Valarie Budayr's Blog, page 39

4 Multicultural Chapter Books about Conquering Obstacles

{guest post from Hannah Rials}

The definition of obstacle means “to stand in the way of.” So an obstacle is something that stands against what you want to do. In a dramatic piece, the obstacle is the person, situation or thing that keeps a character from achieving his or her goal. These obstacles can come in many forms an is also a world-wide issue. We all love books where the main character experiences what seems to be an insurmountable roadblock only to rise up, conquer and persevere. Here’s a few of my top pics of multicultural chapter books that do just that:

Going Over by Beth Kephart

1980s Berlin. The wall is still standing and heavily guarded. Stefan is in the East. Ada is in the West. They’re in love. A West Berliner in love with an East Berliner is a recipe for disaster and heartbreak. No one in their right mind living in the West will move to the East. And no one in the East is brave enough to take the risk of escaping.

These two young teenagers live in two separate worlds. Ada lives in a world of unhappiness. Her family is poor. All her mother cares about are the men she falls in love with once a week. A little Turkish boy who attends the day care where Ada works is in danger. And she risks her life every night to spray paint the wall with pictures of successful escape stories. The only solace she has are her visits in the East to see Stefan and the hope she holds onto that he will one day escape and come save her.

Stefan lives in the miserable, oppressive East. He stays with his old, silent grandmother. Stefan never knew his father. His mother escaped to the West without him, and his grandfather is dead. He blames himself for his grandfather’s death, and he believes his grandmother does too. He suffers through an internal struggle: escape and be with the love of his life, the only reason he wakes up in the morning or stay and take care of his grandmother.

Life is falling apart for Ada and she needs Stefan. He prepares as secretly as he can, but he’s not as discreet as he thinks he is. Will Stefan and Ada finally be together? Will they find happiness? Will Stefan make the decision to go over?

Opinion:

I adored this book. The style and structure are so different from all the other books that I read that it was a breath of fresh air. This is your traditional story of star-crossed lovers, but with a new, realistic, dangerous twist. Kephart creates a beautiful story about a rough time in Berlin’s history, and she keeps you turning pages until there’s no more to turn. I personally believe that this novel could be studied in a classroom. There’s more depth to this than meets the eye. With the unique structure, underlying plots, and the use of second person point of view during Stefan’s chapters make it extremely intriguing. I can’t say anything more. I haven’t read a really good novel in a long time, and I’m glad I finally found one!

Pax by Sara Pennypacker

War is coming. This means that everyone must make sacrifices, including a young boys and his pet fox that he’s raised from a kit. Peter leaves Pax along the side of the road. Well, he’s more forced to do it by his father, who is off to join the war. So now Peter is alone, living with his grandfather who has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and doesn’t know how to say a comforting word to his grandson. And everything feels wrong. Peter’s anxiety spikes; he knows he’s done the wrong thing, and now he must correct it.
Peter takes off in the middle of the night with his pack and a map, planning to retrace his steps and find his way back to Pax. Hopefully, the fox hasn’t moved too far away. But a wrench is thrown in his plan, when he falls and snaps a bone in his leg. After trying to make progress on his own with a broken leg, Peter comes across an older woman with a peg leg living alone in the forest. Vola, an ex-soldier and retired medic, takes Peter in, feeds him, sets his bone, and teaches him how to live with one leg, all while learning the truth from this young boy.
Meanwhile, Pax has to learn to live on his own as a wild fox for the first time in his life. Early in his journey, he comes upon a group of foxes that begrudgingly take him in. Bristle, Runt, and Gray become his new family as he waits for his boy to return, if he will ever return.
Both creatures, boy and man, deal with the price of war and the separation it has caused them. They will forever be changed, as will the world around them.

Opinion:
Pax by Sara Pennypacker, illustrated by Jon Klassen is a uniquely original and beautiful tale told from two perspectives–the boy, Peter, and the fox, Pax. I can’t remember reading a book told from the perspective of an animal in which is was not overly personified. Pax is a fox, a domestic fox, but a fox nonetheless. He has instincts and respects the rules of the forest. It was so interested and heartbreaking to read about the separation. I think many people can relate to a lost pet, but this story takes it in a new direction. Plus, you all know that here, at Jump Into a Book, we love our foxes!

