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Almost two weeks ago on the evening of April 14th, my husband and I were just starting to get ready for bed when a flash of light outside lit up our entire home. A little bit later we heard a huge boom. Puzzled, my husband went outside to investigate, thinking it might have been a thunderstorm coming but the sky was perfectly clear. Later on we learned that the bright light and boom was a meteor. According to news reports, the meteor shot across the sky a little after 10:00 p.m. and was witnessed in at least six states including Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri and Michigan. One of my high school friend's parents found a meteorite on their farmland. Farmers in the rural Southwestern part of Wisconsin are finding meteorite fragments in their fields and meteorite hunters are canvasing the area, hoping to find one of those special chunks from the sky.
My daughter upon hearing the news, looked extremely disappointed. She wished she had been awake to see the light and hear the boom. Even though she didn't witness the fireball, she still is quite interested in learning more about them. We've watched a few of the news updates that have featured people talking about the meteorites and read a few of the news articles online. This week we also checked out a couple of books from the library about meteors and meteorites.
Meteor Showers, part of the A True Book Series, is an up-to-date and educational book on all things meteor related. The text discusses meteor showers, how meteors are created and shows how the Earth's gravity pulls the meteor into the atmosphere. One section focuses on the material make up of meteorites and another covers meteoritics, the study of meteorites. Major keywords like meteor, meteoroids and asteroids are in bold with the pronunciation in parenthesis. The well laid out design includes color pictures on nearly all the pages and the stylish layout makes the book fun to browse through like a magazine or read from cover to cover.
My daughter loved the picture of the largest meteorite found in the US (Willamette Meteorite) and also the picture of the Meteor Crater in Arizona. Here's one other fun fact we learned: "About 26,000 meteorites that are larger than a pebble land on Earth each year." That leaves us to wonder how many meteorites they'll discover in Wisconsin from the meteor that flew by a couple weeks ago!
1 Comments on Nonfiction Monday - Meteor Showers, last added: 4/28/2010
That's so awesome that you made sure you got some books about meteorites for her! These sound great for when my daughter is a bit bigger and understands more. Thanks for stopping by my blog and letting me know about the other children's meme's!
Yesterday we took a break from technology and celebrated the 40th anniversary of Earth Day in our own way by visiting with my grandparents. While it is wonderful that Earth Day encourages everyone to stop and reflect on ways to live in a more earth conscious way, being a friend of the environment isn't just a one day deal. It is a way of life, day in and day out. My grandparents have practiced sustainable living their entire life. They grew up during the Great Depression and lived through WWII, helping out on the home front by keeping the family farms running. They continue to live frugally in their small home, waste very little, compost, reuse what they can and tend a large garden.
Gardening is once again becoming a popular pastime. The focus on earth friendly living has sparked an increased interest in home gardening as many try to reduce their carbon footprint and eat organically. Also, several community garden projects have taken off. The community gardens bring people together, help families save money and teach individuals how to become more self-sufficient. During WWII, the U.S. government promoted a similar campaign for self-sufficiency through gardening by asking individuals on the home front to plant "Victory Gardens" as a way to address food scarcity and supplement food rations. Sleeping Bear Press just recently published a new book in their Tales of Young Americans Series that helps kids learn about the Victory Gardens from the World War II time period.
In Lily's Victory Garden, a young girl named Lily learns about a new way to help out the war effort by growing vegetables. Even though she lives in an apartment, she dreams of having her own huge garden. She tries to apply for her own plot with the local Garden Club, but learns she is too young to qualify. Undeterred by this obstacle, she decides to ask the Bishop family for permission to garden on their expansive property. Mr. and Mrs. Bishop's son recently died fighting in the war, and despite his grief, Mr. Bishop agrees to allow Lily to start her garden as long as she doesn't disturb Mrs. Bishop. Ultimately, Lily learns that her Victory Garden isn't only about growing plants and supporting a cause -- friendships can also blossom and hearts can mend when people work together in a garden.
This book not only offers children a snap shot of a period in history, it also shows them the power of friendship and gives a wonderful example of how a children can help out in their communities. Before reading Lily's Victory Garden, I wasn't familiar with the Victory Gardens of WWII. According to the informational section in the back of the book, "More than 20 million Americans answered the call in 1941 through 1943, producing nearly 50% of all the vegetables, fruit, and herbs for civilian consumption in the United States." The author, Helen Wilbur was actually inspired by her own mother, Edith, who kept her own Victory Garden during WWII. Because they lived on farms, both my grandparents already assisted with large gardens before the war so they didn't plant Victory Gardens, though they do reme
12 Comments on Lily's Victory Garden by Helen L. Wilbur - Book Review & stART, last added: 4/24/2010
This looks like a wonderful book! I haven't heard of victory gardens. I love books that teach history in the midst of a good story. Thank you for sharing this find!
That book looks like one that I will enjoy a lot! (More than my kids!) My grandparents lived through both World Wars and the Great Depression, and it was so fun to hear their stories about how life used to be! (But it would also have been very difficult to live through those times!)
What a great blog you have! I found you thru Feed Me Books Friday meme. We're planting our veggie garden and I took the kids to the Victory garden in Callway Gardens in Georgia a few months ago. What a great book!
I recently read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Kingsolver for bookclub and we discussed Victory Gardens and how many of us would like to start a garden of our own. I'm going to have to wait until hubby buys me a house with some sun! Thanks for the book recommendation!
Turn Off Week began yesterday and runs through Sunday. Are you planning to pull the plug? (It's also known as Digital Detox Week to encourage everyone to take a step back from all their digital devices -- that includes computers!) Last year my family turned off our TV and survived the week. I also noticed that after a few days, my daughter didn't miss the TV at all. She was perfectly happy to play outside, do little projects and use her imagination. My husband on the other hand had a few withdrawal issues. This week corresponds with National Park Week & the 40th anniversary celebration of Earth Day so there's plenty of screen free ways to celebrate and spend some quality time outdoors.
Todd's TV, a comical book about a boy that watches way too much TV, provides parents with a way to discuss the concept of less screen time with their kids. This new picture book by James Proimos releases next week and tackles the issue of excessive screen time with humor and a little sarcasm. Todd's parents use their TV set as his babysitter. Over time the TV begins to take over all parenting roles -- it plays catch, puts Todd to bed and even attends his parent-teacher conference. When the TV decides to try legally adopting Todd, his parent's rethink the whole TV situation.
We received an f&g (folded and gathered) review copy of this book last week. The red, white, gray and black color scheme really didn't call to me, at first. Surprisingly, my daughter is the one that gravitated toward the book, perhaps because it looks so different from most of her other books. I'm so glad she picked it up because we enjoyed reading it together and ended up talking quite a bit about TV usage in our home. Parents take note - Proimos gets the point across loud and clear in his book. The TV is not an electronic babysitter and readers will quickly realize the material in this book is aimed at both adults and children. I'll be the first to admit that I've used the TV in a pinch and for breaks. And occasional use is OK, at least in my book, especially if care is used in selecting appropriate shows. But when the box constantly and continuously blares, it's time to turn it off and look for different ways to spend time together as a family. Proimos illustrates this point beautifully in his book and also highlights the positives of using the time in different ways...well, that is until another technological device enters the home. In the end, I'm left wondering why this book isn't releasing a week earlier to correspond with Turn Off Week. Pick it up anyway next week, especially if you have kids that are addicted to TV. Most kids I know would rather spend time together reading a book rather than watching TV anyway, especially if storytime means a little one-on-one time with a beloved parent.
