Mary Ann Dames, M.S., R.D.

D.W. can hardly wait to get her own library card but she has to be able to write her name. She practices and practices until, finally, she can. She is excited to be able to check out books. Then the Tommy Tibble tells her that if she hurts the book, “they take away your library card forever." DW is afraid to touch the book. When it is time to return the book, Arthur opens it for her and reads it to her. And when DW discovers she can renew the book, she lets Arthur know he can read it to her two times a day.

I bet Marc Brown could hardly wait to get his first library card and remembers what it was like, just like in D.W.'s Library Card.


Harry in Trouble (I Can Read Book 2) could be about any of us who loses things But Harry loses his library card – three times! Well, the first two times they aren’t lost. The first time his dog ate it. Really! The second time his dad washed Harry’s jeans with the library card still in it. Really! But the third time. Yes, the third time Harry really did lose his library card. He’d put it in a safe place but couldn’t remember where. Can you guess where? You’ll have to read the book to find out what Ms. Katz the librarian does each time and if Harry finds his library card. This easy reader was written by Barbara Ann Porte and illustrated by Yossi Abolafia.

Everyday after school Melvin goes to the library. Melvin loves the three librarians, Betty, Marge, and Leeola. When he wonders “How many kinds of fish are in the whole world and all the lakes and all the rivers and all the seas? . . . Leeola sits down at the computer with Melvin and they find the answers together. She couldn’t help it. That’s how librarians are.” And that’s how librarians are when you want to know aobut snakes, or identify bugs or work on a science fair project and all sorts of different things. So everyday after school, all the way through high school, Melvin goes to the library. Then Melvin goes away to college. But after he graduates, he comes back…because he is the newest librarian.

Read The Boy Who Was Raised by Librarians by Carla Morris and illustrated by Brad Sneed to find out what else librarians can help you with.

Richard Scarry was one of my son's favorite authors when he was little. Mr. Scarry's books were entertaining for me to read as well. So I am pleased to offer Richard Scarry's What Do People Do All Day as one of this week's selections. The reader will be familiar with some of the occupations found in Busytown. Others may be new.

"Some workers work indoors and some work outdoors. Some work up in the sky and some work underground. Some workers always do their work at the same place. Others travel from place to place to do their jobs."

The book is divided into sections such as Everyone is a worker and Building a new house which makes it manageable to read a bit at a time. Children can occupy themselves for hours looking at the illustrations and making up their own stories to go with them.

Not everyone works during the day. In Kate Banks's The Night Worker "Night falls. Bedtime comes. Papa kisses Alex good night. Then he puts on his hard hat. He is an engineer. And he is a night worker." One night Alex gets to go with his dad to the construction site. On the way they see other night workers. Once on the job, bulldozers, excavators, dump trunks, concrete mixers and more are hard at work. It is a noisy night with machines grumbling and rumbling and whistles sounding. Then it is break time and all is quiet. It is time for Alex to go home.

Illustrations by Georg Hallensleben.

Worksong celebrates workers in a variety of fields from construction to farms to military and hospitals and truck drivers and more. Gary Paulsen’s rhyming story sings the praises of workers, not by naming them, but by writing about the symphony of sounds and places. Illustrations by Ruth Wright Paulsen.


“Pack the picnic basket and strike up the band. It’s Labor Day!" This Rookie Reader Read-About Holiday has simple text by Carmen Bredeson explaining the origins of Labor Day and Labor Unions. Nonfiction.

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My favorite book about camping is Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems. Not only is it written by my friend, but it captures what camping is all about. Kristine O'Connell George has this to say about her multi-award winning book: "Camping. What is it about camping? You get dirty, sleep on the ground, and are often either too cold or too hot. Not to mention mysterious night noises and menacing mosquitoes.

"Yet, what I remember about camping is the magic. The way the sun shines through a tent in the morning. Squirrels, chipmunks, moose, and deer - soft green moss under a tree. The quiet moments where I slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect with the earth. I feel very "small" when I'm camping - an insignificant part of an enormous universe. This feeling of smallness helps me focus and see what is important. And what isn't."

Pinky and Rex and their dads are going camping on what turns out to be a rainy weekend. Did they let that spoil their time together? No way! In Pinky And Rex And The Double-Dad Weekend: Ready-To-Read Level 3 the four campers make the best of a wet weekend by camping in a motel room and going on indoor adventures to replace the outdoor ones. Pinky and Rex agee the very best thing about the weekend was that it was “Just us and our dads!”

James Howe also wrote Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery, Howliday Inn (Bunnicula), The Celery Stalks at Midnight (Bunnicula)and more. Melissa Sweet not only illustrated this book but several others, including Jane Yolen’s Baby Bear's Chairs (Golden Kite Awards (Awards)).

Four crocodile friends drive to the woods for a camping trip. In a few well chosen words supplemented by simple illustrations, Patricia Larkin tells of four crocodile friends, Sam, Pam, Will, and Jill and their Camping Day! adventure. The friends drive to the country where they cross a stream, jump a fence, and set up their tent. “S’mores,” said Sam. “More!” said Pam. “Songs!” said Will. “Stories,” said Jill. “SCARY!” said Sam, Pam, Will and Jill. Maybe these four friends will find Micro-Mini S’Mores coming up on Recipe Wednesday recipe more to their liking.

Almost no one but the Graves family knows where Lake Bleakmire is. “Surrounded by a rocky escarpment with only one hidden tunnel leading through it, it is a place that time has forgotten. Untouched! A place legends are made of.” Learn how the Graves family meets the Flatulent Sulphuric Fermious Flying Griffin and how it saves the day, or in this case night, on the Fourth of July. The Graves Family Goes Camping is a perfect story to read while camping and listening to all those strange noises. Patricia Polacco’s imagination has run wild with words and illustrations. The only thing not included is toasting marshmallows with the help of the Flatulent Sulphuric Fermious Flying Griffin.

Camping With the President was written by Ginger Wadsworth, author and naturalist, and illustrated by Karen Dugan. American's 26th president was Teddy Roosevelt. After reading John Muir's book Our National Parks, the President wrote to him. "I am coming West. I want to go camping with you and no one else...." In 1903, during a four day horseback camping trip in Yosemite, Roosevelt and Muir talked about the need to protect the natural wonders around them. In a speech in Sacramento, California's state capitol, Roosevelt said, "California possesses a wonderful climate, a wonderful soil...the water supply cannot be preserved unless the forests are preserved. As regards some of the trees, I want them preserved because they are the only things of their kind in the world...It would be a shame to our civilization to let them disappear. They are monuments in themselves... We are not building this country of ours for a day. It is to last through the ages."

Although a younger child will enjoy the beauty of the illustrations and understand the message, this book is geared for ages 9 - 12. Nonfiction.


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It's summer time and the living is easy, especially when you can sit around eating corn.

In Thump, Quack, Moo: A Whacky Adventure once again Doreen Cronin teams up with Betsy Lewin for another escapade with Farmer Brown and his barnyard animals.

Farmer Brown is excited about making a Statue of Liberty Corn Maze. The chickens are excited because they get to use the hammers. The cows are excited because they get to paint the barn. Duck is not excited until he comes up with his own surprise for the corn maze. The mice predict the weather which, not surprising, reflects the moods of Farmer Brown and Duck. The day of the hot air balloon ride dawns. Farmer Brown and Duck take to the air to see their finished maze. The story ends very satisfactorily with a fold out of the maze and a prediction of “Partly cloudy, chance of Duck.”

