National Love Your Pet Day is a great day for pets and for pet owners! If you have a pet, spend extra time with them or give them an extra treat today.You know you’ll both enjoy it!
The Octopuppy
By Martin McKenna
Edgar wants a puppy for his birthday, but what he gets is so NOT a puppy. Out of the gift box pops Jarvis, a goggle-eyed octopus ready to party. Disappointing doesn’t even begin to describe Edgar’s feelings. Jarvis can’t do anything a dog could do. Sure, he might be clever—Jarvis buys Edgar an ice-cream cone instead of staying on his leash tied to the lamppost, for example—but Edgar wants a pet he can enter in the upcoming dog show.
Perhaps with training Jarvis can learn to be more like a dog, Edgar thinks. But when Edgar tells him to lie down, Jarvis goes to sleep wearing PJs and socks, holding a teddy bear and surrounded with books. Edgar’s command to “play dead” elicits a surprise lunge from a wardrobe in a toilet-paper mummy costume. It’s just too much, and drives Edgar crazy! Finally, however, Jarvis learns to sit like a dog, and off they go to the dog show.
At the dog show things go…well…Jarvis just can’t help being himself. He wears a tutu, plays the piano, does card tricks, and plays the drums—all at the same time. The other entrants are not amused, and Edgar is sooo embarrassed.
Jarvis decides to run away, and after penning a note apologizing for being a bad dog, he slips down the toilet and out to sea. When Edgar discovers Jarvis is missing, he realizes he has been wrong. He remembers all the great things Jarvis did and thinks that Jarvis was the best Octopuppy in the world! Suddenly, he wants his pet back. He looks everywhere, but Jarvis is nowhere to be found.
As a last resort Edgar yells his apology into Jarvis’s escape route. His message is carried through the plumbing by various pipe and underground creatures until Jarvis hears it. Before Edgar can turn around, Jarvis is back! To celebrate his being home, Edgar’s family and friends throw Jarvis the kind of wild party he was looking for all along.
This endearing story has just the right mix of craziness and sincerity to make it a favorite on any child’s bookshelf. Martin McKenna hits all the right notes in his tribute to friendship and the idea that true friends accept and appreciate each other the way they are. Jarvis is a sweetie as he does his very un-doglike things. He rescues a cat instead of chasing it, cooks sausages instead of stealing them, and performs surgery instead of biting the mailman. These vignettes make Edgar’s rejection of Jarvis all the more heartrending and his ultimate realization very satisfying. McKenna’s illustrations are loaded with silly and profound details that kids will want to linger over, and the two-page spread of Edgar leading Jarvis home after the dog show is an emotional marvel.
Ages 3 – 6
Scholastic Press, 2015 | ISBN 978-0545751407
Check out more about Martin McKenna and his books on theoctopuppy.com.
Unwrap The Octopuppy book trailer!
National Love Your Pet Day Activity
Braided Pet Toy
Your pet will love playing with you and this easy-to-make toy that’s perfect for tug-of-war, fetch, or any kind of fun.
Supplies
Fleece in two or three colors or patterns
Scissors
Directions
Cut 3 strips of fleece 15 inches to 20 inches long. You can use just one color, two, or three!
Holding all three strips of fleece together, make a knot by looping them at the top, feeding the ends through the loop, and pulling tight.
Braid the 3 strands of fleece until there are 3” to 4” left at the end
Holding all three strands together, knot them as before
Our love for friends near and far radiates across the month of February, bringing us closer. To celebrate International Friendship Month get together with old friends and reach out to others you’d like to get to know better. This month would also be a perfect time to find a penpal, write to a member of the military, or send a card to an old friend you haven’t seen lately. As today’s book shows, friendship is the world’s strongest bridge.
