Valarie Budayr's Blog, page 88

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

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I received a copy of this series in exchange for a thorough and honest review. The opinions stated herein are 100% my own. This post contains an affiliate link.

 

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Do you like going on trips, getting packed up, and discovering new and exciting things? I certainly do. I love meeting new people, learning a new language and experiencing new food!

Here is a way of doing all that and more – minus the packing up and getting on a plane part!

Before we go, how about we make a passport to keep track of all the new places we venture to? Don’t forget to grab your passports and put it in your suitcase. We are going to need it since we are going on a trip around the world!

Carole P. Roman’s new series, If you were Me and Lived in… is a child’s journey around the world. It’s a fun way of learning about different customs, including those from France, Portugal, Russia, Australia, Turkey, India, Kenya, Norway, and South Korea.

When you first open the book, your child will see a map of the country and it’s capital city. Then, it will show him/her where it is located on the globe. The author then gives information a child would be interested in, such as – friends names, what they would eat when they visit, what you would call your mom and dad, popular places to visit, and special holidays and happenings. In the back of each book, it hows how to pronounce each word – so they can say it correctly!

All of the books in this series are interactive. It asks questions…

When Daddy tucks in at night, you always say; “Amo-te paizinho (a-mo-te pa-i-nho)

Can you guess what you are saying to your pai (pay)?

In the list of definitions in the back, it will give your child the answer.

For my family, these books were a great jumping off point for acquiring further information. In the book on France, the author talked a bit about Bastille Day. So, from there, we talked about the French Revolution and Marie Antoinette. I don’t know about your kids, but my kids love to learn about a good beheading.

Sigh.

If you are adventurous in the kitchen, the author talks about the food your child will experience. If you look up some new recipes on the internet, it will add value to the experience. In the book on Kenya, she talks about Chapati being served with a barbecue of beef or goat called nyama choma and mixed vegetables. It can be made very simply.

 

My Children’s Favorite If Your Were Me and Lived In… Book

 

My children’s favorite book was If You Were Me and Lived in…Kenya. They read it over and over. They immediately identified that all the people in this book were brown, which I thought was very interesting.

We learned all kinds of fascinating things about Kenya! One thing mom liked, most of the toys would be handmade. When we visit Kenya, the kids would be creating their own entertainment by gathering wire, sticks and cloth to make Galimoto. No Nintendo’s, YAY!

 

Don’t forget to stamp your passport with a drawing of something you learned about the country before you leave. It’s very important so that you child can remember when he or she has been and also make the experience their own!

 

 

 

 

Lisa aka, The Squishable Baby is primarily interested in the educational development of young children. She is a homeschooling mom to 3 and blogs education, health, and picture books. You can catch her on her blog – The Squishable Baby or on Facebook or Pinterest.

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

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Is summer flying by or what??!! Hard to believe in a little over a month our thoughts will be turning to lunches, backpacks, school supplies and homework. In the meantime, Jump Into a Book wants to continue to soak up every drop of this precious summer and that includes continually sharing amazing multicultural children’s books and complimenting activities to cultivate learning and fun time as a family.

Last week we were visited by one of my favorite young bloggers and authors and this week we are honored with another! Felicia “Neighbor Girl” along with her wildly-talented mom and assistant “Cool Mom” have joined us on JIAB and are sharing another wonderful book for the Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza. Felicia currently aspires to be a movie director when she grows up. Her first book is The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets and you may visit her characters online at www.StanleyAndKatrina.com. Enjoy!

DISCOVERING the CREE NATION THROUGH BLUEBERRIES

Title: Wild Berries

Author/Illustrator: Julie Flett

Year Published: 2013

Publisher: Simply Read Books

Pages: 32

Age Level: Pre-school – 3 years. In addition, it is a great way to introduce The Cree culture to older children.

Summary : Share the journey of Clarence and his grandmother picking wild blueberries. As they do their work, they meet ant, spider and fox in a beautifully illustrated landscape, the ancestral home of author and illustrator Julie Flett. This book is primarily written in English with words shared in the Cree n-dialect, also known as Swampy Cree. The publisher has also made “Wild Berries” available completely in the n-dialect.

 

WILD BERRIES

The illustrations drew us in, and the fact that we knew nothing about Swampy Cree sealed the deal. We do not study much about the Cree culture in America (at least where we live) but over 200,000 Cree live in communities in Canada and the northern United States.

