As you begin your holiday shopping, don’t forget that books make a great gift. Here are some of our recent NAPPA Award winners.

Ditty Bird Musical Board Books

The perfect instrument for playful learning through music and sounds, featuring gentle touch contact points for inquisitive little fingers to activate your favorite “ditties” on each page. $16.49, 6 months-3 years, www.dittybird.com

Wild Bios Board Book Series

Meet history’s greatest figures in this adorable board book series with an animal twist. Includes famous Meowxican painter Frida Catlo, Baa-rd of Avon William Sheepspeare’s, brave pilot Amelia Harehart and astronaut Neil Armswan. $7.99, Birth-2, www.silverdolphinbooks.com

The Story of Rap & Rock Series


An adorable 2-part board book series that introduces iconic musicians who have transformed generations, including David Bowie, Janis Joplin, Grandmaster Flash and Kendrick Lamar. $8.99, Birth-2, www.silverdolphinebooks.com

Grandma’s Christmas Wish


Features a bedtime-friendly singsong rhythm and adorable holiday illustrations. $8.99, Birth+, www.sleepingbearpress.com

Santa’s Christmas Train


Journey “up, up, up, and down, down, down” on this merry train ride to the North Pole. $7.99, Birth+, www.hachettebookgroup.com

Baby Sees Board Book Series


Mesmerizing collection of high-contrast books with bold shapes and colors. $9.99, Birth+, www.gakkenbooks.com

When The Cousins Came

A sensitive story about insecurity, hosting and friendship inspired by the author’s own large, diverse family.  $17.99, 4-8, www.holidayhouse.com

Rowdy Randy

Meet the toughest cowgirl around. Never mind that this broncobuster is a horsefly. She acts taller than any tall tale. $18.95, 5-9, www.caseyrislovbooks.com

What Should Danny Do? Book Series

This clever picture book series empowers kids with the understanding that their choices will shape their days. $17.99 each, 4-9, www.whatshoulddannydo.com

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales

In spare, lyrical verse and vibrant images for which she has become legendary, Morales has created a picture book memoir and a testament to the journey that she and her son took together from Mexico to the San Francisco Bay Area. $18.99, 4- 8, www.holidayhouse.com

Buckets, Dippers, and Lids: Secrets to Your Happiness

Grow in understanding, kindness, self-control, resilience, empathy and forgiveness. $10.95, 7+, www.bucketfillers101.com

 The Princess and the Pickup Truck

an Appalachian retelling of The Princess and the Pea, perfect for your rough and tumble royalty. $15.95, 5-10, www.leppstorytelling.com

 Claire Lost Her Bear at the World’s Fair and Benny Bear Book and Stuffed Toy Bundle

Vibrant and heartwarming story that also introduces interesting facts about the 1964-65 New York World’s Fair. $34.95, 5+,www.GoldenBellDirect.com

Sesame Street: The Monster at the End of This Book

An interactive refresh of the classic Sesame Street story where Grover tries everything to keep the reader from turning the pages. $14.99, 3-5, www.indiebound.org

For more gift ideas, visit nappaawards.com

Silver Dolphin Books has two new series that are perfect for your little ones. Wild Bios and the Story of Rock and Rap are filled with colorful illustrations and witty writing that will delight parents along with their kids.

The Wild Bios series introduce four iconic historical figures with a fun animal twist.

Wild Bios: Frida Catlo

Famous Meowxican painter Frida Catlo was a pioneer for female artists. She always painted from the heart, even in the face of health problems and personal struggles. $7.99.

Wild Bios: William Sheepspeare

Dive into the life of the eloquent Baa-rd of Avon and the plays that shaped our language today. William Sheepspeare’s human themes have resonated with every generation. $7.99

Wild Bios: Amelia Harehart

Learn about the extraordinary life of the brave pilot Amelia Harehart, and the glass ceilings she flew through. Breaking records and always setting new goals to achieve, Amelia Harehart was an inspiration. $7.99.

Wild Bios: Neil Armswan

With wings to the future and beak held high, Neil Armswan was a model astronaut and pioneer in space travel, leaving webbed footprints on the moon. $7.99.

The History of Rock and Rap bring to life the greatest musicians of our time.

The Story of Rap

From Grandmaster Flash to Kendrick Lamar, rap has shaped generations and brought a voice to the voiceless. Bop along with the greats in The Story of Rap, an adorable baby book that introduces little ones to the rappers that started it all. $8.99.

