I’d Like to Be the Window for a Wise Old Dog

Stead, Philip. I’d Like to be the Window for a Wise Old Dog. New York: Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2022.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be someone else? Be something else?  What would it be like to bring joy to someone else? Bring safety to someone else? Not for fame but simply out of love. This wonderfully imaginative picture book is an extraordinary example of other-centredness. You can find endless lesson plans on empathy. Instead, read this book aloud. Then start a conversation.

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Everything by Philip Stead is lovely: encouraging, hopeful, and life-affirming. Read these books, too…

One Smart Sheep

Schmidt, Gary D. and Elizabeth Stickney. One Smart Sheep. Boston: Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2021.
Wilson is one smart sheep. And friendly. And handsome. Unfortunately, Wilson is also a little bit lonely so when he discovers his gate unlocked, he sets off on an adventure. Fortunately, Abigail notices that he has disappeared and sets out – with Tippy her collie dog and Jeremiah her neighbour – to rescue him. This charming little novel – full of humour, elegantly designed with a large font and widely spaced lines, and softly illustrated by Jane Manning – is perfect for young readers. Highly recommended as a read-aloud.

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Don’t Stop Questioning

“The important thing is not to stop questioning.”
Albert Einstein

Meltzer, Brad. I Am Albert Einstein. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2014.
This small biography is part of the charming picture book series ‘Ordinary People Change the World’. Told from the first person point of view and illustrated in cartoon style by Christopher Eliopoulos, each volume provides an overview of a famous person while focusing on a specific character trait. In this story, the focus is on curiosity. Black and white photos of Einstein, a time line, and a bibliography conclude this biography recommended for readers 8 to 14 years old. [Einstein, Albert; Physicists]

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