May 21 – World Meditation Day

About the Holiday

While we may not know exactly when World Meditation Day was established, their is evidence that the practice of meditation has been observed since 5000 BCE and talked and written about since 1500 BCE. In today’s hustle-bustle world (and has life ever really been leisurely?) taking some time each day to center yourself and get in touch with your feelings – and even yourself – can make for a more peaceful, less stressful, and more positively productive day. Meditation can also lead to more creativity, better health, and more happiness. There are many ways to learn how to meditate, from classes to YouTube videos to books. To celebrate today, take a few minutes to learn more about how mindfulness and meditation can help you and your child or children.

Thank you to Henry Holt and Company and Blue Slip Media for sending me a copy of Already a Butterfly: A Meditation Story for review consideration. All opinions about the book are my own. I’m excited to be teaming with them in a giveaway of the book. See details below.

Already a Butterfly: A Meditation Story

Written by Julia Alvarez | Illustrated by Raúl Colón

Mari, a butterfly, lived in a field of wildflowers, spending “her days flitting from flower to flower to flower, touching down only for seconds before she was off again. She went so quickly that she took no notice of which flowers she visited. For Mari “everything was a blur in her hurry to gulp down nectar and pollinate the whole field.” If she did stop for a moment, it was only to do her wing exercises or think about what came next.

At night she was proud of everything she had accomplished that day, but she could never fall asleep as all the things she had to do tomorrow crowded in on her. Mari felt that there was “no time to enjoy just being a butterfly.” When Mari asked her parents, the Posas, how to be a happy butterfly, they had not had the time to teach their children, either. Instead, Papa Posa told her that her “instincts will guide you.”

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Image copyright Raúl Colón, 2020, text copyright Julia Alvarez, 2020. Courtesy of Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt and Company, Macmillan Publishing.

One day, as her feet sank into a flower’s pollen, the heady fragrance brought back memories of when she was still wrapped in her cozy chrysalis. She wished she could find that peaceful feeling again. Then she heard a voice that “sounded as if it were coming from deep inside her” and saw a bud just beginning to open. To Mari’s questions, the bud just hummed “‘Ommmmm.’” But Mari didn’t have time to figure out what the bud was trying to say.

She apologized and rattled off her long to-do list. Then she realized she might sound rude, so she asked the bud what its name was. It told her that for now she could call him Bud, “But that will soon change. What’s important is feeling happy just being who I am,” Bud explained. Again, Mari remembered the time in her chrysalis and wondered if that was the feeling of being herself.”

Bud seemed to read her thoughts and said, “‘of course, back then… you were just following your instincts.’” And “‘those instincts led you to become a beautiful winged creature who doesn’t yet feel like a butterfly.’” Mari knew Bud was right. She was always so busy that she didn’t feel like anything at all. But, Bud told her, “‘you already are a butterfly.’” Then he told her that she could capture that feeling of happiness and sense of self anytime she wanted. Mari didn’t believe it.

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Image copyright Raúl Colón, 2020, text copyright Julia Alvarez, 2020. Courtesy of Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt and Company, Macmillan Publishing.

Bud taught her how to breathe in and out while she imagined her happy time in her chrysalis. He showed her how to put aside all of the busy-ness of her life and just enjoy that moment. Mari tried it. She felt peaceful and calm, and something else. Suddenly, she was aware of all the different flowers, scents, and sounds there were. Bud gave her a chant to say while she breathed in and out.

Mari joined in, “and for the first time ever, from the tip of her tiny feet to the tippy top of her curly antennae, Mari felt like a butterfly.” Mari slowly fanned her wings and rose into the air. When she looked down to thank Bud, she didn’t see him. Instead, “a beautiful flower was blooming.” Mari dipped her toe into the flower’s “pollen to carry with her everywhere.”

