The Legend of Saint Nicholas

The Legend of Saint Nicholas by Demi

Why is Santa Claus also called St. Nick?  That was something I never understood growing up.  This biography by Demi will definitely satisfy your curiosity!  Known for her richly detailed and brightly colored illustrations influenced by Eastern themes, this book is a feast for the eyes as well.

The book starts with baby Nicholas, born in 280 AD in what is now  Turkey.  On the day he was born he "stood up in his bath and prayed to God!"   Nicholas is a very devoted Christian who is upset with suffering in the world and devotes his life to easing sorrow.  Appointed the youngest bishop ever, Nicholas goes on to become the patron saint of many (including butchers and prisoners!) but most importantly, children.  His life story is full of miracles relating to children, and because of that his feast day on December 6th was cause for great celebration.  This led to giving gifts in St. Nicholas' name during the Christmas season.  Sinter Klaas, as he was known to the Dutch, came to New Amsterdam (now New York) and over time Sinter Klass was transformed into Santa Claus.  The endpages are decorated with images of how Santa Claus is represented in different countries.

This book is appropriate for elementary school-aged children.  It's a biography -- not a fuzzy storybook.   For the younger ones, be aware that there is a wicked man in the story who kidnaps and kills three little boys, soaks them in brine and intends to serve them as food.  However, Nicholas comes to their rescues and returns the boys to life.   It's only four sentences and one illustration of a man wrestling with a child... but something I wanted to make you aware of.  I read this to my 4-year old and I cringed as I read it, not quite sure how she would react.  But I suppose if you regularly read fairy tales to your kids, it's no worse than that. 

Learn More:

• Demi has also written books on other historical figures such as Ghandi, Buddha, Dalai Lama, Genghis Khan, Muhammad, King Tut, Mother Teresa, and Jesus (among others).  The text for her book on Jesus is passages taken directly from the Bible and so is definitely for older children -- or even adults -- but wow, so beautiful!  Actually, she's written/illustrated over 100 books, many of which are Asian folk tales.  

• St. Nicholas:  Discovering the Truth About Santa Claus -- Learn more about Saint Nicholas and how his feast day is celebrated all over the world.  Locate St. Nicholas churches, find classroom lesson plans, crafts, games -- everything and anything about St. Nicholas!! 

• Use The Legend of Saint Nicholas for a social studies lesson.  Follow Nicholas' journeys using the map in the front of the book or on a globe.  Identify where the Santas are from on the endpages.  The Santa holding the beer stein is pretty obvious (Germany) as is the Santa with the bagpipes or a shamrock.  But others are a bit tricky!! 
  

• Official NORAD Santa Tracker:  Follow Santa's journey across the globe on Christmas Eve with NORAD -- yes, the military organization that tracks airspace also helps out Santa! 

• Contrary to popular belief, the modern image of Santa Claus was not created for Coca-Cola advertisements. 

• Christmas Traditions Around the World:  pretty self-explanatory!
  

Free-Range Kids

Free-Range Kids:  Giving Our Children the Freedom We Had Without Going Nuts with Worry by Lenore Skenazy

How many of you spent hours playing outside unsupervised when you were a kid?  Made a dirt bike path in that big vacant lot?  Walked to school by yourself?  Ran down to the grocery store to get some milk for your mom?  Were dropped off at the mall to hang out with friends?  Played along the stream in the nature preserve down the street?  Yep, I see you nodding your heads.  A lot of great childhood memories, I'm sure.

Now, how many of you would let your own child do these things?

That's what I thought.

We've all been freaked out by abduction stories we've seen on the news, and safety "warnings" we've seen forwarded around in emails.  There are parents who won't even let their preteens play basketball in their own driveway unsupervised.  Parents who won't let their kids walk to school when it's a half a block away from their house.  What is this world coming to?  What is so different today than from when we were kids that parents have begun being paranoid the way they have?

Free-Range Kids is written by Lenore Skenazy.  You may be more familiar with her by the name the media gave her:  "America's Worst Mom".  You know who she is -- that mother who let her nine-year old son ride the subway in New York?  I see you nodding your head again.

In her book, Lenore shares some really eye-opening information that may make you re-think your own parenting philosophy, as it did mine.  Did you know that according to the Crimes Against Children Research Center, violent crime in America has been falling since it peaked in the '90s, and children today are statistically as safe from violent crime as when we parents were growing up in the '70s-'90s?  Childhood abductions have not increased -- they're just talked about more thanks to sensationalistic TV news headlines and round-the-clock news channels.

Lenore states that "the problem is that we parents feel that childhood is more dangerous for our kids than it was for us" and in the book looks at where those fears come from and why they're difficult to give up.  Personally, after reading this book, I felt a tremendous weight lifted off of my chest.  I've since started taking baby steps towards being a free-range parent. 

Whether or not you agree with free-range parenting, I think it would benefit all parents to read this book.  After all, we're all trying to do the same thing:  "Raising happy, responsible, independent young people is parenting's goal."  And that's coming from America's Worst Mom.

Learn More:

• Free-Range Kids Blog:  "At Free Range, we believe in safe kids. We believe in helmets, car seats and safety belts. We do NOT believe that every time school age children go outside, they need a security detail."  Chime in with your thoughts!  This is the author's blog. 

• Richard Louv's Last Child in the Woods:  You've heard about this guy too.  Louv claims that  "the child in nature is an endangered species".  Lenore also mentioned him several times in her book -- children are suffering from what he calls nature-deficit disorder, and part of the reason why is they don't get much time outdoors -- much less unsupervised time -- because people are so paranoid about their kids being hurt / abducted.  His website has resources such as Nature Activities for Kids and Families, Books and Websites, and tons of other great stuff.
  

• A great Baby Blues comic about free-range kids! 

Fancy Nancy: Splendiferous Christmas

Fancy Nancy:  Splendiferous Christmas by Jane O'Connor, illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser

Nancy loves Christmas time, because everything is fancy this time of year!  From choosing a tree, to decorating the house and cookies, to caroling at Mrs. DeVine's, Nancy's joy is contagious.  But an impatient little girl gets a little too exuberant and -- uh-oh -- will her Christmas tree be ruined?  Grandpa comes to the rescue and teaches Nancy to improvise ("that's a fancy word for using whatever's around to make something").  As Nancy joyfully declares:  "There's no such thing as too much tinsel!" 

If you've never read Fancy Nancy before, you are in for a treat, especially if you have a little girl in your life to share it with!  Nancy doesn't like anything plain -- everything must have lace, or be frilly or sparkly.  Unfortunately, the rest of her family is not like that and it can be so frustrating!  She also likes to use big words -- including some in French -- because they sound fancier.  In her Christmas book, you'll find words like "aroma", "heirloom" and "compromise" used, which will indubitably make it into your fancy little girl's vocabulary!  

This is the newest Fancy Nancy book -- it just came out this fall.  Keep your eyes peeled for an Easter book available next month!  Au revoir!  That's French for "good-bye"!
 
Learn More:

• Splendiferous Christmas Kit:  Event Guide and Activity Suggestions --  invitations, gift tags, tree decoration crafts, color pages -- everything you need for a Fancy Nancy Christmas party!  

• Decorate a Christmas tree and print it or turn it into an ecard to send to a friend!  From the Fun & Games page, click on Christmas Tree Decorating.
  

• Fancy Nancy website at HarperCollins Children's:  Fun and games (including paper dolls and printable activity packages for each book), make and send eCards, and meet the creators of the books.   In the adult section, you can also find party kits and activities to do while reading with your child.
  

• The author's website:  Jane O'Connor  Another book I love by this author is The Snow Globe Family, about a little family who lives inside a snow globe! 

• The illustrator's website:  Robin Preiss Glasser and an interesting interview with her as well!
  

Fancy Nancy Books:

• Fancy Nancy
• Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy
• Fancy Nancy:  Bonjour, Butterfly!
• Fancy Nancy's Favorite Fancy Words:  From Accessories to Zany
• Fancy Nancy:  Explorer Extraordinaire!
• I Can Read Books:  Fancy Nancy at the Museum and Fancy Nancy and the Boy from Paris (there are many more!)
  

• There are quite a few sticker / activity books available.  I'm not as familiar with these as my daughter isn't a fan of stickers... but there are a whole bunch available on Amazon.  Click on the Amazon link on the right side and search for "Fancy Nancy".  Books, toys, stickers, games, oh my!
  

