Welcome to Weekend Links! This is my chance every weekend to share the best-of-the-best in the way of wonderful booklists and links that I have discovered during my Internet travels. This week I have found some amazing books that will help guide and grow our young readers and share some booklists that share the Power of Diverse Reading.

Since the creation of Multicultural Children’s Book Day; a non profit that works to get diverse children’s books into the hands of young readers, the importance of books that allow children’s to “see” themselves within the pages has truly been on my radar. This week I am sharing a great list of multicultural books for you to enjoy and add ot your family’s reading list. Enjoy!

The Power of Diverse Books by Mia Wenjen (guest post from the Nerdy Book Club)

Here’s an excellent multicultural booklist from the Styling Librarian

Multicultural Adoption Books for Kids

14 Kids books about Refugees at HumanEducation.org

Your child loves animals?? They’ll love learning about Singapore’s wildlife, and reserves at Discovering the World Through my Son’s Eyes.

Books for Raising Global Kids: I See the Sun with FREE Printable at Educators Spin on It

Great Picture Books about Ramadan and Muslim Culture at the Logonauts

Happy reading!

But, before you go….
My newest book, Dragons are Real will be available and the excitement is almost blowing the roof off at Jump Into a Book/Audrey Press headquarters!

SO…what if I told you that all of the fairy tales, myths and legends that have been told about dragons over the years are WRONG. What if I told you that Dragons are indeed Real and that they are different than you’ve ever imagined?
This fairly true story is based on the author’s childhood friendship with a REAL live Dragon; a very special Dragon that she and her brother spent two magical summers with.

As readers turn the pages and learn the truth about Dragons, they will see that the fiercest beasts in known history can actually be the best of friends. It’s a lesson in finding companionship in the most unusual of places. Dragons are Real is a magical book filled with stunning illustrations and hints that dragon are indeed all around us

Dragons are Real is now available for purchase on both Amazon and Gumroad! We are also offering a special free bonus gift of a Dragons Are Real Inspiration Activity Guide when you purchase your copy of this enchanting picture book.

The post Weekend Links: Booklists that Share the Power of Diverse Reading appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Multicultural Children’s Book Day is nearly here!

MCCBD2016 Sponsor and multicultural publisher Lee and Low, since it’s inception, has been committed to multicultural and diverse literature for children. We are honored to have them as a Silver Sponsor of this year Multicultural Children’s Book Day

What if the objects we love most in our lives i.e. blankets, stuffed animals, dolls, toys etc could be creatively used, recycled, and treasured so that they’d never leave us?

Maya’s Blanket by Monica Brown and illustrated by Caldecott winning artist David Diaz is such a tale.

This is a bilingual book. The left hand page is in English with some key Spanish words, and the right hand page is in Spanish. David Diaz does a magnificent job in portraying the story in his artwork of vibrant colors and wonderful character drawings.

From the loving hands of her grandmother, Maya receives a magical blanket that keeps bad dreams away. As she loves and uses her blanket, it becomes frayed so Maya and her grandmother transform the blanket into a dress which she ends up spilling red juice on. From here Maya’s blanket is progresses through a series of other items such as a skirt, shawl, scarf, hair ribbon, and finally a bookmark. When at last even the magical bookmark is lost, all that is left are her memories of her magical blanket and all of it repurposed glory. So Maya wrote a book to capture and hold her treasures in.

Maya’s Blanket is a Junior Library Guild Selection. We’re honored to have the Junior Library Guild sponsor this year’s Multicultural Children’s Book Day Classroom Challenge. Teachers, we’re giving away a beautiful FREE hard-covered book to your classroom. Have a look here to find out how you can bring a Junior Library Guild Selection to your classroom.

Something To Do

It’s nearly time, yes ….it’s nearly time for Multicultural Children’s Book Day on January 27th!

We’ll be having a huge and ginormous celebration which I’ll tell you a little more about later. We wouldn’t be able to share in the joy of diverse and multicultural books and publishing if it weren’t for our generous sponsors. I have the extreme pleasure of introducing Capstone Young Readers with you who is one of our Silver Sponsors this year.

There has been a young woman who has greatly inspired me over the past few years. Her name is Malala. Though much has been written about her over the past several years, it has usually been for the young adult to adult audiences given the nature and violence of her story.

Capstone Young Readers has published the most beautiful book called For the Right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai’s Story written by Rebecca Langston-George and illustrated by Janna Bock. The words and deeply colorful illustrations work together in concert to tell the story of a young teenage girl whose courage has become legendary.

“One Child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world. ” -Malala Yousafzai

For the Right to Learn tells the story to young readers in a non-violent way that engages them into constructive conversations and inspires them to take action.

Malala lived in the Swat Valley in Pakistan which is right on the border of Afghanistan. One day the Taliban moved into the Swat Valley and her little city and forced their ideas on the people living there.

As time progressed the Taliban became more severe. They grew stronger every day using violence and intimidation. As their strength grew they announced that girls could not go to school. Malala loved school . Her father was a principle of a school and Malala loved to learn more than anything else. This was devastating news for her. The Taliban said that girls who attended school actually brought shame to their families.

Malala and her father became very vocal against the Taliban and their rules. They were brave and not frightened. In December 2008 came the news that All girls schools would be closed and starting January 15th no girls would be allowed in any schools. Then the Taliban started raining bombs down on the villages and cities destroying all schools within sight.

But bombs could not silence Malala. The British Broadcasting Corporation wanted to know what life was like for a girl in Pakistan in the Swat Valley. Malala took a pen name, Gul Makai and would read her blog post to the BBC reporter over the phone over the following two months. It first appeared in Urdu and then was translated into English. Her blog became very popular as she and her family continued to speak out against the Taliban. They created such an uprising that the Taliban agreed to let girls 10 years old and younger go to school. Malala was 11. So older girls wore the clothes of younger girls, hid their books under their shawls and snuck their way to school. Anyone caught would be killed on sight.

After much fighting, a stint in a refugee camp, Malala and her family returned home thinking the Taliban were gone. Malala had become very famous at this point and even the Bishop Desmond Tutu had nominated her for a Nobel Peace Prize. Malala returned to school and soon discovered that the Taliban were not gone. One day while riding a school bus, the Taliban entered and shot Malala in the head and two of her friends. All of them survived but Malala had a very long road to recovery.

Nearly on the verge of dying, Malala was flown out of Pakistan to Birmingham England where she has recovered fully from her attack and lives to this day with her family.

Malala however, has taken her attack by the Taliban and has come thru it and continued it forward to start a global movement for girl’s education. She and her father continue to speak about education. She has started a fund called the Malala Fund which gives money to fund education in Pakistan and other third world countries.

She is the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize and is a role model for all of us regardless of age that one voice with action can make all the difference in the world. She promises to continue to work toward “peace in every home” and “education for every boy and every girl in the world.”

For the Right to Learn is a story which inspires us all to be brave. I firmly believe that along with the best stories written our bookshelves need to be filled with the real life stories of those who are remarkable and extraordinary. This book qualifies as such.

Something To Do

31 million primary school aged girls are not going to school currently in the world. 32 million more girls are missing out on secondary education. In total more than 60 million girls world wide are out of school today.

When we educate a woman she ends up helping 5 or more people in her family. When we educate girls they grow into the matriarchs who not only raise a family but support a community and a region. Education for girls is one of the more important task for our planet currently along with food and clean water.

Writing Your Name:

Certain things we take for granted such as our names. Can you imagine if you didn’t know what your name looked like written down or not even be able to write your name ? How do you prove you exist if you can’t read or write your name ?

I remember growing up one of those red letter moments was when I learned to write my name. I shared in that memory and joy once again which each one of my children in turn learned to write their names.

Taking beautiful colors, and paper, maybe even some glitter, write your name beautifully and celebrate the fact that you can. 

If you should happen to sponsor a child from another country, make a beautiful poster or picture of just their name and send it to them.

The Malala Fund

Inspired by co-founders Malala and Ziauddin Yousafzai, Malala Fund’s goal is to enable girls to complete 12 years of safe, quality education so that they can achieve their potential and be positive change-makers in their families and communities. We work with partners all over the world helping to empower girls and amplify their voices; we invest in local education leaders and programmes; and we advocate for more resources for education and safe schools for every child.

Discussion Questions:

1. Who is Malala and Where is she from ?
2. What was Malala fighting for the right to do ?
3. Her desire to go to school nearly cost Malala her life. Why do you think she took the risk ?
4. Should everyone have the right to go to school ?
5. Do you think children should be protected ?
6. What right and protections do you think children everywhere should have ? Make a list.
7. Discover and discuss in what ways children around the world are sometimes denied those rights.
8. Would you be able to do what Malala did ?
9. What can we do about it. Look at Malala’s example. Just one young girl, one voice, and a pen has changed the world. What are you willing to do ? What small thing can you contribute something to change the world. What will you say with your one voice?

10 Lessons to be Learned from Malala

This is an excerpt of an article from the Canadian Huffington Post

1. Never hesitate to raise your voice.
This message rings out loud and clear from the 16 year old humanitarian. If you don’t raise your voice, it is unlikely that anyone will hear you. And I bet you have something (or many things) to say. Share your thoughts, ideas and passions with the world.

2. Dare to dream, and let your dreams drive your actions.
Never think for a moment that any dream is too large, or too unrealistic. My friend Adam Braun says “the single most powerful element of youth is our inability to know what’s impossible.” I couldn’t agree more. Here’s my challenge to youth: don’t lose that admirable quality as you transition into adulthood.

