little pear tree

Little Pear Tree, authored by Rachel Williams and illustrated by Jenny Bowers, is a board book with 25 flaps throughout it with hidden elements of nature to explore.  Jenny Bowers' art work immerses you into the world of little pear tree, as you follow it through the changing of the seasons.  Forms and shapes overlap on the pages, producing a wonderful collage quality.  She uses color to masterfully evoke the nostalgic feel and mood of each season--winter in cool blues, whites, taupes and grays; spring in sunny yellows, ochres and greens.  Fall, my favorite season, is rendered in deep reds, oranges and auburns.  Nate likes the lift-the-flap aspect of the book and finding little surprises, like a snowflake hiding under a winter bloom or the seeds buried in a green pear.  Little Pear Tree is such a darling book and a must-have for every early childhood library.

mail

Avery made this necklace to send to one of her cousins (with help from me).  Her mother had a great idea to start a correspondence between our girls--not letters, but artwork or crafts that they make for each other.  It kind of reminds me of the Happy Mail series on Giver's Log.  Love this idea and Avery can’t wait to see what arrives in the mail!

rosie revere, engineer

Rosie is a girl with a talent for inventing and engineering, which she does to her heart's content, ensconced in her attic.  After one of her inventions is scoffed at by one of her relatives, Rosie becomes discouraged.  One day, her great-great-aunt Rose comes for a visit and teaches Rosie invaluable lessons about perseverance and the importance of trial and error.  Avery’s favorite part was “when she [Rosie] was a engineer riding in a airplane.”  I included a photo of the front cover illustration--my favorite part of the book.  It is a genuine representation of what a creative type's space can sometimes look like--a beautiful, organized chaos.

Rosie Revere, Engineer was written by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts.