Review of The Chalk Giraffe by Kirsty Paxton

The Chalk Giraffe

A little girl's imagination springs to life when the chalk giraffe she drew on the pavement begins talking to her. But then the fickle giraffe begins making demands, and the girl must draw surroundings to fulfill his requests...a tree, soft grass, and animal friends. But nothing seems to please him! This delightful rhyming story escalates until the girl draws a laughing giraffe companion that cheers up the grumpy giraffe at last.

Book Links

Goodreads * Amazon * BN * IndieBound

**My thoughts**

From the very first picture of the little girl laying on the pavement, tongue sticking out as she concentrated on her drawing, I was captivated by the illustrations. That first image was just so endearing, especially to this former teacher of the young. The rest of the pictures truly conveyed the excitement and the heart with which the young girl is telling her story. It made me want to grab some chalk and go outside to see what kind of a world I could create as well.

The rhyming story flows nicely off the tongue, making it a great read-aloud. It captures the little girl's excitement as she creates the new world for the giraffe, her frustration with his crankiness, and then her awe as she takes a look at the world from his perspective.

And I love how the giraffe invites her to climb up to see what he sees in the world and how she is able to acknowledge the other point of view. That part could easily lend itself to a great discussion with kids. And of course, make sure there is plenty of chalk available for outside pavement drawing as well as chalk and black paper inside for more creative expression!

This one is a must-have for the school and home library!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me a review copy. I was not obligated to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Review of Mama Needs a Minute by Nicole Sloan

Mama Needs a Minute

Sometimes, Mama needs a minute—and that's OK!

From Nicole Sloan, founder of the Weird Mom Club—an inclusive Internet space for nonconforming moms—Mama Needs a Minute is an affirming, entertaining book for moms and toddlers to share. All about balancing a mama's needs with those of her kiddos, this sweet story teaches that love can look a lot of different ways. For kids, the book is a gentle introduction to concepts of self-respect and setting boundaries, and for moms, it’s a reminder to practice self-care.

Book Links

Goodreads * Amazon * BN * IndieBound

(affiliate link)

**My thoughts**

This book definitely represents the modern mama. From the pictures of the tattooed arms to the coffee cup in hand and a break with a computer, it is really a glimpse at the new generation of moms. And this generation is also one that is really embracing the idea of self-care for Mom that was just getting started in my generation. And I think it is a good idea to let children know that mommies need a break just as much as they do. It is a sweet story and I hope it helps kids eventually understand its message, which is more difficult when they are younger and more demanding of attention.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my review copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Review of Pacho Nacho by Silvia Lopez

Pacho Nacho

Mama and Papa could not agree on a name for their first baby, and everyone in the family had an opinion. That's how the name Pacho-Nacho-Nico-Tico-Melo-Felo-Kiko-Rico came to be, and Pacho's parents insisted that everyone use his full name. But when Pacho finds himself in trouble, his younger brother, Juan, must quickly find help, which isn't easy when you have to keep saying Pacho-Nacho-Nico-Tico-Melo-Felo-Kiko-Rico. Author Silvia Lopez highlights family values, community connections, and brotherly love in this interactive, energetic, and silly picture book. Pacho Nacho is based on an old Japanese folktale and includes Spanish words and phrases and multicultural settings.

Book Links

Goodreads * Amazon * BN * IndieBound

**My thoughts**

When I was a kid, the book Tikki-Tikki-Tembo was one of my favorites. I listened to it constantly at the audiobook station and dogeared the pages of the book as I read it a hundred times. When I started teaching, it had to become a part of my personal library to share with the kids. Now this new version of the classic Asian tale is another must-read that needs to go into my collection.

When their first son is born, the parents cannot agree on what to name him. They ask their family for suggestions, and still no one can agree. So to make everyone happy, he ends up with a crazy long name, starting with the parents' choices of Pacho Nacho. 

Because everyone is so proud of having their part of the name included, everyone insists that everyone call the lad by all eight parts of his name at all times.

Oh, and the next kid is simply named Juan. 

