Read it again, mom!

Breaking Stalin’s Nose by Eugene Yelchin

2012-01-31T07:00:00.000-05:00

Growing up,I don’t really remember learning about communism. In elementary school, our “social studies” classes focusedmainly on Michigan and the United States. I do recall in about 4^th grade learning about countries ofthe world, but I don’t really recall anything about wars or specific worldconclicts until I reached high school.

Books likeNumber the Stars by Lois Lowry and Jerry Spinnelli’s Milkweed, as well asothers, came much later (yes, I am old)so I really wasn’t exposed to anything so mentally challenging, so eye-opening,until I read Elie Wiesel’s Night when I was approximately 20 years old. I am glad to see that in recent decades, thetide is turning and children are exposed to “world history” much earlier inlife. I think it helps to open theiryoung minds and get them thinking.

Breaking Stalin's Nose had me from the first chapter. I was expecting a light novel forkids and what I found was an easy to read yet thoroughly thought provoking lookat a slice of Russia’s history. There’s plenty of white space and manyillustrations by the author that both add to the story and help it flow. And what you learn at the end… the story isloosely based on the author’s own experiences.

Great bookto recommend to reluctant readers or those interested in world history. It might leave some kids feeling a bituncomfortable, yet will definitely provide many opportunities for importantdiscussions.

Owl Cake

2012-01-28T17:50:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine just made this cupcake cake and I had to share!!! How cute is it?!?!

Looks like pretzel sticks were used as branches, and are those gummy Lifesavers as the eyes?! Probably cut up ones as claws and beaks, and those look like Oreo cookies (or something similar) for the wings and eyebrows. I've done Monkey cakes for my son (and should post them too), but this is really so creative and yummy looking!

If you're having an owl party, check out my Owl Storytime Ideas too! Give a hoot :) Eat cupcakes!

Circle of Secrets by Kimberley Griffiths Little

2012-01-27T11:30:00.000-05:00

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started Circle of Secrets. I hadn't read any reviews or even the description; it was required reading for me being part of an award committee and the title had received starred reviews in literary review journals. Basically, I looked at the cover and thought "huh, wonder what this is about" and began to read.

Immediately I was drawn in to the life of Shelby and the mysterious magic of a Louisiana bayou. I typically enjoy books with a bit of mysticism, so that part wasn't a shocker for me, but what did surprise me is that the story felt like something new; a story I hadn't read before or that had been redone for a new audience.   Suggest to your child if they enjoy books with real yet flawed characters, ghosts, magic, and a lot of deep emotion that needs to be confronted and dealt with.

From the book:   A year after her mother deserted the family, eleven-year-old Shelby goes to stay with her, deep in the Louisiana bayou, where they both confront old hurts and regrets.

Definitely a middle grade read; probably 4th grade on up. It's not difficult, but does get a bit haunting and may disturb younger children.   Next up for me will be Little's debut novel The Healing Spell which has gotten great reviews but I never read when it first came out in 2010.

Rosie Sprout’s Time to Shine by Allison Wortche

2012-01-26T12:29:00.001-05:00

This unassuming book tells quite the story; one veryfamiliar to most school age children or those with many siblings. . We’ve all met that one perfect person – the kid in the class who always gets the highestgrades and is the best, fastest, highest, loudest – everything-est – inabsolutely everything they try. When isit your turn to shine?! We all like abit of attention, and it is ok to admit it. This simple sounding statement is at the heart of Rosie’s struggles.

Rosie’s nemesis is Violet. Violet can do no wrong. Everyoneknows this, even the teacher, but it most especially bothers Rosie who isn’treal fast or loud or fancy and justwants her own chance to be the best at something too. Right at the beginning of their “pea growing”experiment, Violet catches the measles and misses two whole weeks ofschool! What will happen to her littlepea sprout?! Will this be Rosie’s chanceto be the best?!

Allison Wortche eloquently and compassionately tackles thecomplex mess of emotions that we all face at one time or another and doesn’tshow typical rosey-eyed reactions with Violet miraculously changing or Rosiegetting mad and stomping off. A matureRosie reaches a conclusion that is satisfyingto the reader and provides a great discussion starter in the classroom or athome (either on peas OR peers!) Check it out!

Love Rocks!

2012-01-24T09:18:00.001-05:00

Ok, this is when I wished that blogs had a "share" button like on facebook. I was looking for other Valentine's Day ideas on the net and stumbled upon this website. Aren't these rocks the cutest things?! If you don't want to use Modge Podge with little ones, you could always use some watered down Elmer's glue instead. Then give them a spray of a sealer when the little ones aren't around if you're going to be leavning the rocks outside.

Check out Red Bird Crafts full directions (and more photos) on how to make conversation love rocks.

The possibilities are endless with this craft. I can see kids of all ages getting into making little love rocks. One person in the comments even mentioned how she was thinking of leaving decorated rocks in random places and hoping that people may pick them up and get a smile. What a cool idea.

Caldecott & Newbery Awards 2012

2012-01-23T14:55:00.000-05:00

All those book lovers who work with children anticipate this day - the announcement of the 2012 Awards, in particular the Caldecott and the Newbery winners and honor books.

This year a somewhat biographical fictional book about a boy who gets grounded by his parents and for punishment must work for an old neighbor-lady writing obituaries was named the Newbery winner Written by Jack Gantos, Dead End in Norvelt grabs you from the get-go and can be both humorous and enlightening at times. The story does wane off a bit at the end, but stick with it; you won't be sorry.

The two Newbery honor books are: Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai; and Breaking Stalin's Nose by Eugene Yelchin.

The American Library Association also awarded the Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children to A Ball for Daisy , illustrated and written by Chris Raschka. This is a wordless picture book utilizing Raschka's signature style illustrations to tell the story of Daisy, a dog who loses her ball and then gets a new one.

Three Caldecott Honor Books were also named: Blackout by John Rocco; Grandpa Green by Lane Smith; and Me . . . Jane by Patrick McDonnell (the wonderful creator of the magnificant comic strip MUTTS ).

The third award I watch closely is the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for beginning reader books. This year the award went to Tales for Very Picky Eaters by Josh Schneider. There were three Geisel Honor Books that you might want to check out too: I Broke My Trunk! by Mo Willems; I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen; and See Me Run by Paul Meisel.

Valentine's Day Storytime

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

Love is in the air! Well, almost. February 14th will be here before you know it and of course, being Valentine's Day, it's the perfect time to remind someone how much they mean to you! The toddler set may not understand the concept of Valentine's Day (a lot of adults don't either!), but there are plenty of books on "love" in general that would be perfect to share:

For younger tykes:

You Are My Cupcake by Joyce Wan
Illustrations and brief text explore some of the food names that people use as terms of endearment.

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney
During a bedtime game, every time Little Nutbrown Hare demonstrates how much he loves his father, Big Nutbrown Hare gently shows him that the love is returned even more. Includes pop-up illustrations.

Love (Baby Max and Ruby) by Rosemary Wells
Baby Max gets so much attention it is difficult to decide who he loves best.

Tucker's Valentine by Leslie McGuirk
Tucker the dog spends Valentine's Day with people and friends he loves, even though Cupid's love arrows keep missing him.

Elmo Loves You! (Sesame Street) by Sarah Albee
Elmo explains how each person has something special they care about. For example, babies love noise and kids love toys; Bert loves pigeons and pigeons love to coo, etc. At several points the lively rhyming text breaks for a moment to remind young readers that ‚Elmo loves you!

With older kids or those in school, you can pull out the books that are more specifically about the holiday and the whole idea of making cards, etc. There are some great non-fiction titles for kids out there too, which would give them a little background into the holiday's creation. But for a few titles that are here to simply enjoy, check these out:

Titles for older kids:

Be Mine, Be Mine, Sweet Valentine by Sarah Weeks
A tour of the animal kingdom showing what each of the animals might give his or her sweetheart on Valentine's Day.

The Ballad of Valentine by Alison Jackson
An ardent suitor tries various means of communication, from smoke signals to Morse code to skywriting, in order to get his message to his Valentine.

Love, Ruby Valentine by Laurie Friedman
After Ruby Valentine misses her favorite holiday of the year, her parrot, Lovebird, convinces her that every day is the perfect day to say "I love you."

Love, Splat by Rob Scotton
Splat the cat has a special valentine for a certain someone in his class.

Zombie in Love by Kelli DiPucchio
Mortimer, a zombie, is looking for love, but when all of his attempts to locate a sweetheart fail, Mortimer decides to place an ad in the newspaper.

Here are a couple of songs that I have used in storytimes in the past. They are fun to do, easy to sing, and any actions you can do with the kids helps to engage them and get them interested in the theme. Try these out:

Songs & Rhymes to share:

H-E-A-R-T
(Tune: "Bingo")

To show you like your special friends,
Just give them each a heart.
H-E-A-R-T, H-E-A-R-T, H-E-A-R-T,
Each heart says I like you!

Five Big Valentines

(great as a felt board rhyme)

Five big valentines from the corner drug store
I mailed one to a friend - then there were four
Four big valentines, lovely ones to see
I mailed one to my Mommy - then there were three
Three big valentines - red, shiny, and new
I mailed one to my Daddy - then there were two
Two big valentines, the best is yet to come
I mailed one to Grandma - Then there was one
One big valentine, the giving is almost done
I mailed it to Grandpa - and now there is none

Now it's time for a craft.....

Craft:

There are hundreds of Valentine's Day crafts on the internet and I don't have anything original, but the one I've included here is something that I've done with my kids in the past and I love it (more importantly, they love it too).

I think it's about making something using a bit of yourself. We have 'feet turkey' that still get giggles "You mean, that's was my foot?!?" and of course these hearts.

This is actually a very simple craft project. You only need some paper (two sheets of different kinds or complimenting colors work best), a pencil, some scissors and a glue stick.

For the very simple version I did here, I used two different colored papers and traced one hand only one time (you need two hands total) with all the fingers together. So I get a left and a right hand, I put one piece of paper right-side-down on top of the other and cut out the traced hand (my paper is only colored on one side)

Next, lay one hand on top of the other as seen in the picture, with the thumbs overlapping and glue! That's it!

Now, you can get more complicated if you wish... You can cut each individual finger apart from the other (cut slits down between each finger) and then weave the fingers in and out and then use a glue stick to secure. TIP: Cut the slits between each finger AFTER you have cut out your hand shapes! This is a little difficult to do, so I would either help your young child, or leave this for the older kids!

Owl Storytime

2012-01-20T23:16:00.001-05:00

There are so many wonderful owl books out there, I had to include the feathery theme when planning my winter storytimes. One of my favorites is A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na. There isn't much text, but that very fact plus the gorgeous, dream-like illustrations make it a perfect bedtime (or last book of storytime) read.

Another book I really wanted to include is Bear's New Friend by Karma Wilson. Even though it takes place in spring, it's a nice introduction to owls with a fun repeating "Who" the kids can join in on. In addition, it taught me that there are "burrowing owls" - something I never knew before! Gotta love it when you learn something from a book!

The other two books I included were Little Owl Lost by Chris Haughton (already reviewed on this site) and Cock-A-Doodle-Hooooooo! by Mick Manning. Manning's book is a hoot (pardon the pun)! Kids love the cartoon like illustrations and the humorous story of an owl trying to find happiness in a hen house. Yes, this is a children's book :)

A couple other older books that definitely should be included in any owl storytime are:

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen (A Caldecott winner!)
Owl Babies by Martin Waddell

Now time for a song! This is a fun song to sing and the actions will have your kids acting like owls for sure... the tune is to "The Wheels on the Bus":

Just Like an Owl

Flap your wings and fly around, fly around, fly around.
Flap your wings and fly around, just like an owl.
Open your eyes big and wide, big and wide, big and wide.
Open your eyes big and wide, just like an owl.
Land on the ground and hop along, hop along, hop along.
Land on the ground and hop along, just like an owl.
Turn your head and say "Hoo! Hoo!"
Say "Hoo! Hoo!"
Say "Hoo! Hoo!"
Turn your head and say "Hoo! Hoo" just like an owl.

Words by Joe Stover

And lastly, it's craft time!!! Last fall I picked up an "Owl Frame Kit" with self adhesive foam pieces and thought "wow - this will be great". It was 75% off in an end-of-season bin, so I really can't complain, it isn't however a "picture frame". I suppose you could stick on a photo if you really wanted, but there isn't a whole lot of space. In any case, the owls turned out really cute. I included self adhesive magnets so the finished owls could be displayed on fridge and left out my tub of google eyes in case they wanted to use them (yes, they did).