'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving

'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey

I'm not a big meat eater, but I'm not a vegetarian either.  I'm just picky... I don't like my meat to resemble the animal it came from.  This is a dilemma* for me every year at Thanksgiving.  Give me ground turkey!  I don't want to see the whole bird on the table!  Ack!

Anyways, there is a point to this.  In 'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving, children go on a school fieldtrip to a turkey farm.  Because this is written to mimic Clement Moore's 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, the children rode on a school bus "While visions of drumsticks / Danced in their brains."  Note it's DRUMSTICKS they're envisioning... not what animal they come from!  At the farm, children simply adore the turkeys, who are called by name by Farmer Mack Nuggett, who has a big white beard like a certain jolly fellow we all know.  After much frolicking, "Then sombody spotted / An ax by the door, / And she asked Farmer Nuggett / What it was for."  Then Farmer Nuggett with a gleam in his eye responds, "These feathery beasts / Will be chopped up and roasted / For Thanksgiving feasts."  The children and turkeys react with shocked looks on their faces and begin "a chorus of cries".  The farmer and the teacher discuss how to handle this, and upon their return find the children all mysteriously calmer -- and fatter!  They've stuffed the turkeys under their clothes, then waddle onto the bus -- and of course, the teacher and farmer are clueless.  The turkeys come to Thanksgiving dinner with the children... as guests, while their families feasts on veggies instead.  Gotta love it!

Dav Pilkey wrote and illustrated this book, and he is so much more than the Captain Underpants series, for which he's probably most famous for.  His artwork is full of energy and life and frequently has traces of masterpieces in it.  For example, in this book the teacher and the farmer strike an "American Gothic" pose, and he almost always draws his nighttime skies with traces of Van Gogh's "Starry Night" in them. 

Besides references to art masterpieces, he frequently sneaks in other familiar faces as well.  The turkeys are named Ollie, Stanley, Larry, Moe, Wally, Beaver, Shemp and Groucho.  I had to explain to my daughter who Wally is -- not WALL-E but about "Leave it to Beaver".  There are several other references to "Turkey in the Straw", "Over the River and Through the Woods", and a visual reference to the nursery rhyme "Jack and Jill" while the teacher "fetched some water". 

This is a great Thanksgiving book.  Although it deals with the subject of vegetarianism, Dav says:  "I don't consider this book to be a story about vegetarianism... to me, it's just a silly story about love and friendship. If this book has any 'message', it is perhaps that following your heart is often more important than following the rules."  Find out more about this book at Dav's website, and print a picture to color as well! 

I love Dav Pilkey... you'll be seeing more about him later!

Learn More:

• Dav Pilkey's Extra Crunchy Website-O-Fun!  Pilkey's personal website has information on all of his books, including fun facts and special notes.  There's also coloring pages, games, puzzles and more.  I have loved this website for years!!!

• Dav Pilkey's page at Scholastic Books:  Games and other fun stuff for Captain Underpants, Ricky Ricotta and information about his other books.

• 'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore.  My family's favorite version is illustrated by Mary Engelbreit.  We like this one too with the Coca-Cola Santa.

• Thanksgiving books for toddlers/preschoolers:  I used to read these during my storytime.  Actually, sing these.  You sing all three of these books!  Over the River (A Turkey's Tale) by Derek Anderson;  One Little, Two Little, Three Little Pilgrims by BG Hennessy;  I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Pie by Alison Jackson.
  

• National Geographic for Kids:  First Thanksgiving:   This is a great magazine -- I give it to my nieces.  There's history along with re-created photos, activities and games.  Can't go wrong here!

• Thanksgiving Activities for Kids and Teachers:  Thanksgiving is a harvest festival, and these have been held all over the world for thousands of years.  Learn about other country's traditions, read the 1676 First Thanksgiving Proclamation and that of George Washington in 1789 and Abe Lincoln in 1863.  Find Native American resources, historic American Thanksgiving dinner menus, symbols of Thanksgiving and more!!
  

• Thanksgiving Printables for Kids:   puzzles, mazes, coloring pages and more!
  

• Thanksgiving Jokes and Riddles:  What happened when the turkey got into a fight?  He got the stuffing knocked out of him!  Bada-boom!
  

• More on American Gothic and Starry Night.
  

