Carmela Dutra's Blog - Posts Tagged "month"

November is National Picture Book Month. So for today’s blog, I thought it was be fitting to discuss Picture Books!

We want the best for kids, be it as parent’s grandparent, aunts, or uncles we want them to reach their full potential. It’s like that slogan the army had, “Be all you can be!” That’s all we want for them, is to be the best them they can be. In an effort to accomplish this, many have bought everything possible to help their children read.

From computer programs, to enrolling them in best preschools they can find. I’m not faulting them for wanting the best for their children by any means, who can argue with wanting the best for their children. Growing up I was not a good reader, I well below the average. My mother got me “hooked on phonics” reader rabbit, and everything she could find. Until one day, she gave me a picture book, then things changed.

Often time’s, individuals can underestimate the value of picture books. Some will encourage their children to move on to more text-heavy chapter books as a means to advance their skills. Chapter books are not necessarily more complex than picture books in fact, their vocabulary and sentence structure can be considered simplistic when compared with older level picture books.

So why are picture books important?

The illustrations of a picture book help children understand what they are reading and allow young readers to analyze the story. When children are having difficulty, the illustrations can help them figure out the meaning of what they are reading. The illustrations are a powerful way to help get the point across to young readers.

Children love art! Why do you think they spend so much time coloring, drawing and doing crafts? Children are drawn to the bright vivid pictures, captivated by the details each illustration holds. And let’s be honest with ourselves, as adults we too are spellbound by the beauty and intricate details on the pages.

Picture books are multi-sensory, which aids a child’s growing mind and stimulates their imagination. Not only do the children hear the story, they see the illustrations, and smell and touch the pages. Picture books are less daunting than say a chapter book, so they will be more likely to give a go at reading a sentence or two. Thereby, building their reading skills while enjoying it.

Picture books allow an entirely different, more interactive communication between parent and child. My mom use to read bothbanner-mother-child-smaller chapter and picture books with me. While I enjoyed both, it was easier for me to comment on the subject out of a picture book. Picture books allow you to talk about what you see on each page. Asking questions such as: How they are feeling? What do you think we will discover on the next page?

It’s unfortunate when kids are pushed past picture books, just as some turn up their noses at graphic novels and magazines. It’s important to encourage kids to get their hands on everything they can, especially picture books, comics, and even kid-friendly websites. It doesn’t matter what they read as long as they read and children who learn to love books will be children who grow up to be good readers.

Support National Picture Book Month by reading a picture book yourself. You never know what reading one will lead too. Please, tell us what your thoughts are on this topic, we would love to hear them.

“Literature has the ability to open up a whole new world to children, but we need to have a share in helping them to find that door and open it with them. Let’s set the example and help to foster this love of reading in our little ones. ” ~ Carmela Dutra

Wishing you all a little to Adventure today!

Carmela Dutra
Author of Lorenzo the Bear Series

www.Lorenzothebear.com
Twitter.com/Lorenzothebear @lorenzothebear
Facebook.com/Lorenzothebear (Like me!)
www.ablogforyourthoughts.com

November is Picture Book Month and I want to help share pictures books!

Since this month only comes around once a year, and given the fact that I am an author and illustrator of picture books myself this hits home with me. I want to have a full share in this month, so I will dedicated this entire month to blogging about picture books!

What is Picture Book Month you ask? It is an international literacy initiative that celebrates the print picture book during the month of November. It was founded by Dianne de Las Casas (author & storyteller) www.diannedelascasas.com. She, along with Co-Founders, Katie Davis (author/illustrator) katiedavis.com, Elizabeth O. Dulemba (author/illustrator) www.dulemba.com, Tara Lazar (author) taralazar.wordpress.com, and Wendy Martin (author/illustrator) wendymartinillustration.com, put together their worldwide connections to make this happen.

We want the best for kids, be it as parent’s grandparent, aunts, or uncles we want them to reach their full potential. It’s like that slogan the army had, “Be all you can be!” That’s all we want for them, is to be the best them they can be. Picture Books can help us to achieve this goal!

Remember too, a goal without action is just a dream.



What You Can Do to Celebrate Picture Book Month?

Here are just a few things you can do!

* Register to become a Picture Book Month Ambassador, I did! Then place the Ambassador badge on your website, with a link to PictureBookMonth.com.

*Read Picture Books, and be sure to share what you have read with your followers and friends!

* Tweet the cause and use the hashtag #picturebookmonth

* Ask a picture book author/illustrator to visit your school or library.

* Follow Picture Book Month (@PictureBkMonth) and founder Dianne de Las Casas on Twitter (@AuthorDianneDLC) for updates on Picture Book Month every day in November. You can find Picture Book Month on Facebook too.

Join the celebration and party with a picture book!

If you would like to schedule your own Author, and or Illustrator visit for your school, classroom, or library today fill out the contact form here! As a way to give back to schools my visits are always!*

http://lorenzothebear.com/bears-den/a...

*Depending on distance a modest travel fee may be requested

It’s February 2016 and so those of us on the Gregorian calendar get to enjoy an extra day in the month! What will you do in those 24 bonus hours? How about learning something new, like making a new dish? Or trying something outside of your comfort zone? Take a day trip somewhere, or just indulge your inner sloth and laze the day away.



What I would love to do with an extra day is make it a me day! Focusing on giving myself some pampering, relaxation etc. Here are my ten suggestions—OK, eleven! It is a leap year, so it’s a leap list:





Sleep in! Provided Levi allows me to do such a thing….

Enjoy my favorite breakfast while enjoying some classic morning cartoons from my youth. Let’s see if you can guess…. I’m the terror that flaps in the night! Did you guess which cartoon I’m quoting from?? Hint think very early 90’s. Leave your answer in the comment section below!

Take Levi and go outside for nice mid-morning stroll, snapping some pictures along the way.

A little bit of yoga is good for the soul!
Grab lunch out with David and Levi for an all you can eat, yet still healthy lunch at Sweet Tomatoes.

Enjoy my one, and only favorite outdoor activity, gardening.

After all that planting of flowers and veggies it’s time for mani pedi!

JUST DANCE 2016! Woot woot!!

Prepare Davids favorite dinner. OK, that one isn’t just for me, but I do enjoy cooking so it kind of is. Besides, it’s the least I can do since he will have taken Levi for most of the day.

After putting Levi to bed with a story and song, I’ll watch my favorite movie of all time. What movie? It one that I just happen to know all of the lines to. TREMORS! I can watch that movie in any language and recite every line word for word. Do I have too much time on my hands? Perhaps… But it’s Tremors! So who the heck cares!

Lastly, ending the day with a game of either Settlers of Catan, or D&D either way it’s a perfect end to the perfect day.


So there you have it, my perfect Leap Year Day. What does your Leap Year Day look like? What are something you would like enjoy?



Oh by the way, did you guess the cartoon? If not here’s the answer in this picture, enjoy!!



For some other lap-tastic blogs check out

Cat Michaels

10 Things to do on Leap Day

Julie Gorges

Eight Fun Ways to Spend Leap Day

Nelson Suit

Five Fun Ways to Nourish Your Soul on Leap Day