Valarie Budayr's Blog, page 93
March 20, 2014
A String in the Harp by Nancy Bond
I don’t know what we expected when we picked up A String in the Harp by Nancy Bond….maybe something musical. What we didn’t expect was to be thrown into the landscape and mythology of Wales. The writing and plot are brilliant and the imagery of Wales left us wanting to get on the next plane.
A family in mourning…an ancient bard…a harp key that brings them together…
When fifteen-year-old Jen Morgan flies to Wales to spend Christmas with her family, she’s not expecting much from the holiday. A year after her mother’s sudden death, her father seems preoccupied by the teaching job that has brought him and Jen’s younger siblings to Wales for the year. Her brother, Peter, is alternately hostile and sullen,and her sister, Becky, misses Jen terribly.-Amazon
15 year old Jen left her home in Western Massachusetts to visit her father, brother, and sister in Wales for winter break. After the death of her mother, Jen stayed in Massachusetts with her aunt, but her father,and siblings moved to Wales so that their father could take a university position.
Jen, expecting a normal winter break arrives in Wales to find her brother Peter very moody. He misses his “real” home, his family, and friends, his mom and anything else which is bound to “home”. He doesn’t hesitate a moment to constantly complain to his father about the circumstances. Sister Becky just missed her sister Jen.It is an emotionally desperate situation when Peter finds an old harp tuning key which just happened to belong to the bard and national welsh hero Taliesin.
The key sings to Peter and shows him the images and stories of the past. The story intertwines the life of Taliesin with that of Peter, Jen, and Becky. Peter sees the stories. Jen and Becky do not, which leads to some dumbfounding moments.
Throughout the weaving of past and present there are always the charming people of Wales in both the city and countryside. This book didn’t win a Newbury Award for nothing. A truly great read.
To find out more about Taliesin have a look here.
Something to Do:
In the story they see and use a coracle. To be honest, I’ve always wanted one of these. For my birthday last year I found this knitted one by Debbie New and some great how to’s over here.
For us, however, I thought it would be so fun to make a little coracle using a macrame ring,pipe cleaners, and duct tape. Who doesn’t love duct tape? This fun and easy project had us playing in water for hours and creating other fun things like canoes, and sailboats. Buoyancy was an issue but we think we got the kinks worked out.
You will need:
small to medium size macrame ring
4 to 6 pipe cleaners
1 bread tie
duct tape, color of your own choosing
Twist one side of a pipe cleaner to one side of the macrame ring.
Now fasten it to the other side.
Add another pipe cleaner across the ring in the other direction.
Do this two more times placing pipe cleaners on the diagonally.
Tear long strips of duct tape.
And start placing it from one side of the ring to the other. Each new strip will overlap with the one you have just placed.
Next tear smaller strips of duct tape for the inside of the coracle. Place on these small strips on the inside of the coracle and smooth it down. Now take small strips of duct tape and place it all around the outside of the coracle and smooth it out firmly.
It’s time for a little floating in the kitchen sink. The coracle might tip and let in a whole bunch of water. The solution for this is to put a little baggy of dried beans or lentils until the coracle floats upright. Put in your sailor action figure and have a fun day in the sink.
Bon Voyage !!!!!!!
Barefoot Book News!
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March 13, 2014
Tenzin’s Deer by Barbara Soros Bookjump and Review
Tenzin’s Deer by Barbara Soros has been laying on my “to read pile” for quite awhile now. What a gem of a little book this is.
“A story about the power of compassion,
the guidance of dreams, the gift of healing and the
ability to love deeply and to let go. “
Tenzin, a young, loving boy who cares for all of earth’s creatures, one day finds a wounded Musk Deer with an arrow in its side. With his compassionate heart, he cannot simply leave this innocent deer to die, but he does not know how to help her.
The deer, who he soon names Jamba, speaks to him saying that the answer will come to him in a dream. And so all the answers he needs to heal Jamba completely come to him in a dream. He heals her everyday during the Tibetan people’s prayer time, praying too for his new friend. As Jamba grows stronger, she and Tenzin form a bond and become the best of friends.
