November 20, 2023

2023 Gift Guide

November 20, 2023

One of the best things about being part of a group of picture book creators is celebrating each other’s books. In past gift guides, where we recommended holiday gifts that paired well with our own books, we decided to change things up a bit this year! Below, you’ll find not one, but two sets of gift ideas for each book— each created by a different Soaring 20s member!

We hope you find something fun and unique for the children in your life. Happy holidays!

Alphabot by Vicky Fang

Margaret Chiu Greanias’s picks:
1-2-3 Build It!™ Robot Factory
Mochi Robot subscription box
Fisher Price Code ‘n Learn Kinderbot

Kirsten W. Larson’s picks:
LEGO Gear Bots
Robbie Robot Stuffed Animal
Pixar Wall-E Movie Night

Bisa’s Carnaval by Joana Pastro, illustrated by Carolina Coroa

Candy Wellins’s Picks:
Bear harmonica
Cheetah face stickers
Colorful umbrellas

Melanie Ellsworth’s Picks:
Rainbow Hand Bells
Grandparent’s Memory Book
Silk Dance Scarves

Eavesdropping on Elephants by Patricia Newman

Kirsten W. Larson’s picks:
3D Elephant Puzzle
Schleich Wild Life Starter-Set
Save the Elephants tee (benefitting Save the Elephants)

Melanie Ellsworth’s picks:
Elephant Backpack
Hand drums
Adopt an Elephant Kit (World Wildlife Federation)

M.O. Yuksel’s picks:
Elephant Plush
Elephant Puzzle
Elephant Coloring Book

Fire of Stars by Kirsten W. Larson, illustrated by Katherine Roy

Angela Burke Kunkel’s picks:
Starry Night Light
Galaxy Skater Dress
Glow in the Dark Wall Sticker Set

Margaret Chiu Greanias’s picks:
Mind-Glowing Astronaut Projector
National Air and Space Museum Children's Pajamas
Space Series Playhouse

Hooked on Books by Margaret Chiu Greanias, illustrated by Kristyna Litten

Angela Burke Kunkel’s picks:
Anglerfish Twirl Dress
Marine Night Light
Ocean Stuffed Animal Set

Carrie Finison’s picks:
Rechargeable Book Light
Light-up Anglerfish Puppet
Under the Sea Reading Tent

How This Book Got Red by Margaret Chiu Greanias, illustrated by Melissa Iwai

Vicky Fang’s picks:
Red Panda Stuffy
Create Your Own Book Kit
Giant Panda Stuffy

Angela Burke Kunkel’s picks:
Red Panda Earrings
Kids’ Personalized Journal (available in red!)
Red Panda Pencil Case

Hurry, Little Tortoise, Time for School by Carrie Finison, illustrated by Erin Kraan

Candy Wellins’s picks:
Humorous tortoise t-shirt
Sloth pencil-toppers
Kids’ watch

Margaret Chiu Greanias’s picks:
Sloth Bento Box
Plush Tortoise
Tortoise water bottle

Mabel’s Topsy-Turvy Homes by Candy Wellins, illustrated by Jess Rose

Joana Pastro’s Picks:
Rainbow Suitcase
Mushroom Plant and Grow
Crayola All-in-one Mega Bath Set

Vicky Fang’s Picks:
Iguana Stuffy
Yellow Backpack
Orange Notebook

Make Way: The Story of Robert McCloskey, Nancy Schön, and Some Very Famous Ducklings by Angela Burke Kunkel, illustrated by Claire Keane

Carrie Finison’s picks:
Make Way for Ducklings Tote
Boston Ducklings Mini Building Blocks
Polymer Clay Kit for Kids

Lindsay Metcalf’s picks:
Prismacolor Graphite Pencils with Erasers & Sharpeners, 18 Piece Set
Make Way for Ducklings Socks
DIY Wire Sculpture Twist Kits

No World Too Big by Lindsay Metcalf, Keila V. Dawson, and Jeanette Bradley

Kirsten W. Larson’s picks:
Grow and See Vegetable Garden
Craft-tastic Paper Bowl Kit
Takeya Metal Reusable Water Bottle

M.O. Yuksel’s picks:
Climate Change Stickers
Ecology Bulletin Board Charts
Earth Day Pillow

Battle of the Books by Melanie Ellsworth, illustrated by James Rey Sanchez

Patricia Newman’s picks:
Headlamp for reading under the covers
Reading buddy stuffed animal
Book I Have Read reading journal

Elisa Boxer’s picks:
Adorable book light
Make-your-own library kit
Fun and wacky bookmarks

M.O. Yuksel’s picks:
Kids Night Light
Dinosaur Plush Toy
Kids PJ Set

Julie’s picks:
Woolbuddy Needle Felting Kit
Create sheep cupcakes together!
Sheepology Puzzle

