22nd March We Love Broccoli Day

It makes sense that broccoli is celebrated. “Let thy food be thy medicine,” said Hippocrates. 

As part of the brassica family, broccoli lowers the amount of cholesterol, reduces the risk of heart disease, benefits eye health, supports hormonal balance and the immune system. Considered a high fibre food, broccoli contains detox antioxidants, but also sulforaphane, which enhances detoxification of airborne toxins, reducing cancer risk. Luckily lots of children do like it. Use these books to remind them that broccoli is fun!

•  Dear Broccoli  by Jo Dabrowski and Cate James

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

• Supertato: Broccoli Boogie  from Supertato series by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet

• Broccoli's Big Day  by Mike Henson and Sandra de la Prada

• There's Broccoli in my Ice cream  by Emily MacKenzie

• 100 Dragons All Named Broccoli by David Larochelle and Lian Cho

•  Cookie and Broccoli  series by Bob McMahon

• Broccoli and Spies by Andrew Levins

20th March World Frog Day

Frogs in the Blue Mountains 

Photos by Ákos Lumnitzer .

World Frog Day, held on 20th March each year, is a day dedicated to raising awareness for frogs and other amphibians. Many frog populations are under threat and many species are disappearing, or have already become extinct!

In the Blue Mountains, which is very close to where we live the proximity of bushland with its network of streams, bogs, swamps, and lakes means that frogs are never far away from us, although for many of us, they are rarely seen. But even unseen, they make their presence known each spring, the chorus of frogs being one of the thrilling sounds of nature.

There are 35 amphibian species in the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area. Sydney is home to a diverse range of native frogs too, including tree frogs and ground-dwelling species commonly found in gardens and bushland. Common species include the Striped Marsh Frog, Eastern Dwarf Tree Frog,  and Common Eastern Froglet.

The young children I teach are fascinated by frogs and it is easy to put together a display. At hthe moment though most of the books are in classrooms so a display will have to wait for  one of the other days that celebrate frogs. See pinterest page.

21st March International Day of Forests

The International Day of Forests raises awareness of their role in life on earth. Forests are complex ecosystems, essential for the health of the environment and all living beings. They are home to 80% of the world's terrestrial biodiversity, and 1.6 billion people depend on them for shelter, food, energy, income and medicines.

Regarding climate change, forests are vital as they retain heat and absorb carbon dioxide. However, while we need forests more than ever, deforestation progresses at an alarming rate: the world is losing 10 million hectares of forest each year, which directly jeopardizes our existence on earth.

Our library has so many books about trees and some specifically about forests, so it is easy to celebrate this special day. 

Look for these books about forests:

Come on a walk with Grandpa to discover how a forest is made, and see how a thousand tiny things can come together to change the face of the earth… This gorgeous book features a non-fiction section about the different types of forests around the world, their importance to our ecosystem and the impact of deforestation on our planet.

Turn the pages and discover everything you need to know about deforestation and the ways we can tackle it. From scientists and conservationists helping to protect forest creatures, to tech inventions like robot tree-planters, this book helps children to discover the incredible solutions to deforestation that are being worked on around the world right now.

Step into the forest and explore the many worlds that exist beneath the treetops, from birds that make their nests up high to neighbourhoods of bugs who are working hard underground. Wander through the big worlds and tiny worlds of the forest, get lost in the quiet magic of the towering trees, and delight in the busy lives of all who live above, below and within.

There once was a forest . . .
So begins this timeless and touching story of renewal of a forest.

See it here.

This book is the ideal introduction to the environmental concerns facing our forests, featuring colourful illustrations and an engaging, light-hearted storyline, drawn and written by Brendan Kearney. Grown-ups and children will enjoy reading together and following the story of Finn and Skip, with its ups and downs, and pointing out all the different animals that Finn meets in the rainforest. They'll also learn about how using ethical products can help save the animals.

What can one person do in the face of global environmental degradation? Indian Jadav Payeng has proven that each and every one of us can make a difference. As a boy, he began planting trees on a sandbank in the state of Assam. Nobody believed that he would succeed in doing so. But since 1979, a forest the size of Central Park has emerged, offering a home to countless animals and plants. It was not until 2007 that a photographer accidentally discovered the forest and made Payeng known to the world beyond India.

