BookBairn: #kidlitpicks

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“Words are, in my not so humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic.” —Albus Dumbledore.

Books are truly magical objects that can transport us into a whole other world without us ever having to leave the comfort of our chair! And in children's books that magic is all the more powerful. With characters that children connect with, stories that lift you into an adventure, illustrations that create a whole other world, picture books and children's novels capture the imagination like no other. Sometimes books which create magic aren't always the ones you expect because it's in the sharing of the story that the magic comes to life. This month we are looking for a little spark of magic! Share with us the books that have worked a little magic in your home with your children. They might not be the most beautiful, or the most well-known but if they have sparked magic in your heart then they are truly special books and need to be shared.

March meant magic for the @kidlitpicks book club, and our theme was chosen by Me!!!

Mamie, by Tania McCartney
"A charming story that explores the brilliance and magic of May Gibbs and her Gumnut Babies or Bush Fairies."” — Summer from @readingisourthing

My Island, by Stéphanie Demasse-Pottier and Seng Soun Ratanavanh

“The amount of care put into every detail of the spreads is impressive." — Mel from @spiky_penelope

The Sound of Magic: Cinderella, by Sanna Mander

“Just magical! ” — Kim from @bookbairn

The Cottingley Fairies, by Ana Sender

“With radiant illustrations throughout, readers can’t help recall that immutable feeling—however enduring or fleeting—of believing in magic for its own sake.” — Miranda from @bookbloom

Harry Potter: A History of Magic, illustrated by Jim Kay

“This book is teaching my girls all about the real-life history that inspired JK Rowling’s stories” — Carissa from @bookskidslove_

Harry Potter: A History of Magic, illustrated by Chris Riddell

“The illustrations are fantastic – they’re on every page and have a genuine fairytale feel.” — Carissa from @bookskidslove_

When I Was a Child, by Andy Stanton
"When I Was a Child is a celebration of the special bond between a grandparent and child as they share the love, hope, magic and the beauty of the world both in the past and present." — Rossa from @curiouslittlepeople

There's a Sea in My Bedroom, by Margaret Wild and Jane Tanner

“It evokes so much creativity and in depth thinking that I believe it needs to be in every child's book collection.” — Angelique from @heads.shoulders.knees

The Lost Book of Adventure, by an Unknown Author

“It’s pure magic! ” — Charnaie from @hereweeread

Once Upon a Magic Book, by Lily Murray and Katie Hickey

"Each page offers a new world, often with literary influences, that can introduce children to a classic setting." — Wendy from @homegrownreader

Seb and the Sun, by Jami Gigot⁣

“Quiet lessons of community and adventure permeate this cozy tale.” — Heather from @kidlitbookbits

Georgia's Terrific Colorific Experiment, by Zoe Persico

“This book combines three of my kids’ favorite things: art + science + a good story. How could that combination be anything but magic?” — Anna from @kidlitcrafts

OUR APRIL THEME IS:

Diversity brings knowledge, understanding, unity, love and empathy. Diversity is what makes our world so beautiful. We are all different flowers in a glorious bouquet, a variety of strands that weave together to form an incredible tapestry. It is vital that our children embrace the uniqueness of individuals. “It is time for parents [for all of us] to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.” —Maya Angelou.

Share with us children’s books that celebrate diversity and tag them with #kidlitpicks_diversity.

Happy Reading,

The #KidLitPicks Team and Kim x

Where would we be as a society without trailblazers? They are often the first people to do something or go somewhere and they show us that it is also possible for other people to do the same. Whether they are the explorers from days before, inventors that chose to make something that everyone said was impossible to current trailblazers that are defying people's expectations of them, these humble heroes inspire both adults and children alike.

During February the @kidlitpicks book club found and shared books that pay tribute to these amazing people. Thanks to Natalie from Living by the Page for the empowering theme!

Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré, by Anika Aldamuy Denise and Paola Escobar

“This stunningly beautiful picture book biography of the influential librarian, storyteller, advocate and trailblazer Pura Belpré warms the heart and soul” — Summer from @readingisourthing

When an Elephant Falls in Love, by Davide Cali and Alice Lotti

“There's a lot of of it going on this month in terms of holidays, but I want to discuss something else worth celebrating: love." — Mel from @spiky_penelope

Laika the Astronaut by Owen Davey

“It’s a great way to open up debates about the ethics of animals in space and to appreciate what they did for space exploration.” — Claire from @alittlebookhabit

Malala's Magic Pencil, by Malala Yousafzai and Kerascoët

Her story is brought to life in these pages in a way that young readers can really be inspired by.” — Kim from

@bookbairn

J.K. Rowling: Boss the Bestseller List (Work It, Girl), by Caroline Moss and Sinem Erkas

