Valarie Budayr's Blog, page 37
August 24, 2017
Dragons Can Make Great Friends! guest post from Author Gayle Swift
Dragons and dinosaurs fascinate children so they’re predisposed to love Dragons Are Real by Valerie Budayr and illustrated by Michael Welply.
It delivers the full inside story on the fire-breathing beasts. Who knew dragons need friends and yearn to be a child’s BFF? Or that they crave sweets as much as any kid dreaming of Halloween? All those stories of treasure hoarding paint the wrong picture of the draco species. It’s just that sparkling things dazzle and things catch a dragon’s attention. In actuality, it’s not jewels they crave and hoard. It’s books. Lots and lots and lots of books.
My favorite newly discovered dragon-fact: they love to read. We’re kindred spirits! I’ve taken the liberty of naming this special dragon: Draco Bibliophilium which loosely translates from the Latin as “Book Loving Dragon.” He’s near and dear to my heart because I love books too. (Anyone who has visited my office would know. In fact, it looks like the illustrator used my office for an illustration study.)
Shedding Some Light on WHY Dragons Can Make Great Friend
Dragons Are Real seeks to clear up many mis-perceptions that identify dragons as evil, dangerous and, scary. The very idea that dragons yearn to capture hapless maidens is preposterous; they’re simply trying to be helpful and make a friend in the process. Now it is true that dragons breathe fire, but only when they want to be useful like toasting hot dogs or making s’mores. It can be very handy to have a friend with a built-in fuel source and an inclination to help out when needed. Turns out, that dragons are loyal and funny. Apparently they love poetry to an excess which can be a bit tedious. But don’t we all have our quirks and faults?
This story transforms a traditional “monster” figure from children’s folklore into a charming and desirable pal, one who loves to laugh and dance and recite poetry. I love that! By turning the myth upside down, which offers young readers a model for looking at the “monsters” in their own personal lives and reinterpret them in a way which enables them to cope. Since dragons are masters of camouflage, they can be “hiding in plain sight.” This concept can easily lead to discussions about how we can overlook people as well as how we choose to hide ourselves and be small. These are big ideas, but understanding them can help kids notice whom they might be overlooking and or how they themselves might be fading into the background. It also invites readers to think about what it is like to need a friend, how to be a friend as well as how to find a friend. All of these are important skills.
The illustrations are amazing and vividly interpret the text. The pictures are an adventure in their own right and compliment the text well. They add the perfect measure of whimsy, humor and ferocity.
Using My Adoption-attuned Lens:
It is common for adoptees to spend considerable time thinking about big “what ifs.” (What if I hadn’t been adopted? What if I’d been adopted by someone else? What if my adoptive parents rejects me? And many more.) Many develop chameleon-like skill at blending in and becoming what they think others expect them to be–or do. Adoptees who don’t share a culture or race with their adoptive family may struggle to fit in ad feel “at home” in their adoptive family. Like the proverbial dragon striving to remake his fierce image, adoptees must learn how to blend their dual heritage into a cohesive whole. The key is to fit in without losing their authentic selves, like a dragon who breathes fire but learns not to burn down the neighborhood!
Dragons Can Make Great Friend: Fun activity
Ask your child to create a dragon from his imagination. Draw it. Paint it. Build it from Legos©, clay or from materials found in your recycle bin. Then give it a name. For an added challenge, try to include a Latin variation as Valerie did. (J. K. Rowling also included Latin phrases in her beloved Harry Potter series; it sounds ever so mysterious and magical! I’m sure parents and Google, Siri, etc. can provide any needed assistance.)
Encourage your child to write his/her dragon’s story; you just might be awakening a dormant talent. Have fun and Happy Reading!
Gayle is a co-founder of GIFT Family Services which provides adoptive families with coaching before, during and after adoption. She’s the author of the award-winning book, ABC, Adoption & Me: A Multicultural Picture Book
Gayle has presented break-out sessions at both NACAC’s annual conference as well as the Adoption Summit Experience. She writes the blog, Writing to Connect which reviews children’s books and then adds an adoption-attuned insight. Visit her on her website or connect with her on Twitter.
