Thursday, March 4, 2021

ReFoReMo Day 4: Author Heidi E.Y. Stemple Shares Great Books

Covid and quarantining has made my book purchasing habits change. Which is annoying. I love sitting on the ground at my local indie and browsing slowly through all the books that catch my eye on the shelf—the booksellers handing me their favorites so I can read those, too. I haven’t been able to do that. This has not slowed my book buying habit, but I don’t love that I was more inclined to purchase books that were getting press and I was less able to find as many hidden gems.


This year, instead of a theme like “poetry” or “backmatter,” I am going to choose books I purchased during the last 6 months (all from my local indies, a couple Black owned bookstores, and bookshop.org) that I hope you don’t miss because of our inability to get to bookstores. No real theme. Just great books.


And, soon, I will get back into the bookstores and sit to read all the books on the shelf and I will find time to share those picks with you, too.

 

Your Place In the Universe by Jason Chin

This is so child friendly, beginning with a simple comparisons 1 book, 1 kid, 1 ostrich. So, that’s 5 books = 1 kid = .5 ostrich. And it grows exponentially from there into, as the title implies, the universe. What I love about this book’s text is its simplicity. It’s curiosity. It’s straight forwardness. Also, 5 pages of stelar (pun intended) backmatter.

--Read it for the straight-forward child-centered language.

 





Birdsong by Julie Flett

This gentle text glides so smoothly between seasons that you barely notice a whole year passing. It is lilting and lovely and is a reminder that quiet books DO sell if you do them right. And, this is so right.

--Read it for the beauty of language.

 







When Grandpa Gives You a Toolbox, by Jamie L.B. Deenihan, illustrated by Lorraine Rocha

This book (a follow up to When Grandma Gives You A Lemon Tree) is a fun fictional how-to for kids receiving a gift they don’t quite want. Written directly to the reader “First, be patient. Grandpa will want to show you every single tool…” this text is condensed perfectly using gentle humor to deliver a perfect lesson.

--Read it for the unique narrator’s voice.

 





We are Water Protectors, by Carole Lindstrom, Illustrated by Michaela Goade

This lush, stunningly illustrated book uses a lyrical voice which is, in turn, a song, a chant, and a rebellion. Told in the sparsest of text, (less than 300 words) this tale has roots in legend and soars through today and to our future. It’s a brilliantly beautiful story of empowerment with a green message for our Earth.

--Read it for the expansive yet condensed language.

 




The Next President, By Kate Messner, illustrated by Adam Rex

This book takes the child reader through history from George Washington to today, giving small bits of information about each of president, either as president or as a child within the context of time when one man was in the highest office. This is a completely unique way of looking at the passing of time and power. It gives every child the ability to look to the future and wonder what he/she/they could become. I do hope they will be updating the ending in future printings to add President Biden and Vice President Harris.

--Read it for its completely unique take on history.

 

You Matter, by Christian Robinson

This simple text is just right for this very confusing world. Though the art is the star here, it’s paired with the briefest of text that is, at times, funny but always loving.

--Read it for its simplicity.

 








Love Is Powerful, by Heather Dean Brewer, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

In her first protest (the Women’s March), the main character is worried her small voice won’t matter. “Will the whole world hear?” she asks her mom. Told in 3rd person, this text is a real love letter to the women AND girls (and men and boys) who marched that day. It really captures the feeling of a movement but also the very real pieces that went into that day—the creating, the getting to the actual event, the worry, the power of it all.

And, as a side note, LeUyen drew real people (including me!) into the illustrations of this book.--Read it for its narrative structure.

 

Your Name Is A Song, by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, illustrated by Luisa Uribe

A girl with a name everyone stumbles over is encouraged by her mom to love her name and the power that comes with it. There is fire in some names, stars in others. And, all names are songs. In this way, Kora-Jalimuso teaches her teacher and classmates her name. I love everything about this book (especially as someone who has problems pronouncing some vowels—just ask Tara Lazar whose name I have been getting wrong for years). But, the most brilliant thing is that all the names, from Bob to Kora-Jalimuso are written phonetically. This is a book with a lesson that is never pedantic or prescriptive—the death of any picture book text in my opinion.  The author’s note ends with a suggestion to “Ask people how to pronounce their names and let them know that getting it right is important to you.”

