Still This Love Goes On by Buffy Sainte- Marie and Julie Flett

Still This Love Goes On

Buffy Sainte-Marie, Author and Songwriter

Julie Flett, Illustrator

Greystone Kids, Poetry, September 22, 2022

Pages: 40

Suitable for ages: 3-7 years

A New York Times / New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children’s Book of 2022

NAMED A BEST PICTURE BOOK OF THE YEAR: Kirkus Reviews, Globe and Mail, and Chicago Public Library

Themes: Indigenous people, Nature, Seasons, Family, Community, Traditions, Song

Opening: “Sat beside a beaver dam and watched the winter grow. Ice was hard with little tracks appearing on the snow.”

Publisher’s Synopsis:

With breathtaking lyrics by internationally renowned Cree singer-songwriter Buffy Sainte-Marie and stunning images by award-winning Cree-Métis author and illustrator Julie Flett, this picture book, based on the same name, is a love letter celebrating seasons, place, Indigenous traditions and community. At the hear of the heart of the picture book is a gentle message about missing our loves ones and promise of seeing each other again.

It is a song of hope Of power and place and change and time. Of summer flowers turning tields to sun, and hearts filled with drumbeats. Read it. Sing it. Share it.

Why I love Still This Love Goes On:

I am always searching for beautiful books that represent the Indigenous and Native American cultures for children. It mention sweetgrass, morning, cranes, horses, buffalo, drums, jingle dresses and starlit nights, which highlight the relationship between the people and their culture. This book is a gem.

Julie Flett’s two-page spreads will mesmerize children as they pour over her beautiful pastels. I love that there is so much space in each spread, which gives the artist the time to work her magic with readers. The cover is beautiful!

Resources: There is sheet music of Buffy Sainte Marie’s beloved song at the end. And make sure your read both Buffy and Julies about messages to readers about the inspiration behind the music and the artwork for this very happy book. If you are American or Canadian, read books about the indigenous people in your area. Enjoy indigenous artwork. And celebrate Indigenous People’s Day Oct. 9, 2023 or Native American Month in November 2023.

Buffy Sainte-Marie is a world-renowned and Academy Award-winning Cree singer–songwriter, activist, educator, and visual artist. She has made her voice heard through her music, establishing herself among the ranks of songwriter greats. . Her other books for kids include Hey Little Rockabye, illustrated by Ben Hodson, and Tâpwê and the Magic Hat.

Julie Flett is a Cree–Métis author, illustrator, and artist who has received numerous awards for her books, including two Governor General’s Awards and the American Indian Library Association Award. Her work has been reviewed widely, including in the New York Times, the Globe and Mail, and Publishers Weekly. Her books Birdsong and We All Play, also published by Greystone Kids, earned multiple starred reviews and appeared on many best of the year lists.

Every Friday, authors and KidLit bloggers post a favorite picture book. To see a complete listing of all the Perfect Picture Books (PPB) with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.

*Reviewed from a library book.

My Big Book of Outdoors by Tim Hopgood

My Big Book of Outdoors

Tim Hopgood, Author and Illustrator

Candlewick Studio, Nonfiction, Mar. 29, 2022

Pages: 128

Suitable for ages: 7-9

Themes: Nature, Seasons, Earth Day

Opening: “Sunlight and warmth / Bulbs in bloom / Rain showers / New shoots growing / Birds nesting / Trees in blossom/ SPRING”

Book Jacket Synopsis:

Discover the joy out outdoors in this richly illustrated treasury that celebrates the wonders of nature.

From the vibrant colors of flowers in bloom to poems about dandelions and raindrops, this bright and beautiful collection is jam-packed with amazing things to see and do outdoors.

Depicting the splendor of the four seasons, the gorgeous book is the perfect introduction to nature in all its glory.

Why I love My Big Book of Outdoors:

Tim Hopgood’s My Big Book of Outdoors is oversized, with powerful words blending with dazzling mixed media illustrations. Make sure you check out the gorgeous end papers. Children will love poring over all of the vibrant details. The layout is beautiful and begins with a list of signs of each season, starting with Spring. If there is a book that will nudge your nature-loving children outdoors to explore, this book will do just that!

