How the Moon Regained Her Shape

Introduce child to phases of the moon with this unique tale!

Heller, Janet Ruth.
How the Moon Regained Her Shape.
February 2006.
Sylvan Dell Publishing

Insulted by the sun, the moon shrinks herself, hoping to disappear. However, with much help from those who truly appreciate what the moon does for them, the moon slowly regains self confidence, increasing back to her full size.

The story is sweetly written and would make for a wonderful introduction to teaching children about the phases of the moon. You could easily incorporate this into a unit on Native Americans as well, seeing as it is influenced by Native American folktales! This book could used in numerous ways at middle to upper-elementary grade levels.

Learning Reading Activities:

• In their summer journal, have your child respond to the following journal prompt - "Do you think the sun and the moon can think or feel things like humans?," as posed by Sylvan Dell Publishing's Teaching Activities (which also provides teachers/parents with other wonderful activities). Also encourage your child to explain the reason for the answer they choose.
  

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I Feel Better with a Frog in My Throat: History's Strangest Cures

Discover strange "cures" for everyday maladies!

Beccia, Carlyn.
I Feel Better with a Frog in My Throat: History's Strangest Cures.
October 2010.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

On a near daily basis, people face coughs, colds, sore throats, wounds, stomachaches, fevers, and headaches. In I Feel Better with a Frog in My Throat: History's Strangest Cures, cures are explored to see which actually "helps." For each malady, three strange cures are questioned and then explored further, with the results of either "yes," "no," or "maybe." The results are briefly explained.

Older children will find great delight in learning about the wild "cures" used with common every-day maladies. Being that the book is broken down into category, this makes for a fun, light-hearted read that can be read a few pages at a time without feeling the need to finish it all in one sitting (making it ideal for children who are antsy and less interested in reading for a great deal of time). The book is actually super fun and factual!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• In their summer journal, have your child make up a "strange cure." Allow them to choose a malady of their own, or provide them with one of the following - loose tooth, stubbed toe, bee sting, mosquito bite, or splinter. Encourage and praise their creativity - this is what instills a love of and creativity when writing!
  

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Tallulah's Tutu

Singer, Marilyn.
Tallulah's Tutu.
March 2011.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Tallulah knows she can be the perfect ballerina... all she needs is a tutu (and according to Mom, a few lessons). Eagerly, Tallulah sets out to ballet class, anticipating receiving her tutu at the end of her first lesson, as all she needs to be the perfect ballerina is that tutu. However, Tallulah quickly faces disappointment as the tutu is handed out after that first lesson... or the second... or the third... When Tallulah has a meltdown after one lesson and learns that it takes a long time to earn the tutu, she decides to quit ballet. However, ballet is in her blood and as it turns out, not so easy to give up! Tallulah learns the important lesson that winners never quit and in being less concerned about having that tutu, Tallulah becomes even better at ballet and is surprised with her tutu in the end!

Definitely a wonderful book for dance/ballet lovers. The story will inspire young dancers to put for their best effort if they really love the sport and to worry less about their dance attire. The book is well written and will even allow young children to pick up a few dance moves, even without any prior knowledge of ballet!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Click on the link here and save the file. Print it full size on paper. Give it to your little one and break out the craft supplies, encouraging her to "design a tutu" that she'd like to have! Then, paste/tape it into her summer journal and have her use some descriptive language to describe the tutu and why she designed it as she did!
  

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Emma Dilemma: Big Sister Poems

Help big sisters celebrate the dilemmas of little sisters!

George, Kristine O'Connell.
Emma Dilemma: Big Sister Poems.
February 2011.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Big sister Jessica shares with readers, through poems, the dilemmas she faces on a daily basis in her life with little sister, Emma "Dilemma." The poems are sweet, honest and share the true feelings that sisters likely experience when trying to find their own identity with the tag-along little sister - relishing the feeling of being a role model and the guilt that can encompass one when a little sibling is hurt (even when it isn't really your fault).

The poems are simple to read and very easy to understand. Older sisters will relish having this book in their hands and being able to relate so closely to all of the emotions experienced by Jessica!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• In their summer journal, have your child(ren) write a poem about what being a sibling means to them. Be prepared! The poems might not be all that you were hoping to be, but remember to encourage your child's creativity and honesty in their writing!
  

