Parents will find this book to be a quick and easy reference for everyday living practices with their child. Gavin McCormack has boiled down one-hundred ideas that are in alignment with Montessori philosophy for parents. The ideas are mainly for elementary-age children, and some are for children in the early childhood stage. Then some ideas can be used with children from early childhood through the elementary years and beyond. A few examples are: “Give your child the responsibility to take care of their things.” “Spend one night per week walking and talking. Look at the moon and discuss big-picture ideas.” “Do not replace things that get broken. Learn the value of money and repair things together.”
On each page, the author writes the main idea and then explains the value of practicing it with your child, the family, or the larger community outside your family. Each idea has a two-page spread with an illustration on one page and the idea and value on the other. The illustrations are in color and in a style similar to what a child might draw.
Parents may appreciate the brevity of the content in this book, as life can get so full and time is precious. It can be found on most online booksellers.
I just discovered that DK Publishers has a reading series. As always, this book is beautifully illustrated with photos of real honeybees, flowers, honeycombs, and all the other things that are part of a honey bee’s life. Amazing Bees is a Level 2 reader. The print is nice and big with just the right amount of information for an emerging reader. I am in love with this book and am now ordering a couple of books from each of the levels to see how they progress. I trust that I will be just as pleased with other books in this reading series. This is a great addition to a home or school library. You can purchase books in this series from amazon.com and probably other booksellers as well.
Ivan’s parents split up and are living in separate houses. Ivan didn’t like that he had to go here and there. He didn’t think he could be happy and himself with his parents apart. It took a little time and some adjustment for Ivan to realize that love and happiness could be shared; that love and happiness could be both here and there. It’s important for children to know that families can change and be structured in different ways. Time helps. Love helps. And some things will be held in common here and there.
Whether this is your first newborn or your fourth, this book has a lot to offer. It will stimulate your awareness of how much and how often babies are speaking to us, if we would only listen. More than anything else, Dr. Nugent is calling us to slow down and pay attention to all the ways that newborns and infants communicate with us without using a word.
These little, tiny humans, new to the world, are ready, willing, and able to express themselves, if we not only take the time to be present but also begin to understand their language. They are awesome!
The photographs beautifully connect Dr. Nugent’s written words with the innocence, the emotions, and the sheer wonder of these small beings! Buy this book for yourself or give it to someone you know. You’ll be glad you did.
As children grow into the elementary years and beyond, they are often influenced by the media and their peers. They want to fit in with the other kids in their schools and neighborhoods.
This story is set in a city but could be any setting whether urban, rural, or suburban. The main character, Jeremy, sees that many of his peers are all getting a particular type of shoe and are feeling very cool about it. One day his shoes fall apart at school, and the counselor gives him a pair of shoes, but Jeremy is embarrassed. When the other boys see the shoes, they laugh at him.
His grandmother says that what he really needs is a new pair of snow boots, but Jeremy really wants to have a pair of “those shoes.”
After much searching from one thrift store to another, Jeremy finds a pair of “those shoes.” He pays for them himself, even though he knows they are too small for him. Find out what Jeremy finally decides to do with “those shoes” at the end.
The illustrations are vibrant with color and movement. The style reminds me of the style of Ezra Jack Keats. Elementary children will enjoy this book, and it may serve as a conversation starter about Jeremy and the choices that he makes.
Brandon Stanton is a photographer in New York City. In this book, he used only photos of children from toddlers through the elementary years. He adds some prose to tell the readers all that “little humans” can do and be. The photography was not done in a studio but out on the streets of New York. Readers will see children who are dressed up in their fancy clothes, sports gear, and everyday clothes, doing all kinds of things like dancing, playing a musical instrument, riding a bike, getting ready for hockey, and more. Young children will enjoy both the text and the photos.
Eve Bunting is not new to writing children’s picture books, storybooks, and children’s novels. Blackwater will engage readers from ages 11-14 years old with a story of tragedy, mystery, and moral dilemmas.