They are seen everywhere together, until one night in a dream, Jamba tells Tenzin that it is time for her to go back to the wild. This breaks Tenzin’s heart, the thought of losing his best friend. But he knows she is right. The next day, Tenzin releases Jamba to her natural environment to be free like she was meant to be. But they never forgot each other, and Jamba still visits Tenzin in his dreams, praying, “May no harm come to you. May you be at peace. And may your eyes be deep like the sea, your heart be solid like a mountain and your mind be free like the sky.”
This endearing story like prayer in motion. From the beautiful illustrations to the very well written words, Tenzin’s Deer takes us on a journey of compassion, loving kindness, and healing. The stunning illustrations were done by Danuta Mayer who herself is a great animal lover and has shown much compassion by having an animal refuge in her home. Her illustrations to this book have a level of storytelling which grabs the heart. We just stared at every little detail in her paintings. Each time we find something new that we hadn’t seen before.
As with all Barefoot Books, the tale of Tenzin’s Deer is absolutely beautiful with an educational undertone. Tenzin’s compassion displays an excellent example for children, and his selflessness teaches a wonderful lesson. But this story also teaches us about the beautiful Tibetan culture, everything from its meaningful prayers to its healing ways. Paired with beautiful, boldly colored illustrations, Tenzin’s Deer is a story to share with everyone.
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Something To Do:
How to Make Tibetan Prayer Flags
Tibetan Prayer Flags for Purchase.
Facts about Musk Deer
Because of their scent glands that give many of our colognes and perfumes their musky smell, Musk Deer are poached and becoming close to being endangered. How can you help? Well, we can’t exactly go over to Asia and stop the poaching ourselves, now can we? So here is the alternative…stop buying musky perfumes. Tell mom or dad that they are hurting innocent, wild animals. This is an easy way to help these animals from your own home! Learn more HERE.
Magical creatures of the Himalaya’s coloring pages and story:
Magical Animals of the Himalayas HERE.
Enjoy your journey into Tenzin’s Deer !!!
**some of these links are affiliate links
The post Tenzin’s Deer by Barbara Soros Bookjump and Review appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
March 11, 2014
Penguin Cha Cha by Kristi Valiant: Book Review from Hannah Rials
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Penguin Cha-Cha[image error]
Summary:
Julia loves magic shows and the zoo, and when she sees a sneaky flipper snatching a boa from a magic show, she just must check it out. She must solve the mystery of the penguins! But when she goes to spy on them, they just stand there, staring. But when they think no one’s watching, they break into spins and twirls, dips and whirls—they are dancing!! Being a dance lover herself, Julia decides that she must join in the fun, only one problem: the penguins won’t accept her. She tries everything—blending in, dancing, grabbing a partner. So what does she have to do? When will these picky penguins finally accept her?
My Opinion:
I absolutely love this charming story of Julia and her penguin partners. Jumping from illustrator to illustrator AND author, Kristi Valiant tells a beautiful, fun story with her words and charming illustrations! I love the idea of penguins skating across the ice, dipping and twirling. And Julia’s determination to be accepted is quite admirable.
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Something To Do
I love this Penguin Popsicle Craft from 7 on a Shoestring!
Author Kristi has some wonderful activities on her site including this Storytime Kit:
Download the Free Storytime Kit
This Storytime Kit is designed to complement a reading of the picture book Penguin Cha-Cha and contains the following:
• Event Invitation
• The Penguin Popsicle Game
• If You’re a Dancer and You Know It
• Penguin Props
• Penguin Family Portrait
• Make a Dancing Penguin Craft
• Coloring Sheet
Julia’s Penguin Disguise:
Black long-sleeve shirt
Black pants
Glasses
Orange paper triangle beak (taped to bottom of glasses)
White pillow tied with string
No shoes (think like a penguin!)