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Adventures at Walnut Grove: A Lesson about Teasing

Treat others as you would like to be treated!

Lehman, Dana.
Adventures at Walnut Grove: A Lesson about Teasing.
June 2007.
Lehman Publishing.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Young children learn the important lesson of "treat others as you would like to be treated" with the help of author Dana Lehman and her characters, Sammy, Bucky, Rocky and Pokey. A simple game of baseball become heartbreaking for Sammy as he is called names by one of the other players. However, Sammy holds his voice and does not retaliate, rather choosing to remember the lesson he was previously taught. However, later on, when Bucky, the name caller, is on the receiving end of the teasing, he suddenly has an awakening of how Sammy must have felt to be called raccoon eyes and learns that ever so important lesson for himself, opting to apologize for the pain he inflicted upon Sammy and the pair learns to become friends and vow never to call anyone names again.

The story is incredibly well written and would be appropriate with young children, as it is simple, yet allows children to really connect through the text. At the end of the book, Lehman poses the reader with a set of questions to use when sharing the story with children. These questions will help ensure that the most is taken away from the story! This is definitely a story I will try to incorporate in my Head Start classroom this year, as though the children are young and don't often understand the feelings they inflict with their words, there is certainly an abundance of name calling... perhaps this will help them to understand how they would feel, as well as how others on the receiving end feel when called a name.

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Have your child choose one of the topics below to journal about:
  * Pick a time you were teased or called a name. Describe that time and write about how that made you feel.
  * Create a poster that teaches the lesson "treat others as you wish to be treated."
  * What would you do if you saw someone being teased or called a name by another person?
  

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Big Bouffant

Encourage the act of individuality and even turn the act of it "fun!"

Horsford, Kate.
Big Bouffant.
March 2011.
Lerner Publishing.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Annabelle is excited about the first day of school and has to withhold her under-enthusiasm when she walks into class to discover that the class is full of braids and pigtails. Longing to be different that the other girls, Annabelle twirls her way home desperate to find a new hairdo for the next day. After tirelessly trying to style a "big bouffant" just like her grandmother's, Annabelle finally gets it right and heads to bed, excited to show off her new hairdo. After a few days, everyone is begging for a bouffant style and Annabelle quickly tires of sharing a similar hairstyle, longing to be different once again.

The story is wonderful! The rhymes are almost sing-songy and seem to be sung to a certain tune (although which is beyond me) - if anyone can figure it out, please enlighten me! I was pleasantly surprised with the ending when Annabelle longed for uniqueness after sharing her hairstyle with classmates... it wasn't at all how I imagined she'd become unique once again, but it definitely worked and showed off Annabelle's creativity! This would be a great light-hearted read to share with your child(ren) before sending them off to a new year at school!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Spend some time helping your child experiment with a new hairdo before heading back to school. Encourage their individualism and allow your child to express his/herself! Deem it a crazy hair day and partake in the activity yourself - if nothing else, it will make for a great summertime memory!
• In their summer journal, have your child create a list of ways they could express their individuality. If you need help getting them started with the list, check out the ideas found here!
  

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The Glaciers are Melting

Melting glaciers affects much wildlife... what can be done to prevent the extinction of these animals?

Love, Donna.
The Glaciers are Melting.
March 2011.
Sylvan Dell Publishing.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Five friends set out to find out an answer as to what can be done to save themselves when the glaciers have melted, after one of them notices a drop of water fall on their head (an imminent sign of melting glaciers in their habitat). As the animals precede to the "Mountain Monarch," we learn a great deal about the animals that habituate on the glaciers and the role the glaciers play in their life.

Unfortunately, none of the five friends wind up with an answer to their question, "What can we do?" The animals are facing the same question as scientists pose to us regarding global warming - the glaciers are melting and that is having an impact on the world. The book really does wonders to get children thinking about what they can do to "save" the world and does so in the form of a simple question, after allowing them to see the impact human actions are having on animals and other forms of wildlife. With a little additional research and exploration, children will quickly discover that it is human action that is leaving this impact on the world (and also help children to realize that it is a real problem/concern)!

