Imagination triumphs over trauma!

This picture book imagines how a little boy (Junior) survives the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Each day that he is trapped under the rubble, he uses his imagination to paint a happy picture from times prior to the earthquake. I liked this because strong happy memories can surely buoy us!

American symbols made easy

I think this book is a terrific introduction to American patriotic symbols. And it gives readers an opportunity to draw the symbols by following simple directions. Each drawing has four steps. (There are no words.) There are just four pictures that range from beginning the drawing to reaching the complete symbol.

An inviting book about John Deere

This is a beautiful book about the perseverance within the pioneering spirit. From the end notes:
*"John Deere wasn't the first American to tinker with plow designs." ; "But John was the first to blend the best ideas about plow designs and steel parts to make a better tool for America's thick prairie soil."
*"John Deere didn't invent the tractor. He died thirty-two years before his company bought the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company and began selling the Waterloo Boy Model R--the granddaddy of all John Deere tractors."
I do not know if it is purposeful, but the book reminded me of lovely picture books that tell the Johnny Appleseed story.
Thanks to the donation of this book to the Muehl Public Library by the Outagamie County Farm Bureau/Ag in the Classroom and thanks to the Fairest of the Outagamie Fair, 2018, Morgan Rynish for signing this library copy! 

Go Eleanor Roosevelt!

The illustrations in this book are WONDERFUL and so is this glimpse into history that I never heard of. Eleanor Roosevelt decides to hold a picnic replete with hot dogs when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth come to visit America. I adore that Eleanor stuck to her guns and served hot dogs although the choice was considered by some to be disrespectful. Being such a people person she knew how to entertain and delight. And she nailed it when choosing hot dogs--they are very American!

For Outagamie Fair week, a book about a girl going to the fair in Texas

This book is hilarious. Desert Rose takes a "shortcut" with her hog and has so much trouble that she learns, ultimately, that sometimes shortcuts fail. She is looking for help to get her hog moving from different animals (forming a chain of sorts). She is trying to get to the country fair in Laredo on time. As each animal claims some excuse, Desert Rose has funny retorts playing with language. Finally, she strikes a deal with a shady and intimidating armadillo. He is true to his word, and then Desert Rose is also.

A book about overcoming worry!

Jack's worry shrinks when he shares it with his mom and they talk it out. (He is afraid of playing his trumpet at a concert because he might make mistakes.) Because his worry has dissipated, he is able to go on and encourage his fellow players at the concert so their worries shrink, too. I loved how obvious this book was to my youngest story time patrons as they watched the worry grow big and small based upon the situation.

A celebration of ART and READING!

This gorgeous book contains 23 paintings from global art galleries that show people reading. The small text tells us about the title of the painting, the artist, the year it was painted, and the art gallery (& city where it is featured). The large text is in rhyme and talks about the enjoyment of reading in many different places. Today, with 6th grade, we discussed that the Cezanne painting about reading the news is not seen much anymore. People are reading the news on their devices. But surely, we will see images of people reading on devices more prevalently in our society shortly. We also discussed the page where a person has received and is reading a letter. We talked about how it may be a dying art, but receiving a letter is a pretty special event! Some other artists that were included and familiar to the students: Van Gogh, Degas, Hopper, Rembrandt, and Picasso. A true "find" in this book: The Bookworm by Carl Spitzweg from 1850 and is @ the Milwaukee Public Library!