Valarie Budayr's Blog, page 27
June 10, 2018
Praising Pollinators | Books, Recipes and Activities Celebrating Bees
We’ve had “bee on the brain” lately here at Jump Into a Book! Maybe it’s the summer blooms, maybe it the honey I put on my cereal today…either way, my family loves and supports all things bees.
And we know we are not alone! Bees play a key role in the productivity of agriculture and the beauty of our world and are responsible for the pollination of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and flowers. But our cherished bees are facing peril in the form of the disruption of natural habitats. This disruption is in the form of lack of “bee flowers” due to the widespread overuse of pesticides, and numerous bee diseases and parasites have pushed bees to the tipping point. The best way we know how to raise awareness on the plight of our beautiful bees is via books, recipes, and activities.
Books, Recipes, and Activities Celebrating Bees!
Picture Books that help us Be Kind to Bees
I just pulled together this delightful booklist not long ago! A few are books you will recognize from past JIAB book reviews, but a few are brand new as well. Enjoy!
Edventures With Kids also has a great booklist celebrating bees, honey, and kids. Kids will enjoy learning about honeybees with these fun facts, great books, and hands-on activities!
Conservation Activities
Believe it or not, you have a bee to thank for every 1-in-3 bites of food you eat.
Honey bees — wild and domestic — perform about 80 percent of all pollination worldwide. A single bee colony can pollinate 300 million flowers each day. Grains are primarily pollinated by the wind, but fruits, nuts, and vegetables are pollinated by bees. Seventy out of the top 100 human food crops — which supply about 90 percent of the world’s nutrition — are pollinated by bees. Greenpeace USA has great tips and behind-the-scenes info on all of us can work to save the bees.
My hometown of Maryville TN is home to a bee expert that we all know as The Honey Man and even “The Bee Whisperer!” Howard has been raising bees for over 51 years and is a wealth of education and wisdom.
Food giant General Mills’ Cascadian Farm division also launched Bee Friendlier in 2014, a program to increase awareness of the decline of bees and what the company can do to help them thrive.
Something To Do
Make a Honey Bee Combs From Toilet Paper Rolls
Bees live in colonies with only one queen per colony. To populate the hive, the queen lays 2000 eggs a day. Aside from the queen, there are two other types of bees:
Worker bees take care of the queen, nurture the young, guard the colony, and supply food.
Drone bees grow up and take a new queen to create a new hive.
Bees create the inside of their home by using wax from their glands and creating hexagonal shaped cells. To create a honeycomb of your very own. Have a look at
Relentlessly Fun’s creative look at bees, Hexagons, and Honeycombs…all out of toilet paper rolls. I just love her.
(Photo by Relentlessy Fun, Deceptively Educational)
Free Printable Math Worksheets for Kids- Counting Bees
JDaniels4Mom has a great (and free) printable math and game sheet with the topic of Bees.
Recipes Let’s Get Cooking With Honey
Honey Cinnamon Rolls
2 packages yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup HONEY
2 tsp salt
1 pint milk
2 eggs
6 cups flour
1/2 cup margarine
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 cup vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon mixed
Dissolve yeast with warm water in a small bowl. Set aside. In a large pan, melt shortening and add HONEY, salt, and milk, and allow it to cool. Beat eggs and add to yeast mixture. Then, beat in flour. Turn out dough on floured surface and knead until smooth. Place dough in a bowl and let it rise until it’s double in bulk.
Prepare two 9 X 12 pans with 1/4 cup margarine each and sprinkle with brown sugar. Add nuts and dab teaspoons of ice cream over the entire pan. When the dough has risen, punch down and place half on a floured surface and roll out to 9×12 size with a floured rolling pin. Spread with butter or margarine, then brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up like a jelly roll then cut off about 1 1/2” slices and place on prepared 9 X 13 pan. You should get about 16 cinnamon rolls per pan. Let these rise until double in bulk. Bake in 350°oven for about 30 minutes. When brown on top turn upside down on waxed paper to cool.
Spiced Honey Butter
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup HONEY
1 tsp grated orange peel
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Serve on toast, biscuits, and muffins. YUM!
Be sure and check out the National Honey Board’s website for even more honey-inspired recipes!
A Year in the Secret Garden
As parents, we want/need quality books with extension activities to help our young ones unplug and create memories. Pulling books from shelves, and stories from pages is also an important act that will the habit of being life-long readers. Quality books with companion book extension activities are not only working to create special family time, it allows kids to solve the world’s problems without major consequences. A Year in the Secret Garden is just such a book.
This delightful children’s book that is co-written by Marilyn Scott-Waters and Valarie Budyar and it offers original month-by-month activities that allow readers to delve deeper into the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden.
Within the 120 pages (with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities)families will find many activities inspired by The Secret Garden that encourages them to step away from technology and enjoy getting hands and feet into the black earth of a family garden. This book will make a great gift and be the catalyst of many hours of family growth, learning and FUN!
Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” More details HERE!
The post Praising Pollinators | Books, Recipes and Activities Celebrating Bees appeared first on Jump Into a Book.
June 7, 2018
Resources for Fun, Fresh, and AUDIBLE Audio Books for #AudioBookMonth
June is National #AudiobookMonth and there are lots of reasons to celebrate audiobooks! Audiobooks have proven successful in providing a way for young readers to access literature and enjoy books. Kids that struggle with reading may discover a renewed interest in fiction and non-fiction if they are able to listen to a story on the device of their choosing. For us, car trips or airline travel is when the audiobooks come out.
So, why do audiobooks matter? This graphic explains it perfectly.
Did you know:
Audiobooks build and enhance vital literacy skills such as fluency, vocabulary, language acquisition, pronunciation, phonemic awareness and comprehension skills that often boost reading scores.
Listening together as a family offers opportunities for shared literary experiences and a springboard for conversation about the titles
Audiobooks develop critical thinking and active listening skills
Listening allows children to enjoy a good book while multitasking – mowing the lawn, practicing sports, cleaning their room, relaxing at the beach, even playing video games while the game sound muted!
Readers with learning disabilities and English Language Learners who listen to audiobooks demonstrate increased literacy skills and reading ability
(Source: Audio Publishers Association (APA) Literacy Toolkit)
Since my kids were young, the world of kidlit audiobooks has exploded. To encourage everyone to dip their toe into the audiobook pond, and since June is Audiobook Month, what better way to gain an understanding of this media than with lots of options and information! Enjoy!
Fun, Fresh, and AUDIBLE Audio Books for #AudioBookMonth
Check out these Readers To Eaters #audiobooks from Live Oak Media:
• Sylvia’s Spinach (new in audiobook this spring!)
• Zora’s Zucchini (new in paperback)
• Alice Waters and the Trip to Delicious (with Afterword read by Alice Waters)
• Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table (with Afterword read by Will Allen )
New in June: Chef Roy Choi and the Street Food Remix, narrated by book illustrator Man One, just in time for #FoodTruck season and #ImmigrantHeritageMonth bit.ly/2LIkZEI
• Ask for these titles at your #library if they don’t have it.
• See Reading Rockets on “Benefits of Audiobooks for All Readers” http://bit.ly/2J1HzX8
LOVE this list of Mrs. P’s Top Ten List of Why Audiobooks are Great for Kids (We LOVE Mrs. P!)
The Audie Awards recognize distinction in audiobooks and spoken word entertainment and are sponsored by the Audio Publishers Association (APA). 2018 is the 23rd year of annual Audie Awards. Finalists are announced in 26 categories. interested in learning more about this year’s audiobook finalists in the Young Listeners, Middle Grade and Young Adult categories.
Check out this roundup of the 2018 APA Audiobook winners for all ages groups.
Audiobooks for Teens
.@audiobookSYNC is a free summer audiobook program for teen books that runs through July 25! SYNC is Teen-Friendly Summer Fun! Keep teens engaged with books all summer. On the go, on the couch, great for both omnivorous & reluctant readers!
Here is my personal list of 29 #Kidlit Audio Books For Readers/Listeners of all Ages..many of which are our family’s favorites.
Happy listening!
The post Resources for Fun, Fresh, and AUDIBLE Audio Books for #AudioBookMonth appeared first on Jump Into a Book.
June 5, 2018
Picture Books that help us Be Kind to Bees
The flowers are blooming happily here in Maryville and of course, that makes the pollinators exceptionally happy as well.
Bees play a key role in the productivity of agriculture and the beauty of our world and are responsible for the pollination of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and flowers. But our cherished bees are facing peril in the form of the disruption of natural habitats. This disruption is in the form of lack of “bee flowers” due to the widespread overuse of pesticides, and numerous bee diseases and parasites have pushed bees to the tipping point. To learn more about the beauty and importance of bees in our world, enjoy this list of Picture Books that help us Be Kind to Bees.
Books that help us Be Kind to Bees
The Book of Bees
Piotr Socha and Wojciech Grajkowski’s The Book of Bees is a beautifully large (almost A3), glorious celebration of the bee. Crammed full of delicious facts, stunning detail and Socha’s wonderfully quirky illustrations, this non-fiction picture book is simply absorbing.
The son of a beekeeper Socha is quite the expert. He deftly uses his illustrative skills to bring the word of bees to your home. With the look and feel of an elegant coffee table book, Grajkowski’s entertaining narrative takes his readers through the life of the bees. We learn how long they have been on earth (since the dinosaurs), how they pollinate plants (and why that’s important), to how they are organized within their hives.
There’s an entertaining double spread looking a humans’ first encounter with bees – known thanks to the discovery of cave paintings in various countries. Did you know the Ancient Egyptians were expert beekeepers?