The Girl with a Brave Heart: A Tale from Tehran by Rita Jahanforuz



As a baby, Shiraz’s mother died, and her father soon remarried, giving her a new mother and a sister to grow up with. But when her father died, everything changed. Shiraz’s stepmother forced her to do the household chores, and she grew apart from her sister, Monir. One day after finishing her chores, she was on the roof playing with a ball of yarn that was once her mothers when suddenly the wind took the yarn away, and it landed in a neighbor’s garden. Shiraz built up her strength and went to knock on the neighbor’s door. An old, scary lady answered the door and required that Shiraz complete a few chores before she was to get her yarn back. Instead of destroying everything like the lady asked, Shiraz cleaned and tidied and made beautiful. Shiraz was given the yarn back and told to dive three times into a clear pool and three times into a dark pool. When she had done so, she came out more beautiful than ever, looking so different that her sister and stepmother did not recognize her and almost did not let her in the house. After explaining her adventure, her stepmother threw a ball of yarn into the lady’s yard, took Monir to the door so that her daughter would be as beautiful as Shiraz. The woman again required Monir to do the same chores as Shiraz, except this time, Monir destroyed everything that Shiraz made beautiful. This time, the woman told Monir to dive in the dark pool first than the clear pool. When she returned to her house, she looked like a filthy beggar girl. It was then that Shiraz realized that the pools “don’t change the people who dip into them. They just make them look the way they feel on the inside.”

Opinion:
 I miss stories like these—stories about selflessness and caring. Many children’s stories today are transparent or hold simple meanings. The Girl with a Brave Heart is a truly beautiful story with a character that sees past a sad woman who demands destruction and instead realizes that what the woman truly wants is beauty. It is a rare talent to see the true hearts of people, and if children can learn from Shiraz, the world will be a much better place!
Tenzin’s Deer by Barbara Soros:

Tenzin, a young, loving boy who cares for all of earth’s creatures, one day finds a wounded Musk Deer with an arrow in its side. With his compassionate heart, he cannot simply leave this innocent deer to die, but he does not know how to help her. The deer, who he soon names Jamba, speaks to him, saying that the answer will come to him in a dream. And so all the answers he needs to heal Jamba completely come to him in a dream. He heals her everyday during the Tibetan people’s prayer time, praying too for his new friend. As Jamba grows stronger, Tenzin and Jamba bond, becoming the best of friends. They are seen everywhere together, until one night in a dream, Jamba tells Tenzin that it is time for her to go back to the wild. This breaks Tenzin’s heart, the thought of losing his best friend. But he knows she is right. The next day, Tenzin releases Jamba to her natural environment to be free like she was meant to be. But they never forgot each other, and Jamba still visits Tenzin in his dreams, praying “May no harm come to you. May you be at peace. And may your eyes be deep like the sea, your heart be solid like a mountain and your mind be free like the sky.”

Opinion:
As with all Barefoot Books’ stories, the tale of Tenzin’s Deer is absolutely beautiful with an educational undertone. Tenzin’s compassion displays an excellent for children, and his selflessness teaches a wonderful lesson. But this story also teaches us about the beautiful Tibetan culture, everything from its meaningful prayers to its healing ways. Paired with beautiful, boldly colored illustrations, Tenzin’s Deer is a story to share with everyone.

Something To Do


Activities inspired by Pax:

1. Make a Marionette like Vola:
     Vola loves her marionette puppets, even more so when Peter puts on a performance for her. Here’s a tutorial on how to make your own, non-wooden marionette.

2. Wood Working!
       This might be your next new favorite hobby! Wood working goes back centuries and is not just something you pick up and do. It’s a real craft. Vola had a knack for it, and so, as it seems, does Peter. What about you? There are tons of books and videos that can get you started on wood working so that you can carve your favorite animal or a beautiful bowl, maybe even a door! Here’s a tutorial “Woodworking for Beginners!”

3. Facts about Foxes
    – A group of foxes is a skulk or a leash
    – Foxes are characteristically known for their high leaps used during hunting. It’s the first thing kits learn in the wild.
    – Foxes can hear up to 40 yards away!
    – A male fox is a “dog fox” whereas a female fox is a “vixen”
    – Foxes hide food to eat later (you see Pax do this a lot).
    – Foxes live in dens underground for protection and to raise their litter.
    – A fox can run up to 30 miles an hour. Wow!

Activities inspired by The Girl with a Brave Heart


How to do a braided bun:

Grab three strands of hair and cross them over each other.
 Add a piece to the next strand and cross it over the middle strand.
 Add a piece to the next strand and repeat.
 Repeat steps until you have no more hair to add in.
 Braid down to the end of your hair and secure it with a band
 Pull the braid to the center of your head.
 Wrap it into a bun and pin with as many pins as necessary.

ARK—Act of Random Kindness: Although Shiraz’s chores were not random—she had a purpose—the kindness was random. The woman asked her destroy, not to fix. And in the end, Shiraz’s beautiful work made the woman happy. It is really easy to make someone’s day—pay them a compliment, do a chore for your parents that’s not on your list. Give someone a hug. Anything you can think of that will bring a smile to someone’s face.

Make your own vegetable soup (like Shiraz):

http://www.yummly.com/recipe/Roasted-vegetable-soup-304380



Activities inspired by Tenzin;s Deer

Make your own Tibetan Prayer Flag:



Learn more about Prayer Flags here.

One More Thing..