Here to There and Me to You
Written by Cheryl Keely | Illustrated by Celia Krampien
“Bridges do more than connect one place to another. They bring the whole world together.” There are so many types of bridges—each just right for their place or function. Some of the most charming bridges are wooden-covered, like Canada’s Hartland-to-Somerville span in New Brunswick, which is the longest covered bridge in the world at 1282 feet (as long as 32 school buses end to end). Some are colorful like the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California, which is distinctively orange, a beautiful beacon against the blue sky and sea.
Image copyright Celia Krampien, courtesy of sleepingbearpress.com
In London the bridge isn’t really falling down even though that makes for a fun game! The London Bridge, which crosses the River Thames, was the first stone multi-arch bridge built in Britain.” Over the years the bridge has been renovated many times, and it’s now made of concrete and steel. Drawbridges might be the coolest kind of bridge! It’s fun to watch them split in the middle and rise up, up, up before coming back down after a ship passes. These bridges “date to medieval times when knights in armor—and dragons?!—fought for their castles.”
Image copyright Celia Krampien, courtesy of sleepingbearpress.com
Sometimes bridges don’t have to be fancy to work. Some “bridges can be as simple as a few stones placed across a shallow stream” that give crossers a place to step all along the way. This is known as a clapper bridge. People aren’t the only ones who use bridges either. Places that are home to roaming wildlife—like Banff National Park in Canada—build bridges so animals “such as bears, wolves, moose, and lynx” can cross roads and highways safely.
Trains can also “use bridges to clickity-clack along, carrying people to people. Family together again.” But what if you want to travel from country to country? There are even bridges for that, and they make “a big world seem smaller.” While these types of bridges are strong and sturdy, there are other spans made only of rope and boards that are “rickety, ratchety, swinging and swaying their way to beautiful hid away places.”
Image copyright Celia Krampien, courtesy of sleepingbearpress.com
People can become bridges too! Just try bending backward to touch the ground. Or if you don’t like feeling upside down, there is a simple way that “isn’t so grand. It connects me to you and you to me…through the simple holding of hands.”
Cheryl Keely’s enchanting tour of some of the world’s most beautiful and unusual bridges is sure to engage readers who love architecture, travel, and transportation—or who just have the wanderlust. Keely’s story, punctuated with facts and trivia about different types of bridges, is a lyrical frame for her theme of interconnectedness and friendship, making this a book that resonates on many levels and is a treat to dip into again and again.
Image copyright Celia Krampien, courtesy of sleepingbearpress.com
Celia Krampien’s charming artwork takes readers to the towns and cities, the shores and cliffs that host the world’s bridges. Her realistic depictions show the grandeur of the majestic spans millions of people use every day as well as the rustic simplicity of rope and clapper bridges. Kids will love picking out details of the scenery surrounding each structure as well as recognizing familiar settings they have learned about or, perhaps, traveled to.
Here to There and Me to You is a fresh, uplifting story that will appeal to fiction as well as nonfiction lovers. In addition to being a great addition to any story time, the book has many cross-curricular applications for classrooms and libraries, and would be a welcome find on any bookshelf.
Ages 5 – 8
Sleeping Bear Press, 2017 | ISBN 978-1585369966
To learn more about Cheryl Keely and her work as well as to find a fun bridge game, visit her website!
Find a portfolio of illustration by Celia Krampien on her website!
International Friendship Month Activity
Holding Hands Interchangeable Puzzle
Reaching out to others is a wonderful way to bridge distances and make friends. In this printable puzzle, all the animals are ready to connect with others—no matter how you put the pieces together! Here is a colored version of the puzzle and one you can color yourself!
The radio has provided entertainment, news, comfort, and information and has united people both near and far ever since Guglielmo Marconi invented it in 1895. Today, radio continues to be an important part of people’s lives around the world. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization established February 13 as World Radio Day “to celebrate radio as a medium, to improve international cooperation among broadcasters, and to encourage both major networks and community radio to promote access to information, freedom of expression and gender equality across the airwaves.” This year’s UNESCO theme is “Radio is You” and focuses on ensuring that all radio stations from personal to commercial have the tools they need to provide the best service they can.