 

This is a simply written book which contains powerful translations of key words into Swampy Cree on each page. We found it fun to attempt to say the word at first, then checked the pronunciation guide in the back of the book – boy, were we wrong. ;0)

Julie Flett’s illustrations perfectly accompany her text. She also included notes about the specific Cree dialect used in the book, and a recipe for wild blueberry jam in the final pages.

 

ACTIVITY:

You may, of course, do an activity related to the animals in the book but we wanted to do something related to the culture. We settled on an activity that would get us out in nature (as the book is set), and created a small Teepee, and canoe which we found on ehow. This was our result:

Julie Flett’s illustrations perfectly accompany her text. She also included notes about the specific Cree dialect used in the book, and a recipe for wild blueberry jam in the final pages.

 

SUPPORTING ONLIne ACTIVITIES:

Check out this teacher created, elementary level resource that includes the Cree culture:  http://www.spiritsd.ca/learningresources/FNM%20Resources/GR3%20Cree%20and%20Nisga’a%20Integration%20Document,%20Done%20June%2014.pdf

Learn how to tell someone I love you in Swampy Cree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?

/>v=xbMbDUaz_VU

 

Listen to Cree Champion Pow-wow Singers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACtKuFYBuqw

For another great book about blueberry picking, check out Blueberries for Sal.

THE STANLEY & KATRINA GANG

  Stanley (author) is a three-year-old black Labrador/Rottweiler mix who does his best to ignore Katrina. He enjoys snow, attention and turkey.

 Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge (author) is an eight-year-old grey tabby cat who loves her toy mouse. She enjoys treats, naps and bossing the dog around. Katrina also enjoys using big words and shares her Words of the Week with free printables and a video.

   Neighbor Girl (Felicia) is the eleven-year-old human who knows Stanley & Katrina the best. She assists them with everything. Neighbor Girl loves writing, reading, acting, singing, reading, gymnastics, karate, doodling, reading, ice skating, painting, reading, directing short films, doing computer stuff, oh… did we mention reading? She currently aspires to be a movie director when she grows up. Her first book is The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets. You may visit her characters online at www.StanleyAndKatrina.com. The pets get excited when humans follow them on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or Google+.  

   Cool Mom is Neighbor Girl’s mother and personal assistant when she needs  help. She is also the  web administrator and social media manager for Stanley & Katrina. Visit her hobby project www.kidlitprintables.com.

**Please share this post on Facebook and Twitter and feel free to comment below!

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Weekend Links: More Great Multicultural Children’s Book Links & Summer FUN

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It’s time for Weekend Links! These are my top picks from my weekly internet travels. Enjoy!

I just LOVE this Fairy Tales in Different Cultures post from Craft Moms Share: The Golden Slipper: A Cinderella Tale from Ukraine is an amazing example of a great multicultural children’s book!

 

 

Imagination Soup had some great picks for new books for 8-12 year olds.

Africa to American had a great blog post about Children’s Books About Australia: A List -

Here’s another fun one! (Kid-Friendly) Drinks from around the world!!! ‪ from Kid World Citizen

Past Multicultural Children’s Book day sponsor Lee and Low Books:

Past Multicultural Children’s Book Sponsor Lee and Low Books offered up a post about diverse books that can compliment your summer fun (specifically visiting National and State Parks).

The start of a school year is just around the corner and fellow blogger Mia from PragmaticMom had some awesome Multicultural Starting School Books for Kids.

Speaking of the Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza, we had some wonderful guest bloggers this week!

Erik from This Kids Reviews offered up his review of a great new series for middle readers.

Jodie from Growing Book by Book showed our readers a great multicultural book plus a yummy way to incorporate NOODLES!

What great reads have YOU found this week?

 

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TOMB OF SHADOWS (7 Wonders Book III) Guest Post from This Kid Reviews Books

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I am feeling quite blessed today to have one of my favorite young authors and bloggers join us for the Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza! Erik Weibel blogs at This Kid Reviews Books and is the author of The Adventures of Tomato and Pea. Welcome, Erik!

 

Peter Lerangis’ Seven Wonder series had been on my To Be Read list for too long! Last month I made it a point to read the three books out in this series.

