Mrs Spitzer's Garden by Edith Pattou illustrated by Tricia Tusa

This is a very touching story about the wonder of teaching 

and the far-reaching impact of a teacher. 

A wonderful gift to give.  A Book and Hug

I am just penning a short post tonight as I have been working all day in a school library where every book, yes every book, thousands and thousands of them, were tossed into over 50 boxes so that painting and new carpet could be completed. The packing of the books was not done systematically and so the Teacher-Librarian has had to manage the huge task of reinstalling the shelving, setting up new furniture, culling parts of the collection, managing classes (and book returns) and then sorting and shelving all of those endless piles of books. There were times when I thought we would never reach the end.

It is perhaps timely to mention Mrs Spitzer's Garden because at times, such as the one I have described here, it is easy to loose our teaching joy and to forget that most of what we do each day should be about the precious children.

At the start of each year the school principal gives Mrs Spitzer a packet of seeds. She plants the seeds and over the course of a year, with her care and nurturing, the seeds all grow.

"She knows that different plants need different things. And that each plant has its own shape. Some of the plants grow quickly, pushing upward, eager, impatient. Some grow more slowly, unfolding themselves bit by bit. ... And some need gentle care, a special watching-over."

Mrs Spitzer's Garden was first published in 2001 but it is such a special book it is still available (although here in Australia it is over $30). If you need a gift for a teacher this book would be perfect. You can see inside this book here. 

Mrs. Spitzer is a teacher in nursery school, much like the kindergarten teachers who initiate a child's foray into school life. But her students are unusual: they are seeds. Nevertheless, Mrs. Spitzer knows her job. She, with her experience, knows how to nurture each of the seeds. She works hard and prepares ground to allow their growth. She is a proficient gardener and knows exactly how to create a beautiful garden. Curled up Kids

A very loving book, a tribute really, to the teachers of the world and beyond them to all people who nurture children. Kirkus Star review

I just made another amazing discover. Tricia Tusa is the illustrator of a book by our Australian author Mem Fox:

Bees are our Friends by Toni D'Alia illustrated by Alice Lindstrom

You may know I volunteer in the Book Bunker library at Westmead Children's Hospital. A couple of weeks ago a mum asked for a book to share with her toddler that contained lots of flowers. We searched and searched but sadly didn't really find a book for this child.

I have suggested these to the library coordinator.

Today I spied this book about bees and discovered it is full of collage flowers in bright colours by Melbourne illustrator Alice Lindstrom .  If we had put flowers or gardens as subject headings in our catalogue I might have discovered this beautiful book which was published this year and would have been just right for this young child. This shows you the importance of a library catalogue - adding as many subject headings as you can for that 'just in case' moment. Our library use a centralised cataloguing service (SCIS) which is also used by most schools in Australia but there is always room to add additional headings. The library I visit each week do a fabulous job with this. I dream of one day having a copy of all the extra subject headings they have added to their catalogue.

Bees are our friends is available for a terrific price (under $20) . It would be a perfect addition to a preschool library or as a gift for a young child. 

Puffin by Martin Jenkins illustrated by Jenni Desmond

Publisher blurb: Everyone recognises the puffin, with its black and white feathers and brightly colored bill. But how does the puffin live? What happens down in its burrow? And how do the male and female share the task of feeding and caring for their young? Discover the intriguing world of this charming bird in a collaboration that pairs Martin Jenkins’s engaging, informative text with the warm energy of Jenni Desmond’s illustrations. Filled with interesting facts, this delightful introduction to the puffin offers young ornithologists more details in the back matter.

This book is from the Nature Storybook series (previously called Read and Wonder) from Walker Books. Some are produced here in Australia, while others, like this one from the UK. This book was a gift for my birthday last week - an utterly perfect present for a huge puffin fan like me!

My journey into the world of puffins began with Puffling. I actually thought puffins were 'made-up'. Of course I knew the famous book company Puffin Books (part of Penguin). Once I discovered puffins were real I set about investigating a way to see them. In 2015 I travelled to Orkney, Shetland and Fair Isle and YES because I went at the right time of year (May) I saw so many puffins and I was able to take hundreds of photos too.

