Book Reviews

July 21, 2016

Mrs. G

Return: The Journey Trilogy (A Book Review)

Return by Aaron Becker

Publisher: Candlewick
Age Range: 4 – 8 years old
Grade Level: Preschool – 3
Pages: 40
Format: Hardcover
Available for Sale: August 2, 2016

Synopsis (from Amazon)
Welcome the much-anticipated finale of Caldecott Honoree Aaron Becker’s wordless trilogy—a spectacular, emotionally satisfying story that brings its adventurer home.

Failing to get the attention of her busy father, a lonely girl turns back to a fantastic world for friendship and adventure. It’s her third journey into the enticing realm of kings and emperors, castles and canals, exotic creatures and enchanting landscapes. This time, it will take something truly powerful to persuade her to return home, as a gripping backstory is revealed that will hold readers in its thrall. Caldecott Honor winner Aaron Becker delivers a suspenseful and moving climax to his wordless trilogy, an epic that began with the award-winning Journey and continued with the celebrated follow-up Quest.

Reflection
Journey was one of the first wordless books I ever read with my kids when the first book in this amazing trilogy was released. We then read the second book Quest in 2014 and have been anxiously awaiting the release of Return ever since.

We were lucky enough to receive an autographed copy of Return which was a pleasant surprise. As if this book wasn’t gorgeous enough already, having a signed copy from Aaron Becker makes it even more beautiful and special to me!

Before I give my thoughts on the book Return, let me first provide a brief overview of the first two books in this series. Journey tells the story of a bored little girl who went to a magical place through a red door that she drew on the wall in her room with a red crayon. The book ends with the girl finding a friend. It’s a beautiful wordless picture book with amazing drawings to capture any little readers’ imagination.

Quest, the second book in the series, starts off where Journey ends. The boy and girl find themselves with a King who hands them something very important for their quest: a colored map. The children unravel a very colorful mystery as they venture to rescue the King.

Just as I suspected, Return did not disappoint! It’s just as good as the first two books. This time the young protagonist is at home and she’s bored again so she decides to leave and go through the magical red door. Noticing that his daughter is gone, the girl’s father decides to follow her to see where she went. Off they both go into a colorful world filled with kings, castles, canals and exotic creatures. Oh my!

Having been there two times before, the little girl understands the magical world a lot better this time as she and her father navigate their way through it. The father seems to be amazed by the wonder and curiosity of this beautiful place. Who wouldn’t be? The illustrations are stunning and the story is so compelling it sucks you right in. I’m not going to spoil how it ends you’ll just have to read it and see for yourself.

We loved this fantastic book filled with themes of adventure, fantasy, imagination, family and friendship. The kids and I enjoy narrating the story each time in our own words. It’s so interesting how with each reading we seem to notice something new that we never did before. I think that’s what makes wordless books so great. They provide opportunities for readers both young and old to engage more fully in recognizing the tiniest of details that make up a story. Be sure to check out Return when it’s available along with the other two books in this series if you haven’t already done so. I hope you enjoy this wordless beauty as much as we did!

Your turn: Did you read the first two books in this series? What’s your favorite thing about “reading” wordless books with your kids? Feel free to share in the comments.

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Book Reviews

July 21, 2016

Mrs. G

Mary Had a Little Glam (A Book Review)

Mary Had a Little Glam by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

Publisher: Sterling Children’s Books
Pages: 32
Age Range: 3 – 7 years old
Grade Level: Preschool – 2
Format: Hardcover
Available for Sale: August 2, 2016

Synopsis (from Amazon)
This little Mary has STYLE! In this fun take on Mother Goose, fashion-forward Mary helps some of childhood’s most beloved characters go glam. From the kid who lives in a shoe (and dons some fab footwear, too) to Jack, who breaks his crown but gets a great new one, Mary’s school friends look fantastic in their finery. But are they now too well dressed for recess? Not to worry—Mary always shows her flair for what to wear!

Reflection
Move over Fancy Nancy and Pinkalicious, there’s a new girl in town. Mary is her name and fashion is her game!

“Mary had a little glam that grew into a lot. And everywhere that Mary went, she wasn’t hard to spot.”

In this adorable book, Mary helps some of childhood’s most beloved characters go glam! It’s the first day of school at Mother Goose Elementary School and Mary tells her mom she “must accessorize”! Much to her surprise, when she arrives in her class she sees all of her nursery rhyme friends like Little Boy Blue, Georgie Porgie and Little Bo Peep looking glam-less from head to toe. Quick on her feet, Mary steps in and starts offering fashion tips from fabulous footwear for the kid who lives in a shoe, to a new stylish crown for Jack. But when it’s time for recess, they realize they have one problem…they’re way too overdressed to play. Don’t worry – Mary is the queen of accessorizing and she always knows what to wear.