--Read it for the balance of story and lesson woven together perfectly.

 

How to Find a Bird, by Jennifer Ward, Illustrated by Diana Sudyka

I love any book about birds. So, that, alone, would have sold me on this book. But, beyond that, it’s also fun and filled with nuggets of information any budding birdwatcher needs to know. It’s a great read aloud for even the youngest bird lovers and there are so many things to find in the art to supplement the text.

--Read it for the read-aloud-ability.

 

 



Additional book that you need for the art alone:


The Women Who Caught the Babies
by Eloise Greenfield, illustrated by Daniel Minter

I cannot stop looking at the art in this poetry book about the history of Black midwifery. It’s so stunningly beautiful. I do wish the poems were one (or two) per spread instead of running for several spreads—but that is a small organizational complaint, because the poetry is both lush and informative.

 





Heidi is donating a copy of her newest book, I AM THE STORM, to a U.S. winner. 
To be eligible for prizes throughout the challenge, you must be registered by March 1, comment on each post, consistently read mentor texts, and enter the Rafflecopter drawing at the conclusion of ReFoReMo.




Heidi E.Y. Stemple is the author of more than 30 books, mostly for children. Her newest book I AM THE STORM launched during the pandemic—so she feels your pain. She wrote as much as she read during the quarantine year. Look for her picture book about being alone together called ADRIFT coming this summer from Interlink Books.

 

www.HeidiEYStemple.com

Social Media:

FB: Heidi Stemple, Heidi E.Y. Stemple, Owl Count

Instagram and Twitter: @heidieys

209 comments:

  1. Thanks for this list of mentor texts, Heidi. There’s a lot to explore here.

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  2. What a lovely selection of books. I’m still waiting on some from the library but I can’t wait to read them all.

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  3. I've read all but three of these wonderful books. Of those I haven't read, The Women Who Caught the Babies intrigues me the most. And it's true, it's the art on the cover that grabs me immediately. Makes me want to pick it up and read it right now. Thanks for pulling together some of your "must not miss" books.

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  4. Love Bird song, and also the Water Protectors is a great example of empowerment for kids. Look forward to reading more of these books- thanks, Sylvia

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    1. Thanks for pointing this out. I'm always in search of books that empower.

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  5. "I Am the Storm," "You Matter," and "Your Name Is a Song" have particularly striking graphics, I think!

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  6. Thank you for picking these out for us! Gems! We are Water Protectors is haunting...

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  7. I love your selection of books. And love that you feature "quiet"! Thank you.

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  8. I loved all the "read it for" moments of this post! I'm excited to see these parts of each book and to find things I love in them as well! Thank you for offering up all these titles for us to check out.

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  9. Great books, indeed! Thank you, Heidi.

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  10. I have not yet read any of these choices but they all sound intriguing. My book reading habits also changed during the pandemic so I appreciate your taking the time to find these choices!

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  11. Great selection! The Women Who Caught the Babies is stunning and unique. I loved seeing the author's baby photos at the end. The Next President is the kind of book you could read a million times and notice something new each time. Your Name is a Song is a classroom must. And Birdsong has a special place in my heart. It was one of the library books I had at home before everything, including the library, shut down, and so it was read many, many times (in fact, I think it was a reforemo book last year, which was why I had it in the first place).

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  12. Great reads! And I loved hearing you speak at the last SCBWI conference :)

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  13. A great selection of books. I especially liked Birdsong, for the beauty and simplicity of the language and text, also the sweet story. My favorite in this group is The Woman Who Caught the Babies. Daniel Minter's artwork is gorgeous and unique.

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  14. All of these books look wonderful. Thanks for the post!

