Updates + Some News!

There are a whole lot of reasons I haven't been posting much these days, but one of my favorite distractions of late has been a bit of exciting news...

We are expecting a little girl at the end of January! I am so looking forward to reading all the baby books with her that my son has been outgrowing. And I will also admit, I won't mind one bit being the main decision-maker on storytime choices again -- at least for a little while!

My son has started 3-year old nursery school (and LOVES it), so those extra blocks of child-free time have been much appreciated. It is really incredible though how quickly school mornings fly by. Both my To-Do and Would-Like-To-Do lists always seem so much more doable at drop-off time than when pick-up time creeps closer and closer!

It has been harder to find the time to blog regularly, but I really do miss it. I've said this before, but I have tons of ideas swirling around for blog posts -- it's just the practicalities of getting them out of my brain and onto the screen! In case you missed it, I did start a bookish Instagram account (find me @bucklingbookshelves) and I've been a bit more consistent posting over there. I also update my Goodreads account very regularly if you're wondering what I've been reading lately -- if we haven't connected on Goodreads yet, let's be friends!

The thing is, I'm finding I usually prefer to spend my limited spare time actually READING than writing about reading -- which is somewhat unfortunate because I'd really like to do both! But I also need to remind myself that 1. I don't need to be spending hours on long blog posts and 2. meticulous editing is unnecessary (I blame the perfectionist in me!) in order to be more active here again. Come January, we will be onto a brand new phase and life will (happily) be turned a bit upside down again. Hopefully between now and then I'll figure out a rhythm that works better for me -- and then I'll get to figure it out all over again in the new year :)

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P.S. You may -- or may not! -- have noticed the blog has a new look. I previously had a background I really loved, but it was a freebie and one day I logged in to see it had simply vanished. I don't know exactly how all that works, but I certainly didn't want a completely blank background, so I quickly threw up a photo of my own bookshelves. I wasn't sure that was going to be permanent solution, but I've decided I rather like it!

September Caldecott Calendar: Start of School + Banned Books Week

September means back to school time (at least where we live!) and the last week of September is always Banned Books Week. It truly fascinates me which titles make the frequently challenged lists the American Library Association releases every year, as well as all the other lists they’ve compiled with the data they’ve been collecting for nearly three decades now.

I’m a firm believer that not every book is for every reader and that parents do have a say in what their own (younger) children read, but one person’s preferences or objections shouldn’t dictate other people’s access (or lack thereof) to books. And believe it or not, quite a few Caldecott books have made the various frequently challenged lists I've read (see below for links/references.)

All of my posts for this project (including updates) can be found here or by clicking on 'Caldecott Calendar' in the header up top. My personal favorites will be marked with an asterisk (*). This post may be updated to correct errors, omissions, etc. as we go. Let me know in the comments if you notice anything that should be fixed or added!

Start of School

A Pocketful of Cricket, written by Rebecca Caudill & illustrated by Evaline Ness

1965 Caldecott Honor


Banned Books Week
(Last week of September; 23rd-29th in 2018)

This list was compiled with the help of the following resources:
Frequently Challenged Children's Books (ALA website)
Challenged Picture Books (Scholastic website)
Banned and Challenged Picture Books (Edmonton Public Library website)
Books Under Fire: A Hit List of Banned and Challenged Children's Books, book written by Pat R. Scales

*Strega Nona, written & illustrated by Tomie DePaola

1976 Caldecott Honor

Smoky Night, written by Eve Bunting & illustrated by David Diaz

1995 Caldecott Medal

Saint George and the Dragon: A Golden Legend, adapted by Margaret Hodges & illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

1985 Caldecott Medal

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, written & illustrated by William Steig

1970 Caldecott Medal

*Where the Wild Things Are, written & illustrated by Maurice Sendak

1964 Caldecott Medal

Tar Beach, written & illustrated by Faith Ringgold

1992 Caldecott Honor

Little Red Riding Hood, retold & illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

1984 Caldecott Honor

Outside Over There, written & illustrated by Maurice Sendak

1982 Caldecott Honor

The Amazing Bone, written & illustrated by William Steig

1977 Caldecott Honor

In the Night Kitchen, written & illustrated by Maurice Sendak

1971 Caldecott Honor

*The Snowy Day, written & illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats

1963 Caldecott Medal

Crow Boy, written & illustrated by Taro Yashima

1956 Caldecott Honor

If I Ran the Zoo, written & illustrated by Dr. Seuss

1951 Caldecott Honor

They Were Strong and Good, written & illustrated by Robert Lawson

1941 Caldecott Medal

Buckling Bookshelves is now on Instagram!