**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!

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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 4 Multicultural Chapter Books about Conquering Obstacles appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Need some summer science activities? Let’s head to the Lab!

It makes me very happy that there are so many science-inspiring books and activities for young readers these days. I was also recently lucky enough to have THREE excellent books from Quarto Publishing of this nature cross my desk-just in time for some summer learning fun for kids.

So without further ado, let’s head to the Lab!

Energy Lab-40 Exciting Experiments to Explore, Create, Harness and Unleash Energy by Emily Hawbaker

Energy Lab for Kids offers 40 discovery-filled and thought-provoking energy projects by Emily Hawbaker, a science educator from the NEED (National Energy Education Development) project. Each chapter contains scientific explanations, discoveries, and hands-on knowledge that make learning fun.

Energy Lab for Kids is more than just a random collection of science experiments that kids can do in the classroom, kitchen, or backyard. The goal: to explore and discover real energy solutions. The chapters cross all categories–from steam, electricity, and chemical reactions, to water, solar, and wind power, allowing kids to compare and test the different sources and to discover their strengths and failings. Why is one source of energy is more efficient for a one situation but not for another? How come two energy sources combined might work better than a single source? Which sources are renewable?

Math Lab for Kids-Fun, Hands-on activities for Learning with Shapes, Puzzles and Games by Rebecca Rapoport and J.A. Yoder

Make learning math fun by sharing these hands-on labs with your child. Math Lab for Kids presents more than 50 activities that incorporate coloring, drawing, games, and items like prisms to make math more than just numbers. With Math Lab for Kids, kids can:

– Explore geometry and topology with hands-on examples like prisms, antiprisms, Platonic solids, and Möbius strips.

– Build logic skills by playing and strategizing through tangrams, toothpick puzzles, and the game of Nim.

– Draw graphs to learn the language of connections.

– Discover how to color maps like a mathematician by using the fewest colors possible.

– Create mind bending fractals with straight lines and repeat shapes.

Kitchen Science Lab for Kids: 52 Family Friendly Experiments from Around the House by Liz Lee Heinecke

At-home science provides an environment for freedom, creativity and invention. In your own kitchen, it’s simple, inexpensive, and fun to whip up a number of amazing science experiments using everyday ingredients. Science can be as easy as baking. Hands-On Family: Kitchen Science Lab for Kids offers 52 fun science activities for families to do together. The experiments can be used as individual projects, for parties, or as educational activities groups. Kitchen Science Lab for Kids will tempt families to cook up some physics, chemistry and biology in their own kitchens and back yards. It’s the perfect resource for Girl Scout Brownies looking to earn their Home Scientist badges! Many of the experiments are safe enough for toddlers and exciting enough for older kids, so families can discover the joy of science together.

**I share books that I love (and that you may love too) on this site. If you happen to buy, I get a small cut, which is passed along to the admins who run my site 24/7.

Something To Do

My Head Elf, Becky, and her sweet daughter, Sara, decided to pull an activity out of each book to try at home. First up was the Fizzy Balloon Project from Kitchen Science Lab!

As you can see from the pictures, it was a huge success (and a fun learning experience)!

How about you? Would you like your kids to “head to the lab” this summer? If so you are in luck. I am giving ONE lucky winner all THREE Lab-inspired books! What a great way to keep young minds exploring all summer. Be below for the scoop

A Treasure Trove of Summer Reads | The Kid Lit Blog Hop is LIVE!

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KID LIT BLOG HOP-May 2017

 

Hello, welcome back to another month of terrific children’s literature. We welcome you to the June 2017 Kid Lit Blog Hop. This hop takes place every 3rd Wednesday of the month. It is designed to engage a  group of people who love everything that has to do with children’s literature. Everyone is welcome to join us: bloggers, authors, publicist, and publishers!
 
We have already seen some Summer books for kids around the blogsphere. Let’s show them off again on the blog hop and see what else you are reading!

 

Have you seen the  Kid Lit Blog Hopper Facebook fan page? This page has all the news and information related to the hop plus ongoing posts, giveaways, news articles, etc. related to Kid’s Lit. Check it out and of course, please like the page.

 

So for our hop, please make sure that your posts are related to children’s literature only and add it to the linky. (Please make sure to add your direct post only) If you are an author, feel free just to link to your blog. Once you are done, then hop around to visit others. Please follow the co-host and visit at least the one or two people above your link. Please leave a comment when you do visit, we all like those.
 
It would be appreciated if you grab the Kid Lit Blog Hop Badge and display it on your blog and/or your post. If you tweet and/or posted on Facebook about the blog hop, we can continue to grow this wonderful community.