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  15. These are all wonderful suggestions, Heidi! I especially adore Your Name Is A Song. It's so beautifully written and the art is stunning.

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  16. Heidi, you are a character in a book! Cool. Love the variety of topics and diversity of creators you shared with us today! I got some more reading for my TBR pile.

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  17. You've introduced me to some great new texts that I wasn't familiar with, and some that I was. Time to add to my wishlist! Thanks!

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  18. Boy, do I ever miss hanging out in my favorite bookstore too. What a lovely assortment of books to look for when I get back there. Thanks!

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  19. Thank you for the great recommendations!

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  20. I've only read three of these, so I'm glad to have more for my TBR list!

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  21. I miss visiting the bookstore too. Thank you for sharing some of the amazing books you've discovered this past year. Great choices!

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  22. Thanks for sharing all these great titles. We are Water Protectors is one of my favorite books that came out last year.

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  23. Hi Heidi, Every time you ended with "Read this for. . ." felt like getting a wrapped present. Thank you for opening my eyes to a way I could tag mentor texts for why reading and rereading them was important. The broad range of reasons in your post is delightful.

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  24. Thank you for introducing me to these lovely books!

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  25. Each of these books were wonderful reads and had great subtle messages for children to learn. "Birdsong" captured the feelings of a child moving through change, and does a great job of empowering the child in the book to be brave and investigate the "unknown"....this book should be read over and over to children struggling with change. "The Next President" on the other hand is another great read of information...fantastic for older children needing to do a book report, but I think even middle school kids would enjoy this book. It would definitely get their creative thoughts exercised exploring the "possibilities"

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  26. A beautiful selection of books! Thank you for reminding us to search for the hidden gems!

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  27. What a great selection of mentor texts! I am so inspired! Posted by Dina Austin

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  28. I agree! Browsing online is not the same-you can't peek around corners and see what other people are picking up to look at either! Thanks for the list-I hadn't seen some of these.

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  29. Maybe no these for your post this year, but you left us a nice focus or each book. Thank you. I really like that.

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  30. So many amazing books. Each one is unique and special.

    Suzy Leopold

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  31. I was able to get most of these books from your list. Already owned YOUR NAME IS A SONG." Each unique with different structures.

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  32. Lots of new great books to checkout! Thanks!

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  33. I agree it has been a tough year to unearth the hidden, beautiful gems!

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  34. I always wonder how hidden gems can be found more easily. Thank you for the list.

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  35. So good to see that I loved many of the same books!

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  36. I love so many of these books too! Thank you for introducing us to How to Find a Bird. I can't wait to read it with my daughter today.

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  37. Finding these treasures is a bit more difficult lately, so thank you for sharing.

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  38. Thanks, Heidi, for sharing the gems from your recent book purchases. I love how you've helped us focus in on what spoke to you in each--language, voice, simplicity. And read-aloud-ability! Looking forward to the day when we can bump into each other at bookstores and conferences again.

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  39. Thanks for this list! I do miss browsing the normal way! I enjoyed Your Name Is a Song sooooo much!

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  40. Great selection! Thank you so much for sharing.

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  41. I adore Your Name is a Song. So wonderful. I am the Storm is riveting, using the power of nature to relate to children and their fears is perfect. I own them both and love them. The pacing and lovely language of both are perfect selections for this post.

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  42. Thanks for these great mentor texts and the very clear reasons you included each. I'd read a few of them before, but now I can go back and look at them for these specific aspects.

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  43. I love your selections, Heidi! I've read and reread Birdsong. I just can't get enough of the beautiful words and the rhythm they create. Thank you for giving me some new titles to check out, too!

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  44. I love how well you communicated the essence of each book!

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  45. Thank you, Heidi, for sharing some books that I might have missed if you hadn't suggested them and for encouraging me to re-read some others that I didn't. I have read I AM THE STORM and it needs to be added to your list of great books! Congrats to you and your mom!

