Elisabetta’s Comments (group member since Aug 25, 2025)

Elisabetta’s comments from the 5183 Fall 2025 Information Resources and Services for Children group.

Stone Soup

1. Muth, J. J. (2003). Stone soup. Scholastic Press.
2. Three monks stop to stay the night in a mountain village amidst their pilgrimage to find doors locked and windows shut against neighbors and guests. The monks set out to make stone soup for dinner and as villagers become interested in making soup from only water and stones, they bring food from home to add to the pot and a community soup is made. At the end of the story, the town opens their arms to their guests and more importantly each other.
3. This book scores a 1 (model source note) on Hearne’s source note countdown because of the included author’s note that gives information about the roots of the folktale, the setting this book is in, and the changes he made to the story to reflect the culture the story now exists within. The author’s note is very detailed about acknowledging the origins of the folklore as having roots in Europe and also the existence of related stories in Jamaca, Korea and the Philippines. He tells us that he took the traditional form of the folktale and set it in China. He dives into how this retelling mirrors the Buddha story tradition of tricksters (reflected as the three monks in this book) spreading enlightenment (in this case, community, collaboration and gratitude). The author explains some of the cultural context of the motifs he used in the illustrations, all which add a richness to the story and the setting.

1. Henkes, K. (2013). Penny and her marble. Greenwillow Books
2. This book follows young Penny, who finds a captivating marble in her neighbor’s yard one day. She takes the marble home and later sees her neighbor looking around the yard. Mortified that she may have taken her neighbor’s possession, she worries herself sick until she can take bit back. In the end, her neighbor says she meant it for someone who would take it an love it, and Penny keeps the marble.
3. This book is good for beginner readers because of the simple sentence structure, and vocabulary words. The structure of the story itself is quite respective. Penny uses her imagination on her playtime walks in formulaic ways that will allow young readers to catch on to the structure of the story. When Penny feels guilty, her guilt exhibits in the same way across a few pages, and both her parents ask her the same questions about why she does not feel well. The story is set up in such a way that allows for repeat words, so that readers may learn through repetition, but the story moves along with an appropriate pace to allow for novelty on each page to capture the attention and curiosity of readers, so the story does not get boring to read.

1. Roy, M. (2024) Can you do this? An imagination play book. Blue Star Press.

2. This concept book introduces imaginative movement as a way to play and engage with a book. Readers are encouraged to move and play in various ways to match the text and illustrations.

3. I think this book is a fun way for kids to actively engage in the act of reading or being read to. The actions and reactions move through the book with colorful, eye-catching illustrations with minimal background that allow the reader to get drawn into the actions the kids on page are participating in. A lot of times, the actions are instructional, like “take 3 steps forward”, but there are many opportunities for kids to imaging how their limbs and movement can be something else. One of my favorite actions in the book is “Can you spin around like a ceiling fan?” and on the next page “Uh-oh, the fan broke off the ceiling! Now, spin around like a tornado”. The book closes with a few pages of grounding, calming movements that can help regulate kids and help them calm their bodies after the excitement of the book.

1. Smith, L. (2023) Stickler Loves the World. Random House Studio.
2. 2025 Donna Norvell Award
3. A unique creature, Stickler, who is enraptured by everything around it, enthusiastically helps a new friend explore the world for the first time.
4. Stickler Loves the World won the children’s choice Donna Norvell award. I can see why it was chosen off the nominee list by students, as it is engaging, full of heart, and a little silly. I think this book is valuable because it gives readers the vocabulary to talk about elements of the natural world. And as the story goes on, the reader is encouraged to be looking to see the world from a new perspective of wonder. The illustrations are whimsical and textured, while still clear in their representations. I think it is a great book to use to encourage a wonder-walk in nature.

1. Laan, T. (2024) John the skeleton. (A. Cullen, Trans.). Yonder. (Original work published 2020)

2. 2025 Mildred L. Batchelder Award Winner, 2025 USBBY Outstanding International Book
3. Follows a retired classroom skeleton, John, as he settles down with Gram and Gramps, who live in the Estonian countryside, and learns about their slow-paced way of life and what it means to exist with them, grow old with them, and care for them and their small circle of community.

4. This book won the 2025 Mildred L Batchelder Award for an outstanding translated work of fiction that originates in a country outside the US. I believe this book won an award due to the simple nature of the story being used as an avenue to show Estonian culture and to normalize death in a light-hearted and age-appropriate way. The book references and explains Estonian cultural beliefs, traditions, drinks. Narrative point of view of a skeleton experiencing things for the first time is a unique way to explore connection, aging, death, and grief.
I would recommend it to a child who may be experiencing loss their life or is asking questions about death and growing old. I do not think this book is for every child, but I think it is appropriate for children who are ready to have these conversations. Death is discussed in an age-appropriate way. In the book, the grief that follows death is shown in the context of allowing the feelings as they come and finding connection with loved ones past death.