Series Overview: Jack McKinley is going to die when he turns 14. He is told that when he is 13. Jack meets 3 other kids (Aly, Cass, and Marco) with the same fate. Together, Jack and his new friends realize they have a chance to not die. Jack and the others are Selects – kids with a strange gene called G7W that lets them access more parts of their brain at the same time that everyday people can’t normally access regularly. Right now, it only enhances the Selects’ natural abilities (like Cass’s photographic memory) and causes them to die around age 14. To permanently live, (until a normal death, of course) the Selects must find the 7 Loculi – 7 stone orbs with magical powers. Unfortunately, the Loculi are at the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World – of which only one still stands (The Great Pyramid of Giza).

WHY HAVE I WAITED SO LONG TO READ THIS SERIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Book III – The Tomb of Shadows

By Peter Lerangis

352 pages – ages 8+

Published by HarperCollins on May 13, 2014

Summary: Jack, Cass, and Aly, along with their allies at the Karai Institute (KI) (a group devoted to finding the Loculi and finding a cure to G7W) have 2 of the Loculi. Marco has deserted the group to join the evil Massa – a group against the Karai Institute. Jack has evidence that his mother is actually alive, that she faked her death, and has joined the Massa. The Massa have taken over the KI’s Island Base on the remains of Atlantis. Things are looking bleak for the Select. They must go to the land of the dead to get another Loculi (it’s at the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, which is a gateway to the underworld), but one of the KI team must be sacrificed to get in…

THIS WAS AN AMAZING BOOK!!! It was full of adventure and excitement and mystery! Mr. Lerangis gives you a plot so good that it draws you in, and then he twists it until you can’t leave until that last sentence. Jack is a great main character whom you come to care for. He is an ordinary kid shoved into extraordinary circumstances. I am somewhat jealous about the superpowers, but I am glad that I won’t die by age 14 (well, at least not by G7W). Mr. Lerangis has me hooked into the world of the 7 Loculi! I feel like I’m there as I learn about the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World – most of which I had no idea about. I really enjoy reading this series. I would recommend this book to any kid looking for a great adventure story with a great plot and setting!

I give this book 6 out of 5 stars!

Erik is an twelve-year-old middle schooler that loves to read. He started his blog, This Kid Reviews Books when he was nine. Erik writes a monthly book review column for a local free newspaper. He has a black belt in TaeKwon-Do and in his spare time enjoys building things out of LEGOs. He hopes to be an inventor and a published author when he grows up.

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Connect with Erik:

blog www.ThisKidReviewsBooks.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Thiskidrevie...

Twitter @ThisKid_Erik

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Fish Finelli: Operation Fireball by E.S. Farber Book Review+ Activity (Guest Post from Hannah Rials)

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Fish Finelli is the smartest kid in town, yet he can’t seem to stop making bets with that annoying, stuck up Bryce Billings. So when Bryce taunts Fish about losing the Captain Kidd Classic boating race, Fish can’t help but accept the bet. He has a good boat; he knows his way around the water, and there is nothing more important than good sportsmanship. How can he not win? Nevertheless Fish and his friends T.J. and Roger work tirelessly with a little help to get their boat the Fireball up and running in time for the Classic.

A minor race with Bryce proves to Fish and his friends that Fish is obviously the better boater and that a bigger, more expensive boat is not always the best option. Now he just has to get that boat up on plane, beat Bryce Billings, avoid getting grounded, and win over the girl of his dreams. Think that’s possible? Follow Fish in his sea adventures and find out of Operation Fireball ends in success.
Fish Finelli is a different type of book. The writing is capturing, and the illustrations perfectly portray these fun characters’ personalities. However, this is not your run-of-the-mill fun story! E.S. Farber weaves factoids relating to Fish’s tale into the margins of the book. I mean, we can’t all be as smart as Fish Finelli, and why not take the opportunity to educate on history and boating? I actually learned some facts from Fish that even I, a girl who has no interest in boating, enjoy.

Grab your copy of Fish Finelli: Operation Fireball HERE.

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Something To Do Activities:

1. Make Your Own Summer Stand:

The Clam Brothers Mi and Si make a lot of cash from their summer clam stand, so why not take inspiration from their success? I’m sure you’ve all seen lemonade stands, book mark stands, etc., but why not come up with something different?
How about a flower stand if you’re lucky enough to have parents with a plentiful garden? Cookie, sea shell, flower stands…whatever you think is neat and you think people will buy. All you have to do is set up your stand, set your price (not too pricy), and get ready to make some cash!
Here’s a great tutorial for a DIY Lemonade/Clam stand from See Vanessa Craft.