3. Don’t hate or seek revenge.
Malala was shot on her way home from school. The Taliban gunmen attempted to kill her, and revenge is the last thing on Malala’s mind. Since I was a little kid, my mom has always said that hating is just a waste of energy. It doesn’t benefit anyone and it’s a waste of time.

4. Never give up.
For the love of all that’s good in this world, please never give up. If you care about something, or someone, no matter what happens, refuse to quit! Never give up, and seek motivation to fuel your drive. If anyone can do it, you can. Surround yourself with people and messaging that keep you going, and encourage you to never give up or lose hope.

5. Be compassionate.
If hating is the worst way to exert your energy, love is the best way to use your energy. The more you give, the more you get. Be compassionate. Tell those you love that you love them.

6. Be humble.
July 12 was declared Malala Day by the United Nations. This past summer, Malala spoke at the UN headquarters and opened with this: “Malala Day is not my day. Today is the day of every woman, every boy and every girl who have raised their voice for their rights. There are hundreds of human rights activists and social workers who are not only speaking for human rights, but who are struggling to achieve their goals of education, peace and equality. Thousands of people have been killed by the terrorists and millions have been injured. I am just one of them.”

7. Always be thankful.
Don’t take anything for granted. Your life. Your family. Your home. Your pencil. There’s a lot to be thankful for. Try your best not to complain about the things you may not have, and instead be thankful for all that you have, and all that you are.

8. Strive to help others.
I have a secret for you. The more good deeds you do, the better you will feel yourself. So in fact, helping others may turn into quite a selfish activity if you do it right. Before you know it, you will be stuck in a cycle of helping others, and feeling good, and helping others more, and feeling even better… Don’t believe me? Try it. I dare you.

9. Replace weakness with strength, and fear with courage.
This may appear to be one of those things that is easier said than done, but sometimes it’s just a matter of perspective. Don’t let negativity shut you down. Strive to be the strongest, best, most positive person you can be. The things you can accomplish are mind boggling!

10. Never doubt your ability to impact the world.
We live in a world of over 7-billion individuals. Each person is different. Each person on earth has something unique to offer the world. What’s your gift? What wonderful things do you have to offer? Don’t ever doubt for a second the power you have to make a difference.

Nobel Peace Prize Winner

Malala won the Nobel Peace Prize for what she endured and how she made that tragedy into a movement to help others.

Investigate and discover about the Nobel Peace Prize and past winners and then have a look at an excerpt of Malala’s acceptance speech.

A Great Video to Watch

There is a wonderful documentary called He Called Me Malala. It is beautifully done and tells the story with out alarming and disturbing video. It is a great resource to use along with For the Right To Learn. You can find it on Netflix and Amazon.

What do you admire most about Malala?
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The post What Would You Do For The Right To Learn? Malala Yousafzai’s Story appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

What a whirlwind November has been! From national events like Native American Heritage Month, The Polar Express 30th Anniversary Edition Book Review & Giveaway and my week+ adventure doing author appearances at the Frances Hodgson Burnett Sesquicentennial Event, November has been an exciting and “book-filled” month! Here’s a quick recap of the highlights of November.

Native American Heritage Month links and booklists:

November is Native American Heritage Month, or as it is commonly referred to, American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.

The month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people. Heritage Month is also an opportune time to educate the general public about tribes, to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges.

As always, the amazing authors and bloggers have gone above-and-beyond in sharing the best-of-the best in quality Native American booklists, activities and reviews.Go HERE to view some of my top picks along with some great posts from the JIAB archives.

The Polar Express 30th Anniversary Edition Book Review & Giveaway

Has it really been 30 years since that magical Christmas tale of a train pulling up into a young boys front yard and hurling him over hill and dale until he reaches the North Pole? To my astonishment, it’s true. Thirty years later, The Polar Express has become a holiday Caldecott Medal-winning classic leaving children all over the world laying quietly in their beds on Christmas Eve, hoping to catch a ride on that magical train. For 30 years author/illustrator Chris Van Allsburg has inspired us to “believe.”

In honor of this event, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has released a 30th anniversary edition complete with a new jacket design, expanded interior layout meaning we get to see and experience more goodness, a letter from Chris Van Allsburg, a downloadable recording of the story read by none other than renowned actor Liam Neeson and a gorgeous golden keepsake ornament. AND….I get to give one copy away to one lucky winner thanks to this The Polar Express 30th Anniversary Edition Book Review & Giveaway!! Go HERE for details and to enter-to-win.

Author Appearances at Frances HodgsonBurnett Sesquicentennial Event:

You may remember my mention of the upcoming Frances Hodgson Burnett Sesquicentennial Event Celebration. If you read that post you know how excited I was to celebrate an author who has touched my life in so many ways, and also one who is from my home state of Tennessee.

This year the New Market/Knoxville areas are celebrating 150 years since Frances Hodgson Burnett’s moved to the United States in 1865. On hand will be her great grand-daughter Penny Deupree, as well as her great great grandchildren. Penny Deupree, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s great-grand daughter, is coming from her home in Texas to give three free public presentations and display some of Burnett’s personal belongings. You can see all the places I made author appearances here.

As you can imagine, this event was absolutely spectacular and it was such an honor to be invited by Frances Hodgson Burnett’s family! Here are some pictures and highlights from this memorable event:

I was fortunate enough to meet, and spend time with, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s great granddaughter, Penny.

The young readers at the New Market School were some of the many groups that enjoy book extension activities from my book A Year in the Secret Garden.

What were some of your November highlights?

Attention K-8th Teachers! Get a FREE Diversity Book for Your Class!

2016 Multicultural Children’s Book Day Classroom Reading Challenge begins November 1, 2015!

Multicultural Children’s Book Day Classroom Reading Challenge is a special project connected to Multicultural Children’s Book Day (1/27/16) that gives classrooms the opportunity to earn a FREE Diversity Book for their class!
Teachers: We want to help you build your classroom library with diverse, inclusive and multicultural books! Here’s how to get a free book through Multicultural Children’s Book Day during the month of January. Teachers and classrooms can also win a Skype author visit with a children’s book author and the drawing will be made from the pool of teachers who signed up before 1/27/16. {author to be announced} This special project is free of charge to all teachers and schools and helps MCCBD achieve their mission of getting multicultural books into the hands of young readers and teachers.

What is it:

The Classroom Reading Challenge is a new project for us but it is a way for teachers to sign up, read up to four multicultural books in their classroom and earn a free multicultural book from us.

All Books are pre-screened and approved by the Junior Library Guild: Having Junior Library Guild on board assures that the free book that classrooms earn from MCCBD is a pre-screened, library-quality book that maps to Common Core. This is a HUGE and exciting benefit for this project.

The MCCBD team would like to take a moment to say a huge “Thank You!” to Junior Library Guild, for allowing us to tap into their collection of library-quality books for kids. Their development and book review service relied upon by thousands of schools and public libraries and we are grateful they are sponsoring Multicultural Children’s Book Day Classroom Reading Challenge by donating the books for the classrooms!
The Junior Library Guild editorial team reviews more than 3,000 new titles each year, in manuscript or prepublication stage. They have a keen sense for finding the best of the best. Over 95 percent of their selections go on to receive awards and/or favorable reviews.

Go HERE to view some of the books that teachers can earn and win as part of our Multicultural Children’s Book Day Classroom Reading Challenge and sign your classroom up to earn a few book!!!!

The post Weekend Links: The Highlights of November appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

As I sit in my office at JIAB headquarters, the Fall winds are whispering loudly and the leaves are tumbling down from the trees and quietly pelting the ground. As the weather in Maryville, TN turns chillier, and the autumn winds bring an end to the colorful leaf-watching activities, I can’t help secretly wishing I could go fly a kite!

One of our favorite things to do in April is fly our kites at our local kite festival in the park. Granted, it’s not April, but I do enjoy the childlike fun affiliated with flying a kite. To get everyone in the spirit of Kite Flying we pulled out some of our favorite books to read and created 9 Kidlit Books About Kites. I love the multicultural nature of these books as well. Hope our list inspires you as well.

Kite Flying by Grace Lin – The wind is blowing which makes for a good day to fly kites. Come enjoy this family as they make a dragon kite together.

The Legend of the Kite by Chen Jiang Hong – A grandfather and his grandson build a kite for thier local kite festival. Also included is the history of China’s kite flying tradition.

Stuck by Oliver Jeffers – Floyd’s kite gets stuck in a tree and he has to figure out how to get it down. First he throws his shoe which also gets stuck. He then decides to throw the other shoe which ends up with the first shoe and the kite stuck in the tree. This is only the beginning of a long list of hysterically funny things which get thrown up into the tree to unstuck the kite. This is such a great read!

Days with Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel – Frog and Toad spend their days together flying kites, celebrating Toad’s birthday, and having lots of fun together.

Kites: Magic Wishes that Fly Up to the Sky by Demi – One of my favorite author/illustrators, Demi tells the story of how kites came to be. A long time ago in China a woman commissioned an artist to paint a dragon kite for her son. It was the mother’s hope that this beautiful dragon which stood for wealth, wisdom, power, and nobility would be seen by the gods in heaven who would assist her son in growing up to be big and strong. Demi’s art is exquisite in this great book.

How Ben Franklin Stole the Lightning by Rosalyn Schanzer – Look into the world of Benjamin Franklin and discover how he used lightening and a kite to make people’s lives safer.