The post Dragons Can Make Great Friends! guest post from Author Gayle Swift appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
August 22, 2017
Words of Peace for Your Alphabet Tree (#bookreview and word activity)
At this very moment in time, cities like Charlottesville, VA are struggling with the glaring reality of hate. Such situations are appalling and sorrowful. And it reminds us to remind the next generation to practice Words of Peace instead of words of hate.
The Alphabet Tree by Leo Lionni starts with letters which change into small words, collecting themselves into small sentences, and then on to say something important. It’s an invaluable lesson that the smallest attributes can and do have the biggest effects.
……….”not so long ago this tree was full of letters. They lived a happy life, hopping from leaf to leaf on the highest twigs.” said the ant (click to Tweet)
Words of Peace: How often do we tell our children to “use their words?”
How many reminders do we give them to speak kindly, or softly? As my children learned to speak and then to read, it was a most exciting time. What would they talk about? What would be their favorite books? All of these were unknowns that we would discover together.
Not until they were much older did I think of them “using their words” for a cause or that each letter they wrote, each word they chose, would place meaning in the world.
What if we could start this idea from the beginning of their language and reading journey?
A favorite leaf was chosen by a letter to sit in the sun and rock in the gentle breeze.
Until one frightening day, when the wind blew mightily, it blew many letters off the tree.
Those that were left huddled together on the lower branches were so terribly afraid.
Soon along came a funny looking bug onto a neighboring tree. He looked something like a bee but was red and black with yellow wings. It was a very fortunate thing that these frightened letters should have been found by a Word Bug.
He encouraged them to group together in 3’s and 4’s so they could form words. The wind surely wasn’t strong enough to blow letters around when they were in word form.
With patience and kindness the Word Bug taught them to join together and make words. Some came together and created easy words, while others came together to make more difficult ones.
With confidence the newly formed words climbed high up into the tree. Just as the Word Bug had predicted, the wind wasn’t strong enough to blow them from the tree. Letters which stood together in words were stronger than any wind.
Soon after, a Woolly Purple Caterpillar caught site of the word tree..but he couldn’t make sense of it. The words didn’t have any order.
“Why don’t you mean something?” he said. “Why don’t you get together to make sentences?”
Quickly the words started forming sentences.
The wind is bad.
The leaves are green.
The bug is small.
Though these were good sentences, the Woolly Purple Caterpillar thought they could do better.
“You must say something important.” said the caterpillar.
What was the most important thing they could think of?
The sentence they come up with had to do with peace. What could be more important than Words of Peace?
“Peace begins with a smile.” Mother Theresa
Words of Peace: Something to Do :
Making our own Alphabet Tree, we carefully cut out several leaves from our favorite collection of paper.
On some leaves we placed single letters.
On others we made words that we knew.
On each leaf we punched a whole and placed a string to hang our leaves on the tree outside.
After gathering up our leaves we headed outside to our Alphabet Tree. There, we first placed single letters and then created a windstorm to blow them off.
Having strength in numbers we placed our small words on our Alphabet Tree.
Understanding how important words are, we placed our very important message of peace on our Alphabet Tree.
What words of peace would you choose for your Alphabet Tree?
**some of these links are affiliate links
–
Now Available on Amazon and GumRoad!
My newest book, Dragons are Real is available and the excitement is almost blowing the roof off at Jump Into a Book/Audrey Press headquarters!
SO…what if I told you that all of the fairy tales, myths and legends that have been told about dragons over the years are WRONG. What if I told you that Dragons are indeed Real and that they are different than you’ve ever imagined?
This fairly true story is based on the author’s childhood friendship with a REAL live Dragon; a very special Dragon that she and her brother spent two magical summers with.
As readers turn the pages and learn the truth about Dragons, they will see that the fiercest beasts in known history can actually be the best of friends. It’s a lesson in finding companionship in the most unusual of places. Dragons are Real is a magical book filled with stunning illustrations and hints that dragon are indeed all around us 
August 20, 2017
Reading Tips for Growing Boys
As a mom who has raised two girls and a boy, one thing I can tell you for sure when it comes to instilling a love of reading is that….boys need a completely different approach than girls!
