Xapa to the World

Tag: picture books

  • FIAR Vol. 1 – A Pair of Red Clogs

    FIAR Vol. 1 – A Pair of Red Clogs

    Our library didn’t have this book in their registry, but they ordered it for me to have on hand. What a place! I thought the text might be a little long and involved for my littles, but they have been very interested in the story. It doesn’t hurt that I have a strong connection to Japan, having lived there for a year back in 2008 to teach English with a church. I have also made it a point to take the kids to the only true Japanese restaurant that is local and familiarize them with the food, culture, and language.

    Can I share something funny? You get spam calls a lot, right? I get them all the time and I got tired of answering them just to have them start rattling them off whatever pitch they have. So, about a year ago, I started answering my phone in Japanese if I didn’t recognize the number. It’s been a very fun and beautiful thing. They have no idea what to make of it. And, bonus, my kiddos often holler out, “konnichiwa!” whenever my phone rings. It has only backfired a couple times when it’s a doctor’s office or some other official call. Usually they laugh with me when I explain what is going on.

    Social Studies

    I love seeing pictures of Japan in these books and reading familiar words – testing out my katakana (one of the syllabaries) again. [My 5 yr old pointed to a “conbini” (convenient store) sign and asked what it said. I sounded out the katakana and realized it was “ta-ba-ko” (cigarettes).] I remember very little wildlife when I was living there beyond birds and insects, except when I was out in the country or visiting Hiroshima. But the kids were delighted with the pictures of snow monkeys in the hot springs.

    Art

    The crafts in this book are so fun and neat! We are looking forward to trying some others throughout, but I think we will do the Japanese-style tie-dye this time around. Simple supply lists and cultural tie-ins without appropriation for the win!

    Math

    This book was a little over our level as we have barely handled our numbers and counting and small grouping problems. This book asked us to practice subtracting and adding double-digit numbers. I would have done it a little differently, had I taken the time to read the book ahead (mom win!).

    Science

    We have read “Boy, Were We Wrong About the Weather!” once before, but it’s always a good time to revisit a book. For better or for worse, the 3 year old’s takeaway was to go through the house saying, “Boy, were we wrong!” to just about everything happening. I loved learning about meteorology when I was younger and I’m still fascinated with weather. I met a local weather man celebrity when I was a kid through Girl Scouts and it made a big impression on me.

    Additional Books:

    “Red Sky at Night” was a very easy read, but the illustrations are beautiful and picking through the sayings made us have to take our time. This book is filled with phrases used to “predict” the weather. At the back of the book, the author lists all the phrases and shares a brief explanation and whether it’s accurate or not. I read a few phrases I had forgotten hearing from my grandparents!

    These books were super sweet stories, and all over the interests. Niki Nakayama is a biography of a professional Japanese-American chef. Natsumi’s Song of Summer is about cousins sharing a love of insects. And Hana Hashimoto, Sixth Violin is about a little girl wanting to carry the legacy of her ojichan (grandpa), a concert violinist. Another favorite book centering Japanese culture was “Ojichan’s Gift” also by Chieri Uegaki but we didn’t reread it this time around.

    Here is a fun poem I found for this week. Even more special, my mom shared that she had memorized this poem when she was in 1st grade:

    Who has seen the wind?
    Neither I nor you:
    But when the leaves hang trembling,
    The wind is passing through.

    Who has seen the wind?
    Neither you nor I:
    But when the trees bow down their heads,
    The wind is passing by.

    “Who Has Seen the Wind?” Christina Rossetti

    Disclaimer: This site uses some affiliate links. This costs you nothing, but helps supplement our homeschooling costs.

    Complete Book List:

  • FIAR Vol. 1 – How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World

    This book is all sorts of silly. We decided to do this one a little out of order from the curriculum so that it would time nicely with local apple harvest. We have a local orchard that, while we can’t pick them from the trees, we can peruse several varieties and pick up honey and other yummy treats. They make a mean cider too! I am excited to try making an apple pie with the kiddos – we will be having a family reunion this weekend and it will be fun to make something to share with everyone. I also took the many travels of the girl as an opportunity to learn the names of the continents.

