Cookin' Up the Holiday Kid-style for Susanna Leonard Hill's Holiday contest!

     Susanna Leonard Hill is an amazing author. And not just for the books she writes, although those are great!
     She hosts a Friday picture book review where bloggers link their recommendations on her website. By participating in this I have become a critical picture book reader, and by reading all of the other blog posts, learned about a lot of great titles I might otherwise have missed.
     She hosts fun contests throughout the year. Writing to her prompts always puts a smile on my face.
     She teaches a FANTASTIC online course--Making Picture Book Magic--with interactive lessons.
     To make a long story short--she builds a community. So, a huge year-end thank you, Susanna.
    
     Sure, this time of year is busy. But I found myself writing story after story from this year's prompt. Perhaps blame it on Tara Lazar's piboidmo idea generation frenzy? Whatever. It's been a fun month. I may post more for you to enjoy.
For this one, I encourage you to sing along!

Cookin’ Up the Holiday Kid-style (apologies to Johnny Marks & Brenda Lee)

120 words (woot!) 

From our house to you!

Gatherin’ up ingredients

on a well-worn countertop.

Mom and Dad sick, no cookies made

for when Santa makes his stop.

Gatherin’ up ingredients,

clouds of flour fill the air.

Rolling pins race

to smooth the dough

and sprinkles spill everywhere.

Santa better have an iron stomach, if he hears voice’s yelling

“Wipe that booger! Cripes, we forgot to add sugar!”

Gatherin’ up ingredients

someone asks “do you smell smoke?”

Sticky fingers grab oven mitts,

everyone tries not to choke.

Santa better have an iron stomach, if he hears voice’s yelling

“Wipe that booger! Cripes, we forgot to add sugar!”

Gatherin’ up ingredients

Rush to beat the bed time call.

Santa’s note reads, “perhaps reindeer feed?”

Merry Christmas one and all!

    I won't be reading the other entries until after I decide whether to post any of my others, but I look forward to enjoying all of them eventually!
Thanks for stopping by to read. Hope it put a holiday smile on your face. :)

OUT of the WOODS - A true Story of an Unforgettable Event

    First of all, I hope everyone had a relaxing Thanksgiving holiday. It used to be my favorite holiday, but now that family is scattered across the country and we can't always be together for this long weekend, I have to give the nod to Christmas when with end of the year vacations saved up we are able to spend time together. 
     My book recommendation today isn't a Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Kwanzaa or Christmas title. But it stopped me with a sense of awe and magic which is a wonderful thing to share at any holiday. And the generational story-telling aspect took me home.                                  
Author/Illustrator: Rebecca Bond
Publisher: FS&G, Margaret Ferguson Books, 2015

FICTION
Intended age: 5-9 
Themes: Animals, Memoir

First lines: "Antonio Willie Giroux lived in Ontario, Canada, in the town of Gowganda, on the edge of Gowganda Lake, in a hotel his mother ran. It was not a fancy place in 1914, but it was big--three stories tall."

Synopsis: A young boy who hopes for more than half glimpses of the forest creatures gets his wish when a fire tears through the surrounding forest and the animals and the people of a small town, prey and predators, have to find safety. NOTE: Spoiler alert: The amazon.com and bn.com description/summary of this book as well as Kirkus and many of the Goodreads reviews give the story away.

Why I like this Book: This book appeals to the rule breaker in me!
     The book tells a story, but it feels more like a mood piece (rule broken!). The fairly wordy text (rule broken!) is used for extensive description rather than action (rule broken!) And it works beautifully with muted, almost monochromatic illustrations. Based on a story passed down by the author's grandfather, the book's dreamy mysterious feel was compelling. Despite the author's note, and the subtitle that the story is true, the book is shelved in fiction leaving the reader to wonder--did this really happen? It is lovely to think that it did. Not a quick read, it's a story that begs for pages to be poured over thoughtfully. There are three spreads in the height of the action that took my breath away. A reminder that we share this world with many and we're all in this together.

Resources/Activities:
      I didn't want to give the story climax away--which made it hard to suggest activities!

