The Plant Pals, Happy to Be Me is a children’s picture book that teaches children how to build empathy, confidence, and good friendships while learning about plants. Experience the magical world of plants as they hop out of their pots and come to life before your very eyes.
In the book, as soon as their mama leaves, The Plant Pals are ready to play. But Sana (the snake plant) is feeling upset because she looks different than the other pals. Read along as funny Monsy (the Monstera plant) cheers her up in a celebration of what makes each so special and unique!
Great book for kids, families, educators, plant lovers, and as gifts.
Books by Anna Membrino and Patricia Brennan Demuth
This week, we bid farewell to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. A tiny woman with a huge presence. Her 87-year journey from Brooklyn, NY to Washington D.C. left deep imprints in this country. She worked hard for true justice till the very end. Although she was a woman, she worked relentlessly for all genders and races.
Not only did she have that powerful inner strength, she was also physically strong. Check out the RBG workout: https://rbgworkout.com/
One of her greatest gifts was a simple one that many of us have, but forget to use often: the ability to listen and learn from others. Sometimes we have so much to say that we can’t hold back. Sometimes we are so uncomfortable with silence we rush to keep the noise going. Sometimes we want to dominate the conversation and shut others out. We forget that taking a pause after listening is okay.
This ability to listen helped Ruth Bader Ginsberg hear what changes were needed and allowed her to make decisions based on fairness. Now it’s time for us to take a pause and remember her.
Covid-19 and Black Lives Matter. 2020 has been quite a year with two major events that has changed humanity once again. One being a virus that has infected millions and the other being the death of George Floyd that catapulted the fight against racial inequality to a greater distance.
Never has the black rights movement seen so many passionate participants from all races and walks of life. More people have been able to step aside and ask “what if that was my son, brother, or friend who was killed with an officer’s knee on their neck because of the way they looked”?
Unfortunately, I don’t think we can change the mindset of every individual out there. Racism will always be there in some kind of form no matter how hard we try to remove it. However, for those who are interested in making our society a kinder and peaceful one, we can all make some small change to help future generations become more accepting of others that are different.
This can include a simple change such as making more room on bookshelves for more ethnically diverse books for children. Kids have the ability to absorb things so quickly. Books are just one of the many ways they are able to explore the world beyond them. The time has come where we need to start introducing more characters of different ethnicities, religions, medical issues, and any other important difference that are part of today’s reality. If you want a child to succeed in life, they need to know what real life entails – this includes learning about the different people that live in it.
I had recently asked some friends for book recommendations from their own children’s bookshelves that include diverse characters, so here are some of my favorites and theirs:
Clive and his Art, by Jessica Spanyol (ages 3-6)
The Snow Day, by Ezra Jack Keats (ages 2-5)
Saffron Ice Cream, by Rashim Kheiriyeh (ages 4-8)
Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai (ages 5 and up)
Turning Pages – My Life Story, by Sonia Sotomayor (ages 5 and up)
Last Stop on Market Street, by Matt de la Pena (ages 3 and up)
Hair Love, by Matthew A. Cherry
Four Feet, Two Sandals, by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammad (ages 7-10)
Jabari Jumps, by Gaia Cornwell (ages 4-8)
Big Red Lollipop, by Rukhsana Khan (ages 4-8)
Animal Sounds For Baby, by Cheryl Willis Hudson (ages 1-3)
Bright Eyes, Brown Skin, by Cheryl Willis Hudson (ages 6 – 9)
Happy Reading and Sharing! Lets hope for a better 2021 and beyond.
Wash your hands! It’s such a basic act in our everyday lives. Soap, hand sanitizers, and disinfectants – basic everyday items in our cupboards. Then a world pandemic comes along – we find out that most of us have been washing our hands wrong and those basic items we have taken for granted are no longer available with a click of a button.
COVID-19/Corona Virus has changed the lives of everyone in this planet we call Earth. It has bound us as humans trying to fight for the same cause. Some have compared it to war. What is thought to have started in the city of Wuhan, China has spread across internationally. It has taken the lives of thousands thus far. In the US, it started with less than five in the State of Washington. Within two weeks it rapidly spread to all 50 states with confirmed cases reaching over 10,000 and the death toll over 500. The numbers continue to rise. Businesses and schools have closed. Certain cities are under lock down. People have been told to stay home.
As the death toll continues to rise, I can only hope people continue to keep perspective and remember that the confirmed cases and total deaths are not just numbers. Behind each number is a human life that has left us all. It is a life lost to a parent, child, family, and friend out there.