I will soon be sending my son, my youngest child, off to college. In his pile of “things to take to college” I am sure there will be many books; some new, some familiar old favorites. I think of this and smile because there was a time when he was the epitome of a reluctant reader. Here’s is what I’ve learned about boy readers over the last 18 years:
Reading Stages
Boys and Girls approach reading differently. Where we often times label boys as late starters, or slow to embrace reading, it could just be their normal. But that doesn’t mean they can have great reading moments and a literary life as an active reader. Please note that there are a wide range of reading styles and every single child is different regardless of gender. Here are just a few things while reading with boys.
Boys have a very specific reading stages and styles.
Listening Stage
From birth to 6 or 7, boys love to listen to stories. As much as you have the vision of them cuddling up in your lap to listen to a story, boys are great at multi-tasking while listening to a story. It’s OK to have them on the floor playing with blocks, Legos, animals. They might be moving around the room or hanging off the sofa all the while you’re reading the best book ever. Every now and then they’ll come out of their movement to have a look at an illustration. It’s all good. The more words children hear, the more their brains develop and they learn the habit of associating stories with books and words.
The Transition Stage
I encourage families to keep reading to their children even after they’ve become independent readers. It establishes a book culture in the home and family and the importance of reading. Many boys like to remain in the listening phases for a really long time as they learn to read independently. You’ll notice that once they start learning to read on their own that they will actually sit and listen to you read to them for longer periods of time. At this point they become interested in discovering how the words work on a page. A great fun thing to do is to point your finger along as you read and then as they become solid readers, let them do it. It builds great tracking skills, word recognition, and comprehension.
The Boy Book Stage
Children in general like to read about characters they can relate to. Nothing is more truthful than boys and books. I call this the boy book stage because boys want to read about boys doing boy stuff. Some examples of books that do this is Captain Underpants Series, Big Nate Series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series, and the How to Train Your Dragon Series.
Boys like to read books that have things broken down into short snippets of information and then a cartoon, or illustration that goes with it. Their brains are just wired that way. They also like to read series. Once they make a friend inside a book they want to check back up on him again and again. A trust has been established and boys remain loyal to that trust with the author who has entertained them.
As boys continue to grow as readers they want to meet characters who are going through the same things they are.
In general boys like to read alone and not out loud. If they are going to read out loud it will be with a very good guy buddy. They will share the book back and forth between them laughing at various parts of the story and pictures. Don’t be surprised if they move all over the place inside a book. It’s not a linear movement through the book but a sharing of one’s favorite parts with a good friend.
Hero’s Journey Stage
Around the age of 10 or 11 boys want to read about who they want to become or can imagine themselves being. They want action, adventure, bravery, and the ability to outwit by leaps and bounds. This stage takes them all the way through high school.
A great transition series into the Hero Journey’s stage is Percy Jackson. If you should have a reluctant reader I promise that the Percy Jackson series is the one for you. And once your reader has conquered the Percy Jackson series…here’s my list of “books like Percy Jackson” that will keep them reading longer!
They are page turners that will leave both adults and kids reading way into the night or getting up early just to see what happens. By the time your reluctant reader finishes the first series in the Percy Jackson saga, they will be hooked to reading for life. Percy is our ace in the hole. Love Rick Riordan and what he has done for reading and kid lit.
Boy’s love reading and they do it in their own special way. Just remember to go with their flow, have lots of reading material all around the house and car, and provide them with a great role model by having them see you read all the time.
Wishing you many happy adventures reading with your boy(s). They’ll open up new worlds you didn’t know existed. Happy Reading.
**some of these links are affiliate links.
Valarie Budayr is the founder of Audrey Press and author of the books, Dragon Are Real! A Year in the Secret Garden, The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden and The Ultimate Guide To Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. She is passionate about making kid’s books come alive and when she isn’t jumping into a book and creating wildly inventive adventures, she is “mom” to three uber creative children, married to a wonderfully patient man who has come to love yarn, proud owner of one adored cat, and the Fox Whisperer to lots and lots of Foxes (that come and go as they please). You can also find Valarie on Facebook or on Twitter at @JumpIntoaBook1.
