Valarie Budayr's Blog, page 105

Saint Francis of Assisi by Demi: Bookjump and Activities

Today’s post is sponsored by Wisdom Tales Press and leads us on a journey to a crossroads where heart, mind, and nature meet.

Author/Illustrator Demi in her book Saint Francis of Assisi brings to life the magnificent stories of this beloved saint through illuminated artwork and brilliant storytelling.

 

 

Demi effortlessly re-tales St Francis’ story from son of a wealthy merchant, to relinquishing his life for one of prayer, piety, and poverty.

 

The joy of reading this book is watching the transformation of St. Francis and understanding of his calling and message to the world, which still endures today. 

I was so happy to see some of the better known St. Francis stories such as “Sermon of the Birds”, and “The Wolf of Gubbio,” seamlessly interwoven into the text. This is a masterful re-telling of his life story and an invitation to look further into our own lives.

** A Word on Wisdom Tales Press Books**

Recently we’ve had the honor and pleasure of reviewing several books published by Wisdom Tales Press as they are one of our sponsors. They are truly masters at collecting the world’s wisdom and sharing it in beautiful book editions that are to be treasured, shared, and passed down for years to come. I believe there is a dual benefit in Wisdom Tales Press books. First, it validates and empowers those people who come from these cultures and beliefs. Secondly , it invites those of us who aren’t from these cultures and beliefs, a safe haven to look into a window of our world and take a little wisdom along our own personal life’s journeys. 

There is such beauty in the diversity of expression through our cultures and religions, but the one thing we hold in common is that we share this planet earth making us completely connected to one another and to every living thing.

Though my family isn’t Hindu, Catholic, Buddhist, or Native American, we have gleaned so much knowledge from these books and most importantly the seeds of many insightful questions, dialogs, and experiences have been had by everyone at our house. Thank you seems so understated for all the benefits of wisdom we have received. Thank you Again Wisdom Tales Press for your incredible contributions.

Something To Do:

I have to share that the person who absolutely loves St. Francis in this family is my husband, who by the way isn’t Catholic, but he greatly admires St. Francis. Thank you to my husband who filled in the blanks on this book jump and started some really brilliant conversations within our family. 

From Rich to Poor:

St. Francis was a wealthy merchant’s son who at first was leading a noble life as a knight. After spending some time in jail, he began to wonder was it all worth it. After being ransomed by his father, St. Francis later fought for the Pope and saw much hardship in the Holy Lands. Again he asked himself if it was all worth it. Finally he gave up all his worldly goods and started an order of monks and nuns to live in poverty and bring kindness and the love of god to all living beings.

Make a list of your favorite belongings: Next place a star next to the ones which would be the hardest to giveaway.  

Have a discussion about why these items are hard to giveaway. What special meaning does it hold for you? Could you give it away if you knew it could benefit someone else?

What do you do when you want to get rid of items ? Do you give them to a charitable organization? Do you throw them away? 

Go around your house and clean out anything you no longer need. Place it in a bag or box and take it to an organization such as GoodWill, Habitat for Humanity, Salvation Army, Veterans of Foreign Wars. Make sure your child is there picking the items to give  away and make sure they are with you when you take them to the non-profit organization. Letting go of our possessions is sometimes very hard but when one can see how it can benefit another, is the first steps in letting go.

Sermon of the Birds

“My sister birds, you owe God great gratitude, and should always praise him for all the things he has given you.”

One of St. Francis’ well known stories is that of ” Sermon of the Birds.”  You can read the actual story inside the book and see what miracle the birds performed. St. Francis had a great connection to nature and all animals. He especially loved the birds.

Did you know that birds are the messengers of the wilderness and have multiple ways of communicating via their bird song?

Birds have 5 different ways of communicating to each other and believe it or not with us too. Here are the 5 ways a bird communicates:

Song: Birds have many reasons to sing their beautiful songs. From welcoming the day at sunrise, to finding a mate, defending their territory, or just expressing happiness. Each bird has its own particular song which identifies them.
Companion/Contact Calls: These are the calls used to keep in touch with their family members and flocks. This is usually a call and response type of conversation.
Begging: This is the sound baby birds  make when they are asking for food. It is usually a constant frenetic sort of crying call.
Aggressive: This is between birds in the same species. Males fighting over a female or a female bird chasing away other females.
Alarm: An alarm call alerts other birds about a perceived danger. Ravens and crows are very well known for their alerting calls.

Activity: Five Voices of the Bird

Walk outside to your front or back yard. If you live in the city, head to the park. Feel free to sit down if you’d like for this activity. With a piece of paper and pen, start writing down the various bird calls you hear. The easiest way to start is by watching and listening to the birds on the ground. Do you know what type of bird is making the call? Can you identify which type of call they’re making?

The Wolf of Gubbio and Wolf Tag

St. Francis tamed everything he met, even a dangerous wolf. Read the story of the Wolf of Gubbio in the book and then play a roving game of Wolf Tag. 

Wolf Tag:

One child is chosen to be the wolf, another child is chosen to be St. Francis, and everyone else are the villagers of Gubbio. On the word go,  the wolf tries to tag the villagers of Gubbio. As each person is tagged, they must sit down where they are. As the wolf is busy tagging the villagers, St. Francis is trying to tag the wolf. Once the wolf is tagged whoever is playing St. Francis must say “let there be peace between you and the people.”

That ends that round of Wolf Tag. Play as often as you like and have players switch roles to keep it fun.

Lady Jacoba’s Honey-Almond Cakes

St. Francis deliberately led a poor life but one thing he loved eating was Lady Jacoba Honey Almond cakes.  Try some for yourself. They’re delicious.

