Today’s holiday gives kids an opportunity to get into the kitchen and help prepare meals—or perhaps create the whole meal themselves. By being involved, kids learn about nutrition and healthy eating habits. Planning menus, shopping for ingredients, preparing the food, and presenting it can be a fun family activity and may inspire some kids to be regular participants in the kitchen. Today, invite your child or children to take some time out from their schedule to bake up some terrific treats!
There’s a Lion in my Cornflakes
Written by Michelle Robinson | Illustrated by Jim Field
Who could resist clipping coupons to receive a free lion? Nobody, that’s who! I mean, it would be so cool, right? A lion to take on walks, ride to school, and open tin cans—awesome! So a little boy and his brother Dan take a year’s worth of their allowance, make “a million” trips to the grocery store, and start cutting.
Image copyright Jim Field, courtesy of jimfield.co.uk
But all those boxes of cereal squeeze out the other food on the pantry shelves, so Mom says the boys have to eat cornflakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner until it’s gone—and, oh yeah, they don’t get an allowance until then either. It’s all worth it, though, because they’re going to get a real live lion.
There’s just one hitch—every other kid in town has the same idea, and while the brothers wait for their lion to arrive, everyone else is out playing with their new pet. Finally, the delivery truck pulls up in front of the house, and out walks…a grizzly bear?! That’s not right, and it’s even delivered to the wrong house. Well, the bear’s not too crazy about the situation either, and shows it. The kids and the bear have to clean up the neighbor’s yard and apologize.
Image copyright Jim Field, courtesy of jimfield.co.uk
A letter of complaint to the cereal company brings resolution in the form of…a crocodile?! The crocodile spends all its time in the bathroom, and the grizzly bear is still causing havoc. Dad calls the cereal company and to make up their mistake they send…a gorilla?! The gorilla stomps on Dad’s car and rips the door off, but the whole crew piles in so Dad can “give those cereal people a piece of my mind.”
The cereal people sure are sorry for the mix-up. They make amends by letting the family keep the grizzly bear, the crocodile, and the gorilla, AND the company gives them…a lifetime’s supply of cornflakes! But really, what good are they? The boys can’t walk them or ride them or even open cans with them.
You know what, though? Mom’s discovered the crocodile has some pretty sharp, can-opening chompers. The grizzly bear can walk forever and even wear a fanny pack. And the gorilla makes a very cool chauffeur. Why bother having a lion when everyone else has one?
But what are those cereal people offering now—a free tiger?! Hmmm….
Image copyright Jim Field, courtesy of jimfield.co.uk
Michelle Robinson has taken the lure of free stuff to its ridiculous best.With comical flair she aptly portrays the consternation on all sides, from the earnest kids to the flummoxed parents, that grounds this story in the recognizable while also providing hilarious suspense. The silly, over-the-top scenario of There’s a Lion in My Cornflakes serves up the benefits of individuality and drawbacks of consumerism that will have kids laughing at every page and escalation of the brothers’ problem.
Jim Field’s bold, vibrant illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to this boisterous tale. The boxes of cornflakes and clipped coupons are piled high, the boys are excited, nonplussed, shocked, and finally accepting as day after day brings new and unexpected results of their actions, and the parents are perfectly perplexed. Kids will love the funny details on every page that highlight the story.
Ages 3 – 7
Bloomsbury Children’s, 2015 | ISBN 978-0802738363
There are books, games, and coloring pages galore onMichelle Robinson‘s website!
Discover the vast array of work by Jim Field on his website!
While I take some personal days over the next couple of weeks, I am re-blogging some earlier posts with updated interior art and links.
There’s a Book Trailer in this Review!
Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day Activity
Spoon Lion Puppet
Spoons are just the thing for eating cereal! But with this craft you can make a ROARingly cute lion puppet!
Supplies
Wooden mixing spoon
Yellow Fleece
Brown felt
Colorful Fleece or felt
Fabric glue
Light brown marker
Dark brown marker
Hot glue gun or super glue
Directions
To make the lion’s face
Draw a nose, mouth, and eyes on the front/bowl of the spoon
To make the mane
Measure the rim of the spoon from one side of the handle to the other
Cut a strip of yellow fleece as long as rim measurement and 4 inches wide
Fold the piece of fleece in half long-ways
Glue the open edges of the fleece together
Along the folded side cut a fringe, leaving the loops intact
To make the ears
Cut round ears from the brown felt.
