#noodlenutskidsbooks

[noodlenuts]

Chag sameach! (Happy holiday!) Passover officially starts tonight, and for the next eight days your Jewish friends will be eating a RIDICULOUS amount of matzah! Matzah with butter, jam, cheese, and any other topping you can think of! But also those of us who eat gebrokts (the Yiddish word for matzah that has come in contact with water, traditionally NOT eaten by some Jews at Passover because of its similarity to chametz, or leavened foods not kosher for Passover) will be eating matzah pizza, matzah lasagna, and all sorts of other creative concoctions made with this surprisingly versatile cracker-like food! Beloved Judaica writer Leslea Newman's "A Sweet Passover" (2012), adorably illustrated by David Slonim, is about one of those concoctions: matzah brei. A much-loved tradition at Passover, matzah brei is basically scrambled eggs and matzah, eaten with a variety of toppings. It's a treat many of us look forward to all year! But in Newman's book, it's the one food little Miriam absolutely REFUSES to try. With a little ingenuity on the part of her beloved grandfather, though, (and while learning more about Passover itself) Miriam discovers that ruling things out without even trying them may not be the best plan, and sometimes new things are delightful. Highly recommended for a fun, food-centric storytime! ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ #NoodlenutsKidsBooks #JewishNoodlenuts #NoodlenutsPassover #ASweetPassover #LesleaNewman #lesléanewman #DavidSlonim #Passover #Pesach #MatzahBrei #MatzoBrei #MatzaBrei #matzahpizza #matzahfordays #matzos #passoverrecipes #pesachrecipes #intergenerational #intergenerationallearning #holiday #holidayfood #holidayfun #learningaboutjudaism #jewishbooks https://www.instagram.com/p/B-ugcsgH0Ri/?igshid=1uc103gg3cxny

[mizamour]

I just got a message from such a kind non-profit worker who found my Instagram through @kcspengler and is using it as a resource to find books for a take-home library for families in her community, with stories representative of their identities! So exciting!!!! And that got me thinking, I need to share some of the amazing bookstagrammers I follow that always share such fantastic diverse books! Here are some of my favorites: @thetinyactivists @pairitwiththis @hereweeread @girlsreadtheworld @noodlenutskidsbooks @thetututeacher @inclusivestorytime @ihaveabook4that @asianlitforkids @amayahs_diversebooks @shelvesofcolor @parenting.sinfronteras @theconsciouskid @teachingoutsidethebinary @latinxsinkidlit@cultivatediverselibraries @kidlitismagic #babylibrarians @asianlitforkids @muslimkidsbooknook @thenextgenlibrarian @leeandlow @booksfordiversity @thebrownbookcase Post your favorites in the comments! Let's all help each other find awesome mirrors/windows books! https://www.instagram.com/p/CSUelRyhOFa/?utm_medium=tumblr

[noodlenuts]

My love of intergenerational stories is well known. There's something about the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren in particular that just translates beautifully to stories for young children. So for our second story for the upcoming Jewish holiday this week, I've chosen "The Art Lesson: A Shavuot Story" (2017) by Allison and Wayne Marks, illustrated by Annie Wilkinson. This one is a sweet, light-hearted story about Shoshana, a little girl who loves spending time with her artist grandmother each week, and the special artwork they create to decorate for Shavuot, based on crafts from her grandmother's own childhood. Instructions in the back to create papercut artwork of your own, as well as information about artists mentioned in the story, add a little something extra to the book. A great story both for the holiday and artistic kids in general! 🎨 🎨 🎨 #NoodlenutsKidsBooks #TheArtLesson #AShavuotStory #Shavuot #Shavuos #AllisonMarks #WayneMarks #AllisonandWayneMarks #AnnieWilkinson #PJLibrary #Bubby #Bubbie #intergenerational #intergenerationalstories #grandmothersandgranddaughters #grandma #artlessonsforkids #chagall #modigliani #artforkids #JewishBooks #JewishHolidays (at Bubbie's House) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAsnRMHnViX/?igshid=1qj03i0spv4kt

[noodlenuts]