It reminds readers of the importance of always being mindful of the choices they make and the actions that they take. Sometimes, even just a simple act of jealousy or revenge can lead to tragedy and can ruin a person’s life or worse. In this story an entire town was affected by the sudden death of two teens and the unspoken truth about the incident.
Brodie, the main character of the novel, struggled with guilt, grief, and truth telling because of his part in the accidental deaths of two of his peers. Fortunately, a good friend encouraged Brodie to confess his actions. When he did, his parents stood by his side as he suffered the consequences of his actions.
This is a book that parents, and teachers will want to read along with their teens to openly discuss the choices that were made and the events that occurred. Guiding children through the teen years and allowing space for them to express opinions and wrestle with tough decisions is an important part of our role in parenting and teaching. Expressing our own values in a non-defensive or non-judgmental way, while creating that space, is the key to helping our teens process real life situations.
Written by Laura Wilhelm Photos by Gryphon House and Shutterstock
Treasure basket exploration is a terrific idea for not-yet-mobile infants. The concept could be modified in some ways to better fit toddler’s through kindergartener’s strong sense of order. I struggled a little bit with this concept because I know from my own observations, as well as those of Maria Montessori and interactions with children in the early childhood years (birth-6 years old), that this period of time in a child’s development is crucial for preparing an environment that instills a very orderly way of thinking. At the infant and toddler stage of development, little ones are all about moving and exploring, so the baskets work well. There is a certain amount of order to it because the objects are contained within the basket. They come out of the basket and, when finished, return to the basket (sometimes by the infant or toddler—more often than not by the parent or teacher). The baskets are almost like introductory work for the primary level (3-6 years old), where the activities are contained in baskets or on trays but are designed to teach a skill rather than just allow for exploration.
I need to do more research about “heuristic learning” to truly understand what it is. As I read this book, it sounds like you put a bunch of stuff in a pile and the children get to “explore” it. For me it sounds a bit too unstructured for 3-6-year-olds, as they are really ready for order and imitation rather strictly exploration. Their activities always have some flexibility for exploration but also have a beginning, a middle, and end within each activity.
So, there are some very usable ideas for the infant-toddler years, and some ideas that can be modified for older children in Treasure Basket Exploration.
When I looked at the cover of this book I was intrigued. It was simple with a kind of unique illustration of a shelf with activities, and it was written for parents of toddlers—encouraging signs. Then I looked at the table of contents which was 3.33 pages long. Hmmm. Busy parents with small toddlers. Looks a little off-putting to me. So, I flipped through the book. I like photos and illustrations. There were very few photos and quite a few illustrations, but lots of words to read in this 248- page volume. Oh boy!
I made myself look more closely, and what I found was delightfully appealing. That huge table of contents I discovered was because the author listed each topic in each chapter, so it looked a lot more daunting than it truly is. Many of the topics listed are half a page to two pages at most. A parent can easily read a quick snippet and put the book down. They can also easily look up a specific topic that they are interested in because the topics are listed in such detail.
After looking more carefully, I really like the design. Simone Davies is very thorough. Her knowledge, understanding, and enjoyment of this age group is very apparent, and she shares it well with her audience. Often toddlers are misunderstood and so behave in ways that parents find difficult. Davies touches on some key points when thinking about toddlers. The first two chapters give parents valuable information about this stage in a child’s development and a brief introduction to Montessori. The rest of the book helps parents see their role as changing from a servant during infancy to a guide during toddlerhood and beyond. She brilliantly describes how to create a home environment that supports toddler success, both physically and emotionally, with furnishings and activities, as well as discipline.
The Montessori Toddler is a great resource for parents of infants, so that they can prepare for toddlerhood and for parents of toddlers who are already in the midst of toddlerhood.