2 Comments on Todd's TV by James Proimos and Turn Off Week, last added: 4/19/2010
Turn Off Week when we're down to the final episodes of Lost? I just can't do it. Really excited to find out that it's National Park Week, though. We LOVE our Nat'l Parks!
We have a no tv M-F for the kids, but I have to confess, I watch tv later in the night. Uggh, I guess I should trim my habit and not be such a hypocrite.
We read some exciting, interactive, and a-MAZE-ing books this week by author Roxie Munro. Her search & find maze books kept my daughter and I plenty occupied for several hours and have been, by far, her favorite choice this week from the bookshelves. My toddler son also enjoyed browsing the collections of mazes and trying to find various animals and objects hidden in the pages, at least for a short while. We were so inspired by the books that we made our own full size maze in our driveway using sidewalk chalk!
Mazeways: A to Z by Roxie Munro. Sterling (August 2007); ISBN 9781402737749; 48 pages (Book Source: Copy from local library)
Munroe's mazes for each letter of the alphabet are highly detailed and visually interesting. Each maze takes the reader to a different location -- from an Airport or Garden to a Ranch or Waterfalls. The author provides directions on how to navigate through each letter maze. My daughter used her finger to follow the paths and enjoyed completing the tasks described. For instance, the letter L maze directions reads: "Enter through the LIBRARY door. Find the red Italian language book hidden on a shelf. Look up flights to Rome on the computer..." Several objects are also hidden in the pictures for children to find. The end pages give the correct solutions. This book would be perfect to use in conjunction with teaching the letters of the alphabet and older kids will enjoy trying to complete the maze puzzles on their own. Besides navigating the mazes, it's also fun to trace the large maze letters with your finger and use it like a tracer page for writing practice.
What's it like where you live? In EcoMazes kids can explore many different places on the earth by following the nature mazes and learn about the different types of creatures and plants living the
31 Comments on Mazeways and EcoMazes by Roxie Munro - Book Review & Giveaway, last added: 4/17/2010
How fun! I love all the great activities you were able to incorporate with just the couple of books. They're perfect for the outdoor weather coming up the next few months as well.
Thanks to Sterling for the giveaway opportunity!
I'm a follower via RSS and Google Friend. the1stdaughter at gmail dot com
This book sounds wonderful and very educational. Please enter me into this giveaway. I really love mazes and would love to work on them with my grandson.
"Aren't you children wondering why the earth is getting warmer and warmer?" asked Ms. Frizzle. Actually, we were wondering why she was steering the bus-plane higher and higher. - The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen
Doesn't riding on a sunbeam sound like a fun time? Ms. Frizzle, the teacher character in The Magic School bus series, has a wonderfully wacky way of dressing and an equally unusual way of teaching science to kids. Hop into her magical school bus and you'll never know where you'll end up, but most likely you'll learn something new. In her latest escapade, she takes her class up into Earth's atmosphere where they learn about global warming and ways to combat climate change. The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge covers a lot of material relating to the greenhouse effect and green living.
The Magical School Bus series came out a little too late for me to read them as a child so, up until this point, I hadn't read any of the books. I really like the busy, nontraditional layout. In addition to the interesting narrative text, the word balloons, school reports written on notebook pages, and other illustrated diagrams help engage children while imparting scientific facts. It's like reading a fun comic book about science. The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge presents information about polar melting, atmospheric gases and fossil fuels. Alternative energy options like windmills, solar power and biofuels are explained. The book also provides suggestions on ways kids can help improve the environment by using less energy, conserving and recycling. Elementary students will find plenty to look at in the book and will hopefully be inspired to make earth friendly changes in their own lives -- a perfect read for Earth Day coming up this next week.
On April 20th (1pm ET / 10am PT) readers can join author Joanna Cole and illustrator Bruce Degen during a live webcast to celebrate Earth Day and the new book. Learn more and register at http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbuswebcast/
Anyone know where I can find a dress like the one Ms. Frizzle wears in the beginning of this book? It's so colorful and shows various ecosystems. I'd love to wear one like it on Earth Day next week along with a pair of those penguin topped shoes.
Scholastic provided me with a copy of the book for review purposes. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)
I mentioned in an earlier post that my daughter's pre-kindergarten class is waiting for three duck eggs to hatch. The eggs are inside a mini 3-egg incubator. On Thursday the teacher showed the children how to candle the eggs by shining a bright light through each of eggs. Apparently all the embryos are developing. We checked out a few books from the library about eggs and chicks this week. If you know of a children's book about ducks and eggs, let me know!
An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Aston, illustrated by Sylvia Long.
This informative and detailed book has gorgeous ink and watercolor illustrations of various eggs from numerous different types of species (over 60). My daughter was surprised how varied the eggs are in color, shape and size. A detailed egg diagram shows the parts of an egg. The main text uses the repetitive phrase, "An egg is..." to talk about egg differences. Beautiful book!
We picked this book up for its unusual engraved illustrations. Appropriate for toddlers and preschoolers, the simple, repetitive text tells about a little chick that explores the farmyard and listens to the noises the other animals make. He meets pigs, ducks, cows, frogs, and lambs and heads back home to his mom and has plenty to say after his journey. The eye-catching engravings make this book stand out from other barnyard animal books. My daughter loved the duck illustration, of course!
Little Chick by Amy Hest, illustrated by Anita Jeram
Three stories in one book, this gem by Amy Hest is a quiet and thoughtful storytelling read. The short entries include "The Carrot That Would Not Grow," "The Kite That Would Not Fly" and "The Starry Night." In all the stories a wise and kind Old-Auntie chicken patiently offers guidance to a yellow Little Chick. Kids will sympathize with Little Chick's frustration. My daughter commented that she has a hard time making kites fly, too. Anita Jeram's soft watercolor illustrations pair wonderfully with the gentle tone of the stories.
7 Comments on Eggs and chicks - What we've been reading, last added: 4/12/2010
These are great! We just read a book about a duck family called This Way, Ruby. I think I mentioned it in my What My Child is Reading last week. It doesn't talk about eggs though.
I love how your scheduled your books to go along with what is happening in real life with your daughter.
My daughter has a b-day coming so we are reading b-day books. She seems to understand the concept now and I think she will enjoy her party more b/c of it.
I just did a quick search at Amazon, by typing in duck egg, and then hitting children's books - and there are some very cute looking ones. If I can find any at the library, I'll let you know how they turn out!