The kids and I absolutely adore this book…it’s such a fun rhyming book. Mary is the cutest little fashionista I’ve ever seen in a children’s book! Toting her little lamb purse and donning her pink sunglasses with matching outfit, Mary is ready for the first day of school. I love how she takes control of the situation and starts dressing everyone up. Even the teacher, principal and classroom pet get head-to-toe glam makeovers! From pink feather boas to gowns and crowns it’s an accessorizing extravaganza.

This book was illustrated by one of my favorite illustrators, Vanessa Brantley-Newtwon. Vanessa can seriously do no wrong! I love all of the bright and cheerful colors she used, the diversity in the characters and her outstanding attention to detail.

The overall message of “less is more” at the end just seals the deal for me. While I LOVE little Mary’s sense of style, I appreciate the fact that the author showed girls there is a time to dress up and be fancy, but there is also a time to play and have fun. It’s ok to get a little dirty every once in a while. You can still look cute and let your true natural beauty shine through. I think it’s so important to teach little girls things like this because a majority of the world still defines natural beauty based on physical traits only: perfect skin, straight teeth, straight hair, skinny body. Mary teaches us that while true glamour often calls for lots, sometimes less is more. Natural beauty is derived from within and exudes from your soul, transforming you into a brighter, lovelier and kinder person than anything material or physical can ever do.

This playful story adds a whole new flair to our favorite Mother Goose rhymes and teaches children about real glamour and true natural beauty. Two snaps up with a twist for Mary…a winner! A must-have book for fashion-forward little readers everywhere.

About the Author
Tammi Sauer is a former teacher and library media specialist who is highly involved in the children’s book community. Her picture books include: Your Alien, Cowboy Camp, Chicken Dance, Bawk & Roll, and The Twelve Days of Christmas in Oklahoma. Tammi lives in Edmond, Oklahoma. Connect with Tammi at her website or on Twitter.

About the Illustrator
Vanessa Brantley-Newton is a self-taught illustrator who has worked on over 30 books. She’s the author and illustrator of Let Freedom Sing and Don’t Let Auntie Mabel Bless the Table, and is the illustrator behind One Love and Every Little Thing written by Bob & Cedella Marley, and Presenting Tallulah, written by Tori Spelling. Vanessa lives in Charlotte, NC.

Your turn: Are you looking forward to reading this book with your little fashionista(s)? Feel free to share in the comments.

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family fun

July 14, 2016

Mrs. G

Literary Road Trip Series: Our Trip to Edaville USA!

Disclaimer: We received complimentary passes to go to Edaville USA in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

My family and I recently had the opportunity to go to Edaville USA in Carver, Massachusetts. Since it’s about a 2.5 hour drive, we decided to spend the weekend in the area which turned out to be a great idea given the 4th of July holiday traffic.

As you may know, this summer the kids and I have been traveling to different literary destinations (mixed in with a little family fun). While Edaville has little to do with books or reading, it certainly covers the family fun component. This amusement park allows you to enter a world of imagination and wonder where both the young – and the young at heart – can discover the magic of Thomas & Friends.

Thomas Land theme park covers 11.5 acres within Edaville USA, bringing the Island of Sodor to life in a lush New England landscape. Families can visit iconic destinations including Knapford Station and Tidmouth Sheds and enjoy 11 themed rides featuring favorite characters like Cranky the Crane, Harold the Helicopter, and more! Edaville also offers special events throughout the year, including Hello Kitty, Curious George, Pete the Cat, Superheroes & Princesses, Pumpkins AGLOW just to name a few. It’s the perfect family-friendly destination for your train loving kiddos!

When we arrived at the park we were expecting it to be packed since it was a holiday weekend. However, we were pleasantly surprised to see it wasn’t too crowded at all. We found a parking spot fairly quickly right in the front three rows. As soon as we enter the park, there is a carousel ride off to your left so expect your kids to want to ride like mine did. Also in the park entrance there is a huge pond where kids can try to catch their own fish. Currently, there is another portion of the front entrance that is under construction. It looks like it’s going to be really cute once it’s completed. We saw a sign posted on the way out that said it will be a Charles Dickens Village opening just in time for the Christmas holiday season!

There was also little to no wait time for each of the rides which was great because my kids are very impatient when it comes to waiting. A majority of the rides are for kids, but there are some that my husband and I went on like the free fall which is always a fun time. I love that everything in this park is clean & bright and the characters are instantly recognizable. The kids loved seeing Gordon, James, Emily, and Percy all hanging out at Tidmouth Shed.

The kids said their favorite part of the park was seeing Thomas the Train up close and personal. Oh yeah, and I can’t forget the dinosaurs in Dino Land! After walking around the entire park, my husband and I enjoyed going on the ride around the amusement park which lasted about 15-20 minutes. The ride was just the right amount of time we needed to rest our tired feet before heading back out into the park with the kids again.

For lunch we ate at the on-site Dockside Diner. They had a variety of options to choose from like fresh salads, sandwiches personal sized pizzas and hot dogs. On our way out of the park, I took a quick peek inside the gift shop. I saw several trains & sets plus a host of other items sure to excite and entertain any train or Thomas enthusiast!