Following the story, Julia Alvarez has included an Author’s Note with photographs—Growing Your Own Wings—about her volunteer work with the Mariposa DR Foundation in the Dominican Republic and how it, as well as the experiences of her own granddaughters, inspired Already a Butterfly. She then talks directly to the reader, revealing how to sit for meditation, how to breathe, and then how, with self-care and kindness, to clear your mind to find peace and contentment.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-already-a-butterfly-family

Image copyright Raúl Colón, 2020, text copyright Julia Alvarez, 2020. Courtesy of Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt and Company, Macmillan Publishing.

Julia Alvarez gifts children and adults with an uplifting story that will inspire them to find their true selves amid all the outer and inner noise of nonstop activities, chores, assignments, work, expectations, and all the other obstacles to peaceful, contemplative thought. The gentle mindfulness and meditative exercises that Bud teaches Mari are easy for children to remember and help them discover and stay focused on who they really are as well as who and what they want to become. At various times, Alvarez’s graceful taps along at the pace of Mari’s (and readers’) busy, busy lifestyle then slows to mirror the languid restfulness we all crave. In certain sentences, readers (especially adults) will recognize a gentle ribbing about our penchant for multi-tasking, as when Mari, seemingly taking a break, is actually doing wing exercises or mentally reviewing her schedule (or probably both). The overarching message to listen to your instincts is sage advice for finding happiness in all stages of life and is echoed in Alvarez’s final, poignant sentence.

Raúl Colón’s softly textured mixed media illustrations burst with the beauty of nature in vibrant, glowing colors that remind readers that we are all part of one Earth and should take the time to appreciate our place in it. His seamless melding of human and butterfly creates a stirring image for children to carry with them as they begin to fly free. As Bud talks with Mari and teaches her the art of meditation, Colón’s images help children to stop along the way to appreciate all they have already accomplished as well as the surroundings that nurture them. Bud’s transformation into a beautiful flower shows readers of all ages that we are all on a journey to becoming who we who are truly meant to be.

A stunning, inspirational, and concretely helpful story about believing in yourself, mindfulness, and finding contentment, Already a Butterfly: A Meditation Story is a must for children of all ages and will become a go-to book on home, classroom, and public library bookshelves to sustain tranquil thought and self-affirming growth.

Ages 5 – 9 and up

Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt and Company, 2020 | ISBN 978-1627799324

Discover more about Julia Alvarez and her books on her website.

You can learn more about Raúl Colón, his books, and his art on his professional website.

Already a Butterfly: A Meditation Story Giveaway

I’m happy to be teaming with Macmillan Publishing and Blue Slip Media in a giveaway of:

One (1) copy of Already a Butterfly: A Meditation Story written by Julia Alvarez | illustrated by Raúl Colón

To enter:

Follow Celebrate Picture Books
Retweet a giveaway tweet

This giveaway is open from May 21 to May 27 and ends at 8:00 p.m. EST.

A winner will be chosen on May 28.

Prizing provided by Macmillan Publishing and Blue Slip Media.

Giveaway open to U.S. addresses only. | No Giveaway Accounts

World Meditation Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-mind-jar

Mindfulness Jar

You can capture the beauty of a glittering snowfall in this easy craft—that also makes a special gift for a friend!

Supplies

Small to medium mason jar or other decorative jar with a tight lid
White glitter glue,
Light blue glitter glue,
Fine white and/or blue glitter
Large white and/or blue glitter
Warm water

Directions

1.For every 1/2 cup of warm water add:

1 1/2 teaspoons white glitter glue
1/2 teaspoon blue glitter glue
2 teaspoons fine glitter glue
1/2 teaspoon large glitter

2. Close lid tight

3. Shake

4. As glue dissolves, the liquid will become clearer and the glitter will remain suspended in it

**You can find Already a Butterfly: A Meditation Story at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

May 10 – It’s Garden for Wildlife Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