The post Reading Tips for Growing Boys appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
August 17, 2017
Olivia’s Birds: How one young author is fighting to Save the Gulf Birds
“ I am willing to help, and I want to make a
difference for those birds. I want to be their voice.”
Olivia Bouler
These are the words of eleven year-old Olivia Bouler; an incredibly wise young lady that I met at a Creatives Convention in 2011. Even all those years ago, this little girl has a spirit and fierce determination that simply captured my heart.
When I met her, she had just released her first book! To publish as a tween is amazing and the story behind her journey is even more touching. It’s an incredible book about one eleven year-old girl who wanted to make a difference.
Olivia’s Birds: Saving the Gulf
By Olivia Bouler
Ages 9-12
Audubon Publishing
32 pages
ISBN 978-1-4027-8665-5
Save the Gulf Birds: About The Book
Written in her own words and illustrated with her own palette of colors (YES…she’s an artist too!), Olivia wrote a book about what she loves most, …..birds. A wonderful and informative field guide featuring 50 beautifully hand-drawn birds. This picture/book, field guide is different from anything you’ve ever read. It’s a celebration of her brave efforts to save those birds horribly affected by the 2010 Gulf oil spill.
(author provided photo)
Save the Gulf Birds: About The Author
Back in the early 2000s, Olivia lives on Long Island with her parents and brother Jackson, she spends most summers of her life down on the gulf with her cousins and grandparents. When she saw the devastation of the oil spill, she “just sat down and sobbed,” and then she picked herself up and knew she could make a difference.
She ran right upstairs and wrote a letter to the Audubon Society. She told them that she was willing to help and wanted to make a difference for those birds. Audubon said,”They’d be happy to accept her help.” Olivia was happy that she had taken that very first step in helping the birds of the Gulf Coast.
Save the Gulf Birds: Fundraiser Extrodinare:
So how does one eleven year-old girl single-handedly raise 200,000 dollars to save an entire region?
She organized a fundraiser called Save The Gulf. For her fundraiser, Olivia created and donated 500 original watercolor illustrations, many of which are showcased in her book, Olivia’s Birds: Saving the Gulf. Knowing that her passion is a love of birds and that she drew them often, she decided that for each person who would give a donation to her fund, she would in return paint them a bird. Back in 2011 she had made over 500 paintings of 120 different birds…I can only imagine the mind-blowing number of paintings that she’s done as on today.
“My whole life has been connected to nature, and this is the only Earth we’ve got. We can’t move to another planet, so we have to try to fix Earth. We only have one chance to do it.”-Olivia
Olivia is also aware that just one person can’t change the current state of our planet. One person can make a difference but it takes many of us to make a permanent change.
Save the Gulf Birds: Somethings We Can Do:
Here are a few things Olivia asks us to do:
Build a bird feeder.
Put out unprocessed birdseed or sunflower seeds in your yard to feed the birds.
Set up a recycling group in your school or house.
Cut down on paper consumption.
Recycle EVERY DAY.
Compost egg shells, banana peels, orange peels, and other food garbage. It will turn into dirt that you can use to plant trees. Here are some wonderful books for kids on the art of composting.
Make sure that you’re always telling your family and friends what you’re doing to save the planet and encourage them to do the same. Everyone’s efforts are important.
How are you inspired to safe the planet? What things are you doing to make the world a better place?
Here are some links to some important earth protection organizations:
National Aududon Society
National Wildlife Federation
The Nature Conservancy
Sierra Club
Olivia’s Paintings
**some of these links are affiliate linksValarie Budayr is the founder of Audrey Press and author of the books, Dragon Are Real! A Year in the Secret Garden, The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden and The Ultimate Guide To Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. She is passionate about making kid’s books come alive and when she isn’t jumping into a book and creating wildly inventive adventures, she is “mom” to three uber creative children, married to a wonderfully patient man who has come to love yarn, proud owner of one adored cat, and the Fox Whisperer to lots and lots of Foxes (that come and go as they please). You can also find Valarie on Facebook or on Twitter at @JumpIntoaBook1.
