4th September International Vulture Awareness Day

International Vulture Awareness Day shines a spotlight on the highly important yet vastly misunderstood birds – vultures.

Often misunderstood, vultures are the silent sentinels of our natural world. These remarkable creatures are nature’s cleaners, ecosystem guardians, flying giants, and devoted parents.

These remarkable birds play a vital role in maintaining sustainable and healthy ecosystems. By efficiently consuming carcasses and organic waste, vultures likely prevent the spread of deadly diseases that could devastate wildlife, livestock, and even people.

Vultures are facing a global crisis – they need our help to make a recovery. Vulture populations worldwide are experiencing catastrophic declines due to various threats, including direct and indirect poisoning, illegal killing, and electrocutions or collisions with power lines. 

Vultures are birds of prey who scavenge on carrion (the flesh of decaying animals carrion).There are Old World vultures which are native to  Africa, Asia and Europe. Then there are New World vultures that are native to North and South America. There are no vultures in Australia or Antarctica.

A particular characteristic of many vultures is a bald, unfeathered head. This bare skin is thought to keep the head clean when feeding.

Vultures have three collective nouns allocated to them. A group of vultures in flight is called a "kettle", while the term "committee" refers to a group of vultures resting on the ground or in trees. A group of vultures that are feeding is termed a "wake".

There are not a lot of picture books about vultures, but my young students get interested in vultures because of these two books which feature a vulture.

The library has these stories:

• Vulture View  by April Pulley Sayre and Steve Jenkins

Turkey vultures are best known for being nature’s clean-up crew, but did you know they’re among the most graceful soaring birds on earth? Come spend a day in the life of a vulture and learn how they fly on thermals of warmed air, preen their feathers to stay squeaky clean, keep up their scavenger diet—and so much more. 

• The Sulky Vulture  by Sally Grindley and Michael Terry

Boris is a very sulky vulture - nothing ever goes quite right for him! When his friends try to take his mind off things and cheer him up, everything goes wrong: the swing he is swinging on breaks, he can't find the zebra in hide and seek, he ends up with a rhino chasing him when he plays catch. Even when mum offers him a hug he's still not happy. Some vultures are never pleased!

• Condor's Egg  by Jonathan London and James Chaffee

The story of a family of California Condors and their struggle to survive while their habitat is being destroyed, told in a carefully researched text accompanied by information on helping preserve the Condor. Condor is the common name for  two species of New World vultures.

Your library might also have :

• Vultures, a Love Story  by Karen Schaufeld and Kurt Schwarz

Little Igor, a vulture, was born with a limp and an unusual feather sticking up from his otherwise bald head. This tale is about appreciating our differences and our skills, and recognizing that we all deserve love.

There are some information books with good photographs:

31st August Maria Montessori

It is Maria Montessori's birthday. She was born in Italy in 1870 and died at age 81 in 1952. In 1890 Montessori enrolled at the University of Rome to study physics, mathematics and natural sciences, receiving her diploma two years later. This enabled her to enter the Faculty of Medicine, as one of the first women in Italy, and the first to study at the University of Rome. Montessori stood out not just because of her gender, but because she was actually intent on mastering the subject matter. As part of her work as a doctor she saw a lot of poor people and children.

In 1900 the National League , a "medico-pedagogical institute" for training teachers in educating children with learning difficulties, with an attached laboratory classroom. Montessori was appointed co-director.

In 1906, Montessori was invited to oversee the care and education of a group of children of working parents in a new apartment building for low-income families in the San Lorenzo district in Rome. Montessori, occupied with teaching, research, and other professional activities, oversaw and observed the classroom work, but did not teach the children directly. 

In this first classroom, Montessori observed behaviours in these young children which formed the foundation of her educational method. She noted episodes of deep attention and concentration, multiple repetitions of activity, and a sensitivity to order in the environment. Given a free choice of activity, the children showed more interest in practical activities and Montessori's materials than in toys provided for them and were surprisingly unmotivated by sweets and other rewards. Over time, she saw a spontaneous self-discipline emerge.

Maria Montessori believed in the creative potential of every child - and she developed a brand-new approach to education, building on the way children naturally learn. Montessori Schools still exist in many places including Australia.

Even if you know nothing about Montessori Education , today is a good day to read a biography of this amazing woman who was a trailblazer in her time.

31st August Vegetable Day

How familiar you are with a food is a crucial indicator of whether you are likely to eat it. This is the case not only for children but for adults too.

Birch, L. & Marlin, D. M (1982). “I don't like it; I never tried it: Effects of exposure on two-year-old children's food preferences” Appetite Accessed on 26th November 2020 

 So, the easiest way to combat food neophobia in children is to make food more familiar. Ideally, familiarity arises through exposing children to new foods multiple times and through different recipes – if a child can be persuaded to taste an initially rejected food on multiple occasions, the evidence suggests that the food will eventually be accepted. 

Reading picture books that feature vegetables will quickly mean that children will at least know what they look like before they taste them. Many picture books make vegetables easy to identify with and good fun. I'm sure that is why my students love Supertato books and the Runaway Pea  series.

Last week Cate James visited the students I teach and her newest book is this one written by Jo Dabrowski. It is written in a letter format. 

Dear Broccoli,

Last night at dinner you were on my plate. AGAIN. 

Please don't come back. 

From, Frank. 

Dear Frank, 

I am afraid I cannot grant your request. The matter is out of my florets. 

Most respectful regards, 

Broccoli 

This will make children laugh, even those who do not like broccoli. It is surprising how many books there actually are that feature broccoli.