You all know how much I love sharing holidays, particularly the lesser known ones, and this Friday night we in the Jewish community will celebrate a particularly special one. Shavuot, which literally translates as "weeks", is one of the Three Pilgrimage Festivals mentioned in the Torah, along with Pesach (Passover) and Sukkot, which celebrate both agricultural and historical events. In the case of Shavuot, this event is deeply meaningful: the Jewish people receiving the Torah, the very foundation of our belief system, on Mount Sinai. For learning about the Jewish holidays, I love Allison Ofanansky's non-fiction picture books, with photos by Eliyahu Alpern. In this case, "Cheesecake For Shavuot" (2013) follows a class of Israeli children as they work in their school garden and kitchen to prepare for the holiday, including making some traditional dairy treats! A great intro to the holiday for any kid! Note: special thanks to the amazing @ashspeedteaches for the pictures! Check out her page for more information on the holiday. ♥️ 🥛 🥛 🥛 #NoodlenutsKidsBooks #CheesecakeForShavuot #AllisonOfanansky #EliyahuAlpern #MillbrookPress #PJLibrary #Shavuot #Shavuos #CountingTheOmer #JewishKids #JewishFamily #JewishMom #JewishBooks #JewishNoodlenuts #JewishHoliday #Blintzes #cheeseblintzes #HolidayBooks #LearningEveryDay #MulticulturalLearning #multicultural (at Mt Sinai) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAqgoxjHw_j/?igshid=154fuwmknulnd

[noodlenuts]

The other day I posted a list of some of the things I look for when choosing a great read-aloud book. I'd be remiss in my duties, though, if I didn't show you in more practical terms what a fabulous read-aloud picture book looks like in practice, as far as I'm concerned. So this week I'm sharing what's maybe the EPITOME of a fantastic storytime book: "The Naughty Naughty Baddies" (2017) by Mark Sperring, illustrated by David Tazzyman. This one has EVERYTHING I was talking about! Humour, mischief, silliness? Check! Fabulous language, with words like "diabolical" and "fiendish"? YES!! Wonderfully colourful and engaging illustrations? They're here, with a hilarious cartoony style that has tons of kid appeal. Even the text is incorporated in the visuals, with exaggerated fonts for emphasis. The story itself is ridiculous and full of the aforementioned mischief, but without any mean-spiritedness to bring you down. It's just pure joy and laughter. Obviously everyone has their own preferences, and personal input is important, but with nearly 30 years of daycare, children's publishing, and storytelling experience under my belt, I've definitely learned what goes over best when I'm trying to engage the attention of a bunch of toddlers and preschoolers! If you're looking for a fun storytime, this is a perfect fit! 😂 😂 😂 #NoodlenutsKidsBooks #TheNaughtyNaughtyBaddies #MarkSperring #DavidTazzyman #LittleDoggyWoofWoof #Storytime #Storytelling #ReadAloud #ReadAloudRevival #ReadAloudBooks #ReadingIsFun #FunWithBooks #ReadToYourKids #TeacherInspiration #ReadingToKids #PictureBookArt #ReadingIsMagic #PictureBooksAreMyJam #ReadItAgain #BestKidsBooks #PowerOfReading (at Up To No Good!!!) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAiepFBHMyl/?igshid=103gj3dma0tj4

[noodlenuts]

I've been thinking a lot this month about heroes and what strength really means. Sometimes it's grand, big things, but other times being a hero is simply about learning to put others first, to get out of your own way and find your own strength. One of my favourite new(ish) books is Kate Hosford's "How The Queen Found The Perfect Cup of Tea" (2017), illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska. This is one of those fabulous picture books that covers all the bases: humour, adventure, diversity, fabulous language, gorgeous illustrations, and on and on. When the Queen becomes dissatisfied with her daily cup of tea, she sets off around the world to find a better cuppa. But as she encounters children in other countries (and their wide variety of tea-making methods), she's in for more surprises that she anticipates about what truly goes into creating a wonderful teatime experience. For more stories about heroes, use the hashtag #Bookstagang_Hero, and check out our other book club members this month, tagged in the final slide! 👸 👸 👸 #NoodlenutsKidsBooks #HowTheQueenFoundThePerfectCupOfTea #KateHosford #GabiSwiatkowska #teatime #teatime☕️ #teaceremony #cupoftea #teaandbooks #teaandabook #diversity #weneeddiversebooks #diversekidsbooks #MulticulturalLearning #multicultural #JapaneseKids #TurkishKids #IndianKids #EatingAroundTheWorld #KidsAndFood #DiverseReads #BookClub #Bookish (at Hot Air Balloon) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAdaBpqHurX/?igshid=19j2pyhd7r5dq