 

Thanks for sharing your great children’s books with all of us!
We will be around to see you.
Happy Hopping!
Reading Authors
The Bookshelf Gargoyle
BeachBoundBooks
Pragmatic Mom
Jump Into A Book
 Carpinello’s Writing Page

For WordPress:

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Fort Ideas for Kids! (Activities for kids inspired by The Faraway Tree)

{Guest post from Donna Ashton}

A Note from Me (Valarie):

Donna is a special friend. We love creating, nature , and brainstorming on how to provide resources and activities for families. We’ve spent hours on the phone in great conversations and recently we’ve been working on a project together which we will announce very soon and share with everyone. It’s a very exciting time of creativity for us.

Donna is the mother of twin girls who she home schools using the Waldorf method. Her girls inspired her to dig deeper into the World of Waldorf and she created her business the Waldorf Connection wanting to help other families who have chosen the Waldorf homeschooling life.

Donna is also the author of the highly successful book The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook that is published by my publishing house, Audrey Press. She always a sources for imagination and learning activities so I asked her to pop by JIAB this summer and share a book pick and a fun activity that will bring her children’s book recommend to life.

Donna chose for her family read Enid Blyton’s The Enchanted Wood/Magic Faraway Tree series. Enid Blyton has always inspired our imaginations here and I have no doubt her books will do the same for your family.

 

Donna’s Review+Activity

Enid Blyton is a wonderful British children’s write who wrote hundreds of books.We were introduced to the Faraway Tree several years ago and it quickly became our favorite read aloud.The story is about three siblings Joe, Beth & Frannie whose family moves to the country. Upon exploring their new surroundings they discover the “enchanted woods”. They see gnomes, pixies fairies and the Magic Faraway tree which becomes the focus of the children’s adventures.

“Joe took a blue cushion, sat on it at the top of the

slide and pushed off. Down he went on his cushion,

his hair streaming backwards. Round and round and

round went the slippery-slip inside the enormous

trunk of the old tree. It was quite dark and silent and

last a long time, for the Faraway Tree was tremendously

tall. Joe enjoyed every second.”

There is so many things that could be taken from this book including acting out the different lands that the children visit at the top of the tree. Places like Land of Ice, Roundabout Land, Rockingland, The Land of Sweets, Land of Toys invite silly discussions and favorite adventures.

This was one series I enjoyed reading aloud to my girls each night. (And when my husband read, he had to tell me everything so I wouldn’t miss a thing!)

The book series is filled with magical recipes of sweets and treats that the children experience. Wouldn’t you like to visit the Land of Sweets?

Beth makes toffee which becomes Moonface’s favorite.

Activity Ideas for The Faraway Tree:

Plan a sleep-over in a tree fort or under a large tree.
Serve some of the tasty treats from the book.
Don’t forget the lemonade!

If you live in an area where outside tree forts are out of the question this time of year, check out these fun indoor fort ideas from our friends at TinkerLabs!

The Coolest Fort In Town

Here are 3 great outdoor Fort Ideas for Kids from Tinkerlabs

 

Donna Ashton is the creator and founder of The Waldorf Connection.  Her goal is to provide guidance and coaching for parents and homeschooling families. Created a global community for like-minded moms to connect and get inspired. You can find Donna at her The Waldorf Connection website, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

 

 

 

Homeschooling can be complicated and frustrating, especially if you are overloaded with information. The good news is that you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Donna Ashton’s The Waldorf Home School Handbook is a simple and step-by-step guide to creating and understanding a Waldorf-inspired homeschool plan. Within the pages of this all-in-one homeschooling guide parents will find information, samples of lesson plans and curriculum, helpful hints and the secrets behind the three Areas for Optimum Learning. Join Donna as she guides you through the Waldorf method and reveals how to educate your children in a nurturing and creative environment.

To learn more, or grab your copy of the Waldorf Homeschool Handbook go HERE.

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Weekend Links: #Kidlit books that make us want to head for the forest

Welcome to weekend links! I love this day because I get to share the best-of-the-best of what I have found on the Internet this past week. This week the sunning is shining brightly in Maryville and the flowers are in full bloom. Have you ventured into the woods lately? The forest is filled with tranquility, wildlife, flora and sweet clean air…it’s just a healthy and nurturing place to be. So as my desire to take a stroll among the trees grows, I’d like to share some books and activities below that will inspire us all to head for the forest.

If You Spent the Day with Thoreau At Walden Pond by Robert Buleigh: In this lovely picture book, Robert Burleigh and Wendell Minor imagine a special day spent with the celebrated writer and naturalist through the eyes of a child. Together Thoreau and the young boy watch small but significant wonders such as swimming fish, fighting ants, and clouds in the sky. It is a day full of splendor and appreciation of the outdoor world.

THIS STRANGE WILDERNESS by Nancy Plain. This wonderful books is the winner of the Spur Award for Best Western Juvenile Nonfiction and is an excellent of  biography of John James Audubon.

