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Is summer flying by or WHAT?! Goodness, before we know it we will be reading about “first day of school” booklists!
I’ve been having so much fun with my Notable Women series these last few weeks. I kicked things off American Revolution hero Sybil Ludington, then moved on to favorite author Pam Muñoz Ryan. This week I want to focus on the wonderful works of author Linda Sue Park.
Linda Sue Park is the author of the Newbery Medal book A Single Shard, many other novels, several picture books, and most recently a book of poetry: Tap Dancing on the Roof: Sijo (Poems). She lives in Rochester, New York, with her family, and is now a devoted fan of the New York Mets. For more infromation visit www.lspark.com
Here are a few of my favorite Linda Sue Park books for kids:
The New York Times bestseller A Long Walk to Water begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about two eleven-year-olds in Sudan, a girl in 2008 and a boy in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching water from a pond that is two hours’ walk from her home: she makes two trips to the pond every day. The boy, Salva, becomes one of the “lost boys” of Sudan, refugees who cover the African continent on foot as they search for their families and for a safe place to stay. Enduring every hardship from loneliness to attack by armed rebels to contact with killer lions and crocodiles, Salva is a survivor, and his story goes on to intersect with Nya’s in an astonishing and moving way.
In this Newbery Medal-winning book set in 12th century Korea, Tree-ear, a 13-year-old orphan, lives under a bridge in Ch’ulp’o, a potters’ village famed for delicate celadon ware. He has become fascinated with the potter’s craft; he wants nothing more than to watch master potter Min at work, and he dreams of making a pot of his own someday. When Min takes Tree-ear on as his helper, Tree-ear is elated — until he finds obstacles in his path: the backbreaking labor of digging and hauling clay, Min’s irascible temper, and his own ignorance. But Tree-ear is determined to prove himself — even if it means taking a long, solitary journey on foot to present Min’s work in the hope of a royal commission . . . even if it means arriving at the royal court with nothing to show but a single celadon shard.
Sun-hee and her older brother, Tae-yul, live in Korea with their parents. Because Korea is under Japanese occupation, the children study Japanese and speak it at school. Their own language, their flag, the folktales Uncle tells them—even their names—are all part of the Korean culture that is now forbidden. When World War II comes to Korea, Sun-hee is surprised that the Japanese expect their Korean subjects to fight on their side. But the greatest shock of all comes when Tae-yul enlists in the Japanese army in an attempt to protect Uncle, who is suspected of aiding the Korean resistance. Sun-hee stays behind, entrusted with the life-and-death secrets of a family at war.
In a riveting narrative set in fifteenth-century Korea, two brothers discover a shared passion for kites. Kee-sup can craft a kite unequaled in strength and beauty, but his younger brother, Young-sup, can fly a kite as if he controlled the wind itself. Their combined skills attract the notice of Korea’s young king, who chooses Young-sup to fly the royal kite in the New Year kite-flying competition–an honor that is also an awesome responsibility. Although tradition decrees, and the boys’ father insists, that the older brother represent the family, both brothers know that this time the family’s honor is best left in Young-sup’s hands. This touching and suspenseful story, filled with the authentic detail and flavor of traditional Korean kite fighting, brings a remarkable setting vividly to life. AUTHOR’S NOTE.
Julia Song and her friend Patrick want to team up to win a blue ribbon at the state fair, but they can’t agree on the perfect project. Then Julia’s mother suggests they raise silkworms as she did years ago in Korea. The optimistic twosome quickly realizes that raising silkworms is a lot tougher than they thought. And Julia never suspected that she’d be discussing the fate of her and Patrick’s project with Ms. Park, the author of this book!
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Something To Do
In honor of the amazing Linda Sue Park book Project Mulberry, here are some fun ways to bring this book to life.
As we stood under our mulberry tree remembering this great story, we decided right then and there that we had to grow our own silkworms. I must admit to you that we are at the beginning of this process and are waiting for our little silkworm eggs to arrive. We promise to keep you updated on our progress.
Would you like to join us in growing silk worms? Just leave a comment below and let us know if you will share this experience with us.
