Sheila Rae's Peppermint Stick

Sheila Rae's Peppermint Stick
by
Kevin Henkes
children's fiction, ages 2-5
board book
ALA Notable Children's Book, 2001
CCBC Choices, 2002
Parenting Magazine, Reading Magic Award, 2001

Sheila Rae has candy. Her little sister wants her to share, but Sheila doesn't want to, so she promises her sister she can have some if she can complete some difficult tasks. Fate intervenes and in the end they share.
I recommend this book for families with more than one child to show how siblings should share. Only children who have to share at nursery school or day care would benefit as well.
Henkes has demonstrated in a number of books how he can use a minimal number of pictures and words to create a complete story. Impressive. Timeless.
The font used in this book is good for beginning readers, using the letter "a" that looks like a circle with a line rather than the printer's version with a curled "a".
Henkes won the 2005 Caldecott Medal for "Kitten's First Full Moon" which I have reviewed in an earlier blog. He seems to like to draw mice as his main characters.

Care Bears Caring Contest

Care Bears Caring Contest
by
Nancy Parent
ages 2-5

What are some ways you can show someone you care? How can you be kind to your friends and family? Although this is written to appeal to Care Bear fans, the caring lesson can be applied to all of us. This book shows little ways that bears (or children or adults) can be tender and loving. Isn't that what the world needs? More kindness?
This book should appeal to students, parents and teachers. It can be used with Bible verses, lessons on manners, etc. Children can come up with more ways to show caring that are not listed here. The lesson plan ideas keep rolling.
Even boys should read this.