The Memory Box is a very helpful book for children who have lost a loved one. It brings to light a variety of emotions from fear to sadness to happiness that children may experience as they go through the grief process and beyond. Sometimes, adults find it difficult to talk about feelings and death, especially if the person who has died is someone they loved as well. This book helps adults, as it tells a story about a child who is grieving, what feelings she experiences, and how she creates a “memory box.” The illustrations are lovely, almost whimsical, and yet realistic. At the end of the book there is a section to help adults support children through their loss. Children four years old through elementary and possibly the middle school years would benefit from The Memory Box.
by Norma Jean Haynes, Ann Sayre Wiseman, and John Langstaff
Another wonderful book for adventurous children and grown ups who want to have fun making music! The book is laid out in categories starting with Beginning Notes (pun intended I’m sure!); Household Things that Ring and Ping; Body Music; Percussion Beats and Rhythms; Breath Music: the Winds, The String Section; Instruments from the Workshop; and Creating Music. I’m excited just writing down the names of the sections and that’s not all. This book has beautiful photos of real children in action and having so much fun with music. Make Music is a great resource for an afterschool studio or for the vacation home or cabin, or at home on a school break, or ongoing project. The audience for the projects would probably be elementary-age children because of their skill and social levels; although, very clever teachers or parents could probably modify some of the projects for younger children as well.
Elementary and middle school children, along with their parents and teachers, will love this book. It is a hilarious review of wild animals from around the world! Each animal is rated in a humorous way that tells the reader a little something about the creatures. Animals Reviewed also includes the common name for the animal, its scientific name, and a zoo or aquarium where it can be found. This information is great because some of these animals may tickle a child’s curiosity and may motivate them to do more in-depth research about the animal. They may even be able to go see the animal in person if a zoo or aquarium nearby has one in residence. Enjoy!
This series is written by an author who we have heard from before. Dr. Owen also wrote a series called Right Now. Some of you may remember and have read those books. Everyone Feels is a new series that can help children identify feelings, such as anger, sadness, and anxiety and give them strategies to cope with them in appropriate, healthy ways. Strategies include deep breathing, changing their thoughts, physical exercise, etc. In the past, children were taught to “stuff” certain feelings and pretend they didn’t exist. Fortunately for all of us, we now know that “stuffing” only leads to eventual explosions that can negatively impact the person with the feeling and others around them.
This series is very helpful for young children as they learn how to self-regulate and express themselves in ways that keep them emotionally safe and healthy. It would be a good addition to any home or school library for children three to ten years old. The books can be purchased online or at a local bookstore.
This children’s book encourages children to feel their own feelings, think their own thoughts, self-reflect, know themselves, be courageous, and accept others for who they are. The overall belief is that humans inherently know who they were meant to be when left unjudged and unconditionally loved. Within this book, the story is written in English and then repeated in Spanish – two books in one. The illustrations are colorful and fun. They depict children from many backgrounds.
At the end of the book, there are several pages with notes to parents, caregivers, and teachers with discussion questions and activities. This book would be appealing to three- to eight year-old children. It can be purchased at amazon.com and other book outlets.
Illustrated by Alishs Nicole Brumfield, Brenda Brambila, Esma Bošnjaković, Samantha Morales-Johnson, Sophia Marie Pappas, Tracy Nishimura Bishop, and Chie Ushio
During the years that I have been studying the Montessori Method and philosophy, I have read, literally, hundreds of books written by Montessorians, as well as many experts from others in the field of child and adolescent development. Most recently, my focus has been on supporting families, and many good books are out now for parents. This one gets a gold star from me!
Babies Build Toddlers is written to support families of infants through 18 months old. Mariana Bissonnette brilliantly gives readers enough information about child development so that, when they are done, they actually feel secure in their knowledge of infant development and their capability to do the right things for their baby instead of being overwhelmed by too much and, frankly, too technical information.
The author uses a plant analogy to describe how the baby builds the toddler. It’s beautifully simple and sensible! And she has a wonderful sense of humor. You may notice that there is quite a list of illustrators for Bissonnette’s book. Nicely done! The illustrations are fun, colorful, multicultural, multiracial, and multigender. There is no one kind of family.
There are five parts:
The Plant (the toddler) This part explains who the toddler is.
