Valarie Budayr's Blog, page 73
June 5, 2015
The Book-Jumper Summer Reading Series and a Secret Garden Booklist Giveaway
Welcome back!
As part of our Book-Jumper Summer Reading Series and Secret Garden week here at Jump into a Book we are giving away a Frances Hodgson Burnett Book Collection. The author of the Secret Garden penned over 40 books and we’re giving away some of her 4 most known and well loved classics plus a copy of our own A Year in the Secret Garden. It holds 12 months of wonderful activities, recipes,crafts, games,character and historical background information.
A Secret Garden Booklist Giveaway
The Secret Garden
A beautiful and timeless story about friendship, secrets, and the power of the human spirit, The Secret Garden tells the story of orphaned Mary Lennox, who is sent to live in her uncle’s house on the Yorkshire moors. With the tragic death of her uncle’s wife ten years earlier the house is an unhappy one. Miserable and lonely, Mary starts to explore the house’s gardens and soon discovers a key to the secret garden her uncle had sealed off. There she discovers a secret so important, so enchanting, that it will change her life forever.
A Little Princess
Alone in a new country, wealthy Sara Crewe tries to settle in and make friends at boarding school. But when she learns that she’ll never see her beloved father gain, her life is turned upside down. Transformed from princess to pauper, she must swap dancing lessons and luxury for hard work and a room in the attic. Will she find that kindness and generosity are all the riches she truly needs?
A little background information from Frances Hodgson Burnett herself:
THE WHOLE OF THE STORY
I do not know whether people realize how much more than is ever written there really is in a story—how many parts of it are never told—how much more really happened than there is in the book one holds in one’s hand and pours over.
Stories are something like letters. When a letter is written, how often one remembers things omitted and says, “Ah, why did I not tell them that?” In writing a book one relates all that one remembers at the time, and if one told all that really happened perhaps the book would never end. Between the lines of every story there is another story, and that is one that is never heard and can only be guessed at by the people who are good at guessing. The person who writes the story may never know all of it, but sometimes he does and wishes he had the chance to begin again.
When I wrote the story of “Sara Crewe” I guessed that a great deal more had happened at Miss Minchin’s than I had time to find out just then. I knew, of course, that there must have been chapters full of things going on all the time; and when I began to make a play out of the book and called it “A Little Princess,” I discovered three acts full of things. What interested me most was that I found that there had been girls at the school whose names I had not even known before. There was a little girl whose name was Lottie, who was an amusing little person; there was a hungry scullery-maid who was Sara’s adoring friend; Ermengarde was much more entertaining than she had seemed at first; things happened in the garret which had never been hinted at in the book; and a certain gentleman whose name was Melchisedec was an intimate friend of Sara’s who should never have been left out of the story if he had only walked into it in time. He and Becky and Lottie lived at Miss Minchin’s, and I cannot understand why they did not mention themselves to me at first. They were as real as Sara, and it was careless of them not to come out of the story shadowland and say, “Here I am—tell about me.” But they did not—which was their fault and not mine. People who live in the story one is writing ought to come forward at the beginning and tap the writing person on the shoulder and say, “Hallo, what about me?” If they don’t, no one can be blamed but themselves and their slouching, idle ways.
After the play of “A Little Princess” was produced in New York, and so many children went to see it and liked Becky and Lottie and Melchisedec, my publishers asked[vii] me if I could not write Sara’s story over again and put into it all the things and people who had been left out before, and so I have done it; and when I began I found there were actually pages and pages of things which had happened that had never been put even into the play, so in this new “Little Princess” I have put all I have been able to discover.
Little Lord Fauntleroy
“But only be good, dear, only be brave, only be kind and true always, and then you will never hurt any one, so long as you live, and you may help many, and the big world may be better because my little child was born. And that is best of all, Ceddie, — it is better than everything else, that the world should be a little better because a man has lived — even ever so little better, dearest.”
Frances Hodgson Burnett’s conviction that love conquers all is memorably embodied in this classic rags-to-riches tale of an American boy who is transported from the mean streets of nineteenth-century New York to the splendor of his titled grandfather’s English manor; A Year in the Secret Garden
A Year in the Secret Garden
Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters have co-created A Year in the Secret Garden to introduce the beloved children’s classic, The Secret Garden to a new generation of families.
This guide uses over two hundred full color illustrations and photos to bring the magical story to life, 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.
Giveaway! One Lucky Winner will win ALL FOUR BOOKS!
GIVEAWAY DETAILS
ONE winner will receive a copy of each of the fours books. Giveaway begins June 5th, 2015 and end June 21st.
Prizing & samples courtesy of Authors of the above books
Giveaway open to US addresses only
ONE lucky winner will win one copy of each of the above books (A Little Princess, The Secret Garden, Little Lord Falteroy and A Year in the Secret Garden).
Residents of USA only please.
Must be 18 years or older to enter
One entry per household.
Staff and family members of Audrey Press are not eligible.
Grand Prize winner has 48 hours to claim prize
Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on June 22nd
Can’t wait? Enjoy more 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!”
The post The Book-Jumper Summer Reading Series and a Secret Garden Booklist Giveaway appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
June 4, 2015
School is OUT…Let the Book Jumper Summer Reading Series BEGIN
Welcome to the first week of Book Jumper Summer Reading Series! This is my way of inspiring parents who are looking for creative ways to keep their kids reading this summer!
Our summer reading program will be a combination of some really neat things. All of our protagonists are girls or women and most of our showcased authors are women as well. I will be offering up a combination of themed weeks, great novels, booklist giveaways, and blog post recaps so be sure and stop by to discover more wonderful ways have A Bookjumper Summer while Exploring Our World and Beyond!
“Where you tend a rose, my lad, a thistle cannot grow.”
We here at Jump Into a Book are jumping into a new area that we have yet to explore: we are reviewing The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.
Obviously, we know everything there is to know about our beloved classic children’s book. However, we realized that while we have written a whole novel jumping into The Secret Garden, we have yet to actually review it. So here we go!
From the Desk of Hannah Rials
Mary Lennox is an unpleasant, ugly, selfish child who is disliked by everyone who has come into contact with her. Her lifestyle in India has made her a spoiled child ready to order everyone around and have her way absolutely. When her absentee mother and father and the rest of her Indian household are all killed by an outbreak of cholera, she is sent to live with her hunchbacked, mysterious uncle in the moors at Misselthwaite Manor. Her uncle’s English household is appalled at her lack of manners and her inability to care for herself. They cannot see past her yellow, ugly manner. She has no appetite; she at first despises the moor and the English people who serve her and do not understand her way of living.
However, the more time she spends at the Manor, the more she listens to her maid Martha’s stories, the more she transforms. Her discovery of her uncle’s secret garden, locked away with a buried key, shows her the beauty of life. She becomes kind and gentle, aided by her belief in magic and her interactions with Martha’s brother Dickon, the charmer of all animals.
Misselthwaite is just an odd place. There is magic and there is mystery. When Mary begins to hear mysterious crying in the middle of the night, and after never quite receiving a straight answer from anyone in the household, she, and her complete lack of respect for authority, decided to explore the manor and discover the other secret of Misselthwaite–Master Craven’s son, Colin Craven, the diagnosed invalid who is most certainly going to die. Plagued by chronic hypochondria, Colin is an absolutely insufferable child who commands that everyone obey his every command since he is eventually going to die, whether from a crooked back, an outbreak of some disease, or his own thought. Once Mary and he discover each other, the rest of the household realize that the two cousins are kindred souls. She is the only one stubborn and selfish enough to let his own selfishness bounce off of her. Only she can calm him when he bursts into one of his fits or tell him when he is being ridiculous. Soon, Mary begins to trust her young cousin with her most precious secret: the secret garden.
With the help of Mary, Dickon, Ben Weatherstaff, and all of the creatures of the garden, Colin begins to come alive during his time in the garden. His epiphany gives him determination to live so that, when his father returns, he can show him that he is not an invalid. He is in fact, a young, healthy boy who is going to be an athlete and a scientific discoverer…a scientist who believes in the power of magic most certainly. In the secret garden, he learns to walk, run, plant, exercise, and love life.
The secret garden is a magical place where dead things come alive–plants, animals, an even small, unpleasant children.
I must admit, even though I helped with the creation of A Year In the Secret Garden, I had never actually read a full copy of The Secret Garden, only the abridged version from Great Illustrated Classic when I was a very little girl. I must say, reading it as an adult, I LOVED it! This is a beautiful story with wonderful ideas that all children should be taught. Now that I’ve started gardening in my own garden, I was able to appreciate the amazing magic of the secret garden. If this book somehow managed to slip through your reading repertoire as a child, as it did in mine, go back and read it. I think this would be a marvelous story to read aloud with your kids too. You just can’t ignore Mary Lennox and Colin Craven. They will not allow it!
Interesting Facts about Frances Hodgson Burnett:
After her father died when she was young, her mother moved their family from Manchester England to Knoxville, Tennesse, a short drive from JIAB’s home base.