The Kite Festival by Leyla Torres – One Sunday morning, Fernando Florez and his multi-generational family go to town and discover a kite festival. With all the stores closed they have to work together to create a kite. This is such a sweet story.

Henry and the Kite Dragon by Bruce Edward Hall – Henry lives in Chinatown in New York City and loves to make kites with his grandfather Chin. While Henry and his grandfather fly their kites in the park, kids from Little Italy keep throwing rocks at them and destroying the beautiful kites. Henry and his friends decide that enough is enough. This book is based on a true story in 1920 when two groups of kids form idfferent cultures came face to face to discover they have much more in common than differences.

The Best Winds by Laura Williams – A classic Korean tale about Jinho and his grandfather who teaches him the art of kite making.

I hope you have many wonderful days reading about kites and good wind to go and fly a few!

***some of these links are affiliate links

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Discover the joys of delving into this timeless children’s literature classic and see the Secret Garden through new eyes and a modern twist!
Kids and nature go hand-and-hand and enjoying the bounty that the great outdoors brings is not just a “summer thing.” The newest book from children’s book authors Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters teaches families everywhere to enjoy not only the great outdoors with month-by-month activities, but to jump deeper into the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! A Year in the Secret Garden is a delightful children’s book with over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” More details HERE!

The post Go Fly a Kite! 9 Kidlit Books About Kites appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

“The pattern of this landscape is folded deep, deep within her memory. She rides the currents of air that curl like rapids over the mountains. Below, the lochs reflect the cloud and sunlight. They lie in the valleys like scattered fragments of fallen sky. The cold north wind carries the remembered scent of pine and heather. The ice-carved valleys guide her.”

She is coming?

So begins the beautiful and touching story of an Osprey, a boy named Callum and a girl with an adventuresome spirit named Iona McNair.  Wild Wings by Gill Lewis tells the griping story of Callum who lives in Scotland and a girl from West Africa who together save a migrating Osprey and saving each other as well.

Striving to protect the osprey nesting on his family’s farm in Scotland, 11-year-old Callum McGregor watches the bird throughout summer, uses a computer to follow her migration to Africa and sets in motion a remarkable chain of events. This rich, moving tale begins with a shared secret: It was classmate Fiona McNair who found the nest. When the bird is snagged in fishing line high in her pine, the circle expands to include Callum’s sheep-farming family and a ranger from a nearby preserve. When she migrates, Callum and friends Rob and Euan track her through the transmitter she carries on her back. When her signal disappears in a Gambian mangrove forest, 10-year-old Jeneba, hospitalized with broken legs, mobilizes the fishermen of her village and a visiting American doctor to rescue and rehabilitate her. Eventually—and entirely naturally—the bird’s story reaches around the world. The suspenseful story line is surrounded with precise details: the Scottish landscape, osprey behavior, the work of a sheepdog and the joy and pain of riding a trail bike. Short chapters, some with cliffhanging endings, will read aloud well. Callum’s first-person narrative is occasionally paralleled by the osprey’s own experience, as Callum imagines it. With universal themes of life and death, friendship and respect for the natural world, this is still quite particular, a powerfully memorable story of a boy’s grief and determination to keep a promise. Kirkus Reviews

This is a modern day story which flows easily and grabs the readers attention immediately. It is a captivating story which has us in the countries of Scotland and Gambia. Wild Wings is a perfect combination of fiction based narrative and actual nonfiction facts about Ospreys and their living environments and migration patterns. A perfect read for a child who loves nonfiction as well as enticing a reluctant reader. Wild Wings is also good for the deep thinker and has children reflecting on many deeper issues as hand such as decisions about friendships, not giving up, moving on after losses, and awareness of how we take things for granted in our relatively privileged society.

It is an engaging story of how every one of us makes a difference and working together as a community both near and far can solve what seemed an insurmountable problem. Grab your copy of this wonderful and compelling kidlit book here.

**some of these links are affiliate links

Something To Do

What would you think if I invited you on an Osprey’s incredible journey, just like the one Callum and his friends took? Flying high above mountain ranges, oceans, and expansive and huge deserts, the osprey travels thousands of miles to migrate to warmer weather. Using satellite tagging, scientists are able to learn more about the osprey’s migration routes and about where they breed and where they winter.

Author Gill Lewis in 2011 followed such a journey and has shared it with all of us. Start here for an amazing high flying adventure.

Osprey

The osprey also known as the fish eagle, sea hawk, river hawk, or fish hawk, is a fish eating bird of prey. It is a large raptor, reaching more than 24 inches in length and 71 inches across the wings. It is brown on the upperparts and predominantly greyish on the head and underparts.

The osprey tolerates a wide variety of habitats, nesting in any location near a body of water providing an adequate food supply. It is found on all continents except Antarctica, although in South America it occurs only as a non-breeding visitor.

It’s known as a fish eagle and the osprey’s diet consists almost exclusively of fish.

The osprey weighs between 2 and 4 pounds. 

Osprey Habitat

After the peregrine falcon, the osprey is the second most widely spread raptor in the world. It can be found in mild and tropical climate. In North America it breeds from Alaska and Newfoundland and to the south in the Gulf Coast region as well as Florida. The osprey then winters in South America. In summer it is found throughout northern Europe, in Ireland, Scandinavia, Scotland, England, and Wales but not in Iceland. When in Europe the osprey winters in Africa.

In Australia the osprey doesn’t migrate at all but remains on the coast and then flying to Western Australia to breed.

Common Core Interdisciplinary Curriculum

To learn more about the Osprey here is a very in-depth interactive Curriculum from Friends of Blackwater Reservoir in Maryland called Project Osprey Curriculum  . This guide is very through and covers everything you need for Common Core. Matched with the book Wild Wings, it’s a perfect combination.

Great BBC Program on the Scottish Osprey Conservation Project

Part 1

Part 2

Watch Live

Audubon Society of New Hampshire, includes webcam at Lake Massabesic

Highland Foundation for Wildlife, osprey management in Scotland

Osprey camera at Blackwater Reservoir, Maryland

Osprey nest camera at Loch Garten, Scotland

Osprey nest monitoring,northern England

Learn More About Migration

Journey North, track the journeys of several migratory species

Learn and Conserve

The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota

Osprey Project at Rutland Water, United Kingdom

Lake District Osprey Project, Bassenthwaite Lake, England

Glaslyn Osprey Project, Porthmadog, North Wales

Loch of Lower, Dunked, Perthshire

Enjoy Birdwatching!

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Do your young readers love nature and all of nature’s critters? Experience the magical story of a family of foxes that took up residence right in the front yard of the author and publisher, Valarie Budayr. The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden offers an enthusiastically educational opportunity to observe this fox family grow and learn together.

From digging and hunting to playing and resting, this diary shares a rare glimpse into the private lives of Momma Rennie and her babies. Come watch as they navigate this wildly dangerous but still wonderful world. Great to share with your children or students, The Fox Diaries speaks to the importance of growing and learning both individually and as a family unit. It is a perfect book for story time or family sharing. Not only can you read about the daily rituals of this marvelous fox family, there is an information-packed resource section at the end of the book that includes lots of facts and even a few “fox movies” that you can enjoy with your family. Grab your copy of this beautiful and inspiring book HERE.

The post Wild Wings by Gill Lewis #BookReview and a Multicultural Story of Friendship appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Wow! It’s week NINE of the Book-Jumper Summer Reading Series! NINE…..where did time go this summer?

As you many already know, this series is my way of inspiring parents who are looking for creative ways to keep their kids reading this summer. All of the books I am jumping into feature protagonists are girls or women and most of our showcased authors are women as well.

I will be offering up a combination of themed weeks, great novels, booklist giveaways, and blog post recaps so be sure and stop by to discover more wonderful ways have A Bookjumper Summer while Exploring Our World and Beyond!

This week I am jumping into another delightful book from another female author. Eleanor Coerr was a Canadian-born American writer of children’s books, including Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes and many picture books. She was born in Kamsack, Saskatchewan, Canada, and raised in Saskatoon. Sadly, Eleanor passed away in 2010 but her legacy lives on in the wonder books she has written including Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes.

The story goes that Eleanor revisited Hiroshima i 1963 and saw the statue of Sadako in the Hiroshima Peace Park. Impressed by the stories she heard about Sadako’s talent for running, courage when faced with cancer, and determination to fold one thousand paper cranes, Eleanor was inspired to find a copy of Kokeshi, Sadako’s autobiography. The book inspired her to create a biography of Sadako Sasaki, on that American children could read and enjoy.

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes has been translated into many languages and has moved both children and adults to write plays, perform ballets, compose songs, and collect money for peace statues-all celebrating Sadako and her wish for peace. Eleanor has visited schools all around the world encouraging her audiences to work for a nonviolent world. Folded cranes are everywhere, and always underneath the statue of Sadako in Hiroshima’s Peace Park. SOURCE.

           

• Rainbows
• Crickets
• If a ladybug lands on you
• Finding a four-leaf clover
• A head’s up penny

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Follow Valarie Budayr @Jump into a Book’s board Jump Into a Book Kidlit Booklists on Pinterest. Follow Valarie Budayr @Jump into a Book’s board A Year In The Secret Garden on Pinterest.

The post Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

International Children’s Book Day is celebrated every 2 April, inspiring children to pick up a book and get reading!

April the 2nd was chosen to mark this day for young literature lovers as it’s the same date as Hans Christian Andersen’s birthday, the author of many famous children’s stories like The Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling.

