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Hello and Welcome to our first installment of the Read Kid’s Classics Challenge! I’m so glad you’re here and I can hardly wait to see what you’re reading as well. As many of you already know, I am a huge fan of children’s classics and over the years my family has actively read old classics and discovered new ones. In 2016 one of my many goals is to discover even more classics and share them with you, my valued readers.
So from now on, every month during my Read Kids Classic Challenge, I am going to present one classic that I simply can’t live without!
Joining me in this book-ish and fun campaign is a handful of powerhouse bloggers who are excited to share their very own #readkidsclassics picks! Please feel free to visit these five #ReadKidsClassics bloggers to see what classic book reading fun they have created.
I don’t think it will surprise anyone what my first Read Kid’s Classics Challenge pick is going to be, and I have a very good reason for that! I picked this book because it was my first kid’s classic and it became my favorite friend and companion throughout my childhood, ….no, throughout my life.
What could that incredible book be? Why The Secret Garden of course.
It was such a favorite book that I even wrote an activity guide to bring the entire book alive, month by month. What I would have done to be Mary and to live at Misselthwaite Manor but most of all to enter that garden.
OK, so knowing this about me, can you imagine my excitement this past November when I got to meet the author of the Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett) great grand-daughter? Oh it was really incredible. I had a little fan girl moment but then again so does her great grand-daughter Penny Dupree. Frances was just the most remarkable person and Penny has dedicated her life to getting her great grandmother’s story out.
While writing A Year in the Secret Garden I discovered that Frances Hodgson Burnett (FHB) started her writing career here in East Tennessee where I live. Last November was the 150th anniversary of her move from England to America and I was honored to be invited to participate with all of the fine folks of New Market, and Jefferson City.
So Let Me Share a Little About Frances Hodgson Burnett (FHB)
Now that you’re in my inner reading circle we’ll always refer to Frances as FHB. So reading friend I have to share with you that FHB was a most remarkable woman. At the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century, FHB was accomplished woman. She started writing to support her family who had just immigrated to the United States. From the moment she penned and published her first word, she was never turned down by a publisher. At the time of her death she had over 1000 magazine articles, 55 books, and several plays.
In her lifetime she was very well-known and admired as a writer as well as very wealthy. She was an adventurer crossing the Atlantic ocean round-trip 33 times. We owe a lot of thanks to FHB because she is the person who established copyright laws. Another writer tried to steal her story Little Lord Fauntleroy by turning it into a play. FHB wasn’t having any of that, she rewrote her own story into a theater piece and opened up directly across the street from the man who had stolen her story. She ended up running him out of business. Because of this she said that nobody should be allowed to steal another person’s work and so she established the preliminary copyright laws we now hold very dear. At the bottom of that statue are the signatures of some of the most famous writers of the time in the United States.
Penny Deupree in her presentation also shared somethings that wouldn’t be considered good about her great grand mother such as she smoked, drank, and swore. She also suffered the death of one of her sons which left a huge hole in the family. The story has continued thru her great grand-daughter and now her great great grand-daughter who is writing a book about FHB.
During our time together I gave a copy of my book A Year in the Secret Garden to Penny and her family and they just loved it and were so moved. I have to share that I felt FHB was shining down on me and giving her two thumbs up. It was totally an affirmation. Since our time together in November I have felt her on a couple of occasions, like the idea of building a Secret Garden in the city where I live. I’m so glad that inspiration has led me into the Secret Garden and filled it with a lifetime of memories.
(Photo of Penny Deupree and her grandfather Viven Burnett.)
I wish the very same for you. If you sign-up for our Read Kid’s Classic Challenge, this month I’ve prepared a beautiful Secret Garden PDF with loads of activities. It’s completely free.
What’s the Read Kid’s Classic Challenge ?
Every month during our Read Kids Classic Challenge we are going to present one classic that we can’t live without. We’d like you to join as well.
To Participate:We’d like you to share one kids classic that you can’t live without every month. Share it on your blog, vlog and social media using the hashtag #readkidsclassics once a month to let us know what you’ve been reading.
If you should choose to post about your kids classic choice, please let us know the following within your blog post:
- WHEN did you Discover This Classic?
- WHY did you Chose to Read It with your Family?
- WHAT Makes It A Classic?
- WHAT did you Think of This Classic?
Here’s how I classify classics as old or new (this isn’t an official classification it’s just sort of the way I think of it):
Old Kid’s Classics are those books written before 1950. New Kid’s Classics are those books written after 1950.
But that’s not all
When you sign up for the 2016 Read Kid Classics Challenge every month you will get a PDF that you can download which will have loads of activities on the particular book we’ve chosen to share at Jump into a Book. Each edition of Read the Kids Classics will highlight the story, have good things to eat in our kitchen called Table of Contents, give behind the scenes gossip about the author, easy crafts that kids can do on their own in our craftiness section, questions for the curious, explorations into the world of our featured books, as well as further connections via books like this one and topic booklists so you can find more good reads and finally a visit to the word wizard for some word play.
And Still There’s More-Free Books!
Sign up and join Jump Into A Book’s #ReadKidClassics Challenge to participate in our monthly adventure of sharing personal classic children’s favorites and activities.
On the last day of every month, JIAB will go on a book adventure; an adventure that will put participants in the running to win a bundle of book classics to fill your shelves with. This adventure could be in the form of a Instagram scavenger hunt or as easy as commenting here on JIAB. We just want participants to have fun and earn free books!
As part of this fun book-ish adventure, I will be creating free monthly PDFs of a #ReadKidClassics book and book extensions to give to all participants for their own family reading and fun.
We’re so excited about our challenge. Sign up below and we’ll see you there 
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The post Read Kid’s Classics Challenge: March’s Selection (#readkidsclassics) appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
Now that the hub-bub of Multicultural Children’s Book Day has slowed down to a manageable roar, I have some very exciting news that I have been dying to share!
On January 15th I received the most wonderful, exciting, heartwarming and I’m-think-I-am-going-to-burst pride-filled email.
Dear Valarie,
It gives us great pleasure to inform you that A Year in the Secret Garden has been named among the best in family-friendly media, products and services. Congratulations!
Award Details:
A Year in the Secret Garden
Juvenile Books (Level 1 – Ages 5 to 8)
Gold
GOLD!! A Year in the Secret Garden, a book that I co-authored with the wonderful Marilyn Scott-Waters, has received a Gold Award from Mom’s Choice Awards!
To say this is epic, is an understatement!
When writing A Year in the Secret Garden, Marilyn and I both had a vision of introducing the beloved children’s classic, The Secret Garden to a new generation of families. The result was a wonderful guide that uses over two hundred full color illustrations and photos to bring the magical story to life, with fascinating historical information, monthly gardening activities, easy-to-make recipes, and step-by-step crafts, designed to enchant readers of all ages. Each month your family will unlock the mysteries of a Secret Garden character, as well as have fun together creating the original crafts and activities based on the book.
Over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. A Year In the Secret Garden is our opportunity to introduce new generations of families to the magic of this classic tale in a modern and innovative way that creates special learning and play times outside in nature. This book encourages families to step away from technology and into the kitchen, garden, reading nook and craft room.
The warm fuzzy glow of the excitement hasn’t wore off yet, but one thing Marilyn and I DO know is that we want to CELEBRATE!
From now until February 29, 2016, A Year in the Secret Garden will be on sale for only $15.00. If you are looking for wonderful crafting activities, cooking project the whole family can participate in and character studies that help readers delve deeper into important characters like Mary, Dr. Craven, Colin, Ben Weatherstaff, Martha and Mrs. Melock, this book is for you.
Readers, parents, teachers and librarians can grab their copy of A Year in the Secret Garden on the Audrey Press website and on Amazon.
The post A Year in the Secret Garden wins Mom’s Choice Award! appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
It’s time! Time for The Audrey Press Holiday Book Sale!! Giving Young Readers the Gift that they can Open Again and Again!
As the holiday season approaches, consider adding the gift of books to your shopping list. There are many wonderful booklists available for parents looking to give their child the gift of reading and adventure. A book makes a great gift because they are meaningful, beautiful, portable, appealing, and inexpensive and it’s a gift that can be opened again and again. Books are the perfect gift for any age and a gift that doesn’t require batteries or sizing instruction!
If you would like to get started on your family reading adventure, or would just like to add to your family bookshelf, Audrey Press has some special deals on their catalog of books to get readers and gift-givers on their merry way. From November 30th to December 15th, give the gift of reading, adventure and education at extra-special Black Friday prices!
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.” 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 for the Holiday Book Sale price of $15.00 More details HERE!
