Season’s Readings

Season’s Readings

by Dan Coleman from the Lawrence Public Library

Happy Springtime!, by Kate McMullan, illustrated by Sujean Rim Those of us weary of winter have no further to look than the pages of this free verse homage to everything great about spring (including a bit of science explaining just what makes it so). McMullan and husband Jim’s series of picture books about large vehicles (I Stink!, I’m Dirty!, etc.) have been crowd-pleasers for years, and water colorist Rim’s bright illustrations make this seasonal celebration stand out.

The Spring Book, by Todd Parr Todd Parr is better known for his picture books about feelings and family, but lately he has turned his colorful faux naive style to natural subjects. While bright yellow backgrounds and faces without noses may not be my thing, Parr’s illustrations hypnotized my kids when they were preschoolers, and they really do work in this new ode to spring. Where else can you see a purple-faced kid, an earthworm with a bow (in its hair?), a skunk wearing polka-dotted undies, and a three-eyed alien standing in a field of shamrocks? Only the skunk has a nose. A lot to ponder here.

How a Seed Grows, by Helene Jordan, illustrated by Loretta Krupinski Back to the basics with this simple explanation of what may be spring’s greatest miracle.

Gardening with Emma: Grow and Have Fun: A Kid to Kid Guide, by Emma Biggs There are a lot of great gardening books for kids out there, but this is the best, because it’s actually written by a kid. Emma Biggs makes it all look fun and totally doable, from hand-drawn garden plans to harvest.

Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera, by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Eric Rohmann This book recently won the Sibert Medal, the ALA’s highest award for children’s nonfiction, but its beautiful illustrations would have made it a worthy winner of the Caldecott, too. In telling the life story of a honeybee, it comes as close to an immersive experience as a picture book can, and will leave you seeing something new next time a bee buzzes by.

Rain!, by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Christian Robinson A grumpy old man harrumphs, an excited young boy exclaims, and they say the same word: “Rain!” What happens when they meet? This sweet story reminds us there is no better place to look for a silver lining than a spring rain cloud.

I Am the Storm, by Jane Yolen, Heidi E. Y. Stemple, illlustrated by Kristen and Kevin Howdeshell Sometimes weather is too exciting. This book reassures kids about severe weather, including our own spring menace, the tornado. I sure could have used it when my daughter was a toddler afraid of nighttime thunderstorms, and the best I could do was crank up her white noise machine, which always seemed like a great idea until I remembered the sound it made was rainfall.

Look Up!: Birdwatching in Your Backyard, by Annette Cate This general guide to get kids birding, beginning in their own yards, makes it look so fun that parents may find themselves reaching for binoculars. Cate illustrates the book in an appealing style reminiscent of Gary Larson’s The Far Side comics, except her birds, while they do talk, are accurately drawn and identifiable by species.

The Backyard Birdsong Guide: A Guide to Listening, by Donald Kroodsma, illustrated by Larry McQueen and Jon Janosik If kids are going birding, they need to learn to use their ears, too. Flip to a page and dial up the number on the small digital audio device attached to this book, and you’ve got a bird singing along as you read about it. Fair warning: The family cat might also join you.

Those Darn Squirrels!, by Adam Rubin, Illustrated by Daniel Salmieri Why should baby birds and bunnies get all the love in springtime? What about those twitchy jerks who take single bites out of your tomatoes and chew holes in the roof? Kids don’t seem to mind squirrels as much as adults do, and Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri, better known for their Dragons Love Tacos books, have got it covered with this and several more adventures of “those darn squirrels.”

National Geographic Kids Get Outside Guide: All Things Adventure, Exploration, and Fun!, by Nancy Honovich and Julie Beer No one knows outside like National Geographic, who published this book of ideas for kids to get out and do stuff instead of watching people on YouTube do very little. The book is broken up into various habitats (water, woods, etc.) with activities suggested for each.

Hike, by Pete Oswald The only thing left to do now is get out there and go.

April Showers Bring... May Allergies?

