First Friends: Bodies

Join a childcare classroom as they move their bodies and transition to circle time! It's time to move our bodies! Can you raise your shoulders up and down? How about scrunching your face and spinning around? Let's dance and shake our wiggles out before settling down on the rug for circle time. . Introduces different body parts and the ways they can move . Shows a diverse cast of toddlers going through their daily routines at childcare . Last page shows a labeled illustration of various body parts and asks readers how they like to move their bodies AGES: 1 to 3 AUTHOR: Mk Smith Despres is the author of the First Friends board book series, as well as Night Song and There's That Sun Again, and was named a 2024 Green Box Artist in Residence. Mk has worked as an educator for over 15 years with kids and adults with disabilities. They write, teach, and read lots of books with their family in western Massachusetts, USA. Xuan Le is an illustrator based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. After graduating with a degree in graphic design from the Ho Chi Minh City University of Fine Arts, she pursued a full-time career in illustration, focusing on picture books. Her artwork is inspired by nature, often featuring people or homes nestled in stunning landscapes. In her spare time, Xuan enjoys experimenting with paper crafts and various materials around her home, adding a fun twist to her creative projects. SELLING POINTS: . SERIES: The First Friends series introduces readers to a repeating cast of children in a childcare classroom, with each book focusing on a different early learning concept. . EARLY LEARNING CONCEPTS: Introduces movement and body parts in an engaging, age-appropriate format. . SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING: Gentle social-emotional storyline shown in the artwork depicts children learning to move their bodies in ways that feel healthy, joyful, and safe . DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE ILLUSTRATIONS: The class of 8 toddlers and 2 grownups features a variety of skin tones and body shapes, a child with noise-reducing headphones, and a child who uses forearm crutches. . DAILY ROUTINE / CHILDCARE SETTING: This story focuses on music, movement, and circle time, a relatable part of the daily routine at childcare. . INTERACTIVE: The final spread asks readers how they like to move their bodies with labeled illustrations. . AUTHOR: Written by Mk Smith Despres an educator for kids and adults with disabilities and a 2024 Green Box Artist in Residence.