Today's read... Easter on the Farm by Phyllis Alsdurf

The first signs of Spring are popping up around the farm, which had me grabbing up today's read without a second thought. Easter might still be several weeks away, but everything needs preparation...including the Easter holiday celebration. Plus, there is Lent.

This is part of a series of books featuring holidays on a farm. I haven't read the other ones, yet, so it is a surprise.

EASTER ON THE FARM

Countryside Holidays

by Phyllis Alsdurf

Illustrated by Lisa Hunt

Beaming Books

Picture Book  /   Seasonal

32 pages

ages 4 to 8

COMING MARCH 5th!!!

Spring is here, and the farm is waking up to new life! A young girl and her family are ready to celebrate the new life of spring. She meets baby animals, helps prepare the garden for planting, and collects pussy willows by the marsh. As they get ready to host a community Easter egg hunt on the farm, the family also decorates eggs with natural dyes and makes funny gifts from egg shells and grass. From the bestselling author of Thanksgiving in the Woods and A Simple Christmas on the Farm , this bright, hopeful story invites readers to gather and celebrate the beauty of spring. Backmatter includes handmade Easter craft activities, including coloring eggs with natural dyes and making eggshell critters. Easter on the Farm is the fourth in the Countryside Holiday series.

GOODREADS    /    BEAMING BOOKS

MY TIDBITS

Easter traditions, old and new, sprinkle between budding Spring and more than a few joyful scenes.

A girl on a farm is excited to see the first signs of Spring. Preparing the garden, watching the birth of lambs, and much more make each day an exciting experience. Plus, there are the preparations for the upcoming Easter celebration until the day arrives. 

This is told in first person and jumps from one moment to the next. The text is slightly heavier, but thanks to the changing scenes and the holiday echoes, even the younger end of the age group should enjoy it. Only reluctant readers might take glances here and there. But the goodness doesn't end with the story.

Spring vibes and Easter atmosphere radiate from every page with fitting illustrations done in bright pastels. Each page reflects the activities and cheerful experiences. There are inviting moments from farm life as well as wholesome relationships between family and friends. The girl bounces from one situation to the next, embracing everything with a positive attitude. So much so that it will have listeners wishing they could partake in some of the fun. And they can. In the tale, several craft projects are introduced, which are fitting for the age group. These are visited again at the end of the book with instructions on how to make each Easter surprise. 

There is a slight religious direction, which fits very well to the theme and slides right in with the usual Easter celebration. The entire read uplifts and inspires listeners to begin Easter preparations of their own.

And here they are...

Phyllis Alsdurf is a former journalism and creative writing professor and the author of It's Milking Time (Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2019) and Thanksgiving in the Woods (Beaming Books, 2017).
Phyllis holds a PhD in journalism, with an emphasis on media and religion, and master's degrees in humanities and journalism. She has written and edited for a variety of religious publications and contributed to several books on media and religion.

Lisa Hunt is a freelance illustrator living near London, England. She has a degree in Fine Art from Coventry University and has illustrated several books and worked for publishers in the United States and the United Kingdom.
When not at her desk, Lisa can usually be found in the local coffee shop happily eating carrot cake, or sitting on the staircase at home waggling a bit of string at an over-excitable ginger cat.

Today's read... Erno Rubik and His Magic Cube by Kerry Aradhya

Did you know that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Rubik's Cube? I remember when everyone...and I do mean everyone...had one of these. I don't see them around much anymore, but I'm betting they might get a bit of a revival this year. While I have seen books about this popular cube, I was surprised to now find a picture book about the creator. Okay, maybe surprised is the wrong word. Curious? Definitely curious. I'm also curious to see how the author handles this because I see this one as a tough topic to grab young readers' interest with...and I'm ready to be proved wrong.

Also, Bookworm for Kids has long out-grown its present format, and I'm working on plans to step things up. Since this is all about you, my readers, I would love to hear any feedback or ideas you might have concerning what you'd like to see in a kidlit review website. Just comment below or reach out to me on the email found in my Review policies. I'm happy for any thoughts and ideas!

ERNO RUBIK AND HIS MAGIC CUBE

by Kerry Aradhya

Illustrated by Kara Kramer

Peachtree Press

Picture Book   /   Nonfiction

32 pages

ages 4 to 8

COMING

MAY 14th!!!

This first picture book biography of Erno Rubik, creator of the Rubik’s Cube, reveals the obsession, imagination, and engineering process behind the creation of a bestselling puzzle that will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2024.

In 2023, the world record for solving the Rubik’s Cube was broken by Max Park, who finished in 3.13 seconds!

And then there’s you. Did you ever get so frustrated with a Rubik’s Cube that you wanted to pull it apart and put it back together in order? Were you to do so, you’d see how cleverly one of the world’s most popular toys is assembled. Working together, the 26 pieces combine to make 43 quintillion possible configurations—but only one solution.