Edaville is such a fun and family-friendly amusement park. We can’t wait to go back next summer to enjoy the upcoming Pirate Adventure attraction, Charles Dickens Village and water rides!

After leaving the park we attempted to visit the Carver Public Library, but it closed early since it was Saturday. It looks like a really nice library from the outside.

We also tried looking for some local book stores in the area, but couldn’t find one. Therefore, when we opted for exploring the sights around the hotel we stayed at in Plymouth, MA which was just a short 25 minute drive from Edaville. I was delighted to see the replication of the Mayflower II ship was located directly across the street from our hotel at Pilgrim Memorial State Park pier.

The Mayflower II is a full-scale reproduction of the tall ship that brought the Pilgrims to Plymouth in 1620. Costumed role-players tell you about their perilous journey across the Atlantic, while modern guides speak about the fascinating history of Mayflower and Mayflower II.

We also saw the nation’s oldest continuously operating public museum, Pilgrim Hall Museum. The museum has an impressive collection of Pilgrim possessions telling the story of brave and determined men and women building lives and homes for themselves and their children in a new world. So interesting!

Overall, we had an amazing weekend in Massachusetts exploring Edaville and Plymouth! Put Edaville USA on your list of family-friendly destinations to visit this summer with your little readers and train enthusiasts!

Connect with Edaville USA! (for more information and current promotions)
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Your turn: Have you ever visited Edaville USA? Feel free to share in the comments.

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children's books

July 13, 2016

Mrs. G

Let’s Talk About Race: The Must-Read Picture Book for Talking to Your Kids About Race

Let’s Talk About Race by Julius Lester, illustrated by Karen Barbour

Publisher: Amistad
Age Range: 4 – and up
Pages: 32

Synopsis (from Amazon)

I am a story.

So are you.

So is everyone.

Julius Lester says, “I write because our lives are stories. If enough of these stories are told, then perhaps we will begin to see that our lives are the same story. The differences are merely in the details.” Now Mr. Lester shares his own story as he explores what makes each of us special. Karen Barbour’s dramatic, vibrant paintings speak to the heart of Lester’s unique vision, truly a celebration of all of us.

Reflection
In light of all the recent events going on in Dallas and across the nation, yesterday I posted this book on my Instagram page and it was very well received. Therefore, I decided to highlight it here on the blog for others to see who don’t follow my Instagram page.

This book is definitely one of the best books I’ve seen that tackles the tough topic of race and explains it in a way that’s easy for young children to grasp. It’s my recommendation for being one of the must-have books in your child’s home library to start having conversations about race and racism.

I know some of you may be thinking things like: “Why do I need to to talk to my children about race?” or “My kids are too young to start having those types of conversations?” or “Will talking about race promote racism or bigotry?” or “Isn’t that the teacher’s job?”

I understand that talking about race in America or race in general can feel dangerous and overwhelming, but it’s important work if we want to truly get to a place where all people are treated as equals. I believe it is crucial that we talk to our kids openly and honestly about race as soon as they are old enough to understand that people come in all different colors, shapes and sizes. My 3.5 year-old daughter currently refers to White people as “peach” and Black people as “brown”. I never taught her that – it’s something she has picked up over time since learning her colors.

I think it’s important to give children the words and language to understand both the superficial outer differences between people, as well as the very real, lived differences that exist under the surface. As parents, caregivers and educators, we need to teach them to respect and value those differences as well as the many similarities that all people share.

Let’s Talk About Race provides you with a sort of blueprint for educating your children or students about race and being unique. It helps them become more compassionate toward people and allows them to help push the lever toward true equality. In essence, this books helps kids to see beyond the superficial outward differences and look deeper for common interests, similar likes and dislikes, values, beliefs, and attitudes. We all have a story to tell.

Here are just a few of my favorite quotes from the book:

“I’ll take off my skin, will you take off yours?”
“Just as I am a story and you are a story and countries tell stories about themselves, race is a story, too.”
“There are other ways all of us—even me, even you—think we are better than others.”

It’s also worth mentioning that while I find the illustrations in this book to be gorgeous and interesting, some children (especially smaller ones) may find them to be a bit scary.

This book touches upon themes of: social justice, having respect for others, race, diversity and self-love.

Your turn: What are your favorite children’s books for talking about race and racism? Feel free to share in the comments.

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Book Reviews

July 13, 2016

Mrs. G

Wash Day by Christin Armstrong + A Giveaway!

Wash Day by Christin Armstrong

Publisher: Mocha Kid Publishing Co.
Published: June 12, 2016
Pages: 32

Synopsis
Every child can relate to the struggles that come along with wash day. Some parents can relate as well. Empathize with all of our wash day sentiments in this adorable book for your Mocha Kid.

Reflection
I’ve designated Sunday to be the day my daughter and I wash our hair. If we have plans on Sunday, our backup day is Friday evening. Our Sunday ritual was formed because I want my daughter’s hair to be fresh for school on Mondays.

