Tuesday Tales
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Tuesday, May 7th, 2013Disclosure: I received some books by Mo Willems to review and help celebrate Pigeon’s 10th birthday courtesy of Disney Publishing Worldwide. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own. As big fans of this author and illustrator, we were thrilled to participate in this big day for Pigeon and Mr. Willems.
Over the years, I have read a lot of books with children while babysitting, in college, in my own classroom, and with my own two boys. There are times when you may think you have read a book, but then you realize you missed something big. Enter Mo Willems’ famous Pigeon into my world. It isn’t that I am unfamiliar with author and illustrator Willems. I mean, check out my youngest son’s latest collection that he is reading to me.
My kids adore Elephant & Piggie books along with Willems’ classic Knuffle Bunny. That’s what I am not sure how I managed to miss reading Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! The other day a package arrived from Disney Publishing to celebrate Pigeon turning 10.
I am not joking when I say the kids were beyond excited about the box of Mo Willems books. The kids immediately snagged the books and wanted to read them together. First, JSL read to NHL A Big Guy Took My Ball! (An Elephant & Piggy Book coming out May 21).
A Big Guy Took My Ball! (Elephant and Piggie Book)
After this, I lost track of a lot of what was happening because they were so happy and we decided to make dinner. Fast forward to the next day when JSL started to ask me questions about hot dogs out of the blue. I had no idea where this was coming from. Later on, he sat down with me to read Caldecott Honor book Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
Of course, when we were finished he begged to continue on to read the other books in the Busload of Pigeon Books collection. This small hard cover book collection includes the original Pigeon book, along with The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog! and Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! This was clearly my ah-ha moment. Now I knew why my fussy eater was suddenly curious about hot dogs. Thanks to Mo Willems , Pigeon, and the cute little Duckling, JSL was now intrigued with hot dogs.
It’s a Busload of Pigeon Books!
This box set of smaller sized Pigeon books is now available to help celebrate this famous bird’s 10th Birthday. This set, along with other Mo Willems books and items make fantastic baby shower gifts, and birthday presents for young children.
In addition to this, Don’t Pigeonhole Me!: Two Decades of the Mo Willems Sketchbook
Please join me in wishing Pigeon a very happy 10th Birthday. Now, I would love to know what your favorite Mo Willems book and why. As always, Tuesday Tales is about spreading love for books. Please share what you have read recently. Be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else.
Additional Disclosures: Three Amazon Affiliate links are included in this post for the books mentioned (they are noted above). I will receive a percentage of money for the sale should you opt to purchase it through that link.
Tuesday Tales – Picture Book to Celebrate Motherhood
Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013Disclosure: I received a copy of the book for review purposes from Sourcebooks. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.
Mother’s Day is coming and children all around will be drawing pictures, making gifts, and writing poetry for their mothers. Well, the younger kids will be doing that while the rest of us run around buying a greeting card to send/give along with a gift. Now, imagine being able to read a book with your child that celebrates not simply Mother’s Day, but the adventures of motherhood and love that we have for our children.
Oh, the Things My Mom Will Do…
Motherhood has taught me a lot. It has shown me how to be flexible, laugh at situations that may not seem funny at the time, and how truly the love for your child trumps all frustrations of life. Author and illustrator Marianne Richmond tells a story that celebrates the life adventure that all mothers can relate to. We know that there are times that we need to be goofy and sometimes a bit more serious. No matter which is needed the love for our children is always there and shines through when we need it.
One of my favorite pages of the book is when you see a child jump into bed in the middle of the night.
I can not tell you how many nights I have slept teetering on the edge and clutching for some of the blanket. While I may need a little more coffee the next morning, listening to the calm breathing of my little guy laying next to me melts my heart. I know the nightmare he had is gone and he is at peace. Yes, even JSL (5) thought this page was funny and he is the bed invader in our house.
I recommend Oh, the things my mom will do… because she loves me through and through! as a great way to talk to your children about motherhood and how sometimes they may not always think about the subtle ways you are there for them. Once again, Marianne Richmond shows that she is a double threat in the world of picture books for kids with her adorable story and fun illustrations. A year ago, we reviewed her book I’m Not Tired Yet!
Feel free to share some of your motherhood adventures in the comments below. As always, Tuesday Tales is about spreading love for books. Please share what you have read recently. Be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else.
Additional Disclosures: An Amazon Affiliate link is included in this post for the book mentioned. I will receive a percentage of money for the sale should you opt to purchase it through that link.
Tuesday Tales – Itch: The Explosive Adventures of an Element Hunter
Tuesday, April 9th, 2013Disclosure: I received an advanced reading copy of the book for review purposes from the publisher. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.
Science is near and dear to my heart. As a teacher, I loved showing children in my classroom how things worked, grew, and thrived. Chemistry was especially interesting to teach, especially when it came to sharing chemical reactions and other things related to the periodic table that would hang proudly on my bulletin wall. Once I was able to get my students not to be afraid of the world of Chemistry, they would quickly relax and enjoy the wonder of everything. There was just something extra special about working in a lab and hearing a room full of experiments make another generation of scientists.
