This recommended board book, Mazel Toes! written by Audrey Barbakoff and illustrated by Annita Soble, hooked me from the title, and the rest of the rhyming story kept me turning the pages. What a treat to read all the Yiddish I heard growing up. Better yet, how wonderful to share it with future generations. I like how references to the various babies’ mazel toes appear in every other stanza, all the while introducing Yiddish words to kvell over.
My love, it lasts forever. My love, it grows and grows, From your shayna punim Down to your mazel toes.
My favorite stanza is above, and I can almost hear my grandfather saying it. It was years before I understood that when he said “pupik” he was referring to my belly button! Barbakoff makes every perfectly chosen Yiddish word work wonderfully to convey the pride everyone feels as they marvel at the bundle of joy.
Readers unfamiliar with Yiddish will appreicate the glossary at the end. I appreciated the diverse representation of characters in the illustrations, including multiracial, multigenerational, queer, and disabled characters. Additionally, the journey from the “old country” to the present, as they dote on the newborn, was a thoughtful approach. I’m a big fan of the flattened-style perspective Sobel used, a rich, naïve art that hints at a bygone era and flows easily from spread to spread.
If you know new parents, grandparents, in fact, the whole mishpocha, I cannot think of a gift that will warm hearts more than Mazel Toes!
BODY BEAUTIFUL
Written by Susan Verde
Illustrated by Steph Littlebird
(Abrams BYR; $19.99, Ages 4-8)
Did you know your body is beautiful? #1 New York Times bestselling author, Susan Verde, poses this thoughtful question to young readers in her new picture book, Body Beautiful. The book takes children on a journey that celebrates the magnificent wonders of our bodies.
The story starts with a lovely illustration (below) of a fetus sleeping soundly inside its mother’s womb.
“You were born from a beautiful body
who was born from another beautiful body
and so on going way way way back.”
Indigenous artist Steph Littlebird illustrates our continuing connectivity by showing the planets circling the mother and unborn child using soft colors of purples, pinks, and yellows. Littlebird’s vibrant art moves us forward as we turn the page to a list showing all the many ways to describe the human body. It’s a long list because we are rightfully different. I love how this spread conveys that we are all so unique that we can’t be categorized as just one entity.
However, Verde explains, these descriptions are only part of what makes our bodies beautiful. MIRACULOUS, GROWING, and SPEAKING are words used to express how each of us is more than what is seen on the outside. UNIQUE is spelled out alongside a girl and a boy sitting in the wilderness, amidst the green trees, birds, owls, and butterflies. The story’s lyrical language takes the reader through the outer vessels of our bodies to our inner minds that tell us when our body has something to say. One of my favorite lines is Asking you to listen—our bodies often tell us when something isn’t right. We just need to stop and listen. As a certified yoga instructor, this resonated with me because it’s something I do and encourage others to as well.
Littlebird’s uplifting art depicts kids of all shapes and sizes, from tall to short, large to small, from white to brown, and everything in between, as well as those with varying abilities, each moving happily together. Your body is also WISE— Keeping a record of the joy, the sadness, the wonder, the stories of your resilience, the lessons learned. This book serves as a meaningful reminder to children (and to adults). When we see the young black girl hugging herself, we read Your body is YOUR OWN.
The story flows, inviting read-alouds and conversation. It then concludes with children walking through a field, reminding the reader that the most beautiful part of your body is YOU, and there will be nothing more beautiful than that.
The backmatter includes an Author’s Note explaining how Verde got the idea for this story. There’s also an Illustrator’s Note that encourages young people to feel proud of their bodies. This is an important topic that should be taught to children at a young age, before they begin judging themselves for what they think they should be. We live in a time when stories like this need to be told because you can never share too much about mindfulness, self-love, and kindness with children.
The dynamic duo of Fishman and Greenberg, who created the award-winning picture book A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars, partners again for Power Up: Your Incredible, Spectacular, Supercharged Body. This time, the focus switches from the amazing universe to the world within. Bite-sized explanations help bring such immense topics within reach. The text centers around the fact we’re made of energy and everything we do takes energy. “You are a fireball,” “Look at your pinkie. That little finger has enough energy to light up one of the biggest cities in the world for an entire day.”
Greenberg’s art brings fresh perspectives to what could be boring textbook images such as the skeleton and muscular systems. Positive messages help kids learn that they need to care for their supercharged bodies by eating, sleeping, and exercising.
Kids who like numbers will get into their groove with the many statistics. Did you know we’re born with 300 bones, but as some fuse we eventually have only 206? Or that the calf’s seven muscles help you point your toes? Nonfiction has come a long way with interesting books such as this one that makes learning fun and reminds us that we can (literally) “light up the world.”
Fishman’s upcoming local appearances include two 11:00 a.m. Barnes & Noble Storytimes: Saturday, March 23rd in Encinitas (1040 N El Camino Real Drive) and Saturday, March 30th in Manhattan Beach (1800 Rosecrans Avenue).
