The story of Now You Say Yes developed from a passing thought about a young girl driving across the country with her brother. It was not a particularly novel concept; long distance road trips are so common in American literature and film.

The taking of the trip isn’t novel, it’s why they’re doing it, and what they find along the way that makes it special. In the American mythos, a drive across the country is always a search for self, reflected in what the traveler finds.

So, after I had answered a few questions—who was she? why did she have to go? (because she HAD to go—just kind-of wanting to go was not enough), I also figured it would be good for me to take the trip that Mari and Conor took. Who knows what I’d find? Material for the book, perhaps. Or maybe, just the experience.

Sometimes, it’s a fine line between research and indulgence, and here there was no difference at all. Driving across the country has been on my bucket list my whole life and remained undone. Now it was required if I were going to be a serious writer.

The timing of the trip was fortuitous. I realized the week I was going was also the week of the total eclipse in 2017. Great plot point! In fact, it became the heart of the story—the promise of seeing the eclipse gets Conor in the car, and seeing it is where Mari has the epiphany about her place in the world.

I traveled cheap. I put some clothes in a backpack along with a sleeping bag and solo tent and flew to Los Angeles, where I rented a one-way car (surprisingly reasonable!). I spent the night at a friend’s house in Altadena, and after a visit to Huntington Hospital, where Mari’s mom ended up, I set out, tracing what I thought might be Mari and Conor’s route.

Nothing life-threatening happened to me, but surprising things did and they ended up in the book. I watched a woman wearing a yoga pants do a bow to the Grand Canyon perilously close to the edge, wondering what she was thinking. I jammed on the brakes in time to exit and see the meteor crater I read about when I was six. I drove through Okemah and had a long talk with a man who lived across the street from where Woody Guthrie’s house had been. “He never sang mean,” the man said.

And, of course, like our two heroes, I stood agog, looking up at the sky while the sun disappeared, the breezes picked up, and the birds started singing. Like Mari, I looked at all of those around me staring at the heavens, and saw in that moment how we were all part of one living thing. The eclipse was a lens through which I saw the universe and where we fit in it. I gave that perception to Mari. And like Mari and Conor, the eclipse was the catharsis.

After that, I just drove.

Also, like Mari, I listened to music. If there is ever a time in one’s life when music imprints on the soul, it’s at the age of fifteen. Whatever music you fall in love with then, you will listen to for the rest of your life—it becomes timeless. I knew Mari needed music as an accompaniment, so, before I went on the trip, I did some research as to what Mari’s mom, Stef, might have listened to in the Boston area growing up in the early nineties. I tried to place her in her culture—a working-class Irish kid.

The recording I kept coming back to, over and over again, was R.E.M.’s Automatic for the People. To me, it captures a lot of the angst and struggle teens go through, and I could imagine Stef listening to it over and over, and it seemed to me that Mari did, too. Trapped with her mom’s music, Mari connected with it and her mom in a very special way.

All along the trip, as in the writing afterwards, I kept asking myself, “What does it feel like for Mari?” While writers pay attention to visual details, and sounds and smells, I’ve come to believe it’s our power to feel what somebody might be feeling that’s at the heart of our power as artists. It’s a risky thing, but imagining what someone else’s life is like is at the center of this empathic endeavor.

The last two hours of the trip, I drove with my heart in my throat. I was experiencing the end of my own trip, but also the end of Mari’s. The truth is, I had known what the last sentence of the book was going to be before I had written or plotted anything. I knew where the story was headed.. I crossed the beautiful bridge over the Charles, and as I drove down the side streets of Lynn, headed toward where I thought her grandmother might live, my heart beat faster. I came to a house that seemed like the right one and pulled over to the curb. I stared at the door of the house, imagining Conor and Mari standing on the steps. I almost knocked on the door myself.

As I write all this now, it seems like a fait accompli. I was bound to write this book. Now that it’s done it seems it was inevitable. But, like Mari’s trip, the outcome was always in doubt. I didn’t know if I could write it. I didn’t know if it would be any good. I didn’t know if anybody would want to publish it. I didn’t know much of anything, and so, like Mari, I drove across the country with an unanswered question, hoping for the best. Yes or no?

The answer, I think, is yes. Now You Say Yes.

Stan Steiner, PhD was called the Bookman by his students due to his vast knowledge of children’s literature. He was a K-5 elementary teacher for 15 years prior to his professorship at Boise State University, where he teaches courses on children’s and young adult literature. Stan has written and co-authored many articles about children’s literature and education and a book, P is for Potato: An Idaho Alphabet, with his wife Joy. 

Joy Steiner, MA Early Childhood Education, is a former preschool teacher and school librarian. She has traveled extensively as a professional storyteller and enjoys writing original nature tales.