Organised by the International Board on Books For Young People, or IBBY, the aim is to promote books and reading to young people.  IBBY was founded in Zurich, Switzerland in 1953 and today there are 70 National Sections from all parts of the world.

During International Children’s Book Day there will be a number of events held around the world, including writing competitions and talks from famous authors and illustrators.

It’s no secret how much I love children’s book and especially those books celebrating diversity within it’s pages. It just seemed fitting that I ferret out the best booklists I could find on the subject and share them here with you in honor of this important day. AND…I want to give a readers the gift of being able to but their own books so I am also celebrating with this $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway!! (more details in a bit).

books about race and multiculturalism from HelloBee

At the The Logonauts: Multicultural Nonfiction Picture Books

At Delightful Children’s Books-Read Around the World

At All Done Moneky- Children’s Books About Friendship Around the World

The Educators’ Spin On It: Diverse Books in Your Home Library: Parenting Global Kids

A HUGE collection of  Multicultural Children’s Book reviews, activities and blog can be found posts on the Multicultural Children’s Book Day blog!

Giveaway Time! One lucky winner will win a $50 Amazon Gift card to put towards building their own wonderful library!

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

ONE winner will receive a $50 Amazon Gift card. Giveaway begins April 2nd-April 10th

• ONE lucky winner will win one Amazon $50 Gift Card
• Must be 18 years or older to enter
• One entry per household.
• Staff and family members of Audrey Press are not eligible.
• Grand Prize winner has 48 hours to claim prize
• Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on April 11, 2015

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The post April 2nd is International Children’s Book Day #ReadYourWorld Giveaway appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

I’ve long been a fan of author/illustrator Demi.

I personally appreciate the way she unfolds a story whether a classic folktale, religious figure, or cultural celebration has always greatly captivated my attention. Add on top of that her amazing and gorgeous illustrations and you have what I consider a treasure trove from book heaven.

While deciding on a book to use to celebrate Chinese New Year I was going through my stacks of great reads and that’s when I noticed Demi has written so much about China and probably our beautiful impression of that country stems from her. Through her eyes, we as a family, have happily embraced it’s stories, history, and traditions.

Today let’s go on a journey to China with one of our most cherished book friends, Demi.

More About Demi

Demi was born in Cambridge, Mass. She studied at the Instituto Allende in Guanajuato, Mexico, at Immaculate Heart College with Sisters Magdalen Mary and Sister Corita in Hollywood, California. She also studied at the M.S. University in Baroda, India, while on a Fulbright Scholarship, as well as the China Institute For Arts in New York City.

Her husband Tze-si Huang introduced her to the religion, folklore, ancient culture, and history of China.

Demi has illustrated and authored more than 300 children’s books including biographies of Jesus, Buddha, and the Dalai Lama, as well as folktales such as The Empty Pot and Liang and the Magic Paintbrush. Her work has received many awards and accolades, among them the Christopher Award, which recognizes individuals whose work makes a positive difference in the world, and the Middle East Book Award. Her titles have been designated American Library Association Notable Children’s Books, New York Times Best Illustrated Books, Notable Books for a Global Society, and American Bookseller Pick of the List Books.

Celebrating China with Demi : A Booklist

The Empty Pot

A Chinese boy with an green thumb wins the emperor’s competition; PW praised the “extraordinarily delicate Oriental landscapes.” Ages 4-7.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Happy Happy Chinese New Year

“In a book that is itself a celebration, Demi explains the rituals and ideas behind the Chinese New Year festival. The last 15 days of the old year are spent cleaning and preparing (‘Wash your hair and get a new haircut. Pay the debts that you owe and collect what is owed to you!’). On the eve of the new moon, a special feast is prepared. . . . The first 15 days of the new year are spent celebrating with lion dances, firecrackers, and other activities. Demi’s characteristic tiny, lively figures illustrate each page, with several spreads devoted to small, labeled pictures identifying things associated with the holiday. Infused with joy and filled with information.”—Booklist

One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale

“Exotic, beautiful, and instructive, this “mathematical folktale” by author-illustrator Demi emerged from her love of India. The narrative and the evocative illustrations combine to create a real sense of the culture and atmosphere of this romantic land.” (Amazon)

Marco Polo

Many people say Marco Polo was the greatest explorer that ever lived, traveling 33, miles by land and sea from Venice, Italy, to modern-day Beijing, China. His famous book, The Travels of Marco Polo, indicates that he was a man of extraordinary bravery, brilliance, and strength. With his uncle and father, he traveled across Turkey, Armenia, the Middle East, the rugged mountains of Afghanistan, and the hot Taklimakan Desert before finally reaching China in 1275. Welcomed by the great emperor Kublai Khan, Marco Polo was amazed by the inventions, riches, and religious tolerance of the great Khan’s kingdom, where Marco remained for the next 2 years.

The Boy who Painted Dragons

Smoke, fire, dragons, wisdom, fear, and bravery…All of these elements are brought to life by award-winning author and artist Demi in a story of valor in the face of overwhelming fear.

Liang and the Magic Paintbrush (Reading Rainbow Books)

When a poor boy in China receives a magical paintbrush, everything he paints turns to life. But the wicked emperor wants to capture the boy when he hears the news. The story will excite readers as the ruler gets his just reward when the boy creates a masterpiece that spells his doom.

The Greatest Power

Emperor Ping, the boy emperor known for his love of harmony, sets a challenge to the children of his kingdom: show him the greatest power in the world. “To know the greatest power in the world is to know the greatest peace,” Emperor Ping announces. “Whoever knows this harmony will become the new prime minister.”

The Legend of Lao Tau and the Tao Te Ching

This thoughtful and thought-provoking book opens with a biography of Lao Tzu, the mysterious philosopher who is said to have been born at the age of eighty-one with snow-white hair, the ability to walk and talk, and unparalleled wisdom. Many credit him with creating the Tao Te Ching, which was written for the good of all humankind. Twenty of the eighty-one passages of the Tao Te Ching are included here, paired with stunning illustrations by the award-winning artist Demi.

The Pandas and their Chopsticks

Read my book review of this book with companion activities HERE.

Buddha Stories

Throughout the ages, moral tales have been passed down from one generation to the next. Centuries ago in China, hundreds of parables were told by the Buddha to his devoted followers. His messages became widespread through fables adapted by famous storytellers like Aesop and La Fontaine. In this collection, the author has chosen ten of the most engaging classic tales from the Buddha’s works. Compiled and illustrated by Demi, this wonderful collection of stories is sure to draw young readers into the ancient teachings of the Buddha, teachings that are as relevant today as they were over two thousand years ago.

Buddha

Many centuries ago, in a kingdom in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains, a miraculous child was born to the king and queen. The young prince, Siddhartha, was raised in the greatest luxury, sheltered from all pain and ugliness. But one day Siddhartha left the palace and saw, for the first time, human suffering and death. He knew then that he must relinquish everything– his family, his wealth, his position– to discover the Truth of life and death.

The Girl who Drew a Phoenix

The Magic Pillow

Based on a famous Chinese folktale, The Magic Pillow tells the story of a poor boy named Ping who is given a magic pillow by a mysterious magician. Ping sees what a lifetime of wealth and power would be like, and discovers that the riches of family and freedom are much more valuable.

Happy New Year! Kung-Hsi-Fa-Ts-Ai

“In a book that is itself a celebration, Demi explains the rituals and ideas behind the Chinese New Year festival. The last 15 days of the old year are spent cleaning and preparing. On the eve of the new moon, a special feast is prepared.

The Greatest Treasure

Su Dongpo: Chinese Genius

Even as a young boy in eleventh-century China, Su Shih was clearly special. After finding a rare inkstone, he began to write stories and verses expressing his love of the natural world. His words flowed effortlessly. His brush danced across the paper.

Kites

The Great Voyages of Zheng He

Over 600 hundred years ago, Emperor Zhu Di of China decided to build the greatest naval fleet the world had ever seen to befriend and trade with countries throughout Asia and Africa. The admiral of this diplomatic and treasure-gathering fleet was a brilliant and peace-loving man named Zheng He.

The Emperor’s New Clothes: A Tale Set in China

“Long ago in a province in China there lived an emperor whose greatest pleasure in life was to dress in new clothes. ”

Which of these Demi books has your family enjoyed?

**Some of these links are affiliate links.

Homeschooling can be complicated and frustrating, especially if you are overloaded with information. The good news is that you don’t have to figure it out alone. Donna Ashton’s The Waldorf Home School Handbook is a simple and step-by-step guide to creating and understanding a Waldorf-inspired homeschool plan. Within the pages of this all-in-one homeschooling guide parents will find information, samples of lesson plans and curriculum, helpful hints and the secrets behind the three Areas for Optimum Learning. Join Donna as she guides you through the Waldorf method and reveals how to educate your children in a nurturing and creative environment. Visit the Waldorf Homeschool Handbook info page HERE.

The post 19 Books Celebrating China with Author Demi appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

So far this month has been jam-packed with insightful education, Booklists, Activities and Resources for Kids and parents interested in raising global citizens.  I would like to share them this weekend as my Weekend Links Round-up. Enjoy!

Marie’s Pastiche ALWAYS has amazing information for cultivating global citizens and this one caught my eye:”We really enjoyed getting a glimpse into Ashanti royalty and customs from Ghana – have you ever seen anything like it?”

Using and Creating Art to Explore World Cultures at Art Curator for Kids

Episode 41: A Bilingual Avenue-Strategies to help you navigate multicultural and multi-ethnic family relationships with Harriet Cannon | Bilingual Avenue

Randomly Reading: The Red Bicycle: The Extraordinary Story of One Ordinary Bicycle

Spring is in the air! Let’s get outside and MOVE! Outdoor Games, Crafts & Nature Activities for Kids at KCEdventures.