Social distancing – a word that has become a part of our everyday vocabulary that has also become a challenging practice for our very interactive society. Luckily, we are in an era where “social media” is also a part of our everyday lives. Through such platforms as Facebook, virtual meetings, and cellphone capabilities we are able to continue to stay in touch with others and keep up with the latest updates.
Homeschooling – what parents across the US have been forced to do. As caregivers scramble to find a routine, keep their children educated and entertained, maintain household and health needs, and work from home – they are also trying to maintain their own sanity with the unexpected new load of responsibilities.
With homeschooling, also comes the issue of stress. It is not easy to watch children all day long and still find time for oneself. I do hope parents remember to be patient with their kids and the people they live with. From my experience working with NYC Children’s Services, I fear that child abuse and domestic violence rates across the nation may rise. When people spend too much time together closely, stress levels may drive those that don’t know how to handle it to become violent. That said, there are also many that are taking this opportunity to become closer with those they live with. There are working parents who normally don’t get much time with their children that finally have the opportunity to spend more time with them. There are also couples who don’t see each other much that finally get quality time together.
As we are all practicing how best to wash our hands, let’s
also remember to practice patience with each other. We all need to act responsibly, listen, and help
in a safe manner.
For those who are stressed and need help, it is okay to ask for help. You can reach out anytime. You are important and so are your feelings.
One of the greatest gifts a child has is to dream big without boundaries. Their imagination runs wild with everything and anything being possible. As we grow into adults our dreams get shattered by rationality, negative thinking, what we think is reality, and the de-motivating advice from others.
Every great invention and idea that has come to fruition also had someone behind it reminding the inventor that they may be wasting their time or trying to give them a sense of what they think reality is. I am going to call them Dream Stoppers. All of us at one point has been a dream stopper to someone else.
My three-year-old son is currently at a stage where he is engaging in a lot of pretend play and making up words that don’t exist. There are times when he comes up with some out of the world ideas. My first reaction is to enjoy the cuteness and then correct him by explaining what it would be like in the real world. However, I realized I was starting to become a Dream Stopper without even realizing it. I want him to feel encouraged to come up with some crazy ideas (as long as it is safe and does no harm to himself or others). I really hope those words don’t backfire on me one day :-/
Humans are natural creators and inventors when they are born. I think if we encouraged each other more (at any age) instead of being so quick to judge, we as a world would have a lot more to gain.
Check out some kid inventions that made it big and 40 Kids Who Have Changed the World.
One of my favorite shows is Shark Tank. Check out some adults who are still thinking big.
As for an interesting children’s book, I recommend “If I Built a School”, by Chris Van Dusen.
It’s about a boy, Jack who describes what his perfect school
structure and layout would look like if he had built it. Jack takes us through his vision of a modern
day, fun school that I too wish existed. His dream could one become a reality.
Two weekends ago, we went to see The Very Hungry Caterpillar show at The Imagination Stage in Bethesda, Maryland. I was actually very surprised by how truly well done it was. Eric Carle’s most popular books were brought to life on stage with beautifully constructed puppets, props, and lighting. The smooth transitions from scene to scene kept the interest of both children and adults. They started with Brown Bear, Brown Bear, then embarked upon a journey with the 10 Little Rubber Ducks (one of my son’s favorite), moving onto to The Lonely Firefly, and ending it with of course, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Eric Carle is 90 years old now. He has illustrated over 70 books and still working. In order to reserve his energy, he has kept his distance from the public eye and contacts. However, you can learn more about him and his work through his website.
So, how does he does actually create those exquisite and colorful pages in those legendary books?
“I begin with plain tissue paper and paint it with different
colors, using acrylics. Sometimes I paint with a wide brush, sometimes with a
narrow brush. Sometimes my strokes are straight, and sometimes they’re
wavy. Sometimes I paint with my fingers. Or I paint on a piece of carpet,
sponge, or burlap and then use that like a stamp on my tissue papers to create
different textures.
These papers are my palette and after they have dried I store them in color-coded drawers. Let’s say I want to create a caterpillar: I cut out a circle for the head from a red tissue paper and many ovals for the body from green tissue papers; and then I paste them with wallpaper glue onto an illustration board to make the picture.” (excerpt taken from The Official Eric Carle Website)
He truly is an amazing artist and
educator. I am so happy to be sharing
his work of art with my child.
Did you know that the Very Hungry Caterpillar had a piece of sausage on Saturday? I have never been excited about eating a sausage. If it’s in front of me and it looks okay, I will try a bite. However, I recently tried a sausage from Trader Joe’s, that was amazingly delicious! ‘Spicy Jalapeno Chicken Sausage’! Make it how you like it, but all I did was boil it and then sautéd it in olive oil till it was slightly brown. Enjoy!
