Book of the Week

Book of the Week #22

Theme: Strong Women

Title: She Persisted

Author: Chelsea Clinton

Illustrator: Alexandra Boiger

Age Appropriate: 5+

Review


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Book of the Week #21

Theme:  Moving Your Body

Title: Bend and Stretch

Author: Pamela Hill Nettleton

Illustrator: Becky Shipe

Age Appropriate: 4+

Review

As kids explore their gross motor skills they are learning through trial and error, this book lays out clear motions for them to follow through with as they practice. For instance, the story asks kiddos to bend their knees, wave their hands and utilize their muscles, joints and bones. Another great aspect is that this story is chalked full of fun facts about the human body that students will find fun and engaging as they learn. 


We chose this book because more and more young kids are seeking physical therapy and understanding from a very early age just how important the food they put in their body and daily activities help them grow! This allows for a positive relationship with one's self. 

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Book of the Week #20

Theme:  Gardening & Outdoors

Title: We are the Gardeners

Author: Joanna Gaines & Kids

Illustrator: Julianna Swaney

Age Appropriate: 4+

Review

 When creating our very first ECHO center, securing this book was a absolute must. Not only do all ECHO board members love Joanna & Chip Gaines but we will scream at the top of rooftops just how influential and educational this story is for young learners. 

In a technology ruled world, now do not get us wrong, check out our screen time podcast and book of the week review for Polly and the Screen Time Overload we know screen time has it's positives as well as it's negatives, however, nothing compares to digging in the dirt, planting seeds and understanding the elements that grow within our world. 

Through the course of this story, kid's themselves break down terminology on an easy - to - understand and in an easy - to - relate level for other young children. On the surface this children's book appears like another fiction story and catches kid's eyes in a fun way, however, it can easily be brought into a science and nature lesson, which we highly recommend. 


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Book of the Week #19

Theme:  Cooking & Nutrition

Title: Pretend Soup & Other Real Recipes

Author: Mollie Katzen & Ann Henderson

Illustrator: Mollie Katzen

Age Appropriate: 3+

Review

As kids explore the world around them the food that goes into their bodies strikes much intrigue, whether it's the color, taste, texture, shape, and consistency not to mention the preparation & where the specific food or ingredient came from. Depending on age some may not be able to verbalize these questions, however, it doesn't mean they are not there. The fascination with the food they consume starts at a very young age and as parents and caregivers we want to make sure we are doing the absolute best in providing them with the nutrients they need for their growing bodies. That being said, having them involved in the grocery store runs and meal preparation is an incredible learning lesson and bonding experience. 

In this book, you will find a variety of kid-friendly and nutrient-rich recipes broken down in an easy-to-digest manner with a recipe through pictures and bite-sized descriptions for kiddos and a more thorough description for adults. 

A handful of recipes within these pages are perfect for inside the classroom if you are planning for a cooking or nutrition unit and all are family-friendly! 


Activities

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Book of the Week #18

Theme:  Play & Friendship

Title: Cookie & Milk: A Scientifically Stunt - Tastic Sisterhood 

Author: Michele MCavoy

Illustrator: Jessica Gibson

Age Appropriate: 3+

Review

This incredible story takes you on a fun and unique adventure of two best friends that couldn't be more different. Meet Cookie, a young girl who loves science, and Milk, her best friend who loves adventure and sports. Throughout these pages, Milk and Cookie showcase their friendship in an exciting way and in a way that appears a bit unexpected. Cookie carefully plans, observes, and creates or builds the equipment, measures the ocean waves for optimal surfing environments and so much more all the while Milk puts her faith in her friend and takes the leap enjoying each careful calculation! 

This story highlights friendship and being "uniquely you" but it's also chalked full of fun facts on each page, important women in history in the STEM and sports fields, and the 5 "S" words of friendship! 


We can honestly say this book is a favorite both inside and outside of the classroom; join this dynamic duo and see where the adventure takes you next!  


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 https://cardinalrulepress.com/collections/shop-all/products/cookie-and-milk?variant=41198083866808 


Book of the Week #17

Theme:  Screen Time

Title: Polly and the Screen Time Overload

Author: Betsy Childs Howard

Illustrator: Samara Hardy

Age Appropriate: 2.5+

Review

This book is both kid and parent-approved, we promise! When reviewing this story for our Book of the Week and podcast content, we were blown away by this title suggestion! In this day and age, we all struggle with screen time whether we are a teacher, parents, individuals and even our children, themselves, are all earning to juggle this new "way of the world" future. 