Frances began writing stories when she was a young child, however, her mother forced her to burn her stories before they moved to the United States.
Frances’ adult home in England was named Great Maytham Hall.
She too had a passion for gardening like her young characters in The Secret Garden.
Spiritualism and Christian Science became a major aspect of her life after her oldest son died. She worked these ideas in the novel through Colin’s power of positive thinking.
Throughout her writing career, Frances wrote 124 novels.
A Look At author Frances Hodgson Burnett’s Home in England
Here’s an excerpt from a great article on the topic written by Into The Book:
Mrs. Burnett apparently got the idea for the book while staying at the home between 1898 and 1907. She spent hours wandering through the gardens and observing its inhabitants. The little red robin that shows Mary Lennox the way to the hidden garden door actually appeared in real-life to Frances who found a hidden door of her own, giving her the idea for the story! (I’d like to meet this clever robin!) Read the rest of this interesting story HERE.
What was YOUR favorite part of the classic The Secret Garden? Have you read A Year In the Secret Garden yet? If so, what has been your favorite activity thus far? Please share in the comment box below!
Enjoy more 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. AND, it’s on sale for a limited time! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” Grab this book on Amazon http://amzn.to/1DTVnuX
The post School is OUT…Let the Book Jumper Summer Reading Series BEGIN appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
June 1, 2015
Honoring Helen Keller: A Helen and Annie Booklist
It was on this day {June 1} 1968 that Helen Keller died in Westport, Connecticut at the age of 87. Blind and deaf from infancy, Keller circumvented her disabilities to become a world-renowned writer and lecturer.
Helen Adams Keller was born on June 27, 1880, on a farm near Tuscumbia, Alabama. A normal infant, she was stricken with an illness at 19 months, probably scarlet fever, which left her blind and deaf. For the next four years, she lived at home, a mute and unruly child. You can read more about Helen’s life here.
I have greatly loved the story of Helen Keller all of my life. On several occasions I’ve had the chance to bring the story of Helen Keller to life for my children and our friends. Each time it is a deeply moving experience as we walk into the world of the blind and deaf.
Recently I had the pleasure of picking up Annie and Helen by Deborah Hopkinson with illustrations by Raul Colon at our indie bookstore Union Street Books.
The inspiring story of Annie Sullivan and her student Helen Keller has captured the hearts and imaginations of people for over a hundred years. This beautiful picture book, with excerpts of Annie’s own letters to her former teacher Mrs. Sophia C. Hopkins, shares the trials, joys, and inspirations of teaching Helen.
The telling of this story lends well to young readers as Annie opens Helen’s mind by making the world her classroom and we get to learn right along side her. Inside the pages of this well crafted story we discover Helen learning sign language, and learning to read and write in braille. It is because of Annie’s help that Helen Keller grew up to be the advocate for special needs people and a most accomplished woman of her time.
Other Helen Keller Reads:
Who Was Helen Keller? by Gare Thompson and Nancy Harrison
Helen Keller (Scholastic Biography) by Margaret Davidson and Wendy Watson
History for Kids: The Illustrated Life of Helen Keller by Charles River Editors
Helen Keller (Young Yearling Book) by Stewart Graff and Polly Anne Graff
Helen Keller: The World in Her Heart by Lesa Cline-Ransome and James Ransome
Helen’s Big World: The Life of Helen Keller by Doreen Rappaport and Matt Tavares
Annie Sullivan and the Trials of Helen Keller (Center for Cartoon Studies Presents) by Joseph Lambert
Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller by Sarah Miller
Have you read any of these books? Have you read them as a family? Share your thoughts and experiences with us!
**Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links.
Want to enjoy 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 Honoring Helen Keller: A Helen and Annie Booklist appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
May 31, 2015
Weekend Links: Keeping Kids in the Reading Habit this Summer
As usual, I have seen a TON of great activities, booklists and suggestions from other bloggers involving Keeping Kids in the Reading Habit this Summer during this last week and I’d like to share my favorites with you today. Enjoy!
8 Tips to Prevent the Summer Reading Slide at Growing Book By Book
24 Books That Will Captivate Your Kids This Summer via Huffington Post Parents
Kim at I’m Not the Nanny has an awesome blog post on 18 Diverse Children’s Chapter Book Series for Summer Reading
Multicultural Children’s Blog has their own wonderful reading series called Read Around the World Summer Reading Series. Quality blogger from all over the blogasphere are offering up their choices on multicultural books for kids so please stop by, click a few, and find some excellent new reads!