Oh, the wonder!  Oh, the joy!  Oh, the thrill of discovery!

Few things are as powerful as sharing books and adventures with young children. Curiosity is awakened in the outdoor world, prompting questions and rich language exchanges with young learners.  Nonfiction books are an essential part of the experience, expanding and increasing the learning.

We strapped our baby daughter into her piggyback backpack, fastened her wide brim hat, and took to the high mountain air.  We talked and sang along the way, while she bounced happily, and upon our destination, snuggled close to the edge of a crystal clear alpine lake.  Small brook trout flashed in the water.  “Look!  Fish,” we exclaimed.  “See the fish?”  After returning home, we bundled our little one for bed and read a board book with large fish pictures and just a few words (try Stockdale’s, Fabulous Fishes or Sill’s About Fish).  The next evening, our baby pronounced her very first word.  We were sharing tiny bites of fish and vegetables in her bowl; behind her, colorful carved fish hung from our apartment ceiling.  She turned around in her high chair, pointed to the hanging fish, and said, “Ish?”  She was barely nine months old.

Nonfiction books inspire scientific explorations close to home, as well.  Our growing preschooler and her new brother witnessed a miracle in our backyard rose bush.  After reading The Ladybug by Gallimard Jeunesse (also read Curious About Insects, Sill and A Place For Butterflies, Stewart), we discovered the striking appearance of ladybug larvae and searched for them in our yard.  There they were, devouring aphids in the rose bush.  To our amazement, a larva stopped, glued itself to a leaf, and squeezed sticky bug juice from its backside.  The goo hardened into a pupa and our young scientists patiently observed the changes.  Ten days later, we held magnifying glasses and watched a tiny set of mandibles chew through the pupa, struggle to push out, and emerge as a glistening yellow beetle.  The sun dried the new ladybug, yellow darkened to orange, and spots appeared.  We were in awe.

Later, Joy taught preschool children with developmental delays.  One three year old came to school with no language.  He enjoyed playing with friends, but communicated with facial expressions, physical action, roars, engine sounds, and laughter.  By chance, Joy’s co-teacher discovered the boy loved horses.  They transformed the classroom into a ranch with horse pictures and toys, cowboy hats, boots, a saddle, and piles of horse books (try Touch and Feel Ponies and The Everything Book of Horses and Ponies, published by Dorling Kindersley).  They read one on one with the boy, making sure he focused on the clear pictures and repeating the words.  The highlight of the horse study was a trip to a working ranch to watch cowboys skillfully guide their horses as they cut and culled the cattle.  In the weeks that followed, Joy overheard the boy and his friends as they mounted the imaginary horse in the dramatic play area.  He was telling them to, “Hold on!  Sit saddle!  Go!

Real life experiences teamed with realistic pictures and clear text in nonfiction board books encourage literacy in young children.  Embark on outdoor discovery adventures with little ones.  Prepare to be surprised by wonder.

Throughout the pre-publication phase of this book, we’ve discovered the awe-inspiring world of therapy dogs. It’s been a humbling and heart-warming experience. There’s so much we didn’t know! Today, we’re excited to share some of the stories we’ve heard from people working hand-in-paw with Therapy dogs, and from those who have received their care. You might want to grab a tissue.

Did You Know that Therapy Dogs Teach Kids and Adults to Get Comfortable with Dogs?

This is Pearl, a licensed therapy dog who visited our library for several years. She was a wonderful friend to children who loved to read with her, lie on her, and cuddle her. However, she provided much more than just a listening ear. She and her handler (or “mom”) Frosti gently taught children how to safely approach dogs, they soothed the fears of children and adults who were afraid of dogs, and were beloved by members of several group homes. They were thrilled anew every time they met Pearl. The child who got to hold Pearl’s leash on the walk out always knew it was a special treat!

After Pearl retired, we partnered with the local animal shelter, Lakeland Animal Shelter, to allow children to meet animals in a safe and controlled environment, as well as to provide socialization for the animals themselves. I learned a great deal from Pearl and Frosti, including just how important the human part of the equation is, and we were lucky enough to have great volunteers who could help nervous children and animals come together.

We love the Madeline Finn books at our library, not just because they remind us of our dear friend Pearl, but also because they offer such a great example of interactions between humans and animals and how they can work together to bring happiness to so many.

Jennifer Wharton
Youth Services Librarian
Matheson Memorial Library
Elhorn, Wisconsin
 

Did You Know that Therapy Dogs Help Timid and Reluctant Readers Gain Confidence?

By partnering with Midnight Sun Service Dogs, Anchorage Public Library invites children who are struggling and striving readers to read to service and therapy dogs. We like to think that the dogs get as much out of it as the kids!