So, I finally caved and started a dedicated bookstagram account separate from my personal account. I've been having fun playing around with it so far and I'd love if you'd come check out my feed if you use Instagram! You can find me @bucklingbookshelves and I'll embed a recent post below.

I've admittedly been posting more on Instagram recently than I have been here on the blog.  But I do have a whole bunch of blog post ideas swirling around in my head I'm hoping to get out of my brain and onto the screen now that summer is over and my son and I are getting settled into his new nursery school routine. (Side note: HOW is he old enough for nursery school already?!?!?)

View this post on Instagram

My book and my tea mug match today! Isn’t @carrottoppapershop’s new Anne of Green Gables mug just beautiful! 😍😍😍 • Note to self: I need to pull out more book darts before I dive back into this wonderful story 📖 • Swipe to see all 3 Anne quotes! 📚📚📚 • Anne of Avonlea @tundrabooks edition with cover art by @elly.mackay ❤️ • • • • • #anneofgreengables #anneofavonlea #lmmontgomery #bookishmug #tea #teamug #carrottoppapershop #bookquotes #anneofgreengablesquote #lmmontgomeryquotes #classics #classicbooks #readingtheclassics #classicliterature #childrensclassics #theclassicsclub #ccwhatimreading #theunreadshelfproject2018 #beautifulbooks #beautifulbookcovers

A post shared by Christine (@bucklingbookshelves) on Sep 19, 2018 at 6:06am PDT

(Side note #2: I actually finished this book last night and I'm just in love with Anne -- bring on the rest of the series!)

Earlier today I put up the first of what will be several IG posts for Banned Books Week, starting with banned/challenged classics I have on my shelves. There's more to come throughout the week on Instagram and I will also definitely be posting my next Caldecott Calendar entry here on the blog featuring all the Medal and Honor books that have been banned/challenged over the years.

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Are you on bookstagram? Leave me your handle in the comments so I can check out your feed, too!

June-September Caldecott Calendar: Father's Day + Summer

Late again! I found very little specifically for June, July, or August so I'm combining those couple titles into this summer installment of my Caldecott Calendar.

All of my posts for this project (including updates) can be found here or by clicking on 'Caldecott Calendar' in the header up top. My personal favorites will be marked with an asterisk (*). This post may be updated to correct errors, omissions, etc. as we go. Let me know in the comments if you notice anything that should be fixed or added!

Father's Day

Owl Moon, written by Jane Yolen & illustrated by John Schoenherr

1988 Caldecott Medal
A snowy, winter setting doesn't exactly fit with this time of year (in the Northern Hemisphere, anyway!) but it's the only Caldecott book focusing on a father and child that I've been able to find so far!


Summer

The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis Bleriot July 25, 1909, written & illustrated by Alice & Martin Provensen

1984 Caldecott Medal
This non-fiction picture book chronicles all the work leading up to a milestone flight over 100 years ago.

*A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever, written & illustrated by Marla Frazee

2009 Caldecott Honor

I just love Marla Frazee's illustrations -- and the contradictions between the text and the artwork are hilarious! A perfect, fun summer read.

Flotsam, illustrated by David Wiesner

2007 Caldecot Medal

A wordless summer beach adventure/mystery.

Blackout, written & illustrated by John Rocco

2012 Caldecott Honor
It isn't summer without at least one blackout, right?

This One Summer, written by Mariko Tamaki & illustrated by Jillian Tamaki

2015 Caldecott Honor

This is a YA graphic novel which is unusual for a Caldecott pick and definitely not for little kids. It also received a Printz Honor.

Casey at the Bat: A Ballad of the Republic Sung in the Year 1888, written by Ernest Lawrence Thayer & illustrated by Christopher H. Bing

2001 Caldecott Honor
Summer and baseball just go together, so it seems a good time of year to read this a classic poem.

McElligot's Pool, written & illustrated by Dr. Seuss
1948 Caldecott Honor
It's never been one of my own pastimes, but fishing still makes me think of summer!

*The Relatives Came, written by Cynthia Rylant & illustrated by Stephen Gammell

1986 Caldecott Honor

My son loves this book -- and it has a pretty stellar combination of author and illustrator, if you ask me!

*Blueberries for Sal, written & illustrated by Robert McCloskey

1949 Caldecott Honor
A classic for a reason!

Time of Wonder, written & illustrated by Robert McCloskey
1958 Caldecott Medal
A lengthy, gentle summertime book.

One Morning in Maine, written & illustrated by Robert McCloskey
1953 Caldecott Honor

A time of year isn't stated in the text, but I think of this as a summer book!

