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In the wonderful book, The Mountains of Tibetby Mordicai Gerstein, the young boy living in the mountains of Tibet lived a wonderful life of flying kites, hard work, a loving family, and peace.
When he died, which is the natural progression of life, he rose into the sky where he was given the choice to move on to Heaven or choose to live another life as anything he wanted to be and anywhere in the world. Because that was his one regret in life–not seeing more of the big wide world.
A Tibetan woodcutter dreams of exploring the world, but is too busy with his life to ever leave his valley. After he dies, he is taken on a journey through the cosmos and all the places on Earth as he makes choices that lead him to a new life.-Amazon
The man’s journey to pick a new life starts on the largest plane–picking a galaxy. His path to a new life follows the Tibetan Book of the Dead. Start at the biggest part of life and go down to the minutest detail. And these are all hard decisions. Which galaxy? Which star? Which planet? Which country? There are so many choices! So will the Tibetan man choose to go back to his familiar home in the mountains of Tibet, or will he choose to experience new things in exciting countries far away?
Mordicai Gerstein’s book The Mountains of Tibet shows a unique way of explaining death and life to young children. It’s a beautiful, natural process filled with free will decisions. The illustrations are simple yet beautiful, helping children’s imaginations to flare to life.
{CLICK TO TWEET} If you could travel anywhere-where would you go? The Mountains of Tibet review & activities @Jumpintoabook1
Something To Do
1. Create a Galaxy in a Jar (this is your galaxy!) Get the full instructions and watch the video tutorial HERE.
2. Make a would you rather game for the choices of life!
– Would you rather live in a blue galaxy or a purple galaxy?
– Would you rather live on Earth or Mars?
– Would you rather be an animal or a human?
Make this a lively discussion with friends, family and students!
3. Make your own kite! These are perfect for a windy day at the park or the beach or even in your own backyard!
Grab this free gift and discover 180 ways to explore the world we live in!
FREE Gift! Free 180 Multicultural Book Ideas ebook to inspired fun Summer Reading!
School is out and our youngsters are settling into a new summer routine of sleeping in and hopefully doing some exploring and discovering. With the hectic days of summer just beginning, oftentimes one of the first habit to go by the wayside is the habit of daily reading.
Reading is always an important part of our children’s lives no matter what time of year it is so I decided to wrap my knowledge of fun kidlit books and activities up with my experience as one of the co-founders of the very successful Multicultural Children’s Book Day and create a unique resource for parents who are looking for creative ways to keep their kids reading this summer. Reading is important, but so is helping our young readers learn about other cultures, religions and traditions through the pages of these books. Here are some great booklists and resources that I have created over the years at Jump Into a Book that will not only give parents and readers great ideas on diverse kids’ books, but fun activities related to books that will bring stories to life!
Sign up below for quick and free access to 180 Multicultural Book Ideas: World Travel through Kidlit Summer Reading!
Sign up for 180 Multicultural Book Ideas for Summer Reading
The Civil Rights was an extremely tragic yet absolutely necessary piece of American history. Both black and white people made great strides in human rights and equality in our country. Many people seem to forget that African Americans were not the only people standing up for equality. White, Indian, Asian–people of every heritage were standing together. Joan Mulholland was one of these people. Raised in Virginia, she grew up with segregation and harsh racism. She grew up being taught that mixing races was wrong. But despite all this chatter in her ear, Joan knew that this was wrong. She took a stand when she began college, joining peaceful movements, sit ins, protests, and other demonstrations. She was kicked out of Duke University for her involvement with the Civil Rights Movement.
Despite the backlash and threats that she received, Joan never gave up on her belief that what she and the rest of her friends doing was the right thing. She was one of the first white students to attend an historically black college and join a black sorority. Her life was almost always at risk; she lost many friends and family; she lived in jail for several months of her life. All because she was doing the right thing. And the rest of culture couldn’t accept this. She was an average hero.
She Stood for Freedomis extremely timely in its release. With all of the turmoil in our society right now, this book reminds us that we are all working together for a common goal. We’re all humans, and it’s high time that we remember that. Our world needs to be changed? Then let’s do it together, with our friends, one step at a time. Grab your copy of this amazing book HERE or click on the book image above to take a closer look.
Something To Do
1. Write a Poem
Research a Civil Rights hero (Joan for example) and write a poem telling about their life.
FREE Gift! Free 180 Multicultural Book Ideas ebook to inspired fun Summer Reading!
School is out and our youngsters are settling into a new summer routine of sleeping in and hopefully doing some exploring and discovering. With the hectic days of summer just beginning, oftentimes one of the first habit to go by the wayside is the habit of daily reading.
Reading is always an important part of our children’s lives no matter what time of year it is so I decided to wrap my knowledge of fun kidlit books and activities up with my experience as one of the co-founders of the very successful Multicultural Children’s Book Day and create a unique resource for parents who are looking for creative ways to keep their kids reading this summer. Reading is important, but so is helping our young readers learn about other cultures, religions and traditions through the pages of these books. Here are some great booklists and resources that I have created over the years at Jump Into a Book that will not only give parents and readers great ideas on diverse kids’ books, but fun activities related to books that will bring stories to life!
Sign up below for quick and free access to 180 Multicultural Book Ideas: World Travel through Kidlit Summer Reading!
Sign up for 180 Multicultural Book Ideas for Summer Reading
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!
**some of these links are affiliate links
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.
{Guest post from Hannah Rials} What is going on? Now we’re writing books that are encouraging kids to play video games? I thought we were supposed to be discouraging this? I’m so confused!
I’m sure a lot of you parents are thinking that right now. And yes, kids should be getting outside, exploring their world, reading books, and every else like that to live a balanced life. However, science and research are revealing more and more how helpful video games can be in a child’s cognitive development. Minecraft, for instance, helps with creativity, sharing, innovating, continuous learning, problem solving, craftsmanship, teamwork, interdependence, flexibility, storytelling…just to name a few.
Minecraft does not have to be just a kid’s activity. This book provides six different quests that teach gamification, which is the process of applying game principles to real life. Parents, you will learn about the world of Minecraft, while also bringing your children out of it. You’ll learn the lingo, the levels, the different things that you can do within the game, and you’ll come to realize why your kids love it so much and how beneficial it is to them.
But having this book, showing your kids how the skills they are learning inside the game are relevant in out-of-game experiences, is a wonderful opportunity for family bonding and for crafting and creativity!
How you can Gamify these quests:
Quest 1 – This quest is all about taking inventory of your resources. That’s easy. Together, your family can take an inventory of something in your house: the pantry, the refrigerator, your movie or book collection, etc.
Quest 2 – Textures, Patterns, and Landscapes, which talks about cooking and gardening. Do we really need to explain this one? I think you’re getting the hang of it!
Quest 3 – This is about architecture, so this gives your family a wonderful excuse to take a neat vacation to some city with unique architecture. Road trip to Charleston, SC or New Orleans, LA. Going abroad? Well, basically all the cities over there have interesting architecture! Have some fun!!
Quest 4 – Here, we look into the arts: the colors, textures, and styles of a museum. So obviously, you need to find a museum to day trip to! Even if your town, or the one next to you, doesn’t have the equivalent of the MET or le Louvre, that’s okay. All museums are great experiences.
Quest 5 – Game making; think how fun this could be! Each of the family members making up their own games and then hosting a family game night to try them out. Sounds like a good time.