Children choose from a selection of easy-to-read books (many times about dogs and cats), go into a quiet room, and sit next to a patient, listening dog. Two of our favorite therapy dogs are Pagan and Swivel Shot. These beautiful dogs sit or lie serenely next to their handlers, and children often even lie on top of the dogs as they read with growing confidence. We love our dog partners at the library!

We’ve seen so many children benefit from these dogs who don’t judge or correct the readers. They are friendly ears and comfortable friends. Many children are quite shy at first, not sure if they can trust our dogs. But time and again, the dog eventually wins the child over.

One second-grader affected by a brain injury was very timid at first. She was afraid to sit next to Pagan, so her handler had to sit between them. She read hesitantly and quietly, and Pagan’s handler had to lean in to hear her reading. Month by month, this young girl slowly began to not only gain confidence in her reading, but also was able to sit next to Pagan and actually snuggle up next to her.

Service and therapy dogs are brilliant at being patient and gentle, with the added bonus of being especially good at listening. Children are often inspired to go home and read to their own pets or stuffed animals. What a wonderful way to foster a love of reading!

Linda Klein
Youth Services Librarian
Anchorage Public Library
Anchorage, Alaska

Did You Know that Therapy Dogs Train Hard and Are as Diverse as Those They Help?

Border Collies are herding dogs that love to work, directing sheep or other groups of animals with a human handler. But Marlee was born deaf, so she couldn’t hear the calls and whistles of the handler. When she was twelve weeks old she was given to a young boy who liked to hunt, but Marlee couldn’t hear to come when she was called and could easily get lost in the woods. So she came to live with me.

I had worked at a school for children who are deaf and thought it would be wonderful if Marlee could one day be a therapy dog for deaf children who spoke the same language she did. We started training, but Marlee found it very hard to stay when I walked away. We found new trainers, Karen and Niki, who worked hard to help us learn and understand commands through hand signals and leash training. We now work together at Parnassus Books where Marlee is a favorite participant at story time and as a reading buddy. She also loves to jump through hoops.

A relationship that really stands out to me during Marlee’s time as a reading buddy is her friendship with Harper. Very early on in Marlee’s training, Harper offered to sit with her during story time. They have developed a wonderful relationship! Harper is great about telling the other kids that Marlee can’t hear and helping them get to know her. Marlee sits with Harper—usually with her head in Harper’s lap!

I loved the story of Madeline Finn and the Therapy Dog.  It represents so well the teamwork that goes into training, and I loved that Madeline was able to be so involved in the training and handling alongside her mom. I hope more kids have the opportunity to be involved in all phases of dog training and handling – and benefit from reading to therapy dogs too!

Heather Patchett
Special Sales and Office Manager
Parnassus Books
Nashville, TN

Did You Know that Therapy Dogs Help with Rehabilitation and Elder Care?

When my dad turned 90, my sister arranged for a therapy dog to visit him. Handlers and therapy dogs don’t make a habit of going to people’s houses, but in this case the man who read the email made an exception. He showed up in the midst of a pretty intense period of depression for Dad, and I hadn’t seen him smile like that for quite a while.

Dave, the handler, stayed in touch with us, and when Dad fell and went to a rehab center, Dave added it to his stops. To do that, he had to apply to this particular rehab center, show paperwork that he gets when his dog is qualified for Therapy, and then fit it into his schedule. While he was there, he made others stops to see anyone else who wanted a visit. To this day, Dave shows up at the rehab center every week.

Dad eventually returned home, and I stayed in touch with Dave. And when dad went to live in a memory care facility, I reached out to Dave to let him know. He immediately went through the paperwork to get qualified to visit there. And he did, weekly, visiting anyone who wanted to see a dog. When Dad died, I reached out to Dave. He showed up at the funeral with his therapy dog for all of us to hug. That day, he told me that meeting my dad was meant to be. He came into Dad’s life on Dad’s birthday, and my dad left his life on Dave’s birthday. Dave still visits both the rehab center and the memory care place.

Lynn Hildebrandt
Sales Manager
Peachtree Publishing Company

Don’t miss Madeline Finn and the Library Dog and Madeline Finn and the Shelter Dog!

We asked Cathryn Sill to share a little more about the seabirds that she researched and wrote about in order to create 

When we created our new book about seabirds, John and I had many reasons for familiarizing children as well as the adults in their lives about this fascinating group of birds that many of us will never have the chance to see. We are hoping that increased knowledge will cause increased appreciation and a desire to protect the habitats and lives of these birds.

Most species of seabirds are difficult to spot

Because most seabirds live far out at sea and nest on remote islands, they are hard to study. Some seabirds may spend months or even years without ever coming to land. For example, Atlantic Puffins only come to shore to breed during summer like most seabirds. In winter, puffins live far away from land over the open ocean.  Because of their remote habits and habitats, it will take a little more research for young readers to learn about seabirds than simply stepping out their door.

Seabirds are mysterious and hard to track

There are many mysteries about the lives of this group of birds. For years little was known about the movements of seabirds while they are at sea but recent developments in tracking abilities have shed light on their activities.  For example, satellite telemetry has allowed researchers to gain valuable information by tracking the travels of birds that live in a very remote habitat. Find out more about satellite telemetry and how it’s used to track birds here. Along with advances in tracking technology, new methods of research have revealed current threats to these unique birds.

Climate change is harming seabirds

Many species of seabirds are suffering because of climate change. As oceans warm, the fish some seabirds feed on are disappearing, causing food shortages. Irresponsible fishing practices wreak havoc on seabird populations by reducing food supplies as well as catching birds in fishing gear. Invasive or nonnative species   of animals such as rats and mice have been introduced to seabird nesting grounds from other parts of the world. They prey on eggs and chicks resulting in decimated populations of many seabirds.  Plastic pollution is causing the death of seabirds when they mistake it for food, ingest it, and feed it to their young.

How can we help?

As more information becomes known about seabirds, there is hope that more can be done to protect them.  Buying sustainably managed seafood and reducing the use of plastic are simple ways of protecting oceans and the animals that live there. It is our desire that people make the responsible choices in their lifestyles that will result in protecting this wonderful planet that is home to all of us.

Where can we go for more information?

Websites:

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/browse/shape/Seabirds

https://www.birdlife.org/europe-and-central-asia/seabirds-and-marine-what-are-seabirds

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/bycatch/seabirds

Videos:

Seabirds Battling In the Air for Fish

Baby Seabirds Learning to Fly

The Dangers of Plastic to Seabirds

Books:

FAR FROM LAND:THE MYSTERIOUS LIVES OF SEABIRDS by Michael Brooke (Princeton University Press)

One of the most endearing qualities of the Stanley series is the comfortable rhythm and repetition that make for perfect read-alouds and books that children return to again and again. To explore the importance of that rhythm and repetition, we asked early education expert Marsha Hawley to share why books like the Stanley picture books are so important for the youngest readers.

Marsha Shigeyo Hawley is the former Director of Implementation and Practice Improvement for the Lead Learn Excel program, a professional learning program that provides training, targeted coaching, and a suite of resources to instructional leaders. Marsha has more than forty years of teaching experience, initially working with infants, toddlers, and children in pre-K through 3^rd grade, then moving on to more than 20 years of higher education focusing on early childhood education. She is also the author of several publications, including curriculum for infant and toddler caregivers.

What Makes a Picture Book Compelling?

Do you ever wonder what makes a book so compelling that a child pulls it off the shelf to have you read it? And why, when you’re finished reading it for the fourth time in an hour, that same child asks you to read it again?

That’s how I felt when I first read William Bee’s Stanley the Farmer. I immediately fell in love with Stanley the hamster, of course, but the words are simple, and the illustrations are perfect for even the youngest of children. They are bright, but do not rely only on primary colors to grab your attention. The content is interesting, filled with real-life connections and experiences, but it also builds curiosity for readers who have never been to a farm, for example. However, what I mostly fell in love with was the rhythm of Stanley the Farmer – and of all the books in the Stanley series.

What Does It Mean for a Book to Have Rhythm?

When we talk about a book’s “rhythm,” we could be talking about sentence structure, the pacing of events, or the tempo of the language. We could also be talking about the regularity of events in a book, the “routine,” if you will.

In each book, Stanley and his neighbors – including a very young shrew-like character named Little Woo – help each other throughout their day. And at the end of that day, Stanley goes home for his comforting nightly routine of supper, bath, and bed. At the end of Stanley the Builder, Stanley’s friend Myrtle expresses her gratitude to Stanley and Charlie for a job well done building her house, then Stanley returns home – “time for supper, time for a bath, and time for bed.”

How Do Books Build More Than Academic and Literacy Skills?

Early literacy studies show that books help build more than just academic skills for very young children. They also help model predictability, healthy practices, and social relationships that create a feeling of belonging. Books like those in the Stanley series demonstrate friendship, community, good nourishment, hard work and cooperation along with the joy and rhythm of a normal day.

“Read it to me again” books spark interest in young children by portraying things and experiences that connect to a child’s life and yet are a bit new for them. They help develop curiosity, even with very young children who are not yet able to point or talk. It’s the balance of realities: what a child knows and what a child has not yet experienced.