• The Fire Protection Association has advice to create a fire plan for your home.
• Organize a family story night. Go around the table and let everyone re-tell their favorite story about a real event that happened to them. Include several generations, if possible!
• Draw pictures of favorite/memorable family moments
• Think about an animal's Thanksgiving. How would it compare to your own?
• Review the illustrations and compare life in the early 1900's to your own.
  

Let me know if this is on your reading list! I love to read your comments.

This review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday) where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. Along with tons of writing wisdom, she keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. #PPBF

VINCENT PAINTS HIS HOUSE

   What a difference a week makes. Last week's library trip didn't reveal any Perfect Picture Book candidates. This week, my problem is deciding which one to feature! And the winner is:

Title: Vincent Paints His House                                      

Author/Illustrator: Tedd Arnold
Publisher: Holiday House, 2015
Intended age: 3-8 
Themes: Colors (fiction that is a concept book)

First lines: "Time to paint the house!
                      "Hmm . . ." said Vincent.
                     Vincent could not decide what color to use."

Synopsis: A series of animals that live on and around Vincent's house advise him to use their favorite color when he paints the house.

Why I like this Book: Look at the gorgeous cover! The colorful title alone had me hooked.
     And as an adult, I was like "wow, Vincent Van Gogh!"--but there's no mention of Van Gogh in the book. None. Zilch. The fact that the book is based on a real artist is a gem-of-a-secret for adults to share with young readers.
     The book uses a repetitive format, easy for young readers to predict and decode. And colors are considered in bold fresh out of the tube rainbows of related shades. It made me want to find an easel of my own to experiment with.

Resources/Activities:

• The publisher has provided lesson plans on their website (don't you love that)
• Read the publisher's interview with the author, Tedd Arnold.
• Learn about Vincent Van Gogh. (Many kid-friendly websites!)
• Kids-n-fun and Enchanted Learning are just two of the websites that have printable Van Gogh coloring pages.
  
•  On a blank page, draw pictures using as many colors as you can. Crayons are okay!
• Visit Kinderart for a child-friendly Van Gogh style art lesson with paint

Let me know if this is on your reading list! I love to read your comments.

This review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday) where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. Along with tons of writing wisdom, she keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. #PPBF

THE DOG THAT NINO DIDN'T HAVE

     As you may know, I am a complete sucker for dog stories. Both real and invisible.
     Nostalgia is the emotion that came to mind as I read this story. The book has such a strong European feel to it that without looking at the writer or illustrator's name, I correctly guessed its overseas roots. But the theme is timeless and it is one of Publisher's Weekly's Best picture books of 2015!

Title: The Dog That Nino Didn't Have

Author: Edward Van De Vendel
Illustrator: Anton Van Hertbruggen
Publisher: Eerdmans, 2015
(first published in Belgium in 2013)

Intended age: 4-8 

Themes: Imagination, Loneliness, Hope

First lines: "NINO HAD A DOG THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE.
                    YES, HE HAD THAT DOG.            
                    EVEN THOUGH HE DIDN'T HAVE IT."

Synopsis: Nino has an imaginary dog that helps him feel less lonely. He especially misses his father and explores ways to pass the time--in reality and imagination.

Why I like this Book: This book had me at the title. A dog that a child doesn't have! Is the child going to get it? Is the dog flesh and blood, a stuffed toy, or imaginary? Are they both going to be okay? I wanted to know.
     This is the second time in a row that the illustrations blew me away. This palette is the complete opposite of Mother Goose's Pajama Party. No primary bright colors. All muddy earthy tones that match the dreamy feel of a place where reality and imagination co-exist. The panel-sided station wagon, the phones, the A-frame homes and Nino's back pack all have a retro feel. And Great-Grandma spends her days with a book or radio and a glass of wine! And the imaginary dog? How do we see it? In beautiful black and white line drawings that melt into the background.

Do you see the dog?

     The book has a strong undertone of melancholy (another element that felt European to me in terms of children's books). In places there is a bruised quality that permeates everything, even Nino's skin tones (I am not suggesting physical abuse! Just an aspect of excellent illustrating!). As I write this I realize--this book may sound depressing. But it isn't. It somehow makes the imagination feel as true as reality, and without sugar-coating reality, it embraces the beauty that is hope and imagination. It doesn't answer all of the questions it raises, but left me deeply moved. (even though it isn't "a dog story" after all!) It is a book that can be enjoyed on many levels. I had several other adults read the book and we discussed it at length one evening without coming to agreement on several elements!