• Who were Ollie & Stanley (better known as Laurel & Hardy), Larry, Moe & Shemp (aka the Three Stooges), Wally & Beaver and Groucho? 

• Some of my other favorite Dav Pilkey books include:  The Hallo-wiener, Dogzilla, Kat Kong, Dog Breath, and God Bless the Gargoyles.
  

*So is spelling the word "dilemma".  I was taught "dilemna" but apparently it is with an "mma".  There is a big discussion on this "spelling dilemna" online.  It just looks wrong to me spelling it "mma".  Ack!

Confessions of Georgia Nicolson

I am a married mother, and I absolutely love the Confessions of Georgia Nicolson young adult series of books by Louise Rennison.  Think Bridget Jones's Diary for teens.  These are laugh-out loud hilarious books -- I kid you not.  Vair, vair amusante.  There are ten books in the series now, and the first is by far my favorite:  Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging.  It came out in 1999 and is a Michael L. Printz Honor Book (for excellence in young adult literature), and was also voted number 127 in the BBC's Big Read poll to find England's favorite book.

What do I love about these books written for young adults, aside from their hilariousosity?  I am, after all, obviously not their intended audience.  I don't know how to say this without sounding like a prude, but they are refreshingly... clean.  The only swearing is done in foreign languages (merde, shiesshause, etc) -- they get much more creative with expressions that you'll probably need to read the glossary to fully understand.  (They speak British in these books!)  Only the losers smoke (Mark the Big Gob, who gets the duffing he deserves by Dave the Laugh and the bullying Bummer Twins, who get expelled from school for shoplifting).  No one drinks except the adults, and there is no sex -- but lots of snogging.  These are books that I would totally recommend to another parent for their child without having to worry about it coming back to bite me in the bum.  (Although believe it or not, some parents have actually tried to have these books banned!  There's a link below.)

A short summary of the series?  Georgia and her gang of Ace Friends navigate hell (known as school), parents (muttis and vatis), and boys (oo-er).  The Sex God, the Luuuurve God and Dave the Laugh all battle for Georgia's attention.  Who will she choose?  I haven't read the tenth (and final) book yet to find out!  It's been released in the last month or so and I've just picked it up from the library (Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me?).  I'm re-reading the entire series first (these are really short books - I whizz through them in a day or so), and then it's farewell Georgia!  Or is it Ciao?!  Or "I'm away laughing on a fast camel!"

Titles in the Georgia Nicolson series by Louise Rennison:  

1. Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging
2. On the Bright Side, I'm Now the Girlfriend of a Sex God
3. Knocked Out by my Nunga-Nungas
4. Away Laughing on a Fast Camel
5. Dancing in my Nuddy-Pants
6. Then He Ate My Boy Entrancers
7. Startled by His Furry Shorts
8. Love is a Many Trousered Thing
9. Stop in the Name of Pants
10. Are These My Basoomas I See Before Me?
    

Learn More:  (Blimey!  I don't know how much you can learn from these books except some British slang!)

• Confessions of Georgia Nicolson website.  Choose between the American, Australian or UK versions.  The American version has the Snogging Scale (which is frequently referenced throughout all of the books and handy to have!) and e-cards, but is otherwise inferior to the other sites.  They all have a glossary of slang used in the books.  V. helpful!  

• Which Georgia Nicolson Character Are You?  Take this quiz to find out!  

•  The Tart's Wardrobe:  A YA Literature Salon interviewed an English person to explain the difference between shorts, pants, and knickers. 

• They made a movie out of this, but thankfully it has not been released in America yet (although you can watch it on YouTube).  I am just one of those people who am continually disappointed by the movie adaptation of my favorite books, and this looks to be no different.   

• What does the clown car that Georgia's dad and Uncle Eddie drive look like?  It's a Reliant Robin. 

• Even though I love these books because they are refreshingly "clean", they've made it onto the Banned Books lists.  In fact, Louise Rennison was one of the most challenged/banned authors in 2003.  To find out more about Banned Books, check out the American Library Association's page for Banned Book Week, and the Kids' Right to Read Project has some cool stuff as well, including a First Amendment guide for young adults.  Well, whaddya know -- an educational link!!
  

Sesame Street Turns 40!!

