April 15 – Take a Wild Guess Day

About the Holiday

Do you have a knack for guessing right answers? Then today is your day! Conjured up by Jim Barber to celebrate hunches, surmises, estimates, and other forms of speculation, today is the perfect time to put your powers of deduction to work. Enjoy the day with games of chance, shell games, card tricks, guessing competitions, or friendly wagers. Just don’t guess on your taxes!

Guess Who, Haiku

Written by Deanna Caswell | Illustrated by Bob Shea

Down on the farm the animals are playing games and they invite readers to join in the fun! Combining poetry with a guessing game, this cute book introduces younger children to haiku. On each page an animal presents a riddle about another animal in the form of a haiku. When readers turn the page, they discover the answer to the riddle as well as another one to solve.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-guess-who-haiku-cow-haiku

Image copyright Bob Shea, text copyright Deanna Caswell. Courtesy of Harry N. Abrams Books

As morning dawns the first haiku reveals: “new day on the farm / muffled mooing announces / a fresh pail of milk”. Then kids are asked, “Can you guess who from this haiku?” Flipping the page, kids see a smiling cow who in turn has a haiku for them: “flower visitors / busy buzzing in the field / black and yellow stripes”.

Other animals familiar to kids—a horse, bird, fish, mouse, cat, dog, and this guy: “from a lily pad / keen eyes spy a careless fly / a sticky tongue—SNAP!”— also puzzle over each other from page to page. The final haiku describes an animal like no other: “two hands hold a book / guessing animals’ puzzles / written in haiku”. Who can it be? Kids will giggle and beam when they discover that they too are in the book!

Image copyright Bob Shea, text copyright Deanna Caswell. Courtesy of Harry N. Abrams Books

Deanna Caswell’s Guess Who, Haiku is a fun way to get kids interacting with poetry and the very accessible haiku form. Her clever riddles contain lovely images and lyrical alliteration that make these poems as enjoyable to read as they are to hear.

Bob Shea’s animals are adorably illustrated on vibrant solid-colored backgrounds, and each haiku is accompanied by an image that helps kids guess the answer to the riddle. The text and illustrations work together to make Guess Who, Haiku a wonderful way to spend time with kids—who, after reading, may want to make up some poems of their own!

Ages 3 – 6

Harry N. Abrams, 2016 | ISBN 978-1419718892

Check out a gallery of work by Bob Shea on his website!

Take a Wild Guess Day Activity

CPB - Animal Matching Cards

Match Up the Animals! Game

Test your powers of memory—or your ability to guess correctly—with this Animal Pairs matching game!

Supplies

Printable Match Up the Animals! Cards
Colored pencils, markers, or crayons
Scissors

Directions

Print the Animal Pairs Cards, print two pages to have double cards. To make the game more difficult print 3 or more pages to find 3 or more groups of matching animals
Color the cards
Cut out the cards
Lay the cards face down on a table in random order
Turn over cards to look for matching pairs
When you find a matching pair leave the cards face up
Continue playing until you find all the matching animal pairs or groups

Picture Book Review

April 11 – National Pet Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Pets are often our best friends—they love us unconditionally, are always there for us, and make us laugh. Today we celebrate pets—whether they’re as small as a goldfish, as large as a horse, or as unique as…well, you’ll see as you read on. National Pet Day also raises awareness of the number of animals available for adoption and encourages people to donate to animal shelters or consider taking a dog, cat, bird, or other pet into their family. If you already have a pet, observe the day by giving them an extra pat, offering a special treat, or spending more time with them.

My Pet Book

By Bob Staake

In a town named Smartytown a little boy has a most unusual pet—a book! Not one for puppies and allergic to kittens, he wants a pet that’s “easy.” His mom and dad suggest a book, and the family heads to the bookstore to adopt one. The shelves are so full of appealing potential pets that it’s hard to choose. But then the little boy spies a small “frisky red hardcover,” and it’s love at first sight.

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The tiny book turns out to be the perfect pet—it doesn’t need food or water, its cover never sheds or hides fleas, it never needs a bath, and best of all there’s no housebreaking required. The boy takes his pet for walks in the evening, finding it superior to dogs that yap and run away and cats that constantly purr and lick their fur.

With his new pet, the boy’s days are full of adventure, fun, and excitement. He can’t wait to get home from school and spend time with the little book. But one day when he walks into his house, the boy discovers that his best friend is gone. “‘He ran away! He ran away!’ / The boy began to bleat. / ‘How could a pet book run away / Without a pair of feet?’”