Third Culture Mama has a wonderful list of Beautiful Multicultural Books for Children.

Read Aloud to Ignite a World of Possibility  via @blackvoices

How are you celebrating Music In Our Schools month? Free E-book here for MIOSM during March from the amazing Daria Music.

Have you seen the “Cultural Iceberg”…Fascinating! {Thanks to Languages Around the Globe for sharing on Facebook)

Sign up to receive your Free copy of Read Your World Multicultural Books Activities for Kids! downloadable eBook.  It’s my free gift to YOU. Click here for more details.

The post Weekend Links appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

We are just a few short days away from our second Multicultural Children’s Book Day and the WWW is BUZZING with great multicultural book information for young readers! Here are some of the highlights of the Amazing Sources for #ReadYourWorld Books Ideas for Kids  found this week.

12 Chapter Books About Diverse (and Loving) Families via What Do You Do All Day

12+ Books to Read Your Little in 2015 from Leah Pilhaja

25 Resources for Teaching Kids about Diversity-via @Multicultural Kids Blog

Announcing our 2014 New Voices Award Winner Lee and Low Blog

Children’s Africana Book Awards and Kid Lit Blog Hop at PragmaticMom

At Maries Pastiche- West African Folktales

Another way to meet your world is through literature. Multicultural Children’s Books Day is such a celebration which has created a vast resource of multicultural books and authors on our website.

My Gift to YOU!

Don’t forget to grab your FREE copy of my Read Your World Multicultural Booklists and Activities for Kids.

The post Weekend Links: Amazing Sources for #ReadYourWorld Books Ideas for Kids appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

We are busy as bees over here getting ready for our 2nd Multicultural Children’s Book Day on January 27th 2015. We hope you’ll join us along with our 17 sponsors, 9 co- hosts, 150+ bloggers and many author sponsors to celebrate those books that celebrate multiculturalism and diversity. Please check out the excitement here and “save the date” for our huge Twitter party with oodles of prizes on 1/27/15 (9:00-10:00 ET)

Author David J. Smith and I are kindred spirits.  Both of us promote “world mindedness.”

He says,” This book is about “world-mindedness,” which is an attitude, an approach to life. It is the sense that our planet is actually a village, and we share this small, precious village with our neighbors. Knowing who our neighbors are, where they live and how they live, will help us live in peace.”

In his book If the World Were a Village, he explores the idea of exploring the world as if it were a village. At this time there are nearly 7 billion people on the planet. It’s oftentimes hard to wrap around our brain around this idea. David J. Smith brings it down to size for us. What if we took 100 people from around the world and look at the world as if it is a village.

In this village of 100 people there would be 21 people who speak Chinese, 10 who ear only a dollar a day, 13 who cannot read or write, 28 who have a television in their homes, only 37 would have enough to eat. 83 people would have access to clean water while 17 others would spend most of every day in the search for clean water.

If the World Were A Village shows us who we are, where we live, what languages we speak, how fast we’re growing, and what religions we practice. This well thought out book also asks, “What will our village look like in the future?” Will there be enough food, housing, jobs, money, electricity, water etc.

One of the things I like so much about this book is that it takes a very large concept such as world population and how that effects the planet and the people on it, and brings it down to a very manageable size. The illustrations by Shelagh Armstrong are bold and colorful bringing the diversity on this planet richly to life.

Something to Do

Let’s Map the World

It’s important that kids have a really good sense of how the world is laid out. Make sure you have a current and up to date world wall map hanging up.

One really great way to learn the world is to create it. I’m a huge fan of Mr. Nussbaum. He has this wonderful website and this really great activity called Super Map. Super Map is a new map-making tool on MrNussbaum.com that allows students to custom-make their own maps of the United States, North America, South America, Europe, Africa, or Asia. Students can create map keys, add state or country names, rotate names, change colors of oceans, continents, nations, or states, add longitude or latitude lines, zoom in or out, and add text about each nation or state that appears on the map when it is printed out. Works on touchscreens as well as traditional computers. And then…you get to print it out!

Can you name ?

Playing a roving game of Can you Name helps kids learn and experience the “details” of a region or country of the world.

• Can you name the capitals of every state in the US?
• Can you name the capitals of every country in the world ?
• Can you name the continents ?
• Can you name the biomes in the United States ? In your country ? Around the world ?
• Can you name the language spoken in ( pick a country and/or a region )
• Can you name the religions worshipped in a particular country ?
• Can you name the form of government ?

What’s next to ?

This is a game where one player chooses a country in the world and the person next to them has to name a country next to that one.

Is there Enough ?

Have a conversation with your children while looking at a map and you might like a computer near by so you can search. Pointing to an area of the world ask the following questions. If you don’t the answer to these, look them up.

• Is there enough food ?
• Is there enough clean water ?
• Do children go to school ? What are the requirements for going to school. Many 3rd world countries require that you have a uniform to go to school. Most people are too poor to afford one and so their children do not go to school.

Meet Your World

As important as it is to know how the planet is laid out by countries, capitals, people , religions, languages etc, it’s also equally important to meet different people from a variety of people on our planet. Go to a celebration from another culture near you.

Finding a pen-pal with someone from another country is another way to make a connection with someone else on the planet.

Another way to meet your world is through literature. Multicultural Children’s Books Day is such a celebration which has created a vast resource of multicultural books and authors on our website.

Understanding the geography of the earth, how and where the people on the planet live,  what languages they speak, what religion they believe in, what challenges they face is a starting point into knowing our world better and for teaching our children “world mindedness.”

My Gift to YOU!

Don’t forget to grab your FREE copy of my Read Your World Multicultural Booklists and Activities for Kids.

The post What If the World Were a Village ? appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

We are so excited to announce our 2nd Multicultural Children’s Book Day January 27th, 2015 because we’ve added …

Multicultural Children’s Book Day Blogger Co-Hosts

We are excited to add our amazing Co-Hosts to help spread the word about diversity books for kids:

Africa to America

All Done Monkey

The Educators’ Spin on It

Growing Book by Book

InCultural Parent

Kid World Citizen

Mama Smiles

Multicultural Kid Blogs

Sprout’s Bookshelf

Multicultural Children’s Book Day Non-Profit Collaborators

We’re also partnering with First Book to be able to offer a Virtual Book Drive that will help donate multicultural children’s books through their channels during the week of the event. We want to help get diversity books into the hands of kids who most need it and now we have a way to do it!

We are collaborating with Children’s Book Council to highlight wonderful diversity books and authors on an ongoing basis all year.

Multicultural Children’s Book Day Sponsors

Our Platinum sponsor is back from last year, Wisdom Tales Press!

We have a new Platinum sponsor, Daybreak Press Global Bookshop & Gathering Space.

We have three new Gold sponsors: Satya House, Multicultural Kids, and Stephen Hodges of The Magic Poof!

Two Silver Sponsors: Lee and Low Books, and Omnibus Publishing!

We have four Bronze sponsors: Rainbow Books, Felicia Capers of Enough of Frankie Already!, Chronicle Books for Lowriders in Space, Muslim Writers Publishing, and Bliss Group Books.

Author Sponsors include:

Beautiful Rainbow World by Suzee Ramirez

Lulu and the Very Big Meanies by Mac McGooshie, illustrated by Alexis Hogwood

Real Street Kidz Multicultural Children’s Book Series by Quentin Holmes

Multicultural Children’s Book Day New Website

And did I mention that we have a new Multicultural Children’s Book Day website as a year round resource to help parents, teachers, librarians and kids find the perfect diversity books they are seeking?!

Bloggers: Sign Up To Review Book for Multicultural Children’s Book Day

So what’s next? We need YOU! Sign up to receive a multicultural children’s book to review and blog on here:

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Follow PragmaticMom’s board Multicultural Books for Kids on Pinterest.

The post Victories and Updates with our Beloved Multicultural Children’s Book Day appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

This week was the usual whirl-wind of activities that included amazing information, connections and links in the world of Multicultural Children’s Books. As you know Multicultural Children’s Book Day is approaching rapidly {January 27th 2015) and we already have many special things to report.

SPONSORS! MCCBD is very excited to announce that we already have EIGHT amazing sponsors for this event!  Here is a list of our current sponsors and we expect a few more to hop on board soon:

Platinum

1.     Wisdom TalesPress::

2.    Daybreak Press::Najiyah::

Gold

1.     Satya House::

2.    DARIA Music::

3.     Author Stephen Hodges::

Bronze

1.     Rainbow Books::

2.     Author Felicia Capers::

3.     Chronicle Books

ALSO,  Mia and I have been working diligently to finish all the steps needed for MCCBD’s 5013c non-profit status and…::drum roll::: it’s complete! MCCBD is now officially a 5013c YAY! The much-anticipated matching process between our 80+ bloggers who have signed up to review books for the event and the authors/publishers will begin December 1. That will give all of our bloggers plenty of time to read their books and create a review and companion activity. I am especially excited to have first-hand knowledge of all the wonderful titles our bloggers will have the privilege of reviewing. I love books

Spotlight on a Sister Initiative:

We Need Diverse Books is a wonderful movement that gained momentum and recognition early this year. This author-driven initiative is a grassroots organization created to address the lack of diverse, non-majority narratives in children’s literature. We Need Diverse Books is committed to the ideal that embracing diversity will lead to acceptance, empathy, and ultimately equality.