    Social Studies

    These books provide just enough information to be interesting for my 5 yr old without overwhelming him. We also enjoyed making the flags for Italy and France and marveled at how similar they were to each other! The library didn’t have the book on Sri Lanka in, so I found this book about cinnamon.

    I think the kids were “geography”d out, so I stretched out this part over the whole week. We picked a new destination book for each day and that was still a little too much for the kids, but they are pretty little. I’m just real glad that I got the names of the continents in their vocabulary and hope to cement those in their minds.

    Math

    These books actually tied in real well with math this week. Who Knew? introduced sequencing as each wild animal group learns that Fall has come now. Bob and Pup-Pup are a good tie-in for baking practices and learning about measurements – however, there are no measurements mentioned in the book. We also found a video on YouTube of a guy showing how to bake an apple pie. My 5 year old has recently discovered baking videos, including the mini-chef videos, and was captivated.

    Science

    We were all set to make some apple pies today as our science lesson, but I have a sinus infection and just was not up for it. But we reviewed what foods are fruits and what are vegetables and where do they grow (under the ground, above the ground, on trees or bushes, etc). There was a fun experiment in the STEM book about growing broccoli flowers, so I think we’ll try that next week. The Fresh Produce Guide book was a gift from my mom from a nearby intl market called Jungle Jims. It’s quite the store and I highly recommend the Fairfield one if you’re ever in the Cincinnati area. This guide lists which produce is grown/available in which seasons, how to store it, prepare it, what it pairs well with, what spices to use with it, and the general nutrition facts. I use this book more than I ever thought I would.

    Additional Books

    These books were very helpful in establishing map intelligence and the life cycle of an apple. We did an apple study last year through Treehouse Schoolhouse but it’s always helpful to repeat lessons, especially with my little little ones. Me on the Map was fun and helped us imagine ourselves on the map. When I was in 7th grade, I told my social studies teacher that I wanted to be a cartographer when I grew up. She disdainfully told me that everything had been discovered and we wouldn’t need mapmakers anymore. I believed her. But now, I know that map skills are still immensely valuable. It means a lot to me to be able to hear the name of a place and be able to find it on a map because I have cultivated that skill. I hope my kiddos have the same knowledge as they get older.

    Here is a fun poem I found for memory work this week, “If I Were an Apple”:

    If I were an apple
    And grew upon a tree,
    I think I’d fall down
    On a good boy like me.
    I wouldn’t stay there
    Giving nobody joy;
    I’d fall down at once
    And say, “Eat me, my boy.”

    Anonymous

    Disclaimer: This site uses some affiliate links. This costs you nothing, but helps supplement our homeschooling costs.

    Complete Book List:

  • FIAR Vol. 1 – The Story About Ping

    FIAR Vol. 1 – The Story About Ping

    We started with the first book in Five in a Row Vol. 1. I’m going to tell you, I had a hard time with this book being on the list. I had a hard time because I have been to China, in a river city. I saw the cormorant fishing boats and the children running around the edge of the Li River, jumping into the water to cool off in the hot summer sun. It’s been a few years, but I know that the country is not as it is depicted in the book. Of course, I understand the book was written in 1933, BUT the racial undertones and the artist’s renders of the people and the countryside left a lot to be desired. So, I decided to take this book as a teaching tool in how we can look at older books and recognize problematic content. I decided that with my supplemental books and activities, I would do my best to present a more accurate and respectful picture of China and its people. Stories of Color has a great new list called “Read This, Not That” and “The Story About Ping” made the list of books NOT to read. Our library doesn’t have their suggested alternative, but it’s on my list to nab whenever it comes available!

    Below you will find pictures of the books I used for the different subjects and additional books I found that fit for more read aloud time. At the bottom of the page are links to each book for purchase.