A few weeks ago I saw the most interesting TED talk about what they are now using silk for. It’s amazing and is being used in ways one could not even imagine. It is taking science and technology to a new level. This is a great video for kids probably age 8 and older.
Looking for more ways to not only get your youngsters reading, but get them OUTSIDE as well? 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!” More details HERE.
Looking for a unique way to keep your kids busy this summer…and engaged with nature? The At-Home Summer Nature Camp eCurriculum is available for sale!
A creative, affordable alternative to pricey summer camp, this 8-week eCurriculum is packed with ideas and inspiration to keep your kids engaged and happy all summer long. In one easy-to-follow PDF, you receive eight kid-approved themes, each including ideas and tutorials for: outdoor activities, indoor projects, arts & crafts, recipes, field trips, books & media, and more. Every weekly theme is packed with summer nature fun your family can have right in your own backyard!
Themes include: An Edible Garden, The Night Sky, At the Beach, A Spot in the Shade, Ponds & Frogs, Rain Rain, Wildflowers & Bees, and Sun Fun.
Want a sneak peak of what’s inside? First, let me tell you that every week includes guest contributions from some really incredible, creative mamas. Here’s a sampling of their projects:
Of course, there are plenty of A Natural Nester projects & ideas too, including: At-the-Beach Touch Tanks, Rainy-Day Cheesy Croutons & Tomato Soup Recipes, Build a Bee Condo, Blast Off to Outer Space (A Virtual Field Trip), and much more! And to tie it all together, I’m including two all-summer-long bonus projects: Keep a Nature Journal and Create a Curio Cabinet to help your little naturalists learn to observe, collect, and record the objects and events of their natural world.
It’s going to be loads of fun, and a resource you can use for years to come. And the best part…it’s really affordable. Pay only $39.99 for all 8 weeks – that’s just under $5 a week folks! So, now you know why I’m jumping out of my skin to share this new project with you…
What a busy week it has been with even more activity, books and special events to come! As you all know, I like to share some of my favorite links from fellow bloggers and moms that I encounter over the course of the week. Here are my top picks for this week:
{GOOD NEWS!} Libraries Are Paving The Way For Cultural Unity via @HuffPostArts
What great book finds did YOU encounter this week?
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.
Exploration and inquiry are the keys to unlocking the secrets and treasures of the trees. Each page asks a question:
What if we swung from a tree branch as monkeys do ? What type of tree would we be swinging form?
What type of tree would we choose if we were a bat and needed to hang upside down?
Each question takes us to a new tree in a new land.
Just Like Me Climbing a Tree is perfect for ages 5 and above. It is beautifully illustrated with full color drawings, bringing this tree adventure to life. Each double page spread hosts the lyrical poetry of tree, a question, and the classification of the tree and where it is found on our planet.
In the back of the book there is an entire section called “About the Trees in this Book” which is devoted to describing and classifying each tree in great detail.
This hands on multicultural read is sure to delight you and your family time and again. Just Like Me Climbing a Tree brought to mind all of the trees we as a family have called “friend” throughout the years. In our garden we have a huge Rose Cypress tree that has seen many hours of play underneath its branches. If you ask my children, they will tell you that it is a magical tree where fairies live.
In the country of Lebanon where my in-laws live, there is a gigantic banyan tree. It is a favorite friend where we have picnic lunches and the kids climb for hours. This old and ancient tree is a place of pilgrimage for all of us. We can not set foot in Beirut more than 24 hours without going to see what’s happening with our friend known as “the tree.”
Something To Do
How Old Is A Tree ?
Our beautiful old monkey tale pine tree had to be cut down a couple of weeks ago due to it being severely damaged by an ice storm. After cutting it down, we are left with the stump but it’s the stump which will tell us a lot about the life of this beautiful magnificent tree.
Tree Rings
As a tree grows, it produces new layers of wood around the trunk, just under the bark. If a tree is cut down, the layers are visible in a cross-section. The layers appear as a set of concentric circles known as tree rings.
In general, one layer of wood grows each year. Each layer consists of two colors of wood: light-colored “earlywood” that grows in the spring and summer plus darker, denser “latewood” from the fall and winter.