Radio Man/Don Radio
By Arthur Dorros | Translated by Sandra Marulanda Dorros
“Radio man” is Diego, a boy in a family of migrant workers who pick fruit and vegetables from the Southwest to as far north as Washington state. Although his family moves frequently, Diego has close relationships with his parents, sister, grandparents, cousins, and especially a friend named David.
As his family moves from town to town searching for work, Diego listens to the radio. Stations broadcasting in both English and Spanish keep the family company, and Diego measures the distance of upcoming towns along their route by the clarity of the DJs’ voices. The radio also provides entertainment for end-of-picking season parties among the workers and serves as a catalyst for the grandfather’s stories of growing up in Mexico.
Image copyright Arthur Dorros, courtesy of Penguin Books
While Diego’s family is close-knit, their nomadic lifestyle separates Diego from his best friend, David, who is also the son of migrant workers. As the story begins Diego and David are leaving Texas and know they won’t see each other for a while. Traveling north, Diego’s family stops in different towns. In each Diego goes to school during the day and picks crops in the afternoon. He meets up with his cousins and other friends, along the way, but never finds David. When the family reaches Sunnyside, Washington, Diego discovers that radio station KMPO allows people to send messages to others. Diego calls the station and sends a message: “Hello, David! This is Diego. Are you here?”
David, missing Diego and listening to his own radio, is there! David smiles, happy to be reconnected with his best friend.
Arthur Dorros’s story reflects not only the life of migrant workers but also the universal feelings of children separated from friends. Through Dorros’s honest and moving descriptions, readers discover the importance of communication, whether it be through shared history and stories or through technology, in keeping relationships strong. When Diego and David finally find each other again, children will identify with their happiness.
Through vivid illustrations, Dorros depicts the landscape and farms of the American southwest, the festive celebrations held by workers at the end of picking seasons, the reality of driving from town to town, and the tight relationships among family members, giving children a glimpse into the life of migrant workers as well as the heart of friendship.
Each page of Radio Man is presented in English and Spanish, with translation by Sandra Marulanda Dorros. It has become a classic multicultural story, and one that is a wonderful read for all kids.
Ages 4 – 8
Trophy Picture Books, HarperCollins, 1997 | ISBN 978-0064434829
Discover more about Arthur Dorros and his books as well as fun activities on his website!
World Radio Day Activity
Box Radio Desk OrganizerMau
With a recycled box and the provided printable templates you can make a desk organizer that looks like a radio with this fun craft!
Supplies
Cardboard box – Use an empty cube-shaped tissue box, pasta box, or any small box
Glue – a hot-glue gun works well on the cardboard; regular glue for the buttons and tape for the station tuner window
Paint – any color you like
Paint brush
Scissors
Directions
1. Prepare the box:
Choose a box to be your radio. In the pictures I used a cube-shaped tissue box and a penne pasta box with a cellophane window in it.
If you are using a box without an opening in the top, cut the top or bottom flaps off of one end of the box, depending on where you want the station tuner window to go.
2. Paint the box:
You can paint the printed front, back and sides of the box.
OR if you want a plain box to use “as-is” or to paint: take the recycled box apart at the seams and turn it “inside out.”
If you are using a pasta box with a window in it, tape the stations tuner template to the cellophane window before gluing the seams
Glue the original seam and flaps (a hot-glue gun works well). Let the glue dry. Then paint.
3. Let the box dry
4. Cut out the radio dials, speaker, and stations tuner window
5. Glue the parts of the radio to the box
6. To make the antenna, wrap the wooden chopstick in a strip of aluminum foil: lay the stick on the foil and fold a foil flap (about 1 inch long) over each end of the stick. Roll the foil around the stick and press gently to close seam.
