August 22 – First Day of Autumn

About the Holiday

If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, fall has arrived! If you live in the Southern Hemisphere, welcome to spring! Today, the hours of daytime and nighttime will be equal, ushering in a changing of the seasons. For some that means cooler weather, shorter days, and preparation in nature for the long winter, which leads to our seeing the brilliant reds, yellows, and oranges in the leaves of certain trees. Watching the leaves fall, swirl in the breeze, and pile up in backyards can only mean that a favorite autumn activity is just a leap away!

The Wishing Leaf

Written by Kallie George | Illustrated by Paola Zakimi

From his window, little Bear could see the very last leaf in the forest clinging to the old maple tree. He wanted to be sure to watch the leaf fall because he wanted to make a wish. When his mama told him it was time to go to sleep, Bear protested, and Mama relented with a kindly sigh.

Bear joined his friends, who were standing or sitting under the maple tree, gazing up. Some had brought snacks, Porcupine had binoculars, and Raccoon had brought a camera. “The leaf was bright and golden like a star.” Bear sat on a blanket with Hedgehog and Chipmunk and started to wait. He passed the time thinking about what he should wish for.

Soon, the air turned cold and while the leaf fluttered in the breeze, it still did not fall. Some shivering animals went home. When the sky darkened, more animals packed up and left. Snowflakes even began to fall and stick. Little by little the rest of the animals went home, even Chipmunk and Hedgehog, who wondered what she would have wished for if only she’d been able to see the leaf fall.

Only Bear was left, and he was growing sleepy too. He thought he might hear Mama calling him. “Bear yawned—a big, little bear yawn.” And just then “the leaf twisted . . . and tumbled, falling down, down, down, like a shooting star.” Bear “knew just what to wish for,” and his heart swelled as he imagined his wish coming true throughout the forest. When he turned to go home, Mama was there with a lantern and a snuggly hug. Back in his room, Bear was tucked into bed and drifted off to sleep.

Kallie George is a master at writing endearing children’s stories that remain always within your heart. Her characters are always adorable, caring, and imbued with childhood wonder. In The Wishing Leaf, George amplifies the feelings of giving that define fall and early winter with her story of a young bear whose first thoughts are for his friends. Readers will be charmed by little Bear’s wishEquating the golden leaf to a shooting star is a touching reminder that the magical can be found wherever you look. George’s sweet phrasing and charming dialog create a cozy read aloud that adults and children will want to share time and time again.

Paola Zakimi’s darling characters inhabit a lovely countryside, in which white smoke drifts from the chimneys of snug cottages, the hills and flowing river speak to the peaceful community, and the large, old maple tree stands waiting as patiently for its final leaf to fall as does little Bear sitting on his window seat, gazing out. Zakimi’s soft pencil and watercolor illustrations are adorably expressive, and her renderings of the warm relationship between Mama and little Bear as well as images of community members will inspire plenty of “Awwws.”

A perfect book for snuggly story times that also would make a much-loved gift, The Wishing Leaf is a must for home and library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2025 | ISBN 978-1419772467

About the Author

Kallie George is an author, editor, and creative writing teacher living in Vancouver, British Columbia. She has written acclaimed books for children, including The Lost Gift; Secrets I Know; Duck, Duck, Dinosaur, and The Melancholic Mermaid, as well as The Magical Animal Adoption Agency series and The Heartwood Hotel series. She has also taught writing workshops for children and adults across Canada, as well as in South Korea, and she currently teaches at Emily Carr University. Visit her at kalliegeorge.com.

About the Illustrator

Paola Zakimi spent her childhood in cold Patagonia, Argentina. She studied arts and graphic design in Buenos Aires before moving to Villa Giardino, Cordoba, where she resides today. She is the illustrator of Estelle Laure’s Before the World Wakes, Meg Fleming’s Here Comes Ocean, Jacqueline Veissid’s Ruby’s Sword, as well as Newbery Medalist Cynthia Voigt’s Teddy & Co., among other picture books. Visit her at paolazakimi.com.

First Day of Autumn Activity

celebrate-pciture-books-picture-book-review-fall-leaves-matching-puzzle

Falling for Fall Matching Puzzle

These kids are having fun in the leaves. Can you find the matching leaves in this printable Falling for Fall Puzzle?

You can purchase The Wishing Leaf from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

July 15 – Wild about Wildlife Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Wild about Wildlife Month celebrates the wonderful diversity of our planet’s wildlife while reinforcing the importance of all animals to our ecosystem and even to our survival! The holiday also focuses on conservation, recycling, and education about how humans’ actions affect crucial habitats and the health of flora and fauna populations. While July is designated as Wild about Wildlife Month, the holiday’s significance is something to be mindful of all year around. To participate, explore the wildlife in your area while learning about the creatures on the other side of the world and everywhere in between. Today’s book will get you and your youngest nature-lovers started!

Thanks go to Phaidon Press for sending me a copy of The Secret Powers of Animals for review!

The Secret Powers of Animals

Written by Soledad Romero Mariño | Illustrated by Sonia Pulido

It’s no secret that kids of all ages are fascinated by animals. Little ones stand on tiptoe gazing up up up in awe at elephants and giraffes, fold themselves into pint-sized scientists to inspect bugs on the sidewalk, and are endlessly entertained by family pets. And when they learn interesting facts about their favorites, they love sharing their knowledge.

