Apples To Oregon

Apples To Oregon:

Being the (Slightly) True Narrative of How a Brave Pioneer Father Brought Apples, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Grapes and Cherries (And Children) Across the Plain

By: Deborah Hopkinson and Nancy Carpenter

Apples to Oregon is a TALL tale about how Delicious and her family moved a rolling nursery from Iowa to Oregon. Through rivers and up mountains, through a hailstorm and unforgiving, drying heat of the sun, the family marched onward with the sole purpose of keeping the little plants healthy enough to be transplanted into Oregon soil. They made it! Just in time for the gold rush, but they had already found their fortune.

Don't forget to read the Author's Note in the back. Apples To Oregon, although a tall tale, was based on a real family. A pioneer named Henderson Luelling, his wife Elizabeth and his eight children left Salem, Iowa in 1847 with 700 plants and young fruit trees. The family did make it to Oregon and settled in Milwaukie which is about 6 miles away from Portland. The Luelling-Meek Nursery has been called the 'mother of Oregon nurseries'. 

I'm Gonna Like Me

I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem

By Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell

Jamie Lee Curtis? THE Jamie Curtis? LOL Yes, Jamie Lee Curtis is now an amazing co-author of children's picture books with her partner Laura Cornell. In I'm Gonna Like Me, children go through their day and although they do some things really well or some things really bad or make mistakes or succeed or look different - they still like who they are. When kids like themselves they feel safe and secure. This is a good book to share with younger kids to foster that spirit of good self-esteem.

Jamie Lee Curtis has also co-written with Laura Cornell:

When I Was Little

Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born

Today I Feel Silly

Where Do Balloons Go?

Pizza For The Queen

Pizza for the Queen

By Nancy Castaldo

Illustrated by: Melisande Potter

October is Pizza Month!

Raffaaele was the finest pizza maker in the land and his reputation stretched straight up to Queen Margherita! She sent her royal messenger to order pizzas from Raffaele's pizzeria Pietro e Basta Cosi. The Queen wanted to taste the pizza that her servants were raving over!  Rafffaele visited local markets to pick up the favorite tastes of the Napoli people. He did not get the 'best', but got the people's favorite. The first pizza was spread with olive oil and tomatoes and oregano and garlic. The second pizza was spread with sausage and mozzarella and basil. By the time Raffaele got to the third pizza, he noticed all the anchovies were gone! Inspired by the flag of Italy, Raffaele spread the last pizza with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella cheese. Queen Margherita loved Raffaele's pizzas, but particularly noticed and loved the last pizza which came to be known as - Pizza Margherita! The book even includes it's own recipe for Pizza Margherita.

Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match

Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match

By: Monica Brown

Illustrated by: Sara Palacios

Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match was a MD Black-Eyed Susan nominee in 2013-2014. 

Little girls love to mismatch! Marisol is no exception, but she takes it to unusual lengths. She writes in cursive and in print, she brings peanut butter and jelly burritos to lunch, she likes to play soccer-playing pirates and she speaks spanglish. One day on the playground, Ollie says to Marisol that she couldn't match even if she wanted to! Marisol takes this as a challenge and comes in the next day with matching clothes. She plays just a pirate at recess and eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on mushy white bread. Marisol's teacher asks her if she is okay and at the end of the day gives Marisol a note explaining that she likes Marisol just the way she is. Marisol learns that it's okay to be different. It's important to be YOU!

Maybe Something Beautiful by F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell

Maybe Something Beautiful

By F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell

In a drab, gray world, Mira draws beautifully colorful pictures and hands them out to people in her community until one day she meets a man. This man was a muralist and with his brush he spread colorful sunshine throughout the city. Neighbors, family, friends all joined in with the muralist and Mira and the music played and the city came alive with color! It brought the city together and made the people happy. 

Maybe Something Beautiful by F. Isabel Campoy is based on a true story of downtown San Deigo, CA. Rafael and Candice Lopez came up with the idea to color their community in effort to bring people together through art. Rafael was an artist and his wife, Candice, was a graphic design. Together they invited their whole community to come up with the concept of the Urban Art Trail. They painted murals and benches and utility boxes...and transformed their neighborhood into something beautiful. 

Here are few links to checkout:

Maybe Something Beautiful website

Rafael Lopez talks about an upcoming mural in Chicago

Here are some pictures of the Urban Art Trail in San Diego and a picture of Rafael Lopez. Notice how things like Port-o Potties and junction boxes are painted!

Helen's Big World: The Life of Helen Keller

Helen's Big World: The Life of Helen Keller

By: Doreen Rapport

Illustrated by: Matt Tavares

October is World Blindness Awareness Month

Has there ever been a more celebrated advocate for the blind than Helen Keller? Helen Keller was not born blind. In fact, she was a perfectly healthy baby until she became sick at 19-months old. Her sickness left her in a dark world that she didn't understand and a world that she fought against.  Alone and afraid, Helen raged against her new, dark world. Helen's parents didn't know how to help her until Annie Sullivan came into her life. Annie Sullivan had been legally blind, but after several operations she was able to see again, but her eyes were weak. Annie worked with Helen and brought light to her world and gave her words to communicate with those around her. 

Helen's Big World was a MD Black-Eyed Susan Nominee in 2014-2015 and is a wonderful picture book about the life of Helen Keller. It is also a wonderful book to teach kids that there is no boundary to your dreams and with hard work and dedication, you can accomplish anything.

Blackout by John Rocco

Blackout

By John Rocco

2012-2013 MD Black-Eyed Susan Nominee

Life can get pretty busy sometimes and it's hard to just stop and take a break until...the power goes out. When all of the power in the city goes out one hot summer night, folks break out of their homes and abandon everything and are forced to take that moment to be with neighbors, to dance, to sing, to be with each other and to see the lights in the sky! Sometimes when one thing fails, there is something marvelous that can be born. Blackout is a great reminder to us all to off the "lights" and take that time for family.