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Soon the answer comes: “The maid could hear the crying boy. / (That sound was such a rarity.) / ‘I think I know what happened…’ (gulp) / ‘I gave your book to…charity.’” The boy and the maid race downtown to the thrift store, hoping to find the beloved book. They search through clothes, and furniture, through toys and shelves of books, but the little pet is nowhere to be found. There is only one conclusion—the book has just been sold!

The boy and maid sit down to cry, but then the maid has an idea. Maybe their pet is only hiding, Suddenly the boy remembers something that caught his eye in the dog-and-cat-stuff aisle. They race over to where a lone dog house sits. The boy says, “‘If I were just a scared pet book, / I’d likely sneak in here. / Perhaps the dark would help me hide, / And make me disappear!’”

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He reaches in and discovers his pet book just waiting for him. The boy checks his pet over carefully and finds him well from cover to cover. The boy and the maid drive home relieved. Although they are tired, this crazy day has a happy ending, and now the boy and his pet have their own special story to share.

Perhaps Bob Staake is onto something in this humorous page-turner. Don’t we love our favorite books just like pets? And when they’re mysteriously missing, don’t we search and search for them? Through fast-paced and cleverly worded verses, Bob Staake leads his readers on a jaunt of book love that includes love, excitement, companionship, suspense, and a happy ending. What more can you ask for from a book—or a pet?

Staake’s vibrant and whimsical illustrations create a world all its own yet rooted in the here and now. A bit surreal, a bit silly, the action-packed scenes will have kids giggling and searching for every detail.

For book lovers, pet lovers, and those who love a good story, My Pet Book is perfect for snuggling up with.

Ages 3 – 7

Random House Books for Young Readers, 2014 | ISBN 978-0385373128

National Pet Day Activity

Adopt a Pet! Word Search

There are so many awesome pets to choose from! Can you find all the animals in this fun printable Adopt a Pet! word search?

Picture Book Review

April 10 – National Sibling Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Brothers and sisters, huh? Sometimes you can’t live with them—but you’d never really want to live without them! Sure the bad part is that they know all your secrets and your quirks and you vie for that last cookie, but the good part is that they know all your secrets and your quirks and you didn’t really want that last cookie anyway.

Today do something fun with your sibling or siblings or tell them you love them—or both!

Sisters & Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World

By Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

You know that most animals are born in a litter or with one or two other siblings, but do you really consider that they are brothers and sisters just like human siblings? You might wonder if they have the same kind of relationship with each other that people do. How do they get along? How do they communicate? Do they stay together or go their separate ways? Sisters & Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World reveals the answers to these questions and more about 21 animals from around the world.

Would you like to be a clone of your brother or sister? Maybe not so much. If you were a nine-banded armadillo, though, you’d have no choice. These armadillos are always born four at a time—all females or all males—and are identical in every way! They stay with their mother until they are four months old and then set off on their own adventures.

If there are a lot of women and girls in your family, you may feel as if you’ve been born into a community of whiptail lizards. In the world of whiptails, there are no males! While their unusual reproduction method may avoid some battles, the identical traits of these creatures leaves them vulnerable to disease or changes in their environment.

Are you the youngest in your family? If you were a naked mole rat, you’d have to lie on the floor of your narrow tunnel and let your older siblings walk over you to pass. Mole rats aren’t the only ones who have worked out a hierarchical system. Brother bears fight fierce battles until the weaker one leaves to find his own territory, and black widow spiders even eat their weaker brothers and sisters!

Many animal siblings get along, however, and even help each other grow strong and develop important traits. Two of the fastest animals on earth—cheetahs and peregrine falcons—practice hunting techniques on each other, acquiring speed and accuracy along the way. There are even wildlife families that include adopted members, such as the cichlid fish and myna birds.

These are just a few of the intriguing animals readers will discover in this unique look at the world’s wild kingdom. Each animal is beautifully rendered through large cut or torn paper collages that enhance the short text, perfect for a child’s attention span. The final pages offer more information on each creature, and a list for further reading is also included.

Ages 4 – 8

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2008 | ISBN 978-0547727387

National Sibling Day Activity

CPB - Heart Jar

I Heart You! Jar

Sometimes it’s hard to say “I love you” (or even “I like you”) to siblings. But sisters and brothers like to know they’re important to each other. Here’s a gift you can make to give them that will tell them what is in your heart.