Assembling the lion
Glue the ears to the back of the spoon
Glue the mane to the back of the spoon
To make the bow
Cut a 3-inch x 1 ½-inch piece of colorful fleece or felt
Cut a long thin strip of fleece or felt
Pinch the bow in the middle and tie with the longer piece of cloth. Trim as necessary
Glue the bow to the handle
To make the tail
Cut three thin 4-inch-long strips of yellow fleece
With fabric glue, glue the tops of the strips together
Braid the strips
At the bottom, glue the strips together, leaving the ends free
Fold the top of the tail and push it into the hole in the handle of the spoon
Instituted in 2007 by the Encouragement Foundation at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, today’s holiday entreats us to cheer on our friends, coworkers, and even those we don’t know as they attempt to reach goals or start new endeavors. A pat on the back, a simple “you can do it!,” or a reassuring “great job!” boosts people’s self-confidence and makes the world a happier place.
Tough Cookie
Written by Kate Louise | Illustrated by Grace Sandford
Although one gingerbread man in the bakery looks like all the others, there is one important difference. Yes, the batter had “eggs and cinnamon and flour and butter and sugar—but wait! The baker forgot to add the ginger!” Without this signature ingredient the gingerbread man just doesn’t feel like a gingerbread man at all. In fact his whole life has been turned upside down. He’s different from his friends, and what’s worse, he can’t be sold. Instead, he lives in the back of the bakery and in his sadness makes all kinds of mischief.
Image copyright Grace Sandford, text copyright Kate Louise, courtesy of Sky Pony Press
The gingerbread man chases the cat, splatters icing on other cookies, and squirts icing on the walls. “‘I need that for my cupcakes!’” the baker yells, but the gingerbread man just laughs. He moves on to the decorative candies, stuffing them in his mouth as fast as he can even though the baker needs them for his other treats and stands by tapping his foot. Next the gingerbread man scatters sprinkles all over the counter and slips and slides along on his belly—“‘woohoo!’” But the baker is not amused. “‘I need those for the donuts!’” he shouts.
Image copyright Grace Sandford, text copyright Kate Louise, courtesy of Sky Pony Press
Finally, the baker has had enough. Not only is the gingerbread man upsetting the other gingerbread men and women, he is ruining the business. The baker orders the gingerbread man to leave the store. But this is one gingerbread man that does not want to run away. “‘I don’t want to leave!’” he cries. The baker relents. He takes the little cookie in hand and teaches him that even though he is missing an ingredient he can still be kind. The baker shows him by being nice he can become one of the group.
Now, the little gingerbread man is happy. Instead of gobbling up all the candy, he helps create the other cookies. He no longer shoots icing on the walls or flings sprinkles around the kitchen. Rather, he helps the baker decorate the cupcakes and the donuts. He’s even learned how to sift flour and roll out dough, and he uses the cookie cutter to make new friends. And he never forgets to add the ginger!
Image copyright Grace Sandford, text copyright Kate Louise, courtesy of Sky Pony Press
In her sweet story, Kate Louise reminds readers that true happiness comes from within and that each person can decide for themselves how to perceive the world around them. While each of us is human, we all have different ingredients that make us unique. We can use those qualities to be kind and make positive changes in the world. Kids will recognize and giggle at the mischief the little gingerbread man makes with icing and sprinkles, but will also realize that friendships are built by using that same energy to help others. Sometimes tough cookies are actually softies at heart.
Grace Sandford’s bakery gleams with the golden hues of fresh-baked bread, the festive colors of sprinkles and icing, and the sparkle of sugar. Kids will love the vibrant pictures of cupcakes; lollypops; stacks of cakes, donuts, and candy; and decorated gingerbread houses surrounded by cookie forests. Her expressive gingerbread men and women register dismay at the wayward gingerbread man’s shenanigans and joy at his kindness. And the hero of the story? When he leaves behind his impish pranks he becomes a charming baker’s companion, sifting clouds of flour, running on the rolling pin to flatten dough, and passing out sugar-shiny gumdrop buttons to his new friends.
