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These are great! We too are reading Annie & the Wild Animals. And I totally agree about the heavy-handedness; it's everywhere, and so annoying. I'm off to tentatively google a picture of those snakes...

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You've been warned! (So. gross.) 😊

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I had to smile at your intro. When I get like this, I too am so sure I’ve permanently lost all ability to function at my previous level. It’s especially true when I have a cold. My brain convinces me I’ll never have energy again. Then, one day I wake up with restored energy levels and all I can do is shake my head at myself.

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Shaking my head at myself is one of my lesser hobbies, but I sure spend a lot of time doing it 😂

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This is such a thoughtful post. I'm saving it to come back to again and again. Enjoy your mini break! Looking forward to more book recs in the Spring.

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Thanks, Kuleigh. It's not really a break -- I do it because it's a time of year when my day job requires a lot of heavy lifting and trying to manage my newsletter at the same time is just too much -- but I appreciate your support!

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I completely understand that!

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I loved Flora and Ulysses! Hope you all enjoy it too!

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It's not my favorite DiCamillo -- my kids feel the same -- but we're enjoying it.

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Fair. She has so many good ones to choose from!

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Have you read The Puppets of Spelhorst? I haven't yet.

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Not yet! Definitely on my list.

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Wilfred,by Ryan Huggins, it’s a favorite in our house!

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I don't know this one! I'll have to check it out.

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Rabbits Snow Dance and Tracks in the Snow - both from your winter list - will be my Mystery Reader picks on Friday. My kinder twins love the rhythm of both!

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YESSS. I love this, Victoria. Happy Mystery Reading!

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There are so many good books in this one! Me First (I need to pull this one out immediately to read to the boys again), Jabari Jumps, The Paper Boy. Thank you for reminding me of these reads. Enjoy your time away to rest and come back with new creative energy.

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Occasionally I'll walk around the house calling out, WHOOOOO WILL CARE FOR A SAND WITCH????? and laugh.

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Happy Hibernation and Hiatus!

In the service category, our favorites that mostly relate to food insecurity are Last Stop on Market Street, Maddie's Fridge, and Our Little Kitchen. Maddie's Fridge makes me choke up every time I read it.

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I don't know that one! Last Stop on Market Street and Our Little Kitchen are both wonderful.

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Maddie's Fridge is great. It is definitely pointed, but not heavy handed (IMO). Would be curious to know what you think.

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Just put it on hold.

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I want to sit down and read them ALL! Thanks for posting these great books.

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You’re very welcome.

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The didactic books drive me crazy!!!

We recently read Salat in Secret by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow and it so sweet and wonderful. It's about a young Muslim boy building his courage to pray in public, especially at school

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Whether the morals are heavy-handed or more entwined with compelling narrative as are the books on your list, it can be valuable to recognize that any story can never be completely values-neutral. Every story contains a certain worldview and is imbued with certain values (and if it didn't, why read it?). So it's a matter of choosing stories that impart the values and worldviews you hope to give your child, the values that you believe are necessary to having a good life. And as your child gets older, and chooses their own books, it's a matter of encouraging them to think critically about the values and worldviews presented to them, and which ones they want to adopt for themselves.

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Absolutely. Great point.

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Hey Sarah!! Would any of these be specifically good for a child in preschool who is struggling to regulate emotions! We are dealing with hitting at preschool and want to help at home with some books. But it’s hard to talk about and I can’t find many suggestions!

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You need Hands Are Not for Hitting by Martine Agassi. It's for toddlers but will still apply to preschoolers, especially if this is an active problem.

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