Lindsay N. Giroux, Author & Trainer

To-Read Tuesday: Yo! Yes? by Chris Raschka. This book is an older one and still a favorite of mine (originally published in 1993). It has very few words (around 30, to be precise), which encourages readers to really look at body language, facial expressions, and the size of the text and punctuation to help tell the story. Children so often feel a little lonely, so I love books that portray loneliness and making a new friend, like Yo! Yes? does.

Happy Juneteenth!

As we celebrate 100 years of NAEYC, we recognize that building a more equitable future for young children means learning from history and honoring the communities that continue to shape it.

This Juneteenth, we reflect on the meaning of freedom, celebrate Black joy and resilience, and reaffirm our commitment to creating a future where every child, family, and educator belongs and thrives.

To-Read Tuesday: My Body by Jill McDonald, part of the Hello, World series. Toddlers love body parts (which is why my next series is very much focused on the body). Perhaps that's why I appreciated this board book. It gives simple explanations about the senses and body parts, with a few fun facts woven in. I appreciated the collage-style art.

I also had never thought about dogs having belly buttons, apparently it has fun facts for grown ups too.😂

To-Read Tuesday: A Little Spot of Anxiety by Diane Alber. From her whole series of A Little Spot books, this book looks at anxiety. My favorite part about it was the concrete strategies that incorporate the senses and affirmations. It talks about some common worries, like trying new things or failing a test, in a supportive way. The fact that the emotions are cute little spots is helpful too.

Did I take the same picture I always take of my kid for the beginning of the school year? I sure did! EdD program for Leadership for Educational Equity in Early Childhood Education starts today! 🎉 🏫 ✏️ 📚

To-Read Tuesday: Pride is Love by Dano Moreno, illustrated by Nakul P. This is a delightful board book, wiht messages about kindness, helpfulness, and acceptance. One the left side of the spreads are things like, "Pride is helping," and the right side has an affirmation of "Your kindness is a gift." Illustrations show a child and their family getting ready for a pride parade. It's a simple, vibrant read for littles.

This week I had a great time presenting at the International Early Childhood Inclusion Institute. One activity I tried out for the first time was Mystery Date with an SEL Book. We used the books to think through how to teach some new skills in the classroom, and somehow almost every single participant had a book they hadn’t read before! 📚

I’ve been a library kid forever, and now here I am as a library adult, sending my six picture books to the library in my small hometown. 📚🥰
Next up on my library bucket list:
🪣 Meeting at the 2026 International Early Childhood Inclusion Institute 🤩
🪣Seeing We Find Feelings Clues in a library in person (hoping to see them on our trip to Toronto) 👀
🪣Seeing my books in my home library (they stock board books, so I’m hopeful that the Feelings Head to Toe books will make it to the shelves) 🤞🏻

I had the joy of consulting with the librarian who was proposing this awesome idea, and I’m so excited to see it out in the world. SEL Kits including great books and recommended reading lists, National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations resources, and information to guide families to Project Enlightenment’s resources too. 🎉📚

May is and Wake County Public Libraries is rolling out a robust lineup of programs and launching a resource to help young children build essential emotional skills.

Created for kids in pre-K through second grade, Social Emotional Learning Kits are designed to help children develop essential life skills including self-awareness, self-management, empathy and responsible decision-making.

Learn more ➡️ https://bit.ly/4mVHbwZ