Young children will ask for this fun and funny read over and over. Tough Cookie makes an especially delicious accompaniment to an afternoon of baking or decorating gingerbread houses!
View the colorful world and signature style of Grace Sandford’s artwork on her website!
Gobble up this Tough Cookie book Trailer!
National Day of Encouragement Activity
Kindness Cards
Encourage your friends – and even strangers with these printable Kindness Cards! You can hand them to people and tell them how much they mean to you or slip them into a lunch bag, locker, shelf, backpack or other place and let the person discover a secret day brightener!
Q&A with Author Kate Louise & Illustrator Grace Sandford
Today I am happy to include a double Q & A with both author Kate Louise and illustrator Grace Sandford in which they share their inspirations, their other work, and the joys of creating picture books as well as reveal a favorite place for tea and cake and a ghostly pastime!
Meet Kate Louise
What were some of the books you most enjoyed as a child?
I loved Funny Bones and Winnie the Witch! And I was a big fan of Roald Dahl (especially Matlida) – I still am!
What influenced you to write Tough Cookie?
I had the idea at Christmastime. I was measuring ingredients for a batch of gingerbread cookies and wondered what a cookie character without sugar would do because they’d be unable to fulfill their cookie purpose without an important ingredient! I later changed the missing sugar to missing ginger, which is the most important ingredient of all for a gingerbread man.
You write picture books as well as young adult novels. Which came first? What is the biggest challenge in writing each? What is the biggest joy?
When I started writing, I knew I wanted to write young-adult fiction. So that came first. Writing picture books kind of felt like starting over again. It was scary, but exciting, too. And I could learn a lot from both and apply new skills to different projects.
Both have their charms and their tough moments. Writing novels can be really hard going at times when I get the feeling that I’m never going to make it to the end, or if I get myself tangled up somewhere along the way. I don’t get that feeling quite as much with picture books, though I would say they’re harder to write! To tell a story with a much, much smaller word count and to get used to letting the illustrations tell it too.
The biggest joy for me is always seeing the finished work. After putting so much into each project, getting it back as something I can hold in my hands and feel proud of is a great feeling.
Can you describe your writing space a little?
I can answer with a photo! Though, it depends when you catch me and how busy I am. Sometimes it can be piled up with books or notepads or pieces of paper and mugs of tea! My screen desktop (as you can see) can get pretty hectic sometimes too.
Since Tough Cookie is set in a bakery, I’m wondering if you have a favorite bakery and if so what is special about it?
Oh, nice question! My fave place to visit for tea and cake is a little farm shop tea room, where the cake is made by my friend Bethany at Picture Frame Puds and is seriously delicious! It has a lovely vibe and I can take my dog!
What are you working on next?
I’m working on The Pack, which is the sequel to my YA shape-shifter circus novel The Wanderers that came out last year.
Since this is a holiday-themed blog, I can’t let you get away without asking you a few holiday-related questions, so…
What is your favorite holiday?
It would have to be Christmas. But Halloween is a very close second.
Do you have an anecdote from any holiday you’d like to share?
I like to make a big deal about Halloween with movies, decorating, pumpkin carving, and themed baking. We’ve just started going to a pumpkin farm to pick the pumpkins ourselves too. There’s a corn maze and little wheelbarrows and the field stretches on forever. It’s a new tradition and a fun extra activity for us at Halloween.
Meet Grace Sandford
What inspired you to become an illustrator and a picture book illustrator specifically?
Growing up, I loved drawing and creating characters from my imagination. I believe a lot of that stemmed from picture books and animated film and television. I love Disney and Pixar and as a teenager I was fascinated with the concept art from Pixar films. I always knew that I wanted a career in art of some form but it’s hard discovering what jobs are out there when you’re at school! I did some studying in Graphic Design and eventually went to university to study Illustration, which is where I got truly passionate about picture books. I always admired the art of picture books and they have been a huge part of my life but having a reason to dissect them and create your own really made me want to be a children’s illustrator.
What were some of the books and/or artists you liked most as a child?
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, I am a Bunny illustrated by Richard Scarry and when I was 16 I stumbled across Catherine Rayner’s debut Augustus and his Smile. I think that book was a huge influence in wanting to be a children’s book illustrator, both the writing and illustrations are perfect!
