Miss Carol's Favorite Graphic Novel Finds of 2025

   Every year I spend the last few weeks of the year compiling my favorite book finds of the year.  They are not always new books.  Just books I discovered for the first time and really, really liked.  

YOUNG ADULT GRAPHIC NOVELS:

  

The Condemned Villainess Goes Back In Time and Aims to Become the Ultimate Villain (manga series) art by Rat Kitaguni, original story by Bakufu Narayama, character design by Ebisushi

If the Villainess and Villain Met and Fell In Love (manga series) art by Chiru Ukai, original story by Harunandon, character design by Yomi Sarachi

My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999 (manga series) by Mashiro

  

Though I am an Inept Villainess: Tale of the Butterfly-Rat Body Swap in the Maiden Court (manga series) by Satsuki Nakamura, art by Ei Ohitsuji, character design by Kana Yuki

Tristan & Lancelot: A Tale of Two Knights (An Arthurian Love Story) by James Persichetti and L.S. Biehler

The Villainess’s Guide to (Not) Falling In Love (manga series) original story by Touya and Yoimachi, art by Ren Sakuma, adaptation by Shiori Shiono

ADULT GRAPHIC NOVELS:

  

365 Days to the Wedding (manga series) by Tamiki Wakaki (adult)   Home Office Romance by Kintetsu Yamada (adult)  Takahashi from the Bike Shop (manga series) by Arare Matsumushi (adult) 

Miss Carol's Favorite Middle Grade Non-Fiction Book Finds of 2025

Miss Carol's Favorite Picture Book Finds of 2025

Robots, BeeBots - A Family STEAM & Stories Event

This program was intended to introduce STEAM concepts through stories and exploration activity stations to families with children ages 3-8 years old.    

Intro song:  Hello Friends (sign language action song for the words hello, friends, math, fun, and time)

Hello friends,
Hello friends,
Hello friends,
It's time to say hello.

Hello science,
Hello science,
Hello science,
It's time to have some fun.   

 

Demonstration and Storytime:

 

·         Read the book Remarkable Robots by Tony Mitton, illustrated by Ant Parker  

·         Show the word card for robots.  Talk about what this word means.

·         Show pictures of various types of robots and talk about what these robots do.        

·         Instruct on how to use the stations. 

 

Stations: 

Station #1- BeeBots

The children entered movement commands into the BeeBots.    

Station #2 – Ozobots

Using a variety of small magnetic tiles, the children created paths for the tiny Ozobot robots to follow along with special color tiles with action codes. 

 

Station #3 – Animatronics

The children created an animatronic hand that really worked using cardstock, scissors, tape, yarn, and straws.      

 

 

Station #4 – Measuring robots

I found a cute free printable online that encouraged children to use Unifix cubes to measure the robots on the paper.      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homeschool Meet-Up: Shrinky Dinks and Block Play

A monthly Thursday morning library program for homeschool families. 

Goals:

·                     Opportunity to explore STEAM concepts in a relaxed setting.

·                     Participants can socialize and connect with other homeschool families.

·                     Students build confidence and cooperative skills by completing tasks together.  

  

Activities of the day:

 “A” is for art and “S” is for science: Shrinky Dinks

I borrowed the library’s toaster oven and brought in “shrinky dink” plastic sheets for the children to design their own little pieces of plastic to watch them shrink in the oven. 

  

“E” is for Engineering: Build with Blocks

I opened up the wood block cabinet for some creative building.  I also brought out the bristle blocks and Unifix cubes to build with. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colors of the Rainbow - A Family STEAM & Stories event

This program was intended to introduce STEAM concepts through stories and exploration activity stations to families with children ages 3-8 years old.    

Intro song:  Hello Friends (sign language action song for the words hello, friends, math, fun, and time)

Hello friends,
Hello friends,
Hello friends,
It's time to say hello.

Hello science,
Hello science,
Hello science,
It's time to have some fun.   

 

Demonstration and Storytime:

 

·         Read the book What Is a Rainbow? by Harritet Blackford, illustrated by Mike Henson (from the TechTots STEM Science series  

·         Show the word card for rainbow.  Talk about what this word means.

·         Show the word card for colors.  Talk about what the word means.      

·         Show the word card for color spectrum.  Show a color spectrum chart.  Be sure to mention the “ROY G Biv” memory device. 

