Ten Black Dots - Now in Board Book Format!

A favorite of mine, now in board book format! Totally adding this to my literacy book bag collection for my preschoolers!

Crews, Donald.
Ten Black Dots.
June 2010.
HarperCollins.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Author Donald Crews presents an interesting question to children in Ten Black Dots,

What can you do with ten black dots?

As readers gradually practice counting to ten, they see what can be done with the amount of black dots that represent that numeral. For instance,

One dot can make a sun or a moon when day is done.
Five dots can make buttons on a coat or the portholes of a boat.
Nine dots can make toy soldiers standing in rank or the pennies in your piggy bank.

The book is perfect to use with children who are beginning to learn how to count and make a one-to-one correspondence between a number and an object. Add the concept to rhyming text and engaging pictures, and you have the winner of Ten Black Dots! This is seriously, one of my favorite children's counting books and I have every intent of sharing it with my students in their take-home literacy book bags this year!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Download the worksheet found here. Have your child use his/her crayons/markers and ten black dot stickers and see what they can make with ten black dots! A sample can be found below!

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!

Ready, Set... Wait!: What Animals Do Before a Hurricane

How do animals prepare for a hurricane?

Zelch, Patti R.
Ready, Set... Wait!: What Animals Do Before a Hurricane.
August 2010.
Sylvan Dell Publishing.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

As coastal families prepare for the upcoming hurricane season and an impending storm, gathering food and water; testing flashlights, batteries and radios; and closing shutters, one little boy wonders what animals do to prepare for a hurricane. Author, Patti R. Zelch doesn't hold back from sharing that information with readers! From schools of fish to rabbits and mice, readers will learn that animal instincts set in, allowing animals ample opportunity to take shelter and prepare for the hurricanes themselves!

This is a wonderful book - so often we hear about human preparations to ready ourselves in the event of a hurricane. It's very seldom that we learn about how other members of our ecosystems are impacted and how they handle similar situations! I really enjoyed reading this title. The story and text were simple, and one important thought was reiterated throughout, "They know!" Definitely a great story to read during hurricane season!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• To coincide with the book, Sylvan Dell Publishing has provided a 50-page teaching activity guide for teachers, available on their website, found here. My personal favorite activity can be found on pages 25-32, in which children are being asked to come up with a hypothesis for a given theory regarding what the different animals do to prepare for an upcoming hurricane, come up with a plan on how to test the hypothesis, a list of materials needed, and to imagine setbacks they might face. This is a great activity to get children thinking scientifically!
  

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!

Reviews and 3-Book Giveaway: Martha Speaks

A favorite show on PBS Kids come to life in book format!

Meddaugh, Susan.
Martha Speaks.
June 2010.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Helen's family has adopted a new dog, Martha, from the shelter. On her first night at home, Helen feeds Martha a bowl of alphabet soup. Who knew a bowl of soup could change one family's life forever? The soup, rather than going to Martha's stomach, has instead gone to her brain, resulting in a dog that now speaks, yes, that's right - speaks to her family and others! The family eventually gets fed up with all of Martha's talking and beg her to shut up... she does, until one day a burglar enters the family house and Martha becomes the hero. After that day, everyone in her family is more than thankful for her ability to talk, as that's what allowed her to communicate with police officers when she dialed 911.

Children will absolutely love the notion of a speaking dog! Prior to reading this, I was not at all familiar with Martha or the Martha Speaks series. Let me just say, I think I'm in love with the idea of Martha! This book is so fun and there are so many additional titles, making this a series kids will enjoy for a long time coming! Definitely worth reading and sharing with your child(ren)!

White, Jamie.
Based on characters created by Susan Meddaugh.
Martha Speaks: A Pup's Tale.
July 2010.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Martha and her owner Helen take readers on a whole slew of adventures in the Martha Speaks series. In Martha Speaks: A Pup's Tale, in her own words, Martha shares the story of how her days spent as a doggy criminal after being adopted by a thief and her accomplice resulted in mishaps and mayhem and eventually finding Martha in police custody and being returned to the shelter from which she was stolen. Once returned to the shelter, Martha is adopted by Helen and the two set out helping each other through life's lessons and an entirely new set of adventures.

Children will love following the lives of Martha (the speaking dog) and her owner, Helen! The concept of a dog that speaks will have little ones excited and engaged, wondering what each new adventure will bring. While the series tends to be geared toward children as young as age six, the youngest ones will definitely need assistance in reading this title, as it is quite lengthy for a six or seven year old (91 pages). However, it would make for a wonderful bedtime story, and sharing a character who is the center of numerous titles, will excite your child about the thought of reading and encourage them to continue! Definitely a wonderful book, but you'll want to read the very first (original) book in the series first, in order to be sure you have the foundation of Martha's special talents!