Can you describe your process when illustrating a picture book?
It usually begins with the editor sending you the story/text. Then I start to do lots of sketches of the main character, the secondary characters and the environment around them. Pinterest is a godsend during this bit as you can flick through and look at photos of certain animals or buildings for reference to make sure you’re creating characters that will look believable (even if it is a walking, talking gingerbread man!)
Then I create roughs for each spread showing how the pages will look and which parts I have chosen to illustrate. This gives the editor a rough idea of how the final artwork is going to look and this is where most of the edits happen until it’s approved. Once all edits are approved I can create the final artwork which is my favourite part seeing all the hard work come together!
Can you describe your work space a little?
I now have a studio where I live, but when I worked on Tough Cookie I lived in a one bed apartment with my boyfriend straight after university and I had to work on the kitchen table! I’m so glad I have my own room to work in now (and I’m sure my boyfriend is too!)
My work space now involves a desk, my iMac, an A3 scanner, a windowsill with lots of pens and paints (and most importantly plants!) and I have a space that alternates between a lightbox and a graphics tablet. I also have a bad habit of putting all projects I’m working on into separate piles around the room until they are done!
You say in your bio that you like ghost hunting. How did you get involved in that? What is your favorite place to hunt ghosts?
Haha, this is the best question! I love Ghost Hunting although it’s been a while since I’ve been on a walk. It started off when I was a teenager living in a small village in England, being bored with friends and wandering around abandoned churches at night, hunting for things that go bump in the night, and it grew over time into a huge interest. When I went to University in Lincoln, a historical city, I got very interested in the social history of the place. Ghost stories are ultimately another fantastic way of storytelling. There are some very scary but interesting stories about Lincolnshire if you’re ever interested! Fun fact, Tom Hank’s bodyguard tripped over a phantom ghost head rolling down Steep Hill in Lincoln during a Professional Ghost Tour!
What are you working on next?
This year I’ve been working on a four book series based on Minecraft which has been a complete joy to be a part of! It’s been hard work as I knew very little about the franchise before this and knowing how loyal the fans are, I’ve wanted to draw everything right whilst staying faithful to my style! I just finished some more colouring books for a Spanish publisher and I have also been writing a picture book that I have a good feeling about (fingers crossed!)
What is your favorite holiday?
I personally love Christmas just because I get to spend time with my family and chill out but I love Mexico’s Day of the Dead holiday too. It is such a vibrant and beautiful celebration of something that we all sadly experience in life.
Do you have an anecdote from any holiday you’d like to share?
Every Christmas it’s become a tradition to be at home with my family playing Jigsaws, watching films and eating a little bit too much!
Thanks, Kate and Grace, for sharing about your work and your favorite places and pursuits! I wish you all the best with Tough Cookie and your other projects!
The aim of today’s holiday is to give you a chance to “admit you’re happy.” A smile or laugh at some of the absurdities of life as well as a true appreciation for the good things all around us makes each day better. So find your “happy place” and giggle along with today’s book!
There’s a Giraffe in My Soup
By Ross Burach
It seems that in such a fine establishment ordering the Special of the Day—Sonia’s Tomato Soup—would be easy, but for one little boy it is anything but. “Excuse me, waiter?” The boy politely summons the red-tuxedoed attendant, who is polishing crystal to a diamond sheen. “There’s a giraffe in my soup!” Offended, the waiter pokes his verrrry long nose in the air and says, “That simply cannot be.” But when he comes nose to teeth with said errant ingredient, he speeds with the giraffe on his tray through the kitchen door.
Image copyright Ross Burach, courtesy of rossburach.com
Ah, a new bowl of soup is delivered post haste! But as soon as the bowl is set on the table, a little frog pokes its bulging eyes over the rim. Only it’s not a frog, but an alligator with its chompers ready to reverse the dining experience. It’s even seasoning the poor boy with pepper! Once again the waiter comes to the rescue.