    Social Studies

    I found these books valuable in that they presented how China looks today. A lot of the country is still rural, as depicted in the book, but much of it has been highly developed and metropolitan. I appreciated the current pictures of the Yangtze River – showing that the waters are not, in fact, yellow. We also visited a local Chinese restaurant and discussed how the people who work there look nothing like the people in the book. We talked about how the book depicted a way of life in a much earlier time in history and a particular part of an extremely large and diverse country.

    Math

    Math is not my forte, but at this level, I really have no excuse for working it out. These books were perfect today. We read How Do you Count a Dozen Ducklings? together and for our bedtime read, we did Ducks on the Road. My little man (5 yrs) grouped the ducks in 3 and counted them easily that way. I was floored. Numbers are going to come easy for him like it does for his dad.

    Math day is also our outdoor nature club day. We spent the afternoon with other homeschool friends, and amazing grown-up volunteers at a nearby state park. We always have great time there. Here’s hoping that we have a healthier year and are able to go more regularly throughout the winter.

    Science

    Oh this was a fun day! We did an experiment (provided in the book) where we picked a variety of objects and predicted whether they would sink or float. The kids did great and were surprised at some of the results. “Swim Swim Sink” was a perfect picture book tie-in.

    This Safety Smart DVD with Timon and Pumbaa from The Lion King was a great watch while I got our lunches put together. Not too long, but memorable. We discussed what we already knew (from swimming lessons this summer) and what we didn’t know yet. I’m our designated family life guard for swimming outings. I’m glad I wasn’t rusty on the big points. We’re also going to try to trek out tomorrow for some wild duck observations, that is if we can get ahead of our ragweed allergies. The assault on our sinuses is strong this year!

    Additional Reads

    These three stories are very different in origin and setting. The Ugly Duckling is a classic, as is The Nightingale. I had these easy readers left over from my ESL tutoring years. “Along the Tapajós” follows two siblings on their way to school and their life on a Brazilian tributary to the Amazon River. This book was translated from Portuguese and I’m always glad to include stories from own voices.

    The “Duck on a…” books found their way in my list and they’re silly enough that I knew my kiddos would love them. And they did. “I Am Golden” addresses the challenges that Third Culture Kids (specifically Chinese American) face belonging and not belonging to two different cultures. Another great Own Voice picture book.

    We also memorized a poem by Jack Prelutsky called “Yellow-Bill Duck.” I found it in our “Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright!” anthology of animal poems for each day of the year. The kids loved the repetition of it:

    I’m a yellow-bill duck
    with a black feather back,
    I waddle waddle waddle,
    and I quack quack quack!

    I dabble for my dinner
    with a swish swish swish,
    and I gobble gobble gobble
    all I wish wish wish!

    https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/jack-prelutsky

    Have you used this book for homeschool or just a general read-aloud? How did you teach through it? What did your kids find most interesting?

    Disclaimer: This site uses some affiliate links. This costs you nothing, but helps supplement our homeschooling costs.

    Booklist:

  • Five In A Row Vol 1

    Five In A Row Vol 1

    Hey everyone! I thought I’d try to show what we’re using for our homeschool and supplemental books and strategies for each week. This is our first year doing a “true” homeschool curriculum, but we went through the Treehouse Schoolhouse year-long Nature Studies last year while the kiddos were 2 and 4. That was so much fun and we learned so much (yes, me too!) and I decided that, especially at this age, a picture book-based curriculum would be the best set up for our home. By the way, I’m planning to pull out the Nature Studies in another few years for a repeat use, with the writing practices this time – my kiddos are still learning their letters. 🙂

    Our local library system isn’t quite as extensive as some (only two branches) but we are relying heavily on their resources. I’m also depending on a massive spreadsheet (I’m such a nerd) listing a plethora of picture books and their topics so that I can easily search for applicable picture books which I have sourced from a wide range of online lists as well as the weekly notices of new additions at our local library. It’s an illness…but I need all the lists! Here are some of the online booklists I’ve used:

    For our 2023-2024 school year, we are using Five in a Row Vol. 1 for both my 5 yr old (primary learner) and my 3 year old (I’m calling her the Tag-along).

