Going Down Home with Daddy by Kelly Starling Lyons (Preschool)
When Lil Alan, his parents, and sister go down home, they join great-grandparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins for a family reunion. They tell stories of the ancestors and visit the land that means so much to all of them, paying tribute to family history. All the kids have to decide on what tribute to share, but what will Lil Alan do? ▸ Get it at the Library
Johnny’s Pheasant by Cheryl Minnema
(Toddler, Preschool)
Johnny and his grandmother are driving back from the store when Johnny spots a pheasant lying in the grass. Johnny asks his grandmother if he can take care of it. Grandmother thinks the pheasant has died after being hit by a car, but could use its feathers in her crafts, so she agrees to bring it home. When the pheasant turns out to be stunned and not dead, both Johnny and Grandma get a surprise. ▸ Get it at the Library
Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal
(Toddler, Preschool)
Alma has six names, and she thinks that’s a few too many. But when she talks with her family, she learns where each of the pieces of her name come from and which traits she shares with her ancestors, and she realizes that she is proud to carry their names. This is a sweet story with a super lovable main character and absolutely beautiful illustrations. ▸ Get it at the Library
I Am a Story by Dan Yaccarino
(Preschool)
Stories have been told from humanities earliest days in many different ways. From cave drawings to the invention of the printing press, to the digital age, this book shows us how stories have always been around, making us happy, sad, excited, or scared and bringing people together throughout time. ▸ Get it at the Library
Fishing with Grandma by Susan Avingaq
(Preschool, School Age)
Grandparents and relatives can teach us many things, including traditional knowledge. In this story, a grandmother takes her two grandchildren out for a trip to the lake and shows them how to drill and clear holes in the ice and to how to make a traditional Inuit jigging rod. By the end of the day, the kids have a yummy meal and they know how to go out on the lake on their own. ▸ Get it at the Library
These resources were recommended by Samantha Blanquart, an Early Literacy Outreach Librarian with Ready to Read Resource Center. Visit their website for more info about early literacy or to check out one of their reading kits for young children.
Imagination Library pick:
At the Mountain’s Base by Traci Sorell
(Toddler, Preschool)
This picture book shares a poetic story about military service and family faithfulness, with roots that run deep. In a cabin at the base of a mountain, beneath a hickory tree, there live family members who are united in song and prayer for a loved one who is serving her country. No matter how far away we might be from our loved ones, we are always connected. ▸ Get it at the Library