Available in a bilingual Spanish edition: Pum, Cuac, Muu/ Thump, Quack, Moo: Una loca aventura/ A Whacky Adventure (Spanish Edition)

Chicken dreams there is a treasure of cracked corn under a great pink pig. “Chicken thought about the dream around the cluck.” This is the first of the many puns and word plays in Gimme Cracked Corn and I Will Share, written and illustrated by Kevin O’Malley. I’m not yolking. Chicken and George trek through a day and night full of puns to find the giant pink pig. Pig says he’d had a dream where he flew and found cracked corn under a chicken coop. But he didn’t go look for it because “it was just a dream!” Chicken and George return home to look for pig’s dream corn. Did they find it? Well if pigs can fly…

The Life and Times of Corn is a-maizing. It is poppin’ at the seams with information. This is one of Charles Micucci’s Life and Times series. With a focus on the science and history of one of America’s most important crops, there is more than enough trivia to keep it fun. The land planted with corn in the US would be the fifth-largest state in America – if it were a state! “Pocahontas was kidnapped in 1613, and held for a ransom of a boat full of corn.”

From the most basic facts to history to harvest, Gail Gibbons tells about Corn. Corn has been cultivated for thousands of years, by Mayans and Aztecs. The Pilgrims in America learned about corn from the Native American Indians. All parts of corn were and are still used. Gibbons’ illustrations supplement the words. This is for the older reader, ages 9 to 12, although the curious younger set will enjoy hunting through the pictures while being read to.

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Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which is based on the moon. During Ramadan many Muslims do not eat or drink anything between the time the sun rises and the time it sets. It is a time to reflect and to worship Allah or God. Children do not have to fast but some choose to practice by fasting a day or two.

Maha Addasi’s thoughtful words in The White Nights of Ramadan conveys the excitement that Noor experiences as she awaits the special nights of Ramadan. Girgian takes place when the moon is full, in the middle of Ramadan’s month long celebration. It is celebrated mainly in Arabian Gulf countries. In Kuwait, it lasts for three days. Carrying a famous or lantern, Noor and her brothers go with their grandfather through the neighborhood gathering candy from the neighbors. When they return home, mother says, “Now comes the time for sharing” and hands Noor and her grandfather a food basket to take to the poor. Noor recalls her mother’s earlier words: "…the true meaning of Ramadan is spending time with family and sharing with those less fortunate." Although this is a work of fiction, it adds a dimension beyond the usual books about Ramadan. Includes a brief Author’s Note about Ramada and Girgian as well as a glossary. Illustrations by Ned Gannon.

Night of the Moon: A Muslim Holiday Story as written by Hena Khan and illustrated by Julie Paschkis. Yasmeen is excited about the month of Ramadan. “It is a time filled with delicious foods, new clothes, lots of parties, and her favorite thing ever – presents.” Yasmeen shares with her classmates all about Ramadan. Yasmeen likes the fun part of Ramadan, much like Christians have fun around Christmas and the Jewish people gather for celebrations at Hanukkah. She, like her counterparts in other religions, celebrates the true meaning by sharing with family, friends, and others less fortunate.

Ramadan (Cultural Holidays) by Sheila Anderson tells the basic of Ramadan in a very understandable way. Even though I had been familiar with Ramadan as a month of fasting for my Muslim friends, I had not understood what occurred during the month. Holli Conger’s illustrations are colorful and clear. A good basic beginning to understand a cultural holiday.

Ramadan and Id Al-Fitr (Best Holiday Books) is a good second book to have after Ramadan by Sheila Anderson. Dianne M. MacMillan’s straight forward and clear writing is augmented by maps and photographs. A simple explanation of the beginnings of Islam provides a foundation for why Ramadan is celebrated. The photographs in this book are multicultural, featuring children in Texas, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Singapore, Pakistan, Qatar and other places. Include are a glossary and web sites.

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Summer's not over but school sales have begun. So has the worry about the first days of school.

Do you remember your first day of school? I do. I was worried I wouldn’t be good at anything. Well, Little Miss Spider At Sunnypatch School has the same worries. I bet author/illustrator David Kirk also remembers those first day of school fears. Little Miss Spider is in tears by the end of the school day. “Is there anything I can do well?” But, just like the itsy bitsy spider, Little Miss Spider climbs a water spout to rescue a stuck bug. The principal gives her a star and says, “We hop, fly, and crawl. But kindness,” he said, “Is the finest of all!”

This over-the-top humor in Jake Starts School by Michael Wright will have even the adults giggling. Although the text is fairly straight forward, I couldn’t help but laugh over the illustrations of what the parents were going through. Some adults may object to the text: “Then there it was, Room Number 1,/where Jake would join his class./It looked so big, he felt so small,/he passed a little gas.” Most kids will remember when they’ve experienced such embarrassing moment.

First day of school happens every year. True kindergarten is usually the most exciting and anxiety producing day. But what about other years? The twenty-three students in Mrs. Miller’s class as well as Mr. Zimmerman the principal and Xavier the bus driver are getting ready for the first day of school. In Off to First Grade was written by Louise Borden and illustrated by Joan Rankin. Whit wonders “if Mrs. Miller is as nice as my kindergarten teacher.” Ignacio is new to America and is practicing his English. Erik’s sister was in Mrs. Miller’s class last year “so Erik knows all the important first grade stuff.” First day jitters, fears and excitement are just a few of the range of emotions experienced in this book. Kids going into first grade will be reassured that their feelings are shared by others. Your first grader may be smarter than me for it took me awhile to realize which letters of the alphabet were missing from the name tags Mrs. Miller made. (Hint: M, X, and Z are adults.)

There are many ways to think about the first day of school. In First Day in Grapes (Pura Belpre Honor Book. Illustrator (Awards)), Chico is starting a new school – again. His father is a migrant worker, following the harvest so Chico thinks about each school he starts as the type of harvest: first days in radishes, first days in garlic, etc. Now he is in third grade and it is his first day of grapes as the new kid. How does Chico handle being teased? Children don’t have to be Hispanic to relate to Chico’s feelings and his non-violent way of handling the situation.

“As sure as grapes turn purple” and “Chico’s eyes got big as lemons” are just two of the ways L. King Pérez reminds the reader that Chico’s world centers around the harvests. It was a Pera Belpre honor book for the illustrations by Robert Casilla. Available in English and Spanish.


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Have you thanked a cow recently? They give us all that yummy milk. It is hot today, so I'm thinking about all that wonderful ice cream made from milk.

But the cows in Click Clack Moo: Cows That Type aren't warm. In Doreen Cronin’s first picture book I think she must have written it in winter. Betsy Lewin received the Caledcott Honor Book award for her illustrations.

