YCIS Pudong Library: Featured books: ECE

What we’ll build: Plans for our future together, by Oliver Jeffers

Although the relationship portrayed in this short picture book is between a father and his daughter, it could just as easily be mother and child or another central caregiver and child. The message either way is clear: the partnership between a trusted adult and child, is the key to endless possibilities. An especially good choice for caregivers who want to remind children that they are not alone and that they can get through the good and the bad, with support of those closest to them. 

I can do it too! by Karen Baicker

We all learn from the role-models around us. In this short book suitable for our youngest readers, a child sees the actions of those around her, and decides she is also capable of doing these things. The key phrase, ‘I can do it too!’ is repeated on every page and resounds with independence and confidence. Although the book is in English, it can be fun to repeat the key phrase in Chinese too:

 我也能做到！

Kindness makes us strong, by Sophie Beer

Another book suitable for our youngest readers and with a simple but powerful message. The message in the book reminds us all that kindness is not about being soft or overly permissive. Instead, acts of kindness strengthen our character, build friendships and community. 

Being cooperative, by Jill Lynn Donahue

Staying with the theme of relationships and community, an essential interpersonal skill is being cooperative. This non-fiction book is presented in a picture book style, with examples of children actively cooperating. The examples include children being cooperative as part of a family, a class and a group of friends. In each example, success is a by-product of working well together. Look out for other titles in the same series, such as ‘Being fair’, ‘Being brave’, ‘Being Trustworthy’.

Monsters Don’t eat Broccoli, by Barbara Jean Hicks

A book for all ECE ages but especially for those who are reluctant vegetable eaters! The book’s rhyming, zany descriptions of monsters eating anything BUT broccoli can be a fun conversation starter about making healthy choices. The book’s final page shows children enjoying a nutritious dinner (that includes broccoli) and asking for another helping. At that point your child will probably be asking for another reading of the book!

Power Down, Little Robot, by Anna Staniszewski

As adults, we know the importance of sleep but children, well, they often still testing their own limits and wanting to sleep as late as possible. In this story, little robot is also not wanting to wind-down. However, he is coaxed into his sleep module gently by his robot mother. Another fun and hopefully sleep-inducing story, that children will want to be told each night as they are ‘powered down’.

Sneezy Bear, by Neil Griffiths

We all sneeze and the urge can’t be stopped once it’s on its way. We can, however, choose where and how we sneeze. We can choose to turn into our shoulder or sneeze into our elbow, but someone else’s shoulder and elbow is definitely not acceptable! This book about a friendly, hungry bear who sneezes away every next meal, is a fun way to raise the topic of personal hygiene with your child.

Don’t do That, by Tony Ross

Among the least desirable of habits that are children find it difficult to break is nose-picking. Despite our warnings that they will spread germs, kids continue to use their fingers instead of a tissue. This book is a humorous way to open a conversation about this icky topic. The girl in the story has gotten her finger stuck as a result of nose-picking and no-one can seem to pull it out. Finally as a last resort, her little brother is allowed to do his worst and…you’ll have to read the book to find out!

On Account of the Gum, by Adam Rex

Speaking of bad habits, gum-chewing and what gum can lead to, is exaggerated in this hilarious story. This is a fun story whose moral could be ‘don’t make things worse’ as much as ‘don’t chew gum!’ Reminiscent of Oliver Jeffers’ book Stuck, the first quite believable object to get stuck becomes infinitesimally worse until there is a rabbit and even a cat stuck up there too. Parents will enjoy the story as much as children and should be able to use it to remind kids when a bad habit has, well, started to stick. 

As we get closer to the winter break, we also get closer to spending time with our family to mark special celebrations. Many of us will be celebrating Christmas and the calendar New Year, shortly followed by the celebration of Chinese New Year. 

Depending on our family traditions, we will all have different ways to celebrate these special holidays. Also based on our cultural heritage, we may be celebrating other special dates through the year. 

The following books in English are available in the ECE library and are a small selection of recommended books to share with our children to celebrate some of the many different festivities that our school community marks. 

 The Rookie Read-About Holidays series, is a simple and informative series meant for young children. The books present a cultural celebration and let children know clearly who celebrates it, when and why. The books promote cross-cultural understanding among young children and are a very useful tool for parents wanting to teach their children about other traditions around the world. 

The Usborne Young Reading series is an excellent reading choice for parents wanting to share stories with their children. In this case, the title in the series called Diwali, is a great choice for parents wanting to introduce their children to the Indian festival of the same name. 

Turning to Christmas, the heart-warming picture book The Best Christmas Ever! is a story that all ECE children should enjoy. The main mouse character is busy getting ready for a perfect Christmas feast for her friends, but because of her generosity, ends up with nothing at home to offer. Of course, Christmas will be saved when her forest friends appear with gifts to share. 

For slightly older ECE children ready for a more realistic story, the picture book Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto, is a popular choice. It includes Latino Christmas traditions as a family come together to celebrate the holiday. The story is also an opportunity to talk about our behaviour choices, as the main character learns a lesson from not being honest. 

Moving onto Chinese New Year, two colourful and simple choices for young readers, are Bringing In the New Year by Grace Lin and Happy Chinese New Year, Kai Lan, based on a Nickelodeon cartoon. 

Grace Lin is a well-known American Chinese author of many picture books as well as chapter books for older readers. Her book is a very simply told description of traditional Chinese New Year activities, with bright and cheery pictures. 

The story of Kai Lan celebrating Chinese New Year, is a good choice for children who are ready for a little more detail in a story. There is lots of lively dialogue between the cute animal characters as they celebrate the traditions of Chinese New Year. 

We hope all students enjoy their holidays with their families and, of course, with a book! Happy, safe holidays!