This December, remember to pause and take a breath! It’s important to have moments when we rest from all the demands placed on us. And just like adults, children need quiet, tender moments, too.
You can share a quiet space with the children in your life inside the pages of these two poignant picture books about belonging, courage, and late night magic.
Amy’s Light captures the magic of nighttime with its lifelike yet dreamy art. Amy is a young girl who is afraid of the dark shadows in her bedroom, but soon notices a slight glow in the back yard.
When she discovers the source, she exuberantly catches fireflies in a jar—only to see their lights go dim. When she releases them, she finds that her fear of the dark is gone too.
The warm, lovely photo-illustrations are based on the author/illustrator’s daughter. Amy’s Light is a captivating and encouraging read aloud.
All over the world, children want the same thing–the comfort of knowing that they belong, that they are part of something meaningful.
Inside All takes the reader on a journey from the glowing edges of the universe into the warm heart of a sleepy child at bedtime, where we discover, not something small, but something huge.
This is a story about how we each have a place in the world, and how the world lives in each of us. If you’re looking for the perfect bedtime read aloud to quiet the minds of young ones, Inside All is the book for you.
Both of these tender picture books are 50% off when you purchase them through our website. Have a lovely (and peaceful) holiday season!
ne Goodall to Rachel Carson.
(To receive the 
As the season changes from summer to fall, the cycle of another school-year begins. Our September collection of 40% off books celebrates Seasons and Cycles–engaging read alouds to capture the attention of an entire class or for independent reading during a quiet time.
The book that stated it all for Dawn Publications was the publication of Sharing Nature with Children by 
Over the ensuing decades Dawn has published scores of titles, comprising 
Teachers love our books because they serve a dual purpose—meeting both literacy and science standards. “Explore More” sections, for both kids and adults, extend the learning with nonfiction information, literacy suggestions, and STEM lesson ideas. Whether they’re used as read alouds or independent readers, our award-winning books fit into reading collections in categories and modules such as the water cycle, animals, habitats, birds, oceans, pollination, seed dispersal, life cycles, earth and space, food webs, plants and gardening, and biographies.
students create a small card illustrating something they appreciate about winter. Have each person show their card and share something about it. Then attach the card to the wreath and display it in a prominent location. On New Year’s Day, remove the cards (you can keep them in scrap book) and return the wreath back to nature.
Show the Way with Luminaries. Hanukkah is a Festival of Lights that is traditionally celebrated with lighted candles. This year decorate your walkway or front porch with paper bag luminaries. Cut holes, stars, or hearts in the bags and fill them with sand for stability. Place a wax votive or battery-operated candle inside each bag and enjoy the inviting glow.
That’s what happened with Sunshine on my Shoulders—John Denver’s words and Christopher Canyon’s artwork awakened a little girl’s ability to speak. It all happened in an instant, much in the same way that Helen Keller experienced a dramatic awakening to language through her experience with water. Everything just clicked! We learned about this experience from the little girl’s aunt.
I thought a “kitty” would be the key to unlock my niece’s voice, so I suggested that my sister and her husband scour the library and get out any books with kitties. Sunshine on my Shoulder was in the mix one day, and that was the day my niece’s life changed. One of the illustrations has a man with a guitar sitting next to a kitty. My sister asked “Where’s the kitty?” My niece started screaming; not saying anything just pointing. She kept screaming insistently, then after looking at the picture intensely she said, “ne pababu” (“Next to Papa Bruce.”) Papa Bruce is her grandpa. He plays a guitar like the man in the illustration, and the kitty was sitting right next to him.
With a light touch especially suited to children, Wonderful Nature, Wonderful You explores lessons from nature that encourage children to do and be their best. Here are few specific examples:
The WOW! Factor consists of the elements of a book that cause readers to exclaim, “Wow, I didn’t know that!” or “Wow, that’s really cool!”
Stories of adventure, mystery and friendship await young readers who participate in a FREE, online reading contest with prize packages awarded on a weekly basis and culminating in the chance to win a Grand Prize.
Reading aloud books about science can serve several purposes, including sparking children’s interest in science topics and improving their reading and comprehension skills. The following tips are excerpted or paraphrased from 
ather students in a special reading area and make sure they can easily see you andthe book. Clarify expectations for appropriate behavior.
For example, read 
The sweet (pun intended) story of 
Gary Braasch, photographer and co-author with Lynne Cherry of the award-winning 
He and Lynne had young people in mind as they worked together on How We Know because they knew that adults tend to follow the lead of young people on this issue. A League of Conservation Voters study showed that children are a primary source of information about environmental issues for adults, and the largest force upon adults to lead a more sustainable life-style. A study by corporate giant Unilever found, “when kids lead, adults follow.”
Even though Gary and Lynne knew all too well how dire climate change is, they strove to write a book that would not scare children but help them to see possibilities for change. The reviewer for “Embracing the Child,” for example, recognized this: 
I am a writer. I am also: a parent, a daydreamer, a quiet observer, a voracious reader, obsessed with picture books, and highly fond of nature and animals. 
From the moment I ordered the 
In this week’s Conversations with the Artist, editor Glenn Hovemann talks with author Carol Reed-Jones. Carol is the author of two books with Dawn Publications, 
Steve Van Zandt – author, musician, and river guide – is always looking for child-friendly ways to inspire his young audiences. That’s what he does as an environmental educator, 
Editor Glenn Hovemann is delighted to present another “Conversation with the Artist” this time featuring author 
