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

April Caldecott Calendar: The Week of the Young Child™ + Roget's Thesaurus

Today I have another April installment 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!

The Week of the Young Child™

(This year: April 16-20, 2018)
Hosted by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), The Week of the Young Child™ celebrates early learning, young children, their teachers, and families. I had never heard of it before I started digging around for more events in April beyond the more popular/obvious ones. While one could argue that any and all picture books would be good to read for this event, I thought it would be a good opportunity to round up the Caldecott titles that deal more specifically with childhood experiences.

Waiting, written & illustrated by Kevin Henkes

2016 Caldecott Honor

Waiting is a pretty universal human experience, but it's often particularly difficult for young children.

They All Saw a Cat, written & illustrated by Brendan Wenzel

2017 Caldecott Honor

Learning to see things from different perspectives.

The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, written & illustrated by Dan Santat

2015 Caldecott Honor

Imaginary friends.

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, written by Mac Barnett & illustrated by 

Jon Klassen

2015 Caldecott Honor

Two boys, a dog, and an outdoor adventure.

Journey, illustrated by Aaron Becker

2014 Caldecott Honor
Boredom and imagination.

Flora and the Flamingo, illustrated by Molly Idle

2014 Caldecott Honor
Awkwardness, practice, and friendship.

Yo! Yes?, written & illustrated by Chris Raschka
1994 Caldecott Honor
Making a friend who seems different than you.

Ella Sarah Gets Dressed, written & illustrated by Margaret Chodos-Irvine

2004 Caldecott Honor
Expressing individuality, the beginning of independence, and making your own choices.

When Sophie Gets Angry -- Really, Really Angry, written & illustrated by Molly Bang

2000 Caldecott Honor

How to handle with big, scary feelings.

No, David!, written & illustrated by David Shannon

1999 Caldecott Honor
What child doesn't constantly hear the word "no"?

*Owen, written & illustrated by Kevin Henkes

1994 Caldecott Honor
Outgrowing a security blanket.

  

*Olivia, written & illustrated by Ian Falconer

2001 Caldecott Honor

For all the young children bursting with energy (and occasionally getting into mischief.)

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

1964 Caldecott Medal

Getting into mischief, wanting to run away, and coming back to those who "love you most of all."

*Frog and Toad Are Friends, written & illustrated by Arnold Lobel

1971 Caldecott Honor

Friendship and everyday adventures.

"More More More," Said the Baby: 3 Love Stories, written & illustrated by Vera B. Williams

1991 Caldecott Honor

Showcases three sweet, loving relationships between babies and parents/grandparents.

* * * * *

Two about losing a favorite stuffed animal:

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale, written & illustrated by Mo Willems

2008 Caldecott Honor

Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity, written & illustrated by Mo Willems

2005 Caldecott Honor

* * * * *

Two simple counting books filled with childhood wonders and comforts:

Ten, Nine, Eight, written & illustrated by Molly Bang

1984 Caldecott Honor

*1 is One, written & illustrated by Tasha Tudor
1957 Caldecott Honor


* * * * *

The final five books are stories, lullabies, and prayers specifically for bedtime -- an important (and often challenging!) transition time for young children.

*The House in the Night, written by Susan Marie Swanson & illustrated by Beth Krommes
2009 Caldecott Medal

Sleep Like a Tiger, written by Mary Logue & illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski

2013 Caldecott Honor

*Hush! A Thai Lullaby, written by Minfong Ho & illustrated by Holly Meade

1997 Caldecott Honor

A Child's Good Night Book, written by Margaret Wise Brown & illustrated by Jean Charlot

1944 Caldecott Honor

*Prayer for a Child, written by Rachel Field & illustrated by Elizabeth Orton Jones

1945 Caldecott Medal

Anniversary of the publication of Peter Mark Roget's 1st Thesaurus
(April 29, 1852)

The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus written by Jen Bryant & illustrated by Melissa Sweet

2015 Caldecott Honor

* * * * *

Added since original posting:
The House in the Night

Last updated: April 16, 2018

Review: The Read-Aloud Family

The Read-Aloud Family: Making Meaningful and Lasting Connections with Your Kids by Sarah Mackenzie

Date: March 27, 2018

Format: Paperback + Audible audiobook

How did I get this book? Purchased

Goodreads | Publisher

It's no secret I'm a big fan of Sarah Mackenzie's Read-Aloud Revival podcast. I hardly ever pre-order books, but I pre-ordered this one so I could get her free bonus video class. (And so the book would land on my doorstep on publication day. Ahem.) The last time I started a book on release day was probably Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, but The Read-Aloud Family now has that honor as well. Though to be honest, I didn't actually read that pre-ordered paperback copy yet... because it was the Audible edition I dove into as soon as I possibly could. So yes, I purchased the same book in two different formats and I don't regret it one bit. Sarah narrates the audiobook herself and it was a really great way to experience her book because she is so friendly and encouraging -- just like on her podcast! I can tell you right now that I will be re-reading/re-listening -- and probably more than once. I'm a little over the top, I know.