How do you replicate the excitement of witnessing an animal in person at home or in the classroom? With The Secret Powers of Animals, a lift-the-flap board book that combines jaunty introductory rhyming verses, three amazing secret powers, and the fun of interactive learning for 10 distinct creatures of the land, sea, and air.

Among this menagerie, kids meet a brainy octopus, who tells them “I’m a master of disguise— / I’m cunning and I’m wise. / Through swirling seas I glide / with my many ways to hide.” Indeed, the octopus’s superpowers back this up! Just one of the three amazing talents this eight-armed beauty reveals to readers is the ability to change “my shape or skin tone to look like something else.”

Little learners will love trying to guess each creature’s super powers as they discover which animal has the best sense of smell, who has a tusk that works like a thermometer, who can chomp harder than a shark, who can detach its tail to throw predators off its track, and so many more ingenious animal traits!

Soledad Romero Mariño brings each animal to life with witty and spirited vocabulary that not only describes the creature’s physical attributes but evokes a sense of their personality and place in the natural kingdom. The elephant “swishes” its tale and “flaps” its ears, the owl “swoops about,” the lizard “scuttles” and “darts,” and the cheetah “inches” and “creeps” before “. . . [giving] chase / in a big, bursting leap.” Romero Mariño explains each secret power in simple language that even the youngest reader will understand and remember. Her flowing verses are a joy to read aloud and are perfect sparks for pretend play at home, in preschool and kindergarten classrooms, and for library story times.

Sonia Pulido’s realistic, museum-quality illustrations transport children to the savanna to meet an elephant face to face; under the sea, where a strikingly beautiful octopus levitates amid colorful coral and a family of narwals floats in the deep-blue water; to desert sands and rocky paths; and to sun-drenched grasslands among other locales. On the facing page, Romero Mariño’s text is bordered by lovely and thoughtful details that reflect the animal’s natural habitat. Both kids and adults enjoy lingering over each spread to talk about the animals. On each tab, Pulido includes an icon that depicts the secret power—for instance, the image of an eye with the words “Amazing eyes” for super vision—which becomes familiar to readers as it is repeated throughout the book.

The Secret Powers of Animals, a stunning, sturdy board book that adults will be excited to share with young children, is a must for all nature-loving families, early educators, and library collections. The book also makes a terrific gift for any young animal lover.

Ages 2 – 5

Phaidon Press, 2025 | ISBN 978-1838669522

About the Author

Author Soledad Romero Mariño is an experienced children’s non-fiction author who specializes in ‘best of’ round-up style books. Her works include Superpowered Animals: Meet The World’s Strongest, Smartest, and Swiftest Creatures (also published by Phaidon), Awesome Accidents: 19 Discoveries that Changed the World and Famous Robberies: The World’s Most Spectacular Heists.

About the Illustrator

Sonia Pulido’s illustrations have appeared in publications globally, including The New Yorker and The New York Times. In 2020 Pulido won the Spanish National Illustration Award and she is the illustrator of Phaidon’s bestselling What a Shell Can Tell. Visit her at soniapulido.com.

You’ll find my review of the stunning Super Powered Plants for older readers here.

Wild about Wildlife Month Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-hand-print-elephants-craft

Handprint Elephants

This easy craft is fun for siblings to do together and can make a nice decoration for a child’s room or a gift for mom, dad, or other family members.

Supplies

Craft paint in two colors of the children’s choice
Yellow craft paint
Black fin-tip marker
Crayons, markers, or colored pencils to make a background
Paper
Paint brush

Directions

Paint one child’s hand and press it on the paper. The thumb is the truck and the fingers the legs.
Paint the second child’s hand and press it on the paper near the other “elephant.” A couple of examples are: the elephants standing trunk to trunk or trunk to tail
After the paint has dried, draw on ears and an eye
Add a sun with the yellow paint
Add grass, trees, or other background features

You can purchase The Secret Powers of Animals from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop

Picture Book Review

January 15 – It’s International Creativity Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Are you an artist, a writer, a decorator, a chef? How about a floral arranger, a woodworker, a fashion designer, or a gardener? Inside almost every heart lies a desire to create. Whether you use your ingenuity in your job or as an escape from the routine, this month celebrates all that is innovative. Sometimes this comes not in something you can see or touch but in a new thought or novel way of solving a problem—as seen in today’s book!

Thanks to Carolrhoda Books and Barb Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sharing a copy of Bear’s Big Idea with me! All opinions on the book are my own.

Bear’s Big Idea

Written by Sandra Nickel | Illustrated by Il Sung Na

Fish and Bear were best friends. They did everything together, and usually—well, always—Fish was the one with the ideas. “Every morning, Fish would wake up, put on her glasses, and just like that, she would know the perfect thing to do.” Every day of the week, Fish found something—a rope, a sled, an umbrella, and a blanket—and dreamed up an innovative way to have fun with it.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bear's-big-idea-Monday

Image copyright Il Sung Na, 2024, text copyright Sandra Nickel, 2024. Courtesy of Carolrhoda Books.