Happy Birthday Sesame Street!  Believe it or not, this long-running TV show first aired on November 10, 1969.  It's amazing how much it has changed since it's first season... and how much it remains the same.  The set changed from a dirty street to the clean, sunny one we're all familiar with now once they learned that more than just inner-city kids were watching the show.  Oscar the Grouch is no longer orange as he was in the first season -- but he's worn the same eyebrows for 40 years now!  Blecchh!  I'm sure Oscar would love that!

Before I had kids, I never understood Elmo.  I couldn't stand him at all -- and neither did Kevin Clash when he first started puppeteering with Elmo.  What happened to Grover?  Cookie Monster?  Who is this furry red monster taking over the show?  And then... I started watching Sesame Street with my daughter Rowan when she was six months old or so.  Omigawd.  She LOVED Elmo.  She would smile and laugh and kick her feet!  I then began to love Elmo because my daughter did.  She gradually moved on.  Cookie Monster became her favorite, then Grover.  She still watches Sesame Street everyday.  Now my baby Molly is seven months old and in love with Elmo too.

Sesame Street is now broken into six mini-shows and various video clips.  Bert and Ernie are done in stop-action clay now, and Abby Cadabby goes to Flying Fairy School.  (Abby has yet to grow on me.)  Of course, there's still the big skit at the beginning.  They've got a gazillion celebrity guests and an archive of all of the characters -- with videos to go with!  Find out more at Sesame Street:  On Air.  Susan and Bob have been with the show since it's premiere, as has Caroll Spinney (Oscar and Big Bird).  Wow!!

And who can forget that Christmas special ("Christmas Eve on Sesame Street") from the late '70s that had the whole gang ice skating?  Then Oscar gets Big Bird all upset because he doesn't know how Santa gets down those skinny chimneys, and he freezes while sitting on the roof waiting for Santa to come so he can ask him!!

Did you know Mo Willems (Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus) wrote, illustrated and directed for Sesame Street in the '90s?  That Pixar's Bud Luckey created animated sketches like "Ladybug's Picnic" and "The Alligator King"?  Did you know the Pointer Sisters sang the "Pinball Number Count" song?  Keith Haring contributed to the show as well?  

I am a HUGE Sesame Street fan.  It's perfect that I have two children under five to give me a legitimate excuse to watch it.

Sesame Street Books:

• The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone and Michael Smollin --  Who didn't love this book as a kid?!
• Imagination Song by Joe Raposo --  The illustrations for this classic song are wonderful.  I used to play the song along with the book when I did storytime for toddlers/preschoolers.
• 1, 2, 3 by Elmo -- My daughter loved this counting board book
• Elmo's Big Lift and Look Book by Anna Ross and Joe Matthieu -- This lift-the-flap book covers counting, colors, shapes and more.  My daughter spent HOURS playing with this book every day as a toddler!
• Eat Your Colors (A Puzzle Book) by Sarah Albee and Joe Matthieu -- Help the Sesame Street gang build healthy meals, while learning what different color foods do for your body.
• Sesame Street Unpaved:  Scripts, Stories, Secrets and Songs by David Borgenicht -- This Young Adult book was written for the 30th anniversary of the show and has tons of interesting info in it!
  

Some of my favorite clips:

• Preschool Musical:  a spoof of High School Musical
• Rubber Duckie:  Ernie serenades in the bath tub!
• C is for Cookie
• Fuzzy and Blue:  Grover, Henry and Cookie Monster do their thing
• How about Grover and that blue man in the restaurant?!
  
• There are so many great clips!  Find your favorites here!
  

Official Sesame Street Websites:

• Sesame Street:  40 Years and Still Counting:  Vote for your favorites, watch vintage videos, read behind the scenes stories.
• Sesame Street -- from this site you can play games, download free podcasts, watch videos, get teacher/parent guides, print out pictures to color and more!
  

Teddy Roosevelt Books

Today is Theodore Roosevelt's Birthday, our 26th President of the United States.  My favorite president!  Here are some great picture books about him!

Teedie:  The Story of Young Teddy Roosevelt by Don Brown  The author/illustrator has done many other books about historical figures, and you won't be disappointed with this one either!  This covers Teddy's life all the way from childhood through the presidency.  And boy, does it have some great illustrations!  When Teedie is sick with asthma, you'll want to swaddle him in your arms just like his mama is doing.  My favorite illustration is in a bar in the Badlands.  The text reads:  "When a gun-toting cowboy made fun of Teddy's eyeglasses, he flattened the cowboy with one punch."  The cowboy is flying back across the room with his hat going the opposite direction.  Teedie began life as a timid, nervous, sickly boy.  This is his story of how he gained his larger than life persona through hard work, determination, intelligence and spunk.