Here are a few puffin facts:

• There are three kinds of puffins - Crested Puffin; Horned Puffin and Atlantic Puffin
• You can find puffins in the northern hemisphere - Greenland; Newfoundland; the northern coasts of Europe and even as far south as Maine in the US.
• Puffins show affection by rubbing their beaks together - this is called beaking
• Their favourite food is sand eels
• A baby puffin is called a puffling
• Puffins spend most of their lives out at sea 
• Their beak changes from grey to bright orange in Spring
• If you feel like a laugh listen to some puffins (this used to make my students roar with laughter)

About the author: Martin Jenkins was born in Surrey in 1959 but grew up in Spain, Ireland and Kent. Martin became involved with children’s books when he was asked to advise on Walker Books’ Animals at Risk series. Since then he has written several titles, including Emperor's Egg, winner of the Times Junior Information Book of the Year Award and Fly Traps! Plants that Bite Back, which was shortlisted for the same award. He has also retold Gulliver's Travels, winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal and Don Quixote.

About the illustrator: Jenni Desmond is a picture book maker based in Hackney, London UK.  In 2016 she was made a Maurice Sendak Fellow and her book The Polar Bear won a prestigious New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books award. Her books have been translated into over 20 languages. She has a passion for books and believes that picture books are essential for nurturing young imaginations.  Jenni does not think picture books should be limited to children, and hopes her own books will also appeal to older people with youthful minds. Jenni works by hand using mixed media and finishes her artwork digitally.  

The Zebra who ran too Fast

On the Night of the Shooting Star

The Lighthouse Princess by Susan Wardell illustrated by Rose Northey

"The princess lived in a tower by the sea. She wasn't sad and she wasn't stuck."

Her tower home is a lighthouse. The princess loves to fish, collect shells, swim and make paper planes. 

"She wasn't even lonely ... Well maybe a little bit."

One day during a wild storm, she sees a young boy in a little boat and he is in danger. When she pulls him to the shore the boy, who has just been rescued, asks the princess - "Do you need rescuing from the tower?"

Are you thinking of Rapunzel? Does she need rescuing or is there another possible outcome for this new fairy tale? I am not going to spoil the story but I can say ...  And yes they both lived ...

Happily ever after

My wonderful "library" friend gave me this book for my birthday last week because she knows I LOVE lighthouses and I believe in fairy tales. This book was the most perfect present ever!

The Lighthouse Princess won The Storylines Gavin Bishop Award from New Zealand. Here is the web site for Rose Northey who is a performance poet. Susan Wardell is an anthropologist and also an poet. Here is an interview with Susan where she talks about writing this book. 

The Storylines Gavin Bishop Award was established in 2009. The award aims to encourage the publication of new and exciting high-quality picture books from new New Zealand illustrators. ... The award is open only to previously unpublished illustrators.

Take a close look at the cover of this book - I love the way it shows the confidence of the princess and the wild waves that surround her lighthouse. But the illustration below there is a hint about her wishes and dreams. 

Here are some versions of Rapunzel which you might like to explore.  I would also be tempted to revisit The Paperbag Princess and perhaps The Tough Princess along with lots of picture books about living in a lighthouse.

Meet the illustrator Pamela Zagarenski

 

I’m inspired by words, poetry literature and children. The moon and the sun and the stars and the rocks and moss and trees and the birds and the oceans and the whales and lions and and and alchemy and —- life and all of its awesome mystery.

Children's Book Review

Zola’s Elephant: When Zola moves into the neighbourhood, her new next-door neighbour is too shy to go over and introduce herself. Plus, Zola already has a friend to play with—an elephant! What we imagine is not always true, as the little girl discovers. Luckily, she also discovers that being brave can lead to new friendships—and even richer imaginary worlds.

The Whisper: When a little girl receives a curious book filled only with pictures, a whisper urges her to supply the words she cannot see. As the pages turn, her imagination takes flight and she discovers that the greatest storyteller of all might come from within. Pamela Zagarenski’s debut as an author reminds us that we each bring something different to the same book.

Sleep Like a Tiger: In this magical bedtime story, the lyrical narrative echoes a Runaway Bunny-like cadence: "Does everything in the world go to sleep?" the little girl asks. In sincere and imaginative dialogue between a not-at-all sleepy child and understanding parents, the little girl decides "in a cocoon of sheets, a nest of blankets," she is ready to sleep, warm and strong, just like a tiger.