Resources/Activities:
Eerdman's spotlighted this book in a short webcast preview. Spoiler alert! You learn a major plot twist in their preview.

• If you could add an imaginary pet to your household, what kind would you pick? Why?
• If you have a real pet, do something that makes you both feel better. Here are ideas of fun things to do with dogs.
•  Is it possible to "have" things you can't see or touch? (Love, Happiness)
• Talk about things to do when you're lonely. The Women's and Children's health network in Australia has a nice website discussing why kids might feel lonely and suggestions.
• For older children, Christina Hamlett provides lesson plans exploring the pros and cons of imaginary friends.
• Talk about if you ever wanted something, and then been surprised when you finally got it because it wasn't exactly what you expected.
• Think about someone who might be lonely. What can you do to cheer them up? Do it!

Let me know if this is on your reading list! I love to read your comments.

This review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday) where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. Along with tons of writing wisdom, she keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. #PPBF
Note: I received a review copy from Eerdmans in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was received.

Mother Goose's PAJAMA PARTY

     Mother Goose's nursery rhymes are old news--until a book finds a way to make them new again. And author Danna Smith and illustrator Virginia Allyn do just that in their book releasing today!


Title: Mother Goose's PAJAMA PARTY
Author: Danna Smith
Illustrator: Virginia Allyn
Publisher: Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 2015
Intended age: 3-7 

Themes: Sleepovers, familiar characters, rhyme

First lines: "Star light, star bright, come to story time tonight. Bring your friends and don't be late. Meet at my house - half past eight.   --Mother Goose"

Synopsis: Mother Goose invites a parade of characters from her nursery rhymes for story time and a sleepover.

Why I like this Book: The colorful illustrations pulled me in and I paged through this book once without reading the text.  Featuring a multicultural--and multispecies--cast, the opening double page spread with Mother Goose's invitation written in the stars perfectly captures the magical feeling that makes the story work. Can the moon talk? Of course it can! Can animals talk to people? Of course! The gorgeous harlequin pattern from the endpapers is carried throughout on rugs in everyone's houses. One tiny detail that stopped me--Miss Muffet runs "to pick a bright bouquet" but I didn't see her flowers in the illustrations. Maybe that's why she looks grumpy in the following spread?
    The author's lively rhyming text introduces each character and leads them across this fairy tale world to a cozy bed. (Actually sleeping at a pajama party is one element that may not ring true, lol!) Perhaps having some prior knowledge of the traditional rhymes would enhance a reader's understanding and enjoyment. But if this is your first exposure to them, the author includes the fifteen rhymes that contain the characters as the last eight pages of this forty page book. (I honestly didn't remember Jack-a-Dandy.)

Resources/Activities: There are HUNDREDS of websites that list nursery rhyme activities and you can even sort by pre-school, toddler or elementary age. Here are three of my own book-specific thoughts and one favorite from another site

• With Halloween upon us this week, perhaps a nursery rhyme character costume is in order!
• Host a pajama party. Play charades with each child acting out a nursery rhyme character. Read the accompanying rhyme aloud after each character is revealed (pick a favorite stanza to shorten this)
• Make a game of finding finding familiar characters in the illustrations that aren't mentioned in the text. (I saw the three blind mice and the gingerbread man - are there others?)
• What ARE curds and whey? Try an education.com science experiment!
• Learn more about the illustrator's process from Virginia Allyn's interview with Kathy Temean.

Let me know if this is on your reading list! I love to read your comments.
Note: I received a review copy from Random House in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was received.

Sewing Stories - Harriet Powers' Journey from Slave to Artist #WNDB #PPBF

     If you had never been taught how to read or write, how would you share your stories?
    As a writer, this thought made my breath catch in my throat. I believe everyone feels a universal human need to share their thoughts and be heard. A new book (released October 13, 2015) tells the story of one woman who spoke with her needles and cloth.
     