Supplies

A clear jar with a lid—you can use a recyclable jar or buy a mason jar or other decorative jar at a craft store
Red felt
Scissors

Directions

1. Cut red hearts from the felt

2. Add hearts to the jar—you can add as many as you like and continue to fill the jar after you’ve given it to your sibling. Here are some ideas:

Add one heart for each year you have known your sibling
Add one heart for each thing you love about your sibling (write those traits on the hearts)
Give a new heart whenever your sibling does something nice for you

3. Give your I Heart You! jar to your sister(s) and/or brother(s)

April 8 – National Zoo Lovers Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About 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

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

Posted by Kath Carroll

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

Print the Ears and Nose template
Paint the spool with the brown paint, let dry
Cut the ears from the brown felt
Cut the nose from the black felt
Cut a piece from the end of the craft stick
Paint the craft stick brown or black, let dry
Cut two small pieces from the foam board, ½-inch long x 3/8 inch wide
When the spool is dry, glue the ears to the spool, leaving the ears sticking up over the rim of the spool
Glue one end of the yarn to the spool
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.
Glue the nose over the hole in the spool
Glue the teeth below the nose
Glue the flat edge of the craft stick to the back of the spool to make the tail

March 23 – National Puppy Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

National Puppy Day was founded in 2006 by Colleen Paige to recognize the joy and companionship that puppies bring to people. The day also promotes puppy rescue and adoption as well as education about puppy mills, and is quickly becoming an international observance. To celebrate consider donating to your local animal shelter or if you have room in your life for a new friend, adopt a puppy!

The Octopuppy

By Martin McKenna

Edgar wants a puppy for his birthday, but what he gets is so NOT a puppy. Out of the gift box pops Jarvis, a goggle-eyed octopus ready to party. Disappointing doesn’t even begin to describe it. Jarvis can’t do anything a dog could do. Sure, he might be clever—Jarvis buys Edgar an ice-cream cone instead of staying on his leash tied to the lamppost, for example—but Edgar wants a pet he can enter in the upcoming dog show.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-octopuppy-dog-show

Perhaps with training Jarvis can learn to be more like a dog. But when Edgar tells him to lie down, Jarvis goes to sleep wearing PJs and socks, holding a teddy bear and surrounded with books. Edgar’s command to “play dead” elicits a surprise lunge from a wardrobe in a toilet-paper mummy costume. It’s just too much, and drives Edgar crazy! Finally, however, Jarvis learns to sit like a dog, and off they go to the dog show.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-octopuppy-lie-down

At the dog show things go…well…Jarvis just can’t help being himself. He wears a tutu, plays the piano, does card tricks, and plays the drums—all at the same time. The other entrants are not amused, and Edgar is sooo embarrassed.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-octopuppy-sleeping

Jarvis decides to leave, and after penning a note apologizing for being a bad dog, he slips down the toilet and out to sea. When Edgar discovers Jarvis is missing, he realizes he has been wrong. He remembers all the great things Jarvis did and thinks that Jarvis was the best Octopuppy in the world! Suddenly, he wants his pet back. He looks everywhere, but Jarvis is nowhere to be found.

As a last resort Edgar yells his apology into Jarvis’s escape route. His message is carried through the plumbing by various pipe and underground creatures until Jarvis hears it. Before Edgar can turn around, Jarvis is back! To celebrate his being home, Edgar’s family and friends throw Jarvis the kind of wild party he was looking for all along.

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This endearing story has just the right mix of craziness and sincerity to make it a favorite on any child’s bookshelf. Martin McKenna hits all the right notes in his tribute to friendship and the idea that true friends accept and appreciate each other the way they are. Jarvis is a sweetie doing very un-doglike things. He rescues a cat instead of chasing it, cooks sausages instead of stealing them, and performs surgery instead of biting the mailman. These vignettes make Edgar’s rejection all the more heartrending and his ultimate realization very satisfying. McKenna’s illustrations are loaded with silly and profound details that kids will want to linger over, and the two-page spread of Edgar leading Jarvis home after the dog show is an emotional marvel.

Ages 3 – 6

Scholastic Press, 2015 | ISBN 978-0545751407

National Puppy Day Activity

CPB - Dog Toy

Braided Puppy Toy

Your puppy or full-grown dog will love playing with you and this easy-to-make toy that’s perfect for tug-of-war, fetch, or any kind of fun.

Supplies

Fleece in two or three colors or patterns
Scissors

CPB - Dog Toy II

Directions

Cut 3 strips of fleece 15 inches to 20 inches long. You can use just one color, two, or three!
Holding all three strips of fleece together, make a knot by looping them at the top, feeding the ends through the loop, and pulling tight.
Braid the 3 strands of fleece until there are 3” to 4” left at the end
Holding all three strands together, knot them as before
Your puppy or dog toy is ready to play with! (Cats and kittens like these too, just don’t tell your puppy—Shhh!)