But Fish didn’t want Bear to feel left out, so on Thursday she said that the next day they could do Bear’s idea, “‘Of course, said Bear. ‘My brand-new big idea.'” But Bear was worried. She “didn’t have an idea, not even an old and small idea.” Bear tried to sleep that night, but she was afraid that not having an idea meant she wasn’t a good friend. Would Fish take her bowl and leave? Anxiety muddled Bear’s brain, and all she could think of were now-old ideas.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bear's-big-idea-Wednesday

Image copyright Il Sung Na, 2024, text copyright Sandra Nickel, 2024. Courtesy of Carolrhoda Books.

The next morning it was the same. Bear looked everywhere for a brand-new big idea but found nothing. She kept checking in with Fish, asking if she was still there. “‘Always and forever,’ said Fish” with added reassurance. At last, Bear confessed that she couldn’t see an idea anywhere. “‘Don’t worry,’ Fish said. ‘Just because you can’t see something, doesn’t mean it’s not there.'”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bear's-big-idea-no-idea

Image copyright Il Sung Na, 2024, text copyright Sandra Nickel, 2024. Courtesy of Carolrhoda Books.

So Bear thought some more, she listened, and she felt the wind whipping up. Suddenly, the air was filled with all of the old things from the past week. As Bear watched the things flying by, she saw it! Her brand-new big idea! She quickly gathered the items together and grabbed Fish’s bowl then rode the sled down to the beach, where she turned those individual items into an ingenious brand-new big idea that even impressed Fish! As pleased as Bear was with her idea, though, she was even happier to discover that good friends were “always and forever there.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bear's-big-idea-sleepless-night

Image copyright Il Sung Na, 2024, text copyright Sandra Nickel, 2024. Courtesy of Carolrhoda Books.

The second book in Sandra Nickel’s Bear and Fish series is a charming story that gently addresses children’s common fears about performance and pressure as well as the nature of friendship itself. Throughout the story, Nickel presents Bear’s conundrum realistically as she first alludes to having a big idea and then worries through the night and part of the next day that she will let down and maybe even lose her bestie because she has no idea at all.

Nickel—through Fish’s encouraging comments and confidence in Bear’s abilities—is always right there, though, with reassurance that children will find comforting in their own life. Nickel’s excellent pacing as well as her metaphorical dark and fog that stymies Bear until her approaching idea clears it away adds depth to the story and shows kids that things such as ideas, learning, self-confidence, and growth come to each person in their own time.

Children will be happy to see Il Sung Na’s fast friends back again in a new adventure. Il Sung’s soft-hued illustrations place Bear and Fish in a whimsically surreal mashup of vegetation from Bear’s forest and Fish’s underwater worlds. Bespectacled, ever-faithful Fish regales Bear with reassuring philosophy from her bowl, but also enjoys a madcap experience of her own thanks to Bear’s big idea. Through Il Sung’s clear depictions of Bear’s emotions, children can empathize with and cheer on Bear while gaining their own sense of self-confidence.

An uplifting, reassuring, and confidence boosting story, Bear’s Big Idea is sure to prompt requests for multiple readings and can spark discussions about feelings of fear, external and internal pressure, true friendship, and using one’s imagination. Bear’s Big Idea would make a valuable addition to home, library, and classroom collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Carolrhoda Books, 2024 | ISBN 979-8765610176

About the Author

Sandra Nickel is a writer of nonfiction picture books for children. Her work includes The Stuff Between Stars, Nacho’s Nachos, and Breaking Through the Clouds. She is the winner of a Christopher Award and holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts. When at home in Switzerland, Sandra loves ambling and rambling and eating carrot muffins just as much as Bear and Fish do.

About the Illustrator

Il Sung Na was born in Seoul, South Korea. In 2001, he moved to London to pursue a BFA in Illustration and Animation at Kingston University, where he discovered a passion for children’s books. He completed his MFA Illustration Practice at MICA (Maryland Institute College of Art) in 2015. Il Sung has illustrated several books including Wild Peace, My Tree, and ZZZZ: A Book of Sleep. Currently based in Kansas City, Il Sung teaches illustration courses at KCAI (Kansas City Art Institute) and works on new books.

International Creativity Month Activity

Expressive Bear

You can talk about different emotions and feelings or make up your own stories with this Expressive Bear Craft! Use the templates and/or make your own expressive eyes, eyebrows, and nose and mouths. You can also play a game in which the first person to collect all the parts of the bear’s face is the winner.

Supplies

Printable Bear Head Template
Printable Eyes and Noses Template
Printable Eyebrows and Ears Template
Light brown felt or fleece (or color of your choice), 8 ½ x 11 inch piece
Dark brown felt or fleece(or color of your choice), 8 ½ x 11 inch piece
White felt or fleece, 8 ½ x 11 inch piece
Black felt or fleece, for pupils
Scissors
Glue
1 playing die (optional)

Directions

Print templates
Cut bear head from light felt or fleece
Cut eyes from white felt or fleece
Cut nose and inner ears from dark brown felt or fleece
Cut pupils from black felt or fleece
Glue pupils onto white eyes

Alternatively: Color and play with the paper set

For a Fun Story Time

Give the bear different faces and make up stories of why he looks that way!