Do your young readers love nature and all of nature’s critters? 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. Grab your copy ASAP for the Holiday Book Sale price of $12.00 HERE.
The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook is a simple step-by-step guide to creating and understanding a Waldorf inspired homeschool plan. Within the pages of this comprehensive homeschooling guide, parents will find information, lesson plans, curriculum, helpful hints, behind the scenes reasons why, rhythm, rituals, helping you fit homeschooling into your life. Discover The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook: The Simple Step-by-Step guide to creating a Waldorf-inspired homeschool will makes a great gift so grab your copy ASAP for the Holiday Book Sale price of $17.00
The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Enhanced Digital eBook is an entertaining and educational children’s book enhanced with animations, games, recipes, videos, and more providing hours of fun for kids and parents alike. Based on the beloved story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory this interactive children’s e-book is filled with action and adventure. With over 20 crafts and activities (including creating Gobstopper Gum and Chocolate Rivers, golden tickets, handmade Willy Wonka hats, etc.), this beautifully illustrated e-book re-lives the wonder and amazement through Willy Wonka’s world of magic. Download your copy ASAP for the Holiday Book Sale price of $3.99
Don’t have an Apple device, but still want to experience the thrill, activities and magic of The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? This entertaining and educational children’s book based on the beloved story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is available in PDF form! With over 20 crafts and activities (including creating Gobstopper Gum and Chocolate Rivers, golden tickets, handmade Willy Wonka hats, etc.), this beautifully illustrated PDF re-lives the wonder and amazement through Willy Wonka’s world of magic. Download your PDF copy ASAP for the Holiday Book Sale price of $5.00!
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Review Bloggers! We Need YOU! MCCBD 2016 Review Blogger Sign-up is OPEN!
***Review Bloggers-Sign up is HERE (Sign-up is open until December 31, 2015. There are no guarantees everyone will be matched with a book donator)
The post The Audrey Press Holiday Book Sale! appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
You may remember my mention last week of the upcoming Frances Hodgson Burnett Sesquicentennial Event Celebration. If you read that post you know how excited I am to celebrate an author who has touched my life in so many ways, and also one who is from my home state of Tennessee.
While researching my book A Year in the Secret Garden I discovered that author of the original classic children’s take The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett, lived in the United States from 1865 until she went back for a visit to England in 1872. Another great discovery was that she lived in the town next to our Knoxville and then up in the Jefferson City area 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.
The new piece of this puzzle is that I will be making many appearances during the month of November in honor of this wonderful event! Below are some places you can meet up with me or join me in experiencing The Year in the Secret Garden like you never have before!
- Tuesday, November 17th 5:30-6:00pm Secret Garden Activities for kids at the New Market School in New Market, TN
- Tuesday, November 17th at 6:00-6:30pm Book Signing of A Year in the Secret Garden at New Market School in New Market, TN
- Thursday, November 19th 10:50 to 11:45am The importance of Extension Activities in Children’s Literature, Carson Newman College in Jefferson City, TN.
- Thursday, November 19th 3:00pm Jefferson City Public Library Homeschool Event Exploring the World of the Secret Garden. Fun and Activities included.
- Thursday, November 19th 5:30-6:00pm Book Activity at the Jefferson City Courthouse
- Thursday, November 19th 6:00-6:30pm Book Signing of A Year in the Secret Garden at the Jefferson City Courthouse
Saturday November 20th Live and Silent Auction. A Year in the Secret Garden Basket, and a chance to bid on a real live Secret Garden Tea Party. New Hope Blount County Children’s Advocacy Center.
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This holiday season, give your children the gift that will nurture a lifetime of positive habits; give the gift of a book.
As parents, we want/need quality books with extension activities to help our young ones unplug and create memories. Pulling books from shelves, and stories from pages, is also an important act that will aid in them being life-long readers. Quality books with companion book extension activities are not only work to create special family time, it allows kids to solve the world’s problems without major consequences.
A Year in the Secret Garden is just such a book. This delightful children’s book from authors Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters offers unique and original month-by-month activities that allow readers to delve deeper into the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! 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.
This book will make a great gift and be the catalyst of many hours of family growth, learning and FUN! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” More details HERE!
The post Author Appearances at Frances Hodgson Burnett Sesquicentennial Event appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
Summer is slowly winding down and thoughts are turning to the upcoming school year and reads that will take us into (and through) the colder months ahead. Instead of being sad to see summer go, I choose to Celebrate! And what better way to do it than with an End of Summer Audrey Press Book Sale. For only one more day, readers can get a great deal on two of my most popular books. But don’t delay; this super special sale ends TOMORROW (August 14, 2015)!
First up The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook: The Simple Step-by-Step guide to creating a Waldorf-inspired #homeschool. And for a limited time, this best-selling book by Donna Ashton, The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook is now only $17.95 until August 14th, 2015 !
Enjoy more month-by-month activities based on 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. AND, it’s on sale until August 14th! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!”
Two great children’s books-Your choice, $17.95 each!
The post Only One Day Left! Audrey Press End of Summer Book Sale!! appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
“End of Summer??!!” I hear you wringing your hands and gasping in dismay from here.
Yes, I know it’s hard to believe that those words could even be coming from my lips, but the truth of the matter is that school starts here in Maryville, TN next week already. Vacations have been achieved, many travel miles have been logged and I feel the lazy days of summer beginning to wind down. So as things come to a close and thoughts begin to turn to the upcoming school year for many families, my focus is shifting to books and activities that will take us into (and through) the colder months ahead.
Instead of being sad to see summer go, I choose to Celebrate! And what better way to do it than with an End of Summer Audrey Press Book Sale. For two weeks only readers can get a great deal on two of my most popular books. But don’t delay; this super special sale ends August 14, 2015!
First book on sale is the extremely popular Waldorf Homeschool Handbook: The Simple Step-by-Step guide to creating a Waldorf-inspired #homeschool. And for a limited time, this best-selling book by Donna Ashton, The Waldorf #Homeschool Handbook is now only $17.95 until August 14th, 2015 !
Enjoy more month-by-month activities based on 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. AND, it’s on sale until August 14th ! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!”
Two great children’s books-Your choice, $17.95 each!
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The post The Audrey Press End of Summer Book Sale! appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
Welcome to the first week of The Book-Jumper Summer Reading Series! This is my way of inspiring parents who are looking for creative ways to keep their kids reading this summer. We are already off to a running start with a great book review of A Year in the Secret Garden and a book giveaway as well!
Our summer reading program will be a combination of some really neat things. All of our 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 want to take a look back to a wildly popular series I did earlier this Spring. Jump Into A Book readers loved it and I had a blast creating it as well. Every Wednesday readers could drop by here and find new and special happenings in the Secret Garden. There were crafts, great food, fun and laughter.
Here’s a recap of some of our more popular Secret Garden Wednesdays. These are too much fun not to read!
Which of these Secret Garden Wednesdays were your favorite?
Intrigued by the book?
Enjoy more month-by-month activities based on 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. AND, it’s on sale for a limited time! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” http://amzn.to/1DTVnuX
The post Let the Book Jumper Summer Reading Series BEGIN! Revisiting The Secret Garden appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
Welcome back!
As part of our Book-Jumper Summer Reading Series and Secret Garden week here at Jump into a Book we are giving away a Frances Hodgson Burnett Book Collection. The author of the Secret Garden penned over 40 books and we’re giving away some of her 4 most known and well loved classics plus a copy of our own A Year in the Secret Garden. It holds 12 months of wonderful activities, recipes,crafts, games,character and historical background information.
A Secret Garden Booklist Giveaway
The Secret Garden
A beautiful and timeless story about friendship, secrets, and the power of the human spirit, The Secret Garden tells the story of orphaned Mary Lennox, who is sent to live in her uncle’s house on the Yorkshire moors. With the tragic death of her uncle’s wife ten years earlier the house is an unhappy one. Miserable and lonely, Mary starts to explore the house’s gardens and soon discovers a key to the secret garden her uncle had sealed off. There she discovers a secret so important, so enchanting, that it will change her life forever.
Alone in a new country, wealthy Sara Crewe tries to settle in and make friends at boarding school. But when she learns that she’ll never see her beloved father gain, her life is turned upside down. Transformed from princess to pauper, she must swap dancing lessons and luxury for hard work and a room in the attic. Will she find that kindness and generosity are all the riches she truly needs?
A little background information from Frances Hodgson Burnett herself:
THE WHOLE OF THE STORY
I do not know whether people realize how much more than is ever written there really is in a story—how many parts of it are never told—how much more really happened than there is in the book one holds in one’s hand and pours over.
