Search results for ""Author Rebecca Bender""

Since 2011 Rebecca Bender’s award-winning Giraffe and Bird books have been tickling the funny bones of children and their families as the cantankerous cronies learn that friendship, while not always easy, is always worthwhile. But how did this unlikely pair become friends in the first place? In Giraffe Meets Bird, Bender’s bright acrylics and lively storytelling reveal the friends’ early days while pairs of scrumptious synonyms make her trademark rich vocabulary accessible to a new, younger audience. When the egg in Giraffe’s tree first hatches, he is excited and eager. But the baby bird grows quickly, and he soon learns how to make Giraffe angry and annoyed. It doesn’t take long for Giraffe and Bird to start fighting over their tree. When danger forces them to work together, the two not-quite-friends realize they might not be able to share their home at all. Luckily, they come up with a solution that is surprising, startling, and absolutely stunning.

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The award-winning creator of the Giraffe and Bird books introduces Dotty the dancing dachshund, celebrating the gifts of those who struggle to "sit" and "stay" Dotty the dachshund knows she was born to dance ballet. When told to sit, she does a plié. Asked to stay, she does an assemblé. Fed up with Dotty’s lack of discipline, Mrs. Austere sends her to the Canine School of Obedience, but Dotty just can’t seem to learn. Heartbroken, the little dog flees to the park—where an unexpected new friend is waiting. Could he know the secret to helping Dotty dance out her dreams with her own style of discipline? In Ballewiena, author-illustrator Rebecca Bender, creator of the award-winning Giraffe and Bird books, introduces a new volume of animal hi-jinks. Tucked into the witty language and amusing antics is a story about growth mindset and a perceptive note of encouragement for anyone who was made for activity in a world that expects stillness.

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The side-splittingly funny un-friendship story with a new title in a new format for younger readers. Giraffe doesn’t like Bird, not even a little bit, and the feeling is mutual. The bird pesters the giraffe with his face-making, feather-pruning, and disgusting eating habits. The giraffe annoys the bird with his bad breath, ear-swatting, and lack of respect for personal space. Of course they are always fighting. Of course they would be better off without each other. Except, it turns out, maybe they wouldn’t be. With bold acrylic illustrations, expressive wordplay, and laugh-out-loud storytelling, award-winning author-illustrator Rebecca Bender delivers an odd-couple tale that is anything but your average friendship story. Satisfyingly un-sweet and uproariously irreverent, Giraffe and Bird invites thoughtful discussion about children’s relationships with each other—though first you’ll have to wait for the laughter to stop.

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The award-winning not-friends of Giraffe and Bird are back! Bird lives for adventure. He wants to swoop, soar, and explore. Giraffe is perfectly happy right where he is, thank you very much. He never worries when Bird flits off for a while. But one afternoon his friend fails to return. Giraffe has a bad feeling that something has happened to Bird. Giraffe dreads the wide world full of tangly forests, craggy mountains, and mysterious plains. But he doesn't hesitate. If Bird is in trouble, then Giraffe will find and rescue him. Award-winning author-illustrator Rebecca Bender pushes Giraffe and Bird to new heights of courage, ingenuity, and humour in Giraffe and Bird Together Again. The two unlikely companions are firmer in their friendship, but their antics are just as uproarious as ever. Readers of all ages will laugh and cheer as Giraffe and Bird discover just how far each will go for the other. "A strength of this title is the action verbs and rich vocabulary that is introduced....This title lends itself to discussion about friendship and being open to try new things. VERDICT A strong choice for a preschool storytime or a one-on-one sharing."—School Library Journal

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An endearing board-book prequel to the laugh-out-loud Giraffe and Bird collection by the award-winning Rebecca Bender For more than a decade Rebecca Bender's award-winning Giraffe and Bird books have been tickling the funny bones of children and their families as the cantankerous cronies learn that friendship, while not always easy, is always worthwhile. But how did this unlikely pair become friends in the first place? In Giraffe Meets Bird, Bender’s bright acrylics and lively storytelling reveal the friends' early days while pairs of scrumptious synonyms make her trademark rich vocabulary accessible to a new, younger audience. When the egg in Giraffe's tree first hatches, he is excited and eager. But the baby bird grows quickly, and he soon learns how to make Giraffe angry and annoyed. It doesn’t take long for Giraffe and Bird to start fighting over their tree. When danger forces them to work together, the two not-quite-friends realize they might not be able to share their home at all. Luckily, they come up with a solution that is surprising, startling, and absolutely stunning.