A solitary child, Erno Rubik grew up in post-World War II Hungary obsessed with puzzles, art, nature, and the underlying patterns and structures. He became a professor of art, architecture, and design, who was still fascinated with how objects work together, sometimes becoming greater than their components. In a quest to help his students understand three-dimensional objects and how they move—not to mention a desire to entertain himself—he fashioned a cube whose pieces twisted and turned without breaking, and unexpectedly invented the Rubik's Cube, the most popular puzzle in history, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2024.

GOODREADS   /    PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Grab a Rubik's cube before diving into this read, which hits not only the creator's tale but also gives a glance at how the entire thing works.

This book is appearing in celebration to the 50th Anniversary of the Rubik's Cube and starts where it all began. Beginning with Erno Rubik's childhood, the reader learns about his early interest in cubes, triangles, constructing, and building. It quickly zooms through his older years (after school), and then, shifts gears as it concentrates on his desire to construct what later became the Rubik's Cube. 

While this read does hit a basic overview of Rubik's biography, it makes sure to highlight the things young readers would connect with: his childhood, playing, and hobbies. It doesn't fall into the trap of hitting 'boring' facts or concentrating on more than what's necessary during his adult years. Readers can relate to him and won't left behind. The slide from biography to the engineering theme is smooth. Step-by-step, the pages reveal Rubik's journey from the idea of the cube to the form we know today. The author and illustrator take care to go from the beginning thought and lead through the trials and errors of the creation process. While the workings of the cube are more directed toward the older end of the reading audience, the process of taking a dream from the first idea to the final product should be clear to all and inspire. Rubik's mistakes, numerous attempts, and readjustments of plans make it clear that things don't happen overnight, and that mistakes are needed to usher in improvements. It's a valuable concept on many fronts.

The illustrations are bright and bold like the Rubik's Cube and let the colors inspire every scene. While the text does offer needed details, the illustrations carry much of the tale on their own. Rubik is portrayed as a kind, curious kid, which makes him easy to identify with. But it's in the later, more technical scenes, which the illustrations really shine. They bring the construction idea behind the cube down to a visual level, which helps readers understand what is happening.

This is a well-done read and does a better job at hitting the intended age group than I expected. I do suggest letting readers play with a Rubik's Cube before reading this, since the book does require that the reader, at least, know what the cube is and how it rotates (from the handling side). As said above, the technical tidbits will grab more readers on the older end of the reading level. I do wish the construction had gone one tiny step further and explained/displayed how the small cubes on the edges are connected to the center, since only six connections are shown. But I realize this might go a bit far for the age group.

Anyway, it's a great way to bring the information across to a younger audience and inspire interest in the Rubik's Cube. It's also opens the door to a fun project and who knows what other building ideas it will inspire.

And here they are...

Kerry Aradhya loves to puzzle over words and immerse herself in the creative process. She is the author of Erno Rubik and His Magic Cube and more than a dozen poems in award-winning children’s magazines such as Babybug, Ladybug, and Highlights High Five. When not writing for children, Kerry works part-time as a science writer/editor and performs with a quirky modern dance ensemble. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family and their cute but naughty pooch named Sofie.

Kara Kramer is a mixed media artist, and illustrator who loves to PLORK with all mediums. She has taught creative art workshops for both children and adults. Ever since she was little, her happiest hours are spent moving her hands to make something new. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her family.

Today's read... Tree Spirits by Louise Wannier

Today's read heads into the direction of creativity and imagination. It was presented to me as an unique, nonfiction read...and I'm expecting it to be a beautiful one, too. Using photographs, it should invite young readers to look beyond what they see and let their fantasy weave a slightly new perspective. I'm looking forward to seeing what exciting secrets it holds.

TREE SPIRITS

written and photographed by Louise Wannier

Illustrations by April Tatiana Jackson

Red Hen Press

Picture Book

ages 4 to 8

56 pages

ages 3 to 8

What do you see when you look up at this tree?" TREE SPIRITS is a book written in rhyme which encourages children to develop their imagination, creativity and emotional intelligence. "How do you imagine they/he/she is feeling today?" For parents and grandparents and friends and family it is a fun book to read with the children in their lives. It includes an interactive drawing section. 

GOODREADS    /     AMAZON    /     TREE SPIRITS BOOK

MY TIDBITS

Mixing imagination with the surrounding world invites to dreams and seeing beyond the obvious.

Creativity and imagination drive this read forward through photographs and rhymed text. The author has taken colorful photographs of unique knots, twists, and marks on trees and encourages readers to view them with a touch of fantasy in mind. The text not only gives hints but exposes what the artist, April Tatiana Jackson, sees—an elephant or a rabbit? The entire photograph, then, appears again, but this time with an outline of the imagined creature in red ink overlaying the tree. It even invites readers to discover their own images, too.