Honey-Almond Cakes

1 pound blanched almonds

1/2 cup honey

1 teaspoon cinnamon, or 1 teaspoon vanilla

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

Approximately 1 cup of flour

Chop the almonds very fine or coarsely grind in a blender

In a bowl combine the nuts, honey, cinnamon, and egg whites. Mix thoroughly. Gradually stir in enough flour to form a thick paste.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the paste until smooth and stiff. Roll out to about 1/4 inch. Cut into diamond shapes, about 2 1/2 inches long. Place the diamonds on a lightly buttered and floured baking sheet. Let dry for 1 to 2 hours.

Bake in a preheated 250°F oven for 20-30 minutes or until set. Do not let brown.

Yield: about 3 dozen

Here’s another Almond sweet from Italy to try which comes from the same region of Italy as St. Francis.

Paletta di Mandorla 

Almond Slices



1 cup butter

1 1/2 cup sugar

4 eggs

4 cups flour

2 cups almonds, whole, finely chopped, or 4 cups almonds, ground 

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla 

Cream butter, sugar and eggs. Add the other ingredients and knead until smooth. Form 2 rolls about 1 inch (3 cm) diameter. 

Bake in a preheated moderately hot oven 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. 

When cool, cut into slices 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick, and toast in the oven for 3 minutes.

One With Nature

My son asked this question “why could St. Francis communicate with nature but we can’t ?” as we were discussing this book.

Our response was “Are you sure that’s a true statement ?”

The following activity came about through a very long conversation. The gist of it is this; in the days of St. Francis, spirituality and living were part of the same daily activity. It wasn’t separated like it is today. Everything was scheduled around the seasons of the year and church, synagogue, temple, mosque or other places of worship.  In today’s world our work is one section of our life, school another, extra activities another, and our spiritual life another. All wonderfully connected by the automobile.  Back in the day, it was all part of one life. No compartments and nature played a huge role.

How do we reconnect with nature, the seasons, and time of day? There are not any right or wrong answers to the following questions but merely ideas for you to put on your bucket list. 

Have you ever been outside to see the sunrise?
Have you ever sat outside to watch the sunset ?
Have you ever seen the moon rise ?
Have you seen the moon in the middle of the night ?
Have you watched the daily cycles of the moon as it gets larger and smaller ?
Have you walked through the dew wet grass in the morning in your bare feet ?
Have you stood in the rain without an umbrella or shoes on ?
Have you ever seen snow ?
Have you ever been in the desert ?
Have you ever climbed a big hill or a tall mountain?
Have you ever stood by the ocean or sailed on the sea ?
What do you notice changing as one season leads into another ?

So how to bring an activity that can connect heart,mind, and spirit? St. Francis said it best, ” Sovitur Ambulando…..It is solved by walking. ”

Labyrinth Walking

The labyrinth is the symbol of unity and wholeness. The labyrinth creates moments of connection to oneself, to another, and to creation as a whole. This walking activity connects us to the greater community of things.

First we had to find a labyrinth near us. Very easily done by searching The World Wide Labyrinth Locator .

Next we discovered how to take a labyrinth walk. There is no one way to do it. Just apply a way which works best for you, your family and belief system.

Walk, Turn, Walk, Turn, Walk, Turn, Walk, Turn…….

Taking a labyrinth walk is a revival of an ancient spiritual custom. The labyrinth, a winding one-way path which leads walkers into and back out of a central space, offers a kind of body meditation which parallels the inner journey of prayer and reflection. You may want to have a journal or paper and pen along with you to write down the insights which might come.

Begin your journey. Pause at the entrance to the labyrinth to take a cleansing breath and focus your attention. You may ask a question, say a prayer or recite an affirmation. Some people choose to bow or make another ritual gesture to signal the beginning of their walk.
Walk the inward path. Put one foot in front of the other, and walk at a measured pace that is comfortable for you. On the way in, focus on letting go of things you want to leave behind and releasing things that stand in the way of your spiritual journey. Pause when you need to. Don’t focus on the center as a goal; be present in each step of the inward path.
Spend time in the center. Take as long as you wish. You may stand, sit, kneel or lie down. This part of the journey is about being present and still. 
Take the return path. When you are ready to leave the center, begin walking back the way you came. On this part of the journey, focus on what you will bring out from the center and back into your life. As before, pause when you need to. Resist the temptation to sprint to the finish line: the return journey is as important as every other part of the labyrinth.
Reflect on the journey. Pause before you leave the labyrinth. Before leaving the area, take some time to reflect on insights you’ve gained, or make notes in your journal to explore further later. Labyrinth walking is very calming to young children. Just have them walk, one foot in front of the other all the way through and back again.

Our journey into St. Francis of Assisi has left us with many enriched experiences and a myriad of conversations about how to be more connected to nature and each other within the context of our daily lives. Here’s wishing you many happy reading moments and discoveries. 

The post Saint Francis of Assisi by Demi: Bookjump and Activities appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

The Fox Diaries: How It All Began (And the Newest Chapter in the Fox Saga!)

WOW, what a busy month it’s been so far!

As you all know we were excited to be a part of Mother Daughter Book Reviews celebration during Children’s Book Week, and part of that celebration was to have a giveaway right here on JIAB. Readers were encouraged to enter-to-win my book The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to Our Garden.

This book was the “book that started it all” for Audrey Press/Jump Into a Book. 

SO, without further delay the winner of the Fox Diaries is….

Congrats Misty!

SPEAKING OF THE BOOK THAT STARTED IT ALL….

If I had to choose one word to sum up the success of The Fox Diaries, it would have to be Connection.