Now, don't get us wrong, we know there are some great positives to technology and screens in today's world - face-timing/ video chatting with family members and friends who live far away, learning resources and tools for educational purposes, a break from reality, and a fun way to relieve stress and unwind and the biggest one of all: being able to work from home - offering an environment of being home more and spending more time with your own kids and family unit, yet this modeled behavior and over stimulation can lead to uncertainty wondering if you are doing everything right in this gray area and new and uncharted territory. 

This story takes you on the journey of Polly, a young girl visiting her grandparents who live in a quiet town and run their very own family farm. This new environment for a child is full of possibilities and connections but when your face is buried into a tablet, like Polly's, it is hard for one to take notice. However, once her tablet dies and she must take the time to charge it she starts to see the world around her and the screen is forgotten as she explores all the fun. 


Please note: The very first page of this story has a passage highlighted from the bible, specifically, Corinthians, however, do not feel discouraged, this is not a religious story - that portion can be easily skipped over if you feel more comfortable. That is the only reference to a bible verse. 


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Book of the Week #16

Theme:  Food Allergies

Title: Zoey has an Allergy

Author: Anisha Angella

Illustrator: Rachel Batislaong

Age Appropriate: 3+

Review

If your child has an allergy, has a friend, family member, or classmate with an allergy please read this book! This is wonderful inside and out of the classroom as it follows the account of a young girl, Zoey, as she discovers she is allergic to peanuts. This story walks through discovering an allergy, understanding what that allergy means, and steps to prevent it or recognize it. 

This story is written in a way kiddos can understand breaking down big words like anaphylaxis and visualizing an EpiPen and allergy bracelet. These are things that are understood by adults but new for children, therefore, reading this story helps prepare your child for a situation at school, understanding the importance and significance of this intense situation, or even breaking down their own allergy in a bite-sized way. 



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Book of the Week #15

Theme:  Holidays Around the World

Title: Li'l Rabbit's Kwanzaa

Author: Donna L. Washington

Illustrator: Shane W. Evans

Age Appropriate: 2.5+

Review

Come along with Li'l Rabbit and explore more about the winter holiday, Kwanzaa. This whimsical and beautiful story helps introduce the aspects of Kwanzaa with littles and is a story that you can share with the whole family. 


We love this story in our classroom because as we spend a week on each winter holiday to honor, respect and introduce different celebrations to our students. We take time and break down traditions, details and ideas in a way our 2.5 - 3 year olds can process and connect with. This story, however, does that work for us. With the use of a fun and adorable main character, the students learn new words and phrases, important objects as well as elements that make up this amazing holiday. 


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Book of the Week #14

Theme:  Holidays Around the World

Title: The Night Before Hanukkah

Author: Natasha Wing

Illustrator: Amy Wummer

Age Appropriate: 2.5+

Review

Natasha Wing is best known for her "Night Before" series where she creates a wonderful family first storyline that ties into the holiday or event.

Within this story you will come to know certain terminology in an easy bite sized, kid appropriate understanding of Hanukkah. This is a great way to introduce the December holiday to your young child or student as they explore unique aspects to this particular religious holiday.

As teachers we know the importance of celebrating and honoring a variety of holidays so stay tuned, next week we will review a book about Kwanzaa, following that, Christmas and even Chinese new years. 



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Book of the Week #13

Theme: Hibernation/ Winter & Friendship 

Title: Bear Snores On

Author: Karma Wilson

Illustrator: Jane Chapman

Age Appropriate: 2+

Review

This story is a wonderful way to introduce the concept of hibernation and the start of the winter season. I (Cate) have worked with this and others similar stories on a "sleepy bear" unit every year with my 2.5 year olds. This storyline is a great way to introduce this complex situation to young learners in a fun and easy to digest way! 


If you are reading from home rather than in a classroom and lesson standpoint setting, this book offers the same learning message but also showcases a whimsical take as well as a friendship theme. 


Regardless, if you have activities accompanied or reading this lovely story before bedtime there is so much one can take from it. 

Highly recommended here at ECHO! :) 

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Book of the Week #12

Theme: Uniquely You

Title: We're All Wonders

Author: R.J. Palacio

Age Appropriate: 2.5+ 

Review

Have you ever seen the movie or read the middle school novel, Wonder? That incredibly powerful storyline follows, August, the protagonist, as he navigates the challenges of life as a middle schooler. Auggie starts attending school (rather than home schooling) and is  faced with a multitude of  challenges including: new friends, standing up to bullies and knowing life may be a little extra tough on him since he was born "different". Although, just because he may "look" different from other kids his own age he soon realizes with the help of his family and new found friends, trusted teachers and principal that he isn't really different after all.  