Three years ago, the world lost an amazing children’s author to brain cancer – Anna Dewdney. She is the author of the New York Times best seller and highly acclaimed Llama Llama series, the most notable being Llama Llama Red Pajama.
Her books have been translated to 13 different languages and have been popular among educators. Anna’s books are filled with valuable lessons from everyday issues that children face. There is a particular focus on relationships and the challenges that go with them. The illustrations done by Anna are a work of art. The Llama Llama books have also been adapted as a children’s television series on Netflix.
Prior to Anna’s death, she had numerous works in process and over 20 books completed. The books have been left to her long-time partner and father of her children, Reed Duncan. He has the ability to get them published and continue her legacy. I am sure we will continue to see new Llama Llama books appearing on bookshelves. You can read more about Anna on the Llama Llama Book site.
Back in 2016, the Today Show wrote that “Dewdney was described as an “outspoken advocate of literacy,” and her final request reflects that passion: in lieu of a funeral service, Dewdney asked that friends and fans read a book to a child instead.”
That said, in honor of Anna, I ask you to read a book to a child this month (or the next opportunity you get).
Eighteen years ago, I got off the No. 2 train in downtown Manhattan and saw a crowd of people on the street corner watching one of the Twin Towers in flames. I still remember what I wore that day – a black top, red skirt, and black sandals. The only information that anyone had at that point was that a plane flew into the building.
Soon after I walked to my desk, the second plane hit. My coworkers and I got into a state of calm panic. We closed all the windows as the smoke welcomed its way inside. Phone lines started to tie up so it was hard to get through to anyone. We were told to go to various locations within the building. Then the first building collapsed. At that point, everyone was told to evacuate. I couldn’t understand why we were being told to go outside when it wasn’t any safer out there. As everyone went outside and split in different directions, I found myself alone trying to figure out which way to go. I can’t say I was feeling scared, rather fear was taken over by numbness, loneliness and confusion. I will stop my story at this point – I was one of the lucky ones. I did manage to get home by walking the Brooklyn Bridge and my black/red outfit was all white by the time I did.
Like myself, everyone who was alive that day has their own story to share, no matter where they were. Those who lost their lives and their loved ones of course suffered the most. There are also those who have suffered stress disorders and other health issues caused by the events of that day.
Many first responders have lost their lives over the years because of 9/11 related illnesses. Through major efforts from advocates, comedian Jon Stewart, first responders, and others, the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund was just recently extended to 2090. The World Trade Center Health Registry still continues to monitor and provide services to those who lived, worked or were in the downtown NYC area that day.
So how do we explain what took place on September 11th 2001 to our children today? Kristie Kiernan Bouryal has written a children’s book series to help seven to eleven-year-olds understand the catastrophic event by focusing on the heroes of that day:
“If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate.” —Sandy Dahl, wife of Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl
We recently went to the 2019 Baltimore Art, Antique & Jewelry Show which is in its 39th year. The show features glass, jewelry, paintings, and other major works of art for sale. If you love art in different forms, this was the place to be.
As much as I admired all the beautiful works there, what excited me the most was of course the rare books. There was a good selection of prints and writings from ages ago. While browsing through some old children’s books, I came across a more recent and affordable publication tucked in between the antiques: Everything I Need to Know I Learned From a Little Golden Book, by Diane Muldrow
The message on the back of the book was so on point:
Several people have shared the same message of adults reading children’s books as of late, such as Jeopardy winner James Holzhauer and English author Katherine Rundell.
Little Golden Books have been around for over 75 years now. You can easily recognize them by their gold and black colored spine. Back in the 1940’s there were a limited number of high quality, affordable books. When Little Golden Books was first published, the average cost was 25 cents, which allowed more people to bring children’s books into their homes. The list of authors included well-known writers such as Margaret Wise Brown (author of Goodnight Moon) and Richard Scarry. Today, the average cost of a Little Golden Book is $4.99, making it still affordable. In 2001 Random House acquired Little Golden Books for $85 million. Some of the popular titles since its inception include The Poky Little Puppy and Scuffy the Tugboat. I remember my favorite as a child being Bambi. My son’s current favorite is Robots, Robots Everywhere! What was yours?
If you have young children that enjoy reading Little Golden Books, their website offers some printable activities for some of the many popular books on the Little Golden Books website.
Lastly, to sign off this post with a piece of art, take a look at this “Golden Book Gown“, created by Italian-American designer Ryan Jude Novelline, which is made up of recycled Golden Books pages. So beautiful!
