Countdown to Easter: Day 3

The perfect Easter basket gift for beginning readers!

Dunrea, Olivier.
Ollie's Easter Eggs.
February 2010.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Gossie, Gertie, Peedie and BooBoo have all dyed their Easter eggs... Ollie is feeling left out though, as he has yet to dye any Easter eggs. As he watches all of his friends hide their eggs, Ollie follows behind, snatching them and claim them as his own and hiding them under his blanket. As his friends return to hunt for their eggs, they eventually find them in a straw nest, constructed by Ollie, who takes no claim and innocently exclaims, "Look! Easter eggs!"

The story is very cute, and as I mentioned at the beginning of my post, absolutely perfect for beginning readers. The text is repetitive and very predictable when using the pictures for context clues. This is definitely a book to consider for young children!

Learning/Reading Activity

• The book comes complete with sticker scenes inside the back cover. Use the stickers to have your child sequence and retell the story in his/her own words. This is a great comprehension activity, while at the same time allows children to become an "author" on their own!
  

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!

Countdown to Easter: Day 2

Who can resist cuddly looking chicks at Easter-time?

Joosse, Barbara.
Higgledy-Piggledy Chicks.
January 2010.
HarperCollins Publishers.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

It's springtime at the barnyard and we all know what that means - baby animals! Readers will learn what happens in order for baby chicks to be born, beginning with Mother Hen brooding, or thinking of a family. From there, they quickly learn that the eggs are laid and then must be sat upon to keep warm, allowing the chicks to develop for 21 days before they are born. Once the chicks are born, readers learn just how much work babies can be, as Mother Hen has her hands full with the seven chicks in this story!

This is a wonderful springtime/Easter story introducing young children to the life cycle of a chick in the most simplistic of ways! Although it is written as a fiction title, with a little work (and the activities below), there is plenty of factual information to learn!

Learning/Reading Activities:

• Watch this video that shows chicks hatching.
• Teach children the life cycle of a chicken using the Life Cycle worksheets, which can be downloaded here and here.
  

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!

Countdown to Easter: Day 1

Laura Numeroff and Mouse return with another wonderful book for young readers!

Numeroff, Laura.
Happy Easter, Mouse!
January 2010.
HarperCollins Publishers.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Mouse's friend, Bunny surprises Mouse by hiding Easter eggs through Mouse's house on Easter day. Mouse takes great delight in exploring the house further as he discovers more and more eggs throughout!

The book is ideal for young readers due to the simplicity of the story and text. It also has two educational aspects to it, counting and colors, allowing young children interact with the story by helping name the colors and count the Easter eggs alongside Mouse.

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Have your child(ren) help "color" the Easter eggs that Bunny leaves hidden for Mouse. Use this as a listening activity to practice letters and counting skills. The download can be found here.
  

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!

Gossie Plays Hide and Seek

Each time Gossie returns, I enjoy her just a little more!

Dunrea, Olivier.
Gossie Plays Hide and Seek.
February 2010.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Gossie returns to play hide-and-seek with her friends in this flap, tab, sniff and squeak adventure! As the hunt begins, Gossie quickly finds Gertie, Peedie, and BooBoo. However, finding Ollie provides to be more difficult than anyone could imagine! Gossie and the other goslings search high and low, peeking under a hay bin, among the flowers, among the apples, through the grass, under flowerpots, in a beehive, under the hens, and under the water before finding him, in an almost perfectly-camouflaged hiding spot!

This book is perfect for young children who are just beginning to show an interest in reading, as children will take delight in exploring their senses with the lift-the-flap pages, pull tabs, touch and feel pages and even the scented pages! The book is great fun and will easily engage the youngest of readers!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• The back cover of the book includes a two-page game board that can be used with up to four players. The game would help children practice counting skills and following directions.
• Discuss what it means to "camouflage" and why camouflage is important to some animals and how it can be helpful during the game of hide-and-seek! An activity worksheet to reinforce this concept can be downloaded here.
  

