Month: April 2016

April 9 – Cherish an Antique Day

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Once Upon a Memory by Nina Laden and Renata Liwska Picture Book Reivew

About the Holiday

When you look at an antique chair with its faded upholstery or a brooch handed down from your great-great-grandmother, do you ever think about the day when it was new? Imagine the excitement of sitting in the chair for the first time or opening the jewelry box on a shining pin. Today we remember our collective and individual treasured past, held in the objects of days gone by. Cherish an Antique Day is a perfect time to learn more about the stories of any antiques you may own.

Once Upon a Memory

Written by Nina Laden | Illustrated by Renata Liwska

 

This stunning, quiet book is so evocative in its premise that certain lines can bring a lump to your throat even before you reach the endearing end. A little boy sits in his playroom surrounded by his stuffed toys and pet dog, enjoying a tea party. A feather blows through the window, eliciting the question, “Does a feather remember it once was…a bird?” and then more musings: “Does a book remember it once was…a word?”

The simple patterned phrasing and rhyming couplets lend the story a surprising suspense as the reader tries to guess what one-time material or emotion transformed into another before the clever answer is revealed: “Does a statue remember it once was…stone? Does an island remember it once was…unknown?”

In the last pages the queries become more personal—“Does love remember it once was…new? Does a family remember it once was…two?” Adult readers will recognize where the reflective path leads, giving this book a deeper level of meaning for both adults and children: “Does the world remember it once was…wild? Will you remember you once were…a child?”

The question is not an idle one. In these busy, stressful times it’s good to remember what it meant—and means—to be a child.

Nina Laden’s subtly anthropomorphic world invites readers into a new realm of imagination as well as reality. Readers and listeners receive a new perspective on life as Laden’s poetic voice opens up a wide world of possibilities.

Renata Liwska’s illustrations are simply adorable and represent each couplet with depth and imagination. The feather that blows in the little boy’s window comes not from some single, random bird, but from a happy barber shop where an owl is getting a haircut. “Book” is both the volume lovingly read by the boy and the word painted on a busy bookshop sign. Liwska’s sweet bears, squirrels, beavers, birds, raccoons, bats and more as well as the tiny boy are rendered in gauzy browns, grays, reds, and yellows that are as soft and comforting as a favorite memory.  Once Upon a Memory would be a perfect companion on a walk, a trip, or during times of waiting, where readers and listeners could make up their own “once was” pairs. Its cadence also makes it a nice, comforting bedtime book.

Ages 4 – 7

Little Brown and Company, 2013 | ISBN 978-0316208161

Cherish an Antique Day Activity

CPB - Antique Day

Share the Stories of Your Antiques

 

Whether you have old photographs of great-great-grandparents or special heirlooms, today’s holiday is a wonderful time to share them and the stories behind them with children. The feeling of being part of several generations or holding history in your hands is exciting and comforting and can lead to more understanding and closer relationships.

Adults can collect a few family heirlooms and/or photographs to share with children. Children can choose which of their toys, books, or other favorite objects they think will last to become a cherished antique in the future.

Take time to get together and discuss the objects you’ve collected with a cup of tea or hot chocolate and some special treats.

April 8 – National Zoo Lovers Day

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The View at the Zoo by Kathleen Long Bostrom and Guy FrancisAbout the Holiday

Zoos are wonderful places to see and learn about exotic animals from around the world. In addition to creating educational exhibits, zoological experts are involved in the preservation of endangered species. To celebrate the day, you might visit your local zoo, donate your time or money to further a zoo’s mission, or consider “adopting” a zoo animal—many zoological institutions offer this fun and rewarding program.

The View at the Zoo

Written by Kathleen Long Bostrom | Illustrated by Guy Francis

 

“Rise and shine! Attention, please! Monkeys get down from those trees!” So calls the zookeeper as he begins his rounds, waking up the zoo animals to greet another day of visitors. Once the bear cubs are up, the lion’s mane is combed, the elephant has wiped his nose, and the giraffes are standing tall, the gates are flung open.

The day is full of excitement, observations, and education—“My, what silly things they do, all these creatures at the zoo.” Some creatures walk and waddle to an inner beat. Some carry babies in pouches or on their backs while others are noisy—howling and shrieking. And look at how some love to eat! There are those who primp to stay neat and clean, and those that will nip your fingers if you get too close!