Learning/Reading Activities:

• In their summer journal, pose the questions to your child, "What is global warming? How is EVERYTHING affected by it? And, what do you think YOU can do to help "save" the Earth?"
• You can also check out Sylvan Dell's Teaching Activities, which include "then" and "now" photographs of several different glaciers and information about animal adaptations, as well as lots of other related activities.
  

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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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Mudkin

Mud attracts kids... in more ways that one!

Gammell, Stephen.
Mudkin.
March 2011.
Lerner Publishing.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

When the rain finally breaks, rainy day boredom turns into so much more for one little girl who doesn't hesitate to get down and dirty! As she heads outside for some fresh air after a rain fall, she imagination leads her on the adventure of lifetime, when she meets Mudkin, a creature made of what else, but mud! Together, the two embark on a variety of activities, in which the little girl is crowned Queen and made a robe of Mudkin's signature fabric - MUD! While the journey of "Queen" is short-lived (only until the next rainfall, when the mud is washed away), the little girl enjoys every minute of it!

This mostly wordless picture book is ideal for young children with active imaginations. Just enough text is provided to allow readers to see what is "going on," yet leave room for their own imaginations to run wild. The limited text is perfect for parents/teachers looking to actively engage children in story telling and the art of "writing" stories of their own, as the text that is provided seems to be prompting in nature. Definitely a fun, creative story that's well worth exploring this summer... perhaps on a rainy day when boredom has gotten the best of your little ones!

Learning/Reading Activities:

• Put on some old bathing suits and flip flops or a raincoat over top of some shorts and a tee with some rain boots and head out to make the most of a rainy day - enjoy some good old-fashioned fun in the mud!
• In your child's summer journal, break out some brown paint and splatter it on their next clean sheet of paper. Once the paint dries, have your child use a black marker to create some distinguishable features for their own "Mudkin." Encourage your child to give their "Mudkin" a name or just go along with the traditional "Mudkin." Then, ask them to write a short piece about what their adventure with Mudkin would look like!
  

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Lily Hates Goodbyes

Helping children cope with emotions surrounding a deployed parent (or goodbyes, in general).

Marler, Jerilyn.
Lily Hates Goodbyes.
March 2011.
CreateSpace.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

When Lily's father is deployed, the four year old isn't quite sure how to handle her emotions and feelings. Lily (in the book) mimics Marler's granddaughter, "real" Lily, who deals with deployment on a somewhat regular basis. As different emotion surface throughout the story, children are presented with coping methods to help them work through the emotions in a safe way. The methods provided prove not only useful to children, but to parents as well, as parents will find new ideas to try out to help a child cope with a family deployment right through the loved ones arrival back home!

The book is very well written and would be extremely meaningful to any family who is facing a military deployment or a "goodbye" in general. Parents will welcome the information provided on the inside of the back cover, which focuses on how to get the most from the book... lots of great ideas!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Even if you are not facing a military deployment in your family, this book can be helpful in helping children to find ways to express and cope with their emotions. In his/her summer journal, have your child answer the following questions:
  * Name something that makes you angry. How can you express your anger?
  * Name something that makes you happy. How can you express your happiness?
  * Name something that makes you feel sad. How can you express your sadness?
  * Name something that makes you feel excited. How can you express your excitement?
  * Name something that makes you feel scared. How can you express being scared?
  

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Meet the Planets

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls... "Meet the Planets!"

McGranaghan, John.
Meet the Planets.
March 2011.
Sylvan Dell Publishing.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

The host of Meet the Planets, Pluto takes readers on a solar system learning "show." Each planet in the solar system is introduced by sharing a variety of facts and trivia about it. Once all eight planets in the Solar System are introduced by their at one-time ninth pal, the readers are then provided with a prompt that requires them to think about all that they have learned about each of the planets, both throughout the reading, as well as, in addition to throughout their educational career.

The story is truly wonderfully written and will certainly be a hit among children in the middle/upper elementary grades. Younger children who are less familiar with the solar system will have a hard time appreciating the story for what it is, but the book could be used as an introduction to learning about the solar system for those who are unfamiliar! It's definitely a great story and would be welcome in many elementary classrooms as well as in homes!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• The last page of the books prompts readers:

  There you have them. All eight planets dressed in their Solar System best. Let's have a big round of applause.
  