I also played around with some construction paper to see if I could easily create a cheap paper owl, and look at the results! (bottom picture). I cut out two wings and a basic body shape with ears; added a couple of google eyes, and there ya go! An Owl! Attach a magnet and he would look great on a fridge, or if you have a magnet AND an old cloths pin (the pinching kind), then he would make a great fridge note holder! Use a variety of paper for a wonderful owly display.

Star Trek Book of Opposites by David Borgenicht

2012-01-19T12:48:00.000-05:00

Alrighty-ro, I have a new favorite book!!! Even though I do not think that "scaly" and "furry" are technically opposites, Star Trek Book of Oppositesis my new "oh my gosh, I have to have this" book. I think my favorite pairing is "calm" and "surprised", but really, the entire book is such fun. It brought back a lot of fond memories of one of my favorite televisions shows and is a definite must have for any young Trek fan in your family (well, even the old ones too!).

Hooray for Amanda and her Alligator! By Mo Willems

2012-01-17T21:37:00.000-05:00

I love Mo Willems’ simplicity. What to say about this latest book to hit our shelves?! Well, it is about a girl named Amanda and best friend Alligator. Their story is told in 6 and one half chapters (yes, really – there is ½ chapter between chapter 2 and chapter 3) of surprises. There are all kinds of surprises too – happy surprises, silly surprises, comforting surprises and even poignant surprises. As an extra special bonus, it also includes the best line in the world… “Books beat boredom”.

Willems has kept things simple. The text is not long and involved, yet you feel like you know Amanda and her Alligator. The images are sparse and include lots of white space, but you feel like you know what’s going on anyway. If you haven’t tried one of Mo Willems’ books yet, then please, go pick one up. The child in your house will totally enjoy it!

Red Sled by Lita Judge

2012-01-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

This adorably illustrated wordless picture book by Lita Judge tells the humorous tale of a red sled and how in one night it entertained quite a few forest animals.

A red sled is left by the cabin door one winter night. The sled is first found by a big ole bear who scrinch scrunches his way off to a hill to have some fun. Soon he is joined by a cute, little, white rabbit, and then a big, brown moose, a mouse, raccoon, a possum and even a porcupine! They all go down the hill together on the well-loved red sled and end up in a heap. In the end the bear scrinch scrunches his way back to the cabin to leave the well-loved sled where it is found by its owner in the morning.

Such fun, expressive full-spread illustrations that will have your child pouring over the pages and sharing a smile and a laugh with the furry forest animals. Check it out!

Publisher's Weekly Best Picture Books of 2011

2012-01-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

Another good list of the top picture books of 2011. I've noticed a few titles that have shown up on many lists, notably Grandpa Green by Lane Smith. This is a really good book, and if you haven't seen it yet, be sure to check it out. I reviewed it back on October 25 and mistakenly said the author was the wonderfully entertaining and prolific Jane Yolen (which actually caused her to comment on the review - oops!).

In any case, here is the link to the Publisher's Weekly list. Lots of good titles to see!

Publisher's Weekly Best Books 2011

Is Everyone Ready for Fun? by Jan Thomas

2012-01-11T07:00:00.000-05:00

Jan Thomas has come out with another fun book perfect for the toddler crowd. In Is Everyone Ready for Fun?, three cows are ready for fun… on chicken’s couch. Chicken is not amused. This hilarious book begs to be shared aloud and will get your toddler up and moving having fun with the cows (hmm will there be a chicken in your group?!) What a hoot! Couple this with any of Thomas’ other fun books with her signature rowdy characters and bright, bold illustrations.

Snowman / Snowmen Storytime for Preschool

2012-01-10T07:00:00.000-05:00

We may not have one tiny flake of snow on the ground, but I don't care! It's January dagnabbit, so I'm having a snowman storytime!

Start out with some great snowman books. Check out these three, as well as many others at your local library:

There Was a Cold Lady Who Swallowed Some Snow! by Lucille Colandro.
Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner
How to Build a Snowman illustrated by Jo Moon.

There are lots of fun songs about snowmen that you can use with your child or a group of children. One of my favorites is "Five Little Snowmen". The snowmen pictured were made out of felt by me about 9 years ago! They've held up pretty well, though are starting to look a bit tired. They have velcro on the back and I stick them on to a felt board and then we start the song. One by one the snowmen melt away - I let the children guess what snowman would melt away first, second, etc. The words to the rhyme are:

Five little snowmen all in a line
Each with a hat and a scarf so fine
Out comes the sun and it says all day
Until one of the snowmen melt away

Another song we do is "Build a Snowman" (to the tune of "Row Row Row Your Boat"). I pass out the snowman pieces mentioned in the song to each child. Again, they have velcro on the back. When we get to that piece in the song, the child comes up and puts the part on the board until the snowman is all built! It's sort of lengthy, but here it goes...

Build, build, build a snowman
Starting with a ball
Merrily, merrily, merrily building
It's starting to get tall.

Build, build, build a snowman
Now add another ball
Merrily, merrily, merrily building
I hope it doesn't fall.

Build, build, build a snowman
We're ready for the top
Merrily, merrily, merrily building
I hope this fun won't stop

Build, build, build a snowman
Now let's add the eyes
Merrily, merrily, merrily building
This could win a prize

Build, build, build a snowman
Time to add the nose
Merrily, merrily, merrily building
Our hard work surely shows.

Build, build, build a snowman
We're ready for his smile
Merrily, merrily, merrily building
We'll be done in a while

Build, build, build a snowman
This scarf will keep him warm
Merrily, merrily, merrily building
He's ready for a storm

Build, build, build a snowman
Time to add the arms
Merrily, merrily, merrily building
He has lots of charm

Build, build, build a snowman
These buttons will look great
Merrily, merrily, merrily building
It's starting to get late

Build, build, build a snowman
We're ready for his hat
Merrily, merrily, merrily building
Take a look at that!

Build, build, build a snowman
Now we are all done
Merrily, merrily, merrily building
Wasn't that fun!

Lastly, we need to make a snowman! There are literally hundreds of snowman crafts out there. Just google! What I like to do with the very young (toddlers and preschoolers) is let them create their own version of a snowman. I provide large pieces of construction paper on which they can build their snowman and then quite a variety of materials to build with: Q-tips, cotton balls, different sizes of white paper plates, old buttons, sequins of various shapes and sizes, google eyes, chenille steams, and miscellaneous foam stickers (that can be cut into shapes or used as is). I won't even show you the snowmen that were made, because you know what, it doesn't matter! This is a "free form" craft - let your child or group of children CREATE!

My Bear Griz by Suzanne McGinness

2012-01-09T07:00:00.000-05:00

This is an adorable story about Billy and his bear Griz. Is his bear a real bear or a stuffed toy?! Leave that to the imagination of your little one.

What initially grabbed me were the adorable full spread paint and mixed collage illustrations coupled with succinct text that is printed using big, bold letters. Perfect for a beginning reader who has their own "bear" at home.

Couple this great new offering with Emily Gravett's Monkey and Me and Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems for fun stories about kids and their special "friends".

A Winter Cold Caught Me

2012-01-04T14:25:00.001-05:00

I have been sick for just over a week now and thoughts of my poor lonely blog would pop into my head from time to time (between coughs and sneezes). I believe I am finally on the road to recovery and hope to return to regular blogging SOON! Thanks for your patience and understanding (and if you have a spare box of kleenex, that would be appreciated too)

How the Dinosaur Got to the Museum by Jessie Hartland

2012-01-02T07:00:00.000-05:00

Brilliantly simple yet informative, Hartland's latest book tackles a topicof MUCH interest in elementary schools across the country; Dinosaurs.

In a formula reminiscent of "This is the house that Jack Built",the reader is taken through each stage of the process that is involved whenanswering the seemingly simple question, "So, how did the dinosauractually get to the museum?"

Dinosaur lovers are going to be pouring over the pages with fascination,hopefully also imaging all of the wonderful careers they could have that wouldallow them to work with dinosaurs!

A must-have book for your budding paleontologist, excavator, curator,exhibit team member or even night watchman!

Stuck by Oliver Jeffers

2011-12-30T18:05:00.000-05:00

From the book: Floyd's kite gets stuck in a tree, and he tries to knock it down with increasingly larger and more outrageous things.

They are not stretching the truth when they say "more outrageous things"!!! It was getting a bit ridiculous really, but all in good fun. Floyd does not give up attempting to get his kite out of the tree, and all in good time, his persistence is rewarded.

Quite a fun book to share, especially if you are doing a storytime on kites, or just in the mood for a silly book.

My Name is Elizabeth! by Annika Dunklee illustrated by Matthew Forsythe

2011-12-28T17:00:00.000-05:00

There's not much a child has in this world that is their own, except their name. And if you have a name that is easily mispronounced, shortened, lengthened, or made into some obnoxious rhyme, then you will surely identify with Elizabeth.

What an adorable book about a little girl who likes her name and definitely does NOT like anyone else changing or shortening it! Or using some variation as a nickname - her name is ELIZABETH, thankyouverymuch!

Having a first name like "Cassie", I could really relate to Elizabeth. Oh did kids have fun with my name when I was little, but I just sort of took it. Elizabeth did not put up with people getting her name wrong - very politely she gets her point across so that all call her by her full given name. You go girl!

For a great storytime on names, include A Porcupine Named Fluffy by Helen Lester and Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes. Of course you also need to do the Name Game song!!!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-22T17:29:00.001-05:00

Well, this is it - I will now be off for a few days with the family. For those of you who celebrate, I wish you a very Merry Christmas! For those who don't - have a great week :) Peace and happiness be with you all - and have fun!!!

Pipe Cleaner / Chenille Stem Snowflakes

2011-12-22T07:30:00.000-05:00

When I think of pipe cleaner snowflakes, I think of matching chenille stems all perfectly bent into a sparkling wonder... and then I made them with kids and realized they can be far more beautiful than I ever imagined! Take the examples on the left; all sparkly and beautiful and yes, made by kids.

I provided photo samples, and did show them how to twist together multiple stems at once (and how to "hide" the twist with a pony bead), but they came up with the creative decorating and color choices all on their own.

Below are some samples "in progress". Add a ribbon or cord hanger, and voila! You have a marvelous Christmas tree decoration, or better yet, a beautiful, sparkly decoration you can hang in your window year round.

Creating a Purse/Bag out of a Book

2011-12-21T15:30:00.000-05:00

Lately I have been discovering all sorts of super creative things people have made out of old books. One project that caught my eye invovled taking a book that was falling apart and fashioning it into a bag! I thought "hmmm the tweens/teens might like to do that." So, off I went to attempt to create a "book bag". Well, this is my prototype.

My requirements were that this has to be a cheap craft project that I could help multiple people with at the same time; that is to say, it had to be somewhat easy; i.e. no fancy handles or punching holes in to the book, no sewing machine, and a fairly simple pattern.

I found a wonderful step-by-step podcast by this craft guy at Curbly and it really helped a lot to get me started. He made a nice fancy bag with a cloth lining and all... ok, I couldn't get that fancy, BUT his directions got me on the right track.

I have to admit, I am pretty happy with how the bag turned out, but I also learned a lot from my experience! Instead of cloth mentioned in the podcast, I used pages from the book on the sides. They will NOT hold up long unless reinforced with something. I was thinking Modge Podge or maybe just a few coats of Elmer's glue. Another option I thought of would be backing the pages with duct tape prior to gluing them onto the book, or even laminating the paper, though glue does NOT stick long-term to laminated paper!

Duct tape worked GREAT has a handle, however in hindsight that all should have been done BEFORE I put the sides on! The inside of this prototype is pretty messy, but I think I'll just go crazy with the Duct tape in the final project and cover the whole inside with the stuff. It's durable, and comes in so many fun colors now-a-days!

Pretzel Kisses - recipes kids can make

2011-12-19T07:30:00.000-05:00

I absolutely love these little chocolately pretzel bites, and thanks to M&Ms and other candy-coated chocolate candies, you can make them any time of the year! The only problem you may run into is finding ROUND pretzels! I only seem to be able to find them around the holiday season, and even then it is hit-or-miss. I have used the little square "waffle" ones before, but it's just not the same! I would love to make these for our Easter gatherings with the wonderful pastel chocolate candies... I wonder if I don't open a pack of pretzels if they will make it until April?!! I'll have to check the expiration date.