Yes, the zoo is full of intriguing specimens! As the sun goes down the visitors head for the exit, and the animals watch them leave. It’s been another good day; those people put on quite a show! The owl exclaims, “What a hoot! Folks have no clue the view that we have at the zoo!”

The View at the Zoo is a perfect union of words and illustration. Kathleen Long Bostrom’s text tells the story while Guy Francis’s illustrations reveal the meaning of the story. Kids will have fun picking the animal and people pairs out of the crowd who are “dancing to their own inner beat,” carrying babies on their backs or in pouches, making noise, chowing down, getting clean, and flashing dangerous teeth. This zoo is colorful, wild, and populated with animals happy to study the exotic creatures on the other side of the fence.

Ages 3 – 6

Ideals Children’s Books, 2010 | ISBN 978-0824956295

National Zoo Lovers Day Activity

CPB - Zoo Day Word Search II (2)

Round up the Animals! Word Search

 

Find all the animals in the zoo! Print this Round Up the Animals! word search and have fun! Here’s the Solution.

April 7 – International Beaver Day

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The Flying Beaver Brothers and the Crazy Critter Race by Maxwell Eaton III

About the Holiday

Beavers are pretty amazing creatures. With their prominent teeth these largest members of the rodent family cut down large trees. They use the bark, buds, and small twigs for food then gnaw the trunk and branches into smaller parts and build dams that are just about as strong as anything people can construct. These dams can help prevent floods, clean the water supply, and restore wetlands. The largest beaver dam is in Wood Buffalo National Park in Alberta, Canada.

Beaver Day is celebrated to bring awareness to the declining beaver population and to promote their protection.

The Flying Beaver Brothers and the Crazy Critter Race

By Maxwell Eaton III

 

The flying Beaver brothers are back in a vine-popping, lasso-swirling adventure! Bub is reading Penguin Giant to Bob and Bob when Ace comes home with an intriguing ad for The Crazy Critter Race. The winner will receive—not pancakes as the penguins hope—but a free houseboat. The house Bob and Bob built for the Beaver brothers is a little less than desirable, so Ace and Bub swim over to Critter Houseboat Sales and Service to sign up.

There they meet the yeehawin’ cowboy hat-wearin’ crazy critter who has organized this unusual event. They also encounter the rope-snapping Raccoon sisters, and the competition is on! Crazy Critter explains the rules of the race: It seems the islands’ trees have been destroyed by ornery baboons, so the object of the race is to replant trees from a jar of seeds Crazy Critter gives them. The first team to reach the top of each mountain must plant one seed. The team who completes the race and rings the bell at the finish line will win a houseboat.

The racers take off, but the Beaver brothers and Raccoon sisters soon leave the rest of the competition in their wake. They both run to the top of the first mountain and plant their seeds. With a Rugga Rugga and a loud Brorg! two enormous vines break the earth and thunder toward the sky! In all the mayhem Ace and Bub’s jar of seeds opens and spills its contents on the beach.

In the blink of an eye, vines are shooting out of the ground and grabbing everything in sight. In fact, “Everything Vine” is the name of this Kudzu cousin because it covers everything. Ace and Bub go to work with their gnawing teeth, but even they are no match for the vine. Unaware of the disastrous consequences, the Beaver sisters use some pretty impressive moves to get ahead even as they continue planting seeds.

Now vines are erupting willy-nilly, threatening every land mass and even Beaver Island. Crazy Critter denies all knowledge of the fatal seeds, but has a solution of his own—if the islands are uninhabitable, he will sell houseboats to all the ex-habitants. Crazy Critter finally fesses up to his evil plan, but what can anyone do now? The vines are taking over!

The Beaver brothers look at the Raccoon sisters and the Raccoon sisters look at the Beaver brothers. They know that by working together they can save the islands. The Raccoon sisters use their awesome roping skills to gather the vines while the Beaver brothers chomp them in half, destroying them. Beaver Island is saved!

But who wins the houseboat? Let’s just say Crazy Critter isn’t so crazy after all.

This graphic novel-style book—the 6th in the series—will appeal to reluctant readers as  well as kids who enjoy a wild, humorous adventure. The quick pace of the story, teamed with action-packed drawings, will keep fans of the series cheering for their familiar friends in this race that just doesn’t seem right. Kids will laugh out loud at the funny asides and sound effects. A light-hearted lesson on competition and cooperation ties the story together in a satisfying finish.