Cows that type! Impossible! A typewriter? Obviously the cows are deprived since they don’t have a computer for their word processing. But that must be a different story, and a quieter one, too. The cows send Farmer Brown a note: “Dear Farmer Brown, The barn is very cold at night. We’d like some electric blankets. Sincerely, The Cows.” I think it is a mostly polite note, even if the cows left out the “please.” However, Farmer Brown says, “no way!” The cows go on strike, giving no milk. The hens get in the act for they’d like electric blankets, too. Now the hens are on strike. Farmer Brown gets out his typewriter and sends a note back. Duck, being a neutral party, takes the notes to the cows and hens. Did they get their electric blankets? Did Farmer Brown get his milk and eggs? And what about Duck. What did he get? Aha! This is for you to find out by reading the book.

Who thought you could combine cowboys and aliens in one story. Thacher Hurd did and did so successfully in this silly story, Moo Cow Kaboom!. Space alien, Zork, cow naps Moo Cow. He wants to ride the “Wild Moo Cow from Planet Earth” in the Inter-Galactic Rodeo. Moo Cow is surprised and stands there until Zork calls her “lazy, useless, uncooperative, unintelligent.” Moo Cow grabs a matador-red cape. She dances and prances and kicks Zork back to his farm. The aliens put her in a space craft and she returns home. The astute reader will think of Star Wars as Moo Cow is taken to Zork’s farm “in a galaxy far, far away” and the rodeo area bleachers reminds one of the tribunals.

The classic book, The Story of Ferdinand (Puffin Storytime) by Munro Leaf is accompanied by Robert Lawson’s clear and expressive line drawings. Ferdinand is a bull who marches to his own drummer. Rather he sits and smells flowers while the other bulls snort and butt heads to show how fierce and strong they are. When he sits on a bee, he runs and snorts and paws the ground. The matadors think he is one fierce bull so take him to the bull ring. But Ferdinand is true to his self. He sits in the middle of the bull ring, smelling the wonderful flowers the ladies are wearing in their hair. He is sent back home where he is very happy to be who he is and always was.

Parents and teachers can use this book as a springboard for a discussion about being true to oneself as well as accepting others.

Clarabelle: Making Milk and So Much More is a cow that lives with 1200 others on a dairy farm in the rolling hills of northern Wisconsin. She weighs as much as a soccer team and coach combined. She eats enough food to fill a bedroom to the ceiling three times over. “In less time than it takes for an average kid to eat a bowl of cereal, she gives nearly five gallons (of milk) – enough to pour over 160 bowls of cereal.” The kid friendly explanations make Clarabelle’s role easy to understand. There is even a “yuck” factor. The manure from the stalls is cleaned and used to make bedding, electricity and fertilizer. Cris Peterson was named 2004 National Dairy Woman of the Year and runs a 700 cow dairy farm along with family. Obviously, she knows what she is talking about. It comes through in her writing. The nonfiction book presents sophisticated ideas in clear language which would be appropriate for the older reader.

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Everyone tells stories. Maybe it is telling your friend that your dog looked like he had wings when he tried to “fly” after a bird. Or maybe it is the story you tell yourself in the bathtub that you are the prince of the sea, wearing a magical bubble bath foam crown.

Long before there were written stories, people told them to each other. The stories were passed down from person to person to person, over hundreds of years. Now stories are written down in books and newspapers and magazines.

“From the day she could talk, Lizzie loved to tell stories. Tall ones. True ones. Funny ones. Sad ones. Lizzie loved them all.” So did her mother and father until Marvin was born. Then they didn’t have time to listen. George still listened even if he was a dog. Lizzie found an outlet for her tales in Miss Pennyroyal’s second grade class. “Lizzie had tons of ideas.” That is until her mom took Marvin to visit Gramma. Lizzie had no more story ideas which was really sad because Miss Pennyroyal announced that everyone was to write their own comic book. Was this the end of Lizzie’s storytelling? Read Once Upon a Baby Brother by Sarah Sullivan and illustrated by Tricia Tusa to find out.

What a clever way to learn the way different vegetables grow with the use of the prepositions Up, Down, and Around. Katherine Ayers created a bustling vegetable garden in rhyme. Nadine Bernard Westcott populated it with kids, vegetables, animals and bugs. The short phrases keep the energy going.

Read about Matilda. She is the worst waitress known to man or animal, but she can sure tell humdingers of stories of “duelin’ pirates, lassoin’ bad guys, or wrestlin’ twisters.” As Matilda spins another yarn, the health inspector arrives, threatening to close Burt’s Diner down unless . . . You all jus’ have to read Matilda's Humdinger to find the double-delightful twist. Author Lynn Downey has a way with words that Matilda would be proud of. Tim Bowers’ expressive illustrations are sure to bring a laugh, especially the hang dog Basset hound, Burt.

Read about Max as he tells stories. Max’s brothers collect stamps and coins. What can Max collect? WORDS! He clips words from magazines and newspapers. “Max began by collecting small words. a, the, its, an ate, who, to, and, but, was, in, on, out, big, see, you, day.” He collected bigger words and words that made him feel good and words of things he like to eat. He copied words onto slips of paper, words from the dictionary. He made up sentences. He wrote a story about a worm who wanted to be a snake. His brothers teased him but then helped write more of the story, using Max's Words such as “crocodile” and “mean.” Read about what happens to the worm and start the new story about the “big brown dog.”

Kate Banks’s words are cut from newspapers, magazines and collected from the dictionary to tell the story of telling a story. Boris Kulikov collaborated with Kate Banks in Max's Dragon and The Eraserheads.

Get ready for Writing Friday. Start collecting words just like Max. Get permission to clip them from magazines or newspapers. Or you can write them on slips of paper. I have a box of words I've collected. I write the words on blank business cards I bought at the stationary store. Some of my friends buy rolls of raffle tickets and write the words on the back of those.

Now read how Janet Stevens goes about writing a story. She has a way with words and pictures that can’t be believed. Unless you know her, which I do, of course. She writes just like she talks, with lots of humor. Janet loves what she does and in From Pictures to Words: A Book About Making a Book shares the process with the help of some of her friends Rhino, Koala, and Cat. By the time the readers are finished with the book, they will be eager to write and illustrate their own stories. Nonfiction.

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“My papa has wandering feet.” They have taken his family from Pennsylvania to Ohio, Indiana and Missouri. Now they are off to Oregon, a long six month journey in Papa and the Pioneer Quilt, written by Jean Van Leeuwen and illustrated by Rebecca Bond. Along the way Rebecca collects scraps of cloth to make a quilt. With the help of Mama, at the end of the journey, Rebecca makes a quilt which includes scrapes from her grandmother’s handkerchief, the grandmother who stayed behind. Coming full circle, it includes scrapes from Rebecca’s dress she wore every day of the journey. Author’s note says the pattern “Wandering Foot” was later renamed to “Turkey Tracks” as people started to think that having children sleep under a Wandering Foot quilt would cause the children to leave home.


Apples to Oregon: Being the (Slightly) True Narrative of How a Brave Pioneer Father Brought Apples, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Grapes, and Cherries (and Children) Across the Plains is a a long title and a tall tale among the tallest of tales. It is based on how apples and other fruit trees made it all the way to Oregon from Iowa. Delicious says her daddy loved growin’ apples so when he was ready to go to Oregon, he built two big boxes which he filled with dirt, worms, and little trees. “Oh, and by the way, he took us along, too.”

The end papers provide a map of the route to Oregon. An author’s note tells of the real pioneer, Henderson Luelling, taking seven hundred plants and young fruit trees to Oregon. The back cover provides apple facts such as it takes about 36 apples to make one gallon of apple cider.

