Friendship

September 15 – Make a Hat Day

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About the Holiday

Hats are great for cold days, days when you want to dress up or express a certain fashion statement, or to cover up a bad do or bedhead. Today’s holiday may spur you to learn how to knit a hat or inspire you to invite your friends to a crazy hat-designing party! Make a Hat Day also shares the spotlight with Felt Hat Day, which exhorts people to rediscover an old and cherished fashion accessory.

Hooray for Hat!

By Brian Won

 

Elephant wakes up on the wrong side of the bed. He’s hardly had a chance to fully shake off sleep when the doorbell rings. He clomps down the stairs yelling, “‘Go away! I’m grumpy!’” But there’s no one at the door. Instead Elephant finds a prettily wrapped present on his doorstep. Unwrapping it Elephant finds the grandest hat he’s ever seen. It has everything – A pompom, a star, a feather, a mortar board with a tassel, a crown, a coo-coo clock bird, and even a cup holder! Elephant puts it on. How can he be grumpy with such a hat on his head? He can’t! “‘Hooray for Hat!’” he cheers and goes off to show Zebra.

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Image copyright Brian Won, courtesy of brianwon.com

Elephant finds Zebra sitting alone on a tree stump. She doesn’t even turn around when her friend approaches. “‘Go away! I’m grumpy!’” she states. Elephant removes the top hat from his own new chapeau—a party hat with the pompom—and gently places it on Zebra’s head. Zebra can’t help but smile. “‘Hooray for Hat!’” they both cheer and head out for Turtle’s house.

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Image copyright Brian Won, courtesy of brianwon.com

Oh, but Turtle is so grumpy that they won’t even come out of their shell. Elephant lifts down the cowboy hat with the star and feather from his own towering hat and gives it to his pal. Out pops Turtle who proudly joins the parade. “‘Hooray for Hat!’” they all cheer and march off to show Owl. “But Owl did not want to see them or their hats. “‘Go Away! I’m grumpy!’” she hoots from her tree trunk hole.

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Image copyright Brian Won, courtesy of brianwon.com

But Elephant is as wise as Owl, and thinks the striped mortar board is just the thing to change her mood. “‘Hoo-Hoo-Hooray for Hat!’” Owl says, leading the way to find Lion. But Lion’s frowning face peers out at them from his den, and he shoos the group away with the familiar “‘Go Away! I’m Grumpy!’” Down comes the golden crown from Elephant’s hat and while Lion loves it, he’s more concerned with their friend Giraffe who isn’t feeling well. “‘What can we do?’” Lion asks the group.

They all know exactly what to do. They pack up the very special hat and take it to Giraffe, who is standing with her head hidden in a treetop. “Do Not Disturb” reads the sign hanging on the trunk. But as soon as Giraffe dons that hat, a toothy smile breaks out, and the six best buddies cheer, “‘Hooray for Friends!’”

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Image copyright Brian Won, courtesy of brianwon.com

Brian Won’s joyful celebration of the power of surprise, friendship, and a great hat is a day brightener for anyone, whether they wake up grumpy or feeling fine. His adorable animal friends don’t mind a little grumpiness—they’ve experienced it themselves—but only want to make each other happier. The repeated phrasing throughout the story invites kids to read along, and the absence of pronouns offers open interpretation and inclusiveness. The confetti-colored hats will make kids smile and the tribute to friendship will have them cheering along with this fun picture book.

A cheer-ful book, Hooray for Hat! would make a happy addition to children’s libraries for those days when they need a little more encouragement or inspiration. Kids will want to get together with Elephant, Zebra, Turtle, Owl, Lion, and Giraffe again and again and will no doubt love to create a magnificent hat of their own!

Ages 3 – 7

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishers, 2014 | ISBN 978-0544159037

Visit the world of Brian Won on his website

Hooray for this book trailer!

 Make a Hat Day Activity

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Hats Off to You! Matching Game

 

Can you match the pairs of identical hats? Of course you can!

Supplies

Directions

  1. Print 2 pages of the Hats Off to You! game cards (or more to make the game harder)
  2. Cut the cards apart
  3. Shuffle the cards
  4. Lay the cards face down on a table
  5. By turning one card over at a time, find all the matching pairs

September 10 – Swap Ideas Day

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About the Holiday

Today is a perfect day to get together with people you love, trust, and respect—and even some who challenge your thinking—to discuss matters large and small. Not only might you gain a different perspective on your pals, but you all may come up with the next Great Idea!