Sparked Ideas blog has this adorable penguin marshmellow activity:
How to Cha Cha like the Penguins:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzi45m7cH2g
written by Hannah Rials
The post Penguin Cha Cha by Kristi Valiant: Book Review from Hannah Rials appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
March 7, 2014
Let’s Celebrate Read an eBook Week!
The official Read an E-Book Week may be almost over, but we are taking advantage of the month-long version to celebrate the beauty and benefits of today’s children’s e-books. First, a bit about this unique event:
First conceived by author Rita Toews more than nine years ago as a response to the stagnant acceptance of electronic reading, Read An E-Book Week has slowly built a strong international following among digitally published authors and readers alike. This year’s event, which began March 3th and carried through to March 8th, brought authors from eleven countries together for a week of e-reading. Many organizations continue to celebrate this event all month long with e-book reading events and activities.
Read an E-Book Week works to educate and inform the public about the pleasures and advantages of reading electronically. Authors, publishers, vendors, the media and readers world-wide join in the effort to spread the love of e-books with families everywhere. Read more about the history of this event and the history of e-books HERE.
FREE eBOOK: Everyone loves a freebie and our friends at OceanHouse Media are offering a bunch of children’s e-books for free during this March event. Our top pick is The Berenstain Bears and The Golden Rule. Grab your copy HERE.
Then of course we have to mention our own top picks from the Audrey Press line-up! Our best-selling e-books for kids include:
The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Ever wanted to explore a chocolate river or create gobstopper gum? The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a front row seat to a delightfully illustrated and fabulously written children’s digital e-book.
This year will mark the 5th “fox spring” at the Budayr home. Read how it all began with this sweet family of foxes. The Fox Diaries: The Year The Foxes Came to Our Garden is available in e-book form for the Nook.
How are you celebrating Read an eBook Month?
The post Let’s Celebrate Read an eBook Week! appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
March 1, 2014
Happy Dr. Seuss’s Birthday! {and Read Across American Day}
Mark your calendars: March 2 is Dr. Seuss’s birthday and March 3, 2014, is NEA’s Read Across America Day!
“You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child”
March has barely just begun and it is already jammed packed with fun events and happenings. First up is our beloved Dr. Seuss’s birthday on March 2. Theodor Seuss Geisel (March 2,1904 – September 24,1991) was an American writer, poet, and cartoonist most widely known for his children’s books written under the pen names of Dr. Seuss, and Theo LeSieg. Everyone in our family is a huge Dr. Seuss fan. Last year we decided to celebrate in high fashion by having a read a-loud gathering. Everyone will bring one or two of their Seuss favorites. Here’s a sample of the “books of honor” during this fun reading event:
Horton Hears A Who
Horton Hatches an Egg
Happy Birthday to You
The Sneetches and Other Stories
The Lorax
Yertle the Turtle
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Oh Say Can you Seed?
Hop on Pop
Green Eggs and Ham
Fox in Socks
The Cat in the Hat
The Cat in the Hat Comes Back
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish Blue Fish
Here are some more fun and creative Seuss ideas from our fellow book lovers and bloggers.
Allie from No Time for Flashcards has a great roundup of Seuss-ey activities! (55 to be exact!)
More “Seuss-inspired” treats and eats at Keitha’s Chaos! (Love McElligot’s Pool)
The House of Burke had this sweet One Fish, Two Fish craft
Make and Takes has 9 Creative Ways to Celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday!
KCEdventures has some great suggestions on Dr. Seuss Books and Games that Encourage Creativity – Inspire Creativity, Reduce Chaos & Encourage Learning with Kids
In the mood for a different kind of Seuss Induced Fun? Check out these resources:
NEA’s Read Across America
Dr. Seuss ebooks at Digital StoryTime
OceanHouse Media: Need some activity ideas for Dr. Seuss’s birthday and Read Across America Day? OceanHouse Media has an entire Pinterest board dedicated to Dr. Seuss crafts, recipes, games and more!
Check it out here: http://bit.ly/1duJxI
Enjoy!
