Books By Sigal Adler and Max Ring

The Mean Green Tiny King 
The timing on this book was great. This is the story of a virus who wants to be king. He sets out to make everyone sick. Soon people start doing things like washing their hands, and keeping things clean, staying inside, wearing masks. They do this until a cure is found for the virus and they can send him on his way. In the meantime they find other ways to have fun.

You’re Not My Monster! 
When Dan grew older he had his own bed and room. His parents gave him a stuffed monster to sleep with. The second night in his room he wakes up thirsty and goes to get a drink. When he returns to his room his small monster is gone and there is a very large monster in his room. Where did his monster go? This is a cute story about being brave when you go to sleep by yourself for the first time.

I’ve Only got Three Hands 
I loved this story. A three handed monster mother keeps cleaning up her found handed monster son’s room. Yet he demands she read him a story. She finally tells him she can’t there is so much to do to clean his room there is time for only one story. The monster child knows if he doesn’t clean up his room before bedtime there will be no more stories. A great way to show kids the importance of cleaning up their rooms.

Crickets for Kiwann
Kiwann was a chameleon that lived in a terrarium. His owner Ron fed him bugs once a week. Once after feeding her she heard music. She found a cricket she had not eaten because he played music. She promised not to eat them because she loved music. Cricket told her all bugs make music and she had never heard it before because she ate the bugs. The next time she is fed she hides and sure enough the bugs are playing music. There is just one thing though. They have made an instrument for her. This is a story about inclusion. Very cute.

Cricket and Kiwann go to the Fair 
Cricket Kiwann and several other bugs live in a terrarium. Cricket wanted to go to the fair. He convinces Kiwann to go with him. They have fun on the rides, eating a corndog, cotton candy and drinking soda. Kiwann is homesick. As they get ready to leave a bird attacks them. They are inside a bottle the bird can’t get into. Once the bird goes to sleep they realize that home is where they are the happiest.

Cricket and Kiwann Go to School

Cricket has all kinds of questions for Kiwann but Kiwann can’t answer them. Cricket gets the idea that they should all go to school. Kiwann is not real excited but goes

Books By Diane Alber

I’m Not Just a Scribble by Diane Alber
A simple story about a scribble who wants to have fun. The house doesn’t want to because he doesn’t look like him. His lines aren’t straight and he is colorful. When all the other drawings decide to have fun and play with him they learn a valuable lesson that including everyone no matter their differences, even in art makes everyone better for it.

A Little Scribble Spot by Diane Alber
The first thing we encounter is a multi-colored scribbled spot. The reason this spot is scribbled and multicolored is because it represents tangled and confused emotions. I love that the author gave a page where she showed different colored spots and what they represent. The second thing I loved is that not only did the scribble start to separate his spots by color but the author gave several words that were synonyms of the original emotion. For example the word peaceful can also mean, “relaxed, tranquil, calm, quiet, mellow and serene”. This is a great way to increase a child’s vocabulary. The author also used examples of where we can find these colors when we draw. For example we might color leaves, grass or vines green. All of these represent things that a lot of people find peaceful. This book teaches children that they have all of these emotions inside them, but sometimes they get mixed up.

A Little Respectful Spot by Diane Alber  
The respectful spot takes a young boy and girl on a tour of how to be respectful. The author has given examples of how to respect people, places and things. Through pictures and explanations this is a great book to have a discussion about respect with the youngest child.

Finding Your Spot in the World by Diane Alber
This is a book about diversity. In this day and age we need to teach our youngest children the importance of diversity. This spot teaches kids the benefits of everyone having unique features, ideas, talents and more. He explains through examples how boring it would be if everyone and everything was the same. He makes the point that no matter our differences we all want to be accepted and loved. The author expresses the importance and need for “diverse, idea, perspectives, and talents! I believe that everyone should read this book no matter their age, because this is a lesson everyone needs to learn.

A Little Safety Spot at School by Diane Alber
This is a great book to start with preschool children. It teaches them things like holding the hand of an adult when crossing a street. Children are taught how to get on and off a bus, how to listen to crossing guards. The Safety Spot then tells you how to stay safe in school. Don’t run, use handrails, look for hazard signs, tell a teacher if you have an accident. In the cafeteria don’t eat too fast, eat your own food. He also teaches the importance of washing your hands to get rid of germs. He tells kids how to stay safe at recess and when playing outside. How not to do something because you have been dared to do it. This is a book that the youngest child should have read to them over and over. This will hopefully keep kids safe from the youngest of ages.