The post Olivia’s Birds: How one young author is fighting to Save the Gulf Birds appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
August 15, 2017
Delving Deeper in the Edo Period of Japan through Kidlit
The response and feedback were wonderful so I think I’d take some time to dive in a little deeper and this time I like to explore the Edo Period of Japan.
Heart of a Samurai is set in the late 1800’s which is the end of the feudal Edo period of Japan. The Edo period lasted from 1603 to 1868. The first Shogun was Tokogawa Ieyasu, who ended years of civil war and established a stable society.
To secure his status as leader of a unified Japan, Ieyasu introduced a strict class system and the tight control of the ruling daimyo families from the capital city Edo (Tokyo).The four levels of society were created around Shi-No-Ko-Sho, Samurai (warrior),peasant, artisan, and merchant. Individuals had no legal rights and the family became very important at all social levels.
To read more about the Shi-No-Ko-Sho, go HERE.
The Edo Period of Japan through Kidlit: Japanese Language
In Japan they speak Japanese. That’s why when Manjiro was rescued on the John Howland he had to quickly learn English.The Japanese alphabet has 99 sounds formed with 5 vowels (a,e,i,o,u) and 14 consonants (k,s,th,m,y,r,w,g,z,d,b,p,and,n).Unlike English, which has one alphabet for writing and speaking, Japanese is written with 3 types of characters or alphabets: Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji.Each alphabet has it’s own function but combinations of all three are used to make written sentences.
Curious to learn more about the Japanese language? Go HERE.
1. Hiragana (Chart)
Just like English, the Hiragana letters represent a specific sound. Also just as in English, each letter doesn’t have a meaning. One needs to combine the sounds into words. Each letter is only pronounced one certain way without any exceptions.
2. Katagana (Chart)
Like Hiragana each letter has a sound but these letters are used to spell foreign words in the Japanese language.
3. Kanji ( Chinese Characters) See how Kanji goes from pictures to symbols.
Unlike Hiragana and Katakana, Kanji are Chinese symbols which have been assigned to Japanese words. Each symbol is like a pictographs which has a specific meaning. Kanji is very difficult because of all the variations in words one can write. A Japanese lady told me that to read the Japanese newspaper, one must know a minimum of at least 18,000 kanji symbols.
As part of our book adventure we had a really fun look at the Japanese language.
Edo Period of Japan through Kidlit: See how your name is written in
It was very fun to see our names written in Japanese. We couldn’t just leave it there though, we had to look up different family members names as well as our best friends.
Next on the list was wanting to speak Japanese. Of course we couldn’t accomplish this in an afternoon but we did have fun learning a few quick phrases.
Heart of A Samurai PDF’s
PDF#1 Edo Period
The four levels of society were created around Shi-No-Ko-Sho,
*Samurai (warrior) Samurai functioned as the warrior class in Japan; they constituted about 1% of the population. The other classes were prohibited from possessing weapons. Carrying two swords became the symbol of the samurai class. Samurai on horseback, wearing Ō-yoroi armour, carrying bow and arrows.
*Peasant (Blue collar worker) Life for a rural peasant focused on their village. Peasants rarely moved beyond their village and journeys and pilgrimages required a permit (though young people occasionally sought seasonal employment outside of their village.)
*Artisan, and merchant. By 1800 as much as 10% of the population of Japan may have lived in large towns and cities- one of the highest levels in the world at this time[8]. The daimyo and their samurai did not produce any goods themselves, but they used the tax surplus from the land to fuel their consumption. These needs were met by artisans, who moved to be around the castles, and merchants, who traded local and regional goods. Each class in the city was restricted to living in its own quarter. Below is the house of the merchant in Edo times.
Individuals had no legal rights and the family became very important at all social levels.
Society during the Edo period (or Tokugawa period) in Japan was ruled by strict customs and regulations intended to promote stability. Confucian ideas provided the foundation for a system of strict social prescriptions. At the top of the social order, though below emperor , shogun , and daimyo (lords), were the samurai who functioned as the ruling class. Second most praised were the peasants (heimin), who lived in villages and produced agricultural goods. Increasing urbanization and rising consumerism created merchant and artisan classes in towns and cities. Social mobility during this period was highly limited. As wealth became concentrated outside of the samurai class, conflicts between class arose and the social order became increasingly challenged.-Wikipedia
The Edo period and feudal system brought 250 years of peace to Japan and with it, great development in their three major cities Edo (Tokyo), Osaka, and Kyoto.