The post Happy Dr. Seuss’s Birthday! {and Read Across American Day} appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
February 25, 2014
Family Book Festival: Guest Post from Your Modern Family
With the winter doldrums kicking in and families getting restless from being trapped indoors, we thought this would be a perfect time to create a Family Book Festival. And what better way to create a list of books to include in our Family Book Festival is to ask fellow writers, authors, and bloggers for their favorite childhood book favorites along with some matching activities.
So throughout the month of February, we will be enlisting the help, thoughts, and opinions from our participants on what books they remember the most from childhood, and what books are family favorites now. My thought is that this compilation of books, favorite reads, and activities will provide not only a new reading list for the winter, but a sweet walk down memory lane for parents that will last the whole month of February.
I am so excited to welcome Becky Mansfield from Your Modern Family to our Family Book Festival
From Becky:
A book can impact you in more ways than you think.
1- It bonds your family when you read them to your children.
2- They are introduced to so many new words and it helps to build their vocabulary.
3- The illustrations provoke creative thinking.
4- Stories lead to other activities, like changing the ending, writing a story, making a recipe or creating a great art project.
Growing up, I had a favorite book: But No Elephants, by Jerry Smith. It was one that my parents read to my brother and I… a lot. We were always wanting to read this book! My parents actually found new copies of the book and gave them to our kids, as well as to my brother’s kids.
Our kids now love this book and it has become their favorite, as well. I can’t tell you the number of times that we have read it already!
I think that they love it so much because of the repetitive phrase through the book: But No Elephants! They get ready to say it before it is even time, just waiting for the chance to yell out that phrase. haha!
I feel like anytime that a book can bring a family together, you should embrace it. If you have just a minute to hop onto your couch and snuggle up together, reading a great book, take that opportunity & run with it!
After reading this book, we like to ‘create’ things for their new elephant retreat (if you have read the book, you will see that in the end, Granny takes in the elephant and all of their elephant friends. They move far away to a place where all of the elephants are welcome.)
So, we are going to welcome them with our creations! We take out our DIY creativity kit and we create welcome pictures for the elephants and we make things for them. The kids love to create art from our kit filled with odds and ends.
Here are a few pictures from that activity:
I hope that this inspires you to read and create a project of your own! Enjoy!
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Becky is a certified play therapist and an author and Mom to four beautiful children. Her blog Your Modern Family she shares tips for running an organized home, raising kids, cooking kid-friendly meals & learning new ways to save money! You can connect with Becky on her website or on Facebook.The post Family Book Festival: Guest Post from Your Modern Family appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
February 22, 2014
An Unconventional Librarian’s Contribution to Family Book Festival
With the winter doldrums kicking in and families getting restless from being trapped indoors, we thought this would be a perfect time to create a Family Book Festival. And what better way to create a list of books to include in our Family Book Festival is to ask fellow writers, authors, and bloggers for their favorite childhood book favorites along with some matching activities.
So throughout the month of February, we will be enlisting the help, thoughts, and opinions from our participants on what books they remember the most from childhood, and what books are family favorites now. My thought is that this compilation of books, favorite reads, and activities will provide not only a new reading list for the winter, but a sweet walk down memory lane for parents that will last the whole month of February.
This weekend we are so happy to share the wisdom and wit of Pam Margolis, a.k.a An Unconventional Librarian. Welcome Pam!
From Pam: Since most of the East Coast is knee deep in snow, I thought about sharing the book A Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats.
I was a small child in the 70s and in those days, there were very few books featuring children of color (can you believe that??). Fortunately, Ezra Jack Keats realized the same thing and featured an array of multiethnic characters in his stories for young children. You can find more about Keats and his books at http://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/ When visiting the site, check out his book links, you’ll be amazed at the number of books he wrote; revisit old faves (my other fave is Peter’s Chair) and find new loves! Don’t miss the section where you can test your knowledge of Keats’ books. Littles will be charmed by the online reading of Snowy Day found here: http://www.ezra-jack-keats.org/read-alouds/ When I became a parent, I introduced A Snowy Day to both of my children and even those I taught. To my surprise, they loved the story as well! It seems as if the ground breaking multiethnic characters of Keats’ stories had no ill effect on modern day children. All the children saw was someone their size playing in the snow like they love to do. What child can’t relate to the happiness of discovering the first snowflake, the joy at the thought of playing outside, the thrill of learning to make snow angels, and the cozy satisfaction of a warm cup of hot chocolate?