7. Attach the antenna to your box:
For pasta boxes tape the antenna to the inside corner of the box
For cube tissue boxes, make a hole in the right hand corner and push antenna in
8. Use your Radio Desk Organizer to hold pencils, rulers, bookmarks, anything!
Sure, sure…I know it’s that other –hog day, but did you know that Hedgehog day was a Roman holiday that preceded Groundhog Day? For you Marmot lovers out there, this is also that little guy’s day. But getting back to our animal of honor, here are a few hedgehog-related trivia facts for you to enjoy:
Hedgehog’s spines are actually hollow hairs stiffened with keratin
Hedgehogs hunt at night and can smell food an inch below the ground
When hedgehogs smell or taste something icky they give themselves a cleansing saliva shower
And one more:
Hedgehogs are irresistibly cute!
The Friend Ship
Written by Kat Yeh | Illustrated by Chuck Groenink
Little Hedgehog was curled up in a ball of loneliness when she heard someone say that “friendship is out there” if only she would look for it. Hedgehog jumped up ready to search for the Friend Ship that she imagines is full of future buddies. Just as she pounded the last nail into the boat she built to sail the seas, a beaver approached and asked what she is doing. When he found out, he asked to come along because he, too, wants a friend.
Soon they spied a herd of migrating deer atop a cliff and inquired if they had seen the Friend Ship. The deer looked at one another and suddenly missed their pal Irving, so they climbed on board to look for him. Their boat sailed past a little rat fishing all alone. The rat had not seen the Friend Ship either, but asked, “‘pretty please with stinky cheese, can I come?’” “‘Oh, yes!’ said Hedgehog. ‘Double yes!’ said the beaver. ‘Yes!’ ‘Yes!’ ‘Yes!’ ‘Yes-yessity-yes!’ said the deer.”
Image copyright Chuck Groenink, text copyright Kat Yeh. Courtesy of Disney-Hyperion
They sailed into frigid northern seas, into turbulent southern seas, and “East straight into the sunrise,” but while the intrepid explorers never found the Friend Ship, they discovered plenty of extra travelers who wanted to come along. After a few days, Hedgehog despaired of ever finding what she was looking for. She once more felt like curling up into a prickly ball. “Everyone gathered around her. ‘Don’t give up!’ said the beaver.’” And the others agreed, telling Hedgehog that they would stick with her and that she could count on them.
Cheered by these good wishes, Hedgehog resolved to go on. Within view was a tiny island where a single elephant lived. Hedgehog swam closer and called out, “‘Excuse me. Have you seen the Friend Ship?’” The elephant looked a little confused. “‘The Friend Ship!’” she said. “‘Isn’t that it—right over there?’” Hedgehog turned excitedly to see, but “then sighed. ‘Oh, no. That’s just my…’” Suddenly, in the glow of the sunset she realized… “‘We haven’t tried sailing WEST yet!’” Everyone cheered, knowing that there was still hope. “West! West! West!” they chanted as elephant joined them, and they set sail once again on their journey that in the end brought each and every one of them new friends.
Kat Yeh’s sweet story will cheer kids who feel at sea when looking for new friends. Through Yeh’s multi-layered tale, readers will see that there are many kids “in the same boat,” and that inviting them along on adventures big and small will forge the friendships they are searching for. As Hedgehog’s ship begins to fill with passengers, kids will realize what Hedgehog and her travelers fail to notice and enjoy the suspense that leads up to the final giggle-inducing misunderstanding.
The adorable animals in Chuck Groenink’s beautiful illustrations give The Friend Ship an immediately joyful and upbeat tone that is carried out through the glowing colors, the celebratory welcome each new passenger receives, and the empathy and camaraderie the travelers show Hedgehog when she begins to lose hope. As The Friend Ship sails off into the sunset, readers will happily know that the characters have all found what they were searching for.
The message that children have the power to initiate changes in their life instead of relying on someone else makes The Friend Ship a great book for classroom libraries and home bookshelves.
Ages 4 – 10
Disney-Hyperion, 2016 | ISBN 978-1484707265
Discover more books by Kat Yeh as well as videos and other extras on her website!
You’ll find a gallery of books and illustration work by Chuck Groenink on his website!