It was back in 2009 when the foxes first arrived in my yard.  I was just enamored with this special connection I felt with these beautiful animals and the interactions I had with them. It’s as if time stopped, the veil between being human and animal was lifted, and for the first time I viewed both the foxes and myself as sharing the same home, the same world.

When I initially shared the story of my little foxes on my personal blog, thousands of people would show up on Thursdays to check in on our little garden visitors. Through those visits I’ve met so many wonderful people who are equally enchanted at the thought of a fox family living in their yards. Without the foxes, I would have never made such wonderful friendly connections with people from 6 continents.

Our blog visitors, family and friends started asking if I was going to make a book about the foxes. That’s when I looked into publishing and decided I wanted to not only write books but be a publisher. The greatest connection from starting Audrey Press was the reconnection to my mother. Audrey was my mother. She was one of my greatest supporters in life and passed away when my youngest was 4 months old. The first thing I thought of when thinking of a name for the publishing house was Audrey. Mom is with me everyday, through every adventure and creative moment.

One day the doorbell rang and it was the FedEx man with a padded envelope. I wasn’t expecting anything that day but when I opened it, there was that cute little fox looking at me. The moment that book was in my hands I felt success. I didn’t need one more thing to happen. Holding my fox book was enough. Happen it did though, The Fox Diaries has gone onto be a great success and I think it stems from feeling connected to the project and being authentically who I am. More than that I can’t give a reason for the success but I’m grateful for it.

Fast forward to the Spring of 2013.
Fox Spring has arrived again at our house. Heidi, daughter of Effie who was one of our original fox kits, brought home 6 little baby kits to the front den. For the first few weeks all 6 could be seen playing during the early evening hours in our front yard.
 
Recently Heidi has moved 3 of the kits to the den down in the gully and left my 3 favorite kits in the front and backyard dens. This year’s kits are so sweet and very very funny.
 
Let me introduce to you Smudge, Skye, and Styx.

 
Smudge is a beautiful red fox with black smudges all over him. He looks like he’s been dabbed with a black paint brush! His favorite game is crunch, kick, and throw the can. I spend many afternoons throwing cans for smudge. He also is the kit who responds to the command, “make a funny face.”
 
Skye, is our shy beauty this year. She is very gentle, sweet, and loving. She spends a lot of her time under the tree sitting with the cat.
 
Styx, is so named because he goes everywhere with a stick in his mouth. There always comes this point of great deliberation on if he should drop the stick to pick up some food, or should he try to carry both at the same time ? He makes us laugh very hard.
 
 
 
This is the 4th year in a row that we’ve had foxes in both the front and back yard. I cannot tell you how happy it makes me to see them. I have a great sense of joy and connection when I’m with the foxes. I can honestly say there’s much in life that makes me happy (family, friends, success) but I never knew true joy at the core of my being until these beautiful wild foxes came into my life.  I always refer to them as my magical blessing.
 
Tweet
I never knew true joy at the core of my being until these beautiful wild foxes came into my life. 
 



 
In celebration of the joy these foxes have brought me I am offering my hardcover The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to Our Garden at a deeply discounted price of $8.95 (normally $14.95!).
 
Never before has the Fox Diaries been offered at this price! Not only is this a great deal, it’s just in time for summer reading and summer fun.
 
AND not only will you get this wonderful book at the reduced price of $8.95, I will personally sign each copy sold.

 

Use the coupon code foxspring at checkout HERE and leave a comment below as to how/or who you’d like to the book signed.

But don’t delay. I am only offering this special sale price until May 31st, 2013.

As always, thank you for your support (the foxes say “thank you” too and watch for more fox updates to come!

Want to know more about our “Fox-Filled Spring?” Ask me questions on the comment box below and let me know if you’d like to see more of these delightful creatures who reside in our garden.

 

The post The Fox Diaries: How It All Began (And the Newest Chapter in the Fox Saga!) appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

IT’S TIME! The At Home Summer Nature Camp eCurriculum has Begun!

The much anticipated At-Home Summer Natural Camp e-Curriculum has BEGUN and Jump Into a Book is very proud to be a part of the summer campaign of fun and education for kids.

Don’t have your eCirriculum yet? Click the link below and head over to Nature Nester for more details and ordering info:

Click here to visit A Natural Nester.

 

The At Home Summer Nature Camp is a creative, affordable alternative to pricey summer camp, this 8-week eCurriculum is packed with ideas and inspiration to keep your kids engaged and happy all summer long. In one easy-to-follow PDF, you receive eight kid-approved themes, each including ideas and tutorials for: outdoor activities, indoor projects, arts & crafts, recipes, field trips, books & media, and more. Every weekly theme is packed with summer nature fun your family can have right in your own backyard!

Jump Into a Book is very proud and excited to be one of the many “Camp Counselors” and bringing fun, enjoyment, and family activity to your upcoming summer.

Themes include: An Edible Garden, The Night Sky, At the Beach, A Spot in the Shade, Ponds & Frogs, Rain Rain, Wildflowers & Bees, and Sun Fun.

Want to see what your Summer Camp activities include? Here’s a sampling:

A DIY Telescope by Sarah at Imagine Childhood
Homemade Honey Ice Cream by Ashley at Small Measure
Raindrop Watercolor Painting by Kara at Simple Kids
Book & Media Suggestions hand-selected for every theme by Valarie at Jump Into a Book
Make a Solar Oven by Amy at Mama Scout
Plant a Pizza Garden by Suz at Slow Family Online
Pitch a Backyard Tent by Heather at Shivaya Naturals
Take a Puddle Walk by Debi at Go Explore Nature
Go on a Farmer’s Market Scavenger Hunt by Shawn at Awesomely Awake
Kid-Tested Herb & Yogurt Veggie Dip Recipe by Leah at Skill It
A City Bus Tour Field Trip by Erin at Exhale. Return to Center
Stock a Nature Study & Play Bag by Gina at Connecting Family & Seoul
Small World Beach Play by Kat at Creative Playhouse

AND MUCH MORE.