    I have rearranged the order of the weeks to fit with certain seasons/holidays. I’ve also given us some gap weeks not just for our own seasonal breaks, but to fit in a Christmas and an Easter Study (through Treehouse Schoolhouse). We did the Christmas one last year, gently, but this will be our first time going through the Easter one.

    I’m also planning to do an American civics study in May and enroll the kiddos in a local intro to music class. Above all, I LOVE reading aloud to my kids. We have so much fun and I learn so much with them. Picture books are poignant, silly, creative, emotional, and beautifully illustrated. Here’s to a great school year with you!

  • Favorite Library Finds in 2021

    Towards the end of the year, and a little more willingness to get out into the world after the start of the pandemic, the kids and I began venturing to the library to pick out books. Now, I will say that for several weeks, we stuck to requesting them online and then picking them up in the drive-thru. But in the early part of 2022, the library opted to start the toddler/preschool storytimes again and we were so glad to have a safe-ish place to see other people and engage with reading and the library as a whole.

    My son was really beginning to nurture a joy of being at the library by the time the pandemic began, and I was anxious to get my daughter in the same routine. I also was turned on to the incredible reading lists from Read Aloud Revival and also from Brightly. Our favorite finds are from a combination of those lists and some that little hands randomly pulled off the shelves.

    I’m going to make this list highlighting the ones we really enjoyed and then give our honorable mentions (just the other books we also checked out and weren’t terrible. haha)

    “Mama, Do You Love Me?”
    by Barbara M Joosse
    and Barbara Lavallee (illust)

    Children’s Storytime Book, Arctic and Wild Animal Picture Book, Native American Books for Toddlers
    (0-12y)

    “Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb”
    by Al Perkins
    and Eric Gurney (illust)

    The dancing, prancing monkey musicians in this Bright & Early Board Book will have kids (and their lucky parents) drumming and humming along with the story as they learn to identify their hands, fingers, and thumbs.
    (0 – 3y)

    “Mail Duck”
    board book with flaps
    by Erica Sirotich

    Mail Duck is delivering differently shaped packages to all his friends on his mail route. (Trudy likes triangles, and Harry likes hearts!) Lift the flaps to peek inside and guess what each friend received. Then head back to the post office for a big surprise…
    (0 – 3y)

    “First Snow”
    by Bomi Park

    In this beautiful book from debut creator Bomi Park, a young girl wakes up to the year’s first snowy day.
    (2-4)

    “Wolf in the Snow”
    wordless book
    by Matthew Cordell

    A girl is lost in a snowstorm. A wolf cub is lost, too. How will they find their way home?
    (2 – 6y)

    “The Birds of Bethlehem”
    by Tomie dePaola

    On the morning of the first Christmas, the birds of Bethlehem gather in the fields–not only to eat but to share the exciting news.
    (3 – 5y)

    “City Dog, Country Frog”
    by Mo Willems
    and Jon Muth (illust)

    In spring, when City Dog runs free in the country for the first time, he spots Country Frog sitting on a rock, waiting for a friend.
    (3 – 5y)

    “Because of an Acorn”
    by Lola & Adam Schaefer
    and Frann Preston-Gannon (illust)

    Because of an acorn, a tree grows, a bird nests, a seed becomes a flower.
    (3 – 5y)

    “Last Stop on Market Street”
    by Matt De la Peña
    and Christian Robinson (illust)

    This energetic ride through a bustling city highlights the wonderful perspective only grandparent and grandchild can share.
    (3 – 5y)

    “High Five”
    by Adam Rubin
    and Daniel Salmieri (illust)