Although the book is designated for children ages 7 to 9 years, it is definitely a book that young children will enjoy. In fact, I believe this book will grow with your child. It can be read as a picture book to introduce them to seasons. And it can be used by older children who will enjoy the more detailed information about birds, insects, butterflies, flowers, migration, tracking animals, stargazing and following the phases of the moon. The book includes many clever seasonal activities that will delight kids — like making a bird nest out of melted chocolate and shredded wheat; making a bug hotel for beetles; making a leaf mobile with fall leaves; baking apples; and making a weather station out of pine cones.

Hopgood dedicates his book to “everyone who stayed indoors in 2020.” His wants to invites readers to step outside and take a really good look at the world around them and celebrate each and every wonder. His book is a treasure trove of information and is written with elegance and sensitivity about the important role nature plays in our lives. This is a perfect gift book for every season and would be a welcomed addition to any home or school library. It also is an excellent Earth Day book.

Activities: Take a walk around your backyard and look for bird nests, daffodils, and blossoms on trees, Listen to the bird songs in the early morning hours. My Big Book of Outdoors is full of activities for each season. Have fun!

Tim Hopgood is an award-winning illustrator and author of books for children including the international best-seller What a Wonderful World, the hugely successful Wow! Said the Owl (recently adapted for the stage by Little Angel Theatre, London), and the award-winning Fabulous Frogs written by Martin Jenkins. His books have been translated into over twenty different languages.

*Review copy provided by Candlewick Studio in exchange for a review.

Firsts and Lasts: The Changing Seasons by Leda Schubert

First & Lasts: The Changing Seasons

Leda Schubert, Author

Clover Robin, Illustrator

Candlewick Press, Fiction, Mar. 1, 2022

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes: Seasons, Changes, Rituals, Celebration

Opening: Spring is…the last time we hear “Snow day!” on the news…

Book Jacket Synopsis:

What is the first sign of spring? And what is the last glimpse of winter? The joy of the changing seasons means saying hello to new but familiar rituals, like spring picnics in the park or homemade lemonade in summer. But there’s also the bittersweet feeling of doing something for the last time, like mowing the lawn one final time on a brown day in autumn, or watching the last of the geese fly south in the early weeks of winter. However you celebrate the changing of the seasons, every year feels like an extraordinary miracle! In this jubilant ode to seasonal rituals, Leda Schubert evokes the familiar, enchanting rhythm of the four seasons, while Clover Robin’s bold, graceful art bring warmth and magic to everyday occurrences.

Why I like First& Lasts: The Changing Seasons:

Leda Schubert’s beautiful book is a ode to nature and a celebration of life in the human world. I really enjoy her simply stated format as children journey through the seasons. Each season begins with Spring is… “the last time we play in our snow forts…and the first time we time we play catch…” It is intended to stir up memories and create excitement for change that is about to come.

Clover Robin’s colorful collages compliment the text and awaken reader’s five senses to the changing smells of freshly cut grass, the taste of cold lemonade, the feel of squishy grass on bare feet, the sound of June bugs hitting screens, and the site of the first frost on windowpanes. Children will have great fun coming up with the things that they look forward to in each season. And make sure you checkout her gorgeous book cover.

This is a lovely gift book.

Resources: Encourage children to think about activities and observances they associate with each changing season. Like the beginning of Little League baseball, flying kites, fishing, catching lightning bugs, planting a garden, attending parades, watching fireworks, taking a vacation, choosing the perfect carving pumpkin, going on a hayride, and roasting marshmallows. Help them make a list for each season and then hand them crayons, paint and paper and let them celebrate moments that are important to them and to the family. Compile the drawings and make a simple book.

Leda Schubert is the author of numerous books for children, including Dogs Love Cars, Nathan’s Son, the Brand New Reader’s series of Winnie books, Monsieur Marceau and many other award-winning books. Schubert has an MFA in writing for children from Vermont College, served on the Caldecott committee, and lives in Vermont with her husband and their goldendoodles.

