Watch Me Grow

Watch Me Grow: A Down-to-Earth Look at Growing Food in the City by Deborah Hodge, photographs by Brian Harris, Kids Can Press, 2011

OK, so now I’m hungry for fresh vegetables. This delicious book is full of taste-tempting photos showing how to grow luscious vegetables with just the right amount of descriptive text. Explaining that food can grow nearly everywhere in a variety of kinds of urban gardens, the reader is challenged by questions such as, ”As you wander through the city, look carefully. Where do you see food growing?”   From seed to preserving to eating, this colorful book celebrates fresh local food whether you are able to grow it yourself or go to a farmer’s market to buy it, with kids helping every step of the way. A great stand-alone sequel to Up We Grow about small farming from the same author and illustrator.

Mathemagic! Number Tricks

Mathemagic! Number Tricks by Linda Colgan, illustrated by Jane Kurisu, Kids Can Press, 2011
Math has never been so fun! The directions for each number trick are clearly outlined (even a reluctant mathematician will enjoy them) including suggestions for making the trick appear like magic, followed by an understandable explanation for how the trick works. What may appears like first as magic are truly time-tested math principles, some dating bak to ancient Egypt. The well-designed pages and pleasing illustrations add to the user-friendliness of the whole book. Listed for ages 9 to 12, but a younger child could have fun with these when working together with an adult. If your kids like numbers, this is the book for them; if your children think they don’t like math, this is the book for them! Sure to make math-lovers of all.

Up We Grow: A Year in the Life of a Small, Local Farm

Up We Grow: A Year in the Life of a Small, Local Farm by Deborah Hodge, photographs by Brian Harris
Kids Can Press, 2010
Reading this book is taking a visit to a small, sustainable farm in each season through the eyes of a child. In spring, baby animals are born, the land is prepared, and children help plant seed potatoes. Summer is a time of sunshine, bounty, work and joy. Harvest brings honey, fruits, vegetables, and a trip to the farmer’s market. Find out what happens on a farm in winter. The text is simple and easy to read. The photographs show everything from a stalk of wheat up close to the gears of a tractor to the many people and animals and crops on the farm. A wonderful celebration of small organic farming!

The Cat’s Pajamas

The Cat’s Pajamas by Wallace Edwards
Kids Can Press, 2010
No one does sohpisticated humor for kids better than Wallace Edwards. His rich, absurd, and fascinating paintings
paired with matter-of-fact text create a masterpiece of a children’s book. Like Monkey Business, this new book is
about idioms. For example, the text: Wade had never driven a submarine before, so he couldn’t wait to get his
feet wet. The picture: An intricated underwater scene with fish, and octopus, shells, coral, and a frog driving a
small submarine that had opening for his legs to hang out. Love it! Your kids will too.

How to Build Your Own Country

By Valerie Wyatt, Illustrated by Fred Rix, Kids Can Press, 2009

An exceptionally good book introducing kids to all the various components of building and running a country, using real-life examples. Everything from finding a chunk of land and staking out your identity to keeping the peace is included in step-by-step directions. The conversational, friendly and funny narrator is a pleasure to read. The cartoons add fun to the whole process. All together a great book and exercise for elementary classrooms, a family project, or any adventurous kid.

From the Citizen Kid series, “A collection of books that infor childen about the world and inspire them to be better global citizens.”

A Gift of Days: The Greatest Words to Live By

By Stephen Alcorn, Atheneum, 2009

52 relief-block portraits are interspersed within this book of days that not only marks birthdays of famous writers, scientists, artists, actors, inventors, leaders of all kinds, and much more, but includes an inspirational quote from each.

The portraits won’t be labeled  by one style or another; while they are all clearly block prints, some are colorful and some are black and white, some are strong representations of a person’s face and others are more abstract, some are painterly and some more like drawing; some look ancient and some modern;  many are literal portraits but some include other elements that honor the person. For example, Jesse Owens is pictured in a starting block position, with large wings coming off his back–beautiful.

The artist/author offers us a window into the inspiration for the book which he traces to his art studies in Italy, the importance of the humanities stressed there, and his first viewing of a 15th century  illustrated manuscript. As inspired by the people and places he is in his life, he hopes to pass on the inspiration of each “noble spirit” offered here.

Perhaps my favorite portrait and quote is that of Frida Kahlo; her strong features and finely decorated portrait are accompanied by her words, “Feet, what do I need for you when I have wings to fly?”

Other examples of inspiring words:

“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.” Sir Edmund Hillary

“If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception, it is a prevailing attitude. ” Colin Powell

“Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens.” Jimi Hendrix

“History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it.” Winston Churchill

The people and the quotes range across centuries, continents, races, professions, and more.  The whole is handsomely put together with colorful borders and patterned backgrounds.  

It is not quite accurate to call this a “children’s book.” It is marketed as such, but is really a book for all ages, schools from pre-k through high school, and  even adults with no children.

An excellent collection of wisdom and beauty.