Ages 6 – 9

Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2015 | ISBN 978-0385754699

International Beaver Day Activity

CPB - Beaver craft picture (2)

Make a Spool Beaver

 

Do you have a gnawing need to have a beaver of your own? Make one with this Spool Beaver craft!

Supplies

  • Printable Ears and Nose Template
  • 2-inch wooden spool, available at craft stores
  • 1 6-inch long x ¾ inch wide craft stick
  • Small piece of foam board
  • Brown “chunky” yarn
  • Brown felt, small piece for ears and tail
  • Black felt, small piece for nose
  • Acorn top for hat (optional)
  • Brown craft paint
  • Black craft paint
  • Black marker
  • Strong glue
  • Paint brush
  • Scissors

CPB - Beaver craft picture with tail

Directions

  1. Print the Ears and Nose template
  2. Paint the spool with the brown paint, let dry
  3. Cut the ears from the brown felt
  4. Cut the nose from the black felt
  5. Cut a piece from the end of the craft stick
  6. Paint the craft stick brown or black, let dry
  7. Cut two small pieces from the foam board, ½-inch long x 3/8 inch wide
  8. When the spool is dry, glue the ears to the spool, leaving the ears sticking up over the rim of the spool
  9. Glue one end of the yarn to the spool
  10. Holding the spool horizontally, wind the rest of the yarn around the spool back and forth from front to back. Glue the end to the body of yarn. This will be the bottom of the beaver.
  11. Glue the nose over the hole in the spool
  12. Glue the teeth below the nose
  13. Glue the flat edge of the craft stick to the back of the spool to make the tail

 

April 6 – April is National Poetry Month

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When Green Becomes Tomatoes by Julie Fogliano and Julie Morstad

About the Holiday

The Academy of American Poets established National Poetry Month in 1996 to promote the enjoyment and awareness of poetry. Over the 20 years since its beginning, National Poetry Month has become the largest literary event in the world. Schools, poets, booksellers, and publishers all hold special events to honor the vital place of this well-loved art form in our culture.

Celebrate the month by attending poetry readings, reading poems by your favorite author or discovering a new poet, and creating your own poetry!

When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons

Written by Julie Fogliano | Illustrated by Julie Morstad

 

Sometimes you wish for just the right words to express a moment in time, a skip of the heart, or a glimpse of color that truly captures the elation, sadness, or awe you feel. Those words live on every page of When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons. Each season omonth of the year is represented by three to five dated poems that expose a nugget of inspiration or a spark of recognition about the natural world and our place in it.

Spring is revealed as chilly, rainy, and blooming with early flowers:

march 26: “shivering and huddled close / the forever rushing daffodils / wished they had waited”

Summer brings swimming, tomatoes, and deep dark nights:

september 10

“a star is someone else’s sun / more flicker glow than blinding / a speck of light too far for bright / and too small to make a morning”

Fall is a time for sweaters, pumpkins, and falling leaves:

november 2

“more silent than something / much noisier than nothing / the last leaf / when it landed / made a sort of sound / that no one knew they heard”

Winter  is quiet, cozy fireplaces, and snow, snow, snow:

december 21

“as if one day, the mountain decides / to put on its white furry hat / and call it winter”

december 29

“and i woke / to a morning / that was quiet / and white / the first snow / (just like magic) came / on tiptoes / overnight”

The volume begins and ends with a poem dated the same day—March 20, the vernal equinox—giving this book a cyclical form that echoes the passing of time. To accompany Julie Fogliano’s beautiful poems, Julie Morstad has created gorgeous watercolors of children experiencing each day and the changes they bring. The soft, matte pages enhance the colors of each season and the quiet reflections these poems offer.

Ages 6 and up (adults will enjoy these poems too)

Roaring Brook Press, 2016 | ISBN 978-1596438521

National Poetry Month Activity

Grow a Poem

CPB - Plant Poem

A poem often grows in your imagination like a beautiful plant—starting from the seed of an idea, breaking through your consciousness, and growing and blooming into full form. With this craft you can create a unique poem that is also an art piece!