Helpful hints from Dr. Ann Novosel and her crew at Lawrence Pediatrics

I love spring. It’s that time of the year when the temperatures are warm, but not too warm. The trees are in bloom. Daffodils and tulips are blossoming. Everything is becoming green again. It’s a beautiful time of the year. For many people, spring is also the time of the year when pesky allergy symptoms return or, for our kids, may start for the first time.

Have you noticed your child sneezing more frequently with the change in the seasons? Have you seen her rubbing her eyes or nose more frequently? How about dark circles under his eyes or a crease across the bridge of his nose? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, your child may be suffering from environmental allergies. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, allergic rhinitis, also known as seasonal allergies or hay fever, affects ten percent to 30 percent of individuals worldwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 7.1 million US children reported respiratory allergy symptoms in the past year. We can all agree that allergies are very common, but what are they exactly?

What are allergies? Allergies refer to the sneezing, runny nose, scratchy throat, and itchy, watery eyes that can arise throughout the year, depending on an individual’s triggers. These triggers can include pollen, mold, pet dander and saliva, or dust mites. While most people can breathe in these substances without having symptoms, the immune systems of people with allergies see these things as harmful and mount a response to protect the body. You may have heard your pediatrician refer to the “atopic triad,” which refers to the combination of asthma, eczema, and allergies. All these diagnoses are caused by your child’s immune system overreacting to environmental triggers.

Knowing when your child’s allergy symptoms are the worst can be key to determining their triggers. Tree pollen is often the cause of spring allergies, grass pollen is associated with summer allergies, and pollen from weeds is associated with fall allergies. Pet dander, mold, and dust mite allergies tend to cause symptoms year-round. Sometimes, knowing the time of the year of symptoms may not tell the whole story, however, as many kids have allergies to multiple substances.

Our discussion so far has addressed environmental allergies, which includes seasonal allergies. The body can also have allergic reactions to foods, medications, insect stings, or other triggers that can cause more severe symptoms such as hives, swelling, difficulty breathing, and vomiting. This type of allergic reaction is called anaphylaxis and is a whole other article. If your child experiences any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately!

What can I do to help my child’s allergy symptoms? The most effective way to treat allergies is to avoid them entirely. If you know that your child is allergic to dog dander, avoid being around dogs. If cats trigger symptoms, then having a cat as a family pet may not be the best idea, depending on severity of symptoms. There are other allergens, however, like pollen and dust mites, that are difficult to avoid. If dust mites are a problem, try dust mite mattress and pillow protectors. For pollen allergies, keeping the windows of your house and car closed during their worst allergy seasons can be helpful. If your child’s symptoms are affecting their everyday life, it is time to visit your pediatrician.

Fortunately, there are lots of options to treat allergy symptoms. Medical care is individualized, and everyone’s bodies respond a little differently to medications. Work with your pediatrician to find the best combination of medications to treat your child’s allergies. Depending on the severity of allergy symptoms and the effectiveness of treatment, your doctor may recommend seeing an allergist for testing. Some individuals even benefit from allergy immunotherapy to treat their allergy symptoms by regular exposure to triggers in the form of allergy shots.

Cigarette smoke is notorious for being an allergen and worsening existing allergy and asthma symptoms. Second-hand smoke exposure, and even third-hand exposure from residue left on clothing, can trigger symptoms. If you smoke, the best thing you can do for your child’s allergies and asthma is to quit smoking. If you need any resources or help to quit smoking, talk to your doctor. They will be happy to help!

How can I keep my kids healthy this spring? It is important for kids to get outside and play with these warmer temperatures. Spring is a great time to go on walks as a family, take a bike ride, or play catch in the yard or park. If allergy symptoms are preventing your child from enjoying outdoor activities, please see your pediatrician. Also, this spring, with COVID still a present danger, it is important to continue washing your hands, wearing a mask, and social distancing. When the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available to you and your loved ones, get it. Let’s do our part to stop this pandemic!