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Getting Creative With Cocoa!
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And speaking of hot chocolate, no snow day play is complete without it! I loved drinking hot chocolate as a child and loved serving it to my children and their friends even more. I prefer, however, to serve an unconventional hot chocolate, because, why not? If you’re on a dairy restriction like I am, my Almond Milk Hot Chocolate Recipe might suit you just fine. If you’ve always wanted to try alternatives to dairy, now’s the time; Almond Milk cooks well and adapts well with other flavors. (it plays well with others, just like me!)Making it is easy peasy lemon squeezy.Ingredients:
*Almond Milk (Vanilla flavored or unsweetened, your preference)*
In a small saucepan, pour approx. 1 ½ cups of Almond milk per serving and cook on med-low, stirring constantly.
While milk is cooking, prepare the hot chocolate mix.
Place 3 generous Tablespoons of hot chocolate mix (I like mine extra chocolaty) into your fave mug. Mine happens to have famous authors on it. My second fave is a snowman mug. What’s yours?
Keep an eye on the milk, don’t let it boil! Stir frequently. The milk is ready when there are teeny weeny bubbles all around the edges of the liquid. You don’t want to make the milk too hot, especially if you are serving to my little ones! Milk temperature should be no more than 160 degrees. I prefer 140-160 for the kiddos. Use your turkey thermometer to test the temperature if you’re unsure how hot the milk is.
Depending on your cook settings, cook time could be 5 minutes. The lower the heat, the longer it takes. If you have especially hungry tummies waiting, cook higher but stir constantly to avoid boiling!
When milk is the right temperature, pour into your mug, approx. ¾ full. Stir well, getting rid of all those nasty chocolate bubbles.
Now here’s the fun part: the add ins! I happen to love marshmallows and am never too far from them. Here are some options:
These are the marshmallows we had in the cabinet: Regular, minis, and chocolate mint, which I bought on a whim one day.
· If you’re old school, toss in the regular sized marshmallows. That’s why you only fill the mug ¾ full, you must have adequate marshmallow room!
· If you’re like me, you favor the mini marshymallowy goodness.
· Adventurous? Try the chocolate mint marshmallows.
· Got Grown ups? Add a dash of Bailey’s Irish Cream.
Side note: I served a hot chocolate bar at a party recently and offered many different toppings. Here’s the link to that blog post: http://unconventionallibrarian.com/2014/01/30/superbowl-holiday-party-ideas/ Maybe you’ll be inspired?
I love getting books into kids hands and I’m always thrilled to learn about new multiethnic kids books. My plan is to take over the world so that all kids have a book about a main character who looks like them! When I’m not figuring out how to put mini marshmallows in my coffee, I blog at An Unconventional Librarian (www.unconventionallibrarian.com) sharing my love of kids books with the world.
And speaking of books, here’s ONE MORE book to share with you about winter. To make a VERY long story straight, when you get a chance discover Free To Be You and Me a great collection of stories and songs about equality from the 70s. Within the book is a delightful tale of two young African American children called Three Wishes written by Lucille Clifton You’ll love the cheeky main character Zenobia and her steadfast friend and they discover a shiny new penny on the “new year day” and work out the intricacies of friendship. Intrigued? Check out their Youtube channel and see if you can’t find something you’ll love http://www.youtube.com/user/ftbfoundation?feature=watch
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Pam Margolis, a.k.a An Unconventional Librarian is an educator librarian who is drawn to the little ones. In her purse you’ll find a cup of coffee, a book, and her iPhone. She loves social media, writing book reviews, and curating children’s literature. She is an information specialist, maven, connector, coffee drinker. Connect with Pam on Facebook or at http://unconventionallibrarian.com
The post An Unconventional Librarian’s Contribution to Family Book Festival appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
February 18, 2014
Family Book Festival: Duck for President {Guest Post from Cool Mom & Neighbor Girl}
With the winter doldrums kicking in and families getting restless from being trapped indoors, we thought this would be a perfect time to create a Family Book Festival. And what better way to create a list of books to include in our Family Book Festival is to ask fellow writers, authors, and bloggers for their favorite childhood book favorites along with some matching activities.