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  46. Wow! Thank you Heidi! This post is chock full of a variety of books I need to get my hands on.

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  47. A wonderful choice of books, Heidi! Great post!

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  48. Your annotations invited me to each book. Can't wait to dive in.

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  49. I chuckled through When Grandpa Gives You a Toolbox, but Birdsong is one I will read again and again. This gentle story of seasons, friendship, and our connection to the natural world sat gently on my heart.

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  50. I very much enjoyed reading through this list of great books and your input on each of them. My wish list just got a little longer. :)

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  51. Love is Powerful touched my heart when I read this book and it will inspire so many readers to use their voices. The Next President is a book I'm so happy to own as it is a unique approach to the presidents and I too hope Biden and Harris are added later (plus I peeked under the jacket and wow to the cover surprise). We Are the Water Protectors is gorgeous and I can see why it's an award winner.

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  52. Thank you for a fabulous list of great reads, Heidi! I appreciate your reasons for including each one.

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  53. I totally miss wandering (the library, the bookstore, the neighborhood lol) and finding hidden gems! I have started going to the public library website and searching for the subject heading Picture Books and limiting to this year so I can check out the newest books (and sometimes fall into a rabbit hole of those books subject headings...nerdiness at it's best!) 💚

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  54. Sometimes you just need great books. Thank you for this list and for the reason it is so special!

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  55. Covid or not, Heidi, you have managed to share great books with us - as you always do. I am anxious to get my hands on THE WOMEN WHO CAUGHT THE BABIES! I just placed a hold on it at my local library.

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  56. Looking forward to being able to freely browse and sprawl in my favorite book haunts too! Our library systems are opening up so we can be hopeful. Thank you for the thoughtful post and book list!!

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  57. When Grandpa Gives You a Toolbox just made me giggle with nostalgic delight. When I left for college my father gave me a toolbox. Turned out that being the only person on the dorm floor with a hammer and screwdriver makes you quite popular :)

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  58. I'm enjoying the #PBParty for all of the wonderful PBs I'm learning about and making a list. I will definitely check out I AM THE STORM. Thanks for sharing your love of these books.

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  59. And for others who love birdy books, don't miss Jane Yolen's new Knowing the Name of a Bird. It is absolutely perfect on the issue of people stopping to really observe birds rather than just to check them off of the "life list" or being involved in bird counts that tend to commodify the birds instead of taking time to really explore their diversity of appearance and behavior (depending on who is involved in the count, obviously). :)

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    1. I promise you, Julie, that we who count, really do take time to admire and adore the birds. (Truth is, my owl counting crew has a special screech owls that we have named because we love her so much--we will spend extra time with her even though it slows down our count). :) But, YES Knowing The Name Of A Bird is a gorgeous book!

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  60. Thank you for this great list of mentor texts. I've tried several times to post a comment and keep getting error msgs., so I hope this doesn't post in duplicate. : )

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  61. Thank you, Heidi. I've read a few of these and look forward to exploring the rest!

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  62. I've only read a few of these. I can't wait to catch up! Thanks for the great post!

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  63. There can never be too many additions to a good book list. Thank you for sharing your recommendations.

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  64. Thank you for the focus on what to read for. I will read these again. Appreciate the post.

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  65. Thank you for providing us with such a diverse group of mentor texts. Can't wait to read them all.

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  66. Thank you for these great examples! I love how you've shared useful details on what each can teach us.

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  67. Thank you for sharing these great books!

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  68. Thanks so much for sharing these books - they're amazing

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  69. I'm so glad that you mentioned how easy it is to overlook books beyond the ones getting all the press! Especially love the quiet ones! Thanks!

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  70. Thank you Heidi! All of these books are so unique and powerful! I was mesmerized by Your Place in This Universe. My kids loved how each page builds on the one before. I learned some things too!

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  71. Thanks for these recommendations- added some more to my library list!

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  72. My list of wonderful reads-to-be is growing exponentially! Oh for COVID to be over soon so I have wider access to books from a greater area in Georgia!