How Does a Book Become a Good “Read It to Me Again” Book?

Along with sparking a child’s curiosity and interest, a book becomes a “read it to me again” staple depending on who should like the book. Should the child choose the book? Should the adult be the one who selects the book? If you want a book that’s going to be read again and again, the answer is both.

When an adult enjoys the book, and the concepts resonate with them, the act of jointly enjoying the story makes that shared time a more meaningful experience. I feel that way about Stanley. I love these books myself and have recommended them to others to read with children.

In more than 45 years of study and work in the field of early childhood education, I know it takes more than good books to create a good environment for young children and their families. Yet, good “read it to me again” books are powerful to create a joy and rhythm that help make learning happen organically.

More about Marsha Shigeyo Hawley

Marsha Shigeyo Hawley is an advisor to advancing racial equity at the Ounce of Prevention and was the former Director of Implementation and Practice Improvement for the Lead Learn Excel program. Lead Learn Excel is a professional learning program that provides training, targeted coaching, and a suite of resources to instructional leaders to fuel early childhood educators’ learning and continuous improvement.

Marsha has been invested in infant mental health and in infant toddler child care and teen parenting. Her portfolio of professional work includes more than forty years of teaching experience with infants, toddlers, pre-K, K-3, including more than twenty-two years in higher education in early childhood. She is the author of several publications in early childhood education and a curriculum for infant toddler caregivers. She has also won awards for her early education websites that were launched in 1995.

Marsha continues to serve on the leadership team of the Chicago Commission on Urban Opportunities, and the Gateways to Opportunity Professional Development Advisory Council, supporting the creation of the Infant Toddler Credential in Illinois. Marsha also supports the community of learners in infancy by bringing together professionals and practitioners to the Infant Toddler Conference held at Oakton College that started in 1998. 

Noted economic education expert Erin Yetter helped vet Hopkinson’s manuscript for Thanks to Frances Perkins, and we invited her to speak to us on our blog today about why early economic education is so important and to share some of her favorite resources. Erin is a Lecturer of Economics at the University of Arizona who worked for many years with the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis developing curriculum, providing professional development for teachers, and conducting research. She has a PhD in Economic Education from the University of Delaware.

Why is it important for kids to have an early economics education?

The importance of early economic education stems from one important fact: Children must understand the world around them. Learning economics gives children the tools to be informed decisions makers whereby they weigh the costs and benefits of their economic choices—when they choose what college to attend, career to pursue, how much of their income to spend, whom to vote for, and so on. Thus, it is imperative to give them the proper economic content knowledge to make these decisions.

This education should start as early as possible so that children have a strong foundation on which to build more complex economic concepts. Young children can learn economics and even enjoy learning economics when it is linked to real-world applications such as children’s literature and media. For example, did you know there is economics in If You Give a Mouse a Cookie? We are all familiar with the cute mouse who is continuously asking for more. In other words, he has many wants. Wants are desires that can be satisfied by consuming goods and services. The mouse wants a cookie, then he wants milk, then he wants a straw, and so on. Wants, and the fact that they are unlimited, is a foundational concept in economics.

Ready to bring more economics into your classroom, but unsure where to start?

If you are interested to see what economic content should be taught in the K-12 curriculum, check out the Voluntary National Content Standards for Economics published by the Council for Economic Education. This document represents a consensus from the field’s leading economic educators regarding what students should know about economics by the end of grades four, eight and twelve. For example, the concept of “specialization” is scaffolded over time such that students first learn that individuals produce less than they consume. Next, they learn that countries also produce less than they consume. Finally, they learn that specialization is the foundation of trade among countries. Countries will specialize in the production of a few goods and services and then trade other countries for the rest.

What are some great resources for teaching early economics?

There are a lot of resources available, but the trick is finding high quality, rigorous, and engaging content. Great news: the resources below check off all of those boxes!

1. Council for Economic Education: http://councilforeconed.org

The Council for Economic Education (CEE) has been promoting economic and financial education for more than 60 years. The CEE conducts teacher training programs and develops curricula materials along with the nationally-normed assessment tools such as the Test of Economic Literacy. They also work with affiliates at the state and local level to provide these services and some funding to regional educators.

The CEE’s free curriculum and resource site is EconEdLink: http://www.econedlink.org/

2. National Association of Economic Educators: https://www.naee.net/

The National Association of Economic Educators (NAEE) exits to support economic educators in their promotion of economic and financial literacy. Since 1980, NAEE has provided economic educators with the opportunity for networking, professional development, research, and recognition.

3. The Federal Reserve System: https://www.federalreserveeducation.org/

The Federal Reserve works at the national level through its regional Reserve Banks to train teachers, develop curriculum materials, conduct research, and partner with state and local organizations to promote economic and financial literacy for its constituents.