So throughout the month of February, we will be enlisting the help, thoughts, and opinions from our participants on what books they remember the most from childhood, and what books are family favorites now. My thought is that this compilation of books, favorite reads, and activities will provide not only a new reading list for the winter, but a sweet walk down memory lane for parents that will last the whole month of February.
This week we have the “dynamic duo” joining us! Christine {Cool Mom} and Felicia {Neighbor Girl} from Stanley & Katrina: Pet Authors are joining in on the Family Book Festival with their book pick Duck for President. Read more about Cool Mom, Neighbor Girl and even Stanley and Katrina HERE.
DUCK FOR PRESIDENT
Title: Duck for President
Author: Doreen Cronin
Illustrator: Betsy Lewin
Year Published: 2004
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Pages: 32
Age Level: 4-8 years+
Summary: Join Duck as he exchanges the rigorous chores of the farm for the duties of farmer, Governor, President and author. A fun way to introduce the election process to young children.
Scholastic Page: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/duck-president#cart/cleanup
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/true-or-false
FAVORITE BOOK GROWING UP/Favorite book to read together:
Neighbor Girl enjoys reading so very many books, as you can see in this video. How was she able to narrow it down to just one?
ACTIVITIES:
We had fun creating a Printable Activity Book for Duck for President. Neighbor Girl highly recommends the website iCivics.org.
We also created a fun {and free!} Duck for President activity book for everyone to enjoy here: http://www.kidlitprintables.com/book-printables
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 is the ten-year-old human who knows Stanley & Katrina the best. She assists them with everything. Neighbor Girl loves writing, reading, acting, singing, reading, gymnastics, doodling, reading, ice skating, painting, reading, doing computer stuff, oh… did we mention reading? 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+. Neighbor Girl’s latest creative project is organizing the D.I.R.T. Kids.
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.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4u3lw7XBZo&feature=youtu.be
Be sure and stop by the Stanley & Katrina: Pet Authors blog and see what other fun they are cooking up.
The post Family Book Festival: Duck for President {Guest Post from Cool Mom & Neighbor Girl} appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
February 16, 2014
A Profile of Herman Parish-Amelia Bedelia Creator (Guest Post by Hannah Rials)
But what I’ve always wondered is how in the world was a character like Amelia dreamed up? Herman Parish is the answer to my question. After his aunt Peggy died, and after many years of receiving letters from children asking what Amelia was going to do next, Herman decided to continue his aunt’s legacy–easier said than done.
You must understand–Peggy herself was Amelia. She never understood American idioms and constantly got directions backward. One day, when Herman was riding with his aunt through her hometown, they passed a sign that read, “Manning, South Carolina–Matchless for Beauty and Hospitality.” She looked over at young Herman and said, “I’ve never understood that sign. People in Manning have plenty of matches.” Peggy Parish lived in the mindset of Amelia Bedelia, so it was natural for her to create Amelia’s blunders. Herman had to have his own Amelia Bedelia moment before he could write one.
One day as he was driving down the road on the way to a party with his wife, they came to a T in the road. They had two options: left or right.
He said, “Left?”
She said. “Right.” So he went right, and she screamed, “Left!” Can you see where he could get confused?
Thus, Good Driving, Amelia Bedelia was born.