In any case, let me write out the very simple directions for making these wonderful candies. Really, they are VERY easy to do and the kids love to help. Preheat the oven to about 220 (very low). Cover a cookie sheet with tin foil. Lay out pretzels and place one Hershey's Kiss in the middle of each circle. It is ok if the Kiss does not fit exactly - it will melt just fine.

*NOTE: I have found that Dark Chocolate Kisses melt much better and more evenly than the regular milk chocolate ones! Don't mix a batch... You'll find that the milk chocolate melts quicker and "burns" faster.

Place the tray in the oven for approximately 5 mins. It really doesn't take very long! The Kisses will have a shine to them when they are suitably melted.

Take the tray out and gently push one M&M right down on the top peak of the Kiss until the chocolate spreads out and fills up the center of the pretzel.

*TIP: The mint M&Ms make for a fun twist!

When all Kisses have an M&M, place the tray in the freezer for at least 10 minutes to set up. When the Pretzel Kiss easily peals off the tin foil, you know they are set well enough. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator! And ENJOY!!!

Peanut Butter Bark to make with your kids

2011-12-18T07:30:00.000-05:00

Alright, with the success of my Peppermint Bark I thought I would try a peanut butter version (especially since I have a peanut butter loving family). Well, it tastes good, but I'm not real happy with how it turned out. Here's what I did, in case you want to give it a try:

First off, the ingredients: 1 12oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips, 2 12oz bags of peanut butter chocolate chips, and about a cup of M&Ms. Like the peppermint bark, I used a large cookie sheet that I had lined with waxed paper. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips and spread them evenly over the waxed paper (see image). You may not think it will cover the cookie sheet, but it will!

Next, sprinkle about a cup of the peanut butter chips (whole, not melted) over the chocolate. You could also use chocolate bits if you wanted, or a combination of both.

Melt one bag of the peanut butter chips and pour that over the top of everything. Smooth out with a spoon or spatula.

Now comes the part where I messed up... I sprinkled about a cup of M&Ms on top of the melted peanut butter and when I went to break apart the bark, most of the M&Ms fell off!!! I am thinking that flakes or broken up chocolate chips would have stuck better. The M&Ms are just too smooth. If and when I make this again, the M&Ms are going in the middle and I'll find another topping!

Let this set in the freezer about 10 minutes (or longer) before breaking it apart. Store in a sealed container and enjoy!!! If you have made something similar, please feel free to share in the comments!

Peppermint Bark that you can make with your kids!

2011-12-17T12:23:00.001-05:00

'Tis the season to make goodies! With a little dude running around the house though, it has to be a kid friendly recipe - something good, but easy to make. I looked around the web and found some easy recipes for peppermint bark and combined them together to create this delicious and delightful treat that is so very easy to make!

The ingredients:
1 12 oz package of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 pound bag of Hershey's peppermint kisses
6 candy canes

For this treat, I used a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper.

First unwrap the peppermint kisses! I did not do this first and regretted it as the chocolate started to firm up before I had the kisses melted.

Melt the chocolate chips - I used a microwave, but use whatever method you like best, just be careful to not over heat them. I do a minute at a time and stir well between. After 2 mins, I cut that down to 30 seconds with lots of stirring.

When the chips are melted, pour them onto the wax paper covered cookie sheet and spread out evenly with a spatula or a spoon.

Crush 1/2 of the candy canes and sprinkle the candy cane bits over the top of the chocolate. (my little one really loved doing this)

Next, melt the peppermint Hershey kisses. THIS TAKES LESS TIME THAN THE SEMI-SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS!!! Be careful to stir frequently.

Pour the melted peppermint kisses over the chocolate and spread evenly.

Lastly, take the remainder of the candy canes and sprinkle over the top. Place the whole tray in the freezer for about 10 minutes to set up. Take out the tray and break apart the peppermint bark into manageable pieces. It comes off the waxed paper very easily. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Yes, it is that easy!!! Next up, I'm going to try this with peanut butter chips instead of peppermint and using whole peanut butter chips between the two layers. It sounds yummy in my head - I'll let you know how it all turns out!

In the meantime, be sure to check out your local library for Christmas recipes that you can make with your kids! There are many out there!

Things to do with Wrapping Paper Cardboard Tubes

2011-12-17T07:30:00.000-05:00

Though I definitely put my own spin on things, I do not like reinventing the wheel, so when I was beginning to ponder what to do with all of the cardboard tubes left over from wrapping a bajillion presents, I took to the web and started surfing. It did not take me long to locate a kajillion ideas on what to do with these tubes! Sure, some of the crafts call for toilet paper rolls, but really, isn’t a wrapping paper roll simply a really long tp roll?!? Ok, they do come in varying widths and thicknesses and that does need to be considered for some of these ideas, but still, it’s worth a shot to take a look through a few of these sites and see what creative projects spark an interest for you and your kids.

Hang on to those tubes – tuck them away for a cold winter’s day and then CREATE!

Curbly – Toilet Paper Tube Owls

http://www.curbly.com/users/diy-maven/posts/10556-make-toilet-paper-roll-owls

Toliet Paper Roll Book with Pull Tabs
http://www.icanteachmychild.com/2011/06/toilet-paper-tube-books-with-pull-tabs/

101 Things to do with a Toilet Paper Roll

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/613287/101-things-with-toilet-paper-tubes

DLTK’s Toilet Paper Roll Crafts

http://www.dltk-kids.com/type/tp_roll.htm

Make and Takes - Empty Wrapping Paper Rolls

http://www.makeandtakes.com/empty-wrapping-paper-rolls

Curbly – Cardboard Tube Flower Wall Art

http://www.curbly.com/users/diy-maven/posts/7715-how-to-turn-toilet-paper-rolls-into-flower-wall-art

Book of the Month Clubs for Kids

2011-12-15T14:30:00.000-05:00

Kids love to get mail. Just like for adults (as long as it isn’t a bill), it’s quite exciting tosee a package waiting for you when you get home. The wonder and excitement of it all! And what better gift to give a child thentheir very own book? Or better yet, anew one each month!

Now, there are problems with “book of the month” typeclubs. For one thing, in most cases youare not personally choosing the books and let’s face it, kids taste in books(ok, EVERYTHING) changes frequently! There are clubs out there however that allow you to choose particularbooks to send and even have specific categories.

I think book of the month clubs are a great idea –especially for kids 0-5. The older theyget, the pickier their taste, but you might find the perfect club outthere. Here are a few to check out:

Lollipop Book Club

Bonus: This companyappears to focus on books for children and they offer quite a variety. Everybook comes with a personal note from you on a sticker inside the book…. Oh yeah,and your child gets a lollipop too! (stickyfingers and books – ick!)

Gift Lit Book Club

Bonus: Not just forkids! I think they cover just aboutevery age group and a variety of topics (i.e. adult books for teen readers). They even offer a family gift package forreading aloud together and the ability to choose particular books for gifts.

Laughing Giraffe Book Club

Bonus: Specializingin three age ranges 0-4, 4-8 and 8+. Nice variety of books and comes with pretty packaging. Each monthly package includes a book and their“peel and stick” game which can be completed and returned for a special prize.

Highlights Puzzle Book Clubs

Bonus: Highlights hasa few different subject areas for young children and offers their own puzzles, booksand materials for monthly review via their clubs. You pay for only the books you want to keep.

Children's Book of the Month Club

Bonus: Thismembership based subscription service does offer quite a variety of popularbooks to choose from, and is a “pay for only the books you want to keep” sortof club.

***If these sound like too much work, just get your specialchild down to their local library and sign them up for their very own librarycard! In most cases, this is FREE, andthey have a whole library of books to choose from!

Then if you still really want to sign them up for a club,try out the “Rubber duck a month club”. HAHAHA! Yes, it really doesexisit! Duck of the Month Club

The Perfect Christmas by Eileen Spinelli and illustrated by JoAnn Adinolfi

2011-12-15T07:30:00.000-05:00

Eileen Spinelli and JoAnn Adinolfi who brought us The Perfect Thanksgiving in 2003 are together again for The Perfect Christmas. What I like to call "normal", goes head-to-head with refined in this festive and fun holiday treat. Definitely silly, there is sure to be at least one tradition mentioned in this story that you enjoy in your own family. The jaunty rhyming text coupled with humorous mixed collage illustrations make this a perfect choice for sharing with a large group. A great discussion starter for children to begin to think about Christmas traditions in their own familes.

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

2011-12-14T07:30:00.000-05:00

Being an English major in college, I had to read many books. So many books: On the Road, Going After Cacciato, The Sun Also Rises, etc, not to mention the numerous plays and such by Shakespeare, Poe, Thoreau, and Wordsworth. Out of all of this reading, one story has stayed with me throughout the years: The Little Prince.

I believe that when a book touches you, it is due not only to the writing, but also to your own frame of mind when you read the words. You must allow the story's fabric to weave with your own for you to become one. Ok, enough of that deep stuff... let's just say I read it at a time when I allowed it to speak to me and I was open to hearing the message.

No other story has touched me so deeply as The Little Prince (ok, perhaps Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux, but that is not for this blog!). If you have not yet read this brilliant, poignant story, then please, get your hands on a copy now and read! read! read! Especially BEFORE you see the animated series!

Winter Bear Storytime with Bear Puppet Craft

2011-12-13T07:30:00.000-05:00

Looking to do a bear storytime this winter? Well take a look at these two fun rhyming books and easy bear puppet craft. Begin your story time reading aloud Karma Wilson's adorable Bear Snores On. If your children enjoy this, be sure to find copies of the other "Bear" books - Bear is a great series character! Next share Sleep Big Bear, Sleep by Maureen Wright for another great book about bears getting ready to sleep through the winter.

After reading these two great books you should really make an easy bear craft, right?!? Well, this handy bear puppet is just the thing for all ages. You can make it as complex or as easy as you wish. Start with a basic form. I folded a piece of 9" X 18" brown construction paper in half and drew a rough shape (minus the ears - we glued those on later - though you could include the ears). The very top of the head I kept on the crease so that when I cut the sides out, the top would still be connected. Then use some glue right around all edges EXCEPT THE BOTTOM and let dry.

While the bear is drying, you can cut out the other bits - paws, a face, eyes and ears. Use google eyes if you want to. We even used a pom-pom for his nose and a marker to draw a mouth.

This is a very easy craft and quite adaptable to other animals too. Have fun with your own little bear puppets!

Toddler and Preschool Christmas Crafts

2011-12-12T18:00:00.000-05:00

Who couldn't love this adorable Rudolph paper bag puppet?! My son has been busy at daycare lately with these super cute Christmas crafts. I've already blogged about the Christmas Wreath last week, but look what else he's made! Both crafts, the paper bag Rudolph and the paper plate snowman, would be easy to make at home with some extra materials, scissors and glue.

The antlers on Rudolf are my son's hands, traced and then cut out. You can use different colored paper or whatever extras you have on hand (pom poms would be fun buttons on the snowman! But paper works great too! Maybe use pinecones, seeds and real sticks from outside to decorate your snowman?!

Let your kids be creative and have fun!

Mary Engelbreit's Nutcracker

2011-12-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

One of the world's most love illustrators has taken on one of the world's most love holiday stories; The Nutcracker. Classic Engelbreit illustrations come to life on each two page spread full of color and whimsy complete with a gingerbread castle good enough to eat!

Mary Engelbreit's vision of the beloved story is charming and sweet and definitely does justice to this well known tale.

Check it out!

A Christmas Tree for Pyn by Olivier Dunrea

2011-12-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Olivier Dunrea who has brought us such adorable characters as Gossie and her friends has created a wonderful Christmas story that is sure to touch your heart. Pyn dearly wants a Christmas tree, but her gruff father does not. She gently coaxes him until she finally decides to go out and cut one down herself. Her father finds her outside and together they pick the perfect tree, bring it home, and decorate it together.

Though it is not stated what has happened to Pyn's mother, there is a hint that she is no longer with them. While reading the passage a feeling overcame me that perhaps she passed away and that is why father is so gruff... the bond between father and daughter is strong however and very touching at the end of the story.

Couple this with A Wish to be a Christmas Tree to read together on your tree decorating night!