The King and the Magician

Written by Jorge Bucay | Illustrated by Gusti

 

In a faraway land there once lived a King who was very powerful. Not only did he love power, he commanded that everyone in his kingdom obey and admire him. Tremblingly, his subjects reassure him every day that he is the most powerful man in the kingdom. One day, however, the King hears a rumor that down in the village lives a Magician who can predict the future. The King fears that this man will become more powerful than he, and he sends his spies to learn more. The spies return and reveal that not only can the Magician tell the future, he is loved and admired by everyone.

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Image copyright Gusti, courtesy of Abbeville Press

The King becomes terribly jealous and plots to do away with his most hated enemy. He devises a plot to trick the Magician. He will host a party, and at the end he will ask the Magician if he can truly predict the future. If the Magician says “No,” he will be exposed as a fraud, and the king will kill him. If the Magician answers “Yes,” the King will ask him to predict the date of the Magician’s death and would then kill him. The King is pleased with his scheme because either way, he will be rid of his rival.

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Image copyright Gusti, courtesy of Abbeville Press

On the night of the party, the King summons the Magician and asks him the fatal question. The Magician is more than just a seer or a sorcerer—he is wise. He looks at the King and states, “the Magician of this kingdom will die the exact same day as his King.”

Now the King is in a terrible quandary. He does not want to risk the possibility that this old man’s prediction is true. He must now protect the Magician in order to save his own life. He quickly concocts a ruse and asks the Magician to stay the night in the castle, saying he wants to consult with him about some royal matters. In fact, he just wants to keep an eye on him.

The Magician agrees. The next morning the King goes to the Magician and asks his advice on some kingly decisions. The Magician offers good suggestions, and the king accepts them. As the months go by, the King continues to rely on the Magician for guidance, and slowly the King learns to be fair and wise. He becomes the respected and admired ruler he always wanted to be.

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The King realizes that not only is the Magician a trusted advisor, he is a loyal and beloved friend. One day, wracked with guilt over his one-time plot to kill the Magician, the King reveals the story. The Magician listens to the King’s secret, and shares one of his own.

On the night of the party, the Magician says, I saw you reach for the hilt of your sword when you questioned me, and I knew your intentions. He then divulges that he made up the prediction of their shared death date to teach the King a lesson—one the King has learned. He says, “It is our lives that have become entwined, not our deaths.”

For many more years the King and the Magician live as friends and confidants. The kingdom grows stronger and the King kinder and more loved by his people. One day the Magician dies. The King is sad, and realizes he is no longer afraid of his own death. The King has learned the Magician’s lesson well, and even though his advisor is gone, he continues to make wise and beneficial decisions.

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Image copyright Gusti, text copyright Jorge Gusti, courtesy of Abbeville Press

Ten years later the King writes a letter to his son and heir. In his letter, the King cautions his son that at sometime in his life he may come across someone or something that “will arouse fear and jealousy in your soul.” He will want to destroy this person or thing to alleviate his fear, his father tells him. Instead, says his father, “open your heart or your home” because “what you thought was your most feared enemy, is really your most powerful friend.”

Jorge Bucay has written a classic tale of wisdom verses power wrapped around a clever trick. The story, full of intrigue and twists, initiates the kind of thought that leads to true enlightenment. The straightforward storytelling, beautifully paced over a lifetime of growth and change, builds suspense while lyrical descriptions create a beautiful flow that depicts both the quandary of the King and the kindness of the Magician.

Gusti’s lavish illustrations, reminiscent of hieroglyphics and Medieval tapestries, are rendered in dark, rich brown, rust, black, olive and blue hues that gorgeously depict the splendor of the King and his castle, but also signal the somber weight in his soul. The regal tone even extends to the gilded text. The King is drawn as an imposing figure, towering over everyone else in his kingdom, but his feet and hands are tiny, lending him a bit of a comical yet vulnerable air. The King’s eyes narrow with cunning as he plots his evil deed but widen in doubt and dispair as the Magician works his special brand of magic.

This lovely book—in both message and art—would be a wonderful addition to any child’s or fable-lover’s library.

Ages 4 – 8

Abbeville Kids, 2014 | ISBN 978-0789212047

While I take some personal days over the next couple of weeks, I am re-blogging some earlier posts with updated interior art, activities, and links, when available.

Swap Ideas Day Activity

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A World of Ideas Word Search

 

Creative ideas are a little like magic – sometimes seeming to come out of thin air – and can make the world a better place! Find the 21 words in this printable A World of Ideas Word Search about what swapping ideas can conjure up! Here’s the Solution!