Stories are something like letters. When a letter is written, how often one remembers things omitted and says, “Ah, why did I not tell them that?” In writing a book one relates all that one remembers at the time, and if one told all that really happened perhaps the book would never end. Between the lines of every story there is another story, and that is one that is never heard and can only be guessed at by the people who are good at guessing. The person who writes the story may never know all of it, but sometimes he does and wishes he had the chance to begin again.
When I wrote the story of “Sara Crewe” I guessed that a great deal more had happened at Miss Minchin’s than I had time to find out just then. I knew, of course, that there must have been chapters full of things going on all the time; and when I began to make a play out of the book and called it “A Little Princess,” I discovered three acts full of things. What interested me most was that I found that there had been girls at the school whose names I had not even known before. There was a little girl whose name was Lottie, who was an amusing little person; there was a hungry scullery-maid who was Sara’s adoring friend; Ermengarde was much more entertaining than she had seemed at first; things happened in the garret which had never been hinted at in the book; and a certain gentleman whose name was Melchisedec was an intimate friend of Sara’s who should never have been left out of the story if he had only walked into it in time. He and Becky and Lottie lived at Miss Minchin’s, and I cannot understand why they did not mention themselves to me at first. They were as real as Sara, and it was careless of them not to come out of the story shadowland and say, “Here I am—tell about me.” But they did not—which was their fault and not mine. People who live in the story one is writing ought to come forward at the beginning and tap the writing person on the shoulder and say, “Hallo, what about me?” If they don’t, no one can be blamed but themselves and their slouching, idle ways.
After the play of “A Little Princess” was produced in New York, and so many children went to see it and liked Becky and Lottie and Melchisedec, my publishers asked[vii] me if I could not write Sara’s story over again and put into it all the things and people who had been left out before, and so I have done it; and when I began I found there were actually pages and pages of things which had happened that had never been put even into the play, so in this new “Little Princess” I have put all I have been able to discover.
“But only be good, dear, only be brave, only be kind and true always, and then you will never hurt any one, so long as you live, and you may help many, and the big world may be better because my little child was born. And that is best of all, Ceddie, — it is better than everything else, that the world should be a little better because a man has lived — even ever so little better, dearest.”
Frances Hodgson Burnett’s conviction that love conquers all is memorably embodied in this classic rags-to-riches tale of an American boy who is transported from the mean streets of nineteenth-century New York to the splendor of his titled grandfather’s English manor; A Year in the Secret Garden
A Year in the Secret Garden
Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters have co-created A Year in the Secret Garden to introduce the beloved children’s classic, The Secret Garden to a new generation of families.
This guide uses over two hundred full color illustrations and photos to bring the magical story to life, with fascinating historical information, monthly gardening activities, easy-to-make recipes, and step-by-step crafts, designed to enchant readers of all ages. Each month your family will unlock the mysteries of a Secret Garden character, as well as have fun together creating the original crafts and activities based on the book.
Giveaway! One Lucky Winner will win ALL FOUR BOOKS!
GIVEAWAY DETAILS
ONE winner will receive a copy of each of the fours books. Giveaway begins June 5th, 2015 and end June 21st.
- Prizing & samples courtesy of Authors of the above books
- Giveaway open to US addresses only
- ONE lucky winner will win one copy of each of the above books (A Little Princess, The Secret Garden, Little Lord Falteroy and A Year in the Secret Garden).
- Residents of USA only please.
- 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 June 22nd
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Can’t wait? Enjoy more month-by-month activities based on 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!”
The post The Book-Jumper Summer Reading Series and a Secret Garden Booklist Giveaway appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
Welcome to the first week of Book Jumper Summer Reading Series! This is my way of inspiring parents who are looking for creative ways to keep their kids reading this summer!
Our summer reading program will be a combination of some really neat things. All of our 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!
“Where you tend a rose, my lad, a thistle cannot grow.”
We here at Jump Into a Book are jumping into a new area that we have yet to explore: we are reviewing The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
Obviously, we know everything there is to know about our beloved classic children’s book. However, we realized that while we have written a whole novel jumping into The Secret Garden, we have yet to actually review it. So here we go!
From the Desk of Hannah Rials
Mary Lennox is an unpleasant, ugly, selfish child who is disliked by everyone who has come into contact with her. Her lifestyle in India has made her a spoiled child ready to order everyone around and have her way absolutely. When her absentee mother and father and the rest of her Indian household are all killed by an outbreak of cholera, she is sent to live with her hunchbacked, mysterious uncle in the moors at Misselthwaite Manor. Her uncle’s English household is appalled at her lack of manners and her inability to care for herself. They cannot see past her yellow, ugly manner. She has no appetite; she at first despises the moor and the English people who serve her and do not understand her way of living.
However, the more time she spends at the Manor, the more she listens to her maid Martha’s stories, the more she transforms. Her discovery of her uncle’s secret garden, locked away with a buried key, shows her the beauty of life. She becomes kind and gentle, aided by her belief in magic and her interactions with Martha’s brother Dickon, the charmer of all animals.
Misselthwaite is just an odd place. There is magic and there is mystery. When Mary begins to hear mysterious crying in the middle of the night, and after never quite receiving a straight answer from anyone in the household, she, and her complete lack of respect for authority, decided to explore the manor and discover the other secret of Misselthwaite–Master Craven’s son, Colin Craven, the diagnosed invalid who is most certainly going to die. Plagued by chronic hypochondria, Colin is an absolutely insufferable child who commands that everyone obey his every command since he is eventually going to die, whether from a crooked back, an outbreak of some disease, or his own thought. Once Mary and he discover each other, the rest of the household realize that the two cousins are kindred souls. She is the only one stubborn and selfish enough to let his own selfishness bounce off of her. Only she can calm him when he bursts into one of his fits or tell him when he is being ridiculous. Soon, Mary begins to trust her young cousin with her most precious secret: the secret garden.
With the help of Mary, Dickon, Ben Weatherstaff, and all of the creatures of the garden, Colin begins to come alive during his time in the garden. His epiphany gives him determination to live so that, when his father returns, he can show him that he is not an invalid. He is in fact, a young, healthy boy who is going to be an athlete and a scientific discoverer…a scientist who believes in the power of magic most certainly. In the secret garden, he learns to walk, run, plant, exercise, and love life.
The secret garden is a magical place where dead things come alive–plants, animals, an even small, unpleasant children.
I must admit, even though I helped with the creation of A Year In the Secret Garden, I had never actually read a full copy of The Secret Garden, only the abridged version from Great Illustrated Classic when I was a very little girl. I must say, reading it as an adult, I LOVED it! This is a beautiful story with wonderful ideas that all children should be taught. Now that I’ve started gardening in my own garden, I was able to appreciate the amazing magic of the secret garden. If this book somehow managed to slip through your reading repertoire as a child, as it did in mine, go back and read it. I think this would be a marvelous story to read aloud with your kids too. You just can’t ignore Mary Lennox and Colin Craven. They will not allow it!
Interesting Facts about Frances Hodgson Burnett:
- After her father died when she was young, her mother moved their family from Manchester England to Knoxville, Tennesse, a short drive from JIAB’s home base.
- Frances began writing stories when she was a young child, however, her mother forced her to burn her stories before they moved to the United States.
- Frances’ adult home in England was named Great Maytham Hall.
- She too had a passion for gardening like her young characters in The Secret Garden.
- Spiritualism and Christian Science became a major aspect of her life after her oldest son died. She worked these ideas in the novel through Colin’s power of positive thinking.
- Throughout her writing career, Frances wrote 124 novels.
A Look At author Frances Hodgson Burnett’s Home in England
Here’s an excerpt from a great article on the topic written by Into The Book:
Mrs. Burnett apparently got the idea for the book while staying at the home between 1898 and 1907. She spent hours wandering through the gardens and observing its inhabitants. The little red robin that shows Mary Lennox the way to the hidden garden door actually appeared in real-life to Frances who found a hidden door of her own, giving her the idea for the story! (I’d like to meet this clever robin!) Read the rest of this interesting story HERE.
What was YOUR favorite part of the classic The Secret Garden? Have you read A Year In the Secret Garden yet? If so, what has been your favorite activity thus far? Please share in the comment box below!
Enjoy more month-by-month activities based on 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. AND, it’s on sale for a limited time! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” Grab this book on Amazon http://amzn.to/1DTVnuX
The post School is OUT…Let the Book Jumper Summer Reading Series BEGIN appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
Hello and welcome to our Secret Garden! Every Wednesday you can drop by here and find new and special happenings in the Secret Garden. There will be crafts, great food, fun and laughter. So please be sure to come by and see us in our Secret Garden created just for you.
