April is a month filled with unique opportunities to read aloud to kids. This month also offers a chance for us to celebrate the unsung heroes of the book world known as librarians. Needless to say, we are thrilled to be able to spotlight libraries and librarians and the fantastic work they do to grow readers.
Candlewick Press once again has offered the Ap Team to share two more of their beautiful books for kids: This is a School and This is a Story.
With a warm, lyrical text and tenderly expressive illustrations, John Schu and Lauren Castillo invite us to imagine the myriad ways that books can foster connection and understanding—and how they can empower children, through their own passions, to transform the world.
Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/K7XFuBTJqEI
A moving celebration of school and all it may signify: work and play, creativity and trust, and a supportive community that extends beyond walls.
Book trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB6STpvIYfo
Part counting book, part visual narrative, Anna’s Kokeshi Dolls is a beautifully-illustrated bilingual picture book from award-winning author Tracy Gallup.
This story shows how simple objects can serve as a bridge between people and cultures on opposite sides of the globe. It also introduces these beautiful Japanese dolls and the ways in which they are formed and painted for children ages three and up.
Destiny Finds Her Way: How a Rescued Baby Sloth Learned to Be Wild by Margarita Engle
Explore the Costa Rican rainforest with Destiny, a rescued orphan baby sloth who must learn to return to the wild, in this heartwarming true story from Newbery Honor winner Margarita Engle.
Destiny must learn to be strong and confident after she loses the use of one of her eyes. Destiny is found and taken to a rescue center in Costa Rica without her mother to protect or teach her. The little sloth soon befriends other orphaned sloths. Her poor eyesight, however, makes it hard for her to keep her balance. Eventually, Destiny begins to use all of her senses to explore the world around her. But can she learn to climb? Can she master the other skills she needs to survive on her own? And will Destiny be brave enough to return to her wild forest home?
Margarita Engle and photographer Sam Trull introduce young readers to the world of sloths in this inspiring story about overcoming obstacles and believing in yourself.
The Red Ear Blows Its Nose: Poems for Children and Others by Robert Schechter, illus. by S. Federico
The Red Ear Blows Its Nose, Robert Schechter’s new book of children’s poetry, is a hilarious, always thoughtful, debut collection from award-winning poet Robert Schechter. Complemented by S. Federico’s charming illustrations, The Red Ear Blows Its Nose will delight both children and adults alike, and is destined to take its place alongside classics such as A Child’s Garden of Verses, Now We Are Six, and Where the Sidewalk Ends, on children’s and library bookshelves for years to come.
Be sure and check out this amazing article from The New York Times’ February 14 feature, “A Love Letter to Libraries, Long Overdue.”