*Review copy provided by Candlewick Press in exchange for a review.

Playing with Osito – Multicultural Children’s Book Day

Multicultural Children’s Book Day – Jan. 27, 2018

Official Hashtag: #ReadYourWorld

Playing with Osito

Lisa Maria Burgess, Author

Susan L. Roth, Collages

Barranca Press, Fiction, March 8, 2018

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes: Bear, Animals, Bilingual, Multicultural, Seasons, Humor

Opening: “It was the end of autumn. The sky was blue, so I went outside to play… At the top of the mountain, I met a baby bear. Osito also wanted to play, but he was cold.”

Synopsis: Osito wants to play, but his fur is growing slowly and he’s got the shivers. The girl thinks covering this baby bear with honey and a coat of wildflowers is a good idea. So with a SCHLOP, schloooooooop, schluup, Osito is happy licking the sticky honey. Osito warms up and he and the girl play. But then they hear a BZZZZ…BZZ…BBBZZZ. The bees arrive and Osito makes a run for the creek!

Osito climbs out of the creek and shivers in the warm sun. So the girl plasters him with honey and rolls him in grass, because bees don’t like grass. But goats do! How will the girl help Osito get warm?

Why I like this book:

This captivating and humorous bilingual story is set in the mountains that traverse the US and Mexico. It is inspired by Lisa Maria Burgess’ childhood memories of playing in the Sierra Madre of Chihuahua. Each page shows both English and Spanish translations on one side and an illustration on the opposite page.

This baby bear has character. Children will cheer Osito as he tries to get warm and giggle at the girl’s amusing and clever attempts to help him. They will enjoy the witty repetition and have fun guessing what kind of coat the girl will dream up next for Osito. Each coat she creates for the bear represents the changing seasons of the year: spring flowers, summer grass, autumn leaves and winter snow.

Susan L. Roth’s spirited and brightly colored collage illustrations are exquisite and really make this story sing. She created Osito and much of the landscape with tree bark paper, which has been made in Mexico since precolonial times. Roth’s illustrations are a unique mixed-media collage of a variety of natural textures that represent many of the items that would be found in the mountains, even the beautiful Lupine and Paintbrush flowers that grow there.

Resources: There are fun facts about the endangered species used in the story bears, bees and goats, and special flowers and trees known in the Sierra Madre. Children will enjoy learning a bit of English or Spanish as they read the story. For example a bear is called “los osos” and bees are called “las abejas” in Spanish.

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2018 is in its 5th year and was founded by Valarie Budayr from Jump Into A Book and Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom. Their mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in home and school bookshelves while also working diligently to get more of these types of books into the hands of young readers, parents and educators.

Current Sponsors: MCBD 2018 is honored to have some amazing Sponsors on board.

2018 MCBD Medallion Sponsors

HONORARY: Children’s Book Council, Junior Library Guild

PLATINUM: Scholastic Book Clubs

GOLD: Audrey Press, Candlewick Press, Loving Lion Books, Second Story Press, Star Bright Books, Worldwide Buddies

SILVER: Capstone Publishing, Author Charlotte Riggle, Child’s Play USA, KidLit TV, Pack-n-Go Girls, Plum Street Press

BRONZE: Barefoot Books, Carole P. Roman, Charlesbridge Publishing, Dr. Crystal Bowe, Gokul! World, Green Kids Club, Gwen Jackson, Jacqueline Woodson, Juan J. Guerr a, Language Lizard, Lee & Low Books, RhymeTime Storybooks, Sanya Whittaker Gragg, TimTimTom Books, WaterBrook & Multnomah, Wisdom Tales Press