J.K. Rowling continues to inspire people the world over and this inside look at her life, replete with quotes and collage-style art, also provides 10 tips for young readers to implement in their own lives.” — Miranda from @bookbloom

Black Music Greats: 40 Inspiring Icons, by Olivier Cachin and Jerome Masi"From blues to rap, spanning 80+ years of black music history, each double spread features a brief biography and many include a suggested discography to build the ultimate playlist” — Miranda from @bookbloom

The Polar Bear Explorer's Club, by Alex Bell and Tomislav Tomic

“Reading it together piqued their interest and they couldn't wait to finish it and now they're looking forward to the sequel.” — Carissa from @bookskidslove_

Stephen Hawking (Little People Big Dreams), by Isabel Sanchez Vegara and Matt Hunt

Waiting for Pumpsie, by Barry Wittenstein and London Ladd

“This is an inspiring and feel good story about equality and change.” — Charnaie from @hereweeread

Mae Among the Stars, by Roda Ahmed and Stasia Burrington

“I just had the best time sharing this beautiful book and project with my son’s first grade class!” — Anna from @kidlitcrafts

Mother Teresa (Little People Big Dreams), by Isabel Sanchez Vegara and Natascha Rosenberg
"Do small things with great love. If that isn't blazing a trail, I don't know what is." –– Natalie from @livingbythepagewithnatalie

Super Scientists: 40 Inspiring Icons, by Anna Blanchard and Tino

“These trailblazers led the way to thinking outside the box and learning how the world around us works.” — Michelle from @the.book.report

OUR MARCH THEME IS:

“Words are, in my not so humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic.” —Albus Dumbledore.
Books are truly magical objects that can transport us into a whole other world without us ever having to leave the comfort of our chair! And in children's books that magic is all the more powerful. With characters that children connect with, stories that lift you into an adventure, illustrations that create a whole other world, picture books and children's novels capture the imagination like no other. Sometimes books which create magic aren't always the ones you expect because it's in the sharing of the story that the magic comes to life. This month we are looking for a little spark of magic! Share with us the books that have worked a little magic in your home with your children. They might not be the most beautiful, or the most well-known but if they have sparked magic in your heart then they are truly special books and need to be shared.

I got to choose the theme this month so I would be especially excited to see your shares!!

We’d love for you to get involved by sharing a favourite magical read and tagging it with #kidlitpicks_magic.

Happy Reading,

The #KidLitPicks Team and Kim x

The human spirit thrives in nature. When we connect to our natural world it can create feelings of happiness and connectedness with others. Breathing in that fresh air sends a rush of good vibes to our brains and exploring all of nature’s creatures and beauty is just another avenue to learning. So this month, why don’t we celebrate the wonder of nature in picture books?! The singing birds, buzzing bees, crashing waves or swaying trees? Find and share any books that illustrate the wondrous environment around us and pay homage to our sweet Mother Nature.

During January the @kidlitpicks book club featured books about nature. Thanks to Angelique from Heads Shoulders Knees for the inspirational theme!

I Am The Seed That Grew The Tree, by Fiona Waters and Fran Preston-Gannon

“Because it is summertime in our part of the world, we started halfway through. In all truth, we’ve read more than one poem every day because this book is darling, with wonderful bite-sized nature-themed beauties by poets such as Emily Dickinson, William Shakespeare, Robert Frost and Emily Bronte, and soft, friendly illustrations.” — Summer from @readingisourthing

My Little Forest and My Little Garden, by Katrin Wiehle

“While the images are printed to look flat, they have an energy and texture about them that jumps right off the page." — Mel from @spiky_penelope

The Little Gardener, by Emily Hughes

“We love this book for its detailed, whimsical illustrations, it’s simple repetitive text and it’s big heart.” — Claire from @alittlebookhabit

Wild, by Emily Hughes

“It’s a gorgeously illustrated book with a lot of heart and some really good discussion points if you have an older audience.” — Claire from @alittlebookhabit

Bug Hotel and Bird House, by Libby Walden and Clover Robin

“These are perfect for when Spring returns and gardens become a-buzz with bees and beasties and trees a-flutter with feathered friends.” — Kim from @bookbairn

The Flight of Mr. Finch, by Thomas Baas

“Indeed it is a reminder that the journey is more important than the destination and perhaps what one seeks after most is closer to home than previously imagined.” — Miranda from @bookbloom

Illuminature, by Carnovsky and Rachel Williams

“This book is seriously cool, engaging, informative and fascinating!” — De from @books_and_babycinos

Animals in the Night, by Ruth Austin and Iris Deppe

“This is a lovely way to engage children in learning about animal behaviour and habitat.” — Carissa from @bookskidslove_

