Valarie Budayr's Blog, page 87

August 31, 2014

Weekend Links: Great Links to Inspire Young Minds

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It’s time for Weekend Links! This is my chance to share some of the amazing links, articles and resources that I have discovered throughout the course of the week…AND…there are some really, really good ones this week. Enjoy!

weekend links


 


Want to get those creative writing juices flowing in your child? Playful Learning has a great booklist of10 Books That Inspire Kids to Write


10-Writing-Books-Collage


10 Great Multicultural Children’s Books via Flavorwire


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Planet Smarty Pants has a wonderful blog post about helping kids learn about their heritage.


Here’s another awesome contribution (there has some TONS of good ones) for the Read Around The World Summer Reading Series If You’re Not From The Prairie…{Canadian prairies} Crystal’s Tiny Treasures


Multicultural Kid Blogs Summer Reading If You're Not From The Prairie


Around the World in 30 Books — A Trip Across the Globe – Inspire Creativity, Reduce Chaos & Encourage Learning with Kids


Arpimd the world in 30 books

Kid World Citizen had TWO wonderful topics: Using the Web to Take Virtual Field Trips – Kids World Citizen

AND … {LOVE these!}


Books about Immigrant Children- Kid World Citizen

In honor of school starting, PragmaticMom has 10 Perfect Read Aloud Books for 2nd Grade. What would you add?

What great reading links did you find this week?


 


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Published on August 31, 2014 06:28

August 29, 2014

Read Around the World Summer Series: Grandfather Tang’s Story

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We are so excited to be participating in Multi-Cultural Kids Blogs Read Around the World Summer Series.   You can find great reads on their Pinterest Page or just click on the logo below.

Read Around the World Summer Reading Series


I would like to share on of my favorite children’s books and activities. Making tangrams is something fun that kids can do by themselves or together with family. Grandfather Tang’s Story by Ann Tompert, is a wonderful story about two fairy foxes uniquely told in tangrams.


Grandfather Tang’s Story


“Kindergarten-Grade 4– Two competitive fox fairies go through rapid physical transformations until a hunter’s arrow reminds them of their true friendship. This original tangram tale is framed by the loving relationship between a grandfather and granddaughter as they share the story under the shade of an old tree, and culminates in a tangram of an old man and a girl likewise resting. Tangrams, ancient Chinese puzzles in which a square is cut into seven traditional pieces (each called a tan), are arranged into patterns used to help tell the story. Parker’s watercolor washes complement the text, adding energy and tension, as well as evoking oriental brushwork technique. However, the text is strong enough to stand on its own, and will be valued by storytellers and listeners alike.” –Carolyn Noah, Worcester Public Library, MA



tangrams


Fairy foxes are ancient animals indeed, just like all fairies. Fairy foxes can change shape into anything. The two fairy foxes in our story constantly challenge each other into changing from one animal shape to another.


First a rabbit and then a squirrel.


003


004


After a couple of easy animal changes they changed into a hawk to fly high in the sky.


tangrams


All was well as they continued to change from animals from land, sea, and sky. It was at the goose where problems arose.


Tangram


Come read this Tangram tale and find out how they work together to have a happy ending. This story is good for any age. Even my 12 yr old loved it and we all had an absolute blast playing our Tangram game. Read below to find out how.


Want to Create your own Tangram Story?:

This story lends itself nicely to a moment of Tangram play. Like building blocks, tangrams can teach kids about spatial relationships, can help kids learn geometric terms and develop stronger problem solving skills. Some of my teacher friends revealed to be that they also thing tangram play can assit in general mathematics as well. Tangrams is a very ancient Chinese game using 7 shapes.



2 large right triangles.
1 medium right triangle.
2 small right triangles.
1 square
1 parallelogram

Tangram activity


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Published on August 29, 2014 03:48

August 28, 2014

A Chair for My Mother Book Review & Activity {Guest Post from Vicki Arnold}

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My Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza is winding down, but I continue to be amazed at the high-quality and in-depth book reviews my guest posters have come forth with. This week is no exception either as Vicki Arnold from The Library Adventure joins us to share a wonderful book and activity that your family is sure to enjoy. Welcome, Vicki!