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  73. Thank you for recommending these wonderful mentor texts. I love their breadth of styles.

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  74. Heidi, i enjoyed reading your thoughts.

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  75. I really enjoyed The Women Who Caught The Babies! So beautifully written and illustrated! Thanks for sharing! And don't even get me started on I Am The Storm. We use it at school. The illustrations are amazing!

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  76. Thanks, Heidi! These are wonderful!

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  77. Heidi, thanks for this great list. Just ordered the ones I hadn't read yet from my library.

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  78. Thank you for this beautiful list - a lot of new titles for me to explore.

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  79. What a wonderful collection of books you've put together! I had already read some of these, and it was nice to read the others.

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  80. Heidi, Thank you for this list of beautiful books. I haven't been able to find them all, but those I've read are just the right mix of words and art - perfect mentor texts.

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  81. Thanks for the great list Heidi!

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  82. I especially Birdsong on your list, but you certainly identified several that I would have missed and thank you for that!

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  83. What a lovely list. I am adding a few books to my library list right now. Thank you for the great summaries and reasons to read!

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  84. You write so compellingly about each of these. Can't wait to read them!

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  85. I appreciate your list of new books and the reasons you found them memorable. Thank you.

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  86. Wow, these were fantastic. I really loved "Your Place In the Universe" (as did my 9 year old who LOVES anything with statistics and interesting facts!) Thank you so much for these awesome recommendations!

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  87. I really enjoyed this group of books. I have had the pleasure of meeting Heidi at the Rochester Children's book festival and really appreciate her skill as an author and her selection of books and especially the considerations.
    Some of my favorites were as follows: Your Place in the Universe by Jason Chin was a very unique look at size and distance and shape of different things in the universe providing great food for thought.We Are Water Protectors by Carold Linstrom and illustrated by Michaela Goade was an equisitely illustrated look at the importance of water to society. The text was beautiful as well. When Grandpa Gives You A Toolbox by Jamie L.B. Deenihan, illustrated by Lorraine Rocha provides a strategy from a child's point of view for making the most of an unwanted gift.The point of view made this story very endearing. How to Find a Bird by Jennifer Ward, illustrated by Diana Sudyka is a great intoduction to birdwatching for the youngest reader. My favorite line was some birds will find you. The pictures were excellent too. Your Name Is A Song by Jamilah Thompkins Bigelow and Illustrated by Luisa Uribe was my favorite. It presented a melodic solution to a little girl's struggles with her unusual name on the first day of school. All of the diverse names and the way the girl applied her mother's suggestion made this an unforgettable story.All of these books provided great techniques to utilize.

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  88. Thank you for this terrific list of excellent mentor texts!

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  89. Thank you Heidi for these titles. Each book has its own flavor to savor. I enjoyed reading them and I appreciate your analysis.

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  90. Heidi, I am very thankful that two libraries within 7 miles of my home have reopened (following safety guidelines). I checked out several of the books you recommended. Your comments were very helpful as I reviewed each book from an author’s perspective. Thank you for sharing your insight.

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  91. Heidi, I am very thankful that two libraries within 7 miles of my home have reopened (following safety guidelines). I checked out several of the books you recommended. Your comments were very helpful as I reviewed each book from an author’s perspective. Thank you for sharing your insight.

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  92. Heidi, I am very thankful that two libraries within 7 miles of my home have reopened (following safety guidelines). I checked out several of the books you recommended. Your comments were very helpful as I reviewed each book from an author’s perspective. Thank you for sharing your insight.

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  93. Thanks for this great list. Like you, I miss the browsing, the leisurely time spent perusing shelves for special books.

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  94. Your Place in the Universe is awesome.
    We Are Water Protectors is prophetic.
    Love is Powerful is inspirational.
    Your Name is a Song is quite musical.
    Thank you, Heidi.

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  95. What is especially wonderful about your post is the light it sheds on some of the different techniques that make books sing, thank you

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  96. Thank you for this great list of books!