To Play a Game

Supplies

1 plastic playing die. Or print this playing die template and draw one of the six facial features on each side.
Pencil, pen, or markers (if using printed die template)
Cut out, fold, and tape the die together

Directions

Roll the die and follow the instructions below to collect parts of the bear’s face.
The first player to create a full face is the winner.

Die dots correspond to:
1—one eyebrow
2—second eyebrow
3—one eye
4—second eye
5—nose
6—inner ears

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bear's-big-idea-cover

You can purchase Bear’s Big Idea from these booksellers

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

August 30 – Toasted Marshmallow Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

It doesn’t matter if the weather is warm or cold, toasted marshmallows taste the same—scrumptious! Whether you like your marshmallows just lightly browned or blackened to a crisp, these ooey-gooey delights are fun to make and fun to eat! Why not make a campfire, get out the tabletop marshmallow toaster, or start up the fire pit or grill and toast up some marshmallows with your family or friends today?

Thank you to Eerdmans Books for Young Readers for sharing a digital copy of Hiro, Winter, and Marshmallows with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Hiro, Winter, and Marshmallows

By Marine Schneider | Translated by Vineet Lal

While the rest of her family dozes in quiet hibernation, Hiro lies awake, reading the cave wall in the glow of her flashlight. “Her stomach rumbles and her heart longs for adventure.” She decides to go for a walk. Her mother’s warning about how “‘winter can bite'” whispers in her mind as she packs up the things she wants to take along.

Hiro Winter and Marshmallows-around the table

Hiro goes out into the white, icy world. “Tiny white confetti falls on her snout. She thinks it’s so beautiful.” Soon she finds tracks in the snow. She follows them until she hears unfamiliar noises and smells a wood fire burning and “the sweet, gooey scent of toasted marshmallows.” She thinks it is a party and runs toward it.

Hiro Winter and Marshmallows-children around campfire

Seeing Hiro, the children around the campfire scatter. Now Hiro is alone again. “Her heart sinks a little. She feels so far from home.” She picks up one of the sticks of marshmallows abandoned by the children. She sighs, rekindling the fire. Her marshmallows begin to soften. One of the children—Émile—is hiding behind a tree, watching. He would like to talk to Hiro and whispers to her that her marshmallows are most likely ready. By way of explanation and introduction, he adds “‘I’m a marshmallow expert.'”

Gently, Hiro asks if the child is Winter. Giggling, Émile says no and slowly moves closer “until he joins Hiro on her tree trunk.” He asks, “‘What’s it like, being a bear?'” Hiro describes her feelings and ends with the conclusion that she likes being a bear. Hiro then asks, “‘What’s it like, being an Émile?'” They then share stories about eating and playing, running and hiding, and “making up scary tales.” Émile decides they are much the same. They toast marshmallows, and Hiro teaches Émile bear songs. They celebrate late into the night until “Émile hears his mom calling” and they both head home.

Each in their beds, the new friends think about each other, and as Hiro drifts off to sleep, she hears her mom murmur, “‘Goodness, it smells like marshmallows in here!'”

Hiro Winter and Marshmallows-hiro and emile around campfire

Marine Schneider’s gentle tale follows a simple storyline that reveals profound truths about the nature of discovery—both of the self and the world around us. Kids will appreciate Hiro’s restlessness at the thought of hibernation and her desire to see for herself what Winter is like. When Hiro comes upon evidence of a party, she’s eager to join in, but only brave Émile—his curiosity matching Hiro’s—remains to forge a new friendship. Through their conversation over shared toasted marshmallows, Hiro and Émile discover that despite their differences, they and their lives are very similar, giving them each new perspectives and understanding to ponder until, we hope, they meet again.

Schnieder’s soft illustrations radiate warmth and whimsy—from the bear family’s close-knit breakfast of blueberries and pastries around the table to Hiro and Émile’s marshmallow-roasting party around the roaring campfire.

A cozy, comforting, and thought-provoking story, Hiro, Winter, and Marshmallows is the perfect antidote to a busy day. The book would be a welcome addition to any home, school, or library collection.

Ages 4 – 8

Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2024 | ISBN 978-0802856326

About the Author/Illustrator

Marine Schneider is a Belgian author and illustrator who lives in Brussels. Her works include the picture books Life and I, I Am Life, and The Path (all Little Gestalten) as well as the board books Little Bear, Baby Bear and Big Bear, Little Bear (both Abrams). A traveler at heart, she loves wandering through snowy landscapes—alone or with company. Visit Marine’s website at marine-schneider.com and follow her on Instagram @marineschneider.

About the Translator

Vineet Lal is a translator of books from French to English, including A Perfect Spot, A Head Full of Birds, The Brothers Zzli, and Home (all Eerdmans). He studied French at Princeton University and the University of Edinburgh. Vineet lives in Scotland. Follow him on Twitter @vineet_uk.

Toasted Marshmallow Day Activity

A Fun In-Home Campfire

Kids and their friends and family can enjoy the cozy fun of a campfire in their own family room with this craft that’s easy to make from recycled materials. While the supplies might make the campfire artificial, kids will love it if the marshmallows are the real thing!