    Discover the lost art of the high five and improve your slapping skills just in time for the annual high five contest!
    (3 – 5y)

    “Dumpy to the Rescue!
    by Julie Andrews Edwards & Emma Walton Hamilton
    and Tony Walton (illust)

    After bringing dinner to some of his farm animal friends, Dumpy helps Mama Goat search the farm for her missing baby and solve the mystery of the farmyard thief.
    (3 – 5y)

    “The Mitten”
    by Jan Brett

    Grandmother knits snow-white mittens that Nikki takes on an adventure. Readers will enjoy the charm and humor in the portrayal of the animals as they make room for each newcomer in the mitten and sprawl in the snow after the big sneeze.
    (3 – 5y)

    “One More Acorn” (Earl the Squirrel)
    by Don & Ron Freeman

    An adorable, heartwarming story about a squirrel looking for that one last acorn.
    (3 – 5y)

    “Blizzard”
    by John Rocco

    Based on John Rocco’s childhood experience during the now infamous Blizzard of 1978, which brought fifty-three inches of snow to his town in Rhode Island.
    (3 – 5y)

    “Bunny Slopes”
    by Claudia Rueda

    Shake to help Bunny make it snow, tilt to help Bunny ski down the slope, and turn to help Bunny escape a cliff in his path. Is there any obstacle Bunny can’t conquer?
    (3 – 5y)

    “Hank Finds an Egg”
    wordless book
    by Rebecca Dudley

    From delicate ferns to the glow of Hank’s little campfire, Hank Finds an Egg immerses you in its vivid miniature world.
    (3 -6y)

    “Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter”
    by Kenard Pak

    As leaves fall from their trees, animals huddle against the cold, and frost creeps across windows, everyone knows–winter is on its way!
    (3 – 6y)

    “Little Penguins”
    by Cynthia Rylant
    and Christian Robinson (illust)

    As the snow starts to fall, the excited penguins pull out scarves, mittens, heavy socks, and boots, and Mama helps them bundle up.
    (3 – 7y)

    “Gary”
    by Leila Rudge

    Most of the time, Gary is just like the other racing pigeons, eating and sleeping and dreaming of adventure. There’s just one thing that separates him from the ordinary pigeons: he can’t fly.
    (3 – 7y)

    “Red and Lulu”
    by Matt Tavares

    Red and Lulu live in the most beautiful evergreen tree. But one day, they are separated and it will take a miracle to bring them together again.
    (3 – 7y)

    “Every Friday”
    by Dan Yaccarino

    All week long, a boy and his father look forward to their Friday ritual–breakfast at their favorite diner.
    (3 – 7y)

    “Billy and Goat at the State Fair”
    by Dan Yaccarino

    Billy and Goat are best friends, but very different from each other. Goat is excited to go to the State Fair, but Billy isn’t sure about all the crowds. Can they both have a good time?
    (3 – 7y)

    “Snowman’s Story”
    wordless book
    by Will Hillenbrand

    One wintry day, a hat lands on the head of a newly made snowman and brings him to life. But, this hat wasn’t empty!
    (3 – 7y)

    “The Christmas Fox”
    by Anik McGrory

    One by one, from field and forest, the animals make their way to a barn, bringing a gift for a special new baby. What could the fox possibly give?
    (3 – 7y)

    “Can You Make a Scary Face?”
    by Jan Thomas

    Help the lady bug throughout this book by making a scary face and other antics.
    (3 – 8y)

    “Outside My Window”
    by Linda Ashman
    and Jamey Christoph (illust)

    Children living in different parts of the world see very different things when they gaze out of their windows.
    (4 – 8y)

    “Strega Nona”
    by Tomie dePaola

    Strega Nona–Grandma Witch–is the source for potions, cures, magic, and comfort in her Calabrian town. Her magical everfull pasta pot is especially intriguing to hungry Big Anthony.
    (4 – 8y)