Before the waiter even lifts the cover from the next bowl of soup, a suspicious blue trunk emerges. The elephant flails in the small bowl of soup as the boy yells for help. “Save her! Save her! Please hurry!” Before the elephant drowns, the waiter is on the scene. The next bowl fares no better. “Yak! Yak! Yak!” the boy shouts. “Yuck? Yuck? Yuck?” the waiter thinks, insulted by the young food critic. But no, indeed a hairy, horned yak has invaded the soup.
Image copyright Ross Burach, courtesy of rossburach.com
Bowl after bowl is delivered and with bowl after bowl the boy encounters a walrus (that balances the chair and the boy on his nose), an ostrich (with its head in the soup), a koala bear (shhh…it’s sleeping), a snake (burp…it swallowed the boy!), and a whale (well…you can imagine). The bruised and sweating waiter slumps on the table with his last offering. “Here, huff at last. Your soup, huff roaring with flavor.” “Lying? Lying? Lying?” the waiter has had enough and loses his cool. “Sure, I made a minor gaffe with the giraffe. Maybe I overlooked a whale. But when it comes to taste, I am a professional. Do not dare accuse me of…LION!! Why didn’t you say something!”
Trying to tame the lion with his platter and a fork, the waiter runs for the kitchen. He returns to the boy bandaged and on crutches to reveal that there has been a mix up. It seems the zoo was sent the restaurant’s food and the restaurant was sent the zoo’s animals. The little boy is magnanimous and ready to let bygones be bygones. “Let’s skip the soup. Maybe dessert?” The waiter agrees.
He wheels out the dessert cart to present “one mousse…with a cherry on top!” And while the whipped cream and sprinkles look appetizing, the hooves and antlers? Not so much. “Never mind!” says the boy. “I’m eating somewhere else!” He quickly hops on his Big Wheel tricycle to follow the parade of animals on their way back to the zoo.
Image copyright Ross Burach, courtesy of rossburach.com
Just as it’s impossible not to laugh at the perennial favorite restaurant joke—“Waiter, there’s a fly in my soup!” / “What’s a fly doing in your soup?” / “The backstroke”—There’s a Giraffe in My Soup creates giggles on every page. Ross Burach creates a great comedy team in the little boy who only wants a bowl of soup and the snooty waiter who aims to please. Their dialogue crackles with puns, misunderstandings, and witty banter. Mixed in to the recipe are the creatures—some clueless, some dangerous, and some just out of their element—that act as the catalyst for the animated facial expressions and frenetic action that propel the story. Vivid colors, a variety of typography, and some of the cutest zoo animals ever complete the entertaining effect.
There’s a Giraffe in My Soup is sure to be asked for again and again and would be a very welcome addition to any child’s library.
Ages 4 – 8
HarperCollins, 2016 | ISBN 978-0062360144
Learn more about Ross Burach and view his illustrations on his website!
Reader! There’s a book trailer in this blog post!
Happiness Happens Day
In the Soup! Game
Play this fun and easy game to fill your bowl with a variety of animals!
Is there anything as delicious as a perfectly ripe peach? Native to China and classified with the almond, the peach is peachy in pies, tarts, fruit salads, and just on its own. To celebrate today pick some peaches from a local farm, farmer’s market, or grocery store and enjoy!
Each Peach Pear Plum
By Janet and Allan Ahlberg
This perennial children’s favorite “I spy” nursery rhyme book is a perfect read any time, but especially during the summer when it can be tucked away in a travel bag or picnic basket and enjoyed on the go. After the first introduction of “Each peach pear plum / I spy Tom Thumb,” in which readers are invited to find Tom who is happily reading high in a peach tree nearly hidden by leaves and fruit, every page offers another double challenge.
Building on the discovery in the preceding page, kids are given a hint as to the current whereabouts of the previous character and are also urged to find another nursery rhyme or literary favorite: “Tom Thumb in the cupboard / I spy Mother Hubbard” followed by “Mother Hubbard down the cellar / I spy Cinderella.” This structure creates anticipation in even the youngest readers as they begin to recognize the pattern and wonder who is coming next.
Copyright Janet and Allan Ahlberg, 1999, courtesy of Viking Books for Young Readers
Besides Tom Thumb, Old Mother Hubbard, and Cinderella, the Three Bears, Baby Bunting, Little Bo-Peep, Jack and Jill, the Wicked Witch, Robin Hood, and a deliciously plump Plum Pie are hidden in the book. What makes Each Peach Pear Plum a classic is the Ahlberg’s artistic magic, which is on gorgeous display in every illustration. The vivid, fine-line drawings spare no details in bringing the short text fully to life.
