Category Archives: Crafts for kids

Picture Book Review and Activity PLUS Giveaway: TRAINS DON’T SLEEP

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Happy Cinco de Mayo! Right now, I am in Chicago, visiting family! Thank goodness for being able to schedule posts in advance.

It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday and I’m thrilled to present another 2017 debut picture book.

I also wanted to remind everyone to continue to spread the word about the #50PreciousWordsforKids International Writing Challenge. final jpeg of flyerThere are only a few more days for teachers and parents to email the stories to me – it’s a wonderful activity for schools who want to celebrate Children’s Book Week or for parents who enjoy providing creative projects for their kids. I’m grateful to everyone who shared on social media or who contacted teacher and parent connections.

Today’s Perfect Picture Book Friday also has a giveaway…so don’t forget to leave a comment.

trains dont sleep

 TRAINS DON’T SLEEP

Written by Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum

Illustrated by Dierdre Gill

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Ages: Preschool – Grade 3

Themes:

Trains, travel,

Synopsis:

From Amazon:

Puffing, chuffing, never yawning

Climbing hills as day is dawning.

Trains don’t sleep, they

CLANG and HOOT

 Cross bridges and canyons, plow through snow, charge down mountains, and meander across fields filled with sheep. And when it is time to rest and dreams are just ahead, never fear—trains don’t sleep so that you can.

 With the feel of a classic and vivid artwork that captures the power and majesty of trains, this is a  fast-paced rhyming ode to the locomotive.

Why I like this book:

  • Debut picture book author Andria Rosenbaum has nailed the rhythm and rhyme – I love the pacing that enables the reader/listener to feel like they are on a train.
  • Beautiful illustrations…with a slightly muted dreamlike quality!
  • And even though this is a book about how trains don’t sleep, I think it would make a perfect bedtime read for young kids because of the wonderful rhythm and circular story.

RELATED ACTIVITIES

14-Train-CraftsPhoto courtesy: http://craftulate.com/2016/03/train-crafts-art-ideas.html

  1. Make sure you chuga-chuga choo choo over to this website…they have the best train crafts for young kids: http://craftulate.com/2016/03/train-crafts-art-ideas.html
  2. If you live in the city, hop on a train with your child – if you live in the suburbs, check the train schedules and take a ride.
  3. Visit a train museum if there are any in your region.

Have a wonderful weekend, dear friends…don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway of a copy of TRAINS DON’T SLEEP.

And please come back tomorrow for:

 Will Write for Cookies

With debut picture book author

ANDRIA ROSENBAUM

And I hardly wait for May 11th when I post the #50PreciousWordsforKids stories!

This post is part of a series for parents and teachers called Perfect Picture Book Fridays hosted by Susannah Leonard Hill. Click on her link and find lots of other picture book suggestions with summaries and activities.

Picture Book Review and Activity: BOB AND JOSS GET LOST + Giveaway

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Hello dear friends!

It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday…so you know we are going to have a super picture book to review. Actually, it is one of the brand-new 2017 debut picture books. And the author, Peter McCleery, will be our guest on tomorrow’s Will Write for Cookies.

But as is often the case, we need to make a few announcements first.

  1. The ReFoReMo Challenge will be getting underway on February 27…you can still  find out more about it and register here. ReFoReMo is an excellent way to earmark a month to read LOTS of picture books that you can use as mentor texts. Thanks to Carrie Charlie Brown and Kirsti Call for all of their work in organizing this for the kid lit community. I’m honored to have been asked to contribute the blog post for March 21.
  2. Last week we offered a copy of MR. FUZZBUSTER KNOWS HE’S THE FAVORITE. And the winner is…

SHERRI JONES RIVERS

Congrats, Sherri…I’ll be in touch and we will get a copy of the book to you.

3. And this weekend, we are giving away a copy of today’s wonderful picture book, BOB AND JOSS GET LOST. So please don’t forget to leave a comment below.

4. A dear friend, Michelle Eastman, is on a mission to put books in the hands of children in this country who have none. With the help of the VNS of Iowa, MARCHing Books to Kids will allow incarcerated parents to record their voices reading a book…then the VNS will send the book AND the recording to the child. What a positive impact this can make for children who are separated from a parent! The book you send might make all the difference in that child’s life. Any book is welcome…but can you imagine how special it would be for these kids to get books actually SIGNED by the author or illustrator?

5. And last, but definitely not least, I hope you are all thinking about your #50PreciousWords. Contest opens March 2. I JUST finished mine…after all, it wouldn’t be fair to expect you to write a story in just 50 words or less if I didn’t give it a try. I know you will laugh when you read it…hopefully because it is funny…and not because it is hopeless.

And now, thank you for your patience…it’s time for our #PPBF review.

bob-and-joss-cover

Bob and Joss Get Lost

Written by Peter McCleery

Illustrated by Vin Vogel

Publisher: HarperCollins (2017)

Ages: Preschool – Grade 3

Themes:

Friendship, ingenuity

Synopsis:

From Amazon:

Perfect for fans of I’m Bored, Bob and Joss Get Lost! is a hilarious story about two friends who get shipwrecked on what may or may not be a deserted island.

“I’m bored,” Bob said, “Let’s do something.”

“Let’s take a boat trip,” said Joss.

“We will get lost,” said Bob.

We won’t get lost,” said Joss.

From debut author Peter McCleery and esteemed children’s book illustrator Vin Vogel comes a fun, comical escapade where two best friends get more excitement than they bargained for. Full of bold illustrations and clever one-liners, Bob and Joss Get Lost! is sure to have young readers laughing along.

Opening Lines:

“Bob was bored.”

Why I like this book:

  • This book is FUNNY and so darn REAL. The characters are funny. What happens to them is funny. But what I love most is that I could relate to these two friends…so different from each other…but so perfect for each other. I know many people who are just like Bob…no matter where they are or what they are doing, they are bored. And I think kids who hear this story will identify with McCleery’s characters.
  • The illustrations are perfect for the text…Vin Vogel captures the frustration of Bob…and the Zen-like acceptance of Joss. And his use of words as art packs a great punch for the story.
  • I read this with my 8-year old grandson and he LOVED it. When we finished, he took the book and read it through again, on his own.

RELATED ACTIVITIES

MAKE A MAP

 making-mapsPhoto courtesy: http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org

  1. Take a walk with your kids. Make a note of stores, parks, other landmarks.
  2. Draw a ‘picture’ of the area you traveled.
  3. More maps here: http://www.artistshelpingchildren.org/makemapstreasuremapscraftsideasdecorationskids.html

Look at a globe…identify the continents, bodies of water…have children find where they live, places they have visited.

Have a wonderful weekend, dear friends…and please come back tomorrow for:

Will Write for Cookies

With debut picture book author

PETER MCCLEERY

Picture Book Review and Giveaway: Mr. Fuzzbuster Knows He’s the Best

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Today is Perfect Picture Book Friday…and we are reviewing another BRAND NEW 2017 release.

fuzzbuster-cover

Mr. Fuzzbuster Knows He’s the Favorite

Written by Stacy McAnulty

Illustrated by Edward Hemingway

Publisher: Two Lions Press (2017)

Ages: Preschool – Grade 2

Themes:

Friendship, self-esteem, pets

Synopsis:

From Amazon:

Mr. Fuzzbuster knew he was Lily’s favorite. They did everything together. Naps. Story time. Walks. And more naps. But now four more animals lived in the house.… Continue reading →