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In this reimagining of a Japanese folk tale, Momoko is born from a peach to make the world a better place. Despite rumours of a terrible ogre that lives nearby and eats children, Momoko bravely sets out with a pocketful of dumplings and the timid Monkey, Dog, and Pheasant to find out the truth for herself. When the farmer and her husband find a giant peach at their door, they can't imagine how it got there. But they are even more surprised when the skin bursts open and out leaps...a girl. Momoko is here to make the world a better place, and what better way to start than by investigating the rumours about a fearsome local ogre? Everyone says the ogre has teeth like knives, shoots flames from his eyes, and eats small children. But Momoko wants to find out for herself, and her new friends Monkey, Dog, and Pheasant might just be able to help her - as long as she's willing to share those tasty peach dumplings. In Peach Girl, Raymond Nakamura creates a quirky modern telling of an old Japanese folktale. Award-winning illustrator Rebecca Bender's spirited acrylics bring to life a spunky heroine, a trio of expressive animals, and a vivid Japanese landscape.

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The third title in the acclaimed Slug Days Stories, now in paperback. Irma is Lauren’s best friend. Irma knows all the strategies Lauren uses when her Autism Spectrum Disorder makes it hard to “go with the flow.” Lauren helps Irma learn English words and understand unfamiliar customs. So why does Irma suddenly want to introduce Lauren to her mountain-biking, litter-dropping neighbor Jonas? Why is Irma calling Jonas her friend? As if sharing Irma weren’t bad enough, Lauren also has an alarming new problem at school. Their teacher has announced a mountain biking day when the students will learn to ride their bikes on an obstacle course. But Lauren still uses training wheels. She just can’t face the teasing she will get when her classmates see them. She isn’t brave like Irma. She can’t go with the flow like Dad. How can she possibly face this challenge? From author Sara Leach and illustrator Rebecca Bender comes an honest and warm-hearted successor to the critically acclaimed Slug Days and Penguin Days. With straightforward text and frequent black-and-white illustrations, Duck Days is an accessible chapter book for any young reader with mountains of their own to climb.

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The third title in the collection that began with USBBY Outstanding International Book Slug Days. Lauren, a third-grade student who has Autism Spectrum Disorder, takes on the challenges of sharing her best friend and persevering when a classmate mocks her bicycle’s training wheels. Irma is Lauren’s best friend. Irma knows all the strategies Lauren uses when her Autism Spectrum Disorder makes it hard to “go with the flow.” Lauren helps Irma learn English words and understand unfamiliar customs. So why does Irma suddenly want to introduce Lauren to her mountain-biking, litter-dropping neighbor Jonas? Why is Irma calling Jonas her friend? As if sharing Irma weren’t bad enough, Lauren also has an alarming new problem at school. Their teacher has announced a mountain biking day when the students will learn to ride their bikes on an obstacle course. But Lauren still uses training wheels. She just can’t face the teasing she will get when her classmates see them. She isn’t brave like Irma. She can’t go with the flow like Dad. How can she possibly face this challenge? From author Sara Leach and illustrator Rebecca Bender comes an honest and warm-hearted successor to the critically acclaimed Slug Days and Penguin Days. With straightforward text and frequent black-and-white illustrations, Duck Days is an accessible chapter book for any young reader with mountains of their own to climb.

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From the award-winning creators of Slug Days Lauren and her family drive to a farm in North Dakota to visit relatives and celebrate her Aunt Jossie’s wedding. But Lauren finds to her dismay that she is expected to do more than meet adults who hug her and invade her personal space. Lauren is going to be—horror of all horrors—a flower girl. Lauren has Autism Spectrum Disorder, and she sees the world a little differently from other kids. What makes her comfortable are her routines and her coping mechanisms for her anxiety, which can get out of control in no time. So it is a challenge to deal with her rambunctious cousins, try on scratchy dresses, and follow impossible directions about going down aisles slowly-but-not-like-a-sloth and tossing pretend flowers around. So is it any surprise that Lauren flips her lid more than once? But while having an extended family seems like a lot of trouble at first, she’s about to learn just how much they can care for one another. In Penguin Days, two award winners revisit second-grader Lauren from the acclaimed Slug Days with equal humor and empathy. Drawing on her experience teaching children with ASD, Sara Leach creates an energetic character who stomps eloquently off the page. And Rebecca Bender’s delightful black-and-white illustrations show in Lauren’s fraught situations and facial expressions all the love and assertiveness that could possibly dwell together in one unique little person.

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Lauren, who has Autism Spectrum Disorder (an umbrella term that has included Asperger Syndrome since 2013), navigates the ups and downs of school and home life. School friendships have always been a challenge, but Lauren finds she is exactly the friend a brand new classmate needs On slug days Lauren feels slow and slimy. She feels like everyone yells at her, and that she has no friends. Today there is a different bus driver; Dan and Sachi are sitting in Lauren's seat on the bus; and Lauren's teacher interrupts her reading time. It is definitely a slug day. But not every day is like this. On butterfly days Lauren makes her classmates laugh, or goes to get ice cream, or works on a special project with Mom. Lauren has Autism Spectrum Disorder (an umbrella term that has included Asperger Syndrome since 2013), and she sees the world differently from many people. Sometimes this can be frustrating and makes Lauren want to flip her lid, especially at school where she learns differently from her classmates. But with support and stubbornness and a flair that's all her own, Lauren masters tricks to stay calm, to understand others' feelings, and to let her personality shine. She even manages to find common ground with her sticky, slobbery baby sister. Best of all, it is being different that gives Lauren insight into the insecurities of the new student, Irma. Award-winning author Sara Leach writes Lauren's endearing story with empathy and humor, and sends her flying off like a butterfly into a new chapter of life with a new friend.