The Story of Rock

From Elvis Presley to Beatlemania, from Janis Joplin to David Bowie—rock has transformed through generations while ringing true with passionate sound. Rock along with the greats in The Story of Rock, a delightful baby book that introduces little ones to the rockers that started it all!

For more book and product reviews, visit nappaawards.com.

 

Our latest NAPPA Award winning books are full of great information and resources for parents.

The Innovative Parent: Raising Connected, Happy, Successful Kids through Art

As parents, we all seek to have a deep and authentic connection to our children. Deep inside we know that open communication, based on trust and understanding, is key to creating this type connection, but many of us struggle to maintain open communication. The Innovative Parent: Raising Connected, Happy, Successful Kids through Art provides a wonderful guide to build stronger connections and better communication.

The authors, Erica Curtis and Ping Ho, integrate cutting-edge research, years of clinical expertise, and their own parenting experience into a revolutionary yet practical guide to creative parenting.  Lots of practical anecdotes bring concepts to life and show art in action with kids and parents.

Erica Curtis is a board-certified art therapist, licensed marriage and family therapist with expertise in parenting and relationships. Ping Ho is founder and director of UCLAarts and Healing, which offers training and community education in the use of creative expression for self-discovery, connection and empowerment. $17.56 / $31.96.

Food Fight for Parents of Picky Eaters

Take mealtimes back with Food Fight for Parents of Picky Eaters.  Chef Gigi exposes the habits that inadvertently reinforce picky eating and helps parents navigate the challenging landscape by showing them the science behind flavor and awakening them to the culinary magic of umami–just like professional chefs have done for years. Included are both simple techniques and more advanced tactics to encourage more adventurous eating, as well as over 60 delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes the whole family will enjoy. $18.95.

For more parenting books and other product reviews, visit nappaawards.com

We all want to do fun things with our kids, but sometimes coming up with the ideas is the hardest part. With these recent NAPPA Award-winners, you’ll have tons of inspiration for creative fun.

101 Kids Activities That Are the Ooey, Gooey-est Ever!

From the bestselling authors of 101 Kids Activities, 101 Coolest Simple Science Experiments and Adorkable Bubble Bath Crafts, 101 Kids Activities That Are the Ooey, Gooey-est Ever! is full of exciting and fantastical recipes that include tips on the science behind the goo, so you can learn too. Whether it’s a slime, a dough or some other moldable creation, you’ll be able to create and become whatever your imagination dreams up. $21.99, ages 6 to 12. 

Awesome Edible Kids Crafts

Never before has it been more fun to play with your food! Arena Blake, founder of the blog The Nerd’s Wife, shares exciting crafts that are made out of your favorite things to eat.  Awesome Edible Kids Crafts features a variety of projects, each with a difficulty rating that lets you know if you’l need a grownup’s help. All projects use safe, nontoxic ingredients to spark creativity. $21.99, ages 6 to 11 years.

Express Yourself: A Hand Lettering Workbook for Kids

Decorate your life with fun fonts and beautiful quotes made your way. In Express Yourself: A Hand Lettering Workbook for Kids, Amy Latta will show you the basics of hand lettering and beyond. Learn fancy cursive and watercolor lettering. Add adorable details like flowers and animals. In the craft bonus section, you’ll find ideas on how to turn your finished work into fabulous DIY projects. Embellish pillows, notebooks and wall art with your own unique writing. It’s easy to share your art online, and make one-of-a-kind cards and invitations for friends and family. $19.99, ages 10+

NAPPA Awards Q & A with Mary Amato, author of News from Me, Lucy McGee

We are thrilled to introduce you to our latest NAPPA Award winning author, Mary Amato — sharing childhood memories and how she created Lucy McGee.

Mary Amato at Friendship Charter

Please share one fun memory from your childhood.

My father loved to sing and whenever we would get in the car, we would all sing together. Show tunes, pop songs, folk songs, commercials, TV theme songs . . . anything and everything. I loved it most when we were driving and singing at night. There was something magical about the idea of this car filled with music traveling along a road with darkness on either side. As I was joining my voice with my sisters and parents, I would sometimes be overcome with a joy so big and deep I would start to cry.

Tell us a little about Lucy and why you created her?

Lucy is a fourth grader with a huge heart, lots of energy, and a tendency to make mistakes. Her zest for life gets in the way of her ability to know when she is being manipulated by mean girl Scarlett Tandy. I wanted to explore a character who struggles with her desire to fit in with the “popular” crowd and her desire to be true to herself. Lucy is also a budding songwriter and ukulele player, and I wanted to offer a role model of a child who takes the risk to write and share her own music with her friends and family.