 

·         Put the color words for ROY G Viv on the white board.  Hand out papers with the colors on it.  (Give the blue, indigo, and violet papers to the older kids.)  Allow the children to tape their paper to the white board under the correct color. 

·         Instruct on how to use the stations. 

 

Stations: 

 

Station #1- Color roll game

The children roll the cloth die.  They then pick an action card that matches the up-top color on the die and do the action.  I used the ThinkFun Roll & Play game. 

Station #2 – Prism play

The children changed look through various shaped prisms to see the color spectrum. 

 

Station #3 – Beaded rainbow sun catcher

The children create a sun catcher using pony beads strong on a length of pipe-cleaners with one prism bead attached at the bottom.  I got this idea from Rhythms Of Play website at https://rhythmsofplay.com/rainbow-pony-bead-prism-suncatcher/.    

 

Station #4 – Lego brick challenge

I found some free printable Lego Rainbow challenge cards from the Little Bins for Little Hands website at https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/lego-rainbow-build-challenge-kids/.  I set out a large tub of Lego bricks along with these challenge cards.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Snowflakes Falling - Family Storytime

A Tuesday morning storytime for ages 0-6 years old.  

Opening #1: “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” from Songs for Wiggleworms by Old Town School of Folk Music

Opening #2: Roly Poly Oh So Fast (hand rolling body part chant adapted by Carol Hopkins)

Roly poly, roly poly, oh so fast!
Roly poly, roly poly, oh so slowly.
Roly poly, roly poly, up.
Roly poly, roly poly, down.
Roly poly, roly poly, hands on your head.
Roly poly, roly poly, hand on your feet.

(Repeat with other body parts)

Roly poly, roly poly, hands in your lap.

 

 

Literacy activity flannelboard: Snowing Letters (I found this wonderful snowing rhyme flannelboard on the Once Upon a (Story) Time blog that I adapted for my flannelboard)
Directions: I gave each child a snowflake (clip art cut out on paper). Each snowflake had one letter written on the backside corresponding to the letters above in the rhyme. As I said the rhyme, I would then say the first letter of each underlined word. I would also write the letter on the board. The children were to place their snowflakes on the white board (with tape) when I said their letter. This turned out to be a great exercise in letter recognition. 

Snow on my forehead, (F)

Snow on my knee, (K)

Snow on my eyes, (E) 

Getting hard to see.

Snow on my boots, (B)

Snow on my hair, (H)

Snow on my mittens, (M)

Snow everywhere!

 

  

Book #1: Maisy’s Snowy Day by Lucy Cousins

Stand-up activity: Snowflakes Falling (action rhyme I picked up many years ago)

Snowflakes falling down, down, down 
Gently covering all the town 
Swirling, twirling, down they come 
One landed on my tongue!

 

Activity: Itsy-Bitsy Snowflake (fingerplay I found in a Mailbox Preschool magazine, December/January 2007-8, page 26)

The itsy-bitsy snowflake fell down from the sky.
(flutter hands down)
It landed on my nose
(point to nose)
And it bounced upon my eye
(point to eye)
It slid down to my chin
(point to chin)
And it landed on my tongue.
(point to tongue)
Then it melted all away

 

Transition: Tommy & Tammy Thumb (fingerplay)

Tommy Thumb up, 
Tommy Thumb down,
Tommy Thumb dancing all around town.

Tammy Thumb out,
Tammy Thumb in,
Tammy Thumb dancing all in a spin.

Dancing, dancing, dancing,
Dance them on your knees,
Dance them on your head,
Dance them on your shoulders,
Then tuck them into bed.

  

***Parent literacy tip:  When you read picture books to children, you expose them to words they would not hear in daily conversations with adults.  This is important vocabulary building!           

Book #2: In the Snow by Sharon Phillips Denslow, illustrated by Nancy Tafuri

Book #3: Bear & Hare: Snow! by Emily Gravett (I actually thought this book did not work well at storytime)   

Closing music with bean bags: “Rocketship Run” action song from Rocketship Run by The Laurie Berkner Band     

  

Art activity: Paper plate snowflake collage with white glue, cotton balls, Q-tips, and cut up straws

Optional other books:
I’m Going to Build a Snowman by Jashar Awan
One Mitten by Kristine O’Connell George, illustrated by Maggie Smith