The Bee Tree by Patricia Polacco
Patricia Polacco is a very favorite author/illustrator so I decided to not only review her wonderful book, “The Bee Tree”, but to also bee kind, bee creative and muster up some fun honey bee activities!
This charming book features a real-life book adventure between a grandfather and his granddaughter.
Mary Ellen complains that she is tired of reading. Her grandfather has just the thing to spice up the afternoon….“this is just the right time to find a bee tree !”
Chasing a bee through the Michigan countryside, they are soon joined by a variety of village folk. Finally, the bee leads them to the hive in a tree where they gather a bit of honey. At the end of the story, the grandfather dribbles a little bit of honey on his granddaughter’s book cover and tell Mary Ellen to compare its sweetness to that which is found inside. “Just like we ran after the bees to find their tree, so you must also chase these things: adventure, knowledge, and wisdom through the pages of a book!
The Beeman
This gorgeous book from Barefoot Books will help young readers discover where honey comes from as Grandpa the Beeman teaches the basics of beekeeping to his young grandson. This rhyming story includes 7 pages of endnotes full of essential facts about bees, beekeeping, honey, and the vital part that bees play in the natural world. (For ages 5 to 9 years) This book will have primary students engaged from beginning to end with the bright and colorful pictures. It is a book about bees and will intrigue students as they learn about all of the different jobs of bees.
Up in the Trees! Honey Bees!
Here is the ideal introduction for preschoolers and early elementary children to insects that are not only amazing but also critically important to humans. Inside-the-hive views of a wild colony of honey bees offer close-ups of the queen, the cells, even bee eggs. Simple verse will engage a young child, while sidebars with fascinating information satisfy the somewhat older child. Parents, teachers, and interested children will enjoy much more information about both wild and domestic hives in the back of the book. The detailed art shimmers with life, highlighting each hair or grain of pollen on the bees. A wild hive in a tree in her own backyard served as a model for the artist!
Otto & the Grand Prix Bees by Kip Noschese
Real life bees obviously can’t race cars, but this delightful story is too fun to pass up! Kip Noschese’s beautifully illustrated story introduces readers to a funny friendship, a wicked race car and an important lesson.
The reality is, we all have our fears. Personally, I’m petrified of sharks even though I live nowhere near the ocean. However, I don’t think I’ll ever befriend a shark, no matter the situation. In this delight children’s tale, Otto is stuck in a sticky situation when he wrecks his car during an important race.
Something To Do
There are many things you can do to help our pollinators flourish, including planting “bee-friendly flowers” and not treating those same flowers with pesticides (insecticides, fungicides or herbicides). That simple act can help to keep bees healthy and on their own six feet. But here is a simple one anyone can do. Plus it would be a wonderful family project that would be educational to boot.
With all of this traveling and the heat of summer, bees can get really thirsty. For a bee to drink water they need a surface to land on. To ensure that the bees are not only well fed but well watered too, let’s create a watering hole for them.
Get the full Bee Watering Hole tutorial HERE.
Get involved in the #FeedABee Movement!
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Share. Plant. Repeat.
Help us #FeedABee by using the hashtag to spread awareness, applying for a forage grant, or planting your own pollinator-attractants! If you are interested in establishing a large plot (minimum of 1 acre) of pollinator forage, click here.
National Geographic shares bee footage
Witness the eerily beautiful growth of larvae into bees in this mesmerizing time-lapse video from photographer Anand Varma. Varma said the six-month project, for which he built a beehive in his workshop, gave him a new respect for the meticulous job of beekeeping.
Bee Kind to Bees!
Concerned that your kids aren’t getting enough “outside time?”
Despite data that shows that 80% of natural vitamin D comes from the rays of the sun, many children, roughly only 23% are spending enough time outside and welcoming the sun’s rays. Most children do not get enough vitamin D from food alone and are at risk of deficiency if they are spending prolonged periods of time indoors. Valarie Budayr from Jump Into a Book and Marilyn Scott-Waters from The Toymaker have combined their respective talents to not only create a clever solution, but also an amazing guidebook to help parents help their children regain their interest and love of nature.
With over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for families to enjoy, learn, discover and play together, A Year In the Secret Garden brings the magical story to life while also enjoying nature and the great outdoors.
With fascinating historical information, monthly gardening activities, easy-to-make recipes, and step-by-step crafts, designed to enchant readers of all ages. Each month your family will unlock the mysteries of a Secret Garden character, as well as have fun together creating the original crafts and activities based on the book. Our goal is to not only raise awareness for the necessity of families spending more quality “unplugged” time together but to also share monthly activities that incorporate nature and the outdoors as well. Get your kids moving, exploring and playing today. Get access to this wonderful children’s activity book here.
The post Picture Books that help us Be Kind to Bees appeared first on Jump Into a Book.
May 31, 2018
Mason Jar Science: 40 Slimy, Squishy, Super-Cool Experiments
What child doesn’t like science? Pair that with sticky, gooey and slimy fun and you may have a true winner for unplugged summer fun!