[noodlenuts]

It's Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK, and while I'm Canadian, I think this is a great opportunity for all of us to reflect and talk about the particularly challenging times we're going through right now. Kids, even the youngest ones, are very aware of change and stress, and while we don't want to scare or upset them, it's so important to validate their feelings and worries that everything feels very fraught these days. One of my favourite books for this recently has been author-illustrator Claire Messer's "Grumpy Pants" (2016). Told with incredible simplicity that really emphasises emotion over too much analysis (because little ones have BIG FEELINGS that don't always want exploring so much as reassurance), it follows Penguin, who is having a Very Bad Mood and isn't entirely sure why. What's lovely is that rather than worrying about the whys and wherefores, Messer lets Penguin focus on what to do about his grumps. One at a time, he sheds his "grumpy" items of clothing (and with them, some of the weight of his feelings), and proceeds to do things that make him feel safe and comforted: a warm bath, a favourite story, etc. With simple, bright illustrations against a white background, the focus is always on Penguin, allowing us to home in on his feelings and empathise. A beautiful book for helping kids deal with big feelings without overburdening them. 🐧 🐧 🐧 #NoodlenutsKidsBooks #GrumpyPants #ClaireMesser #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthawarenessweek #KidsMentalHealth #ChildrensMentalHealth #healthymindset #HealthyKids #MentalHealth #EmotionalHealth #EmotionalIntelligence #KidsHealth #childrenshealth #ChildrensWellbeing #Penguins #Mood #KidsMood #BadMood #BadDay #EmotionalRegulation #SelfCareForKids https://www.instagram.com/p/CAVlN0jnguu/?igshid=1i1fg0wfqme8v

[noodlenuts]

I don't buy many children's books on the spur of the moment. Between my copious want lists of new and classic picture books, the library books I'm always borrowing, and the lovely review copies that show up occasionally on my doorstep, it's pretty rare for me to just purchase a picture book on a whim. The moment I set eyes on the cover of "These Words I Shaped For You" (2017), though, poet Megan Merchant's ode to the mother-child bond, before I even knew what it was about, I knew I had to own it. From the title itself, to Basak Agaoglu's incredibly striking cover artwork, I was immediately intrigued. And as I picked it up and started to flip through it, every page spoke to me, with words, with colours, with sheer, beautiful emotion. On this Mother's Day, I share with you a simple, gorgeous board book about a mother's love, and desire to share the beauty of the world with her baby, and encourage you to share it with yours. 🐼 🐼 🐼 #NoodlenutsKidsBooks #TheseWordsIShapedForYou #MeganMerchant #BasakAgaoglu #başakağaoğlu #MothersDay #mothersday2020 #MotherAndChild #mum #Mom #MumLife #motherhood #EarlyYears #ReadingTogether #HomeschoolingMama #TheyCallMeMom #ReadToYourBabies #Bookmom #BabyLibrary #FamilyReading #BoardBook (at Mom's Lap) https://www.instagram.com/p/CAA8pUQH6BX/?igshid=dic8lulsquez

[noodlenuts]

As I've noted before, I love books that don't necessarily centre autism (or disability in general), but that normalise neurodiversity and address things that both autistic and other kids might have in common. Ariane Hofmann-Maniyar's "That's Not How You Do It!" (2017) is the perfect example of that. Not written specifically about autism at all, it is rather about Lucy, a little girl cat who has very particular ideas about how things ought to be done, and whose world is upended when she encounters a new classmate who isn't interested in doing things her way for the first time. The story spoke to me because autistic kids (like myself) are often deeply rule-bound and rely on the consistency and reliability of their expectations to feel safe - and that demand to do things "the right way" can often seem stubborn and even inappropriately bossy to others. But, as in the story, gentleness, kindness, and the slow, patient introduction of new ideas in an unthreatening manner may be a welcome surprise to everyone! ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ #NoodlenutsKidsBooks #ThatsNotHowYouDoIt #ArianeHofmannManiyar #socialemotionallearning #newfriends #autismparents #autismmom #autismdad #neurodiversity #momlife #kidsofinstagram #preschoolteacher #parentsofinstagram #picturebooksaremyjam #preschoolathome #ece #toddlertantrums #kindergartenteacher #homeschoolkindergarten https://www.instagram.com/p/B_0JBzDHIuc/?igshid=19c4669e6ulxi