Thanks for joining and sharing your picks! How exciting about the ducklings - your daughter's preschool program rocks! Thanks for joining and sharing your picks. We read a book called Eggday which has a duck as one of the main characters. And we just happened upon Baby Duck series by Amy Hest which Anna quite likes this week - now I will keep my eyes open for Little Chick.
Last summer we visited the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. My daughter loved many of the exhibits but one of her very favorites was the Baby Chick Hatchery. She witnessed a baby chick peck out of its shell and she's had a special fondness for chicks ever since that experience. Chick and chicken books appeal to her greatly so you can imagine her excitement when we read Barbara Joosse's latest book, Higgledy-Piggledy Chicks.
"What can a fuzzy chick do? Little chicks have legs to run. But sometimes ... claws and teeth are out, and Mama can't be everywhere at once. Aunties?" - Higgledy-Piggledy Chicks by Barbara M. Joosse, illustrated by Rick Chrustowski
Bucka-buk! Bucka-buk! Barbara Joosse puts readers right in the middle of the barnyard with a story about a protective Banty Hen and her seven baby chicks. Seven eggs hatch into seven adorable and multicolored chicks. Those little chicks soon leave the nest to explore the vast barnyard and run higgledy-piggledy in every direction. Danger lurks hidden nearby but mama hen and the aunties do their best to keep the curious little chicks safe day and night from the cat, raccoon and snake predators.
Higgledy-Piggledy Chicks is a lively read-aloud for all young children, even toddlers. Joosse does a marvelous job capturing the sounds and sights near a hen house. There are plenty of peeps, clucks, kuks and kaaks sprinkled throughout the expressive text. Both my kids listened to the story intently, felt deep concern for the little chicks as they wandered around the barnyard and tried to guess what kind of predators lurked on the pages by using clues from the illustrations. Chrustowski's colorful collage illustrations have a certain depth to them - he used colored pencils to draw shadows and details on the cut figures. Both kids loved the page where the chicks hatch. They counted the chicks and picked out their favorites from the multicolored bunch. My daughter said that one of the little chicks looks like it is sleeping in a little egg shell crib. Chrustowski used actual chick models for his illustrations and at the end of the story provides pictures of the real chicks running around his studio. Joosse provides an educational description of how little chicks grow in the back of the book and tells a little bit about the Bantam hen breed.
One last reason why we simply adore the book -- both the author and illustrator live in our wonderful state of Wisconsin!
What a neat craft idea to go with that book! I've been saving some empty tissue boxes that I just KNOW I can use for a craft sometime, and making a building from a story may be just the thing. Thanks for the idea!!
How cute is that?!? Love it! We spent some of our vacation last summer at a B&B on a working farm. So much fun, especially when E got to gather eggs for breakfast!
We read and hear poetry every day in picture books and songs but the lyrical verses, for the most part, seem to go unnoticed. National Poetry Month takes place in April. Next month we plan to join others in a celebration of poetry by actively seeking out and reading poems. We hope to discover fun and interesting poetry that specifically appeals to children. We may even try our hand at writing a few of our own verses.
My preschool aged daughter is just learning to read and write. We decided that it would be fun to create a "My Poetry Book" this April. Every weekday we'll select a poem to paste into her book and, after reading the poem aloud together, she will draw an illustration for the poem. Some days I'll encourage her to pick a topic and we'll try to find a poem that fits the theme. Other days we may discuss different types of poetry like haiku or limericks. We'll go to the library, pick out a few poetry books and blindly pick a page to read. Along the way we'll try to update our readers on the progress and post a few entries. By the end of the month, her little poetry book will overflow with special poems and pictures that inspire.
There are plenty of online resources and activities geared towards introducing children to poetry. Hopefully you'll find some of these links handy when planning your own National Poetry Month celebrations:
Poetry Idea Engine - Use Scholastic's fun poetry generator to create haiku, limerick, cinquain, or free verse poems. Fun for all ages! (Scholastic also has a wonderful National Poetry month page for teachers: http://teacher.scholastic.com/poetry/index.htm)
Crayola National Poetry Month page - includes several printables and activity ideas. I really like the Crayola Poetry Coloring Page that encourages children to color and create their own short poem by arranging words.
Kidlitosphere Celebration of Poetry Month - several kidlit bloggers have decided to write poetry related posts during April. Click on the link to view the full list of participants and their chosen themes.
Poetry Foundation - A collection of articles and videos on children's poetry. Also includes a Children's Poetry Archive.
This week several bloggers are participating in Share a Story - Shape a Future, a weeklong blog event for literacy. It's a way for bloggers share ideas on ways to nurture reading and support children's literacy efforts. I'm excited to host a giveaway sponsored by GoodNights brand of sleep pants in conjunction with this event.
A good story draws attention. Parents can use storytelling to increase interest in reading and books. Storytelling goes hand in hand with reading and literacy development because oral communication provides the basis for beginning reading. Children that tell stories increase their understanding of word development and grow their vocabularies.
Bedtime is the perfect time for parents and children to engage in storytelling. Kimberly-Clark is sharing its commitment to literacy and wants to help parents and children bond at night with the magic of storytelling. Their GoodNites website offers several storytelling bedtime activity suggestions:
Play with Finger Puppets [pdf] - Put on a puppet show with the finger puppets and have your child act out their own made up story.
Use Template Word Games [pdf] - Create wacky stories by filling in the blanks of a short story with words and phrases. Read the story aloud together.
Make Hand Shadows [pdf] - Tell a story and illustrate it with your hand shadows on the wall.
The GoodNites brand of sleep pants also recently launched Bedtime Theater,™ a series audio bedtime stories available for free download online (CD versions are available in packages of GoodNites Sleep Pants). The story is about a boy Iggy and his exciting adventures with his magical bed. Along with listening to the story, families and storytellers can participate in the Iggy's Next Adventure Contest by creating a new adventure for Iggy and entering it in the contest. Only a story summary is required (approximately 275 words), so the contest isn't overly difficult to enter. Take a moment and enter your story idea for a chance to win the $2500 grand prize or one of the smaller weekly prizes. The contest ends on 4/15/2010. See the official rules for contest information.
The Bedtime Theater helps parents establish a nightly bedtime story routine with their children and reduce anxiety around bedtime. According to Dr. Jennifer Trachtenberg, one of the GoodNites NiteLite experts, "having a regular evening ritual, such as a bedtime story, can quell nighttime issues like bedwetting and become an important step in building your child’s self-confidence." Even though the website is geared toward those needing help with bedwetting, all parents and children can enjoy the Bedtime Theater.
53 Comments on Storytelling and GoodNites Bedtime Theater: Iggy's Next Adventure Contest (and a Giveaway), last added: 3/12/2010
I love asking questions during storytime - What is that? What is going to happen next? Do we do that? I want the kids to get involved and enjoy the stories we share with them.
I used hand puppets (Pooh & a beehive) to retell the story of Winnie-the-Pooh and the Bees (Chapter 1 from Winnie-the-Pooh) for my preschool story time. The Kids loved. I loved it. I can't wait to try something like this again.