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A 2020 Bank Street Best Book and the second title in the acclaimed Slug Days Stories, now in paperback Lauren and her family drive to a farm in North Dakota to visit relatives and celebrate her Auntie Joss’ wedding. But Lauren finds to her dismay that she is expected to do more than meet adults who hug her and invade her personal space. Lauren is going to be—horror of all horrors—a flower girl. Lauren has Autism Spectrum Disorder, and she sees the world a little differently from other kids. What makes her comfortable are her routines and her strategies to manage her anxiety, which can get out of control in no time. So it is a challenge to deal with her rambunctious cousins, try on scratchy dresses, and follow impossible directions about going down aisles slowly-but-not-like-a-sloth and tossing pretend flowers around. Is it any surprise that Lauren flips her lid more than once? But while having an extended family seems like a lot of trouble at first, she’s about to learn just how much they can care for one another. In Penguin Days, two award winners revisit second-grader Lauren from the acclaimed Slug Days with equal humor and empathy. Drawing on her experience teaching children with ASD, Sara Leach creates an energetic character who stomps eloquently off the page. And Rebecca Bender's delightful black-and-white illustrations show, in Lauren's fraught situations and facial expressions, all the love and assertiveness that could possibly dwell together in one unique, little person.

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Now in paperback, a USBBY Outstanding International Book about the ups and downs of school and home life for one charismatic little girl with Autism Spectrum Disorder. On slug days Lauren feels slow and slimy. She feels like everyone yells at her, and that she has no friends. Today there is a different bus driver; Dan and Sachi are sitting in Lauren's seat on the bus; and Lauren's teacher interrupts her reading time. It is definitely a slug day. But not every day is like this. On butterfly days Lauren makes her classmates laugh, or goes to get ice cream, or works on a special project with Mom. Lauren has Autism Spectrum Disorder (an umbrella term that has included Asperger Syndrome since 2013), and she sees the world differently from many people. Sometimes this can be frustrating and makes Lauren want to flip her lid, especially at school where she learns differently from her classmates. But with support and stubbornness and a flair that's all her own, Lauren masters tricks to stay calm, to understand others' feelings, and to let her personality shine. She even manages to find common ground with her sticky, slobbery baby sister. Best of all, it is being different that gives Lauren insight into the insecurities of the new student, Irma. Award-winning author Sara Leach writes Lauren's endearing story with empathy and humor, and sends her flying off like a butterfly into a new chapter of life with a new friend.

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The meditative picture book that Kirkus Reviews recommends as “a practical introduction to the mindfulness meditation, as an example of the practice, and as a guide”—now in paperback! Parents, educators, and health practitioners everywhere are recognizing the importance of mindfulness practice, particularly for children. Meditation and yoga are becoming common activities in kindergarten classes and beyond. Taking time to be still and pay attention to their thoughts and bodies helps kids feel calm, focused, and in control. In A World of Mindfulness, meditative text reflects on the sensory ways children experience life, from the feeling of their muscles when they run…to the sound of a turning page…to the memory-laden taste of fresh-baked cookies. Positive and negative emotions are alike acknowledged and affirmed, and a strong sense of self is reinforced. Richly illustrated by fourteen artists with all-new original art, A World of Mindfulness will create its own quiet moments as children revisit its lavish pages. A closing note about mindfulness practice rounds out this board book, making it a helpful resource for homes, classrooms, and beyond.

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The meditative picture book that Kirkus Reviews recommends as “a practical introduction to the mindfulness meditation, as an example of the practice, and as a guide”—now in paperback! Parents, educators, and health practitioners everywhere are recognizing the importance of mindfulness practice, particularly for children. Meditation and yoga are becoming common activities in kindergarten classes and beyond. Taking time to be still and pay attention to their thoughts and bodies helps kids feel calm, focused, and in control. In A World of Mindfulness, meditative text reflects on the sensory ways children experience life, from the feeling of their muscles when they run…to the sound of a turning page…to the memory-laden taste of fresh-baked cookies. Positive and negative emotions are alike acknowledged and affirmed, and a strong sense of self is reinforced. Richly illustrated by fourteen artists with all-new original art, A World of Mindfulness will create its own quiet moments as children revisit its lavish pages. A closing note about mindfulness practice rounds out this board book, making it a helpful resource for homes, classrooms, and beyond.

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