Sharing books with your child(ren)
can be an on-going joy. Fill your
home with all kinds of books – fairy tales, Aesop’s fables, poetry,
biographies, history books, books on astronomy, on sports, on dance, art books
and more. Share your pleasure in
books by visiting the library and bookstores -- especially used bookstores! And don’t forget to let your child
“catch” you reading.
·
Remember that you can listen to audio books, and
even e-readers can catch a child’s interest when other books might not.
·
Share the care of books with your child so s/he
understands the importance of not drawing or writing in library books, and not
throwing away unwanted books, but donating books instead.
·
Don’t hesitate to share with your child about
famous authors and characters who are in books. Showing them pictures of famous authors and talking about
them and/or characters from books can encourage your child to become a
writer.
·
When your child sees you reading in bed, before
breakfast, outdoors on a Sunday afternoon they can see books and reading
materials as a normal part of your daily life. And develop the habit of reading
as part of their life too.
·
Pay attention to what your child is interested
in – as s/he gets older his/her interests will also grow and change. What is s/he curious about? What is
s/he asking questions about? Don’t be afraid to include books in other
languages if your child shows interest in other languages or cultures. You
might even find yourself developing skill in a language by sharing this developing
interest with your child.
It is, in the end, all about being together and sharing
something you both love.
Conversations about books, characters, and authors can make memories
both you and your child will cherish
Bees, Snails, &
Peacock Tails
by Betsy Franco
illustrated by Steve Jenkins
Simon & Schuster, $17.99
(hardcover)
Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 3
(This book is available to borrow at
the Miami Dade Library; Main Branch, Miami Lakes, Miami Beach Regional, North
Shore Branch. Also may be purchased from Books & Books online:
http://www.booksandbooks.com)
Poet Franco and award winning
artist Jenkins once again combine their talents to create a brisk and appealing
picture book. It’s a dramatic mix of science, poetry and art in happy nonfiction
companionship.
The artist uses colorful handmade
paper collage to illustrate shapes and patterns in our world. Lively, clever
verses together with stunning images show surprising mathematical symmetry,
scientific geometry, and nature’s artistry.
Some of the words (Kaleidoscope,
tapestries) will need explanations for the young audience. Also, rhymes set limits on what and how
much information can be shared.
However, additional background on each creature is attached at the end.
The Best Beekeeper of
Lalibela: A Tale from Africa
by Cristina Kessler
illustrated by Leonard
Jenkins
Holiday House, $16.95
(hardcover)
Interest Level: Grades 1-3
(This book is available to borrow at the
Miami Dade Library; Main Branch, Miami Lakes.)
Lalibela, a town in the mountains
of Ethiopia, is well known for its rich, golden honey. Almaz, a young girl with spirit, visits
the men who are the town’s traditional beekeepers, looking for advice. She
tells them she wants to keep bees and learn to make Lalibela’s best honey. The men give her a task to do. But she is not able to complete it.
Instead
of welcoming her and offering to teach her what they know, the men laugh at
her. But the priest encourages her
to find her own way to success.
Golden
illustrations balance with darker contrasting colors, giving readers a feel for
the brilliance of an Ethiopian market village. Using acrylic, pastels, spray paint, and colored pencils
Jenkins has matched Almaz’s determination and Kessler’s purposeful language
with its deep-hued African setting.
An
Author’s Note and a brief glossary of Tigringna and Amharic words are included
at the end.
Flight of the Honey
Bee
by Raymond Huber
illustrated by Brian Lovelock
Candlewick Press, $16.99 (hardcover)
Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 2
One of nature’s most important
creatures can’t live alone. The honey bee depends on, and supports its hive and
family of bees. In this engaging
picture book, readers are invited to follow one honeybee on her adventures.
Like a hunter in search of prey, a
scout honeybee’s mission is to find flowers. She sips their nectar to carry back in one of her stomachs. Static
electricity charges her body as she flies. This makes it easy for flower pollen to attach while she’s
sipping. Both nectar and pollen
are bees’ food.
How Scout travels using her senses
– to locate her “prey,” keep her from becoming another creature’s dinner, and protect
her during a downpour -- is important to her success. Scout’s experiences continue even when she returns. Bright illustrations in watercolor,
acrylic ink and colored pencil provide close-up and distance views. Combined with compelling language, the
narrative launches even before the title page.
Large text carries the storyline; Small
text supplies additional details.
Back matter includes information about keeping bees safe, an index and
brief introductions to both author and illustrator.
Additional books for the season:
The Buzz on
Bees: Why Are They Disappearing?
by
Shelley Rotner and Anne Woodhull
photographs by Shelley Rotner
Holiday House,
$17.95 (hardcover)
Interest Level: Grades 1-3
(This book is available to borrow
at the Miami Dade Library; Miami Beach Regional. Also may be purchased from
Books & Books online:
http://www.booksandbooks.com)
Buzz
by Eileen
Spinelli
illustrated by Vincent Nguyen
Simon & Schuster, $15.99 (hardcover)
Interest Level: Junior
Kindergarten – Grade 3
The Bee’s Sneeze
by Ellis Nadler
Simon &
Schuster
Interest
Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade
1
(This book is available to borrow at the Miami Dade Library; Main Branch,
North Dade Regional, South Dade Regional.)
