Mentoring Month

January is National Mentoring Month... how many of you knew that? As you can imagine, it's quite difficult to find a children's book about a mentor! So, I looked up the definition of mentor and here's what I came up with: 1. a wise and trusted counselor or teacher, 2. an influential senior sponsor or supporter.

I figure that whether or not we call them mentors, all children have someone who they look up to (a brother, sister, cousin, aunt, uncle, etc.). This, in my eyes fits in when the mentor is an influential supporter. So, I found some books where children have someone influential in their lives that acts the same as a mentor would.

Child, Lauren.

I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato.

2000.

Candlewick Press: Cambridge, MA.

Ages: 5-8

Genre: Fiction
Guided Reading Level:

Summary/Review:

Lola is the world's pickiest eater and Charlie, her older brother knows it! So when Mom and Dad ask Charlie to give Lola her dinner, he must be creative in order to get her to eat what's on the plate. Carrots suddenly come from Jupiter! Peas? Green drops from Greenland! The potato is a cloud from the highest point of Mount Fuji and fish sticks? They're the ocean nibbles that mermaids eat! Charlie and his vivid imagination convince Lola to not only try all these wonderful foods that she's offered for dinner, but he manages to actually get her to enjoy them! Readers will be surprised at the end of the story when Lola turns into another creative one, all thanks to her big brother Charlie - her "mentor."

This was my first time reading anything by Lauren Child and let me tell you, I'm hooked! If I'm hooked, children will certainly be enthralled with Charlie and Lola's adventure! Very clever story - very captivating illustrations... I liked them so much, I've ordered a few more of the Charlie and Lola series to review for a few more upcoming blog entries. Look for them soon!