Quest 6 – is the culmination of all the skills you have learned previously–you’re making a city. Maybe before you jump head into the game, you and your child can write about your city, make up people, laws, specific places or activities that go on there. Help them create their world both in and out of the game!
Grab your copy of this amazing book that is not only going to excite your young readers, but get their brains reading and exploring this summer!
**some of these links are affiliate links
Something to Do Minecraft-Inspired Activities:
Who can resist making this fun Creeper from TP rolls?! Instructions at Kids Activity Blog
For those interested in using Minecraft for Homeschooling, The Spectacled Owl has some great Homeschooling with Minecraft ideas and projects.
HANNAH RIALS: A Maryville native and current college student at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Hannah began writing her first novel at age twelve. Eight years later, the result is her new YA novel Ascension; a modern day teenage romance filled with “double-blooded” vampires and revenge-seeking witches (to be released in August of 2016). When not spending time with her family and playing with her beloved Corgis, Buddy and Noel, Hannah leads a creative group, crafts and cultivates her writing skills. Connect with Hannah on Facebook, Twitter and via her website.
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Breaking News! Proof that Dragons are indeed REAL!
My newest book, Dragons are Realis available and the excitement is almost blowing the roof off at Jump Into a Book/Audrey Press headquarters!
SO…what if I told you that all of the fairy tales, myths and legends that have been told about dragons over the years are WRONG. What if I told you that Dragons are indeed Real and that they are different than you’ve ever imagined?
This fairly true story is based on the author’s childhood friendship with a REAL live Dragon; a very special Dragon that she and her brother spent two magical summers with.
As readers turn the pages and learn the truth about Dragons, they will see that the fiercest beasts in known history can actually be the best of friends. It’s a lesson in finding companionship in the most unusual of places. Dragons are Real is a magical book filled with stunning illustrations and hints that dragon are indeed all around us
Dragons are Real is now available for purchase on both Amazon and Gumroad! We are also offering a special free bonus gift of a Dragons Are Real Inspiration Activity Guide when you purchase your copy of this enchanting picture book.
March is Women’s History Month and we’re bringing the month to a close by celebrating in grand style. Before women make their history, they first had to have some focus, bravery, and perseverance to get them there. Let’s face it, all women have hurdles to jump over, but every woman that makes, and contributes, to history qualifies as a “Gusty Girl!”
Before we continue, we need to pause for a…..
WARNING !!!
” Many of the situations that the author encounters in this book have inherent dangers and can lead to serious or even fatal injuries. One particular undertaking-Climbing the Golden Gate Bridge-is also illegal and should not be attempted. Readers should not venture into any of these situations without professional instruction, suitable training, and proper supervision. Neither the publisher nor the author assumes ay responsibility for any injuries incurred by the reader.”
This is the first page of one of the greatest reads of the year. You’re probably in one of two camps after reading this warning. The first camp can’t wait to find out what could be in this book to create such a warning and the second camp will run as fast as they can. Just so you know, I’m in the first camp BUT I greatly advise people of the second camp to take a deep breath and read it anyway. There’s something for everyone to help unveil the gutsy in all of us.
First I had to know more about that Golden Gate Bridge story and second I just had to know more about author Caroline Paul, what type of woman is she and what escapades in her life led her to write a guidebook for tween girls about creating such adventures? The Gutsy Girl:Escapades for Your Life of Epic Adventureis probably one of the finest reads I’ve picked up so far in 2016.
Backstory
Author Caroline Paul was one of the first women on the San Franciso firefighting force as well as an experimental plane pilot, throughout the pages of her book we also learn that she is a recovering/rescue scuba diver. All this from a woman who says she was the biggest scaredy cat in the world as a child. Caroline greatly believes that girls are taught to be frightened by being instilled with the language of “fear”, while boys are fed that bravery and resilience are the goals to aspire to.
The Gutsy Girl: Escapades of Your Life of Epic Adventureis her antidote to empower tween girls to embrace their own bravery and resilience. This book is FUNNY and extremely imaginative and really intelligently written. Inside she shares her own stories one by one and the lessons and bravery she learned. Not all of them have happy endings but all of them have a take away to a new understanding of who she is or was at that time. This book is also part manifesto using language, insights, and encouragement into bravery and shear gutsiness. This is a guidebook however, and guidebooks mean you have to take action. Caroline Paul has also placed many great and inventive activities called Daring-Dos, as well as journal pages to reflect on ones own Daring-Dos experiences.
While sharing her escapades, author Caroline Paul is brilliant about showing the boundary lines between being gutsy and being stupid. She is always cautioning against being reckless and the difference between recklessness and being adventurous . She just doesn’t say it once, it’s sprinkled everywhere throughout the book in many different ways.
Some of My Favorite Parts
I learned some fun new things….
The illustrations in The Gusty Girl :Escapades for Your Life of Epic Adventure are done by her partner Wendy Macnaughton who also has a great sense of humor. One of my favorite illustrations is the Gutsy Girl International Phrase Book. It had me howling probably because I’ve needed to ask these very questions of people in far off lands and unknown languages.
Did you know this about how to know what temperature it is ?
So cool right ?
Something To Do
Writer Caroline Paul wasn’t always brave, or adventurous.
“I had been a shy and fearful kid. Many things had scared me. Bigger kids. Second grade. The elderly woman across the street. Being called on in class. The book Where the Wild Things Are. Woods at dusk. The way the bones in my hand crisscrossed.
Being scared was a terrible feeling, like sinking in quicksand. My stomach would drop, my feet would feel heavy, my head would prickle. Fear was an all-body experience. For a shy kid like me it was overwhelming.”
She gives great examples of current gutsy girls and women. Some known most we’ve never heard of but I’m so glad to know about them now.
Right within the pixels of Jump Into a Book we’ve had the pleasure of reviewing books based on Gutsy Girls. Here are a few of my favorites:
Below you’ll find a list and some links to some more gutsy girls. Go discover them and see what their bravery and adventuresome spirit inspires you to do.
Please Meet
Laura Dekker who set sail on the boat she made and remodeled with her father. Just shy of her 15th birthday, she set sail around the world to become the youngest person to ever circumnavigate the globe ALONE.
Learn more about her here. She also has a blog and a book called One Girl, One Dream.
Marie Antoine started climbing trees as a kid for fun. Now she does it as her job. She’s one of the few botanists who work in the canopies of the world’s largest trees the redwoods. From 325 feet up in the air, you’ll find her munching her lunch and taking a little snooze in the hammock she brings along. That’s a long long way down. One of my personal daring dos is to climb up into a Redwood tree. Just thought I’d share that. I first learned of Marie from the book The Wild Trees by Richard Preston which talked about her and her husband Stephen Stillet and the work they do way up there. Here’s a great look at their lives.
Shark Whisperer Cristina Zenato grew up is the African Congo. She is an accomplished diver. Christina calms the sharks by rubbing around their nose and mouth along small jelly filled holes. This quiets the shark into a semi-paralytic state for up to 20 minutes. During the time the sharks are hypnotized, Christina pulls out fishhooks, removes parasites from their skins, and extracts various samples for scientific research. In lieu of being fearful of these large sea creatures, she calls them family and says they are greatly misunderstood. Do you know who else says that ? My eldest daughter, “Bun-Girl” who also has had her own adventures with sharks.
To find out more about Christina Zenato have a look here.