 

Jump Into a Book will be reviewing, sharing, and jumping into 8 different kidlit books (one every week) for endless fun and activities that can be enjoyed as a family. We are so looking forward to sharing this amazing event with our readers and their families. These bookjumps will take place right here on JIAB so check back or be sure and subscribe via email to stay up-to-date with the action.

The At Home Summer Nature Camp is $39.99 for all 8 weeks – that’s just under $5 a week people!

If you have grabbed your e-Curriculum yet I highly recommend hopping on board and “jumping” into the fun Click the link below for details and ordering information. Welcome to Nature Summer Camp!

Click here to visit A Natural Nester.

The post IT’S TIME! The At Home Summer Nature Camp eCurriculum has Begun! appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Appy Hour Book Apps for Kids: Ripple’s Effect by Shawn Achor and Amy Blankson

 

It Friday App-y Hour! Appy Hour Book Apps for Kids is a recurring feature where we share great finds in the realm of entertaining and educational book apps for kids. This week I discovered a delightful book from Little Pickle Press and Kite Readers called Ripple’s Effect.

Ripple’s Effect by Shawn Achor and Amy Blankson with beautiful illustrations by Cecilia Rebora is a look at how one little dolphin can change the world for so many around her.

Recently moved to a new water aquarium , Ripple tries to get the lay of the land or sea, I should say, when the biggest, meanest shark you could ever imagine, scared, bullied and sometimes even ate the other fish.

Determined not to live a life in fear, Ripple started creating fun for herself and all the others by spinning, twirling, and creating bubbles.

It’s not long before Ripples becomes the sharks new target. It’s the trainer, however, who shares a deep truth with Ripples that “Dolphins were made to play and laugh and smile. ”

Soon Ripples spreads her sense of fun to the whole aquarium that even the shark’s friends were asking “Why do the have all the fun?”

Snark the Shark , feeling threatened by all the happiness, tries to stop it with his usual tactics but Ripple does something very unexpected, she issues a challenge: look each other in the eye for one minute while smiling. 

Did Snark the shark smile? You’ll just have to read this kind and gentile book to find out.

iBooks: http://kyte.ws/nk-ripple

Amazon: http://amzn.to/10ItVut

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/12yjGMi

NOTE: Another fun fact about Ripple’s Effect is that authors Amy Blankson and Shawn Achor are brother and sister!

Shawn is the founder of Good Think, Inc and is also the author of The Happiness Advantage. Amy is a positive leadership consultant and is a mother of three. Shawn and Amy collaborated on Ripple’s Effect and are hoping it will inspire young people to make a positive difference in their world.

Something To Do:

Take the Challenge

Can you look someone in the eye for one minute while smiling without laughing ? I bet you can’t but you’ll sure have a good time trying.

Another version of this challenge is to look someone in the eye for one minute or longer without smiling and see if you can get them to crack. The first one to laugh “loses” . Usually everyone ends up laughing and you forget who laughed first. 

Both versions bring great joy into the day.

Dolphin Bananas

It’s time for dolphin bananas!

I promise you’ll never want to eat banana the normal way again. You’ll always want them “dophin-ized.”

Supplies:

Bananas
Whole Cloves
Red or Green Seedless Grapes
Knife
Tray or plate

Take a banana, Cut off the bulky part of the tip.

Slice the tip in half towards the banana to make the mouth.

Put a clove on either side of the head for the eyes.

Cut the bottom of the banana so the dolphin can stand in the grapes.

Spread out the grapes onto a tray or plate and stand up your dolphins.

  

 A healthy AND fun summer snack!

The post Appy Hour Book Apps for Kids: Ripple’s Effect by Shawn Achor and Amy Blankson appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni: Book Jump and Craft Activities

As part of our Natural Nester At Home Summer Nature Camp book jumps we’re jumping into a wonderful tale about a very endearing inch worm in the book Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni.

Leo Lionni, an internationally known designer, illustrator, and graphic artist, was born in Holland and lived in Italy until he came to the United States in 1939. He was the recipient of the 1984 American Institute of Graphic Arts Gold Medal and was honored posthumously in 2007 with the Society of Illustrators’ Lifetime Achievement Award. His picture books are distinguished by their enduring moral themes, graphic simplicity and brilliant use of collage, and include four Caldecott Honor Books: Inch by Inch, Frederick, Swimmy, and Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse. Hailed as “a master of the simple fable” by the Chicago Tribune, he died in 1999 at the age of 89.-Amazon

 

Our winsome friend the inch worm is such a talent.

He can measure anything under the sun, from a robin’s tail,

a toucans’ beak, a hummingbird,…

…and many more ultimate measures. But when a nightingale threatens to eat him before breakfast unless he can measure her song, the inch worm’s wit saves the day and his life.

A simple colorful story which will be read again and again. Get your copy of Inch by Inch HERE.

Something To Do:
Let’s Make an Inch Worm

Supplies:

Scissors
Foam Sheets in various colors
Hole Puncher
colored pipe cleaners
very small pom-poms for the head
small wiggly eyes


 Cut the foam into 1/2 inch strips.
Fold the strip back and forth into an accordion fold.
Punch a hole through each square of the foam sheet. I punched a hole individually and lined it up best that I could.
 Thread the pipe cleaner through the holes.                               
Fold pipe stem cleaner up on each end to keep the foam pieces folded. Fold the tail end over and  Cut off the excess as needed. 
Glue on pom-poms to one end , holding until almost dry.
Glue on the eyes onto the pom-pom ball. 