  Girls and boys, earthlings and aliens, I have just been informed that our judges cannot reach a decision. The moons have declined to vote due to a conflict of interest. The Sun loves all the planets and can't pick just one. And all the meteors have left for a shower.
  
  So that means that YOU will decide the favorite planet! That's right. You have studied the planets in school. You have read books and watched TV shows about them. Now it is time to pick YOUR favorite planet!
  
  The winner is... who?

  In their summer journals, have your child(ren) choose their winner and write a paragraph or two explaining! Who is their favorite planet? Why? Encourage children to use facts about what they know of each of the planets when they write their response!
  

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Bebe Goes to the Beach

Explore this bilingual text prior to spending a day at the beach!

Elya, Susan Middleton.
Bebe Goes to the Beach.
May 2011.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

When Mama, donning "her gafas" decides to take Bebe, dressed to the nines in his "gorro with fuzzy jirafas," to the beach on a hot summer day, it's bound to be an adventure as this waddling, toddling proves to be quite the handful! As soon as her "silla" is parked, Bebe takes off to explore the "olas" and all that the beach has to offer. As the duo explore throughout the day, readers are introduced to many beach terms in Spanish, allowing ample opportunity to turn a beach adventure into a learning adventure as well!

The book is fun, well-written and will definitely engage children and encourage them to further explore the Spanish language. The book is also a perfect choice for a summer read, as children love all things beach during the summertime!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Spend a day at the nearest beach with your child(ren). After enjoying a day in the sun, head home and have your child(ren) unwind by spending some time describing their day at the beach. Have your child(ren) use a pencil for this activity and after they are finished, break out a Spanish-English dictionary or use an online translator to translate some of their English nouns to Spanish to continue expanding your child's bilingual lexicon!
  

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A-B-A-B-A- a Book of Pattern Play

Different ways to look at patterning!

Cleary, Brian P.
A-B-A-B-A - a Book of Pattern Play.
August 2010.
Lerner Publishing.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Starting out with the definition of a pattern, Brian P. Cleary works to familiarize children with patterns, specifically different types of patterns while providing samples of what they "look" like. The book starts out with the simplest pattern, ABABA. Most of my Head Start 4 year olds are familiar with and able to make and continue that type of pattern. However, the text that goes along with introducing this pattern seemed to me as something that would be beyond the comprehension level of the same age group. The patterns quickly become more abstract (using numbers and counting by 2s) and would definitely be above the understanding of your typical preschooler who is learning patterns.

I think this book is well written, but most likely appropriate for older children (grades 3-6) who are able to read and explore with patterns on their own. It could also be modified by a parent or teacher to use appropriately with younger children, simply by omitting pages that seem too advanced for younger children!

Learning/Reading Activities:

• Break out some household groceries (I'm thinking Fruit Loops cereal, colored gold fish crackers, M&Ms, etc.). Spread them out on the table before snack time and have your child explore making different patterns. If he/she has a hard time getting started, start a pattern and then see if he/she can add on to it.
• As for the daily summer journal activity, head out into nature with your camera for a nature walk. Spend some time looking for patterns in nature. When you find a pattern, take a picture. Get the pictures developed or print them after your walk and glue them into your child's summer journal. Have him/her spend time writing about the patterns or sharing with you while you dictate!
  

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Habitat Spy

I spy... habitats and their wildlife!

Kieber-King, Cynthia.
Habitat Spy.
March 2011.
Sylvan Dell Publishing.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

In Cynthia Kieber-King's Habitat Spy, children are introduced to 13 different habitats - backyard, beach, bog, cave, desert, forest, meadow, mountain, ocean, plains, pond, river and cypress swamp. As they explore alongside the reader, the rhyming text engages children by pointing out different wildlife you would find in each of the habitats, sharing the text through the shape of binocular vision. This encourages children to become spies themselves, looking for each of the items mentioned, while opening the doors for wonderful conversation about the similarities and differences among the different habitats.

This is a wonderful book for children who are interested in nature or for those parents/teachers who are looking to share with children about different habitats!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Break out a pair of binoculars, or make a pretend pair. Head out to a local nature preserve with your binoculars (and your kids) and do some habitat spying! Have the kids take along their summer journal and document the different things they see in this local habitat. Then, after you're done exploring, head home and challenge them to write a poem about the things they saw in the habitat you explored!
  

