(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Mrs. Ferraris may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. The Retired School Librarian is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program.)
Ready Set Dance: Getting Ready for Your First Dance Class
by Once Upon A Dance (Author), Stella Maris Mongodi (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Bella and Quinn excitedly attend their very first ballet class, where their teacher, Kittina, patiently demonstrates basic positions. They practice in front of a mirror using the barre and end the lesson learning to bow and curtsy. They depart with enthusiasm, anticipating next week’s class.
Comments:Once Upon A Dance is a mother-and-daughter team that writes dance-themed books that inspire movement.
As the authors painted the scene of the first lesson, I could feel the students’ excitement as they entered the studio, experiencing the very beginning of a love for ballet dancing.
Stella Maris Mongodi, the illustrator, brought this picture book to life with her expressive and fun depiction of the animal students and teacher in the dance studio.
The illustrations were created digitally using Procreate and Studioclip.
Rating: 4.5/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—đź“—1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
If you like this book, Once Upon A Dance has a series of movement-themed books.
*I received a complimentary e-book in exchange for an honest review.
The selected children’s books are chosen by a highly qualified retired elementary school librarian, who passionately reads and recommends picture books to teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book enthusiasts.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris recommends are checked out from the public library. The only exception is for the complimentary copies that she receives for an honest review, which are duly noted.
My Block Looks Like Children’s Picture Book Recommendation is by Angela Ferraris, The Retired School Librarian.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, she may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
My Block Looks Like
by Janelle Harper (Author), Frank Morrison (Illustrator)
Brief summary: A young girl shares how she enjoys the music, spray paint art, and other things of her home block in the Bronx.
Comments: The rhythmic words and action-filled illustrations follow the girl in the yellow hoodie, as she walks through her neighborhood, proudly sharing everything.
You may need to practice this reading aloud before sharing it with a class to get the rhythm of the words.
I think it would be an interesting series to see other communities done in this style.
Rating: 4.5/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—đź“—1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
(The content below contains Amazon affiliate links. When you buy through these links, she may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you.)
Animal Snuggles: Affection in the Animal Kingdom
by Aimee Reid (Author), Sebastien Braun (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Young readers are shown how various animals display affection towards their babies.
Comments: There are large double-paged illustrations with the parent and baby.
There’s a back section of the animals and more specific details of how they snuggle with their young, the name of a baby, and their home.
Rating: 3.5/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—1/2
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Fungi Grow
by Maria Gianferrari (Author), Diana Sudyka (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Young readers will learn how fungi grow above, on, and under the ground. Mushrooms can be edible, poisonous, or medicinal. There are mushroom details of how they multiply and what animals eat them. The underground fungi network helps the forest.
Comments: The gouache watercolors are detailed with two-paged spreads or small vignettes that move the nonfiction story along as we read the large print prose and the smaller informative text for more details.
This would be an excellent addition to the mushroom section in any children’s library collection.
Rating: 5/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—đź“—đź“—
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
My Bollywood Dream
by Avani Dwivedi (Author, Illustrator)
Brief summary: A young girl goes to the theater in Mumbai with her parents and brother. As they go through the city traffic, the girl imagines several of the nearby people as characters in a Bollywood movie.
Her family and other people in the theater enjoy the happy ending and music of the movie before heading home.
Comments: I love watching Bollywood movies because of the bright and beautiful colors and happy dancing style. This book captured all of that with vivid illustrations.
There is an author’s note in the back where Avani Dwivedi shares her childhood in Mumbai, listening to old Bollywood films and music.
Rating: 4/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—đź“—
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Ordinary Days: The Seeds, Sound, and City That Grew Prince Rogers Nelson
by Angela Joy (Author), Jacqueline Alcántara (Illustrator)
Brief summary: Prince Rogers Nelson was named after his father’s jazz band, The Prince Rogers Trio. He had parents who constantly argued resulting in his father leaving when Prince was age 7.
Prince lived in poverty, sleeping on couches in various homes, not having his own place. He excelled at playing basketball as well as playing the piano, guitar, and other instruments.
While still in high school, he created a cover band named Grand Central that played at parties, nightclubs, and the Battle of the Bands. Prince got his first recording contract at the age of 18.
This rhyming and rhythmic picture book did not give details of Prince’s life as an adult, the success of his music, or how he died.
Comments: The author’s note details Prince’s life, including a family playlist. The illustrations really capture Prince’s personality with a hue of purple throughout.
I recall being in the Music Conservatory when Prince came out in the 1980s. His music played in the dorms and in the stores. People went to his movies to see him perform. I recall watching Purple Rain and Under the Cherry Moon. That was when we had Walkmans, and I remember having the soundtrack to Purple Rain and listening to it all the time. People liked his Minneapolis sound a lot.
Rating: 5/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—đź“—đź“—
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Pass the Baby
by Susanna Reich (Author), RaĂşl ColĂłn (Illustrator)
Brief summary: The baby is passed around a large family gathering at the dining room table, where Grandpa, Grandma, and other family members visit with the baby.
The meal has ended, and it’s time for the baby to go to bed. Will she go to sleep or stay awake?
Comments: This rhyming picture book captures the excitement and love of a newborn baby in a family.
The humorous illustrations display the facial emotions and chaotic mess of a large gathering.
Rating: 4/5 đź“—đź“—đź“—đź“—
Continue reading for more details and buying options on this book’s Amazon page.
Children’s book titles are carefully handpicked by a certified elementary school librarian who, although retired, still enjoys reading children’s books, especially picture books, and recommending them to busy teachers, school librarians, parents, grandparents, and other book lovers.
Most of the books Mrs. Ferraris reads before recommending are checked out from the public library, except for those much-appreciated complimentary copies sent to her for an honest review. Those are noted.
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