Henry and Leo: Leo isn’t just a stuffed toy, he is Henry’s best friend and brother. He is as real as a tree, a cloud, the sun, the moon, the stars, and the wind. But when the two are accidentally separated, no one in Henry’s family believes Leo is real enough to find his way home.  

Pamela Zagarenski is an award-winning children's book author and illustrator who lives in Connecticut, USA.  Along with beautiful book she also designs scrumptious greeting cards. 

Take a look at this 2009 interview with Seven Impossible things Before Breakfast where you can see a huge number of examples of Pamela Zagarenski's art. On the Celebrate Picture Books blog you can find book reviews and activities to use with Pamela Zagarenski's books. 

Zagarenski’s mixed-media, edge-to-edge art is richly textured, jewel-toned, and dreamily evocative, with a delicious sense of mystery and enchantment. Geometric swaths of colour are layered and blended to suggest sunlight, moonlight, and shadow, walls and windows among the trees. Henry and Leo Kirkus Review

The artist’s Klee-esque colors and signature symbols—stars, crowns, houses, bees, and more—will provide fertile ground for young readers’ own imaginings. Zola's elephant Kirkus Review

My November and December reading pile

I have such a huge pile of middle grade books to read over the coming weeks. Some are new, some are old, some are books I am re-reading, and some are just about to be published!

Indigo Wilde and the creatures of Jellybean Crescent by Pippa Curnick (2021)

I spied this series in the wonderful school library I visit each week. This is the first book in a series. Book 2 is entitled Indigo Wilde and the Unknown Wilderness. I am always on the look out for early chapter books and this one is in full colour which is a bonus. 

Publisher blurb: Home for Indigo and her little brother, Quigley, is 47 Jellybean Crescent, a crazy and colourful house full of magical creatures that her parents have taken in over the years. There's Fishkins, a purrmaid - half-cat, half-fish, and ALWAYS grumpy; Graham, a llama-corn with a particular taste for tinsel; Olli and Umpf - bright pink and blue yetis who can't blend in to the snow, and that's to name just a few of the creatures.  And now Indigo's parents have sent another Monster Mail delivery to Indigo and Quigley. But this time, the box is empty, and the escaped creature is running rampage around the house. The race is on to catch the creature before it's too late ...

Hedgewitch by Skye McKenna (2022)

I borrowed this from another school library and luckily they won't need it back before Christmas because this book has over 400 pages of fairly small print. Hedgewitch is the first in a 5-book middle grade series.

Author site blurb: Cassie Morgan has run away. After seven years spent waiting for her mother to return, she flees her dreary boarding school and sets out to find her. But the world outside her school is full of hidden magic and children have been going missing.  With the help of a talking cat and a flying broom, Cassie escapes to the enchanted village of Hedgely. There she will begin her training in the practical skills of witchcraft with the Hedgewitch, who watches over the Hedge, the vast forest that marks the border between England and Faerie.

The Way of the Dog by Zana Fraillon (2022)

I have mentioned this on a previous list but I still haven't begun to read this Australian verse novel.

Blurb: Scruffity is born into the harsh, grey world of a puppy farm. Taken from his mamma and locked in a concrete cage, what he yearns for most is Family. To belong is The Way of Dog. But no one wants him.Just as his chances of adoption grow dangerously thin, Scruffity is set free by a boy as unwanted and lonely as he is. Outside, Scruffity learns all about The Way of Dog – it is to run, to dig, to howl and, biggest of all, to love. But when tragedy strikes, Scruffity is suddenly all alone. How does a dog find his way home when he never had one to begin with?

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt (2008)

I have already read this one and talked about it here on my blog but the library where I volunteer at Westmead Children's Hospital weeded this title and I remembered I previously loved it. I hope to read it again but in the meanwhile here is my post. 

Waiting for the Storks by Katrina Nannestad (2022)

This will probably be the first book I read from my pile because I am a huge fan of Katrina Nannestad. And I adore the cover! I loved Rabbit, Soldier, Angel, Thief; We are Wolves; The girl who bought mischief; and The Travelling Bookshop: Mim and the Baffling Bully.

Publisher blurb: It's the Second World War and Himmler's Lebensborn Program is in full flight when eight-year-old Zofia Ulinski is kidnapped by the Germans. She has blonde hair and blue eyes, just like the other Polish children taken from their families and robbed of their names, their language, their heritage. But when Zofia is adopted into a wealthy and loving German family, it is easier, it is safer to bury her past, deep down, so everything is forgotten. Until the Polish boy arrives. And the past comes back to haunt her.