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A Chair For My Mother was written and illustrated by Vera B. Williams. This picture book is recommended for ages 4-8, but I used it with my 8-11 year olds and my 2 year old. My older children enjoy picture books still and I enjoy the conversation that can arise from the story lines. Experiencing a picture book with kids who can analyze the text and photos is completely different than experiencing it with a toddler or even a younger elementary student.


Vera B. Williams was born in California in 1927. She grew up and currently lives in New York City. At her parents’ encouragement, she studied art in high school and in college. She graduated Black Mountain College in 1949. Before becoming an author/illustrator, she taught in multiple alternative schools from 1953-1970. She then went on to write and illustrate many children’s books, for which she won several awards.


A Chair For My Mother is a 1983 Caldecott Honor Book and rightfully so. The illustrations are colorful and have a whimsical feel to them – childish, but not baby-ish. I particularly enjoyed the city block that illustrated the community coming together to help Rosa’s family.


The basic story line is about Rosa, her mother, and grandmother, though extended family and their community play a part, too. Sometimes after school, Rosa visits her mother at her work. Josephine, her mother’s boss, gives her jobs, too. All the change and half of Rosa’s earnings go into a huge jar.


We then find out that the jar is how the small family is saving money to buy a big, soft chair for mama to rest her feet in at the end of the day because all of their possessions had been destroyed in a fire and they only had the “hard kitchen chairs” to sit in. Ultimately, they save enough money and buy their dream chair.


There are a lot of themes you could pull from to discuss with children. Family is an obvious choice, financial hardships is another option. I chose a third.


In the middle of the book, there is a celebration of how the community comes together to help when the family of three moves into Rosa’s aunt and uncle’s basement apartment. The image of neighbors bringing what they could to give to someone who had lost everything is touching.


A Chair for My Mother


A Chair For My Mother Activity

I am all about simplicity. There is a time and place for elaborate crafts and activities, but I’m just not in a season of life for that right now. This activity is simple. We chose to focus on the kindness shown by Rosa’s neighbors. For this activity, you will need:



paper
pen or pencil

I also used a clipboard, but that’s optional. ;)


I labeled our paper with these headings:



Home
Family
Community/Neighbors
Strangers
Into the World

What we did next was to focus on ways we could serve or perform random acts of kindness in these areas. I’ll explain each section with a little more detail.



Home – We discussed ways they could bless the other members of our household. From my experience, this can be both the easiest and the hardest for kids. The easiest because these are the people they are in contact with each day so they have a better idea of what would be a help or blessing to those individuals. The hardest because it can be difficult to want to bless your siblings in certain seasons of life.
Family – This is where we put acts of service we could do for extended family members like grandparents, aunts and uncles, and cousins.
Community/Neighbors – Those around our home. The ones that we may or may not know all that well.
Strangers – We thought of the strangers that cross our paths as we go grocery shopping or run other errands. My kids ideas were simple, but, from experience, they often are met with the most encouraging responses. Things like smiling at strangers, holding open doors, and helping load groceries in cars.
Into the World – The last area we discussed was how we could have an impact globally. For us, this was pretty easy. Through our church we have knowledge of many ministries that work with many different demographics. We started with some that we already support (Operation Christmas Child) and then made a note to explore more ways we could help other ministries and demographics.

Finally, I challenged my kids to actually DO some of the items we listed or come up with another idea. Either way, I wanted them to actually serve, not just think or talk about serving.


You can find A Chair For My Mother at your local library or on Amazon (that is an affiliate link, you can learn more about them and why I thank you for your support here.)