I always loved making crafts so finding a fun one to make that fits with a book would be great. That or eat a snack that works...ex. if the book is about the movies, use popcorn...if it's about the park, maybe a hotdog or something.
What a great prize! ( I don't live in the US, so I'm not entering.)
Bedtime Theater have really added value to their product with these ideas. Wonderful to see companies getting on board with the literacy message. I listened to some of Iggy's story too, and it is very nicely done.
Thanks for sharing, and for visiting The Book Chook!
I borrowed a blow up planetarium from a nearby university that would hold an entire class of students at one time. With the lights out in the classroom, I was able to shine pictures of different constellations of the ceiling of the planetarium. The students would try to trace the figure that that constellation was supposed to represent with their finger. I would then tell them the story of how that constellation got its name. We could only do at most two constellations for each class period and I tried to cover different constellations with each class. Each class period went by very quickly according to the students.
One storytelling technique I like to try with young kids is to forget about the words every once and awhile and have them tell me the story, based on the pictures. It stretches their imagination to come up with what's going on and I'll prod them with questions. It's always quite entertaining!
My son enjoys hearing "real" stories about things my husband and I did as kids and often asks us to tell the same ones over and over again. When a story is a favorite, we write it down on paper and let him draw pictures to go with it- then we have a new "book" to read together.
I always loved playing the game where someone starts a story and the next person adds on a few sentences and you go around the room until someone finishes the story.
The other day my daughter asked me, "Mommy, when is Clover Day?" St. Patrick's Day is coming up in a few weeks, and it sounds like we have a little explaining to do when it comes to that holiday. To start off, this week we focused on clovers and shamrocks. Why are shamrocks associated with St. Patrick's Day? After some research we discovered that, according to legend, St. Patrick used the three-leaf clover to explain the Trinity - The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit.
"S is for Shamrock ... Try to find one. If you do, Irish luck will come to you."
Eve Bunting was born in Ireland. Several of her books are appropriate for St. Patrick's Day. In her book, S is for Shamrock, she describes places and things in Ireland, from the letters A to Z. Highly educational, some of the topics covered include the Blarney Stone, Claddagh, Giant's Causeway, Leprechauns, St. Patrick and, of course, the shamrock. A short poem accompanies each letter, with more detailed information for older children included in the sidebar. This would be a useful book for homeschooling because the layout makes the book interesting for children of various ages. Faulkner's detailed, colorful drawings accompany each letter and a map of Ireland is shown in the front of the book. My preschool daughter liked looking at the pictures and reading some of the poems, but the majority of the book is a tad too advanced for her age. Teacher's Guide (Review copy provided for free for review purposes by publisher)
"When new grass grows in the sunny meadow, what do rabbits do? Hop all over in the clover."
My word- that is just simply adorable! I am also gonna check to see if I can find these stories at our library for our "Leapin' Leprechauns" week unit- thanks for the info!
Well, I've learned something! I didn't know Eve Bunting was born in Ireland! Her book looks fantastic! I'm going to look for it tomorrow at the library.
I LOVE what you did to extend the bunny book. It looks beautiful. It also looks like everyone had a great time!
I thought that St. Pat's day was associated with clovers because they grew in Ireland. Cool, I learned something. And I love the pipe cleaner clovers...its an art project and a storytelling prop in one.
Oh wow that Spring Song sounds like a great book. I am going to see if I can get it just in time to bring my bunnies out for Spring, and Easter!
Anonymous said, on 3/7/2010 3:17:00 PM
Thanks for joining my linky! Wow - I love your pipecleaner shamrocks, and Spring Song sounds lovely. I had kind of the same experience with Sleeping Bear Press - the alphabet books are targeted to much older audience and way over the top for my daughter level.
Are you reading a Dr. Seuss book with your child today? It's NEA's Read Across America Day, an annual celebration that takes place on Dr. Seuss's birthday.
We're giving our tongues a workout with the book, Oh Say Can You Say? It's a book full of silly tongue-twister poems. My daughter thinks it is hilarious when I make mistakes and read too fast. I can't wait until she's old enough to read it herself so she will look like the fool.
Also, there's plenty of Print and Play Activities on Seussville.com
Plus, sign up for the Seussville email newsletter at http://www.seussville.com/news/ between February 24, 2010 and April 30, 2010 to enter for a chance to win 10 Dr. Seuss books.
1 Comments on Oh Say Can You Say? It's Dr. Seuss Day!, last added: 3/3/2010
One evening last November some tricksters decided to turn on all the outdoor faucets on each of the houses in our neighborhood. My husband was the first to discover the running faucets, pretty much by accident. He walked into our basement to feed the cat and thought he heard a hissing noise coming from the pipes and immediately worried that our hose bib had frozen. When he went outside to investigate he found our faucet dripping and then noticed that our next door neighbor's was running full blast. In total, seven houses had running faucets.
We are fairly certain that some of the older neighborhood kids are responsible. The faucets had only been running for a short while. If my husband wouldn't have noticed when he did, the running faucets could have caused a lot of damage. I doubt the kids responsible had considered how much expense this little practical joke could have ended up costing our neighborhood. They certainly weren't being considerate and they obviously didn't consider the repercussions. While my preschool daughter watched us resolve the situation, I explained to her using simple terms that as she grows older she'll need to decide right from wrong and make wise decisions that don't hurt other people. The kids that chose to turn on the faucets made an unkind, disrepectful decision that caused hurt.
Teaching a child values isn't a one step process. It takes careful parenting and positive role modeling. Preschool is a good time to start talking about concepts like truthfulness, forgiveness and respect. By using little scenarios, parents can have important conversations with their children but, at the same time, keep those conversations light and fun.
Ian James Corlett just recently published a book called E Is for Ethics: How to Talk to Kids About Morals, Values, and What Matters Most. The 26 read-aloud mini stories help parents discuss ethics with their children. The short stories (usually about a page) include corresponding illustrations to engage young children. The same two characters, Elliott and Lucy (brother and sister) star in the stories. The author poses a few questions at the end of each story to help children understand the main concepts and encourage dialog between parent and child. The book covers the following topics related to ethics:
While the book is a wonderful tool for parents to use, I also think that educators could use it in their classrooms to help their students learn about values. In fact, I just noticed that E is for Ethics is one of the featured titles in our Scholastic school book fair flyer. Those in early elementary (ages 10 and below) will benefit most from reading E is for Ethics.
1 Comments on E is for Ethics by Ian James Corlett - Book Review, last added: 3/2/2010
Thanks for reviewing this book. You always have to wonder if books like this will touch kids or not. And these subjects are not easy to just bring up sometimes. I love books that help us discuss stuff with kids.
The Chinese New Year began on February 14th, 2010, ushering in the Year of the Tiger. The celebrations are underway, and last week I noticed several blogs that mentioned Chinese New Year themed crafts and books in their posts. Last year my family attended a Chinese New Year celebration, but we missed this year's local events due to illness. My kids were looking forward to watching the lion dance again so they were disappointed we could not attend the festivities.
