did you ever see?

“Have you ever sped past in such a hurry that everything you passed was soft and blurry?  And did you ever squeeze your eyes so tight that you saw lots of dots of colored light?”

A book about how children see things, their unique perspectives and their perceptions.  Partly because all of it is new to them, they take things in differently than adults, seeing them close-up, noting details and nuances, realizing that things look tiny from above.  Do you remember the first time you noticed that things looked backward in a mirror?

Your experience of seeing something for the first time leads to wondering, feeling, learning.  The visual experiences you have as a child stay with you and their memories surface at random times during your life.  They also become part of your concrete experiences and the prior knowledge that you build upon when learning new concepts in school.  But they always become a part of who you are, and how you make sense of this big, wide world.

Joanna Walsh’s thoughtful questions and modern illustrations of simple pattern, texture and color speak to children’s sensibilities.  She reminds us to stop, look up, look around, look down, and see the world, observe it, experience it, consider a new perspective of it and remember the wonder of it—whether you’re a child or a grown-up.

Did You Ever See? was written and illustrated by Joanna Walsh and published by Tate Publishing.

henry huggins

“Henry Huggins was in the third grade. His hair looked like a scrubbing brush and most of his grown-up front teeth were in. He lived with his mother and father in a square white house on Klickitat Street. Except for having his tonsils out when he was six and breaking his arm falling out of a cherry tree when he was seven, nothing much happened to Henry."

On January 2, 1949, Beverly Cleary wrote these memorable words—the first paragraph of her first book Henry Huggins—at the old kitchen table stored in the back bedroom in her home in Berkeley, and the rest is history. Her peerless ability to write authentically from the perspective of children, encapsulating all of their momentous joys, fears and foibles in print, is why her books have resonated so profoundly with children, and have launched many an avid reader.

What I love about Henry is that he’s funny and honest, and is the kind of friend any kid would want to have.  This book was what started it all for Beverly Cleary.  She went on to write a total of five books about Henry and his chums on Klickitat Street, which are, in my opinion, requisite childhood reading.  Henry Huggins would make an entertaining read-aloud as well.

Hope you enjoyed this week's installment of  #classicchapterbooks.  Check out what @the.book.report is sharing today!

Published by Harper Collins.

bear and bud book club

We are thrilled for Bear and Bud Book Club's launch this month!  The election theme for their picture book subscription box is timely and includes Madame President by Lane Smith, two book-themed crafts, an activity + discussion guide and snack recipe (great for family time or a book club with friends).  You can read about the team of educators behind Bear & Bud on their website and the thoughtfulness, expertise and enthusiasm that go into creating meaningful, fun and engaging literacy experiences for all kids.