Ah, finally the weather has turned warm, the sun is shining upon us and yes folks, the strawberries have ripened!
I can just imagine the great thrill that Colin and Mary must have felt in those first few days of summer sun that washed over their secret garden and lavished them with flowers in full bloom and wonderful wild strawberries hidden in the beds.
As we venture further into The Secret Garden it’s time to get outdoors, and pick ourselves some berries. We’ll be making jam for sure but who could resist strawberry shortcake.
Here’s a look at our berry picking day along with a little help from The Beatles. Don’t forget the strawberry short-cake at the end. You’ll also find a great recipe for strawberry jam in A Year in the Secret Garden
Strawberry Fields Forever……
What would you think if I sang out of tune,
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears and I’ll sing you a song,
And I’ll try not to sing out of key.
Oh I get by with a little help from my friends,
Mmm, I pick some yummy berries with a little help from my friends,
Mmm, I’m gonna try with a little help from my friends.
Strawberries are in y’all. Have a great day!
Strawberry Shortcake Southern Style
Ingredients
2 (16-oz.) containers fresh strawberries, quartered
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup cold butter, cut up
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Combine strawberries, 1/2 cup sugar, and, if desired, almond extract. Cover berry mixture, and let stand 2 hours.
2. Beat whipping cream at medium speed with an electric mixer until foamy; gradually add 2 Tbsp. sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Cover and chill up to 2 hours.
3. Combine flour, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl; cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender or two forks until crumbly.
4. Whisk together eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until blended; add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Drop dough by lightly greased 1/3 cupfuls onto a lightly greased baking sheet. (Coat cup with vegetable cooking spray after each drop.)
5. Bake at 450° for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden.
6. Split shortcakes in half horizontally. Spoon about 1/2 cup berry mixture onto each shortcake bottom; top each with a rounded Tbsp. chilled whipped cream, and cover with tops. Serve with remaining whipped cream. Garnish, if desired.
Strawberry Jam Shortcakes: Prepare recipe as directed. Before topping shortcake bottoms with strawberry mixture, stir together 1/4 cup strawberry jam . Spread cut sides of bottom shortcake halves evenly with jam mixture. Proceed with recipe as directed.
Have you missed the last few Secret Garden Wednesdays? These are too much fun not to read!
Sale!!
Let’s celebrate the wonderful upturn in the weather with a Super Spring Sale! I have two of my most popular books on a super special sale until May18th!
The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook: The Simple Step-by-Step guide to creating a Waldorf-inspired #homeschool. And for a limited time, this best-selling book by Donna Ashton, The Waldorf #Homeschool Handbook is now only $17.95 until May18, 2015 ! http://amzn.to/1OhTfoT
Enjoy more month-by-month activities based on 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. AND, it’s on sale for a limited time! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” http://amzn.to/1DTVnuX
Your choice, $17.95 each!
The post Secret Garden Wednesday:: Strawberry Fields Forever and a Sale! appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
Children’s Book Week is this week, May 4-10, 2015!
Children’s Book Week is the annual celebration of children’s books and reading. Established in 1919, it is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. The program is administered by Every Child a Reader (ECAR) and the Children’s Book Council (CBC) is the anchor sponsor.
In 2014, Official Events — which give kids the opportunity to connect with their favorite authors and illustrators in person — were hosted in all 50 states for the first time in the initiative’s history.
Here is the official 2015 Children’s Book Week Poster by Grace Lee! Grab your copy HERE.
The official poster commemorates the 96th annual celebration of Children’s Book Week (May 4-10, 2015), the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country.
Reading is a daily journey, a ritual to spend time with our favorite authors and with each other. A time to go to places imagined, to meet characters who have become friends or shortly will be. As the book is passed between us, our rolls change from listener to reader and back to listener again.
Family story time should be an illumined hour when the sun is gone and the stars have come out of hiding. It’s not about how quickly we can get through a book or how many accelerated reader points its worth or how well the kids will do on their exams, it’s all about us, the happily ever after reading family.
Creating a Slow Family Reading Moment:
- Try and choose the same time of day for your family reading session. It doesn’t have to be the exact hour just around the same time of day.
- Unplug. No cell phones, TV, instant messages, beepers, buzzers or alarm clocks. Basically anything which makes noise must be off.
- Be comfortable. Wear comfortable clothing.
- Make a cozy environment. Bring out your favorite blankets and pillows. Many people like to have beverages such as hot herbal teas, cider, lemonade etc. For ourselves we also add the element of sitting by the fireplace or fire pit in Autumn through the end of spring and then out onto the screen porch in the summer.
- Choose a book that everyone in the family can understand and enjoy.
- Create a system for choosing who will read next. Sometimes my husband or I will start the reading session and then quietly pass the book onto the next child. At first as your family is young, you will be the primary reader.By slowing down and reading from a place of timelessness and expectations, we create connections to each other. We are enraptured by books that inspire us and our creativity. Though not explicitly, children learn that the love of reading is an enjoyment we all share. There is an old proverb which says :”A fig tree, looking on a fig tree, becomes fruitful.” Children, by participating with their families in reading will grow to love reading for the adventures and insights it holds.
Let’s celebrate Children’s Book Week with a Super Spring Sale! I have two of my most popular books on a super special sale until May18th!
The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook: The Simple Step-by-Step guide to creating a Waldorf-inspired #homeschool. And for a limited time, this best-selling book by Donna Ashton, The Waldorf #Homeschool Handbook is now only $17.95 until May18, 2015 ! http://amzn.to/1OhTfoT
Enjoy more month-by-month activities based on 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. AND, it’s on sale for a limited time! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” http://amzn.to/1DTVnuX
The post Children’s Book Week and a Quickie Lesson on Slow Reading Time appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
This week on Secret Garden Wednesday, we’re celebrating everything roses. When I think of the Secret Garden I think of roses and their wonderful beauty. Inside the Secret Garden there are roses growing everywhere and are happily attended to by Mary, Collin, and Dickon.
I grew up in Portland, Oregon and every year to this day in the merry month of June we have the Portland Rose Festival. It’s a solid two weeks of rose related fun and activities including a huge parade.
Rose Facts:
- There are over 100 species of the rose.
- We usually call the sharp spikes on the stem of a rose-bush “thorns”. But these are in fact technically prickles.
- The flowers of most species of rose have five petals except for the species ‘Rosa sericea’ which has only four.
- The name “Rose” is often used as a girl’s name in English-speaking countries.
- For hundreds of years the rose has been widely recognized as a symbol of love, sympathy or sorrow.
- The rose is most commonly used as an ornamental plant grown in the garden for its beautiful flowers.
- The rose can be used in perfumes. The nice scent of the rose comes from microscopic perfume glands on the petals. Sometimes rose petals are also dried and packed for commercial use as decoration or for scent.
- Because they’re low-maintenance and nice to look at, rose shrubs (classified as a shrub even though some don’t look like shrubs for example the climbing rose) are used as landscape plants for hedging (the thorns can discourage intruders) or planted on hillsides as a slope stabilizing method to stop soil erosion.
- The fruit of a rose is called a rose hip. The berry-like hip are usually red in color but some can be dark purple or black.
- Rose hips of some species are extremely rich in vitamin C, because of this the hip is sometimes made into jam, jelly, or brewed for tea. The hip also has minor medicinal uses, used in food supplements and can be pressed or filtered to make rose hip syrup. Hip seed oil is also used in skin products and makeup products.
- Historically the rose was of great importance to the Romans and Egyptians. Romans would use them as room decorations, or wear them on string around their neck and anything which was said “under the rose” was deemed to be a secret. The famous Cleopatra of Egypt was believed to have covered the floor of her palace room with roses before Mark Antony visited her.
- The rose can come in all colors although a “black rose” is not actually black it is usually a dark red. Each color has a different meaning or symbolizes something different for example red means love, orange – desire, yellow – joy etc.
- Traditionally England is signified by the rose, it is the country’s national flower. The rose came to prominence there during the ‘Wars of the Roses’, 1455 to 1485 when the house of Lancaster was represented by the red rose and fought against the house of York which was represented by the white rose.
- In 1986 the rose also became the floral emblem of the United States. It is the official flower of four states including the state of New York, Iowa, North Dakota and Georgia.
What other rose fun can we get into?
Rosapalooza Activities
Crepe paper Roses . This is one of illustrator and Friend Marilyn Scott-Waters favorite things to do is to make crepe paper roses. If you make some, be sure and post your photos on the Jump into a Book Facebook page.
Jeweled Rose Crystals
This is such a fun and fascinating craft and incredibly fun science project.