As May’s warm weather and rain creates a perfect environment for growing a garden, today’s month-long holiday, established by the National Wildlife Federation, encourages people to plant a garden that will benefit birds, butterflies, bees, and other insect pollinators. This is easier than it may sound and can be accomplished in a variety of ways and sizes from a single pot or container to a dedicated “meadow” plot. Planting native flowering species makes a positive impact on your local area. To watch a video with five tips to help you garden for wildlife, find plants native to your region, and learn how to have your space recognized as a Certified Wildlife Habitat, visit the National Wildlife Federation website and Garden for Wildlife. Sharing today’s reviewed book is another wonderful way to learn how to make their yards, front gardens, and even whole neighborhoods inviting to wildlife.

A Garden to Save the Birds

Written by Wendy McClure | Illustrated by Beatriz Mayumi

One day while Callum and his sister Emmy were eating breakfast, a bird hit their window. They and their mom rushed outside to check on bird. It was okay and flew away, but that’s when Callum noticed that the window glass reflected the sky, and the birds couldn’t tell the difference. Later, Callum, Emmy, and their mom read about birds and learned lots of things they didn’t know – like how there are fewer birds now and how lights at night affect their migration.

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Image copyright Beatriz Mayumi, 2021, text copyright Wendy McClure. Courtesy of Albert Whitman & Company.

They decide to do things around their house to help the birds. They put out feeders and add decals to the windows. “But some of the things we do to help the birds,” Callum says, “are the things we don’t do.” In the fall, they’re mindful of where birds can find food. Even the Halloween Jack-o-lantern plays a part. And they plant bulbs to prepare for spring. It doesn’t take long before they attract a lot of different kinds of birds.

At night they take to turning off the porch lights and lowering the blinds so as not to confuse the birds. Callum looks up at the sky to see dark silhouettes flying by. “I never knew so many birds migrated at night,” he says. “I know now the moon helps them find their way.” He likes that now they and “the moon are working together.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-a-garden-to-save-the-birds-feeders

Image copyright Beatriz Mayumi, 2021, text copyright Wendy McClure. Courtesy of Albert Whitman & Company.

During the winter, Callum and Emmy make sure the birds have shelter and fresh water. They also talk to their neighbors about the birds and some of the changes they could make to help them. At first Callum thinks their next door neighbor isn’t interested in helping, but then they notice that he’s turned off his porch light too. It turns out that everyone on the block is making positive changes.

When spring and summer roll around again and all the flowers and grasses are blooming, Callum discovers that they’re not only helping the birds, but that bees, butterflies, and other pollinators are attracted to the neighborhood too. In fact, the neighborhood has made such an impact that it is recognized with a sign as a certified wildlife habitat. Callum is glad that they have all worked together to make their block a welcoming home for birds and other wildlife.

Backmatter includes a discussion on the decreasing bird population, how kids and their families can create welcoming environments around their homes, and online resources for more information.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-a-garden-to-save-the-birds-night

Image copyright Beatriz Mayumi, 2021, text copyright Wendy McClure. Courtesy of Albert Whitman & Company.

In her charming and educational story, Wendy McClure strikes just the right tone to engage kids in learning about birds and how they can make changes around their homes to attract and help nurture birds and pollinators. Her storytelling is friendly and kid-centric, and readers will be drawn to Callum’s perspective and concern for wildlife and want to get involved in local environmental activism themselves. Adults will also find helpful and interesting tips on simple ways to make a yard or even a small area bird– and pollinator-friendly.

Beatriz Mayumi’s lovely and detailed illustrations depict the variety of backyard birds that visit inviting landscapes as well as the beauty of garden plantings. She also clearly and realistically portrays the kinds of feeders, water bowls, nesting boxes, and natural vegetation that attract birds year round. In her images, Mayumi also reminds readers about light pollution and where it comes from in a neighborhood setting. Her beautiful illustrations of the gardens created with such care as well as her depictions of Callum and his family and the whole neighborhood working together will inspire readers to get involved in helping to save the birds.