ALSC Notable Books for Children 2011

2011-12-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

Yes, yes, another list of books, but this list was compiled by a committee of librarians. Does that make it better than any other list?!? No - but since I too am a Children's Librarian, I thought I should include this list :) It's pretty darn good and includes quite a variety of items.
Here is the list: 2011 Notable Children's Books

The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is a division of the American Library Association (ALA). A committee is chosen to review all books published for children within a given year and then the "notable" books are decided upon. A notable book is: Worthy of note or notice, important, distinguished, outstanding. As applied to children's books, notable should be thought to include books of especially commendable quality, books that exhibit venturesome creativity, and books of fiction, information, poetry and pictures for all age levels (birth through age 14) that reflect and encourage children's interests in exemplary ways. The current year's Newbery, Caldecott, Belpré, Sibert, Geisel, and Batchelder Award and Honor books automatically are added to the Notable Children's Books list.

Books from the ALSC list that I recommend for reading enjoyment are:

YOUNG READERS:
Bink and Gollie. By Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee. Illus. by Tony Fucile. Candlewick.
Dissimilar, yet steadfast friends, celebrate the ups and downs of their daily escapades in three lively chapters that explore compromise, asserting independence, and jealousy. Geisel Award Book

LMNO Peas. By Keith Baker. Illus. by the author. Beach Lane.
Tiny green peas take readers on a fun, whimsical tour of the alphabet.

The Quiet Book. By Deborah Underwood. Illus. by Renata Liwska. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Quiet comes in many varieties, from “Sleeping sister quiet” to “First snowfall quiet” to “Right before you yell ‘SURPRISE’ quiet”.

Tuck me In! By Dean Hacohen. Illus. by Sherry Scharschmidt. Candlewick.
Readers interact with this deceptively simple good-night book, tucking sweet animals into bed.

We Are in a Book! By Mo Willems. Illus. by the author. Disney/Hyperion.
Elephant and Piggie discover that someone, the reader, is looking at them in this hilarious, interactive story about the joys of reading and being read. Geisel Honor Book

MIDDLE READERS:
One Crazy Summer. By Rita Williams-Garcia. Harper/Amistad.
Three sisters find adventure when they are sent to Oakland in 1968 to meet their estranged poet-mother, who prints flyers for the Black Panthers. Newbery Honor Book

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. By Tom Angleberger. Amulet Books.
In this hilarious tale, Tommy and his sixth grade friends must decide if the advice of an origami finger puppet can be trusted.

A Tale Dark and Grimm. By Adam Gidwitz. Dutton.
As dark and bloody as the title suggests, these six retellings tweak the classic fairy tale as Hansel and Gretel embark on an epic journey of self-discovery.

Preschool Christmas Craft - Paper Plate Wreath

2011-12-07T11:30:00.000-05:00

My son came home with this adorable Christmas wreath that he had made at daycare (I love his daycare-lady!). I told her I was going to share it on my blog and I meant it! I may not have directions, but you can look at the photo and see what to do.

What you need is: a paper plate, green-yellow-red construction paper, green paint, some scissors and glue. They also attached a magnet on the back so that it could be stuck on the fridge.

TIP: If you don't have magnets, look to your fridge! Use one of those pizza delivery magnets or candidate magnet that you really don't need - cut them up and use them on your child's artwork!

Having had to do this before, I can say the hardest part of this craft will probably be cutting the center out of the paper plate! My gosh that is not easy! Poke a hole it in first and then cut around the center part. It will be worth the struggle! After it is cut, paint it green and let dry while you're working on the other pieces. If you don't have paint, a green marker or green crayon will work too!

You can see that the yellow candle on my son's wreath is not yellow construction paper. It looks like scrapbooking paper (I forgot to ask!). Really, you can use any sort of paper that you like! And any color! The bottom of this candle is decorated with two holly leaves and 3 holly berries. Festive and easy, but you can alter this to suit your own taste. Go make one now! :)

The Atlantic's 11 Best Picture Books of 2011

2011-12-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

Back on November 25th, The Atlantic came out with their "best of" list for 2011. I have to say, this is more up my alley compared to the titles chosen in the New York Times, however that's the thing with lists and naming the "best of the best" - everyone has a different opinion. WHICH IS GOOD! We are all different and have different likes and dislikes. So, here is yet another list, and you make up your own mind :)

Fairy Tales of the Brother's Grimm edited by Noel Daniel
I Like Cats by Anushka Ravishankar
Stuck by Oliver Jeffers
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, illustrated by JulesFeiffer
People by Blexbolex
Everything On It by Shel Silverstein
The Magic of Reality by Richard Dawkins
The Big Poster Book of Hindu Deities by Sanjay Patel
Goodnight iPAD by Ann Droyd
How the World Works by Christoph Niemann
Why we have Day and Night by Peter F. Neumeyer

Check out The Atlantic's full reviews here:

From 'Brothers Grimm' to 'Stuck,' the 11 Best Picture Books of 2011

Goodnight iPAD by Ann Droyd

2011-12-06T20:00:00.000-05:00

Oh yes, you knew this was coming, right? I haven't actually been able to get a hold of the book just yet, but have seen the video (below) and have to say I chuckled quite a bit. If you're looking for a last minute Christmas gift for a tech-obsessed youth (or even adult!), then check this out! I know my 12 year old is getting a copy!

New York Times Best Illustrated Books for 2011

2011-12-06T09:11:00.001-05:00

While scanning the net I found a list of the New York Times Best Illustrated Books for 2011. Now, as last year, I do not agree with all of them, however they are all pretty darn good books. Check them out! Here they are in alphabetical order:

Along a Long Road written and illustrated by Frank Viva
A Ball for Daisywritten and illustrated by Chris Raschka
Brother Sun, Sister Moonwritten by Katherine Patterson, illustrated by Pamela Dalton
Grandpa Greenwritten and illustrated by Lane Smith
Icewritten and illustrated by Arthur Geisert
I Want My Hat Backwritten and illustrated by Jon Klassen
Me. . . Janewritten and illustrated by Patrick McDonnell
Migrantwritten by Maxine Trottier, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
A Nation's Hopewritten by Matt de la Pena, illustrated by Kadir Nelson
A New Year's Reunionwritten Qu Li Qiong, illustrated by Zhu Cheng Liang

Check out the NYT's list here complete with their reviews: Best Illustrated Books of 2011

All The Way to America by Dan Yaccarino

2011-12-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

I just received an email from Dan Yaccarino's site announcing this new blog called All The Way to America. It's a place where families can share their own story. We all have one. I come from a family of genealogists however, so I am not even sure how to sum up my family's history, except for the fact that my first great-great-great-etc grandfather arrived on American soil in 1642. There's been many a tale documented since that time until present day! I don't know what to share! In any case, I think this site is a fantastic idea and would lead into a wonderful family history project you can work on with your children. I can't describe the feeling of "roots" that I have always had knowing where my family came from and how we ended up where we are today: though many are no longer here, including my dad, grandparents, most aunts and uncles, etc... I still have a sense of family and share stories with my own children (and take many trips to sites of old homesteads, farms, and cemeteries!)

If you need help getting started, just leave a note in the comments. I'd be glad to point you to some online sources. First of course, start with yourself, your parents, their parents, etc and write down as much information as you can!!! Birth and death dates, marriages, places they lived, their spouse's name, etc. Every detail is important and helps to form the story. Have fun!!!

Ride-in Dalek for little Dr. Who fans!

2011-12-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Ok, this isn't a book, but it is related to a really fantastic show and I felt the need to share! Did you know you could get a ride-in (not "on") Dalek?!?! It's made in the UK and ThinkGeek has imported it, so a power adapter is needed, but seriously, for all of you Dr. Who fans out there - doesn't this look fun?!?!

I Love Christmas by Anna Walker

2011-12-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Ollie is a wonderfully cute zebra character created by Anna Walker from Australia. Ollie along with his pet dog Fred have appeared in many picture books together. Ollie loves his mom, dad, grandma, vacations, to sing, to dance and finally.. Ollie loves Christmas!

Walker’s beautiful yet modest watercolor illustrations set the perfect tone for these quiet celebrations, and the latest I love Christmas is no different. Ollie simply states all that he loves, from glitter and baking to stars in the sky and listening for Santa’s reindeer. A gentle reminder of the simple joys of the holidays.

Share this with the youngest ones in your family – then use it as a discussion starter to find out what your child loves about Christmas!

Christmas Tree Ornament Craft (made from lids)

2011-11-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

Have you gotten out your Christmas tree yet?! Ours is filled with many special ornaments, including quite a few made by the kids over the years. Usually they have done this at school or daycare, but it is something you can easily do at home with the entire family as well!

For these ornaments, we used old plastic lids, glitter and beads, some ribbon and lots of glue! You can really use any sort of items to decorate the lids - paper would be great as well! Or colorful pages from magazines. Older kids might like to look through their old teen magazines and cut out sayings or pictures that they like. Anything will do! Keep it light and simple and let your child experiment creating a n ornament that truly reflects their personality (be sure to write the date on the back too!)

For the ones we made, we covered the entire center of the lid with glue and then for one, simply dumped some glitter on top of it and shook off the excess. We then glued a ribbon hanger to the back and added a picture to the front.

For the second ornament, we again covered the enter center with glue, but this time used sequins and beads to make a tree design. And like with the first, we also glued a ribbon hanger to the back. VERY EASY!!! you may sparkle a bit for a while if using glitter, but the results will be well worth it! Have fun!

Michael Hague's Treasury of Christmas Carols

2011-11-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

Here in the United States, Thanksgiving is now over so people are beginning to pull out their Christmas decorations and get into the holiday mood. In the stores familiar Christmas carols can be heard over the sound systems. Though you may not have snow in your neck of the woods, it is beginning to look, and feel, a lot like Christmas! (ok, in some stores that actually began with Halloween!)

I picked up this new book by Michael Hague because of the cute fuzzy cover (it's velvet feeling) and was pleasantly surprised by the adorable animal illustrations. The one down side I can see, is that it only contains four carols! In classic Hague style, the illustrations are so adorably cute, it leaves you wishing there were more. But nonetheless, your child will love the cute pictures and you will be able to sing a few carols together. It's a great book to have around the holiday especially for your younger children (2-4). Of course, older kids will like to sing along to!

Check out this beautiful book at your local library today, and start your day singing!

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas by John Rox

2011-11-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

This is not a song familiar to me from my childhood, so I was a bit curious when I saw the cover of this 2008 holiday book based on the song and lyrics by John Rox (1902-1957) and illustrated by Bruce Whatley. I have heard of the song, but could only recite one line... well, little did I know how cute it is.

Bruce Whatley has done a wonderful job capturing the joy and excitement one little girl experiences anticipating a hippopotamus for Christmas. It made me Google the song and take a listen with my own little boy, who of course then said to me "Hey mom, I want a hippopotamus for Christmas!".

Check out Dr. Demento Presents: Greatest Christmas Novelty CD for a great version of the song too!

The Woods by Paul Hoppe

2011-11-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

Every night the boy goes to sleep with his stuffed bunny, but tonight… he has searched and searched and cannot find it! There’s only one place left to look… THE WOODS!

This adorable bedtime story is a hoot to read aloud. As the boy goes further into the woods, the line is repeated “And we weren’t afraid at all. Until…” and the next page provides the perfect opportunity for a fun little fright (and giggles, I am sure) shouting out such things as “we ran into TWO SCARY GIANTS!”

Definitely reminiscent of Where the Wild Things Are, complete with boy in bravery inducing costume and spooky forest, but that is where the similarities end. This is an excellent story on its own with a gentle tale and wonderfully fun full spread illustrations.

Couple this with The Foggy, Foggy Forest by Nick Sharratt for a fun fairy tale woodsy adventure!

One Christmas Night by M. Christina Butler and Tina Macnaughton

2011-11-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

This sequel to One Snowy Night, One Winter's Day, and One Rainy Day finds Hedgehog preparing for Christmas but he has forgotten to get presents for his friends! Poor Hedgehog discovers that his house isn't all that Christmac-y though; no sparkles or decorations. Thankfully mouse shows him how easy it is to find and make decorations (with the addition of a little glitter!), but then! No! Hedgehog forgot to get his friends presents!

See how creatively Hedgehog solves that little problem by thinking about his friends and things that they like. A sweet, gentle Christmas story with plenty of ideas on simple decorations you can make at home! Be sure to check out Hedgehog's other stories as well!

A Christmas Goodnight by Nola Buck

2011-11-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

This cozy holiday read is the perfect choice for tucking your little one in to sleep. It is the perfect choice for a “bedtime Christmas Eve” book or even a “Christmas-day night” going to bed book. Oh, read it any time! It will surely become a favorite! The simple sentences and repeated words make this one which little ones will be able to help to read in no time. A natural coupling would be The Night Before Christmas.