Picture Book Review

 

September 5 – Cheese Pizza Day and Q&A with Author/Illustrator Claire Lordon

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About the Holiday

Once considered the food of Italy’s poorer classes who could not afford the prices of meat, cheese pizza has risen in stature to become a favorite of all. While perfect all on its own, cheese pizza is also a delicious beginning to any combination of ingredients—well, maybe not all, as the characters in today’s book discover!

Lorenzo the Pizza-Loving Lobster

By Claire Lordon

 

Lorenzo is one adventurous lobster! Not only does he like exploring new places, he loves getting his claws on new foods. One day while at the beach, Lorenzo meets a seagull who has found a tasty slice of pizza to nosh on. “‘What’s that?’” Lorenzo asks, “‘It smells amazing!’” The seagull tells him and invites him to try it. Lorenzo takes a nibble…and then a bigger bite. He loves this pizza thing so much that he eats it all up.

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Image copyright Claire Lordon, courtesy of simonandschuster.com

On his way home to tell his friends about his discovery, Lorenzo runs into Kalena, his turtle friend, and tells her all about the triangular food that is “‘crispy and chewy at the same time; salty, tangy, and full of flavor, too!’” Kalena is intrigued and suggests they try to make one themselves. At Lorenzo’s house they begin gathering the ingredients, but when Kalena asks what was in the pizza Lorenzo can’t remember. Kalena looks in the cupboard and pulls out seaweed cake and kelp paste. “‘Perfect!’” agrees Lorenzo. For the “stringy” part, Kalena suggests eelgrass, which also has the benefit of being extra salty. And the “round things on top”? Sand dollars sound delicious!

So the pair bake up their green concoction, and when the timer rings they dig in only to find that it “‘isn’t quite right.’” Not one to give up, Kalena offers a new set of ingredients: “‘kelp dough, squid ink, algae, and coral rings.’” This pizza isn’t right either—in fact, Kalena says, “‘This tastes icky! And the algae is stuck in my teeth!’” Suddenly, Lorenzo has a brainstorm. He remembers that the pizza was made of “‘sponge patties, jellyfish jelly, seaweed noodles, and seashells.’”

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Image copyright Claire Lordon, courtesy of simonandschuster.com

Listening to that recipe, Kalena isn’t so sure, but they make it anyway. When this creation comes out of the oven, one small nip convinces Kalena that this one is “‘gross.’” Poor Lorenzo—he so badly wanted to make a delicious pizza with his friend. Kalena leaves Lorenzo’s house with the distinct impression that pizza is terrible. But as she heads up the beach toward home, she smells a delicious aroma. Coming closer she spies a “round food,” and buys one.

With one bite, she’s smitten! This round food is “‘so chewy, and salty, and…wait a minute.’” It dawns on Kalena that this might be the very pizza Lorenzo was talking about. There’s just one thing—why is it a circle? Even though Kalena wants to devour the whole thing, she thinks about how sad Lorenzo was and hurries back to his house with the steaming box. Sure enough, Lorenzo is moping about the afternoon’s debacle.

“‘Hey Lorenzo, look what I found!’” Kalena calls. “‘Holy anchovy!’” Lorenzo exclaims when he tastes it, “‘This is exactly like the pizza I had earlier, but this time it’s big and round!’” They are so excited to dig into their treat, but they carefully study the pizza’s ingredients before eating it all up. One pizza just isn’t enough, so Lorenzo and Kalena make another…and another…and another—and share them with all their friends at a huge pizza party.

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Image copyright Claire Lordon, courtesy of simonandschuster.com

Who knew pizza and the ocean had so much in common—the same salty tang, the same appealing aromas, the same recognizable shapes? Claire Lordon, that’s who! In her funny culinary adventure, Lordon captures the enthusiasm children have to share and replicate a new discovery  but also presents the moments of disappointment when reality and memory don’t match. Kids will “ewww…ohhh…yuck…and yuck it up at the alternative pizza ingredients Lorenzo and Kalena combine in their attempts at a “normal” pizza. These two friends are sweetly supportive of each other through kelp paste and pepperoni and know how to share life’s ups and downs.

Lordon’s adorable sea creatures populate very vivid underwater and beach environments that will be as vibrantly familiar to kids as their own homes and playgrounds with an oceanic twist. Images of the alternate ingredients are clever adaptations of the elements of a normal pizza as Lorenzo remembers the shapes but not the names of the fixings.

