Month: November 2013

Book Review: 1621, A New Look At Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers! Last year, I shared one of my new favorite Thanksgiving themed books by Melissa Sweet, Balloons Over Broadway, that celebrates the famous parade and its history. It was again a big hit at this year’s storytime. This year, my mind has been struggling with some different feelings about what used to be a favorite holiday. With my broadening education about the continual stereotyping of Native people in picture books, I’ve become quite disheartened towards typical Thanksgiving picture books with their constant questionable portrayals of “Indians” and misrepresentation of “the first Thanksgiving.” Not wanting to disdain the holiday completely, I am striving to take Debbie Reese’s comment to heart and even beyond books: “Sometimes I think that Thanksgiving books for young children should just focus on things people are grateful for.”

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Caryn2 Comments

Book Review: Building Our House By Jonathan Bean

Seems like forever since I have done a book review, but this one has maintained a steady spot at the top of my favorites pile since I began this Cybils craziness. I readily admit, that I didn’t give it much thought when I heard and saw it coming out earlier this year, and now I’m making up for lost time. This is a sweet book about a little girl’s family working together to build their dream home and all the time and effort and love that makes up those walls. Here is Building Our House by Jonathan Bean, 2013.

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Caryn1 Comment