Curious George Curious about Christmas by Anjali Pala

2011-11-24T21:00:00.000-05:00

This latest Curious George board book is something to talk about. For starters, like the Happy Thanksgiving, Curious George tabbed board book, the illustrations more closely resemble the George of yesteryear. (yes, I love the classics). In addition, it is a touch and feel book! Your baby can feel a velvety smooth stocking or the rough corrugated paper of a sled. A great sensory experience for your baby from birth on up! On the back, as with other “Curious Baby Curious George” books, the publisher highlights the positive aspects of the book (rhyming text and touch & feel pictures) as well as provides tips for parents on how to make the most out of the shared reading experience.

For more information on the Curious Baby books, check out their website here: http://www.hmhbooks.com/features/cgsite/cgbaby/

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

2011-11-23T11:23:00.001-05:00

For those visitors in the United States, you know that tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. Like many other homes across the nation, we are preparing to celebrate! I'm sorry to say that I won't have much time to post, but will pick it up again this coming weekend with some neat Christmas book ideas. In the meantime, I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving and if you're going to begin your holiday shopping this weekend, remember that books make great gifts!

Chronicles of Harris Burdick : 14 Amazing Authors Tell the Tales by Chris Van Allsburg

2011-11-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

Back in 1988, I was undertaking student teaching in middle school english classes (yes, I not only survived, but was also named student teacher of the year!). I had 6th, 7th, and 8th grade, all working on slightly different things of course: grammar, literature, and writing. The 8th grade (loud, rambunctious, hormone crazed) writing class was the most fun and most intriguing. I remember (now, with a grin) the young man who completed a writing assignment using every variation of the word "right", and little else. Ohhh those were the days.

In any case, I had a wonderful lead teacher, Mrs. K, who taught me a great deal that semester. One thing I will be forever grateful for is being introduced to The Chronicles of Harris Burdick. Something she did every year was to making a writing assignment from the illustrations in the book. She would xerox the pictures and tape them all over the black board, allowing the children to choose the illustration that they were going to write about. The class and I had a wonderfully fun discussion about the illustration labeled "Just Desert" and the meaning of the word "desert" as opposed to "dessert". It was one of those teaching moments that makes one smile.

When I saw that a new book was coming out, The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: 14 Amazing Authors Tell the Tales, I thought "Hey! They stole Mrs. K's idea!!!" knowing full well, really, that thousands of kids around the world had done the very same thing that we had taught back in 1988 and before. That is what a book full of gorgeously fascinating illustrations does to people - it makes them wonder about the story behind each and every picture.

Awesome authors such as Stephen King, Lois Lowry, Walter Dean Myers, Louis Sahar and Jon Scieszka lend their creative talents to this compendium of incredible stories. This would be a perfect pick (or Christmas present!) for any middle reader, family or 20-something year old who was first introduced to the original book so long ago. And definitely a must have for any lover of children's books! Check it out!

Thanksgiving Craft Kits Aren't Always a Bad Thing!

2011-11-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I hit the craft stores looking for Christmas and winter ideas and guess what I found?! Tons of adorable Thanksgiving (and even Halloween!) craft kits and decorating items really deeply discounted! We snatched up the turkey kit (shown in the photo) for less than a dollar, and there were lots of other deals as well. If you want to do some craft for Thanksgiving, but aren't sure what, this is a great time to check out the big craft stores (Michael's, JoAnn's, Hobby Lobby, etc) who are trying to clear out all their fall things to make way for the loads and loads of Christmas and holiday items! You will more than likely get some really good deals plus will have on hand some cute activities to keep the little ones busy on Thanksgiving Day!

Balloons over Broadway by Melissa Sweet

2011-11-18T13:28:00.001-05:00

Tonight in our town is the big parade ushering in the holiday season. It's a huge event with thousands of people braving the cold to see the grand light display and welcoming Santa to our city. We may not have gigantic balloons in our parade, but it is grand nonetheless. And really, who could make balloons as huge or awe inspiring as those which started with Tony Sarg and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?

Melissa Sweet has created a fascinating book sharing Sarg's story and giving the reader a glimpse into the amazing and exciting life of this creative puppeteer. Sweet's wonderfully whimsical illustrations and a lively flare to the intriguing story. A great book to share this Thanksgiving as you're watching the glorious parade and celebrating the holiday!

Rock Your Style by Laura Torres

2011-11-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Rock Your Style: Create cool looks with fun craft projects is a new crafting book by Laura Torres. I just took a look through it and am SO HAPPY to see new, creative & fun ideas for tweens and teens. One project that really made me go WOW was making a necklace pendant out of a hinge! How clever is that?!?! The hinge is like a little locket that you can open to show your surprise inside - maybe a picture of your crush or a sweet poem. Decorating possibilities are endless really. You just need some glue, colorful paper, and any little items plus a dose of imagination and there you go! Check out that project idea, plus about 50 others in this great new book and get crafting! (P.S. homemade items make fantastic Christmas or birthday gifts!)

The Emperor's Cool Clothes by Lee Harper

2011-11-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

What a fun and timely reminder for today's kids that clothes don't make you cool! In this updated twist of the original Hans Christian Anderson tale, Harper has created a dweeby cool Emperor using an Emperor Penguin! Very clever indeed. As a child other kids picked on him and made fun of him. When he became emperor, he grew obsessed with looking totally cool and wearing the coolest clothes.

Well, you know how the story goes... and yes, he does get called out in the end while he's marching in the parade in all of his "finery". But this really is an updated version that can reach a new generation of kids. The illustrations are lively and fun and the text doesn't drag - it flows well with a nice, quick pace. And the illustrations are detailed and fun - such a wide range of cool characters.

The ideal book to use this winter in a storytime. How can you go wrong with a penguin theme, especially when it's cold outside?!!

Twilight - Breaking Dawn Party or Library Program

2011-11-15T19:20:00.000-05:00

Do you have a Twi-hard just waiting for the release of The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn Part 1??? It might be hard to get their mind on anything else right now, so why not keep them busy! The following project ideas would work for a library program as well as at home.

Glittler Gel - if you can't be a Cullen, you might as well shimmer like one! Get your sparkle on with a bit of Glittler Gel. Simply put some Aloe Gel (nice for your skin) into a container of your choice (sealable - if all else fails, use a ziploc baggie!) and add some extra-fine iridescent glittler. Remember, a little bit of glitter goes a long way!!! Stir and it's ready to use! Apply to your skin, hit the sun and watch your adoring fans gasp at your sparkly glow.

Duct-Tape Roses - Nothing says I love you like a duct tape rose (ok, LOTS of other things do, but still - we're going for inexpensive). I actually made that blue one in the photo. It look like a billion petals (ok, maybe 50) and I thought it would never end, but teens love to make these. I learned you can make them on a paper-clip so that you have a cheap bendy stem - it really worked! I didn't type out my own directions - I used the ones here: How to Make a Duct Tape Rose. It was crazy easy!

Lovey Bookmarks - Ok, how about romantic bookmarks for pledging your undying (haha) love for Edward or Jacob?! All you need is some stickers, romantic/gothic/vampire/werewolf type paper (I went for scrapbooking paper), ribbon, scissors, a hole punch and anything else for decorating. Let their imagination go!

Dream Catcher - Not actually shown in my picture, one of the things I thought to make to celebrate hunky-from-Michigan Jacob AKA Taylor Lautner was a dream catcher. Again, lots of directions out there on the net already and so many variations. You can get as fancy or as simply as you would like. Here is an easy dream catcher for little kids: Easy Dream Catcher and here is a more advanced one for older kids and teens: Advanced Dream Catcher. If all else fails, you can also buy kits from Oriental Trading (click here). For $8, you can get 12 kits!

Pop Tab Bracelets (or Pop Can Bracelets or Pull Tab Bracelets) - Whatever you call them, they are cool. Back in the 1970s when I was a kid, we made them with real "pull tabs" that would curl up when you pulled them off your can of pop. Now they are making quite a variety of things with the tabs off of pop, energy drink and beer cans! BUT what was Kristen Stewart seen wearing?!?! A pop tab bracelet, so it makes for a fun project at any Twilight party. There are all different styles (two I made are in the photo) - just Google to find one you like. I have found that old t-shirts cut into strips make great weaving material if you do not have ribbon or something similar handy.

That's it! If you have any other ideas, please feel free to share them here. Again, you can Google for all sorts of other Twilight party ideas too! Have fun!!! And if you see the movie this weekend, hope you enjoy it and have a fangtastic time!

Don't Worry, Douglas! by David Melling

2011-11-15T08:00:00.000-05:00

Hugless Douglas is back in this new picture book by David Melling. Douglas' dad has given him a new hat; a wonderfully wooly new hat, and Douglas just has to show his friends. He is off with his snazzy hat, doing carwheels, full of excitement until something didn't feel right. Douglas' new hat got caught on a branch and has unravelled! Oh no! How will Douglas ever tell his dad? His friends try to help, but no one succeeds until Rabbit wisely suggests that Douglas simply "tell him what happened."

A very cute story with adorable illustrations by Melling. And for those of you wondering, yes, the hillarious sheep from Hugless Douglas are featured again in this new picture book!

Definitely a great read-a-loud for storytimes; and with winter coming up, it would be an excellent choice for a winter clothing theme!

Turkey Craft - Wooden Spoon Puppet

2011-11-14T23:30:00.000-05:00

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we have been trying to find some fun and creative turkey crafts.... and then I saw a wooden spoon. Why not make a wooden spoon puppet!?!? This is something anyone can do - at a facility such as a library or daycare center, or even at home! All you need is a wooden spoon and then some sort of paper or foam type material for the eyes, wattle, beak, feathers, hat, etc.

For this turkey, we used self-adhesive foam for the beak and wattle. I just cut the foam to the shapes needed. Then we added googly eyes, because everything is better with googly eyes!

The hat is made out of black and yellow construction paper. For the feathers - guess what we used?!?! A magazine! This would be a perfect opportunity to work on color recognition with your preschooler. Pull out a couple of old magazines and then search for a red picture, or blue, green, yellow, orange, etc. When the pictures are found with the right colors, simply cut out feather shapes. To glue items onto the wood we used glue dots - they are less messy than regular glue and there's no need for drying time! NOTE: we did use a glue stick to attach the feathers to each other on the back (see picture). Magazine paper is a bit floppy and that bit of glue on each feather helped make them a bit more sturdy.

Have fun decorating your turkey using any other craft items you have. You might also want to try making your turkey parts all out of recycled paper - magazines, newspapers, old greeting cards, etc. And most importantly, enjoy the time together making this ultra cool craft... and then putting on a play with all those turkeys!

MR. TURKEY

Mr. Turkey's tail is big and wide
He swings it when he walks
His neck is long
His chin is red
And he gobbles when he talks - GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE!

It may not win any awards, but here's my own version of...

FIVE PLUMP AND PERKY TURKEYS

Five plump and perky turkeys

Going for a stroll

The first one said “brrrr I’m getting cold”

The second one said “but you have feathers on your back!”

The third one said, “hmm I want a snack!”

The fourth one said, “I would like a drink!”

The fifth one said, “time to head home I think!”

So the plump and perky turkeys went on their merry way

Back home to celebrate Thanksgiving Day.

Stuff by Margie Palatini, illustrated by Noah Z. Jones

2011-11-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

Nip hoarding right in the bud with Margie Palatini's latest picture book Stuff. Adorably cute Edward has a lot of stuff. Too much stuff. His stuff has stuff, and his friends are tired of it. A freak accident leaves Edward trapped in his stuff where he has lots of time to play with it - and learn he misses his friends. With their help, he is able to clear out all the excess stuff and start to enjoy life. Way to go Edward!

I love that there is a book about hoarding for kids. And I doubly love that Palatini is the author; she has such a wonderful way with blunt, straight-forward text that simply and thoroughly tells the story while entertaining the reader. Jones' colorful illustrations lend just enough humor to make this a totally fun read.

Stars by Mary Lyn Ray and Marla Frazee

2011-11-13T18:40:00.000-05:00

Late one night while up at our cabin deep in the woods, I persuaded my daughter and her friend to bundle up and come take a short walk with me out to the clearing. “Why?” they demanded, since it was so very cold and so very dark (i.e. scary) outside. “For a great surprise!” I said; they were not convinced. We grabbed little flashlights and made our way (tripping and giggling) out to the clearing. I told them to turn off their flashlights. Well, that request was met with nervous “no’s!!!”, but I did finally convince them. After a few second of more giggling and scaring each other, I said “Look up”.

