TD Grade One Book Giveaway
8 Tips for Reading
Violet Shrink Aloud Together
Read ahead
- Pre-reading the book can help you to understand the rhythm of the text, identify any unfamiliar words and identify places in the story where you can pause and talk about the story.
Find a comfortable space
- Being in a cozy place turns reading time into family time and helps create positive feelings about reading.
Be yourself
- You don’t have to be an expert or an entertainer. Be authentic and your little reader will appreciate both the book and the time you spend together reading it.
Take time to look at the pictures
- Illustrations help tell the story, so be sure to explore and talk about what is happening in the pictures.
Ask questions
- Encourage curiosity and ask questions together. It is okay if you don’t know the answers; you can talk about possibilities and guess what the answer might be.
- Take the opportunity to make connections to your family, community and the world around you.
Talk about feelings
- In the book Violet has lots of feelings! Explore those feelings together and talk about each other’s feelings.
- You can ask, “When do you feel anxious?” Or you can share, “I feel anxious when …”
- Violet is brave when she tells her dad that she doesn’t like parties. Ask your youngster about a time they felt brave and share a time that you were brave.
You don’t have to finish all at once
- Reading should be fun. If your child is distracted or you are short on time, take a pause and return to the story later.
Re-read
- Reading the same book over and over is comforting for children.
- You can focus on different elements of the story each time. In Violet Shrink, there are opportunities to explore many themes: likes and dislikes, imagination games, family dynamics, feelings, anxiety, mind and body connections, different words with the same meanings, self-advocacy, and so much more!
Sharing a story together is a wonderful way to connect with the children in your life. It is also a great way to set them up for success in reading and in life!
To download a copy of these reading tips, click here.
Activities and Resources
Word Search
Videos
Meet author Christine Baldacchino!
Meet illustrator Carmen Mok!
Illustrator Demonstration | How to Draw a Shark with Violet Shrink illustrator, Carmen Mok
Resources
The TD Grade One Book Giveaway endeavors to feature characters of different ethnicities, cultures, genders, family structures, and abilities. This year, we sought a picture book with the theme of social-emotional learning (SEL). In today’s climate, this is very relevant to teachers, parents and children. SEL encompasses the processes that children go through as they develop self-awareness, emotional regulation, and interpersonal skills and it is vital for building understanding of others and feeling empathy. Topics that fall under the umbrella of social-emotional learning may include feelings, friendship, emotional regulation, inclusion, building resiliency, anti-bullying, working with others, developing community, and supporting mental well-being. We received a number of titles for consideration; Violet Shrink was ultimately selected as this year’s giveaway book. However, below you will find a list of of wonderful titles to support social-emotional learning.
Abuelita and Me
Written by Leonarda Carranza
Illustrated by Rafael Mayani
Annick Press, 2022
When a girl and her grandmother venture out into the city, it isn’t always fun. On the bus and at the grocery store, people are impatient and suspicious—sometimes they even yell. Sad, angry, and scared, the girl decides not to leave home again... until a moment of empowerment helps her see the strength she and her grandmother share when they face the world together.
Charlie's Balloons:
A Story of Big Emotions
Written by Sarah Degonse
Illustrated by Élodie Duhameau
Translated by Arielle Aaronson
Second Story Press, 2024
Hi! I’m Charlie. In my mind and in my body, all my emotions fight to take up as much space as they can. I like to picture my feelings as balloons. Sometimes they’re so light they float away. Other times, they’re so heavy it’s like they’re filled with water… For highly sensitive kids and the parents, teachers, and families who love them.
David Jumps In
Written by Alan Woo
Illustrated by Katty Maury
Kids Can Press, 2020
It is David's first day at his brand-new school. At recess, he stands alone and watches the other children on the playground. Bundled inside David's pocket is a colourful string of rubber bands, knotted and ready for a game of elastic skip. But will anyone want to try that game? Will anyone want to play with him?
I Hope / nipakosêyimon
Written by Monique Gray Smith
Illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard
Translated by Delores Greyeyes Sand
Orca Book Publishers, 2022
I hope that you and those you love know joy… The hopes we have for the children in our lives are endless. We want our young people to thrive and experience all that life has to offer. Looking to a bright future for all children, Monique Gray Smith shares a heartfelt message of love and encouragement. Available in English and Plains Cree.
I Am Not a Tin Can!
Written and illustrated by Barroux
Kids Can Press, 2022
In this unique picture book, a boy and a robot debate whether the robot is just a tin can or an intelligent being capable of real friendship. Through their interaction, the boy comes to understand the importance of empathy and caring, the robot discovers what happiness feels like, and both characters discover the meaning of friendship.
Jungle Cat
Written by Andrew Larsen
Illustrated by Udayana Lugo
Orca Book Publishers, 2023
Bob is an orange tabby cat with big dreams. He lives in a safe and friendly apartment building with his human, Pippa, but Bob knows he is more than an indoor cat—he's a Jungle Cat! When he sneaks outside to chase after his dream, Bob's adventure suddenly gets too wild. It's a good thing jungle cats know when to ask for help!
Love Is in the Bear
Written by Judith Henderson
Illustrated by Nahid Kazemi
Owlkids Books, 2023
This tender celebration of loyalty, friendship, and song is brought to life with Judith Henderson’s lyrical text and the soft, magical illustrations of Nahid Kazemi. Together, Bird and Bear face the music and find that the strongest connections can weather the most difficult disappointments with empathy, resilience, and mutual support.
Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress
Written by Christine Baldacchino
Illustrated by Isabelle Malenfant
Groundwood Books, 2014
Morris loves using his imagination and he dreams about having space adventures. His favourite place in his classroom is the dress-up centre—because he loves wearing the tangerine dress! But the children in Morris’s class don’t understand. Dresses are for girls, astronauts don’t wear dresses! Warm, dreamy illustrations perfectly capture Morris’s vulnerability and the vibrancy of his imagination. This is a sweetly told story about the courage and creativity it takes to be different.
No Help Wanted!
Written and illustrated by Ruth Ohi
North Winds Press/Scholastic, 2019
Posy always has a plan, and she is determined to see her plans through. But when she eagerly takes charge of the new classroom pet, things don't go according to plan. Bluey the beta fish suffers under all the special attention, and he starts looking worse and worse. Posy fears everyone will blame her. Can she admit she needs help to bring her new friend back around?
Oliver Bounces Back!
Written by Alison Hughes
Illustrated by Charlene Chua
North Winds Press/Scholastic, 2021
Eyewitness testimony confirms that Oliver is having a pretty lousy day. Oliver gets mad, gets quiet, gets sad, starts to talk, and then really takes charge. By lunch recess, he has the whole class literally bouncing around the playground, as he’s discovered the exhilaration of bouncing back from a bad day. Tips and tools on anxiety and resiliency appear at the end of the book.
Over-Scheduled Andrew
Written and illustrated by
Ashley Spires
Tundra Books, 2016
May isn't having fun on her trip through Chinatown with her grandfather. Gong Gong doesn't speak much English, and May can't understand Chinese. She's hungry and bored with Gong Gong's errands. But just when May can’t take any more, Gong Gong surprises her with gifts that reveal he’s been paying attention all along.
Sometimes I Feel Like a Fox
Written and illustrated by
Danielle Daniel
Groundwood Books, 2015
In this introduction to the Anishinaabe tradition of totem animals, children, wearing masks representing their chosen animal, explain why they identify with different creatures such as a deer, beaver or moose. The author’s note explains the importance of totem animals in Anishinaabe culture and how they also act as animal guides, instructing and protecting children as they navigate their physical and spiritual life.
Sometimes I Feel Like an Oak
Written by Danielle Daniel
Illustrated by Jackie Traverse
Groundwood Books, 2024
Twelve lyrical poems each look at a different tree, from early spring to deep winter. In each poem, a child identifies with a feature of the tree. The poems provide an opportunity to learn about each tree, inspiring us to look afresh at the trees around us and get to know them better. In the pages following the poems, children are invited to consider what different kinds of trees might mean to them.
Sometimes I Feel Like a River
Written by Danielle Daniel
Illustrated by Josée Bisaillon
Groundwood Books, 2023
In each of these 12 short poems, a child tells readers how or why they feel like the sun, a river, a mountain, a rainbow, and more. Their deeply felt connections and identification with these wonders point to how much we are part of the natural world. A gentle reminder to protect our environment while delighting in all its beauty.
Spork
Written by Kyo Maclear
Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
Kids Can Press, 2017 © 2010
Spork is neither spoon nor fork but, rather, a bit of both. His parents think he's perfect just the way he is. Only, Spork doesn’t fit in with the other cutlery and he longs to find the place he belongs. Then one day a ‘messy thing’ arrives… Will Spork finally find his place at the table?
The Thing Lou Couldn’t Do
Written and illustrated by
Ashley Spires
Kids Can Press, 2017
Lou has never climbed a tree before, and she’s sure she can’t do it. So she tries to convince her friends to play a not-up-a-tree game. When that doesn’t work, she comes up with reasons for not joining them – her arm is sore, her cat needs a walk, you shouldn’t climb so soon after eating. Finally, she tells herself she doesn’t want to climb the tree. But is that true, or is this brave adventurer just too afraid to try?
Waking Ben Doldrums
Written by Heather Smith
Illustrated by Byron Eggenschwiler
Orca Book Publishers, 2023
Every morning, Frida and her neighbours wake each other by knocking on the ceilings and walls of their apartments. This morning tradition makes Frida feel like she’s part of something big. But one day, Ben Doldrums, the student who lives upstairs, stops knocking. Frida notices that Ben Doldrums is not himself and she wants to help. But how?
What If I’m Not a Cat?
Written by Kari-Lynn Winters
Illustrated by Kelly Collier
Kids Can Press, 2023
Donkey’s sure he is a cat. He licks his fur and struts around the barnyard with all the other cats. Though sometimes he does feel… a little off. One day, Farmer says to him, “Donkey, you’re acting like a cat!” and Donkey has a worrying thought…What if he’s not a cat? And if not, then what is he?
Willow’s Whispers
Written by Lana Button
Illustrated by Tania Howells
Kids Can Press, 2014 © 2010
When Willow speaks, her words slip out as soft and shy as a secret. At school, her barely audible whisper causes her no end of troubles. But Willow is as resourceful as she is quiet, and she fashions a magic microphone from items she finds in the recycling bin. But Willow’s clever invention is only a temporary solution. How will this quiet little girl make herself heard?