Written Deborah Hopkinson and illustrated by Nancy Carpenter Apples to Oregon received the following recognitions: ALA Notable Book, Golden Kite Award, Spur Award, and 2009 Time of Wonder Children’s Book Award.

Katherine Applegate’s poetic images and lyrical text in The Buffalo Storm tell of the hardships as well as the joys on the trip to Oregon. “We joined other wagons like beads slowly stringing.” Although the setting is the trip to Oregon in a “wagon…oiled canvas top gleaming like a bread loaf,” the message is that “We’re all of us afraid of something.” Hallie overcomes her fear of storms until the day of the Buffalo Storm on their way to Oregon. The watercolor illustrations by Jan Ormerod add to the emotional depth of the story.

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What are Sodbuster Days? They are celebrations to honor the farmers or sodbusters who moved onto the Great Plains in the late 1800s. Sodbusters were named for working on the hard ground of the plains in order to plant their harvests. Some historian think the sodbusting contributed to the great dust storms which blanketed the area.

Sodbuster Days are celebrated in different states and cities at different times throughout the year. One of the more famous events is the living history celebration at Fort Ransom, North Dakota, the second full weekend in July.

The Great Plains stretch from west of the Mississippi River to east of the Rocky Mountains. Depending on who is defining Great Plains, they stop They stretch to the north into the Canadian prairie provinces of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Alberta.

Zoe’s family homesteads in the plains where the nearest neighbor is 3 hours away and the nearest town is a day’s ride. As the family travels from Illinois to Nebraska, Mama says “See how the grass closes behind us? It is as if we’d never been.” These lines show Mama’s fear of the unknown and the loneliness. But it is Zoe who knows that the Dandelions she and her sister plant on the soddie’s roof not only are a beacon to find their way home in the trackless prairie but also a symbol of the tenaciousness of the family as they take root. This story rings true to all I know about the homesteaders, for my great-grandparents traveled from Missouri to Kansas to start a new life in a soddie. Although a picture book format, the Eve Bunting's text is such that it would be good for a read-out loud situation or for any student just learning about the movements westward. Greg Shed's illustration do more than justice to the story.

A Packet of Seeds written by Deborah Hopkinson and illustrated by Bethanne Andersen shows what it was like to move to a sparsely populated land, far from friends and family. The hard work of breaking the soil to make a garden is a small indication of the hard work needed to plow the fields. “My pa was a man who dreamed of standing alone in an open field where the only shadow he could see was his own.” So the story opens. Then, “All Momma could feel was the sorrow of leaving everything behind.” These two conflicting emotions play against each other as Pa works hard to overcome the challenges of creating a new life for his family. Momma is lonely and recovers slowly from birthing the new baby girl. It isn’t until Annie, the narrator of the story, along with her brother and finally her father, dig land for a garden, does Momma show interest. She shares A Packet of Seeds her friends and sister had given her before leaving home.

In Sod Houses on the Great Plains Glen Rounds explains how and why sod houses came into being. When the pioneers moved to the Great Plains, there were no trees for lumber to build house. The farmers used the materials at hand: the sod turned up from plowing the land. The typical sod house was 16 x 20 feet. My grandmother grew up in a sod house with never fewer than two adults and four brothers and sisters! Can you imagine that! That is probably like putting two bedrooms together in a modern day home. That space had to have sleeping mats for everyone, a table, and a kitchen. Glen Rounds was born in a sod house near Wall, S.D., and worked as a mule skinner, cowboy and carnival medicine man before becoming an author and illustrator.

Laura Ingalls traveled with Ma, Pa, her sisters Mary and Carrie and their dog Jack to A Little Prairie House (Little House). There, with the help of their new neighbor Mr. Edwards, a house is built. Renée Graef's illustrations bring Laura's story to life.

If you like Laura Ingalls Wilder, you might want to introduce your little ones to her through My Little House ABC or My Little House 123. Both books are adapted from Little House in the Big Woods, On the Banks of Plum Creek, and Little House on the Prairie.

My Little House ABC. “B is for butter. C is for churn. When Ma took off the churn-cover, there was the butter in a golden lump.”. My Little House 123 “Nine patches. Mary and Laura stayed close by the fire, sewing their nine-patch quilt.”

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Enjoy the Texas parade on the Fourth of July. Help the main character as he is Looking For Uncle Louie On The Fourth Of July. Kathy Whitehead captures the uniqueness of a Texas parade while illustrator Pablo Torrecilla’s illustrations capture the vibrancy. So what is different about a Texas parade? Square cancers, aconjunto band, and of course lots and lots of horses. But wait! Hear that Tejano beat. What is coming? Is that Uncle Louie? I’m not telling.

Hut. Two. Three. Four. March along with the Fourth of July Mice! as they celebrate Independence Day with a parade, a picnic, swimming fun, and fireworks. Once again, Bethany Roberts created a story in rhyme to celebrate a holiday. Told in simple, straight forward text, this story is paired with exuberant illustrations by Doug Cushman which add the enthusiastic energy to this celebration.

America : A Patriotic Primer was written by the wife of Vice President Richard Cheney and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser. The book uses the alphabet as a backbone to teach about American history and events. It may not be the choice for teaching children the alphabet but would be a way to help kids remember events. Each page is filled with spot illustrations helping to illustrate the letters. “Q is for America’s Quest for the new, the far and the very best. S is for Suffrage. Y is for You and all you will be in this greatest of countries, the land of the free.”

I can't find any craft books for Fourth of July at my library other than the one previous recommended, Star Spangled Crafts. However, on Amazon I found Celebrate America: Learning About the U.S.a Through Crafts & Activities (Williamson Little Hands Series). From what I can see by "looking inside" as well as knowing other books by the same publisher, this book is one you might want to consider.

((Repeat from Memorial Day post: Now that you are "all read up and learned", let's have some fun with Star-Spangled Crafts. Visit Kathy Ross's web site for a free sample craft to make a Statue of Liberty Crown. Make one for everyone in the neighborhood and have your own parade!)

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This is Take Your Dog to Work Week. Or to the park. So let's read about dogs.

Harry the Dirty Dog hides his doggy bath brush and runs away from home. He gets dirt and has plenty of adventures. This is like a mystery. Does he return home? Is he recognizes? Does anyone find the bath brush? This classic was written by Gene Zion and illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham. Also available as a board book.

In 1888, Owney wandered into the Albany, New York, post office. He became their mascot. He traveled on mail trains and eventually around the world representing the U.S. Postal Service. Read A Small Dog's Big Life: Around The World With Owney written and illustrated by Irene Kelly. The story is told in letters and based on Onwey's adventures.

No listing of dogs stories would be complete without mentioning Harry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant. It is a whole series of Ready-to-Read books. Start with Henry And Mudge First Book and then keep going and going.


Read about a dog who takes his owner to work and play. Based on the true story of Sarah and her guide dog, Perry, Looking Out for Sarah is told from Perry’s point-of-view. Glenna Lang’s simple text and bold art work focus on what Perry does for Sarah. Perry navigates city streets and trains to take Sarah to the grocery store, post office and on a school visit where Sarah plays guitar and sings with the children. While Sarah sings, Perry snoozes and remembers the 300 mile walk he and Sarah took from Boston to New York. Awards and Honors: American Library Association’s Schneider Family Book Award, Massachusetts Guide Dog Users Association Award, Dog Writers Association of America Award, Young Hoosier Award Nominee. Available in Braille.

