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Three of the books in The Children's Book Review's best selling picture books list for July fall under the category of American history. Each of the books are deliciously rich in visual cues.

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Celebrate President's Day by making a log cabin out of a paper bag and some strips of paper!  Like this:

1. Cut 3 to 4 inches off the top of a lunch bag.
2. Fold the bottom in half so that the long sides of the bottom match and staple the long sides together to create a roof.
3. There is a crease that runs along the bag where the bottom of the bag was folded flat against the bag.  This is the edge of the roof.
4.  Cut strips of brown paper 1/2 inch wide and as long as the front of the bag.
5. Glue the strips to the front and back of the bag from the cut end to the edge of the roof.
6. Open the bag up and place open end down.
7.  Take a piece of black or dark brown construction paper, about six inches long and as wide as the front of the bag.  Fold this paper in half from top to bottom and rest on the bottom of the bag.
8.  The chimney is a scrap of red construction paper glued to the roof.

Options:
You can glue strips to the sides of the bag; cut open windows and doors; or just glue on shapes to show doors and windows.


 So, what president is famous for living in a log cabin?  Abe Lincoln, of course.  One of my favorite books- for young readers - about Abraham Lincoln is Kay Winters' Abe Lincoln, the Boy Who Loved Books.

Enjoy your day off from school (or your child's day off from school).  Read about a president.  Or visit National Geographic Kids for Fun Facts about the Presidents. 

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I was pleased as punch when author/illustrator Stephen Savage told me that he’d like to film part of his book trailer for Where’s Walrus? in my children’s room at the main branch of New York Public Library.  If you’ve ever wondered what the interior of my children’s room looks like, this is a pretty good shot of it.  Thanks for coming out, Stephen!

There’s a new blog out there.  A blog that I should have seen the minute it appeared on the scene, but I’m pleased as punch to only be discovering it now since it has ample content for your greedy eyes.  Someone, somewhere, unknown to all of us, as created the site Rat Chat Reviews.  I don’t know how much work goes into a single episode, but what I can tell you is that these reviews wipe the floor with mine.  Do I ever feature tough guy rat reviewers who are just as happy to discuss Elise Primavera’s Thumb Love as they are Tea Time by Karen Rostoker-Gruber and the new Caldecott Award and Honor winners?  I do not.  The review I’ll direct you to today will be Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak by Kay Winters, illustrated by Larry Day.

One thing I do know, the summary of cheeses found at the S&S, Egmont, and Little Brown librarian previews is entirely accurate.  Whoever is behind this is local to me! Thanks to Aaron Zenz for the link.

Greenwillow trailers have a way of pairing their books with just the right editing and tone.  They’re classy.  Well put together.  You can see that in this trailer for Kevin Henkes’ latest, Little White Rabbit:

Not that I’m biased or anything.  Thanks to Watch. Connect. Read. for the link.

Marcellus Hall is one of the bright up-and-coming illustrators in children’s books right now (titles he’s worked on include City I Love and The Cow Loves Cookies, amongst others).  Not content to do just one thing, the man also fronts the band The Hostages.  This is a series of his New York City sketches along with his music.  Gorgeous stuff.