About the Holiday
We hear a lot about caring for and taking care of others, but caring for yourself is important too. Making sure you are happy and healthy physically and emotionally goes a long way in determining your quality of life and how you can relate to others. Taking care of yourself comes in many forms. Eating well, getting enough exercise, finding time to relax and have fun, and even saying “no” instead of always “yes” are just a few of the ways that you can ensure you’re looking out for yourself. Today, take a pledge to be good to yourself—not just one day a year, but every day.
The Curious Cares of Bears
Written by Douglas Florian | Illustrated by Sonia Sánchez
If you’re out in the woods and you come upon bears, you might find that they have some “curious cares.” During spring, bears are careful when “climbing up trees and stealing the honey from beehives of bees.” After being well fed, bears like to run and play and stop along the way to smell the flowers. For cub brothers and sisters some teasing and wrestling fill out the day.
Image copyright Sonia Sánchez, 2017, text copyright, 2017. Courtesy of simonandschuster.com.
Summer brings new cares, such as “swimming inside of a creek, playing jump rope or perhaps hide-and-seek.” Vacation time means visits from family far and near, including bear hugs, delicious feasts, and dancing till dawn. Bears are also fond of exploring the mountains by hiking and biking, and on hot, hazy days they relax in the lake, drying off later with “great big bear shakes.”
Image copyright Sonia Sánchez, 2017, text copyright, 2017. Courtesy of simonandschuster.com.
In autumn, bear cares become cozy and warm as they play in leaf piles and sing campfire songs. When the winter chill comes, they hibernate in their dens, “where deeply they sleep till the springtime and then…they slowly emerge as the frozen grounds thaw and start to explore the wide world with awe.”
Image copyright Sonia Sánchez, 2017, text copyright, 2017. Courtesy of simonandschuster.com.
Douglas Florian guides little ones through a year of shenanigans and contentment with a group of bears that are more carefree than careful. These adorable bears know how to take care of themselves and enjoy being together—just like children do. Florian’s gentle rhymes will charm readers and remind them of the good times they have throughout the year.
Image copyright Sonia Sánchez, 2017, text copyright, 2017. Courtesy of simonandschuster.com.
Sonia Sánchez’s sweet bear families know how to spend a year, taking care to appreciate every moment. From the precarious maneuvers to reach honey on a thin, bendy sapling to tumbling and splashing in a creek, to dancing in a conga line, these bears understand how to have a good time. Little readers will giggle at the shower of water droplets (and a few ants) that spray from a bear drying off and snuggle closer as the bears gather around a glowing campfire. As the bears emerge from their winter sleep, children will also be ready to look at their world with awe.
Ages 4 – 8
little bee books, 2017 | ISBN 978-1499804621
Self-Care Awareness Month Activity
Relaxation Sand
Sometimes you just need to zone out and relax, but it’s hard to ignore all the sights and sounds around you and the thoughts that swirl through your mind. Playing with this kinetic sand can help you take it easy and let the world slip away like the sand slipping through your fingers.
Supplies
- 1 cup of play sand
- ½ tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon dish soap
- About ¾ cup of water—or as much as needed
- Bin or large bowl
- Small bowl
Directions
The amount of water you use will depend on the consistency of the sand
- In a bin or bowl, combine the sand and cornstarch and mix well
- In the small bowl combine the dish soap and water and stir until the water is bubbly
- Slowly pour some of the water/dish soap mixture into the sand/cornstarch mixture and mix well.
- Continue mixing, adding a little water at a time until the desired consistency is reached
Picture Book Review
celebratepicturebooks.com 