This book honestly speaks to girls and women of all ages. I found it to be timeless in it’s appeal. She beckons us to embrace the spirit of adventure or at the very least to explore the idea. She shares what it means to be brave, that perseverance is how to get through it, that we don’t need to be perfect just present and the most important take away for being a Gutsy Girl is to laugh at oneself a lot. That’s an important skill especially when trying to do nearly impossible things.
Are you a Gutsy Girl?
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Ready to get your “sleuth” on? My Secret Codes, Mysteries and Adventures Activity PDF for kids will keep young minds percolating for HOURS!
Inside young super detectives will discover:
*19 pages of sleuthing fun for your family to enjoy.
*Use Pilot Frixion Pens and craft paper to create Invisible Secret Notes!
*Make I Spy Cookies!
*Discover a President of the United States who was a Master Code Creator!
This free activity guide is a great way to encourage kids to pull books off of shelves, discover the power of imagination and build a new excitement and anticipation for reading. Fill out the info below and grab your FREE copy. Enjoy!
The Chinese New Year is tomorrow !!! The WWW is buzzing with great facts, books and actitivities families can do surrounding China and this wonderful holiday. Let’s dig into Exploring China with Great Kidlit Books. Here are some of my top picks this week:
Free Gift-Multicultural Activities for kids
Don’t forget to grab my FREE Gift to YOU! Available for only a short time. Grab your copy HERE.
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One of the things I love most about winter is SNOW and being “snowed in” seems to happen frequently (whether officially…or “by choice”). So I’ve decided to dedicate an entire week of posts to our favorite snow books and the things we can do with them. Our book choice for this wonderful week of snow is Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin.
There once was a boy who loved snow more than anything else in the whole wide world. Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, celebrates Wilson Bentley’s lifelong love and passion of snow and the snowflake specifically.
Wilson Bentley had been fascinated by snow for as long as he could remember. Snow in Vermont is as common as dirt.
Supporting their son’s enthusiasm for snow, they saved up money and bought him a camera and microscope. To this day, the thousands of photos that Wilson Bentley took are still used in snow and crystals research studies.
Along with telling the biography of Wilson Bentley, author Jacqueline Briggs Martin has nice “how he did it” information boxes in the sidebars.
I have to mention the woodcut illustrations of Mary Azarian. I have long been a fan of her art. The wood-cuttings in Snowflake Bentley bring depth to the text and an invitation to the reader to come and know a little bit more about Wilson Bentley. Her art in Snowflake Bentley was awarded the Caldecott medal and right so. This book has sat as a favorite on the “snow book” shelf since it first came out in 1998. It’s a classic and greatly loved here. Grab your copy of Snowflake Bentley HERE.
**some of these links are affiliate links.
Something To Do
Are you ready to dive into the world of Snowflake Bentley? Let’s start with a visit to Wilson Bentley himself.
How To Take A Photo of a Snowflake
Wilson Bentley wrote about his process and shared his “how-to” in this article.
Creating our Own Snowflake Exhibit
Inspired by Wilson Bentley’s snowflake photos and slides, we decided to create our own snowflake exhibit on our windows. This is a fun arts and craft activity that gives the same feeling as Bentley’s snow slides.
What you’ll need:
Waxed Paper
Puffy Paint in a variety of colors
Photos of Wilson Bentley’s snowflake photos found on his website listed above.
Tear off a piece of waxed paper as large as your individual window pane. Choosing one color of paint , draw a snowflake design to your liking.
Taking another paint color, create another snowflake on the waxed paper. Keep doing this until your piece of waxed paper is filled with beautiful colored snowflakes.
Let it dry thoroughly.
When dry, take the entire sheet of waxed paper. Turning the snowflake painted side to the glass, just gently press it onto the glass. It will stick there and give a nice frosty, snowflake glow.
Snow Crystals is a very comprehensive website with all kinds of information on snowflakes for all ages. It includes a snowflake primer, collections of photographs, in-depth scientific information and answers to questions such as “Is it really true no two snowflakes are alike?”
Here’s a really great short video on Wilson Bentley. I find it really well done and engaging.
**some of these links are affiliate links
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Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2016 is COMING (1/27/16) and we have many things to be grateful for here at MCCBD headquarters. There are a ton of exciting things in the works right now!
Need to get a multicultural children’s book in front of readers? Participate in this national event as an Author Sponsor and get enjoy many unique ways to gain visibility for your books. Those who lock in their Author Sponsorship before October 31st will get a bonus; 2 guest posts on MCCBD blog, banner ad on the Author Sponsor Page, social media shares and book review opportunities by book bloggers. A great value for only $65. Go HERE for more details.
One of the things I love most about winter is SNOW and being “snowed in” seems to happen frequently (whether officially…or “by choice”). So I’ve decided to dedicate an entire week of posts to our favorite snow books and the things we can do with them. Our book choice for this wonderful week of snow is Story of the Snow Children.
I can’t think of a better way to continue our Snow Festival week than with The Story of the Snow Childrenby Sibylle von Olfers. Who couldn’t love Poppy in her little red hat going to a winter’s feast? I was trying to remember the first time I heard this story and I can’t remember. It seems like its been a constant throughout my life.
As Poppy is gazing out of the window she notices the soft gently blowing snowflakes have little faces and are actually snow children. As they dance and swirl in the garden they soon take Poppy away to the snow kingdom of the Snow Queen. There, Poppy is welcomed to the grand festival by the Queen and her princess. Amidst the sparkling snow kingdom is dancing, feasting, and exciting games. At the end of all this play, Poppy sleepily returns home to recount her tales of the snow children to her listening mother.
To grab your copy of this book, go HERE.
To set the stage for the wonderful and exciting snow festival we need to be dressed appropriately. There is nothing better than a message crown to make one feel like wintry royalty.
Something To Do: A Message Crown
Materials:
An assortment of 81/2 x 10 paper
An assortment of 12 x 12 paper
White card stock or blank index cards
Scissors
Picking shears
Small fasteners
Glue dots or glue
Tape
Heart Pattern
Large Circle pattern
Small circle pattern
Large triangle pattern
Small triangle pattern
To make a message crown you will need the following:
1 woven heart
2 large circles
2 small circles
2 large triangles
2 small triangles
2 -12 inch paper strips, 2 inches wide
How to make the woven heart
Fold a 81/2 x 11 ½ sheet of paper in half
Place the bottom of the heart pattern on the fold
Trace pattern twice onto the paper, each one placed on the fold.
Cut the two center lines on each heart piece.
Weaving Your Heart
Weaving a heart is a little different than weaving. We aren’t going under and over but in and through. The left hand side of the heart I’ve marked ABC. The right hand side of the heart I’ve marked 123. Let’s try this step by step. Look at the photos for help.
Step 1: Place C (left side piece) inside 1 (right hand piece).
Step 2: Place 2 (right hand piece) inside C (left hand piece).
Step 3: Place C (left hand piece) inside 1 (right hand piece).
Step 4: Place 1 (right hand piece) inside B (left hand piece).
Step 5: Place B(left hand piece) inside 2 (right hand piece).
Step 6: Place 1 (right hand piece) inside B ( left hand piece).
Step 7: Place C (left side piece) inside 1 (right hand piece).
Step 8: Place 2 (right hand piece) inside C (left hand piece).
Step 9: Place C (left hand piece) inside 1 (right hand piece).
