Book Review: Where Do Babies Come From?

Last year, one of my sisters asked me for book recommendations explaining the birds and the bees to children. Her second and fourth grader were starting to ask the big questions! And from the hilarious story she told me - her scientific explanations weren't going over very well. So I went to my local bookstore and read every book they had on the subject. I picked out a few books and these are the two that went over very well with her kiddos. I talked my sister into sharing her thoughts on how it went. Here is her review........

Amazing You! Getting Smart About Your Private Parts

Author: Dr. Gail Saltz

Interest Level: Ages 4-8

From the Book Jacket: "Mom, where do babies come from?" Many parents live in fear of that question which inevitably comes up, often as early as the preschool years. Here is a picture book designed especially for young children who are becoming sexually aware, but aren't ready to learn about sexual intercourse. Written with warmth and honesty, Amazing You! presents clear and age-appropriate information about reproduction, birth, and the difference between girls' and boys' bodies. Dr Saltz's upbeat tone promotes a healthy attitude about body image, while Lynne Cravath's lighthearted illustrations enliven the text, making this a book that parents will gladly share with their young ones.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This was my daughter's (second grader) favorite book out of the bunch. It was easy for her to understand thanks to the simple explanations and concrete illustrations. I recommend this as a good first book when kids are a little younger (second grade and under). It does not go into too many details which can confuse kids. With the other books, I watched her kind of "zoning out" because it was too complicated for her to understand and had way too much information for her to process. Amazing You also gave a little preview of the boys and girls changing bodies which prompted some good questions from my daughter. Loved the messages about sex being for people in love. The message that it's okay to ask questions was also something I appreciated. That felt encouraging for my daughter. My son (fourth grader) did not like this book at all. He felt it was way too childish. Read on......

Changing You! A Guide to Body Changes and Sexuality

Author: Gail Saltz

Interest Level: Ages 9-12

From the Book Jacket: Kids have a lot of questions - and things can get tricky when those questions are about sex. In her follow-up to Amazing You!, Dr. Gail Saltz navigates curious youngsters through anatomy, body changes for boys and girls, sexual intercourse, reproduction, and emerging sexuality with her renowned brand of warmth and candor. Lynne Avril Cravath's lively, endearing illustrations complement the text's direct, honest approach to questions about sex and the human body. This refreshingly accessible book also includes an author's not to parents.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This was my son's (fourth grade) favorite. He said he liked it very much. My son is very inquisitivie, and this one had the appropriate amount of details to help his understanding and answer his many questions. But my younger daughter thought it was too confusing with too much information. In fact she said, "I will never remember all this stuff". I felt this book was perfect for someone my son's age. It addressed not only the physical changes but the emotional changes kids go through during puberty. I liked how it addressed and illustrated body changes like growing hair, more frequent erections, how breasts grow and menstruation. All of the things that are very difficult to explain on my own. Even though my daughter is too little right now, I felt it was good for my son to get a little understanding about this. I also loved how they stated girls can feel "crampy and grumpy". Again, like the other book I liked the message that men and women have sex when they love each other. And that it feels good for both men and women. This was a question both of my kids had about sex, thinking that it sounded painful. Changing You also took a positive perspective on men and women in love. It explained that kissing and cuddling is a very special way of expressing how much they love each other. I understand as they get older, they may get different messages (negative) from different sources about sex.....messages I don't want them to get.  But I would like them to start out with a positive message. 

Book Review: Manners on the School Bus (Way to Be! Manners Series)

Author: Amanda Doering Tourville
Interest Level: PreK - Grade 2

What should you say to the bus driver? Find out how good manners make bus rides pleasant for everyone.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Okay, listen up...the honeymoon is over...I repeat...the honeymoon is over. Those of you who work in education know exactly what I'm talking about. Yep, the dreaded bus referrals are here. So I've decided to get proactive this school year. And of course, I can't do that without a trusty book!