Humor abounds, especially in the depiction of the “hidden” character or characters, whose only appearance is an arm dusting a shelf, faces at a window, feet sticking out of tall grass, a camouflaged archer, and more. And perhaps the clumsy baby bear could use a bit of assistance! Kids will love pointing out the birds and bunnies, dog, cat, and other animals that also follow from page to page.
Copyright Janet and Allan Ahlberg, 1999, courtesy Viking Books for Young Readers
Each Peach Pear Plum is also a wonderful introduction to the literature alluded to and will entice kids to hear all the stories contained in this forever favorite. Each Peach Pear Plum makes a fantastic gift for new babies or young readers and belongs on every child’s bookshelf.
Ages Birth – 5 and up
Viking Books for Young Readers, Penguin, 1999 | ISBN 978-0670882786 (Board Book Edition)
It’s National Peach Month Activity
Peachy Picnic Find the Differences Puzzle
These two friends are enjoying a picnic and took two selfies. Can you spot the 12 differences between the two pictures in this printable Peachy Picnic Find the Differences Puzzle?
On a steamy summer afternoon nothing refreshes like watermelon! The sweet, juicy treat is a favorite with kids and adults and makes a perfect snack, complement to any picnic, or colorful addition to fruit salad. Watermelon comes in all shapes and sizes, from the iconic large dark green barrel to small playground-ball-sized orbs to compact squares perfect for fitting on a refrigerator shelf. Whether you dig the seeds out or spit them, cut slices or use a melon baller, enjoy some watermelon today!
The Watermelon Seed
By Greg Pizzoli
“I love watermelon!” the little crocodile exclaims. It’s easy to see why. After all they have so much in common—same barrel body shape, same color, and while one has lots of teeth the other needs lots of teeth to be enjoyed! “Chomp! Chomp! Chomp!” Ever since the croc was a baby, watermelon has been its favorite treat.
“I like it for breakfast. I like it for lunch. I like a big salty slab for dinner…and I LOVE it for dessert!” Is there anything the crocodile doesn’t like about watermelon? Well…yes. And the croc has just swallowed it. Panic sets in! “I SWALLOWED A SEED!” And horrible scenarios swirl in his brain: “It’s growing in my guts! Soon vines will come out my ears!” Poor Croc even worries that he’ll end up in a fruit salad.
Image courtesy of Greg Pizzoli
Croc starts to cry and then the worst happens! The seed starts growing! It’s expanding and something funny (peculiar not Ha Ha) is happening! Here it comes….”Buuuuuurrrrrrppp!” “Oh. Here’s the seed.” Well, even if the seed was dislodged, Crocodile thinks the whole experience was way too close and resolves to never eat watermelon again.
“Well, maybe just a teeny, tiny bite.”
Image copyright Greg Pizzoli
Greg Pizzoli’s watermelon-colored book sprouts laughs on every page. The cute crocodile with a watermelon obsession echoes the way kids latch onto a favorite food and need it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The added danger that lurks in every bite of watermelon increases the suspense and humor as the crocodile worries and frets. Kids will know that the promise to never eat watermelon again won’t last long and that “just a teeny, tiny bite” can’t hurt anything. Can it?
Pizzoli’s simple block-color illustrations of the watermelon-loving crocodile are the perfect complement to the story. Focusing on the croc’s facial expressions, from eager anticipation of that first bite to wide-eyed horror at swallowing a seed to googly eyed and wavy mouthed dread, each page gives kids lots to laugh at. And the two-page spread depicting the croc’s colossal burp that dislodges the seed invites repeated readings. In fact, The Watermelon Seed makes a delicious addition to children’s book shelves for fun story times.
Ages 3 – 7
Disney-Hyperion Books, 2013 | ISBN 978-1423171010
Enjoy a slice of The Watermelon Seed in this trailer!
Find more books and fun on Greg Pizzoli’s website!
