Storytime: New and Notable Picture Books (25)

This week's Storytime features a move to a new place and new friends, the magical changes autumn brings, a reminder that being little isn't so bad, reasons to be thankful, and finding balance between give and take.

Lenny & Lucy

Written by Philip C. Stead; Illustrated by Erin E. Stead
Ages 3-7, Available Now

Goodreads

Peter and his father are moving to a new house beyond the dark unfriendly woods. When they arrive at their new home, Peter wants to turn back. Fortunately, he has Harold for company, but Harold is just a dog and can't help Peter. Scared of the things hidden in the woods, Peter makes a tall pile of pillows. He stitches and sews. He pushes and pulls. And when he is done, he has Lenny, Guardian of the Bridge, to protect him and Harold.

Lenny is a good guard but Peter worries that Lenny will get lonely out by the woods all by himself, so he makes Lucy, who is a good friend. Together, Lenny, Lucy, Peter, and Harold discover that this new place isn't so scary after all.

This book is everything you'd expect from the brilliant husband and wife team of Philip C. Stead and Erin E. Stead. I found myself wanting to read it again and again, wishing I could sink into these gorgeous spreads and meet the magical Lenny & Lucy. This will pair beautifully with Liz Garton Scanlon's The Good-Pie Party and Eve Bunting and Lauren Castillo's Yard Sale.

My Autumn Book
Written & Illustrated by Wong Herbert Yee
Ages 2-6, Available Now

Goodreads

Crisp air and gray skies beckon a little girl to thoroughly investigate the outside world: chipmunks, squirrels, insects, and fallen leaves all hint that a change of season is coming. Young readers can explore the signs of autumn along with the adventurous child narrator in this charming conclusion to the series on the seasons.

This is the final book in Wong Herbert Yee's series features each of the four seasons, which are wonderful pairings for student projects about seasonal changes. There are also some really great examples of anthropomorphism in My Autumn Book when Yee is describing the autumnal changes of trees that are absolutely gorgeous!
 

Little Big
Written & Illustrated by Jonathan Bentley
Ages 2-5, Available Now

Goodreads

This playful book captures just how tough life can be when you're little. With little legs, it's hard to win races. With little hands, you can't open the cookie jar. And when you have a little mouth, nobody listens to you. Sometimes it seems like all your problems would be solved if you were just a little bigger. But "sometimes, " little is exactly the right size.

In Little Big, a younger brother wishes he were big and able to do all the things his older brother does, but then realizes that being small has its benefits too. There isn't anything especially novel about the story Bentley is telling here, but his illustrations are phenomenal. Exploring these spreads is truly a joy.

Thankful

Written by Eileen Spinelli, Illustrated by Archie Preston
Ages 4-8, Available Now

Goodreads

Thankful, by bestselling and award-winning children's author Eileen Spinelli, combines charming rhymes and whimsical illustrations to convey the importance of being thankful for everyday blessings. Like the gardener thankful for every green sprout, and the fireman, for putting the fire out, readers are encouraged to be thankful for the many blessings they find in their lives. Spinelli exhibits her endearing storytelling with this engaging poem, reminding children how blessed and special they are. Meant to be read aloud, this heartwarming picture book will be a treasured keepsake for parents and children alike.

I love that Spinelli focuses on small, every day things that people are thankful for. Archie Preston's illustrations are light and playful; a fantastic fit for the story. Full disclosure: This book is published by Zonderkidz, an imprint of Zondervan, so there is one page that reads: "The pastor is thankful for God's loving world." 

Give and Take
Written & Illustrated by Chris Raschka
Ages 4-8, Available Now

  

Goodreads

A clever story of greed and goodness, and the art of finding the in-between, from two-time Caldecott Medalist Chris Raschka, creator of the New York Times bestselling A Ball for Daisy.

Watch the farmer’s ear.

Now watch the two small, clever fellows in pointy hats whispering into it, first one, then the other.

Give and Take. They cannot agree.

Listen now to the farmer talk back—and, in this story of apples, pumpkins, pigs, and a final surprise, he just might get the better of both of them.