To compensate for missing the event, we immersed ourselves in the Chinese language by reading several books from the Mandy and Pandy book series by Chris Lin. He created the series after he adopted his daughter, Mandy, from China and could not find fun, age appropriate books to teach her Chinese. The books teach young children (and their parents) simplified Mandarin Chinese by displaying English phrases along with the corresponding Chinese characters and also use pinyin phonetics to help with pronunciation. The small sized board books retail at $12.95 each and feature cute and colorful illustrations by Ingrid Villalta.
Each book includes an accompanying CD that helps readers learn through an auditory medium as they listen to the book read aloud. The book is read three times on the corresponding CD. First, Chris Lin, the author, reads the phrases in English followed by Jiao Jing, Mandy's Chinese teacher from China, who pronounces the characters in Chinese. Secondly, Jiao Jing says the characters in a teacher's tone. Finally, Jiao Jing reads the book in Chinese using a conversational tone.
The first book in the series is Mandy and Pandy Say, "Ni Hao Ma?" This book introduces the main characters -- a little girl named Mandy and her panda friend, Pandy. They converse using short, basic phrases like, "Hi Mandy, how are you?" (màn dí, nǐ hǎo ma?) The book also includes terms like Mommy, Daddy, a few different foods, and sleep and good night. The characters talk about outdoor activities like visiting the park, swimming and playing in the snow. Quiet music plays in the background behind the narration.
The second book, Mandy and Pandy Play "Let's Count", helps children learn the numbers one through ten in Chinese. Mandy and Pandy use the numbers in short sentences to describe things they see while on a walk. For instance, the pa
15 Comments on Mandy and Pandy Book Series by Chris Lin - Review and Book Giveaway, last added: 2/24/2010
"Where is the bathroom?" 洗手间在那儿? (xǐ shǒu jiān zài nà ér ?) (There are several ways to say it.)
poet 诗人 (shīrén)
Peace 和平 (hépíng)
pizza (Just say "pizza" slowly)
------------ Learning Mandarin can be fun and joyful.
Japanese adopted a lot of Chinese characters, so, some Japanese know the advantages of the Chinese language. A learned Japanese states that Chinese language is very systematic and logic. He looks at Mandarin from a different angle.
Some people say the sound of Mandarin is poetic.
I am a published author of 5 wonderful books on http://www.amazon.com/Sam-Song/e/B002BX3790/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0. I'd say the writing of Chinese characters could be beautiful.
***************
Actually, learning Mandarin can be entertaining, fun, and joyful!
In honor of Black History Month, this past Tuesday evening President and Mrs. Obama hosted In Performance at the White House, “A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement.” Several top musicians performed including Yolanda Adams, Jennifer Hudson and others. We plan on watching the performance on television with the kids and introduce them to music that played a part in the quest for freedom and equality. The performance airs nationwide on PBS stations beginning tonight, Thursday, February 11th. (Check local listings)
In the Wall Street Journal's coverage of the concert the president is quoted as saying, “Dr. King himself once acknowledged that he didn’t see ‘the real meaning of the movement’ until he saw young people singing in the face of hostility." There are many picture books that introduce children to Martin Luther King, Jr., the African-American civil rights movement leader. His most famous speech, "I Have a Dream," given in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington during the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, is also the subject of many books.
15 Comments on Riding to Washington Book Review and a Black History Month Book Giveaway, last added: 2/12/2010
Today I cracked open my closet and pulled down some boxes filled with letters -- letters I wrote my husband when we first met, letters he sent me. Cards and letters I received from my grandparents, my mother-in-law, my parents, my cousins. Cards and letters from penpals and friends. Some homemade. Some not. All special.
Valentine's Day will arrive at this week's end. For me, Valentine's Day has always been about the letters and the cards. And by that I don't mean something bought in the store last minute and signed, "Love Ya." A real valentine, one that will be cherished and kept forever, is one given thoughtfully from the heart. The first valentines were handmade tokens of love or handwritten notes. I prefer homemade valentines and handwritten poems and letters over the mass produced simply because they are an original intimate and personal expression of love. Those are the kind I keep stored away in my letter box, and those are the kind I prefer to give each and every Valentine's Day.
So here's a little inspiration for you - some homemade Valentine's Day Card ideas for kids and adults:
(Do you have a favorite homemade valentine design? Let me know. I'd love to add it to my list.)
Puzzle Purse Valentines - A special valentine folded into a small square puzzle from a larger piece of paper. Each fold contains written poems or sentiments, intended to be read in a specific order to reveal the whole valentine message. Martha Stewart - Puzzle Purse Valentine Nancy Rosin Puzzle Purse Valentine
Rebus Valentines - tiny pictures take the place of some of the words in these creative valentines. Vintage rebus valentines were often made using the papercut technique. Family Education - Rebus Poem Valentines
Want to play an animal guessing game? Try reading If Not for the Cat by Jack Prelustsky. But, if you really want to solve the puzzles yourself without cheating, have someone else read the book out loud, hiding the illustrations. Then take a peek after you make your guess. Prelustsky composed seventeen animal haiku for this masterfully written puzzle book of poetry filled with stunning illustrations by Ted Rand. Even those that typically don't enjoy poetry will most likely find the book entertaining. Seventeen syllables each haiku and seventeen different animals -- it's pure brilliance with lines like, "I, the hoverer, / Sip the nasturtium's nectar / And sing with my wings." Hum a happy tune whilst you try to figure that one out.
We won our copy of If Not for the Cat from Playing by the Book last month and have enjoyed the book immensely. For the last few months, I've been discussing syllables with my daughter and clapping words out, so she enjoyed learning the 5-7-5 structure. This is one of those books that appeals to all ages, and it is a perfect book for teachers to use while teaching the haiku format.
If Not for the Cat by Jack Prelustsky, illustrated by Ted Rand. Greenwillow Books (September 2004); ISBN 9780060596774; 40 pages
My daughter wanted to write a few of her own, based on a couple of the bird illustrations in the book. She came up with the main words and I filled in the rest to create each poem. (We are by no means as talented as Prelutsky, and the first really isn't a riddle, but we tried. The "stay out of the corn" bit is entirely my daughter's own words. I'm impressed.)
Fly, hummingbird, fly Come close to me, wings beating In a flash you're gone
You're black as the night Sneaking through the farmer's field Stay out of the corn
Here's one last "riddle haiku" for you that we wrote. (It holds true for those of us in Wisconsin. Those in Pennsylvania may not agree):
Prognosticator One cold February day Predicts early spring
I am an Amazon affiliate and may receive a very small commission for products purchased through my Amazon links. View my full
4 Comments on If Not for the Cat by Prelutsky / Our Own Groundhog Day Haiku, last added: 2/2/2010
The PBS Kids Go! Writers Contest kicked off last week. Kids in kindergarten, first, second or third grade can submit their original illustrated stories to their local public television station (check to find nearest partipating stations). The local station chooses winners and enters them into the national contest. An Independent Entry Form is available for those without a local station. Consider encouraging the kids in your life to enter and show off their creative storytelling skills.
