Hope everyone had a great first week of the year! My family finally had our Christmas gathering, late, but much fun to be together! Now time to focus on the Cybil's and a bit more reading for readers here, too!
 |
| Thanks to Candlewick Press for this copy! |
I forgot to share this at the end of the year! It would be good to have read the original story of the little match girl before this one, but it isn't necessary. There is background from the author and illustrator at the end. It's appropriate for young middle-grades, nicely written from the Little Match Girl's POV. This time, as Emma Carroll writes through the girl's voice, she wants more of the true story to come out and be based on real historical events. Although there's some magical realism included too. It's both an inspiring and heartbreaking story of those who toiled just to make the most meager of a living, while, as the maker of matches, becoming very ill from the constant exposure to white phosphorus. For young readers, this may be the first knowledge of how group resistance can be powerful! For an early reader book, it's full of interesting parts to discuss. (You can read about the original at the end of this list!)
This book shows the beauty of how nature takes care of so much, this time after a whale dies. Melissa Stewart takes readers on an amazing journey after a whale dies and falls to the ocean's bottom. From that time, the books ends with this giant totally disappearing from many, many sea creatures using it for their sustenance. Melissa explains what and how, step by step. Rob Dunlavey's illustrations illuminate the ocean habitat's beauty page after page, starting with those who first smell the whale, like the hungry hagfish. They travel far to find what might be their first meal in weeks, per Melissa's words. The whale may have lived for long years, but this time, in a way, it gives back for perhaps another fifty. From hagfish to the tiniest of creatures, "hundreds of species–millions of creatures" have been able to live because of the whale dying. There is much more information in the backmatter with many creatures illustrated and described, plus selected resources and a list of books, articles, books, and videos for further exploration. It's terrific and really wonderful to read and learn about this.
Young children may know that some of their food comes from fields and gardens, but Maria Gianferrari adds much more knowledge about food and the many, many reasons to "Thank A Farmer" in her newest book! From wheat to milk, fruits and veggies, to various kinds of rice, then mushrooms and maple syrup, she wants us to be sure to know that farmers should be thanked. The text is brief, and each part ends with a lovely lyrical phrase, like with maple syrup, "syrupy and sticky!" There are also gardens shown in cities and schools, plus backyard pots (like the tomatoes in mine!). The ending section shows that farmers also are thankful–for people helping, animals in various tasks like 'carrying' and 'giving', and machines! Full-color illlustrations by Monica Mikai bring the words to life with green-growing worlds filled with diverse people doing all the tasks needed, also including the animals and machines, small worlds and large. Young readers will smile at familiar scenes and learn from others. Added information at the back is brief and includes interesting facts, like how often dairy cows are milked, how long people have been tapping maple trees for syrup, plus information about the help worms give. There must be countless ways to share this book with children to show them what they see in the supermarkets and eat at home have stories to tell, and thanks to give. It's terrific!