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  97. ... I am also appreciating the many books in the lists that connect to self-worth. A much needed theme to discuss with children. These are beautiful books to use in these discussions.

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  98. Thanks so much, Heidi! There are many here I haven't read yet and I can hardly wait!

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  99. Love the language use and storytelling with all these books.

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  100. I love that your selection of great books includes such a variety of tones and topics.

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  101. Thank you Heidi for the list of books. I am just starting with my first classes of writing and illustrating Picture Books. Today I really understood 2 important concepts: SIMPLICITY which I found in You Matter in the text and the images; PAGE TURN in Your Place in the Universe which I found many times.

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  102. Somehow I keep on appearing as Unknown here and as Eva Fekete de Felder in Facebook. I am evafelder@hotmail.com

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  103. As someone else whose book launched during the pandemic, it is comforting to have company in feeling the pain.

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  104. Wonderful suggestions. Thank you, Heidi!

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  105. I just read "Your Place in the Universe" and was wowed by the expanse of our world. I just sat my husband down - "You have to read this!" I love all of your book selections, Heidi, and I feel your pain and hope you will get back to those places you love soon. I don't know how many of these books I will buy, but definitely this one and the Grandpa one. Thank you for your review of each of these.

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  106. I was moved by the artwork in We Are Water Protectors. I enjoyed reading each of the selections.

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  107. Thanks so much for supporting indie bookstores and sharing these finds!

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  108. Lovely list of books. Looking forward to reading them all. Thank you.

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  109. Glad to hear quiet stories still have marketability

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  110. Thank you for sharing some of the gems you discovered last year as I missed some of these and am excited to check them out!

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  111. Terrific mentor texts to explore. Thank you so much!

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  112. A wonderful selection of mentor texts! Julie Flett’s BIRDSONG...🥰

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  113. Thanks for the way this post is organized. It was so easy for me to focus on the aspect of the book you wanted to point out.

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  114. Thank you for these hidden gems, Heidi.

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  115. A wonderful list that gave me many writing tips. In Birdsong by Julie Flett, I enjoyed that the little girl gets pleasure from the company of an older neighbor. We don’t have that much in our communities any longer. At this time we need more stories about kindness between generations. Shows me character emotions can be subtle, yet move the story forward in a powerful way.

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  116. Thank-you for getting the word out about great books. Outstanding books I discovered during lockdown: Dozens of Doughnuts, Truman, Hello World book series, Earth, My first 4.54 Billion Years

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  117. Heidi: Nothing beats a list of recommended books--especially those "hidden gems." THANK YOU for sharing your WONDERFUL discoveries during this CRAZY time! I was lucky enough to read three of them already: "Birdsong," "We are Water protectors," and "You Matter." Each was TRULY INSPIRING. I CAN'T WAIT to dig into your other recommendations to discover more SHINY gems--that I can then recommend to others, TOO! THANK YOU!!!

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  118. I loved the unique ways that The Next President and Your Place in the Universe presented information. Clear, appealing, fascinating visually and informationally. Wonderful.

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  119. Thanks, Heidi. I love I Am the Storm. Congratulations to you and your mom. And Christian Robinson is one of my favorite illustrators. Looking forward to getting more of these books from the library.

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  120. What a great selection of mentor texts. I especially liked the way the presidents were introduced in "The Next President" - it was fascinating to see which presidents were alive when another president was in office.

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  121. I've added these books to my list and I hope to buy some in a real bookstore soon. I want to touch and experience the colors and the smells and the looks of the books. The Next President and Your Name is a Song and Your place in the universe are interesting to me right now.

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  122. So many good books to savor--full of humor, heart, voice. I liked your "Read this for _____________" structure.

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  123. I related to the BirdSong and Your Name is a Song. It’s amazing how the reading of mentor texts, help you unlock parts of your memory that had been closed off and when you read something that you can relate to, the memory comes to you.
    It help unlock those feelings I once felt for my elderly grandma. Like in my the story the Bird Song. she too encouraged my creative side.