Watermelon Day Activity
Do You Seed the Differences? Matching Game
The identical slices of watermelon were separated in the picnic basket! Draw a line between the matching pieces in this printable Do You Seed the Differences? puzzle to create correct servings.
Ice cream has a long and elite history, dating back to Ancient Greece when the confection was made of snow, honey, and fruit. Catherine de’ Medici introduced the treat again in the 16th century. Charles I of England, using his royal clout, proclaimed ice cream to be the prerogative of the crown. He kept the recipe secret and forbid the common people to eat it. The first recorded recipes for ice cream are reported in the 18th century.
This favorite dessert received its true recognition in 1984 when President Ronald Reagan established July as National Ice Cream Month. Today indulge in your favorite flavor or sundae!
Ice Cream Summer
By Peter Sís
A little boy writes a letter to his grandpa telling him about his summer. “So far it’s been a delicious summer,” he says of his ice cream extravaganza. The boy reports that he’s very busy, but is also paying attention to school work every day. He knows how to read big words like tornado and explosion, and he is even creating his own book. He can solve math problems—even word problems—lickity split on his own and sometimes with his family’s help.
At day camp he and his friends are involved in all sorts of activities, such as sports, cartography, and field trips. The boy tells his grandpa that he’s poring over the encyclopedias he sent, learning about world history from Ancient China to Europe and America. He is discovering fabulous inventions and designing some of his own.
Image copyright Peter Sís, courtesy of scholastic.com
He assures his grandpa that he has “been working hard all summer (though I always take a break on sundaes)” and has earned the special trip his grandpa mentioned. As the two meet it’s obvious that Grandpa understands his grandson very well. They both sport ice cream shaped backpacks, and the trip they are embarking on is a hike to the tip of Ice Cream Peak.
Peter Sís’s celebration of ice cream is a perfect mixture of text and art. While the boy’s letter is kid-like bare bones, the ice-cream hued illustrations humorously and cleverly portray the boy’s delicious obsession. His room, with its scoop-shaped window overlooking an ice cream factory, is filled with a bed, bookshelves, desk, and toys that are all familiarly conical. The boy builds his sandcastle, complete with cone turrets, at the edge of multi-colored scoop waves, and the family’s beach umbrella is a wavy sundae top.
Image copyright Peter Sís, courtesy of scholastic.com
At day camp all roads lead to flavorful sites where skyscrapers, attractions, and transportation are all seen through a sweet ice-cream cone lens. Even the Statue of Liberty holds aloft a vanilla soft serve cone. The boy’s travels through history encompass fascinating facts about the invention of ice cream, how it spread across Europe and to America as well as innovations of and improvements to this favorite treat.
The final reveal of Ice Cream Peak, with its sprinkles-covered tip will delight ice cream aficionados of all ages. Kids and adults will want to linger over each page to scoop up all the visual pleasures.
Ages 4 – 8
Scholastic Books, 2015 | ISBN 978-0545731614
To view more books by Peter Sís and discover fun title-related activities, visit his website!
National Ice Cream Month Activity
Ice Cream is A-maze-ing! Puzzle
Sometimes you’d walk forever and through any kind of obstacle to get your favorite flavor ice cream cone. Have fun following the path through this printable Ice Cream is Amaze-ing Puzzle!
July is a great month for celebrating culinary arts. With kids home from school it’s fun to spend time together in the kitchen learning new skills and making experimental or favorite recipes. On-the-go meals or vacations can also take you to new and enticing restaurants, where you may try regional cuisine and discover exciting flavors.
The Hole Story of the Doughnut
Written by Pat Miller | Illustrated by Vincent X. Kirsch
In 1844 at the tender age of 13, Hanson Gregory left the family farm and went to sea as a cabin boy on the schooner Isaac Achorn. He quickly became the cook’s assistant and also learned how to rig the sails and “steer a ship over trackless waves by sun and stars.” By the age of 19 Gregory had become the captain of the schooner Hardscrabble, and within a few more years was racing “his cargo from Maine to California as commander of a clipper, the fastest ship on any ocean.”
Image copyright Vincent X. Kirsch, courtesy of vincentxkirsch.com
Hanson Gregory may have been one of the best captains to sail the seas—once awarded a medal for heroism for rescuing seven shipwrecked Spanish sailors even though his own ship and crew were endangered. But his greatest achievement was not attained because of his seafaring skills—it was his ingenuity in the galley that people remember.