Title: Sewing Stories- Harriet Powers'
Journey from Slave to Artist
Author: Barbara Herkert
Illustrator: Vanessa Brantley-Newton
Publisher: Knopf, 2015
Intended age: 4-8 Themes: Biography, African American, Quiltmaking

First lines: "See that sweet baby girl lying on a quilt her mama made? What could she be dreaming of?
                    On a plantation near Athens, Georgia, Harriet's mama worked from rise to set while Harriet slept between the cotton rows."

Synopsis: Born into slavery, Harriet Powers' skills as a quiltmaker change her life.

Why I like this Book: This book reminds me of an excerpt of the Humans of New York, learning about a fascinating person who might not be well-known, and who certainly didn't set out to be well-known but nonetheless leaves a strong emotional connection with the reader.
     Especially at election time, I hear a lot of people talking about what they think. For me, what a person does is often a better indication of their character. And this book is about a doer. Someone who needed to survive. Someone who found a way to make beauty in difficult situations.
     The text uses lovely lyrical language. This line is my favorite: "Then Harriet explained each story sewn within the squares, like the lyrics of a song spun into cloth."
     Fun fact about me: When I was in high school I made a quilt from scraps of old clothing and leftover craft projects. I don't think it will hang in a museum like Harriet's work, but I am proud of it and it "talks" to me.

Resources/Activities:

• On her website, the author suggests writing a free-verse biography of someone a child admires, or making a classroom story quilt.
• Read another book about a young African American quiltmaker and compare the stories. Stitchin' and Pullin': A Gee's Bend Quilt.
•  Learn more about Harriet Powers and her quilts in Mary Lyons 48 page book written for ages 8-12, Stitchin Stars: The Story Quilts of Harriet Powers.
• Harriet used a technique called applique (making pictures with small pieces of fabric put on a larger piece). Make your own applique picture with snips of fabric. Does your picture tell a story? If you want to try something more advanced, using needle and thread, the Positively Splendid Crafts website has a  good applique primer.
• Compare the mosaic patterns in the book I reviewed last week (NIGHT of the MOON) to the quilts in this story.

This review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday) where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. Along with tons of writing wisdom, she keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. #PPBF
Note: I received a review copy from Random House in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was received.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Thanks for stopping by! I love comments to know what you think of my selections.

NIGHT of the MOON - Perfect Picture Book Friday

     This summer, while Perfect Picture Book Friday was on hiatus, Muslims celebrated the ninth month of the Islamic calendar known as Ramadan (June 18-July 16, 2015). Next year the holiday begins on June 6, so yes I'm a bit early for it. But it's never too early to enjoy a good book!
    
Title: NIGHT of the MOON - A Muslim Holiday Story
Author: Hena Khan

Illustrator: Julie Paschkis
Publisher: Chronicle, 2008
Intended age: 4-8
Themes: Holidays, Ramadan

First lines: "It was bedtime, and Yasmeen waited for her mom to read her a story as she did every night. But this night was different."

Synopsis: A seven-year old girl celebrates the month of Ramadan.

Why I like this Book: I don't know much about Ramadan. I knew that people fasted, but not much more. The story portrays a close knit loving family while explaining the holiday that they are celebrating, emphasizing the themes of family traditions and charity for others who are less fortunate. This book contains basic information so it probably isn't for members of the Muslim community who would know these things already.
The illustrator frames the spreads with lush mosaic patterns of teal and turquoise.

Resources/Activities:

• Read a little bit about Ramadan and celebrate with the Fattoush salad or Lentil soup recipes provided by education.com.
• Try to complete the fill-in-the-blanks worksheet at Education world.
• Primarygames.com has printable coloring pages and games to play.
•  Last year I read, and recommended, a book by this same author (Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns, 2013).  The Little Big Book Club has posted a lesson plan for that book with more information about Islam.
• A group of occupational and speech therapists and special education teachers created a wonderful unit for their students about Islam, using Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns
  This review is part of PPBF (perfect picture book Friday) where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's site. Along with tons of writing wisdom, she keeps an ever-growing list of Perfect Picture Books. #PPBF
  Thanks for stopping by!