The Roots (infant development) Here, the reader learns the critical areas of development for infants.
The Conditions (the physical and emotional environment) Now the reader learns what infants need to do in their home to develop to their full potential.
The Gardener (the adult’s role) Finally, the reader discovers how to best support their baby during these most important months of life.
The Full Chart (a timeline for your baby’s growth) The reader gets here, and they know they’re ready!
The author is a Montessorian. The values that we hold dear are all in here: respect; dignity; practice informed by observation; empathy; recognition of potential; independence; order; peaceful interactions; and more.
You can purchase this book (new or used) at most book distributors.
Written by Sonia Sotomayor, US Supreme Court Justice
Illustrated by Rafael López
In this book, a group of children go together to a garden. They decide where to plant flowers, water trees, and enjoy the day together. As each child in the book introduces themselves, we learn that each child is “differently abled.” Some of them take medicine to keep healthy, and some use special tools to get around and learn or act differently than most children do.
The author suggests that, like only having one kind of plant, the world would be quite uninteresting if all humans were the same. She also lets the readers know that it’s okay to ask about differences so we can better understand each other’s unique qualities and circumstances. The illustrations are done in lovely colors and give quite a realistic view of each of the children in the book.
Wow! This one is a powerful, well-written, and beautifully illustrated book about a young girl named Nell who plants a seed. The steps from finding a seed to every step along the way to a fully grown tree producing its own pecans are laid out in a lovely and rhythmic story of then and now. It swings gently back and forth through time as the tree and the humans grow and change together over the years.
There is so much to explore about the growth and development of a tree in this story, especially the love, care, and attention it takes for it to thrive. How humans interact with this gift from nature becomes a truly heartwarming story. The memories that everyone makes in and around this tree will never be forgotten. Then, at the end, we come full circle as a new child finds a seed and asks Gramma Nell what to do with it. And, so, it starts again — the wonderful circle of life!
Illustrated by Alishs Nicole Brumfield, Brenda Brambila, Esma Bošnjaković, Samantha Morales-Johnson, Sophia Marie Pappas, Tracy Nishimura Bishop, and Chie Ushio
During the years that I have been studying the Montessori Method and philosophy, I have read, literally, hundreds of books written by Montessorians, as well as many experts from others in the field of child and adolescent development. Most recently, my focus has been on supporting families, and many good books are out now for parents. This one gets a gold star from me!
Babies Build Toddlers is written to support families of infants through 18 months old. Mariana Bissonnette brilliantly gives readers enough information about child development so that, when they are done, they actually feel secure in their knowledge of infant development and their capability to do the right things for their baby instead of being overwhelmed by too much and, frankly, too technical information.
The author uses a plant analogy to describe how the baby builds the toddler. It’s beautifully simple and sensible! And she has a wonderful sense of humor. You may notice that there is quite a list of illustrators for Bissonnette’s book. Nicely done! The illustrations are fun, colorful, multicultural, multiracial, and multigender. There is no one kind of family.
There are five parts:
The Plant (the toddler) This part explains who the toddler is.
The Roots (infant development) Here, the reader learns the critical areas of development for infants.
The Conditions (the physical and emotional environment) Now the reader learns what infants need to do in their home to develop to their full potential.
The Gardener (the adult’s role) Finally, the reader discovers how to best support their baby during these most important months of life.
The Full Chart (a timeline for your baby’s growth) The reader gets here, and they know they’re ready!
The author is a Montessorian. The values that we hold dear are all in here: respect; dignity; practice informed by observation; empathy; recognition of potential; independence; order; peaceful interactions; and more.
You can purchase this book (new or used) at most book distributors.
Just Ask … Be Different, Be Brave, Be You
Written by Sonia Sotomayor, US Supreme Court Justice
Illustrated by Rafael López
In this book, a group of children go together to a garden. They decide where to plant flowers, water trees, and enjoy the day together. As each child in the book introduces themselves, we learn that each child is “differently abled.” Some of them take medicine to keep healthy, and some use special tools to get around and learn or act differently than most children do.