2018 Author Sponsors
Honorary Author Sponsors: Author/Illustrator Aram Kim and Author/Illustrator Juana Medina

Author Janet Balletta, Author Susan Bernardo, Author Carmen Bernier-Grand, Author Tasheba Berry-McLaren and Space2Launch, Bollywood Groove Books, Author Anne Broyles, Author Kathleen Burkinshaw, Author Eugenia Chu, Author Lesa Cline-Ransome, Author Medeia Cohan and Shade 7 Publishing, Desi Babies, Author Dani Dixon and Tumble Creek Press, Author Judy Dodge Cummings, Author D.G. Driver, Author Nicole Fenner and Sister Girl Publishing, Debbi Michiko Florence, Author Josh Funk, Author Maria Gianferrari, Author Daphnie Glenn, Globe Smart Kids, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, Author Quentin Holmes, Author Esther Iverem, Jennifer Joseph: Alphabet Oddities, Author Kizzie Jones, Author Faith L Justice , Author P.J. LaRue and MysticPrincesses.com, Author Karen Leggett Abouraya, Author Sylvia Liu, Author Sherri Maret, Author Melissa Martin Ph.D., Author Lesli Mitchell, Pinky Mukhi and We Are One, Author Miranda Paul, Author Carlotta Penn, Real Dads Read, Greg Ransom, Author Sandra L. Richards, RealMVPKids Author Andrea Scott, Alva Sachs and Three Wishes Publishing, Shelly Bean the Sports Queen, Author Sarah Stevenson, Author Gayle H. Swift Author Elsa Takaoka, Author Christine Taylor-Butler, Nicholette Thomas and MFL Publishing, Author Andrea Y. Wang, Author Jane Whittingham, Author Natasha Yim

We’d like to also give a shout-out to MCBD’s impressive CoHost Team who not only hosts the book review link-up on celebration day, but who also works tirelessly to spread the word of this event. View our CoHosts HERE.

TWITTER PARTY Sponsored by Scholastic Book Clubs: MCBD’s super-popular (and crazy-fun) annual Twitter Party will be held 1/27/18 at 9:00pm.

Join the conversation and win one of 12-5 book bundles and one Grand Prize Book Bundle (12 books) that will be given away at the party! http://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/twitter-party-great-conversations-fun-prizes-chance-readyourworld-1-27-18/

Free Multicultural Books for Teachers: http://bit.ly/1kGZrta

Free Empathy Classroom Kit for Homeschoolers, Organizations, Librarians and Educators: http://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/teacher-classroom-empathy-kit/

*I received a review copy of Playing with Osito from Barranca Press. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.

Seasons of Joy by Claudia Marie Lenart

Seasons of Joy: Every Day is for Outdoor Play

Claudia Marie Lenart, Author and Illustrator

Loving Healing Press, Fiction, Apr. 1, 2017

Suitable for Ages: 2-4

Themes: Seasons, Nature, Animals, Multicultural Children, Playing outdoors

Opening: Wake up! It’s Spring. / Trees are tipped in wisps of green. / Let’s stretch our legs and run on soft, fresh grass. / Up and down the hills we hop and jump / Like newborn bunnies do.

Book Jacket Synopsis: The pure and simple delight of children playing outside is captured in needle-felted wool paintings created by Claudia Marie Lenart. The picture books pairs dreamy images of multicultural children, animals, flowers and trees with verse that expresses the joy young children experience in nature’s seasons. Children can see themselves in the diverse characters and can be inspired to spend more time playing outdoors and connecting to nature.

What I like about this book:

Claudia Marie Lenart’s Seasons of Joy is magical. Her rhyming prose conjures such beautiful visual images of each season and encourages young children to go outside to picnic in a meadow, watch butterflies dance, float on waves, pile leaves high, gather nuts and pine cones, make snow angels and build snow castles. Just read the opening (above) and let her words roll around your mouth and feel their power.

Accompanying her lyrical language is Lenart’s signature wool artwork, which will captivate children as they study all of the beautiful detail in each dreamy scene. Children will experience the wonder, joy and adventure in spending a day romping in nature throughout the seasons. This is a perfect bedtime story.

Resources: Spend a day outdoors picking violets, climbing a tree, playing games in the meadow with friends, exploring creeks or counting the stars at night.

