There are so many wonderful things for children to learn, and so many exciting ways to learn! This morning’s social media brought a shocking pink watercolor by our 3-year-old niece, self-titled “American French Fry.” That’s Jane, right now. Sally Haughey, in her new book, Wonder Art Workshop, talks about her methods of teaching that honor what a child wants, feels and finds interesting—and that respect the wonder a child feels when encouraged to learn through her own developmental process. Jane is capably doing her own thing.

Wonder Art Workshop is much more than a “how to…,” it is a guide for teachers and parents to trust their children to learn through playful art activity. Sally Haughey offers thoughtful strategies for presenting ideas and quality materials (both new and recycled) to give children the opportunity to respond in their best, and most developmentally appropriate, way. Along the wonder journey we learn new techniques for making paint, using natural items in art, getting muddy with clay and utilizing an assortment of loose parts. Delightful photos show kids having lots of fun learning through play.

Wonder Art Workshop: Creative Child-Led Experiences for Nurturing Imagination, Curiosity, and a Love of Learning by Sally Haughey, with an introduction by Sandra Duncan, illustrated by Nicole Hill. (Quarry Books, 2020). For teachers and parents.

Levi’s off to his first day of a new school, and he is scared. “Big boys don’t cry,” says his father, so Levi holds it in. But what does he find on his long walk to school? A fisherman weeping as he casts off on a long journey at sea, young men in love, old men in love, a tough guy who’s lost his cat, and a sensitive harpist—all of these big boys, you guessed it, are in tears! The day’s not so scary after all, friends are made, and Levi dries his tears in time to console his worried father. Lesson of the day: big boys can cry. And that is okay.

Big Boys Cry by Jonty Howley (Random House, 2019) Ages 3 – 7.

And then there is the Pigeon. He does not want to go to school either. He already knows almost everything, and then, what about all that stuff he will be expected to learn… and if he learns too much, his head might pop off! Mo Willems does it hilariously again in this latest in the series of Pigeon adventures, in which his terrified questions mirror those of children: “What’s up with those heavy backpacks,” “What about lunch?” and maybe most important, “What will the other birds think of me?” As he figures it out on his own, The Pigeon HAS to Go to School is a lot of reassuring fun.

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The Pigeon HAS to Go to School by Mo Willems (Hyperion, 2019) Ages 4 – 7.

The introverted main character of How Do You Dance? would like to stay in his chair and read when the music starts. All around him classmates, teachers, his principal and even the school janitor are boogieing to their own beat: flitting, shimmying, bopping and generally letting their bodies move however they want to move. Our fellow just wants a good meal and a good book, no matter how much musical joy he sees around him. But what happens when he is alone in his room? Aha! This is a lovely, simple story of a little boy learning who he is and what he loves to do.

How Do You Dance? By Thyra Heder (Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2019) Ages 3 – 7.

Sometimes You Fly is an inspirational ode to the process of lifelong learning and its witty illustrations deserve a second, third and fourth look. Before you build a tower of blocks, you need to learn to balance one or two—on your head or on your dog’s nose. Before you make the team, you need to practice, then practice some more. Before you fall in love, you have to know yourself. Each of us as we grow learns to bend, we learn to fail, and if we’re persistent and a little bit lucky, sometimes we can fly.

Sometimes You Fly by Katherine Applegate, illustrated by Jennifer Black Reinhardt (Clarion Books, 2018) All ages.

Back to School: A Global Journey is a collection of photos of kids from more than 30 countries on six continents, in class, on the playground, coming from and going to school, reading, learning to be good citizens and making friends. Their learning experiences are far more alike than different, and all kids will find themselves in these pictures, whether their learning tools include slates, computers or plain old 8 ½ x 11” lined paper, and whether their learning takes place outdoors or in a row of desks. For all of them, “going to school means learning about the world around you.”

Back to School: A Global Journey by Maya Ajmera and John D. Ivanko (Charlesbridge, 2019) Ages 4 – 8.