As you can probably already tell, I absolutely loved The Read-Aloud Family. I found it to be inspiring and encouraging as well as giving me a boost of confidence that all the time I spend reading with my toddler son really is time well spent. As with the podcast, it makes a solid case for the value of continuing to read aloud even beyond the time he will someday be able to read on his own. I really loved having the RAR "philosophy" in one coherent place. This book pretty much ties together all the ideas and concepts and approaches from the podcast -- with some new material as well. I think it's important to note that there IS a lot of overlap with the podcast. There were parts I had heard before -- sometimes verbatim -- from previous episodes, but I personally don't feel this diminished the book. First of all, I'm probably in the minority of podcast listeners when I say I've listened to my favorite episodes multiple times. So, 1. I clearly don't mind hearing some of the same stuff on repeat and 2. I probably have a better memory for those repeated bits simply because I have already heard them several times before.

So, yes, I really enjoyed the audiobook, but I'm also glad to have the paper copy as reference -- particularly for the Ask Compelling Questions chapter and the book lists. (However, the Audible edition does include instructions for accessing a printable booklist divided by age if that's the only thing holding you back from going the audio route.) The booklist chapters were done in a really interesting way I haven't personally seen before. Each age grouping has 20 (or so) favorite read-aloud titles, but embedded in the descriptions of those 20 main titles are additional ones to try. So, I'm loving how I can go to the entry for a title I already know I love and find a few others that are similar in some way or that might complement it.

As an avid RAR podcast fan, I was curious how the recommendations would break down in terms of what's already in our home "library," so I did a little tallying:

TOTAL titles: 389

Titles I've Already Read: 96

TBR titles (own, but haven't read): 97

That leaves 196 books I've neither read nor own. Of course, I have heard of many of those remaining titles, but there were more than a few brand-new-to-me as well. Between the TBR books already on our shelves and the other 196, I shouldn't run out of recommendations any time soon!

One final thing to note is that this book is published by Zondervan, a Christian publisher. The author is Catholic and the book is most certainly written from a Christian perspective, including recommendations for favorite Bibles to read aloud. I think there is a whole lot that any family can get out of this book, but if you are of a different faith, this may not be quite what you are looking for. I personally appreciate how Sarah has woven her faith into this particular topic and enjoyed reading her perspective. If you're on the fence, maybe try borrowing it from your library first :)

A New Way of Thinking About DNFs

When I listen to Anne Bogel's What Should I Read Next? podcast, I typically enjoy the bookish banter and maybe come away with a recommendation or two. What I don't usually come away with is an idea that could majorly change my reading life. But I think that just may have happened with this week's episode.

Anne was interviewing Roxanne Coady, the owner of independent bookstore RJ Julia in Madison, Connecticut. As the pair chatted, they found common ground in frequently abandoning (or at least setting aside) books they start due to the nature of their work. Anne has talked about this many times before, but then Roxanne talked about a shift in her reading life since becoming a bookseller, saying: "I realized the number of books that I could read that were likely to be great was limitless and if I was struggling to get through a book, I owed it to the next book to drop the book that I'm not loving and go on to the next one." And it was one of those proverbial light-bulb moments for me. Her statement made so much sense, but I had never thought of it that way before.

While I'm not completely opposed to DNF'ing books, it's very much a rarity for me. I am absolutely one of those readers who often finds myself wondering, as Anne pointed out, "but what if it's about to get good?" And while I'm well aware books don't have actual feelings, I DO often find myself feeling it's not fair to judge a book I haven't finished. I often feel it's not fair to "give up" on a book I'm already part way through -- especially if it landed on my TBR by way of a trusted source for recommendations. I've already invested time and oftentimes money in that particular title. I chose to pick that book up for a reason and let's be honest, who really likes to admit they were wrong?

So while I doubt Roxanne's philosophy is going to make me a master DNF-er, I am going to reconsider which books I'm thinking about when I wonder whether or not quitting is "fair." It's not like I've never heard similar arguments before: "there are so many good books out there" and "life's too short," just to name two. I've heard them before -- and I even agree with them! But it's still hard to make a judgement against a book that's right in front of me sometimes. It's hard to think of that potential "next great book," particularly if I'm not even sure what I want to pick up next. Sticking with a so-so book until the end often just feels easier, even when it's a slog. But I love Roxanne's optimism about the limitlessness of great books out there, so I'm going to give it a try.