This newest offering from Raschka hit shelves in this August, so I can't believe I've just now read it for the first time. What a wonderful story, perfect for at reading at home or lessons in the classroom. I could see this one being a great fit for a lesson on writing allegory and fables. Also, this apple-picking farmer's story has a very autumnal feel and focuses on the balance between give and take, which fits well with Thanksgiving and thankfulness. The illustrations might be overwhelming for some, but, if your able to take the time to slow down and explore, I think most will enjoy!

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Love any of the books featured this week? Let me know in the comments!

World Mental Health Day 2015 + A Book List

Today is World Mental Health Day, this year's theme being "dignity in mental health." The World Health Organization website states:

 

Thousands of people with mental health conditions around the world are deprived of their human rights. They are not only discriminated against, stigmatised and marginalised but are also subject to emotional and physical abuse in both mental health facilities and the community. Poor quality care due to a lack of qualified health professionals and dilapidated facilities leads to further violations. 

This year, WHO will be raising awareness of what can be done to ensure that people with mental health conditions can continue to live with dignity, through human rights oriented policy and law, training of health professionals, respect for informed consent to treatment, inclusion in decision-making processes, and public information campaigns. 

Mental health issues are varied and manifest differently depending on the person, but, personally, I'm most familiar with depression and anxiety, which I wrote about in a post last year.

In that post I shared that thoughts of suicide and self harm used to be a regular part of my days and that, with the help of my family, therapy, and medication, I was feeling stronger and able to deal with those thoughts in a more healthy and productive manner. But, as anyone who is familiar with mental health knows, there is no cure or perfect fix when it comes to depression and anxiety.

This summer was an especially hard for me, with my anxiety at an all-time high and my depression threatening to overwhelm me. I've finally started working through some difficult things from my past that I often avoid contemplating, like sexual abuse, past unhealthy relationships, etc. I've made some adjustments to my medication and have been working to advocate for myself in hopes that, in addition to the changes in my medication, standing up for myself and taking myself out of unnecessarily stressful situations will have a positive impact.

One of the things that I've had to work through is the stigma attached to depression and anxiety. I often hear that I just need to stop thinking so negatively, that I bring this stress and anxiety upon myself, that the past is the past and their is no reason to dwell on it. That there are people out there that have way more difficult lives and more serious problems than I do. Perhaps all of these things are partially true, but I try to remind myself that it doesn't make my feelings less valid.

I'm one of those people that feels consumed by guilt most of the time. I don't know if its my Midwestern roots or my Catholic upbringing or my simply default personality, but I feel guilty about everything. Including the fact that my anxiety and depression sometimes means I'm a bad friend, a troublesome daughter, an awkward employee. So when I'm having an especially bad day and someone tells me that my life isn't so bad and that I just need to get a grip, I cannot begin to describe how powerfully those waves of guilt hit me, pushing me even further into darkness and self-doubt.

I share these things for two reasons. First and foremost, so that others who are struggling with their mental health are reminded that you are not failing if you slip back into your dark places. There is no perfect picture of mental health or a certain place in which you will be a better or more deserving of love and respect. You are always worth it, regardless of whether you need to visit a therapist, take medication, or take a "mental health day" here and there. 

Second, I share these things so that, maybe, those who know someone struggling with anxiety and depression know what not to say. I know that when you see someone you love struggling, it can be overwhelming and frustrating because you can see why they matter. But attempting to provide perspective through guilt is NOT a productive plan. 

Books have always been my favorite hiding spot and those that deal with mental health are especially important to me. I've shared a few of my favorites below, but you can find more on my previous mental health post here. 

I hope that today all of you who are reading this are hopeful and happy and, that if you struggle with anxiety and depression, you are coping and living your best life. Never forget that there are people who love you and - even if we don't know each other well - I'm always here to help, too.

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 When Reason Breaks by Cindy L. Rodriguez

Goodreads 

Wish Girl by Nikki Loftin

Goodreads

 Wild Awake by Hilary T. Smith

Goodreads

 Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson

Goodreads

Fans of the Impossible Life by Kate Scelsa

Goodreads

Interview & Giveaway with Natalie D. Richards, author of My Secret to Tell

This October Natalie D. Richards releases her latest YA thriller, My Secret to Tell. To celebrate, Natalie is here for a quick Q&A and has brought an excerpt to share! 