*The Storm Book, written by Charlotte Zolotow & illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham

1953 Caldecott Honor
As we are expecting a summer storm today, this one is feeling particularly seasonally appropriate!

Houses from the Sea, written by Alice E. Goudey & illustrated by Adrienne Adams

1960 Caldecott Honor
A day at the beach collecting seashells is classic summer.

The Moon Jumpers by Janice May Udry, Maurice Sendak
1960 Caldecott Honor
This lesser known Sendak book takes place on a moonlit summer night.

Hide and Seek Fog, written by Alvin Tresselt & illustrated by Roger Duvoisin
1966 Caldecott Honor
A fog rolls into a village by the sea.

Updated: September 26, 2018

May Caldecott Calendar: Jewish-American Heritage Month & Mother's Day

Goodness gracious I'm running late this month! I wasn't realizing I'd end up with three Caldecott posts for April and in the meantime, a certain small someone decided naps aren't really his thing anymore, so let's just say we've been in an adjustment period around here. Better late than never, right? 

All of my posts for this project (including updates) can be found here or by clicking on 'Caldecott Calendar' in the header up top. My personal favorites will be marked with an asterisk (*). This post may be updated to correct errors, omissions, etc. as we go. Let me know in the comments if you notice anything that should be fixed or added! 

Jewish-American Heritage Month

Golem by David Wisniewski
1997 Caldecott Medal 
Picture book re-telling of a Jewish legend.



Joseph Had a Little Overcoat written & illustrated by Simms Taback
2000 Caldecott Medal
Based on a Yiddish folk song. 



Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins written by Eric A. Kimmel & illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
1990 Caldecott Honor
May is certainly not the right time of year for Hanukkah, but I'll include it here as well as the December list.


Mother's Day

A Chair for My Mother, written & illustrated by Vera B. Williams

1983 Caldecott Honor

Rosa helps save up money to buy her mother a comfortable chair after their home is destroyed in a fire.

The Boy of the Three-Year Nap, written by Dianne Snyder & illustrated by Allen Say

1989 Caldecott Honor
A clever mother outwits her lazy son.

Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present, written by Charlotte Zolotow & illustrated by Maurice Sendak

1963 Caldecott Honor

Mr. Rabbit helps a little girl figure out what to get her mother for her birthday.

My Mother is the Most Beautiful Woman in the World, written by Becky Reyher & illustrated by Ruth Chrisman Gannett
1946 Caldecott Honor
A sweet story based on a Russian proverb.

New-to-Me Blog: Kids Books Worth Reading

I've been wanting to share some links to Kids Books Worth Reading in my last couple of Links I'm Loving Lately round-ups, but thought they really deserved their own post. I found this new-to-me blog via Everyday Reading's How to Make Using the Library Less Stressful series. For that series, Janssen tackled common library challenges with the help of a bunch of other book-loving parents, librarians, bloggers, and podcasters. Kids Books Worth Reading was on the list of contributors and piqued my interest because it's run by Janssen's mom!

From her blog description:

"Are you looking for Children and Young Adult books that are worth reading? You’ve come to the right place! I have a master list of over 700 titles to share. My purpose with this blog is to share book titles that most parents today have either forgotten about or never heard of in the first place."

Carole is a mom and grandma who homeschooled for 15 years and has a degree in English Literature. She has said her posts are recommendations rather than "reviews" and typically includes a description of the book and some thoughts on why she recommends it. She also lists reading level, number of pages, publication year, and any relevant awards. Posts tend to be short and I just love that! I like both the blog and Instagram account, but they do share roughly the same information, depending on where you might prefer to follow along.

There is a definite focus on older books and that might not be for everyone. I do not feel there is an intention to make any kind of judgement against newer books or books not featured on this site -- she's just sharing under-the-radar books from her extensive reading experience with her family she hopes others will love too. (And there are some newer titles, they just aren't as prevalent). I particularly love learning about older Newbery titles I haven't seen before as well as reading recommendations for books I own but haven't read yet -- seeing another vote in their favor gives those titles a little boost on the old TBR stack! This site has been a great addition to my children's book resources.

To give a feel for the site, I thought I'd share some links to a sampling of posts I've enjoyed:

Books I Bought After Seeing Them Featured:

*The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs by Betty G. Birney (2005)

*Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy (1955)

*Fog Magic by Julia L. Sauer (1943)

*Mary on Horseback: Three Mountain Stories by Rosemary Wells (1998)

Books I Already Own (and really should read)

*The Time Cat: The Remarkable Journeys of Jason and Gareth by Lloyd Alexander (1963)

*Tales from Dimwood Forest series by Avi (1995 – 2009)

*Shakespeare Stories & Shakespeare Stories II by Leon Garfield (1985 & 1994) 

*Redwall Series (22 volumes!!) by Brian Jacques (1986 – 2011)

Books Added to My Wishlist

*The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill (2000)

*The Light at Tern Rock by Julia L. Sauer (1951)

Check out more:

Kids Books Worth Reading

@childrensbooksworthreading on Instagram

And, of course, I love Everyday Reading too!