Did you know that you can tell how old a tree is by its rings? Check out KCEdventures Tree Rings and Dendrochronology: Science Project for Kids 

Visit kind-friendly Nature Sites Online:

Nature. Play. Trips. by GoExploreNature.com eases families into the outdoors with travel ideas, kid-friendly nature activities, and play-infused parenting

Earth Day Groceries Project – An easy, cost-free environmental awareness project. Students decorate borrowed grocery bags with environmental messages about reuse, recycling, wildlife, etc. The bags are then returned to grocery stores, and on Earth Day customers receive their groceries- along with the message that kids care about our environment- in the decorated bags.

Kids For Saving Earth (KSE), providingEnvironmental Education Curriculum for all ages.

Environmental education curriculum by mail and online for free at Kids For Saving Earth. Environmental

education topics such as conservation, endangered species, rainforests, forests, toxic waste sites, health issues, ecological concerns and more is covered on this website. Earth Day should be every day!

Nat Geo Kids inspires young adventurers to explore the world through award-winning magazines, books, apps, games, toys, videos, events, and a website, and is the only kids brand with a world-class scientific organization at its core. National Geographic Kids magazine (10 issues per year) and Little Kids magazine (six issues per year) are photo-driven publications and are available on newsstands or by subscription in print and on tablets.

Here’s some more great resources for parents and kids for Earth Day:

Earth Day Lessons, Worksheets and Activities

Earth Day 2012 – EnviroLink Resource Guide

Children and Nature Network

Reconnecting Kids With the Outdoors | The Conservation Fund

Outdoor games for kids | Nature activities for children and adults!

Protect our earth by learning to cherish it. I Love Dirt! presents 52 open-ended activities to help you engage your child in the outdoors. No matter what your location—from a small patch of green in the city to the wide-open meadows of the country—each activity is meant to promote exploration, stimulate imagination, and heighten a child’s sense of wonder.

Book-Jumper Summer Reading Series-The Great Redwood Tree Booklist

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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.

Meet you “in the garden!”

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International Fairy House Week with Nature, Fairies and Kids, YES PLEASE

June 21st-28th is International Fairy House Week!

“WHY” you say, is there such an event ?

Well, the fun and enchanting ideas of Building a Fairy House or Den helps raise awareness of the importance of nature and creativity in a child’s life. I have been a long-time advocate of “free range kids” and encouraging kids to be out in the fresh air and sunlight. Parents can achieve that with four words.

The words are simple; “Get outside and PLAY!”

Fairy house building is an excellent  way to kids’ interest and get them moving around in nature. It’s no secret that kids are spending less time outside in the sun and fresh air and more time indoors plugged into devices. Countless studies have shown that today’s children are suffering from “nature deficit syndrome” {a phrase coined by Richard Louv in his 2005 book Last Child in the Woods} and the lack of something  as simple as Vitamin D from the sun can lead to a variety of health concerns.

When my girls were little we use to watch this movie called Kristen’s Fairy House. Oh how they would watch this and then go up into our own garden and create a fairy garden just like Kristen.

Kristen’s Fairy House is now on DVD and it can be found on Amazon. Here’s a quick summary of the movie:

Just as seashells house the sound and spirit of the sea, so too the forest houses the sound and spirit of the legendary fairies. A 1997 Parents’ Choice Gold Award winner, Kristen’s Fairy House takes its viewers on a quiet journey of many unexpected discoveries. Young Kristen ventures into the peaceful surroundings of an island off the coast of Maine with her talented Aunt Tracy, a storybook artist. Together they explore a wonderful woodsy land dedicated to the creation of fairy houses. As the week–and Kristen’s own fairy house project–progresses, the two share simple moments of heartwarming pleasure: a cozy campfire, a breakfast of blueberry pancakes, a late-night waltz in their quaint cottage. The entire movie is shot as a documentary, narrated in retrospective prose by Kristen. Throughout the story, she learns the importance of viewing the world with an artist’s eye, appreciating beauty in the smallest packages. Its simple style, harmonious score, and inviting scenery make this short feature tremendously enjoyable for youngsters old enough to ponder the reality of fairies and adults young enough to let them. The videotape package includes a handout, illustrated by Aunt Tracy, that describes tips for building a fairy house like Kristen’s. Upon viewing, kids will probably want to dig right in and build their own.-Amazon review

By the time their little brother came along my daughters were master fairy house builders. And wouldn’t you know, one of the first books they read to their new little brother  was Tracey Kane’s Fairy Houses.

All as three kids grew, countless hours were spent gathering little pebbles, sticks in all sizes, and a variety of leaves,nuts, and flowers, depending on the season. When we would travel, we would bring back sea shells and mosses, anything that would enhance our fairy houses.

Then our girls grew up and went off to college. Never missing a beat, their little brother continue the Fairy House Project and has become a master builder in his own right.

So what IS a Fairy House?

