Kirjahaku

In this sweet tale of family life from the author of A Stopwatch from Grampa, a boisterous adoptive family welcomes their new baby boy --- who, thankfully, has a unique requirement for sleeping When J.J. arrives at his new home, his family is bubbling over with excitement to meet him The four children welcome their tiny new brother, then, when he falls asleep, Dad asks them to try to be quiet. In no time at all, though, the clamor of family life grows loud with drumming on the table, shouting across the room and chattering to the dog. But to everyone's surprise, J.J. sleeps through it all Even when the children are running and yelling in his room, J.J. sleeps. "Not much seems to bother this little fella," says Dad. Well, as they discover, there is one thing that disturbs baby J.J.'s sleep . . . Author Loretta Garbutt, whose debut picture book, A Stopwatch from Grampa, was named one of Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2020, perfectly captures the small moments of family life that loom large to young children. Here, a family welcomes their newest member, who has been adopted, a situation not often portrayed in picture books. It's a heartwarming story that hits all the right notes: humor, a family focus and a delicious twist --- the baby hates a quiet house It offers a wonderful opportunity for conversations about what it means to be a family. The illustrations by Erika Rodriguez Medina warmly portray the busyness of the household and the closeness of the family members, along with loads of relatable and funny antics going on around the baby.

It's early spring, and Mother Pin Oak enlists the help of her forest family to wake her sleepy sapling When Mother Pin Oak wakes to crisp, spring air and cannot seem to stir her Little Pin Oak growing beside her, she seeks help from other members of her forest community. A vole digs tunnels in the soil, enabling nutrients to reach Little Pin's roots; a melted spring provides the sapling with a refreshing drink; fungi pass on nourishment through their underground network. Little by little their forest family gives as much as it can and then, they wait quietly ... until Little Pin stretches the tips of his young limbs wide and lengthens the top of his crown, finally awake and ready for spring Lush and lively art brings the forest family to life in this sweetly whimsical story about the wonders of nature. An author's note in the opening pages explains the author's discovery of tree families and educational back matter presents more information about trees and age-appropriate further reading suggestions.

In art class, a boy finds the courage to leave his comfort zone, try something new, and do something nice for a friend Sometimes, Jeffrey fixates on certain likes and dislikes. For example, he is very attached to the colour blue. He wears blue socks, blue underwear, a blue hat, and--of course --blue jeans. At painting class, he paints only in blue. But when his classmate, Keiko, wants to use the blue paint, Jeffrey will have to try a different color. With some gentle coaxing, the narrator helps him navigate his emotions, encouraging him to consider Keiko's feelings. This story explores how something that seems simple for some people can be very complicated for others. Jeffrey's caregiver provides choice, time, and space to help Jeffrey process his emotions. The focus of the story is not about getting rid of Jeffrey's fixation--it's about widening his perspective to help a friend, which encourages empathy and compromise. Delightfully simple and captivating illustrations contextualize Jeffrey's experience, inviting readers into his thought processes as he works through his difficult decision.

An energetic three-year-old is reluctant to make the big switch from diapers to underwear Dash is always on the move, and he likes that his diaper lets him (quite literally) go on the go--no pit stops needed Who needs underwear when his diaper has great crash padding and keeps his bum nice and warm? He is Diaper Kid, after all When his best friend Esme shows up in underwear instead of a diaper, Diaper Kid feels betrayed. But after a splash in the pool leads to a soggy bottom, Dash realizes that underwear might have perks after all. They do look fast with their race car pattern ... and now his purple car has room for two This relatable story will resonate with both children and adults and encourage tackling a common transition with humor and lightness.

Grandpa’s favourite thing is a stopwatch, and he and his grandchild use it to time everything: racing to the end of the street and back (best speed: 24 seconds); the time it takes to eat a whole bubble gum ice cream cone (1 minute, 58 seconds – brain freeze: 6 seconds); a snore-filled nap on the couch (20 minutes). When Grandpa dies, his grandchild inherits the beloved stopwatch. But the child doesn’t want the stopwatch ... ‘I want him.’ The child throws the stopwatch into the back of a drawer, sadness overwhelms, and everything feels different. Nothing seems right, now that Grandpa is gone. But with the passage of time, the comforting tick, tick, tick of the stopwatch, and happy memories, life does move forward ...

A child inherits a treasured stopwatch that belonged to a beloved grandparent in this touching story of loss that explores the stages of grief with sensitivity and wisdom. "When summer started, I got Grampa's stopwatch," a small child says. "I don't want his stopwatch. I want him." Grampa used to time everything. A race to the end of the street and back: 24 seconds. Eating bubblegum ice cream: 1 minute, 58 seconds. But now, Grampa's gone. "There are no more Grampa minutes, Grampa seconds," the child says. "Time just stops." As the seasons come and go, the stopwatch becomes a cherished symbol of remembrance, and the child uses it to carry on Grampa's favorite pastimes and traditions. Loretta Garbutt uses subtlety and sensitivity to explore the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance) in this moving picture book story of loss. It features a gender-neutral main character (no first name or pronouns are given) making the story universally relatable. This is a perfect choice for fostering discussions with children about their emotions, particularly the feeling of loss. It also offers a poignant representation of an intergenerational relationship between a grandfather and grandchild. Carmen Mok's expressive and thoughtful illustrations employ a limited color palette to convey the character's emotional trajectory. There are curriculum applications here in social-emotional development as well as character education lessons in caring and resilience.