2. Make a Fireball Boat: Here’s a cool tutorial from CraftGawker.



3. Hold a Boat Race:
Gather up a group of friends and make your boats. Then find a stream to race on. Set your boundaries… On your mark… Get set… Go!



Born in the hills of Louisiana and raised in the mountains of Tennessee, Hannah Rials is a seventeen 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. You can connect with Hannah on her author page on Facebook or on her blog.

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Cooking with Books: Lucky Birthday Noodles {Guest Post by Jodie from Growing Book by Book}

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Our Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza is rolling right along and I am truly hoping that our Summer Reading Extravaganza has shown reading families some amazing and fresh summer reading ideas thanks to the many book bloggers who have graced the pages of this blog over the last month and a half.

Today is no exception and I am pleased to have Jodie Rodriguez from Growing Book by Book with us to share a multicultural children’s book that is a family favorite. Welcome Jodie!

Cooking with Books:  Lucky Birthday Noodles

 

As a former classroom teacher and now parent, I diligently look for books that will expose my kids to the world.  Luckily, it has become easier to do this over the years with more and more choices (although the publishing world still has a long way to go).  I also have a love of books that involve food or cooking.  The book I’m sharing with you today fits with both of these passions!

 

Mei-Mei’s Lucky Birthday Noodles by Shan-Shan Chen and Heidi Goodman  is a loving story of adoption, Chinese culture and a special birthday treat. This brand-new book published by Tuttle Publishing has been read several times in our house.  Mei-Mei is Chinese.  She was adopted by a family who flew across the world to get her.  It’s important for Mei-Mei’s family to help her learn about her roots and culture.  So, on her birthday, Mei-Mei’s mom makes the traditional Chinese dish- long noodles which represent a happy long life.   This year Mei-Mei is old enough to help in the dinner preparation.  Readers are taken through the day of this birthday celebration.  And, the book even includes a recipe for Lucky Birthday Noodles at the end.

I love that the Goodman’s illustrations compliment the text beautifully.  And, Mei-Mei’s 6th birthday cake looks as yummy as the noodle dish!  This is a book that children of all ages will appreciate.

 

Author Shan-Shan Chen comes from a long line of restauranteurs.  She is often a guest on television where she shows viewers how to prepare Chinese dishes. Chen is fluent in Mandarin Chinese.  She loves to share Chinese traditions with her family and the public. Chen hopes that this new book will help children learn and celebrate a culture through food.

 

This book is perfect for encouraging families to get in the kitchen and cook together.  My boys enjoyed making and eating the Lucky Birthday Noodle recipe in the back of the book.  The kids tried some new foods including bamboo shoots and bok choy.  There were also lots of familiar ingredients too!  I’ve found that if kids help to prepare or even grow the meal, they are more likely to eat it.  We planted a large garden with our neighbor this year.  My kids are learning so much about how food grows.

 

There are so many literacy benefits to having kids work with you in the kitchen.  Children work on following directions, reading, listening, developing vocabulary and developing oral communication skills.  I aim to have my kids cook or bake at least one recipe a week with me.

 

I really love the idea of exploring cultures through food.  I think we will try to find a book each month that inspires us to explore another culture and cook a native cuisine.

 

Do you have a favorite book that has inspired you to try a new dish?  I’d love to hear your recommendations!

 

Jodie Rodriguez has a passion for helping caregivers nurture our youngest readers.  As a former National Board Certified early-childhood and elementary teacher and administrator she has worked with thousands of families and educators providing best literacy practices.  She now stays home with home with her two young sons (ages 2 and 3) and is the creator/founder of Growing Book by Book.

 

Visit Jodie’s blog, Growing Book by Book. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Google +.

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Weekend Links: Multicultural Books Links for Kids

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Summers are so crazy-busy-hectic for our family, and I am sure we are not the only ones. I will have to say that we all take great comfort in being able to “power down” after a busy day of being outside or participating in activities and snuggle up with a good book or a great article that inspires us to want to try something new. This week I have discovered a plethora of fabulous ideas and here are some of my top picks:

 

The Read Around the World Summer Series is going strong over at Multicultural Kids Blog (use hastag #ReadtheWorldMKB on Twitter to find more awesome multicultural reads) and there’s been some delightful contributions to this event this week:

The Story of “Ibong Adarna” – SMART TINKER

Learn the Swahili Alphabet with Jambo Means Hello at Look! We’re Learning!

