bookshelf

I AM!

Name: I AM!
Author: Bela Barbosa
ISBN: 978-0-593-22279-9

AFFIRMATIONS FOR RESILIENCE

by Bela Barbosa ; illustrated by Edel Rodriguez ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 6, 2020

A useful tool to help children become self-confident managers of their emotions.

bookshelf

Barbosa, an early childhood educator who specializes in social-emotional learning, provides a series of affirmations children can repeat like mantras when they are ready to move on from emotions that are affecting them negatively.

Acknowledging that negative feelings exist, the author asks children to consider if they are ready to move on. All too often children may in fact be ready but do not know how to do so. The book aims to provide readers with the tools they need to make themselves feel better. For example: “When you are feeling scared of something new, stand tall, put your hands on your hips, and say: I AM BRAVE!” The author suggests body stances and affirmations for common emotions most children will experience: lack of control, jealousy, anger, guilt, frustration, impatience, feeling ignored, low esteem, or loneliness. The suggested postures and affirmations are simple and straightforward, encouraging mindfulness. The affirmations are presented in bold, block lettering, stressing their importance. Equally assertive, brightly colored illustrations reinforce the positive message. The book is best read and practiced by children and their adult readers together, but children on the upper end of the target audience who are already readers may also find it a valuable tool to read and repeat on their own.

A useful tool to help children become self-confident managers of their emotions. (Board book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2020

ISBN: 978-0-593-22279-9

Page Count: 26

Publisher: Rise x Penguin Workshop

Review Posted Online: Dec. 24, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S HEALTH & DAILY LIVING

bookshelf

AN ABC OF EQUALITY

by Chana Ginelle Ewing ; illustrated by Paulina Morgan ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 3, 2019

Adults will do better skipping the book and talking with their children.

bookshelf

Social-equity themes are presented to children in ABC format.

Terms related to intersectional inequality, such as “class,” “gender,” “privilege,” “oppression,” “race,” and “sex,” as well as other topics important to social justice such as “feminism,” “human being,” “immigration,” “justice,” “kindness,” “multicultural,” “transgender,” “understanding,” and “value” are named and explained. There are 26 in all, one for each letter of the alphabet. Colorful two-page spreads with kid-friendly illustrations present each term. First the term is described: “Belief is when you are confident something exists even if you can’t see it. Lots of different beliefs fill the world, and no single belief is right for everyone.” On the facing page it concludes: “B is for BELIEF / Everyone has different beliefs.” It is hard to see who the intended audience for this little board book is. Babies and toddlers are busy learning the names for their body parts, familiar objects around them, and perhaps some basic feelings like happy, hungry, and sad; slightly older preschoolers will probably be bewildered by explanations such as: “A value is an expression of how to live a belief. A value can serve as a guide for how you behave around other human beings. / V is for VALUE / Live your beliefs out loud.”

Adults will do better skipping the book and talking with their children. (Board book. 4-6)

Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-78603-742-8

Page Count: 52

Publisher: Frances Lincoln

Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

bookshelf

CLIMATE CHANGE FOR BABIES

From the Baby University series

by Chris Ferrie & Katherina Petrou ; illustrated by Chris Ferrie ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 18, 2020

Adults looking for an easy entry into this subject will not be disappointed.

bookshelf

This book presents a simplified explanation of the role the atmosphere plays in controlling climate.

The authors present a planet as a ball and its atmosphere as a blanket that envelops the ball. If the blanket is thick, the planet will be hot, as is the case for Venus. If the blanket is thin, the planet is cold, as with Mars. Planet Earth has a blanket that traps “just the right amount of heat.” The authors explain trees, animals, and oceans are part of what makes Earth’s atmosphere “just right.” “But…Uh-oh! People on Earth are changing the blanket!” The book goes on to explain how some human activities are sending “greenhouse gases” into the atmosphere, thus “making the blanket heavier and thicker” and “making Earth feel unwell.” In the case of a planet feeling unwell, what would the symptoms be? Sea-level rises that lead to erosion, flooding, and island loss, along with extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, blizzards, and wildfires. Ending on a constructive note, the authors name a few of the remedies to “help our Earth before it’s too late!” By using the blanket analogy, alongside simple and clear illustrations, this otherwise complex topic becomes very accessible to young children, though caregivers will need to help with the specialized vocabulary.

Adults looking for an easy entry into this subject will not be disappointed. (Board book. 3-4)