 


Vicki Arnold from The Library Adventure


Vicki Arnold is the happily married, homeschooling mom of four children. She blogs about homeschooling, faith, and books at Simply Vicki. She is also the owner of The Library Adventure, where a great group of writers share their passion for books, literacy, and libraries! You can also find her and The Library Adventure on Pinterest pinning great resources for everyone.


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Published on August 28, 2014 03:42

August 26, 2014

Down Under Calling by Margot Finke Book Review and Penpal Activity

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I first became acquainted with Margo Finke via our Google + circles. There, we shared our love of kid lit, writing, and of course our love of Oregon. Margot, a native of Australia lives in Oregon which is also my home state. 

margot finke


If you only know one thing about Margot Finke let it be that she is a brilliant writer who grabs the readers attention from the first word.


Down Under Calling is a poignant story about Grandma Rose who lives in Australia and her grandson Andy Fraser who lives in Oregon. Reaching out over the miles through letters, Grandma Rose weaves heartfelt stories and memories which create a connection to her grandson so far way.


Down Under Calling by Margot Finke


As the letters go back and forth we learn of Grandma Rose’s attempts to save a joey (kangaroo), of Andy having to move to a small apartment because his father loses his job and of the many childhood memories that Grandma Rose has of Australia.


At the beginning of the story Andy’s mom has to force him to write a letter to his grandmother. But thanks to Grandma Rose’s very entertaining letters, Andy is soon converted into an ardent letter writer himself. Grand Rose inspired Andy to explore nature around him with his friend Kelly and to share his adventures with her. 


We greatly enjoyed the very humorous letters between Andy and his grandmother. It brought back memories I shared with my own grandma. Another element we greatly enjoyed in Down Under Calling is learning about Australia. Margot Finke through her character Grandma Rose shares many delightful details and the sheer beauty and diversity of Australia. The natural life, geography, and traditions are all wrapped up in this beautiful story.


We were sad to see this book end. It left us wanting to go to Australia but more importantly it had us looking for people to write letters to. This is a page turner of a read which is not to be missed. Margot also offers up great teacher resources and a “fun facts” for kids page based on all of her wonderful books.


 


 Something To Do

Let’s write some letters. You can choose a favorite relative and/or choose a pen pal who lives somewhere else on the planet. Here are a couple of safe kid pen pal sites.


Students of the World


 


Friendship By Mail


 


To know more about pen pals and how to make sure your children are safe, here’s a great blog post from Kid World Citizen. It has some amazing ideas and insights on how to keep your children safe while connecting with the world through mail.


 


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Published on August 26, 2014 04:15

August 24, 2014

Weekend Links: Feeling Artsy and Craftsy

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weekend-links


Wow! Is summer flying by FAST :( My oldest has been back to school for two weeks now yet it’s still been a struggle for us to get back into the groove of things. Anyone else having that problem? Are your kids due to go back to school soon?


As always it’s time for Weekend Links. This is my chance to share some of my top picks and favorite links that I discovered in my weekly Internet travels. I am sure you will love some of these as well. Enjoy!


Feeling artsy? Check out these 10 crafts from around the world: In the Playroom


crafts



How gorgeous are these!!?? 30 Cool Art Techniques for Kids from Buggy & Buddy!


Playful Learners: 10 Play Ideas For a Rainy Day


rainy day activities


Gotta love a good ‘ol cardboard box! 50 THINGS YOU CAN DO WITH A CARDBOARD BOX at The Kids Activities Blog


 


cardboard crafts


Make a Schultute (German School Cone) for the first day of school! Kid World Citizen


81914Make_a_Schultute_Germany


I don’t have a tutorial or a link for this, but I thought it was such a beautiful first day of school activity!



Here’s the motherload of craft ideas from The Artful Parent.


500 art ideas


 


 



What great finds did you discover this week?



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Published on August 24, 2014 04:05

August 22, 2014

A Peek into Thailand {Guest Post from Stephanie Kammeraad of Mama-Lady Books}

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My Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza is winding down, but I continue to be amazed at the high-quality and in-depth book reviews my guest posters have come forth with. This week is no exception either as the always-creative Stephanie from Mama-Lady Book shares an amazing book pick with JIAB readers. Enjoy!