A charming and inspirational story as well as an excellent guide to turning any area into a sanctuary for birds and pollinators, A Garden to Save the Birds is a book that families and classrooms will turn to again and again. It is highly recommended for all kids and for public library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Albert Whitman & Company, 2021 | ISBN 978-0807527535

Discover more about Wendy McClure and her books on her website.

To learn more about Beatriz Mayumi, her books, and her art, visit her website.

Garden for Wildlife Activity

Garden for Wildlife Board Game

Plant flowers, install a bird feeder and birdbath, build some birdhouses, and leave a layer of leaves then invite the birds, butterflies, and bees to your garden plot to win the game!

Supplies

Printable Garden for Wildlife Playing Cards
Printable Garden for Wildlife Playing Die
Printable Garden Plot or piece of paper or paper plate
Black or brown Crayon (optional)

Directions

Print one set of playing cards and garden plot (if using) for each player
Print playing die
Color garden plot, paper, or paper plate (optional)
Choose someone to go first.
Each player gets one roll of the die per turn.
Roll the die and place the face-up object in your garden plot. If the player rolls the bird, butterfly, and bee before they’ve added all the other elements, play passes to the next player
Players continue rolling the die and adding objects to their garden plots. After a player collects them all, they must roll the bird, butterfly, and bee to win.

**You can find A Garden to Save the Birds at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

March 14 – National Learn about Butterflies Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Spring has sprung – or is right around the corner – so today’s holiday reminds us to watch out for the butterflies in your area. With more than 20,000 species of butterflies around the world, these delicate beauties are one of the most recognized and beloved natural wonders on earth. Butterflies are important to our ecosystem, too, but habitat destruction and climate change are decreasing their numbers by alarming amounts. You can help! By planting milkweed and other plants as well as nectar-producing flowers in your yard or community, you can create an area where butterflies can find shelter, food, and a place to lay their eggs. To learn more about saving monarch butterflies, visit Save Our Monarchs.

Butterflies Belong Here: A Story of One Idea, Thirty Kids, and a World of Butterflies

Written by Deborah Hopkinson | Illustrated by Meilo So

Last spring, the narrator of the story reveals, she was a “little like a caterpillar…quiet and almost invisible.” She had recently moved to the United States and couldn’t read English. The school librarian gave her books with a lot of pictures and her favorite was one about butterflies. Since then she has learned a lot about Monarch butterflies and how they “make a long, long journey” just like her family did. The frame of her story leads into a detailed discussion of the spring monarch migration and the life cycle of caterpillars.

When summer came, the girl thought for sure she would see monarch butterflies. She “wanted to see them flit from flower to flower sipping nectar.” But no matter where she looked—the park, grassy fields, an even the community garden—she couldn’t find any. She began to wonder “if monarch butterflies belonged here.” Sometimes she wondered if her family did either. Turning the page, kids learn how a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly and how, once it emerges from its chrysalis, it “pumps fluid into its wings, which expand and take their final shape” and creates the “straw” it drinks nectar with.

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Image copyright Meilo So, 2020, text copyright Deborah Hopkinson, 2020. Courtesy of Chronicle Books.

In the fall when school began, the girl rushed to find her favorite book. Now she could read it, and she discovered that butterflies need milkweed to multiply and thrive. She also learned that milkweed is sparse now, due to habitat destruction due to building, chemical use, and climate change. She also learned some shocking facts, such as “in 20 years, the number of monarchs has fallen by 90 percent.”

One day the librarian calls the girl over and tells her that she has ordered new butterfly books and offers them to her first. The librarian also explains that over the summer she created a monarch way station. The girl knows about these special butterfly gardens. She points out the library window at a place within the school yard that would make a perfect monarch way station. “‘It takes just one person to get things started,’” the librarian says. “‘I’m not that kind of person,’” the girl whispers. But the librarian is encouraging. She reminds the girl about the amazing trip monarchs take and says, “‘It’s surprising what such a tiny creature can do.’” Readers next learn about the generations of butterflies that are born during the summer and how the final generation is different from the rest.