I initially started wearing my hair in its natural state six and a half years ago. Back then, wash day was a breeze because I took the plunge and did the “big chop” aka cut all of my hair off. As my hair started to grow out, I found myself dedicating a whole day to the cleansing ritual of my hair. I must admit, it was quite daunting and downright exhausting. I felt a lot like the little girl does in the beginning of this adorable book. She says, “Is it washday again? Surely it can’t be! We just did this last week. Don’t do this to me!”
Inspired by the author’s daughter and YouTube sensation, Riley Armstrong, this book is one that little girls with natural hair (and their mothers) will easily relate to. The girl in this book starts off by having a tantrum because she doesn’t want to get her hair washed yet again. She doesn’t like getting her hair detangled nor does she like her eyes stinging from the “tear-free” shampoo. The girl has no choice but to oblige and let her mom start the hair washing and styling process. By the end of the book, the little girl is all smiles and she’s pleased with how good her hair looks.

The illustrations are so bright and cheerful – they make me smile. They show the little girl getting her hair washed, conditioned, detangled and finally all twisted up. Kids will be captivated by the rhyming text used throughout. I think this book does a good job showing just how intimidating wash day can be for little girls (and women) with a head full of natural hair like me and my daughter. Tangles and knots alone can turn a day meant to be about pampering to one of frustration. Luckily for me, I’ve found a regimen and hair washing process that works well for me and my daughter that doesn’t take all day to complete.

I think this book also shows just how beautiful the end result of wash day can be. I mean who doesn’t like the feeling of having your hair freshly washed and styled? For me, it’s an instant pick me up. When my hair looks good, it automatically boosts my confidence and makes me feel good just like this cute little girl. Check this book out and read it with your little mocha girl on wash day or any day!

About the Mocha Kid Magazine
Mocha Kid is an up-and-coming interactive magazine that is geared towards empowering, unleashing and glorifying the many physical shades of African American children. Their sole purpose is to equip parents with the necessary tools and insights that will nurture the needs and fashion of their little ones.

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

The Giveaway!
Our friends over at Mocha Kid Magazine were kind enough to sponsor a giveaway to win 1 FREE copy of Wash Day! Use the entry form below to enter. Good luck!

Wash Day Book Giveaway!

Your turn: Wash day: Do you love it or hate it? What are your favorite wash day tips when washing your daughter’s hair? Feel free to share in the comments.

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Book Reviews

July 8, 2016

Mrs. G

Ada Twist, Scientist (A Book Review)

Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty illustrated by David Roberts

Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers
Grade Level: Kindergarten – 2
Age Range: 5 – 7 years
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 32

Synopsis (from Amazon)
Like her classmates, builder Iggy and inventor Rosie, scientist Ada, a character of color, has a boundless imagination and has always been hopelessly curious. Why are there pointy things stuck to a rose? Why are there hairs growing inside your nose? When her house fills with a horrific, toe-curling smell, Ada knows it’s up to her to find the source. Not afraid of failure, she embarks on a fact-finding mission and conducts scientific experiments, all in the name of discovery. But, this time, her experiments lead to even more stink and get her into trouble!

Inspired by real-life makers such as Ada Lovelace and Marie Curie, Ada Twist, Scientist champions girl power and women scientists, and brings welcome diversity to picture books about girls in science. Touching on themes of never giving up and problem solving, Ada comes to learn that her questions might not always lead to answers, but rather to more questions. She may never find the source of the stink, but with a supportive family and the space to figure it out, she’ll be able to feed her curiosity in the ways a young scientist should.

Iggy Peck and Rosie Revere have earned their places among the most beloved children’s characters, and they have inspired countless kids and adults to follow their dreams and passions. Now in her own charming and witty picture book, determined Ada Twist, with her boundless curiosity for science and love of the question “Why?,” is destined to join these two favorites. The book is the perfect tool to remind both young girls and women that they have the intelligence and perseverance to achieve their dreams.

Reflection
I could hardly contain my excitement when an advanced copy of this book showed up on my doorstep. I honestly don’t remember being so excited to read a children’s book before. The reason behind my excitement is two-fold: 1. I am a huge fan of Iggy Peck, Architect and Rosie Revere, Engineer so that automatically made me have high expectations for this book. 2. Ada Twist is a little Black girl and she’s also a fellow scientist! No, I’m not a scientist, but I majored in Computer Science in college and graduate school…that counts, right?

“Ada Marie! Ada Marie!
Said not a word till the day she turned three.
She bounced in her crib and looked all around,
observing the world but not making a sound.”

As you can tell from the opening paragraph of this book, Ada didn’t utter a word until she turned three years old. When she finally did talk the first word she said was, “Why?”. She’s a rather curious child who wants to know everything. Ada’s curiosity gets the best of her both at school and at home. Fed up with all the chaos and havoc, Ada’s parents put her in “time out” and send her to the thinking chair. In the end, Ada’s parents learn to accept her for who and what she is: a young scientist.