Hedgehog Day Activity
Hedgie and Buddy Coloring Page
These two pals have found a new friend! Grab your colored pencils or crayons and give their world some color! You can download the printable Hedgie and Buddy Coloring Page here!
As the cold and snowy weather keeps us inside more and more, what are we to do? Why not create?! Whether you like writing, drawing, cooking, woodworking, gardening, photography, dance, or other pursuits, January is the perfect time to begin a new project. Stock up on supplies, get those ideas going, and create!
Painting Pepette
Written by Linda Ravin Lodding | Illustrated by Claire Fletcher
If you were to peek in the great room window of the grand yellow house at #9 Rue Laffette in Paris, you would most likely see Josette Bobette and her beloved stuffed rabbit Pepette cuddled together on the comfortable seat. It was their favorite place. Looking past them you would see that on the walls hung portraits of the family—Josette’s mother was there as well as grand-mère and grand-père, the three Bobette sisters, and even their schnoodle Frizette.
Image copyright Claire Fletcher, text copyright Linda Ravin Lodding. Courtesy of simonandschuster.com
“One day Josette noticed something strange. There was no portrait of Pepette!” Josette at once determined to find an artist to paint a special portrait of her best friend. The pair head out to Montmartre, where all of the best artists set up their easels to paint and sell their work. It didn’t take long for a man in a striped shirt to stop them.
“‘Those ears!’” he cried. “‘Never have I seen such majestic ears. I must paint this rabbit’s portrait!’” Pepette blushed at such an effusive compliment, and Josette exclaimed, “‘Magnifique!’” It appeared that Josette had found just the artist to create Pepette’s portrait. The painter waved his brush with a flourish, “declared his painting a ‘masterpiece,’” and held it up for inspection. Josette gazed at a Pepette with two noses and three ears. Diplomatically, she proclaimed the picture “‘nice’” but not quite Pepette. Her best friend agreed.
Image copyright Claire Fletcher, text copyright Linda Ravin Lodding. Courtesy of simonandschuster.com
Just then a man with a thin, curved handlebar mustache spied the pair. Admiring Pepette’s whiskers, the artist begged to capture “‘the very essence of her rabbitness!’” He immediately set to work, and in no time a most unusual portrait emerged. Pepette seemed to melt from atop a tall red wall. Josette considered it—and her reaction—carefully. “‘It’s imaginative,’” she said. “‘But you’ve painted Pepette quite, well, droopy.’” Pepette agreed.
As Josette and Pepette enjoyed a Parisian snack on the curb of Montmartre, a rakish young man happened along. He was arrested by Pepette’s nose, which he likened to “‘a faint star twinkling in a misty, velvet night.’” Josette had a good feeling about this artist and followed him across the square to his easel. Pepette posed on a red tufted stool as the artist painted a rabbit soaring through the clouds. He proclaimed the finished portrait “‘one of my best works’” as he displayed it to the crowd. Josette liked the clouds but told the painter that Pepette is afraid of heights and not fond of flying. Pepette agreed.
Image copyright Claire Fletcher, text copyright Linda Ravin Lodding. Courtesy of simonandschuster.com
By now Pepette was the most sought-after model in Paris, and another artist rushed up, captivated by her beauty. The balding man in a dapper suit and round spectacles peered at Pepette. “‘What a colorful lady—balloon blue, pansy pink, and radish red!’” Although a little suspicious of his vision, Josette allowed him to paint Pepette. “‘Ta da!’” the man exclaimed, revealing the magic of his brush. Josette studied the canvas with its vibrant dots, dashes, and splashes. While she admired the colors, she reminded the artist that Pepette isn’t pink.
“‘Ah, yes,’” nodded the painter. “‘But through art we can see the world any way we want.’”