Here’s a fun Toe Caterpillar Leaf Rub craft from Hey Mom, Chocolate Milk. How cute is this?!

 And this Crawling Caterpillar Craft from FreeKidsCrafts.com is simple delightful as well!

 
 Want to keep the kids busy with the great outdoors this summer? Jump Into a Book is proud to be a Camp Counselor for the At Home Summer Nature Camp eCirriculum!

 
Eight weeks, and handful of reputable children’s bloggers, and endless fun activities all laid out for you in an easy-to-follow eCirriculum. No more “MOM, I’m BORED!” The At Home Summer Nature Camp inspires kids to exploring and learning about all the wonders in their own backyard. Head over HERE to register (starts May 20) or get more details.

ALSO, we have one very special perk for those of you who have, or who are signing up for Natural Nester’s At Home Nature Summer Camp….

The chance to WIN all the books you will need for Jump Into a Book’s portion of the Summer Camp!

******* A “Nature Camp Book Bundle” Giveaway! *******
I’m so excited about the partnership between ourselves and A Natural Nester.  One lucky family participating in the At-Home Summer Nature Camp eCurriculum has the chance to win eight of the books that Jump Into a Book has selected to jump into this summer!

 As “camp counselors” this bundle will include one book for each weekly theme of the nature camp that Jump Into a Book is jumping into… a $70 value!

To win the “nature camp book bundle” from A Natural Nester you simply need to pre-order your At-Home Summer Nature Camp eCurriculum before the May 20th launch.

See you at Summer Camp!
 

**The books for this giveaway are only for the activities supplied and created by Jump Into A Book on the JIAB blog. This does not include books and activities contributed by other Nature Camp contributors.

***Some of these links are affiliate links.

 
 
 
 
 
 

The post Inch by Inch by Leo Lionni: Book Jump and Craft Activities appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

It’s Children’s Book Week! Join us for a KidLit Blog Hop (and a Giveaway!)

 It’s Children’s Book Week!

Children’s Book Week is the annual celebration of books for young people and the joy of reading.

Established in 1919, Children’s Book Week is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. Every year, commemorative events are held nationwide at schools, libraries, bookstores, homes — wherever young readers and books connect!

In honor of Children’s Book Week Mother Daughter Book Reviews has joined forces with Youth Literature Reviews to host a fun Blog Hop in honor of Children’s Book Week. Together, these two amazing bloggers have created a dynamic and engaged community of children’s books bloggers, authors, publishers, and publicists, as well as parents seeking out their next great read.

During this next week, children’s book or teen literature bloggers, authors and publishers who desire to share copies of a fabulous book are joining together in a fun and educational giveaway(s) for fabulous children/teen’s books, gift cards, cash, or other prizes. What better way to celebrate Children’s Book Week?

Powered by Linky Tools

Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…

 

AND…we are having a GIVEAWAY!

My book The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to Our Garden was the “book that started it all” for Audrey Press/Jump Into a Book.

From forest to front yard, have a rare glimpse into the private lives of a momma fox and her four baby kits. Watch in awe as these baby foxes learn to navigate this wild and wonderful world, discovering equally its danger and treasures. Come and meet Momma Rennie and her little fox family and share with them this magical journey called life.

Experience the magical story of a family of foxes that took up residence right in the front yard of the author and publisher, Valarie Budayr. The Fox Diaries offers an enthusiastically educational opportunity to observe this fox family grow and learn together. From digging and hunting to playing and resting, this diary shares a rare glimpse into the private lives of Momma Rennie and her babies. Come watch as they navigate this wildly dangerous but still wonderful world. Great to share with your children or students, The Fox Diaries speaks to the importance of growing and learning both individually and as a family unit. It is a perfect book for story time or family sharing. Not only can you read about the daily rituals of this marvelous fox family, there is an information-packed resource section at the end of the book that includes lots of facts and even a few “fox movies” that you can enjoy with your family.-Amazon

This 80 page hard cover book is magically illustrated by award-winning illustrator and book designer Roscoe Welply and is the perfect book for your Summer Reading Book Shelf.

ENTER TO WIN your own copy of The Fox Diaries: The Year The Foxes Came to Our Garden. One lucky winner will win a copy and the giveaway ends May 19th at midnight ET.

Disclaimers for the Giveaway:

*Must be 18 years or older to enter
*One entry per household.
*Staff and family members of Audrey Press are not eligible.
*Grand Prize winner has 48 hours to claim prize
Winner must have mail service in their area.
Participants in this giveaway may receive future emails from Jump Into a Book
By entering you give us permission to use your name and profile information to announce as a winner. If you want to know who won, the winner’s name will be announced on Twitter/Facebook as soon as possible.
The winner will chosen via Random.org and will be announced on May 20th, 2013. Winner has 48 hours to respond and claim prize or a new winner will be selected.

The post It’s Children’s Book Week! Join us for a KidLit Blog Hop (and a Giveaway!) appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Weekend Links: The Mother’s Day Edition

Happy Mother’s Day! I hope this day finds you surround by love, family, and relaxation.

As usual, during my weekly on-line travels, I have happened upon some great, fun, and inspiring stories from fellow bloggers. So in honor of Mother’s Day, here’s some of my top picks:

The Magic Craft Box is a seasonal delivery of 4 magical craft kits for you and your children to co-create beautiful handmade treasures. They have a simply delightful Summer Magic Craft Box right now.
 

 
What’s in the 2013 Summer Magic Craft Box?
1. Make a magical Fairy Garden with moss and toadstools and other enchanting treasures.
2. Make a beautiful wooden flower press
3. Make a pressed flower necklace… your child will love to wear her/his own creation or, s/he’ll delight in gifting it to you!
4. Make wonderful felted soap nuggets
 

The Summer Magic Craft Box is available for purchase HERE.
 
