PragmaticMom Education Matters. A Mashup Covering Parenting, Children's Literature and Education. : PragmaticMom

WHAT IF…We Used Our Creativity to Overcome Obstacles? & GIVEAWAY!

March 28, 2018

Please welcome my guest authors today, Samantha Berger and Mike Curato. We are giving away a copy of their new picture book, What If?… Please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom to enter.

What If… by Samantha Berger, illustrated by Mike Curato

This girl is determined to express herself! If she can’t draw her dreams, she’ll sculpt or build, carve or collage. If she can’t do that, she’ll turn her world into a canvas. And if everything around her is taken away, she’ll sing, dance, and dream… [picture book, ages 5 and up]

———-

We love your posts, love your sensibility, love you for reading What If…, which is a book about the power of creative expression to triumph over any obstacle, any circumstance. Read more…

Comments: 2 Posted by: Pragmatic Mom Categories: Multicultural Books for Kids

Understanding Poverty: A Book List for Ages 4-12

March 26, 2018

For our Multicultural Children’s Book Day Classroom kit this year, we are exploring poverty through a book list, activities, discussion guide and posters. This book list was crowdsourced during our January 27th, 2018 Twitter Party. We hope to expand the list to include more books on rural poverty and intergenerational poverty. Can you please help us build this list? Thank you!

p.s. We also have a Classroom Kindness Kit and a Classroom Empathy Kit that explores Immigration and the Refugee Experience.

Picture Books for Understanding Poverty

A Different Pond by Bao Phi, illustrated by Thi Bui

–> for understanding poverty experienced by some new immigrants

A Vietnamese boy and his father go fishing in the middle of the night. This is not for recreation; it for feeding their family. His father works several jobs. His mother also works. The boy also takes responsibility for his siblings when his parents are at work. This is a dignified portrait of new immigrants and how hard they work to get established in a new country. Despite working around the clock, the family is grateful for what they have and for their time together. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

Comments: 2 Posted by: Pragmatic Mom Categories: Multicultural Books for Kids

Indigo, Samurai and My Daughters’ Clothing Company

March 23, 2018

My daughters have launched their own clothing company, upcycling vintage and modern pieces, and dying them using a Japanese shibori technique.

Indigo Clothing Co. Products:
+ 100% natural indigo dye
+ a modern take on japanese shibori dyeing techniques
+ upcycled vintage & modern pieces
+ environmentally and socially conscious

Comments: 3 Posted by: Pragmatic Mom Categories: Parenting

Be Yourself 6 Picture Book GIVEAWAY!

March 21, 2018

These newly published books encourage kids to be their own true selves. I’m giving away 6 of these picture books. Please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom to enter.

What are you favorite Daring To Be Different books? Thanks for sharing!

Be Yourself Picture Books!

The Umbrella Queen by Shirin Yim Bridges, illustrated by Taeeun Yoo

Daring to paint from her heart, Noot makes her own tiny umbrellas so she can paint what she likes instead of the flowers and butterflies that are the standard for the umbrellas her village creates. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

Be Who You Are by Todd Parr

With bright happy colors, Todd Parr gives a loving message to young readers to embrace who they are. [picture book, ages 4 and up]

Comments: 14 Posted by: Pragmatic Mom Categories: Reading Lists: Picture Books

Ellie Ultra Signed 2 Book GIVEAWAY!

March 19, 2018

Have you met superhero Ellie Ultra yet? Her parents are super-genius scientists who fight super villains and she follows right in their footsteps. Who knew that Winkopolis Elementary School would harbor so many devious criminals? This is an early chapter book series for girls who appreciate the challenge of juggling super powers while trying to fit in at school.

I’m giving away a pair of signed hardcover books. It’s the latest two books in the Ellie Ultra series! Please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom to enter.

How about you? What are your kids favorite early chapter books and/or super heroes? Thanks for sharing!