Hot giveaway and booklistat PragmaticMom! 10 Books to Expose Kids to a Foreign Language
I also wanted to share a few guest posts from last summer’s Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza because there were some true gems during those 2014 summer months. Here are a few
Read A Book, Travel The World & Make A Wish {Guest Post from Gladys Elizabeth Barbieri}
The Adventures of Achilles by Hugh Lupton and Daniel Morden {Guest Post by Hannah Rials}
Stand Tall, but Read All Around! Book Review and Activity {by Shannon Medisky}
AND…::drum roll: my 2015 Book-Jumper Summer Reading Series kicks of June 4th! I promise to offer up exciting, creative, unique and innovative ways to keep your kids reading this summer. There will be many book reviews, giveaways and crafts to keep those little minds active while school is out. The fun starts June 4th so be sure and stop back!
Sale Ends May 31st!
The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook: The Simple Step-by-Step guide to creating a Waldorf-inspired #homeschool. And for a limited time, this best-selling book by Donna Ashton, The Waldorf #Homeschool Handbook is now only $17.95 until May 31st, 2015 ! http://amzn.to/1OhTfoT
Enjoy more 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. AND, it’s on sale for a limited time! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” http://amzn.to/1DTVnuX
Your choice, $17.95 each!
The post Weekend Links: Keeping Kids in the Reading Habit this Summer appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
May 26, 2015
The Little Red Hen by Mary Finch {Guest Post by Hannah Rials}
The Little Red Hen by Mary Finch
‘The lazy rooster and mischievous mouse can’t be bothered to help the Little Red Hen tend her ear of wheat. They can’t be bothered to help her take it to the miller either, or bake it into bread. But when her loaf of warm, fragrant bread is ready, the Little Red Hen is not at all inclined to share it with them. The rooster and the mouse soon mend their ways!-Amazon
My Summary:
A rooster, a mouse, and a little red hen all lived together in a small barn. When the hen finds a grain of wheat, she decides to plant it, unfortunately without the help of her friends. Each time, she asks for their help in the next step to making bread, and each time they respond, “Not I!” Undaunted, the little red hen makes bread all by herself, and when the time comes to enjoy her delicious creation, she refuses to let her friends taste it. They did not help, so they do not get to try the bread. This teaches them a lesson. When it was time to plant again, the mouse and rooster helped with everything, and they all enjoyed the warm, tasty bread together!
My Opinion:
This wonderful retelling of Margarot Zemoch’s The Little Red Hen is beautiful, clearly displaying the lesson of working together. The lovely illustrations are unique and extremely appealing. Included is a story CD narrated by actress Debra Messing and a recipe to make your own delicious bread! Enjoy!
Something to Do Crafts:
Create own Your Little Red Hen (Using a Red Solo Cup) using the instructions from River’s Edge Curriculum
Create Bread Dough Animals- Using the bread recipe in the back of the book, make your dough into fun shapes. (like our dragon bread featured HERE ).
3. Plant Your Own Red Hen Wheat in these Dirt Cups with Wheat Hair:
Remember planting grass seeds in a cup of dirt, and when the grass was grown, drawing faces on the cups and pretending the grass was hair. Same idea, just plant wheat seeds to grow hair of gold.
Born in the hills of Louisiana and raised in the mountains of Tennessee, Hannah Rials is an eighteen year old aspiring author and editor. Now a freshman in college, she’s been writing short stories since she was a little girl, but for the past several years, she has been writing, editing, and re-editing a novel of her own that will soon be published by Audrey Press. Hannah has always loved reading and the world of books. With a librarian grandmother who can tell the most magical stories, how could she not fall in love with the written word? Her library collection and love for books grows every day.
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The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook: The Simple Step-by-Step guide to creating a Waldorf-inspired #homeschool. And for a limited time, this best-selling book by Donna Ashton, The Waldorf #Homeschool Handbook is now only $17.95 until May 31st, 2015 ! http://amzn.to/1OhTfoT
Enjoy more 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. AND, it’s on sale for a limited time! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” http://amzn.to/1DTVnuX
Your choice, $17.95 each!
The post The Little Red Hen by Mary Finch {Guest Post by Hannah Rials} appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
May 24, 2015
Weekend Links: Great Booklists that are Just in Time for Summer Reading
Welcome to Weekend Links! This is my chance to share what I consider some of my my ‘top finds’ that I have discovered over the course of the week. This week there was a plethora of delightful and timely booklists for kids that are just in time for summer reading. Enjoy!
