Forsythe, Matthew. Mina. Toronto: Simon & Schuster, 2022.
A wonderfully ironic picture book about a little mouse who senses her father’s latest surprise isn’t as wonderful as he claims. A great story to read aloud. Recommended for children four to eight years old.
Henkes, Kevin. Billy Miller Makes a Wish. New York: Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers, 2021.
Billy makes a wish on his eighth birthday. Will it come true? Set in the summer before grade three, this story of everyday family life is told from Billy’s perspective. The worries of life. The irritations. The questions. The reassurances from loving parents. All are charmingly depicted in this beginner’s novel highly recommended for readers 7 to 9 years old.Â
P.S. An earlier novel – published in 2013 and set when Billy is in grade two – is also highly recommended.
Zuppardi, Sam. Jack’s Worry. Somerville, Mass.: Candlewick Press, 2016.
Jack loves playing the trumpet. And he’s looking forward to his first concert. But then the worries start. What if he makes a mistake? What if his mother won’t love him anymore? A jaunty font and zany full-page illustrations help make this a picture book sure to reassure worriers of all ages.
More stories about musicians HERE
Note to parents:Â
How can young adults believe that they have to cheat to please their parents?
But they do.
By far, the most common reason why middle school students cheat, I’ve noticed, is that they want to live up to their parents’ expectations. Not because they particularly care about getting high grades for themselves. Rarely because they want to impress their peers. They cheat because they can’t get high grades honestly and are afraid their parents will be disappointed. Once they are reassured that their parents will still love them…
“You will still love him even if he doesn’t get a high mark, right?” I ask the parent. In front of the child.
“Of course,” comes the puzzled reply.
“Well, this would be a good time to tell him.”
… once people are reassured that they are loved, everything changes. They relax. Smile. And start to enjoy learning. Everything changes.
Why is this picture book appropriate for readers of all ages?
It’s funny. And we all can use a laugh in life.
It speaks to the heart. And we all need reassurance once in a while.