[noodlenuts]

When we think about heroes, we rarely think about the quieter ones, or those who speak up on behalf of those other than themselves, or for causes that aren't particularly glamorous. Jane Jacobs was a woman who transformed cities through her strength of will, and belief that the urban landscape should be one built for community, not just industry. "Walking in the City with Jane: A Story of Jane Jacobs" (2018), by Susan Hughes and Valérie Boivin, is a wonderful introduction to the life of this incredible woman, who contributed so much to the two major metropolitan cities (New York and Toronto) that she called home, and helped change their landscapes in meaningful ways for generations to come. For more stories of heroes both obvious and unsung, please share this month using the hashtag #Bookstagang_Hero and check out our fellow book club members tagged here. 🦸‍♂️ 🦸 🦸‍♂️ #NoodlenutsKidsBooks #SusanHughes #ValérieBoisvin #WalkingInTheCityWithJane #WalkingInTheCity #JaneJacobs #urbanheroes #UrbanStudies #JanesWalk #CommunityLove #CommunityAction #Toronto #TorontoLove #The6ix #igreads #HomeEducation #PictureBookBiography #TeacherGram #ITeach345 #ElementaryTeacher #BooksForKids #LearningEveryDay (at Jane's Walk Toronto) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_sVdkJHSO2/?igshid=1v2o9tszm192q

[noodlenuts]

Tonight marks the eve of Yom Ha'atzmaut, the 72nd Independence Day of Israel, one of my favourite places in the whole world. While Canada is and always will be my home, this and our book club theme this month got me thinking about all the similarities and differences of "home" to people around the world every day, from the little ambient noises we're used to hearing around us, to the daily routines (albeit temporarily interrupted right now) of work and school. I love the idea of opening up the world to kids through picture books, and helping them compare and contrast life in other countries with their own. Even the youngest children get excited about the fact that animal noises may be expressed differently in another language, or breakfast foods might be totally unfamiliar! "Fast Asleep in a Little Village in Israel" (2018) by Jennifer Tzivia MacLeod and Tiphanie Beeke is an absolutely gorgeous book for that. A schoolteacher wakes up in her "little village" to the sounds of morning, and as the rest of the village awakens we experience a little sample of Israeli life with her. Full of sensory delights, from animal sound effects to bits of Hebrew vocabulary (with explanation) and immersive description, and stunningly illustrated throughout, I cannot recommend this book highly enough as a welcoming peek into another culture and what "home" means in other parts of the world. For more stories of home, check out #Bookstagang_AtHome. 🇮🇱 🇮🇱 🇮🇱 #NoodlenutsKidsBooks #FastAsleepInALittleVillageInIsrael #JenniferTziviaMacLeod #TiphanieBeeke #YomHaatzmaut #IsraelIndependenceDay #Israel #יוםהעצמאות #multicultural #JewishNoodlenuts #Jewish #MulticulturalLearning #CulturalUnderstanding #Diversity #LearningCultures #LearningEveryDay #LearningAtHome #Homeschool #LibrariansOfInstagram #HomeschoolFamily (at Israel in My Heart) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_iXg_1HIsG/?igshid=107q4u9wlkjul

[noodlenuts]