Do you want a dog or already have one? Mi Primer Perro/ My First Dog (My First Pet Bilingual Library from the American Humane Association) (Spanish Edition) is a helpful book. Linda Bozzo has written a series of “My First…” books about various pets. In this book about dogs she reminds the reader that choosing a dog is a family decision. Some people might want an older dog instead of a puppy. Maybe they want a large dog or a small dog. “Pick the kind of dog that is best for your family” is sound advice. Bozzo also tells where to find a dog, what a dog will need, exercising a dog, keeping the dog healthy and more. An added bonus is this book is available in a Spanish/English bilingual version.

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So many books about fathers to choose from! Here just a few I like.

For exuberance and humor, go for Dad, Aren't You Glad? written by Lynn
Plourde and illustrated by Amy Wummer. The energetic boy asks his dad,"Aren't you glad you have me to help you today?...So you can rest on your special day?" What hilarious turns there are when the boy cuts the grass with scissors or washes the car. But there is one thing the boy is very good at. It is something that he can do like no other. Read to find out what it is.

Daddies come in many shapes and sizes. Some have lots of hair and some don't. Some cook and some don't. Todd Parr's simple, stick-figure like illustrations celebrates the variety of dads in The Daddy Book.

Ahoy, me hearties! Here is a tribute to a dad with an unusual line of work. I Love My Pirate Papa is told in rhyme by Laura Leuck and illustrated by Kyle M. Stone. Visit Stone's web site to view some of the sketches he made while working on the book. Can you guess what kind of things Pirate Papa and Pirate Son enjoy. Shiver me timbers. I'd be walkin' the gangplank at the point of a sword if I tole yea!



For very different type of book about fathers, read the very poignant Visiting Day written by Jacqueline Woodson and illustrated by James Ransome. Once a month the little girl and her grandmother take the bus to visit Daddy in prison. The daughter and father love each other unconditionally, which is what Father's Day and everyday with father is all about.

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June is a month of celebrations. This week we'll celebrate June as Zoo and Aquarium Month.

In the almost wordless Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann a zookeeper says good night to his animals. But he is oblivious to the gorilla who follows him around, letting the animals out of their cages. The zookeeper goes home, sitll unaware of the animals following him. He crawls into bed with his wife and, still unaware, the animals. In only 44 words, Rathmann adds a twist to tickle the funny bones of all ages. ALA Notable Children's Book for 1994. Ms. Rathmann received the Caldcott Medal for her book, Officer Buckle & Gloria .


Mary Ann Fraser wrote and illustrated How Animal Babies Stay Safe (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science). It tells the varied ways that animal babies are protected by their mothers. I know that joeys (baby kangaroos) ride in their mother's pouches. But I didn't know that a baby alligator hides in its mother's mouth. Read to learn other ways animal babies stay safe, even scorpions!

Get out the ear plugs. Not only is this about a Noisytime for Zoo Animals (Zoo Animals), it will be a noisy time for the readers as they will be sure to want to mimic the animal sounds. In only 81 words, Caroline Arnold tells that a lion roars, a penguin honks, and 12 other animals. The fifteen photographs by Richard Hewett plus one by Caroline are clearly focused on each animal without extraneous or confusing background. Prepare for a noisy, noisy time. Definitely not a bedtime story for kids with the imagination and energy to sound and walk like the animals.


Who Works at the Zoo? (Scholastic News Nonfiction Readers)? A whole team of people, that’s who. Of course, the zoo keeper. We all know that. Did you know they have a caretaker who raises the baby animals? Alyse Sweeney writes about the duties of the zookeeper, veterinarian, caretaker and more.

And what listing of books would be complete without If I Ran the Zoo (Classic Seuss) by Dr. Seuss. Need I say more?

On to aquariums.

In My Visit to the Aquarium (Trophy Picture Books) written and illustrated by Aliki, a boy, his big brother and little sister explore the world of marine and freshwater creature in an aquarium. The book is filled with lively colors, tanks, tide pools, touch tanks, bookstores, and more. This gentle exploration of the world of water creatures ends with an author’s note about endangered species.

Curious George is at it again, causing a ruckus when swimming with the penguins yet coming out a hero. Read all about it in Curious George at the Aquarium by Margaret and H.A. Rey.

Let’s end with this easy reader by Mercer Mayer: Little Critter: Going to the Sea Park (My First I Can Read). With Mayer’s loveable illustrations of Little Critter, the text provides a simple introduction of what one might find at a sea park. Find games, activities and more at Little Critter’s website.

Now here is something I rarely do, suggest a book I haven't personally read. But Zoe at Play by the Book just posted about a trip to the zoo. She recommends Welcome to the Zoo!, a wordless picture book by Alison Jay. What could be more fun than that. Okay, maybe feeding peanuts to the elephants or swinging with the chimps. But I bet your kids will enjoy the illustrations and telling their own stories. BTW: At the end the reader is asked to hunt for objects and animals throughout the wordless text.

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Today is Memorial Day but in our house we're also celebrating Neighbor Day. You can celebrate both by looking at last week's posts.

Neighbors join together to create a culturally diverse street fair on Calabash Street. Yes, indeed. Something's Happening on Calabash Street: A Story with Thirteen Recipes by Judy Enderle and Stephanie Gordon takes you on a walk in this rhyming story. Kids and adults will need to work together to make the recipes.


Only One Neighborhood written by Marc Harshman, illustrated by Barbara Garrison shows the reader a different kind of diversity. “There may be only one neighborhood, but there is so much in it.” So starts the “walk through” from home to school. The children see a bakery with many kinds of bread, a shoe store with many kinds of shoes, etc. until they reach the school where there are many children. And in one city there are many neighborhoods and so forth through countries to the world.

Let's look at neighborhoods in a totally different way. Math in the Neighborhood (Scholastic News Nonfiction Readers: Everyday Math) is by Ellen Weiss. Read the simple map to find your way to your friend’s home. On the way do simple math problems such as how many blocks do you need to walk (2), the shape of the stop sign, and how many dogs is dog walker walking. The vocabulary is geared for grades 1 and 2.

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Do you know what Memorial Day is all about? It is a special day set aside to remember all the people who died in wars. It was first called Decoration Day because the graves of Civil War soldiers ere decorated. The first Decoration Day was in 1866 and became a national observation in 1868. About 20 years later, the name was changed to Memorial Day. It is celebrated the fourth Monday in May. This year that is May 31 so you have a whole week to get ready.

Memorial Day is a day of celebrations, including parades. In this story, a boy calls the day "memory" day which is what it is as the story unfolds. The day is filled with flag waving, eating, and excitement. But all through the parade, the boy eagerly awaits a Memorial Day Surprise. You'll have to read this heartwarming, multi-generational, multi-ethnicity book by Theresa Golding and illustrated by Alexadra Artigas to learn what the surprise is.

For a nonfiction book, you could check Memorial Day (Holidays, Festivals, & Celebrations) by Trudi Trueit with illustrations by Ronnie Rooney. A book after my own heart, it includes facts about Memorial Day but also a recipe for a Patriotic Float.