Fairy Houses are small structures for the fairies and nature’s friends to visit. Sticks, bark, dry grasses, pebbles, shells, feathers, seaweed, pine cones and nuts are just some of the natural materials used. Ranging from rustic to intricate ‘Fairy Mansions’, these whimsical habitats are built by children, families, gardeners and nature lovers reflecting their creativity, joy and pride.–FairyHouses.com

While traveling to Maine a couple of years ago, our son met his dream and that was to find a fairy forest and Mackworth Island provided the perfect place to do this.

As far as the eye could see there were fairy houses. Each house a testament to it’s builder.

Our boy had to leave his own mark on this enchanted place. Gathering stones, bark, sticks,shells, and leaves he built the most beautiful place for a wonderful fairy family.

If you are ever in Maine, here are some places to go and visit as well as build fairy houses:

Coastal Maine Botanical Garden

Mohegan Island

Mackworth Island

The world is now building fairy houses as well. Have a look here to see photos of fairy house festivals as well as get some ideas of your own.

Something To Do:

I hope you’ve been inspired to go and build some fairy houses of your very own. It and quick and wonderful activity for kids that gets them outside into Nature. And where’s the best place to start? Why, your own backyard of course!

Find a quiet place away from roads and busy areas such as much traveled walking paths and trails. The base of trees is a very popular place, as well as leaning sticks and logs, drift wood or tree trunks. Large boulders or stones also make nice places to build your fairy houses.

Sticks, rocks, pebbles, moss, leaves, vines, flowers, nuts, pinecones,pine needles, small bush clippings, sea shells, and seaweed all make great building materials. As long as it’s natural it’s perfect for fairies and other friends of nature.

I found some great tutorials on WikiHow and FairyHouses.com if you need more guidance and inspiration

Side Note: Be respectful of plants that are growing. Try not to disturb plants that are still living, such as ferns, mosses and flowers. Fairies are careful not to harm anything that is growing.

Check out this Fairy Houses Pinterest Page!

 

**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!

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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

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Blast Off with a Curious George Gets a Medal #review & Awesome Rocket Craft!

{Guest post from Illustrator, Roscoe Welply}

Curious George Gets a Medal book review and Awesome Rocket Craft!

Our boys really love Curious George. And of their favorite “George” books is Curious George Gets a Medal.

In this classic story, George tries to write a letter—but, when he spills ink everywhere, his cleanup efforts fill the room with soap bubbles.

He also frees a pen full of pigs, rides a cow, hitches a ride on a pickup truck and crashes into a dinosaur! After repeatedly disastrous efforts to get himself out of trouble, George ends up being the first monkey in space which results in the happiest day of his life—he gets a medal, of course! May family loved this story so much we created a very special create-your-own Curious George rocket craft. Details below.

But first, a NOTE from Me (Valarie):

Roscoe Welply is a graphic and book designer that has been an important part of the JIAB/Audrey Press family for the last few years. Roscoe’s amazing graphic talents has allowed books like The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden, A Year in the Secret Garden and The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and The Chocolate Factory enhanced digital ebook to have a unique and enchanting look.

Many people are amazed when they find out The Ultimate Guide to Charlie was created by two people (graphic designer Roscoe Welply and myself) who live an ocean apart. We live in different parts of the world. I’m here in the States and Roscoe lives in France. This means we are in completely different time zones.

“How did you do it?” they ask.

“Thank goodness for modern technology!” is my common reply.

The bottom line is, we are thrilled that Roscoe agreed to be a part of our Family Book Festival a few years ago and let me assure you, he “hit it out of the park” with this amazing (and in-depth) Curious George inspired craft tutorial.

To this day, this post is one of our most popular so I thought now would be a perfect time to revisit this classic children’s book and character (and activity!) so parents can include this in their summer fun plans.

Roscoe pulled out all the stops and created this amazing Curious George Rocket Crafts Tutorial! Get ready for TAKE OFF! Vrrrooommmm!

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 For FREE instructions, patterns, directions, and pictures in an easy-to-follow pdf,  add your Email addy Below

Weekend Links- Sharing Outdoor Books and Crafts so kids #GetOutside

Welcome to weekend links! I love this day because I get to share the best-of-the-best of what I have found on the Internet this past week. This week the sunning is shining brightly in Maryville and the flowers are in full bloom. My work on area Secret Garden projects have kept me very busy, but also given me the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of nature. Here are some great activities and books that I have happened across this week that will help parents and kids #getoutside. Enjoy!

Last summer marked a BIG Happy Birthday to our National Parks! 100 years ago on August 25th, the National Parks were created to preserve the unique and wild areas of this vast and beautiful country. State Parks are abundant, educational and a great way to encourage hiking, learning and exploring. Here is a State Park Booklist that I did last year in honor of the occasion.