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!

Finn McCool and the Great Fish

Definitely a different take than many of the works I've read by Eve Bunting, but definitely worth sharing!

Bunting, Eve.
Finn McCool and the Great Fish.
December 2009.
Sleeping Bear Press.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Bunting tells the tale of Finn McCool, a gentle giant who lacks wisdom in this unique tale set in Ireland. While Finn is a strong and kind giant, he does not possess much wisdom. In hearing these comments about himself one day, he sets off in search of gaining wisdom. After visiting a wise old man, Finn heads to a nearby river in search of a magical red salmon that will supposedly help him to gain the wisdom he seeks. Upon arriving, Finn discovers that his kindness leaves him incapable of taking the life of the fish. However, Finn doesn't leave without his sought-after wisdom... instead, he finds a way to gain wisdom without taking the life of the magical red salmon.

This is a wonderful book to share on St. Patrick's Day! While it doesn't specifically make mention of St. Patrick's Day or any of the traditional St. Patrick's Day symbols and traditions, the illustrations provide great sight into the Irish landscape, allowing readers to gain a deeper understanding of the Irish heritage.

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Sleeping Bear Press has also prepared for educators, a Teaching Guide for Finn McCool and the Great Fish. It consists of 16 pages of activities to use in collaboration with the book. My personal favorite was page 10, in which children are asked to write a letter to a friend at home (while visiting Finn McCool in Ireland) describing their adventure with the gentle giant.
• Listen to Eve Bunting introduce and even read part of Finn McCool and the Great Fish here!
  

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!

Sheep on a Ship

Nancy Shaw's "Sheep" books are quickly becoming a favorite of mine, as the rhyming text makes them ideal for use in my preschool classroom! The kids are the point where we're reading to start learning about rhyming words, and the fun, lyrical texts make learning about rhyming words enjoyable for young children!

Shaw, Nancy.
Sheep on a Ship.
February 15, 2010.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Guided Reading Level: G
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

The adventurous sheep set sail on the ship, embarking on just one of their many lifetime journeys. Along the way,

It rains and hails and shakes the sails. Sheep wake up and grab the rails.

Readers will quickly catch on the text that "sounds the same" and makes them laugh! The newly released board book format of this book makes it ideal for those little fingers that are working so hard at catching on to the concept of rhyming words! This book has definitely found a new home in my classroom!

Learning/Reading Activities:

• While you're reading Sheep on a Ship, stop at the end of each page and discuss the pairs of rhyming words. The approach I am likely going to take is: sails, rails, they both have ails. Please feel free to share with me the ideas you use when teaching rhyming words to your child(ren)!
  

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!

Alyssa and the Spider

St. Jean, Alan.
Alyssa and the Spider.
October 2009.
Oren Village, LLC.

Alyssa and Ralphie are your typical, everyday siblings! It's summer vacation and do you suppose the two of them can get along and play nicely together? Ralphie is content to watch TV and scary movies. Alyssa wants to play with her dolls. They bicker back and forth throughout the day before meeting on common grounds - starting with Alyssa's discovery of the dreaded spider in her bedroom and ultimately ending up with Ralphie fixing Alyssa's one-eyed doll after she defends her brother from the great big spider that teases him.

This is a wonderful books that children and parents alike will enjoy! Children will find the rhyming text humorous and will easily be able to connect with the story being told, especially if they have siblings! Parents will appreciate the story of children overcoming their differences to locate common ground before learning to work and play together!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• After reading this book, discuss with children the different activities they like to participate in. How are these activities different than the activities their friends/siblings like to participate in? How can we work together to be fair? If the children you are working with are siblings, discuss areas that might be of common interest among them and how they can work together throughout the summer so as not to drive Mom and Dad (and themselves) nuts!
  

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!

March Giveaway Winner!