Though the Japanese Shoguns cut Japan off from the rest of the world by not allowing foreign ships to dock and trade, inside it’s borders culture exploded in large city centers. The rising middle classes had the opportunity and the time to pursue cultural pursuits such as theatre (kabuki), art and literature,Geisha, musicians, actors, sumo wrestlers and poets all contributed to the rise of the ukiyo or ‘floating world’.
PDF#2 Japanese Language;
1. Hiragana (Chart)
Just like English, the Hiragana letters represent a specific sound. Also just as in English, each letter doesn’t have a meaning. One needs to combine the sounds into words. Each letter is only pronounced one certain way without any exceptions.
2. Katagana (Chart)
Like Hiragana each letter has a sound but these letters are used to spell foreign words in the Japanese language.
3. Kanji ( Chinese Characters) See how Kanji goes from pictures to symbols.
Unlike Hiragana and Katakana, Kanji are Chinese symbols which have been assigned to Japanese words. Each symbol is like a pictographs which has a specific meaning. Kanji is very difficult because of all the variations in words one can write. A Japanese lady told me that to read the Japanese newspaper, one must know a minimum of at least 18,000 kanji symbols.
As part of our book adventure we had a really fun look at the Japanese language.
See how your name is written in
It was very fun to see our names written in Japanese. We couldn’t just leave it there though, we had to look up different family members names as well as our best friends.
Next on the list was wanting to speak Japanese. Of course we couldn’t accomplish this in an afternoon but we did have fun learning a few quick phrases.
To go a little deeper here our 8 lessons which are easy for children and adults to use and gives a very simple but wonderful background to the Japanese language.
Edo Period of Japan through Kidlit: Something To Do
My dear friend Mia Wenjen from Pragmaticmom.com has a delightful post about the day she and her son did some “sword making.”
She also has a wonderful list of Bilingual Japanese Books for Kids.
Happy reading and exploring!
The post Delving Deeper in the Edo Period of Japan through Kidlit appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
August 8, 2017
Happy National Happiness Day! | Can you make the world a Happier place?
National Happiness Happens Day is observed each year on August 8 and on that day, Happiness is encouraged all day. Recognize every moment of glee, joy, delight, and pleasure. Don’t let it pass. A flicker of a giggle should be given its due and should it blossom into full blown happiness, don’t be surprised. It happens!
HISTORY
Founded in 1999 by the Secret Society of Happy People as “Admit You’re Happy Day”, Happiness Happens Day was created to recognize and express happiness. August 8 was chosen as it is the anniversary of the first membership in 1998.
The Secret Society of Happy People is an organization that was founded in August of 1998 and formed to celebrate the expression of happiness. The society encourages members to recognize their happy moments and think about happiness in their daily life. They have two motto’s which include “Happiness Happens” and “Don’t Even Think of Raining on My Parade.” Their purpose is to stimulate people’s right to express their happiness.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Be happy and feel free to share it. Use #HappinessHappensDay to post on social media and let others know to do the same
Learn the happiness habit – The same way someone can choose to be a miserable sort of person throughout their entire life, you can choose to create the habit of being happy, as well. There are techniques and tools you can import into your life. For example, you can choose to use gratitude as a way to offset the human desire of lack consciousness. It’s so easy to focus on what we don’t have under the guise of setting goals, but we mustn’t forget to remember to be grateful for all that is already present, which bring us to our next tool of happiness.
WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?
Take some time to identify your own brand of “happy.” Are you happiest when with friends and family? When you are alone and curled up with a good book? Or does giving back to others bring joy and smiles into your world. I’ve spent a lot of time this summer helping to design secret gardens and Therapy Gardens for kids in need in my community. And it brings me tremendous happiness to be able to do so.
