February Selections
In a small effort to highlight Africa and Black History month we leaned toward those books this month.
Seeds of Change by Jen Cullerton Johnson
Mom: This is a story about Wangari Maathai who led the Green Belt movement in Kenya. Wangari and other women started planting trees to help their village be more sustainable. Wangari was the first black woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize and fought for the rights of women. It is a wonderful story to read to kids about how one small idea can turn into something big and wonderful.
Girls: They loved this book. I must have read it at least 5 times- maybe more. Hermione is always the one most interested to know if it is a "true for real story", which I still love that question. It is such a teachable moment.
Wangari's Trees of Peace by Jeanette Winter
Mom: Okay, so I honestly didn't know these were practically the same story just told differently when I first reserved these books for the month, I try not to do TOO much review reading before hand so that I don't make judgements and so I can give my reviews without outside influence, but any way it worked out great. It was a great way to teach my girls compare and contrast.
Girls: They love the story of Wangari. (again I read this book almost ever night for a week). This book does have a concerning element for those with sensitive kids- Wangari is beaten (there is a little blood in the illustration) and taken to jail. My daughters were concerned about it but not overly emotional. Seeds of Change does not include such a picture so if you wish to tell the story without that element that is your choice.
I also discovered a documentary called Taking Root on YouTube about Wangari and am reviewing it to see if it is possible to show to my girls- although I think it may have some violence in it- I am curious.
We also read Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson, and Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa. But our main focus this month was on Wangari and conservation.
On Meadowview Street by Henry Cole
Mom: A little girl named Caroline moves to a new neighborhood on Meadowview Street and ends up creating a whole neighborhood meadow in the process. This is the kind of yard I ALWAYS wanted to have as a kid but my dad said was too unorganized- and also in my dad's defense was probably not something do-able because we were renting and didn't actually OWN the land where we lived. We were probably required to keep it neat and tidy, but I didn't know that nor was that concept ever explained to me.
Girls: "It is so funny when everyone sells their lawnmowers!"
Mom: This is a story about Wangari Maathai who led the Green Belt movement in Kenya. Wangari and other women started planting trees to help their village be more sustainable. Wangari was the first black woman to win a Nobel Peace Prize and fought for the rights of women. It is a wonderful story to read to kids about how one small idea can turn into something big and wonderful.
Girls: They loved this book. I must have read it at least 5 times- maybe more. Hermione is always the one most interested to know if it is a "true for real story", which I still love that question. It is such a teachable moment.
Mom: Okay, so I honestly didn't know these were practically the same story just told differently when I first reserved these books for the month, I try not to do TOO much review reading before hand so that I don't make judgements and so I can give my reviews without outside influence, but any way it worked out great. It was a great way to teach my girls compare and contrast.
Girls: They love the story of Wangari. (again I read this book almost ever night for a week). This book does have a concerning element for those with sensitive kids- Wangari is beaten (there is a little blood in the illustration) and taken to jail. My daughters were concerned about it but not overly emotional. Seeds of Change does not include such a picture so if you wish to tell the story without that element that is your choice.
I also discovered a documentary called Taking Root on YouTube about Wangari and am reviewing it to see if it is possible to show to my girls- although I think it may have some violence in it- I am curious.
We also read Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom, When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson, and Ella Fitzgerald: The Tale of a Vocal Virtuosa. But our main focus this month was on Wangari and conservation.
Mom: A little girl named Caroline moves to a new neighborhood on Meadowview Street and ends up creating a whole neighborhood meadow in the process. This is the kind of yard I ALWAYS wanted to have as a kid but my dad said was too unorganized- and also in my dad's defense was probably not something do-able because we were renting and didn't actually OWN the land where we lived. We were probably required to keep it neat and tidy, but I didn't know that nor was that concept ever explained to me.
Girls: "It is so funny when everyone sells their lawnmowers!"
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