What do you hope young readers will gain most from the Lucy McGee series?

To me, the series packs a three-fold punch. It’s about friendship, family, and the joy of music.

  • Regarding friendship, I’m hoping that my readers will see that you have to learn how to be a good friend, how to own up to your mistakes when you hurt a friend’s feelings, and how to stand up for yourself when a friend hurts yours.
  • Regarding family, I’m hoping that my readers see that loving and close, relationships between family members can be strengthened with humor and honesty. Often, in order to have drama or tension in a book, authors create a negative or challenging home life for their characters: parents who don’t understand or who are absent, or siblings who are antagonists. I wanted to create a model of a healthy, happy family—one in which everybody makes mistakes, but always works together to learn and forgive.
  • Regarding music, I’m hoping my readers will be inspired to play and sing and write their own songs.

These books are special in that the songs that Lucy writes are available to hear and sing along. I want to encourage families to sing together. Parents can find all the songs and the karaoke versions of the songs on a special page on my site. https://www.maryamato.com/lucy-songs/

Our readers are all parents. What’s the best way for parents to encourage their kids to read and write more?

My favorite suggestion is to encourage diary writing. Instead of buying a fancy blank book, start with a very small, thin book that your child can feel good about filling up. Encourage your child to write anything and not worry about mistakes. Do your own at the same time. Once a month have a special reading where you each share a page from your diaries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’re excited to share two of our newest NAPPA Awards book winners.

DITTY BIRD MUSICAL BOOKS

Meet Ditty Bird, an adorable bird who loves to sing and will take your little one on a musical journey of playful learning. This charming musical book collection is educational, interactive and fun for inquisitive babies and toddlers. Promotes early language and fine motor skills, auditory development, music appreciation and bonding. Each board book has a “music” button on each page, which triggers one of six captivating tunes, sung by children. $16.49, ages: 1 – 3.

Knights Club: The Bands of Bravery

Knights Club: The Bands of Bravery is a middle-grade graphic novel series that makes your child the valiant hero of a fantasy quest—pick your panel, find items, gain abilities, solve puzzles and play through new storylines again and again. This book combines two loved genres: graphic novels and stories that allow readers to choose their own adventures. $9.99, ages: 8 – 12.

These latest NAPPA Award-winning books make history come alive for young readers. Vibrant illustrations and interesting facts will engage kids sense of curiosity.

Kid Scientists: True Tales of Childhood from Science Superstars

Kid Scientists by David Stabler and illustrated by Anoosha Syed is filled with funny and totally true childhood biographies and full-color illustrations that tell the tales from the challenging yet defining growing-up years of Albert Einstein, Jane Goodall, Marie Curie, and 12 other brilliant scientists. $13.95, ages: 8 – 12.

Alexander Hamilton: The Fighting Founding Father!

Alexander Hamilton: The Fighting Founding Father! tells the story of one of the most ambitious and controversial figures in American history in a graphic novel format. From a rough childhood on the Caribbean island of Nevis to the highest levels of American politics, Alexander Hamilton’s life was filled with adventure, conflict, and controversy. Full-color illustrations and an entertaining narrative make this graphical biography of America’s first Secretary of the Treasury accessible for readers of all ages. $12.99, ages 8 – 12.

Amelia Earhart: Pioneer of the Sky!

When Amelia Earhart became the first woman to make a solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932, she immediately became an American icon and a subject of endless fascination for generations to come. In Amelia Earhart: Pioneer of the Sky!, the story of the bold and daring aviator’s life is presented in graphic novel format, with full-color illustrations and historically accurate details. From her hardscrabble childhood to her final flight—and mysterious disappearance—Earhart’s journey will entertain, captivate, and inspire readers of all ages. $12.99, ages 8 – 12.

Martin Luther King Jr.: Voice for Equality!

This graphical biography tells the story of the most prominent leader of the American civil rights movement. With full-color illustrations and a historically accurate narrative, Martin Luther King Jr.: Voice for Equality! will inform and entertain readers of all ages. From his childhood in Atlanta to his rise as an international icon of human rights and a fiery orator who refused to back down in the face of adversity, King’s life story serves as an ongoing source of inspiration.$12.99, ages 8 – 12.

Abraham Lincoln: Defender of the Union!

