Thursday
Nov252010
3 Children's Book Recommendations
Thursday, November 25, 2010
About a week ago, the New Internationalist Gifts and Publications catalog for 2010/2011 arrived with the latest issue of New Internationalist. I've received some of their cookbooks as gifts before and have often coveted the other things in the catalog. I have been looking for some good books to buy for our kids that will catch their attention, but also teach them something about the world and give back to the world. There are a number of good ones in the New Internationalist Shop's Children & Young Adults section, but I thought I would share the three that we purchased with you.
Note: The links to the books embedded in this post go automatically to the Canadian version of the website, because my browser always detects Canada as being my previously selected location. If you are not in Canada, go to http://www.newint.org/shop and start your shopping from there if you wish to purchase these books or other products from their shop.
Braids is a book written by Robert Munsch, published by a young girl called Taya Kendall, and illustrated by a group of children from Taya's school. Robert Munsch gave Taya the previously unpublished story when they met because she reminded him of the girl in the story. She asked him for permission to publish it in her school newspaper. He gave her permission and the idea grew from there. She ended up having the book illustrated by her friends from Sir Isaac Brock Public School, published the book, and now donates the proceeds from the sale of the book to a Guelph, Ontario based charity. The charity is the Children of Bukati, which helps AIDS orphans and other destitute children in the village of Butula in Kenya to attend primary school.
The story itself is about about a little girl called Ashley who does not like having her hair braided. It is told in Munsch's usual entertaining fashion and the illustrations by the kids are great. Your kids will enjoy the story and benefit from learning about the children in Butula who are now given a chance to learn to read and write because of this great book and a little girl with a great idea.
This hardcover book written by David J. Smith and illustrated by Shelagh Armstrong helps children to understand the make-up of our planet. A lot of children grow up in a fairly homogenous neighbourhood or an area with a few predominent cultural groups. Few children will have a good appreciation of the true diversity that is found on our planet.
This book helps them to understand how diverse the world is by showing them what the world would look like if it was a village of 100 people. Looking at issues like nationalities, languages spoken, ages, religions, food, air and water, school and literacy, money and possessions, electricity and more, the book gives stats on how those 100 people would be broken down -- e.g. 21 speak a Chinese dialect, 9 speak English, 9 speak Hindi, 7 speak Spanish, and so on.
Do you have a kid who likes to talk about poo? Or one who is reluctant to talk about it? This is the perfect book for a poo enthusiast or for a kid who is embarrassed about it and who needs to open up and learn to appreciate it. This book written by Australian Caren Trafford and illustrated by Jade Oakley, gives a detailed account of Goobie, a piece of poo. It includes:
It even includes a snakes and ladders style game on the last page, called "Pipes and Leaks". A word of warning though...if poo makes you queasy, the illustrations in this book may not agree with your stomach. I know that when I was pregnant, I would not have been able to read this book. But your kids will love it!
There are lots of other great books and other gifts in the New Internationalist shop. We also bought a game and I expect that we will buy some more books and games as time goes on.
Do you have any of their products? What do you think of them?
Note: The links to the books embedded in this post go automatically to the Canadian version of the website, because my browser always detects Canada as being my previously selected location. If you are not in Canada, go to http://www.newint.org/shop and start your shopping from there if you wish to purchase these books or other products from their shop.
Braids
Braids is a book written by Robert Munsch, published by a young girl called Taya Kendall, and illustrated by a group of children from Taya's school. Robert Munsch gave Taya the previously unpublished story when they met because she reminded him of the girl in the story. She asked him for permission to publish it in her school newspaper. He gave her permission and the idea grew from there. She ended up having the book illustrated by her friends from Sir Isaac Brock Public School, published the book, and now donates the proceeds from the sale of the book to a Guelph, Ontario based charity. The charity is the Children of Bukati, which helps AIDS orphans and other destitute children in the village of Butula in Kenya to attend primary school.
The story itself is about about a little girl called Ashley who does not like having her hair braided. It is told in Munsch's usual entertaining fashion and the illustrations by the kids are great. Your kids will enjoy the story and benefit from learning about the children in Butula who are now given a chance to learn to read and write because of this great book and a little girl with a great idea.
If the World Were a Village
This hardcover book written by David J. Smith and illustrated by Shelagh Armstrong helps children to understand the make-up of our planet. A lot of children grow up in a fairly homogenous neighbourhood or an area with a few predominent cultural groups. Few children will have a good appreciation of the true diversity that is found on our planet.
This book helps them to understand how diverse the world is by showing them what the world would look like if it was a village of 100 people. Looking at issues like nationalities, languages spoken, ages, religions, food, air and water, school and literacy, money and possessions, electricity and more, the book gives stats on how those 100 people would be broken down -- e.g. 21 speak a Chinese dialect, 9 speak English, 9 speak Hindi, 7 speak Spanish, and so on.
Where Does The Poo Go... when you flush?
Do you have a kid who likes to talk about poo? Or one who is reluctant to talk about it? This is the perfect book for a poo enthusiast or for a kid who is embarrassed about it and who needs to open up and learn to appreciate it. This book written by Australian Caren Trafford and illustrated by Jade Oakley, gives a detailed account of Goobie, a piece of poo. It includes:
- the history of poo (going way back to the dinosaurs)
- how old poo helps us learn about history
- the uses of poo over time
- where people poo
- diseases you can catch when you come into contact with poo
- the development of modern sewage systems
- what happens to it after we flush
- and more...
It even includes a snakes and ladders style game on the last page, called "Pipes and Leaks". A word of warning though...if poo makes you queasy, the illustrations in this book may not agree with your stomach. I know that when I was pregnant, I would not have been able to read this book. But your kids will love it!
And more...
There are lots of other great books and other gifts in the New Internationalist shop. We also bought a game and I expect that we will buy some more books and games as time goes on.
Do you have any of their products? What do you think of them?
Reader Comments (9)
NI was part of my growing up. The NI Peters Projection of the world I got in my late teens in the UK adorned my classroom, along with other map projections, when I taught middle school science in the US. NI was my go to place for gifts for my mum for years. I hadn't checked in for a few years, but as my daughter grows what a perfect place to go for books about a wider world.
ps. Reaction to the magazine on the coffee table was always a pretty accurate barometer of how reactionary someone was. It was, on occasion, questioned as indicative of some socialist/communist leanings I might have. I should have listened to that barometer more often while dating. It would have saved me some embarrassment as I reflect on a few morons I dated.
Ooh, I really like that second one! Off to browse the catalog!
Tepary:
That is great advice for our children as they grow up!
I also really want to get this one: http://shop.newint.org/can/books/children-s/children-around-the-world.html" rel="nofollow">Children Around the World. I think it will be part of my next order. :)
the book If The World Were a Village has also been made into a short (30minute) cartoon - looks just like the illustrations in the book. My kids have seen it a handful of times & love it - it catches their attention all the time. I didn't actually know that it was a book ;) That will be on my kids list for sure !
We have "If the World Were a Village" and "Children Around the World". we LOVE LOVE LOVE them!!
We are crazy book people, every room in the house has a bookshelf (yes, even the bathroom!)
Another great book is "A World of Faith", which teaches children about different world religions.
http://www.amazon.com/World-Faith-Peggy-Fletcher-Stack/dp/1560851627/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1290840903&sr=1-1
I have a husband who talks about Poo.. I think this book might be appropriate for him as well :P. Maybe he can read it to the kid and learn something as well!
great suggestions...thx!