Picture Book Review

March 19 – National Poultry Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Perhaps someone’s too chicken to publish much information about this holiday, but even without the details, it’s certainly an eggsellent day to remember our feathered friends of the barnyard variety, who also happen to feature prominently in picture books of all kinds.

Chicken Big

By Keith Graves

Something big is hatching at the teeny little farm. Not only big, but humongous! Chicks aren’t supposed to be that big, so what is it? The small chicken agrees that whatever it is, it’s big; the smaller chicken goes so far as to call it enormous; and the smallest chicken declares it’s an elephant, and warns that indoor elephants are dangerous! The chickens all concur on one thing, though—this creature is too big to stay in the itty-bitty coop. The newly hatched chick, listening to all this squabbling, doesn’t feel like an elephant and wishes he were a chicken.

The next day an acorn conks the smallest chicken on the head, causing the familiar “the sky is falling” panic to hit the teeny farm. While the chickens are running around like chickens with…well, you know, the big chick discovers that acorns are tasty. Seeing the chick eating acorns convinces the smallest chicken that their coopmate is indeed a…squirrel!

When the rains come, the big chick protects the others under his wing, so the smallest chicken decides this barnyard biggie is an….umbrella! It doesn’t take long for the smallest chicken to realize she is wrong, and that the yellow fellow with the chilly wind blocking skills is a…sweater!

When the chickens return to the coop for naptime and discover their eggs have been stolen, they boo hoo hoo into their feathers while the humongous chick scouts out the fox, who is carrying the precious cargo into his den. With a hop and a jump the big chick spans the mile and peeps into the fox’s home just as he is about to fry up some lunch. Frightened by the “hippopotamus,” the fox scampers away.

Big chick brings back the eggs and is proclaimed a hero. Finally the chick’s intelligence, kindness, and bravery convince the chickens that he is one of them (well, most of them believe so anyway), and they welcome him into the coop. There’s just one problem…. But the smallest chicken is the first to say they’ll make room.

Keith Graves has hatched up a crazy tale of mistaken identity that will keep kids giggling and groaning with delight as the possible aliases grow more and more ridiculous. The feather-brained chickens are drawn with comic masterstrokes as they frantically try to determine who or what has invaded their farmyard. The big chick is indeed big—dominating the page and towering over his coopmates. Incorporating comic-style conventions on some pages, such as speech bubbles and small panels, as well as mixed typefaces adds to the humor.

Ages 4 – 8

Chronicle Books, 2014 | ISBN 978-1452131467

National Poultry Day Activity

CPB - Chick single

Hatch a Chick of Your Own

Chicks are so cute and fluffy—you just wish you could have one of your very own! Now you can! Hatch your own chick with this craft.

Supplies

Cotton balls
Yellow chalk
Orange paper
Black paper
Egg shell
Paper grass
Cardboard or poster board
Cheese grater
Bowl
Green paint
Glue
Scissors

CPB - Chick triple

Directions

To make the shell

Crack an egg and save the two halves
Soak the eggshells in soapy water or wash gently with soap
Dry eggshell

To make the chick

Grate the chalk with the cheese grater into the bowl
Roll the cotton balls in the chalk dust until they are covered
Choose one cotton ball to be the head
Make the beak from the orange paper by folding the paper and cutting a small triangle. The triangle’s base should be along the fold.
Cut two small eyes from the black paper
Glue the beak and eyes to the head cotton ball
Glue the head cotton ball to the body cotton ball
Set the chick into one of the eggshell halves (you can glue it in if you wish)

To make the stand

Cut a 3-inch by 3-inch square from the cardboard or poster board
If you wish, paint the square green
Glue green paper grass to the square
Glue the eggshell halve to the stand.

About the Holiday

Guess Who, Haiku

Written by Deanna Caswell | Illustrated by Bob Shea

Take a Wild Guess Day Activity

Match Up the Animals! Game

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About the Holiday

My Pet Book

By Bob Staake

National Pet Day Activity

Adopt a Pet! Word Search

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About the Holiday

Sisters & Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World

By Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

National Sibling Day Activity

I Heart You! Jar

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About the Holiday

The View at the Zoo

Written by Kathleen Long Bostrom | Illustrated by Guy Francis

National Zoo Lovers Day Activity

Round up the Animals! Word Search

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About the Holiday

The Flying Beaver Brothers and the Crazy Critter Race

By Maxwell Eaton III

International Beaver Day Activity

Make a Spool Beaver

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About the Holiday

The Octopuppy

By Martin McKenna

National Puppy Day Activity

Braided Puppy Toy

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About the Holiday

Chicken Big

By Keith Graves

National Poultry Day Activity

Hatch a Chick of Your Own

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