Tops & Bottoms is a charming and unique picture book written and illustrated by Janet Stevens. You will need to turn the book sideways to view the illustrations. As a bonus, it’s a great introduction into how vegetables grow and a vote for working hard. The book draws on the traditions of trickster and Brer Rabbit tales as well as European folk tales. In the story, we meet a lazy land-owning bear. He’s so lazy that he sleeps through growing seasons. We also meet the rabbit family who are not doing well. The rabbit father, Hare, lost a bet with … Continue reading →

We’ve all heard the story of Cinderella. But did you know that she had a next door neighbor? That girl’s name was Cinder Edna, and she was pretty much in the same boat. All day long, both girls worked hard scrubbing, cleaning, and cooking. (What’s up with their neighborhood?) But there was one significant difference between them. When Cinderella’s work was done, she would sit near the fireplace to keep warm, thinking about her troubles, while Cinder Edna sang while she worked and took advantage of her situation to learn all she could about cooking and housework. Edna had tried … Continue reading →