To say we enjoyed this book is an understatement. We absolutely LOVE it! I knew it was going to be just as good as the other two books in the series. From the cadence to the illustrations to the overall plot, I’m smitten by Miss Ada Twist and so are my kids! We read it three times in a row the first night we received it and have been reading it nonstop at bedtime since.

After looking through the two previous books, I noticed that Ada Twist appeared along with all of the other classmates! (One subtle difference I noticed is in Rosie Revere, Engineer Ada has a gap in her two front teeth. However, in Ada Twist she doesn’t. Not sure if it’s actually a gap or just missing teeth that didn’t grow in yet. In Iggy Peck Ada isn’t shown smiling so you can’t tell if the front tooth gap is present in that book or not.)

How interesting that all three characters are in all three of the books! I honestly never realized Iggy Peck made an appearance in the Rosie Revere book until recently. Knowing this now makes me wonder if this series continues which classmate will be the protagonist of the next book. I’m so curious to know more about all of the remaining 14 kids in Miss Lila Greer’s second grade class. Aren’t you?

Overall, this book is a delight to read with stellar illustrations to match. It teaches little readers about problem solving, perseverance, science, working together as a family and challenges them to have a sense of curiosity like Ada. I don’t know about you, but I appreciate curious children who constantly question why things are the way they are. Highly recommended for kids ages 4 and up.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. However, all opinions expressed are my own.

Your turn: Are you looking forward to reading about Miss Ada Twist? Feel free to share in the comments.

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giveaways

July 8, 2016

Mrs. G

Just Like Me Box Plus a Giveaway!

I’ve featured several literary subscription boxes here on the blog before like Bookroo, My Lit Box, Heritage Box and The Story Box. Today, I’m introducing you to a new subscription box that was built on the foundation of exposing children of color to literature, characters, authors and stories that are reflective of them: Just Like Me Box.

After first-time mom, Tamara McNeil, grew frustrated with searching for books featuring black characters, she took matters into her own hands and created Just Like Me!. By day, Tamara is a public relations director for a national nonprofit, and by night, she’s juggling the role of wife, mother, and newly minted entrepreneur.

The mission of Just Like Me! is to spark a lifelong love of reading and self-discovery with every box they ship. Each month they will send you a perfectly curated box filled with 2-3 African-American children’s books and other educational tools. Before making their selections they consider the subject, authors, awards, and prices of each item. Each book is read and discussed by their team before it is included in any subscription box.

Just Like Me! has access to thousands African American themed books. From classic children’s books, board books, award winning literature to books written by new authors sharing exciting new adventures, Just Like Me! hand picks items for your child each month. Books are chosen based on educational value, merit, and awards. The Just Like Me! team will search and identify the books that are perfect additions to your child’s reading list each month.

Our friends at Just Like Me! were kind enough to send us a sample of one of their boxes. It came in a sturdy cardboard box and it was nicely packaged. The theme of their July box was “Black Excellence”. A beautifully designed pamphlet was included which contains a definition of what the word excellent means along with some inspirational words and tips that encourage children to achieve and maintain a high level of excellence.

Our box contained the following items:

1 copy of Sugar Plum Ballerinas Plum Fantastic by Whoopi Goldberg
1 copy of Marvelous Me by Lisa Bullard
1 copy of The Marley Adventures: Get to Know Marley by K. Alicia Bolton
1 copy of Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold
1 copy of The Marley Adventures Activity Book

Just Like Me! is a simple subscription service with no strings attached. You are free to cancel anytime.

Cost: $25 per month plus tax with FREE shipping (includes 2-3 books and other educational tools)

Connect with Just Like Me Box!

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

The Giveaway!
Just Like Me! was generous enough to sponsor a giveaway to receive a FREE subscription box! Sorry international friends, this is only for US residents due to high shipping costs. Good luck to all who enter!

Just Like Me! Free 1-Month Subscription Box

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Book Reviews

July 8, 2016

Mrs. G

When Neema Went on a Journey (A Book Review)

When Neema Went on a Journey by Olive Elmer Burke, illustrated by Fraser & Kelvin Ntukula

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Pages: 28

Synopsis (from Amazon)
Oh My! So what did Neema do after she counted four drums? Here is a clue… Neema likes adventures where she can hippity hop, wiggle wobble and stompty stomp smoothly. What? You do too! Well this book is all about that and more… go on, take a look.

Reflection
As a Black parent, I’m always on the lookout for empowering and inspiring books that feature Black children. It’s important for me to constantly show my kids that they don’t have to follow one narrative. And since books are among the first representations of the broader world that kids see, I try to choose books like When Neema Went on a Journey that will not only have important messages, but will also leave a lasting impression.

Set in Tanzania, this exuberant, colorful counting journey is a treasure trove of visual and auditory pleasures. It’s a rhyming book that opens little readers’ eyes to new cultures and ideas whilst introducing them to numbers in a fun way.