What’s abundant outside? ROCKS! Rock Painting Ideas – How To Get Started 

“‘Seeing animals in the wild delights me, and it’s that delight I want to share with my readers.’”-Nicola Davies

Nicola Davies is an English zoologist and writer. She was one of the original presenters of the BBC children’s wildlife programme The Really Wild Show. We LOVE her nature-themed books, Here’s a peek.

This  idea is a great one!

National Parks: Top 10 Kids’ Books from thechildrensbookreview.com

I’ll leave you with this parting thought-The 4 magic words that will make your kids happier in the long run #getoutside

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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.

Meet you “in the garden!”

The post Weekend Links- Sharing Outdoor Books and Crafts so kids #GetOutside appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Composting and Kids-It’s a “thing” (sustainable living books for kids)

My infatuation with science-themed books for kids continues!

This week, let’s talk about MICROBES. The tiniest creatures accomplish some of the biggest jobs on the planet and one of these jobs involves the act of Composting.

The thought makes some people shudder, but composting is an excellent way to help the health of our planet. Composting is nature’s process of recycling decomposed organic materials into a rich soil known as compost. Anything that was once living will decompose. Basically, backyard composting is an acceleration of the same process nature uses.

A family project of composting is also an excellent way to help kids understand science, microbes, gardening and conservation.

So, if you are not up for installing your own composting bin at your home at school, I highly recommend these books as a way to raise awareness of this helpful practice. Enjoy!

Compost Stew by Mary McKenna Siddals

From apple cores to zinnia heads, readers will discover the best ingredients for a successful compost pile! Kids everywhere are knowledgeable about the environment and climate change. Not only is composting becoming more common in households and residential gardens, but many school gardens feature compost piles, too. But how do you start a compost pile? What’s safe to include? Perfect for an Earth Day focus or year-round reference, this inviting book provides all the answers for kids and families looking for simple, child-friendly ways to help the planet.

Green Gardening and Composting by Molly Aloian

This informative title will inspire budding activists to go green in the garden! Accessible text and engaging photographs introduce composting and Earth-friendly gardening. Readers learn how to build a compost bin, what items to recycle in the bin, and how to use compost to start their own garden.

Zoologist and author Nicola Davies welcomes us into the microscopic world in her book Tiny Creatures The world of Microbes. 

Taking us on a journey through a microbe’s minute size, to their multiplying sills turning one microbe into millions, to their diverse shape forms, and the variety roles they play in the world, Tiny Creatures in an invitation to go exploring.

 

Using wonderful and clear analogies such as an antenna on an ant would need to be as big as a whale to see all the micro-organisms on its antenna. This book is beautifully illustrated by Emily Sutton and brings to life all of the amazing and cool facts about microbes. It supports the text wonderfully.

Davies focuses on the positive things that microbes do such as composting soil, making yogurt and helping to make our air good and clean to breathe.

We really like the part about germs which make us sick, how they multiply and how to prevent illness from happening in the first place.

I really loved this book because it leaves its readers in a state of wonder and has us wanting to know more about the invisible world of microbes.

Something To Do

How to Compost

In her book Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes author Nicola Davies shares with us that one of the ways microbes do their finest work is breaking down dead material into soil. Composting is one of the easiest ways to see this work up close. You, along with those microbes are going to create rich soil called humus to put into your garden.

Composting creates soil for plants filled with nutrients they need to flourish
Compost is made from items you usually throw away in your home.
Composting is Earth friendly as it reduces the garbage we send to the landfill.

Here’s how it works:

When organic scraps ( think green and brown) are put into a compost bin, the combination of nitrogen and carbon invite tiny microbes, insects, and worms to break down the organic matter into soil. This is called decomposition. The rich nutrient filled soil is called humus.

What Can You Put into a Compost Bin

1. Greens (Nitrogen) All vegetable and fruit produce, grass clippings, coffee grounds, and weeds that haven’t gone to seed.

2. Browns (Carbon) Dried leaves, paper towel/toilet paper rolls, newspaper, cardboard, paper egg cartons, and saw dust.

Other: I also throw in egg shells into my compost. It’s not a green or a brown but it breaks down wonderfully.

Keep a 50/50 balance of brown and greens in your compost bin.

3. Water  Compost needs water so that the microbes, insects, and worms can do their thing.

4. Air: Compost piles need air. If your compost bin is made our of chicken wire, no problem. If you have a closed container, you’ll need to stir it every few weeks with a compost stir pick.

How to make an easy Compost Bin

Once your compost bin has been built and you’ve started adding scraps and water to it, see how soon it is before you start seeing potato bugs, little flies, worms etc. Mark on a calendar daily what you see and how long it takes for the compost scraps to break down into humus.

Has your family tried composting and putting your own Tiny Microbes to work?

 

Would you like to discover more fun and nature-filled activities for your family?

How about some month-by-month activities based on the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden? A Year in the Secret Garden is over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. A Year In the Secret Garden is our opportunity to introduce new generations of families to the magic of this classic tale in a modern and innovative way that creates special learning and play times outside in nature. This book encourages families to step away from technology and into the kitchen, garden, reading nook and craft room. Learn more, or grab your copy HERE.