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  124. Thank you for bringing these books to our attention

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  125. I loved all of these, but I really liked Your Place in the Universe. My kids really liked it, too!

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  126. Thank you so much for your thoughts and insights.

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  127. Heidi, thank you for sharing your insight and these tasty morsels. Enjoying digesting all these titles.

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  128. I get so wrapped up in reading old favorites, but I really need to make a better habit of buying newer books. Thank you for introducing me to some new great ones!

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  129. A great list, all new to me, thanks

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  130. Your Place in the Universe blew me away -- just what a non-fiction picture book should be. Thanks for the great reads, Heidi.

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  131. This is a great list. Thank you for sharing!

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  132. Thanks for your list, Heidi. It's frightening for the not as famous authors to think that even a gorgeous Jason Chin book could be overlooked (which it was because I hadn't read it until now!)

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  133. Delighted that I have several of your picks on my personal bookshelves! Thank you for sharing these! I must add I Am the Storm!!

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  134. Beautiful selections. Thank you so much!

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  135. Thanks for sharing your picks. Looking forward to checking them out.

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  136. Thank you for this! New books to order from the library!

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  137. I was awed and inspired by these books. Thanks for the list and your commentary.

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  138. Wow! Great list! I Am The Storm looks stunning!

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  139. So many lovely books here.
    I love Birdsong!

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  140. My child's teacher did a lesson centered around "We are Water Protectors", it was very thought provoking for the children.

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  141. Thank you for this detailed list. I will keep it for the books I haven't been able to get from the library and I will suggest they order them. I loved The women Who Caught the Babies. I couldn't stop looking at the art work, either.

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  142. Birdsong is an unexpected story and a pleasure to read.

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  143. Fantastic selection! YOUR PLACE IN THE UNIVERSE blew me away with it's easy-to-understand explanations comparing sizes. THE NEXT PRESIDENT was such a cool book too. I liked all of the books though. Hard to pick a favorite.

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  144. Thank you for your excellent recommendations. All of the books sound wonderful, and I can't wait to read them.

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  145. What as assortment of gorgeous books. Thank you for compiling this list, Heidi! I look forward to reading them.

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  146. I am the Storm is beautiful, congrats!! I also enjoyed How to Find a Bird...still going through the rest. Thanks for sharing. ;-)

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  147. Such wonderful mentor texts to explore and re-explore. And the pleasure of visiting favorite bookstores will soon be possible!

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  148. These are all so lovely. Thank you for sharing.

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  149. What I especially appreciated about this post was the last line in each book recommendation — what to look for while reading and studying it. This is one of those posts that made it to my "save and mark up" notebook. Thanks!

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  150. So many great books on this list! I’m still catching up for the week, and can’t wait to dive into a few of these!

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  151. Beautiful books. Will definitely be reading some. Thanks, Heidi.

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  152. I can't wait to peruse all these books! I did love the illustrations in "Catching babies" and "Love is Powerful" is amazing! Captures the child-like burning question if they'll ever be heard. Well, we certainly heard her --love love!

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  153. What a wonderful list of books. Some I've read, and some I am looking forward to reading. Thanks for this post!

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  154. I, too, miss being able to browse books. :(

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  155. Lovely choices and so helpful to have specific things to look for while reading. Thanks you for this post.

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  156. The Next President is wonderful. Thank you for your post!

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  157. These books have inspired an even greater appreciation of the marriage of text and illustrations to create incredible picture books.

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  158. All lovely choices that I might have missed out on if not for this great post!

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  159. I have a new favorite word- read-aloud-ability! Thank you!

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  160. What a win - I was able to get most of these wonderful books from my library. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on what makes them special.

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  161. Thanks for a great post with wonderful examples. I look forward to the day when we can all spend time inside libraries and bookstores!

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  162. So much to absorb here--thank you!