With the sun setting low in the sky, Josette politely said thank-you and goodbye to the artists. She and Pepette had enjoyed their day, but it was time to go home. Curled up once more on the window seat, Josette sighed. She had so hoped to have the perfect portrait of Pepette—one that showed her velvety grey listening ears, her heart-shaped nose, and her soft arms that give tight hugs. Suddenly, Josette had an idea! After gathering all of her art supplies, she created the perfect likeness—one as special as Pepette herself!
Image copyright Claire Fletcher, text copyright Linda Ravin Lodding. Courtesy of simonandschuster.com
An author’s note on the last page describes the creative atmosphere of 1920s Paris, home to writers, artists, musicians, and fashion designers, that gives a frame to her story. The artists that Josette meets are inspired by Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Marc Chagall, and Henri Matisse.
In Painting Pepette Linda Ravin Lodding has written a multi-layered story of love, friendship, and unique vision. Through the sweet relationship between Josette and Pepette and with a sprinkling of humorous self-congratulation by the artists, Lodding nudges readers to appreciate that while art can reveal and obscure, reflect or transcend reality, ultimately the success of a piece—complex or simple—lies within the viewer’s heart. Children will also see that their creative endeavors, undertaken with love, are just as meaningful and appreciated as those of professional artists. Lodding’s lyrical language trips off the tongue and is a joy to read—as if readers are following Josette as she skips happily through Paris.
Claire Fletcher’s striking pen-and-ink illustrations pay delicate homage to cityscapes of a bygone Paris. Adorable Josette and her enchanting rabbit are the perfect tour guides through crowded Montmartre and this introduction to art history. Soft tones of yellow, rose, and green illuminate the apartments and cafes of the square, where colorful shoppers and artists mingle. Fletcher’s renderings of Pepette’s various portraits will not only make kids giggle, but entice them to learn more about each artistic style. The final endpapers reveal that the four fine-art portraits now hang in the Muse of Paris, while readers already know that Josette’s perfectly perfect portrait of her well-loved friend has taken its rightful place on the wall in the Bobette’s great room!
Painting Pepette is a beautiful addition to any child’s bookshelf and a lovely way for teachers to initiate a discussion of art history and get kids excited about artists and different art styles.
Ages 4 – 9
little bee books, 2016 | ISBN 978-1499801361
Follow Josette through Paris as she searches for just the right artist to paint a portrait of her best friend Pepette and comes to a surprising discovery in this beautiful Painting Pepette book trailer:
Illustrator Clair Fletcher invites you to find more of her artwork by visiting her online gallery.
Creativity Month Activities
Painting Pepette Reading and Activity Guide
little bee books has created an interactive activity so you can continue to explore Josette’s world and your own artistic talent! Just click here—Painting Pepette Reading and Activity Guide—to start having fun!
Stuck on You Magnets or Picture Hanger
Creativity is meant to be shared! Here’s an easy craft that you can make to give to your friends whether they live close by or far away. These magnets can used by themselves or to hold a picture-hanging wire. Use inside jokes, favorite characters, or shared experiences to make these crafts personal!
For Magnets
Supplies
To get you started, here are two printable Best Friends Templates! Template 1Template 2
Poster board
Large, 1 ½-inch clear glass stones (decorative fillers), available in craft stores
Markers or colored pencils OR find images online to print out
Medium to large flexible magnets, available in craft stores
Super glue
Toothpicks
Scissors
Directions
Place the glass stone on the poster board and trace around it
Draw your design in the circle on the poster board
Cut out the circle
With the toothpick, apply glue around the very edge of the design side of the circle
Attach the circle to the flat side of the stone, let dry
Trim the cardboard circle if needed
Attach the magnet to the back of the cardboard with glue
For Map Picture Holder
Supplies
Use a mapping program to find a map of your town and your friend’s town
Poster board
Large, 1 ½-inch clear glass stones (decorative fillers), available in craft stores
Twine
Super Glue
Toothpicks
Scissors
Heavy duty mounting squares
Directions
Find maps of your and your friend’s towns
Zoom in so the name of your and your friend’s towns are displayed well. You will be using about a 1-inch area around the towns’ names.
