This Top 10 list of African American Picture Books is different for me, because rather than list the books from favorite to most favorite as I usually do, I chose instead to list the books in historical chronology such that each book touches on a significant period or event of African American history in the United States. If you read all 10 (and please use your library for this!), you and your child will get a sense of history through picture books. Because each picture books tells its own powerful story, I am hoping you and your child will get images and vignettes that will linger in your mind.
(Free) Developmental Disabilities Literacy Promotion Guide
Reach Out and Read is proud to announce a new literacy guide for children with a range of developmental disabilities. It was developed for Pediatricians and Pediatric health care providers but I think it’s appropriate and helpful for parents as well. Knowledge is power, right? The guide provides reading tips, recommended books, and literacy milestones for children with seven different disabilities: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Cerebral Palsy (CP), Hearing Loss, Intellectual Disabilities, Speech and Language Problems, and Vision Loss.
The National Mythology Exam: Take the Exam or Just Learn Yourself
I managed to get the form and check on the last day it was due and the National Mythology Exam folks sent me a study guide. I just wanted to share their book list. I took a class as an undergraduate at Harvard on Mythology, nicknamed “Heroes for Zeros,” which was actually a really great class though perhaps not the most stressful class I’ve ever taken and we read some of these same books; the Lattimore translation of The Iliad, The Odyssey and The Aeneid though I can not for the life of me remember who translated it. There was also a class for Norse mythology. I didn’t take it but some friends of mine did. Guess what that was nicknamed? “Frozen Heroes for Zeros.” Though given the New England weather, it could also be called “Sub Zero Heros for Zeros” just as easily!
Rocks and Minerals Science for Kids
Kids seem to have a natural interest in rocks and minerals, particularly girls. Today’s Friday Find is all about learning about rocks and minerals with links to education sites and a video on identifying rocks. Use this to create your own science unit at home whether it is for fun or a class project.
My DIY New Header Artwork and Avatar
I finally have a new header for my blog after thinking about it for over a year. It was one of those “To Do” list items that was an education in overcoming obstacles up to the very end. Thank you to my Twitter Friend @IanChia for the technical assist/Tech fairy Godfather that fixed my header.
Korean-American Picture Book Teaches Multicultural Lesson
Juno is a little boy who receives a letter from his grandmother in Korea. He can’t read Korean and his parents are busy with the usual household chores. Despite the language barrier, he is able to understand the letter though his mother eventually translates it for him. The letter is special as are the enclosures — a dried flower and a photo of his grandmother and her new cat. And Juno decides to write a letter back. One that will also transcend their language barrier. He makes several drawings and encloses a very large leaf. And so they write each other back and forth … at least until she comes to visit!Juno is a little boy who receives a letter from his grandmother in Korea. He can’t read Korean and his parents are busy with the usual household chores. Despite the language barrier, he is able to understand the letter though his mother eventually translates it for him. The letter is special as are the enclosures — a dried flower and a photo of his grandmother and her new cat. And Juno decides to write a letter back. One that will also transcend their language barrier. He makes several drawings and encloses a very large leaf. And so they write each other back and forth … at least until she comes to visit!
5th Grade Book Club: The Uglies
A Mom Friend hosted my daughter’s 5th Grade book club. The book was The Uglies by Scott Westerfield and the activity was discussing what is beauty exactly using magazines and tabloids. The coup de grace was in looking at before and after pictures of Heidi Montag. We Moms were gratified that our kids thought Heidi looked best in the “before” pictures. In the day and age of media bombardment of unrealistic female body images, we were grateful that our girls accept both themselves and a broad range of images that they consider to be beautiful!