Supplies

  • Printable Leaves Template, available here and on the blog post
  • Printable Flower Template, available here and on the blog post
  • Wooden dowel, ½-inch diameter, available in craft or hardware stores
  • Green ribbon
  • Green craft paint
  • Green paper if leaves will be preprinted
  • Colored paper if flowers will be preprinted
  • Flower pot or box
  • Oasis, clay, or dirt
  • Hole punch
  • Glue
  • Markers or pens for writing words
  • Crayons or colored pencils if children are to color leaves and flowers

Directions

  1. Paint the dowel green, let dry
  2. Print the leaves and flower templates
  3. Cut out the leaves and flowers
  4. Punch a hole in the bottom of the leaves or flowers
  5. Write words, phrases, or full sentences of your poem on the leaves and flowers (you can also write the poem after you have strung the leaves and flowers)
  6. String the leaves and flowers onto the green ribbon (if you want the poem to read from top to bottom string the words onto the ribbon in order from first to last)
  7. Attach the ribbon to the bottom of the pole with glue or tape
  8. Wrap the ribbon around the pole, leaving spaces between the ribbon
  9. Gently arrange the leaves and flowers so they stick out from the pole or look the way you want them to.
  10. Put oasis or clay in the flower pot or box
  11. Stick your poem pole in the pot
  12. Display your poem!

April 5 – National Read a Road Map Day

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Maps by Aleksandra and Daniel Mizielinski Picture Book Review

About the Holiday

Sure, GPS can get you where you want to go—even with voiced directions—but how do you know where you want to go? How do you discover what’s out there in your neighborhood, town, state, country? You can read a road map! It’s fascinating to see how roads snake along the terrain, around lakes, and over hills as well as crisscross in dozens of places but still get you where you want to go. And if you want to see how a place has changed over time, compare an old road map to a current one. So get out your road maps and start investigating!

Maps

By Aleksandra Mizielińska and Daniel Mizielińska

 

The world is a big and intriguing place in this oversized picture book. Forty-two countries are represented within its pages and populated from border to border and even from page edge to edge with cultural, historical, zoological, economic, agricultural, culinary, and linguistic information, all illustrated in stunning thumb-sized detail.

Whether you’re casually flipping through the book or examining each page, a colorful or unusual detail will capture your attention and demand a lingering look, which leads to discovering more and more intriguing facts. Opening the book to Switzerland, I noticed the Appenzeller sheepdog then the Appenzeller cheese round, both from the town of Appenzell. But what’s this? Schwingen? And why are the two guys wearing their shorts on the outside of their pants? It’s Swiss Wrestling! A quick Google search tells me that the wrestlers wear special “breeches” with belts for getting a good grip for tossing opponents!

Another flip of the pages brings me to Nepal, which is so mountainous! It’s home to the Himalayas which include Mount Everest (the tallest peak on earth), as well as Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, and Makalu (the third, fourth, and fifth highest peaks). As you might imagine you can engage in mountain biking, but beware of the Mugger Crocodile!

G’day, Mate! Welcome to Australia! Here you’ll find a Superb Lyrebird with a phenomenal tail, sneak a peek at a short-beaked echidna with a spiky coat and a mole-like snout, and learn to duck for a gliding possum. If you’re a sports fan, you’ll be interested in the didgeridoo, and remember vegemite? This is where it’s from!

I could go on and on! There are so many amazing animals, monuments, people, and structures around the world just waiting for you to discover them! The thick, matte, softly muted pages of Aleksandra and Daniel Mizielińska’s Maps are reminiscent of fine cartographers’ volumes. This book is a fantastic resource for teachers, homeschoolers, and students with curiosity or a report to write. Just a glance will give readers ideas, and a more thorough examination will open up a world of possibilities! Maps is a must-have for any young person’s or armchair traveler’s bookshelf.

Ages 5 and up

Big Picture Press, 2013 | ISBN 978-0763668969

National Read a Road Map Day Activity

CPB - Map Day II

Map Jigsaw Puzzle

 

Sometimes reading a map is like putting together a puzzle—so why not make a puzzle out of a map? It can be fun to use a map of your town or state or to use a map of a state or country you’d like to visit!