Rainbow Rose This is an incredible experiment to do whereby you can create a rainbow-colored rose. No genetic engineering involved only some food coloring and a little ingenuity. Super fun !!!
Have you missed the last few Secret Garden Wednesdays? These are too much fun not to read!
Want to enjoy more month-by-month activities based on the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden? A Year in the Secret Garden is over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. A Year In the Secret Garden is our opportunity to introduce new generations of families to the magic of this classic tale in a modern and innovative way that creates special learning and play times outside in nature. This book encourages families to step away from technology and into the kitchen, garden, reading nook and craft room. Learn more, or grab your copy HERE.
The post Secret Garden Wednesday: Rosapalooza appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
Hello and welcome to our Secret Garden! Every Wednesday you can drop by here and find new and special happenings in the Secret Garden. There will be crafts, great food, fun and laughter. So please be sure to come by and see us in our Secret Garden created just for you.
We took a little adventure a couple of days ago and discovered a Secret Garden right in the middle of the forest. We were hiking in the Smoky Mountains, everyone around here knows that the wildflowers bloom over a few weeks and many of us get out to see the forest and mountain sides bloom out in color.
We took a side path and walked ourselves into an ancient moss covered forest. Surrounded completely by mountains we walked deep into the enclosed valley to discover the most enchanted vision I’ve ever seen in nature.
The forest floor was completely covered in blooming phlox, may apples and another little tiny white flower I don’t know the name of. Moss one inch thick covered fallen trees and branches as well as the trunks of living trees.
We were all alone here in this ancient wood. The only sounds were that of a water fall off in the distance, the cacophony of birds and the buzzing of bees.
One of the most important things missing from these photos is the smell. I’ve never smelled anything as this blooming forest. It made us heady with delight. We spent over an hour in this forest soaking it all in. Soon other wildflower enthusiasts joined us and it was nice to meet people who shared in this moment of Secret Garden bliss.
I learned a big lesson on this hike, that a Secret Garden doesn’t have to be behind a wall locked away with a key but can be found in our daily wanderings.
This week I challenge you to find a secret garden near you. It might be behind a wall, it might be under a big tree, it might be in the forest near your home, or behind a log that’s drifted in from the ocean. Wherever it is, go and find it! Cherish those hidden moments in nature’s Secret Gardens!
Have you missed the last few Secret Garden Wednesdays? These are too much fun not to read!
Want to enjoy more month-by-month activities based on the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden? A Year in the Secret Garden is over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. A Year In the Secret Garden is our opportunity to introduce new generations of families to the magic of this classic tale in a modern and innovative way that creates special learning and play times outside in nature. This book encourages families to step away from technology and into the kitchen, garden, reading nook and craft room. Learn more, or grab your copy HERE.
The post Secret Garden Wednesday: Wildflowers appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
Hello and welcome to our Secret Garden! Every Wednesday you can drop by here and find new and special happenings in the Secret Garden. There will be crafts, great food, fun and laughter. So please be sure to come by and see us in our Secret Garden created just for you.
Happy Spring to You! Today on Secret Garden Wednesday we’re going to dive into the world of Bees. I know Spring is finally here because I’ve just spotted one of our pollinating friends the bumble bee over the weekend. As the temperatures rise the buzz in the air is loud. Day by day more and more plants and flowers are blooming. This is all thanks to pollinators such as bees, hummingbirds, bats, wasps and so on. Without them we would simply die.
Side Note about Bees:
Bees play a key role in the productivity of agriculture and the beauty of our world and are responsible for the pollination of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and flowers. But our cherished bees are facing peril in the form of the disruption of natural habitats. This disruption is in the form of lack of “bee flowers” due to the widespread overuse of pesticides, and numerous bee diseases and parasites have pushed bees to the tipping point. But Jump Into a Book readers can do their part by planting “bee-friendly flowers” and not treating those same flowers with pesticides (insecticides, fungicides or herbicides). That simple act can help to keep bees healthy and on their own six feet.
Did You Know…
- To get one pound of honey, that’s 16 oz requires 1,152 bees traveling 112,000 miles, visiting 4.5 Million flowers ?
With all of this traveling and the heat of summer, bees can get really thirsty. For a bee to drink water they need a surface to land on. To ensure that the bees are not only well fed but well watered too, let’s create a watering hole for them.
A Bee Watering Hole
Supplies:
- Flower pot saucer
- Rocks which you’ve collected or purchased at a craft store
- Water
Directions
- Arrange the rocks in the flower pot saucer.
- Add water until water covers the bottom half of the rocks.
- Place outside near flowers
Inside A Year in the Secret Garden we explore the world of bees as we make a bee house/hive to attract bees into your garden. Though our garden might be a secret we always need bees and other pollinators inside to help our gardens grow.
Have you missed the last few Secret Garden Wednesdays? These are too much fun not to read!
Want to enjoy more month-by-month activities based on the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden? A Year in the Secret Garden is over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. A Year In the Secret Garden is our opportunity to introduce new generations of families to the magic of this classic tale in a modern and innovative way that creates special learning and play times outside in nature. This book encourages families to step away from technology and into the kitchen, garden, reading nook and craft room. Learn more, or grab your copy HERE.
The post Secret Garden Wednesday: What To Do When Bees Get Thirsty ? appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
Every Wednesday you can drop by here and find new and special happenings in the Secret Garden. There will be crafts, great food, fun and laughter. So please be sure to come by and see us in our Secret Garden created just for you.
Happy Spring to You !!!! Today on Secret Garden Wednesday I’m giving a public service announcement to buy those Cadbury Eggs while they’re here. This weekend is Easter weekend and the stores are loaded with those delectable creamy eggs.
I’m not giving this egg advisory for eggs sake oh no, I have other motives in mind.
While creating A Year in the Secret Garden one of the activities we had the most fun with was our Robin Cakes. Robin Cakes are creamy cupcakes with a cadbury egg in the center, an egg which is whole and does not melt. It’s so magical !!! On top of the robin cake we spread a creamy vanilla frosting and then create the cutest little robin to go on top. These cakes are hit at any party.
I buy those cute little cadbury eggs during Easter time and put them in my freezer so I can make Robin Cakes all spring and summer long. So take heed and go get yourself some Cadbury Eggs, the small ones so you can have this delectable and adorable treat all Spring and Summer long.
Have you missed the last few Secret Garden Wednesdays? These are too much fun not to read!
Want to enjoy more month-by-month activities based on the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden? A Year in the Secret Garden is over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. A Year In the Secret Garden is our opportunity to introduce new generations of families to the magic of this classic tale in a modern and innovative way that creates special learning and play times outside in nature. This book encourages families to step away from technology and into the kitchen, garden, reading nook and craft room. Learn more, or grab your copy HERE.
The post Secret Garden Wednesday: Celebrating Spring with Robin Cake appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
Every Wednesday you can drop by here and find new and special happenings in the Secret Garden. There will be crafts, great food, fun and laughter. So please be sure to come by and see us in our Secret Garden created just for you.
In the Secret Garden, hunger plays an important role. It shows the well-being or stress of various characters, as well as where they live in the well-established British class system.
For a majority of 19th-century England, hunger was a real issue. Though only a behind-the-scenes character in the Secret Garden, hunger is used as a symbol to show a return-to-health for main characters Mary and Colin.
In The Secret Garden we have this real paradox going on where Mary and Colin inside their rich manor house are skipping meals not to let on that Colin is recovering and then going outside to receive food from Dickon and his poor family.
Hunger, however isn’t just a 19th century problem but has found its way into 20th and 21st century America.
“If you can’t feed a hundred people then feed just one. ” Mother Teresa
This shadow lying character of “hunger” in the Secret Garden actually brings up a great opportunity to discuss with your children hunger in 21st century America. Here’s the hard cold facts, everyday in the United States 35.5 million Americans, including 16 million children do not have enough to eat. That’s a staggering figure when you think the U.S. is one of the richest countries in the world.
“16 million children is enough to fill 18,000 school buses and 223 football stadiums. On average, those who live in food-insecure households have only $36.50 to spend on groceries every week.” -SheKnows.com
Many of these hungry people actually have jobs. This issue arises when rent and cost of living rises but salaries do not. People have to pay their rent to have a place to live and often times this means they don’t have enough left over for food.
For this Secret Garden Wednesday let’s explore the world of hunger right here in our own back yard. I think important to look at hunger on a local/national level. If you’re one of our readers from another country, I encourage you to do a little research on hunger in your area. I think looking at hunger locally brings it home to kids that it’s not some problem over there but a real problem right where you live.
