Themes/Topics: nature, differences, self-awareness, accepting who you are
Brief Synopsis: The lion, great white shark and timber wolf are feeling misunderstood and sad because other animals fear them just because they eat their relatives.
Opening pages: “The lion is known throughout the animal kingdom as the “”king of beasts.” The great white shark is the most feared predator in the oceans. And the Timber wolf’s howl strikes terror into the hearts of fuzzy woodland creatures everywhere. But even SAVAGE CARNIVORES get their feelings hurt.
Why I like this book: Carnivores is hilarious. The lion, great white shark and timber wolf are feeling rejected. They come up with ideas so the other animals will like them but their solutions fail because it’s just not the way the animal kingdom works. They are predators and come to accept themselves as they are…and at the end you learn they truly are what they are…carnivores. Belly laugh funny!
Later Tartan Gator: A New Orleans TaleWritten by: Lorraine Johnston
Illustrated by: Preston Asevedo
Mascot Books, April 2013, Fiction
Suitable for ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: kindness, courage, community, cultural awareness
Brief Synopsis: An alligator at the New Orleans Audubon Zoo gets into colorful trouble when Scottish tourists ignore the sign “DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS AT ANY TIME”. A little girl comes to the rescue through the help of local shopkeepers.
Opening pages:“If you’re ever going to visit Audubon Zoo, remember this story, it is quite true. There is an old alligator who sits in his pen. He’s got quite a story, it all started when…”Why I like this book: Later Tartan Gator: A New Orleans Tale written by Scottish author Lorraine Johnston weaves the love of her own culture with the culture of New Orleans through her choice of setting and characters. Themes and topics addressed are valuable teaching tools. The alligator learns there are consequences when rules are broken. A little girl shows kindness and courage by her desire and actions to help him solve his problem. And through cooperation with a community chocolate shop, the little girl helps the alligator return to his original self.
Punxsutawney Phyllis knows that girl groundhogs can do anything boy groundhogs can do. And she proves it to her Uncle Punxsutawney Phil when she is able to make an accurate prediction on Groundhogs Day.
And you know what else Phyllis knows? Girl Groundhogs rule! That’s right, Phyllis went down to New Orleans this month during Carnival, ate a piece of King Cake and got the baby. Now Phyllis is the Queen of the Krewe of Marmotte (that’s groundhog in French)!
You go girl!
Laissez les bon temps roulez!
Punxsutawney Phyllis by Susan Leonard Hill, Illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler
In celebration of the first annual Multicultural Children’s Book Day, I choose to highlight Fat Tuesday Mardi Gras La Chatte Noire written by Todd-Michael St. Pierre and illustrated by Diane Millsap. The book is about a cat who lives in Jackson Square in the Vieux Carré (French Quarter) neighborhood of New Orleans. The cat searches for a friend and visits many historical spots in the quarter and around the city. The book is written in English and French. What a lovely tribute to the city of New Orleans!
One day there may no longer be a need to have a ”day” to remind people to read books about the diversity within our own country and the world. But until that day comes, I invite you to celebrate Multicultural Book Day. Yay!
Why you ask? Meera Sriram lists 10 reasons in her blog post. http://www.incultureparent.com/2012/07/10-reasons-to-read-multicultural-books-to-your-kids/
And who can argue with what Mahatma Gandhi said, No culture can live if it attempts to be exclusive. Diversity is all around us to embrace.
Anyone looking for titles can check out the sites below. Some of my favorite books are about different cultures found here in the USA and around the world. Read a few, or read a lot, and maybe some will become favorites of yours too.
What do you need in the most festive city in the USA? Another festival! The 1st Annual King Cake Festival coming this February. It’s a family friendly festival too. Live performances, kid’s games, stroller fun run and of course a King Cake competition. And it’s FREE.
Wish I could be there with y’all. Have fun! Eat King Cake. AND DON’T FORGET THE BABY! http://www.ochsner.org/king-cake-festival/
While most celebrate January 1st as the New Year, according to the Catholic Church calendar it’s still Christmas!
The Twelve Days of Christmas starts on December 25th, the day after Christmas Day and ends on January 5th, followed by January 6th, the Feast of the Epiphany.
Just about everyone knows the song, the Twelve Days of Christmas. If not, the first stanza should spark your memory, ‘‘On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree.” Some Catholics claim the song was a clever way to teach Catholicism when Puritans banned the English from celebrating Christmas and the Catholic faith back in the 16th century. Researchers have actually traced the genesis of the song regardless of one’s belief about the reason behind its origin.
The song first appeared in Mirth without Mischief, a book published in England in the year 1780. Daft Days where the King of Fools reigned was part of the Christmas and pagan winter solstice celebrations in medieval England. Pranks and causing mischief were common. The tune to the song is believed to date back to France. Turns out the song, filled with verses that appear random, was a ”memory and forfeits” game for children in the 18th century. A very old version of ”I went to the market and bought…” played today to help children develop memory and concentration. This game became popular to play during parties on the 12th night of Christmas.
Today, the lack of celebration of the Twelve Days of Christmas really does speak to the secularization of Christmas. Advent, the time of preparation to celebrate the coming birth of Jesus, is better known and more celebrated than the days following Christmas. But even Advent calendars are more about receiving than giving. Perhaps the reason for the complete Christmas season, December 25-January 5, has been lost in the commercialization of Christmas. In accordance to the liturgical year, the twelve days of after the birth of Jesus is still a part of the Christmas celebration. At one time, over these 12 days people celebrated with merriment, spent time with family, gave charity to the poor and prepared to celebrate the life of Jesus here on earth. It just seems these days as Christmas is marketed earlier and earlier (before Halloween!), it’s easy to feel Christmas ends the morning presents are opened.
One tradition my son makes sure we don’t forget takes place on Christmas Eve. That’s the day we put up our Christmas tree, watch old Christmas movies, and tell stories about ornaments as they are hung with care. I guess in our own way, that’s how we celebrate Christmas. No one is able to run away from the commercialism of Christmas, and our family certainly participates in the shopping frenzy. But traditions are reminders of why we do the things we do. As long as these traditions continue, we will remember.
Happy New Year to all! Wishing you joy, peace, and happiness in 2014!