Take a screen shot of the maps
Print the maps
Place the glass stone on the map and trace around it
Place the glass stone on the poster board and trace around it
Cut out the circles on the map and poster board
With the toothpick, glue the map to the poster board, let dry
With the toothpick, apply glue around the very edge of the map side of the circle
Attach the circle to the flat side of the glass stone, let dry
Trim the cardboard circle if needed
Repeat with the other map
Attach a length of twine to the back of each glass stone
Attach heavy duty mounting squares to the back of each glass stone
Attach stones to the wall and hang pictures on the twine
International Kite Day originated in India in the state of Gujarat to commemorate the last day of winter and the first day of summer as well as the coming harvest season. The kites represent the spirits of the gods who are awakened from their winter sleep. The people of Gujarat begin making kites months in advance to accommodate the numerous festivals and the millions of people from around the world who attend them.
Kite Day: a Bear and Mole Story
By Will Hillenbrand
Bear sensed a familiar aroma in the air. He pointed his nose toward the sky and took a big whiff. “He smiled and then shouted, ‘Kite day!’” He dashed home and announced the news to Mole, who was digging in his garden. While Mole researched in a stack of books, Bear gathered supplies. While “Bear measured and cut, Mole drew.” Then “they both constructed.”
Image copyright Will Hillenbrand, courtesy of Holiday House
With their beautiful yellow creation in hand, “they raced outside into the meadow.” Mole ran with the string while Bear threw the kite high above him. The breeze picked up the kite and sent it’s rainbow bowtie tail fluttering “Zoom. Zoom. Zoom.” The kite soared higher and higher—into a graying sky. “Then dark, heavy clouds rolled in. Rumble. Rumble. Rumble.”
Image copyright Will Hillenbrand, courtesy of Holiday House
Suddenly, a gust of wind snapped the kite string, and it spun “Away, away, away.” “‘Oh no!” screamed Mole and Bear” as the kite dove downward. The two ran as fast as they could to catch up with it. They came to a stop under a huge tree. Caught in the branches was their kite. “Splat. Splat, Splat. Rain pelted the broken kite.” Then Mole and Bear saw something amazing. “‘Look!’ cried Bear. ‘Oh,’ sighed Mole.” The kite was sheltering a nest of chicks! “‘Chirrup, chirrup, chirrup’” they cheaped. “‘Thank you!’ sang the mother bird.”
Image copyright Will Hillenbrand, courtesy of Holiday House
Will Hillenbrand’s sweet friends Bear and Mole never fail to bring a smile to young reader’s faces as they share both joyful and scary experiences together. Little ones will love the repeated words that invite them to read along, and active verbs—such as snatched, plunged, and pelted—provide lyrical and advanced vocabulary. Kite Day offers gentle suspense and a cheerful resolution that will enchant young readers. Hillenbrand’s adorable, expressive characters, vibrant colors, and lovely pastel backgrounds will fully engage kids during any story time.
Children would love to add Kite Day, along with the Hillenbrand’s three other Bear and Mole Stories, to their home bookshelf.
Ages 3 – 6
Holiday House, 2013 | ISBN 978-0823427581
Discover more about Will Hillenbrand and his books as well as book-related activities and a gallery of illustations on his website!
Fly with this Kite Day book trailer!
International Kite Day Activity
Cool Kite Decorating Page
Part of the fun of making your own kite is decorating it! Use this printable Cool Kite Page to create the perfect flier! Try colored pencils, markers, glitter, tissue paper, stickers, or other decorations to make it uniquely yours!
I must confess that this may be my favorite holiday. There’s nothing better than waking up with a well-steeped cup of tea, writing with a favorite mug brimming with hot tea with honey sitting nearby, enjoying scones with clotted cream and jam and a hot cuppa…well…you get the picture. People have drunk tea since earliest times for its soothing and medicinal properties. Mellower than coffee and available in endless varieties and tastes, hot tea is just the thing for relaxing moments. Today, enjoy your favorite tea or try a new kind!
