Ursina's Shelf - Children’s books (part 2)
Issue 41
Dear Readers,
I am dismayed at the Russian-Ukrainian war and its impact and hardship. I am also in awe of the open arms in Poland and beyond and hopeful that this sisterly side of humanity will prevail. Despite wars, pandemics, and climate change, I believe we can create a better world for the next generation. Today, I would like to share more recommendations from wonderful parents for young readers.
More children's books
Wonderbooks subscription from Save the Childen
Description: The Wonderbooks book subscription is largely a donation to the non-governmental organization Save the Children, focused on improving the lives of children, including those impacted by war, natural disasters and other conflicts.
Julie’s take: Every month Culann gets a beautiful book posted to us with a story about a child Save the Children have helped somewhere around the world. It's informative, educational, and diverse and the stories are child-appropriate but with super important messages. They send "adult resources" too so you can find out more about how to talk to children about these messages.
Bonus information: Save the Children also provides a guide on how to talk to children about conflict. Last weekend, Dominic and I researched which organizations to donate to. In addition to Save the Children, we picked Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders / Ärzte Ohne Grenzen), SOS Kinderdorf, and S’Einlädele in Freiburg.
Priya Dreams of Marigolds and Masala by Meenal Patel (2019)
Description: This book is about a young girl who lives in the US but learns about India from her grandmother, through cooking, decorating, and simple daily routines. It also celebrates the special bond between grandchildren and grandparents.
Aishwarya’s take: Riaan's still a bit young to understand the story aspect of this book, but he's already building these little rituals with his grandmothers. He already loves helping his grandmothers in the kitchen and rolling out dough to make chapattis. It's such a nice way for him to connect with his cultural background, through small daily rituals.
More recommendations from Selena and her girls
I was so excited to receive a note from Selena after the first issue of on children’s books on how she read the issue together with her older daughter, who is already an avid reader. I learned to love reading from my mom and am now thrilled to see how many friends’ children are picking up their parents’ love for reading.
Selena also shared a treasure trove of recommendations that her two young readers enjoy. Her two-year old loves The Great Eggscape by Jory Jon and all the Little Critter books by Mercer Mayer. Selena says these are simple but fun and there are one or two critters to find on each page—favorites include Just a Snowman, Baby Sister Says No, and Just me and my Mom. Another favorite is Mo Willems' Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus and all the Mo Willems’ pigeon books.
Selena also recommends Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin, Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney, Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg, and Bee-Bim Bop! By Linda Sue Park. And great news, Selena points out that Ada Twist now has chapter books too. Her 6-year old got these for Christmas and they were a big hit.
Currently reading: Stuff Matters: Exploring the Marvelous Materials That Shape Our Man-Made World by Mark Miodownik.
Thank you for reading. Please feel free to share this on with young and old readers alike. I am sending so much love to all of you and wishing you a great weekend.