New Book Highlights

One of the many fun parts of my job is getting to read all of the new books that come into the DNE media center. I'm so excited about many of the books we received in our most recent shipment! My next few posts (including today's) are going to highlight some of those books, so be sure to check them out!!

If Kids Ruled the World

Author: Linda Bailey

Illustrator: David Huyck

Have you ever wondered what the world would be like if kids were in charge? I know life certainly seemed simpler when I was a child, and in working with elementary school students on a daily basis, I often wonder if we’ve made life more complicated than it really needs to be.

 If Kids Ruled the World gives a humorous, beautifully illustrated, look at what the world would be like if kids started making the rules. For instance,
 

“If kids ruled the world,every day would be your birthday! Birthday cake would be good for you. Your doctor would say,“Don’t forget to eat your birthday cakeso you’ll grow up strong and healthy!” I could get on board with that – don’t we as adults often joke that food has no calories on certain special occasions? I think the most important part of this book is the reminder of how important a role play has in children’s lives, and how it should continue to be a part of our lives even as adults. Why is it that there’s this unwritten rule that, once we reach a certain age (and I still haven’t figured out exactly what age it is), play is no longer acceptable? Play, fun, and laughter are all important parts of a healthy life, even for those of us living with the daily stresses of life. What could this world become if we all took a little more time to play?

 Have You Seen My Monster?

Written and Illustrated by Steve Light



Beautiful pen-and-ink illustrations are the main attraction of this combination story/seek-and-find book. Have You Seen My Monster? follows a young girl around the fair as she tries to find her monster. At the same time, each two-page spread introduces a new shape, which is “hidden in plain sight” (the shape is the only thing in color on the page) within the picture.
 Have You Seen My Monster? is an enjoyable read, and it’s fun to see all of the situations the monster gets into. The seek-and-find aspect of the book uses many conventional shapes, but also introduces ones that many children may not yet have encountered, such as the trapezium, curvilinear triangle, and quatrefoil, perfect for the child who is constantly searching for something new to learn.
 While many picture books work well as both a read-aloud and as a one-on-one shared read, I believe this book works best as a one-on-one shared read, counting the shapes and finding the monster together.