The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

From the book:  
Ivan is an easygoing gorilla. Living at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, he has grown accustomed to humans watching him through the glass walls of his domain. He rarely misses his life in the jungle. In fact, he hardly ever thinks about it at all.

Instead, Ivan thinks about TV shows he’s seen and about his friends Stella, an elderly elephant, and Bob, a stray dog. But mostly Ivan thinks about art and how to capture the taste of a mango or the sound of leaves with color and a well-placed line.

Then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from her family, and she makes Ivan see their home—and his own art—through new eyes. When Ruby arrives, change comes with her, and it’s up to Ivan to make it a change for the better.

Typically, I do not like reading fiction that features animals "talking", not even The Wind in the Willows , but give me Planet of the Apes , and I'm totally enthralled.   Perhaps that is why I didn't give up on Ivan (apes are ok?!), and oh my gosh, am I ever glad that I did not!

This simply beautiful story is told through Ivan's eyes; in Ivan's voice.  Though it is not exactly a true story, it is based on a true story and the thought of that makes the story even more gripping and heart wrenching.  Applegate includes an end note which details the story of the real Ivan which will make your heart happy.

Suggested for those who love animal stories, or touching, moving stories such as Charlotte's Web .  Also great for reluctant readers since the short sentences and quick chapters make for a very fast read.   Just don't let your child start this before bedtime; they will never want to put the book down!

Happy Spring! The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Spring is just around the corner, and if you're looking for a way to celebrate, pull out a copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle and share it with your little one(s) on March 20th, the first day of Spring (which is also The Very Hungry Caterpillar !). 

The Penguin Group, the publishers of the book, have put together the Very Hungry Caterpillar Activity Guide that includes printables as well as ideas that can be used at home or in the classroom.  Check it out!  It's free!

Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet by Jane O'Connor

From the book: Nancy makes the best of not dancing the lead in her ballet school's Deep Sea Dances show, but becomes jealous when her best friend gets a better role than hers.

I admit it, I'm a tomboy, but I still love Fancy Nancy. She fills a niche for the pink loving, tutu wearing, princess-in-training preschooler. Heck, even non-girly-girls love Nancy, because she's fancy - independent - a free thinker - and uses great big words in her fancy sentences. Those are all great qualities to promote. If your child has not yet met Fancy Nancy, pick up one of her (many) books and get the two introduced.

Clocks / Telling Time / Daylight Savings Time Storytime

With daylight savings time happening this weekend (SPRING ahead, FALL back) I thought it would be fun to have a “telling time” storytime.  To my surprise, there weren’t as many good clock books available in our collection as I would have hoped.  – but I guess that is a good thing!  It means quite a few were checked out!

I decided to share a felt board version of Hickory Dickory Dock before reading the stories.  Here are a few book suggestions:

Little Rabbit’s First Time Book by Alan Baker

What Time is It? (Seven Little Monsters)   By Arthur Yorinks

My Grandmother's Clock by Geraldine McCaughrean

I.Q. It’s Time by Mary Ann Fraser

Hickory Dickory Dock by Keith Baker

The Clock Struck One by Trudy Harris

Telling Time with Big Mama Cat by Dan Harper

Don't forget Bats Around the Clock and The Grouchy Ladybug for a couple of great books for older kids (early elementary).

Besides Hickory Dickory Dock, don’t forget the cute nursery rhyme Wee Willie Winkie:

Wee Willie Winkie runs through the town,
Upstairs and downstairs, in his nightgown;
Rapping at the window, crying through the lock,
"Are the children in their beds? Now it's eight o'clock."

For a craft, make a clock of course!   You can use a paper plate, with a brass fastener and some construction paper.  The other clock shown in my picture is made using an Accu-Cut Dye.  Have fun with it!  And keep the clock handy (maybe on the fridge?!) so that you can practice telling time often!

Check out Songs for Teaching  at http://www.songsforteaching.com/preschoolkindergarten.htm for some great songs to help learn how to tell time (scroll down a bit) on the page.

Here is a link to Enchanted Learning’s rebus stories about telling time http://www.enchantedlearning.com/rhymes/topics/time.shtml

A couple of printable time activities can be found on Make Learning Fun http://www.makinglearningfun.com/themepages/TimeTheme.htm

Free Lego Mini Kit at Lego Stores

If you live near a Lego Store, be sure to visit on March 6th so that your child (age 6-14) can build and keep a cool free mini model.  This month's kit has a spring theme.

Lego Stores actually do this on the first Tuesday of every month.  It's a fun thing to do with your little Lego fans!

Birds or Feathered Friends Storytime

There are lots of great books that feature wonderful feathered friends.  The topic makes a great theme for a storytime in the spring, or really, anytime of the year.  Even in the colder, snowy states, there are still birds around in the winter months and it's a great time to make bird feeders or bird treats (such as peanut butter & seeds on a pine cone hung up in a tree with yarn).

When the weather starts to get a bit warmer and you know spring is on the way, I love to make these cute little birds that sit in a paper bag nest.  It's a great use for those plastic colored eggs that seem to multiply around the house during Easter!  The birds are so easy to make.  Simply take any colored egg you like and add eyes, a simple beak and two triangle shaped wings.  I used googly eyes, but if you don't have any, a Sharpie would work just fine.

To make the nest, open up a lunch sized paper bag and then roll down the sides (rolling the edges out, not towards the inside).  Keep rolling and shaping  until you have a nice little nest for the birds to sit in.  If you have some "grass" left over from Easter, that would make a nice added touch to the nest, or even some raffia.

Once you have your birds, share a few bird books.  Here are some of my favorites:

Purple Little Bird by Greg Foley

How Rocket Learned to Read by Tad Hills

Boo Hoo Bird by Jeremy Tankard.

Birds by Kevin Henkes

There Is a Bird On Your Head! by Mo Willems

There are many more out there!  Check out your local library and ask the Children's Librarian for some suggestions!  It's what we live for :)

Simple Crafts for Early Literacy

While searching around the web for some craft ideas, I came across this video and wanted to share it.  Some nice, simple ideas here!