Barss, Karen.
Based on characters created by Susan Meddaugh.
Martha Speaks: Toy Trouble.
July 2010.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

In this latest edition of Martha Speaks, Martha and her friend Skits get a lesson in sharing and being good friends! When TD brings home a new toy, Martha and Skits, both immediately run after it. Rather than opting to play together (perhaps playing tug of war), Skits hogs the toy, upsetting Martha. When Helen suggests that the two share the toy and the two continue to not share, Helen takes the toy away, insisting that the two of them find a way to play nicely together. After Helen insists they watch a movie about sharing, the pair invent a new game, Steal the Squirrel, that allows them each to "hog" the toy while the other tries to "steal" it.

While dog play certainly looks more like fighting to people, Martha and Skits have it all figured out - as long as they're both in agreement on how they will play (and are being safe), it's okay to make up your own games! Children should be able to see the importance of cooperating and playing together after reading this one!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Feed Martha a bowl of Alphabet Soup! Have your child "feed" Martha the alphabet soup by gluing alphabet pasta into her bowl. Then, have your child select a question from the list found that can be downloaded here. Once your child has selected a question and fed Martha her soup, have your child imagine the response that Martha would give to answer the particular question chosen. Have him/her write (or tell you and you write) the response in the text bubble on the Martha Speaks worksheet, found here!

HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:

• Complete the suggested activity with your child (it isn't even necessary to read Martha Speaks first, this can be a fun activity in itself).
  
• In a comment on this post, share with me the question your child chose to answer and the answer he/she shared on behalf of Martha.
  
• Be sure to leave an email address along with your comment.
• Deadline to enter is Saturday, August 14th at 11:59PM EST.
• For an extra entry (or three):
  1. Become a subscriber/follower of my blog (+1)
  2. Blog about this giveaway on your own blog and leave a link in your comment (+1)
  3. Leave a tweet on your Twitter page and then leave a link in your comment (+1)
• Contest is open to U.S. Residents only, sorry for any inconveniences!
• Winner will be selected on Wednesday, August 18th and will receive a complimentary copy of Martha Speaks (with CD), Martha Speaks: A Pup's Tale and Martha Speaks: Toy Trouble!

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!

Zero, Zilch, Nada: Counting to None

Counting by 1's, 2's, 5's and even 10's to 100 proves to be just too confusing for Harry!

Ulmer, Wendy.
Zero, Zilch, Nada: Counting to None.
May 2010.
Sleeping Bear Press.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Harry has just been hired as the newest employee at 4-Color Balloon Factory. On his first day of work, Harry is given a relatively simple job - count out 100 balloons for Mrs. Doopido's birthday party. Harry quickly gets to work, making up a song as he goes, in order to remember the necessary steps,puff, puff, puff, tie it in a knot, add a nice long string, slip it in a slotSounds like it should be a pretty simple job! However, when Harry thinks he's finished, he decides he better count and be sure he really does have 100 balloons blown up. As he begins to count all those balloons, he quickly loses count. His friends at the factory offer ways for him to easily count and see if he has 100, but each time he tries their methods, he still looses count and ends up popping balloons to make sure he doesn't lose his place. What Harry doesn't realize though, is that each time he pops a balloon, his actual number of balloons ready for the party diminishes - until Harry is left with none. When Mr. Huffy, Harry's boss finds out about Harry's dilemma, he's none to happy, but quick to point out the way in which he set it up so that one will easily be able to count out those 100 balloons.

This is definitely a fun story and children will enjoy seeing the character flaw Harry possesses - difficulty keeping track when counting out a large group of objects, the same flaw many children face and can easily become embarrassed about. The book could also act as a wonderful introduction when beginning to teach children about counting (up or down) to 100! This should be a welcome addition to any pre-K through 3nd grade classroom!

Learning/Reading Activities:

• Collect several groups of 100 objects (buttons, shells, pennies, erasers, pencils, counting bears, pasta, etc.). Work with your child to find the different ways of grouping the objects to quickly count to 100 (counting by 1's, 2's, 5's, 10's and even 25's). Have your child decide which is most efficient - easiest and time-wise.
• You can also check out the Teacher's Guide provided by Sleeping Bear Press to use in collaboration with Zero, Zilch, Nada: Counting to None. My favorite activity in the guide can be found on page 5, in which readers are asked to solve problems to determine if they result in a total group of 100 and then either labeling them as true or false.
• This book would also make for an interesting choice when celebrating the 100th day of school. Use this as an opportunity for children to group their collections of 100 in different ways! Come up with a list of all the different possibilities they come up with!
  

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!

Dino-Baseball

Combine summer reading with a rewarding activity!

Wheeler, Lisa.
Dino-Baseball.
March 2010.
Lerner Books.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Dinosaur and baseball fans will take delight in this lyrical story relating the events of final game of the baseball season. The plant-eating Green Sox take on the meat-eating Rib-Eye Reds. The two teams battle for the title as champion, all the while giving readers a great deal to cheer about!

The vivid illustrations and lyrical text make the story more than worthy of an enthusiast cheery read that children will love! In fact, you could actually combine this book with a reading incentive to get your child(ren) reading this summer - and that in itself makes the book worthy of a read!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Create a themed reading pack for your child, complete with a reward for reading ten books this summer. In the pack include tickets to a local team's baseball game (obviously later in the summer, so your child has time to finish reading the stories), the local team's jersey (or tee), a baseball cap, a new baseball, a pack of baseball cards and the following ten books (or you can borrow a selection of dinosaur and baseball books from your local library):
  1. Dino-Baseball, Lisa Wheeler
  2. The Magic School Bus in the Time of the Dinosaurs, Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen
  3. Digging Up Dinosaurs, Aliki
  4. Tyrannosaurus Math, Michelle Markel
  5. Craze Maze: Dinosaur Mazes, Don-Oliver Matthies
  6. Trading Baseball Cards: Learning the Symbols +, -, and (Math for the Real World), Jessica Baron
  7. Baseball Treasures, Stephen Wong
  8. The Boy Who Saved Baseball, John H. Ritter
  9. Baseball Saved Us, Ken Mochizuki
  10. H is for Home Run: A Baseball Alphabet, Brad Herzog
  

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!

Nico & Lola: Kindness Shared Between a Boy and a Dog

Teach children different ways to be kind to others!

Hill, Meggan.
Nico & Lola: Kindness Shared Between a Boy and a Dog.
June 2010.
HarperCollins.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Lola's owner, Nico's aunt has to go out of town. She asks Nico to take care of her pug, Lola, knowing he'll be able to handle the job. Together, Nico and Lola take readers on the adventure of how these two little friends help each other out and the various ways in which they show kindness to each other (and how people can show kindness to others).

This is a perfect book to teach young children about kindness - what it means to be kind and how to be kind to others. Beautiful photographs are complimented by simple text that is easy to understand and expands on a simple phrase about what kindness is. For example:

"Good morning, Lola!" he said.

Nico grinned as Lola sniffed the back of his hand with her wet little nose.

Being kind is smiling at someone new.

With examples like the ones provided throughout this story, children will be practicing new acts of kindness very quickly!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Google the phrase "photos of acts of kindness" and click on images. Have your child(ren) each choose one of the images presented. Print the photograph for him/her. Ask your child to write a paragraph about the photo and then complete the following sentence at the end of their writing, "Being kind is..." A sample 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!

Hamster and Cheese

New series for younger children interested in graphic (comic book style) stories.

Venable, Colleen AF.
Hamster and Cheese (Pet Shop Private Eye #1).
April 2010.
Lerner Books.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Summary from Back Cover:

There's a sandwich thief in Mr. Venezi's pet shop, and everyone is a suspect - from the chinchillas to the goldfish. Never fear! The world's fluffiest detective is on the case: Sasspants, PI(G). By day, Sasspants is your average book-loving, gizmo-inventing guinea pig. By night, she solves pet shop mysteries with the help of her sidekick, Hamisher the hamster. Our furry little heroes will stop at nothing to find the sandwich thief.

My Thoughts:

The concept of the story is really very cute - its fun and will keep children on their toes as the mystery unfolds and is eventually solved. The comic-style of writing will definitely appeal to children and is appropriate for children in grades 2+, as it is becoming ever-so more popular in today's time. Personally, I struggle to follow these - it's not that there's too much dialogue, the comic illustrations and dialogue boxes just seem to throw me for some reason. However, I predict that this could become a huge hit with young readers - it's a great story and very engaging, definitely worth at least checking out once!



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!

A Wizard from the Start

"I never did a day's work in my life. It was all fun."
-Thomas Alva Edison-

Brown, Don.
A Wizard from the Start: The Incredible Boyhood and Amazing Inventions of Thomas Edison.
May 2010.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Following the life of Thomas Edison from age eight until his adult years and his invention of the lightbulb in, A Wizard from the Start: The Incredible Boyhood and Amazing Inventions of Thomas Edison, readers will delight in learning about the how Thomas Edison set about inventing and his inspirations throughout his life. The book is absolutely full of wonderful, intriguing information and the illustrations will surely capture each reader's eye!

I would definitely include this book in a thematic unit on inventions and inventors, as it details the life of Edison and his inspiration for becoming an inventor. The book also shares with children that hard work and dedication pays off. It also doesn't hurt to hear that if you're doing what you love, it hardly seems like work, and can I ever agree with that one!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Use this book in collaboration with Thomas Edison for Kids: His Life and Ideas: 21 Activities. The book is full of wonderful information and also packed with different activities to try with kids, including making an electrically charged puppet dance and making an electric telegraph machine.
  

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 All About It!

Books are full of interesting characters and adventures, just waiting for you to enjoy them!

Bush, Laura and Jenna Bush Hager.
Read All About It!
June 2010.
HarperCollins.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Tyrone Brown rules the school as a professional student and class clown. However, Tyrone does not like reading. He prefers doing activities that include lots of physical movement - things that are real (playing catch, playing on the monkey bars, pulling weeds, etc). As Tyrone goes about his school day, he can usually find something to enjoy, except during the library time and story hour. While all the other students are paying attention and engaged in the stories, Tyrone is busy making a spaceship from paper, but even that doesn't even distract his friends from the book - and it's then that Tyrone decides maybe there was a reason to listen! As Tyrone begins to listen and pay attention, he finds the characters starting to come appear! As more and more stories are read and more and more characters appear, Tyrone quickly sees that what Miss Libro said really is true,

You never know who you are going to meet when you look in a book!

Books are full of adventure and (in many cases) inspiring characters. It is very true that you never know who you are going to meet when you look in a book. That's the message shared throughout the duration of this story, as Laura Bush and her daughter, Jenna Bush Hager team up to inspire reading in children. Characters have always been my favorite element of reading/writing, as characters come alive when you are able to connect with them. If I'm not able to connect with a character, forget it! However, this book shows children that when connect with all sorts of characters, reading really can be fun and worthwhile! Definitely a wonderful book!

Reading/Learning Activities:

• Visit www.readallaboutit.com for tips, activities and resources on how to get your kids reading.
• Have your child use the "Who am I?" worksheet to create a character of his/her own. After answering all of the questions, have your child use pieces from a magazine to piece together this character. Then, using the character and picture, have your child take that character on an adventure by writing out what they'd like to have that character experience!
  

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!

Once Upon a Time in the Kitchen: Recipes and Tales from Classic Children's Stories

Kid-friendly recipes inspired by classic children's stories!

Odell, Carol.
Once Upon a Time in the Kitchen: Recipes and Tales from Classic Children's Stories.
May 2010.
Sleeping Bear Press.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Carol Odell explains to readers thatwhen you read a story by a good writer you can sometimes hear and see and smell the story! You know exactly what Pooh sounds like when he is "humming to himself in rather a sticky voice." You can soar away with Peter Pan out of your bed into the night sky. And don't you wish you could have some of the jam tarts from Alice in Wonderland?Odell goes on to explain that with her newest book, Once Upon a Time in the Kitchen: Recipes and Tales from Class Children's Stories, now offers children to do just that - to step into the world of many well-known characters and experience the food that they might have eaten! All of the recipes are inspired by well-known children's literature and the book contains recipes that are appropriate to fill all meals of the day (breakfast, sandwiches, main meals and even desserts). All of the recipes are combined with an excerpt from the specific literature piece that inspired it!

I absolutely love this book! It's so fun... and full of information. It really makes you start thinking outside the box a bit and further analyzing some of the literature you read! For children, this might be harder, but after sharing a book like this with your children, I think you'll probably find yourself looking for "recipe inspiration" in other stories you share, as well!

The children's literature that inspired the recipes include:

• The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle
• The Jungle Book
• The Secret Garden
• The Cinnamon Tree in the Moon
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
• The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse
• Treasure Island
• The Wind in the Willows
• Winnie-the-Pooh
• The Life and Adventures of Robin Hood
• Little Women
• The Owl and the Pussy-cat
• Peter Piper
• Robinson Crusoe
• The Story of Aladdin
• Peter Pan
• Pinocchio
• The Water Babies
• Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
• The Fir Tree
• Beauty and the Beast
  

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Purchase this book to share with your child(ren). Look it over yourself, then head out to the library and check out a selection of books that inspired the recipes in Once Upon a Time in the Kitchen. Share the stories with your child(ren) and then discuss how the recipes are mentioned (or referred to in different ways) in the story. Then, work together to create the recipe inspired by the book! This would make for a wonderful rainy-day activity!
  

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!

Curious George and the Pizza Party

Host a pizza party, complete with the telling of Curious George and the Pizza Party!

Rey, Margret & H.A.
Curious George and the Pizza Party.
April 2010.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Curious George has never been to a pizza party before, so when a little girl from his building invites him to the party, he's more curious and excited than ever! Upon promising to have fun and be on his best behavior, the man with the yellow hat left him at the little girl's door ready for the party. However, George's curiosity gets the best of him and wrecks havoc on the party, nearly ruining the pizza dough. The children however, love George's creativity and use it to inspire their own pizzas! With the help of the children, George gets his mess cleaned up in time to ensure the party isn't ruined!

Definitely loved this book! It could be one of my all time favorite Curious George books - making homemade pizzas and having a pizza party is great fun... and, of course, the book can be used in all sorts of other ways as well - retelling activities, comprehension, sequencing, etc. I know I'll be using this one in my preschool class this year!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Host a pizza party! Help your child create and mail invitations (like the chef hat ones in the book). Then, take a trip to the supermarket to purchase all the ingredients you'll need... be sure to take the time to talk about healthy choices for pizza toppings (different veggies, etc.). Be sure to purchase whole-wheat (or whole-grain) English Muffins to create the pizzas on (this will be less messy than making and rolling out your own pizza dough with children) and will be a healthy choice. Set out a pizza-making bar on the kitchen table and invite the guests to top off their English Muffin pizzas to their liking!
  

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!

But and For, Yet and Nor: What Is a Conjunction?

The Words are Categorical series now allows readers to learn about conjunctions through funny, rhyming text!

Cleary, Brian P.
But and For, Yet and Nor: What is a Conjunction?
March 2010.
Lerner Books.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

In this latest in the "Words are CATegorical" series, Brian P. Cleary helps children learn that conjunctions are words that join together sentences, phrases, or words. I always understood to be that conjunctions would take the place of a punctuation mark to join two sentences together, and this idea is reiterated in But and For, Yet and Nor: What is a Conjunction?.

The book is wonderfully funny, as the illustrations are humorous and the text rhyming. Children will enjoy this title just as much as all the others in the series, making it a huge success when trying to help children learn about different parts of speech. I think this book would be most appropriate for 3rd-5th graders, but could also probably be used with some 2nd graders!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Download the Conjunction worksheet found here. Test your child's understanding and comprehension of But and For, Yet and Nor: What is a Conjunction? by having him/her complete this worksheet and then go over it together!

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!

Little Giant of Aberdeen County

Recommended chick-lit!

Baker, Tiffany.
The Little Giant of Aberdeen County.
January 2009.
Grand Central Publishing.
Review copy provided courtesy of Newman Communications, Inc.

Summary from Barnes & Noble:

When Truly Plaice's mother was pregnant, the town of Aberdeen joined together in betting how recordbreakingly huge the baby boy would ultimately be. The girl who proved to be Truly paid the price of her enormity; her father blamed her for her mother's death in childbirth, and was totally ill equipped to raise either this giant child or her polar opposite sister Serena Jane, the epitome of femine perfection. When he, too, relinquished his increasingly tenuous grip on life, Truly and Serena Jane are separated--Serena Jane to live a life of privilege as the future May Queen and Truly to live on the outskirts of town on the farm of the town sadsack, the subject of constant abuse and humiliation at the hands of her peers.

Serena Jane's beauty proves to be her greatest blessing and her biggest curse, for it makes her the obsession of classmate Bob Bob Morgan, the youngest in a line of Robert Morgans who have been doctors in Aberdeen for generations. Though they have long been the pillars of the community, the earliest Robert Morgan married the town witch, Tabitha Dyerson, and the location of her fabled shadow book--containing mysterious secrets for healing and darker powers--has been the subject of town gossip ever since. Bob Bob Morgan, one of Truly's biggest tormentors, does the unthinkable to claim the prize of Serena Jane, and changes the destiny of all Aberdeen from there on.

When Serena Jane flees town and a loveless marriage to Bob Bob, it is Truly who must become the woman of a house that she did not choose and mother to her eight-year-old nephew Bobbie. Truly's brother-in-law is relentless and brutal; he criticizes her physique and the limitations of her health as aresult, and degrades her more than any one human could bear. It is only when Truly finds her calling--the ability to heal illness with herbs and naturopathic techniques--hidden within the folds of Robert Morgan's family quilt, that she begins to regain control over her life and herself. Unearthed family secrets, however, will lead to the kind of betrayal that eventually break the Morgan family apart forever, but Truly's reckoning with her own demons allows for both an uprooting of Aberdeen County, and the possibility of love in unexpected places.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed reading this story, as I could (in ways) relate to what Truly dealt with growing up. Living in a society in which schools embrace character education programs and teaching children about the importance of accepting diversity, we expect for everyone to be treated equally, fairly. However, I know first hand that it isn't happening - I was bullied, I dealt with the same miserableness that, at times, Truly did as well, albeit for very different reasons.

As a teacher, reading this book, it only furthered my thinking as to ways in which we can truly (no pun intended) help children to accept and understand differences among us. I believe parents would benefit from reading this book, as they will have the opportunity to look down on the situation a bit differently - they have children - they want their child treated fairly. And, while Truly was able to overcome all that she faced and have her somewhat-happy ending, we have to be realistic and pro-active with today's youngsters, in realizing that in order to succeed and have the happy ending of their own, children need support and shows of affection. There is much to be learned throughout the reading of this book and readers (like myself) will enjoy experiencing with Truly the love, death, friendships, secrets and lies that Truly faces throughout her adventure in the story!



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!

GIVEAWAY: Recommended Book for Moms!: What's New, Cupcake?

A much-welcomed sequel to Hello, Cupcake!

Tack, Karen & Alan Richardson.
What's New, Cupcake?
April 2010.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Team Karen Tack and Alan Richardson return to wow readers with yet another wonderfully fun book dedicated wholly to cupcakes! In this sequel to Hello, Cupcake!, readers are given directions and tips to create a whole wealth of cute, creative cupcakes using some of the simplest ingredients you could possibly think of! From goldfish to mums and artist's palettes to indian corn, readers can easily duplicate these great looking cupcakes for any occasion!

I have yet to try creating any of the specific cupcakes in the book... I'm just waiting for the opportunity (and of course, time) to present itself. I might just have to plan a day dedicated to baking the cupcakes and then decorating them a few at a time with all the clever decorations! This would be a super-fun activity to do with your child(ren) - or as a different kind of birthday party idea. Create a cupcake bar - bake off some plain vanilla or chocolate cupcakes and set out a counter full of decorations to use and create some fun cupcakes.

In the meantime, I'll leave you with a slideshow of some cakes/cupcakes I created (not with the use of Hello, Cupcake! or What's New, Cupcake), but are clever and were fun to create never-the-less!

Katie Kakes

HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:

• In a comment on this post, share with me (and my readers) the creative cupcake you (and your child) created. Describe the piece and the process your child took to create the piece.
  
• Then, in an email, addressed to: KateH12783@hotmail.com, send me a picture of you and/or your child and "the" cupcake. YOU DON'T NEED TO INCLUDE DETAILS ABOUT YOUR CHILD (i.e. Name, Age, etc). When submitting the photo, in the subject line, be sure to include "What's New Cupcake?"
  
• Be sure to leave an email address along with your comment.
• Deadline to enter is Saturday, August 14th at 11:59PM EST.
• For an extra entry(or three):
  1. Become a subscriber/follower of my blog (+1)
  2. Blog about this giveaway on your own blog and leave a link in your comment (+1)
  3. Leave a tweet on your Twitter page and then leave a link in your comment (+1)
• Contest is open to U.S. Residents only, sorry for any inconveniences!
• Winner will be selected by at random (everyone who enters a cupcake has the chance to win - winner is not selected by quality/creativeness of cupcake submitted) by Saturday, August 21st and will receive a copy of What's New, Cupcake?.

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!

Lyle Walks the Dogs

A perfect story for counting, one-to-one correspondence and retelling skills!

Waber, Bernard.
Lyle Walks the Dogs: A Counting Book.
May 2010.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Well-known Lyle, Lyle Crocodile returns in this new counting book for children, who join him in his adventures at his new job as a dog-walker. Lyle loves walking... and he loves dogs... so the two combine, resulting in the perfect job for Lyle. In fact, he's so good at it, each day, for ten days he receives one new client, until he's walking a total of ten dogs, who all range in activity and behavior level.

Children will love the adventure Lyle and his ten clients face as they set forth on their daily walks. The story is wonderful for counting practice (by encouraging children to count how many dogs appear on each two-page fold. It is also ideal for one-to-one correspondence (showing children a number and then also pointing out how many objects that numeral represents). The way in which the dogs are presented also make this book great to use when testing children's recall skills (you could create a flannel board set or just print the snapshots of each of Lyle's 10 clients and have your child put the dogs in order from first client to tenth). This is definitely a wonderful book and I'm very excited to try it out with my preschoolers this year!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Scan the snapshot images of Lyle and the dogs he is walking. Practice your child(ren)'s ability to recall the events of the story by having them retell the story with the props. You could also turn this into a felt board activity by gluing the images to felt!
• While reading, have your child(ren) practice counting skills by searching for specific objects on each page of the book, as suggested by the back cover (shown below).

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!

Fancy Nancy: Ooh La La! It's Beauty Day

Fancy Nancy returns with a fun summertime activity for your daughter(s)!

O'Connor, Jane.
Fancy Nancy: Ooh La La! It's Beauty Day!
June 2010.
HarperCollins.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

It's Nancy's Mom's birthday... and the family has put together the perfect surprise for her, complete with a trip to the spa and a special birthday dinner. Nancy and her sister work to provide their mother with the perfect spa treatment:

• Fantastique Face Mask
• Magnificent Manicure
• Perfectly Posh Pedicure
• Spa Cuisine
• Cosmetics
• Coiffure

At least, it's supposed to be perfect... until Nancy and her sister attempt to style Mom's hair! Then, they must call in the reinforcements, as the hairstyle is "horrible, hideous, horrendous!"

Like all of the Fancy Nancy titles I've read, this is another that will not disappoint! Your little princess will love the idea of a "Beauty Day" and will be inspired at learning all of the new, fancy vocabulary Nancy shares as she goes about her day. Coupled with the activity below, this would make a wonderful surprise for you little one this summer!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Allow your daughter to have a sleepover with two or three of her closest friends. Share the book with the girls and then set up a "Spa Day" of your own, using all of the "recipes" that Nancy shares in Fancy Nancy: Ooh La La! It's Beauty Day. The girls will love the both offering and receiving the pampering and the experience of being almost as fancy as Nancy!
  

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!

Barack Obama

Encourage children to learn about our Nation's President!

Sutcliffe, Jane.
Barack Obama.
March 2010.
Lerner Books.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Barack Obama has been a history maker, here in the United States. His election was one of monumental excitement (for many) around the country. Even young children were enamored by his election and followed it for many months in anticipation of Election Day. Their excitement and eagerness to learn about Mr. Obama did not dwindle on the day in which he was elected - to this day, children are still eager to learn what they can about him and his life.

This book perfectly allows them that opportunity. While the book is obviously geared toward older children (I would say, grades 4+), there is no reason that with the help of a teacher/parent, children even younger can learn a great deal of information about President Obama - stemming from his boyhood through the date of his election. Children love to learn facts and share them with their peers and elders, and this book is one that provides children with just that. Definitely a recommended biography of President Obama, prior to his life in office!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• After reading, encourage your child(ren) to further research President Obama. This biography only takes readers up to the time of his election. Since that time, President Obama has had a huge impact on the United States. Have children research the time since his election. What has he done for our country? How do people feel about how he is doing as president, etc? Ask children to write the "next" chapter in Obama's biography, based on a topic of their choice, related to his time thus far in office.
  

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!

Goodnight Moon ABC: An Alphabet Book

A new take on an oldie, but goodie!

Brown, Margaret Wise.
Goodnight Moon ABC: An Alphabet Book.
June 2010.
HarperCollins.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

In this sequel (of sorts) to Goodnight, Moon, readers have the opportunity to explore bedtime in an all new way! Goodnight Moon ABC: An Alphabet Book introduces readers to a plethora of items (Air through Zzzz...). So many things can be found in the famous, recognizable green bedroom. Children are encouraged to search for them all, and in doing so, will begin to make a connection between written words and meaning (objects illustrated throughout).

Goodnight, Moon was pretty much one of my favorite books as a child - in fact, I just two weeks ago found my childhood copy (I believe the copyright on it was 1974). It's certainly a timeless treasure that has been considered one of the greatest bedtime reads of all times and this would be a welcome companion to it! Your beginning readers will love being able to "read" Goodnight Moon ABC: An Alphabet Book all on his/her own or to you and/or younger siblings. Definitely a must have for your little ones!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Use the two books, Goodnight, Moon and Goodnight Moon ABC: An Alphabet Book together. As you are reading the ABC version, have your child look through the original text, locating all of the objects found within that treasured green bedroom! Let this be a bedtime treasure hunt. Hide some of the same objects in your child's bedroom, turn on a nightlight and allow your child to "search" their own room from the bed while they are trying to fall asleep!
  

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!

Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam, and the Science of Ocean Motion

Teach children about all the reasons to keep the ocean clean!

Burns, Loree Griffin.
Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam and the Science of Ocean Motion.
April 2010.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Guided Reading Level: NR
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Tracking Trash: Flotsam, Jetsam and the Science of Ocean Motion describes the May 27, 1990 in which a cargo ship carrying Nike sneakers and bath toys dumped a load of the cargo into the ocean and began showing up along Seattle beaches. The book goes on to explain how Ebbesmeyer, an oceanographer who studies the trash that shows up in the ocean (flotsam), used the information and objects collected along the Seattle beaches to track ocean currents using a computer program known as OSCURS. Ultimately, the book is trying to make readers aware of the dangers of ocean pollution and the need to protect the environment.

The book is very detailed, and because of this would likely be most appropriate for more advanced readers (grades 4+). However, if you used the book in as a companion to David Wiesner’s Flotsam, a book that I think it would be a wonderful resource, especially if children have specific questions they are looking for answers to!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Spend a day at the ocean (or beach) and create a flotsam and jetsam monster, as described in Seashore Treasure Hunt and Making a Flotsam and Jetsam Sea Monster.
  

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!

I Want TWO Birthdays!

Whoever heard of an unbirthday?
Only the child that celebrates her birthday EVERY day of the year...

Ross, Tony.
I Want TWO Birthdays!
March 2010.
Lerner Books.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

A princess (the King and Queen's daughter) is jealous that her mother gets to celebrate two birthdays - one with her family and one with the people of the land. In expressing her frustration, the Prime Minister penciled a second birthday on the calendar for her... but it turns out, two birthdays weren't enough either... pretty soon, this spoiled little princess is celebrating her birthday 365 days of the year - except with each birthday that passes, less and less celebration and fuss is made of her. Finally, on her real birthday, the little princess decides,

"I want a SPECIAL day, different from all the others."

Her real birthday becomes declared as her unbirthday - the day that will be her special day... turns out, her unbirthday winds up serving as her birthday, as

the cook baked a VERY special unbirthday cake and everyone brought VERY special presents to the unbirthday party.

When she exclaims at the end of the day that she wants everyday to be her "unbirthday," the Maid reminds her that if she did, it wouldn't be very special, just like those other 364 birthdays.