The wonderful people over at SheKnows.com in collaboration with Unilever project Sunlight, has this wonderful discussion and activity guide to discuss hunger with your children as well as figure out how to feed a family on $36.50 a week. This great guide also suggests a solution to hunger in America with the Share-A-Meal program.
I hope you’ll take this moment and think about hunger and how it impacts our communities and how you and your family can make a difference.
Have you missed the last few Secret Garden Wednesdays? These are too much fun not to read!
Secret Garden Wednesday: Planting Time
Secret Garden Wednesday: Book-Inspired FUN
Secret Garden Wednesday: Perfectly Good Porridge
Secret Garden Wednesday: Garden in a Jar
Secret Garden Wednesday: Sticky Toffee Pudding
Want to enjoy more month-by-month activities based on the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden? A Year in the Secret Garden is over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. A Year In the Secret Garden is our opportunity to introduce new generations of families to the magic of this classic tale in a modern and innovative way that creates special learning and play times outside in nature. This book encourages families to step away from technology and into the kitchen, garden, reading nook and craft room. Learn more, or grab your copy HERE.
The post Secret Garden Wednesdays: Studying the Class of Hunger appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
“If you want to see birds,you must have birds in your heart.” John Burroughs
Every Wednesday you can drop by here and find new and special happenings in the Secret Garden. There’ll be crafts, great food, fun and laughter. So please be sure to come by and see us in our Secret Garden created just for you.
This week in our secret garden, we have had a mix of everything from ice, snow, torrential rains, and finally severely clear beautiful blue sky sunny weather.
With the changing of the seasons comes new little visitors to our grade. We heard the croaking of frogs down by the stream and have seen an abundance of robins and other spring time birds.
Inside the pages of A Year in the Secret Garden, we share how to actually build a birds nest. I’ll leave that for you to enjoy with family and friends.
Today we’re going on a Springtime scavenger hunt plus we’re making some edible bird nest yummies !!
Enjoy !!!
Something To Do
Spring Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunts are always so fun. Take this fun list along outside with you and check off everything that you can find. Just remember not to take anything and leave it in it’s place. Have fun finding Spring.
Spring Scavenger Hunt
Check off the following when you find them:
- Grass
- Bird
- Flower
- Rocks
- Leaves
- Pinecone
- Butterfly
- Fruit Tree
- Feather
- Twig
- Ant
- Watering Can
- Bike
- Worm
- Squirrel
- Caterpillar
- Bird Feeder
- Vegetable Garden
Bird Nest Treats
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup butter
4 cups chow mein noodles
DIRECTIONS:
1. Butter a 12 cup muffin tin.
2. Combine marshmallows and butter over medium heat in a saucepan; stir until the butter and marshmallows have melted. Stir in the chow mein noodles, coat well. Butter fingers and press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the prepared muffin tin. Refrigerate until firm.
After the nests are firm, place jelly bean, Cadbury or malt meal eggs.
Have you missed the last few Secret Garden Wednesdays? These are too much fun not to read!
Secret Garden Wednesday: Book-Inspired FUN
Secret Garden Wednesday: Perfectly Good Porridge
Secret Garden Wednesday: Garden in a Jar
Secret Garden Wednesday: Sticky Toffee Pudding
Want to enjoy more month-by-month activities based on the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden? A Year in the Secret Garden is over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. A Year In the Secret Garden is our opportunity to introduce new generations of families to the magic of this classic tale in a modern and innovative way that creates special learning and play times outside in nature. This book encourages families to step away from technology and into the kitchen, garden, reading nook and craft room. Learn more, or grab your copy HERE.
The post Secret Garden Wednesday: Nest Building appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
Happy Secret Garden Wednesday !!! Every Secret Garden Wednesday readers can drop by & find new and special happenings in the Secret Garden. There will be crafts, great food, fun and laughter.
Last week was filled, and I mean filled, with ice, sleet… and finally a big dose of wonderful snow. Once the snow hit and we could get out of the house, everyone had a great time sledding, and cross country skiing as well as fort and snowman building. Some of the best fun of all was had by our resident foxes who played a roving game of kick the can with us as well as many adventuresome moments diving into the snow.
Traditionally speaking snow days in our house also brings out traditional foods. There’s always a big pot of vegetable soup on the stove, warm bread out of the oven, and more hot chocolate than you can muster. There is also a dessert that is so warm and cozy that it’s one of the first things I make on a “snow day” and that’s Sticky Toffee Pudding. Warm, sticky, and completely lovely. Its the perfect ending to a perfect snow day. The only thing more perfect is to eat it by the fire.
Cheers and Enjoy !!!
From the book A Year in the Secret Garden (page 63)
Sticky Toffee Pudding
Pudding Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for the pan
- 1 1/2 cups of sifted all purpose flour, plus more for the pan
- 1 1/2 cups chopped pitted dates ( about 6 ounces)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (Packed) light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup (1/2) stick unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
Pudding Instructions
(Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 C). Butter and flour Bundt pan. Bring dates and 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a medium heavy saucepan with tall sides. Remove from heat; stir in baking soda ( mixture will become foamy). Set aside; let cool.
Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat 1/4 cup butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl to blend (mixture will be grainy). Add 1 egg; beat to blend. Add half of flour mixture and half of date mixture; beat to blend. Repeat with remaining 1 egg, flour mixture, and date mixture. Pour batter into mold.
Bake until a tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Invert pudding onto rack.
Sauce Instructions
(Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm gently before using. )
Bring sugar, cream, and butter to a boil in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue to boil, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
Cut cake into wedges. Serve with sauce and whipped cream.
Want to enjoy more month-by-month activities based on the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden? A Year in the Secret Garden is over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. A Year In the Secret Garden is our opportunity to introduce new generations of families to the magic of this classic tale in a modern and innovative way that creates special learning and play times outside in nature. This book encourages families to step away from technology and into the kitchen, garden, reading nook and craft room. Learn more, or grab your copy HERE.
The post Secret Garden Wednesday: Sticky Toffee Pudding appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
It’s Secret Garden Wednesday!
Every Wednesday you can drop by here and find new and special happenings in the Secret Garden. There’ll be crafts, great food, fun and laughter. So please be sure to come by and see us in our Secret Garden created just for you.
One of the things I love most about The Secret Garden is that together, Mary , Colin and Dickon hold the key to.
This week my garden has been under a lot of ice and snow as well as frigid temperatures which ran below zero. To get our time out in the garden in there is only one choice and that’s to create an indoor garden. Our version is Garden in a Jar one of the fun activities in A Year in the Secret Garden. Here’s a sneak peak !!!
This is a really fun activity to do anytime of year but really fun when it’s too cold to go outside. Children love being able to take care of their garden and play with the small figurines moving them around their own secret garden, their very own garden in a jar.
Discovering the art of “Garden in a Jar” is only one of the many things readers will find inside the pages of A Year in the Secret Garden.
Over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. A Year In the Secret Garden is our opportunity to introduce new generations of families to the magic of this classic tale in a modern and innovative way that creates special learning and play times outside in nature. This book encourages families to step away from technology and into the kitchen, garden, reading nook and craft room. For more details, or to grab your copy of this vibrant book, go HERE.
The post Secret Garden Wednesday: Garden in a Jar appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
This time of year in the Secret Garden the earth is sleeping under a cloak of beautiful white snow. The birds have migrated off leaving the garden quiet from birdsong. This is the time of year when we clean up the garden when snow and rains allow. In the not to distant future, our garden will be exploding with life once again.
I thought we’d spend these last few weeks of winter together enjoying a few moments inside our book A Year in the Secret Garden. Marilyn Scott-Waters and I had more fun than two women should creating this activity guide to one of our favorite childhood books The Secret Garden.
Every Wednesday you can drop by here and find new and special happenings in the Secret Garden. There’ll be crafts, great food, fun and laughter. So please be sure to come by and see us in our Secret Garden created just for you.
One of the things I love most about The Secret Garden is that together, Mary , Colin and Dickon hold the key to.
One of our tasty treats in A Year in the Secret Garden is Porridge with Treacle. I’m sure all of you are asking , “what’s that ?” I thought today we’d take a closer look porridge, in fact we’ll just have ourselves a little Porridge Fest 2015. What do you say ?
What is Porridge ?
Porridge is a dish made by boiling ground, crushed, or chopped cereal in water, milk, or both, with optional flavorings such as sugar, cinnamon, nuts, raisins, is usually served hot in a bowl or dish.