Supplies

  • Small to medium size map (maps are often offered free at tourist stops, town halls, or other tourist information offices or racks)
  • Poster board
  • Glue
  • Scissors

CPB - Map Day

Directions

  1. Use the entire map or cut a desired-sized section from a map
  2. Glue the map to the poster board, let dry
  3. Cut the map from the poster board
  4. Cut the map into puzzle sections, these can be straight-sided sections or ones with interconnecting parts

April 4 – National School Librarian Day

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The Midnight Library by Kazuno Kohara Picture Book Review

About the Holiday

One of the best parts of going to school is visiting the school library! Whether you go to the library to listen to a story or do research, the librarian is there to help you discover amazing books! School librarians thoughtfully read hundreds of books a year to choose just the right ones. Many school librarians are also involved in multimedia education and programs for school assemblies, morning news programs, and special meetings.

Today, thank your school librarian and tell them how much they mean to you!

The Midnight Library

By Kazuno Kohara

 

A little librarian opens the doors to her library only as the sun goes down. Working with her three assistant owls, she helps the forest animals find the perfect book. The animals read quietly and the library is peaceful until one night when a band of squirrels begins playing their instruments in the reading room. The little librarian shushes the squirrels and they apologize, saying they’re just working on a new song. The librarian has the perfect solution and shows the band to the upstairs activity room. Peace reigns once more in the library,

Later that night it begins to rain—inside! The little librarian climbs the ladder to look at the roof, but instead of a leak she finds a wolf sobbing away. Her book is so sad, she says, that she can’t read on. Gently, the librarian takes her to the storytelling corner where she, the owls, and Miss Wolf read the story together. The wolf discovers the book has a happy ending, something the library workers knew all along.

All too soon the sun peeks over the horizon, and it’s time for the library to close. The patrons file out one by one, but who is left plodding along with his book in the corner? It’s a tortoise who says he is not leaving until he finishes his book—only 500 pages to go! Once again the little librarian has the answer! She gives the tortoise a library card and reveals that he can take the book home with him and finish it there. The tortoise leaves happy and feeling lucky with the book strapped to his shell.

The owls and the librarian tidy up the shelves and grab one last book—bedtime stories for the sleepy owls.

The Midnight Library is a perfect bedtime—or daytime—book for budding bibliophiles and library lovers. While simply written, Kazuno Kohara’s story has a dreamy quality and is as inviting as a favorite library reading nook. Just as libraries are comforting in their hushed rooms and neatly organized shelves, the little librarian of the story is reassuring as she quickly and calmly resolves the issues that arise in her domain. 

The characters are sweetly drawn, smiling with pleasure at being in their favorite place, and the picture of the owls holding Miss Wolf’s hands as they read her book together is particularly touching. The pages are composed of three colors—the structures inside the library are the black of night’s shadows; the walls and characters are the gold of starlight and moonlight; and the beloved books are the violet blue of the deep night sky. As you reach the end of the story, you will look forward to the next night when you can visit the midnight library again.

Ages 3 – 6

Roaring Brook Press, 2014 | ISBN 978-1596439856

National School Librarian Day Activity

CPB - Librarian Thank You card

Create a Thank You Card

 

Today’s a perfect day to make a card to thank your school librarians or the librarians at your local town library. Here’s one that you can use to tell your librarians why you love them and what you like best about the programs they create for you! Print the Thank You! card, draw a picture on the front and/or inside, sign your name, and write a message. Then fold it and give it to your favorite librarian. Get the Thank You! card here.

April 3 – National Find a Rainbow Day

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celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-rainbow-stew-cover

About the Holiday

It’s not often someone wishes you a rainy day. Today, though, I’m doing just that because you can’t see a rainbow without a little of the wet stuff. This early spring month was chosen for this special day because, as we all know, April showers bring May flowers. Those same April showers lead to beautiful rainbows—even double rainbows sometimes! So, I hope you have a bad (weather) day and good luck finding a rainbow today! By the way—what do May flowers bring? Right! Pilgrims!

Rainbow Stew

By Cathryn Falwell

 

Grandpa’s making pancakes for his three favorite kids, and his granddaughter and two grandsons are excited to be visiting where they can play outside all day. Through the window the kids see that it’s a rainy day. Does this mean they’ll have to stay inside? Their grandpa knows just what to do! “Let’s go and find some colors for my famous Rainbow Stew!” he says.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-rainbow-stew-interior-art-picking-vegetables