“Cool. Mom, can we go in NOW?”

Not the reaction I was hoping for. We live near a large town and though many stars and constellations can be seen, it is nothing like the infinite beauty that befalls your eyes when you look to the night sky up in the deep, dark woods. Perhaps I should have had them read Stars first.

In a literary "big bang" Mary Lyn Ray and Marla Frazee remind readers of the awesomeness and wonder that surrounds us every day. Stars, in the simplicity of a child, reflects about not only the celestial bodies that sparkle in the night sky, but also the stars found in nature such as on strawberry plants and pumpkin vines and how stars can make you a sheriff or become a wand when attached to a stick.

Beautifully complimenting the text are illustrations by Marla Frazee that capture the moments so that you can put them in your pocket and save them for a rainy day. I’ve been a fan of Frazee’s art since 2002’s Mrs. Biddlebox and was not disappointed in this latest picture book. Her art is lively yet contemplative, touching yet cute.

Check out this fantastic find! And if you wish to explore the star theme further, with your child find the star hidden inside an apple, or try a piece of star fruit! You can also make star prints using the fruit with tempera paint and paper. Or simply cut out a star that will be all your own.

Easy Sock Puppets to Celebrate the Muppets

2011-11-12T19:00:00.000-05:00

Making sock puppets with a preschooler is crazy, right?!? WRONG! It is so much fun, and kids are so creative. Yes, they might need extra help with glue and such, but they are at a very imaginative age and making something such as a sock puppet that they can play with and call their own can be a very fun and educational project! And what better time?! With the upcoming release of the new Muppet Movie, it's a great time to introduce puppets in case your wee one has not yet experienced their magic.

All you really need is a sock - an adult sock works best just because it gives more room for a face and definitely covers the arm like a puppet. Girls long brightly colored tube socks are great because they are so colorful, but really, any sock will do! Especially those lonely socks who's partner has been lost in the clothes dryer! Then, use any scrap materials you have for eyes, a nose, a mouth, scales, hair or whatever your child wants to add to their puppet: yarn, felt, googly eyes, lace, cloth scraps, doll clothes, etc - the possibilities are endless.

Some tips - have your child think about their puppet first. Do they want to make a boy or a girl, a monster or a creature? Maybe an animal like a dog or a dragon. Talk to your child about what parts they might need to make (crazy curly chenille stem hair? scales? horns?) and then what materials they might want to use. Have a variety of materials available for your child to look through and get ideas. It helps the brainstorming process.

For construction, a thick glue, like Tacky Glue, works best, but you can even use glue dots (found in the glue section of craft stores, or even in the scrap booking area). You might want to use a hot glue gun if you think your child is going to want to play with the puppet right away, or use a needlepoint needle and yarn or floss and sew the items onto the sock.

In any case have fun! And remember to make a few puppets so you can put on your own play!

Stained Glass Corn and More Turkeys!

2011-11-11T06:30:00.000-05:00

What else can be made using tissue paper and contact paper?! (Yes, I'm still working at using up my tissue paper squares!) Well,, Indian Corn came to mind. Wouldn't it be pretty made with various colors of tissue paper?! Like the Stained Glass Turkey Craft from this week, I simply placed a bunch of tissue paper squares on a piece of contact paper. The contact paper was about 12 inches long. Now, I did the tissue in rows because corn normally is in rows, but really, it doesn't matter for this project! After filling up the sheet, I just cut out an oblong piece - not being too careful it was exactly perfect because corn rarely is! Next I got some green paper and made "husk" shapes and glued them on with a glue stick. There you have it! Stained Glass Corn!

Now, of course I had to include a picture from one of the turkeys made by a preschooler... oh my gosh, isn't it cute?!?! I love the two eyes on the same side of the face and the choices of having purple feet and a blue/green wattle. Very, very cute turkey indeed!

Halloween Witches Broom Craft & Snack Bag

2011-11-10T07:55:00.000-05:00

Ok, I know Halloween is over, but I just HAD to post this craft idea! My son was sick on Halloween so could not go to daycare and missed their big Halloween party. Well, his wonderful daycare provider saved one of the treat bags for him. Take a look at that treat bag! It's a broom! (about 1 1/2 foot tall) And very easy to make. You just need some raffia, tape, stick and a brown paper bag. You could easily dress this up with a bow or any Halloween type decor. You can use a stick from your own backyard, or a dowel from the craft store.; old wooden spoons would work well too (put the spoon part in the bag) All you do is fill up your paper bag with treats. Put the stick inside the bag and squish/gather the bag around it. put strips of raffia around the top to form the bristles of the broom and secure with tape. Masking tape or electrical tape would work well. There you go! A broom treat bag that is so cute! On a side note: unless you really secure it, I wouldn't carry it by the stick! BOO!

SNL's Googly Eyes Gardener

2011-11-09T13:46:00.001-05:00

A bit of fun today. While searching on the net for google eyes, I came across clips of Christopher Walken's "Googly Eyes Gardener" skit on Saturday Night Live. What a hoot! This isn't the actual clip (it probably can't be posted because of copyright), but I could find it on the SNL page here: http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/googly-eyes-gardener/1119102. Enjoy this bit of fun! And remember, adding google eyes to anything makes it a little less frightening :)

Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos

2011-11-08T08:03:00.000-05:00

A very fast paced and funny read by the author of the Joey Pigza series. Here we have Dead End inNorvelt – the story of Jackie Gantos, which by the way, is also the name of theauthor. It is said that Gantos weaves abit of his own life into the stories he writes, which is probably true for thisone too, however if anyone had a childhood like Jackie Gantos, well, I’d beamazed! Jackie is ready to have a greatsummer vacation, yet his mom spoils his plans when she “loans him out” to areally strange neighbor who gives him the chore of typewriting out obituariesof the town’s founders. Yes,typewriting! (do kids know what atypewriter is anymore?!) It’s the mostfunny, peculiar and “no way – that can’t happen” sort of read. You can literally finish this book in half aday if no one interrupts you, and you’ll be very happy that you did. It does seem to drag down a bit towards theend, but that’s ok. Stick with it, youwon’t be disappointed!

Thanksgiving Hat Craft

2011-11-07T20:31:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving time is upon us in the United States. Kids are making all sorts of turkey crafts in school and at home. I got to thinking, what else can we make for the Thanksgiving holiday?

Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate the first harvest and the fact that the Pilgrims made it through that first winter - well, about half of them, but still... In any case, why not celebrate the Pilgrims and make hats known to be worn at the time. I found a simple way to make a girl's bonnet and a boys hat using one sheet of 9 X 18 construction paper each.

For the girls bonnet:

Fold up one long edge about 2 inches. This will be the brim.
On the opposite side, cut two slits about 3 inches long and about 3 inches apart. this is where you're going to fold the paper to make the back.
Now comes the tricky part - fold each slit end in and secure with tape or a staple (look at the picture with my beautiful thumb holding the paper in place.
Use a hole punch and punch a hole on each side of the brim part and secure a ribbon tie (see finished hat in the first photo. And that's it!

Now, the boy's hat:

I used black and yellow construction paper, a stapler, scissors, a pencil and a glue stick.

Draw a line about 2 inches from the bottom of the long end of the black paper. Right above it, draw the hat shape (check out my second picture)
Cut out those two pieces following your pencil lines.
Cut out a buckle shape from the yellow paper.
Glue the buckle to the middle of the hat shape.
Staple the hat band to the hat shape so that it fits your child's head. That's it!

Hope you enjoy making your hats. They fit all sizes of heads, so you should make one for yourself too! In the coming weeks will be more Thanksgiving ideas, crafts and books, so check back often!

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

2011-11-07T16:43:00.000-05:00

I often forget that as a youth librarian I become familiar with many author and illustrator names that perhaps non-library folk would not recognize or even care about (but SHOULD read!!!). Then there are those who are so popular their names end up in pop culture (think Dr. Seuss). I am really hesitant to review “big name” books because I think that most people have heard about them anyway. And really, a Google search would turn up thousands of opinions, so why do I need to add my thoughts to the mix?! Well, after a bit of internal debating, I decided, “why not?” Perhaps ONE person will visit my blog and have never heard of Brian Selznick or his Caldecott Award winning book The Invention of Hugo Cabret (not to mention the other books he has written and the many books he has illustrated). There might just be another person out here who needs a book suggestion and this will fit perfectly. Let’s hope.

If you are reading this and have not heard of Brian Selznick, don’t worry – you’re not alone (and heck, I’m not even sure how to pronounce his last name), but you should meet his stories, so let me introduce you to his latest book, “Wonderstruck”. This is the story about Ben and his need – his search – for self-discovery; to find something missing in his life. At the same time Selznick shares the story of Rose, who is too searching for something. Selznick weaves the stories so carefully and thoroughly, you can’t help but from page 1 wonder how they are going to finally, completely intertwine.

Like The Invention of Hugo Cabret , Selznick puts his incredible artistic talents to use. Rose’s story is told all through pictures, while Ben’s is told through words – both portions of the book coming together with such a natural flow and feel.

If you like warm touching stories, stories about museums or libraries, or stories featuring likeable people searching for what’s missing in their life, check this out. Heck, even if none of those topics suit you, at least pick up the book in your local bookstore and give it a good thumb through – you won’t be disappointed.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid : Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney

2011-11-07T14:28:00.000-05:00

Sale alert!!! Amazon.com has the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid book, Cabin Fever, for 50% off! The hardcover copy! That's an excellent deal for anybody out there who is a Wimpy Kid fan. You know you'll have to buy it sooner ot later! This is a pre-order as the title doesn't actually come out until November 15.

If you know of any other deals, let me know or post them here!

Thanksgiving Turkey Stained Glass Craft

2011-11-04T12:55:00.000-04:00

I've been toying around with different ideas for a Thanksgiving craft this year. I want to do something different. Last year our preschool storytime made scrap paper turkeys and they turned out great! Can I come up with something as awesome?! Again, I turned to my craft closets...

I love stained glass type projects. They are so pretty hanging in a window on a fall day (or winter! or spring! or summer!). On the back of one shelf I found two rolls of contact paper - and I still have a ton of tissue paper mentioned in my apple post, so, seemed like I should come be able to come up with something.

As I sat and thought, and played with tissue paper and contact paper (wow - tissue paper really sticks to contact paper!) my mind would wander to all that I am thankful for in my life and I would watch my hands work. Something made me put two and two together and I thought, why not make stained glass hands? The whole family could participate and make a hand for each member that can hang in their window! I envision each member making their own hand and then writing on it (a thick Sharpie works well) something they are thankful for, or simply decorating it.

I have some examples here of finished hands, but do you notice anything different?! Yes! A turkey! A child saw me working out the kinks on this project and of course wondered what I was doing. When I mentioned I was going to be tracing my hand and then cutting it out, he said "Oh, to make a turkey?!" I chuckled a bit and said, "You know what? That's exactly what I should do!"

I set out to make a turkey after that brief conversation, and really, he turned out pretty cool. I think I'll be sure to have out materials to make these stained glass hands into anything the children can come up with!

Apple Books and Storytime

2011-11-03T11:42:00.000-04:00

During the fall, I like to have an apple storytime. Having worked as a Children's Librarian for 10 years now, that means I have done an awful lot of apple crafts. We've done apple prints, stained glass apples, thumbprint apple trees, and even decorated super cute apple bags from Oriental Trading. With not a super huge budget, I had to figure out a new craft. I needed something easy to do that didn't require me to purchase anything, so I hit my storage closets!

Well, I really didn't have a plan, but I knew I had to do something cheap and fun. Thankfully I have a lot of construction paper! But, what to do with it?!? Then I saw the tissue paper. I swear, I have been using this same bucket of tissue paper for about 9 of my 10 years! Something hit me - inspiration perhaps? - but I decided to pull out all the red, yellow and green tissue paper squares.... and while doing that, I thought "ooo I can pull out red, yellow and green sequins!" Which lead to red, yellow and green foam self-adhesive letters too. I was starting to form an idea here.

What if we decorated yellow, red and green construction paper apple shapes with red, yellow and green items?!?! Seemed like a good idea. Practice picking up tiny things is always great for the fine motor skill development, and look at those varied textures?! That is always fun and interesting. So there you go - I may still be using tissue paper, but we have a new craft to do during storytime.