Supplies

Three or four paper or cardboard tubes
Cylindrical bread crumbs or oatmeal container
Tissue paper in red, orange, and yellow
Brown craft paint
Brown marker
Brown construction paper or white paper
Strong glue or hot glue gun
Chopsticks (one for each person)
Marshmallows

Directions

To Make the Logs

Cover the ends of the tubes with circles of brown construction paper or white paper and glue into place
Paint the tubes and the ends if needed, let dry
Paint the sides of the cylindrical container with the brown paint, let dry
With the marker draw tree rings on the ends of the tubes. Decorate the sides with wavy lines, adding a few knot holes and swirls.

To Make the Fire

Cut 9 squares from the tissue paper (3 in each color, about 8 to 6-inch square)
Layer the colors and gather them together at one tip. Fold over and hold them together with a rubber band.
To Assemble the Campfire
Stack the tube logs
Put the tissue paper fire in the middle of the logs

To “Roast” Marshmallows

Stick marshmallows on chopsticks for “roasting” and eating!

You can keep your logs and fire in the cylindrical log until the next time!

**You can purchase Hiro, Winter, and Marshmallows at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Bookshop (to support your local independent bookstore)

Picture Book Review

March 28 – Something on a Stick Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Can you celebrate a whole day of Something on a Stick? Of course! From French Toast on a stick for breakfast to fruit, veggie, and meat skewers, for lunch and dinner to popsicles for dessert, there are so many ways to enjoy meals on a stick. While we don’t know when this particular holiday was established, cooking and eating food from a stick has been around for a long, long time. In Germany, a stick with a burnt tip, indicating its use in cooking meat over a fire, was discovered in an archeological site dating from 300,000 years ago, the Lower Paleolithic era. And if you think I forgot a favorite ooey-gooey sweet treat that’s roasted on a stick, I didn’t—that’s what today’s book is all about!

Make More S’mores

Written by Cathy Ballou Mealey | Illustrated by Ariel Landy

Over a crackling campfire, Roscoe toasts a marshmallow on a nice, sharp stick. When that “fluffy puff” is perfectly soft and gooey, Roscoe grabs two graham crackers from the stack, adds a “creamy chocolate square,” and slides on the marshmallow. He’s just about to take a bite when… “‘Is that for me?’ asks Grizzly Bear.” With a smile, Roscoe shrugs and wishes Grizzly “‘Bon appétit!'”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-make-more-smores-Grizzly-Bea

Image copyright Ariel Landy, 2023, text copyright Cathy Ballou Mealey, 2023. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

Grizzly gobbles it down and is ready for more. Roscoe is happy to oblige and takes two more marshmallows out of the bag, two squares of chocolate and four graham crackers. But who is clambering down the branch of the tree overhead? Two bear cubs—two hungry bear cubs who sweetly ask, “‘Those smell yummy!’ ‘Will you share?’ / Roscoe looks at Grizzly Bear.” Now it’s Grizzly’s turn to shrug obligingly; he can wait. He and Roscoe give up their s’mores to the two cubs, and Roscoe gets to work to make four more.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-make-more-smores-bear-cubs-munch

Image copyright Ariel Landy, 2023, text copyright Cathy Ballou Mealey, 2023. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

But Roscoe gets distracted and before you know it the stick bent, the stick broke, and the marshmallows all went poof! in the fire. The cubs climbed up the tree to find a better, stronger stick, and while doing so who else do they find but Mama! She likes the look of this party so much she asks to join in—and even offers to help. “Grizzly groans, ‘Another guest?’ / But Roscoe does not seem distressed.” With extra paws, the roasting and toasting, stacking and smooshing go quickly, and soon there’s a plate piled high with s’mores for everyone. Full and happy, Roscoe tucks himself into his hollow stump as Grizzly Bear and Mama Bear and her cubs head home, but not before leaving their host a sweet “Thank You” note.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-make-more-smores-bear-cubs-yummy

Image copyright Ariel Landy, 2023, text copyright Cathy Ballou Mealey, 2023. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

A triple-decker s’more invites kids in to Cathy Ballou Mealey’s sweet and adorable friendship story. The story’s warm-hearted central theme of sharing makes its appearance in the very first pages as a roaring fire glows and the marshmallow on Roscoe’s stick turns soft and golden. When Grizzly Bear shows up and asks if he can have the s’more Roscoe’s just made, Roscoe doesn’t hesitate or prevaricate, but hands the plate to Grizzly with a smile. From here, Roscoe’s planned night alone turns into a party with new friends as another bear family appears. All of the characters model the kind of manners that make a get together successful and build friendships. Both Roscoe and Grizzly are welcoming, generous, patient, and polite (even if Grizzly does grumble a bit), and the cubs and their mother offer to help out as the group grows larger and more work needs to be done. They even leave a thank you note for a sleeping Roscoe.

Throughout her story, Mealey’s smooth-flowing rhymes weave the joyful atmosphere of the party together with the excitement, sounds, smells, and taste of s’mores, creating a fast-paced romp full of dynamic phrasing that kids will want to hear again and again and that adult will love as a read aloud.