Manners on the School Bus has been making its rounds with me to the K-2 grades. Here's what's really cool - the students LOVED learning and reading about good manners and behavior on the bus! The skills modeled in the book are concrete which I love. It shows behaviors like kids sitting safely in their seats, keeping their hands to themselves, and showing respect to each other. Each page ends with a repetitive phrase about good manners. The kids started saying the phrases with me as we read. It's so much more interesting for students (and myself) to talk about bus rules and safety in a way that doesn't come across like some professional lecture. I also jazz up the skills being taught with fun role plays. So next time a referral comes rolling in....if it's a K-2 student they will be re-reading this story with me. I've already had a student on their way off the bus say, "I am having good manners, Mrs. D." A good social skills book strikes again!


Find the rest of the Way to Be! Manners Series at Capstone Publishing's Website

Book Review: So Close

Author: Natalie Colombo
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

From the Book Jacket: Mr. Duck and Mr. Rabbit hurry past each other every morning and every evening. Their paths always cross, but neither reaches out to bridge the gap. What a pity... They could be great friends.

With very simple text and gorgeous illustrations, Natalia Colombo has created a book that will challenge the reader to realize that friendships are precious and there are opportunities for friendship all around us, if only we pay attention.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I'm using this book as a TOTAL community builder in my school. Taking the time to acknowledge one another in a friendly way everyday is a must in our busy lives. But not all kids are getting their daily dose of a "hello." And when I presented this issue to the kids they immediately wanted to take action and improve our school friendliness. We gotta look out for each other. Isn't it amazing how just a simple HELLO can really cheer you up? In So Close, Mr. Duck and Mr. Rabbit are great examples of this. They come into close contact everyday but never take the time to say hi or hello. They continue this silence towards one another with sad looks on their faces and you feel their loneliness. I love the ending. The author makes quite a little statement with these final words, "What a difference...one little word could make. Hello."  The final pages show pictures of a budding friendship. Good stuff. Ask your kids why a hello is so important. The responses I received were beautiful and heartwarming. I had kids coming up to me the next day saying, "Mrs. D, I said hello to everyone I saw today!" What a reminder of how powerful a book can be in a child's life.


A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:

Book Review: How to Heal a Broken Wing

Author: Bob Graham
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

From the Book Jacket: No one saw the bird fall. Only young Will noticed it lying injured on the ground. Only he stopped to help. In this spare urban fable, Bob Graham brings us one small boy, one loving family, and one miraculous story of hope and healing.  The author says, "In troubled times, when many of us are losing contact with the natural world, I wanted to show that there is still hope in a coming generation of children who have curiosity and empathy with the world around them, and that care and attention can sometimes fix broken wings."

Why It's On My Bookshelf:  This was published about two years ago but it is a new find for me. And it's beautiful. I'm always reading stories showing kindness towards others. Well, that kindness doesn't just entail people.....it includes being caring to the world around us. Kids LOVE to be encouraged to be helpers. Sometimes I will see students going out of their way to meet the needs that arise around them. How to Heal a Broken Wing reminds me of those moments.

I love how the story starts.....with everyone walking the city streets too busy to notice an injured bird on the sidewalk. Well, everyone except a child named Will. He's a total hero in my opinion, so full of care, heart, and concern. Oh, and by the way, this is one of those reads where there is total silence in the room. The students are touched by Will as he helps the bird heal. He is setting a wonderful example for children that they have the power to do good deeds. A lot of students brought up the book Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud. They commented how all living things have buckets, not just people. Sigh. Love it. I think there is a lot to explore in this book. It's new to my shelf, but I'm already letting the students thoughts and comments do the leading. You'll also love how the illustrations do the storytelling.

Book Review: Confessions of a Former Bully

Author: Trudy Ludwig
Illustrated by Beth Adams
Interest Level: Ages 9-12

From the Book Jacket: Katie never thought of herself as a bully. So what if she excludes somebody from a game or says some harsh things to her friends every once in a while? It's not like she ever hits anyone. What's the big deal?