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A Peek into Thailand

By Stephanie Kammeraad of Mama-Lady Books


I love sharing stories from around the world with my children and students.  I educate our two children at home, and I love that I can incorporate great books that are both mirrors and windows* for them throughout our days.  I also coordinate and teach at a heritage camp each summer, which is a week-long day camp for children adopted internationally to learn more about their birth country and the birth countries of others.  I’ve had children in my classes over the years who were adopted from China, South Korea, Thailand, Ethiopia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Kazakhstan, Russia, Mexico, Peru, Guatemala (where our son was born), and Colombia (where our daughter was born.)  It has been such a delight to discover and share stories and activities with them about these countries!

One of our favorite book discoveries has been The Umbrella Queen by Shirin Yim Bridges, illustrated by Taeeun Yoo.


Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza


This heartwarming story is about a little girl named Noot who has shown that she is now skilled enough to paint her own umbrellas, just as her mother does.  The story is set in a tiny village in northern Thailand, where villagers have been making and painting paper umbrellas for hundreds of years.  Noot’s mother shows her how to paint flowers and butterflies on the umbrellas, and although Noot copies her mother’s work beautifully, when she is finally given five umbrellas of her own to paint, Noot paints the elephants that dance into her mind.  All afternoon she sits and joyfully paints elephants on her umbrellas, until her mother notices and sternly reprimands her for deviating from what has always been and must continue to be painted.  Disappointed, Noot concedes, knowing that “Painting umbrellas wasn’t just for fun.  It was work to help feed the family.”


Every day after that Noot dutifully paints her umbrellas with flowers and butterflies, but in the evenings she takes the scraps of bamboo from her father and the mulberry paper from her grandmother to make doll-sized umbrellas just for her, on which she paints the elephants that bring her delight.


The tradition in her village is that every New Year’s Day, the woman who has painted the most beautiful umbrella is chosen as the Umbrella Queen and leads the villagers in a big umbrella parade.  This year, the villagers decide to invite the King to come to choose the Umbrella Queen, as he has decided to spend the winter in his nearby winter palace.  Two weeks before New Year’s Day, the King accepts their invitation!


When the day finally arrives, the villagers set out their most beautiful umbrellas along both sides of the road for the King to inspect as he comes through.  He stops in front of Noot’s house, gives a compliment to her mother for the beauty of her umbrellas, but then notices some tiny umbrellas in the window sill behind her.  Upon questioning, Noot admits to painting them.  When asked why, and what is wrong with painting flowers and butterflies, Noot respectively responds with, “I like elephants.”


The smiling King then takes her hand and pronounces Noot as this year’s Umbrella Queen “because she paints from her heart.”


Shirin Yim Bridges has written this delightful story that I’ve witnessed being enjoyed as a read-aloud by children between the ages of five and ten.  Shirin grew up in a Chinese-speaking family in California, but has traveled the world and lived in many countries.  She is an author of numerous picture books as well as an award-winning publisher of Goosebottom Books, an independent publishing company that has published three different successful non-fiction and historical fiction series: The Thinking Girl’s Treasury of Glorious Goddesses, The Thinking Girl’s Treasury of Dastardly Dames, and The Thinking Girl’s Treasury of Real Princesses.


Although Noot is not a “real” princess or queen, I believe her story is just as important to read, to remind ourselves and our children to be proud of who we are, to be true to ourselves, and to share our talents with those around us.  This reminds me of the famous words of author Marianne Williamson in her book, Return to Love: “We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world…We are all meant to shine, as children do…And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. “ Yes?  Then let’s go!


Let your children’s creativity shine as they paint from their heart!  Here are two activities that you can do as a follow up to reading The Umbrella Queen.