Lorenzo, the Pizza-Loving Lobster is a delicious ingredient to add to any child’s bookshelf, and kids will no doubt want to build their own pizzas just like Lorenzo—a crustacean who really knows his crust!

Ages 3 – 8

little bee books, 2016 | ISBN 978-1499802283

Learn more about Claire Lordon and her work on her website!

Cheese Pizza Day Activity

CPB - Pizza Day Toppings

Create Your Pizza Game

 

Play this fun game to build your pizza ingredient by ingredient before the others! For 2 – 8 players.

Supplies

Directions

Q & A with Claire Lordon

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Today I’m thrilled to feature a fun interview with the delightful Claire Lordon in which she discusses her influences, her work, and one special “Rhodie” who turned out to be a very lucky lobster!

What were some of the books you enjoyed most as a child and why?

I had many favorite books growing up!  One of my favorites was The Biggest Pumpkin Ever by Steven Kroll. I think I liked this book so much because it had a competition in it and it was also about Halloween (two things I love!). I also enjoyed The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear; Corduroy; Tops and Bottoms; Madeline; Curious George; Clifford the Big Red Dog; the Dr. Seuss books; and SO many more.

Lorenzo the Pizza-Loving Lobster is your debut picture book. What influenced you to write it?

Many people have asked me how I got my inspiration for this unique idea – a pizza-loving lobster! The answer is a bit silly and has a story behind it.

It started when I was back in college and my boyfriend and I were at a gift shop that sells Rhode Island merchandise (we went to school in Rhode Island).  My boyfriend noticed a cute lobster stuffed animal and said how much he liked it because it reminded him of a pet crawfish he had growing up.

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When his birthday came around I decided to give him the stuffed animal lobster that he had admired months earlier.  We chose the name “Rhodie” for the lobster stuffed animal because his backstory is that he is from Rhode Island.  Somehow, one day when we were eating pizza we decided that Rhodie was Italian and loved pizza. It became a joke and I thought how ridiculous it was that a lobster loved pizza!

I thought this would make a great character in a children’s book.  After many revisions and many sketches later Lorenzo, the Pizza-Loving Lobster is now an actual book!

What have you found to be the best part of writing and illustrating a picture book?

The best part, at least recently, has been having others contact me about my book. It could be a simple tweet showing it on the shelves in California or an e-mail saying how much a grandchild loves ‘Lorenzo’. It makes me so happy to know that others love my work too!

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Your slogan is “Made with a Smile.” Can you talk about your philosophy and what influences your illustration work?

I strive to create art that makes me, and others, happy. My hope is that my art brings the viewer joy and even make them laugh. The influences for my work include traveling, being in nature, and reading many children’s books. I like to have my work be bold and fun.

Can you describe your work space a little?

My studio space is in my apartment in Brooklyn. It consists of a computer, a Cintiq monitor, and a desk for drawing and painting. I also have a giant printer and a scanner.

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Do you have any other books on the horizon?

At the moment I am ‘shopping’ around a book about a penguin named Bento who is apprehensive about school picture day. I also have two more manuscripts that I’m storyboarding.

Since Celebrate Picture Books is a holiday-themed blog, I can’t let you get away without asking you a few holiday-related questions.

What is your favorite holiday? 

My favorite holiday by far is Halloween. I love that it’s during the fall, with all the changing colors of leaves. My favorite parts are dressing up as a fun character as well as decorating and carving pumpkins. I also like to celebrate small holidays that I discover, such as grilled cheese sandwich day!

Do you have an anecdote from any holiday you’d like to share?

Growing up I never had a store-bought Halloween costume. I would design my own costume and my mom and I would go to the fabric store to see how we could create the design. Then my mom would work her magic and sew a unique costume for me. I’ve been a candy corn, a Beanie Baby, a fairy, and more!

Has a holiday ever influenced your work?

One of my new manuscripts I’m storyboarding now is about Christmas. My family always had a great collection of Christmas books when I was growing up, and I hope this one can make it into the collection someday!

Thanks, Claire! I wish you all the best with Lorenzo, the Pizza-Loving Lobster and your future books!

RhodieReading

You can find Lorenzo, the Pizza-Loving Lobster at:

little bee books | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

August 29 – Get Ready for Kindergarten Month

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About the Holiday

Children of kindergarten age are looking forward to starting school like “the big kids,” and teachers all over the country are preparing to welcome their new students on the first day. All the desks or tables have the same supplies laid out, the same chairs pushed in, and the same promise of learning. Are all the kids the same? Yes…and no. Yes: They are all about the same age, wonder what the future holds, and want to make friends. No: they all come with different personalities, different histories, and different talents and abilities. And it is these differences that give each child their unique perspective on the world and will determine their unique contribution to it. Today celebrate each child’s distinct skills and gifts.