Congratulations to Jane @ Winning Readings! You are the winner of my March giveaway package! Please email me with your snail mail address by Friday, March 19!

Celebrating National Reading Month with a Young Author

What better way to showcase National Reading Month than to highlight one young writer who was obviously inspired by creative imagination, coupled with his enjoyment during his own reading adventures?!

James, Dalton.
The Heroes of Googley Woogley.
March 2009.
Outskirts Press, Inc.
Review copy provided courtesy of author.

James and Pete return in this second work by seven-year old Dalton James! This time the father/son team travel to Googely Woogley, courtesy of their fun spaceship. Upon reaching Googley Woogley, the duo discover the inhabitants of the planet, SooDos and SooDonts, good versus evil! The two work to help the SooDos take back control of Googley Woogley.

Young Dalton has yet again provided children the chance to see how their active imaginations allowing ample opportunity to create written work that can inspire other children to try their hand at writing a book of their own!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Inspire creativity for writing projects by creating a rocket ship with your child(ren) using cardboard boxes. An example can be found here! An activity like this will encourage your child(ren) to get the creative juices flowing and inspire imaginations to get to work!
  

James, Dalton.
The Mudhogs.
October 2009.
Outskirts Press, Inc.
Review copy provided courtesy of author.

Three pigs: Piggy, Piggles and Piglet are searching for just one thing that all pigs so desperately want - mud! However, a drought has left them with a lack of rain, resulting in no mud! They try Indian rain dances, spells and even acting out rain storms. When all of their efforts fail, the three pigs decide to head off in search of mud. Traveling to the towns of Piggsburg, Hogsbreath, Swineville and Slopton provide no mud. The states of Pighoma, Snortessee, New Hog and Piggselvania provide no mud either. In a last ditch effort, they head off to different countries - Pig of Mud States, Pigsia, Hogico and Barnia. However, there's no mud to be found anywhere. Upon returning home and finding mud, the pigs learn an important message -

sometimes all you are looking for is at home if you just wait for it.

All I can say is wow, what a difference one year and more experience can make with Dalton James! Returning now as an eight-year old has really developed Dalton's writing (and illustrating)! I noticed a huge difference in the plot development and was incredibly impressed to see the development of an important message being shared with readers. Way to go Dalton! I'll definitely be sharing your work with kids - hoping your efforts pay off in encouraging their creativity and imagination to be put into their writing!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Encourage writing habits in children from an early age. No matter what the "story" looks or sounds like, allow children to feel pride in their work. Turn pages into "books" and encourage your child(ren) to read to you these books that they have created. Keep their works and encourage children to reflect back on the progress they have made over the years. From experience, having these books to look back on years later is a lot of fun!
  

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!

Non-Fiction Monday: Stamping Projects

I've recently received a wonderful box of review books from Lerner... this is just one from the lot, but it's totally my kind of book!

Ross, Kathy.
One-of-a-Kind Stamps and Crafts.
April 2010.
Lerner Publishing.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

What a super cool book for kids! Even though it's part of the Girl Crafts series, boys can have fun with these projects too! The book provides readers (and parents, if you're looking for a craft resource) with all sorts of neat crafts that can be created using stamps - and we're not talking about those expensive, store-bought stamps! These stamps are hand crafted by none other than your child(ren)! My personal favorite was the puzzle piece stamp that was created using puzzle pieces and empty film canisters. It's super simple, yet all kinds of cards can be created by stamping a collage of sorts from the puzzle pieces!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Pick a stamping activity from the book. Turn this into next year's Christmas gift that your child will give to friends and family. Everyone loves receiving mail! What better gift to give than a set of homemade stationary or greeting cards that can then be shared with others!
  

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!

Sitting Duck Friday? Sounds Good to Me!

Jackie Urbanovic's Duck series is quickly becoming a bit hit! The first one I read, Duck and Cover, I just didn't understand. However, the series is growing on me, especially after having read (and understood the humor) in Sitting Duck!

