Day 11 of the 12 Days of Christmas: Martha Speaks: A Winter's Tail

Winter's here... embrace it!

Barss, Karen.
Martha Speaks: A Winter's Tail
October 2011.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Skits, Martha's much-loved dog heads out for a winter adventure with Martha and her friends. While out being active during the wintertime, the group decides to play a game of hockey on a local lake. Despite the safety prep talk, Skits heads to close to the stream and the thin ice, facing danger as the ice begins to crack beneath him. Even though he is rescued, Skits is now fearful of hockey pucks, as the hockey puck is what ultimately led him towards the thin ice and danger. The fear of hockey pucks leads the family to an interesting discovery - a resourceful way to keep Skits away from the garbage can!

As the long winter months approach, it's going to be difficult to keep kids busy and active! This book provides just one suggestion of an activity that will get out some energy. Hockey (or even just skating) is very active and a great way to burn some energy. It also provides children with a way to use motor skills in a variety of different ways - always a plus!

Giving this book as a gift this holiday season will hopefully spark an interest in outdoor winter activities! The familiar character will likely inspire children to quick the book up faster than they might another, as "series" seem to be quite popular these days with children!



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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!

Martha Speaks: Pool Party

Martha, the talking dog, returns to take readers on a pool party adventure!

Barss, Karen.
Martha Speaks: Pool Party.
April 2011.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Martha the talking dog and her pals reach out to readers to pass along several important lessons about summer sun and skin care. Alice takes great care to keep her skin safe in the heat and sun of summer, tediously applying "sunscreen" to prevent a sunburn. However, as Alice applies more and more of the sunscreen, her skin begins to take on an orange color - the result of using self-tanning sunscreen as opposed to regular old sunscreen that protects against burns.

The book intends to educate children about the importance of taking care of your skin during the summertime. However, Alice's friends all ended up using the self-tanning sunscreen (which contains a chemical dye) to ensure Alice doesn't feel out of place at the pool party and I wonder if that might not be giving children the wrong message! While it's great that the children are concerned about each other, using a chemical to ensure someone else doesn't stand out doesn't seem to give the right message to me. The book is a great story and is meant to act as a reminder about summer safety... provided parents share AND discuss all this with children during reading, it's a great summer book! Thoughts anyone?

Learning/Reading Activity:

• After reading Martha Speaks: Pool Party, talk with your children about the importance of using sunscreen to protect against sunburns. Be sure also, to discuss how sunscreen is similar to a "medicine" and should be used only with adult supervision and permission. It's not something to be messed with!
• Have your child(ren), in their summer reading journal create a list of 10 Summer Safety Tips. After they have created their list, ask them to share it with you. Discuss their ideas and don't forget to add in tips of your own (sun safety, bicycle safety, stranger danger, pool safety, etc).
  

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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!

Martha Speaks: Fireworks for All/Martha Habla: Fuegos artificiales para

Help your older children celebrate the 4th of July with the latest release in the Martha Speaks series, Fireworks for All/Fuegos artificiales para todos!

Barrs, Karen
Meddaugh, Susan.
Martha Speaks: Fireworks for All/Martha Habla: Fuegos artificiales para todos.
April 2011.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Everyone is looking forward to summer - every that is, except for the dogs. And the culprit for the excitement and hesitation? Fireworks. Most all of the people and families are looking forward to the endless Saturdays of fireworks. However, those same fireworks that spark excitement cause the dogs to feel scared, as the loud noises bother their ears. While one community member works to ban the fireworks, all the dogs join in, until they see how upset their owners are over the cause. Together, the dogs and their owners team up to come up with a compromise that will please both sides.

Written as a bilingual text, Martha Speaks: Fireworks for All/Martha habla: Fuegos artificiales para todos will appeal to many, as it is simple and readable by both English and Spanish speaking children. The Spanish, which nearly matches word for word with the English version, will also foster a curious interest in bilingualism among children. The book is also perfect for the upcoming 4th of July holiday and great for summer reading.

Learning/Reading Activity:

• In their summer reading journal, have children write about their favorite firework pattern (shape, color, what it looks like). (I always pick the weeping willows as my favorite!) Then, after they've written about their favorite firework, have them use glitter and glue to create fireworks on the paper by pouring a blob of glue and then tipping and twisting the paper to allow the glue to flow into "firework" shapes. Sprinkle generous amounts of glitter on the glue and allow it to dry, then tip the paper and blow away the loose glitter.
  

