Book Review: Life Without Nico

Author: Andrea Maturana
Illustrator: Francisco Javier Olea

From the Book Jacket: Best friends Maia and Nico are inseparable. So when Nico's family must move away for a while, life without him leaves a big hole in Maia's world. 

But little by little, Maia's sadness eases, thanks to a kitten, a new friend and the magic of music. When it's finally time for Nico to return home, Maia worries. Can she find room in her life for him again?This is an endearing story of friendship and the infinite capacity of the heart. 

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I've had a few students have to deal with a friend moving away and really feeling devastated by the loss. This is a sweet story that validates these circumstances and feelings. It also shows you can fill the void in your heart by making a new friend and finding hobbies. I don't have too many books on this subject so glad I found it. This will also be a great resource to teach The Zones of Regulation. Great find!

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Book Review: Melena's Jubilee: The Story of a Fresh Start

Author: Zetta Elliott

Illustrator: Aaron Boyd

About This Book: After being sent to bed early the previous night, Melena wakes up to a new day with a song in her heart. At breakfast she learns she has been given a “fresh start,” and she decides to celebrate by doing things differently for the rest of the day. Melena chooses not to fight with her brother, and shares the money she has rather than demanding to be repaid by a less fortunate friend. This story introduces children to the concept of jubilee, which stresses the important principles of generosity, and forgiveness.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: What a WONDERFUL book! I am so excited to share it with my students and my own children. We all make mistakes. But how we recover and move forward is what matters most. Lets start modeling to our kids we can do that without being so hard on ourselves. I have always loved the message that tomorrow is always a new day and it brings with it renewal. Melena's Jubilee models this concept so well and it can truly be life changing for kids. Mistakes are not the end of the world - they are a catalyst for positive change. 

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Book Review: Kindness is Cooler, Mrs Ruler

Author: Margery Cuyler

Illustrator: Sachiko Yoshikawa

Interest Level: Ages 5-8

From the Book Jacket: When Mrs. Ruler asks five of her kindergarteners to miss recess, she's got a special plan up her sleeve. She's about to teach a new golden rule: Kindness Is Cool! Soon the entire class is doing so many good deeds that their kindness bulletin board barely fits their classroom!

By clearing the table after dinner to helping the elderly, one kindergarten class is proving that kids really can make a difference. Count along with Mrs. Ruler's class. Can all their good deeds really add up to 100 acts of kindness?

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Love this book so much! It starts out with a teacher being frustrated with her students being unkind to one another and her way of dealing with them is by teaching them about acts of kindness. She asks each student to go home and do five acts of kindness for their families. Then in show-and-tell they will share what they did. Their experiences inspire the rest of the class to also try acts of kindness. Soon it becomes a class project. 

I feel this should be a staple in a classroom teacher's library when it comes to building community and managing behaviors. As a school counselor this is a wonderful addition to my bucket filling books and working on school kindness projects. I'm also excited to read this to my daughter because she would love to learn about acts of kindness and this is such a perfect resource. 

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