The Legend of the Teddy Bear by Frank Murphy, Illustrated by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen  What child doesn't love their teddy bear?  This is the true story of Teddy refusing to shoot a bear who was tied up, the political cartoon that moved a nation, and the candy shop owners who named their bears after the beloved president.  Said Teddy:  "I don't think my name is likely to be worth much in the toy bear business, but you are welcome to use it."  Boy, was he wrong about that one!!

What To Do About Alice?  by Barbara Kerley, Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham  This book had my daughter laughing out loud and inspired me to go find an adult book about Alice Roosevelt.  In fact, the first time we read it, she had me re-read it three more times!  It goes something like this:  Teddy had a small problem.  It wasn't bears or wars or outlaws -- but his daughter Alice.  "Father called it 'running riot'.  Alice called it 'eating up the world'."  As a child, Alice was a handful.  But Teddy's problems really began when he moved into the White House when Alice was 17.  Her exploits made her tabloid fodder and earned her the nickname "Princess Alice" while a goodwill ambassador.  However, Alice did grow up to become one of Teddy's most trusted advisers and had a long life in Washington politics.  You've gotta read this book!

Learn More:

• The Theodore Roosevelt Association has something for everyone.  Stuff for kids, stuff for teachers, political cartoons, speeches, quotations, his record -- anything you could possibly want!!
  

• The Theodore Roosevelt Center also has something for everyone.  It has a really cool kid's section called Kids' Corral.  In there you can find letters Teddy wrote to his children, things to ponder, and lots of interesting facts.   

• Almanac of Theodore Roosevelt has lots of pictures.

• Theodore Roosevelt National Park is in North Dakota.  Said Teddy:  "I never would have been President if it had not been for my experiences in North Dakota."

• For adults,  I really enjoyed reading the Pulitzer Prize winning biography The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris.  This covers Teddy's up until he wins the presidency.  He wrote a follow-up book to this one that covered his presidency, called Theodore Rex (but I haven't read it yet.  It's on my list of books to read!).

• I was totally charmed by Alice Roosevelt.  I have just started reading Alice:  Alice Roosevelt Longworth, from White House Princess to Washington Power Broker by Stacy A. Cordery. 
  

The Once Upon a Time Map Book

The Once Upon a Time Map Book by B.G. Hennessy and illustrated by Peter Joyce

Teaching map reading skills just got a lot more fun.  Using keys, coordinates, and a compass rose, follow detailed tour routes of fairy book lands.  Visit Neverland with Peter Pan, the Land of Oz with Dorothy, Wonderland with Alice, the Giant's Kingdom with Jack, Aladdin's Kingdom with the Genie, and the Enchanted Forest with Snow White.  Each tour has points of interest to look out for as well as hidden objects to find, and is strewn with danger as well! 

My daughter loves visiting Neverland.  The tour starts like this:  "Moor your boat at Mermaid Cove (E1).  Take the sandy path east.  Where the path splits go south through the jungle."  You're using coordinates and a compass rose already -- and you've just started!  You'll want to keep your eyes peeled for the Jolly Roger anchored in Pirate's Cove, Wendy's house, and Peter's hideout (a chimney sticking out of the ground!).  Try to find the treasure chest, and see if you can find seven Lost Boys as well.  The key shows how long a pirate mile is, and shows you the difference between a sandy path, a rocky path, the war path (which is littered with skulls), and a coastal path.

We've spent many an afternoon visiting these enchanted lands.  The most cool thing about this book?  You're sneaking in learning, and your kids won't even suspect it!

Learn More:

• Learning Map Skills:  This is a collection of websites from North Canton City Schools, and it has some AWESOME links on it.  It's categorized by "Online Activities", "Resources", 'Lets Make Some Maps!", and "Lesson Plans and Activities".
  

• While out on a walk in your neighborhood, make a map.  Note street names, landmarks (that house with the crazy rhino statue), their friends' houses and stores.  Then when you get home, challenge your child:  I went 2 blocks north and 1 block west -- where am I? 
  

