Birdie's Big Girl Hair

Sujean Kim's latest, Birdie's Big Girl Hair, is a huge hit with Ivy.

Although the book has few words, it is the subject matter and gorgeous illustrations that she adores. Thelittle fashion diva, Birdie, wants to get her hair styled. She has trouble deciding her new look until she sees her mother's high school yearbook. Who better to look like than her mommy? After a trip to the stylist, Birdie runs off with her friends to the playground. What happens when her hair begins to lose its coiffed look? Find out in this lovely new picture book.

Extra Yarn

Anabelle lives in a cold and colorless town. When she comes across a box of yearn, she knits herself a sweater, adding a splash of color across the page. The box had some extra yarn, so she knit her dog a sweater. She proceeds to work her magic over the grumpy people in her town, bringing color to their worlds. Magically, every time she finishes a project, there is extra yarn. There is also more color in the town. Find out what will happen to this magical ball of yarn and the colorful Anabelle.

Extra Yarn by Marc Bennet

Melissa Guion

Ivy had the pleasure of meeting Melissa Guion at the Blue Bunny last week. She wrote and illustrated Baby Penguins Everywhere!, which we had signed for Ivy's baby brother, Atticus, since it came in a board book edition! It is a lovely book about a lonely little penguin who finds a hat. When one baby penguin after another pops out, the little penguin is overjoyed with the company. She soon realizes (much like I do...especially today on a snow day!) that a little alone time is good for the soul. Ivy, the four-year-old who asked for art lessons, was thrilled to meet an illustrator. Not only did Ivy meet her, but Melissa taught her how to draw a penguin. Ivy was so thrilled by this that she has been drawing penguins in her spare time all week at school. A wonderful book by a wonderful illustrator who takes the time to inspire others.

Melissa Guion

Ivy had the pleasure of meeting Melissa Guion at the Blue Bunny last week. She wrote and illustrated Baby Penguins Everywhere!, which we had signed for Ivy's baby brother, Atticus, since it came in a board book edition! It is a lovely book about a lonely little penguin who finds a hat. When one baby penguin after another pops out, the little penguin is overjoyed with the company. She soon realizes (much like I do...especially today on a snow day!) that a little alone time is good for the soul. Ivy, the four-year-old who asked for art lessons, was thrilled to meet an illustrator. Not only did Ivy meet her, but Melissa taught her how to draw a penguin. Ivy was so thrilled by this that she has been drawing penguins in her spare time all week at school. A wonderful book by a wonderful illustrator who takes the time to inspire others.

Frozen

Although I hate to waste a blog writing on Disney, I do have to be true to Ivy's loves. The Disney Frozen Read Along is one of Ivy's favorites. Poor Matt has to listen to it over and over again. The sound effects and voices make it come alive for Ivy on her long commutes home. Listening to this CD helped her to be less frightened when she saw Frozen, her first movie!

Happy Birthday, Martin Luther King

Last year it was difficult to find an age appropriate book for Ivy on black rights. This year we have a winner, a simple tale with beautifully etched pictures by Jean Marzollo and J. Brian Pinkney. Ivy is quite interested in the life of this celebrated American hero. She seems fascinated that you needed a different school/water fountain if you were black. It has prompted a lot of conversations about race over the past week. She wants to read it every night before bed! The treatment of his assassination is age appropriate; it simply says he was shot and killed.

 While reading this book, Ivy asked about the words on his gravestone, "Free at last, free at last, God Almighty free at last!" We decided to buy her I Have A Dream, a book containing King's original speech and a recording of it. We have not yet made it through - hoping to do this during the next few weekends. Nelson's paintings are just beautiful.

The Night Before Christmas

Although it is past Christmas, it is worth noting that Ivy adored this book this season. Perhaps four begins the height of Clement C. Moore's poem? Every Christmas Eve Ivy's grandmother calls her and reads her The Night Before Christmas over FaceTime. This year her Nana and Papa gave her an audio version with their voices from Hallmark. Ivy listened to it, for better or worse, all the way back home from visiting them (3 hours!). She has mostly memorized the poem by now. For all you grandparents out there - try these recordable little pieces of history.