Mason Jar Science! Help kids capture the magic of science in a jar (and moms love the fact there’s less mess). In this tabletop lab, kids learn the core principles of science by distilling experiments into a mason jar. Anything that encourages kids to step away from technology while awakening a love for scientific discovery is priceless.
You can watch a video of three of the fun experiments from the book here,
Overflowing with 40 dynamic, slimy, and super-cool experiments, this fun guide encourages budding Einsteins ages 8-12 to use a mason jar to explore the wonders of chemistry, botany, biology, physics, and earth science.
Mason jars are the perfect containers for all kinds of experiments, and unlike expensive and fragile beakers and cylinders, they are affordable and durable. With a jar as a little lab, readers will learn how to create miniature clouds, tiny tornados, lava lamps, squishy, colorful slime, and much more!
From the kitchen counter to the classroom or science fair, Mason Jar Science will pique a child’s love for scientific exploration and uncovering the mysteries of the world — no lab coat required!
Mason Jar Science| Activity/Story Ideas
Share an experiment from the book for kids to try at home such as the Lava Lamp 2.0
Try out a project like String of Stalactites (growing a sparkling string of crystals) and share your scientific results
Have a contest prompting kids to make colorful goo using the recipe from the book
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jonathan Adolph developed hundreds of “stealth learning” games and kitchen-science activities in his 20-year career as editor of the award-winning FamilyFun magazine. He specializes in making technical information fun for kids and is an adjunct professor of journalism at the University of Massachusetts. He lives with his family in Amherst, Massachusetts.
136 pages; 7″ x 10″
Full-color; photographs and illustrations throughout
$14.95 hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-61212-986-0
Something To Do | Let’s get SLIMY
Homemade Slime is all the rage with kids and there’s a side benefit for young ones with sensory issues too. Understood.org notes that “for kids who seek sensory input, making and playing with slime can help with self-regulation. It’s also a good way to channel excess energy and excitement.”
So let’s manufacture some slime! Not to be confused with Goo (page 20), Slime (page 23) is very easy for kids to make and enjoy.
What you need:
Quart-sized Mason Jar with 2-piece lid.
4 oz. white glue
4 oz. Shaving Cream
4 oz Contact Solution
4 oz. Corn Starch
1 tbsp baking soda
A few squirts of foam hand soap
10 or so drops of food coloring
Add the white glue, shaving cream, foam soap, baking soda, cornstarch, and food coloring and mix with a stirrer. (for “runnier” slime, don’t put in the shaving cream, baking soda, and foaming hand soap). Add food coloring last. Have fun!
The post Mason Jar Science: 40 Slimy, Squishy, Super-Cool Experiments appeared first on Jump Into a Book.
May 10, 2018
Howl Like a Wolf! Nature Education through Creative Play #bookreview
I love books that inspire play and imagination with a dash of nature as well! Howl Like a Wolf! by Kathleen Yale is a perfect example of an interactive picture book for young readers.
Climb inside the minds of animals through creative play! Howl like a Wolf! introduces kids to the fascinating behaviors and habits of some of their favorite animals and invites them to join in the activities of their wild friends, from penguins and leopards to beavers and frogs. This beautifully illustrated interactive guide for children ages 6 to 9 makes nature education fun while encouraging dramatic self-expression, an important part of cognitive, social, and emotional development.
Author and wildlife field biologist Kathleen Yale takes readers into the animal world to learn about the habitats and special skills and behaviors of 15 birds, mammals, insects, and amphibians. Lively illustrations by Kaley McKean make these loveable — and sometimes stinky! — animals leap from the page and into the hearts and minds of kids everywhere.
Original learning exercises to inspire creativity and invoke confidence include:
“See” with your ears like a bat: Wear a blindfold and use sound to locate things.
“Walk” like a penguin!
Rattle like a rattlesnake: Fill a small container with something small and hard, then shake it to tell others to stay away!
Dance like a honeybee: Communicate with your peers by doing a waggle dance.
Sneak like a leopard: Camouflage yourself with face paint or clothing, then try to blend in with your surroundings.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kathleen Yale spent more than 10 years working as a wildlife field biologist and holds degrees in conservation biology and environmental studies. A former scriptwriter for the popular award-winning YouTube channels SciShow and CrashCourse, she currently lives with her family outside Glacier National Park in Montana, where she works as a freelance writer and editor.
Something To Do
Kathleen and her publisher also have created a delightful activity kit — perfect for showing homeschooling parents, group leaders, teachers, and librarians how to use the book to engage children in learning more about animals — available to download from our website at http://www.storey.com/howl-like-wolf-storytime-activity-kit.