To go along with that fun craft, of course I had to include some stories!!! (I had those picked out a head of time - really!). Ten Red Apples is a great counting book with cute illustrations. In addition, I love Lynne Berry's "ducking" books and Ducking for Apples has great rhymes and it is fun to read aloud. A new discovery is The Growing-Up Tree . A very touching story about a apple tree that grows along with a boy Albert from the time he was born until he was an old, grey, grandpa. Check them out, as well as other great apple books at your local library!

Astonishing Secret of Awesome Man by Michael Chabon

2011-11-01T16:55:00.001-04:00

Superheroes are always popular, and I believe Awesome Man will be no exception.

"I have a cape as red as a rocket, a mask as black as midnight, and a stylin' letter A on my chest."

The story is told in the first person with Awesomn Man describing his outfit, his superpowers and of course how he can fight the super bad guys. I think the sweetest part is when Awesome Man describes what he does when he has to "get a grip" (goes back to his Fortress of Awesome and gets himself in a big ginormouse Awesome Power Grip).

There are hints to Awesome Man's secret identity (which is finally revealed on the last page) which may just give any budding superhero the courage to go off and become a good-deed-doer.

Speaking of which, if you have a little superhero at home, I found this super easy way to make a cape out of an old t-shirt, and let me just say, they turned out awesome. I have no photos of the capes we made, but check out this site for details:

http://thinkcrafts.com/blog/2011/07/19/t-shirt-cape/

Seriously, if you don't embellish it, your super sweet little-superhero cape will be ready in minutes. We simply used t-shirts with logos/designs already on them (front or back) did some snipping and POW our superheroes were off!

Rooster's Revenge by Beatrice Rodriguez

2011-10-27T00:09:00.000-04:00

WOW! Who knew that roosters are vengeful creatures?! Well actually, Rooster just looks really ticked off and not at all into the seafaring adventure he is about to undertake with Bear and Rabbit.

This story begins with Rooster, Rabbit and Bear leaving Fox and Hen's place by boat. I'm thinking the first story in the set, The Chicken Thief , where we learn that Fox and Hen are in love, did not sit well with Rooster at all. He is not in the best of moods and to add insult to injury, their boat capsizes and they are washed up on to what they think are huge rocks, but are actually turtles, and then the story gets really weird. :)

This wordless picture book will have you and your child pouring over the full spread images creating your own stories. Each book stands alone just fine, or can be looked at in order, starting with the first book The Chicken Thief; The second book in the set is Fox and Hen Together.

The Boy with Pink Hair by Perez Hilton

2011-10-27T00:06:00.000-04:00

The first time I heard about Perez Hilton he was interviewing some celebrity in a coffee shop and I thought "You mean Paris has a brother?"

It took me a while to realize that no, Perez and Paris were not related... it also took me a while to realize that this individual was a regular ol' person who carved out a niche for himself in the crazy world of Hollywood entertainment news. Good for you, Perez!

Then, he wrote a children's book.   Perez, you're trying to enter my domain now - and I am automatically suspicious of celelbrity children's book authors! (A topic I have tried to tackle many times in my blog, and I always feel like I come off too harsh!)

Well, I decided to order the book for our library and it finally arrived this week!   It was with hesitation that I opened up the book to the first page. The first line "He was born that way" immediately set off alarms "oooooo could be a battle with Lady Gaga on who came up with that line first!!!"   but I turned the page, kept reading and was pleasantly surprised.

Hilton together with the illustrations created by Jen Hill, have created a fanciful yet heartfelt tale about a boy who was born with pink hair. Everything is fine and dandy until the boy has to start school and comes face to face with bullies. The illustrations give what could be heavy topic a rather light feel. Hilton did well with the text as well - there is definitely a lesson to be learned, but it is in no way heavy-handed. A good book to share with any child!

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith

2011-10-25T18:29:00.001-04:00

This is the story of Grandpa Green as told by his great-grandson who is aided by the incredible topiaries throughout his grandpa's garden. Grandpa Green's memory may not be the best anymore, but he sure knows how to use a hedge trimmer to create memories forgotten.

Perhaps it is because my dad recently passed away. Perhaps it is because he too was a boy on a farm; a soldier, a husband, a gardener, and an artist. I tear up whenever I read this book. Heck, I tear up whenever I see the whimsically beautiful images on the pages and wish with all my heart that my young children had more time with their grandpa. It is a book like this though that encourages parents and kids to keep those memories alive.

A Few Blocks by Cybele YOung

2011-10-25T18:27:00.001-04:00

Sometimes it takes a superfast cape and rocket-blaster books to get moving in the morning, even when it is only a mere few blocks to your destination. Along the way, you may also need to catch a ride on a passing ship, fight a dragon or even save a princess.

What a magically tender tale shared with the reader by Cybele Young in her first solo picture book. The story centers around Ferdie (Ferdinand) and his sister Viola. They need to go to school, yet Ferdie does not want to go to school, "Not now," he said. "Maybe never."

Through the power of a very creative imagination, Viola encourages her younger brother to head to school, and when her creativity runs low, Ferdie jumps in with his own imaginative ideas to keep them going.

A rather ordinary event is visually transformed with the aid of amazing 3-D cut paper illustrations which lend a magical feel to the sweet story of the power of imagination, and persistence!

Pumpkin Stories and a Cool Craft

2011-10-24T00:48:00.001-04:00

I love the fall. Give me crisp breezes and crunchy leaves and I'll play outside till the sun goes down - which sadly, is early. But I absolutely love the fall. Because of this, I have basically done a ton of crafts with preschoolers over the years, covering all the regular things such as construction paper or paper bag pumpkins, "stained glass" apples, leaf men (or women, animals or ducks), and the all-time favorite, crayons and leaves ironed between sheets of wax paper. I needed something different AND something easy enough for your average 3 year old to be able to do. Enter pumpkin lanterns! Not your regular ol' paper lanterns from yester-year, but cute bouncy paper lanterns that could either be hung with string or become part of a table centerpiece.

The lanterns look complex and really at first I thought "can a 3 year old actually make this?!". Happily the answer was "yes!". All you need is a thicker paper (contruction paper, scrapbooking paper or card stock works well), some scissors, paper brads, and a hole punch. Cut strips of paper (for my pumpkin, I used 9" strips approximately 1 1/2" wide. Keep cutting until you have atleast 12 strips (less for shorter strips). Punch a hole at both ends of the paper strips. Cut out leaves from green shaded paper and punch holes towards one end of those. Gather the strips together in a stack, with the holes lined up and the leaves at one end. Put a paper brad through each hole and secure, then gentley pull the paper strips apart to form a circle. That's it!!!

Now, on to the amazing preschooler twist. I looked around and what did I see but little ones wearing their pumpkins on their heads! How clever is that!?!?! You just need to fold back a section and there ya go! A hat! Sort of looks like a flapper hat a bit, but fun nevertheless. I'll have to remember that for a future storytime!

Alright, if you're going to make a cool pumpkin craft, then you need to read a cool pumpkin story as well. Or perhaps two or three. Or maybe go to a pumpkin patch. In any case, start with a story!!! Here are a few to get you going:

Beautifully illustrated and simply written story about how a pumpkin grows from a seed to a plant and finally a great pumpkin. Reminiscent of the Carrot Seed.
Two mice, a village mouse and a field mouse, unwittingly care for the same pumpkin and have different plans for it until they finally meet.
Duck and Goose go out in search of a pumpkin, checking inside a log, a leaf pile, an apple tree, and other places before locating the right place to find one.
Peter the tiger finds the perfect pumpkin so that he and his Dad can make a jack-o-lantern.
For older children: "Mimi and Papa's farm is famous for growing pumpkins. And their grandson, Peter, tends them all. When a little girl comes to the farm looking for the perfect pumpkin, will Peter give up his pumpkin and gain a friend?"

On a Windy Night by Nancy Raines Day

2011-10-23T18:00:00.000-04:00

Zombie in Love by Kelly DiPucchio

2011-10-23T16:23:00.000-04:00

Oh, love is in the air! Or is that the stench of rotting flesh?! All the same in the case of "Zombie in Love", the scaringly charming love story by Kelly Dipucchio and awesomely illustrated by Scott Campbell.

All poor Mortimer wants is to find love. Pretty easy, right?! HA! No, not easy at all, especially when you're a zombie and you're a little stiff at dancing and your arms fall off while trying to work out. Mortimer resorts to submitting a personal ad, written as a nod to one of my favorite songs "Escape" by Rupert Holmes. Does a zombie find love? You'll have to read the story to find out, but I am sure you won't be disappointed. A really unique love story told through DiPucchio's creative text and Campbell's endearingly gross pictures.

Little Black Book by Renee Khatami

2011-10-19T17:00:00.000-04:00

The creator of Little Pink Book has switched shades (black is the new pink, you know) and you can now pick up the Little Black Book which contains all the flaps, feelies and fun as its predecessor. Khatami has given children books that will stimulate their imagination and their senses. Very clear photos are coupled with an array of touchable items such as the velvet of a dress and the soft fur of a bunny. Included also is a surprise lift-a-flap and a yummy scratch 'n sniff.

The Day Tiger Rose Said Goodbye by Jane Yolen

2011-10-14T11:30:00.001-04:00

Jane Yolen created a beautifully touching book which tackles a topic most wish to avoid, though at some point in time, we all must face. A gentle read for a child who's pet has passed on. Tiger Rose has lived her life - happy and complete. She is ready for one last goodbye to the people, animals, and the wonders in nature that have helped to fill her life. Some are not ready to say goodbye, but Tiger Rose is ready. Yolen's tenderness shines through this quiet tribute to life and death.

Read for the Record!

2011-10-06T09:27:00.001-04:00

I mentioned this back on September 16th, and now the day is finally here!!! Today is Jumpstart's Read for the Record day. Be sure to read Llama, Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney to every one you see today! Especially the little tykes! Then go to the website (click the link in the first sentence) and be sure your numbers are counted!

If you don't have a copy of the book, that's ok! Jumpstart has provided the book free of charge online. Read it HERE now!

Read It Again, Mom!!!

2011-09-28T19:01:00.000-04:00

Alright, for a little fun, I thought I would post some links to different websites that have used the phrase "Read it again, mom". BY NO MEANS do I think I created that phrase for use as a title, or feel that I have any sole ownership in it!!! I just find it interesting to read the articles or view the pages because chances are, they have a lot in common with mine (or at least with the idea I had when picking the name... kids are going to ask to hear the same story over and over, and that is a VERY good thing). So, without further adieu, take a look at these gems:

Read it Again, Mom!
February 9, 2011 by Kathryn Thompson
http://www.parenting.com/blogs/parenting-post/kathryn-thompson/read-it-again-mom
Excerpt: Wanda knows a few words. Actually, I’m sure she knows lots of words but she only knows a few words that we can understand – "Mom", "Dad", "baby", "shoes", "thank you". But today my fine-tuned Mommy Hearing picked up another one – "again." It sounds sort of like she’s saying, “Uhmshmum,” with a mouth full of shnuli, but I’m pretty sure she means “again.”

Read It Again, Mom: Why Your Toddler Wants To Hear The Same StoryFisher-Price® Parenting Guide CD-ROMhttp://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=660&e=expertadvice&content=36451
Excerpt: If your toddler has a bookcase full of story books, but night after night she insists on Where The Wild Things Are, you may start wondering why. In fact, wanting to hear the same book--or watch the same video, or play the same tape of songs--again and again is a normal developmental phase.

Read it again (and again and again and again)
http://www.coolmompicks.com/2009/07/one_more_story.php#ixzz1ZI3ZGRQk
Excerpt: We've all been there; the kid has found his Most Favorite Book Ever, and he wants to hear it over and over. Sure, you were a patient and loving model parent the first 5,000 times, but after that I think you get a pass.

Monday, February 15, 2010
By Jen Widrig
"Read it Again, Mommy!"
http://jenwidrig.blogspot.com/2010/02/read-it-again-mommy.html
Excerpt: As an avid internet shopper, I try to grab good deals wherever I see them. So when I saw Children Just like Me on Amazon for one cent (plus shipping) I instantly bought it. It was used and published back in 1995, but I felt sure it would soon be a household favorite. When my five-year-old saw the cover she was less than intrigued. She said "oh" in that way you do when a package comes in the mail and doesn't contain chocolate or clothes.

Your 3 1/2 yr old - Read it again!
Babycenter.com
http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-3-1-2-year-old-read-it-again_10329563.bc
Excerpt: If you read that book about a family of dinosaurs one more time your head will explode. What can your preschooler possibly see in it? As exasperating as the repetition is for you, it's exactly what your child needs. That's how he learns.