Have you ever noticed that in most of our favorite children’s classic stories that they are always serving porridge or it’s bad version equivalent gruel ? There’s probably a good reason for that. Many of our favorite books are set in England or Great Britain. Northern Europe including Scandinavia have been eating porridge for centuries. I love the oat porridge of England and Scotland. My parents being from Sweden meant I ate a rice sort of porridge known as groat. Porridge can be made from any type of grain and is so very good and tasty.
According to the Daily Telegraph, porridge transformed mankind.
Alistair Moffat, a DNA specialist from Great Britain said,
“The greatest revolution of our history wasn’t the invention of the iPad, it wasn’t the invention of the steam engine, it wasn’t all the things you might lay your mind to. The great invention, the greatest revolution in our history was the invention of farming. Farming changed the world because of the invention of porridge.”
Porridge is a hearty meal that can be modified to either a sweet dish or a savory dish depending on how seasonings are being added. Over the past couple hundred years, porridge is eaten as a breakfast meal and let’s one stay full most of the day. In the story the Secret Garden, people ate two meals a day. Porridge in the morning and then supper at night. It was only the upper classes that would have more than two meals a day.
In other literary favorites such as Oliver Twist, “each boy had one porringer, and no more – excep
t on occasions of great public rejoicing” – has been viewed as a watery symbol of deprivation. The watery deprived version of porridge is known as gruel. The Roman armies as they occupied Great Britain were fed ‘water-grule’. Later various prison systems in Great Britain would serve their prisoners water-gruel and the term “doing gruel or doing porridge” became a term for being in prison.
Let’s look back a little bit into history and really see where the story of porridge leads us.
In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes the stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while hence the rhyme, “Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old.”
In peasant cottages there was no kitchen to cook in. The poorest families had only one room where they cooked, ate, worked and slept. It is also possible that most of these extremely poor families owned only one kettle. Poor town-dwellers usually didn’t even have that, and obtained most of their meals ready-made from shops and street vendors in the Medieval version of “fast-food.”
Those who lived on the edge of starvation had to make use of every edible item they could find, and just about everything could go into the pot (often a footed kettle that rested in the fire rather than over it) for the evening meal. This included beans, grains, vegetables and sometimes meat — often bacon. Using a little meat in this manner would make it go farther as sustenance.
To really understand porridge we really must go to Scotland. Porridge or Parritch is one of the national dishes of Scotland.
Traditions surround the making and eating of porridge. Stirring should always be done clockwise (for luck) with a spirtle or theevil, a wooden stick tapering to a rounded point, for stirring, and a carved head. In Scots, porridge was always referred to in the plural and was customarily eaten while standing, but the reasons for this latter custom aren’t really known. Some think it was due to the proverb: “A staunin’ sack fills the fu’est” (A standing sack fills the fullest), while others thought people ate standing up in case of a surprise enemy attack.
Once cooked, the porridge is ladled into porringers (bowls) with a separate bowl of milk, buttermilk, or thin cream 
close by. Each spoonful of porridge was dipped into the cold liquid and then eaten. Some sprinkled sugar over the porridge, and others preferred honey, treacle or syrup, or a small square of butter. Porridge was sometimes poured into a drawer in the kitchen dresser to be sliced when cold, either for eating out in the fields or for reheating in the evening.
Porridge for your Health
Porridge is highly nutritious because oatmeal contains protein, carbohydrate, fats, and soluble fiber, all the B vitamins, vitamin E, calcium, and iron. For the very poor in Great Britain, porridge prevented scurvy and other ailments from the lack of vitamins A, C, and D when one added milk and vegetables to the porridge.
What is Treacle ?
So now we get to the sweet stuff. For those of us who live in the United States, treacle will be a mystery but I’m hoping to end that for you right now. For those of you who live in Great Britain or the Commonwealth I imagine treacle has found a way to your heart , stomach, and table.
Treacle is what we call molasses here in the States. Treacle is any un-crystallized syrup made during the refining of sugar. The most common forms of treacle are the pale syrup known as golden syrup and the darker syrup usually referred to as dark or black treacle. Dark treacle has a distinctively strong, slightly bitter flavor, and a richer color than golden syrup,yet not as dark as molasses. Golden syrup is the main sweetener in treacle tart.
For those of you who are Harry Potter fans, Treacle Tart and Treacle Pudding were among Harry’s favorite foods.
Molasses has a stronger and more robust taste than treacle. In the US molasses is found in bottles in the baking section of your grocery store and treacle can be found in cans/tins in grocery stores in Great Britain.
Inside the pages of A Year in the Secret Garden you will find a delicious recipe for porridge and treacle. I hope you’ve enjoyed our porridge fest today and a closer look into this hearty and tasteful meal.
Enjoy !!!
Find out more, or grab your very own copy of, A Year in The Secret Garden HERE
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“I’m in the garden !!!” The Secret Garden to be precise. This time of year in the Secret Garden the earth is sleeping under a cloak of beautiful white snow. The birds have migrated off leaving the garden quiet from birdsong. This is the time of year when we clean up the garden when snow and rains allow. In the not to distant future, our garden will be exploding with life once again.
I thought we’d spend these last few weeks of winter together enjoying a few moments inside our book A Year in the Secret Garden. Marilyn Scott-Waters and I had more fun than two women should creating this activity guide to one of our favorite childhood books The Secret Garden.
Every Wednesday you can drop by here and find new and special happenings in the Secret Garden. There’ll be crafts, great food, fun and laughter. So please be sure to come by and see us in our Secret Garden created just for you.
One of the things I love most about The Secret Garden is that together, Mary , Colin and Dickon hold the key to unlocking the natural world. Through their struggles, triumphs, and adventures they unlock the wonders of nature and magic to us too.
According to Richard Louv, 2008 Audubon Medal Recipient and author of Last Child in the Woods, kids today are becoming more and more removed from nature, at the expense of their own psychological and physical well-being. Children are spending more time in structured activities and on electronic devices, leaving little time for unstructured play in nature. With this book, Marilyn and I have created an innovative and enchanting book inspried by a classic children’s tale that encourages kids to step away from electronics and initiate creative play. Here’s a quote from an article done about A Year in the Secret Garden:
“We wanted A Year in the Secret Garden to be the catalyst in introducing the beloved children’s classic, The Secret Garden to a new generation of families, Budayr shared. “ This guide uses over two hundred full color illustrations and photos to bring the magical story to life, with fascinating historical information, monthly gardening activities, easy-to-make recipes, and step-by-step crafts, designed to enchant readers of all ages. Each month your family will unlock the mysteries of a Secret Garden character, as well as have fun together creating the original crafts and activities based on the book. Our goal is to not only raise awareness for the necessity of families spending more quality “unplugged” time together, but to also share monthly activities that incorporate nature and the outdoors as well.”
It may be too chilly (or snowy!) right now to do garden activities but A Year in The Secret Garden is filled with other fun activities and ideas that are inspired by the classic children’s tale Secret Garden. Within these pages your family will find new activities, crafts, recipes and lessons (inspired by the book) in a something-to-do-every month format. With over 120 pages, 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities, your family and friends will be crafting, cooking, enjoying, learning and playing together!
Watch for the first installment in this fun new series next week and in the meantime, go here to get more details and grab your copy.
The post Secret Garden Wednesday-Because Book Inspired Fun is HEALTHY appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
Each year the American Library Association honors books, videos, and other outstanding materials for children and teens. Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, the ALA Youth Media Awards, including the prestigious Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, and Coretta Scott King Book Awards, guide parents, educators, librarians, and others in selecting the best materials for youth. Selected by committees composed of librarians and other literature and media experts, the awards encourage original and creative work in the field of children’s and young adult literature and media.
The 2015 Youth Media Awards were announced at 8:00 a.m. Central time on Monday, Feb. 2, 2015, during the ALA Midwinter Meeting & Exhibition in Chicago. The Randolph Caldecott Medal is awarded annually , to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children. The award is administered by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association.
Melissa from Imagination Soup offered up a post on 2015 Newbery and Caldecott Winners
Reading is Fundamental has a great list of 10 Years of Caldecott Winners
Great Kids Books- 2015 Caldecott Awards: a terrific range & selection of books!!! (ages 4-14, yes really!!)
Scholastic Books has a list of Caldecott Medal Winners for Grades 1-2
WAIT! Winter blues and cabin fever making your family a bit “cray-cray??” A Year in The Secret Garden is a gorgeous book inspired by the classic children’s tale Secret Garden. Within these pages your family will find new activities, crafts, recipes and lessons (inspired by the book) in a something-to-do-every month format.
Award-winning authors and co-creators Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters have come together to create A Year in the Secret Garden as an opportunity to introduce a new generation of families to the magic that is The Secret Garden. With over 120 pages, 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities, your family and friends will be crafting, cooking, enjoying, learning and playing together with monthly activities inspired by the characters and events of the original children’s classic. Every month readers will get to meet another Secret Garden character, as well as experiencing original crafts and activities based on the book.