Delve into the intriguing world of forests, and discover how they work, the animals they protect, and their millennia-long relationship with humans. Learn the science behind a single tree and the magical stories told about forests around the world, as well as how you could improve your wellbeing with a trip amongst the trees.

Forests are different around the world. They range from hot, damp rainforests to icy taiga forests, but all of them offer a home for animals and plants, precious natural resources and beautiful places to have fun, spot nature and find calm. But forests are under threat from climate change, habitat loss and pollution. Find out how we can all help to look after our precious forests, as well as enjoy them.

This nonfiction children’s picture book begins with a view of the forest at a distance, then zooms in on its fascinating details, including the amazing trees, bright birds, adorable baby animals, and other wonders of nature that inhabit it. The rhythmic text and inviting watercolor illustrations allow curious young readers to observe, explore, and learn what makes forests so special and vitally important.

 

20th March World Sparrow Day

The house sparrow was one of the first animals that developed a very close association with humans as agriculture developed in the Middle East and people first began to create permanent settlements. Fossilised remains of house sparrows have been found in the Middle East that are over 10,000 years old and from a Bronze Age long house in Sweden that is 3,000 years old.

Over the past few thousand years sparrows spread passively alongside humans as we expanded our range around the world. Within the past 150 years, this spread was actively facilitated by people as the house sparrow was deliberately introduced into the Americas, parts of Africa, and in Australia and New Zealand from 1863. As such, the house sparrow is now the most widespread urban bird in the world.

While some people have bemoaned the sparrow as a feral introduced pest, overwhelming we have found Australians enjoy the company of this little brown bird.

As native species are less likely to inhabit urban areas, we cannot afford to simply “write off“ interactions with non-native species. By encouraging people to reflect on, and enjoy their local interactions with common urban species like the house sparrow, we can make them more likely to respect and value nature and biodiversity at a global scale.

There's not a large number of picture books about sparrows, but you should manage to locate one of these in your library.

• The Triumphant Tale of the House Sparrow  by Jan Thornhill

This fascinating book includes the life history of tthis perky little bird, the House Sparrow. It is one of the most adaptable creatures on Earth, from its beginnings in the Middle East to its spread with the growth of agriculture into India, North Africa and Europe. Everywhere the House Sparrow went, it competed with humans for grain, becoming such a pest that in some places "sparrow catcher" became an actual job and bounties were paid to those who got rid of it.

• Sparrow Girl  by Sara Pennypacker

Ming-Li looked up and tried to imagine the sky silent, empty of birds. It was a terrible thought. Her country's leader had called sparrows the enemy of the farmers--they were eating too much grain, he said. He announced a great "Sparrow War" to banish them from China, but Ming-Li did not want to chase the birds away.

•  Little Bot and Sparrow  by Jake Parker

When Little Bot is thrown out with the garbage, he meets his first true friend, a bird named Sparrow, who takes him under her wing. Sparrow teaches Little Bot about the perils of flying, her wild world, and the importance of dreaming. As winter arrives, Sparrow must leave and fly south, and they share a tearful good bye. Little Bot revisits where he and Sparrow shared happy memories, and that night, for the first time, he dreams of him and Sparrow taking flight together.

•  Kozo the Sparrow  by Allen Say

A young boy sees a baby bird quivering in the hands of a neighbourhood bully. Suddenly, he wants the orphan sparrow more than anything. He trades all his treasures for the bird and calls it Kozo, Little Boy. But how will he keep Kozo alive?

• The Greedy Sparrow  by Lucine Kasbarian                                                                             A sparrow receives kindness from strangers and repays each act of kindness with a trick to get more, but at last, in a surprising twist, the sparrow is back with his original problem

• Pine and the Winter Sparrow by  Alexis York Lombard                                                             Can an act of kindness change you? According to an ancient legend attributed to the Cherokee Indians, pine trees stay green throughout the winter because of the generosity they showed towards an injured little sparrow. Award-winning author, Alexis York Lumbard, and award-winning illustrator, Beatriz Vidal, bring to life this charming fable where trees and birds speak to each other, and which reminds us that no act of charity goes unrewarded.

14th March International Ask a Question Day

The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing, said Albert Einstein. And we couldn't agree more! 14th March  is International Ask a Question Day, dedicated to learning how to be comfortable with asking questions. Why? Because we believe that the thirst for knowledge should be stronger than the fear of sounding stupid! The day occurs on Einstein's birthday, one of the greatest minds of all times. 