Considered by many historians to be the greatest American president, Abraham Lincoln led the Union at the greatest turning point in the nation’s history. Abraham Lincoln: Defender of the Union! tells the story of one of America’s most admired figures in graphic novel format. From his childhood on a farm in Kentucky to the battlefields of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln served the United States with resolve, intelligence, and courage unlike that of any other president. Readers of all ages will be entertained and educated by the full-color illustrations and historically accurate narrative of this graphical biography.$12.99, ages 8 – 12.

#books #kids #parenting #booknook #playlearnconnect #welovebooks #read

At NAPPA Awards we are passionate about books and reading, which is why we are super excited about our latest winners. Each one of these books is special in its own way and all would make a great addition to your family book collection.

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales

In spare, lyrical verse and vibrant images for which she has become legendary, Yuyi Morales has created a picture book memoir and a testament to the journey that she and her son took together from Mexico to the San Francisco Bay Area. Dreamers is a beautiful and powerful story that celebrates the gifts that all immigrants bring with them crossing the border into a new country.  $18.99, ages 4-8

News from Me, Lucy McGee

When the coolest girl in the class invites you to her exclusive after-school club, how can you say no? Soon Lucy McGee realizes she’s been tricked into becoming mean girl Scarlett Tandy’s errand girl. Things get complicated as she tries to balance school, friends, frenemies, songwriting and family expectations. News from Me, Lucy McGee by Mary Amato and illustrated by Jessica Meserve, is a new chapter book series featuring a spunky heroine who matches wits with a mean girl and learns you can’t lose sight of what’s important. $15.99, ages: 7 -10.

Noodleheads Find Something Fishy

Although Mac and Mac are as hollow-headed as, well, noodles, they’re always coming up with brilliant schemes, but kids can use their own noodles to see where the brothers’ ideas go wrong. Noodleheads Find Something Fishy by Tedd Arnold and Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss is a graphic novel, perfect for comic fans and reluctant readers. It offers short, funny chapters following Mac and Mac through ridiculous adventures. This series rooted in world folklore and traditional tales of fools is full of wordplay, jokes and slapstick humor. $15.99, ages: 6-9.

When The Cousins Came

Inspired by the author’s own large, diverse family, When the Cousins Came, by Katie Yamasaki, is a sensitive story about insecurity, hosting and friendship. Katie Yamasaki’s picture book, paired with bright mixed-media art, reminds children that negative thoughts and anxiety over exclusion don’t always translate to reality, and that even when plans go wrong you can still have a good time together. $17.99, ages 4-8.

#booknook #nappaawards #playlearnconnect #welovebooks #read #kids #parenting #books

 

Our latest NAPPA Award-winning books bring a sense of whimsy and promote well-being. Pick up a copy to enjoy with your family.

Claire Lost Her Bear at the World’s Fair and Benny Bear Book and Stuffed Toy Bundle

Go on a retro adventure with Claire and her special bear, Benny. You’ll learn lots of interesting facts about the World’s Fair and enjoy a sweet story about relationships and kindness. When Claire loses her favorite bear at the 1964 World’s Fair, she finds out what truly matters in life. $34.95, ages 2+.

Buckets, Dippers, and Lids: Secrets to Your Happiness

Take the concept of bucket filling further by adding the idea that we also have an invisible lid that is used to protect and keep the happiness inside our bucket. This concrete concept helps all ages grow in understanding, kindness, self-control, resilience, empathy and forgiveness. $10.95, ages 7+

 The Princess and the Pickup Truck

This is a book for princesses who wear hiking boots and walk around with their hair in a mess, and princes who drive pickup trucks. This Appalachian retelling of  The Princess and the Pea is written by PEN Award winning author Bil Lepp, with bright and eclectic illustrations by Lottie Looney. A perfect book for your rough and tumble royalty.$15.95, ages 5-10

For more award-winning books, visit our Book Nook!

#books #WeLoveReading #ReadWithYourKids 

 

 

Partner Content: From our Friends at American Psychological Association

This holiday season, give a gift that keeps on giving. Engage your favorite young reader with books by Magination Press, the children’s book imprint of the American Psychological Association, and help us support schools and communities in need!

 

Explore fun, colorful books in our Social Emotional Learning Collection, developed to enhance both reading skills and healthy emotional development of young readers, and donate a book to Reading Is Fundamental, the leading children’s literacy nonprofit in the United States.

Each donation will enable RIF to send Magination Press books to schools and communities around the nation. Together, we can make sure that all  kids can reach their full potential!

 

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