Free Wolf Fiction and Nonfiction Writing Frames from Wise Owl Factory
In this post, there are free wolf fiction and nonfiction writing frames. The freebie is located lower in this post. The International Wolf Center has a window viewing area and web cam of fenced forest with live wolves. This is the description of the ambassador wolves in the viewing area:
“The Exhibit Pack refers to the wolves in the main enclosure. Members of the pack may vary as wolves age and new wolf pups are socialized and added to the Exhibit. In Fall of 2012, Exhibit Pack consisted of Aidan and Denali, two northwestern subspecies, born on April 27, 2008 and Luna and Boltz, believed to be great plains subspecies born in March 2012.”
Wolf Facts
Would you like to learn more about the Wolf? Here are some very fun facts from the International Wolf Center in Ely, Minnesota. This site not only offers wonderful insight on the lives of the wolf, it is a wonderful place to visit. JIAB Head Elf, Becky, has visited this world-renown facility twice and her family has loved it! You can read more details of her family’s most recent visit HERE.
Wolf Quest
WolfQuest is a web-based video game that simulates the wolf’s hunt for food, habitat and a mate. Play alone or with friends in on-line multiplayer missions. Learn about wolf ecology by living the life of a wild wolf in Yellowstone National Park. Oddly enough, Head Elf, Becky told me that her family loves this games as well and learned about it from The International Wolf Center. The Center has two computers with this game on it available for visitors to play and learn while on site!
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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: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden 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. Grab your copy of this beautiful and inspiring book HERE.
The post Howl Like a Wolf! Nature Education through Creative Play #bookreview appeared first on .
May 8, 2018
National Teacher’s Day Books and Freebies for Educators
In many countries, Teachers’ Day (National Teacher Day is May 8th here in the U.S.) is a special day for the appreciation of teachers and may include celebrations to honor them for their special contributions in a particular field area, or the community in general. Teachers give us so much including boosts of confidence (both kids and parents!) when we really need one.
Teachers can also be a welcoming presence for kids when everything else seems out of control. And though we know we can’t ever thank them enough, we can take a moment during National Teacher Appreciation Week to celebrate not only our modern-day teachers but share National Teacher’s Day book recommendations on Jump Into A Book inspired by the teachers/leaders from our past.
To honor the determined teacher, Annie Sullivan, I created a Helen and Annie booklist. It is because of Annie’s help that Helen Keller grew up to be the advocate for special needs people and a most accomplished woman of her time. Read the whole booklist review HERE and also participate in some activities to learn more about the struggles and challenges of the blind and deaf.
Who is Henry David Thoreau:
He was an American poet, author, teacher, surveyor, historian, philosopher and leading transcendentalist. He is better known for his book Walden, about simple living in natural surroundings. His articles, essays, journals, and poetry total over 20 volumes. In 1845 in Concord, Massachusetts, Henry David Thoreau built a cabin in the woods and lived there alone for two years while he examined the world around him. Read my review of If You Spent the Day with Thoreau At Walden Pondby Robert Buleigh HERE.
Who is Albert Einstein:
He was a theoretical physicist and his contribution to the physics is known from the special and general theories of relativity, the founding of relativistic cosmology, the first post-Newtonian expansion, explaining the perihelion advance of Mercury and others. He is best known for his theories of special relativity and general relativity. In 1921, he received Nobel Prize in Physics for his services to Theoretical Physics and his discovery of the law of photoelectric effect.
Read my full review of On a Beam of Light here.
Midnight Teacher: Lilly Ann Granderson and Her Secret School
Lilly Ann learned to read and write from her master’s children in Kentucky. She shared her knowledge with other enslaved people in a hidden spot in the woods on Sundays when the family was away. Later, she was sold to Mississippi, where teaching others carried a punishment of thirty-nine lashes with a whip. To keep from being found out, Lilly Ann taught in a secluded cabin off a back alley from midnight until two in the morning. Over the years she taught hundreds of enslaved people, and they, in turn, shared their knowledge with others.
Read my full review of this book HERE.
Something to Do for the Teacher in your Life
Little Passports has some sweet teacher appreciation gift ideas on their website. I think this mason jar gift is so creative!
Freebies for Teachers
Adopt a Classroom
All students deserve to have the tools they need to learn. Together, we make that possible. donate now. Teachers need help now more than ever. K-12 teachers spend $600 a year of their own money on classroom supplies. AdoptAClassroom.org is an opportunity for parents and individuals to help offset these costs by funding the classroom materials that students may need with a monetary donation. Donators will get classroom updates and even a detailed report of what their donation money was spent on. Such an amazing way to support teachers!
Free Multicultural Books for Teachers: http://bit.ly/1kGZrta
Free Classroom Empathy Kit for Homeschoolers, Organizations, Librarians, and Educators
Free Kindness Classroom Kit for Homeschoolers, Organizations, Librarians, and Educators:
Free Diversity Book Lists and Activities for Teachers and Parents
As parents, we want/need quality books with extension activities to help our young ones unplug and create memories. Pulling books from shelves, and stories from pages is also an important act that will the habit of being life-long readers. Quality books with companion book extension activities are not only working to create special family time, it allows kids to solve the world’s problems without major consequences. A Year in the Secret Garden is just such a book.