To Make the Message Crown you will Need the Following:
Two large circles
Two small circles
Two large triangles
Two small triangles
Make the Crown band
Take 2 12 x 12 inch pieces of paper. Place them wrong sides together.
Tape an inch on both the bottom left and right hand sides. This will hold your crown sides together.
Measure 2 inches from the bottom, fold, and cut along folded line. This is your crown band. Crown Assembling
Take a folded heart and turn it over. On the reverse side, place a couple of glue dots down towards the bottom of the heart. Taking your crown band with the taped sides lying horizontally, place the heart in the center of the crown band.
Take one large circle and one small circle. Place small circle on top of the large circle and fasten with a small fastener. Make two of theses. Once together turn both pieces over and place a couple of glue dots on the circle and then place one circle to the right of the heart, and the other to the left of the heart.
Take one large triangle and one small triangle. Place a small triangle on top of the large triangle. Hold them together with a small fastener. Make two of these. Turn the triangles over and place a couple of glue dots on each triangle. Place the triangles to the left of the circles.
Adjusting your crown
Place the crown on the head holding it center on the forehead. In the back of the head, grab the crown band, gathering up the excess. Fold it over and tape it to fit.
Messages
The heart on the center of the crown is actually a little basket. It’s a perfect place for friends to leave messages for each other. To make your messages take the card stock and cut it into 8 rectangles. You can also use index cards as well. Cut those into quarters. Use your pinking shears to go around the edges. Write a heartfelt message. During the snow festival go around delivering your messages to your friends.
**Some of these links are affiliate links. That means if you click and buy, I may get a very small commission. This money goes towards postage and supplies to keep books and ideas in the hands of young readers!
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Kids and nature go hand-and-hand and enjoying the bounty that the great outdoors brings is not just a “summer thing.” The newest book from children’s book authors Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters teaches families everywhere to enjoy not only the great outdoors with month-by-month activities, but to jump deeper into the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! A Year in the Secret Garden is a delightful children’s book with over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” More details HERE!
Welcome to the Snowed-In Winter Book Festival! One of the things I love most about winter is SNOW and being “snowed in” seems to happen frequently (whether officially…or “by choice”). So I’ve decided to dedicate an entire week of posts to our favorite snow books and the things we can do with them. Our book choice for this wonderful week of snow is Snow by Uri Shulevitz!
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?
****Some of these links are affiliate links. That means if you click and buy, I may get a very small commission. This money goes towards postage and supplies to keep books and ideas in the hands of young readers!
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Here’s another idea for great “snowed-in” reading! The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is an Enhanced Digital eBook for Kids that 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 ebook 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 ebook re-lives the wonder and amazement through Willy Wonka’s world of magic. Grab your copy of Charlieat iTunes ASAP!
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.
One of the things I love most about winter is SNOW and being “snowed in” seems to happen frequently (whether officially…or “by choice”). So I’ve decided to dedicate an entire week of posts to our favorite snow books and the things we can do with them. Our book choice for this wonderful week of snow is The Story of Snow.
TheStory of Snow by Mark Cassino celebrates the magic of snow through science, math, language arts, music, and visual art activities. The Story of Snow uses a brilliant balance of incorporating photographs of crystals, pen & ink drawings, text for 3 different reading levels, and uncovering the mystery of snow. It serves equally as both a fascinating non-fiction journey and an inspiring nature art book. For those who love snow, The Story of Snow opens the door of awe and wonder of the magnificent wet stuff and takes us on a personal journey.
Something To Do
Paper Snowflakes
When I think of snowflakes, I think of being a small child and cutting my very own out of paper. As a family we’ve spent countless hours doing the very same thing.
A Resource of snowflake patterns:
For small children who are learning how to use scissors or have just learned how to use scissors go to the snowflake creator here.
Here are eight simple snowflake patterns for ages 7 and up.
Here are 5 snowflake patterns good for ages 8 and up.
Here are 10 complex snowflake patterns for ages 9 and up.
Affirmation Snowflakes:: Letters from the Sky
The Story of Snow ends with a quote from Japanese scientist Ukichiro Nakaya: “A snow crystal is a letter from the sky.”
Scientifically this is a true statement. Each snowflake will tell you what the temperature was when it was formed. How much moisture is there, and how it grew as it froze etc. All of the these great details are in The Story of Snow.
The ides of messages or letters from the sky got us thinking,wouldn’t it be great if we could catch snowflakes and save them for later ?
If we could, what would our messengers from the sky tell us?
Cut a few snowflakes from the instructions and templates above. Open up each snowflake and write a little message on it. I’ve given you some ideas below. Next fold them back up and put them in a jar. Each day pull out a snowflake and read it’s special message. You can also do this in reverse. Each day cut a snowflake and write a message then put it in the jar to pull it out again one day.
Affirmation Ideas:
I am awesome
I am very intelligent.
Learning is fun and exciting.
I have many gifts and talents.
I am unique and special.
My family, friends, and teachers love me for who I am.
Telling Time With Snow
12 x 12 white or off white scrap book paper or a paper plate.
Pencil and Ruler
Puffy Paint
If using the scrap book paper, trace a dinner sized plate onto the paper.
Starting with the number 12 and then moving onto 1, draw the numbers like a clock in the circle.
To make a 6 sided snowflake we need to draw 6 guide lines. Draw one line from 12 to 6, another from 10 to 4, and the last line from 8 to 2.
Using puffy paint in the color of your choice. Draw over the guide lines. Cover the ends of the lines in the center by making a little circle of puffy paint. Make a triangle at the top of each one and then some snowflake like designs working towards just under the triangle.
Let dry.
Hang on the wall, bulletin board, or fridge. Now we can honestly say it’s snow time.
Catch Your Own Snow Crystals
“Once a snow crystal lands, it starts to wither away. Snow crystals can’t keep growing after they fall from the clouds and soon breaks down. This means if you want to see a snow crystal, you need to catch it in the air,….”
You will Need:
A piece of dark cardboard of foam board. It should be about 8 x 10 inches. Make sure the cardboard is stiff enough to stay flat when held by one edge.
A magnifying glass so you can see the snow crystals better.
During the Snow Crystal Catching
Put the cardboard or foam outside for at least ten minutes before catching snow. The board needs to be cold or else the snow will melt the second it hits the board. Make sure the board stays cold and dry.
Gripping the board by one edge, hold the board out flat and watch as snow lands on it. If it’s snowing hard stand under a porch or patio so less snow falls on the board.
Look at the smaller pieces of snow that land on the board. This is where you’ll find individual snow crystals. Use your magnifying glass to look at them closely.
Once you’ve looked at them, shake off the board and try again.
Snow Storm in a Jar
What happens when you get a lot of snowflakes? A snow storm. Doing all of these snowflake activities had a wishing for a very large snow storm. Since one isn’t in the neighborhood, we decided to make one in the kitchen instead.
What you’ll need:
A tall or fat glass jar or something similar
Baby oil
White paint
Water
Iridescent glitter
Alka Seltzer
Fill the jar 3/4 of the way with baby oil. In a bowl mix together very warm water and white paint to make white water. In a bowl place enough warm water that will almost fill the top of the jar. Add white paint to the warm water and stir well. Once mixed pour the white water into the jar. Sprinkle in the glitter. Then wait for the glitter and water to settle at the bottom of the jar.