Sporting her adorable bantu knot hairstyle and African garb, Little Neema sets off on a journey walking through her Tanzanian village and encounters several people, objects and animals along the way like: 4 drums on the ground and 9 birds in a tree just to name a few. After each item or person she encounters is mentioned, Neema does some sort of action like waving, hopping or stomping.

“Eight jumping fish swimming so gracefully, so Neema stompty stomped beautifully.”

Each number (1 – 10) is prominently displayed boldly in the left hand corner which helps with number recognition. The illustrations are so bright, warm and cheerful with plenty to see and discuss on every page. The playful language used throughout will not only introduce new vocabulary words, but it will also help toddlers and preschoolers develop auditory discrimination and recognize language patterns. Since this book incorporates rhyming, repetition and playful language, I think it makes reading more fun.

This book teaches more than counting, something just as valuable: a look at another culture. Overall, the kids and I enjoyed this book. It has a very nice cadence to it that is calming before bedtime and the pictures are very engaging. An effervescent and irresistibly cute read-aloud to add to your child’s home library collection.

Connect with Olive Elmer Burke!
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Your turn: Have you read this book yet? Feel free to share in the comments.

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family fun

July 1, 2016

Mrs. G

Literary Road Trip Series: We’re Going to Edaville USA!

Our Literary Road Trip Series continues with an upcoming trip to Carver, MA to go to Edaville USA! Edaville is a family-friendly amusement park and is the home of three adventures: Thomas Land, Dino Land (Seasonal), Christmas Festival of Lights (Seasonal), including over 90 rides & attractions. It’s also a Top 3 winner for Best New Amusement Park Attractions as chosen by readers of USA Today & 10 Best!

Edaville USA offers special events throughout the year, including Hello Kitty, Curious George, Pete the Cat, Superheroes & Princesses, Pumpkins AGLOW and so much more! This amusement park allows you to enter a world of imagination and wonder where both the young – and the young at heart – can discover the magic of Thomas & Friends. Thomas Land theme park covers 11.5 acres within Edaville USA, bringing the Island of Sodor to life in a lush New England landscape. Families can visit iconic destinations including Knapford Station and Tidmouth Sheds and enjoy 11 themed rides featuring favorite characters like Cranky the Crane, Harold the Helicopter, and more! The perfect family-friendly destination for your train loving kiddos!

While we’re in Carver, MA we also plan to check out their local library (time permitting), find a local book store or some other popular literary attraction. I’m sure we’ll have a great time exploring the town after we experience all that Edaville USA has to offer!

Connect with Edaville USA! (for more information and current promotions)
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Your turn: Have you and your family ever been to Edaville USA? What should we check out while we’re in town? Feel free to share in the comments!

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Book Reviews

June 29, 2016

Mrs. G

Book of the Week: School’s First Day of School

School’s First Day of School by Adam Rex, illustrated by Christian Robinson

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Pages: 40
Format: Hardcover
Age Range: 4 – 8 Years (Preschool – Grade 3)
Available for Sale: June 28, 2016

Synopsis (from Amazon)
It’s the first day of school at Frederick Douglass Elementary and everyone’s just a little bit nervous, especially the school itself. What will the children do once they come? Will they like the school? Will they be nice to him?

The school has a rough start, but as the day goes on, he soon recovers when he sees that he’s not the only one going through first-day jitters.

Reflection
This amazing book urges readers to imagine what the first day of school must be like for their school. We all know most kids are filled with anxiety and nervousness on their first day of school, but let’s look at it from the school’s perspective, shall we?

Think about it. Have you ever wondered what your house or your car would say if they could talk? Would they tell on your kids for spilling that apple juice in the back seat or your dog for once peeing in the plant again? Would your walls be quite sullen as they’ve been long ignored – with outdated wall paper, old finger prints and sad paint? I know I’ve certainly pondered this question before since houses, apartments, buildings, cars and even schools store memories of our lives.

The book starts off showing a picture of the brand new elementary school that was just built – Frederick Douglass Elementary School. The school is happy with a big smile plastered across his face – he’s proud of how great he looks after all the hard work that went into building him. The school is happy that he has his friend the janitor to take care of him and keep him clean. He’s quite content with the school being occupied with just the two of them in the days leading up to the first day of school.

When the school finds out there will be lots of kids and teachers occupying his space, he becomes nervous. What will they think of him? Will they like him? Will he live up to their expectations?

At first, the school is excited to have so many people there, but when he overhears kids saying things like, “I don’t like school” and “This place stinks” he starts to feel very sad and frustrated. He even squirts a kid in the face from the water fountain, but feels bad about it afterwards. In the end, the school tells his friend janitor all about his first day. Surprisingly, he asks the janitor to invite all of the kids and teachers to come back tomorrow. The janitor tells the school how lucky he is to be a school and the school thought he was probably right about that.