This delightful children’s book that is co-written by Marilyn Scott-Waters and Valarie Budyar and it offers original month-by-month activities that allow readers to delve deeper into the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden.
Within the 120 pages (with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities)families will find many activities inspired by The Secret Garden that encourages them to step away from technology and enjoy getting hands and feet into the black earth of a family garden. This book will make a great gift and be the catalyst of many hours of family growth, learning and FUN!
Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” More details HERE!
The post National Teacher’s Day Books and Freebies for Educators appeared first on .
May 6, 2018
Weekend Links | Books and Resources that Celebrate Growing Food
We may have missed getting this roundup posted in time for National Gardening Month, but appreciating and learning about the food we eat in its most natural state is education kids should be getting all year long. Here is a roundup of wonderful Books and Resources that Celebrate Growing Food.
The Natural Parenting Guide has a great roundup of children’s books about gardening that will Inspire the gardening bug in your kids. Enjoy some fun books for kids about gardening and then go out and get dirty planting! | how plants grow | learning about plants | gardening for kids | picture books | homeschooling natural science activities | kid’s activities.
Talking About The Origin of the Food We Eat | Visiting an Edible Schoolyard!
The Edible Schoolyard is a 1-acre garden at the Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Berkeley, California. The Edible Schoolyard was established by restaurateur and activist Alice Waters through the Chez Panisse Foundation.
Teaching the next generation about the foods we eat in their most natural state is an excellent way to promote healthy habits. The Edible Schoolyard Project has worked for more than 20 years to cultivate and embody their mission – and ensure an edible education for every public school student in the United States.
Research shows that when schools prioritize health and social well-being in tandem with academic goals and extend their mission to involve families and surrounding communities, students thrive. Edible education shapes students’ choices at mealtime, and roots them in the relationship between humans and the natural world.
Readers to Eaters
The site Readers to Eaters, founded by Philip and June Jo Lee, is a wealth of books and resource and this husband and wife team has been committed to helping kids and families have a better understanding of what and how they eat since 2008.
The team also created unique initiative like using #FoodHeroes to get kids interested in where food comes from. At the center of the books of #FoodHeroes is Farmer Will Allen; a former basketball star turned urban farmer and educator. Here are some of their food-centric picture books for kids.
Will Allen is no ordinary farmer. A former basketball star, he’s as tall as his truck, and he can hold a cabbage–or a basketball–in one hand. But what is most special about Farmer Will is that he can see what others can’t see. When he looked at an abandoned city lot in Milwaukee he saw a huge table, big enough to feed the whole world.
No space, no problem. Poor soil, there’s a solution. Need help, found it. Farmer Will is a genius in solving problems. In 2008, the MacArthur Foundation named him one of his innovative urban farming methods, including aquaponics and hydroponics.
CHEF ROY CHOI AND THE STREET FOOD REMIX an immigrant story about the well-known LA chef that was kicked off the national food truck movement for giving Korean and Mexican food a culinary “remix” and also creating worthy jobs in hungry communities. This book has appealed to kids from elementary age to high schoolers in a big way and is also the recipient of the Robert F. Seibert Award Honor Book for Most Distinguished Informational Book 2018 by the Association of Library Services for Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association.
Here’s a video of Roy Choi showing a middle schooler how to make ramen. It nicely reflects his cooking philosophy to start simply and build up, which mirrors our approach to food literacy too.
Readers to Eaters has also recently released by Rick Swann and Christy Hale.
OUR SCHOOL GARDEN is a winner of the from and . See these terrific activity ideas that go along with this book here.
“Our School Garden! draws upon the best parts of what a school garden can be―a place to spark curiosity, explore, work hard, laugh, make friends and deepen academic learning.” ―
A Year in the Secret Garden
As parents, we want/need quality books with extension activities to help our young ones unplug and create memories. Pulling books from shelves, and stories from pages is also an important act that will the habit of being life-long readers. Quality books with companion book extension activities are not only working to create special family time, it allows kids to solve the world’s problems without major consequences. A Year in the Secret Garden is just such a book.
This delightful children’s book that is co-written by Marilyn Scott-Waters and Valarie Budyar and it offers original month-by-month activities that allow readers to delve deeper into the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden.
Within the 120 pages (with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities)families will find many activities inspired by The Secret Garden that encourages them to step away from technology and enjoy getting hands and feet into the black earth of a family garden. This book will make a great gift and be the catalyst of many hours of family growth, learning and FUN!
Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” More details HERE!