The post Happy National Happiness Day! | Can you make the world a Happier place? appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
August 6, 2017
Weekend Links: A roundup of Bedtime Story Recommendations for Kids
Earlier this week I shared a handful of classic children’s bedtime books that my now-grown kids used to clamor for as Littles. The positive response to this fun walk down memory land made me go on a quest to see out what others are sharing in the way of great Bedtime Story Recommendations for Kids. Enjoy!
My friend Melissa from Imagination Soup has a wonderful Nighty Night! Bedtime Stories About Going to Bed booklist –
Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails has a great list as well-Bedtime Books for Kids –
Look, we’re Learning! has a “cozy” bedtime story list that makes me want to grab my blankie and snuggle up with a book!
Small People Big Ideas also has a Happy Bedtime Stories list For Kids that I adore.
And what would bedtime be without a yummy bedtime snack! A Joy-Filled Life has a creative list of favorite picture books with book-inspired snacks that go with.
**Some of these links are affiliate links. That means if you click and buy, I may get a very small commission.
This money goes towards postage and supplies to keep books and ideas in the hands of young readers!
–
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 Weekend Links: A roundup of Bedtime Story Recommendations for Kids appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
August 3, 2017
Tried-n-True Classic Bedtime Storybooks for all ages
My kids are long past the age of needing bedtime stories (our youngest just graduated from High School!) but on occasion I like to look back on our bookshelves and remember the titles that helped my brood drift off to sleepy-land. And when I do, it never ceases to amaze me how it was the classic books that were the most loved. Here are some of our past favorites.
Tried-n-True Classic Bedtime Storybooks
First I would like to start with some of our favorite bed time chapter books.
The Mousewife by Rumer Godden
The House Above the Trees by Ethel Cook Eliot
The Wind Boy by Ethel Cook Eliot
The Inventions of Hugo Cabret (Great pictures which hold the attention of young listeners)
Mary Poppins by Dr. P.L. Travers
Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne
Stuart Little by E.b. White
Charlotte’s Web by E.B.White
The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
We absolutely love the books by Edward Eager
Knight’s Castle
The Time Garden
Magic by the Lake
Half Magic
The next genre of books that I really love are those that might be classified as “Picture” books but they are oh so much more because not only do they have great pictures but wonderful stories as well.
When Dinosaurs came with Everything by Elise Broach
Thimbleberry Stories by Cynthia Rylant
Pickle-Chiffon Pie by Jolly Roger Bradfield
Princess Hyacinth;The Surprising Tale of a Girl who Floated by Florence Parry Heide
The Story of Ferdinand by Muro Leaf
The Bremen Town musicians by Jacob Grim
Grandfather Twilight by Barbara Helen
Swan Lake by Lisbeth Zwerger
When my oldest child became an early reader she loved to have her turn reading as well. From our bookshelves she picked a few of my “I Can Read” books. The very ones I loved as a child. Though we love many of them as “favorites”, here are the top of the list picks.
Mouse Soup by Arnold Lobel
Little Bear by Else Holmelund Minarik & Marice Sendak (we love all of these books)
Hats for Sale By Esphyr Slobodkina
I hope you enjoy some of our favorite bedtime reads and feel free to share some of your family’s favorites in the comments below.
Happy Reading!
**Some of these links are affiliate links. That means if you click and buy, I may get a very small commission.
This money goes towards postage and supplies to keep books and ideas in the hands of young readers!
–
Valarie Budayr is the founder of Audrey Press and author of the books, Dragon Are Real! A Year in the Secret Garden, The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden and The Ultimate Guide To Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. She is passionate about making kid’s books come alive and when she isn’t jumping into a book and creating wildly inventive adventures, she is “mom” to three uber creative children, married to a wonderfully patient man who has come to love yarn, proud owner of one adored cat, and the Fox Whisperer to lots and lots of Foxes (that come and go as they please). You can also find Valarie on Facebook or on Twitter at @JumpIntoaBook1.