The Tea Party in the Woods
By Akiko Miyakoshi
Because snow had fallen overnight Kikko’s father was off to her grandmother’s house to shovel the walk. After he left, Kikko noticed that he had forgotten to take the pie her mother had made for Grandma. “‘I can still catch up to him,’” said Kikko. Carefully, carrying the boxed pie, Kikko followed “her father’s tracks in the fresh snow. The woods were very still. And so quiet. Kikko’s footsteps were the only sound.”
Spying a coated figure in the distance, Kikko began to run, but she fell in the deep snow, crushing the pie. Still, she picked up the box and hurried on. She watched as her father entered a strange house. “Has it always been here? Kikko wondered. She couldn’t remember having seen it before.” Kikko crept to the window and peered inside, just as her father took off his hat and coat. But—he wasn’t her father at all!” He was a bear!
A little lamb approaching the house found Kikko looking through the window and asked if she were there for the tea party. Taking Kikko’s hand, the lamb led her into the house. When Kikko saw all of the animals gathered there, she couldn’t believe it. The animals cheered and welcomed Kikko enthusiastically. “‘We’re about to serve the tea,’ said the rabbit. ‘You’re just in time.’” After the animals seated themselves around a long table, a doe stood, thanked everyone for coming, and asked Kikko to introduce herself.
She told then her name and why she was in the forest. The animals thought she was very brave, and Kikko began to feel braver herself. When the animals learned that Kikko’s pie had been ruined, they all contributed a piece of their own pie from the party. “Slice by slice they assembled a new pie on a pretty plate. Each piece had a different filling of seeds and nuts and fruit and other delicious things gathered from the woods.” They found a new box, placed the plate inside, and tied it with a red ribbon.
Kikko was so excited to bring her Grandma this gift that she wanted to leave right away. The animals said they would come too. The woods rang with music, talking, laughing, and singing as the group “paraded to Grandma’s house.” When they reached Grandma’s house, the animals encouraged Kikko to go to the door. Grandma and Kikko’s father were surprised to see her. “‘My dear, did you come all this way on your own?’ asked Grandma, stepping inside.” Kikko could not see the animals anywhere. “‘You’re never alone in the woods,’” Kikko answered, smiling. She was sure her new friends were listening.”
Akiko Miyakoshi’s reassuring story about a little girl venturing out into strange territory on her own for the first time is a delight. The straightforward narrative offers just the right amount of familiarity for young readers to allow them to be fully charmed by the magical elements that provide surprise and suspense. Little ones will be entranced by the warm welcome Kikko receives at the splendid and well-attended tea party. They will also find comfort in realizing that even when travels become hard, they can still discover wondrous things and that friends and help are always available – sometimes where they least expect it.
Miyakoshi’s stunning black-and-white drawings, done in charcoal and pencil, are gorgeous in their portrayal of the woodland animals and their tea party. The long table they crowd around is laden with pies, bowls of fruit, vases of flowers, and of course teapots and teacups. At first Kikko offers the only color on the pages with her red cap and skirt and yellow hair. Later, however, when the animals suggest sharing their pie, the plate dazzles with mouthwatering brilliance, and hints of red and yellow brighten the next page. As the parade marches through the woods, the animals’ red and yellow clothes and musical instruments make a festive party. But as Kikko goes on to her Grandma’s house alone, the color fades from the animals, highlighting her achievement.
Ages 3 – 7
Kids Can Press, 2015 | ISBN 978-177138107
Discover more about Akiko Miyakoshi and a portfolio of her work on her website!
Tea Month Activity
Decorate Your Own Mug
It’s fun to drink tea (or hot chocolate—shhh!) from a mug you’ve designed yourself. Personalized mugs also make fantastic presents for friends and family.
Supplies
Plain ceramic mug
Bakeable markers or paint
Directions
Design and color your mug
Follow directions on the markers or paint to properly bake on your decoration and make it permanent.
celebratepicturebooks.com 