Several young writers from Wisconsin won national awards last year! You can read and listen to books by the 2009 National Winners on the Writers Contest website.
0 Comments on PBS Kids Go! Writers Contest as of 1/1/1900
Music fans are excitedly awaiting the 52nd GRAMMY Awards, broadcast on CBS tomorrow night, January 31st. Six albums are up for the Best Musical Album For Children award.
American Heroes #3 - Jonathan Sprout
Banjo To Beatbox - Cathy & Marcy With Special Guest Christylez Bacon
Family Time - Ziggy Marley
Great Day - Milkshake
Jumpin' & Jammin' - Greg & Steve
Pete Seeger Tribute: Ageless Kids' Songs - Buck Howdy
The six Best Spoken Word Album For Children nominees are:
Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales - (Various Artists including Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johannson, Helen Mirren, Forest Whitaker & others) - Sharon Gelman, Michele McGonigle & Alfre Woodard, producers
The Phantom Tollbooth - David Hyde Pierce
Scat - Ed Asner
Through The Looking-Glass And What Alice Found There - Harlan Ellison
According to Zooglobble blog, these awards will be handed out on Sunday and you can watch live streaming video at GRAMMY Live. (No prime-time coverage for these children's media awards, the way it sounds.) We're excited to find out which albums will receive a GRAMMY.
The kids and I recently had the chance to listen to American Heroes #3 by Jonathan Sprout. This album by singer-songwriter Jonathan Sprout is the third in an educational series of biographical songs highlighting famous Americans. In American Heroes #3, Sprout focuses on the 10 following remarkable individuals: Milton Hershey, John Muir, Elizabeth Blackwell, Jonas Salk, Jane Addams, George Washington Carver, Wilma Rudolph, Thomas Jefferson, Pocahontas and Cesar Chavez. The CD, released in 2009, has won eight awards and a GRAMMY Nomination.
When I was in eighth grade, my history teacher taught us about the War of 1812 and played a recording of the song, "The Battle of New Orleans." Now I don't remember too many of my history lessons, but I do clearly recall listening to the song in class and thinking it was a fun, catchy and interesting way to learn about history. (The song was orginally written by Jimmy Driftwood to teach history to his high school students and Johnny Horton's version hit number one on the charts in 1959.) I can still recite the lyrics to this day, so I am
1 Comments on 2010 GRAMMY Awards / American Heroes #3: Jonathan Sprout - CD Review, last added: 2/1/2010
"Deep inside the jungle where nature's running wild / Coming to the rescue is a very special child / Talking to the animals and swinging from a vine / This rough and tough adventurer is working all the time / Ya viene Diego. Diego. Diego. Go, Diego, Go!"
Lions, lions everywhere! Earlier in the month we reviewed Pinkney's Caldecott medal winning book, The Lion and the Mouse. This week we watched the newest Diego DVD, Lion Cub Rescue.
Released today, January 26th, the Go Diego Go! : Lion Cub Rescue DVD includes four exciting animal rescue adventure episodes. Like in all his shows, Diego, an 8-year-old adventure hero, works to save the animals and offers children advice on how to take care of the environment while also encouraging children use their imagination and participate in the rescue.
The DVD includes the following episodes (95 minutes total length):
Welcome Home, Lion Cub! - Diego and baby Jaguar visit the grasslands in Africa and help Lion Cub and the Lion Cub's daddy rescue lion family members while traveling back to the pride for Lion Cub's party. They rescue Baby Lion from a stream's rapid water, free Cousin Lion from a net animal trap and locate Sister Lion hiding in the tall grassy field.
Animal Sound: Roar Actions: Creeping, Crawling, Freeze, Jump, Claw Spanish Phrase: "De tal padre, tal higo." (Like father, like son.) Environmental Advice: Pick up and throw away trash like bottle tops and plastic bags found outside
Diego's Ringed Seal Rescue - The Ringed Seals live in a special rescue home in the arctic because their snow caves have melted. Diego and Alicia work together to save Baby Ringed Seal "Susie" from a polar bear and bring her safely back to the Ringed Seal Rescue Center. Along the way, Susie must navigate through an icy path, dive in and out of ice holes and find her way in a snow storm.
Animal Sound: Bark Actions: Wiggle, Flap Arms
Diego Reunites Hippopotamus and Oxpecker - Hippopotamus must relocate from his river home to Hippo Lake and his "symbiotic" friend Oxpecker accompanies him on his journey. Hippo relies on Oxpecker to eat the bugs off his back and keep him clean. When Oxpecker searches for water plants for Hippo to eat, the rushing water pulls him toward a pipe entrance. While Diego and Hippo journey to save Oxpecker, they stomp through tall grass and hippo gets overheated and searches for a water hole to cool off.
Actions: Stomp, Open Mouth Wide Spanish phrase: "Los mejores amigos son los qué se ayudan!" (Friends who help friends are the best friends of all.)
35 Comments on Go Diego Go!: Lion Cub Rescue - DVD Review (Spongebob DVD Giveaway), last added: 1/28/2010
Cold weather makes for stir crazy kids. We've been listening to lots of music and Peter Yarrow has been on rotation in the CD player (yes, we have an iPod but downloading is a lot of work so for the kid's music, we still use CDs). His folk music doesn't get them too riled up, and, better yet, they're learning some of the classic melodies I grew up singing. Today, it's all Peter Yarrow on Brimful Curiosities because that's what we've been listening to and reading!
Peter Yarrow, the folk singer/songwriter from the musical trio Peter, Paul & Mary, has been making some waves in the children's book world for the past couple of years. In 2007, he published a picture book version of one of his most famous songs (co-composed with Lenny Lipton), Puff, the Magic Dragon. At the time of the book's publication, I was working as a children's librarian at a small rural library. I pre-ordered a copy thinking that it would be fun to read or sing aloud during storytime. As soon as I saw the actual book, I knew I also wanted a copy for my own home library. The clothbound book came with this beautiful, shimmery foil-enhanced dust jacket and inside gorgeous, full page bleed illustrations by the talented Eric Puybaret.
The land of Honalee, as imagined by Puybaret, is a colorful, magical one. Puff looks very friendly and approachable, the perfect companion for a little boy named Jackie Paper. The song really comes to life in the illustrations and, thankfully, there's even a happy ending. Sad Puff isn't abandoned forever in his cave. Both my kids really like the book and, for the past couple months, my toddler son has requested "Puff" frequently. First he wants to sit and look at the pictures while I sing the song and then he asks for the CD so he can dance to the music. The book comes with a CD recording of Yarrow singing "Puff, the Magic Dragon" with his daughter, Bethany (plus a couple of bonus songs). The beautiful book could easily become a collectible, but I'm afraid ours has already experienced some wear and tear. That's OK though...after all, I'd rather see the book in my children's hands than sitting on the shelf. A worn book signals a good book.