April Caldecott Calendar: National Poetry Month & Jazz Appreciation Month

This should be the final April installement of my Caldecott Calendar project. All of my posts for this project (including updates) can be found here or by clicking on 'Caldecott Calendar' in the header up top. My personal favorites will be marked with an asterisk (*). This post may be updated to correct errors, omissions, etc. as we go. Let me know in the comments if you notice anything that should be fixed or added! 

National Poetry Month 

To celebrate National Poetry Month, I've rounded up the books clearly marked as including poems or nursery rhymes, as well as any other titles that are particularly poetic/lyrical. I've tried no

*A Child's Calendar, poems by John Updike & illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman

2000 Caldecott Honor

Trina Schart Hyman is a favorite illustrator of mine!



Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors, written by Joyce Sidman & illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski
2010 Caldecott Honor

A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers written by Nancy Willard & illustrated by Alice & Martin Provensen

1982 Caldecott Honor

*Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems, written by Joyce Sidman & illustrated by Beckie Prange

2006 Caldecott Honor

I featured this title once already on the list for Earth Day and it works for spring as well -- it's doing triple duty as an April book!

Noah's Ark, written & illustrated by Peter Spier

1978 Caldecott Medal

This nearly wordless picture book includes the text of a translated poem 'The Flood' by Jacobus Revius on a single page near the beginning.

*All the World, written by Liz Garton Scanlon & illustratee by Marla Frazee

2010 Caldecott Honor

The brevity and careful word choice of picture books means many could be considered to have poetic text, but I'm going to be selective in making that determination -- and this one certainly qualifies!

The Rooster Crows: A Book of American Rhymes and Jingles, written & illustrated by Maud & Miska Petersham

1946 Caldecott Medal

Frog Went A-Courtin', retold by John Langstaff & illustrated by Feodor Rojankovsky

1956 Caldecott Medal

An old Scottish ballad written in rhyming couplets.

Freedom in Congo Square, written by Carole Boston Weatherford & illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

2017 Caldecott Honor

This is a rhyming picture book, but really, all of Carole Boston Weatherford's books are poetry!

*Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement, written by Carole Boston Weatherford & illustrated by Ekua Holmes
2016 Caldecott Honor
A biography-in-poems of an incredible woman -- don't miss this one!

Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave, written by Laban Carrick Hill & illustrated by Bryan Collier
2011 Caldecott Honor

A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, by Jen Bryant, Melissa Sweet
2009 Caldecott Honor
This biographical picture book introduces doctor and poet William Carlos Williams.

The Spider and the Fly, written by Mary Howitt & illustrated by Tony DiTerlizzi
2003 Caldecott Honor
This classic cautionary poem is illustrated by the same man who illustrated The Spiderwick Chronicles! This one would be good to read for Halloween as well.

Harlem: A Poem, written by Walter Dean Myers & illustrated by Christopher Myers
1998 Caldecott Honor

Mother Goose: Seventy-seven Verses, illustrated by Tasha Tudor

1945 Caldecott Honor
Mother Goose books are a dime a dozen, but I do have a soft spot for Tasha Tudor's illustrations!

Book of Nursery and Mother Goose Rhymes, illustrated by Marguerite de Angeli

1955 Caldecott Honor
FYI: The cover at really doesn't do the interior artwork justice.

Four and Twenty Blackbirds: Nursery Rhymes of Yesterday Recalled for Children of Today, collected by Helen Dean Fish & illustrated by Robert Lawson

1938 Caldecott Honor

Song of Robin Hood, selected by Anne Malcolmson, music by Grace Castagnetta, designed & illustrated by Virginia Lee Burton

1948 Caldecott Honor

If All the Seas Were One, written & illustrated by Janina Domanska

1972 Caldecott Honor

Picture book of an old nursery rhyme.


The House That Jack Built/La Maison Que Jack A Batie, written & illustrated by Antonio Frasconi

1959 Caldecott Honor

A bi-lingual nursery rhyme picture book

Mother Goose and Nursery Rhymes, illustrated by Philip Reed

1964 Caldecott Honor

Sing Mother Goose, music by Opal Wheeler & illustrated by Marjorie Torrey

1946 Caldecott Honor

Jazz Appreciation Month

Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra, written by Andrea Davis Pinkney & illustrated by Brian Pinkney

1999 Caldecott Honor

Trombone Shorty, written by Troy Andrews; illustrated by Bryan Collier 

2016 Caldecott Honor

*Ben's Trumpet, written & illustrated by Rachel Isadora

1980 Caldecott Honor