Now that you are "all read up and learned", let's have some fun with Star-Spangled Crafts. Visit Kathy Ross's web site for a free sample craft to make a Statue of Liberty Crown. Make one for everyone in the neighborhood and have your own parade!

According to Jewish tradition, dairy foods are eaten on Shavuot (or Shavut). What is Shavuot? It is in celebration of Moses receiving the Torah on Mount Sinai. It falls on the fiftieth day after Passover begins. I'll save you the trouble of getting out a calendar and counting. It is May 19, 2010.

Barbara Diamond Goldin wrote A Mountain of Blintzes about a family working together yet in secret to be able to get all the ingredients needed to make a mountain of cheese blintzes for Shavot. A recipe is included in the book. Illustrations by Anik McGrory help build the story to its climax. An Association of Jewish Libraries Notable Book.

I enjoy finding books to share each week. This week has been especially fun for I've revisited old friends and made new ones for I think as books as my friends.

Click here for a download of a free Asian Pacific Islander activity book created by the Ohio Civil Rights Commission.

Janet Wong is one of my favorite authors so I am pleased to share The Trip Back Homewith illustrations by Bo Jia. When I first read the story of based on Janet's visit to Korea when she was four, I was captured by the poetic images that contrasted the gifts given.

"We gave my grandfather, my haraboji,
a pair of leather work gloves,
tough and tanned
like his thick-skinned farmer’s hands."

"...They gave us hugs."

The story comes full circle when the girl and her mother leave. The grandparents and aunt give them gifts..a dried persimmon necklace, a poem, and a drawing. "...and we give them hugs."

Who wouldn't love a book by the prolific author and illustrator, Rosemary Wells. In Yoko Writes Her Name Sylvia and Olive tease Yoko for writing and reading in Japanese. Yoko feels bad about herself, fearing she won't graduate from kindergarten until her friend Angelo asks to learn how to write his name in Yoko's secret language. Then all her classmates learn how to write their names in Japanese, except Sylvia and Olive. Now they are the ones worried about not graduating from kindergarten. Yoko comes to their aid to teach them.

This is a good book for anyone who is teased about being different, whether it is for speaking/reading a different language or for being taller or shorter or any of the myriad things kids tease each other about.

Going Home, Coming Home/Ve Nha, Tham Que Huong by Truong Tran and illustrated by Ann Phong, a bilingual book, is a touching yet not saccharine story of Ami Chi who was born in America of Vietnamese parents. When her parents take her on a trip to Vietnam to visit her grandmother, she feels out of place. She doesn’t understand the language. Her grandmother’s house is only the size of Ami Chi’s garage in America. Ami Chi and her grandmother learn to communicate with signs. Ami Chi wants to return to America until two weeks into her stay, she makes a friend. It is in making the friend and thinking she is lost that Ami Chi learns she has two homes.

Even though this is set in Vietnam, the idea of being of two cultures or two places is universal. It applies to those who have immigrated from one country to another as well as those with two homes such as one might find in a child of divorced parents.

You might want to read the interview with the Truong Tran at PaperTigers.org. This is a part of the Pacific Rim Voices Project.

Nine-In-One, Grr! Grr!: A Folktale from the Hmong People of Laos was adapted by Cathy Spagnoli as told to her by Blia Xiong and illustrated by Nancy Hom.
Tiger desperately wants cubs so asks the Shao how many she will have. She is told nine in 1 year, which makes her very happy. Not so the Eu bird who is concerned that too many tigers will eat all the creatures. Eu confuses Tiger so she thinks she will have 1 cub in nine years,

The illustrations by Nancy Hom are based on the needlework story cloths. I learned that the Hmong did not have a written language so their history and stories were passed down orally. The story clothes were a product from the refugee camps after 1975 as a way to make money. You can read a bit more about them at Science Buzz. I also found some lesson plans and coloring pages at this link. etc.

Set in China The Warlord's Beads (Warlord's Series)written by Virigina Pilegard and illustrated by Nicolas Debon is one is the series which introduces various mathematical inventions. The main character tries to help his father keep track of the goods in the warlords warehouse. However, he runs out of fingers and toes as well as being distracted. Almost by accident he stumbles across a way to keep track using colored beads. Voila! One explanation for the birth of the abacus. Instructions for making a simple abacus are included.

Other books in the series are The Warlord's Puzzle about the tangram, The Warlord's Fish about the floating fish compass, The Warlord's Messengers about wind socks, The Warlord's Puppeteers about ratios, The Warlord's Alarm, A Mathematical Adventure about water clocks, The Emperor's Army using geometry and finally, The Warlord's Kites about finding the area of a square using nonstandard measurements.

You would think with so many books about mothers and children to choose from, it would be easy to come up with suggestions. The trouble is there are so many well written ones available. I've tried to give you a variety to appeal to boys and girls, sentimental and funny. If I missed your favorite, I apologize but please let me know. I'll need more books for next year.


Now for an expected story about a child wanting to give something to her mother for Mother's Day. Laurie Halse Anderson provides an undexpected telling in No Time for Mother's Day, illustrated by Dorothy Donohue. Charity has to think of something to give her very busy mother for Mother's Day. She gives her time, peace, and quiet. I think it is interesting the main character's name is Charity, which subtly tells the reader what kind of person Charity is. The count down to Mother's Day adds tension but also is part of the solution. I like the way this twists back on itself for an answer.

The Mother's Day Mice is a wonderful combination of Eve Bunting’s storytelling and Jan Brett’s illustrations. The three mice brothers go off to collect Mother’s Day presents in their forest. Biggest Mouse and Middle Mouse retrieve a big ripe strawberry and a wishing dandelion. Although the brothers avoid the fox, owl, and cat, the last prevents Little Mouse from collecting his gift. Instead, he comes up with a song. Not only is this story a sweet Mother’s Day story but the layers of the brother’s taking care of each other is a bonus as is Little Mouse’s guilt ridden attempt to get mother to say his present was best. Brett’s drawings of the mice are expressive and augment the story well.

Child of Mine (Maren Green Publishing) is written and illustrated by Carrie Hartman. Ms. Hartman's daughter was diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and is the inspiration for this book. The mother loves the daughter but, in this book, the mother's needs and frustrations are acknowledged. When I first read the book, I had mixed feelings about presenting it to you but decided it would be wonderful for those of us with challenging children or even those whose children are simply having a bad day. Then, when I read the author's note, I knew I was correct in including this book for you.

Lizzy Rockwell has illustrated yet another book in her mother's holiday series. And how appropriate. It is Mother's Day! In this celebration of Mother’s Day by Anne Rockwell, Eveline and her friend Nicholas show each other the buttons they are taking to school. Their importance remains a mystery for most of the boo as their classmates share how their families will celebrate Mother’s Day, from planting trees to hiking to buying new furniture. Included in the various celebrations is no mother but a grandmother as well as another family who is celebrating Mother’s Day with a baby shower for an aunt. The variety of celebration expands upon what is often a traditional Mother’s Day gift: breakfast in bed. Oh, yes! Why did the children bring buttons to school? To make flowers. Instructions for making flowers with construction paper, pipe stem cleaners and buttons are included.