21 Picture Books with Diverse Characters from Erica at What Do We Do All Day.
Children’s Books About Being Different at Cutting Tiny Bites
Read and Learn About Mexico at Planet Smarty Pants
Thirteen FUN Geography Books for Kids @edsnapshots
Kids Books About Telling the Truth by @artsy_momma
20 Kids Crafts & Activities Inspired by Books at KCEdventures
12+ Books about Botany for Kids at Study at Home Mama
Best Books for Middle School at Research Parent
Top 10 Roald Dahl Book List ~ With Go-Along Activities @Creekside-Learning
Over 20 Children’s Books about Weather (Fiction and Nonfiction) @buggyandbuddy
The Spring Sale has been EXTENDED! I have two of my most popular books on a super special sale until May 31st!
The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook: The Simple Step-by-Step guide to creating a Waldorf-inspired #homeschool. And for a limited time, this best-selling book by Donna Ashton, The Waldorf #Homeschool Handbook is now only $17.95 until May 31st, 2015 ! http://amzn.to/1OhTfoT
Enjoy more 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. AND, it’s on sale for a limited time! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” http://amzn.to/1DTVnuX
The post Weekend Links: Great Booklists that are Just in Time for Summer Reading appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
May 18, 2015
#DrewToYou -A Fun and Bookish Way to Honor Nancy Drew
In real life the phrase, “get a clue” wouldn’t necessarily be a complimentary one. But in the life of fictional super-sleuth Nancy Drew, it’s a staple in everyday life.
May begins the celebration of icon Nancy Drew’s 80th birthday. This fictional teenager was hip, fun-loving, popular, responsible and also an amateur sleuth. If she were a real person, she would be 98 years old! This wildly popular series was created in the 1930’s and supposedly written by author Carolyn Keene. The series was incredibly popular and to date there have been more than 500 books written involving teenage sleuth, Nancy Drew. This character remains a generational favorite with today’s readers.
But who is Carolyn Keene, author of the Nancy Drew mystery stories? And how did it all begin? I remember many rumors as a child that Carolyn Keene was not a real person and the series was actually ghostwritten. Lo and behold, I’ve now discovered that was true!
It all began with Edward Stratemeyer, a writer and publisher of books for kids. He had so many exciting ideas he didn’t have enough time to write them all. So he hired writers called ghosts to bring his stories to life. So truth-be-told, the Nancy Drew books were written by ghost writers and Stratemeyer gave all of them the name Carolyn Keene. The main creative force behind this prolific series was a young woman named Mildred Wirt Benson. She was born in 1905 and grew up in a small town in Iowa. A tomboy, Mildred craved adventure and often joined the boys playing sports. One of her favorite things to do was read. She read everything she could get her hands on from classic books to kids’ books like Peter Rabbit and Little Women. (source-LA Times)
In summary, Stratemeyer asked Mildred to write “The Secret of the Old Clock” -the first Nancy Drew book. Bensons did so and began to form the mystery “formula” that is so prevalent in the series. Benson then wrote the second and third books in the series; “The Hidden Staircase” and “The Bungalow Mystery,” which were published 1930 when Benson was only 24. She would go on to write 23 of the first 30 Nancy Drew books (volumes 1-7, 11-25 and 30).
Nancy Drew became a hit and by 1934 was outselling boys’ series like the Hardy Boys and Tom Swift. Now, 80 years later, there have been more than 500 Nancy Drew mysteries written and no end in sight for America’s favorite teenage sleuth.
Over the last few weeks, not only have I read quite a bit of wonderful information about this delightful series, I’ve noticed many, many adult readers piping up with a mention of their favorite Nancy Drew books along with just as many comments about, “I still have my series from childhood!” Many of us who were Nancy Drew fans in our younger years still have our collections and have saved them for the sole purpose of passing them on to our own kids. I just love the fact that this iconic series is not only quality reading for young minds, but also have become “keepsakes” for generations of families to enjoy.
So with that in mind I wish to rally all Nancy Drew readers young and old! I would love to see YOUR Nancy Drew books/collections, learn which ones were your favorites and hear how they have become a valued asset in your life. For the rest of May, I invite readers to share photos of their favorite Nancy Drew books along with the hashtag #DrewToYou on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. What a fun way to share a piece of your life and your love of books with thousands of like-minded readers!
I am very excited to not only see your favorite Nancy drew picks, but I have planned to highlight some of the best ones in my weekly Jump Into a Book series Weekend Links.
So get ready to, “show us your Drew!” #DrewToYou
More Nancy Drew resources and articles can be found HERE
Sale!!
Let’s celebrate the wonderful upturn in the weather with a Super Spring Sale! I have two of my most popular books on a super special sale until May18th!