A Little Spot of Responsibility by Diane Alber
Children need to be taught how to make good choices and this book can help with that. According to responsibility spot you first need to identify the problem, think about the positive and negative consequences, then make a choice and then reflect back on the outcome. We call this trial and error. The responsibility spot also makes the case that sometimes adults can help because they’ve had to make a lot of choices in their lifetime. The main message throughout is that the better choices you make the bigger your responsibility spot will grow. A simple message that all need to hear.

A Little Thankful Spot by Diane Alber
The thankful spot advocates keeping a Thankful list. Listing things you are thankful for keep you positive and happy. The Thankful spot gives a list of things they are thankful for. At the end of this wonderful book the reader is encouraged to make a thankful list. For that child who says they don’t know what they are thankful for there is a handout with wonderful starter questions.

A Little Spot of Patience by Diane Alber
The Patiences Spot is here to teach kids how to wait, even when it is hard. Once again they express the need to help your patience spot grow bigger. Problem solving helps grow the patience spot. Making good choices and listening all help grow your patience spot. The important message is that you can’t become patient immediately. Your patience spot is something that grows over time.

A Little Spot of Organization by Diane Alber
As I read this book I kept thinking that this would be a book I should read to my middle school students. It seems that if a child grow up through elementary unorganized then when they hit middle school it is even worse. In middle school they have to keep track of everything for seven different classes. The organization spot starts out helping them organize their messy room. Then he points out that organization starts in the brain. Some helpful suggestions were to create a routine chart, to do list, use notes, stickers on calendars. Then he touched on using graphic organizers for organizing your thinking in school.

Sticks by Diane Alber
When a popsicle goes outside and melts to fast he believes he is useless. He sees himself as just a stained stick. I twig tries to tell him that he is and can be so much more. This is a book about many things. First it is a book about believing in yourself. Then it is also a book about recycling. What could you do with a popsicle stick? What could you make out of it?

Never Let a Princess Paint with Her Unicorn by Diane Alber
A young princess has been told never to paint with her unicorn. She decided to find out why. She puts a bit of pain on a brush and the unicorn licks it. She gets out cans of paint and he uses his tail as a brush. Then she decides to see what would happen if she put a touch of paint on his horn. Paint spattered everywhere. This book started out in black and white and then as things happened with the unicorn and paint became very colorful. A very cute book.

Five Books by Asaf Rozanes

Part of the Rainbow 
This story is about a girl who is green. Mia’s face, hair and clothes are all green. She loves it. When she turns eight she goes to school and sees kids who are different from her. She is confused and scared until her teacher tells her she was the missing color to complete their rainbow parade. After talking with her dad about her day at school she learns that people come in different colors and it is all okay.

Short or Tall Doesn’t Matter at All 
Mia is the shortest kid in her class. The other kids exclude her and often tease her because of her size. She tells her dad about it and he gives her some good advise. The next day when her friends need someone her size they realize that everyone is special no matter how short or tall they are. Once again this is a book that teaches kids about differences and how they shouldn’t matter.

The Feelings Library  loved the concept of this story. Mia lives in a town where they have a feelings library. They check their feelings out. Through different characters, the reader gets to see what happens if we hold on to one feeling too long. We see how it affects the character’s life. I loved this book and think it would be wonderful to read to that child who can’t stop being silly, angry, sad, or afraid. This is a wonderful way to start that discussion with children.

The Monster Friend 
Mia is frightened by the monster she see one night. All the monster wants is to be her friend. When she gets scared enough she calls out for her dad. He explains to her that sometimes monsters just want someone to play with. Mia colors with the monsters and sees him change. She is no longer scared of him. He doesn’t return after that night. However Mia meets more monsters each night. This is a great book about facing those things you fear.

Tomorrow is Near But Today is Here 
In this story Mia learns how much she misses out on when she focuses on things she doesn’t know or understand. She learns that it makes her sad worrying all the time. Her dad tells her how to handle things when she is scared. Mia becomes happy when she tries what her dad has told her. Worry is normal for children when they don’t understand something. This book would be a great help to children.