And after that, he was on a roll. Herman was spitting out books left and right, but he then he started to receive letters asking if Amelia was literal as a child. What a good question. What was she like? His readers presented him with a challenge, and he accepted. Amelia Bedelia’s First Day of School was created for young readers. He has since expanded on Amelia’s childhood by writing her into the fourth grade in chapter books! He responded to the children’s request and then some. I think it takes a brave writer to answer the public with a book. We write for our audience, but there aren’t many that write on request. I am not sure I would be able to do that.
As I sat listening to this man talk about his family and his good friend Amelia Bedelia, I remembered reading these books. I remembered how we added dust to the furniture and dressed the chicken in a tux. I remember reading Amelia with my mother and grandmother and laughing as they laughed at the pure silliness of Amelia. Peggy and Herman Parish have created a legacy that touches the hearts and memories of families every day. After all, how can you forget Amelia’s scrumptious lemon-meringue pie?
Fun Facts about Peggy (Margaret) Parish:
Peggy Parish’s grandparents, the Rogers (sound familiar?), had a housemaid that was very literal and useless with housework.
Peggy never let go of her black purse.
Her illustrator, Fritz Siebel, was Austrian, so he too misunderstood American idioms. It seems the whole Amelia team understood her troubles.
When Peggy retired to her hometown of Manning, she became known as the cat lady because every stray cat that turned up in town was taken to her house. After two years, she owned eleven cats.
There is a statue of Amelia Bedelia with a cat in Manning to keep Peggy’s spirit alive.
What Amelia Bedelia book is your favorite?
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 will be attending college in the fall 2014 as an English major with the hopes of becoming an editor, but for now, she is enjoying her time at Jump Into a Book as a columnist and intern!
The post A Profile of Herman Parish-Amelia Bedelia Creator (Guest Post by Hannah Rials) appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
February 14, 2014
7 Ways to Celebrate International Book Giving Day
International Book Giving Day is here!
International Book Giving Day is a 100% volunteer initiative aimed at increasing children’s access to and enthusiasm for books.
Most children in developing countries do not own books.
In the United Kingdom, one-third of children do not own books.
In the United States, two-thirds of children living in poverty do not own books.
International Book Giving Day’s focus is on encouraging people worldwide to give a book to a child on February 14th. We invite individuals to 1) give a book to a friend or family member, 2) leave a book in a waiting room for children to read, or 3) donate a gently used book to a local library, hospital or shelter or to an organization that distributes used books to children in need internationally.
What can you do celebrate this unique and wonderful holiday? Here are some ideas:
Seven Simple Ways to Celebrate International Book Giving Day!
1. Give a Book to a Friend or Relative: Celebrate International Book Giving Day by giving a child a new, used or borrowed book.
2. Leave a Book in a Waiting Room or Lobby: Choose a waiting room where kids are stuck waiting and there are few to no good books available.
3. Donate a Book: Wrap up a box of children’s books that your kids have outgrown.
4. Do Double Duty: Have a child include books along with their Valentine’s day festivities at school by giving a book with their Valentines Cards.
5. Think Out of the Box When Donating: Donate your books to your local second hand store, library, children’s hospital, or shelter. Another place would be the Books for Africa project. Books for Africa is inviting people to donate directly to: https://www.booksforafrica.org/donate/to-project.html.
6. Write About it and Spread the Word: If you are a blogger, write a post promoting it and add the Book Giving Day badge to your blog. Spread the word!
7. Embellish: Print off some of these adorable bookplates from Book Giving Day artists and spread the word that way.
I decided to add an element of fun with my book giving and created these easey peasey bookmarks to share.
You Will Need:
Paint sample strips
Heart punch
Round paper punch
Colorful ribbon
Here are some of our wonderful Multicultural Children’s Book Day bloggers celebration sharing their ideas:
Jodie from Growing Book By Book is having a giveaway!
Stanley & Katrina-Pet Authors: Will YOU be Celebrating!
Wrapped in Foil: Loving Libraries and Giving Books on Feb 14
Discovering the World Through My Son’s Eyes: International Book Giving Day in Spanish!
What are YOU doing to celebrate?
The post 7 Ways to Celebrate International Book Giving Day appeared first on Jump Into A Book.