Bedtime routines around the world at Aisha the Indian Princess

We did one too! Here is Jump Into a Book’s contribution to the Read Around the World Summer Series.

 

Jump Into a Book also welcomed a very special guest post from Mary at Sprout’s Bookshelf for the Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza: Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke {Guest Post by Sprout’s Bookshelf}

Becky over at Kid World Citizen called my attention to a wonderful cause this week too. Every 500 views they donate a special indestructible soccer ball to a community in need! Click here for more details.

What great links have you found this week?

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Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza: Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke {Guest Post by Sprout’s Bookshelf}

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Our Discover Your World Summer Reading Extravaganza is rolling right along and I am truly hoping JIAB has shown reading families some wonderfulnew  summer reading ideas thanks to the amazing book bloggers who have graced the pages of this blog over the last month and a half.

Today is no exception and I am pleased to have Mary Kinser from Sprout’s Bookshelf join us with her take on a great multicultural book called Anna Hibiscus. Thank you, Mary!

 

In my house, we’re always on the lookout for fun, interesting kid’s books set in Africa. Fortunately there are lots more on the shelves these days than there used to be. Unfortunately many are too advanced for my five-year-old Sprout, or they deal with topics that he’s just not ready for yet.

 

So you can imagine how thrilled I was to find the Anna Hibiscus books by Atinuke. This is a funny, upbeat series set in modern-day Africa, featuring a multi-racial, multi-generational family. How much more awesome could you get?? And even more fortunately, Anna Hibiscus is geared toward the younger spectrum of readers, which means these work as read-alouds for kiddos my age, and as great stories for emerging readers as well.

Anna Hibiscus features adorable illustrations of Anna and her family – her mother, who is Canadian, and her father, who is African, plus her extended family and baby brothers, twins named Double and Trouble. I love the feeling of family and community the pictures give – breaking down any barriers readers might experience when thinking about life in Africa, and showing the common themes that run through any small child’s everyday world. Each story in the book tells about a different aspect of Anna Hibiscus’ life, whether it’s watching her mischievous brothers while on vacation, or preparing the house for a visit from a favorite Auntie. There are lots of sweet moments and plenty of laughs too – enough to keep kiddos wanting to turn pages.

 

Atinuke, the author of the Anna Hibiscus titles, is a Nigerian storyteller. Like Anna Hibiscus, Atinuke lived much of her early life in a big house in Africa filled with extended family. But later she moved to England to attend boarding school, and England became her home. She wrote the Anna Hibiscus books in an effort to share stories about growing up in Africa with children from the UK. And luckily for all of us, the books have spread to the US as well.

 

I love reading the Anna Hibiscus stories with Sprout. His eyes light up as we read about life in Africa (Atinuke doesn’t define what country Anna Hibiscus is from – which works for us, as it could easily be Ethiopia, the land of Sprout’s heritage!). It’s so great to share stories that are on his level, that present a positive family dynamic and show so many commonalities between everyday life no matter where you’re raised. Truly, when you read about Anna Hibiscus and her incredible family, you just want to join in the fun!

 

There are currently six books in the Anna Hibiscus series, and each is even more charming than the last. But our hearts will always belong to the first book, just titled Anna Hibiscus, which we read on vacation last summer and have continued to love ever since. In fact, as I’m writing this post, Sprout saw our copy of Anna Hibiscus sitting by my computer and yelled, “I love this book!”. So what better endorsement could you ask for?

 

Activity

The last story in Anna Hibiscus is all about our heroine’s deep desire to see snow. And even though I’m not much of a crafty mom, I did stumble across a perfect idea to connect with the reading by doing an activity with Sprout. Jump over to Red Ted Art to find this great tutorial on making a homemade snow globe. It’s simple and fun, a great chance for kids to get creative and even satisfies that longing to see snow that sometimes crops up on a hot summer day!

Sprout wanted to make his snow globe Star Wars-themed – hence the LEGO Luke Skywalker – and as such we opted to put in silver stars and moons (made from foil) rather than snow. (And since Sprout’s in a big dinosaur phase, he had to add an Apatosaurus figure too. ‘Cause even Jedis can get a little help from a prehistoric pal.) You could absolutely go the traditional route with a holiday theme and some glitter, in keeping with Anna Hibiscus’s wish to see the white stuff. Here’s a few pics of our snow globe in action – it was pretty hard to get good pics because the second we put this bad boy together, Sprout was shaking it up constantly!