1. Paint nylon umbrellas with fabric markers or acrylic or tempera paint. (I used washable tempera paint with my students.) Just make sure that you lay down a covering for your workspace (newspaper, a plastic tablecloth, etc.) I provided large stencils for the kids to use for those who were interested, but most just painted “free style!” To purchase nylon umbrellas, check out: http://www.orientaltrading.com/diy-white-umbrellas-a2-56_9027.fltr?Ntt=umbrella.


mamalady1


mamalady2


Make and decorate paper umbrellas of various sizes.  Simply cut out a circle (free-hand or by tracing something round), and then make a single cut from anywhere on the outside edge into the center of the circle.


Grab hold of the circle on either side of the slit you just made and place one side over the other, creating a cone.  Glue the cone into place, trim off any edge that you might need to trim off, and you have the umbrella canopy!  Now is the time to decorate it Make and decorate paper umbrellas of various sizes.  Simply cut out a circle (free-hand or by tracing something round), and then make a single cut from anywhere on the outside edge into the center of the circle.


Grab hold of the circle on either side of the slit you just made and place one side over the other, creating a cone.  Glue the cone into place, trim off any edge that you might need to trim off, and you have the umbrella canopy!  Now is the time to decorate it using markers, paint, crayons, gluing sequins on, etc.  Once dry, it’s time to attach the pole, which can be a plastic drinking straw, a tooth pick, or a bamboo skewer (most authentic) depending upon the size of your umbrella’s canopy.  Place glue (white or hot) on the top of the “pole” and glue into place.  Voila!  A paper umbrella!


mamalady3


For a further peek into Thailand, my list of recommended picture books set in Thailand can be found here: http://www.mama-lady-books.com/thailand.html.


* “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors” by Rudine Sims Bishop: http://www.rif.org/us/literacy-resour...


Mama-lady books


Stephanie Kammeraad is a writer, book-lover, and home educating mama of two.  She is also a passionate multicultural children’s book advocate which you can see on her blog Parenting and Teaching Multiculturally (http://www.mama-lady-books.com/parent...), on her website Mama-Lady Books (http://www.mama-lady-books.com/), and on her Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/Mama.Lady.Books).  As a former Special Education teacher, Stephanie now facilitates multicultural story times, school book fairs, and presents professional development sessions for early and elementary educators.  Her husband and children live in Grand Rapids, MI but you can often find them traveling throughout their home state, across the country, and beyond!


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Published on August 22, 2014 04:07

August 14, 2014

Jumping Jack by Germano Zullo Book Review & Activity {Guest Post by Hannah Rials}

Send to KindleJack and his rider Roger Trotter are a star combo.

Jumping Jack

People come from all over the world to see this dynamic duo jump the course. But suddenly, Jack can no longer jump. He’s tripping all over the trail, wedging himself between rails, basically losing his tail. Roger doesn’t know what’s wrong with his partner. The doctor’s say his boo-boos aren’t causing him problems. The psychiatrist says he’s just a little tired–he just needs a week of relaxation. Now after a bit of R&R, it’s time for the biggest competition of the year. Roger and Jack think they’re ready…but are they? What will come of the dynamic duo? Will they reclaim their title and prestige? Or is Jumping Jack done jumping forever?

Jumping Jack is an adorable story with uniquely wonderful illustrations. I love the loyalty, friendship, and sense of confidence portrayed by Jack and Roger. Learning not to give up on your dreams no matter what is an important lesson for children to grasp, especially now. Keep this story in your back pocket when your child is down.

Activities:
1. Set up your own jump course. Grab anything you can think of to jump over–a stool, bench, really big pillow. But here’s a good idea: take it outside. Mom won’t appreciate leaping all over the house.

 *note-Games for Kids Under Five has a Foot work / coordination drills: Horse Show Jump Parcour Preschool Learning Activities!