On June 22, 1847 as a 16-year-old cook’s assistant, Hanson was rustling up the crew’s breakfast—coffee and fried cakes, the same as every morning. While the pot of lard bubbled on the stove, Gregory formed balls of sweetened dough and dropped them in. They sizzled and crisped—at least around the edges. The centers were raw, heavy with grease, and they dropped like cannonballs in the stomach. “Sailors called them Sinkers.” But this morning Gregory had an idea. He removed the lid from the pepper can and cut out the center of the balls. “Then he tossed the rings into the bubbling lard.”
Image copyright Vincent X. Kirsch, courtesy of vincentxkirsch.com
The cook and the sailors took one look at this odd concoction and…ate them up! “The cakes were brown, and sweet, and fully cooked. Sighs of delight rose above the noisy sea. A new breakfast tradition was born.” Gregory told his mom about his invention, and she fried up large batches of these ‘holey cakes’ that were a sensation at a friend’s store and on the docks.
You might think this is a pretty interesting tale in itself, “but sailors like their stories bold” and so they “spun legends worthy of such a delicious treat.” One tale had Captain Gregory inventing the doughnut while he saved his ship from disaster. Another told how Gregory, distraught over the drowning of five sailors pulled to the ocean floor by of their “sinker” breakfast, punched holes in every cake to make them look like life rings and vowed, “‘Never again!’”
Captain Gregory had a sense of humor about his accomplishment. During an interview he once stated that “he had invented ‘the first hole ever seen by mortal eyes.’” Gregory lived to be 89 and is buried “overlooking the sea where stormy weather can be spotted as readily as it once was from the quarterdeck of the Hardscrabble.”
An author’s note expanding on the story of Captain Gregory, the doughnut, doughnut shops, a timeline, and a selected bibliography follow the text.
Image copyright Vincent X. Kirsch, courtesy of vincentxkirsch.com
Doughnuts have never been so evocative! In Pat Miller’s humorous, informative history of this favorite pastry treat, readers can smell the salt air, feel the ocean swell and roll under their feet, and even ache a little for those poor sailors forced to eat “sinkers.” Seamlessly interwoven into this foodography is a fascinating look at the early days of sail. Miller’s language is immediately stirring: the Ivanhoe bucks and plunges, the sea becomes a monster, and Captain Gregory spears a sinker on the wheel spoke. Kids will marvel at a 13-year-old going off to sea and becoming an inventor at 16.
Vincent X. Kirsch provides just the right touch to this captivating true story with his cartoon-inspired watercolor and cut paper artwork. Ingeniously incorporating Hanson Gregory’s innovation of removing the center of the fried cakes, Kirsch’s illustrations are “cored” to allow for text, while the extracted section appears on the facing page as a glimpse through a porthole. The maritime atmosphere—from ship to shore—of the mid-1800s is beautifully represented in the folk-style sketches, and the humor that is so intrinsic to this story is wonderfully embraced.
The Hole Story of the Doughnut will delight foodies and history buffs alike and would make a fun gift and a delectable addition to personal libraries for all ages.
Ages 5 – 12
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016 | ISBN 978-0544319615
Vincent X. Kirsch’s website is full of illustrations from his books for children—take a look at his portfolio!
Spend some time with Pat Miller on her website that offers activities, tips, resources and many more books!
Culinary Arts Month Activity
CD (Compact Doughnuts) Decoration
Are some of your CDs a little passé? Not if you can turn them into cute décor like this doughnut hanging.
Supplies
Unused CDs
Craft paint in tan, black, pink, yellow, white (or any colors you want for the doughnut and the icing)
Ribbon, any color and length you want
Fine-tip markers in bright colors
Glue
Glue dots (optional)
Paint brush
Directions
Paint a wavy edge around the CD, let dry
Paint the center of the CD, leaving the clear circle unpainted
When the icing paint is dry, draw sprinkles on the icing with the markers
With the ribbon make a loop hanger and attach it to the back of the CD with glue or glue dots
Hang your decoration
You can find The Hole Story of the Doughnut at these booksellers
celebratepicturebooks.com 