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Senses at the Seashore

Encourage active learning through the summer months!

Rotner, Shelley.
Senses at the Seashore.
August 2010.
Lerner Publishing.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

"At the seashore, there's so much to see, hear, smell, taste, touch." Simply put by Shelley Rotner, this is quote from Senses at the Seashore is definitely true! Simple, almost repetitious phrases are shared throughout the story, "See the...," "Hear the...," "Smell the...," "Touch the...," "Taste the..." Each time the phrase is repeated, it is accompanied by photograph illustrations that accurately depict the text shared, allowing the youngest of children to participate in shared reading if they are not yet able to read on their own. The book is perfect for reading this time of year before a summer beach adventure!

Reading/Learning Activity:

• Plan a day trip to your local beach (or ocean, if possible). While there, encourage your child to explore his or her senses. Take along their summer journal and have them document a list of things they can explore using each of their 5 senses at the beach!
• Check out the other books in Shelley Rotner's "Senses" series - Senses at the Farm and Senses in the City. Plan similar day excursions and allow your child to explore his/her senses at each.
• After reading each of these 3 books, have your child(ren) create their own "Senses at the..." book... perhaps Senses at the Zoo, Senses at the Amusement Park, Senses at the Ball Game, Senses at the Community Pool or even Senses at the Family Picnic.
  

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Curious George: Rain or Shine

Teach children the basics of weather watching with Curious George's help!

Zappy, Erica.
Curious George: Rain or Shine.
March 2011.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

Curious George becomes frustrated when weather is able to ruin his plans for the day and decides he needs to figure out how to be prepared for each day's weather and that means he has to figure out how to predict the weather. While George learns about weather forecasting, he shares his knowledge with readers, enlightening the youngest of children about how to predict the basics of weather. The knowledge provided is simplistic, yet realistic, making the book very useful with preschoolers when trying to teach them about weather as a part of each day's calendar time. I know I'll definitely be incorporating this one early on in the year with my Head Start children!

Reading/Learning Activities:

• Use this book as an introduction to graphing weather each day. Create a graph and help children to fill it in each day. Talk about "reading" the graph - What kind of day did you have the most of each month? The least? Why do you think this is? This could also be useful in discussing weather traits of each season!
  
• Create a list for each type of weather. What kind of things do you notice about sunny days? Rainy days? Cloudy days? See if you can find any patterns. Add to your list activities that could be done on each kind of day.
• In their summer journal, have your child(ren) create a "bucket" list of sorts by asking them what they would like to do on each kind of day this summer - rainy, cloudy, sunny, etc. Surprise them by pulling from their list on each type of day you experience!
  

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Follow Me

Reinforce the idea of learning/recognizing colors in a meaningful way.

Tusa, Tricia.
Follow Me.
April 2011.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

In Follow Me, children are taken on a typical childhood adventure - swinging, and yet the adventure is turned into so much more. The little girl narrating the story has readers literally "following" her as she starts out swinging, and swings higher and higher. As she swings higher, the little girl takes in her surroundings, matching them each with a different color name as she describes them. Ultimately, the child has readers "following" her home after the swinging adventure is complete.

At first, I didn't really understand the story... after my second reading, something just clicked! And the more I thought about it, the more I realized what a unique story this really is. The book really shows children how to make personal connections to their surroundings, while utilizing all the little things they are familiar with! What a great read for a summer evening!

Learning/Reading Activities:

• Take this book outside, settle on a picnic blanket on the ground at dusk, sharing the story and talking about the colors in the story while watching the same colors as they settle across the sky. Encourage your child to use color words to describe their surroundings and the colors they see in the sky.
• Take a walk or even a bike ride at dusk, allowing your child to be the leader, in a sense, allowing them to be the one to say, "Follow me!". Have your child observe the colors they see. Upon returning home, have your child, in his/her summer journal, draw themselves on the walk or bike ride, making sure to have them use details to depict the different colors they saw. See if you child can name something of each color they saw on their walk/ride. (For example, I rode through waves of green grass and pedaled past fields of yellow dandelions, before settling at the blue table for some icy cold pink ice cream.) You'll have to help your child with the actual "story," but try to encourage them to come up with descriptive color words and names of objects they saw.
  