2. Make your own race horse with an old pool noodle here with Mrs. King Rocks  

pool noodle ponies

3. CandiQuik has some some simply adorable Triple Crown Cookies!

triple crown horse cookies

Born in the hills of Louisiana and raised in the mountains of Tennessee, Hannah Rials is a eighteen year-old aspiring author and editor. She’s been writing short stories since she was a little girl, but for the past several years, she has been writing, editing, and reediting a novel of her own that she hopes to publish in the near future. 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. Visit Hannah’s blog or find her author page on Facebook.
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Published on August 14, 2014 04:10

August 10, 2014

Weekend Links: Fun With Food and other Summer Exploits for Kids!

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It’s time for Weekend Links! Here are the best and the brightest goodies I have found in my weekly internet travels. Enjoy!

weekend-links


 


Puerto Rican Food and Culture-Multicultural Kids Blog


Puerto-Rican-Food-and-Culture


Storytime Ideas:  Mo Willems’ Books at Growing Book by Book


Storytime-Ideas-Mo-Willems-Books


Make a Mud Pie Kit from Recyclables – Kids Activities Blog 


DIY Mud Pie Kit


Cimarrona: YA Novel of A Young Woman Freedom Fighter in Nineteenth Century Cuba – at All Done Monkey


Cimaronona


BACK TO SCHOOL is LOOMING. How about some Books About Starting Kindergarten from Coffee Cups and Crayons.


starting kindergarten books


In case you missed it, last week we had two wonderful guest bloggers stop by JIAB and share some multicultural books and activities!


If you were Me and Lived in…by Carole P. Roman {Guest Post from Squishable Baby}


If-you-were-me-and-lived-in-series-of-boks


Discovering The Cree Culture in America-Wild Berries by Julia Flett Review & Activity! (Guest Post from Felicia at Stanley and Katrina)


cristina2


What great links did you discover this weekend.


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Published on August 10, 2014 03:39

August 8, 2014

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly by Simms Talback {Guest Post by Hannah Rials}

Send to KindleGuest Post by Hannah Rials

Every mother and grandmother have heard the poem of the old woman who swallowed the fly.

fly

It is ridiculous of course, but how can you help but share this enjoyably silly poem with your children? Simms Talbac’s Caldecott Honor books brings life to this crazy old woman with her crazy illustrations and entertaining side notes. Now we get to see what goes on inside the stomach of the woman who swallowed the horse, cow, dog, cat, bird, spider, and fly. Kids will love these crazy illustrations and every night will want to hear the story of the crazy old lady who swallowed the fly and went to the ends of the earth to have that fly taken care of. Don’t let this story die along with the crazy old lady!

Fun Activities to bring this crazy old lady to life:

1. Make your own Fly-eating Matryoshka (or Russian Nesting) Dolls:

blank russian nesting dolls
      What You’ll Need:
         -A blank wooden set (which can be found on Amazon or maybe at local craft stores)
         -Gouche or acrylic paint
         -Varnish
      What to Do:
         Well, instead of making the traditional Russian Nesting dolls (young women), you are going to paint the poor old lady and all the critters she swallowed.
             1. First is the old lady herself, pictured here. But she can look however your imagination sees her.
             2. The amount of nesting dolls you have dictates how many of the old lady’s critters you can have her swallow. But if you have enough for them all, nest is the horse
             3. Then the Cow
             4. The Dog
             5. The Cat
             6. The Bird
             7. The Spider
             8. And finally, the Fly that started it all.

      After you paint all the critters, let the paint dry and cover them in your varnish. Once they are dry, you are free to play with your own “The Old Lady Who Swallowed the Fly” nesting dolls! Have fun!

One More Fun Activity!

Swallow your own fly with these fly cookies from the Bearfoot Baker.
*
*
fly cookies

What fun “The Old Lady Who Swallowed the Fly” activities have you found?

