The Ballad of Valentine (2002)
written by Alison Jackson, pictures by Tricia Tusa
A man tries everything he can to deliver a valentine to his sweetheart, but his plans continue to go awry. Little does he realize (although the reader sees), his sweetheart is cooking up a valentine of her own for him. This is a delightful Valentine’s book written to the format of the song, “Oh, My Darling Clementine.”
Dumpling Days (2012) by Grace Lin
Ever since reading my first Grace Lin book, I’ve been hooked. Like The Year of The Dog, Dumpling Days is a fiction book based on some of Grace’s childhood experiences.
Pacy and her family head to Taiwan for the summer to visit relatives and celebrate her grandmother’s 60th birthday party. Reluctant to make this trip at first, Pacy ends up finding a world of life lessons awaiting her. She is constantly surprised by new sights and traditions. While some parts of the trip make Pacy uncomfortable— not knowing the language and learning some lessons the hard way— she also finds joy as she learns more about Taiwan, her family, and herself.
I loved this book. It’s simple in that it basically follows Pacy and her family as they explore Taiwan, but there’s so much more to it. I felt like I learned a lot about Taiwan’s culture, right along with Pacy. The book is scattered with lovely, little sketches by Ms. Lin of some of the simplest-seeming things — a picture of their meal or the dress she wore to dinner or even the toilet that played music — but they all add so much to the book. Even our 3-year old has fallen in love with this book. We “read” it every night now; I flip through the pages, summarizing the story and pointing out the pictures. For The Year of the Dog, Grace Lin posted a small discussion of what parts were fiction vs. what parts were true; I kind of wish she had done so with this book as well. She does have a dumpling recipe posted on her site, which I’m so eager to try!
Anyway, this is a great book, which I’ve already ordered to have our own copy at home.
Dumpling Days (2012)
You might also like:
Grace Lin posts
Milli, Jack, and the Dancing Cat (2003)..
by Stephen Michael King
I don’t know that I ever would have found this book had a friend of mine not tucked it in with a shipment of baby clothes she was loaning me. She said the book was one of their favorites and one that made her think of me. I was so touched by that, especially after I read it. This book immediately skyrocketed to one of my all-time favorites.
Milli is an artist, a creator, but she’s too shy to share her creations with the world. So, she does her best to blend in with the ordinary world, as a basic shoemaker. But when two minstrels show up in town and befriend her, Milli suddenly finds the spark she had needed to be who she truly is.
You might also enjoy:
Belinda the Ballerina
Book Scavenger (2015)
by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
I’m such a creature of habit sometimes. I love re-reading books that I already know I enjoy, so I can be pretty resistant to “new” books. And so, I almost gave up on Book Scavenger a short ways in. It was one of those instances where the quotes of praise on the back cover were what actually convinced me to keep going, and I am SO very glad I did.
This book is so much fun. It’s got riddles and mystery and suspense. It hits on how friendships and sibling relationships shift and change. It’s got literary references, San Francisco references. For a book basically about books, it’s got a lot of technology in it—blogs, forums, online games, video making, laptops… I think that was a strange concept for me, since I’m usually drawn to children’s literature that lets me escape the here-and-now world. But, I expect these technology references will help reluctant readers relate and connect to this book.
I encouraged my husband to read this book after me, since we’re both fans of a book with a similar feel, The Mysterious Benedict Society, and he blew through it in a day. Book Scavenger is Ms. Bertman’s first novel, and I can’t wait to see if there’s another on the way!
Winnie-the-Pooh Day is celebrated every January 18th (author, A.A. Milne’s birthday). Here are some ideas for celebrating Pooh Day at home or with friends:
–Read Winnie-the-Pooh and House at Pooh Corner
–Find a stream and play a game of Pooh Sticks
–Build a house of sticks for Eeyore
–Follow animal tracks and see if you can catch a Woozle
–Play Pin-the-Tail on Eeyore
–Make honey cakes, honey lemonade, or pass out honey sticks
–Serve foods like carrots (for Rabbit), pita pockets (for Kanga and Roo), beverage labeled as “Roo’s Strengthening Medicine” (for Tigger), etc.
–Give guests “B” and “HB” pencils, standing, of course, for “Bear” and “Helping Bear”
–Go on an “expotition” to find the North Pole
–Decorate with a map of the “100 Aker Wood” and other illustrations from the books
–Decorate with at least one big blue balloon
–Wish everyone a “Very Happy Thursday!”
–Hang a sign on the bathroom door that reads, “BISY BACKSON”
–Hang an Eeyore tail by the door and this sign: “PLES RING IF AN RNSER IS REQIRD.”
–Hand out Winnie-the-Pooh quizzes to test people’s Pooh knowledge. The winner gets an empty pot with a broken red balloon inside.
If some of these don’t make any sense to you, re-read the books. =)