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Ms. Karen

Counting Creatures

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Counting Creatures by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Sharon King-Chai
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Kids

Oh my goodness, what a gorgeous book this is! A simple premise of how many babies does each animal have, with sumptuous color and lift-the flap excitement makes Counting Creatures one of my newest faves. Children will enjoy guessing how many babies will be revealed under each flap and then counting them with you. The author does a great job with accurate terminology for each kind of baby as well. (Leverets, anyone?) As Donaldson gets to the end, when more and more babies come to be, she adds a surprise that will have you turning right back to the first page to start over! Snuggle up with your littles to Counting Creatures, you will love this one.

Find Counting Creatures in the catalog

A Garden in Your Belly: Meet the Microbes in your Gut

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A Garden in Your Belly: Meet the Microbes in Your Gut  Written and illustrated by Masha D’yans
Format: Book
Who It’s For: Kids

Did you know that you have a river in your body? Its called your intestines and around the river there is a “garden” too. This garden is called your gut microbiome and it’s chockful of teeny tiny creatures who LOVE to eat, fight off germs, take out the trash inside us and more. You cant see it (except with a microscope) but their presence in our bodies make us who we are! But how did they get there? Are they good creatures or bad? (spoiler alert: you’ve got some of each!) What do they look like?  What are they DOING in there??  A Garden in Your Belly will help kids gain a new understanding of the “why” of eating healthy food, playing outside and drinking water and how those things strengthen our “garden”. They will learn how we can take charge of our own health by feeding the good gut microbes, which help make us healthy in our bodies AND even our minds. The gorgeous, funny watercolor illustrations of the tiny creatures in our gut really steal the show!

Science nerd that I am, I loved this book and take it from me, A Garden In Your Belly will definitely blow your young scientist’s mind!

Find A Garden in Your Belly in the catalog

Don’t Touch My Hair!

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Don’t Touch My Hair! Written and illustrated by Sharee Miller
Format: Book
Who It’s For: Kids

Aria is a girl with ah-maaazing hair. Big and thick, soft with dark springy curls, everyone notices Aria’s hair when she walks down the street and they love it almost as much as she does. Unfortunately, everywhere Aria goes, people want to touch her hair, without asking her permission! Aria tries to hide her hair or hide from people so she feels safe, but when hiding doesn’t work, she escapes. Whether she is deep in the blue ocean, in a steamy jungle, or high in a castle tower, there’s always someone or something who tries to touch her hair and finally Aria. Has. Had. ENOUGH!!

Read Don’t Touch My Hair! to see how Aria finds the strength she needs to set her own personal boundaries while still loving her friends and her beautiful hair.

Find Don’t Touch My Hair! in the catalog

Seeds of Change

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Seeds of Change: Planting a Path to Peace Written by Jean Cullerton Johnson, illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler
Format: Book
Who It’s For: Kids

Wangari Maathai was born in Kenya, to the Kikuyu people who loved and respected nature and taught little Wangari to do the same. Girls weren’t educated in her culture but she learned from nature and from her brother who went to school. When her parents saw how smart and curious she was, they finally sent Wangari to school too! A hard worker, she did well in her studies, even when she had to go away from home for school. At college in far-away America, she learned about science, and also learned that women could do anything! But her home and her people were always in her heart, so Wangari went back to Kenya, taking this freedom and knowledge to all Kenyan women. When she returned, she discovered the government was selling Kenya’s land to big companies who cut down many trees for lumber or coffee plantations. This destroyed the land, and dried out the rivers so crops wouldn’t grow. Her people were hungry.  What could she do? “Harambee (all pull together)!” she said to the women of Kenya. ” Together, let’s plant new trees, and make a change here!” And they did plant trees, millions of them! Throughout her life the unstoppable Wangari worked hard despite those who disagreed with her and traveled all over the world planting her “seeds of change”, showing people everywhere how to work together in caring for the Earth and all who live there. I also loved the colorful illustrations by Sonya Sadler!

Wangari Maathai is one of my heroes of the environmental movement. After reading Seeds of Change, you may just feel the same!

Find Seeds of Change in the catalog

An Island Grows

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An Island Grows by Lola Schaefer, illustrated by Cathie Felstead
Format: Book
who Its For: Kids

In this beautifully illustrated story we are given a glimpse into the birth of an island!  Hot magma beneath the sea glows and flows and the baby island grows, lifting sharp rocks up into the air which are then battered and ground to sand by wind and waves. Time passes and the wind and sea bring seeds, birds and insects. More time passes and people and animals visit and then come to stay, bringing more life, trade and vibrant culture to the all-grown-up island.

This is an unusual and fascinating book, with illustrations done in bright, rich colors. It is perfect for those who love volcanoes, oceans and faraway places, or anyone who has asked “how did THAT happen?”

Find it in the catalog!

Paper Kingdom

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Paper Kingdom by Helena Ku Rhee, illustrated by Pascal Campion
Format: Book
Who Its For: Kids

When the babysitter cannot come, young Daniel must go to work with his parents, who clean a large office building at night. Exhausted, grumpy and unable to lie down to sleep in the big office building, he watches as mom and dad clean. “Why are all your cleaning things so dirty?” he asks .  “Because we use these things to keep the kingdom clean.” they reply.  “The kingdom? What kingdom?” “The Paper Kingdom. This is the land of the Paper King, didn’t you know!” And throughout the night as they clean, Daniel’s parents tell him stories of the Paper Kingdom, complete with a King in his throne room, a Queen who is the busiest of all and sends paper everywhere and friendly dragons who work for the King (who don’t mean to be naughty but are very messy indeed.) When Daniel complains about why his parents have to clean up such a big mess, they encourage him to become a good and understanding king himself one day so he can teach his own dragons how to clean up after themselves.

Based on experiences from the author’s own life, Paper Kingdom is a delightful and heart warming story full of love and imagination that turns a difficult night into wonder. Pascal Campion’s illustrations are magical as well.

Find it in the catalog