Mother's Day (Holidays, Festivals, & Celebrations) is a nonfiction book by Ann Heinrichs, with illustrations by R.W. Alley. There is a discussion of early Mother's Day and when it became officially the second Sunday in May. Poems, songs, and recipes included.

Where has April gone? Into May, that's where.

My favorite book about May Day is On The Morn Of Mayfest written by Erica Silverman and illustrated by Marla Frazee. (Marla received the Caldecott Honor for her illustrations in All the World.) On the Morn of Mayfest is a cumulative tale told in the style of "This is the house that Jack built." The story begins "This is the lass/with hair like a nest/who walked in her sleep/on the morn of Mayfest." The story follows the lass into town and to the village filled with Marla's imaginative interpretation. I was privileged to hear Erica and Marla speak about the research both did independently of each other to create this lovely book. For example, Erica wrote about the huntsman who gathers a tree for Mayfest. In Marla's research she learned that the tree was a hawthorne.

Here is a book that does triple duty: May Day, Mother's Day, and Bilingual. In The Rainbow Tulip , Pat Mora retells an incidence in her mother's life as a child in El Paso. In this story Estella is caught between two cultures, speaking only Spanish at home and English at school. Home quiet and almost staid. This is reflected in the muted colors of Elizabeth Sayles's pastel drwings. Estelle's world outside her home is noisy, active, manifested by her desire for bright colors. Again, reflected in the illustrations. Life is sweet and sour for her but combine well in the satisfying ending.

Ann Morris is the author of Light the Candle! Bang the Drum!: A Book of Holidays from Around the World, a nonfiction picture book which provides a brief summary of twenty-four festivals around the world, including May Day. Back matter provides more details.

My top pick this week is Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth by Mary McKenna Siddals and illustrated by Ashley Wolff. Written in a bouncy rhyme, the words draw the reader through. Ms. Wolff's collage illustrations jump off the page. As an extra at Siddals's web site there are links to activities such as a slide show to show kids how to compost or a visit with Eddie the Earthworm as well as teacher resources.

Next on the list is What Do You See at the Pond, an easy reader by Anastasia Suen, illustrated by Aaron Boyd. This simple text and clear illustraions are perfect for the beginning reader: "I see a frog. I see a plant." The reader will be pleased and surprised at what the boy sees in the pond. Available in English and Spanish. Lesson plans are available at Anastasia's site.

Earth Day--Hooray! (MathStart 3) by Stuart J. Murphy and illustrated by Renée Andriani is pack full of facts and fun. The students at Maple Street School form a Save the Planet Club. They want to collect 5,000 aluminum cans to get money so they can clean up the local park and plant flowers. Facts about Earth Day facts as well the math concept of place value are presented in an engaging story.

Enjoy this great Rookie Reader nonfiction book that provides the basic information one needs to know about Earth Day (Rookie Read-About Holidays) by Trudi Strain Trueit.

For a real hands-on experiences you can start your own compost pile. Read Garbage Helps Our Garden Grow: A Compost Story by Linda Glasser. For a review of this an other nature books, visit Wild About Nature blog.

Somebody decided that April 16, the day after income taxes are due, would be a special day for adults. They named it Wear Your Pajamas to Work Day. Now, I've never seen this but maybe somebody does wear his pajamas to work. However, I know some classrooms have a special pajama day sometime during the year. Ask your teacher if they want to have one.

Start by reading Pajama Day (Picture Puffin Books) by Lynn Plourde and illustrated by Thor Wickstrom. Drew A. Blank forgets all about Pajama Day at school. He forgot his slippers so he wears mittens from the lost-and-found. He doesn't bring a pillow but blows up a balloon instead. (You know what happens to the balloon!) You'll need to read the book for yourself to find out if Drew A. Blank his other inventions and if he ever gets to wear his pajamas.

Or you could wear your pajamas all day on a day you don't have to go to school just like Timothy in Timothy And The Strong Pajamas by Viviane Schwarz.

And, of course, we must remember pajamas are actually worn to bed. So pack up for a sleepover in Everything to Spend the Night From A to Z by the multi-talented Ann Whitford Paul.You'll enjoy this exuberant rhyming alphabet bedtime story. I know I did.

For those of us who remember bedtime anxiety, Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney will be all too familiar. A nice rhyme is comforting as is Mama Llama reassurance that she is always near.

The Llama Who Had No Pajama: 100 Favorite Poems is a collection of poems by Mary Ann Hoberman, our Children's Poet Laureate, 2008-2010. This collection of poems is filled with humor and tenderness. A great addition to your poetry library.

April is National Poetry Month. There are so many wonderful books suggest for you. Where to start? And where to stop? Watch for poetry books all this month.

If you've been reading my blog, you will know that I've already mentioned several poetry books by Kristine O'Connell George. Today I'll suggest another one of her books. It is Fold Me a Poem. Succinct poems are enveloped in folded origami illustrations. Stop by her website for wonderful activities for children and teachers You can also hear Kris read some of her poetry out loud.

Let's keep our imagination going with Yellow Elephant: A Bright Bestiary (Boston Globe-Horn Book Honors (Awards)) by Julie Larios and illustrated by Julie Paschkis. Julie Larios is a master of tantalizing the tongue with her words. What kid won't enjoy the improbably colored beasts? This is not only wonderfully written but the bright illustrations warm the words.

Beetle Bop by Denise Fleming. There are only 75 words in the whole book and every one of them is important. Thirty-four of those words are "beetles" and nary a one is boring. Internal rhyme keeps the flow going. One of my favorite lines is "Striped beetles, spotted beetles, all-over-dotted beetles." Listen to that internal rhyme! Visit Recipe Wednesday for Beetle Bop Salad. BTW: her illustrations are made using pulp painting. Visit her web site for an full explanation. Fascinating.

In Humbug Rabbit by Loren Balian the bunnies are sure their father is the Easter rabbit. He denies it but by the end of the story, he is wondering if maybe he is. I like books that have two parallel stories. Granny lives in a house, has chickens and a cat, and is getting ready for her grandchildren. In his burrow Rabbit lives with his wife and rabbit children. The two stories collide thanks to the cat.

For the younger set, read the sweet and gentle The Golden Egg Book (Big Little Golden Book) by Margaret Wise Brown. "Once there was a little bunny. He was all alone. One day he found an egg. He could hear something moving inside the egg. What was it?" The bunny tries and tries to get the egg open but finally he falls asleep. What do you think was in the egg? A duckling who becomes bunny's friend. Originally published in 1947, it has been reissued and is still available.

The farmer says he's too old to dress up as the Easter bunny for his grandchildren. Minnie and Moo want to help so they ask the rooster, a pig, some sheep, and the turkey to help. They all refuse to dress up. Guess who finally dresses up in Minnie and Moo: The Attack of the Easter Bunnies (I Can Read Book 3)? The text and illustrations had me laughing.

Can you believe it? There is a whole day devoted to "Eating Something on a Stick!" Can you believe it? There is a cookbook about things on a stick! Naturally, it is called Cooking On A Stick: Campfire Recipes for Kids (Acitvities for Kids). The cookbook also includes recipes for cooking in a pouch, cooking on a grate, and some snacks and trail foods.
Writing about eating things on a stick makes me think of toasting marshmallows over a campfire. Toasting marshmallows reminded me of a book by my friend Kristine O'Connell George. What is the name of the book? What else but Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems. It is beautifully illustrated by Kate Kiesler.