Image copyright Catherine Falwell, 2013, courtesy of rainbowstewbook.com

Out to the garden they run in their raincoats and hats. “Splish, splash, / puddle dash, / We bounce right out the door. / We’re off to find some red and green, / some yellow, orange, and more. / Grandpa shows us how to move / Between each garden row. / Lifting up the drippy leaves, /  we see what colors grow.” They collect green spinach, kale, and zucchini; yellow peppers, purple cabbage and eggplant, red radishes and tomatoes; brown potatoes; and orange carrots. After some muddy fun among the plants, the kids go inside, get dried off, and begin to prepare their colorful stew.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-rainbow-stew-interior-art-in-the-garden

Image copyright Catherine Falwell, 2013, courtesy of rainbowstewbook.com

“Peel, slice / chop and dice, / colors fill the pot. / Stir in herbs and water / and then wait till it gets hot.” While the pot simmers on the stove, Grandpa and the kids snuggle on the couch with favorite books, reading together until the stew has simmered to perfection. The family then sits down to a homemade, colorful, delicious lunch of Rainbow Stew. 

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-rainbow-stew-interior-art-cooking-together

Image copyright Catherine Falwell, 2013, courtesy of rainbowstewbook.com

Cathryn Falwell’s Rainbow Stew is a wonderful book to share with young children on many levels. The bright colors of Grandpa’s house mirror the vividness of the garden vegetables in his stew, which could be made into a matching game for extra fun. The rhyming verses—each begun with an energetic couplet that would be fun for kids to repeat or act out—draw listeners into the story. Introducing colors through familiar and delicious vegetables can get kids excited about gardening, cooking, even going to the grocery store.

Children will identify with the disappointment of the three siblings when they learn it’s too wet to spend the day outside as well as their glee at squishing in the mud. The close bond between the kids and their grandfather as they cook and read together is a strong anchor for this story.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-rainbow-stew-interior-reading-together

Image copyright Catherine Falwell, 2013, courtesy of rainbowstewbook.com

A recipe for Rainbow Stew follows the story. Combined with the craft below, the book and recipe could make for a fun rainy-day get-together!

Ages 4 – 7

Lee & Low Books, 2013 | ISBN 978-1600608476 (Hardcover) | ISBN 978-1643790572 (Paperback, 2019)

National Find a Rainbow Day Activity

CPB - Rainbow Crayon Art 3

Crayon Rainbow Art

 

With this cool project you can create an art piece that’s as colorful as a rainbow and as unique as you are! Adult help is needed for children.

Supplies

  • Box of 24 crayons
  • White foam board or thick poster board, 8 inches by 17 inches
  • A small piece of corrugated cardboard, about 5 inches by 5 inches (a piece of the foam board can also be used for this step)
  • A small piece of poster board, about 5 inches by 5 inches
  • Scissors
  • X-acto knife (optional)
  • Hot glue gun
  • Hair dryer
  • Old sheets or towels, newspapers, a large box, or a trifold display board

CPB - Rainbow Crayon Art 2

CPB - Rainbow Crayon Art 1 (2)

Directions

  1. Remove the various red, orange, yellow, blue, indigo, and violet hued crayons from the box of crayons
  2. Strip the paper from the crayons by slicing the paper with the x-acto knife, or removing it by hand
  3. Line them up in order at the top of the white foam board
  4. Glue the crayons with their tips facing down to the board with the hot glue gun
  5. Cut an umbrella or other shape of your choice from the poster board
  6. Trace the umbrella or other shape onto the corrugated cardboard or a piece of the foam board and cut out
  7. Glue the poster board shape onto the corrugated cardboard, let dry
  8. Glue the umbrella or other shape to the foam board, about 4 ½ inches below the crayons
  9. Set up a space to melt the crayons. The wax will fly, so protect the floor and walls by placing the art piece in a large box or hanging newspapers, old sheets or towels on the walls and placing newspapers on the floor. A trifold display board and newspapers works well.
  10. Stand the art piece upright with the crayons at the top
  11. With the hot setting of the hair dryer, blow air at the crayons until they start to melt
  12. Move the hair dryer gently back and forth across the line of crayons from a distance of about 6 to 12 inches away. The closer you are to the crayons, the more they will splatter
  13. The crayons will begin to melt and drip downward
  14. You can experiment with aiming the hair dryer straight on or at an angle to mix colors
  15. Wax that drips onto the umbrella or other shape can be chipped off after it dries or wiped off to create a “watercolor” effect on the shape
  16. Once the hair dryer is turned off, the wax cools and dries quickly
  17. Hang or display your art!