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Image copyright Meilo So, 2020, text copyright Deborah Hopkinson, 2020. Courtesy of Chronicle Books.

During the winter, the girl remembers the monarchs who lived “high in the fir forests of Mexico, waiting out the cold to make their long journey north.” She thinks about what the librarian said, and wonders if she could “ever be brave enough to speak up, take charge, and be noticed.” But when she presents a research project on butterflies for her class, the kids loved it. At the end she tells the class how important butterflies are and that they need to help them.

She is surprised by how excited the class is to help and that they want to make a butterfly garden as the class project. The teacher turns to her and asks if she has any ideas on what they could do. The girl is prepared. She turns her poster around and shows them her “plan for a monarch way station, the beginning of a timeline, a list of supplies, and how much it might cost.” And so, they started on their garden. Over the next few weeks, the girl says “‘I could feel myself growing and changing, little by little.’”

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Image copyright Meilo So, 2020, text copyright Deborah Hopkinson, 2020. Courtesy of Chronicle Books.

The class talked to the principal, made a presentation to parents, and invited gardeners and scientists to speak to the class. They also wrote letters to students in other places who were doing similar projects. Then they held an all-school assembly and asked for volunteers. Kids from all classes—even kindergarten—signed up. They even went to a town council meeting and explained how important milkweed was. They asked that it not be sprayed with poison but instead “be planted in every city park.” The mayor even shook the girl’s hand and told her the city needed citizens like her.

Finally, with a fence and garden plots built, it was planting day. When spring class picture time rolls around again, the girl can be found in the front row, right in the center and holding the class sign. The kids met students from another school who have been helping the butterflies for two years and now serve as monarch trackers, placing tags on their legs and following their migration routes. The class’s monarch way station is thriving, and while they don’t have monarchs yet, the girl is already thinking about how the class can become monarch trackers next year. Just like a caterpillar, the girl thinks again, she has grown and emerged “as something new, unexpected, surprising.”

Backmatter includes an Author’s Note about the story, a guide for making a school or home monarch way station, facts about monarchs, and books and internet resources for learning more about monarchs and how you can help.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-butterflies-belong-here-migration

Image copyright Meilo So, 2020, text copyright Deborah Hopkinson, 2020. Courtesy of Chronicle Books.

Deborah Hopkinson’s moving and educational story combines a fictional account of growing up with scientific information on butterflies. The structure is exceptionally effective in showing kids and adults that some children find their voice, discover a talent, or overcome hesitation or shyness when they become involved in a cause or activity they believe in. The school librarian and the teacher both model actions and words that can encourage children to express and extend themselves. The girl’s thoughts allow children to see that fears of speaking up or taking charge are not uncommon while also reassuring them that by taking even small actions one step at a time, their confidence will grow. The cyclical structure of the story enhances the idea that change is gradual—in nature and in people. Hopkinson’s text revolving around butterflies and making a butterfly garden way station will excite kids to do the same at their school, at home, or in their community.

Meilo So’s gorgeous and tender illustrations portray vibrant scenes of flower bedecked balconies, blooming community gardens, and a busy, colorful town. So cleverly depicts the library’s stacks of books in similar floral hues, connecting the nurturing of children and butterflies. The faces of all the children and the adults are thoughtful and enthusiastic. Readers can clearly see the protagonist’s physical growth throughout the seasons as well as her developing self-confidence and will want to watch for ways in which she mirrors a butterfly. The children in the classroom and the school are a diverse mix and demonstrate the enthusiasm and determination of kids who want to make a difference.