The author suggests that, like only having one kind of plant, the world would be quite uninteresting, if all humans were the same. She also lets the readers know that it’s okay to ask about differences so we can better understand each other’s unique qualities and circumstances. The illustrations are done in lovely colors and give quite a realistic view of each of the children in the book.
Children 4-8 years old would enjoy this book.
Nell Plants A Tree
Written by Anne Wynter
Illustrated by Daniel Miyares
Wow! This one is a powerful, well-written, and beautifully illustrated book about a young girl named Nell who plants a seed. The steps from finding a seed to every step along the way to a fully grown tree producing its own pecans are laid out in a lovely and rhythmic story of then and now. It swings gently back and forth through time as the tree and the humans grow and change together over the years.
There is so much to explore about the growth and development of a tree in this story, especially the love, care, and attention it takes for it to thrive. How humans interact with this gift from nature becomes a truly heartwarming story. The memories that everyone makes in and around this tree will never be forgotten. Then, at the end, we come full circle as a new child finds a seed and asks Gramma Nell what to do with it. And, so, it starts again — the wonderful circle of life!
You Hold Me Up
Written by Monique Gray Smith and Danielle Daniel
This book demonstrates what it means to honor and support families, friends, and cultures using both text and illustrations. It is quite beautifully written as well as pictured. Though we cannot change horrific events that occurred in the past, we can change how we treat each other now. We can better understand each other, empathize with each other, and respectfully embrace each other.
Human history is not always a pretty sight; we need to study and learn from it honestly. Depending on the age and maturity of the child or children in your care, the material in this book can be simply read as a story of friends and family with a young audience. With a more mature audience, it could include the history that the author referred to in the back of the book. It can be presented in different ways to children from 3-10 years old.
The Colors of Us
Written by Karen Katz
This is a story about a mom helping her daughter, Lena, to develop an awareness of the many shades of colors that people have. Mom wants her daughter to recognize that skin color varies greatly. Then, when she paints people’s pictures, the colors will be uniquely theirs. They describe the colors by likening them to yummy things to eat, like honey or chocolate cupcakes, and to things found in nature, like autumn leaves or precious metals. At the end of the day, Lena realized that she needed to mix several colors together to create just the right one for each of her friends. The illustrations are bright and full of color, as you expect! Children from 4-8 years old would enjoy this book.
The Mighty Solar Panel — Because Nothing’s More Powerful than a Sunny Day!
Written by Daniel Jarrett
This is an interesting book published by an Australian solar company. The author tells the story of what solar panels are, how they collect energy, how excess energy is sent to storage plants, and the value of using solar power rather than fossil fuels.
The illustrations are colorful and lively. The Sun is the narrator and tells the boy the story. It would be interesting for children ages 5-9 years old.
The Shortest Day: Celebrating The Winter Solstice
Written by Wendy Pfeffer
Illustrated by Jesse Reisch
Gorgeous, realistic illustrations! This paperback book beautifully shows the changes that the planet and living creatures go through as they prepare for the change in season. It is based in the northern hemisphere. The author explains in a clear and uncomplicated way what happens as the Earth revolves around the Sun.
You can also show your child how this works with a flashlight and a globe. See the back of the book for details.
Then, the author tells the story of how people felt when the seasons changed and what they learned about the Earth, the Sun, and the seasons. She tells what humans began to do to celebrate these changes in the year. The celebrations became yearly traditions, differing from place to place and according to human beliefs.
There are several pages of information and activities at the end of the book: an illustration of the Earth’s rotation; a sunrise/sunset chart; measuring shadows; northern and southernmost points during the year; the tilt of the Earth activity; a cupcake recipe; and a guide for creating a pinecone feeder for the birds.
This book is done quite well for children 5-8 years old. It is beautiful, encourages wonder and awe, and provides activities for families to do together.
Calling all teachers, parents, & children! We would love to publish reviews of your favorite books. Send book reviews to Lorna at: [email protected]