• Google Maps:  Type in your address at this site.  When you click on your house on the map, does it say "Street View" in the window?  It gives you a virtual walking tour of your neighborhood.  Compare it to map you made above.  It's also fun to look at your neighborhood in the Satellite view as well.

• Collect maps from amusement parks, zoos, national parks, IKEA -- anywhere you go.  Keep them where your child can easily grab them and peruse at their leisure.  My daughter makes up stories using these maps (she's 4).   We also use Google Maps in their Satellite view and compare them.  She has fun looking at Disneyland in Google's satellite view and comparing it to the Disneyland map.
  

The Journey That Saved Curious George

The Journey That Saved Curious George:  The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H. A. Rey by Louise Borden and illustrated by Allan Drummond

We all know the story of Curious George:  the Man with the Yellow Hat found George in Africa and brought him home, thus beginning the monkey's adventures.  But did you know that George was originally called "Fifi", and there was a journey fraught with danger that the Reys undertook to save both the manuscript and their lives? 

Hans Augusto Reyersbach and Margarete Waldstein were both born Jews in Germany.  Hans moved to Brazil after World War One where he watched monkeys in the Amazon while wearing a broad hat (yellow hat, anyone?).  There he met Margarete and they married, living in an apartment with two pet marmosets -- very mischevious monkeys.  At this time the Reys changed their name to be something easier for the Brazilians to pronounce, and Margaret and H. A. Rey were born.

The Reys moved to Paris and began writing and illustrating books for children, and in 1939 began a new manuscript about a monkey named Fifi, who was very curious and always getting into trouble.  World War Two began, and being Jews in Europe, the Reys fled to save their lives.  They packed what they could onto their backs (including the Fifi manuscript) and started a journey on bikes south to Lisbon, Portugal, alternating biking and train rides.   From there they made it safely to America, and Curious George was published in 1941.

Much is to be learned from the primary sources in this book, including photographs, diary exerpts and passports.  My daughter particularly enjoyed following the Rey's journeys on the maps inside the covers of the books.  For Curious George lovers of all ages.

Learn More:

• Lesson plans from the publisher to go along with the book and a list of all Curious George books

• Did you know that the H. A. Rey also published two books on constellation identification?  He drew the constellations so they actually look like what they're supposed to resemble.  You'll never have problems identifying the constellations again!  The Stars:  A New Way to See Them and Find the Constellations can both be found in my store (link on left hand side).

• "Curious George" is now an animated tv-show on PBS that teaches math and science skills.  We LOVE it at our house!! 

• World War II for elementary students from the eMints National Center (University of Missouri College of Education).  Included is a link to:  Children of WWII, where you can find out what it was like for children to live during the war

The Graveyard Book

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, with illustrations by Dave McKean.

I read this young adult novel in one day -- I couldn't put it down!  I enjoy books that have a slightly quirky, spooky bent -- and Neil Gaiman is a master of that genre.  The Graveyard Book (TGB) won the Newberry Award in 2009, which is awarded annually to "the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children".  Bravo!

To sum it up:  Nobody Owens is a boy who lives in a graveyard, and is being raised by ghosts and a vampire.  (Gaiman never comes straight out and calls him a vampire, but that he "belongs to neither the world of the living nor of the dead.")

That's usually enough to sell people on the story right there.  But if you'd like to know more... Bod, as his friends call him, has mastered as much of the art of being dead as a living person can:  he can fade, he can walk through walls, see in the dark, and instill fear in people.  He explores an ancient burial tomb deep within a hill, journeys to the land of the ghouls, befriends a dead witch and is tutored by a werewolf -- all within the walls of the graveyard.

But Bod wants to see what's out there, to learn about more current things (after all, his ghost teachers have been dead for hundreds of years), and to enjoy the company of other people.  However, when he leaves the safety of the graveyard, he must also deal with the man who murdered his family.

Learn more:

• The (Official) Graveyard Book website at http://www.thegraveyardbook.com/  

• Visit Neil Gaiman's website for children and young adults at http://www.mousecircus.com and hear TGB read aloud by the author.  Play Graveyard Sodoku.  Watch a trailer for TGB using illustrations from the book.  Learn about his other children's books, including my favorites:  Coraline (MUCH better than the movie), and The Wolves in the Walls (a picture book).  