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Seasonal Essentials

Audrey and Matt Pool have a busy house. With four kids Simon (17), Bennett (13), Cora (9), and Annie (3), two working parents, and a revoling door of foster pets, the crew spends as much time together as possible. Here’s how the Pools make the most of spring in Lawrence.

photos by Amber Yoshida

1.) Puppy Raise - We love to take our puppy-in-training, Wilson, out and about in the community. Wilson is a six-month-old purebred golden retriever on loan from Kansas Specialty Dog Services (KSDS). We practice manners, patience, greetings, how to behave in public, potty training, and many other skills that puppies-in-training need in order to become a life partner. You will often find us wandering the aisles of Target together. We also enjoy fun trips to the dog park! After he is with us for eighteenish months, he will travel to Topeka Correctional Facility for his intermediate training and later his college training will be back at KSDS. We fully believe that by raising a puppy, we can change a life. We know it will be hard to let him go, but he has a destiny and a mission in life.

2.) Volunteer Foster - Last summer we began our journey as a Lawrence Humane Society foster family. We have fostered kittens, puppies, a chocolate lab, and even some adult cats. The shelter provides all materials to raise a happy and healthy animal. You receive free training, food, bowls, toys, litter, and any other items needed in order to give a shelter pet a temporary home and respite from a cage. So far we have a 100% success rate in finding all of our foster babies a home and haven’t foster failed (yet!). We’re still undecided on our newest tiny puppy, Roxie. Anybody looking for a sweet and adorable puppy? You’ll just have to convince my daughters to let her go. Kitten season is coming quickly, so fill out an application soon! Who doesn’t love playing with kittens for a few weeks?

3.) Parents as Teachers Online Group Connections and Playgroups - Shameless plug for my work and something that is very close to my heart. Parents as Teachers offers free and personalized (virtual) home visits in order to help all children ages birth to three grow and develop. In addition to home visits, we offer monthly group connections. We join together to read books, make crafts, and sing songs. It’s super fun and free for anyone. We are all first-time parents in this pandemic. College graduates, high school parents, physicians, lawyers, basically EVERYONE benefits when it comes to being better caregivers for our little ones.

4.) Plant Flowers - We love all things green and rainbows at our house. We take weekly trips to Jungle House and Howard Pine’s Garden Center and Greenhouse for all our flower needs. We are all currently counting down the days until all our houseplants can go outside. This is the first year that we also grabbed free seeds from the Lawrence Public Library. We are excited to try some new flowers this year.

5.) Virtual Library Storytime - We love to catch Ms. Linda’s special virtual storytime. We also try really hard to swing in the library and grab the free materials for the arts and crafts. My three-year-old daughter lives and to make messes, so this is the perfect excuse to let her be creative and turn off the Disney+ app for a while.

6.) Get Outside - Our favorite trail to walk is the pond at Hutton Farms. We love to walk around the pond, fish, throw rocks, find frogs, and chalk the walk. You also might catch us convincing Wilson that he doesn’t need to swim.

7.) Kayaking at Clinton Lake - Two summers ago, we had the most epic dumpster find. A neighbor was moving and left two kayaks in their trash. We love to drop in right before sunset and paddle around the lake. The water is like glass and the sunsets are so peaceful. We have life jackets for everyone and waterproof cases for our phones. If we don’t Instagram it, did it really happen?

8.) House Projects - This past year, Matt quit his full-time job and is working hard to build his handyman business. From painting, to tiling, to building decks, to burying trampolines, he can do it all! The bad news is that I have to wait for him to get around to my projects. I’m currently begging him to put in a swimming pool but I will probably settle for installing a new fence. He wants to add on to our garage for all his tools. This works for me, because then I can add more grow lights for my overwintering plants!

9.) Take Photos - Babies, plants, puppies, and rainbows make me happy and you’ll find all of that on my social media. From everyday silliness to major milestones, I try and capture it all. My kids LOVE wearing masks because then they don’t have to smile at me.

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Individualized Instruction & Project-Based Learning Average Class Size of 17 / 10-1 Student-to-Teacher Ratio Alumni Include: National Merit Scholars & Finalists,

Perfect ACT Scores, High School & College Valedictorians,

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