Phoenix Goes to School

Finch, Michelle. Phoenix Goes to School. Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2018.

Phoenix is going to school for the first time, and she is wearing a dress. She is nervous about the way her classmates will react to her since she is transgender, but she need not have worried. She has support from her family, her teacher, and her new friends.

This is a cute book to introduce young children to the concept of gender diversity. Co-written by a transgender child and her parent, this book is appropriate for its age level, although the story tends to go a big longer than many children would have patience for. Colorful illustrations grace every page. This would be a good book to use in a classroom situation along side I Am Jazz or Red: A Crayon's Story. Recommended.

Recommended for: kids
Red Flags: none
Overall Rating: 4/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley for the purpose of review.

My Favorite Things: Go-to Picture Books

I am responsible for the weekly family storytime at my library, and I also frequently host elementary school classes that visit the library or visit classes at preschools and daycares. While I usually follow a theme for my storytimes, I do have a few books that are my go-to resources if I can't think of a particular theme, or if I just want to read a variety of books that I know the children will enjoy:

1. The Book With No Pictures by BJ Novak. This book is guaranteed to get a laugh from students, both those who have heard it before and those who are new to it. I recommend that anyone reading this out loud ham it up as much as possible, because kids love nothing more than watching grown-ups be ridiculous.
2. Tacky the Penguin by Helen Lester. Tacky is hands-down my favorite picture book character. He's silly, he's different from the other penguins, but he has a good heart and he always saves the day. I also love that his companions, while agreeing that he is different, don't tease him for being different, and they realize how helpful his differences can be.
3. I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean by Kevin Sherry. This is another silly one, and it works well with an ocean theme, a fish theme, a whale theme, etc. It's also fun, and the kids enjoy the surprise ending of the story.
4. The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone. This is an older book - I remember reading it when I was a child. I also remember how much I loved it, and the kids I see at the library share this love once I introduce them to this book. They think it's hilarious to watch the antics that Grover gets up to in attempting to stop the reader from getting to the end of the story.
5. Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett. This may seem like an odd choice, but it's a great, quiet book to place in between more rowdy books, or to use with an older group. The reason for the yarn's disappearance is never explained, so I love asking the kids at the end of the book what they think happened to the yarn. They all have interesting explanations, and it's neat to hear how many different answers I can get from one class.
6. Any of the Love Monster books by Rachel Bright. Love Monster is adorable and he learns good lessons about friendship.
7. Any of the Anansi books by Eric Kimmel. Anansi is a trickster whose tricks often backfire on him, and these stories are good for older groups of children who are ready for a longer, meatier story than many picture books provide.
8. Meet Dizzy Dinosaur by Jack Tickle. This interactive book is great for a younger crowd who need a shorter story that keeps them engaged. Also, Dizzy is adorable. 
9. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Yes, this is a classic that many children have already heard, but a familiar book can be a comforting book, and the counting and life cycle parts of the story are really good for young pre-readers. Also, there are big book versions, flannel versions, and puppet versions of this story, which makes it great when you need some variety. 
10. Bats at the Library by Brian Lies. This rhyming story introduces children to the library itself and also ties in well with a storytime about the night, bats, nocturnal animals, etc. 

If you have to do a storytime on the fly, what are your go-to books? 

This is My Home, This is My School

Bean, Jonathan. This is My Home, This is My School. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux BYR, 2015.

This is the story of a homeschooling family. A young boy introduces the reader to his teacher, his classmates, his classrooms, even the cafeteria! The innocence of childhood introducing a friend to a familiar place is felt throughout, and this warmhearted book is perfect to help children who have yet to meet a homeschooling family to understand what it's like.

Unfortunately, the illustrations are a bit chaotic, which makes for a distracted read and places this book on the "not for storytime" list. With real photographs or a different style of illustration, this book would be perfect for showing different ways kids learn.

The Goodbye Book

Parr, Todd. The Goodbye Book. Little, Brown BFYR, 2015.

The story of a pet fish whose fish friend has died can help children understand how to process grief. The simple pictures and text work well together, and Parr's distinctive style is evident throughout this short but important book. For libraries which already house the Parr cannon, this is a welcome addition. For places without a deluge of Parr books, perhaps it's time to begin a collection, starting with this one. Recommended.

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole

Barnett, Mac. Sam and Dave Dig a Hole. Candlewick, 2014.

Sam and Dave decide to dig a hole in their backyard, and they are determined to dig until they find something spectacular.

This book is completely adorable. Klassen's illustrations - similar to those in Extra Yarn, I Want My Hat Back, and others, are simple, yet perfectly suited to the story.  Sam and Dave pass by several jewels, each getting larger and larger, and their dog notices what is going on but is unable to convince them to dig differently. In the end, they fall out of the end of the hole and return to their own yard. This simple story will keep kids interested in what will happen and frustrated at Sam and Dave for missing all of the obvious jewels. This would make a great read-aloud book for a story time or a read-alike recommendation for other Barnett and Klassen collaborations.

Mouse, Bird, Snake, Wolf

Almond, David. Mouse, Bird, Snake, Wolf. Candlewick Press, 2013.

The gods created the world, but then they got lazy and spent their days napping.  Meanwhile, three humans find some missing pieces to the gods' creation, and they decide to get creative themselves.  Some of the results are fantastic, while others are nearly disastrous.  This adorable illustrated book will be a favorite among fans of mythology as well as reluctant readers.

Recommended for: middle grade, tweens
Red Flags: a couple of the pictures of the gods show them mostly unclothed; some of them are very clearly female
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars

Zombie in Love

DiPucchio, Kelly. Zombie in Love. Atheneum, 2011.

Mortimer just wants to find true love.  He's tried wooing the postal worker at his door, the waitress at the diner, and anyone who is near him. He reads books about how to win the love of his life, but nothing's working.  Finally, he puts out at ad to see if someone will meet him by the punch bowl at the Valentine's Day dance.  And just when he thinks it's over, someone comes to meet him, a girl who will love all of Mortimer's zombiness.

Daddy's Roommate

Willhoite, M. (1990). Daddy's roommate. Boston, Mass.: Alyson Wonderland.

A little boy’s parents have just divorced, and his daddy has a new roommate. The boy’s mommy tells him that being gay is “just a different kind of love,” and the boy describes the fun times he has with daddy and Frank.

All Families are Special

Simon, N., & Flavin, T. (2003). All families are special. Morton Grove, Ill.: A. Whitman & Co.

When the teacher mentions that she will be visiting her grandmother, all of her students want to talk about their families. They soon discover that each student lives with a different kind of family, but that each family is special.

Mom, Mama, and Me

Rella, T. (2010). Mom, Mama, and Me. New York: CreateSpace.

Jonathan isn’t sure what to say at school when people ask what his daddy does, because Jonathan has two moms. At home, he asks his mom and his mama about this, and they discuss the way they were able to adopt him and how special he is.

In Our Mothers' House

Polacco, P. (2009). In our mothers' house. New York: Philomel Books.

This story is narrated by a young girl who was adopted by two women. The little girl and her brother and sister grow up and love each other and their moms very much. This is a great way to introduce young children to different family situations and to model inclusiveness and understanding.

The Family Book

Parr, T. (2003). The family book. New York: Little, Brown.

This book introduces young children to a variety of different family structures: single-parent families, adopted families, stepfamilies, and families with two mommies or two daddies. The emphasis is on the way the families are alike, not on their differences.