But when some kids witness her teasing a classmate and report her to the principal. Katie faces tough consequences for her actions. Katie's journal of her transformation from bully to former bully provides a practical tool kids can use right away to help identify and overcome emotional bullying.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I can't begin to tell you how many times I've used different bullying curriculums over the years and been disappointed. They were unrelateable, boring, and not very inspiring to kids. As an elementary school counselor, this is unacceptable. Especially, because there are kids at my school who are finding themselves victims of bullying or they are the bullies themselves and need help. I only want the best of the best on my bookshelf when it comes to tackling serious issues like bullying. Author Trudy Ludwig writes the best of the best and every single one of her books are on my shelf.

Confessions of a Former Bully is Trudy's latest book and it is SO relateable, engaging, and will inspire kids. And guess what....it's a follow up to My Secret Bully!! There's a lot of reasons I love this new book but the main one has to do with my students. They are Trudy Ludwig super fans like myself. Every school year we've read her stories over and over. I've witnessed the positive impact and difference they've made in childrens' lives. So when I read it for the first time I was thrilled for the kids in my school because they will BENEFIT immensely.

It is written for the upper elementary grades (3rd grade and up). This was a jump for joy moment for me. I am familiar with every single children's book about bullying on the market. There is a gaping hole in the upper elementary grades for good bullying literature. But Confessions just majorly filled it. Not only is it written for this age group but the illustrations and layout are cool and engaging for this population of kids. So put your dull bullying curriculums back on the shelf.

This is the story of what happened to Katie from My Secret Bully and also a tool kit on how to deal with bullying and how to turn bully behavior around. With the help of her school counselor, Katie is on a journey to turn this behavior around. I have many kids who are on this same path. The book is FULL of helpful information and answers the real questions kids have about bullying like....'Why am I bullying others?'....'What are consequences?'.....'How can I get empowered to deal with bullies?'...and much more. It also lets them know that when adults get involved - it's a good thing! 

So I bet some of you are wondering why author Trudy Ludwig brought Katie back. I recently got to ask her that very question (a super fan moment for me). Check out my guest blog interview on author Rachel Simmon's website. Enjoy putting Trudy's new book to good use with your child or students.


A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:   

Book Review: How Full is Your Bucket? For Kids

Authors: Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer
Illustrated by Maurie J. Manning
Interest Level: Ages 4-10

From the Book Jacket: Each of us has an invisible bucket. When our bucket is full, we feel great. When it's empty, we feel awful. Yet most children (and many adults) don't realize the importance of having a full bucket throughout the day.

In How Full is Your Bucket? For Kids, Felix begins to see how every interaction in a day either fills or empties his bucket. Felix then realizes that everything he says or does to other people fills or empties their buckets as well.

Follow along with Felix as he learns how easy it can be to fill the buckets of his classmates, teachers, and family members. Before the day is over, you'll see how Felix learns to be a great bucket filler, and in the process, discovers that filling someone else's bucket also fills his own.

Why It's On My Book Shelf: I cannot even begin to describe the healing power of bucket filling in my own school. It's the #1 way I usually deal with kids when it comes to oh....EVERYTHING. I've taught this metaphor for years and it is built into our thinking and language. The kids use it for problem solving, bullying, friendship issues, home problems, helping others, expressing a need, describing their feelings, talking about a hurt and much more. Relationships are strengthened when students choose to live their lives by this philosophy.

I originally found out about bucket filling through author Carol McCloud's book Have You Filled a Bucket Today?. It's a neat picture book explaining just what is the business of "Bucket Filling." If you've been using this story (or even if you haven't) to explain this wonderful metaphor, then you ABSOLUTELY need How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids by authors Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer.

What makes this book so special is the focus is on a boy, Felix, and what happens to his bucket throughout his day. He wakes up in the morning with a pretty full bucket. But he spills the cereal and his mom scolds him. Ouch, hurt feelings. DRIP. I loved watching the students' reaction to that word. They hadn't heard bucket filling described that way. Felix gets to school and has a series of negative encounters with kids. DRIP. DRIP. All those positive feelings he started with start going away until his bucket is almost empty. 

Unkind behavior = Drips.



But then something happens to stop the DRIPS. Felix's teacher gives him a compliment. DROP. The class is supportive of him and praises his effort. DROP! He starts receiving compliments and acts of kindness from others as the school day continues. DROP! His bucket starts to fill back up with positive feelings. 