The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook: The Simple Step-by-Step guide to creating a Waldorf-inspired #homeschool. And for a limited time, this best-selling book by Donna Ashton, The Waldorf #Homeschool Handbook is now only $17.95 until May18, 2015 ! http://amzn.to/1OhTfoT
Enjoy more 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. AND, it’s on sale for a limited time! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” http://amzn.to/1DTVnuX
Your choice, $17.95 each!
The post #DrewToYou -A Fun and Bookish Way to Honor Nancy Drew appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
May 14, 2015
Nature and Summer-At-Home Summer Nature Camp eCurriculum is HERE!
Looking for a unique way to keep your kids busy this summer…and engaged with nature? The At-Home Summer Nature Camp eCurriculum is available for sale!
A creative, affordable alternative to pricey summer camp, this 8-week eCurriculum is packed with ideas and inspiration to keep your kids engaged and happy all summer long. In one easy-to-follow PDF, you receive eight kid-approved themes, each including ideas and tutorials for: outdoor activities, indoor projects, arts & crafts, recipes, field trips, books & media, and more. Every weekly theme is packed with summer nature fun your family can have right in your own backyard!
Themes include: An Edible Garden, The Night Sky, At the Beach, A Spot in the Shade, Ponds & Frogs, Rain Rain, Wildflowers & Bees, and Sun Fun.
Want a sneak peak of what’s inside? First, let me tell you that every week includes guest contributions from some really incredible, creative mamas. Here’s a sampling of their projects:
A DIY Telescope by Sarah at Imagine Childhood
Homemade Honey Ice Cream by Ashley at Small Measure
Raindrop Watercolor Painting by Kara at Simple Kids
Book & Media Suggestions hand-selected for every theme by Valarie at Jump Into a Book
Make a Solar Oven by Amy at Mama Scout
Plant a Pizza Garden by Suz at Slow Family Online
Pitch a Backyard Tent by Heather at Shivaya Naturals
Take a Puddle Walk by Debi at Go Explore Nature
Go on a Farmer’s Market Scavenger Hunt by Shawn at Awesomely Awake
Kid-Tested Herb & Yogurt Veggie Dip Recipe by Leah at Skill It
A City Bus Tour Field Trip by Erin at Exhale. Return to Center
Stock a Nature Study & Play Bag by Gina at Connecting Family & Seoul
Small World Beach Play by Kat at Creative Playhouse
Of course, there are plenty of A Natural Nester projects & ideas too, including: At-the-Beach Touch Tanks, Rainy-Day Cheesy Croutons & Tomato Soup Recipes, Build a Bee Condo, Blast Off to Outer Space (A Virtual Field Trip), and much more! And to tie it all together, I’m including two all-summer-long bonus projects: Keep a Nature Journal and Create a Curio Cabinet to help your little naturalists learn to observe, collect, and record the objects and events of their natural world.
It’s going to be loads of fun, and a resource you can use for years to come. And the best part…it’s really affordable. Pay only $39.99 for all 8 weeks – that’s just under $5 a week folks! So, now you know why I’m jumping out of my skin to share this new project with you…
For a few more details, and to pre-order your
At-Home Summer Nature Camp eCurriculum, Click here to visit A Natural Nester.
**these links are affiliate links
The post Nature and Summer-At-Home Summer Nature Camp eCurriculum is HERE! appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
May 13, 2015
Secret Garden Wednesday:: Strawberry Fields Forever and a Sale!
Hello and welcome to our Secret Garden! Every Wednesday you can drop by here and find new and special happenings in the Secret Garden. There will be crafts, great food, fun and laughter. So please be sure to come by and see us in our Secret Garden created just for you.
Ah, finally the weather has turned warm, the sun is shining upon us and yes folks, the strawberries have ripened!
I can just imagine the great thrill that Colin and Mary must have felt in those first few days of summer sun that washed over their secret garden and lavished them with flowers in full bloom and wonderful wild strawberries hidden in the beds.
As we venture further into The Secret Garden it’s time to get outdoors, and pick ourselves some berries. We’ll be making jam for sure but who could resist strawberry shortcake.
Here’s a look at our berry picking day along with a little help from The Beatles. Don’t forget the strawberry short-cake at the end. You’ll also find a great recipe for strawberry jam in A Year in the Secret Garden
Strawberry Fields Forever……
What would you think if I sang out of tune,
Would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ears and I’ll sing you a song,
And I’ll try not to sing out of key.
Oh I get by with a little help from my friends,
Mmm, I pick some yummy berries with a little help from my friends,
Mmm, I’m gonna try with a little help from my friends.