Authors on Diverse Books from Undercurrent on Vimeo.

Multicultural Children’s Book Day and We Need Diverse Books are working towards the same goal, just from different angles. WNDB is working very hard to change and shift the mindset of the publishing industry and MCCBD is working to get diverse books into the hands of the end-user (kids, parents, teachers and librarians). Mia and I will be attending some huge book events soon and hope to have a conversation with the WNDB team to learn more about how we can help each other. The more of us spreading the word and shining the spotlight on diverse books, the better!

Stay tuned for more details!

FREE GIFT!

Feeling a sense of gratitude in your life? “Conditions of the Heart” is a FREE kids activity book filled with fun activities & crafts that teaches values and conduct. Grab your copy HERE:

Need gift ideas for Christmas? Give the gift of education and guidance with Donna Ashton’s The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook Now available through Audrey Press Books!

The post Weekend Links: We Need Diverse Books and Multicultural Children’s Books News & Updates appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

When author Christine Ieronimo saw her adopted Ethiopian daughter drinking from a puddle of water in their driveway, it inspired her to look how water connects us to the places we live and ultimately call home.

A Thirst for Home: A Story of Water Across the World is a poignant and heartfelt story about Eva Alemitu and how water connects her to Emaye, the mother she left behind in Africa.

This is a story about the bleakness of poverty. Having to walk miles every day to get water, Emaye didn’t have enough food to feed her daughter Eva. In an act of love, she gives Eva up for adoption, knowing that giving her up means saving Eva’s life.

Through tears, rain, and puddles, water is what keeps Eva connected to her mother. The exquisite illustrations by Eric Velasquez capture the dignity and the drastic reality of poverty facing millions of people every day on this planet.

Eva faces balancing the security of her new American life with the longing for her biological mother back in Ethiopia.

This is one of these books that stays with you long after you read it. It creates a great opportunity to discuss poverty, the importance of food and water, sacrifice, and all of our connections to home.

Something To Do

Living in America we simply do not understand what not having water means. Everyday millions of people all over the world walk miles every day on empty stomachs just to seek out water they can drink and use to survive.

Here are some incredible and through provoking exercises that can be done to get a true view of the importance of water.

The Water Project: Help Solve the Water Crisis

Water Lesson Plans

Book Discussions

K-1

2nd & 3rd

4th & 5th

Let’s Learn About Ethiopia

Guide to Ethiopian Food

Kid World Citizen 

Behind the Story of A Thirst for Home

This is a beautiful film made by the author about adopting her daughter from Ethiopia and the inspiration for the book A Thirst for Home. A must see !!

Don’ miss the A Year in the Secret Garden Book Launch Blog Tour and your to enter to win our Amazon $100 Gift Card!!!! Go HERE for more details!

The post What tastes like home to you ? appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Horse Raid: The Making of a Warrior by Paul Goble shared great insight into the every day lives of Lakota Indians.

This book is not only beautiful to look at but is well researched, giving a lot of information on a topic I had no knowledge. Giving us a front row seat of a horse raid from the view point of the main character Lone Bull, we learn of his first horse raid when he was fourteen years old. Horse Raiding was a time honored tradition and a right of passage for every young boy. Lone Bull’s father was the chief of the Lakota tribe. Calling on 9 other great hunters, the chief holds a meeting in their teepee to make plans to raid the crow horses. This is where Lone Bull hears of the horse raid plan and then comes up with one of his own to join his father and the other brave men. Lone Bull and his friend decided that they would follow the men quietly. When it was too late to send them home, they would unveil themselves and join the horse raiding party. Lone Bull’s grandfather knew about the plan and prepared the supplies and horses for the soon to be horse raiders.

More than this I cannot tell you. You’ll have to read it for yourself. Told with vivid words and exciting moments of the raid , Paul Goble brings to life the story of Lone Bull through his magnificent painting and his ledger book style. Lovely browns, blacks, blues, and reds. walk us through the plains of a pre-reservation life where horse raiding was a chance for men to show their courage and bravery in battle.  No one can become brave by sitting at home. As Lone Bull’s grandfather reminds us , ” No man can help another to be brave, but through brave deeds you many become a leader one day. ”

This newly revised edition features digitally enhanced artwork for vivid colors, a completely revised text, a brand new layout which makes for incredible story telling, and an interesting foreword from one of the world’s more famous storytellers Joseph Bruchac.

This book lends itself nicely to a look at the buffalo days and life on the plains. Beautifully written.

This book was given for review by the publisher Wisdom Tales Press.

Something to Do

A Song for the Horse Nation

This site shares the history and relationship between the Native American people and the horse. On this site they have a couple of examples of “horse charms” used in actual horse raids.

Draw a Horse Raid

Story teller and artist Paul Goble uses a style of art known as ledger book art. During the 1800′s Native American’s used what they could find. Oftentimes the paper they would find to draw on would be found in ledger books. Here’s a couple of ideas to get you started. Also be sure to use some examples from Paul Goble’s book Horse Raid as well.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
(The Ultimate Guide)

Do you remember the first time you read Charlie and
The Chocolate Factory as a child?

A world with geese that laid golden eggs, squirrels that could sort nuts, and colorful little people called Oompa Loompas? Would you like to re-live that experience with one of the greatest children’s books of all time like never before?

Want to know more and get your copy?

The post Would You Like You Like a Look into the Every Day Lives of Lakota Indians? appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

I’d like to thank authors Shweta Chopra and Shuchi Mehta for sharing their book The Diwali Gift with me.

In the Diwali Gift , three curious monkeys, Suno, Dekho, and Jaano get together for a playdate when a mysterious box from their grandmother appears.

What could be inside ?

Sparklers ? Bracelets ? Small lights known as divas?

No none of the above.

Inside is something very special to use on the night of Diwali. A special something which grants the owner their wishes to come true.  To find out what the special something is, you’ll have to read the book.

This book is a simple and lovely story that invites us to share in the Hindu festival of Diwali. The Diwali Gift is fun, entertaining, and wonderfully educational. One truly feels the spirit, anticipation and festive feeling of the holiday.

From Wikipedia:

“Diwali also known as Deepavali and the “festival of lights”, is an ancient Hindu festival celebrated in autumn every year. The festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair.The festival preparations and rituals typically extend over a five day period, but the main festival night of Diwali coincides with the darkest, new moon night of the Hindu Lunisolar month Kartika. In the Gregorian calendar, Diwali night falls between mid-October and mid-November.

Before Diwali night, people clean, renovate and decorate their homes. On Diwali night, Hindus dress up in new clothes or their best outfit, light up diyas (lamps and candles) inside and outside their home, participate in family puja typically to Lakshmi – the goddess of wealth and prosperity. After puja (prayers), fireworks follow, then a family feast including mithai (sweets), and an exchange of gifts between family members and close friends. Diwali also marks a major shopping period in nations where it is celebrated.”

The illustrations by Anna Koan are fun and captivating.  There is a glossary in the back of the book as well as an explanation of Diwali and how one celebrates it.

I advise reading the glossary before hand so you can clarify the story when reading it to children.  I greatly enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

Somethings To Do:

Kim Vij  from The Educator’s Spin on it has some really wonderful Diwali Activities.

Have a look at how the Activity Village celebrated Diwali.

3 Curious Monkey’s has a wonderful Dress Up Party app on iTunes

The post The Diwali Gift by Shweta Chopra and Shuchi Mehta Book Review & Activities appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

{Guest post By Hannah Rials}

Enjoy!

Born in the hills of Louisiana and raised in the mountains of Tennessee, Hannah Rials is a eighteen year-old aspiring author and editor. She’s been writing short stories since she was a little girl, but for the past several years, she has been writing, editing, and reediting a novel of her own that she hopes to publish in the near future.  Hannah has always loved reading and the world of books. With a librarian grandmother who can tell the most magical stories, how could she not fall in love with the written word. Her library collection and love for books grows every day.

The post Little Leap Forward—A Boy in Bejing by Guy Yue and Clare Farrow {Guest Post by Hannah Rials} appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Our Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza Series has come to an end and we are SO grateful for the participation and wonderful guest posts from our contributors.

I truly feel that that series was a success, and it wouldn’t have been possible without our contributors fun and fresh kidlit book picks and activities. We are already percolating on ideas for next summer’s reading event!

Below is a list of all of the posts links and bloggers who participated and I encourage everyone to take a peek to see if you missed any and re-read and enjoy and favorites. There were SO many great contributions this summer and we will be working feverishly to put these posts into a free downloadable document to share (more details to come on that).

Shannon Medisky:Stand Tall, But Read All Around

Leanna @ Multicultural Kids Blog: Read Around The World Summer Series

Unconventional Librarian: Brown Girl Dreaming

Shannon Medisky-Dancing Differently:’

Gladys Elizabeth Barbieri: WISH

Discovering the World Through My Son’s Eyes: Fiesta Fiasco by Ann Whitford Paul {Guest Post by Frances from Discovering the World Through Her Son’s Eyes}

If You Were Me and Lived in…by Carole P. Roman {Guest Post from Squishable Baby}

Discovering The Cree Culture in America-Wild Berries by Julia Flett Review & Activity! (Guest Post from Felicia at Stanley and Katrina)

Erik at This Kid Reviews: Peter Lerangis’ Seven Wonder series

Cooking with Books: Lucky Birthday Noodles {Guest Post by Jodie from Growing Book by Book}

Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza: Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke {Guest Post by Sprout’s Bookshelf}

A Peek into Thailand {Guest Post from Stephanie Kammeraad of Mama-Lady Books}

A Chair for My Mother Book Review & Activity {Guest Post from Vicki Arnold}

The Magic Poof-A Visit with Author Stephen Hodges.