How many friends can get in a tent? Find out in Maisy Goes Camping: A Maisy First Experience Book.

No camping trip is complete without something spooky and a bit scary. Chime in with one of the songs from Campfire Songs For Monsters (Sipping Spiders Through A Straw) with lyrics by Kelly DiPucchio and pictures by Gris Grimly.

Every year the swallows return to Mission San Juan Capistrano, California, on or about March 19, St. Joseph's Day.

Leo Politi was one of Los Angeles' most beloved artist. In Song of the Swallows he tells of the story of a young boy waiting for the return of swallows to Mission San Juan Capistrano. It won the 1948 Caldecott Medal for illustration.

Ann Stalcup tells of Politi's early life and how it shaped his journey to becoming an artist and a storyteller in Leo Politi: Artist Of The Angels.


The middle grade novel The Year the Swallows Came Early by Kathryn Fitzmaurice is set in San Juan Capistrano. The year Groovy turns eleven her world is turned upside down when her her daddy goes to jail, an earthquake shakes her home, and the swallows return early. This is a very powerful first novel even if I'm stretching things a bit to mention it here. Any book that makes me cry is on my "must read" list.

Did you know this week is Celebrate Your Name Week? Well it is.
Chrysanthemum had the perfect name. At least she thought so until Victoria started teasing her about being named after a flower. The teasing doesn't stop even when Chrysanthemum tells her classmates that she was named after her grandmother. Chrysanthemum wilts under all the teasing until she learns a wonderful secret in Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes.

Rene Has Two Last Names / Rene tiene dos apellidos and is proud of them. His classmates in the United States don't understand their importance. When René gets to do a family tree for a school assignment, he gets to explain why each of his last names is special and how they help him remember the special things about his grandparents. Author René Colato Lainez was born in El Salvador. Bilingual book.

Dr. Seuss may not have been the name Theodore Seuss Geissel was born with on March 2, 1904. He may not have been a medical doctor but he has been a doctor of fun and laughter for many generations.

My kids loved getting their grandpa to read Fox in Socks (Beginner Books)
. They'd giggle nonstop as Grandpa stumbled through beetle battles and poodle puddles, jumbling the words left and right.

One of my favorites is Green Eggs and Ham (I Can Read It All by Myself Beginner Books). The story bounces along and is something a picky eater can appreciate.

A much beloved favorite is The Cat in the Hat. Be sure to come back on Recipe Wednesday for the Cat in the Hat Salad recipe.

All three of the books mentioned as well as two others can be found in Dr. Seuss's Beginner Book Collection (Cat in the Hat, One Fish Two Fish, Green Eggs and Ham, Hop on Pop, Fox in Socks).

Charlie Russell dreamed of being a cowboy. He drew pictures of them. He painted them. He created sculptures. But he lived in St. Louis, Missouri, where there were no cowboys. When he was 15, he went to Montana for a visit and stay. He was a cowboy, writer, storyteller, and artist.

Charlie Russell: Tale-Telling Cowboy Artist by Lois Harris tells Charlies M. Russell's story and uses his own paintings for the most of illustrations. What a wonderful introduction to Russell's life and works.

In an e-mail to me, Lois wrote: "I did research at the Charles M. Russell Museum in Great Falls...After I toured his home and log cabin studio which is next door to the modern museum, I took the photo. The kitchen was small (compared to ours today), with a tiny room off the kitchen for the live-in help, high ceilings in all the rooms, oak furniture in the dining room with lovely china in a cabinet, big tall clock in the hall, and a piano in the parlor. I swear I smelled tobacco when I walked into the old log cabin studio. Charlie used the big rock fireplace in the studio to cook for his old friends. When he became famous, he still cooked the same kind of food they had eaten years before when they were cowboys out on the range. This has been a fun project."

In Cowboy Charlie: The Story of Charles M. Russell is written and illustrated by Jeanette Winters. The illustrations are vibrant and said to be reminiscent of folk art.

You don't have to be Chinese to celebrate the Chinese New Year.


In This Next New Year by Janet Wong a young boy looks forward to Chinese New Year and shares it with his friends. If you haven't already read it, read Year of the Tiger.

In Grace Lin's Bringing in the New Year, the exuberant illustrations and words takes the reader through the preparation for the Lunar New Year all the way to the dragon parade.

In Paper Crafts for Chinese New Year (Paper Craft Fun for Holidays) by Randel McGee, you can find craft projects to help you prepare for the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Also check out the recipe on Recipe Wednesday coming up in two days.

I'm getting ready for next week and realized that you probably wanted to, too, especially since next weekend is doing double duty with Valentine's Day and Presidents Day Celebration.

Start the fun off with Valentine Mice!, a bouncing story filled with internal rhyme. This exuberant tale, written by Bethany Roberts and illustrated by Doug Cushman, is filled with fun, frolic and just a mouse-ful to tension.

A to Z Wednesday is hosted by Vicki at Reading at the Beach. "V" is this week's letter. I submitted Valentine Mice. Can you think of books with title beginning with the letter "V?" Another favorite of mine is Very Hungry Caterpiller" by Eric Carle.

Moving onto Presidents' Day: Mr. Lincoln's Whiskers.

Lives of the Presidents by Kathleen Krull and illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt.

February is loaded with holidays. Want some books to read about during the six more months of winter Punxsutawney Pil predicted. Read all about him at Books for Kids. Want the facts? Then check out Wendie Old's The Groundhog Day Book of Facts and Fun.

Not only is February Black History Month, it is also Library Lover's Month. Visit your local library to check out an old favorite and to find a new one. Have you read one of my favorites, Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen?

I was fortunate enough to be in a two day workshop lead by Joyce Carol Thomas. Not only is she a classy, caring lady, she is a great teacher and poet. I am please to offer up her book The Blacker the Berry (ALA Notable Children's Books.) for Black History Month. In 20009, it was both a Coretta Scott King Illustrator's Award and Author Honor Book.

I know I shouldn't recommend a book without reading it first but from what I saw on Mary Ann Scheuer's blog and elsewhere, I am going for it. I love word sounds and The Rain Stomper seems to be filled with them. Besides, it goes along with last week's writing theme.

I'm so excited. Terry Pierce announced that her Blackberry Banquet is on the National Wildlife Federation's Grab Bag list of recommended books. What better way is there to celebrate than to read the book while eating Bear's Crunchy Blackberry Treat that I created especially so poor Bear won't go hungry.

Do you want more blackberry recipes? Find Terry's recipes here.

Ingredients
3/4 cup fresh or frozen and thawed blackberries*
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 oatmeal raisin granola bar

Set six blackberries aside to use as garnish. Put the rest of the blackberries in a small bowl. Using the back of a fork, crush the berries.

Add the yogurt and stir together.

Spoon half of the blackberry-yogurt mixture into a small dessert bowl. Put the other half into a second dessert bowl.

Divide the granola bar in half. Crumble each half over a serving of Bear's Crunchy Blackberry Treat. Decorate each with three whole blackberries.

*Wash the fresh blackberries just before using them. Drain on a paper towel.

Makes 2 servings.

©2008 Mary Ann Dames, M.S.,R.D.