Strawberries are in y’all. Have a great day!
Strawberry Shortcake Southern Style
Ingredients
2 (16-oz.) containers fresh strawberries, quartered
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
1 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup cold butter, cut up
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 (8-oz.) container sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
1. Combine strawberries, 1/2 cup sugar, and, if desired, almond extract. Cover berry mixture, and let stand 2 hours.
2. Beat whipping cream at medium speed with an electric mixer until foamy; gradually add 2 Tbsp. sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Cover and chill up to 2 hours.
3. Combine flour, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl; cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender or two forks until crumbly.
4. Whisk together eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until blended; add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Drop dough by lightly greased 1/3 cupfuls onto a lightly greased baking sheet. (Coat cup with vegetable cooking spray after each drop.)
5. Bake at 450° for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden.
6. Split shortcakes in half horizontally. Spoon about 1/2 cup berry mixture onto each shortcake bottom; top each with a rounded Tbsp. chilled whipped cream, and cover with tops. Serve with remaining whipped cream. Garnish, if desired.
Strawberry Jam Shortcakes: Prepare recipe as directed. Before topping shortcake bottoms with strawberry mixture, stir together 1/4 cup strawberry jam . Spread cut sides of bottom shortcake halves evenly with jam mixture. Proceed with recipe as directed.
Have you missed the last few Secret Garden Wednesdays? These are too much fun not to read!
Secret Garden Wednesday: Building a Bee Watering Hole
Secret Garden Wednesday: Robin Cake
Secret Garden Wednesday: Studying the Class of Hunger
Secret Garden Wednesday: Planting Time
Secret Garden Wednesday: Book-Inspired FUN
Secret Garden Wednesday: Perfectly Good Porridge
Secret Garden Wednesday: Garden in a Jar
Secret Garden Wednesday: Rosapalooza
Secret Garden Wednesday: Sticky Toffee Pudding
Sale!!
Let’s celebrate the wonderful upturn in the weather with a Super Spring Sale! I have two of my most popular books on a super special sale until May18th!
The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook: The Simple Step-by-Step guide to creating a Waldorf-inspired #homeschool. And for a limited time, this best-selling book by Donna Ashton, The Waldorf #Homeschool Handbook is now only $17.95 until May18, 2015 ! http://amzn.to/1OhTfoT
Enjoy more 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. AND, it’s on sale for a limited time! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” http://amzn.to/1DTVnuX
Your choice, $17.95 each!
The post Secret Garden Wednesday:: Strawberry Fields Forever and a Sale! appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
May 12, 2015
A Symphony of Whales Book Review- A Lyrical Whale-of-a-Tale
Last week I put the below video on my personal Facebook page. I was completely awe inspired by the communication between these instrumentalist and the whales. So inspired I put on my Facebook that I’d like to have this very experience !!!
Fellow book-lover Mia Wenjen of PragmaticMom wrote on my Facebook wall that I just had to read, A Symphony of Whales. I went out and got it immediately. Oh how right she was. This book is simply a captivating.
“Inspired by a true story, in the winter of 1984-1985, nearly three thousand beluga whales were found trapped in the Senyavina Strait of Siberia, a narrow body of water crossing the Bering Strait from Alaska. With the bitter cold, the water was freezing rapidly. In places the sea ice was twelve feet thick. For seven weeks, the people of the Chukchi Peninsula and the crew of the icebreaker Moskva risked their lives to save those whales. Against all odds, they succeeded.” Steve Schuch
Woven into the story is a tale about a little girl named Galshka who has a special gift. What if you had the gift to hear the centuries old song of the Whales? Glashka has this gift but with great gifts comes great responsibility. Glashka has always been able to hear music in her head, and the “old ones” of the village tell her she hearing the voice of Narna, the whale. Narna has long been a friend to her people. Glashka uses her gift to find the trapped whales and then through the gift of song discovers the secret to saving them.
Author Steve Schuch, a musician, turns this story into a lyrical and imaginative telling of a real life event. Equally as stunning are artist Peter Sylvia’s exquisite oil paintings which capture the story in texture and light and transport us to the harsh and stark environment of Siberia. Sylvada captures the changing story through light, texture, and movement.
We’re so appreciative to our friend Mia for suggesting this book. How special it is to be inspired by something and then given the gift of further inspiration in a book. Big thank you to you Mia Wenjen.
On our bucket list is to see a whale up close and personal, not in captivity but out there in the deep blue sea.