Something Rotten: A Fresh Look at Roadkill, by Heather L Montgomery and Kevin O'Malley

“This book is seriously fascinating.” — Carissa from @bookskidslove_

The Clue Is in the Poo, by Andy Seed and Claire Almon

“There’s loads of pictures on every page and interesting information about animals from around the world.” — Carissa from @bookskidslove_

Shell, Beak, Tusk: Shared Traits and the Wonders of Adaptation, by Bridget Heos
"This is a compelling picture book for older kids that brings to life theories of evolution in small, easily understood fun facts." — Rossa from @curiouslittlepeople

Where in the Wild, by Jenny Lambert

“Its bright and engaging pictures are guaranteed to grab the attention of the smallest readers and its rhythmic language sounds like a sweet song.” — Angelique from @heads.shoulders.knees

A Forest, by Marc Martin

“This story demonstrates the touching reality of renewal and conservation.” — Angelique from @heads.shoulders.knees

The Honeybee, by Kirsten Hall and Isabelle Arsenault

“This beautiful book, vibrant with gold and black, provides a simple yet thorough journey through the life of bees!” — Angelique from @heads.shoulders.knees

Little Fox in the Snow, by Jonathan London and Daniel Miyares“The lyrical and subtly rhyming text blend together perfectly with the illustrations to accentuate the stillness and urgency of nature.⁣” — Heather from @kidlitbookbits

Finding Wild, by Megan Wagnor Lloyd and Abigail Halpin

“Finding Wild is a gorgeously illustrated exploration of the wild that can be found all around us if we just take the time to look.” — Anna from @kidlitcrafts

OUR FEBRUARY THEME IS:

Happy Reading,

The #KidLitPicks Team and Kim x

I spy with my little eye something that rhymes with BOOK. How many words can you come up with? LOOK, COOK, HOOK, TOOK...

During December the @kidlitpicks book club was on the hunt for the best rhyming reads to share with our kiddos! We all know that reading WITH our children is one of the greatest gifts we can give them, as it opens up their world to so many different ideas and perspective, BUT did you know reading rhyming books is one of the best ways to help your child develop phonological awareness and rhythmic language?

The more rhyming books we read with our children the better they become at recognizing, identifying, matching and eventually substituting, manipulating and producing rhymes themselves. This assists them greatly with language development and on the road of learning to read. Plus rhyming reads are just so much fun and an excellent way to get the whole family engaged in read aloud moments that everyone will enjoy!

Thanks to Teri from Petit Book Corner for rounding out a year of wonderful kidlitpicks themes!

As We Grow, by Libby Walden and Richard Jones

“Walden has a way with words, taking simple sentences and transforming them into lyrical poems that flow effortlessly. And, Jones has a talent for creating beautiful scenes that will charm every reader..” — Summer from @readingisourthing

Hickory Dickory Dog by Alison Murray

“It’s a delight to sing along to the rhyme and watch the lovely characters frolic and play bringing the story to life.” — Kim from @bookbairn

All Through the Year, by Janie Godwin and Anna Walker

“If you’ve been searching for a book of months and seasons that reflects our lives here, you really can’t go past this one” — De from @books_and_babycinos

Macca's Christmas Crackers, by Matt Cosgrove

“It’s written in a cheery rhyme with a bouncy rhythm that’s sure to get you into the Christmas spirit” — Carissa from @bookskidslove_

Monster Party, by Alison Lester & Jane Godwin
"Told in rhyme, young kids will love reading about the crazy things monsters like to do when we are not looking." — Rossa from @curiouslittlepeople

Arty Farty Marty – the Paint Smashin’ Kraken, by Dale Baker
"Filled with vibrant and cheerful illustrations, this rhyming book is a great introduction to fine artists." — Rossa from @curiouslittlepeople

Rock What Ya Got, by Samantha Berger and Kerascoet

"We ADORE this book for helping children embrace their own amazing and unique characteristics through a catchy rhyming mantra." — Lauren from @happily.ever.elephants

Itsy Bitsy Babies, by Margaret Wild and Jan Ormerod

“The pictures in this book are simple and sweet, just like the text!” — Angelique from @heads.shoulders.knees

The Dragon and the Nibblesome Knight, by Elli Woollard and Benji Davies

“Wonderful rhymes that roll off the tongue and fun, detailed illustrations for this entertaining story of kindness.” — Heather from @kidlitbookbits

Rhyme Cordial, by Antonia Pesenti

“A wonderfully sturdy board book with super cool bright colourful graphics that instantly grab the readers attention and excite them on each page as they open the fold to read the matching rhyme and image.” — Teri from @petitbookcorner