The text fits well to the mid and upper end of the age group and flows smoothly with the rhymes. It drops little hints with a literary atmosphere before exposing the artist's vision. It is well done but could be a bit more concise. But then, I have a feeling that it will be the adults who are more taken by the text than the younger readers, since these will be concentrating on the photos and trying to discover the creature 'hidden' inside.

The photographs are well done and use very unique growths on the trees to simple knots (if these can be considered simple). While some of the creatures are easy to see, others do need the help of the red lines afterwards. But either way, young readers are sure to discover their own images, too...and that is the entire point of this read. It sparks imagination and will have young readers viewing the world around them with different eyes. This book would also work well in classroom, group, or homeschooling settings to introduce a project. 

It's a lovely way to exercise creativity and will inspire readers, both young and old.

Today's read... Martin Luther King Jr. Day by Margaret McNamara

 I know I'm a little 'off' calendar-wise on today's read, but I wasn't able to slide it in fast...plus, I'm betting this one can be read any time of the year. I have read a book about the Robin Hill School before, enjoyed it, and am looking forward to see what this class is up to next because they made me smile last time.

It's time for a fieldtrip!

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY

Robin Hill School

Ready to Read, Level One

by Margaret McNamara

Illustrated by Mike Gordon

Simon Spotlight

Early Reader Chapter Book

32 pages

ages 3 to 9

Mrs. Connor's students honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day with their own dreams and hopes in this Level 1 Ready-to-Read!

The class imagines how to make the world a better place in this celebration of an important holiday.

GOODREADS   /    AMAZON   /    B&N

MY TIDBITS

These pages center around Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but instead of diving into this great man's history, accomplishments and facts, it heads toward a broader direction.

It's Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the class is on a fieldtrip to learn more about what the day means. Of course, the kids are packed full of ideas and Mrs. Connor knows exactly how to grab their attention and shift their thoughts in an inspiring direction.

This is a book for those readers, who have learned enough words to handle many sentences on their own but still need practice. The words are in a larger font, nicely spaced, and kept to a minimum. There are illustrations on (almost) every page, too. Plus, it does build vocabulary gently along the way. So, it's great for beginning readers.

The students and Mrs. Connor come across with kindness and fun. The kids' responses are very natural, and Mrs. Connor has an amazingly patient and caring way of reacting to them. It shows a wholesome classroom setting with classmates, who are kind to one another, use their imagination, and will connect with many young readers. The situations and settings are familiar and, again, easy for readers to recognize and identify with. There's enough of a light humor to bring slight smiles, and the pacing moves along steadily to keep boredom away. It's a nice, simple, and quick read.

At first, I was surprised that there wasn't much information about Martin Luther King Jr. but have to admit that it wouldn't have worked well in this level of read. The very basics are explained...just what the age group can understand...and then, the author cleverly brought it into the big dream direction and left with a very inspiring message. So, kudos on that end.

It's a gentle and fun way to introduce beginning readers to the holiday while improving the reading skills in a way, which won't scare them away.

Today's read... There's No Place Like Hope by Janet Lawler

Today's read comes from an author, whose works I've enjoyed before. And after seeing the cover and theme of this one, I'm pretty sure it will be just as enjoyable. There's always tons of positivity and good vibes with a very down-to-earth messaging in Janet Lawler's works. Let's see if this one continues with the same goodness.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOPE

by Janet Lawler

Illustrated by Tamisha Anthony

Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux

Picture Book

32 pages 

ages 4 to 8

There’s no place like hope,
where possible lives,
where people are helpful
and everyone gives.

If you’re feeling scared or sad, happy or helpful―hope will guide you. It’s not always easy. And sometimes having hope means being brave, or determined, or kind. At the end of the day, hope is where better will be.

This sweet, rhythmic picture book is a gentle yet powerful exploration of how hope makes us loving, courageous, and connected to one another.

GOODREADS    /    AK PRESS    /    REDISCOVERED BOOKS    /     AMAZON

MY TIDBITS

Wholesome goodness radiates from every page as positive vibes roll from every scene.

Written  in rhyme, this is a read to lean back with and enjoy. The words flow rhythmically and carry a calming tone. They are short enough for young readers and bring an encouraging message across. These are accompanied by illustrations, which portray kids doing familiar activities...usually with a smile on the face and always together. The scenes are created with a hint of pastel to give a gentle atmosphere, yet the energy is still present to invite in. 

The message in these pages is comforting, supportive, encouraging, and brightens the heart. The characters offer help cheerfully, work together when needed, offer encouragement in difficult situations, and even comfort when necessary. Each scene is well done creates more than just a hopeful atmosphere. It's a positive read with tons of goodness.

You can learn more about Janet Lawler: https://janetlawler.com/