'super hypersonic rocket' or a black hole, but with no luck. Jay's illustrations show ice cream and kite-flying, plus whimsically exaggerated pictures of dinosaur and airplane rides along with a magical merry-go-round. Granddad and a dog are along for that wonderful day. Granddad is asked for help, but instead he shows this boy that there are many beautiful memories of "yesterday". They look through a scrapbook and gorgeous pages of some of his memories like 'dancing by moonlight with the love of his life', or climbing high "to the top of a snow-capped mountain".  The best thing, however, Granddad says, is that every day can be filled with a new adventure, making today a best day. It's a wonderful book to share with children to consider the good things about being present, right now, today!

           

Poetry Friday - Goodbyes

          This first Friday of September, Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong hosts this Poetry Friday at their blog, Poetry for Children. Thanks, Sylvia and Janet! I have also been watching the hurricane news, wishing a good outcome for all those in this community. It is heart-breaking to see the news of those in the Bahamas. 

          This past Wednesday it was six years since my husband, Arvie, left us. I still want to tell him things, ask him questions, be with him. My life is as good as I can make it, but I've never stopped missing him. I, with Arvie, have raised children of which I am so proud, who have chosen loving spouses whom I love being part of our family. And many of you know because of them, I have three special grandchildren. 
         Time is fleeting. We all know that. Thoreau touches me with this quote: "“Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in. I drink at it; but while I drink I see the sandy bottom and detect how shallow it is. Its thin current slides away, but eternity remains.” ~ “Where I Lived, and What I Lived For,” Walden 
          Here's a poem I originally wrote for Carter, my oldest grandchild, now in his first year at college. I've changed it a bit to include the grand-girls, too, now ten and eight. I've written more than one poem about them, call them "goodbye" poems, trying to capture them at certain ages before that time flies away!
         When I am with them all, I wish Arvie could see the children growing up, and have fun with them as I know he would have if he were still here. He was a wonderful husband, father, and grandfather.

at the beach - June 2019

         Sometimes Goodbyes

Oops, it’s time. I must depart

     from these kids who stole my heart.

     Now, they’re looking very tall;

     some never play with toys at all.

     I remember they used to be

     the ones who sat and read with me,

     and held my hand as we walked along

     and listened while I sang them songs.

     I also know though nearly grown,

      they’re still the little kids I’ve known.

Linda Baie ©

It's Monday - Great Books to Share

Visit Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders and Jen at Teach Mentor Texts to see what they've been reading, along with others who post their favorites. Hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend!

       I was lucky to get this book just out in August here in the US, will be sure to purchase it for my ten-year-old granddaughter. Onjali Q. Rauf manages to give her storyteller a true voice of an "almost" ten-year-old, sharing her life outside and inside school. She has friends and those she does not like, especially the bullies (teachers included). She takes care of herself but keeps her questions ready to ask her librarian mother, one she counts on to not say, "Wait 'till you're older." The questions keep coming when a new boy arrives and sits in the chair "at the back of the class". With her friends, she decides that having one more to the group would be great, thus begins the journey to learn about Ahmet who turns out to become a Syrian refugee, who plays soccer really well, but whose parents are missing. That journey turns into a quest where adventures await to help them re-unite, a quest that turns into something the kids never thought would happen. This girl stays strong to her values, wanting to be a 'best' friend who stays and helps, who believes "It would be too boring if everyone was exactly the same as each other." There are a few sketches sprinkled throughout that add to the story, a wonderful one to be read aloud and discussed in the classroom.
      Special quote: "And whenever we did it together, our whispers made us sound like an ocean."

          The boundless love of a pet holds NO boundaries. As Truman, a tiny tortoise realizes that his dear Sarah has been gone so, so very long, he sets out to find her. A surprise awaits, but it doesn't take away the journey he accomplishes. Jean Reidy's story makes a smile all the way through as I rooted for Truman's success. Lucy Ruth Cummins' illustrations beautifully show the tortoise view of things, more smiles for this sweet and charming story.

             It's a ride (and a book) NOT to be missed, like life, when we all work together, everything works better, shown in this story by Richard T. Morris. I can't imagine not loving this book, and the joyous illustrations by LeUyen Pham. (I thought I had read this one, must have mixed it up with another bear book, but now I'm so happy that I have it!)