4. Economics Media Library: https://econ.video

This website provides video clips, neatly organized by topic, from a variety of sources (i.e. TV, movies, commercials, TED Talks). Run by Dr. Jadrian Wooten from Penn State University.

5. Journal of Economics Teaching: https://www.journalofeconomicsteaching.org

The mission of the Journal of Economics Teaching is to transmit innovative teaching ideas to teachers of economics at all levels. Articles provide teaching tips from practicing economic educators. All of their material is openly available to interested readers.

6. Me!

And, of course, if you have any questions about how to get started, where to get more good resources, or just want to chat, please reach out to me directly at eyetter@arizona.edu or follow me on Twitter @erin_yetter.

I guess you can say Black Boys Read NOLA started organically. We were living abroad in England for my husband’s job. Being away from New Orleans was a wake-up call. While it was an amazing overall experience, the boys really began to miss being around black people. Don’t get me wrong, there were a lot of black people all over Europe but simply not concentrated the way that they are in a city such as New Orleans. It’s crazy, you know? I believe we tend to take genuinely black experiences for granted when we are among ourselves so frequently in predominantly black cities.

As summer approached, our middle child, Dylan wanted to read 80 books before the summer’s end. While this made us proud, we are quite realistic as parents. We knew that this would be a huge obligation for us as well. After much back and forth, we were eventually able to talk him down to 60 books. As a reward, we agreed to award him with prizes of his choosing at 20 book intervals. Being the efficient parents that we are, we thought to kill two birds with one stone— rekindle their connection with black people through books while meeting Dylan’s 60 book benchmark.

In our efforts to find books that were very diverse, we happened upon lots of black authors and black social media accounts that really highlighted black excellence. Dylan ended up exceeding his 60 book goal and was awarded accordingly. We returned home May of 2018. This was just in time to receive the summer assignments for our sons. (Before I go on, I feel I should mention that the curriculum in England was extremely diverse and showcased people of African descent in an extremely positive light.) We were quite excited to see this, and we were also excited to see what book Dylan was going to bring home next. That said, we returned home to New Orleans, a city that is over 60% black, only to receive a summer reading list for Dylan that caused our jaws to drop. It contained zero books to which he, or any young black male, could relate.

We found this unacceptable. So, we took it upon ourselves to reinforce black positivity with our boys. It’s as simple as that really. Pride in oneself is knowing oneself and the best way to know yourself is to know your history. At school, all our kids get is one month a year, and it usually begins with slavery and ends with Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights struggles of the 50s and 60s. Our rich and colorful history goes back thousands and thousands of years. We built pyramids, invented democracy and dynastic system of rule. We spread rich and diverse culture all over the globe! So why start with the ugliest blemish on our history?

Black Boys Read NOLA seeks to amplify self-pride and dignity through books and history while also exposing our boys to things that most school systems will not. From Congo square, to STEM, to golf and horseback riding, to local musicians and so much more, we aim to show our members that there’s more out there than what the schools are willing to expose them to. Our aim is to show the boys that success can be attained in many ways.  Not just music and athletics. We also aim to modify the way we define success. I think most readers will agree that your salary and success in life are oftentimes mutually exclusive. The preschool to prison pipeline for black males is quite real, especially here in Louisiana. Consequently, we must fight back in any way we can. If these voids continue to exist in society, Black Boys Read NOLA will remain a necessary and vital entity. We are simply filling a demand for diversity and self-dignity in young black males.

I do tons of research and follow many Instagram pages that focus on diverse reading selections. One of my favorite pages to follow is Here Wee Read! We read fiction and nonfiction. However, the boys enjoy nonfiction more. They love to read about people who look like their ancestors and brought change to the world. When I saw a post about Carter Reads the Newspaper I immediately started planning for this to be our next read. The illustrations are breathtaking! My  top reads right now are Carter Reads the Newspaper by Deborah Hopkinson, Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions By Chris Barton, Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford, Charlie Takes his Shot: How Charlie Sifford Broke the Color Barrier in Golf by Nancy Churrin, Mae Among the Stars by Roda Ahmed and Grandad Mandela by Ambassador Zindzi Mandela.

The book club’s experience with Carter Reads the newspaper was amazing. The way it is structured was quite advantageous. It is an amalgamation of amazing black characters throughout history, all culminating on the accomplishments of Carter G Woodson. This was a unique opportunity for us to discuss Carter’s accomplishments as well as the history of Black History Month. It also gave us an opportunity to discuss some lesser-known, but equally important, black historical figures in the process.