The post Composting and Kids-It’s a “thing” (sustainable living books for kids) appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

The Girl with a Brave Heart: A Tale from Tehran #kidlitbookreview

The Girl with a Brave Heart: A Tale from Tehran by Rita Jahanforuz is a traditional tale about a kind, wise Persian girl named Shiraz.




As a baby, Shiraz’s mother died, and her father soon remarried, giving her a new mother and a sister to grow up with. But when her father died, everything changed. Shiraz’s stepmother forced her to do the household chores, and she grew apart from her sister, Monir.

One day after finishing her chores, she was on the roof playing with a ball of yarn that was once her mothers when suddenly the wind took the yarn away, and it landed in a neighbor’s garden. Shiraz built up her strength and went to knock on the neighbor’s door. An old, scary lady answered the door and required that Shiraz complete a few chores before she was to get her yarn back.

Instead of destroying everything like the lady asked, Shiraz cleaned and tidied and made beautiful. Shiraz was given the yarn back and told to dive three times into a clear pool and three times into a dark pool. When she had done so, she came out more beautiful than ever, looking so different that her sister and stepmother did not recognize her and almost did not let her in the house. After explaining her adventure, her stepmother threw a ball of yarn into the lady’s yard, took Monir to the door so that her daughter would be as beautiful as Shiraz. The woman again required Monir to do the same chores as Shiraz, except this time, Monir destroyed everything that Shiraz made beautiful. This time, the woman told Monir to dive in the dark pool first than the clear pool. When she returned to her house, she looked like a filthy beggar girl. It was then that Shiraz realized that the pools “don’t change the people who dip into them. They just make them look the way they feel on the inside.”


Many children’s stories today are transparent or hold simple meanings. The Girl with a Brave Heart is a truly beautiful story with a character that sees past a sad woman who demands destruction and instead realizes that what the woman truly wants is beauty. It is a rare talent to see the true hearts of people, and if children can learn from Shiraz, the world will be a much better place!

Grab your copy of this delightful book HERE.

 **We share books that we love (and that you may love too) on this site. If you happen to buy, we get a small cut, which is passed along to the admins who run our site 24/7.
Something To Do

How to do a braided bun:

Grab three strands of hair and cross them over each other.
 Add a piece to the next strand and cross it over the middle strand.
 Add a piece to the next strand and repeat.
 Repeat steps until you have no more hair to add in.
 Braid down to the end of your hair and secure it with a band
 Pull the braid to the center of your head.
Wrap it into a bun and pin with as many pins as necessary.

 Knitting for beginners:

In this tutorial from the Queen of DIY, she showing you what you need to know to start knitting. Knitting is different from crocheting in that all stitches are comprised of either a “knit” or “purl”. Once you know these two stitches, you’ll be on your way to knitting like a pro! Get the full scoop here.
 

Look for an opportunity to ARK—Act of Random Kindness: Although Shiraz’s chores were not random—she had a purpose—the kindness was random. The woman asked her destroy, not to fix. And in the end, Shiraz’s beautiful work made the woman happy. It is really easy to make someone’s day—pay them a compliment, do a chore for your parents that’s not on your list. Give someone a hug. Anything you can think of that will bring a smile to someone’s face.

**We share books that we love (and that you may love too) on this site. If you happen to buy, we get a small cut, which is passed along to the admins who run our site 24/7.

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Recipient of the 2017 IBPA Ben Franklin Awards-Children’s/YA-New Voices GOLD Award!

Ascension by Hannah Rials

Enter this world of vampires, set in the south, and realize you are being pulled in more—and deeper—with each page.

Steeped in the mystery, intrigue and rich history of New Orleans and the secretive world of the Deuxsang, teen vampire, Cheyenne, and her forbidden love, Eli, embark on a very different, and vastly more dangerous, journey as the net of betrayal tightens around them. This intense and fresh novel is enchanting, engrossing and impossible to put down right up to the cliffhanger ending. Remember, the end is not the end.

What an extraordinary debut novel with new and intriguing twists on vampires—a strong female protagonist as one. I already can’t wait for book two.-Jill Murphy Long, author of The Conduit

This book is by the far the BEST YA/Adult fiction that I’ve read in a very long while. So exciting!-Rebecca F

The wait is over-Ascension is here! Thrilling and entertaining, like the experience on a crazy roller coaster. Hannah has grown into the most amazing writer. Watching her journey has been as much fun as holding the book in my hands. A “must read” for YA and thriller fans!-Valarie B

Get sucked in….

Grab your copy of Ascension HERE and visit Hannah on Facebook, Twitter and on her website.

The post The Girl with a Brave Heart: A Tale from Tehran #kidlitbookreview appeared first on Jump Into A Book.