And of course, boys will be boys, running around and exploring, and eventually the elder son gets himself into trouble. Juan goes running for help, trying to save time by simply calling his brother Pacho Nacho. All of the adults waste time by making him use his full name. But of course, he is eventually saved.

I loved this story. Even better than just reading it is reading it out loud. It's so much fun as all of the Spanish words that are sprinkled throughout roll off of the tongue. It's a great way to introduce some Spanish vocabulary words. And did I mention just how much fun it is to read this one out loud?

I also love the illustrations. They are bright and happy, with so much emotion and feeling in them. The boys' fun is contagious and you feel all of the other emotions along the way.

Included at the end is a glossary as well as an author's note that gives the history of the story over generations.

Thank you to Capstone and NetGalley for a review copy of this book. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Review of Argyle Fox by Marie LeTourneau

Argyle Fox

Argyle Fox, with his signature style, wants to play outside on a springtime day, but the wind is wreaking havoc with his fun and games. As soon as he builds a card tower, climbs into a giant spider web, or takes up his pirate sword, here comes the wind: Woosh! Mama Fox tells grumpy Argyle that if he thinks long enough, he will come up with something to do. Following his mother's suggestion and inspired by her knitting, he works all the pieces of his day together and creates the perfect solution. The story of Argyle teaches that failure is often a path to success and celebrates perseverance, creative thinking, and an old-fashioned springtime activity.

Book Links

Goodreads * Amazon * BN

**My thoughts**

First I have to say that these illustrations are fantastic. I felt completely drawn into Argyle's world and wanted to go play with him. There's just so much warmth and nostalgia in them.

And I love Argyle. He is spunky and stubborn, with endless creativity. He is determined to play outside in the wind and to defy the wind that keeps ruining his plans. You can feel his frustration every time he is defeated. And then you cannot help but admire how he goes back home and looks for something else to try outside. Especially in an age where kids are glued to electronics, I love seeing a kid who is resourceful and unplugged.

Even better is when he goes home once again, feeling completely defeated about his misfortune thus far. Instead of solving his problem for him, Argyle's mother encourages him to think about possible solutions to it. It does take him a while, but he goes through his belongings and digs deep into that creative mind of his and finally comes up an activity that will work with the wind.

I would totally keep a copy of this book in my classroom and hope that the kids I read it to were inspired to come up with their own creative ideas. I love it and would love to see more adventures with Argyle in the future!

Thank you to Tanglewood Press and NetGalley for a review copy of this book. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Review of Roxy the Raccoon by Alice Reeves

Roxy the Raccoon

Roxy lives in the forest with her three best friends, who she loves to visit and play games with. Roxy is in a wheelchair, so sometimes it is harder for her to go to the same places and play the same games as the other animals. Roxy and her friends realise that by making a few small changes and working together, they can make the forest a better place for everyone. Roxy teaches us that there are bunches of ways to be more inclusive of those who have a disability so that everyone can join in.

Part of the Truth & Tails series, which aims to eliminate prejudices and encourage acceptance in young children aged 4-8, the story of Roxy and her friends is accompanied by hand-drawn, watercolour illustrations.

Book Links

Goodreads * Amazon * BN * IndieBound

(affiliate link included)

**My thoughts**

Roxy the Raccoon has a lot of friends who want to spend time with her and include her in their fun. But she is in a wheelchair, so it isn't possible for her to do so. They feel bad about not thinking about making accommodations for her and then work together to find ways to include her.

I found it to have a great message about inclusion and being sensitive to special needs. You cannot change the person to fit the activity, but you can adapt the environment to accommodate the person. That's pretty much the foundation of my Montessori background.

In the back of the book are suggested questions for teachers to use at a circle time for conversation. They can be adapted to fit the age level of your students. And parents reading this book at home could also use these for conversations with their children.

The watercolor illustrations are cute for the most part, though I will say I am not usually a fan of unrealistic depictions of animals, such as a chipmunk, in a book that is supposed to be talking about real life issues. Some of the scale seems a bit off and the wheelchair looks like something someone made back in the early 1900s at home. I don't think many children will necessarily notice these things, though. But they could also provide for further conversations with the children. I think the message of the story far outweighs these.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.