Urbanovic, Jackie.
Sitting Duck.
January 2010.
Harper Collins.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Duck returns in another adventure to help Brody babysit his niece Anabel (a puppy, for those of you unfamiliar with the characters in the Duck series). It should be an easy job...

"Babysitting is easy! said Brody. "We'll all play together. Our only job will be to keep her out of trouble."

"Sure," said Max. "How much trouble could a puppy get into, anyway?"

For those of you who have helped raise a puppy, you know as well as I do just how much trouble a puppy can get into! And Max and Brody are apparently in for a shock if they think taking care of puppy Anabel is going to be a piece of cake!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• This book is not only funny, but should get both parents and children thinking about babysitters. After reading the story, discuss how little Anabel causes trouble with her babysitters. Explain the consequences this had for not only Anabel but also for Max and Brody (resulting in danger for Anabel - possibly getting hurt if she fell out of the tree, resulting in fear for Max and Brody - that they could have caused harm to Anabel by allowing her the opportunity to land in a dangerous situation). Once you have read and discussed the story, work with your children to create a list of reasonable rules to follow when there is a babysitter, as often times some of the house rules are changed when babysitters are present (extending bedtime, special meals, no swimming, no cooking on the stove, etc). It's important that children are familiar with the different rules so they are safe, even when babysitters are present!
  

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!

Biscuit Returns!

I first became familiar with the Biscuit series about 4 years ago when I was tutoring a first-grader who struggled with reading skills. These books are perfect for beginning readers for several reasons. They're also ideal for children who have begun to read independently. If you have young children at home, they're likely to love Biscuit, so check out these new titles!

Capucilli, Alyssa Satin.
Biscuit Meets the Class Pet.
December 2009.
Harper Collins.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Biscuit's owner, the little girl, has the opportunity to bring home Nibbles, the class pet. The weekend turns into more of an adventure than anyone bargains for as Nibbles hops away, leading Biscuit and the little girl to go on a hunt to find him!

The repetitive and predictable text makes this book perfect for young children are just beginning to start reading. The simplicity of the illustrations provides their use as context clues when reading. Both of these things, added to the cuteness of Biscuit will have young children hooked on the Biscuit series.

Learning/Reading Activities:

• Discuss with your child the similarities and differences of caring for the two different pets, Biscuit (the little girl's dog) and Nibbles (the classroom pet). What different needs do the animals have? What needs do the two have that are the same? You can use the Venn Diagram activity page found here if you wish!
  

Capucilli, Alyssa Satin.
Biscuit's First Trip.
January 2010.
Harper Collins.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Biscuit and his owner, the little girl, are busy getting ready for Biscuit's first trip - a vacation to see the rest of the family! From the packing, to the car ride, to meeting the family and participating in the games, all aspects of Biscuit's first trip are covered in this book!

The book is perfect for families preparing for a vacation with young children, as it will help allow children to see all aspects of the vacation. It might also be helpful for parents planning the first big trip with the family - choosing spots to stop and move around, etc.

Learning/Reading Activities:

• Have you got Spring Fever as bad as I do? Plan a weekend getaway with your family! One great resource (although it doesn't cover all 50 states) is http://www.escapemaker.com. Another great resource to consider is The Best Attractions in All 50 States.
• The book could also be used in many ways educationally. After reading, have your child(ren) draw a picture of something they would like to do on vacation. Or, if you're creative, you could turn the story into a sequencing game to test comprehension!
  

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!

The 100th Day of School

So... I'm much later on this post than I should and was hoping to be... but, currently, that's life for me - just squeaking by! However, I definitely want to get this review up, because I'm oh-so-proud of the activity I have planned to go with it!

O'Connor, Jane.
Fancy Nancy: The 100th Day of School.
December 2009.
Harper Collins.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned before how much I love the books in the Fancy Nancy series! I find them to be super educational, while at the same time very appealing (at least to little girls, anyways)! This book was definitely not disappointing!