Ellie Ultra: Superhero for President by Gina Bellisario, illustrated by Jessika von Innerebner

Ellie Ultra is a leader. As a superhero, she kind of has to be. So when the opportunity to become class president comes up, it’s a no-brainer that Ellie will run. The only downside is that devious Dex Diggs, her arch nemesis in the school, is going to run too. After an Ultra Genie wish machine gets into Dex’s hands, Ellie gets a glimpse of what the world will be like if Dex takes over. She has to do everything she can to make the world a better place and undo evil wishes, even if she isn’t president. [early chapter book, ages 6 and up]

Comments: 6 Posted by: Pragmatic Mom Categories: Reading Lists: Easy Chapter Books

5 Great Growth Mindset Diversity Books & GIVEAWAY!

March 16, 2018

Please welcome my guest author today, Pip Jones. She is the author of Izzy Gizmo. We are giving away one copy of her book. To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom.

Izzy Gizmo by Pip Jones, illustrated by Sara Ogilvie

This delightful rhyming picture book features a girl with a penchant for creating marvelous inventions and working through to fix the glitches that are part of the process. When she rescues a crow with a broken wing, she comes up with her biggest challenge yet. It’s not easy to create a flying machine but Izzy is not the kind of girl who gives up easily!

I love these STEM books that show girls who push through the hardest part of the inventing process. Use this picture book to get your kids thinking about engineering as creativity + problems = marveleous inventions! [picture book, ages 4 and up]

Comments: 4 Posted by: Pragmatic Mom Categories: Multicultural Books for Kids

Celebrating Asian Americans for #WomensHistoryMonth

March 14, 2018

Every March, I scratch my head to recognize Asian American and Pacific Islanders in children’s books for Women’s History Month. Here’s my (too short) list. Who am I missing?

These AAPI women are notable but don’t have picture books yet…

Tammy Duckworth, military leader, U.S. Rep, activist
Amy Tan, author
Tokyo Rose, radio personality
Yoko Ono, artist
Margaret Cho, actress, comedian
Sandra Oh, actress
Michelle Wie, golfer
Jhumpa Lahiri, actor
Mindy Kaling, actor, writer
Mazie Hirono, US Rep
Ming Na Wen, actress
Constance Wu, actress
Michelle Kwan, ice skater
Kristy Yamaguchi, ice skater
Ann Curry, TV news anchor
Sugar Pie DeSanto, blues singer
Patsy Takemoto Mink, US Rep, co-authored the Title IX Amendment of the Higher Education Amendment
Yuri Kochiyama, activist
Aiko Herzig-Yoshinaga, activist
Michi Nishiura Weglyn, activist
Aki Kurose, activist
Cherry Kinoshita, activist

Good call Linda B:

Grace Lin
Grace Lee Boggs

Celebrating Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders for Women’s History Month

Queen Liliuokalani: Born September 2, 1838

Liliuokalani: The Last Queen of Hawaii by John MacGregor, illustrated by Pamela Johnson

Learn about the history of Hawaii and how it was taken over by the United States. [nonfiction, ages 8 and up]

Comments: 2 Posted by: Pragmatic Mom Categories: Multicultural Books for Kids

An Extraordinary Ordinary Moth 3 Book/Tote Bag GIVEAWAY

March 12, 2018

I’m thrilled to be participating in the An Extraordinary Ordinary Moth blog tour! To celebrate the release of this book, I’m giving away 3 books and a Sleeping Bear Press tote bag! To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter at the bottom.

An Ordinary Moth is Extraordinary If You Take the Time to Learn More

An Extraordinary Ordinary Moth by Karlin Gray, illustrated by Steliyana Doneva

It’s easy to overlook a moth, especially a dusty brown one with no seemingly spectacular qualities. This rhyming picture book covers a range of moth species and spreads a message of looking deeper to find what is unique and special in all creatures. It’s an important lesson that can be applied beyond the inset kingdom. [nonfiction picture book, ages 4 and up]

Comments: 6 Posted by: Pragmatic Mom Categories: Nonfiction for Kids

TeamImpact and Boston College Women’s Soccer Team

March 9, 2018

In celebration of the launch of How To Coach Girls book, we are partnering with Berkshire Soccer Academy, a sleep away soccer camp for girls, with a five-part series.

How To Coach Girls by Mia Wenjen and Alison Foley

How To Coach Girls available here.

Boston College Women’s Soccer Team has been working with Team Impact for a number of years. Team Impact is a national nonprofit that matches kids facing serious and chronic illnesses with local college athletic teams. Read more…

Comments: 0 Posted by: Pragmatic Mom Categories: Do Good, Health, Sports & Fitness