Ariel Landy’s large, engaging illustrations put readers right in Roscoe’s campsite along with the rest of the guests and are loaded with charm as characters greet each other with kindness and hospitality. She brings out all the humor and fun of making s’mores as the graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate flies into the air when Grizzly plunks himself down on the log where they were neatly stacked; the marshmallows fall into the fire; and a plateful of the ooey-gooey treats are finally ready for all to enjoy. The bears’ and Roscoe’s facial expressions will make readers smile, and a visual subplot involving three curious squirrels that plays out in the background is delightfully resolved under the clear moon-and-star-lit sky.

If you’re looking for a book that’s fun for bedtime reading, summer vacations, classroom reading time, library story times, or anytime your kids get the taste for a heartwarming story, then Make More S’mores is a must addition to your home, school, and public library collection.

Ages 5 – 8

Sleeping Bear Press, 2023 | ISBN 978-1534111769

About the Author

Cathy writes picture books filled with heart and humor for readers of all ages, inlcuding Make More S’mores, Sloth & Squirrel in a Pickle (Kids Can Press, 2021), and When a Tree Grows (Union Square/Sterling Books, 2019). A former college instructor and administrator, Cathy holds a B.A. in Psychobiology and Classical Studies from Wellesley College and an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She blogs about bookish things on her website.

About the Illustrator

As soon as Ariel Landy learned how to draw a sky beyond a blue scribbled line, she knew she wanted to be an illustrator. Ariel aims to create illustrations that are imaginative, whimsical, and original. She lives in New York City. You can connect with Ariel on Instagram and Twitter.

Something on a Stick Day Activities

Make More S’mores Activity Kit

How do you like your s’mores? You can build your own perfect s’more with these two drawing and coloring pages from Sleeping Bear Press.

Make More S’mores Activity Kit

Roaring Campfire Craft

Supplies

Three or four paper or cardboard tubes
Cylindrical bread crumbs or oatmeal container (or tall can without sharp edges)
Tissue paper in red, orange, and yellow
Brown craft paint
Brown marker
Brown crayon (optional)
Brown construction paper or white paper colored brown
Strong glue or hot glue gun
Chopstick, stick, pencil or other such item (one for each person)
Marshmallows

DIRECTIONS

To Make the Logs

Cover the ends of the tubes with circles of brown construction paper or white paper and glue into place
Paint the tubes and the ends if needed, let dry (or cover the tubes with brown or white paper colored brown)
Paint the sides of the cylindrical container with the brown paint, let dry (or cover the container with brown paper or white paper colored brown)
With the marker draw tree rings on the ends of the tubes. Decorate the sides with wavy lines, adding a few knot holes and swirls.

To Make the Fire

Cut 9 squares from the tissue paper (3 in each color, about 8 to 6-inch square)
Layer the colors and gather them together at one tip. Fold over and hold them together with a rubber band.

To Assemble the Campfire

Stack the tube logs
Put the tissue paper fire in the middle of the logs

To “Roast” Marshmallows

Stick marshmallows on chopsticks, sticks, or pencils for “roasting” and eating!

You can keep your logs and fire in the cylindrical log until the next time!

**You can find Make More S’mores at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

November 28 – It’s Gratitude Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

There are many things to be thankful for this month and all throughout the year. At the top of the list would be our friends—both old and new. Celebrate your friendships during the holidays and tell the people in your life how thankful you are for them! You can show them too with little acts of kindness—like the friends in today’s book!

I’d like to thank Two Lions and Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for sharing a copy of The Best Gift for Bear with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

The Best Gift for Bear

By Jennifer A. Bell

Hedgehog was baking gingerbread cookies for all of her friends. She carefully considered what shapes and decorations she would make for each recipient, making sure she created a replica of one of their favorite things or showed how special they were. She even made individual rabbit cookies “for each rabbit,” and “Hedgehog knows a LOT of rabbits.” But she still had to bake cookies for. Bear, and she couldn’t decide what to make.

Should she make ice skates? “Bear had taught her to twirl and glide” on the pond. Or maybe something from springtime. Bear loved watching butterflies. Or perhaps sunflowers like the ones Bear had shown her that summer. Thinking about all the fun times they had together, Hedgehog decided a batch of cookies was just not enough. “‘Bear should have a grand gift, a special gift, something wonderful . . . just like Bear,'” she thought. But what?

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And then as she approached home after delivering all of her cookies, she “saw her frosted roof” and had an idea. She got to work right away “and happily baked her way into the night.” Then in the morning “Hedgehog began to build her gift.” With gingerbread bricks and sweet icing, she built and decorated a house for Bear. It had butterflies and sunflowers and even Bear, wearing a coat, scarf, and ice skates. Hedgehog put it on her sled and stood back to admire it.

Hedgehog pulled her sled over the hills and through the snow to Bear’s house. But the calm afternoon turned windy and snowy. The squalls made it hard for Hedgehog to pull or push the sled, and then, when Hedgehog was nearly at Bear’s, one huge gust sent the gingerbread house flying and scattered it into pieces. Hedgehog looked at the broken house sadly and didn’t see Bear, in pajamas and carrying a lantern, approaching.