 
Also Kite Readers has wonderful Mother’s Day Cards.

 

 http://kyte.ws/ecards-mom

We LOVED this Tissue Paper Flowers for Mother’s Day and Spring craft tutorial from the amazing Suz Lipman at Slow Parenting.

Our friend Shannon Kinney-Duh from A Free Spirit Life has a gorgeous course coming this summer called Mothering With Heart. AND there’s a special Mother’s Day discount as well!

Loving fully, finding beauty in the struggle, embracing your intuition, expressing your creativity, being aware of your children’s changing needs, making space for what matters most to you, and building the courage to live your authentic life  - that’s what mothering with heart is all about.

Sparkle Crafts also has a  fun mother’s day trivia jar! Get the details and the templates for this great gift idea HERE.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And lastly, what better way to spend time with mom than to be outside together. We feel this should be a “year-around” thing as well, not just something reserved for Mother’s Day.

With that in mind A Natural Nester has created this amazing At Home Summer Camp eCirriculum and this on-line ecurriculum is your guide to a fun, affordable summer spent exploring your own backyard. This will be coming in very handy for parents since school will be ending just within a few weeks!

This 8-week eCurriculum is packed with ideas and inspiration to keep kids engaged and happy all summer long. It offers 8 kid-approved themes with outdoor activities, indoor projects, arts & crafts, recipes, field trip ideas, book & media suggestions, and more.

The e-curriculum available for download on May 20th, is a full-color PDF that can be read on a computer screen, tablet, or printed out. Designed for children ages 5-11, it is fun and easily-adaptable for all ages! May 20th will be here before you know it. Go HERE to Register and save your spot at “Summer Camp” ASAP!

**This link is an affiliate link

The post Weekend Links: The Mother’s Day Edition appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Sun Bread by Elisa Kleven and Happy Sun Bread Recipe

I don’t know where you live, but where I live Spring came very late this year and it is still cold and rainy. We’re ready to see the sun. I know many of our friends in the Midwest United States feel the same way.

What if we could bake bread in the shape of the sun and coax it to come out ? That’s exactly what happens in Elisa Kleven’s book Sun Bread.

Today we’re jumping into this edible read as part of our A Natural Nester At Home Summer Camp Summer series.

This very inventive tale with its bouncy rhymes makes for a family classic like no other.

Winter’s chill has set in and spring cannot be found. It’s been gray for days and the sun hasn’t been anywhere. The baker especially misses the sun and sets out to bring some warmth to her gloomy town by baking a sun bread, as golden and glorious as the sun in the sky. As the bread bakes, it’s smell wafts through the town bringing everyone to the bakery to share in its goodness. Even the sun itself had to join in. 

I have to confess that for this blog post I actually baked sun bread yesterday and you know what ?  It works !!

Not only did it bring out the sun but it also brought  two of my children home from college with some of their friends. As we sat around the table eating our warm sun bread with butter, everyone mentioned they had all read this book as a small child. They could recite parts of the rhymes, they remembered the colorful and engaging illustrations and everyone felt that they had recaptured their childhood together while sitting there remembering this book. Since many of them had read this book in school, they never got to actually eat Sun Bread…… until now.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t think there is any better recommendation of a book becoming a classic than this.

Since this book works so well at bringing out the sun, my copy of Sun Bread is now being mailed off to my friend Becky in Minnesota where the snow has finally stopped falling but now the spring rains won’t let up.

May it bring your family much warmth, yummy bread, fantastic memories, and something to talk about years later.

“The sun shines not on us but in us.” –John Muir
 
Something To Do: A Fun Sun Bread Recipe

The recipe for sun bread is provided in the book. I needed to make some adjustments to it and will write my version for you here. Remember flour and yeast are very fickle things. The same recipe will react differently depending on which part of the country you’re baking your bread in. Please feel free to add flour or water as needed.

There’s one more thing before I share the recipe. You can just make Sun Bread without reading the book and it will taste wonderful, but the real magic happens when  you bake Sun Bread after you read the book.  The bread tastes completely different, almost enchanted !!

 

Happy Sun Bread Recipe 2013-05-10 07:58:17 Serves 4 A fun and tasty treat to help chase the dark clouds away and coax out the sun.





Write a review
Save Recipe Print
Prep Time
1 hr

Cook Time
1 hr

Total Time
2 hr

Prep Time
1 hr

Cook Time
1 hr

Total Time
2 hr


607 calories
71 g
247 g
29 g
16 g
16 g
181 g
78 g
10 g
1 g
10 g

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size
181g

Servings
4
Amount Per Serving

Calories 607
Calories from Fat 253


% Daily Value *


Total Fat 29g
44%


Saturated Fat 16g
81%

Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g
Monounsaturated Fat 8g

Cholesterol 247mg
82%


Sodium 78mg
3%


Total Carbohydrates 71g
24%


Dietary Fiber 3g
12%

Sugars 10g
Protein 16g

Vitamin A20%Vitamin C0%
Calcium5%Iron10%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Does this look wrong?