To celebrate and to promote 'curiosity' which is a school value over the last week in the library we have talked a lot about questions. Before I read Derek  to a preschool class this week I showed the cover and introduced Derek the goldfish. We talked about what we wondered about him, but then talked about what sort of questions Derek might have. The examples the four year olds gave were amazing. Why are my eyes so big? Why am I by myself in the bowl? What are my fins used for? 

Blurb: Derek is a fish with many questions.

Why is the universe round? Where do bubbles come from? Why does food rain down from above?

But the question Derek asks himself more than any other is: ‘Why am I alone?’

I had also put out a display of books where the title was a question and many of the children borrowed one during the week. This is not a new phenomenon.  Are You My Mother?  and Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? are still borrowed. Here's some examples to start with that offer some good questions to be answered.

   

If you would rather celebrate Einstein's birthdaylook for these books...highlighting his love for asking "why" and visualising complex ideas.

16th - 20th March Neurodiversity Celebration Week

Neurodiversity Celebration Week is designed to recognise and celebrate the strengths of people who are neurodiverse, as well as challenge preconceptions of what they can or cannot achieve. It aims to bring about worldwide neurodiversity acceptance, equality and inclusion in schools and workplaces.

For too long, classrooms and workplaces have been built around a narrow view of a “normal” brain. The neurodiversity paradigm challenges this by recognising that brains develop and function in a variety of ways as a natural part of human diversity.

Rather than treating autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and similar diagnoses as deficits to be managed, this approach views them as variations from the neurological majority. These differences are not inherently positive or negative—they simply are. Embracing neuroinclusion means both acknowledging the unique strengths that neurodivergent people bring and recognising challenges and requirements for their support.

Here's ten books to get you started on a reading adventure.

This book explores neurodiversity including autism, ADHD, dyslexia, sensory processing and synesthesia in a beautiful, funny and engaging way.

An informative and inclusive children's guide to neurodiversity for those not in the know and to inspire children who are neurodivergent.

Shows readers that understanding how different brains feel and learn can help us connect with others . . . and keep our own brains happy! Through humorous, engaging text and brightly coloured art, readers are introduced to the fundamentals of how our brains work, how our unique neurology influences how we think and act, and how the world is a better place when we understand each other’s brains and use them collectively. 

Teaches us to embrace not only who we are, but also to embrace the people around us who are brilliantly different thanks to their own amazing, colourful stripes. Zane the zebra feels different from the rest of his classmates. He worries that all they notice about him is his 'autism stripe.' With the help of his Mama, Zane comes to appreciate all his stripes & the unique strengths that make him who he is!

With insight and warmth, this heartfelt story from the perspective of a boy on the autism spectrum celebrates the everyday magic of friendship.

This appealing brother and sister duo spend a lot of their day together, eating meals, going to school and playing. But life with an autistic sibling is not always easy. Through the eyes of the brother, we find out how they are both very different, but also very similar in other ways, and come what may they have lots of fun together and love each other just the same. 

When Hudson Talbott was a little boy, he loved drawing, and it came naturally to him. But reading? No way! One at a time, words weren't a problem, but long sentences were a struggle. As his friends moved on to thicker books, he kept his slow reading a secret. But that got harder every year. He felt alone, lost, and afraid in a world of too many words. This inspiring story vividly reveals the challenges--and ultimately the rewards--of being a non-mainstream kind of learner.

The central character is a young boy who has an obsessive interest which dominates his life and that of his family. This is a trait often present in children who have Autism Spectrum disorder. The story is narrated by Hugo's older sibling who grapples with acceptance of her brothers eccentricity. Hugo's obsession and consequent skill with numbers brings rewards for him and his sister, so that the story ends positively, celebrating Hugo's unique abilities.

Bernie thinks in boxes. She has boxes for everything: for home, for school and even for the park. 

Bernie likes boxes. When things fit into boxes, they make sense.
But one day, Bernie's boxes collide, and she must find a way to make sense of her world again.

When young Temple was diagnosed with autism, no one expected her to talk, let alone become one of the most powerful voices in modern science. Yet, the determined visual thinker did just that. Her unique mind allowed her to connect with animals in a special way, helping her invent groundbreaking improvements for farms around the globe!