This Is It: The Inspiration Behind New Book by Daria Peoples-Riley

This week marked the release of Daria Peoples-Riley's debut children's book This Is It and I for one have been so excited about it!

"Daria Peoples-Riley’s debut picture book is a celebration of individuality, self-expression, and dance. Fans of Misty Copeland’s Firebird and Matt de la Peña’s Last Stop on Market Street will want to read it over and over again.

When a young dancer is nervous about her upcoming auditions, her shadow springs to life and leads her on a joyous exploration of their city. Soon enough, the young girl finds confidence in her skills, her body, and her ability to shine.

With an energetic, rhythmic text that begs to be read aloud and striking, exuberant artwork, This Is It is a love story to originality and the simple joy of movement."

Check out the book trailer here:

Read below to learn more about the book trailer and inspiration behind This Is It:

#KIDLIT | If You Look Up To The Sky by Angela Dalton

“Anything is possible.” 

How many times do we hear those words in the run of our busy, daily lives? Many of you may answer that you hear them quite often. Others may answer that they don’t hear those words quite often enough. Either way, most of us are familiar with the phrase. It’s a comforting affirmation that makes you believe in the stuff dreams are made of. If internalized, it truly helps us to believe that we can do and be anything we want to be. This can be incredibly comforting in times when so many things seem uncertain.

This is a message that I have been happy to take away from the children’s book If You Look Up To The Sky by Angela Dalton and illustrated by Margarita Sikorskaia. Written for children ages 3 and up, If You Look Up To the Sky is a grandmother’s comforting story to her grandchild in times of worry or uncertainty.

Children's Bookshelf | Eli's 1st Winter Carnival

It warms my heart to see my children beam with excitement over a new book--especially my youngest son. It takes him a while to warm up to anything new. But seeing characters that look like him in his storybooks is what really makes the connection. This was the case for Eli's 1st Winter Carnival by Lisa Bowen and illustrated by Nina Vanessa Pontillas.

Eli’s 1^st Winter Carnival by Lisa Bowen takes readers on an adventure-filled day with Eli and his family for Winter Carnival. Through vibrant, beautifully illustrated images by Nina Vanessa Pontillas and easy-to-read storytelling by Lisa Bowen, readers can get in on the fun through the eyes of the youngest in the family.

REVIEW | Jaden Toussaint, The Greatest Episode 3: Muffin Wars

Have you ever imagined how cool it would be to know you are the absolute greatest at everything you set your mind to do? Ask our friend, Jaden Toussaint, a 5-year-old boy from New York City who's a big deal among his family and friends. He's dubbed the greatest because he's the best at everything he does. Whether it be science, making jokes, or doing boss ninja moves, Jaden Toussaint is the man to see about them all. Not only does Jaden have the moves, he's smart, and that's what makes him such a star among his peers. I was so excited to learn more about a young, talented child that resembled my children and I couldn't wait to share Jaden Toussaint, The Greatest Episode 3: Muffin Wars with them. 

Children's Bookshelf | I Just Kept Spinning

Have you ever been told you couldn't do something you love because of who you are or the way you look? Do you know what it feels like to be denied or deprived of an opportunity because of something as simple as the style of your hair? These questions presented themselves when I recently read children's book I Just Kept Spinning by 18-year old Memphis native Destini Berry.

In I Just Kept Spinning, we meet 7-year-old Destini who wants nothing more than to be a ballerina. Inspired by the grace and beauty ballerinas express through dance, she begged her mother to let her take part in ballet. And while her mother finally allowed Destini to participate, her path to become a graceful ballerina was met with resistance. Just when Destini was growing excited about her new venture to become a dancer, her long dreadlocks seemed to have caused a problem for her. Would they get in the way of her goal of becoming a graceful ballerina?

Children's Bookshelf | Anything But Pink by Adelina Winfield

As a mom, have you ever tried to go "against the grain" with your parenting? Or as a child, can you remember your parents going against the norm with how they raised you? Sometimes we want to approach parenting differently, by allowing our children to do things we didn't do as children. Perhaps we want our daughters to play basketball instead of becoming a cheerleader. Maybe we want our sons to embrace the arts as well as sports. And sometimes it's as simple as allowing our little ones to wear colors other than the pretty pink and baby blue hues their gender automatically assigns them. Or as author Adelina Winfield has written with this book, Anything But Pink!

Review | When God Made You by Matthew Paul Turner

How do you share expressions of God's love and His teachings with your young children? As a Christian, I count it a joy to find books I can share with mine that illustrate basic principles of our faith. So, when I received children's book When God Made You by Matthew Paul Turner + illustrated by David Catrow in the mail, I was over-the-moon excited!

At first glance, I see this vibrant colored hardcover book with a cute little brown-skinned baby on the cover that reminded me of my daughter as a toddler--complete with braids and all. I was instantly pulled in by this image, as I knew my children would be as well.  A beautiful burst of watercolors washed over my eyes as I rummaged through the box containing the book. Inside, there were also note cards, a miniature easel, and a paint set perfect for tiny fingers. As my youngest son peeked around me, he instantly grabbed for both the book and paints. And with a little negotiating and flipping through the pages of the book, I convinced him to read before diving into painting.