Once the water is settled it is time to make a snow storm! This is our favorite part !!! Take an Alka Seltzer tablet and break it into pieces. Have the kids drop the pieces into the jar and watch what happens
**Some of these links are affiliate links. That means if you click and buy, I may get a very small commission. This money goes towards postage and supplies to keep books and ideas in the hands of young readers!
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Kids and nature go hand-and-hand and enjoying the bounty that the great outdoors brings is not just a “summer thing.” The newest book from children’s book authors Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters teaches families everywhere to enjoy not only the great outdoors with month-by-month activities, but to jump deeper into the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! A Year in the Secret Garden is a delightful children’s book with over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” More details HERE!
One of the things I love most about winter is SNOW and being “snowed in” seems to happen frequently (whether officially…or “by choice”). So I’ve decided to dedicate an entire week of posts to our favorite snow books and the things we can do with them. Our first book choice for this wonderful week of snow is “Blizzard” by John Rocco.
How many times have we been released from school early because it started snowing ? I remember those days and see my own children’s excitement when that happens. Blizzard is a true life account of one such day and what followed to author John Rocco.
It was the infamous blizzard of 1978. On Monday is started to snow and as the wind whipped up school was released early. By the time John and his sister had reached home the snow was already covering their boots. By morning they couldn’t even open the front door.
On Tuesday they climbed out the window and had themselves a real “snow day” and went sledding. Sitting by the fire they sat drinking hot chocolate.
On Wednesday they climbed out the same window and dug snow tunnels making secret rooms under the snow.
By Thursday the snow plows still hadn’t come and their food started to run out. Young John Rocco was sure they wouldn’t be able to survive much longer on hot cocoa made with water.
On Friday, John consults his Arctic Survival Guide and realizes that he can take action. He had memorized the survival guide and knew what equipment he needed to be able to get to the store and save his family. Snowshoes made of tennis rackets would do just the trick.
On Saturday he made a grocery list and prepared his sled to carry it all. Then he was off. A very fun pull out neighborhood map shows the route John took and the distractions he found along the way. From building a snowman with friends to climbing a lookout tree, making a snow angel, exploring an igloo, joining a snowball fight, to checking in with neighbors and even getting lost.
At last he reached the store. He was tired. He was hungry and chilled to the bone but he couldn’t think of himself at a time like this, he had to rescue his family and the neighborhood from the deep clutches of the blizzard of 78.
On his way home he dropped off the groceries to the various neighbors. All were so grateful for John’s help.
Over hot chocolate made with milk, John shared the tale of his perilous journey to the grocery store.
The next day Sunday, snow plows finally arrived and John and his family had survived the blizzard of 1978.
This book is on our favorite book of 2014 list. Not only is John an amazing storyteller, bringing simple everyday life activities to a hero’s journey of a storybook, but he is a brilliant artist and illustrated the book as well. The book is laid out very cleverly with a fold out map. His use of the days of the week written in different clever ways. He is creative in his approach to capturing the colors of snow. In all we felt a part of his blizzard and wished we could have been there right there with him. This is a must read !!! Don’t miss this one.
Somethings To Do:
Hot Chocolate
I have one of the best recipes for hot chocolate. It will have you wanting more and even willing to walk to the store in a blizzard to get the supplies.
Ingredients
2-1/2 ounces of unsweetened baking chocolate
1/2 cup cold water
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
A gallon of milk, or enough for all participants
Step 1 : Making the Base
In a heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat, melt the chocolate in the water, stirring constantly until it is smooth.
Add the salt and sugar, continue to stir for 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove from heat. Let the chocolate mixture cool completely while you prepare the whipped cream. This chocolate base will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Step 2: Whipping the Cream
Place a metal bowl and the beaters of a hand mixer in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Remove from freezer and whip the cream together with the vanilla extract.
Gently stir in the cooled chocolate mixture.
Place the chocolate cream mixture in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight to chill thoroughly and allow the flavors to blend.
Step 3: How to Make the Hot Chocolate
To make the hot chocolate you will need a gallon of milk and the refrigerated chocolate cream.
In each cup place a large spoonful of the chocolate cream mixture.
Slowly heat the milk in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a whisk so it won’t scald.
Pour hot milk into each cup and stir well. Sprinkle with freshly grated cinnamon.
(This recipe comes from the book The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Valarie Budayr and Roscoe Welply)
Snow Angels
1. Pick a spot.
2. Fresh powder works best—make a snow angel right after a storm, when the snow is untouched.
3. Fall backward.
4. Move your arms and legs.
5. Press your head.
6. Get up.
How to Make Snow Shoes Out of Tennis Rackets
Take two tennis rackets. Using thin rope or webbing attach your shoe to the toe and heal using webbing or a sturdy thin rope.
Sledding Games
Have two distinct lines going down a snow hill. Starting off at the same time, see who gets to the bottom of the hill first.
Snowball Fight Rules
To make sure your snow ball fights are safe and fair be sure to establish a “safety word” which will stop the game if anyone should be hurt or have their feelings hurt. Snowballs can only be made with snow. Adding anything to a snowball is dangerous. Set boundaries as to where the snow ball fight can take place. Set a time limit and make sure everyone plays fair.
Have a fun throwing snowballs !!
Snow Forts
Need some ideas on how to build a snow fort ? Have a look here and here.
**Some of these links are affiliate links. That means if you click and buy, I may get a very small commission. This money goes towards postage and supplies to keep books and ideas in the hands of young readers!
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Here’s another idea for great “snowed-in” reading! The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is an Enhanced Digital eBook for Kids that 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 ebook 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 ebook re-lives the wonder and amazement through Willy Wonka’s world of magic. Grab your copy of Charlieat iTunes ASAP!
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.
The holidays are over and with a combination of sadness and relief, our thoughts are now turning to the winter months. This can bring about a feeling of excitement for many parents, or a robust feeling of dread! As the temps dip and the days get shorter , families tend to move from an outdoor focus to more of an indoor one. The result is a LOT of “togetherness” and a LOT of time to fray mom and dad’s nerves!
But, no matter where you live,the colder seasons are perfect for reading old classic books and enjoying new ones. As much as we love reading at Jump Into a Book, we are also always looking for ways to turn reading from a solitary act to one the whole family can get involved in.
If you follow JIAB, you’ve heard me speak of the act of “bookjumping” often. Bookjumping is about pulling books off shelves and stories off of pages. Basically, bookjumping is a “Valarie-ism” that describes creating book extensions for virtually any children’s story as a way to bring the story to life, make reading more fun, teach new skills and bring families together.
So as the frost begins to form gorgeous patterns on the window of my study, and the fluffy whiteness of winter begins to flitter down from the sky, I think it’s time to share some Cold Weather Activities Wrapped Around Reading.
Get into the Kitchen:
Bread baking has always been a favorite in our family and the comfort and warmth of smelling bread baking in the oven is hard to beat. Recently we dusted off the rolling pin and whipped up a batch of Saffron Buns/Lussekattor (pronounced “Lucy cat-tor”) in honor of my Swedish heritage and the Swedish Christmas books that are family favorites.
Before that, reading Roald Dahl books inspired us to make some Fizzy Lifting Drinks and Wonkalicious Chocolate Covered Pretzels!
