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Picture Book

¡Vamos! Let’s Go…

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¡Vamos! Let’s Go Eat!  by Raúl the Third
Format : Book, eBook, Digital audiobook, digital movie, DVD
Who it’s for: Kids,  Adults

Hope you’re hungry!


Little Lobo and his dog Bernabé are back, taking their food delivery service to their friend El Toro’s big wrestling match.  The story is laid out in a fantastic format that is part graphic novel and part Richard Scarry storybook. With detailed illustrations that make your mouth water, this bilingual tale of food, friendship and fun is one you can read and reread, finding something new every time!  This is a spot on selection for any detail oriented picture book reader!

 

Don’t forget to check out the super delicious Spanish/English food glossary in the back, a great resource to expand vocabulary.   Another engaging learning extension to hear the proper Spanish pronunciations within the story is available on Hoopla in a super cool animated digital read-along format! 

 

Find this title in the catalog and on Hoopla as an eBook, digital audiobook and movie.

 

¡Vamos! Let’s Go to the Market by Raúl the Third

Format : Book, eBook, Digital audiobook, digital movie, DVD

Who it’s for: Kids, Adults

 

If you enjoyed ¡Vamos! Let’s Go Eat  also check out Little Lobo and Bernarbé’s other adventure in food! Available in the catalog as both a book and an eBook.  And on Hoopla as a digital audiobook, movie and read-along!

Norman, Speak! By Caroline Adderson

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Norman, Speak!

By Caroline Adderson & Qin Leng

Format: Book

Who’s it for: Kids

 

This heartwarming international children’s picture book has a surprising twist. A boy and his family visit an animal shelter and select the dog that has been in the shelter the longest, a special dog named Norman. Norman is friendly and funny but, does not respond to the usual dog commands. His new family loves him anyway! On an outing in the park Norman’s family learns something about him that changes everything! It turns out that Norman is super smart and has many things to teach and share with his new family.

 

Awards: 2015 United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) and 2015 Outstanding International Book (OIB).

Find it in the catalog here.

It Is (Not) Perfect

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It is (Not) Perfect by Anna Kang, illustrated by Christopher Weygand
Format: Book
Who It’s for: Kids


Another wonderful adventure from the husband-and-wife team behind You Are (Not) Small, I Am (Not) Scared and others! On a sunny day at the beach, two friends build a little sand castle. It’s just right, except…wait, it needs flags. And towers. There, now it’s perfect! Or is it? As others stop by offering their suggestions for sandcastle-perfection, the friends wonder if their creation is as perfect as they thought. So they make change after change, until the castle is massive, beautiful – and completely different than it was! But sand castles are never permanent, the sea always comes in, and at the end of the day, the friends find a new “perfection” that is theirs alone.
A sweet story of perfection and perspective by the talented Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant.

Find it in the catalog!

Understanding Sam and Asperger Syndrome

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Understanding Sam and Asperger Syndrome by Clarabelle van Niekerk & Liezl Venter, MA CCC-SLP
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Children ages 5-7

When kids start school they will be encountering all sorts of different people and new situations.  Books like this one are great conversation starters for you and your child to talk through how you may best respect and appreciate a new friend who happens to be on the autism spectrum.

In this story, you’ll meet Sam who loves to put puzzles together and to play the cello but who also doesn’t like the feel of his new coat and sometimes can’t stop crying when he’s frustrated. After Sam and his dog leave home one night to walk to the fair alone, his family and teachers discover that Sam has Asperger Syndrome.  Once everyone understands what is going on they are able to start making things better for everybody.

At the end of the book there are 10 Helpful Tips from the author, who is a certified specialist in autism spectrum disorders, that offer practical advice in simple to understand language.

Find it in the catalog

New Year’s Celebrations for Kids

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The New Year, a time to reflect on what has passed and to celebrate new beginnings, is just around the corner! How do you celebrate? These vibrant and lively stories offer a doorway inside two young girls’ celebration of family culture and tradition.  

 

Shante Keys and the New Year’s Peas by Gail Piernas-Davenport
Format: Book
Who it’s For: Kids

We set out with Shante on her quest to find the missing ingredient for her family’s New Year tradition.  Told in rhyme, this mission unfolds on the streets of Shante’s neighborhood but ultimately becomes a journey through the cultures and traditions of her neighbors too. By the end of the story,  it’s clear she can experience the beauty of the wide world just by looking at what makes the people she sees everyday unique.  What I love about this story are the underlying messages of diversity, community, teamwork and sharing! Also, included at the back of the book are a fun recipe to try at home and a resource for the cultures of other countries, their traditions and celebrations.

Find it in the catalog.

 

Freedom Soup by Tami Charles
Format: Book, DVD, Digital Audiobook, Digital Movie
Who it’s For: Kids

In this story, we meet Belle and her Ti Gran as we are dropped into their gloriously delicious adventure in cooking set against a backdrop of their Haitian history.  The dynamic and bright pictures dance off the page taking us with them. You can almost feel and taste the freedom Ti Gran talks about while she cooks.  Luckily for us, the recipe for Freedom Soup is in the back of the book!   And as an extra tidbit, the author offers up a little information about the real Ti Gran as well!

Find it in the catalog and on Hoopla as an audiobook or streaming video.

Rain before Rainbows

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Rain Before Rainbows by Smriti Prasadam-Halls, illustrated by David Litchfield
Format: Book
Who it’s For: Kids

 

This book is so hopeful and uplifting! Life has its share of good days and bad, and there is a time for everything. Sorrow and joy, dark and light, loss and abundance, planting and harvest. This simple rhyming tale of a Girl and her friend Fox chronicles their journey from troubled times to a new and meaningful life. They must pass through darkness, storms and worry, but with help and inspiration from friends, hopeful dreams and wise words to live by, Girl and Fox finally find their bright new morning.

In challenging and uncertain times, Rain before Rainbows is a perfect story for helping little ones to learn that “this too shall pass” and that better days lie ahead. You will love the gorgeous illustrations too!

Find it in the catalog!