In this children's book adaptation "We're All Wonders" by the original author, R.J. Palacio, we follow the same wonderful main character and discuss what makes us different, the same and how we can embrace our own unique selves just like August has been doing this whole time in every extension or adaptation of the original story. 


Embrace your own unique and authentic you! 


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Book of the Week #11

Theme: Thanksgiving

Title: Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message

Author: Chief Jake Swamp

Illustrator: Erwin Printup, Jr. 

Age Appropriate: 2+

Review

We love turkey stories and books about Thanksgiving day parades, Thanksgiving dinner and holiday traditions within the family, however, we wanted to highlight this beautiful and powerful story in this week's theme as well as celebrate and honor Native American Heritage Day on November 25th! 

Within these pages the reader can experience the Thanksgiving address still understood and appreciated today in Native American Culture and across North America. As we give thanks this year and every year to come we should also acknowledge the world around us and the little things or big things that we tend to take for granted (especially in this day and age).  This message, however, showcases a thought about being thankful for these incredible things everyday of the year! 

With the aid of beautiful illustrations and accurate accounts and retelling of the message by Chief Swamp the story has a powerful pull at one's heartstrings and offers a wonderful teaching/ learning aspect within the story itself.



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Book of the Week #10

Theme: Self Control

Title: We Don't Eat Our Classmates

Author: Ryan T. Higgins 

Age Appropriate: 2.5+

Review

Join Penelope Rex as she goes to school for the first time and being dinosaur in a classroom full of kids can be pretty interesting. As she navigates the adjustment to the schedule, teachers, activities and new and blossoming friendships, Penelope has the overwhelming urge to eat her classmates, as dinosaurs typically might. Throughout the story she finds  that when she's excited and having fun she tends to participate in this very bad habit. This helps parallel the idea of being overly excited or feeling some type of strong emotion and learning to overcome and practice self control to be able to enjoy the activity, lesson or scenario, express excitement or emotion without disrupting the idea and allowing the feeling, activity or lesson to continue as planned for an extension of that fun feeling! 


This is a great story to aid in lessons in terms of self control as many students engage and express enthusiastic interest in the subject at hand but sometimes that excitement goes a bit too far! There is nothing wrong with loving a story, friend, family member, lesson, activity, project and so on yet this helps allow the child to understand and process that we can express emotions and enjoy the moment to allow it to go as far as it can inside and outside of the classroom. In other words, teaching self control and own body regulation in a positive, silly and fun way! 


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Book of the Week #9

Theme: Compassion

Title: I Am Love (A Book of Compassion)

Author: Susan Verde

Illustrator: Peter H. Reynolds

Age Appropriate: 2.5+

Review

I Am Love is a book dedicated to what compassion may look like and feels like ; this friend goes through several scenarios to remind or teach the reader what love is and in turn one becomes compassionate throughout the journey. The story is beautiful in both its illustrations and the deeper meaning itself. It has a lovely message for young readers and listeners, however, the older one get's the more context meaning they can get out of it. For instance, offering an umbrella when someone is in a storm or helping water plants as they get trampled on depicts kindness and compassion on a basic material and literal level yet based on the context and illustration clues one can see that the storm can be personal rather than literal as well as the flowers and growth symbolization!


 This book can grow with your child whatever age and stage they are at now and in the future; making it a favorite on your bookshelf for years to come! 

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Book of the Week #8

Theme: Halloween

Title: Hardly Haunted

Author: Jessie Sima 

Illustrator: Jessie Sima

Age Appropriate: 2.5+

Review

As we enter the technical "halloween week" when it comes to teaching and lesson plans, we will be discussing the book "Hardly Haunted" written and illustrated by Jessie Sima.  This beautiful book from the pictures to the words and everything in between is a great story to not only play upon the October holiday but also fitting in the "Uniquely You" theme as well. 

The Story follows a "hardly haunted" house that no one wants to inhabit because of its reputation. Some examples of characteristics the house wants or tries their best to change is the creaky floors, the dusty cobwebs, the wind passing through the old roof and so on leaving people skeptical of what it might hold. This takes on the notion "don't judge a book by it's cover," or trying ones best to "fit in" and change who you are to fit with others. However, through the course of the story the house realizes that no matter what, they are the sum of their parts and they may not be for everyone. Yet, with that being said the house is perfect for just the right family! 

