Edda: A little Valkyrie's First Day of School by Adam Auerbach

This is a fun starting school book that is a little remniscent of The Princess and the Pony. Which for some reason, I have never done a post on. Oh boy! Just think of the fun ahead! 

Edda is the littlest Valkyrie.

But sometimes littlest Valkyries, while happy with their lovely Asgard full of magic, adventure, and dragons, want to hang out with people their own age. 

Her father knows just what to do! 

I bet she stymied her teacher when her kindergarten teacher wanted to make a bar chart about how everyone got to school that day--"Why is there no column for flying horse?"

Even Valkyries can be nervous when they don't know everyone. 

When compared to Asgard, school seems to come up a short second. 

And no one wants to swap their lunch for her shank of meat. 

Even the animals and creatures of school are less interesting (to say the least!) at school.

However, when Edda tells the class about Asgard, 

(Dragon hugs!)

She begins to make friends and enjoy school. 

So much so that she brings home a play date. 

(What kind of mother lets a clearly eccentric man take her son off on a flying horse with eight legs to a mythical land? Clear case of irresponsible parenting right there.)

And on the second day of school, Edda brings her dragon along for his first day of school. 

And it appears her friend survived his Asgard play date, so whew! 

Mermaid School by JoAnne Stewart Wetzel & Illus by Julianna Swaney

This is an incredibly cute book with very little depth. Except for the part about the ocean--that is pretty deep. HAHAHA. Sorry. couldn't resist.  

Pretty much perfect for the younger crowd and a little overly sweet for everyone else. 

While there isn't that much point to this book, the mermaid angle, the cute illustrations, and the what-if-school-were-under-water? aspect will probably make me buy this for my school library. Kids like mermaids. 

So many fish in the sea!

The first day of Mermaid school! 

Totally cute pictures and rhyme-yness. 

My six year old daughter loved all the details--the kelp door hanging, the barnacle like cubbies.... 

But WHY are their backpacks called tailpacks? They are not on their tails. It is a mystery. 

The A-B-Seas

Trumpetfish and drum fish making some dance music

Those weird, made up creatures without tails that live out of the water! 

Even mermaid school has a clip chart. 

You can't argue with adorable though.

The author even provides you with the mermaid school handbook.

Aren't my flowers pretty floating in their waterbowl?

14 Cows For America by Carmen Agra Deedy & Illus by Thomas Gonzalez

I didn't know this story whatsoever until I found this book on my library shelf. 

This is the true story of how the Maasi people of Kenya responded to the September 11 attacks so many thousands of miles from them. 

Kimeli is walking home to his village as he returns for a visit from learning to be a doctor in New York.

He is greeted by all the children first

The Maasai treat their cows like they treat their children

To the Maasai, the cow is life.

I love cows. I am always prejudiced in anyone's favor who values cows. 

A mother's welcome

I really, really love the illustration, their exuberance, their ochre tinge, their detail!

Kimeli begins to tell a story that has burnt a hole in his heart. 

The story of September 11

He reminds them that to the Maasai, the cow is life. And he offers his cow to the people of America who have been hurt so deeply by these attacks.

The American ambassador from Nairobi is invited to a ceremony

Where he is give 14 cows for America.

Because there is no nation so powerful that it cannot be wounded,

nor a people so small they cannot offer mighty comfort. 

Mic drop. 

I tear up EVERY TIME I read this page. 

When I am reading this book to students, I can tell some of them are a little confused. What would people in New York City do with cows? Why would these people offer them to us? It is similar to when you are sad about something and your little brother or sister brings a toy that is precious to themselves for you to play with. You might not really need or particularly want that toy, but knowing the love with which it was given, you feel a little better--your heart hurts a little less. You know you are loved.

The cows were never sent to America; they reside at the American embassy in Nairobi. America really didn't need the cows. But we desperately needed the message that was sent with these cows--"We are with you. We care. We want to give you life."

Books for Other People Matter

Our school has implemented the Positivity Project this school year. Have you heard of P2? Basically it is the idea of encouraging resiliency and empathy in students by helping them see the strengths in themselves and identify the character areas they need to work on. I am skeptical about projects like this--can you TEACH kids to be decent human beings if they don't want to change or their homelife teaches them something completely different? I don't know. But being a teacher in a public school has shown me time and again that something needs to change. We need to TRY. 

Do all the good you can

By all the means you can,

In all the ways you can, 

In all the places you can, 

To all the people you can, 

As long as ever you can.

                                        --John Wesley

As librarian, I will be putting together lists of books that go along with the 24 character strengths. And as a blogger, I will be forcing my lists upon you. Yay!

At school this week, before we begin highlighting the various character strengths, we will be talking about the Other People Matter mindset. 

I am sorting these books by intended audience, but I totally believe that lower elementary books can spark a conversation in high school! 

Lower Elementary

We don't eat our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins

I am looking forward to reading this one about a dinosaur who has a hard time not eating her human classmates. 

Horrible Bear! By Amy Dyckman

Runaway temper, self-absorbed and careless of other people's feelings, this red headed heroine learns to think before acting. 

That Neighbor Kid by Daniel Miyares

The importance of friendship and how other people can make our world brighter

Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller

As the title implies, this book explores the ways in which you can be kind and how kindness affects others

The Wolf, The Duck, & The Mouse by Mac Barnett

A wolf learns consideration after swallowing small animals

A Perfect Day by Lane Smith

Animals teach us how our actions and viewpoint affects other people

A Chair for my Mother by Vera Williams

After a fire, Rosa, her mother, and her grandmother work hard to save up money for the perfect chair to rest in

I Walk with Vanessa  by Karascoet

A new student is bullied, but finds a friend who will stand (or walk!) by her side. 

A Piece of Home by Jeri Watts

Asks students to look at the familiar through the eyes of an immigrant family

Yo! Yes? by Chris Raschka

A new kid in the neighborhood finds a friend--The importance of friends

Peace is an Offering by Annette Le Box

What peace can be and what peace can do

Pass it On by Sophy Henn

Shows students the ripple effect of a kind act

Brave Like Me by Barbara Kerley

Some kids live without their parents so that everyone can live a little safer--perfect other people matter material! 

Upper Elementary

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson

A repeatedly missed opportunity for kindness asks students if it is ever too late to be kind. 

The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes

A classic bullying story gives students the chance to think about being a bystander--could I or should I do more to help others? 

Brave Girl by Michelle Markel

Wanting to make things better for her fellow shirtwaist makers, Clara Lemlich creates a union despite enormous obstacles. 

Tucky Jo and Little Heart by Patricia Palacco

Based on true events, a Vietnam soldier extends kindness to a local girl and finds his actions coming back to help him years later. 

14 Cows For America by Carmen Agra Deedy

After 9/11, the Maasai people of Africa choose 14 of their precious cows to send to America to help America heal from the pain of 9/11. 

Middle/High School

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Police brutality asks a community to think about how they interact and view each other

The Girl in the Well is Me by Karen Rivers

Kammie tries to join the popular girl crowd, but that leads to being stuck in a well, so... maybe the popular girls are not the best friends. 

A Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds

Setting out to avenge his brother's death, our hero is confronted with the perspectives of those whose lives have been lost in similar ways. 

Patina by Jason Reynolds

A middle school girl does everything she can to help her sister, her aunt, her friends--when the unexpected happens, can Patina learn to let other people help her?