Claudia Marie Lenart is a fiber artist whose passion is needle felting. Her soft sculpture characters are created by repeatedly poking wool and other natural fibers, like alpaca, with a barbed needle. She illustrated three books for the late children’s author Jewel Kats: Jenny and Her Dog Both Fight Cancer, Prince Preemie, and Hansel & Gretel: A Fairy Tale with a Down Syndrome Twist. To learn more about Lenart’s artistry and books, visit her website.

Every Friday, authors and KidLit bloggers post a favorite picture book. To see a complete listing of all the Perfect Picture Books (PPB) with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Books.

The Adventures of a Girl and Her Dog by Dagny McKinley

The Adventures of a Girl & Her Dog

…in the Mountains

Dagny McKinley, Author

Ostap Stetsiv, Illustrator

Brigham Distributing, Fiction, 2015

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes: A girl and her dog explore nature

Opening: These are the adventures of a girl and her dog / That played together in rain, snow and fog / Nature was their home / high in the mountains / Away from / cities, subway, planes, cars and trains.

Synopsis: A girl and her dog explore the mountains with abandonment. With no adults to restrict their explorations, they can roam through fields full of flowers, cross streams, climb trees, dig in the earth, splash in streams, watch bears, dodge bee hives, laugh, scream, and get dirty. When the girl and her dog visit the city, they have to look hard for natures’ beauty in the flowers living in the cracks of the sidewalks and in the bird’s nests sitting in gutters.

Favorite Verse: “The girl’s soul lived in the mountains / where trees grow into the clouds / Where there are rocks, there are birds / but nothing loud.”

Adventures-snow …in the Snow

Brigham Distributing, Fiction, 2015

Opening: These are the adventures of a girl and her dog / Who play together in the snow, sleet and fog / Who love to wander where no one else goes / In temperatures of five, ten, even twenty below.

Synopsis: A girl explores the winter wonderland with her dog. As the snow begins to fall, they relish the possibilities all around them. They watch the clouds transform the landscape and find stories in the tracks left by cougars, foxes, and rabbits. While the temperatures dip, bears, marmots and chipmunks, hibernate in dens. The girl and her dog dance in the snow, run without a care, dig caves in the snow, make snow and dog angels, and watch the sun set. The world changes around them, each day they explore.

Favorite Verse: “Together they set off through the white / as light as a feather / That dances around their feet / like sugar and glitter.

Why I like this series: Dagny McKinley has written a charming series about the joy found in the changing seasons. Children will love the delicious rhyming and words choices. They will delight in romping through the natural world with the girl and dog, feel the peace and tranquility as they explore the mountains and navigate the quiet, winter snow-covered woodlands. The author is clever not to name the girl or dog, as it allows children to imagine that they are the ones having this grand adventure. Ostap Stetsiv’s illustrations are colorful, whimsical and show the wonder on the girl’s face. The warm, bright colors of summer and cool colors of winter, highlight the different seasons. Exquisite images! Nice collaborative work on this heartwarming series for children and adults.

Resources: Take children on a nature walk to explore the many wonders found in the fields, forests and streams. Since autumn is here look at the colorful leaves on trees and talk about the life cycles. Take along a camera and a journal and encourage kids to record birds and animals they see. In the winter, kids can track animal footprints in the snow, make snow angels and build a snowman.

Dagny McKinley has lived many places, but found a home in the expansive granite landscape of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. McKinley stays current on environmental issues, women’s issues and is an avid animal rights supporter. She believes all lives are interconnected and each person, landscape and insect has something to offer and teach. She is the author of The Springs of Steamboat: Healing Waters, Mysterious Cave and Sparkling Soda, and Wild Hearts: Dog Sledding the Rockies – written while working as a dog sled tour guide for three years. Visit Dagny McKinley at her website.