One of my biggest issues with books about autism or autistic kids is that even as they encourage inclusion, they tend to portray differences as inherently negative - things to be corrected or politely overlooked. My feeling is that it's important to encourage children, BEFORE these biases become instinctive, to embrace those who are different INCLUSIVE of their differences, and not despite them Author-illustrator Roxana de Rond's "Milo and Monty" (2019) was wonderfully appealing to me because of that. It's the story of two dogs adopted by a family: Monty is demonstrative and eagerly playful, but Milo is more difficult to read; he doesn't love to be petted, and prefers cosy, small spaces by himself, leaving his new owners confused. He doesn't seem unhappy, but he doesn't seem happy in ways that are familiar to them either. The problem isn't Milo, it's COMMUNICATION and mutual understanding. 💙 ...and when cousin Henry comes to visit with his family, things suddenly become clearer. Henry, whom everyone adores, also doesn't love hugs, or loud noises, and feels safe in small spaces. Milo is just a Henry sort of dog, and that's just fine! While I was a bit concerned about some of the autistic stereotypes at first (autistics can be extroverts, and aren't always anxious introverted types), the fact that autism isn't actually mentioned mitigates this, and also makes it a wonderful book to discuss inclusion of children who AREN'T autistic but are shy, anxious, have SPD, or other issues. It's a FANTASTIC story for preschool and early school aged kids about embracing differences, and definitely one of my top recommendations this Autism Acceptance Month. And thanks to @childsplaybooks for the review copy. I am THRILLED to recommend this title, and it is definitely a treasured part of my collection now! ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ #NoodlenutsKidsBooks #NoodlenutsAutism #MiloAndMonty #RoxanaDeRond #AutismAcceptanceMonth #autism #AutismMoms #AutismDads #neurodiversity #neurodivergent #autismspectrumdisorder #asd #anxietyawareness #childrensmentalhealth #inclusion #antibullying #anxietyinkids #shykids #anxiouskids #raisingkindkids #kindness #raisinggoodhumans https://www.instagram.com/p/B-5CXeuH8nm/?igshid=1d18hsnwhli5l

[noodlenuts]

Of course, with all of the wonderful stories available about celebrating Passover, the traditions and rituals and delicious foods, perhaps the most important story of all is that of the Exodus from Egypt itself. After all, it is this story that is the basis for the holiday and for my people's very freedom. And because of this, it is this story which we are meant to recount every year lest we forget how very lucky we are to have those freedoms! There are many picture books for kids that tell the story of how the Jews came to be enslaved in Egypt and how they eventually were led to freedom. But perhaps the most thorough and visually beautiful that I've seenin recent years is "The Story of Passover" (2014), written by David A. Adler and gorgeously illustrated by Jill Weber. As noted by Publishers Weekly, this book "begins with Jacob's arrival in Egypt and ends with the Israelites' jubilant celebration on the banks of the Red Sea." And the images throughout are STUNNING. Its a beautiful book for school-aged kids. Note: the author doesn't mince words when it comes to the plagues or violence, so if your child is very sensitive you may want to skip this one. However, if you have a kid who revels in excitement, this is definitely the book for them! ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ #NoodlenutsKidsBooks #JewishNoodlenuts #NoodlenutsPassover #TheStoryofPassover #DavidAAdler #DavidAdler #JillWeber #Passover #Pesach #Slavery #Exodus #RedSea #passover2020 #Pesach #LearningAboutJudaism #learning #montessorichild #learningnewthings #Jewish #JewishBooks #BooksBooksBooks #PictureBook #PictureBookArt https://www.instagram.com/p/B-zyvb1nc9U/?igshid=8f5zinh6ji54

[noodlenuts]

April is Autism Acceptance Month, and as an autistic person, and because I regularly get asked to recommend "books about autism", I'm hoping to share some of my favourite kids' books that may give some insight into what it's like to experience the world as an autistic person. I put it that way deliberately. Not all of the books I share will specifically be "about autism", and that's by design. As an autistic person (and like most developmentally disabled people), I have experienced a lot of exclusion and "othering" in my life, and I don't believe that is helped by books that "centre" or focus on autism or autistic characters from an outside perspective, or on the whole "they're odd but we should love them anyway" narrative. I feel like that does nothing to create understanding or teach commonality. That's why I love Samantha Cotterill's Little Senses series. An Own Voices author-illustrator, Sam writes from the perspective of the child eho is autistic and/or has a sensory processing disorder. But she also doesn't emphasise that so much as their lived experience, which is often something MANY children can relate to. In the case of "This Beach is Loud!" (2019), she uses a family outing as a framework to touch on issues of everything from physical discomfort over tactile unpleasantness (wet sand), to that parent-exhausting dichotomy: the child who is both overwhelmed by external noise, but cannot seem to regulate their own volume or constant stream of chatter. These are things that are particularly familiar to those who spend time with autistic kids, but honestly? Have you ever met a little kid who COULD totally self-regulate? A wonderful book for helping children see themselves in other kids, AND learn a little about how to deal with sensory overload. ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ #NoodlenutsKidsBooks #NoodlenutsAutism #ThisBeachIsLoud #LittleSenses #littlesensesbooks #samanthacotterill #AutismAcceptanceMonth #autismappreciation #redinstead #lightitupgold #autismawareness #Autism #ActuallyAutistic #autismawarenessmonth #autistickidsrock #autistictoddler #autismlove #autismmom #autismdad #spd #sensoryprocessingdisorder #spdawareness https://www.instagram.com/p/B-p1-2wHfgK/?igshid=12iuwacjktyji

