Book Review: Everyone...

Author/Illustrator: Christopher Silas Neal

From the Book Jacket: Happy one moment and sad the next - everyone has feelings. Everyone, cries, everyone laughs, everyone sings, Everyone. Author Christopher Silas Neal invites young readers to explore how we feel what we feel, and how everything -- and everyone -- feels it, too. From the animals in the woods to the neighbors in their homes nearby, everyone has feelings. 

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I thought this was a wonderful book to not just talk about feelings but to recognize everyone around us shares them too. It's a great community and empathy builder also.  If you need a new one to teach feelings, the zones of regulation, or help develop empathy - this is an awesome resource. 

We also are working on helping kids to be responsible for their emotions and take good care of them. So when students are having really big feelings about something, we can remind them to use the tools we have taught them to manage their behavior. I appreciate how this book helped us with that important social skill training. 

A Link to This Book: 

Book Review: Lying Up a Storm

 Author: Julia Cook
Illustrator: Michelle Hazelwood Hyde

From the Book Jacket: Whenever Levi doesn't like the truth, he kinda, sorta makes up other stuff to say. One day his mother explains to him that telling lies will damage the trust of his friends and make him very sad. 

This book is a great resource to help children understand not only the consequences of telling a lie, by also how one lie can often lead to telling several more. It will help parents and teachers understand that lying can be a normal and sometimes healthy response for a child and offers tools to guide children toward truthfulness. 

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Such a great teaching book on honesty and making good choices. I also loved the line of "whenever you tell a lie, your inside sun goes away." Because you not only hurt others with dishonesty but you hurt yourself! Levi also tries to minimize his lies and make excuses as to why it's okay to not be truthful sometimes. The other message kids pick up in this book is it's okay to make mistakes - we all do. Just be honest about it and you will feel better about yourself and the mistake. 

A Link to This Book:

Book Review: Sulwe

Author: Lupita Nyong'o
Illustrator: Vashti Harrison

From the Book Jacket: Sulwe has skin the color of midnight. She is darker than everyone in her family. She is darker than anyone in her school. Sulwe just wants to be beautiful and bright, like her mother and sister. Then a magical journey in the night sky opens her eyes and changes everything. 

In this stunning debut picture book, Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o creates a whimsical and heartwarming story that will inspire children to see their own unique beauty. 

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Wow. This book belongs in every classroom library. It addresses the issue of colorism or shadeism which is discrimination based on skin color usually from members of the same race in which people are treated differently. Author and actress Lupita Nyong'o brings us a story that shares the pain this treatment of people can cause. She adds an author's note at the end letting readers know the journey of self-love she has been on - her transparency is inspiring. Cannot recommend this one enough!

A Link to This Book: