Great (Kids) Books Celebrating Dads!

Father's Day is this Sunday - June 21... It's not too late to celebrate Dad with some children's literature... and I've found just the books for you, the children and Dad!

Partridge, Elizabeth.
Whistling.
2003.
HarperCollins Publishers.

This is a really sweet book, sharing a young boy's memory of "whistling up the sun" with his father during a camping trip.

Daddy wakes Jake just before sunrise when the two are camping under the stars. While the campfire burns orange sparks beside their sleeping bags, Jake slowly awakens, telling himself he's ready, but his stomach tells him another story as he prepares mentally for the big moment. Together, they sit and wait for the sun to be ready... While they're waiting they spot a family of deer, and a rabbit hopping by. Before too much longer, along-side Daddy's encouragement, Jake takes a deep breath, forms his lips into a tight circle and blows his breath away on the wind, just like they practiced the week before. They whistle and whistle, until soon the stars have faded away and the birds begin singing louder and faster. At long last, they have "whistled the sun up."

Coupled with the great memory that is portrayed in the story, the illustrations help make the book incredible! Anna Grossnickle Hines, the illustrator, created the pictures using fabric! There's a whole process involved, but I think that it would be really cool to maybe make Dad a fabric picture that shares with him one of your favorite memories of something the two of us (or the two of you) have done together! You can check out details regarding the process of making pictures using fabric by clicking here and here! Very cool!!!

Lawler, Janet.
A Father's Song.
2008.
Sterling Publishing.

Showing the bond that exists between a father and child is really priceless! This book does so perfectly, showing the simple day-to-day activities that are shared between father and son. Unlike in Whistling, this book is told from the father's point-of-view, so you really get to see how a father looks at the relationship he shares with his child!

A father and son spend a day in the park making just a few of a lifetime of memories. Their day starts at the slides...

If I gather you close
as we zoom down the slide,
you squeal with delight
as we go on our ride.

We quickly see the different emotions that both parties face throughout the day... the laughter of simple play,

If I chase you around
playing tag through the trees,
you laugh when I catch you
and give you a squeeze.

and the tears at a spilled juice box during a picnic lunch...

If I scrunch up my face
as you're starting to cry,
your tears turn to giggles
before your eyes dry.

After a full day, the duo heads home, Dad carrying Son piggy-back style.

And I'll carry you home
in my arms' warm embrace
to show you my love,
any time, any place.

This is definitely worthy of a read with the kids around Father's Day!

Clements, Andrew.
Because Your Daddy Loves You..
2009.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

This book is quite humorous as it shares with children all the things that Daddy will do for them just because he loves them and is their Daddy! Children will definitely love reading this, but they'll enjoy it even more if it's shared with Daddy!

A young girl and her father head out for a day at the beach just hours after waking Daddy up because she's had a bad dream. However, this trip to the beach is quite eventful... the little girl can't find her shoe, the beach ball accidentally heads out into the ocean, she gets too tired to take even one more step, an ice cream cone turns into a big gooey mess, falling asleep in the car before helping unpack... even needing the same story that she's already heard over and over.

When your ball blows across the sand
and into the ocean and starts to drift away,
your daddy could say,
Didn't I tell you not to play too close to the waves?
But he doesn't.

He wades out into the cold water.

And he brings your ball back to the beach and plays roll and catch with you.

The point of the book is to show children just how unselfish and devoted Daddy is by showing them all the things that Daddy will do just because he loves them! It does a wonderful job and I think it definitely gets the point across!

Father's Day Crafts for Kids

• Car Nut Photo Frame - Perfect for the Mechanic or Handyman Dad!
• Lady Bug Tie Tack - Great for the Prankster Businessman!
• You and Me Book - Ideal for the Sentimental Dad!
• "Nuts" About You - Super Hand for the Card Playing Dad!
• Diaper Duty Tool Belt - First Father's Day or Father-to-Be Gift (Can Create Your Own Cheaper)
  

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.

Happy Birthday to...

Andrew Clements!!!

I never knew what fun books Andrew Clements writes!!!! Did you?

Clements, Andrew.
A Million Dots.
2006.
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

In this book, Clements give young readers an idea of just how much a million really is! Mike Reed uses a technique that reminds me of looking through a window screen (it's really, literally, a million dots in the all the pictures together) in his illustrations, that depict interesting trivia that's meant to give children a concrete idea of different amounts of items they can relate to that, combined would add up to a million.

If the children (I read in Dora's Diary: Beyond Mist Blue Mountains earlier today, that "kids" are baby goats, so we should only refer to our children as "children," since they are not goats!) are anything like me, they'll enjoy the trivia more than the "million" concept!

Clements, Andrew.
Who Owns the Cow?
1995.
Clarion Books.

This book is hilarious... children seem to have an inquisitive nature about them! From the time they can talk in sentences they begin asking "Why?" "Who?" or "Where?" until they receive an answer they're satisfied with. In this book, children are asked, "Who owns the cow?" An elaborate answer is what they get... The farmer owns the cow, he's the one that bought it! But the painter owns the cow because she's the one that paints it! The milkman owns the cow because he sells the cows milk! The answers go on and on, hopefully helping children to realize that sometimes, there are no 100% correct answers to some questions.

If for nothing more than a laugh, this book is definitely worth sharing!

Clements, Andrew.
Dogku.
2007.
Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Haiku's are awesome poems... even Andrew Clements thinks so! In this book, he tells a tale of a stray dog... and the whole tail is told in haiku format! It's really awesome, but definitely worth the read, as at the end of the story, the stray dog has found a new home!

This book would be a perfect complement to a poetry unit as an introduction to the haiku! The lesson plan below includes activities that have children reading Dogku and writing petku... might as well write some haiku about other types of pets, as well!

Lesson Plans/Reading Activities:

• Dogku, Petku, Haiku

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.