A critical analysis of Watercress (2021) — Innate Justice Reflection Tool In this critical analysis, I utilize the structure laid out in my September 2023 article “Innate Justice in Children’s Books.” …

Review: ★★★★ (4/5) To “find something spectacular,” Sam and Dave decide to dig a hole in their backyard. They dig and dig, changing directions and tactics over time, but always at just the wrong moment. Should they choose to continue, they could uncover increasingly large treasures. Klassen’s signature paired-down imagery compliments Barnett’s text, creating new meaning through collaboration, and invites the reader(s) in.

Theodor Seuss Geisel, most commonly referred to by his nom de plume Dr. Suess, wrote the Cat in the Hat because William Spaulding, the director of Houghton Mifflin’s education division, wanted a more engaging story for early readers (Nel, 2017). …

Why must love be a competition? — Review: ★★★ (3/5) This book, written by Sam McBratney and illustrated by Anita Jeram, has become a staple on many children’s bookshelves and it’s clear why. The story of the two Nutbrown Hares underscores rightful place (Luvmour, 2006) in its emphasis on the immeasurability of love. For young children, its repetition and predictable plot patterns are inroads for engagement and meaning-making. Therefore, while the story is simple, it is likely powerful.

A slow, beautiful experience that inspires play and engagement. — Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5) Gentle, yet immense illustrations underline the same characteristics in the words of Brendan Wenzel’s 2019 picture book A Stone Sat Still. The story feels reminiscent of Marianna Coppo’s Petra (2018) in which we see the same stone from many perspectives. Each time the perspective shifts, it is because the stone’s meaning is determined by its relationship with another (a snail, a bird, the ocean, a beetle). In this way, A Stone Sat Still, reinforces the important message that we are who we are through our relationships while simultaneously teaching us the importance of observation and keeping an open mind — things aren’t always what they seem. This book, which follows Wenzel’s Caldecott-winning They All Saw A Cat (2016), is a slow, beautiful experience that inspires play and engagement during story time.

How do we spot interrelationality in children’s books? Boykin et al. (1997) describe this Afrocultural concept of communalism as a “spirituality, which suggests a focus on the vitalistic, shared essence of all things” (p. 409). …

A tool for interpreting and engaging with picture books — Throughout the course of my master’s degree and thesis writing, I developed a tool I believed would allow educators, parents, caregivers, etc. understand how a children’s book was supporting or hindering the emergence of our innate wisdom and sense of justice. This tool exists and operates within an innate justice…

As Kerry Mallan says, “humor is a rather slippery term,” and many over the years have attempted to define it differently over the years. What has become clear is that humor shape-shifts. Young BodyBeing children, play with language–especially around the age of three. “Research into what children find funny has…

Inquiry-based learning promotes critical thinking and problem-solving skills and is the type of learning in which “children are provided meaningful opportunities to use their curiosity and to pose questions in order to gain in-depth knowledge of a topic” (Krogh & Morehouse, 2020, p. 6). This type of learning engages a…