Hannah Rials
Born in the hills of Louisiana and raised in the mountains of Tennessee, Hannah Rials is a eighteen year-old aspiring author and editor. She’s been writing short stories since she was a little girl, but for the past several years, she has been writing, editing, and reediting a novel of her own that she hopes to publish in the near future.  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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Published on August 08, 2014 04:12

August 5, 2014

Fiesta Fiasco by Ann Whitford Paul {Guest Post by Frances from Discovering the World Through Her Son’s Eyes}

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Can you believe it’s AUGUST already?! Summer is almost over and our Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza is winding down. To say I have been blessed by amazing guest bloggers during this even would be an understatment and today’s post is no different. I’d like to give a huge “Thank You” to Frances from one of my favorite multicultural blogs for being a part of the fun. Welcome, Frances!

 


Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza


 


Fiesta Fiasco by Ann Whitford Paul {Guest Post by Frances from Discovering the World Through Her Son’s Eyes}


Title: Fiesta Fiasco


Author: Ann Whitford Paul


Illustrator: Ethan Long


Age Range: 4 and up


Grade Level: Preschool and up


Paperback: 32 pages


Publisher: Holiday House 2007


Language: English some Spanish words


 


About the author


Author Ann Whitford Paul loved reading for as long as she can remember. Her inspiration for writing children’s book came upon years of reading bedtime stories to her three children. She studied sociology at Northwestern University and the University of Wisconsin, and social work at Columbia University.   She’s published 19 different award-winning books.


 


About the book


Fiesta Fiasco is set in the desert where everyone is getting ready for a party!   It’s Snake’s birthday, and his friends, Iguana, Tortoise, and Rabbit are shopping for presents to bring to his fiesta. Instead of getting gifts for Snake, Rabbit convinces them to buy a shirt, pants, and hat. At the fiesta Snake is disappointed because they’re gifts that he couldn’t use. They weren’t for him after all!   The sneaky Rabbit takes it away, and tries them on. Snake is so upset that he asks Snake to go away.


 


Review


The children’s book Fiesta Fiasco was given to my son on his birthday as a gift. It could not have come at a better time for both of us! One because it was our child’s birthday, and he just had a fiesta; and two because it was a new book for me to review for the Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza.


 


My child loves books with animal characters in it, and I love it because although it’s in English it has various Spanish words throughout the book. Therefore, helping my bilingual child expand his Spanish vocabulary words. The glossary at the beginning is a major plus for Spanish vocabulary word building, and pronunciation.


 


The book’s illustration are colorful and whimsical appealing to our eyes. This is a tale about friendship, learning from our mistakes, and forgiveness. We both enjoyed Fiesta Fiasco!


 


Activity


With this book the possibilities for activities are endless. Life lessons and relationship skills, science, math, literature and Spanish can be learned from this book.


 


Little one and I talked about what he got for his birthday fiesta. I asked how would he feel if someone gave him a gift and took it away? We talked about feelings, and how Rabbit made things right by coming back with the gifts that Snake would love to have. Rabbit had made a mistake, and Snake forgave him.


 


We also talked about the different habitats of the animals. Comparing the desert with the rainforest, and discussed the different types of animals that live there.


 


We practiced simple math skills with play money. I asked him how many dollars would I need to buy a camisa (shirt)? If it was $6, how many $1 or $5 bills did he need to give me.


 


We reviewed the Spanish words using flash cards and making mini-books in Spanish.


Fiesta Fiasco


 


This book was truly entertaining, and fun! My son laughed most of the time, and I was all smiles!


 


For more extension activities you can visit the author’s website, and download free printables to use with this book.


Discovering the World Through My Son's Eyes


Frances is a part-time blogger, mommy and wife of a beautiful multicultural familia. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a certification in Human Resources. She blogs about heritage, culture, bilingualism, multicultural children’s books, and Discovering the World Through My Son’s Eyes, hence the name of her blog.   You can connect with her onFacebook, Twitter,Google +, and Pinterest.


 


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The post Fiesta Fiasco by Ann Whitford Paul {Guest Post by Frances from Discovering the World Through Her Son’s Eyes} appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

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Published on August 05, 2014 04:08