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My blog is dedicated to my personal hiding spot, books. Name a notable book that provided you with a hiding spot. 

Oh, I love that. How beautiful! I’m going to cheat and pick two books. Because I’m totally like that! ;-) When my mother was dying, I read Memoirs of a Geisha, which is so lovely and captivating. It gave me a few moments of desperately needed escape. My most recent escape book was probably Laini Taylor’s Daughter of Smoke and Bone, which is absolutely spell-binding. It entranced me from page one. 

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Check out an excerpt of the novel below. But, be warned - you'll likely be hooked by the end!

“Emmie?” 

My name lands somewhere between a hiccup and a sob, and my feet stall out on the sidewalk in front of my house. I adjust my grip on the phone, hoping I misheard her tone. This doesn’t sound like Chelsea. This voice is breathless. 

 Frightened. 

“I’m here,” I say. “What’s up? You don’t sound right.” 

“I’m not.” She takes a shuddery breath. 

My shirt’s sticking to my back and cicadas are click-buzzing the end of another blistering day, but I go cold. Something’s wrong. 

Wrong, wrong, wrong. 

 “It’s my dad, Emmie,” she says. I can tell she’s crying. 

 I grab my chest. It’s too tight. Burning. “What happened?” 

 Her words all tumble out on top of one another, interrupted by shaky breaths. I try to pick out pieces that make sense. “He’s hurt—bleeding—we’re behind the ambulance and I can’t—he’s not—someone attacked him.”

I start climbing the porch steps, because she’ll need me. I’m her best friend, so I should be there. I need to change clothes and go. “You’re on the way to the hospital, right? They’ll help him there.” 

Another sharp breath. “I don’t know if they can. He’s so bad. So bad.” 

My heart clenches. “Where are you?” 

“We’re almost there. Joel’s with me.” 

“Okay, good. I’m coming,” I say, crossing my porch and hauling my front door open. “Let me just call Mom. I’ll borrow the car.” 

Chelsea’s still crying when I storm down the hallway toward my bedroom

Emmie, I can’t find Deacon…” 

“Your brother never answers his phone,” I say, pushing open my door. “I’ll run by the docks first and—” 

“No. No, he was there. He was at the house.” 

Chelsea makes a strangled sound, and I notice the liquid-thick heat in my bedroom. The kind of heat that tells me the air conditioner is broken. Or my window is open. 

My gaze drags to my fluttering white curtains, to the dark smudge on the windowsill. 

Chelsea’s voice goes low and raspy. “He ran, Emmie. God, he was there with Dad. He was in the house, but he ran.” 

 I swivel with an invisible fist lodged in my throat. My bathroom door is open, a red-black smudge beneath the knob. 

 My mouth goes dry, my pulse thumping slower than it should. Then I see the blood on the floor by my sink, and my heart tumbles end over end. 

 “We’re here. I’ll call soon,” Chelsea says and hangs up. 

 I see him, his back to my tub and his dark head bowed on one bent knee. Oh God. 

He’s covered in blood. It’s on his legs, his hands. Dripping onto my white tile floor. He looks up, and my heart goes strangely steady. 

 I take a breath that tastes like purpose. “Deacon?” 

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More About the Book

Available Now / Goodreads / Buy It

His smile is a crime.

Emerson May is “the good girl.” She’s the perfect daughter, the caring friend, the animal shelter volunteer. But when her best friend’s brother breaks into her room, his hands covered in blood, she doesn’t scream or call the cops. Because when Deacon smiles at her, Emmie doesn’t want to be good…

The whole town believes notorious troublemaker Deacon is guilty of assaulting his father. Only Emmie knows a secret that could set him free. But if she follows her heart, she could be trusting a killer…

You can’t always trust the boy next door.

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More About the Author

 

After years as a professional paper-pusher, Natalie D. Richards decided to trade in reality for a life writing YA fiction. She lives in Ohio (Go Bucks!) with her husband, three children, and a ridiculously furry dog named Yeti. This is her second novel. Visit her on Twitter @natdrichards or at nataliedrichards.com.