Mary Underwater by Shanon Doleski (2022)

One of our big city bookstores had a 20% sale and so I picked out this one. I liked the sound of the blurb and the cover but I actually know nothing about this book or author. 

Publisher blurb: Mary Murphy feels like she’s drowning. Her violent father is home from prison, and the social worker is suspicious of her new bruises. An aunt she’s never met keeps calling. And if she can’t get a good grade on her science project, she’ll fail her favorite class. But Mary doesn’t want to be a victim anymore. She has a plan: build a real submarine, like the model she’s been making with Kip Dwyer, the secretly sweet class clown. Gaining courage from her heroine, Joan of Arc, Mary vows to pilot a sub across the Chesapeake Bay, risking her life in a modern crusade to save herself. 

When the war came home by Lesley Parr (2022)

I have a plan to make a Pinterest collection of middle grade books set during WWI ad WWII. I am often quite distressed when people ask for suggestions of books on this topic and the forum responses are, in my view, either unsuitable or intended for a much older group. 

Publisher blurb: The First World War has ended, but it hasn't gone away. When Natty has to move to a new village, she meets two young soldiers who are still battling the effects of war. Huw can't forget the terrible things he's seen, but Johnny doesn't even remember who he is. As Natty tries to keep a secret and unravel a mystery, she finds her own way to fight for what she believes in – and learns that some things should never be forgotten …

Storm Horse by Jane Elson (2021)

I've had this on my book buying wish list for a long time. The blurb made me think of The Little White horse by Elizabeth Gouge. 

Blurb: For Daniel Margate, life is muddled because everything moves: letters, numbers, even classrooms sometimes. Daniel is dyslexic and most of the time, school just doesn't make sense. He's in the bottom reading group at school with other kids who are trying to make sense of it all. There's Akin who can't sit still for more than two minutes and is almost always getting into trouble, sports star Ste is recovering from a car accident that left him learning how to walk again and Molly-May's school uniform never fits and is a regular at the local foodbank. But when a mystery horse gallops into their lives one stormy evening, it changes everything. Desperate to keep him safe they form the Secret Horse Society and vow to protect this amazing creature. Inspired by stories of the great racehorse Seabiscuit, they name him Jammie Dodger and find they when they work together, nothing seems impossible. Even the Big Read Off at school. They just need to keep their new horse friend a secret. How hard can it be to hide a horse, anyway?

Leila and the Blue Fox by Kiran Millwood and Tom de Freston (2022)

This is a new book just published in September this year. My copy is an advance reader one from Beachside Books. 

Blurb: Fox wakes, and begins to walk. She crosses ice and snow, over mountains and across frozen oceans, encountering bears and birds beneath the endless daylight of an Arctic summer, navigating a world that is vast, wild and wondrous. Meanwhile, Leila embarks on a journey of her own - finding her way to the mother who left her. On a breathtaking journey across the sea, Leila rediscovers herself and the mother she thought she'd lost, with help from a determined little fox. Based on the true story of an Arctic fox who walked from Norway to Canada in seventy-six days, a distance of two thousand miles.

Junonia by Kevin Henkes

I first talked about Junonia here on this blog in 2011. I suggest you begin with my previous post. On a recent visit to Gleebooks in Sydney I spied this book on their shelves. I really cannot list my top ten or even most favourite book but Junonia is a book I do think about from time to time and it is certainly a firm favourite so I decided (since I had left my beloved copy behind in my former school library) that I should buy a copy for myself. You probably already know I am a huge fan of Kevin Henkes. 

This morning I sat down and re-read the whole book again - I think this might be the third time I have read Junonia. Then I re-read my blog post and I was surprised by my own writing - well done to me!

Here are a few text quotes:

"Alice concentrated entirely on the pelican. The bird was so odd and silly looking, a mysterious, mesmerising wonder. ... She'd seen pelicans before, every year that she had been here, but when you see something only once a year it's always new, as if you're seeing it for the first time."

