More, more, more: Sound, Shhh...Bang...POP...BOOM!

For the older siblings of your readertotz, look for the picture book, Sound, Shhh...Bang...Pop...Boom! With nearly dayglo colors, the sound vibrates straight out of this fascinating book. Graphic flat overlays of color create our auditory world. 

Within the main text, such as:

"In the sea of known and unknown sounds,

we look for order and harmony. This is how music is born."

there is small text which labels images: organ, accordion, French horn. Further info is delivered, as well:

"Even vegetables can serve as great musical instruments. A band called The Vegetable Orchestra plays music on vegetables and then makes soup out of them." 

This BolognaRagazzi Award winner, for best nonfiction in 2018, isn't confined to musical instruments. It explores city sounds, language, animals, people of sound, and people who speak in silence. The work is brilliant. Appreciate sound and then the lack of it. 

Sound, Shhh...Bang...POP...BOOM!

by Romana Romanyshyn and Andriy Lesiv 

translated by Vitaly Chernetsky

A Handprint Book

Tiptop Totz' Toys: Suzy Ultman and Taro Gomi

Chronicle Books has fun for you and your totz. Two items will encourage reading the authors' books, while readertotz play and learn. 

The first is Masha and Her Friends, a Wooden Nesting Doll Puzzle. I've adored Suzy Ultman's board book, Masha and Her Sisters. This puzzle is a natural follow up. Whether little hands reposition the double-sided, graduated pieces or display them in the notched slots, there's imagination to be inspired. Wood toy lovers will be delighted by this version of Masha. 

Taro Gomi's Play Anything Cards are a handy source for card playing enjoyment. An original group of characters fill the cards; yet, wee ones will likely recognize Gomi's distinctive illustration. They might reach for his My Friends to read after the game. 

Happy playing and reading! 

Taro Gomi's Play Anything Playing Cards

Masha and her Friends, Wooden Nesting Doll Puzzle

Chronicle Books

build!: Xavier Deneux

Readertotz touch and learn as they read this board book of puzzles titled build! While a man and woman build a house together, each left side of the spread offers one or more removable puzzle pieces to be placed on the right side. Bricks, a roof, a door and more must be delivered correctly. Xavier Deneux's sparse, hard-edged shapes are a compliment to the concept of the book. 

"We'll need a solid foundation.

A bulldozer will make our work so much easier!"

build! is A Handprint Book to read and play with. Watch your totz build a house with two adorable characters. 

build!

by Xavier Deneux

touch think learn

A Handprint Book

For the Older Sibs: Wonder Women, a Bingo Game

Looking for another activity to round out the homeschooling Covid day? Wonder Women, a Bingo Game is a fun, educational resource. Illustrated by Laura Bernard, released by Magma for Laurence King, Isabel Thomas provides text for each woman featured. 

The featured women include Annie Leibovitz, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Yayoi Kusama. Here's a portion of the entry for Jacinda Ardern:

"Jacinda became involved in politics as a teenager and began campaigning for a kinder and fairer world. She became an MP in the New Zealand parliament at 28 and Prime Minister of New Zealand at 37-its youngest leader for 150 years."

And then you know how bingo rolls. Get your card and select your caller. It's time for B-I-N-G-O!

Wonder Women, a Bingo Game

by Isabel Thomas

illustrated by Laura Bernard

Magma, for Laurence King

There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight: Penny Parker Klostermann

Rather than an Old Lady and a Fly, how about an Old Dragon and a Knight? Penny Parker Klostermann's work is a delight, full of surprise and fun solutions. Ben Mantle's illustrations add to the hilarity. 

"With all of that water, he started to bloat.

And that's when the dragon roared and I quote:

'Okay, enough! I have had enough--

More than enough of this swallowing stuff!

Maybe I've been a tad impolite.

Perchance I should only have swallowed the knight.'" 

Find this adorable twist and enjoy each and every page. 

There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight

by Penny Parker Klostermann

illustrated by Ben Mantle

Random House

Piece It Together: Owl Aboard!

 As we sit at home together, how about a family puzzle? With large pieces for your totz and smaller pieces for older folks, you can create a story together. Piece It Together, Family Puzzle, Owl Aboard! is available from Chronicle on November 10th. The work is illustrated by Wednesday Kirwan and Petra Hollander. Here's one more way to bond in the midst of our times. One piece at a time. Stay safe, all!