The post Weekend Links | Books and Resources that Celebrate Growing Food appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
May 3, 2018
Let’s be Magically Mindful when caring for our Earth | The Magical Mindful Day #bookreview
“Imagine an immersive story that helps children learn about who they really are: part of a deeply and wondrously interconnected world. Deborah Salazar Shapiro integrates her knowledge of mindfulness with her personal passion for helping children become more aware of their integrated role in the life of our fragile and precious planet in this important contribution that will help develop a child’s compassionate and courageous mind. Bravo!” —Daniel J. Siegel, MD, Clinical Professor, UCLA School of Medicine
If you look up “mindfulness” in the dictionary, the explanation goes something like this,” a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.”
The shorter version of that would be to “pay attention.” Pay attention to how we treat each other and especially how we treat our beloved Mother Earth. Earth Day may have come and gone, but caring for our planet needs to happen 365 days a year.
The Magical Mindful Day is a book that I received for review and I was delighted the second I pulled it from the envelope. This may be a children’s book, but it’s really a book for people of all ages that is intended to inspire the practice of mindfulness, to raise awareness of our interconnection with all living beings, and to remind children that the Earth is their friend. The whimsical story in this beautiful and vibrant picture book is that we all need to be reminded of the many blessings of mindfulness, wonder, and kindness.
On a visit to the beach with her mother, Gaby, the main character of Salazar Shapiro’s debut book, and her best friend, Baba, encounter a talking cat named Oreo who introduces Gaby to many aspects of mindfulness—noticing the present moment, caring about the environment, and protecting the earth and all its creatures. Together, they share a bond that transcends time and place. The Magical Mindful Day takes children on the adventure of becoming mindful and shows them that joy and caring go hand in hand. Parents, teachers, earth lovers, and anyone who wants to encourage children to be more mindful will find much of value in this delightful tale.
These lessons translate to readers, as Salazar Shapiro encourages them to engage with the world around them in the same ways Gaby has, remembering the importance of practicing kindness toward everyone and everything. “Adults can incorporate gratitude into their daily lives along with their children, bringing mindful awareness and appreciation toward the people and things we often take for granted,” she says, inviting parents to work alongside children to foster love, respect, kindness, and compassion.
For more information, please visit www.TheMagicalMindfulDay.com .
The Magical Mindful Day is available from www.TheMagicalMinfulDay.com and Amazon.
Something To Do
Talking About The Origin of the Food We Eat | Visiting an Edible Schoolyard!
The Edible Schoolyard is a 1-acre garden at the Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Berkeley, California. The Edible Schoolyard was established by restaurateur and activist Alice Waters through the Chez Panisse Foundation.
Teaching the next generation about the foods we eat in their most natural state is an excellent way to promote healthy habits. The Edible Schoolyard Project has worked for more than 20 years to cultivate and embody their mission – and ensure an edible education for every public school student in the United States.
Research shows that when schools prioritize health and social well-being in tandem with academic goals and extend their mission to involve families and surrounding communities, students thrive. Edible education shapes students’ choices at mealtime, and roots them in the relationship between humans and the natural world.
Sing “Be Aware” Together
Written by Deborah Salazar Shapiro and Myka Krstic, with music by Myka Krstic, “Be Aware” is an original song to accompany The Magical Mindful Day.
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Enjoy month-by-month activities based on the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! A Year in the Secret Garden is a delightful children’s book with over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” http://amzn.to/1DTVnuX
The post Let’s be Magically Mindful when caring for our Earth | The Magical Mindful Day #bookreview appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
May 1, 2018
The Audie Awards | Young Listeners, Middle Grade & Young Adult Audiobook finalists 2018
In many cases, audiobooks have proven successful in providing a way for young readers to access literature and enjoy books. Kids that struggle with reading may discover a renewed interest in fiction and non-fiction if they are able to listen to a story on the device of their choosing. For us, car trips or airline travel is when the audiobooks come out.
Since my kids were young, the world of #kidlit audiobooks has exploded. To encourage everyone to dip their toe into the audiobook pond, below is a list of 29 #Kidlit Audio Books For Readers/Listeners of all Ages..many of which are our family’s personal favorites.
The Audie Awards recognize distinction in audiobooks and spoken word entertainment and are sponsored by the Audio Publishers Association (APA). 2018 is the 23rd year of annual Audie Awards. Finalists are announced in 26 categories. interested in learning more about this year’s audiobook finalists in the Young Listeners, Middle Grade and Young Adult categories.
YOUNG LISTENERS (up to age 8)
Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins, narrated by Robertson Dean, published by Weston Woods Studios Inc
Poem for Peter by Andrea Davis Pinkney, narrated by Channie Waites, published by Recorded Books
Princess Cora and the Crocodile by Laura Amy Schlitz, narrated by Davina Porter, published by Recorded Books
A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead, narrated by Jim Dale, published by Macmillan Audio
Trombone Shorty by Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, narrated by Dion Graham, published by Live Oak Media.