Itch: The Explosive Adventures of an Element Hunter (ISBN 9781454905097) – Written by Simon Mayo – Splinter (YA from Sterling) – April 2013 – Hardcover $16.95 – Ages 12+
Now imagine you have a fourteen year old student who collects items. Only these are not rocks, minerals, rare coins, or anything like that. No, the student collect elements from the periodic table. Yes, Itch: The Explosive Adventures of an Element Hunter is about a teen boy named Itchingham Lofte who has a collection of items like Carbon, Sodium, and even Radium. Of course, you can not simply head to a store to pick up an element that you need for your collection. While reading Itch, we watch as a young boy learns that experiments can not only go wrong from time to time, but dreams can change your entire life in an instant.
Debut author and beloved BBC radio DJ, Simon Mayo takes us along on an adventure like no other I have read before.
It is filled with science, intrigue, and teen/school drama. We watch as Itch, his cousin Jack, and sister Chloe work to protect the wrong people from finding something that never should have been unearthed. Yes, they stumble upon what is likely a new element and the power of this item could cause a lot of danger if it gets into the wrong hands. Of course, someone they thought they could trust was involved with the wrong people. Soon after, this the story escalates as Itch has to run to protect everyone from these powerful rocks that everyone now wants to get their hands on for all the wrong reasons.
I definitely recommend this book for all teens and adults that are fascinated with science. I adore that a geek turns into a hero and his love and knowledge of science thrusts him into this role. The twists and turns in this book will keep you on your toes and turning pages to see what happens to Itch and everyone involved in his story. I know I am looking forward to the sequel that will not be available in the United States until next year.
If I was in a middle school classroom right now, this book would be a great addition to reading that connects the world of science and fictional tales. There is also a reading group guide available from Splinter on their website that was linked above. Oh and one other interesting piece of information. The cover and jacket flap of the hardcover book feature augmented reality animations via a free downloadable itch app. I have to admit, this tech love science geek is very intrigued by this.
If you were an element hunter, what would you like to find? As always, Tuesday Tales is about spreading love for books. Please share what you have read recently. Be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else.
Tuesday Tales – Level 1 Early Readers
Tuesday, March 12th, 2013Learning to read is a major milestone in the life of a child. Scratch that, it is also a major change for the entire family. Read aloud is not simply directed by adults. Now children can also get in on the act. My youngest is in kindergarten and a shy reader. I believe some of this is because he still wants the special read aloud time that we have together. Of course, I have told him that it will not end just because he is able to read.
JSL’s teachers are sending home short decoding books to work on fluency, decoding, and other early literacy skills that are important. Those books have been great to build his confidence, but he wants more. To help with this, I have been collecting all of our Level 1 early reader books from around the house. We have more than pictured above, but those are the ones I was able to find quickly.
Both of the boys adore picking out books and reading about their favorite characters. These days, you can find the leveled books for almost any Disney characters, PBS favorite, or Nick friend.
In addition to this, leveled readers are helping to get kids excited about learning new things. Level 1 books are available about people, place, and things. There are a lot of animal books from Scholastic for children that want to know more about animals like penguins, polar bears, and beyond.
DK Publishing has also expanded into early reading books for younger children. Now kids can learn about jobs, machines, and science. The books are filled with great details about the items and beautiful photos and illustrations that will keep young readers engaged.
These days, there are so many possibilities when looking for starter books to have your child read to you. You can explore new items or bring back some familiar faces that you may have read as a child. Head to a book store or shop online and you will be amazed with the selection available right now.
What early readers are your favorites? Please share what you have read recently. Be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else. Tuesday Tales are all about spreading the love for books.
Tuesday Tales – New “Watch Me Grow” Books
Tuesday, March 5th, 2013As a parent, it has been amazing to watch the growth of my children during their preschool years. This is the time when they learn to be independent, share, read, and get ready to go to school. As wonderful as this time can be as a parent, it can also be a scary time for children. These days, books are now available like the Watch Me Grow books from Sterling Kids Books. We recently received the two latest books in the series.
Little Chipmunk’s Wiggly, Wobbly Tooth
When the books arrived, my kindergarten kiddo wanted to sit down and read them with me. JSL has not lost a tooth yet, so he wanted to start by reading Little Chipmunk’s Wiggly, Wobbly Tooth. We quickly met Chipmunk who was extremely proud of his two front teeth. He suddenly notices something is “wrong” with his teeth and he can’t eat the way he had. We watch as he problem solves through the problem by visiting his dentist.
JSL really enjoyed Little Chipmunk’s tale as told by Mary Packard. She took something that can be scary for a child and made it a milestone to be proud and excited about. Lisa McCue’s beautiful illustrations invite us into the adorable world of Little Chipmunk and his friends. I know we will recommend this book to families with children who have kids with wiggly teeth in their future.
When we read the second book, we met Little Raccoon. She is a sweet character who is very egocentric. She is definitely a “Just Me” who focuses on herself and not others around her.
Thanks to McCue’s illustrations, we can see how hurt her friends are when she does not think about them. A lesson in being part of a team and sharing shows Little Raccoon just how nice it is to work together. This book shows how children can put their interests first and prepares them for how others may feel.
The Watch Me Grow books are a great read for children who are starting school, learning about manners, or hoping to get reassured about big childhood milestones.
Please share what you have read recently. Be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else. Tuesday Tales are all about spreading the love for books.
Disclosure: My family received the books mentioned above from Sterling Children’s Books in order to facilitate this review. No other compensation was given. The opinions expressed are my own. An Amazon Affiliate link is included in this post for the books mentioned. I will receive a percentage of money for the sale should you opt to buy the book through the link.
Two additional Tuesday Tales books featured illustrations by Lisa McCue:
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