Where's My TRUCK? by Karen Beaumont

2011-09-28T12:09:00.001-04:00

I enjoy Karen Beaumont's books - "I Ain't Gonna Paint No More!" being one of my favorites - so I was curious to see her new offering which has her teaming up with David Catrowagain. Catrow's detailed, bright, signature style perfectly compliments Beaumont's new rhyming tale of a boy longing for his toy, red, truck.

The story begins with Tommy's parents saying how "Tommy's not himself today. He's lost his T*R*U*C*K." Now, I have to say right here, I had no idea I was supposed to spell out the word truck when I was reading the book! That did not dawn on me (even with the little dots separating each letter!) until my second time through. Up until that point, I was shouting it out and let me say, "truck" does not rhyme with "today" no matter what the volume. HOWEVER (said loudly to get your attention), that is the only fault with the book, if it can even be called a fault!

Tommy's brother wants him to come play outside; his sister wants him to play house. All Tommy wants to do is find his truck and boy, he looks everywhere with his doggy pal close at his side: in closets, dressers, and even grandma's smelly trunk.

It's a fun to read rhyming romp which would be perfect for an automobile storytime at the library as well as for any little one who has ever lost a toy (or just loves T*R*U*C*Ks!)

Leaf Trouble by Jonathan Emmett

2011-09-23T13:27:00.001-04:00

Pip the squirrel woke up one morning and knew that something had changed. When he realized that his beloved home was falling to pieces, he fell out of the old oak tree! Frantically Pip attempts to gather all of the fallen leaves, but soon realizes that he cannot do it himeself. When his sister Blosson happens by, she is just in time to help a frenzied Pip save the tree.

Very cute, fun-to-read-aloud story with adorable squirrely illustrations by Caroline Jayne Church in gorgeous browns, reds, oranges, yellows and golds. The perfect story to share with your little one when the trees start changing!

Squirrel Storytime

2011-09-22T15:17:00.001-04:00

Squirrels can be found in most places around the world. They are especially prevelant in Europe, America and Asia, but do you know they do not live in Australia?!

When the mornings start to get a bit cooler and the leaves begin to change color, you will see more and more squirrels scampering around the neighborhood looking for nuts and seeds to store for their mid-winter meals. Not all squirrels hibernate throughout the cold months; instead they hide food in easily accessible places that they can feed on later. Squirrels are fascinating creatures; and oh so darn cute!

If you would like to plan a program around squirrels, here are a few suggestions:

BOOKS:

Nuts to You! by Lois Ehlert

A rascally squirrel has an indoor adventure in a city apartment.

Leaf Trouble by Jonathan Emmett

A young squirrel panics when the leaves on his tree change color and fall, but he feels better when his mother tells him about autumn.

Acorns Everywhere by Kevin Sherry

An energetic squirrel hoards acorns but forgets where he hid them after being distracted by a berry-gathering bear.

Those Darn Squirrels! by Adam Rubin
When grumpy Old Man Fookwire builds feeders to try to keep birds--the only creatures he likes--from leaving for the winter, he finds himself in a battle with clever, crafty squirrels who want a share of the abundant food.

Micawber by John Lithgow
Micawber, a squirrel fascinated by art, leaves a museum with an art student and secretly uses her supplies to make his own paintings.

SONG:

Frisky Little Squirrel

Original Author Unknown

Sung to: "The Grand Old Duke of York"

Oh, the frisky little squirrel
He gathers nuts and seeds.
He hides them for the winter months
So he'll have all that he needs.

Refrain:

Oh, up-up-up he goes
And down-down-down he comes.
He runs around - goes up and down.
His work is never done.

CRAFT:

For a simple craft, try turning a plain ol' paper bag into an adorable squirrel! All you need is some paper, scissors, glue, paper bag, and imagination! I free-hand cut out a tail (shown here and in the photo above), two ears, two eyes and a belly. Be creative and use whatever scrap paper you have - even news paper or store ads! If you have google eyes, add them, or draw on eyes with markers. I made the tail a bit long so it could be attached anywhere to the back of the bag, depending on how curly/flat/upright the child wanted the tail. You can also cut the sides at an angle (like making fringe) so that it looks more like hair.

One little tip: I folded in the corners of the "face" area of the bag (see photo) to give it more of a squirrel look. I secured this with tape. Have fun and let your imagination go wild (or nuts?!!).

Ok, second little tip: If you do not have a bag - make a squirrel headband! Make a headband out of brown paper and attach the tail (like what was made for the paper bag squirrel). Add ears to the front part and there you go!

Read for the Record

2011-09-16T14:47:00.001-04:00

I was looking through the latest issue of LibrarySparks (a great resource, by the way!) when I came across this little article featuring none other than Anna Dewdney's adorable Llama Llama character!

Jumpstart's Read for the Record will be taking place on October 6th and the featured story to read is Llama Llama Red Pajama. They will be attempting to break two records this year: 1) more than 2 million readers! (YES!) and 2) the shared digital reading experience record.

Get yourself registered (it's free!) and plan a local event to help this awesome organization give 50,000 books to more than 6,000 schools across the country. For more information, check out the link above, or the link that started it all for me: WeGiveBooks.com

Llama Llama Home With Mama by Anna Dewdney

2011-09-16T12:22:00.002-04:00

There's no hiding the fact that I love the "Llama llama" books by Anna Dewdney. I even went so far as to plan a program at our library, complete with live llamas! It was a blast and if you ever notice a "llamas in the library" program near you, make sure you attend! You won't regret it!

Alright, with that said, you must think "she's going to just rave and rave over any new llama book", and that is NOT the case - I think I'm a pretty fair reviewer - but just look at this clip. Dewdney has nailed it again:

No one likes to be sick (even if the idea of missing school or work is enticing...). Boredom will eventually strike, and you'll be totally fed up with sneezing and coughing and blowing and moaning. Luckily when you are little, you usually have a loving someone ready to make you soup and read you books. But what if that loving someone gets sick too? How will you ever make it through your yucky, mucky sick day?

Make sure to have a copy of this gem to read when you're stuck at home fighting off some persistent germ! It will give you an inside belly laugh, even when you're too tired to do more than grin.

How to Potty Train Your Monster by Kelly DiPucchio

2011-09-12T19:11:00.001-04:00

This gem from 2009 is by the author of the award winning Bed Hogs and the equally adorable Gilbert Goldfish Wants a Pet. Michigan native Kelly DiPucchio has a knack for writing lively, entertaining text. Couple the practical yet funny steps such as "Praise your monster" and "Don't Let Your Monster Drink Too Much Swamp Water Before Bed" with the bright, cartoonish illustrations by Mike Moon and you have a guide that both parents and children alike will enjoy.

If you have a little monster who has grown too big for his or her diapers, check this book out! And keep a copy right next to the toilet!

The Wizard of Oz - Scanimation by Rufus Butler Seder

2011-09-12T17:00:00.000-04:00

It all began with a "Gallop!" In 2007, Rufus Butler Seder unleashed a slew of creatures swinging, fluttering, strutting, and of course, galloping within the pages of the book. "Gallop" was absolutely amazing and I couldn't keep a copy on the shelf. Seder followed up that with the immensly popular "Swing" which showed children in action hitting a ball right to you, swimming, kicking and running.

He came back to animals with "Waddle" in 2009 and then, to the sheer delight of Jedi Knights everywhere, released "Star Wars"; seriously a must have book for any SW fan! There is a caption on the left side of each spread with the right showing the scanimation including such characters as Yoda, Darth Vader, R2-D2 and of course, C3PO. With "Waddle, Seder introduced color into the scanimations, which he carried over to great effect in the "Star Wars" book.

Really, what can you do once you've tackled such an iconic film such as Star Wars? Go for an even more iconic film: The Wizard of Oz. Again, a marvelous masterpiece that really must be seen to believed. Seder makes the pages come alive. Check out the very short clip above for a brief glimpse and then hit your local library or bookstore. You might be interested in his other titles as well:

My First Day of School - a booklist

2011-09-09T12:13:00.000-04:00

The first day of school can be a terrifying experience for little ones! Whether they are beginning nursery school or entering Kindergarten, one of these books might help them ease into their great new world!

How Do Dinosaurs Go To School? by Jane Yolen
The team of Jane Yolen and Mark Teague have brough us many wonderful "How Do Dinosaurs" tales and this is no exception. The light, rythmic, rhyming text coupled with the bright, gorgeous illustrations create a fun romp through school through the eyes of dinosaurs and humans alike. A great ice-breaker to help your child open up and talk about their expectations concerning the first day of school.

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
Chester Raccoon does not want to go to school. He wants to stay home with his mom and play with his friends. So begins this tender story of a young raccoon starting school and the wonderful secret his mother shares with him. A sweet and tender book for children. Parents might also find comfort in the story when they see their loved ones off on that first day.

Froggy Goes to School by Jonathan London
This is right up there with The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn as one of my favorite back to school books. Froggy is irresistible and sure to relieve first day jitters with grins and giggles.

Wemberly Worriedby Kevin Henkes
Wemberly is a worrier. She worries about everything - big things, small things, even fun things like playgrounds. When it came time for Wemberly to start school, she worried even more. Wemberly's teacher introduces her to another child in her class who was afraid, just like Wemberly and before you know it, the girls were having fun playing together. Sweet, simple story addressing real fears that child face while offering reassurance that everything will be alright.

Ready for Kindergarten, Stinky Face? by Lisa McCourt
At times, children do need gentle reassurance, especially when facing their first day of school. As with the other titles in the “Stinky Face” series, in this title the mother calmly and patiently comforts and encourages her son as he ponders more and more possible fantastical happenings he may face during his first day of Kindergarten. Amusing, simple and sweet; a nice story to share and read together to assure you both, everything will be fine.

It's Your First Day of School, Annie Claire by Nancy White Carlstrom.

The gentleness of Carlstrom's Jessie Bear books is carried through her new story about Annie Claire, a puppy who does not want to start school. Reminiscent of Lisa McCourt's Stinky Face books , the mother gently calms the fears of her Annie Claire with sweet reassuring rhythmic words.

I Don't Want to Go To School! by Stephanie Blake.

Even bravest of the brave super rabbits can get scared sometimes. Simon has to begin school and although he ksays "no way!", it is going to happen. Support from both his mother and his father get him through breakfast and into the classroom, where of course Simon has a great day. Cute fun read, and it's nice to see both parents play prominent roles in a story!

Splat the Cat by Rob Scotton.

If you haven't been introduced to Splat, then please, pick up this book today! Even if you do not have a little one starting school! Kids of all ages will love Splat and share his enthusiasm and inquisitiveness for life. This first story shares Splat's first day of school experience - one that will elicit giggles for sure.

Butterflies in My Stomach and Other School Hazards by Serge Bloch

Just about everyone has felt as if butterflies were in their stomach, especially on the first day of school. This tidy little book explores one boy's first day with a string of colorful idioms. Great read-a-loud and a nice way to get a laugh as well as learn a bit about the wonderfully complex English language!

Frankie Stein Starts Schoolby Lola M. Schaefer.

Frankie starts night school and faces being teased by his classmates because he's different. This second Frankie story by Lola M. Schaefer is chock full of bright illustrations and Frankie's ingenuity is admirable.

Llama Llama Misses Mama by Anna Dewdney.

Llama Llama misses his mama terribly on his first day of nursery school. With the rhythmic rhyme and adorable illustrations we've come to expect from Dewdney's books, she gently comforts and encourages little llamas everywhere that they too can have a great time in their new endeavor!

Me and My Dragon by David Biedrzycki

2011-08-03T14:09:00.000-04:00

Guess what?! Another pet story! I had to laugh when I saw it, though this time, the pet isn't some regular ol dog or cat. No. It's a dragon! Very cute illustrations coupled with a nice, simple story make for an enjoyable read. Great to share at bedtime to help your little one drift off to sleep dreaming about having their own pet dragon.

Splish, Splash, Splat by Rob Scotton

2011-07-29T14:34:00.000-04:00

Just search my blog and you will see that I love Splat books (and others by Rob Scotton). I really don't have much new to say about the current release; it's fun, it's good, and the kids will enjoy it! it covers a topic that is needed in picture books - fear of the water. There aren't many books out there and Scotton handles the topic very well. Splish, Splash, Splat should definitely help a little one who has a fear of learning to swim gain a bit of confidence. If you haven't checked out Splat yet, do so now!