A beautiful story of loyalty, sacrifice, and the joy of freely embracing one's calling.

One autumn night, a gust of wind suddenly frees a faithful scarecrow, giving him the unexpected opportunity to escape his post in the field and "dance" around the farm he guards. But with his new-found freedom, comes a clearer view of all that he protects--and all that could be lost.

There is so much rich, poetic meaning in the pages of this beautifully written and gorgeously illustrated picture book. As the poignant story unfolds, the reader is drawn further in, as the impact and implications of the scarecrow's actions become fully understood. With enthralling illustrations, and thought-provoking language and imagery, this book is sure to be enjoyed over and over, as new readings bring fresh layers of meaning. 

Here are a few activities that align with the themes of this book:

• If you're able, take a trip to visit a farm. Observe any crops that are being grown. Does the farm have any scarecrows? How do they keep birds or pests away from the crops?
• Make a scarecrow! Using a paper plate, tissue paper, construction paper and glue, create a paper plate scarecrow. Click here for detailed instructions.
• Conversation starters: "If you were a scarecrow and you'd been freed from your responsibilities, what choice would you have made?" 

Looking for more perfect picture books? Check out Susanna Leonard Hill's website!

Join a captivating cast of babies as they discover the similarities and differences in their baby names.

Get ready to have fun while learning! An adorable human baby leads the way, as various animal babies introduce themselves. This playful picture book will help young readers understand which baby names belong to different animals. But look out--there might be a few surprises! 

While this book is definitely about names, a closer look reveals that it's also about sorting and categorization. With a delightful rhythm, a repeated refrain, and colorful endpapers that illustrate the groups that baby animals can be sorted into, I Was Born A Baby is sure to enlighten and entertain, with every vibrant, creative page!

Here are a few activities that align with the themes of this book:

• ​Visit a zoo, farm, or wildlife preserve. Name the animals you see. When you see baby animals, identify them by their correct baby animal names.
• Use free, downloadable, printable pages, such as these, to match baby animals with their grown counterparts. Pictures can also be printed out, cut out, glued to index cards, and used to play matching games, such as "memory."
• Choose a baby animal and draw a picture, or write a story, about an adventure that little one might have. 
• Conversation starters:  "What is your favorite baby animal? Why?" "If you were a baby animal, which one would you be? Why?"

Looking for more perfect picture books? Check out Susanna Leonard Hill's website!

An acorn may seem small, or even insignificant, but a closer look reveals the enormous impact a tiny acorn can have. 

Some of my favorite books are ones that provoke deeper thought, using very few words, leaving the reader to ponder the meaning behind the story. With spare text and rich illustrations, Because of an Acorn shows the inter-connectedness of the natural world and illustrates how much one thing depends on--or happens as a result of--the next.

The simplicity of the text gives space for readers to make connections independently. It also provides opportunities for conversations, as each gorgeous page invites young learners to make inferences, explore layers of meaning, and understand more fully how one thing often greatly impacts the next. 

Here are a few activities that align with the themes of this book:

• ​Using paint and construction paper, make thumb-print acorns. Check out this website for detailed instructions. 
• If you live in an area where oak trees grow, go for a walk and collect acorns. Sort the acorns according to size. For detailed instructions, check out this website.
• After collecting acorns and sorting them into groups, according to their size (small, medium, and large), create a graph that illustrates the number of acorns in each group.
• "Can you think of other things in nature that appear small, but are very important?"  "Think of a time when you did something, or acted in a way, that had an impact of something else. Was the impact positive or negative? Why?"

Looking for more perfect picture books? Check out Susanna Leonard Hill's website!