Mama Panya’s Pancakes makes for a fantastic read aloud. The text is written in little boxes making it easy for young readers to follow along or take a turn reading out loud themselves. Make a batch of Mama Panya’s Pancakes
Booklists, Book-Jumps and Activities “Books Like Percy Jackson” Booklist. Like I mentioned in my recent Janet Allison Boys Alive interview, the Percy Jackson series is God’s gift to all parents who have boy reluctant readers. If this series strikes a cord with your reluctant reader, check into some of these other “Percy-like” books series!
My good friend Marilyn Scott-Waters has some simply delightful paper toys to help readers create their own Horse adventure around their favorite horse-themed books. What better way to stimulate young minds than with some pretend play. Marilyn has some wonderful downloadable paper toys on The Toymaker and a few suggestions to create your own stable of pretty ponies:
How about some paper crafts in step with the winter season? Paper craft lovers will love this TheStory of Snowby Mark Cassinocelebrates the magic of snow through science, math, language arts, music, and visual art activities. The Story of Snow uses a brilliant balance of incorporating photographs of crystals, pen & ink drawings, text for 3 different reading levels, and uncovering the mystery of snow. It serves equally as both a fascinating non-fiction journey and an inspiring nature art book. For those who love snow, The Story of Snow opens the door of awe and wonder of the magnificent wet stuff and takes us on a personal journey.
Learn About our History: Despite what some young readers might think, history is not dry and boring. Family-friendly reenactments of moments in our history make for excellent learning experiences while keeping the cold weather boredom monster at bay. Great JIAB posts that are rich in history would include this one about the Good Ol US of A, life during the “buffalo days” , celebrating our 4th of July traditions, and exploring the lives of inspiring people like Helen Keller.
Play with Nature: Even when the weather is cold, nature still can be a great teacher. Reading books based on nature helps to bring the outside IN and keep young mind stimulated. No matter what time of year it is, there are always stars in the sky. Practice learning and studying the night’s sky or bring the outside in with some fun fort building activities.
Engage in some Pretend Play:
Books and pretend play seem to go hand-in-hand for readers of all ages. Who wouldn’t want to read a few pirate books and then spend the day delving into all sort of pirate activities?!
To the Moon! The anniversary of the first Moon-Walk doesn’t occur until July, but that’s no reason to not have your young readers “blast off” with The Moon Landing Book List and some great book extensions!
Kids and mysteries go hand-in-hand and what better way to pass the time on a dreary day than with your home-grown version of a “whodunit!” Lucky for parents, there are so many wonderful kidlit mystery books out there. Discover the mysteries of Camp Green Lake in the book Holes, enjoy some intrigued from The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, and delve into some super sleuthing of K.C. Corcoran and her pal, Marshall Li in Ron Roy’s Capital Mystery series.
**Some of these links are affiliate links. That means if you click and buy, I may get a very small commission. This money goes towards postage and supplies to keep books and ideas in the hands of young readers!
Would you like to create a afternoon of sleuthing, mysteries and mysterious adventures? Grab a copy of our FREE Secret Codes, Mysteries and Adventure downloadable PDF Activity Guide! This guide is19 pages of fun including activities like Creating and Deciphering Invisible Messages, baking “I Spy” Cookies and learn more about the US President who was a master decoder! Click the image below to get your free copy!
Multicultural Children’s Book Day Classroom Reading Challenge-
Get a FREE Diversity Book for Your Classroom Library!
Teachers! We want to help you build your classroom library with diverse, inclusive and multicultural books! Here’s how to get a free book through Multicultural Children’s Book Day on January 27th.
LATEST EXCITING UPDATE! Junior Library Guild has agreed to sponsor this portion of the MCCBD 2016 event and donate up to 200 books for classrooms and teachers!
Go HERE for more details or to sign up your classroom and earn a FREE handcover multicultural children’s book!
This beautiful book about the Swedish holiday Sankta Lucia has become a read-a-loud favorite in this house.
This beautiful book has become a read-a-loud favorite in this house. Ewa Rydåker and illustrator Carina Ståhlberg have truly captured the spirit of “living” the Lucia tradition each year. The book tells the old story of Sankta Lucia through the eyes of three children living in this time period. Set in Sweden, the story follows the adventures of Sofie, Louise, and Carl as they prepare for Lucia Day on December 13th.
On that day, many Swedish people celebrate the legacy of Lucia and the coming of the light with coffee, saffron buns, ginger snaps, and wonderful singing. In addition to the story of the Svensson children, the book also includes the Lucia Song, recipes for ginger snaps and saffron buns, a short story of the Lucia legend, plus two patterns for the Lucia gown and star boy outfit.
This story focuses on one family preparing for the holiday. The two girls and the boy help make pepparkakor cookies and the Lussekat buns the night before. They next morning they celebrate with their immediate family.
I love the illustrations, they are wintry and festive looking!
Author Ewa Rydåker is happy to announce that the book is now available for iPad! (Or download it to read on your computer or iPhone). Find it in the iTunes Store.
Glögg is a hot spicy drink which is drank throughout the whole holiday season but a huge pot of it is always brewing on my stove top for Lucia.
Glögg instructions:
· 4 cups of apple or grape juice
· ¼ cup of sugar
· 18 whole cloves
· 8 whole cardamom pods
· 1 cinnamon stick
· 1 piece of fresh ginger 1 inch long
· Serve with raisins and almonds
In a cooking pot pour your juice of choice and add all of the spices. Turn the heat onto medium and cook until the sugar has melted. Cover and leave it standing for an hour. Strain off the spices. Right before serving reheat and place in a thermos, glögg pot or slow cooker to keep it warm. For serving place into a cup or mug and top with raisins and almonds.
How does your family celebrate Sankta Lucia?
If you would like more information about the Santa Lucia holiday traditions, Santa Lucia inspired crafts and even more Swedish treat idea, grab my FREE pdf download HERE. Even though the official Santa Lucia holiday is passed (December 13th) there’s no better time than the present to share these ideas, traditions and treats with your family. Consider it my gift to you this holiday season. Thank you and ENJOY.
I have to say RUN, as fast as you can to your nearest bookstore and get this book. My word, what an incredible read! This book is a masterfully told thriller with loads of mystery, intrigue, setting, spookiness. It is storytelling at it’s finest.
We are celebrating Halloween this year by jumping into the fine pages of Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty of Asheville North Carolina. Please read this book at anytime of year, we have chosen it as the Halloween Special but it’s a fine read the other 364 days of the year as well.
An exciting new mystery-thriller about an unusual girl who lives secretly in the basement of the grand Biltmore Estate and must solve a dark and dangerous mystery. This Disney Hyperion novel became a New York Times Bestseller in the first week of its release, and has been a smash hit ever since.-Amazon
“Never go into the forest, for there are many dangers there, and they will ensnare your soul.”
This spooky tale is about Seraphina, an odd girl who lives in the basement of the Biltmore Estate, in 1899. Serafina and her pa, the estate’s maintenance man, live in the basement of the great estate. No one knows they live there. Serafina’s pa has forbidden her to do a couple of things. First she must never be seen by anyone. Second she must never ever venture beyond the grounds of the Biltmore Estate and into the forest. There are very dangerous and spooky things that live there. Third she must never venture upstairs where all the rich folk live. Along with not being seen, no one even knows Serafina exists. But not being seen or heard doesn’t mean Serafina doesn’t venture out. She has learned to prowl through the darkened corridors at night, to sneak and hide, using the mansion’s hidden doors and secret passageways.