• Monsters Don't Eat Broccoli by Barbara Jean Hicks and Sue Hendra

• There's Broccoli in My Ice Cream!  by Emily MacKenzie

• a series of easy graphic readers about Cookie and Broccoli  by Bob McMahon

• Nelson: Broccoli and Spies  by Andrew Levins

Similarly, there are several books about carrots

• Too Many Carrots  by Katy Hudson

• Colin and Lee Carrot and Pea  by Morag Hood

• Oh, Carrots!  by  Mariajo Illustrajo  

• Creepy Carrots  by Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown

• Lottie and Dottie Sow Carrots  by Claire Burgess

Peas

• Give Peas a Chance  by Rob Biddulph

• The Princess and the Peas  by Caryl Hart and Sarah Warburton

• The Princess and the Peas and the Carrots  by Harriet Ziefert 

• More Peas Please!  by Tom McLaughlin

• The Runaway Pea  by Kjartan Poskitt

Zucchini

• Zora's Zucchini  by Katherine Pryor and Anna Raff

Spinach

• Sylvia's Spinach  by Katherine Pryor and Anna Raff

Radishes

• Rah, Rah, Radishes!  by April Pulley Sayre

Lettuce

• For the Love of Lettuce by Courtney Dicmas

Strictly speaking tomatoes and avocados are fruit not vegetables so not included here.

Various other single vegetable books.

28th August I Have a Dream Day

I Have a Dream Day commemorates when Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous speech during the March on Washington in 1963. This event protested against racial discrimination and encouraged the passage of civil rights legislation, which was discussed in Congress. His speech called for equity and freedom and remains today one of the most iconic speeches in American history.

As with other famous people, this is the day to make sure the books about Martin Luther King are off the shelf and on display, so that students can borrow them. The school library has these, but there are others that your library might have.

 

Instead you could take the themes of civil rights, activism or dreams and use a book as a provocation for good class discussion. 

• Dream Drum Girl  by Margarita Engle and Rafael Lopez

In this picture book bursting with vibrance and rhythm, a girl dreams of playing the drums in 1930s Cuba, when the music-filled island had a taboo against female drummers. 

• Small's Big Dream  by Manjeet Mann and Amanda Quartey

In Small’s world, everything is small – her shoes, her bed, everything. But her dreams are big. And Small discovers that when you dream big, anything – and everything – can happen.

• If I Had a Little Dream  by Nina Laden and Melissa Castrillon

Nina Laden’s warm and lyrical picture book sees and appreciates through a child’s eyes how fortunate we are to live in the world we do. Our world is full of possibilities if you look for them.

26th August International Dog Day

Of all the animals on the planet, dogs have the widest range of roles in our daily lives. They’re protectors, helpers, lifesavers—but most of all, they’re family.

International Dog Day, celebrated annually is a day dedicated to honouring and appreciating the special bond between humans and dogs. I haven't written about it before as it is such a big topic in children's books. Every reader has their own favourite dog book. Which is yours?

At the moment the students and I are having fun with Chip (Dev Petty), but their favourite dog is probably Bluey. There are other popular dogs in the library... Spot ( Eric Hill); Clifford (Norman Bridwell); Plum (Emma Chichester Clark); Hairy Maclary ( Lynley Dodd) Kingsley (Gabriel Evans); Harry (Gene Zion); Rocket (Tad Hills); Marley (John Grogan); Magoo (Briony Stewart); Gus (Chris Chatterton) Muddypaws (Peter Bently); Walter (William Kotzwinkle); Fearless (Colin Thompson); Otto (Catherine Rayner); and Claude (Alex T. Smith)

If you are thinking about getting a dog try these:

And a short chapter book with alternating points of view.

"George loves his new puppy, Lucky, but Lucky is out of control. If George doesn't train him soon, his parents will make George take Lucky back to the pound. As for Lucky, he has a lot of work to do, too he has to train George to give him more ham. By the end of this funny story, Lucky comes to realise that he can train George by doing the right thing."

27th August Just Because Day

This day offers up an opportunity to do stuff...just because. So feel free to celebrate this day any way you choose. Just because! It invites spontaneous acts, random fun and unexpected kindness to break routine and spark joy.

When we use this common phrase, it means that we do not need to have a reason for what we are doing or have asked someone to do. It could be that something is true for no specific reason!

Today when a child asks, ' why?' you can say 'Just because!'

There are three children's books with the title Just Because:

Just Because  by Mac Barnett and Isabelle Arsenault 

It might be time for bed, but one child is too full of questions about the world to go to sleep just yet. Little ones and their parents will be charmed and delighted as a patient father offers up increasingly creative responses to his child’s night-time wonderings. Any child who has ever asked “Why?” – and any parent who has attempted an explanation – will recognise themselves in this storybook for dreamers who are looking for answers beyond “just because”.

Just Because  by Rebecca Elliott 

'My big sister Clemmie is my best friend. She can't walk, talk, move around much, cook macaroni, pilot a plane, juggle or do algebra. I don't know why she doesn't do these things. Just because.' This charming picture book covers the issue of disability in a unique and beautiful celebration of sibling friendship to which all children can relate.

Just Because  by Matthew McConaughey and Renee Krill

Just because I'm in the race,
doesn't mean I'm fully ready.
Just because I'm shaking,
doesn't mean that I'm not steady.

Have you ever felt worried and excited at the same time?

Have you ever had your feelings hurt but forgiven someone anyway?

Have you ever thought there was more than one right answer to a question?

That's because contradictions are all around us. And they make us who we are. Why? Just because.