I think children might really grasp the concept being explored here and will realize that their birthday is meant to be a special day that's celebrated just once a year, otherwise it really wouldn't be that special! This could also be a book to share with children who are having a case of the "gimmies," as it tries to show that the more you have, the less you sometimes appreciate what you do have!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Use this book to teach your child(ren) how fortunate they are to have been able to celebrate their birthday. Visit your local nursing home - ask the employees if they might be able to introduce your family to a resident who doesn't have family/visitors. "Adopt" this person, and create for them a special birthday celebration - showering them with the love they are lacking from their own family (and yes, this is a very real thing at the nursing homes - residents are placed there and their families can (and in some cases, do) disappear and forget their loved ones... unreal, I know, but for sure something that does happen. Allow your child to see how your celebrating with a resident might be the highlight of their whole year - make special gifts and share a birthday meal/cake with them!
  

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's First Beach Day

Summer Fun Idea: Turn a trip to the local beach into a mystery trip!

Capucilli, Alyssa Satin.
Biscuit's First Beach Day.
June 2010.
HarperCollins.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Biscuit has never been to the beach before... and now that it's a warm, sunny day, what better thing to do? Off he goes, with the little girl, for an action packed afternoon - complete with collecting shells and starfish, building sandcastles, having a picnic lunch, flying kites and even playing with a beach ball!

For children who haven't been fortunate enough yet to experience a trip to the beach, this is a perfect book to introduce them to the idea! If your child is a pro at the beach, this will make for a great summertime read, especially if you plan a fun-filled activity to go along with it, as suggested below.
Learning/Reading Activity:

• As a child, a summer tradition in my family was "mystery trips." Of course, in today's day and age, you probably couldn't get away with blindfolding a child in the backseat of the car and then giving them clues as to where you were going along the way. So, create a mystery trip of your own using the following items. Pack everything up inside the the pail and load your child(ren) into the car. Once on the way, pass out their mystery kit and see if your child(ren) can figure out what's in store for the afternoon!
  * Biscuit's First Beach Day, by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
  * 8" Pail & Shovel Set
  * Kite
  * Beach Ball
  * Sandwich, Fruit and a Drink
  

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!

Lazily, Crazily, Just a Bit Nasally: More about Adverbs

Brian P. Cleary returns with more about adverbs!

Cleary, Brian P.
Lazily, Crazily, Just a Bit Nasally: More About Adverbs.
April 2010.
Lerner Books.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

In Lazily, Crazily, Just a Bit Nasally: More about Adverbs, readers can once again turn to the works of Brian P. Cleary in clearly telling them all they need to know! Children will quickly pick up on the following tidbits and start reciting to you adverbs that you probably didn't even know were adverbs!

Adverbs :

• tell "where"
• tell "when"
• tell "how"
• tell "how often"
• modify verbs
• give adjectives a boost
• answer "how much"
• help tell us more
• come in phrases, such as, "in the meantime"
• relate to time, for example, "right now" or "tomorrow"
• describe things more completely!

Funny illustrations and rhyming text ensure that readers will delve into the information presented and take away a great deal of knowledge about adverbs. I would think this book would be a welcome addition to any classroom in which children are learning about language usage and parts of speech!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• As suggested in the book,

  Boastfully, blissfully,
  make out a list for me.
  You've learned what an
  adverb is - finally!

• Cover your classroom walls with bulletin board paper. Challenge your child(ren) to research and add adverbs to the list daily. Pick an appropriate time for doing so - designate 10 minutes in the morning, snacktime, playtime and 5 minutes at the end of the day to add words to the list. You could also do the same activity with other parts of speech - designate one wall for each!
  

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 Handkerchief Quilt

How communities come together for a united cause...

Crane, Carol.
The Handkerchief Quilt.
May 2010.
Sleeping Bear Press.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

In The Handkerchief Quilt, Carol Crane shares with readers a fictional account of true event from her own family's history - a flood in the school where her mother was a teacher. An early winter storm during Thanksgiving vacation results in furnace going out and pipes bursting, culminating with a flood of the school, which caused a great deal of damage, ruining hundreds of books and papers that were used by the students. To help raise money for new books, Miss Anderson, the teacher, takes all of the handkerchiefs given to her by students to use for a quilting project that would ultimately raise money to help replace books. Students and their families work tirelessly to construct the quilt and their work pays off, as the quilt is finally finished and sold, allowing the school to begin the task of replacing library books and paper for the students. To show their gratefulness towards Miss Anderson, they even plan a surprise for her!

The story, fictional, while based on true events, is perfect for children to begin grasping the idea that communities can pull together in times of need to come out on top and reach a common goal. The ways in which the story are told make it very child friendly and interesting to learn about! I think this book would be an inspirational story when trying to introduce and involve children in a community service project in your community!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Sleeping Bear Press has kindly put together a Teacher's Guide to use in collaboration with The Handkerchief Quilt. My personal favorite activities asked students to write a newspaper article on one of three topics that were a focus of the book (page 4), the recipe that allowed students (and an adult) to create cathedral glass window cookies (page 5) and the "How Would You Feel..." activity (page 15).
  

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!