Who doesn’t love a good beach read? No one, that’s who! That’s why I’m happy that it’s summer because now you can read all the fun beachy books you want!
Let me share what I’m thinking with you:
Riding on a Beam of Light by Ramsey Dean (stop back later for a fun guest post!)
“It’s perfect for bedtime reading, and one I’m sure kids will ask to have repeated often – and maybe even get inspired by.” –
Albert Einstein famously put emphasis on the power of imagination and so does Riding on a Beam of Light. When Einstein won the Nobel Prize, he credited his own boyhood idea of riding on a beam of light with the spark that led him to his theory of special relativity. In this intricately illustrated storybook, lights-out turns into learning but instead of a history lesson we transcend to see the world from young Albert Einstein’s point of view, with a sense of fascination and adventure reminiscent of Harold from Harold and the Purple Crayon and Max from Where the Wild Things Are. At it’s heart is a story about imagination and dreaming, with gorgeous illustrations that captures our grown-up hearts and our children’s curiosity. Can young minds change the world? Einstein proved it and now Riding on a Beam of Light brings that message to kids in terms they can celebrate on their scooter. So, turn the light on and off, discuss the speed of light, and have your child imagining what young Albert Einstein imagined as a child. This is a book parents can begin enjoying before the kids even understand language (or physics).
Down load on iTunes too! Click this.
Lola Goes to Work
Meet Lola, a little terrier with a big job. Children will identify with the feisty Lola as she struggles going to school, passing tests, and finally achieving her Big Dog dream. If Lola can make it in a world of Great Danes and Labradors, so can anybody who’s feeling like a runt. Teacher guide for empathy curriculum in back of book, additional material on Creston and Author website.
How to Be Human: Diary of an Autistic Girl
With powerful words and pictures Florida Frenz chronicles her journey figuring out how to read facial expressions, how to make friends, how to juggle all the social cues that make school feel like a complicated maze. Diagnosed with autism as a two-year-old, Florida is now an articulate 15-year-old whose explorations into how kids make friends, what popularity means, how to handle peer pressure will resonate with any pre-teen. For those wondering what it’s like inside an autistic child’s head, Florida’s book provides amazing insight and understanding. Reading how she learns how to be human makes us all feel a little less alien. A teacher guide is available on the Creston website for compassion/empathy curriculum and for modeling journal writing and print copies for major conferences.
Cozy Light, Cozy Night
Richly illustrated, Kleven‘s latest picture book feast presents a year of everyday wonders, giving children an opportunity to snuggle up with a parent and enter into a warm, cozy world, where even the planets are tucked cozily into bed along with the shining stars.
Claire, a glasswing butterfly whose transparent wings reflect her lush home, finds herself lost in the city after being separated from her family. She doesn’t know how they will ever see her, but she finds new city friends, a pigeon, an ant, and a ladybug, who search for the flowers Claire needs to live. They come upon a tiny urban garden, and as Claire drinks from the flowers’ nectar, she pollinates more flowers. Soon the garden—and Claire’s clear wings—fill with color, allowing her family to recognize her at last. Together they create an oasis for all to enjoy.
Dwight Kuhn and Davd M. Schwartz – Rotten Pumpkin: A Rotten Tale in 15 Voices
Compost won’t mean the same thing after readers have seen the amazing transformation of Jack from grinning pumpkin to mold-mottled wreckage to hopeful green shoot. The story of decomposition is vividly told so that science comes to life (and death). Part story, part science, and a whole lot of fun. Features a teacher guide in the back of the book, and additional material (including instructions on how to put on a Rotten Pumpkin play in your school) are on the Creston and Author websites.
(that one gets a big ICK factor. but thats why we love it!)
Click on the links to get more information about these books. I’m going to see if I can meet Lola. And then sing to her. Hopefully she won’t bite me to tell me to stop (eye roll).