One night Serafina hears noises she’s never heard at night before. She discovers mysterious foul play at hand. Children at the estate start disappearing but only Serafina knows the clues and passageways to follow. There’s a terrifying man in a black cloak stalking about the corridors at night at the Biltmore Estate. Risking everything, Serafina joins forces with Braeden Vanderbilt, young orphaned nephew of Vanderbilt’s owner. Serafina and Braeden must uncover who the man in the black cloak is before all of the children on the estate disappear. The hunt takes them to the forest which Serafina has been taught to fear. There, she discovers a legacy of magic not known before. To save the children Serafina must face her fiercest and darkest enemy. To do so she must first discover the strange mystery around her own identity.
I have to confess that we have a great connection to the Biltmore Estate the setting for this story. We live just a couple of hours away in the Knoxville TN area and have a family membership. The woods Robert Beatty talks about we’ve walked through and had our own conversations of how anyone could be hiding there. Add to that the mystery of the Blue Ridge mountains where it is very well-known by the folklore in that region that non human beings and spirits live in the forests there. You always have to enter the forest with protection. Knowing that, can you imagine how exciting this book is for us? It’s like myth and legend have sprung to life.
photo credit by Robert Beatty
Rarely do I make predictions where books are concerned but I feel safe to say that this book will become a classic in children’s literature. I haven’t seen a book of this finesse come around for a while. We loved it’s spookiness. It’s a very manageable level of spookiness. It keeps those pages turning. The very good news is that the publisher Hyperion Disney Books is going to make this into a book series. Oh how happy are we. We can hardly wait but wait we shall !!!
Something To Do
There are so many things to do as book extensions for this fabulous book!
The Biltmore Estate is a gorgeous turn of the century mansion built in 1895 by George Vanderbilt.It is officially the largest home in America. This very large home hosts more than 250 rooms and around 175,00 square feet.
Set in the Blue Ridge mountains in Asheville, North Carolina it is a wonderful place to visit. I’m not sure how many rooms are open to the public but there are a lot of them. You’ll get to tour the two upstairs floors that Serafina isn’t suppose to go on. You’ll also get to go in the two basements but the slimy sub basement wasn’t on the tour the last time we went. That might be changing now with Serafina and the Black Cloak. Also something to consider are the grounds. The terraces and gardens are exquisite and are themed to bloom throughout the year. Each season is a blooming treasure to behold. Also on the estate are several places to hike and enjoy the forest which if you stay on the path isn’t scary at all BUT if you go off the path I can’t guarantee anything. You might meet a man in a black cloak and other non human type creatures. So stay on the path. We love to rent bikes and ride the bike trails. One of our favorite things to do. There are also many great places to eat through the entire estate.
Interior lobby of the Providence Biltmore Hotel.
Biltmore is truly a family home in opulent style. The nice thing is they let us experience it as. Be sure to check out their events especially the various musical concerts going on throughout the year, the gardens and special exhibits at the house.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed that maybe one day the Biltmore Estate will have a Serafina Tour. How cool would that be ?
Serafina Riddle Contest
Maybe you don’t have to wait for the Serafina Tour, maybe you could win one right now. The choice of prizes are a computer system or an all expense paid trip to Asheville and the Biltmore Estate plus you get to meet Robert Beatty and take a Serafina Tour with him. As you can tell I’m prone to take the travel and tour as to the computer. But it’s a free world and if you win choose what makes you happy.
First you have to answer about 12 riddles. You can find out all the details and such about the contest here.
Pumpkin Carving
It is Halloween after all, io designs have created two templates to go along with Serafina and the Black Cloak for all your jack-o-lantern needs.
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!
We’ve spent a lot of time lately at the Blount County Library in Maryville, Tennessee. When asked which book I should review, all of the kids gave a resounding answer; The Penderwicks.
The Penderwicks: A summer Tale of Four Sisters,Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall is filled with adventure, mystery, suspense, friendships, and villains–all of these ingredients mixed together make the best summer ever for the Penderwick sisters Rosalind, Jane, Skye, and Batty. Rosalind, the oldest, assumes the responsibility of taking care of her younger sisters. Jane just wants to have fun and enjoy the outdoors. Skye wants to finish her novel. And Batty…wants to be a butterfly. When they arrive at Arundel Hall for the summer with their Botanist father and their dog, Hound, the girls had no clue what was awaiting them behind the high walls of the Arundel house.
During their stay at Arundel, they make lasting friendships that make the summer worthwhile. When Mrs. Tifton’s son Jeffrey gets pulled into the Penderwick family, problems run rampant. To Mrs. Tifton, the Penderwick’s just aren’t the right kind of people. When they learn that Jeffrey’s mother is planning to ship him off to military school, the summer takes a turn for the worse. Now they have to save Jeffrey from this most undesirable fate and still manage to enjoy their summer.
Can the Penderwick’s save Jeffrey? Will Batty ever have the courage to stand up to Mrs. Tifton? And will Skye finish her novel? Join the Penderwick sisters, learn the family oath, and save Jeffrey during this wonderful, adventurous summer!
We absolutely adored this story. It has a good old fashion storytelling feel to it. There is such solidarity in their family life.
We especially liked the way the sisters formed different configurations to have secret meetings, complete with oath taking.The girls have MOPS (Meeting of Penderwick Sisters) and MOOPS (Meeting of Older Penderwick Sisters). I love how Ms. Birdsall made each of the girls so realistic for their age. They are all very relatable for all age groups.
Another aspect we liked in the book is the idea of family honor. Penderwick Family Honor! Whenever a situation arises in which the girls have to make a judgement call – and plenty do – they always revert back to Penderwick Family Honor. I love this because honor is clearly a value that’s been stressed as an integral part of the identity of this family. This is a family that values bravery, loyalty, integrity, imagination, learning, all things I’ve instilled in my own children. Mr. Penderwick has his hands full with his four creatively active daughters. He has taught his daughters values and trusts them to live accordingly. The Penderwick Family Honor is the code they live by.
The one thing you have to know about this great read is that it’s just lovely–mystery, adventure, and fun all wrapped into one. Mr. Dupree is the best villain and Churchie the best cook. I don’t see how you can’t fall in love with the Penderwicks and their new friends.
I just shared this last bit of news with my children, it’s a series! There’s so much more fun to be had with the Penderwicks and we’re so happy about that.
Add Something To Make
Mr Harry’s Tomatoes
Mr. Harry plays a fun role in the story. I asked the kids, “What are all the things we can do with Harry’s Tomatoes ?” After thinking of everything from tomato sauce, to eating tomatoes raw, the kids wanted to know if it’s possible to make ketchup or do we “have” to buy it in a bottle ? So there it was, we made a batch of homemade ketchup and I think this is the way we’re going to eat ketchup from now on.
Ketchup Recipe
This turned out so well and was so easy to make. We found it on Allrecipes.
INGREDIENTS:
2 (28 ounce) cans peeled ground tomatoes
1/2 cup water, divided
2/3 cup white sugar
3/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
1/8 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
1 whole clove
DIRECTIONS:
1. Pour ground tomatoes into slow cooker. Swirl 1/4 cup water in each emptied can and pour into slow cooker. Add sugar, vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, celery salt, mustard powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and whole clove; whisk to combine.