Until next summer, keep “discovering your world” through books!

The post Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza Series Recap appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

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Monday, September 8th is International Literacy Day.

Here are some facts about literacy and the event as well:

Some 775 million adults lack minimum literacy skills; one in five adults is still not literate and two-thirds of them are women; 60.7 million children are out-of-school and many more attend irregularly or drop out.

To raise public awareness of the extraordinary value of the written word and of the necessity to promote a literate society, the following writers are supporting UNESCO through the Writers for Literacy Initiative. UNESCO, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN). Its purpose is to contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through education, science, and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, the rule of law, and human rights along with fundamental freedom proclaimed in the UN Charter. It is the heir of the League of Nations’ International Commission on Intellectual Cooperation. UNESCO’s aim is “to contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information.”

As you know, I am a huge advocate of family reading time and children’s literacy. I have been for as long as I can remember. Using Jump Into a Book, the books I create through my publishing house Audrey Press and now with Multicultural Children’s Book Day, I feel like I am even more determined to share the joys and importance of reading with our children. Even though my own kids are grown, they are still all avid readers; something that I am very proud of. Books can unlock the magic of life, let us travel to faraway places without leaving the couch, allow kids of all cultures to see themselves in the pages of a book and share of the wonder of this Big Ol’ World.

Pair that reading-love with learning activities and, in my opinion, it’s a home run

That being said, it’s time for my weekly installment of Weekend Links. This is my chance to share some of the wonderful book review and reading activities that I have discovered in my weekly internet travels. These are all high quality reading-based blog posts from some of my favorite, and highly respected, reading and play bloggers. Enjoy!

Leanna from All Done Monkey- Cottage Cheese Cake and Learning About Ukraine {Around the World in 12 Dishes} -

Erik at This Kid Reviews Books- Reporting from the National Book Festival.

Growing Book by Book: Alphabet Learning: Apple Stamping and PlayfulPreschool

The Pleasantest Thing: 33 Must-Read Awesome Picture Books!

Boy Teacher Mama: Back to School Rules

Learning with Tangrams! Grandfather Tang’s Story

My Multicultural World: The Land of Vikings and Trolls

Over a Dozen Great Audiobooks for Kids: http://www.whatdowedoallday.com/2014/08/audiobooks-for-kids.html via @momandkiddo

About Parenting: The Librarian of Basra; A True Story About Iraq

Sprout’s Bookshelf: How to start a conversation about #Ferguson with your kids – a list of resources that can help.

A Mighty Girl‘s Pick of the Day – SEEDS OF CHANGE, by Jen Cullerton Johnson, illus. by Sonia Lynn Sadler

Nerdy Book Club: Top 10 Picture Books for Activists in Training by Mathangi Subramanian

What great book links have YOU found this week?

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{Guest post from Stephen Hodges-author of The Magic Poof}

As Jump Into a Book’s Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza draws to a close, I’d like to welcome one last guest blogger and author. I became aware of author Stephen Hodges wonderful book The Magic Poof during our January 2014 Multicultural Children’s Book Day celebration. I love Stephen’s work, his humor and how he uses this delightful books to tell a wonderful story. I can’t wait to read Book #2 in the Magic Poof series!

Welcome, Stephen!

When I think about a multicultural children’s book that I love, I admit to being a little biased.

The book I love is called “The Magic Poof” and I’m biased because I’m the one who wrote it! The Magic Poof” is about Ange-Marie, a little African-American girl who has always felt different. You would feel different too if you had a giant ball of nutty magical hair on your head with his own personality and magic powers! In this first book of the series, Ange-Marie is deciding what to wear for picture day. However, her hair, aka the Poof, also wants to look good for picture day. How does Ange-Marie look her best and keep her enchanted hairy friend a secret? In the end, both the Poof and Ange-Marie find that compromise is the key to any friendship.

So you are probably wondering why a short skinny white guy writes a book about a little African-American girl with a Poof of hair that has a nutty personality. Well the simple reason is love. My wife is African-American, and she has a ball of poofy hair too. Every morning, while she would eat breakfast I would end up playing with it. I would stretch it, form it into shapes and then I would start making it talk! My wife’s poof would start poking her and talking into her ear. And that’s when the true love began. See my wife would tell me: “I love you… but you need to stop playing with my hair and find something else to do.” And that’s when “The Magic Poof” was born!

My love for my wife inspired me to create characters that I truly loved. I imagine the character of Ange-Marie like having my own daughter, someone I could watch grow up as I wrote more books. And of course, writing about her best friend, a big ball of magic hair and their adventures would be fun too! I love these characters because they remind me that being different is a great thing, and it’s so important to share our differences with the world. It’s what makes us all truly unique.

“The Magic Poof” Activity:

Draw a gigantic, wacky hair-do, in any style you want on a large piece of paper. Make it fun, make it nutty. It can be silly, it can be serious and it can be just as alive as the Poof himself! Take the drawing you created and hold it up to your head as if it was your own hair. Then take a Poofy selfie and show it to everyone you love!

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It’s time for Weekend Links! This is my chance to share some of the amazing links, articles and resources that I have discovered throughout the course of the week…AND…there are some really, really good ones this week. Enjoy!

Want to get those creative writing juices flowing in your child? Playful Learning has a great booklist of10 Books That Inspire Kids to Write

10 Great Multicultural Children’s Books via Flavorwire

Planet Smarty Pants has a wonderful blog post about helping kids learn about their heritage.

Here’s another awesome contribution (there has some TONS of good ones) for the Read Around The World Summer Reading Series If You’re Not From The Prairie…{Canadian prairies} Crystal’s Tiny Treasures

Around the World in 30 Books — A Trip Across the Globe – Inspire Creativity, Reduce Chaos & Encourage Learning with Kids

Kid World Citizen had TWO wonderful topics: Using the Web to Take Virtual Field Trips – Kids World Citizen
AND …Names/Cultural Identities in Immigrant Children. {LOVE these!}

In honor of school starting, PragmaticMom has 10 Perfect Read Aloud Books for 2nd Grade. What would you add?
What great reading links did you find this week?

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My Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza is winding down, but I continue to be amazed at the high-quality and in-depth book reviews my guest posters have come forth with. This week is no exception either as the always-creative Stephanie from Mama-Lady Book shares an amazing book pick with JIAB readers. Enjoy!

A Peek into Thailand
By Stephanie Kammeraad of Mama-Lady Books

I love sharing stories from around the world with my children and students.  I educate our two children at home, and I love that I can incorporate great books that are both mirrors and windows* for them throughout our days.  I also coordinate and teach at a heritage camp each summer, which is a week-long day camp for children adopted internationally to learn more about their birth country and the birth countries of others.  I’ve had children in my classes over the years who were adopted from China, South Korea, Thailand, Ethiopia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Kazakhstan, Russia, Mexico, Peru, Guatemala (where our son was born), and Colombia (where our daughter was born.)  It has been such a delight to discover and share stories and activities with them about these countries!
One of our favorite book discoveries has been The Umbrella Queen by Shirin Yim Bridges, illustrated by Taeeun Yoo.

This heartwarming story is about a little girl named Noot who has shown that she is now skilled enough to paint her own umbrellas, just as her mother does.  The story is set in a tiny village in northern Thailand, where villagers have been making and painting paper umbrellas for hundreds of years.  Noot’s mother shows her how to paint flowers and butterflies on the umbrellas, and although Noot copies her mother’s work beautifully, when she is finally given five umbrellas of her own to paint, Noot paints the elephants that dance into her mind.  All afternoon she sits and joyfully paints elephants on her umbrellas, until her mother notices and sternly reprimands her for deviating from what has always been and must continue to be painted.  Disappointed, Noot concedes, knowing that “Painting umbrellas wasn’t just for fun.  It was work to help feed the family.”

Every day after that Noot dutifully paints her umbrellas with flowers and butterflies, but in the evenings she takes the scraps of bamboo from her father and the mulberry paper from her grandmother to make doll-sized umbrellas just for her, on which she paints the elephants that bring her delight.

The tradition in her village is that every New Year’s Day, the woman who has painted the most beautiful umbrella is chosen as the Umbrella Queen and leads the villagers in a big umbrella parade.  This year, the villagers decide to invite the King to come to choose the Umbrella Queen, as he has decided to spend the winter in his nearby winter palace.  Two weeks before New Year’s Day, the King accepts their invitation!

When the day finally arrives, the villagers set out their most beautiful umbrellas along both sides of the road for the King to inspect as he comes through.  He stops in front of Noot’s house, gives a compliment to her mother for the beauty of her umbrellas, but then notices some tiny umbrellas in the window sill behind her.  Upon questioning, Noot admits to painting them.  When asked why, and what is wrong with painting flowers and butterflies, Noot respectively responds with, “I like elephants.”

The smiling King then takes her hand and pronounces Noot as this year’s Umbrella Queen “because she paints from her heart.”

Shirin Yim Bridges has written this delightful story that I’ve witnessed being enjoyed as a read-aloud by children between the ages of five and ten.  Shirin grew up in a Chinese-speaking family in California, but has traveled the world and lived in many countries.  She is an author of numerous picture books as well as an award-winning publisher of Goosebottom Books, an independent publishing company that has published three different successful non-fiction and historical fiction series: The Thinking Girl’s Treasury of Glorious Goddesses, The Thinking Girl’s Treasury of Dastardly Dames, and The Thinking Girl’s Treasury of Real Princesses.