Angela Burke Kunkel’s picks:
Sheep Christmas Ornament
Sheep Farmstay as a Family (check in your local area for tours and visits!)
Kids’ Aran Sheep Slip-On Slippers

One Wish by M. O. Yuksel, illustrated by Mariam Quraishi

Patricia Newman’s picks:
Wood Birds Puzzle Game
Wish Star Plush Soothing Night Light That Glows
Magnetic TIles to build your own school

Joana Pastro’s Picks:
National Geographic Telescope
Costway 3-in-1 Kids Art Easel
National Geographic Microscope

One Turtle’s Last Straw: The Real-Life Rescue That Sparked a Sea Change by Elisa Boxer, illustrated by Marta Álvarez Miguéns

Lindsay Metcalf’s picks:
Silicone Character Straws
Microwavable Turtle Warmies
Track Your Own Sea Turtle Bracelet

Angela Burke Kunkel’s picks:
Personalized Turtle Water Bottle
World Wildlife Fund Symbolic Turtle Adoption (with plush)
A family visit (or family membership) to your local aquarium

Lindsay H. Metcalf

November 4, 2021

Book Recommendation

Picture Books Are for Gifting!

Lindsay H. Metcalf

November 4, 2021

Book Recommendation

Books make magical gifts.

Check out the new Soaring ‘20s video to kick off holiday gift-shopping, and be sure share it on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Find the featured books and more on the Soaring ’20 s Bookshop page. Remember to order early to avoid worldwide supply chain issues!

Creators and their books, in order of appearance:

Margaret Chiu Greanias

MAXIMILLIAN VILLAINOUS, illus. by Lesley Breen Withrow
AMAH FARAWAY, illus. by Tracy Subisak (coming January 2022, available for pre-order)

Darshana Khiani

HOW TO WEAR A SARI, illus. by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff

Abi Cushman

SOAKED!
ANIMALS GO VROOM!

Kirsten W. Larson

A TRUE WONDER: The Comic Book Hero Who Changed Everything, illus. by Katy Wu

Vicky Fang

INVENT-A-PET, illus. by Tidawan Thaipinnarong
LAYLA AND THE BOTS: Cupcake Fix, illus. by Christine Nishiyama
FRIENDBOTS: Blink and Block Make a Wish

Lindsay H. Metcalf

NO VOICE TOO SMALL: Fourteen Young Americans Making History, edited by Lindsay H. Metcalf, Keila Dawson, and Jeanette Bradley; illus. by Jeanette Bradley
FARMERS UNITE! Planting a Protest for Fair Prices
BEATRIX POTTER, SCIENTIST, illus. by Junyi Wu

Isabella Kung

NO FUZZBALL!
ABC CATS: An Alpha-Cat Book and 123 CATS: A Cat Counting Book, both written by Lesléa Newman and illus. by Isabella Kung

Melanie Ellsworth

CLARINET & TRUMPET, illus. by John Herzog
HIP, HIP … BERET! illus. by Morena Forza

Joana Pastro

BISA’S CARNAVAL, illus. by Caroline Coroa (coming December, available for pre-order)
LILLYBELLE: A Damsel Not in Distress, illus. by Jhon Ortiz

Candy Wellins

THE STARS BECKONED: Edward White's Amazing Walk in Space, illus. by Courtney Dawson
SATURDAYS ARE FOR STELLA, illus. by Charlie Eve Ryan

Carrie Finison

DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS, illus. by Brianne Farley

Colleen Paeff

THE GREAT STINK: How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London's Poop Pollution Problem, illus. by Nancy Carpenter

Happy holidays from the Soaring ‘20s!

Lindsay H. Metcalf

March 19, 2021

Book Recommendation

Turn Your Support of Asian Americans into Action

Lindsay H. Metcalf

March 19, 2021

Book Recommendation

The Soaring ‘20s PB Group supports the talents of Asian American authors and illustrators. We are proud and enriched by the perspectives each of the following individuals bring to our Soaring ‘20s PB group and to our greater kidlit community.

In the wake of increased violence and discrimination against Asian Americans, we encourage you to take action. To show your support of Asian American kidlit authors and illustrators, please make a commitment to elevate their voices by:

Purchasing their books.
Requesting that your local library purchase their books.
Reviewing their books online.
Sharing their books with young readers in your classroom, library, bookstore and home.

We have some incredible suggestions for books you can highlight. Below is a list of the amazing work by Soaring ‘20s Asian American authors and illustrators. You’ll find links to buy their books on our Bookshop.org site.

We’ve also compiled links to recommended book lists, educational resources and donor information, so be sure to read to the end of the post.