Tree rings—also known as annual growth rings—vary in size each year depending upon the environmental conditions that the tree experiences. For most locations, tree rings will be wider during years of abundant rainfall and narrower during times of drought.
By counting back from the year a living tree was cut, it is possible to determine how old the tree is. Find a tree stump and start counting the tree rings from the outside and move to the center of the tree trunk.
Climate Records
Some species of trees can live for thousands of years. Because the widths of a tree’s rings reflect yearly precipitation patterns, the rings can be analyzed to reconstruct a record of past climate conditions.
Fires
Tree rings also record the occurrence of forest fires. New layers of wood added around the exterior of tree trunks are vulnerable to damage by fire. If a fire damages a tree’s bark and exterior, but does not kill the tree, a new layer of wood can grow over the scarred layer the next year, preserving the scar as a record of the fire.
Spend some time outside near a tree stump and see what history it’s telling you. How old is it ? Was there years of excessive rainfall ? Was there years of drought ? Were there any forest fires ?
More Things To Do…….
Sing the Just Like Me Song
There’s a song to go along with this wonderful book. Not only will you be climbing trees but you’ll be singing while you do. Story Laurie aka Laurie McIntosh has written the Just Like Me Song. It’s really fun and wonderful. Have a look at the book as you sing along !!!
Marilyn Scott-Waters loves making things out of paper.
Her popular website, www.thetoymaker.com, receives 2,000 to 7,000 visitors each day, who have downloaded more than six million of her easy-to-make paper toys. Her goal is to help parents and children spend time together making things. She is the creator of a paper toy craft book series The Toymaker’s Christmas: Paper Toys You Can Make Yourself (Sterling), and The Toymaker’s Workshop: Paper Toys You Can Make Yourself (Sterling). She is also the co-creator with J. H. Everett of the middle grade nonfiction series, Haunted Histories, (Christy Ottaviano Books / Henry Holt Books for Young Readers).
On top all of this…..Marilyn is also my co-author and co-creator of the upcoming children’s book A Year in the Secret Garden.
I have known Marilyn for almost years now and these last three years have been a delight. It started in September of 2011 when I went to St. Paul Minnesota to attend The Creative Connection Conference. I was sitting in a hotel lounge writing in my notebook when this very cheerful woman came up to me and said, “Oh you have a moleskin. Can I pull up a chair and sit down?” Never would I say no to such a request. As she sat down she said,” Hi I’m Marilyn from California.”
And that’s when it all made sense. ” Are you Marilyn Scott Waters The Toymaker?” I asked. After she confirmed she was I admitted I had been buying and downloading her paper toys for years. Small world!
For the next four days we, the toymaker and I, had ample time to become friends and I even got to make toys with her. Over the course of our ongoing friendship we have mentioned to each other that we need to creatively collaborate on something. A book, a project….something. Then last fall we both had a flash of brilliance and the A Year in the Secret Garden book project was born.
Marilyn and I both agree that the process of creating this amazing children’s book filled with over 120 pages of activities, crafts, recipes, gardening fun and also education opportunities along with 150 original color illustrations. There is a total of 48 activities for families and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. Marilyn and I have a mission of offering A Year In the Secret Garden as an 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.
Marilyn shared with me that creating this book for families almost felt like a calling, and I wholeheartedly agree. We both have put 110% into making A Year in The Secret Garden a unique and enchanting experience that encourages families to push away from the “i-devices” and create some memories together. Marilyn is a former art director and design guru and this is sooooo evident in her breathtaking creations within this book.
As we pieced this unique books together that is inspired by the classic children’s tale The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, we both knew we wanted this to be a book for all ages to enjoy, and also a reason for parents to spend time outside with their kids enjoying and discovering the beauty of nature, just like young Mary did in the original book.
Our physical A Year in the Secret Garden book is now available in PDF download form HERE. If you’d like more in-depth look at the magical fun inside the pages of A Year in the Secret Garden, or order your special pre-sell copy of the physical book, go HERE to view a list of activities, recipes and learning opportunities connected to the book.