Water Is Water

Water Is Water

Miranda Paul, Author

Jason Chin, Illustrator

Roaring Brook Press, Nonfiction, May 26, 2015

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes: Water cycles, Seasons, Rhyming, Diversity

Opening: “Drip. Sip. Pour me a cup. Water is water unless…it heats up.”

Synopsis: Two children explore the different phases of the water cycle during the year. They experience rain turning into fog, snow, and ice, as each season brings with it the mystique of this life-giving element.

Why I like this book:

Miranda Paul’s engaging brief and lyrical text sings off the pages. The rhyming is very clever. Children will relate to the brother and sister as they experience water in its many forms throughout the year. I especially like that the brother and sister in the story are biracial with a diverse group of children joining them as they splash in puddles, glide on ice, build snowmen, throw snowballs, squish in mud after snow melts, pick apples, press apple cider and jump into ponds. This is a fascinating introduction to the water cycle for young children. Jason Chin’s lively and expressive watercolors contribute significantly to the beauty of Water Is Water. This is an exceptional pairing of text with illustrations.

Resources: Paul includes extensive backmatter about the movement and change of water from liquid to vapor and fog, to precipitation, to ice and so on. This information will compliment classroom lesson plans.

Miranda Paul has traveled to Gambia as a volunteer teacher, a fair-trade and literacy advocate, and freelance journalist. She is also the author of One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia (read my review) and Water is Water, both of which were named Junior Library Guild selections. Visit Miranda Paul at her website.

The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper

The Shortest Day of the Year

Susan Cooper, Author

Carson Ellis, Illustrator

Candlewick Press, Poetry, Oct. 22, 2019

Suitable for Ages: 4 and up

Themes: Winter Solstice, Shortest Day, Seasonal Light, Legends, Holiday, Celebrations

Opening: “So the shortest day came, / and the year died…”

Publisher Synopsis:

As the sun set on the shortest day of the year, early people would gather to prepare for the long night ahead. They built fires and lit candles. They played music, bringing their own light to the darkness, while wondering if the sun would ever rise again.

Written for a theatrical production that has become a ritual in itself, Susan Cooper’s poem “The Shortest Day” captures the magic behind the returning of the light, the yearning for traditions that connect us with generations that have gone before — and the hope for peace that we carry into the future.

Richly illustrated by Carson Ellis with a universality that spans the centuries, this beautiful book evokes the joy and community found in the ongoing mystery of life when we celebrate light, thankfulness, and festivity at a time of rebirth. Welcome Yule!

In this seasonal treasure, Newbery Medalist Susan Cooper’s beloved poem heralds the winter solstice, illuminated by Caldecott Honoree Carson Ellis’s strikingly resonant illustrations.

Why I like this book:

This breathtaking and contemplative book begins in silence with Ellis’s gorgeous gouache illustrations imagining how early humans began preparing for the longer nights. There is a pause. On page 5, Cooper’s poem begins, “So the shortest day came…” and draws readers into the seasonal cycles of light and the continuity of life, culminating in the joy of the Yule.

Cooper’s poetic book is for everyone (young and old) and is a non-Christian view of the joyful arrival of the winter solstice worldwide. People of all cultures will celebrate with song, dance, lights, decorations, and feasts with families and friends. And they will hold a hope for peace in their hearts.

Resource: Make sure you read the author’s information about the deeper meaning of winter solstice at the end of the story.

The Winter Solstice is today, Wednesday. December 21. You may be interested in participating in the the Global Silent Minute for peace and unity. The time on the East Coast of the US is 4 p.m., 1 p.m. on the West Coast. You can got to the Unity of Silence website to learn more. You don’t need to join anything to participate.

Susan Cooper wrote The Shortest Day for John Langstaff’s Christmas Revels, where it is performed annually accross the country. She is the author of the classic fantasy sequence The Dark Is Rising (which includes the Newbery Medal winner The Grey King) and many other books for children and adults.

Greg Pattridge hosts Marvelous Middle Grade Monday posts on his wonderful Always in the Middle website. Check out the link to see all of the wonderful reviews by KidLit bloggers and authors.

*Review copy provided by the publisher.