It’s interesting, one of our boys made the point that Carter had essentially started a book club just like the one that we have at BBR NOLA. Like-minded individuals coming together to further educate themselves and learn from one another all while reflecting on the accomplishments of their ancestors. It’s amazing really. Things have come full circle. We encouraged our members to conduct some further research on the leaders that are mentioned in the back of the book, because, again, our history began long before the year 1 CE. It’s very important that the boys know where we all come from and what we come from. How technologically advanced our civilizations were before colonization. This book does an amazing job at getting that conversation started.

Follow the Black Boys Read Book Club NOLA on Instagram to keep up with all the books they are reading!

As an early childhood professional, picture books have always been my greatest tool in connecting to and communicating with children. It was no surprise to me when it also became my greatest tool as a parent. I’ve been reading to my two-year-old son, Liam, since he was in utero. When I was pregnant, I would get up early in the morning and sit in a rocking chair and read a book to him. After he was born, we continued this tradition, though now it takes place while eating breakfast, in between playing with trucks, and at bedtime. When my position as a curriculum manager took me to the annual conference of the National Association for the Education of Young Children last November, I awaited the opportunity to visit book vendors and search for new reads for Liam. Peachtree Publishing was the first press I visited, and Fabulous Fishes by Susan Stockdale was the first book to catch my eye.

Fabulous Fishes is an unassuming tale about different types of fish.  Kirkus Reviews raved, “Youngsters will tap their toes to [its] rhythm. . .,” and while I agree that Stockdale demonstrates a command of language, the feature of Fabulous Fishes that stands out most to me is its striking message: “No matter what [fishes] look like, they call the water home.” Parents and early childhood professionals alike often struggle to find a language for communicating with children about difference. Difference is inherent to being human, yet it causes so much strife in our world. In the context of Fabulous Fishes, the reader learns that fish can be round, striped, spiked, speckled, and spotted, among other things, yet at the end of the day, they are all fish and they all call the same place home. As an educator, I quickly saw the parallels between the book’s sentiment about fish and people and, of course, wanted to teach with it. As a curriculum manager, I have the unique opportunity to shape activities and learning content used in preschool classrooms across the country, so I wrote a series of activities about exploring difference with children, using Stockdale’s books as the impetus.

Many of Stockdale’s other stories communicate a similar message about creatures and the world in which they live. The next Stockdale book Liam and I read together was Stripes of All Types, which was the 2014 pick for the Pennsylvania One Book, Every Young Child program. Here, Stockdale uses stripes to connect creatures across ecosystems and continents. Stripes are the common characteristic among invertebrates, mollusks, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. This trend continues in her book Bring On the Birds, in which she describes whooping birds, hanging birds, drumming birds, riding birds, and many more, and yet again, despite these special characteristics, “all of them have feathers and all are hatched from eggs.” With each book, Stockdale reminded me that difference is a unifying feature; she taught me that such diversity is as observable and nuanced as it is essential and defining.

For me, Stockdale’s books spark some obvious conversation starters for talking with children about appreciating and valuing difference. Children as young as two can identify racial and gender differences, and books like Stockdale’s provide a context for helping children understand that difference is not just universal, but shared. Beyond the page, however, Stockdale’s work made me think about our approach to teaching children about difference―what if instead of teaching about difference as looking for something unique, we started to teach about it as looking for something we have (or things have) in common?

With this framework in mind, I developed a series of activities to help children understand how color exists on a continuum and to encourage them to think about why variations of so many common things exist. For example, one activity involves listening to variations of a familiar song, like “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” and talking about what we notice about these variations. Another activity invites children to do a picture dictionary scavenger hunt, during which they would choose a picture from the dictionary and look for versions of that item in their school (or home) settings. Such activities will support children’s understanding of difference as something we can notice everywhere, rather than defining it as something that is unusual and other-ly.

Liam and I look forward to reading more of Stockdale’s books. While I’ve identified a message in her stories that has framed my professional experience, Liam is captivated by her distinct illustrations and the inclusion of nature facts that end many of her books. He loves to pretend to be many of the animals, especially the birds, and will ask to see specific illustrations by Stockdale’s descriptors―“Liam see ‘dancing bird,’” he’ll say, and then we’ll talk about the blue-footed booby while he dances. With Fabulous Fishes, Stripes of All Types, and Bring On the Birds, he is undoubtedly developing a love for nature that will follow him through life. With Stockdale’s books, Liam is learning how to look closely and pay attention―to see and experience this vibrant world.

Thanks to Teresa Narey for sharing her great ideas of how to explore differences by using picture books with young readers! Check out the rest of Susan Stockdale’s books here. Do you have a favorite book by Susan Stockdale? How do you teach difference with your young readers? Let us know in the comments!

Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers: Celebrating Animal Underdogs is a book about anti-superlatives. Instead of focusing on the world’s biggest, fastest, strongest animals, my goal was to shine a light on creatures that are small or slow or shy or clumsy, but still manage to survive—and thrive.

As I was researching, my goal was to identify animals that could be classified as “underdogs” because they have characteristics or behaviors that humans might consider weaknesses. But, in fact, those perceived flaws are the secret to the animals’ survival success.

Educators like the book because it has a lively, playful voice and can be used in two ways. First of all, it’s perfect for science units about animal adaptations. Young readers really get excited about some of the book’s interesting and surprising examples.

The book’s gentle message of respecting one another and celebrating differences can also help teachers ease into conversations about bullying and other interpersonal conflicts that they may have noticed in their classroom. Even though the message is subtle, kids get it. And they often find themselves relating strongly to one of the animals in the book.

I had both of these uses in mind as I was writing Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers, and I’m delighted that teachers find these aspects of the book valuable. But what has surprised me about the book is students’ fascination with discovering and learning about animals that are completely new to them.

For some reason, it never occurred to me that creatures like the shy okapi, the stinky hoatzin, and the tiny Etruscan pygmy shrew would be unfamiliar to young readers, and they would want to know more, more, more—much more than we could squeeze into the back matter—about these captivating critters.

As soon as we realized our readers’ desire for more information, the folks at Peachtree and I put our heads together and developed an awesome downloadable Meet the Underdogs poster to accompany the book. I’m happy to report that kids love it.

I’ve also been delighted with all the ways teachers are using the book in writer’s workshop. Thanks to social media, elementary educators have let me know that they are using Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers to help students identify the theme or concept of a nonfiction book. They’re also using it as a mentor text to model voice, word choice, strong verbs, varying sentence length, direct address, imbedded questions, alliteration, and internal rhyme.

Wow, teachers are so clever! Sometimes they see things in my writing that I’m not even aware of. There’s always more to learn about the craft of nonfiction writing.

If you’re a teacher who’s using Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers or one of my books in your classroom, please let me know via Twitter, Facebook, or email. I love hearing these stories.

Melissa Stewart is the award-winning author of more than 180 science books for children. She has always been fascinated by the natural world and is passionate about sharing its beauty and wonder with readers of all ages. For more resources for Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers, also check out the teacher’s guide and readers’ theater. Find this book at your local library, indie bookstore, or Barnes & Noble. How are you using Pipsqueaks, Slopwokes, and Stinkers in your classroom or with your readers? Let us know!

During our most recent trip to our local library, my husband and my nine-year-old son Liam were trolling for new reading material when they spotted a new children’s book on prominent display. Countdown: 2979 Days to the Moon caught their eye immediately. The book had several things going for it. First, it was about the Space Program! Our family  loves anything about space or astronauts, history or science, and this book had it all. After a quick look, my husband noticed the nice balance of text and illustrations, which would keep Liam wanting to read and moving through the book to see what was going to be on the next page.

It was apparent when Liam first cracked open Countdown that it was going to be a book that not only he loved, but that we all loved, even his fourteen-year-old sister. The illustrations are breathtaking, and some of them made him gasp out loud. We each had a favorite page of course. Liam’s favorite shows Apollo 5 blasting off above Earth.

The book follows the Space Program, from Kennedy’s speech announcing America would go to the Moon, to the success of the Apollo 11 mission. The book is 144 pages long, and I am aware of this because Liam was so very proud of himself as this was the first chapter book of this length that he was ever able to read completely on his own. The minute he was done, he checked how many pages it had, clutched to book to his chest, and proudly marched around the house to let everyone know what he had just accomplished.

This book never talks down to children. Using science vocabulary, it marches them right along events in history as if they were there. At times, Liam was so excited he was squirming and jumping up and down as he breathlessly read to find out what happened next. The feeling of accomplishment Liam had as he read words like “gauges”, “atmosphere”, “ignites”, and “trajectory” alongside pictures of rockets and actual astronauts was better than any A+ from any test.  I have been telling anyone who will listen about this book; it’s entertaining, educational, and challenging for kids without being overwhelming.

As a mom, I was overcome with emotion when I saw what this book had accomplished for my son. Liam has struggled for a long time with reading, and this book was the first chapter book he read on his own. Some books are magical. We all know this. Countdown is one of those books. Suzanne Slade and Thomas Gonzalez have managed to come together and create a book that educates, inspires, and reminds children that they can do anything.

For more information about Countdown: 2979 Days to the Moon, check out our blog post and website. You can find Countdown on Amazon or at your local library, indie bookstore, or Barnes & Noble!