So is a master at illustrating butterflies, caterpillars, and other insects, and her realistic images will fascinate readers. Children get to see a caterpillar form a chrysalis, transform into a butterfly inside, and emerge. They also see the seeds inside a milkweed pod as well as the plants themselves, throngs of monarchs during migration, and maps of migration routes.

Exhilarating, poignant, and inspirational on many levels, Butterflies Belong Here is highly recommended for home libraries and a must for school and public libraries.

Ages 5 – 8 and up

Chronicle Books, 2020 | ISBN 978-1452176802

Discover more about Deborah Hopkinson and her books on her website.

To learn more about Meilo So and view portfolios of her art, visit her website and heflinreps.

National Learn about Butterflies Day Activity

Beautiful Butterflies Maze

Can you find the sixteen words associated with butterflies in this printable puzzle?

Beautiful Butterflies Maze Puzzle | Beautiful Butterflies Maze Solution

**You can find Butterflies Belong Here at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

March 19 – The Spring Equinox

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Today, we celebrate the first day of spring! What makes the equinox so special? On this date, day and night are equally long around the globe. With longer days and warmer weather, thoughts turn to nature and renewal. For many this means gardening for ourselves and for the returning bees and butterflies. Today’s book takes a look at one of nature’s most inspiring creatures – the monarch butterfly.

I received a copy of Winged Wonders from Sleeping Bear Press for review of consideration. All opinions about the book are my own.

Winged Wonders: Solving the Migration Mystery

Written by Meeg Pincus | Illustrated by Yas Imamura

For centuries people pondered the mystery of the monarch butterflies that “swooped in for a spell, like clockwork” from who-knew-where and fluttered off to some unseen destination. People all along their route, “from southern Canada…through the middle of the United States…and all the way to central Mexico” wondered about this annual event. The mystery was finally solved in 1976. What was it that set these butterflies soaring? The newspapers called it “The Great Monarch Migration.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-winged-wonders-citizen-scientists

Image copyright Yas Imamura, 2020, text copyright Meeg Pincus, 2020. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

You might wonder who the person was who “tracked these winged wonders from one end of the continent to the other” and “found their secret roosting place, a marvel of nature.” Perhaps it was Fred, a scientist from Canada, who spent thirty years studying the monarchs and tagging their wings. Or maybe it was his wife, Norah, who sought help in tagging monarchs’ wings from volunteers across the country and “logged and mapped every tidbit of information they sent in to the lab.”

Could it have been the thousands of “science teachers, backyard gardeners, and other curious souls” who answered Norah’s plea? Or you might want to consider Ken and Catalina, a couple in Mexico who spent two years “trying to track the butterflies’ twisting trail” with the help of villagers and farmers. You might even say that it was Jim, a science teacher in Minnesota, who caught and tagged a very particular one-among-millions monarch.

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Image copyright Yas Imamura, 2020, text copyright Meeg Pincus, 2020. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

So who was it? Who made that 1976 discovery? If you say all of them, you’re right! Communities across the North American countries of Canada, America, and Mexico came together to solve the mystery of one of nature’s most astounding phenomena. But now, another question concerning monarchs looms: “How will they survive?” Since that first discovery, the monarch population has dropped from “at least a billion to millions—a handful now to each hundred then” due to pesticides, pollution, and habitat destruction. Who do you think can help solve this monarch question? “The answer is really no mystery at all.”

An extensive Author’s Note following the text offers more information about the monarch migration discovery as well as ideas and projects for helping the monarch population grow and thrive.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-winged-wonders-caterpillars

Image copyright Yas Imamura, 2020, text copyright Meeg Pincus, 2020. Courtesy of Sleeping Bear Press.

Mirroring the flight of the monarchs, Meeg Pincus entices readers along the route of her story with fascinating facts about the personalities and eager citizen scientists who dedicated their lives and contributed their time to catching, tagging, and tracking these beautiful butterflies. Surprising details reveal the commitment in time and effort of so many people who enthusiastically answered Norah’s call for help. Her questioning format builds this same feel of excitement and community as page-by-page more people are added for readers to learn about and consider. Pincus’s lyrical storytelling is as buoyant and lovely as her subject while providing readers with a depth of knowledge about the process and experiences of the people along the way.