"Alice had a pale, watchful face. She had straight brown hair and brown eyes and a brown spot the size and shape of an apple seed near the corner of her mouth. The spot was a mole, but Alice hated the word mole and referred to as a speck. She hated the speck ... "

"When Alice's father unlocked the door to the pink cottage and Alice stepped inside, she brightened up instantly. Sunlight streamed through the windows. The walls of the main room and each smaller room were panelled with honey-coloured wood, once highly polished ... Alice felt as if she were entering an enchanted house from a fairy tale ... All  of the cottages were named for seashells. Alice's cottage was name Scallop. ... 'Hello, Scallop,' said Alice, twirling around. 'It's so good to see you again."

Junonia was first published in 2011. As I said, I purchased my copy a couple of weeks ago. Have you ever noticed book shop price stickers often have a date? My copy of Junonia was added to the shop inventory in December, 2020. I only paid $15 which was terrific. If this book is difficult to find in a shop perhaps it will be in your school or local library or perhaps you can borrow an ebook version. I do highly recommend Junonia for sensitive readers aged 9+. 

Kevin Henkes has created a character in Alice who deftly balances the line between girlhood and early adolescence. Her voice is authentic, and her worries, fears, and disappointments are spot-on. James Patterson

Henkes understands childhood disappointment in a way that really resonated with me, and I think Alice's perspective matches that of many real children whose lives are also changing as they move closer to adolescence. Read at Home Mom

An only child surrounded by affection, routine and attention, Alice has the space to realise that life can be an adventure experienced independently, even while held closely by those one loves. Kirkus Star review

Australian readers might need a map to understand where Alice lives (Wisconsin) and where they holiday each year in February (Florida).

Image Source: Wisconsin Auto transport

Here are some of the shells mentioned in this book including the wonderful but elusive junonia.

Image source: Southwest Florida Shells

I would follow Junonia with these:

Turtle in Paradise

Shouting at the Rain

The Grand Genius Summer of Henry Hoobler

Check out other Kevin Henkes books on this blog by typing his name in my search bar.

Little Pea's Grand Journey by Davide Cali illustrated by Sebastien Mourrain

Little Pea designs stamps. He has stamps with pictures of his friends the insects who live around his tiny home. He has stamps with pictures of tomatoes and cars and flowers but today he is out of inspiration. Little Pea decides to build a plane and take a grand journey. Unfortunately his tiny homemade plane crashes. Fortunately he did pack a parachute. Little Pea finds himself in a new place with unusual plants and unfamiliar insects but they make him welcome. Eventually he knows he must go home. Kindly his new friends make him a new plane. 

When he arrives home Little Pea has all the inspiration he needs for his new stamps.

Image Source: Thames and Hudson

Read this review for more plot details: Each page is joy-filled, with Little Pea celebrating a birthday with the insects, working on his many eclectic hobbies, and riding on a scooter made using a matchstick for a handlebar and buttons for wheels. Canadian Review of Materials

I should also mention Little Pea loves to collect bottle tops - just delightful. 

This book was first published in French with the title La grand voyage de Petit Pois. The English translation is by Sarah Khun.

I love the mission statement/philosophy of the publisher Milky Way:

Milky Way Picture Books is a new independent imprint dedicated to illustrated children’s books, located near Montréal, Canada. In our house, we believe it’s never too early to nurture the idea that books are special spaces in which to experience and share moments of beauty. By sparking a child’s interest in literature, storytelling, illustration, and art, we hope to make the act of discovering books something they’ll want to repeat.  Our mission at Milky Way Picture Books is to stimulate children’s passion for beautiful books.

One of the things I love about writing this blog is the way I make book discoveries. I now find Little Pea's Grand Journey (2017) is the second book in a series:

The tiny tale of Little Pea 2016 - "When he was born, Little Pea was tiny. Teeny-tiny." His clothes were hand sewn by his mother and his shoes were hand-me-down doll shoes. As he grew older, Little Pea enjoyed climbing tomato plants, driving around in his wind-up car and riding on the backs of grasshoppers. But then Little Pea started school. And he suddenly realised just how small he was. Too small for his chair. Too small to play the flute. Too small for gym class. What would become of wee Little Pea?

Little Pea's drawing school 2021 - Discover Little Pea's Drawing School, where everyone is about to learn an important lesson about art, even the teacher!Little Pea is now an accomplished artist-everyone knows it. One day, a friend of his encourages him to open a drawing school. What a marvellous idea! Soon, his first class is ready to attend his lessons, and everyone is working hard to improve their skills and techniques. Little Pea will learn that one does not always recognize a great artist at first glance.

Here are some other terrific books illustrated by Davide Cali