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Bear knelt down then picked Hedgehog up and blew away the snow from her quills and coat. Hedgehog gave Bear’s cheek a big hug. “Grand, special, WONDERFUL Bear!” Bear brought Hedgehog inside, wrapped her in a soft, cozy blanket and made her a cup of tea. As they sipped their tea, they commiserated together over the gifts they had made each other—Hedgehog’s broken gift for Bear and the misshapen cookies Bear had made for Hedgehog. “‘… but I thought I’d try again tomorrow,'” Bear told her. Hedgehog then had a wonderful idea to bake the cookies together. With Hedgehog snugged into a teacup with her blanket and Bear toasty under a warm quilt, the two friends couldn’t wait for tomorrow to spend the day together—”the best gift of all!”

Recipes for Hedgehog’s Gingerbread Cookies and Grandma’s Honey Icing are included with the story. Hedgehog’s clever designs for her gift cookies will give kids lots of ideas for decorating their own cookies too!

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Jennifer A. Bell’s sweet and charming story wraps readers in the warmth of a heartfelt hug as Hedgehog puts all of her love and thoughtfulness into the gingerbread cookies she carefully bakes for each of her friends and neighbors—and especially for Bear. Bell’s gentle humor and charming phrasing that takes readers step-by-step through Hedgehog’s memories of Bear’s kindnesses, and her days spent baking and building Bear’s gingerbread house will delight kids. The windstorm and its aftermath provides suspense and an emotional tug as Hedgehog (and readers) experience disappointment but then, a moment later, the tender and supportive friendship between Hedgehog and Bear.

Bell’s enchanting illustrations are full of cheer and delicious-looking cookies. As Hedgehog tries to decide what to make for Bear, her memories of their times spent throughout the year depict the fun they’ve had and also the adorable size difference between them. Shades of red, pink, blue, green, and gingerbread brown create a graceful and well-paced cohesion from page to page while also bestowing a palpable sense of the chilly winter outside and the cozy warmth inside. The red ribbon that flows in a connecting pattern between some pages and frames vignettes in others highlights the heart at the center of this story.

A touching story about true friendship and the most important gifts of all, The Best Gift for Bear is a book children will enjoy all through the year and is sure to inspire cookie baking and decorating. The book would be a much-loved addition to home, school, and public library collections. It would make a terrific gift or read aloud for any cookie-decorating party.

Ages 3 – 7

Two Lions, 2022 | ISBN 978-1542029223

About the Author and Illustrator

Jennifer A. Bell is the illustrator of more than forty children’s books, including the Sophie Mouse series. She studied fine art at the Columbus College of Art & Design, and her work can also be found on greeting cards and in magazines. This is the first picture book she’s written and illustrated. She lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Learn more about her at www.jenniferabell.com. You can connect with Jennifer on Instagram: @jbellstudio | Facebook: Jennifer A. Bell Illustration | Twitter: @JenniferABell_

Gratitude Month Activity

Gingerbread Kids Decorations

Gingerbread’s not only delicious to eat! Creatively iced gingerbread has long been used as decorations in homes and windows. With this easy craft, kids can make decorations for their rooms, to hang for the holidays, or to give to friends or family members.

Supplies

Printable Gingerbread Kids Template
2 Brown foam sheets
White paint (or any color you like)
Glitter
Paint brush
2 Small heart buttons (optional)
Mounting squares (for mounting)
Thread and needle (for optional hanging)

Directions

Cut out gingerbread kids templates
Trace gingerbread kids on brown foam sheets and cut out
Paint around the edge of the gingerbread boy and girl with the white paint
Add trim to the dress
Add trim to make socks
Add dots of paint for buttons
Add faces
Paint or add a bit of glue to the hands of each figure then sprinkle glitter on the paint to make mittens
Glue heart buttons on (optional)
To make a wall or gift box decoration: Attach mountable squares to back
To make an ornament: With a threaded needle make a hole in the top of the figures and tie the thread to create a hanger.

**You can find The Best Gift for Bear at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

November 2 – It’s Picture Book Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Today’s picture books are amazing! Offering inspiration, characters that really speak to kids, moments to laugh out loud or reflect, glimpses into history, revelations in science, and much of the best art currently being produced, picture books defy their slim appearance with content that can change young lives. Reading a wide variety of books to children from birth on up is one of the most rewarding activities you can do. Make choosing the books to read a family affair! Kids love picking out their own books and sharing cozy and fun story times with you!

I’d like to thank Hippo Park and Astra Publishing House along with Deborah Sloan for sharing a copy of A Bear, a Bee, and a Honey Tree with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

A Bear, a Bee, and a Honey Tree

Written by Daniel Bernstrom | Illustrated by Brandon James Scott

A bear in his den and a bee in his hive are waking up on a sunny morning. The bee is a “busy bee, a honey bee,” darting back and forth from a flower to the honey tree. The bear is “a hungry bear, a honey bear,” and he knows just where to find some breakfast. The bear’s rummaging through the branches does not go unnoticed by the bee, so the hungry bear becomes “a sneaky busy honey bear.” And when his paw breaks into the golden hive, the “fretful bee” becomes “a very angry fuzzy bee.”

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Image copyright Brandon James Scott, 2022, text copyright Daniel Bernstrom, 2022. Courtesy of Hippo Park Books.