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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!

Martha Speaks: Thief of Hearts

Will missing craft supplies prevent the making of Valentine cards? Or can Martha save the day?

Meddaugh, Susan.
Martha Speaks: Thief of Hearts.
January 2011.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Martha, Caroline, T.D., Truman and Helen are all looking forward to making Valentine's Day cards. However, Skits has another idea in mind - throwing snowballs. When the craft supplies for making the cards turn up missing, the hunt is on - someone has hidden them. As the friends begin to argue, Martha quickly discovers the real culprit of the craft thief and is able to "save" Valentine's Day!

This is a great Valentine's Day story for you middle-readers. By introducing Martha as a new character series, you'll likely find a hit and an inspiration behind further reading in a hesitant reader!



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!

Let Halloween Continue in your Household!!!

Even though the hustle and bustle of Halloween and trick-or-treating may be over with for this year, allow your child the opportunity to make the distinction between forming healthy choices, by encouraging him to trade in some of his/her candy for a healthier habit - reading! By trading in some Halloween candy for one of these spooky (and fun) Halloween books, Halloween will last just a bit longer in your household!

Tegen, Katherine.
The Story of the Jack O'Lantern.
July 2010.
HarperCollins.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

This cute tale shares with children how the jack o'lantern came to be. While the story is presented in a fictional manner, there is a non-fictional note at the end that allows readers to delve deeper into the actual story of the jack o'lantern. Very fun and creative, while at the same time somewhat educational, as it will definitely allow children to gain a better understanding of this trick-or-treating holiday!

Brown, Lisa.
Vampire Boy's Good Night.
July 2010.
HarperCollins.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Vampire Bela and Witch Morgan are likely to surprise readers in this Halloween night tale! The two team up and set about just as the darkness of night sets in, eager to see what the children are up to. Readers will likely appreciate the different viewpoint of what Halloween looks like to an outsider - if you could technically call a vampire and a witch outsiders to Halloween!

Schaefer, Lola M.
Happy Halloween, Mittens.
July 2010.
HarperCollins.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

A companion to Biscuit, Mittens will join young readers on an adventure as they prepare for Halloween. However, Mittens owner, Nick finds Mittens more of a pest than anything... that is, until he finds Mitten helping out by making the ghost scarier. This is a very simple story, but captures nearly all aspects of Halloween in a manner that readers can relate to, while also encouraging independence in reading (through simple, repetitive text)!

Meddaugh, Susan.
Martha Speaks: Haunted House.
September 2010.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Children are sure to love the mystery in which Martha, TD, and Helen partake in this adventure! Martha the talking dog returns in this Halloween green light reader, allowing beginning readers the opportunity to join their favorite characters on a holiday adventure, in the hopes of attracting little ones to reading by capturing their attention on a topic of which they're sure to love! This is a must have, especially if your little one is a fan of Martha and her other adventures!

Berenstain, Jan and Mike.
The Berenstain Bears and the Haunted House.
July 2010.
HarperCollins.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

When Brother Bear and Sister Bear's kitty Gracie turns up missing, the two set forth on a hunt to try and find her. As they opt to look for her within the walls of a haunted house, what they find just may shock you! While the 'haunting' is not enough to scare, it's just enough for your little Berenstain Bear fans to enjoy without too much of a spooking! Definitely a great choice - and a different take on a Berenstain Bears' story!

Brown, Jeff.
Flat Stanley and the Haunted House.
July 2010.
HarperCollins.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Once again, Flat Stanley's flatness works to everyone's benefit! When Stanley and his family attend the Halloween party at his school, Stanley and brother Arthur are less than thrilled with the non-scary haunted house. However, they find the opportunity to provide a bit of scaring on their own, coming to the rescue of friend who's been bullied . Together, they team up to scare the bully and shock their parents, resulting in what is apparently the only scare of the haunted house! Fans of Flat Stanley are sure to enjoy the latest in the series, especially since it incorporates a favorite among holidays with children!

Brown, Calef.
Hallowilloween: Nefarious Silliness.
September 2010.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Enjoy Halloween 14 times over, with the wickedly silly Halloweenish poems by Calef Brown. The rhyming, lyrical text, children will spend story time chuckling with laughter at the funniness portrayed throughout! This would make for a wonderful bedtime sharing story starting two weeks before Halloween come next year!



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!