This story is a wonderful family read and you will not be disappointed in the ending or message! 

Enjoy your spooky week! 

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Book of the Week #7

Theme: Family

Title: McDuff Moves In

Author: Rosemary Wells 

Illustrator: Susan Jeffers

Age Appropriate: 3+

Review

This book was my (Cate) favorite growing up! The story of how McDuff was lost and left to fend for himself broke my heart in the begining but after he meets two helpful individuals who take him in and show him love and kindness before eventually adopting him into the family. This was my first realization that "Love" is what makes a family and something that stuck with me throughout my early years. 


This book became a favorite in the classroom as well as the children expressed emotions throughout the story as they were comprehending the material and content before the happy ending leaving everyone smiling! 

This book has a variety of layers and can be taught in a preschool setting and even well into elementary with ideas and activities for each age and stage. 

The book is also a wonderful introduction to understanding how adoption happens. 


(Multiple themes associated with this book: Pets, Family, Adoption, Love, Kindness, Class Pet) 



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Book of the Week #6

Theme: Accepting Differences

Title: Mixed: A Colorful Story

Author: Arree Chung

Illustrator: Arree Chung

Age Appropriate: 2+

Review

All three colors are perfectly content with living separately until one day, a Red says, “ Reds are the best” and arguments break out. When one brave color couple decides to come together, it takes everyone by shock. Until a new color is created. Everyone can’t help but to love this new color and soon other colors are formed until the whole city is full of all different colors. 

Mixed: A Colorful Story is a beautifully illustrated book that teaches children about colors and accepting differences. Arree Chung does a wonderful job of creating a story about embracing differences while keeping it at a child level. The colorful illustrations keep readers engaged as the words on the page explain the importance of embracing each other and not separating based on the color of their skin

Activities

At Home: (Parent/ Child)

Once your child(ren) gives you their predictions, cut the brown and other  colored M&M’s in half so they can see the insides. Talk about how people and M&M’s may look different on the outside, but inside, they are the same. 


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Book of the Week #5

Theme: Friendship & Perseverance

Title: It Is (Not) Perfect

Author: Anna Kang

Illustrator: Christopher Weyant

Age Appropriate: 3+


Review

Have you ever wanted your creation to be perfect? Well, this group of friends all work extremely hard on a sand castle by adding their own flair to the structure. As the castle grows bigger and more intricate with character each time the sand palace is never quite perfect in their eyes. When it is finally worthy of a photo you'll never guess what happens!


This book is great inside and outside of the classroom as it focuses on themes such as friendship, perseverance and the idea that no matter how hard you work on something you can always rebuild if things do not go as planned. 

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Book of the Week #4 

Theme: Imagination

Title: Stella Keeps the Sun Up

Author: Clothilde Ewing 

Illustrator: Lynn Gaines

Age Appropriate: 5 Years +


Review

Join Stella and her hippo, Roger, as they try everything they can think of to keep the sun up and enjoy as much of the day as they can! She even creates rules for perfect Sun filled days! 

Stella Keeps the Sun Up is a perfect story for imagination and nurturing that creative mind! You will not be disappointed! 

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Book of the Week #3 

Theme: Hard Work

Title: Rosalee The Seeker

Author: Nicole Filippone


Review

Meet Rosalee, her hard work may look different to most, she's not studying for a test or practicing for the big game, although, both are very good examples, her hard work is more personal. Rosalee is a sensory seeker, she's navigating through life with the help of her parents, Teacher and Occupational therapist as she better understands her body and her sensory diet. 


Besides the incredible and informative story of Rosalee's day in the life and personal advancements when it comes her sensory processing  this book is also chalked full of helpful and easy to take -in notes and information to aid yourself, your little one or anyone you may know who either is a sensory seeker, avoider or would like to better understand more! 

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Book of the Week #2 

Theme: Bravery

Title: Jabari Jumps

Author: Gaia Cornwall

Illustrator: Gaia Cornwall

Review

Gain the courage to jump from the high dive with our friend, Jabari! It may take him a couple of tries but he never gives up and realizes being patient is okay too, there is always tomorrow. 


This is a favorite, in and out of the classroom! When children are worrying about what others think, want to jump right in but are feeling apprehensive or, just want to know that they can do anything pull out this book and you will not be disappointed! 


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Book of the Week #1 

Theme: School

Title: Our Class Is A Family

Author: Shanon Olsen

Illustrator: Sandie Sonke

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