The kids and I adore this book. I love the fact that this story is told from the perspective of the school and not the kids. Not only does it make me wonder what objects could say if they could talk, but it also makes me want to take even better care of the things that I own as well as the school my kids attend. I love how the janitor took care of the school to keep him clean. True story, after reading this book the first time I immediately went upstairs and folded a load of laundry that I had sitting in the dryer since the previous night. I was thinking what the clothes and the dryer would say if they could talk!

The bight and colorful illustrations in this book are exceptional! This book also has lots of diversity. The kids are all different colors and races and there is even a little girl in a wheelchair featured. Such great attention to detail. Illustrator Christian Robinson can do no wrong!

I think this book is perfect to be read aloud to little readers in preschool up through 2nd or 3rd grade on the first day of school. It’s great for teaching kids about feelings, friendship, the first day of school jitters and how to honor and respect their environment – especially their school. A winner!

Your turn: Have you read this book yet? Let me know what your opinions are in the comments.

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family fun

June 26, 2016

Mrs. G

Summer Camp At Home: Fun With Art!

I hope you’ve been enjoying following along in our summer camp at home series! This summer, I’ve teamed up with 13 other amazing bloggers to bring you a 7-week series of “Summer Camp at Home”. Over the past few weeks, we’ve been bringing you two different themes per week filled with different books to read, yummy snacks to eat/prepare and 20 budget activities to do with your kids and tweens. This week we have two new themes to present: health and fitness and art! I’ll post the link to the health and fitness theme at the end of this post once it’s available.

Like most toddlers and preschoolers, my kids love creating art! They enjoy regular, everyday art like painting, and coloring with markers, crayons and chalk, but we always have the most fun when we’re doing a cool art project, exploring unusual substances (shaving cream, melted wax, food coloring), and using creative techniques (sponge painting, smoosh painting and stamp painting) to make our art.

Since I’m crafty and creative, we have countless materials and tools right in our own home to create art with; materials and tools that allow my kids to explore, create and learn in ways that they can’t with just a box of crayons or markers. With art, it also helps to have a love of art and a willingness to get messy!

Fun With Art: Snacks!
Art, math and science also happen in the kitchen! Try out some of these creative art-inspired snack ideas with your kids this week.

Pictured from left to right:
Fruity Frozen Yogurt Snacks from Tablespoon
Paintbrush Rice Krispie Treats from Catch My Party
Artist Palette Cupcakes from Jen Loves Kev
Patriotic Pretzel Sticks from Everyday Savvy

The kids and I enjoyed some yummy non-GMO snacks courtesy of Fresh Kids! We had popcorn, cheese puffs and pretzel sticks. With the 4th of July holiday coming up, we’re going to try decorating our pretzel sticks with red, white and blue like the picture shown above.

Fun With Art: Books!
We chose 4 fun books to go along with our art theme: Kenya’s Art, Swatch: The Girl Who Loved Color, Mix It Up and Grandma In Blue with Red Hat.

Swatch: The Girl Who Loved Color – I fell in love with both the story and the illustrations. Rich language is used throughout so it’s perfect for kids learning new words. It’s also filled with bright and vibrant eye-catching colors.

Mix It Up – One thing I love about Hervé Tullet is his ability to call upon a child imagination while still getting kids to interact with books. I think it’s genius! Adults like myself, can’t can’t help but play along with his invitations to rub colors, close pages, and even place your hand flat on an image. Then flip the page and see the results of your action. So fun! This book is all about making different color combinations. By pretending to mix two different colors together to make a new color, kids are bound to retain more color mixing knowledge than just reading about the color combinations.

Kenya’s Art – After seeing a museum exhibit called “Recycle! Reuse! Make Art!” featuring every-day items turned into colorful displays, little Kenya learns about the importance of recycling and how you can reuse things to create beautiful works of art. A cute book to teach little readers about environmentalism, art, creativity or recycling.

Grandma In Blue with Red Hat – When a young boy learns about what makes art special—sometimes it’s beautiful, sometimes it’s funny, sometimes it tells a story—he realizes that these same characteristics are what make his grandmother special, too. As a result, he finds the inspiration to create his own masterpiece that’s one of a kind.

Fun With Art: Craft Projects!
Since we recently started growing our own garden, I decided to let the kids try painting with different fruits and vegetables. We ended up using apples, oranges, broccoli and celery. Printmaking/painting with fruits and veggies is simple! Simply dip a fruit or vegetable in one color of paint, making sure that the bottom is evenly-coated with paint. Press the fruit or vegetable firmly on your paper. That’s it! You can even combine the fruits and vegetable prints to create a pretty pictures like flower gardens.

When using cabbage, it print looks just like a rose! Broccoli makes sponge-like prints that are great for making trees and corn can produce some really interesting patterns as well.

Now that we’ve explored making prints with fruits and vegetables, I’m looking forward to doing this again with cucumbers and carrots that we grow in our own little garden at home. Check out what our garden looks like only after 8 days…progress! Thanks to Fresh Kids for supplying us with a Snack Happy Box which included our snacks and an awesome garden kit!