Yas Imamura’s delicate butterflies flutter above multi-hued green hills, busy downtown shops, and a golden desert before congregating like autumn leaves on a solitary tree as a deer looks on. Readers then begin to meet the scientists & participants: Fred and Norah in their well-packed car awed at spotting a monarch along their route, experimenting with wing tags, and mapping monarch sightings; a diverse group of kids and adults catching, tagging, and releasing butterflies; Ken and Catalina and the people of central Mexico, who share their colorful Día de los Muertos celebrations with these winged visitors; and finally Jim and his students.

Imamura’s glorious color palette complements the orange monarchs with soft pinks, corals, yellows, and reds while dramatically highlighting them against dark green backgrounds. Show-stopping scenes of the monarchs gathered on tree trunks and branches and the final spread of a butterfly garden are awe-inspiring and will spark children’s interest in helping to protect and help these unique creatures.

Winged Wonders: Solving the Monarch Migration Mystery is a must for home, school, and public library collections for nature lovers, citizen scientists, and any child who is a budding environmentalist as well as for lessons on science and community engagement.

Ages 7 – 10

Sleeping Bear Press, 2020 | ISBN 978-1534110403

Discover more about Meeg Pincus and her books on her website.

To learn more about Yas Imamura, her books, and her art, visit her website.

You can download an Educational Guide with activities for Winged Wonders on the Sleeping Bear Press website.

Spring Equinox Activity

Plant a Flower Garden Game

With this fun game you and your family and friends can grow gardens inside! Roll the dice to see whose garden will fully blossom first!

Supplies

Printable Flower Garden Plot Game Board
Printable Flower Garden Playing Cards
Printable Flower Garden Playing Die
Black or brown crayon (optional)
Card stock or heavy paper for printing (optional)
Tape
Scissors

Directions

Object: The object of the game is for each player to fill their garden or garden row with flowers. Depending on the ages of the players, the game can be adjusted to fill all of the rows, some or all rows, or just one.

Options:

Players can “plant” each of the six rows with multiple flowers of the same type
Each player can be assigned a single row and “plant” one each of the six types of flowers

Print number of Game Boards needed
Print one or more sets of Flower Playing Cards for each player, depending on how many of each flower the players want to put in each row (For example: fewer for younger children, more for older). For sturdier playing items, print on card stock.
Cut the playing cards apart
Print one Flower Playing Die and assemble (for a sturdier die, print on card stock)
Color the “dirt” on the Garden Plot (optional)
Choose a player to go first
The player rolls the die and then “plants” the flower rolled in a row on the game board
Play moves to the person on the right
Players continue rolling the die and “planting” flowers until each of the number of determined rows have been filled with flowers or one row has been filled with all six flowers.
The first person to “grow” all of their flowers wins!

**You can find Winged Wonders: Solving the Monarch Migration Mystery at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

March 18 – National Awkward Moments Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

We’ve all had them—those moments when we trip over our own feet, forget a name, wave to someone we don’t know—those moments when we wish we could disappear. Times like that are…well…awkward. So why do they get their own holiday? Well, moments like that happen to everyone, they’re just part of being human. Today, celebrate those small embarrassments and even enjoy a laugh with the endearingly over-eager caterpillar in today’s book.

By Jakki Licare

The VERY Impatient Caterpillar

By Ross Burach

The Impatient Caterpillar is wondering why all the caterpillars are climbing up the tree. His friend tells him that they are going up to metamorphosize, but Impatient Caterpillar doesn’t know what that means. “Meta-WHAT-now?” he asks. His friend explains they are turning into butterflies. Caterpillar had no idea he could do that! He cannot wait to become a butterfly.