Wow - a lot in one post to comment on! Although I recognise the book, I didn't know that Peter Yarrow was the Peter in Peter Paul and Mary (I guess that's due to being from the UK and of a certain age!) Hmm. A good excuse to go and listen to some music I think. I love the look of your flying dragon - have you seen this amazing kite: http://gddweb.org/dragon.html
Wow! That is a very cool craft. My youngest is afraid of dragons right now, so it would probably be her worst nightmare - but once, she's over her anti-dragon phase, we'll have to revisit that one.
Hey. I just wanted to say thanks for commenting on my post. Three cheers for happy endings. (Though I have to say Puff the Magic Dragon, the song, at least, always gets me kinda weepy!) I love your craft! We're definitely trying that!
That's a neat craft. We just learned a new paper airplane technique at the Museum of Flight, and I think it could definitely handle a dragon passenger. We'll try it out!
(I'm doing the comment challenge.) It is so nice to see `Puff, the Magic Dragon` and `Let's Sing Together` mentioned. It has been a long time since I've heard about ole` Puff and I just wanted to sing when I saw "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt". What a fun review you have here. Thanks
These books sound like fun. I'll have to add them to my collection at my Elementary Media Center. I am a long-time fan of Peter, Paul & Mary (in fact, their's was the first album I bought when my parents finally got a record player that could play 33 1/3 LPs).
Since I come from a different culture, it's hard for me to know and appreciate English songs. Books make them more appropriate sometimes. But for whatever reason I thought that Puff the Magic Dragon had something to do with drugs? My daughter is also in anti-dragon phase now, but maybe later we will visit this book.
This past week several Nutcracker performances took place in our area. On Christmas Eve our local PBS station is airing Dance in America: San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker. The Nutcracker ballet was first performed in its entirety in the United States on December 24th, 1944 by the San Francisco Ballet. This famous ballet is now an annual Christmas season tradition and productions can be seen all over the nation, in large and small venues.
As I've said before, my preschool age daughter takes beginner ballet lessons. She wears her hair in a bun, has a pink leotard and tutu and, of course, has her own special pink ballet slippers. If she continues to show an interest in ballet, someday she may be able to perform in the local Nutcracker production. However, right now she enjoys pretending to be a prima ballerina and likes to dance along with the performers on television while watching her newest favorite DVD, Prima Princessa Presents The Nutcracker.
The Prima Princessa Presents series is perfect for children ages 3 to 7. The DVDs bring ballet performances right into your home. Children can watch and dance along with the performers and they even get the chance to learn real ballet steps.
Prima Princessa's The Nutcracker DVD features actual performance segments by the San Francisco Ballet and the students at the School of American Ballet show kids a few dance steps. Best of all it provides a wonderful introduction to Tchaikovsky's famous ballet. An animated, sparkly fairy ballerina named Prima Princessa describes and provides a summary of the plot, the dances and the music in terms that young children can easily understand. She covers both Act I and Act II and children alternately watch segments of the actual ballet and instructional dance clips. Positions and steps covered include Passé, Glissade and Sauté (échappé sauté and sauté arabesque). The 40 minute movie also includes two bonus segments: Arm Positions and Port de Bras shows the four basic arm position in classical ballet, along with visual images of flowers blooming. In the other segment, a Holiday Party set to the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" music depicts children decorating cookies, eating other yummy Christmas treats and handing out gifts.
Young children that love princesses, ballerinas, ballet or the story of the Nutcracker will especially enjoy watching the DVD. The divided segments are short enough for small attention spans. Even my toddler son enjoys watching parts of the film and trys
2 Comments on Prima Princessa presents The Nutcracker - DVD Review, last added: 12/24/2009
Many of my reviews concentrate on early reading skills and books. I spend a lot of time with my children working on language and reading skills. But other basic concepts such as mathematics and science are equally important to teach children at a young age. It's easy to turn every day activities into learning moments.
Just this last week, I took both my children to the bank with me. We had collected two large bags worth of change. They watched in awe as the special, automated coin machine at the bank counted and sorted all the coins we brought. This fun activity helped increase my daughter's interest in money. She wanted to know more about all the coins and their worth and was surprised at the final total amount of the change we brought to the bank to deposit.
After we visited the bank we went home and watched a Munchkin Math DVD called Counting Money. The DVD helps preschool and early elementary age kids identify the names of the U.S. coins, talks about the different values and teaches basic math concepts by showing kids how to count their money.
The format of the DVD reminds me of the lesson type programs we have watch on our public television station. The video production is more educational based than entertainment based and features Wendy Miller (the creator of Munchkin Math) along with two children talking about coins and teaching corresponding rhymes, chants and hand movements. My preschool aged daughter did not lose interest while watching the DVD and even participated along with several segments. The 22 minute DVD is divided into four segments:
♦ Lesson 1: Coins; The New Coin Game ♦ Lesson 2: Dollars; Dollar Chant ♦ Lesson 3: The Dollar & Cent Signs ♦ Lesson 4: Trading and Sorts; Making a Money Worm; Money Worm Song
After watching the video, I quizzed my preschool daughter on how much she retained. She was able to identify the penny, but still had difficulty with the other coins. With practice and repetition and the use of some of the rhymes, I'm sure she'll easily pick up the names and values. However, I think she is still a little too young to understand how to count money, besides adding up her pennies. She did enjoy assembling her own money worm on the mat I downloaded from the website. Within the next few years, those skills will develop and she will be able to understand the counting concepts a little better. The DVD does not include information about the half dollar or golden dollar.
I've read that by the end of kindergarten, kids should be able to identify all the basic coins and the
1 Comments on Munchkin Math: Counting Money - DVD Review, last added: 12/21/2009
"Then in the salt on the little white table... I traced in the grains of their families' tears what each man and woman who serves America is to me, a ... Hero." - America's White Table by Margot Theis Raven, illustrated by Mike Benny
Staff Sgt. Amy Krueger, a Wisconsin soldier, had an American flag tattooed to her back with the following words, "All gave some. Some gave all. Sacrifice." She was one of 13 people killed in the shooting at Fort Hood last week. Veterans Day is a day to honor all those servicemen and women who give so much in order to protect our freedom. They indeed sacrifice much and deserve our deepest appreciation and respect.
America's White Table is a powerful and moving picture book to share with children and help them understand the sacrifice involved in serving our nation. The book introduces a military tradition of setting a white table [also called POW/MIA Missing Man Table or remembrance table] as a way to remember and symbolize service members, especially those held captive or missing in action. Author Margot Theis Raven describes this touching and poignant ceremony by telling a story from the viewpoint of a little girl named Katie. While Katie helps set a little white table on Veterans Day, her mother explains the importance and meaning behind the tradition and also tells them about their Uncle John's act of heroism as a POW in Vietnam. In the end, Katie, in her own special way, pays tribute to and honors her uncle and all those soldiers who have sacrificed so much for her freedom.
"We use a small table, girls," she explained first, "to show one soldier's lonely battle against many. We cover it with a white cloth to honor a soldier's pure heart when he answers his country's call to duty.
We place a lemon slice and grains of salt on a plate to show a captive soldier's bitter fate and the tears of families waiting for loved ones to return," she continued.
We push an empty chair to the table for the missing soldiers who are not here..."