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BIG CAT, Little Kitty

A lesson in cats for young cat lovers, expands children's knowledge beyond just domestic cats that they are probably most familiar with!

Cohn, Scotti.
BIG CAT, Little Kitty.
March 2011.
Sylvan Dell Publishing.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

While exploring for a week, children will learn about different "cats" - both wild and domestic. Each day of the week has children learning about one domestic cat's habitat and one "big cat's" habitat. Throughout the course of the story, as days of the week are reiterated, children learn about cheetahs in the jungle, tigers in the savannahs, lions and their desert/forest/savannah habitats, the snow leopard's snowy mountain habitat, the cougars (mountain lions, panthers, pumas) in their many habitats, the jaguar's rainforest habitat, and the bobcat's wide range of habitats.

The informative nature of the book is sure to pique the interest of children who are cat lovers, while introducing children to different habitats around the world and the different types of cat they may or may not previously have been familiar with. The text is simple and the illustrations provide a great deal of additional detail that will easily engage children in discussion throughout the reading.

Learning/Reading Activities:

• Sylvan Dell has provided teachers with a variety of materials on their website to use in collaboration with the book. Teaching Activities and For Creative Minds activities (also found at the back of the book) can be downloaded by clicking on the colored text.
• For their summer journal, have children answer one of the Thinking It Through & Writing Prompts, as found on page 5 of the Teaching Activities. My personal favorite is: If you were a cat, which kind would you want to be? Why?
• On a rainy day, have your child spend time at the library or online researching wild and domestic dogs... see if they can come up with a list of different types of both!
  

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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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Diary of an American Kid, Review + GIVEAWAY

Jumpstart your child's creativity this summer with the help of Diary of an American Kid!

Sleeping Bear Editor.
Diary of an American Kid.
June 2011.
Sleeping Bear Press.
Review copy provided courtesy of publisher.

One might expect a story similar to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series or Dork Diaries upon first seeing this book... however, what the reader finds may or may not be even better - to me, I found Diary of an American Kid to be an awesome, inspiring way to start children on the path to using their creativity this summer and to inspire a love of journaling for years to come.

This 128-page book becomes a keepsake for children by allowing them the creativity and freedom to include ideas, daydreams, thoughts and feelings, and doodles over the course of time. Some pages provide fun and creative writing prompts, while others provide room for drawing/doodling, while yet others still have children reflecting about their day. The book would be a perfect way to instill a love of journaling while providing children with just enough structure to get them started!

Learning/Reading Activity:

• Provide your child with a notebook or journal book similar to Diary of an American Kid to encourage the activity of keeping a journal this summer! Some suggestions are:
  
  * The Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Book, Jeff Kinney
  * Doodle Diary: Art Journaling for Girls, Dawn DeVries Sokol
  * The Absolutely True, Positively Awesome Book About... ME!!!, Jessica Wilbur
  * My Personal Yearbook, Cottonwood Press
  * Dude Diary, Mickey and Cheryl Gill
  * All About Me: A Keepsake Journal for Kids, Linda Kranz
  * Kid's Trip Diary: Kids! Write About Your Own Adventures and Experiences, Loris Bree
  * My Book About Me, by Dr. Seuss
  * Top Secret, Personal Beeswax by Junie B. (and Me)!, Barbara Park
  

HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:

• In a comment on this post, share with me your experience with journaling - were you a journal writer? How frequently? Do you still journal?
  
• Be sure to leave an email address along with your comment.
• Deadline to enter is Monday, July 4 at 11:59PM EST.
• For an extra entry(or three) in SEPARATE comments:
  1. Become a subscriber/follower of my blog (+1)
  2. Follow me on Twitter - link on right! (+1)
  3. Blog about this giveaway on your own blog and leave a link (+1)
  4. Leave a tweet on your Twitter page and then leave a link (+1)
• Contest is open to U.S. Residents only, sorry for any inconveniences!
• Winner will be selected on Tuesday, July 5th and will receive a copy of Diary of an American Kid!

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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!