The post Tried-n-True Classic Bedtime Storybooks for all ages appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
August 1, 2017
Exploring Bizarre Buildings and Surreal Structures | Curious Constructions
If your family are fans of shows like Expedition Unknown and Mysteries at The Museum, you will love one of the newest books from Chronicle Books; Curious Constructions: A Peculiar Portfolio of Fifty Fascinating Structures by Michael Hearst
Among the pages of this colorful, nonfiction hardcover book, readers will get to “explore bizarre buildings, eclectic edifices and surreal structures.”
Curious about constructions? Inside this book, you’ll come face-to-face with 50 incredible structures, including: a fire-breathing octopus sculpture; the skateboard ramp you’d need to jump the Great Wall of China; a whole community of tree houses in Costa Rica; and a lifesize X-Wing Starfighter built of Legos. These and many more fascinating accounts of constructions both fantastically useful and gloriously unnecessary await inquisitive readers, aspiring engineers, and anyone who ever looked at a skyscraper and thought, “Yeah, but what if it had a roller coaster on top?”
In the mood for a giggle? Check out Hearst’s highly entertaining book trailer!
About The Author
Michael Hearst is a writer, musician and composer who has recorded and released over a dozen albums. Hearst’s has also written and published two other fact-packed books; Unusual Creatures
And Extraordinary People
Kids will love all three books because Hearst uses humor and commentary to keep readers entertained.
Something To Do
How about encouraging your construction genius to create their own “curious constructions and eclectic edifices!” A wide variety of craft items can be used to build your own bizarre building. Items like popsicle sticks, straws, pool noodles, toothpicks, blocks of wood, bark, twigs, styrofoam, cardboard, pipe cleaners and even marshmellows can be used to create imagination-filled structures with matching stories!
FrugalFun4Boys has some great STEM building activities…
Today’s Parent has a very fun video on making a pretend city of cardboard tubes…
and Modern Parents has a great idea chart for building activities for kids of all ages.
What will you build today?
Valarie Budayr is the founder of Audrey Press and author of the books, Dragon Are Real! A Year in the Secret Garden, The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden and The Ultimate Guide To Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. She is passionate about making kid’s books come alive and when she isn’t jumping into a book and creating wildly inventive adventures, she is “mom” to three uber creative children, married to a wonderfully patient man who has come to love yarn, proud owner of one adored cat, and the Fox Whisperer to lots and lots of Foxes (that come and go as they please). You can also find Valarie on Facebook or on Twitter at @JumpIntoaBook1.
The post Exploring Bizarre Buildings and Surreal Structures | Curious Constructions appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
July 30, 2017
Weekend Links | Books and Activities that Get Kids into the Kitchen
Kids, cooking, learning and fun all go hand-in-hand. It’s no secret that getting kids into the kitchen has huge benefits including honing basic math skills (counting eggs or measuring ingredients), encourages an adventurous palate, helping them explore with their senses and works to boost their confidence. Imagine the “double win” it would be if parents could incorporate reading and the act of bringing favorite books to life at the same time. It’s possible! Here are some great examples of just that. Enjoy!
Susan Ready from Ever Ready is the master of discovering and sharing yummy recipes that seem to fit the mood or event. She was kind enough to review this wonderful multicultural book for Multicultural Chicken Soup, Chicken Soup, Chicken Soup, and of course she also shared a mouth-watering recipe to match.
I love how Jodie at Growing Book by Book encourages parents to Start a Cookies and Bookies ritual with their kids.
The Huffington Post had so many great book-inspired recipes for kids…I couldn’t pick just one! Judge for yourself here.
Kenny and the Dragon #bookreview and activities for kids that includes my favorite…Dragon Bread!!
Of course I have to include some Seuss-inspired fun with Dr. Seuss Inspired Snacks! Thanks KindergartenisGrreat.com!
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. Here’s an excerpt of my adventures in Sun Bread making.
I have to confess that for this blog post I actually baked sun bread yesterday and you know what ? It works !!
“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 !!
Another book that is plumb-full of cooking opportunities is my own book, A Year in the Secret Garden.
A Year in the Secret Garden is just such a book. This delightful children’s book from authors Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters offers unique and original month-by-month activities that allow readers to delve deeper into the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! With over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities (many of which include being in the kitchen!) for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together.
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 Activities that Get Kids into the Kitchen appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