According to the author's note in the back of the book, the tradition of setting a white table originated during the time of the Vietnam War by a group of airman called the Red River Valley Pilots Association. The symbols on the table may vary depending on the ceremony.
Benny's softly hued illustrations convey the variety emotions brought on by this solemn tribute. The words of "My County 'Tis of Thee" grace the background of the pages, bringing even more meaning to the text. The story and images brought tears to my eyes, and my family will certainly make reading this story an annual tradition. America's White Table is perfect to share at home, especially during Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Many schools have also used Raven's book in their Veteran's Day commemorations, with students setting their own white tables. The story could also be incorporated in teacher's lesson plans and used to supplement units about the Vietnam War and prisoners of war.
0 Comments on America's White Table by Margot Theis Raven - Book Review and Giveaway as of 1/1/1900
I live in a city next to a very large artillery and missile base and teach at the high school that is the feeder school for the base. Simple ceremonies like this help during the difficult times of war and being apart from the families. It is important that we never forget the sacrifices that the men and women of the military make for us on a daily basis, as well as their families.
On Veterans Day four years ago, there was a ceremony at our high school where I teach that really hit home with me. We all gathered in the middle of the football practice field. The ROTC formed an honor guard into the stands. Members of the faculty and staff who had served in the armed forces were asked to be seated in the stands. Then the students who had already committed to service were asked to be seated. Then those of us who had a family member who was deployed were asked to be seated. Then those who had a family member serving stateside or was a Veteran were asked to be seated. At the end, there were so very few people left in the middle of the field. It was amazing to me how much service in the military affected all of our lives.
What a neat book this is! I had never heard of this. I would love to have this since my husband served in Viet Nam. This would be great for our grandkids. pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
"Today, women are among the most famous Sherpas in the world. Yang Ki taught us that girls, even little girls, could be brave and strong, with a heart big enough to be Sherpa." - Pemba Sherpa by Olga Cossi, illustrated by Gary Bernard
Our large world fascinates and amazes kids and they thirst to gain knowledge about different cultures and destinations. Reading books is one way to learn about far away places. One of the most majestic locations in the world is Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain peak with a peak elevation of 29,035 ft. In the shadow of the mountain live the Sherpa, a group of people that are well known for their expert mountaineering skills, acting as guides and porters on expeditions in the Himalayas. This dangerous occupation garners much respect in the Nepal.
With a quiet and respectful tone, a book by Olga Cossi called Pemba Sherpa tells a story about a courageous young Nepalese girl named Yang Ki who pursues her dreams to become a guide despite preconceived notions of women's roles in the Sherpa community. Young Yang Ki looks up to her older brother and wants to help him carry wood down a long, steep trail so that she can also build up strength and skills necessary in learning to become a Sherpa guide. He laughs at her and tells her that girls cannot become guides. She secretly follows him up the trail and comes to his rescue in a time of need.
The book is written in a heart-touching way that makes the reader feel like they a grandchild listening to a beloved grandfather recount a proud family moment. Although the book is meant for slightly older readers (early grade school), my preschool daughter listened to the story intently and asked questions about mountains and mountain climbing. With a subtle approach the book teaches about the magnificent Everest Region, includes terms such as "rumal" (scarf), and also promotes gender equality. Illustrator Gary Bernard successfully brings out the solitude of the remote, mountainous setting in his sketched pencil drawings by using muted, earthy watercolor tones. Pemba Sherpa is dedicated to Pemba Doma Sherpa, a famous Nepalese female mountaineer who was the first Napalese woman to climb Everest's North face.
Pemba Sherpa by Olga Cossi, illustrated by Gary Bernard. Odyssey Books (October 2009); 32 p
0 Comments on Pemba Sherpa by Olga Cossi, illustrated by Gary Bernard - Book Review as of 1/1/1900
, a comical book about a boy that watches way too much TV, provides parents with a way to discuss the concept of less screen time with their kids. This new picture book by James Proimos releases next week and tackles the issue of excessive screen time with humor and a little sarcasm. Todd's parents use their TV set as his babysitter. Over time the TV begins to take over all parenting roles -- it plays catch, puts Todd to bed and even attends his parent-teacher conference. When the TV decides to try legally adopting Todd, his parent's rethink the whole TV situation. 
by Roxie Munro. 
by Roxie Munro. 
by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Matt Faulkner 
by Barbara Seuling, illustrated by Greg Newbold. 
. The 26 read-aloud mini stories help parents discuss ethics with their children. The short stories (usually about a page) include corresponding illustrations to engage young children. The same two characters, Elliott and Lucy (brother and sister) star in the stories. The author poses a few questions at the end of each story to help children understand the main concepts and encourage dialog between parent and child. The book covers the following topics related to ethics: 
This book introduces the main characters -- a little girl named Mandy and her panda friend, Pandy. They converse using short, basic phrases like, 
, helps children learn the numbers one through ten in Chinese. Mandy and Pandy use the numbers in short sentences to describe things they see while on a walk. For instance, the pa
by Jack Prelustsky. But, if you really want to solve the puzzles yourself without cheating, have someone else read the book out loud, hiding the illustrations. Then take a peek after you make your guess. Prelustsky composed seventeen animal haiku for this masterfully written puzzle book of poetry filled with stunning illustrations by Ted Rand. Even those that typically don't enjoy poetry will most likely find the book entertaining. Seventeen syllables each haiku and seventeen different animals -- it's pure brilliance with lines like, 
by Jonathan Sprout. This album by singer-songwriter 
. 
. At the time of the book's publication, I was working as a children's librarian at a small rural library. I pre-ordered a copy thinking that it would be fun to read or sing aloud during storytime. As soon as I saw the actual book, I knew I also wanted a copy for my own home library. The clothbound book came with this beautiful, shimmery foil-enhanced dust jacket and inside gorgeous, full page bleed illustrations by the talented Eric Puybaret. 
DVD features actual performance segments by the San Francisco Ballet and the students at the School of American Ballet show kids a few dance steps. Best of all it provides a wonderful introduction to Tchaikovsky's famous ballet. An animated, sparkly fairy ballerina named Prima Princessa describes and provides a summary of the plot, the dances and the music in terms that young children can easily understand. She covers both Act I and Act II and children alternately watch segments of the actual ballet and instructional dance clips. Positions and steps covered include Passé, Glissade and Sauté (échappé sauté and sauté arabesque). The 40 minute movie also includes two bonus segments:
tells a story about a courageous young Nepalese girl named Yang Ki who pursues her dreams to become a guide despite preconceived notions of women's roles in the Sherpa community. Young Yang Ki looks up to her older brother and wants to help him carry wood down a long, steep trail so that she can also build up strength and skills necessary in learning to become a Sherpa guide. He laughs at her and tells her that girls cannot become guides. She secretly follows him up the trail and comes to his rescue in a time of need.
That's so awesome that you made sure you got some books about meteorites for her! These sound great for when my daughter is a bit bigger and understands more.
Thanks for stopping by my blog and letting me know about the other children's meme's!