• Bod dances the Danse Macabre with his graveyard friends.  Watch a recital of the "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens as performed by the ASU Orchestra.  Find out more about the dance, the music, the poem by Henry Cazalis and the superstition behind it from this educational guide from the Minnesota Orchestra.
  

• Bod learns to read with the help of tombstone epitaphs.  Read some "Funny Stones to Tickle Your Funny Bones" -- real epitaphs found in cemeteries.
  

• Bod befriends the ghost of Liza Hempstock, a witch.  Learn more about witchcraft persecutions before Salem.  

The Rainbow and You

The Rainbow and You by E.C. Krupp and illustrated by Robin Rector Krupp

My daughter, like every little girl, is crazy about rainbows.  She even dressed up for one as Halloween!  (Rainbow striped dress, crown in the shape of sun rays, carrying a cloud shield with blue water beads hanging from it.)   I now have a member of the rainbow patrol living in my house because of this book!

Dr. Krupp is an authority on ancient and prehistoric astronomy, as well as the Director of Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles.  It should be no surprise then that this book starts with the importance of rainbows in ancient cultures.  We learn that Isaac Newton (yes, the laws of gravity guy) was also the first to show that sunlight is made up of the rainbow's colors using a prism, and how raindrops bend light.

It then encourages you to become a rainbow reporter, noticing as many details as you can, and explains how you can make your own rainbow.  My rainbow-crazy daughter especially liked the last page:  "Since no one sees exactly the same rainbow, that rainbow you see belongs to you."  Pure magic for rainbow lovers!!

Learn More:

• 3-D Rainbow Paper Craft:  A simple paper craft that results in a 3D ornament you can hang in the room.   http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/rainbows/m3drainbow.htm  Another Rainbow Mobile!   More rainbow craft projects can be found here.

• Plant a rainbow in your garden!  Read Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert
  

• KinderKorner's "A Rainbow of Colors" is full of activities, books, songs and poems about rainbows.  Aimed towards kinder-aged kiddos. http://www.kinderkorner.com/colors.html
  

• "The Magic School Bus Makes a Rainbow" is available in both a video and a book based on the video.  

• Prism's Rainbow Teacher's Guide is written for kinder based on Texas state standards.  It's 40 pages long and has a lot of information in it!   http://centerforeducation.rice.edu/SST/resources/Bridging/Module1/Grade_K/1%20Rainbows.pdf

The Black Book of Colors

The Black Book of Colors by Menena Cottin and illustrated by Rosana Faria, translated by Elisa Amado

Try explaining to a sighted child what it's like to be blind.  How do they comprehend colors without their sense of sight?  It's a bit tricky, isn't it?  How do they read?  That's a little easier to answer, but not necessarily easier to do at all.  This innovative book uses a combination of embossed etchings and Braille to answer those questions, including a full braille alphabet at the end of the book.

What is red?  "Red is sour like unripe strawberries and as sweet as watermelon.  It hurts when he finds it on his scraped knee."  You don't even need to close your eyes to visualize that statement, as the book is black.  All black -- except for the white text, which is translated into braille above it.  On the opposite page is a black embossed picture of a strawberry, begging you to run your hands over it and feel the smoothness of the leaves in contrast with the bumpiness of the fruit.


Learn More:

• Braille Bug is a site for children (grades 3-6) that teaches braille, including it's creation by Louis Braille and it's use by Helen Keller, and learning to recognize braille letters and numbers using puzzles and games.   http://www.afb.org/BrailleBug/ 

• Alphabet Braille Blocks are colorful wooden blocks for all children with a raised letter to trace and the letter in braille as well.  http://www.lssproducts.com/product/4112/childrens-products 

• You've Got Braille:  Arthur's friend Marina is blind, and she shares five fun facts about communication for the blind and a braille translator.  http://pbskids.org/arthur/print/braille/index.html  Also check out Arthur's Communication Adventure Lesson Plans at http://pbskids.org/arthur/parentsteachers/lesson/communication/index.html  for teacher's guides, activity sheets, and online activities for 2nd-3rd graders.  Recordings of the episodes are available for check-out at many public libraries or for viewing online at YouTube.  Episodes to search for are "Prunella's Special Edition" and "Prunella Sees the Light".