The bear and bee face off, but what is that new rumbling sound? He should know bees never live alone, and soon the bear is on the run from “a million fuzzy buzzing bees.” The swarming bees search everywhere, but they cannot find the “hiding bear.” As the sun goes down, the bees return to their hive, while “a hungry grumbly honey bear” waits out the night in his den, already planning tomorrow morning’s breakfast run.

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Image copyright Brandon James Scott, 2022, text copyright Daniel Bernstrom, 2022. Courtesy of Hippo Park Books.

Like a twirling, whirling dance that starts with one measured step…and then another…and another until it bursts into a freewheeling, rollicking reel, Daniel Bernstrom’s story is an exhilarating romp. Suspense mounts page by page with wonderfully rhythmic rhymes that flow unencumbered by punctuation that would slow or stop the brilliantly escalating action. With just thirty-five words, Bernstrom has also created a story that pre-readers can chime in on as adults point to the bee, bear, tree, and other illustrations while beginning readers will find that the rhyming clues, repetition, alliteration, and sight words that carry the story give them confidence in their growing skills.

Brandon James Scott’s dynamic illustrations fling kids into the action as a happy bee makes its winding way from honey tree to flower to flower and back while a bear – tongue out, eyes glued to the prize – scrambles into the tree’s canopy to raid the hive. Who to root for will bring on plenty of giggles as the bee’s and the bear’s expressive faces tell kids all they need to know about these two rivals. The beehive glows like the gold it is to each of these characters, and the swarm is a densely packed storm cloud of protection. As the disappointed bear trudges back to his den, kids’ allegiance may shift, but his next-morning covert operations reveal he really hasn’t learned his lesson. Young readers will love ferreting out the bear among the tree branches and tall grasses and will laugh out loud as he tries to hurry away through a deep wildflower field.

A Bear, A Bee, and a Honey Tree will be all the buzz for home story times both for adults – who will have a rollicking good time reading aloud – and kids – who will want to hear it again and again. The book will be a hit for classroom reading and would make a terrific addition to public library preschool programs. A Bear, A Bee, and a Honey Tree is a must for any children’s book collection.

Ages 3 – 7

Hippo Park, 2022 | ISBN 978-1662640087

Want a laugh? Hippo Park has you covered with this cover animation!

About the Author

Daniel Bernstrom is a poet and the author of 6 picture books, including One Day in teh Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree and Big Papa and the Time Machine, a Minnesota Book Award winner. Daniel lives in Worthington, Minnesota, with his wife and 5 adorable children. You can learn more about him and his books at danielbernstrom.com.

About the Illustrator

By day Brandon is a Creative Director working in animation and by night he illustrates picture books. For over a decade Brandon has worked on a range of hit animated entertainment including his own creation, the award-winning series, Justin Time. He loves to make art that brings adventure, levity, heart, and curiosity for the fantastic and whimsical world around us and in our dreams. A born and raised Canadian, he currently lives with his family in Toronto. You can view a gallery of Brandon’s artwork, animation, books, and more on his website.

Picture Book Month Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-a-bear-a-bee-and-a-honey-tree-activity-sheet

A Bear, A Bee, and A Honey Tree Activity Booklet

Hippo Park has designed a fantastic 4-page activity booklet that kids will have fun with while learning about letter sounds, adjectives, and nouns with a little drawing creativity thrown in. You can download it from the Hippo Park website and here:

A Bear, A Bee, and A Honey Tree Activity Booklet

**You can find A Bear, A Bee, and a Honey Tree at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

About the Holiday

The Wishing Leaf

Written by Kallie George | Illustrated by Paola Zakimi

First Day of Autumn Activity

Falling for Fall Matching Puzzle

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About the Holiday

The Secret Powers of Animals

Written by Soledad Romero Mariño | Illustrated by Sonia Pulido

Wild about Wildlife Month Activity

Handprint Elephants

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About the Holiday

Bear’s Big Idea

Written by Sandra Nickel | Illustrated by Il Sung Na

International Creativity Month Activity

Expressive Bear

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About the Holiday

Hiro, Winter, and Marshmallows

By Marine Schneider | Translated by Vineet Lal

Toasted Marshmallow Day Activity

A Fun In-Home Campfire

Supplies

Directions

You can purchase Hiro, Winter, and Marshmallows at these booksellers

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About the Holiday

Make More S’mores

Written by Cathy Ballou Mealey | Illustrated by Ariel Landy

Something on a Stick Day Activities

Make More S’mores Activity Kit

Roaring Campfire Craft

DIRECTIONS

You can find Make More S’mores at these booksellers

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Share this:

About the Holiday

The Best Gift for Bear

By Jennifer A. Bell

Gratitude Month Activity

Gingerbread Kids Decorations

You can find The Best Gift for Bear at these booksellers

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Share this:

About the Holiday

A Bear, a Bee, and a Honey Tree

Written by Daniel Bernstrom | Illustrated by Brandon James Scott

Picture Book Month Activity

A Bear, A Bee, and A Honey Tree Activity Booklet

You can find A Bear, A Bee, and a Honey Tree at these booksellers

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Share this:

**You can purchase Hiro, Winter, and Marshmallows at these booksellers**

**You can find Make More S’mores at these booksellers**

**You can find The Best Gift for Bear at these booksellers**

**You can find A Bear, A Bee, and a Honey Tree at these booksellers**