Fancy Nancy has a dilemma (that's fancy for problem, if you didn't know)! The 100th day of school is just three days away, and she can't think of any collection of 100 items to bring in! Almost all of her classmates have their collections completed, yet Nancy can't even decide where to begin! However, an unfortunate family tragedy (losing Goldy the Goldfish) opens up the opportune collection for Nancy's 100th day of school presentation. The book is perfect not only for your 100th day of school festivities, but also a great read for families dealing with the lose of a loved one (or pet).

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Almost all of my Fancy Nancy activities deal with some aspect of Nancy's use of fancy language. The activity for Fancy Nancy: The 100th Day of School is not too different than the activities I've posted in the past, but hopefully you'll be able to find a way to enjoy it with your child(ren). Almost all schools celebrate the 100th day of school. Most of these celebrations feature collections of 100 items. Why not make up a list of 100 fancy words and pretend to be Fancy Nancy for the day? You can download the worksheet here!
  

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!

Read Across America Day - Dr. Seuss' Birthday

Today celebrates Dr. Seuss' birthday... what did/will you do to celebrate? I have a whole plateful of activities planned for my preschoolers... perhaps you could find a way to use some of these in your home/classroom?!

Waxman, Laura Hamilton.
Dr. Seuss.
December 2009.
Lerner Publications.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

This is the first Dr. Seuss biography I've come across, but I'm sure there are several (or more) out there! This biography in particular specifically features Dr. Seuss as an artist, cartoonist, children's book writer, military man and "superstar."

The book is ideal for middle-age to older children, as the text is somewhat lengthy. However, there is so much information packed within, that the book can virtually be used with all children, if you just pick and pull the age-appropriate materials! Coupled with the photographs and illustrations, I'd say this is a wonderful book if you'd like to teach your child(ren) more about Dr. Seuss as a writer (and person), rather than just focusing on all of his books.

Learning/Reading Activities (that my preschoolers participated in today):

• Yesterday, we created Cat in the Hat hats to wear today. I found the directions for those here.
• We started out our day with breakfast - green eggs and ham style, of course!
  
• Read Ten Apples Up On Top and then create your own family/classroom edition of the book. The page we used can be downloaded here. The curriculum at my preschool is High/Scope... meaning we encourage creativity on the kids' part (discouraging children from imitating an adult's sample). I added head shots of all my kids on this page and then put out a bunch of materials (stamps, apple cutouts, markers, crayons, paper scraps) and let them "have at it"... after we had a discussion about how many apples they had "up on top" to be sure that everyone had a plan! All of the pages will be bound together and added to our classroom library.
• For Gross Motor activity time, we read Marvin K. Mooney Will You Please Go Now! and then we played "How Will We Go?" Each child was given a turn as "leader" and given the opportunity to decide how the class would "go" as we marched around the classroom and building. We flew, waddled like a penguin, galloped like a horse, and hopped like a frog, to name a few! The kids loved this!
  
• This afternoon, we watched Horton Hears a Who as a special surprise for the kids. Although their attention spans started to wane, I still think they found it enjoyable and relaxing.
• I was hoping to use this really neat Cat in the Hat glyph, but we just didn't have enough time. However, maybe you can enjoy it with your child(ren).
  

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!

March Giveaway Details!

I received the go-ahead from my contact at Lerner books to post this wonderful news for my readers! I received an extra copy of two of the titles in the Our Four Seasons series: Are You Ready for Winter? and Are You Ready for Summer.

One lucky reader has the chance to win both of these titles! To enter the giveaway:

• Leave a comment on this post. Be SURE to include your email address.
• In your comment, tell me your favorite summer AND winter activity.
• Deadline to Enter: Monday, March 15 at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be drawn on March 16 and notified by email!
• Restricted to US residents only!
  