So much fun and great way to get families AWAY from the computer or electronics and into the kitchen and craft room! Get more details and grab your copy here.
The post Weekend Links: Caldecott Winners Booklists and More appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
Happy 2015!
Doing “best of” lists seems to be all the rage these days so I thought, “Why should JIAB be any different?” We created some amazing bookjumps and book reviews on this site in 2014, had some awesome guest posts and shared a plethora of exciting news as well. Here are some of the highlight.
Top Blog Post and Booklists:
I’ve always thought the best way to teach my kids to be kind is to be kind myself. While that’s a really good start, I can’t be with them all day long and life is filled with opportunities to be both kind and unkind. This got me thinking, what books are out there that teach kindness?
Here’s a look at what I found.
The Kindness Booklist for Kids
To honor and celebrating the first ever cross country mail delivery and a bit of American itself, I created a booklist that takes a look at the Pony Express.
Stargazing & Astronomy Booklist for the whole family.
Love and respect the rainforest? We do too. Here is our Rainforest Booklist roundup in honor of World Rainforest Week (Oct 12th – Oct 18th)
We had a ton of fun with some “snow fun” as well in December. Here’s a recap of JIAB’s Snow Festival:
It’s been a SNOW FESTIVAL all this week! With all the white stuff on the ground and the kids off of school, might as well celebrate, right?
This week kicked off my super-fun-book-filled Snow Festival here at JIAB. In case you missed it, here’s a recap:
Snow Festival Day 1:
Snow Festival Day 2:
This playful depiction of a snowy day and the transformation of a city is perfectly captured in simple, poetic text and lively watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations.
Plus: Homemade Snow Cream
Who couldn’t love Poppy in her little red hat going to a winter’s feast?
Plus: Make a Message Crown
The Story of Snow by Mark Cassino celebrates the magic of snow through science, math, language arts, music, and visual art activities.
Plus: Paper Snowflakes and Snow Storm in a Jar.
Snow Festival Day-5 Snowflake Bentley and Creating your own Snowflake Exhibit!
Snow Festival Day 6--A Snow Booklist.
Amazing Guests
During the summer months we had some A-List blogger stop by during our Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza. Here are a few of our favorites:
A Chair for My Mother Book Review & Activity {Guest Post from Vicki Arnold}
A Peek into Thailand {Guest Post from Stephanie Kammeraad of Mama-Lady Books}
Discovering The Cree Culture in America-Wild Berries by Julia Flett Review & Activity! (Guest Post from Felicia at Stanley and Katrina)
Cooking with Books: Lucky Birthday Noodles {Guest Post by Jodie from Growing Book by Book}
Read A Book, Travel The World & Make A Wish {Guest Post from Gladys Elizabeth Barbieri}
Kid Writing and Biographies: Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson {Guest Post from The Unconventional Librarian}
Events and News
As everyone may know, I am one of the co-founders of Multicultural Children’s Book Day and our second (upcoming event) has gotten larger and more vibrant than we could have every dreamed! Even though our second event hasn’t occurred yet (1/27/15), our victories in regard to this important initiative still remain some of the top highlights of 2014 for me:
NEWS! Multicultural Children’s Book has is getting BIGGER and gaining momentum more and and more every day! With 9 CoHosts, 17 super Sponsors, over 125 bloggers, and countless authors and publishers donating multicultural children’s books, this wonderful event promises to be bigger and better than ever. Our ultimate goal is to shine the spotlight on multicultural children’s books and offer up resources for parents, caregivers, teachers and librarians to continue to help kids “see themselves” in the pages of a book.You can view our Author Blogroll Sponsor Page
HERE, our Virtual Book Drive (through First Book) page
HERE and please watch for (and re-tweet!) our event hashtag #ReadYourWorld.)
And…I had a baby! OK. not really. But it kind of felt like it when I “birthed” my newest book with the super creative (and always funny) Marilyn Scott-Waters. Audrey’s Press’ (my publishing house) newest book is
A Year in the Secret Garden and I couldn’t be more proud of not only how beautiful it turned out, but how wonderfully book buyers have responded to this book that is inspired by the classic children’s take
The Secret Garden.MCCBD Co-Founder Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom and myself are super excited to announce that, on February 14th 2015, we will be a co-host for International Book Giving Day! As we get closer to the event I’ll fill in the details.
I know I’ve missed of bunch of things and this list could go on FOREVER. 2014 was an amazing year for me and my team at Jump Into a Book and as always, I want to say “THANK YOU” from the bottom of my heart for your support and readership.
Here’s to an even more exciting 2015!
The post The “Best of ” Jump Into a Book’s Booklists (& More) for 2014! appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
Snow by Uri Shulevitz has stood the test of time in our house. In winter it is never far from reach and is always the very first book to come off the shelf during the very first snow storm of the season.
“It’s snowing, said boy with dog.
“It’s only a snowflake,” said grandfather with beard.
No one thinks one or two snowflakes will amount to anything. Not the man with the hat or the lady with the umbrella. Not even the television or the radio forecasters. But one boy and his dog have faith that the snow will amount to something spectacular, and when flakes start to swirl down on the city, they are also the only ones who know how to truly enjoy it. This playful depiction of a snowy day and the transformation of a city is perfectly captured in simple, poetic text and lively watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations.
The story is a perfect balance between words and illustrations. It isn’t cluttered with too many words. It allows both the reader and the read -to, to use their own imagination, and to wonder what is really happening or what is really going to happen. Each time we pick up this classic read, we can always spy something new which could be happening.
Something To Do: Homemade Snow Cream!
When one is hoping for a giant snowstorm and then one appears, the next thing one should be thinking is, SNOWCREAM. Did you know you can make ice cream out of snow? If by chance today you are in a place where it is snowing you can make yourself a little bowl of magic right now. For the rest of us, we will just have something to look forward to.
- 8 cups of snow
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1/2 cup of evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
Mix milk, vanilla, and sugar until dissolved. Add snow, stir until consistency is thick and creamy. Serve immediately. Might I suggest that it tastes great with chocolate chips or little goodies (small candy) too.
What kind of snow fun can you create?
DON’T FORGET! There’s only a few days left of the Audrey Press Holiday Book Sale! (ends 12/31/14)
A Year in the Secret Garden (inspired by the classic children’s book Secret Garden) is on a wonderful sale until December 31st. Books always make an excellent gift for anyone in your life and it’s not too late to get your copy of A Year in the Secret Garden book for the special holiday price of $15.00 (ends December 31st) if you use the secret code word secret garden at checkout.
This guide uses over two hundred full color illustrations and photos to bring the magical story to life, with fascinating historical information, monthly gardening activities, easy-to-make recipes, and step-by-step crafts, designed to enchant readers of all ages. There’s also a link to a free download website for all of the wonderful paper toys that Marilyn Scott-Waters has created. Each month your family will unlock the mysteries of a Secret Garden character, as well as have fun together creating the original crafts and activities based on the book. This book also includes month-by-month activities as well INCLUDING fun book-related fun for the colder months of the year!
Get your copy here.
**some of these links are affiliate links
The post Snow Festival Day 2: Snow by Uri Shulevitz appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
Christmas is almost upon us and WOW has it been busy around JIAB Headquarters! Thanks to holiday shoppers looking for quality books and activities for kids, I have sold, packed and shipped over 100 copies our Audrey’s Press’ newest book A Year in the Secret Garden. this week alone.
A big part of the selling spree is the fact that this book (inspired by the classic children’s book Secret Garden) is one a wonderful sale until December 31st. Books always make an excellent gift for anyone in your life and it’s not too late to get your A Year in the Secret Garden book for the special holiday price of $15.00 (ends December 31st) if you use the secret code secret garden at checkout.
This guide uses over two hundred full color illustrations and photos to bring the magical story to life, with fascinating historical information, monthly gardening activities, easy-to-make recipes, and step-by-step crafts, designed to enchant readers of all ages. Each month your family will unlock the mysteries of a Secret Garden character, as well as have fun together creating the original crafts and activities based on the book.
ANOTHER hot seller this month is Donna Ashton’s Waldorf Homeschool Handbook which is ALSO offered at the reduced holiday price of $17.00 (through December 31st) if you use the secret code word waldorf at checkout.
Happy Holidays everyone!
Last chance to grab this free gift!
The post Weekend Links: Updates, Victories and DEALS appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
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Many of you also may know that I am Co-founder of the wildly successful 