Here are some other fun art projects for you and your little campers to explore this week:

Make Washable Spray Chalk Paint! via Growing a Jeweled Rose
Crumpled Paper Art via Buggy and Buddy
Patriotic Hand Print Craft via b-Inspired Mama

Below are the 14 themes for this year’s 7 Week Summer Camp at Home Series. Please click on each link for all the ideas as each blog post goes live. Be sure to check back each week to see the new ideas the next set of “camp counselors” suggest for the upcoming week ahead.

Week 1: Monday 5/30 – Self-Love Theme & Ocean Theme
Week 2: Monday 6/6 – Saving Money Theme & Gardening/Going Green Theme

Week 3: Monday 6/13 – Black History Theme & Music Theme

Week 4: Monday 6/20 – STEM Theme (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) & Water Fun Theme
Week 5: Monday 6/27 – Health & Fitness Theme & Art Theme

Week 6: Monday 7/4 – Dinosaur Theme & Cooking Theme
Week 7: Monday 7/11 – Astronomy Theme & Around the World Theme

We hope you enjoy this series as much as we enjoy putting it together! Happy Camping!

Your turn: How are you and your kids spending your summer? Feel free to share in the comments.

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family fun

June 23, 2016

Mrs. G

Literary Road Trip Series: Springfield Museums

Summer is officially here! What is summer if not a time for adventure, exploration, and traveling to new and different places! This summer the kids and I (along with some friends and maybe “the husband”) intend to hit the road and go on some literary-themed and kid-friendly road trips.

A few months ago, I compiled a list of places in the Northeast where we can get our book shopping and literary geekiness on thrown in with some family and kid-friendly fun! This summer, we’ll be embarking on a literary pilgrimage of sorts. I hope to offer my kids a unique, inspiring and educational summer vacation. We’ll be visiting various museums, libraries and centers for children’s literature. Whether your family will be hitting the road this summer, or whether you’re staying close to home, I hope this literary road trip series will inspire you and your kids kids to do some exploring in your own area.

We kicked off our road trip series with a visit to the Springfield Museums. Located in the heart of downtown Springfield, Massachusetts, the Springfield Museums offers access to four world-class museums and the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden, all for one admission price. What a great deal!

The four museums are as follows: George Walter Vincent Smith Art Museum, Springfield Science Museum, Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts and Lyman and Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History. There is also a museum store which has a fabulous range of children’s books, educational kits and toys available for purchase. You’re bound to find a gem (or two) to take home.

The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss Museum will be a brand new addition coming to the Springfield Museums! It will include an interactive, bilingual museum for children and families that brings the stories of Ted Geisel (a.k.a. Dr. Seuss) to life. Visitors will encounter three-dimensional characters and scenes from his books as they explore Ted’s childhood in Springfield, Massachusetts. This colorful exhibition aims to make reading and learning fun for visitors of all ages and will open in 2017.

We only ended up exploring two out of the four museums which seemed to be the most kid-friendly ones. First, we went to the Springfield Science Museum which has an Exploration Center of touchable displays, the oldest operating planetarium in the United States, an extensive collection of stuffed and mounted animals, dinosaur exhibits, and the African Hall, through which you can take an interactive tour.

Next, we went to The Museum of Springfield History which tells the story of the town’s manufacturing heritage. Did you know that Springfield was home to the former Indian Motorcycle Company? The museum has a rich and beautiful collection of Indian bikes and memorabilia on display throughout.

Afterwards, we headed over to the Dr. Seuss National Memorial Sculpture Garden. The garden includes an array of bronze statues depicting scenes from Theodor Geisel’s famously whimsical children’s books. The statues include a four-foot-tall Lorax, one of his most popular creations and the elephant from Horton Hears a Who.

The kids really enjoyed seeing all the animals and exhibits at the museum, playing in the interactive kid’s play area and running around in the sculpture garden. One of my friends and her son accompanied us too – we had a ball! Before heading home, we went to the on-site cafe to grab a bite to eat and ended up having an impromptu picnic lunch outside on a blanket. What a nice way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

If you’re ever in the area, I’d highly recommend going on a literary road trip to Springfield, MA, the home city of Dr. Seuss. Make the Springfield Museums one of your first stops with your little readers!

What bookish adventures can you and your little readers go on in your area this summer? Please leave your thoughts in the comments as we embark on our own summer literary adventure!

Disclaimer: We were provided with complimentary tickets to the Springfield Museums in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Connect with the Springfield Museums!
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Return: The Journey Trilogy (A Book Review)

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Ada Twist, Scientist (A Book Review)

Just Like Me Box Plus a Giveaway!

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Literary Road Trip Series: We’re Going to Edaville USA!

Book of the Week: School’s First Day of School

Summer Camp At Home: Fun With Art!

Literary Road Trip Series: Springfield Museums

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