Although Noot is not a “real” princess or queen, I believe her story is just as important to read, to remind ourselves and our children to be proud of who we are, to be true to ourselves, and to share our talents with those around us.  This reminds me of the famous words of author Marianne Williamson in her book, Return to Love: “We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world…We are all meant to shine, as children do…And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. “ Yes?  Then let’s go!

Let your children’s creativity shine as they paint from their heart!  Here are two activities that you can do as a follow up to reading The Umbrella Queen.

1. Paint nylon umbrellas with fabric markers or acrylic or tempera paint. (I used washable tempera paint with my students.) Just make sure that you lay down a covering for your workspace (newspaper, a plastic tablecloth, etc.) I provided large stencils for the kids to use for those who were interested, but most just painted “free style!” To purchase nylon umbrellas, check out: http://www.orientaltrading.com/diy-white-umbrellas-a2-56_9027.fltr?Ntt=umbrella.

Make and decorate paper umbrellas of various sizes.  Simply cut out a circle (free-hand or by tracing something round), and then make a single cut from anywhere on the outside edge into the center of the circle.

Grab hold of the circle on either side of the slit you just made and place one side over the other, creating a cone.  Glue the cone into place, trim off any edge that you might need to trim off, and you have the umbrella canopy!  Now is the time to decorate it Make and decorate paper umbrellas of various sizes.  Simply cut out a circle (free-hand or by tracing something round), and then make a single cut from anywhere on the outside edge into the center of the circle.

Grab hold of the circle on either side of the slit you just made and place one side over the other, creating a cone.  Glue the cone into place, trim off any edge that you might need to trim off, and you have the umbrella canopy!  Now is the time to decorate it using markers, paint, crayons, gluing sequins on, etc.  Once dry, it’s time to attach the pole, which can be a plastic drinking straw, a tooth pick, or a bamboo skewer (most authentic) depending upon the size of your umbrella’s canopy.  Place glue (white or hot) on the top of the “pole” and glue into place.  Voila!  A paper umbrella!

For a further peek into Thailand, my list of recommended picture books set in Thailand can be found here: http://www.mama-lady-books.com/thailand.html.

* “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors” by Rudine Sims Bishop: http://www.rif.org/us/literacy-resources/multicultural/mirrors-windows-and-sliding-glass-doors.htm

Stephanie Kammeraad is a writer, book-lover, and home educating mama of two.  She is also a passionate multicultural children’s book advocate which you can see on her blog Parenting and Teaching Multiculturally (http://www.mama-lady-books.com/parenting–teaching-multiculturally), on her website Mama-Lady Books (http://www.mama-lady-books.com/), and on her Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Mama.Lady.Books).  As a former Special Education teacher, Stephanie now facilitates multicultural story times, school book fairs, and presents professional development sessions for early and elementary educators.  Her husband and children live in Grand Rapids, MI but you can often find them traveling throughout their home state, across the country, and beyond!

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I received a copy of this series in exchange for a thorough and honest review. The opinions stated herein are 100% my own. This post contains an affiliate link.

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Do you like going on trips, getting packed up, and discovering new and exciting things? I certainly do. I love meeting new people, learning a new language and experiencing new food!

Here is a way of doing all that and more – minus the packing up and getting on a plane part!

Before we go, how about we make a passport to keep track of all the new places we venture to? Don’t forget to grab your passports and put it in your suitcase. We are going to need it since we are going on a trip around the world!

Carole P. Roman’s new series, If you were Me and Lived in… is a child’s journey around the world. It’s a fun way of learning about different customs, including those from France, Portugal, Russia, Australia, Turkey, India, Kenya, Norway, and South Korea.

When you first open the book, your child will see a map of the country and it’s capital city. Then, it will show him/her where it is located on the globe. The author then gives information a child would be interested in, such as – friends names, what they would eat when they visit, what you would call your mom and dad, popular places to visit, and special holidays and happenings. In the back of each book, it hows how to pronounce each word – so they can say it correctly!

All of the books in this series are interactive. It asks questions…

When Daddy tucks in at night, you always say; “Amo-te paizinho (a-mo-te pa-i-nho)

Can you guess what you are saying to your pai (pay)?

In the list of definitions in the back, it will give your child the answer.

For my family, these books were a great jumping off point for acquiring further information. In the book on France, the author talked a bit about Bastille Day. So, from there, we talked about the French Revolution and Marie Antoinette. I don’t know about your kids, but my kids love to learn about a good beheading.

Sigh.

If you are adventurous in the kitchen, the author talks about the food your child will experience. If you look up some new recipes on the internet, it will add value to the experience. In the book on Kenya, she talks about Chapati being served with a barbecue of beef or goat called nyama choma and mixed vegetables. It can be made very simply.

My Children’s Favorite If Your Were Me and Lived In… Book

We learned all kinds of fascinating things about Kenya! One thing mom liked, most of the toys would be handmade. When we visit Kenya, the kids would be creating their own entertainment by gathering wire, sticks and cloth to make Galimoto. No Nintendo’s, YAY!

Don’t forget to stamp your passport with a drawing of something you learned about the country before you leave. It’s very important so that you child can remember when he or she has been and also make the experience their own!

Lisa aka, The Squishable Baby is primarily interested in the educational development of young children. She is a homeschooling mom to 3 and blogs education, health, and picture books. You can catch her on her blog – The Squishable Baby or on Facebook or Pinterest.

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Is summer flying by or what??!! Hard to believe in a little over a month our thoughts will be turning to lunches, backpacks, school supplies and homework. In the meantime, Jump Into a Book wants to continue to soak up every drop of this precious summer and that includes continually sharing amazing multicultural children’s books and complimenting activities to cultivate learning and fun time as a family.

Last week we were visited by one of my favorite young bloggers and authors and this week we are honored with another! Felicia “Neighbor Girl” along with her wildly-talented mom and assistant “Cool Mom” have joined us on JIAB and are sharing another wonderful book for the Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza. Felicia currently aspires to be a movie director when she grows up. Her first book is The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets and you may visit her characters online at www.StanleyAndKatrina.com. Enjoy!

DISCOVERING the CREE NATION THROUGH BLUEBERRIES

Title: Wild Berries

Author/Illustrator: Julie Flett

Year Published: 2013

Publisher: Simply Read Books

Pages: 32

Age Level: Pre-school – 3 years. In addition, it is a great way to introduce The Cree culture to older children.

Summary : Share the journey of Clarence and his grandmother picking wild blueberries. As they do their work, they meet ant, spider and fox in a beautifully illustrated landscape, the ancestral home of author and illustrator Julie Flett. This book is primarily written in English with words shared in the Cree n-dialect, also known as Swampy Cree. The publisher has also made “Wild Berries” available completely in the n-dialect.

WILD BERRIES

The illustrations drew us in, and the fact that we knew nothing about Swampy Cree sealed the deal. We do not study much about the Cree culture in America (at least where we live) but over 200,000 Cree live in communities in Canada and the northern United States.

This is a simply written book which contains powerful translations of key words into Swampy Cree on each page. We found it fun to attempt to say the word at first, then checked the pronunciation guide in the back of the book – boy, were we wrong. ;0)

Julie Flett’s illustrations perfectly accompany her text. She also included notes about the specific Cree dialect used in the book, and a recipe for wild blueberry jam in the final pages.

ACTIVITY:

You may, of course, do an activity related to the animals in the book but we wanted to do something related to the culture. We settled on an activity that would get us out in nature (as the book is set), and created a small Teepee, and canoe which we found on ehow. This was our result:

Julie Flett’s illustrations perfectly accompany her text. She also included notes about the specific Cree dialect used in the book, and a recipe for wild blueberry jam in the final pages.

SUPPORTING ONLIne ACTIVITIES:

Check out this teacher created, elementary level resource that includes the Cree culture:  http://www.spiritsd.ca/learningresources/FNM%20Resources/GR3%20Cree%20and%20Nisga’a%20Integration%20Document,%20Done%20June%2014.pdf

Learn how to tell someone I love you in Swampy Cree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?

/>v=xbMbDUaz_VU

Listen to Cree Champion Pow-wow Singers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACtKuFYBuqw

For another great book about blueberry picking, check out Blueberries for Sal.

THE STANLEY & KATRINA GANG

  Stanley (author) is a three-year-old black Labrador/Rottweiler mix who does his best to ignore Katrina. He enjoys snow, attention and turkey.

 Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge (author) is an eight-year-old grey tabby cat who loves her toy mouse. She enjoys treats, naps and bossing the dog around. Katrina also enjoys using big words and shares her Words of the Week with free printables and a video.

   Neighbor Girl (Felicia) is the eleven-year-old human who knows Stanley & Katrina the best. She assists them with everything. Neighbor Girl loves writing, reading, acting, singing, reading, gymnastics, karate, doodling, reading, ice skating, painting, reading, directing short films, doing computer stuff, oh… did we mention reading? She currently aspires to be a movie director when she grows up. Her first book is The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets. You may visit her characters online at www.StanleyAndKatrina.com. The pets get excited when humans follow them on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or Google+.  

   Cool Mom is Neighbor Girl’s mother and personal assistant when she needs  help. She is also the  web administrator and social media manager for Stanley & Katrina. Visit her hobby project www.kidlitprintables.com.

**Please share this post on Facebook and Twitter and feel free to comment below!

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