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!

Biscuit's Earth Day Celebration

Earth Day is just around the corner! Spend the next two days educating your child(ren) about the celebration and then spend Earth Day (April 22) doing something to help the Earth!

Capucilli, Alyssa Satin.
Biscuit's Earth Day Celebration.
February 2010.
HarperCollins Publishers.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Join Biscuit and his owner as they set forth on an adventure, introducing the youngest of readers to the concept of an Earth Day Celebration! Together, the duo set off for school, ready to participate in all the planned Earth Day events - from planting a garden, to taking a clean-up walk and even designing their own reusable shopping bag! Children will quickly catch on to ways that they, even as children, can help keep the Earth clean and taken care of!

Reading/Learning Activities:

• I was going to create a mini-book for children to create based on what they learned in this story... but given that it's Earth Day, I thought it might be better to actually get your child(ren) outdoors and actually participating in events that will help save the Earth!
• Encourage them to shut off the water when brushing their teeth!
• Select one of the bird feeder crafts found here and work with your child(ren) to create it. Then hang it outside to help support the wildlife!
• Plant a garden with your child to help grow your own veggies. Allow him/her to pick 3 different veggies they'd like to grow and help them plant/care for their garden!
• Take a clean-up walk of your own! Head out to your local park, grab a stick and use it to spear trash into a garbage bag to help clean-up in your community!
• Head to your local craft store and pick up a canvas bag - they're relatively inexpensive... you should be able to get one for under $3! Allow your child to decorate the bag to use as a reusable shopping tote to help reduce the use of those non-Earth friendly plastic bags!
• Finish your day off with a special Earth Day snack - several of which 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!

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!