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!

Non-Fiction Monday: Are You Ready for Spring?

Are you ready for spring? I know I am! But I likely have at least another month to go before the buds start popping out and all this snow disappears for good! Until then, I think I'll hunker down and enjoy some books - starting with these four new releases from Lerner Publications! After exploring these books further, I centered all of the activities around them based on the 5 senses, as they are all greatly explored throughout the books. Hopefully you'll be able to make use of the activities, as well as the books!

Anderson, Sheila.
Are You Ready for Spring?
January 2010.
Lerner Publications.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

I chose to feature Are You Ready for Spring? first because spring is just around the corner here in NY (I'm not excited or anything)! This is a wonderful resource for children and can be used with a wide age variety with modifications!

The book features a wealth of information, shared in the most basic manner about: sights and sounds of spring, spring weather, plants coming to life, the spring world, the impending summer season, and of course (and probably most interesting to children) the hatching of chicks! The photograph style illustrations allow children to easily connect with the material presented. Perhaps what I found most enjoyable about this book (and the entire series) is that you can use parts of the book alone without having to read it cover to cover (nice if you're working with young children trying to focus on one specific topic)!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Throughout the book, the five senses are explored as spring is described by using each of the five. Encourage your child(ren) to explore more ways in which their five senses are put to use during the Spring season. A worksheet for this activity can be downloaded here!
  

Anderson, Sheila.
Are You Ready for Summer?
January 2010.
Lerner Publications.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

This is yet another wonderful book in the Our Four Seasons series, Are You Ready for Summer? briefly introduces children to some of the fun and explorations of the summer season.

Topics covered include: sights and sounds of summer, summer weather, how to stay cool, what the world looks like during summertime, and the impending fall season. For the science lover, details about the Summer Solstice are also included, allowing a great deal of room for further exploration!

Learning/Reading Activities:

• Encourage your child(ren) to think ahead to the summer season. Ask them some things that they would like to do to be adventurous. What are some new "summery" foods you'd like to try? Is there anything about summer that you'd like to touch? How about smell? See? Hear? The worksheet for this activity can be found here!
  

Anderson, Sheila.
Are You Ready for Fall?
January 2010.
Lerner Publications.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

No, I am NOT ready for fall! Can I please have spring and summer first? However, once spring and summer do roll around, this book will be the perfect introduction for children who are unsure of what to expect for the coming season - fall.

Similar topics are once again covered in this third edition in the Our Four Seasons series: sights and sounds, fall weather, fall activities, the fall world and the impending winter season. A description of why leaves change color is also included as the "bonus" section of this book - children are sure to love this, as they will likely easily relate to the happenings of fall as they are presented.

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Discuss with your child Fall holidays (Halloween, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving). Choose one of these holidays and complete the 5 Senses activity sheet that surrounds the chosen holiday. The worksheet can be downloaded here.
  

Anderson, Sheila.
Are You Ready for Winter?
January 2010.
Lerner Publications.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Much like the topics that readers explored in Spring, Summer and Fall, readers will once again learn about: sights and sounds of winter, winter weather, the winter world and the next-up season. However, this time they'll also explore methods of staying warm during winter and what it means to hibernate!

As I'm pretty sure I made clear in each of the previous reviews, these books are absolutely wonderful resources! They're just the right length, with topics that can be explored further if children (or parents) so desire! There's much to be learned and that could be what I enjoyed most about these books!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Challenge your child(ren) to once again explore their five senses. This time, though, it's winter and (speaking from experience) snow days offer all kinds of activities and ways in which children can explore and have fun, while at the same time putting their 5 senses to good use! The worksheet for this activity can be downloaded here!

If you're interested in finding out more information about any of the books reviewed or if you'd like to purchase the books, click the cover image for a link to Amazon.com. I am an Amazon Affiliate, so any purchases you make after clicking these images will result in my receiving a small percentage of the sale price!