Ingredients Mix Well 3 eggs 3 tablespoons of sugar
Combine 2 1/2 cups of sifted all purpose flour 1 stick of melted butter Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and beat well.
In a small bowl combine 2 packages of dry yeast 3 tablespoons of water 1/8 tsp of sugar
Instructions Let the yeast mixture stand for 5 to 10 minutes until it becomes foamy. Add the yeast mixture to the batter and stir well. I used my kitchen aid for this but you can also do it by hand perfectly well. Knead the dough on a floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes. The dough will be very smooth, and oily looking. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place for about an hour or until doubled. Punch down the dough, knead for a few minutes, then separate into two portions. To form the sun's face, shape one portion of dough into a round, somewhat flattened ball, then place on a large greased baking sheet or use parchment paper. With your finger's or a well greased wooden spoon punch in two deep holes for eyes, and a big smile for the mouth. These have to be deep or else they holes will close during rising and baking. Make a nose out of a little piece of dough, rolled into a ball. To make the sun's rays roll one half of the remaining dough into four long snakes. Starting at one end of each snake, curl it into a snail and place at the top, bottom, and two sides of the sun. Shape the rest of the dough into puffy triangle and place them in-between the snail pieces. Firmly attach all pieces to the sun center using a pastry brush and water. Egg white also works. Cover the sun and let it rise again in a warm place for about an hour. Preheat your over to 400 degrees. Bake the sun bread for 20 minutes but watch it carefully. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the bread. If it comes out clean the bread is done.
Notes Remember flour and yeast are very fickle things. The same recipe will react differently depending on which part of the country you’re baking your bread in. Please feel free to add flour or water as needed
By Valarie Budayr
Adapted from from Sun Bread by Elisa Kleven
beta

calories
607


fat
29g


protein
16g


carbs
71g

more


Adapted from from Sun Bread by Elisa Kleven
Jump Into A Book http://www.jumpintoabook.com/

 Enjoy!

Like I mentioned previously in this post, A Natural Nester has created this amazing At Home Summer Camp eCirriculum and this on-line ecurriculum is your guide to a fun, affordable summer spent exploring your own backyard. This will be coming in very handy for parents since school will be ending just within a few weeks!

Jump Into a Book is proud to be a part of the hugely anticipated Natural Nester Home Summer Camp e-Curriculum For  8 weeks we will be a part of this huge event created and hosted by Liz from A Natural Nester.

This 8-week eCurriculum is packed with ideas and inspiration to keep kids engaged and happy all summer long. It offers 8 kid-approved themes with outdoor activities, indoor projects, arts & crafts, recipes, field trip ideas, book & media suggestions, and more. Jump Into a Book is proud to be a “camp counselor” for this event and during the 8 weeks we will be hosting exciting book jumps and activities right here on JIAB.

The e-curriculum available for download on May 20th, is a full-color PDF that can be read on a computer screen, tablet, or printed out. Designed for children ages 5-11, it is fun and easily adaptable for all ages! May 20th will be here before you know it. Register and save your spot at “Summer Camp” ASAP!

The post Sun Bread by Elisa Kleven and Happy Sun Bread Recipe appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

The Fantastic Adventures of Krishna by Demi

Today’s post is sponsored by Wisdom Tales Press, a company dedicated to sharing the world’s wisdom, beauty, and cultures, one beautiful book at a time.

In this elegant read, we ventured into the world and land of India, the God Krishna, and Hinduism in the book The Fantastic Adventures of Krishna by author/illustrator Demi.

When a peaceful kingdom is overtaken by an evil demon, the gods send the child Krishna to the rescue. Hidden amongst the poor and peaceful cow herds, his amazing powers can’t stay hidden from the evil demon king for long. S oon he is under attack from giant birds, a whirlwind demon, and a snake eight miles long. The question is, will Krishna be able to defeat the evil demon king and save the people from his terrible reign? 

Using intricate borders, and colorfully engaging illustrations, Demi weaves together a tale of intrigue, mystery, awe, and wonder as we watch Krishna accomplish many amazing feats. He lifts a mountain with one finger as well as swallows a forest fire in one gulp. He danced on the head of a fire-breathing poisonous snake making its poison and fire disappear. Author Demi opens a window into the world of Krishna for all to see.

The sheer beauty of this book captivated us as we were transported into the world of the demon kings, Krishna, and his solutions to complex problems.

Krishna, at the end of many trials and tribulations, leaves us with these words:

“Everything I have done has been for the peace of the world. For my sake, fill the days and nights of your life with love for all beings. Rejoice, for I shall always be with you in my thoughts.”

The rest of his time here on earth finds Krishna traveling far and wide helping all of humankind and showing them how to live together in peace and joy.

Somethings to Do

Though we’ve had several Hindu friends from India throughout the years, we actually knew very little about the god Krishna and Hinduism. We used the book The Fantastic Adventures of Krishna as an invitation to meet the Hindu world. Our first stop was to have a closer look at this religion and the people who practice it.

Hinduism

Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion. Traces of the religion can be found as far back as 10,000 B.C. . The Hindu scriptures The Rig Veda, were composed around 6500 B.C. Though there are many variations in their tenets of belief, these are the 4 which make-up the essence of the religion.

Dharma (Ethics and Duties)
Samsara (Reincarnation and Re-Birth)
Karma (Right Action. The idea of what goes around comes around.
Moksha ( Liberation from the cycle of Reincarnation)

Hinduism is a polytheistic religion meaning they have more than one god. Hinduism believes that there is only one supreme Absolute god called Brahman. All of the thousands of Hindu gods and goddesses worshiped are actually aspects of the god Brahman. The Hindu texts are written in a language called Sanskrit. Their major texts are the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata which is Krishna’s story.

Krishna

Krishna is the 8th reincarnation of the god Vishnu and one of the most popular gods in Hinduism. Krishna means the All Attractive One, the Unique Supreme Personality. The Hindus believe in holding the essence of consciousness of Krishna through, yoga, knowledge, meditation, and religion. Hindi The sacred Hindu texts are written in Sanskrit . Sanskrit is the written language and the spoken language is called Hindi. Want to try your hand at Hindi ? Be sure to try to speak a few phrases as well as write a few phrases.