2. Cook on high, uncovered, until mixture is reduced by half and very thick, 10 to 12 hours. Stir every hour or so.
3. Smooth the texture of the ketchup using an immersion blender, about 20 seconds.
4. Ladle the ketchup into a fine strainer and press mixture with the back of a ladle to strain out any skins and seeds.
5. Transfer the strained ketchup to a bowl. Cool completely before tasting to adjust salt, black pepper, or cayenne pepper.
Take a Quick Quiz
Which Penderwick Sister are You ? Or are you one at all ?
Each sister in the story is distinctly different. Each with their own personality, likes and dislikes, plus they had a variety of adventures.
Which Penderwick sister are you ? Or are you Jeffery ?
Here’s a quick review:
Rosalind is the oldest and very sensible. She is also very responsible and takes care of her younger sisters very well.
Skye is the beautiful blonde of the family who also happens to be a tomboy. She is very logical and adventurous.
Jane is a writer and very outspoken. She is a good athlete and very caring when she is saying something she shouldn’t be.
Batty is the youngest and very shy. She loves animals and considers them to be her best friends.
Jeffery is the son of a rich woman who lives in upper crust society. Jeffery loves having the Penderwick sisters as friends. He loves to play soccer and is a very good pianist.
Let’s Solve a Puzzle
Civil War Word Search
Cagney the teenage gardener loves anything having to do with the Civil War. Test your wits and see how many of these Civil War words you can find.
Now Answer This!
Family Oath
The Penderwick family has a family oath which defends their family honor. What values are important to your family? What would your Family Oath Be? Create a family oath and then come back and share it here.
**Some of these links are affiliate links. I was give a copy of this book for review. Opinions expressed are purely my own.
Roald Dahl Day takes place every September 13th, the celebrated birthday of one of the world’s favorite storytellers. There are celebrations happening all over the world and Jump into a Book is no different. So to prepare for your own Roald Dahl Day, go have a look at some of these very fun activities on the official Roald Dahl site and also have some fun jumping into a few of the most well-known Roald Dahl books of all time on JIAB like BFG and Witches.
As many of my readers may already know, Mr. Roald Dahl holds a special place in my heart. His books, his life, his vision. I admire this man in many ways.
You can write about anything for children as long as you’ve got humour.-Roald Dahl
Many of you may also know that my award-winning enhanced digital e-book The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory got it’s started as an idea from a note by Willy Wonka inside an old book at the yard sale.
The result was a labor of love, and my first-ever enhanced digital e-book inspired by the classic tale of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
We’ve seen “Charlie” top the charts to #1 on the iTunes iBookstore no less than 7 times.
We won the coveted QED award for innovative design.
We won a Bronze medal in the E-Lit Book Awards.
What We Encountered Along The Way thanks to Charlie:
We won our own golden tickets by sheer wit.
We entered into the jungle to learn how chocolate and gum were made and even got to make some of our very own.
We met Oompa Loompas and even had a wardrobe exchange. We’ve never truly been right since then as they have very short legs.
We learned the true secrets of gobstoppers. We’d tell you but our mouths are full.
Willy Wonka’s factory is a masterwork of mazes. We had to utilize our skill at them to work our way through this enchanting chocolate factory, including but not limited to the ever famous scissor maze where we walked clean through a piece of paper. Of course we haven’t kept that info to ourselves but have happily shared it with all of you
Feature Box Title
This book is MAGIC! Have you ever wanted to visit Willy Wonka’s famous chocolate factory? I know I did when I was little. I still do!
Jump into a Book’s Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory allows families to do just that. This wonderful eBook is packed, not just with interesting facts about how chocolate and Gobstoppers are made, but also with clever games like “Gobstopper Dobblers” and “The Nut Room Squirrel Snatching Game”. And who doesn’t want to learn how to make their own “Fizzy Lifting Drinks” or “Square Candies Looking Round”? There are even step by step patterns so readers can create their own “Willy Wonka Top Hat” and “Mini Maze in a Box Game”. It made me wish I had a time machine so I could go back and give this delightful book to my eight-year-old self. The hands on activities and games will allow you to make delicious memories with your own children.- Thetoymaker
What many teachers and parents don’t realized about the enhanced digital e-book The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and The Chocolate Factory is that is contains many book extensions related to the classic tale by Roald Dahl; many of which meet the criteria for common core. It’s basically a collection of inventive and creative book extensions inspired by the classic tale, with the benefit of Common Core activities:
“Charlie” includes these Common Core Standards:
Math Skills
Social Sciences
Geography
Basic geometry
Biology
Mazes
Measuring
Hand/Eye Co-ordination
Other skills your young reader will be exposed to is basic cooking, map-reading, linear thinking and conservation.
Although The Ultimate Guide to Charlie is a beautifully illustrated interactive e-book, the entertainment comes from doing the crafts, recipes, and games once the book is shut. It’s good old fun ,21st century style. We loved creating a balance between the virtual world and the actual world. Magic comes from our inspirations and imagination. The Ultimate Guide to Charlie will lend itself to hours of fun again and again. Homeschooling families have also found this enhanced digital e-book helpful in their studies and this creativity-packed adventure is also available in PDF for homeschoolers as well.
Every summer, I think back on my author visits from the previous school year, and many highlights come to mind. Usually one stands out in a slightly brighter typeface than the others, and this past year it was the kindergarteners of Michelle Schaub's class at Grayhawk Elementary School in Scottsdale, Arizona. They had read my book Where In the Wild? Camouflaged Creatures Concealed...and Revealed, and they decided that when I came to their school, they would have a surprise for me: their own performance of a poem from the book. It was the poem about the coyote.
Wary eyes...
Ears are keen...
Sniff the air...
Seldom seen...
Crouching low...
In the brush...
Standing still...
Watching, hush...
Darkness falls...
On the prowl...
Rising moon...
Yip and howwwwwllllllll
One thing led to another and soon they had a plan to do it on Grayhawk's schoolwide TV network while I was in the studio and the entire school was watching in classrooms. And there was to be a surprise at the end, when each child lifted a beautiful coyote mask to cover his or her face. They had worked for days on the masks; each one was beautiful and unique. The overall result: spectacular.
You can probably imagine what fun this was for the children, their teacher, the whole school and me. But here's the important point: Those kinders are not going to forget this poem or facts about this animal (detailed, in prose, later in the book) because they turned what I wrote into something of their own.
I could produce a lengthy resource book about ways that classes have extended my books into projects of their own. Some classes have explored individual statements from my books (perhaps to confirm or dispute what I wrote). Some have created books of their own, modeled (closely or loosely) after mine. Some have performed sections of my books in various ways, or even enacted episodes of my life. Think of the differences in learning opportunities between simply reading a book and extending it into something of one's own, something to be proud of. "Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he'll eat for a lifetime" goes the saying. "Read a child a poem a coyote poem, he'll learn about coyotes for a minute. Give a child a coyote poem to enact, she'll learn about coyotes for days."
0 Comments on A postcard from the 2007-2008 school year as of 7/28/2008 2:37:00 AM
HANNAH RIALS: A Maryville native and current college student at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Hannah began writing her first novel at age twelve. Eight years later, the result is her new YA novel Ascension; a modern day teenage romance filled with “double-blooded” vampires and revenge-seeking witches (to be released in August of 2016). When not spending time with her family and playing with her beloved Corgis, Buddy and Noel, Hannah leads a creative group, crafts and cultivates her writing skills. Connect with Hannah on