Somethings To Do
Whale Song
Acoustics is a major area of study for whale researchers. The humpback whales’ song is probably the most complex in the animal kingdom. Researchers study their songs and use this information in many areas of marine research and technology.
The humpback song, which is made up of repeated themes, can last for up to 30 minutes and some humpbacks sing for hours at a time! Only the males sing and all male humpbacks in the same region sing the same song. The song itself changes over time, making it different from year to year. The songs generally occur during the breeding season, suggesting that they are related to breeding. But researchers are still asking why do male humpbacks sing?
Whale Hearing
In addition to singing, humpbacks also hear well. Sound is exceptionally important to marine mammals living in the ocean (a very noisy place). Hearing is a well-developed sense in all cetaceans, largely because of the sensitive reception of waterborne vibrations through bones in the head. Take a look at the size of a whale’s head compared to its entire skeleton. You will notice that the head comprises up to one third of the total body length. The whale ear is a tiny opening that closes underwater. The bone structure of the middle and inner ears is modified from that of terrestrial (land-based) mammals to accommodate hearing underwater.
Let’s Dissect the Song
Humpback whales produce moans, grunts, blasts and shrieks. Each part of their song is made up of sound waves. Some of these sound waves are high frequency. If you could see these sounds, they would look like tall, pointed mountains. Whales also emit low frequency sound waves. These waves are like hills that are wide spread apart. These sound waves can travel very far in water without losing energy. Researchers believe that some of these low frequency sounds can travel more than 10,000 miles in some levels of the ocean!
Sound frequencies are measured in units called Hertz. The range of frequencies that whales use are from 30 Hertz (Hz) to about 8,000 Hz, (8 kHZ). Humans can only hear part of the whales’ songs. We aren’t able to hear the lowest of the whale frequencies. Humans hear low frequency sounds starting at about 100 Hz.
Whale Songs Similar to Other Animals
Researchers have noted that whale songs sound very similar to the songs of hoofed animals, such as. Elk (bugleing), cattle (mooing), and have more than a passing resemblance to some of the elephant noises. One of the leading researchers into humpback whale sounds, Katy Payne, also studies elephant sounds and has found similarities between these two species.
Where are Sounds Produced?
The larynx was originally thought to be the site of sound production in cetaceans but experiments on live, phonating dolphins showed that the larynx does not move during vocalizations. Instead there are structures in the nasal system including the nasal plug and the elaborate nasal sac system which move when sound is produced, although the exact site of the sound generation is still debated. You can read more about this fascinating subject in book called BIOLOGY OF MARINE MAMMALS, by Reynolds and Rommel.
Try This!
You can find the sound files to do this experiment here.
Listen to the humpback songs. Can you tell which parts of the songs are the higher frequencies (short and high pitched) and which are the lower frequencies? How would you describe these songs in words? What do the songs remind you of? How are the three songs similar and how are they different?
A whale’s low frequency sounds can travel up to 10,000 miles. Take out your globe, and using the scale of miles on the key, explore how far this distance is. Imagine you are a whale; how far can you sing?
Listen To Music Inspired by the Whales
As we create a play list of whales and about whales we simply have to start with A Symphony of Whales author Steve Schuch who is also a violinist and composer. On his website he has this link which has him playing violin with the whales. It’s perfect to have playing while reading A Symphony of Whales.
Other additions to our playlist include:
Songs of the Humpback Whales by Roger Payne
Whales Alive by Paul Winter/Paul Halley
Whale Music by David Rothenberg
“And God Created Great Whales” by Alan Hovhaness
The Whale by John Tavener
Ocean by Kenny Larkin Flute Music with Humpback Whale Songs
More Inspirations
Author Steve Schuch was so inspired by this story that he created a piece of music called Whale Trilogy. Then came the book A Symphony of Whales. Here’s a great interview about his inspirations on this story and music incorporated into story.
Looking for a unique way to keep your kids busy this summer…and engaged with nature? The At-Home Summer Nature Camp eCurriculum is available for sale!
This 8-week eCurriculum is packed with ideas and inspiration to keep kids engaged and happy all summer long. It offers 8 kid-approved themes with outdoor activities, indoor projects, arts & crafts, recipes, field trip ideas, book & media suggestions, and more. The curriculum, now available for download, is a full-color PDF that can be read on a computer screen or tablet, or printed out. Designed for children ages 5-11, it is fun and easily-adaptable for all ages!
The At-Home Summer Nature Camp eGuide is packed with ideas & inspiration to keep your kids engaged all summer long. This unique eCurriculum is packed with ideas & inspiration from a group of creative “camp counselors.” Sign up, or get more details, HERE
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