Thoughts on our Star Pick…
Feminist Baby Finds Her Voice!
by Loryn Brantz
Feminist Baby is back for more adventures – with new friends in tow! – in this refreshing, clever board book by two-time Emmy Award-winning author and BuzzFeed contributor Loryn Brantz.
With the success of the first book in the series, we were delighted to hear that the second board book would be following the exploits of our best-loved Feminist Baby. Although bombarded with much controversy, Feminist Baby has successfully entertained many others, and demonstrated that girls can be just as loud as boys!
The vibrant, bold palette used by Loryn Brantz helps to engage readers and also exemplify her message of gender equality. Feminist Baby presents a role model, not only to babies but to adults as well. With statements like: LET’S ALL SHARE – readers are reminded that we all stand on equal ground and therefore no person should receive more than others, whether in the form of object materials or verbal praise.
Recently, there has been powerful feminist movements, such as the #MeToo movement, with women showcasing camaraderie towards one another, and special significance on empowering young girls and women. Feminist Baby looks to contribute to that involvement, in a zany, fun and instructional way.
Previews
Feminist Baby Finds Her Voice!
by Loryn Brantz
Box Meets Circle by Aaron Hartline
Franny’s Father Is A Feminist by Lee Rhonda & Megan Walker
Walking in the City with Jane by Susan Hughes & Valerie Boivin
A Friendly Town That’s Almost Always by the Ocean!
by Kir Fox & M. Shelley Coats
At last, Davy reached the gym, where he found an Olympic-size indoor swimming pool. The kindergarten class played mermaid tag in the shallow end. Their teacher watched from a lifeguard chair. Davy walked past them to the deep end.
It was very, very deep.
Squinting, Davy spotted a small, gray rectangle at the bottom of the pool, directly beneath the diving board. He swallowed hard.
Being the new kid in school takes a lot of courage sometimes. Apparently, this was one of those times.
Davy set down his empty backpack, wishing he’d brought his swim trunks. He kicked off his tennis shoes and climbed the ladder to the diving board. He walked to the edge and looked down.
His locker was a shimmering gray dot.
Davy didn’t know how to dive. He was much better at land sports, like skeeball.
But his dad had taught him how to do cannonballs.
So Davy sucked in a huge breath and cannonballed off the diving board.
Your Robot Dog Will Die by Arin Greenwood
I’ve never gotten used to the rep from Mechanical Tail showing up once a year to replace my robot dog with a new one.
As always, it’s a cheerful girl wearing a turquoise-blue Mechanical Tail polo. Her tag says “Rain.” Maybe it’s her name, or maybe it’s an order to the universe. Rain! No more drought!
She stoops down to my eye level—I’m on the floor, holding Derrick—and tells me in a chipper voice: “You’re going to love this year’s dog so much.”~
I’m bawling, my arms around Derrick. He’s little and orange and white. I’ve spent the previous year walking him, playing with him, talking to him. Loving him. I think the other Dog Islanders have developed thicker skins, harder hearts. We all go through this once a year, every year. I know it’s coming, but it hurts so much every time.
“Is that really your name? Rain?” I ask. I want to make her feel bad and to put off what is coming.
She nods. “Yes,” she says. “Hippie parents. Idealistic. They thought if they gave me the name, it might help end the drought.” She smiles. She has cute dimples. I really resent this fact.
“Yeah, that really worked,” I say, sarcastically. Though, actually, the drought has been easing up a little lately, thank Dog. But Rain must be thirty or forty years old, so I can’t imagine her stupid name had anything to do with it.
“Where did you grow up?” I ask. Stall. Stall. Stall.
“California,” Rain tells me. “I went to engineering school. Then I got my dream job at Mechanical Tail. And now here we are.”
“This is your dream job?” I ask her. “Taking away my best friend? Killing him.”
“Oh my Dog. I put that so badly. I apologize, dear. But don’t you know how special you are? You’re so special. That’s why you are trusted with these different robot dogs instead of just being stuck with the ones the normal kids have to buy in the store,” Rain says to me. “You are blessed to have this special opportunity.”
Essential Reading for Young Children
Trash Revolution
By Erica Fyvie & Bill Slavin
Age: 8-12
Trash Revolution is a timely book about the importance of recycling, delivered in an engaging and accessible way for young children.
Everything that surrounds us has a life cycle: materials are harvested, food and packaging are created and distributed, then consumed and eventually trashed or recycled. Using the typical contents of a child’s school backpack, such as water, food, clothing, paper, plastic, metals, electronics, Trash Revolution explores those stages in detail, including the ways to reduce, reuse or recycle waste along the way.
Children will gain new insight into the routine decisions they make about their own consuming, trashing or recycling practices. For example: How long does it take for a cotton T-shirt to decompose in a landfill? Can a bike helmet be made from recyclable materials? Which is better for the Earth, wrapping a sandwich in aluminium foil or plastic?
By learning to use critical thinking skills to make informed choices, children will feel empowered by the important, constructive role they can play in the future health of the planet.
(Kids Can Press, 9781771380782, £15.99)
Tune in for more previews, thoughts on our star pick,
and essential reading for children!
Post by Sarah