Anastasia Suen

July 18, 2022July 17, 2022

What Can I Do?: Inspiring Activities for Creative Kids

What Can I Do?: Inspiring Activities for Creative Kids
by Mary Richards (Author)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: What will you do today? In this book of activities you’ll find plenty of easy-to-follow activities, from “Invent a Dance” to “Make a Museum”. On each page, there are lists of what you’ll need, tips for getting started, and ideas for making the most out of the task you’ve chosen. As you read through, you’ll discover new facts on every page. Most of the activities can be done indoors, but there are plenty of ideas for outdoor fun, too. All you’ll need to get started is a pencil and paper — and a lot of imagination!

Snippet:

Nonfiction Monday

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July 11, 2022July 10, 2022

ReThink the Internet

ReThink the Internet: How to Make the Digital World a Lot Less Sucky
by Trisha Prabhu (Author)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: This middle grade book uses stories to show the hows, the whats, and the whys of digital citizenship, so readers can lead with kindness and stop internet hate.

Snippet: Today’s internet might seem pretty simple: hop online, chat with friends, watch videos, do your homework . . . but the internet–and technology more broadly–is messier than you might realize. This book is meant to teach you seven main skills, which, if you master them, will ensure that the internet never gets the better of you.

Nonfiction Monday

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June 27, 2022June 26, 2022

Dorothy & Herbert: An Ordinary Couple and Their Extraordinary Collection of Art

Dorothy & Herbert: An Ordinary Couple and Their Extraordinary Collection of Art
by Jackie Azúa Kramer (Author) and Julia Breckenreid (Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: In the heart of Manhattan lived a librarian and a postal clerk who loved art so much that they collected it. Over the years, Dorothy and Herbert brought home hundreds of works of art–from little-known SoHo artists to luminaries such as Chuck Close and Christo and Jeanne-Claude–to their small, empty-walled apartment, much to the curiosity and delight of their eight cats and tank of fish. Their passion for art and support of artists was so impressive, Dorothy and Herbert became famous themselves. And when they gifted their extraordinary collection to the National Gallery of Art, their art became ours, inspiring new generations of artists.

Snippet:
And when there was a new museum exhibit
or gallery show in town,
Dorothy and Herbert were always there,
hand in hand.

Art filled them with WONDER.

Nonfiction Monday

It’s Nonfiction Monday!

June 20, 2022June 19, 2022

Rising Troublemaker: A Fear-Fighter Manual for Teens

Rising Troublemaker: A Fear-Fighter Manual for Teens
by Luvvie Ajayi Jones (Author)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: The world can feel like a dumpster fire, with endless things to be afraid of. It can make you feel powerless to ask for what you need, use your voice, and show up truly as your whole self. Add the fact that often, people might make you feel like your way of showing up is TOO MUCH.

BE TOO MUCH, and use it for good. That is what it means to be a troublemaker.

Snippet: What’s an oríkì? It is a Yoruba word that combines two words to mean “praising your head/mind.” Orí is “head” and kì is “to greet or praise.” An oríkì is a greeting that praises you through praising your kinship and speaking life to your destiny. It is your personal hype mantra, and can be spoken or sung.

BONUS! Download the Teacher’s Guide

Nonfiction Monday

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June 13, 2022June 12, 2022

10 at 10: The Surprising Childhoods of Ten Remarkable People

10 at 10: The Surprising Childhoods of Ten Remarkable People
by Carlyn Beccia (Author / Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: Audrey Hepburn, Roberto Clemente, Albert Einstein-kids know the names, but do they know what some of history’s most famous figures were like at the age of ten?

Snippet:
Frida Kahlo
You have probably heard the art advice to paint or draw what you see. But what if all you can see is limited to what surrounds your bed? This was the reality Frida Kahlo faced after a bus accident confined her to her bed for over a year. So, Frida chose to paint the most fascinating subject contained in the four walls of her room–herself.

Nonfiction Monday

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June 6, 2022June 5, 2022

Strong

Strong
by Rob Kearney (Author), Eric Rosswood (Author), and Nidhi Chanani (Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: Rob dreams of becoming a champion strongman. He wants to flip huge tires, lug boulders, and haul trucks — and someday be the strongest man in the world! But he feels like he can’t fit in with his bright leggings, unicorn T-shirts, and rainbow-dyed hair. Will Rob find a way to step into his true self and be a champion?

In this biography, readers meet author Rob Kearney and follow his journey from an athletic kid trying to find his place to the world’s first openly gay professional strongman.

Snippet:

Nonfiction Monday

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May 23, 2022May 22, 2022

Bach to the Rescue!!!

Bach to the Rescue!!!: How a Rich Dude Who Couldn’t Sleep Inspired the Greatest Music Ever
by Tom Angleberger (Author) and Chris Eliopolous (Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: Every famous piece of art has an origin story–even Bach’s Goldberg Variations! When the richest dude in town can’t sleep, he hires a much-less-rich dude named Johann Gottlieb Goldberg to play him lullabies on the harpsichord. Goldberg does an OK job, but as the Rich Dude hollers for Goldberg each night, he wakes up the whole town in the process. As the town gets sleepier and sleepier and grumpier and grumpier, Goldberg worries he may be out of a job soon. But then, the one and only Bach enters the scene with a series of lullabies composed specifically for the Rich Dude. And, thus, the Goldberg Variations are born!

Snippet:

Hear it yourself at The Open Goldberg Variations.

Nonfiction Monday

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May 23, 2022May 22, 2022

Outdoor School: Hiking and Camping

Outdoor School: Hiking and Camping: The Definitive Interactive Nature Guide
by Jennifer Pharr Davis (Author), Haley Blevins (Author), and Aliki Karkoulia (Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: Rewild your life and make every day an adventure with:
– Immersive activities to get you exploring
– Write-in sections to journal about your experiences
– Next-level adventures to challenge even seasoned nature lovers

No experience is required–only curiosity and courage. This interactive field guide to hiking and camping includes:
– Planning your next adventure
– Essential outdoor gear
– First aid & survival
– Navigation
– How to handle extreme weather
– Crossing dangerous terrain
– Setting up camp
– Building a fire in rain or shine
– Games for the trail
– Finding and filtering water
– Animal tracks, calls, and sounds
– Bird watching
– Plant spotting
– Rock hunting
– What to do if you’re lost
And so much more!

Snippet:

Nonfiction Monday

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May 16, 2022May 15, 2022

A Rose Named Peace

A Rose Named Peace: How Francis Meilland Created a Flower of Hope for a World at War
by Barbara Carroll Roberts (Author) and Bagram Ibatoulline (Illustrator)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: Francis Meilland was passionate about roses. He loved their rich perfume, their buds unfurling in the summer sun, and their petals, soft as lambs’ ears. Like his father and grandfather before him, Francis cultivated flowers on the family farm in France. In his teens, he set about grafting and experimenting, determined to create a rose no one had seen before, and as the world braced for World War II, he rushed cuttings to rose-growing friends around the globe. Six patient years later, word reached him: his rose had not only flourished; people were calling it the Peace Rose.

Snippet:

Nonfiction Monday

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May 9, 2022May 8, 2022

Army Rangers

Army Rangers
by Ashley Gish (Author)
@ Amazon | Bookshop | IndieBound

Booktalk: Readers learn about the training, skills, and gear utilized by this elite special operations force.

Snippet: The first ranger units were formed during the French and Indian War (1754-63). The most famous was Rogers’ Rangers. Major Robert Rogers taught his men “Rules of Ranging.” This guide was made up of 28 tactics he had learned from allies and enemies alike.

Nonfiction Monday

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