[noodlenuts]

So besides the holiday itself, the overarching theme of many of the Passover books I've been sharing this year is "change". It's certainly a huge theme of the holiday itself, and it's particularly timely this year, as nothing is quite like it usually is, especially holiday celebrations. For many of us, one of the hardest things about Passover this year will be not celebrating with extended family, like grandparents. In Linda Leopold-Strauss's "A Different Kind of Passover" (2017), illustrated by Jeremy Tugeau, a family faces a significant change to how they usually celebrate the seder as well. Jessica's family has always had the seder, the ritual Passover meal, at her grandparents' house, and her grandfather has always sat at the head of the table and led the evening's proceedings, through prayers, songs, stories and more. But now her grandad is just out of the hospital and confined to bed. He is grumpy, Jessica is worried ... how will they ever make the holiday special? This is a wonderful story about getting creative, trying new approaches to things, and remembering not to give up when things seem daunting. This year's seders may bring new ways for us all to do things, from teleconferencing with family to singing on balconies with neighbours, but we should be grateful for our health and safety, and the opportunity to get creative! ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ #noodlenutskidsbooks #JewishNoodlenuts #noodlenutspassover #adifferentkindofpassover #lindaleopoldstrauss #jeremytugeau #passoverseder #passover2020 #pesachiscoming #jewishbooks #jewishkidsbooks #intergenerational #grandfather #granddaughter #jewishholiday #learnsomethingnew #readtoyourchildren #westayhome #readaloudrevival #booksbooksbooks https://www.instagram.com/p/B-fd6GAnHb4/?igshid=ph4e7cjdnee3

[noodlenuts]

As many of you know, while I'm not normally big on branded or licensed TV character books, I am a HUGE fan of Sesame Street, and in particular of their Shalom Sesame books about Jewish customs and culture. So it's not a big surprise that I'd recommend a book from them about Passover that rather ingeniously comes in two versions: "Grover & Big Bird's Passover Celebration" (2012) by Tilda Balsley and Ellen Fischer, is a fully detailed story about these two favourite characters celebrating the holiday in the Jewish homeland, along with some of their Israeli Muppet counterparts from Rechov Sumsum (the Hebrew version of Sesame Street). It covers both the history and traditions of the holiday, and is a fun introduction for preschoolers or younger school-aged kids. However ... We also have "A Seder For Grover" (2012) by Joni Kibort Sussman! A slightly shorter, simplified version of the same book, available as a board book for really little ones who aren't quite ready to sit still for much detail yet. Both books are illustrated in familiar style by Tom Leigh, and are sure to delight any kid interested in Grover and friends' adventures! As usual, I got my copies elecronically from the library, so be sure to check yours in case you can access them from home as well. 💻 ⚫ ⚫ ⚫ #noodlenutskidsbooks #JewishNoodlenuts #noodlenutspassover #groverandbigbirdspassovercelebration #asederforgrover #tildabalsley #ellenfischer #jonikibortsussman #tomleigh #pjlibrary #shalomsesame #rechovsumsum #sesamestreet #sesamestreet50years #grover #bigbird #passoveriscoming #pesachsameach #learningathome #learningisfun #jewishculture https://www.instagram.com/p/B-Xd66cHR5I/?igshid=ttulxdcemfr9