Bio

By day, Mary Kinser is a Collection Development Librarian. By night, she’s a curator for Zoobean. And all around the clock she’s the mother of a gorgeous five-year-old boy from Ethiopia, lovingly nicknamed Sprout. She writes about diversity and adoption in children’s literature at her blog Sprout’s Bookshelf. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and pinning all things kidlit at Pinterest.

 

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Read Around the World Summer Series: Starry River of the Sky

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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.

 

 

One of our favorite books is Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin.

The moon is missing from the remote Village of Clear Sky, but only a young boy named Rendi seems to notice! Rendi has run away from home and is now working as a chore boy at the village inn. He can’t help but notice the village’s peculiar inhabitants and their problems-where has the innkeeper’s son gone? Why are Master Chao and Widow Yan always arguing? What is the crying sound Rendi keeps hearing? And how can crazy, old Mr. Shan not know if his pet is a toad or a rabbit?

But one day, a mysterious lady arrives at the Inn with the gift of storytelling, and slowly transforms the villagers and Rendi himself. As she tells more stories and the days pass in the Village of Clear Sky, Rendi begins to realize that perhaps it is his own story that holds the answers to all those questions.

You can read the full book review complete with activities here.

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Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu {guest post from Hannah Rials}

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Book review from Hannah Rials
Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

The winner of numerous awards and recipient of four starred reviews, Anne Ursu’s Breadcrumbs is a stunning and heartbreaking story of growing up, wrapped in a modern-day fairy tale.

Hazel and Jack are best friends.

They do everything together, and have always been each other’s rocks through the hardest parts of their lives—Hazel’s dad leaving and Jack’s mom’s mental absence. They live in their own story worlds, thriving in the imaginary. It doesn’t matter that Hazel is adopted with dark Indian skin or that Jack sometimes feels invisible; they just fit together. Then one day, a mischievous piece of glass falls into Jack’s eye, and everything changes. He no longer acknowledges Hazel and mysteriously disappears to go visit his elderly aunt. But Hazel doesn’t buy it, and Jack’s friend Tyler proves her suspicions. Jack has willingly gone into a magical forest with the White Witch. Now to save her friend and remind him what he is made of, Hazel must journey into the wild forest where nothing makes sense and there are no rules. Dangers await every turn, and without Jack, Hazel’s not quite sure how to survive. She just wants her best friend back. She encounters fantastical horrors that make her reality seem like a fairy tale. She faces, witches, wizards, evil huntsman, and helpful wolves all to find Jack, who’s nearly been turned to ice by the unfeeling White Witch.

Will Hazel be able to remind Jack what he’s made of? That he’s not invisible like he believes? But is Jack the only person Hazel is saving on this journey? Follow Hazel through the dangers and excitement of the forest to save her best friend and find herself in a world where finding yourself is never easy.

Enchanting! That’s one word…deep is another. On the surface, Breadcrumbs is a story about Hazel saving her best friend: the princess saving the knight. Once you delve farther into the story, you discover that Hazel is not only saving Jack, but also finding herself, her place in the world. I love how Anne Ursu discreetly intersperses various fairytales into Hazel’s story but with a different twist. The kindly wood axe man is actually evil. Warlocks, which are supposed to be good, try to steal your greatest desires. The kindly helpful couple captures young, lost girls and turns them into flowers. And the wolves, known for their ferocity in Narnia and many other stories, are there to help Hazel along her way. You have to appreciate the irony and the deeper message this book sends. Hazel finding her place in the world despite what society dictates will hopefully give kids the courage to find themselves during a time when societal pressures make being an individual nearly impossible.

Grab your copy of Breadcrumbs here.

**some of these links are affiliate links

Something to Do:
Make a snowflake: Craft from In My Own Style



Rice Krispie baseball snacks—Jack’s favorite!

Photo source

Make rice krispy like you normally would, but this time, cut it out into circles.
Set them apart.
Ice the tops with white icing and let harden a few minutes.
With either a red gel pen or just plain old red icing draw the stitches of the baseball.
Let harden and serve at your leisure!

 

Born in the hills of Louisiana and raised in the mountains of Tennessee, Hannah Rials is a seventeen 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. You can connect with Hannah on her author page on Facebook or on her blog.


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