grains of sand

A little girl returns home with her family from a memorable vacation at the sea and sitting on the front stoop of their house, she discovers an unintended souvenir — shoefuls of sand!  Delighted, she and her little brother Ulysses wonder what they should do with their serendipitous find.  If they plant tiny grains of sand, will a field of sunny beach umbrellas grow?  Or better yet, a forest of pinwheels!   Grains of Sand is an ode to the warm-weathered vacations of our childhood and the sublime moments of discovery and wonder they provide.

Grains of Sand was written and illustrated by Sibylle Delacroix and published by Owlkids Publishing.

i walk with vanessa

This wordless picture book is a poignant look at bullying and a simple act of kindness that inspires a community to band together and help their new fellow classmate.  Injustice and emotions of fear, sadness and helplessness are deftly portrayed in the strong and very thoughtful visual narrative of the book, and later, the strength and effectiveness in standing together.  One girl’s brave initiative causes a wave of change and brings about a very positive and powerful ending.  We are not alone — let’s reach out to one another, take care of each other and teach our children to do the same.

Concluding I Walk with Vanessa is an excellent author’s note to initiate discussion and help children reflect and think about how to help someone who is being bullied.

I Walk with Vanessa: A Story About a Simple Act of Kindness was written and illustrated by Kerascoët and published by Schwartz & Wade.  It’ll be out soon on April 24.

tiny, perfect things

“Today we keep our eyes open for tiny, perfect things.”

A book that revels in the small everyday wonders and treasures of life, the ones that we notice most when we’re children — “a spider’s web that caught the light,” “a flower growing through a sidewalk crack,” our shadows “holding hands” in the late, late afternoon sun.  The pale bright moon and cold air that signal that it’s time to head back home to someone waiting for us.  An exceptionally lovely book with just the right words, art and cadences to remind us to slow down and not let the awe-filled and curious wonders of life escape us.

Tiny, Perfect Things was written by M. H. Clark, illustrated by Madeline Kloepper and published by Compendium.  It'll be out on June 1.

in a small kingdom

A young prince inherits his father’s position as ruler over a “small kingdom along an ancient road” but his corrupt half-brother has his eye on the throne.  An evil plan is hatched but thwarted as the people of the kingdom demonstrate love and respect for their new ruler through a beautiful gesture.  A magical, heartwarming and timeless tale about the power of community.

In a Small Kingdom was written by Tomie dePaola, illustrated by Doug Salati and published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

go west

We hop on a train for an epic journey across North America from Montreal to Los Angeles.  We board the Dorchester locomotive in Montreal and end up at “the last of the great train stations” — LA’s Union Station with its ruddy Spanish tiled roofs and iconic Mission Moderne style.  Along the route we take a gander at gorgeous passing scenery and of course delve into the history of train travel — getting a peek into what the first luxury passenger cars were like, passing venerable landmarks such as the Banff Springs Hotel, reading the stories behind famous stations like Grand Central in New York and learning about legendary locomotives such as the Daylight Limited running along the Pacific Coast from SF to LA.

A surprise search-and-find awaits readers at the end of this terrific resource about how the railroad shaped North American history.  Pascal Blanchet’s sleek, stylized illustrations possess an old world elegance that takes readers back to another era, bringing them home in time for dinner.  It would make a fantastic gift for the train lover in your life (we all know at least one).

Go West!: The Great North American Railroad Adventure was written and illustrated by Pascal Blanchet and published by Wide Eyed Editions.