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  163. Thank you for the way you formatted this--"Read it for..." at the end of each analysis was helpful.

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  164. Birdsong and quiet books - YES!

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  165. Great titles here, thank you. "How to Find a Bird"... how timely!

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  166. Thank you for sharing these books!

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  167. I loved the book We Are Water Protectors. Thank you Heidi for your book choices.

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  168. Great books! Thank you Heidi for sharing.

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  169. Thanks for sharing, Heidi! I love the structure of I AM THE STORM. Perfect PB!

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  170. So many of these titles would have been hidden gems if you had not shared them. Thank you.

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  171. Thanks Heidi, not just for a great list but also for the mentor possibilities of each book. I too loved How To Find A Bird and can't wait (after your blurb) to get Your Place in the Universe from my library (long hold list = good interest by families, so not bad that I have to wait a bit longer!). Awesome post.

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  172. Thank you, Heidi. What a beautiful collection. Some of these were new to me and are now on my shelf.

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  173. These were all so special. I love I am the storm - my kids love it too! I also loved the creative thread in The Next President.

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  174. a fantastic sampling of GREAT books!

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  175. I really enjoyed the art in You Matter. And I loved the advice to "be patient" with your Grandpa in When Grandpa Gives You a Toolbox.

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  176. Thank you for a great selection. I particularly love Birdsong, How to Find a Bird and We are Water Protectors.

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  177. Thank you for this list of wonderful books! I thought that Your Place in the Universe did an incredible job of drawing children into the vastness of the universerse. Others like Birdsong,Your Name is a Song and We are Water Protectors were deeply moving. The art in We are Water Protectors may be my favorite -- so flowing and beautiful, a perfect fit for the subject.

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  178. I can't wait to dive into all of these books!

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  179. A lovely selection, especially Birdsong by Julie Flett.

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  180. My library has reopened and I cannot wait to get these wonderful suggestions.

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  181. hEIDI,
    I LOVED WHEN GRANDMA GIVES YOU A LEMON tree so i'll definitely look for when grandpa gives you a toolbox. Wanderer looks delicious. and Lift. hmm so much delicious reading. thank you.

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  182. The Next President is genius in my opinion. Such a unique way to present facts to kids!

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  183. I loved Bird Song by Julie Flett. Katherena felt sad and missed all her friends, even her tree, but she met a new friend. Agnes is her new friend. This story touched my heart. I had a Granny Agnes. She lived to 100 years old. I spent many summers with her doing all the things that Katherena did with her new friend. As a child I drew my masterpieces just for Granny just like Katherena did for her friend. I put my comments in wrong place.

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  184. Thank goodness for libraries and librarians.

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  185. I loved Birdsong, by Julie Flett and Your name is a Song, by Jamilan Thompkins-Bigelow. This whole list was very powerful and I am grateful for your selection and insights!

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  186. Thank you, Heidi! I loved "Your Name Is a Song" - a great reminder that if people can take the time to know your name, you can certainly take the time to learn theirs

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  187. Sweet and heartfelt these mentor texts sing to our souls. Thank you for each offering.

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  188. So many beautiful books that you found & purchased. Although I recognized & have read several of these, I've added some of these to my request list at my local library. Thank you & happy reading!

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  189. A wonderful eclectic list that I look forward to studying! Thank you.

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  190. I miss book browsing too, Heidi. So, thank you for sharing some of your favorites.

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  191. I feel you! We came to Colombia with 3 suitcases for a few months and stayed for more than a year due to the pandemic. We really miss our books and can't wait to go back to them and get our hands on new ones. We've bought a few but unable to find or buy as many. Thanks so much for this amazing list!

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  192. What a great list, Heidi! Loved the quiet books, especially Birdsong and Your Name is A Song.

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  193. I enjoyed every one of these books! Thank you so much for choosing them for us. Looking forward to browsing bookstores again, right with you. :)

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  194. I can;t wait to sit in bookstores for hours just browsing the books. Thank you for sharing this list

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