MIDDLE GRADE
The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora, written and narrated by Pablo Cartaya, published by Listening Library
Patina by Jason Reynolds, narrated by Heather Alicia Simms, published by Simon & Schuster Audio
Refugee by Alan Gratz, narrated by Michael Goldstrom, Kyla Garcia, and Assaf Cohen, published by Scholastic Audio
See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng, narrated by Kivlighan de Montebello, Brittany Pressley, Michael Crouch, Graham Halstead, Jason Culp, and a Full Cast, published by Listening Library
Wedgie & Gizmo by Suzanne Selfors, narrated by Johnny Heller and Maxwell Glick, published by HarperAudio
YOUNG ADULT
Before the Devil Breaks You by Libba Bray, narrated by January LaVoy, published by Listening Library
Disappeared by Francisco X. Stork, narrated by Roxana Ortega and Christian Barillas, published by Scholastic Audio
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, narrated by Bahni Turpin, published by HarperAudio
Solo by Kwame Alexander, with Mary Rand Hess, narrated by Kwame Alexander, music by Randy Preston, published by Blink
You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins, narrated by Sneha Mathan, Shivali Bhammer, Priya Ayyar, and others, published by Listening Library.
Learn more about the Audie finalists for 2018 here.
29 #Kidlit Audio Books For Readers/Listeners of all Ages
Be sure and check out the list of my family’s favorite audiobooks here~!
The post The Audie Awards | Young Listeners, Middle Grade & Young Adult Audiobook finalists 2018 appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
April 30, 2018
Sista April (Last day of April) in Sweden and a little fun with Linnea’s Almanac
So here we are the last day of April. In Swedish, it is known as Valborg or Sista April. Large bonfires are lit and everyone sings songs of spring. Before this festive occasion, however, is the sighting of the first spring flowers. For those of us who live in the Northern Hemisphere that is March or April. They are known as Blue Anemone. The book Linnea’s Almanac came to mind. Do you remember her from Monet’s garden? Here she has a nature activity for every month of the year. We consult her often and really enjoy ourselves.
Linnea’s Almanac by Lena Andersson and Christina Björk
For Grade 2-5, sweet Linnea is back from previous appearances in Linnea in Monet’s Garden (1987) and Linnea’s Windowsill Garden (1988, both Farrar). Here, she and her friends and neighbors study nature month by month. The intent of being simultaneously instructive and entertaining is a tall order, yet Linnea makes learning fun.
Altogether, there are more than 30 ideas–from recipes to craft projects to keeping nature records–for readers’ delight. Even more impressive is the book’s visual appeal. The watercolor and ink pictures are captivating; the well-planned layout and varying lettering styles are sure to appeal to readers. Because the book is a Swedish import, some objects of nature (e.g. the chaffinch) will be unfamiliar to American readers. Still, this beautiful book deserves to be placed within reach of nature-loving and inquisitive children. Sara Midda’s In and Out of the Garden (Workman, 1984) is another appealing book that will spur children to make the nature discoveries listed and others of their own.-School Library Journal
What could be better after a long, cold and dark winter here in the north, than the first days of spring? When you can be outside without winter clothing and you won’t freeze. When you feel the warmness of the sun and you even may need sunglasses. You walk around, take deep breaths and smell a new scent, the smell of spring. Butterflies are waking up and flying all around in the bushes that are just starting to get their new leaves.
Best of all is the Blåsippa (Anemone Hepatica). They are so beautiful and they often grow in big groups and color the green grass blue.
Something To Do
All Swedish children know the song about Blåsippan and it is sung at day nurseries and schools all over Sweden. They will sing the song to celebrate the arrival of spring.
Blåsippor
Blue Anemone
Children’s Song
(Swedish)
Blåsippan ute i backarna står,
niger och säger att “nu är det vår”.
Barnen de plockar små sipporna glatt,
rusar sen hem under rop och skratt.
“Mor, nu är våren kommen, mor!
Nu får vi gå utan strumpor och skor!
Blåsippan ute i backarna stå,
har varken skor eller strumpor på!
Mor i stugan hon säger så:
“Blåsippor aldrig snuva få.
Än få ni gå med strumpor och skor,
än är det vinter kvar”, säger mor.
Children’s Song
(English)
The blue anemone blooms now,
Curtsies and says “spring is here”.
Children merrily pick the flowers,
And rush home, laughing.
“Mom! Spring has come now, mom!
Now we can go without socks and shoes!
The blue anemone outside
Wears neither sock nor shoe!
Mother, in the house, says:
“Blue anemones never catch cold.
You must still wear socks and shoes!
It’s still winter”, says mother.
If you are looking for another children’s book that provides a nature, craft or cooking activity for every month of the year, then you will love my book A Year in the Secret Garden!
Enjoy month-by-month activities based on the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! A Year in the Secret Garden is a delightful children’s book with over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together.
Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” http://amzn.to/1DTVnuX
The post Sista April (Last day of April) in Sweden and a little fun with Linnea’s Almanac appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