Acts of Kindness = Drops.

Here comes my favorite part.  Once his bucket is filled back up he looks around the playground and notices everyone else has one too....and a lot of them need filling. He now has a real understanding of how it works. And so will your kids! So Felix gets right to it by being kind and helpful. DROP! DROP! This time there are two drops. When he fills another person's bucket, he fills his own too.


Each person receives a DROP during kindness.

The students were SO excited when they saw the cover. I've been reading it the first couple weeks of school so kids can remember to start filling others' buckets immediately. I plan on reading it again throughout the school year. This is one of those stories they like to hear over and over again. It is very well written, the illustrations are perfect, and it speaks to kids. They completely relate to Felix and the ups and downs of his day. Using the "drips" and "drops" as a way to describe positive and negative interactions was easily understood by the students. We've started putting our new discovered language to use! Bucket filling is a way of life in my school. I hope you do the same in your school and home.


A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:

Book Review: Everyone Has Feelings Series

Everyone Feels Angry Sometimes
Author: Cari Meister
Illustrated by Damian Ward
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

It's OK to feel angry. What does being angry feel like? What does it look like? How can you help anger go away? Everyone feels angry sometimes.

Everyone Feels Happy Sometimes
Author: Cari Meister
Illustrated by Damian Ward
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

Feeling happy is fun! What does being happy feel like? What does it look like? How can you show others your happiness? Everyone feels happy sometimes.

Everyone Feels Sad Sometimes
Author: Marcie Aboff
Illustrated by Damian Ward
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

It's OK to feel sad. What does being sad feel like? What does it look like? How can you help sadness go away? Everyone feels sad sometimes.

Everyone Feels Scared Sometimes
Author: Marcie Aboff
Illustrated by Damian Ward
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

It's OK to feel scared. What does being scared feel like? What does it look like? How can you feel safe again? Everyone feels scared sometimes.

Why They Are On My Bookshelf: At the end of each school year I go through all of my books. Part of my reorganization process is figuring out where the 'holes' are in my curriculum based on the needs of my school population. New books about feelings were at the top of my list. I have some really good solid reads on emotions but I also have some seriously outdated ones. I'm talking 1980's outdated with kids in acid wash jeans. So I began searching for a new series on feelings. I found the perfect set at Capstone Publishing.

They are SUPER user friendly and can be used in a multipurpose fashion. I am absolutely integrating these into my feelings curriculum as a read aloud to classes. I feel confident when I'm reading them....I'll tell you more about that in a minute. They will also fit wonderfully into a small group setting. I have run a group in the past called "Fishing For My Feelings" and these will definitely boost those sessions. I also have a recommended list of books for parents to read to their children. These will DEFINITELY be on it. Another use will be in our school library. I spoke with our school librarian today and we decided to have a new shelf called - The School Counselor's Bookshelf. These will be books picked out by me for the kids to check out. Um, I think it's going to be a hit. So we decided to order another set of my new feelings series because these are definitely books kids could read alone.

So let me share why I loved these immediately. They are simple and concrete. I know I'm not going to lose my audience. These are not over the top books. There is enough room allowing me to expand my teaching on feelings. They are the perfect length of about 22 or so pages. That's what I need for this age population. It's also awesome to just focus on one feeling at a time. Each book proposes solutions to an uncomfortable feeling. Here's an example from Everyone Feels Sad Sometimes: "Zack watches the other kids play kickball. Some of the kids told him he couldn't play. Zack looks at the ground. His throat feels tight." And then the next page gives a solution to the situation and feeling: "Zack talks to the kids. They let him play. Soon he's having a blast!" LOVE THAT! There's a lot of books out there explaining what a feeling is...but this goes further. It teaches kids it's sometimes necessary to do something with those feelings. Do something positive. I often remind the students there is no problem in life we can't find a solution for....no matter how big or small. This also includes feelings. Don't overlook the power of sharing books on this subject matter. Kids desire the emotional guidance.

Stay tuned for future reviews of other titles I have from Capstone.