Hello again, my friends!
Welcome back to Perfect Picture Book Fridays!
I know we’ve seen each other on and off over the summer for Tuesday Debuts, but it’s great to be back to the regular routine. I hope everyone had a wonderful summer and is filled with enthusiasm for the coming school year and inspiration for lots of new stories!
I’m starting off the school year with a book I think everyone – kids, teachers, and parents – will find helpful and enjoyable as they’re settling into their new routines.
Title: Listen
Written By: Gabi Snyder
Illustrated By: Stephanie Graegin
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, July 13, 2021
Suitable For Ages: 4-8
Themes/Topics: listening, attention, empathy
Opening: “When you step out into the big, wild world, sometimes all you hear is. . . NOISE!”
Brief Synopsis: The world is a noisy place, but what happens if you just stop, close your eyes, and listen?
Links To Resources: the book has a nice section of back matter that tells about the sense of hearing, and different kinds of listening; stop what you’re doing, close you eyes, and listen – what do you hear?; go for a walk and pay attention to the sounds around you – what do you hear?; talk about sounds you like and sounds you don’t like, times when you like noise and times when you like quiet.
Why I Like This Book: This lovely quiet book encourages children to pause, take a breath, stop the constant busy-ness of the world around them, and listen. Filter out the noise – literal and figurative – and focus on what matters. It helps them understand the importance of mindfulness and attention in the context of daily life. In the course of the story, the child goes from hearing the cacophony of noises in a busy street, to separating them out, to hearing “words of joy” and “words that sting” when a classmates feelings are hurt, to hearing the voice inside her, and the “hush and whispers” of nighttime. The art is perfect for the story, soft and appealing with lots of lovely details. A book every child will enjoy!
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 😊
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific blog links (and any other info you feel like filling out 😊) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week! And if you posted books over the summer, please feel free to add them here as well! And my apologies – I did something wrong and the links aren’t showing up, so I copied and pasted them below and will try to fix the problem for next week!
| 9/3/2021 6:19:04 | OUTSIDE, INSIDE | https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250798350 | LeUyen Pham | same | Roaring Book Press | 2021 | Perseverance and hope during a trying time is universal and waiting is a part of life. universal. Waiting | ||
| 9/3/2021 8:51:47 | 30,000 Stitches: The Inspiring Story of the National 9/11 Flag | https://patricianozell.com/2021/09/03/ppbf-30000-stitches-the-inspiring-story-of-the-national-9-11-flag/ | Amanda Davis | Sally Wern Comport | WorthBooks | 2021 | 9/11, American Flag, community | ||
| 9/3/2021 10:56:22 | Cougar Crossing: HOW HOLLYWOOD’S CELEBRITY COUGAR HELPED BUILD A BRIDGE FOR CITY WILDLIFE | https://jilannehoffmann.com/2021/09/03/cougar-crossing-perfect-picture-book-friday/ | Meeg Pincus | Alexander Vidal | Beach Lane Books | 2021 | Wildlife conservation, LA history, ecology | ||
| 9/3/2021 13:52:55 | Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning | https://archimedesnotebook.blogspot.com/2021/09/mary-annings-curiosities.html | Linda Skeers | Marta Álvarez Miguéns | Sourcebooks Explore | 2020 | fossils, biography, nonfiction | ||
| 9/3/2021 13:54:12 | Avocado Asks | https://sallysbookshelf.blogspot.com/2021/09/avocado-in-search-of-self.html | Momoko Abe | Doubleday Books for Young Readers | 2021 | imagination, identity | |||
| 9/3/2021 13:57:00 | The Bug Girl: A True Story | https://archimedesnotebook.blogspot.com/2021/08/two-great-bug-books.html | Sophia Spencer | Kerascoët | Schwartz & Wade | 2020 | insects, nature, STEM | ||
| 9/3/2021 14:00:14 | The Thingity-Jig | https://sallysbookshelf.blogspot.com/2021/06/what-if-you-found-thingity-jig.html | Kathleen Doherty | Kristyna Litten | Peachtree | 2021 | mystery, fun, invention | ||
| 9/3/2021 14:05:22 | Too Shy to Say Hi | https://childrensbooksheal.wordpress.com/2021/09/03/too-shy-to-say-hi-by-shannon-anderson/ | Shannon Anderson | Hiroe Nakata | Magination Press | 2021 | Bashfulness, Friendship, School | ||
| 9/3/2021 14:09:07 | Not Little | https://julierowanzoch.wordpress.com/ | Maya Myers | Hyewon Yum | Neal Porter/Holiday House | 2021 | Size, bullying, self-awareness | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:03:28 | Just You and Me: Remarkable Relationships in the Wild | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/just-you-and-me-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Jennifer Ward | Alexander Vidal | Beach Lane Books | 2021 | Symbiotic relationships, nature, and conservation. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:05:27 | Big Bear Was Not the Same | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/big-bear-was-not-the-same-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Joanna Rowland | John Ledda | Beaming Books | 2021 | Friendship, trauma, hope, and healing. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:06:57 | Unraveled | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/unraveled-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Leanne Hatch | Leanne Hatch | Holiday House | 2021 | Growing up, loss, and holding on to memories. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:09:04 | I Love You With All My Hearts | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/i-love-you-with-all-my-hearts-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Lindsay Bonilla | Eleonora Pace | The Creative Company | 2021 | Love, family, and animals | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:10:42 | Little Leonards’ Fascinating World of Astronomy | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/little-leonard-s-fascinating-world-of-astronomy-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Sarafina Nance | Greg Paprocki | Gibbs Smith Publisher | 2021 | Astronomy, space, and STEM, | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:12:36 | When Grandfather Flew | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/when-grandfather-flew-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Patricia MacLachlan | Chris Sheban | Neal Porter Books | 2021 | Birding, death, and healing. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:14:28 | The Perfect Plan | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/the-perfect-plan-the-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Leah Gilbert | Leah Gilbert | Bloomsbury USA | 2021 | Creativity, collaboration, and determination. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:16:11 | Mimic Makers: Biomimicry Inventions Inspired by Nature | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/mimic-makers-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Kristen Nordstrom | Paul Boston | Charlesbridge | 2021 | Nature inspired inventions, creativity, and problem solving. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:17:34 | Little Bat in Night School | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/little-bat-in-night-school-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Brian Lies | Brian Lies | HMH Books | 2021 | First day of school, friendship, and bravery. | ||
| 9/4/2021 1:21:01 | I Want A Boat | https://www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/i-want-a-boat-perfect-picture-book-friday-ppbf | Liz Garton Scanlon | Kevan Atteberry | Holiday House | 2021 | Imagination and adventure. | ||
| 9/4/2021 21:04:55 | THE GREAT STINK: How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London’s Poop Pollution Problem | https://viviankirkfield.com/2021/09/03/perfect-picture-book-friday-the-great-stink-how-joseph-bazalgette-solved-londons-poop-pollution-problem-plus-giveaway/ | Colleen Paeff | Nancy Carpenter | Maraget K. McElderry Books | 2021 | History of London, Pollution, STEM |
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! 😊
Susanna Leonard Hill 
Lovely! I’ve spent this week in Brooklyn. The sounds here can be overwhelming. What a nice reminder to listen for the quiet.
Great choice to begin a new season on your blog. This book is about a lifelong lesson you can bring with you into adulthood. Unfortunately, people sometimes lose this concept when they do become an adult. A good book for stress relief minus the chocolate.
What a sweet story. I look forward to reading it.
I think you’ll like it, Sheri!
I’ve had this one on my radar – your lovely review reminded me that I want to find and read it.
I love this!!! We all need to just listen sometimes. Thank you for sharing. Thank you Gabi for writing this.
This looks like such a wonderful book! For kids with normal auditory processing, the world can be overwhelming. And for kids with auditory challenges, the world can be so noisy that it’s impossible to concentrate, to separate what’s important to listen to and what is not. That’s an extra challenge in the classroom. Will add this to my TBR list. Thanks for the rec, Susanna!
Susanna, I can’t look at everyone’s entries. I just see a strip with the header.
I can’t either! Didn’t take my entry!
I requested that my library purchase this book and just reread it this morning. Such a lovely, cozy, and calming book. Thanks for the post, Susanna!
I’d really like to read this book. Thanks for the recommendation!
Thanks so much for this lovely review of LISTEN, Susanna! It was such a lovely surprise to find this post in my inbox this morning.
I love the concept of this beautiful book. In our busy lives we all need to stop and listen and appreciate the amazing sounds around us. Thank you for sharing, Susanna!
Welcome back! And what a great book to start off with. My favorite listening place is my garden.
Great, you are back! I love this book. It is so important to teach kids to listen to nature, friends. Beautiful book to launch the season! It reminds me of the movie “August Rush” where a child hears music in the sounds around him.
Such a great choice to begin a new season of PPBF picks!
What a perfect book for children, especially in our day and age.
Thank you!
Is anyone else having trouble seeing any books posted? I posted mine and it still doesn’t show. I don’t see any books listed.
Sounds like a sweet book. Listening is good. Someday, I plan to try it.
Love and licks,
Cupcake
What a great book to encourage listening! Readers will learn so much! Thanks for sharing with us!
Great concept. True listening is an art and something we all need to do more of. Like the illustrations as well! Great choice, Susanna.
Suzanne! So good to be back to #PPBF!! I join Jilanne in noting I can’t see anyone’s entries. I tells me mine are recorded… I LOVE this book. Gabi did such a great job with it!
I can’t either. Wouldn’t accept my post.
Wonderful book, Susanna! And I think there is a glitch in the entry mechanism – it says mine is recorded, but none of them show up. But no worries…maybe it is just taking a nap and will display tomorrow. Missed PPBF, dear friend.
Susanna, Perfect Picture Book selection to start this new season of PPBF! Thank you! 🙂
This book does sound gorgeous. We should all take time out to listen, just listen, to the sounds around us.