Hindi

The sacred Hindu texts are written in Sanskrit but the spoken version of that is called Hindi. Let’s try a little for ourselves! Be sure to try both speaking and writing.

Yoga

Nowadays yoga is such a popular form of exercise and fitness, but did you know that it comes from Hinduism ? During a yoga session, one puts their bodies in different poses to create a balance between one’s mind, their body, and their spirit. Incorporated into Yoga are moments of meditation and deep breathing.

I found this really fun video series called Cosmic Kids Yoga. It entertained us for quite a while and the kids keep asking if they can watch the next episode.

From Positively Positive and  Jodi Komitor is a great article on the Top 10 Benefits of Yoga for Children.

(photo by positivelypositive)

Celebrations

Happy Janmashtami – Krishna Janmashtami or better known as Happy Birthday Lord Krishna

This holiday is celebrated throughout India and Hindu communities around the world. Krishna’s birthday falls in August or September each year.

During the celebration skits are performed recreating the many feats of Krishna. Take the book The Fantastic Adventures of Krishna and reenact the many adventures of Lord Krishna. Here’s a wonderful video of holiday skits being performed by kids from Southern California. May it give you some great ideas for your reenactment.

People decorate their homes, temples, and streets with very colorful decorations and lights.

( photo by incultureParent)

Here’s a lantern/Deepan tutorial for you to celebrate and decorate your home with Janmashtami .

During Janmashtami, silver coins are given out. Download and Make this lovely gift box or this gift bag and fill it with silver chocolate coins.

           

The holiday is welcomed with sweet dishes prepared with Krishna’s favorite ingredients Milk & Curds

Til ki Kheer (Sesame Pudding)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup or 100 gm White Sesame Seeds

1/4 cup or 100 gm shredded coconut fresh or dry

1 Cup 40 gm Sugar

1 tbsp Raisins

1 tbsp Cashew nuts broken and soaked in warm water

4-5 no Green Cardamom

1 ltr Full cream milk

1 can Condensed milk

Preparation :

1. Dry roast the sesame seeds and then crush them. Keep aside.

2. Pour milk in a sauce pan and boil for 10 minutes. Stir continuously.

3. Then add condensed milk and stir and cook for another 8-10 minutes.

4. Now put crushed cardamoms and sugar. Stir continuously.

5. Add roasted sesame seeds and shredded coconut. Keep on stirring. Cook for 10-12 minutes.

6. Pour in a serving dish and garnish with raisins and cashew nuts.

 

Coloring Pages

Demi has created two beautiful coloring pages from The Fantastic Adventures of Krishna

Click here for the first, which is a large (8.5″ x 11″, 258k) image of Krishna playing his flute. This coloring page should be fun for even young children to try—Remember, Krishna’s skin color is blue!

Click here for the second coloring page (8.5″ x 11″, 456k). It will be more challenging because it has numerous dancing Krishnas and cow maids (gopis),which are smaller and probably need a more precise hand and colored pencils or fine-point markers.

Wisdom Tales Giveaway

I think I’ll refer to this giveaway as 15 x 15. Wisdom Tales Press will be giving away 15 copies to 15 lucky winners of The Fantastic Adventures of Krishna on May 15th. The contest is being hosted on GoodReads and is for US residents only. Don’t Miss This !!! You can enter here.

 

Again we thank our sponsor Wisdom Tales Press for sharing The Fantastic Adventures of Krishna with us. We learned so much and had a great time doing it together.  Happy Reading !!!

 

The post The Fantastic Adventures of Krishna by Demi appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

An On-line Nature-based Summer Camp and a BIG Book Giveaway!

As one of the camp counselors for the At-Home Summer Nature Camp eCurriculum (starts May 20) we are so excited to be creating book and media recommendations (“book jumps”) for each of the eight weekly themes of the nature camp.

So when you embark upon At Home Summer Nature Camp’s “Sun Fun” week, or “Ponds & Frogs” week, all you have to do is take our handy list with you to your local library or hit up Amazon for some quick shopping.

The first book jump in our contribution to the At-Home Summer Nature Camp Series is available now, so head on over and jump into The Bee Tree, plus get a game, a craft, recipes, and more – all about bees. Then, bookmark the post to enjoy this summer along with Wildflowers & Bees week of the nature camp.

BUT, we have one very special perk for those of you who have, or who are signing up for Natural Nester’s At Home Nature Summer Camp….

The chance to WIN all the books you will need for Jump Into a Book’s portion of the Summer Camp!

******* A “Nature Camp Book Bundle” Giveaway! *******

I’m so excited about the partnership between ourselves and A Natural Nester. A Natural Nester decided to run a BIG giveaway to celebrate! One lucky family participating in the At-Home Summer Nature Camp eCurriculum has the chance to win eight of the books that Jump Into a Book has selected to jump into this summer!

 

 As “camp counselors” this bundle will include one book for each weekly theme of the nature camp that Jump Into a Book is jumping into… a $70 value!

To win the “nature camp book bundle” from A Natural Nester you simply need to pre-order your At-Home Summer Nature Camp eCurriculum before the May 20th launch.

More details on a Natural Nester’s blog HERE.

All pre-orders placed through midnight of May 19th will be entered to win (even if you already ordered prior to this blog post!). A winner will be chosen at random, and announced by May 22nd.

 

**The books for this giveaway are only for the activities supplied and created by Jump Into A Book on the JIAB blog. This does not include books and activities contributed by other Nature Camp contributors.

***Some of these links are affiliate links.

The post An On-line Nature-based Summer Camp and a BIG Book Giveaway! appeared first on Jump Into A Book.