Category: picture books

Rock, Paper, Scissors

“Long ago,

in an ancient and distant realm called

the Kingdom of Backyard,

there lived a warrior named

ROCK”

So begins “The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors” by Drew Daywalt. This book is sure to make it onto many young readers’ favorite book lists.

Daywalt introduces his readers to Rock, a warrior looking for an opponent who can truly battle him. He meets many challengers in the backyard, but none can beat him. Meanwhile Paper and Scissors are looking for their own worthy challengers. All three set out on their own journeys to find someone who can possibly truly challenge them. 

The three meet, and the battle begins. “‘Round and ’round they went, in the most massive and epic three-way battle of all time!” Who will be victorious….Rock, Paper, or Scissors?

This book is hilarious and amazing and I highly recommend it. Any child (or adult) who has played rock, paper, scissors will delight in this legend. I will definitely be giving copies of this book to several young readers in my life.

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A Time to Keep

Earlier this week, I posted a photo on social media of a page from my favorite picture books, Tasha Tudor’s “A Time to Keep: The Tasha Tudor Book of Holidays.” I’ve revisited this book more times than I can count and when I opened it earlier this week to look at the February section, I was immediately pulled back in.

Tasha Tudor takes readers through the year, month by month. She makes the ordinary beautiful, special, and memorable. As a small child, I dreamed of climbing inside those pages, helping to make maple syrup, playing with the corgis, putting on plays in the carriage house, making candles for the upcoming year.

What I didn’t realize when I read this book when I was small, is that I learned from these pages that there is beauty in our own special traditions. They don’t have to be fancy or expensive; they just have to be meaningful to us. Celebrating these things as a family make us look forward to them.

While my family’s traditions look different than the ones in Tasha Tudor’s beautiful illustrations, I realize how important those rituals are to my family. I realize now that the way we talk about the year ahead and what we look forward to, stems from that book. Not that we are imitating what we see in the book, but rather that we look forward to our own traditions and how we make them special. I learned the value of tradition from those pages.

While I wouldn’t trade our traditions for someone else’s, I would still love to climb into that book and experience Tasha Tudor’s world. If you haven’t read this beautiful picture book, please check it out. It is honestly the most beautiful illustrations of family tradition (and if someone can figure out how to make a lit birthday cake float down a river like it does in the book, please share because I think I need to add that tradition).

“What Do You Do With An Idea?”

Sometimes it feels like I “must” read a book. It keeps coming into my life in different ways, begging to be read. “What Do You Do With an Idea?” by Kobi Yamada is one of those books. My friend recommended this book, but not just the usual “it’s good, you should read it.” She recommended it as “one of those books that you have to read, it will change your life.” I knew I needed to read it. Then my mom showed up at my house carrying a copy of it, saying someone she knew recommended it to her. Okay, I got the hint….I had to read this book.

If you read just one book that I recommend here, On The Children’s Shelf, please choose this one. The recommendations I received didn’t do it justice. It is one of the best books I have ever read. While written for children, this book should be read by readers of all ages, and read to those not yet able to read it themselves. 

Yamada takes something that exists in your imagination, an idea, and makes it tangible. The reader joins the main character on this journey from that initial idea, as it grows bigger and stronger, fights the doubt of others, until it comes to fruition. The idea becomes too large for just one person and it fulfills its destiny. 

While the story alone is brilliant, Mae Besom’s illustrations are genius. This is by far one of the prettiest books. I loved every page of this book.

This book now holds a special place in my heart and will be a resource I return to often when I doubt my own abilities, doubt my own dreams and ideas and need a reminder of what to do with an idea.

* This was originally written in 2015 but I needed this reminder, so I’m sharing it with all of you.

Thanksgiving Parade books

My birthday is at Thanksgiving which is a weird holiday to sometimes share a birthday with, simply because I share the day “sometimes.” My family always made a big deal of my birthday on Thanksgiving whether it was that specific day or not.

One year when I was small and my birthday was really on Thanksgiving, my mom took me to see the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. As we walked to the parade route, I saw the first balloon go by from afar. Down the street, between the buildings, I saw a giant balloon and it was more amazing that I ever imagined. TV didn’t do it justice. They are huge and that first balloon will always be one of my favorite Thanksgiving birthday memories. The parade was amazing, but that first balloon sighting was the best.

The Thanksgiving parade is still one of my favorite parts of the day (along with pie, obviously). I’ve been to many Thanksgiving parades since and even lived my dream of being a giant balloon handler in the Stamford parade a few years ago. Yes, I walked a giant dragon through the streets of Stamford!

As we get closer to Thanksgiving, here are a couple amazing Thanksgiving parade books. My first pick is Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet. I love this book (and the illustrations). Sweet introduces readers to the true story of Tony Sarg, who invented the giant balloons we see in the Thanksgiving Parade.

Another favorite Thanksgiving parade book is Milly and the Macy’s Parade by Shana Corey. While the characters and Mr. Macy’s involvement in starting the parade are fictious, it is based on the creation of the parade. Prior to reading this book, I didn’t know that Macy’s employees from other countries who were feeling homesick as the holidays approached brought traditions from their countries to the parade.

Both of these beautiful picture books based on the history of the parade are wonderful additions to your Thanksgiving traditions. Read the books then watch the parade (on tv or in person). Both stories bring even more magic to the Thanksgiving Parade.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse

Recently, a friend sent me a book. I love receiving books, especially books that others share because they enjoyed them and believe I will too. “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” by Charlie Mackesy is like no other. The words speak to your soul in a way that feels like the book was written for each reader with the words they need hear at that moment.

This book takes the reader through simple yet incredibly powerful words. It’s the type of book you will read in one sitting and will revisit often when you need to hear those words again. The illustrations are beautiful. The words are powerful. The combination of the two is simply beautiful.

The message will speak to readers of all ages. The only challenge for younger readers might be the font (handwritten script) but this book would be especially lovely to hear read aloud, whether it’s one page or the entire book.

I’m so grateful my friend shared this beautiful book with me and look forward to revisiting my favorite words and images from this book over and over again.