    “Strega Nona Does It Again”
    by Tomie dePaola

    Angelina is so beautiful that all the young men in the village are chasing her, but the one she has eyes for doesn’t know she exists. At his wits’ end, her father sends her to his dear cousin–Strega Nona.
    (4 – 8y)

    “Waddle! Waddle!”
    by James Proimos

    Waddle…waddle… belly slide! into a charming and funny story about friendship, featuring three adorable penguins!
    (4 – 8y)

    “Happy Thanksgiving, Biscuit!”
    by Alyssa Stain Capucilli
    and Pat Schories (illust)

    Biscuit has so much to be thankful for on his first Thanksgiving. How will he and the little girl spend this special day?
    (4 – 8y)

    “Kitten’s First Full Moon”
    by Kevin Henkes

    It is Kitten’s first full moon, and when she sees it she thinks it is a bowl of milk in the sky. And she wants it.
    (4 – 8y)

    “Baby Bear’s Book of Tiny Tales”
    by David McPhail

    This collection of simple, short, and irresistibly sweet stories are about Baby Bear finding things–and figuring out what to do with them.
    (4 – 8y)

    “Doug Unplugged”
    by Dan Yaccarino

    After a morning spent learning facts about the city, Doug suspects he could learn even more about the city by going outside and exploring it.
    (4 – 8y)

    Honorable Mentions

    • “My Heart Fills with Happiness” by Monique Gray Smith and Julie Flett (illust)
      (0 – 2y) Native American
    • “A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream – Fairies Primer” board book by Jennifer Adams and Alison Oliver (illust)
      (0 – 3y) – Poetry, Classics
    • “Do Crocs Kiss?” Salina Yoon
      (0 – 3y) – animals, sounds, lift the flap
    • “We All Play” by Julie Flett
      (0 – 7y) – native American, animals
    • “That’s Not My Bee…” board book by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells (illust)
      (0+) – touch and feel
    • “What’s on My Farm?” Roger Priddy
      (1 – 4y) – farm life, slide and find
    • “The Story of the Snow Children” by Sibylle van Olfers
      (2 – 5y) – snow, fairytale
    • “Where is Christmas Jesse Bear?” by Nancy White Calstrom and Bruce Degen (illust)
      (2 – 6y) – Christmas
    • “King Jack and the Dragon” by Peter Bentley and Helen Oxenbury (illust)
      (3 – 5y) – fear, imagination
    • “City Block” board book by Christopher Franceschelli and Peskimo (illust)
      (3 – 5y) – city life
    • “Unspoken” wordless book by Henry Cole
      (3 – 7y) – history, America, slavery
    • “The Busy Tree” by Jennifer Ward and Lisa Falkenstern (illust)
      (3 – 7y) – Autumn
    • “On Christmas Day in the Morning” by John Langstaff and Melissa Sweet (illust)
      (3 – 7y) – Christmas, music
    • “Chalk” wordless book by Bill Thomson
      (3 – 7y) – fantasy
    • “Birdsong” by Julie Flett
      (3 – 8y) – Friendship, seasons, Native American
    • “The Nosyhood” board book by Tim Lahan
      (3 – 8y) – neighborhood, silly
    • “Flora and the Flamingo” wordless book by Molly Idle
      (4 – 6y) birds, dancing
    • “Snowflake Bentley” by Jacqueline Martin and Mary Briggs Azarian (illust)
      (4 – 7y) – January
    • “Berlioz the Bear” by Jan Brett
      (4 – 8y) – animals, Ukrainian
    • “Who’s that Knocking on Christmas Eve?” by Jan Brett
      (4 – 8y) – Christmas
    • “Night of Las Posadas” by Tomie dePaola
      (4 – 8y) – Christmas, Latino
    • “A Bargain for Frances” by Russell Hoban and Lillian Hoban (illust)
      (4 – 8y) – friendship
    • “The Hundred-Year Barn” by Patricia MacLachlan and Kenard Pak (illust)
      (4 – 8y) – Americana, farm life