Be Quiet, Marina!

Written by Kirsten DeBear | Illustrated by Laura Dwight

 

Marina and Moira are four years old and in the same class at school. Marina was born with cerebral palsy; Moira has Down’s Syndrome. They like many of the same things. Both girls like to dance, play ball, dress up, and play with dolls. But when it comes to noises or rushing around, Marina and Moira are different. Marina likes loud noises. She often screams and shouts, and when she and Moira play together, Marina likes to tell Moira what to do.

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Photography by Laura Dwight, courtesy of starbrightbooks.org

Moira, on the other hand, likes to sit quietly, and she can often be found taking a break in her cubby. She also likes to play alone with the little people figures. While both girls like to take walks outside, Moira stays with the teachers and the other students while Marina runs ahead. One of Moira and Marina’s favorite activities is when the teachers swing the kids in a big blanket. Then each student has to wait their turn. Moira can wait patiently, but for Marina waiting is hard; she gets angry and screams or cries. When Moira hears Marina scream, she feels scared. She covers her ears and leaves the room.

While Moira and Marina like to build towers and castles with blocks together, they have different feelings about cleaning up afterward. Marina doesn’t want to help and shows it by yelling. Moira runs from the room with her hands over her ears. “One day on the playground Moira was on the see-saw. Marina wanted to get on too, but she couldn’t…So she started to scream. She screamed so loudly that Moira covered her ears and walked away. Now Marina could get on the see-saw, but it was no fun alone.”

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Photography by Laura Dwight, courtesy of starbrightbooks.org

Another day Marina started to get upset while the girls were playing with the telephone. This time Moira didn’t run away. Instead she looked at Marina and said, “Please don’t scream!” Marina listened. She became quiet and the two continued to play together. Later in the week when Marina asked Moira to play, Moira told her she would, but only if Marina didn’t scream. Marina said, “Okay, I won’t.”

The two girls came to an understanding. Instead of being afraid of Marina, Moira now knows she is trying to be friends, and Marina realizes that if she wants Moira to play with her, she can’t scream. And they both know that if they need help they can ask their teachers. Now Marina and Moira are best friends, which means they can have fun playing dolls and building with blocks, dancing and dressing up and even going up and down on the see-saw. And when Marina screams, “‘It’s fun!’” Moira makes a little noise herself and shouts “Be Quiet, Marina!”

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Photography by Laura Dwight, courtesy of starbrightbooks.org

With simple, straightforward language, Kirsten DeBear reveals the story of how two little girls with what might be considered opposing personalities overcame their differences to become friends. While drawn to each other, these differently abled girls had trouble playing together. Through perseverance and communication, however, they came to understand each other. DeBear brings honesty and humor to this true story that applies to all children who need to accommodate other’s preferences while staying true to themselves when playing or working in a group. The happy resolution shows that there is room for all in our friendships and our hearts.

Laura Dwight’s black and white photos take a storyteller’s approach to chronicling the evolving friendship between Marina and Moira as they participated in schoolroom activities. The smiling girls are shown dancing, dressing in fancy hats, playing with dolls and a ball, building with blocks, and doing other fun things together. The photographs also depict moments of friction between the girls when Maura becomes upset and screams and Moira covers her ears and runs away. At the end of the book Dwight’s lens captures the experiences that led to better understanding between the two girls and their strengthening friendship.

Readers may recognize themselves as a “Maura” who likes loud noise and exploring on her own ahead of the group, or a “Moira” who prefers quiet and staying close to the group. Through the story of these two very smart little girls, all kids may learn to understand and appreciate themselves and alternate viewpoints.

Ages 4 – 7

Star Bright Books, 2014 | ISBN 978-1595726650

Visit Star Bright Books for a vast array of inclusive titles for children that embrace diverse ethnicities and abilities, promote literacy, and are widely available in 24 languages.

View a gallery of photography work by Laura Dwight on her website!

Get Ready for Kindergarten Month Activity

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Threads of Friendship Photograph Holder

 

In the same way that thread holds clothes, blankets, and other material goods together, friendship holds people together. Make this easy Threads of Friendship Photograph Holder to keep pictures of your friends close by!

Supplies

  • Wooden Spool of twine, available at craft stores and some discount retailers
  • Thin-gauge wire, no heavier than 18 gauge
  • Small gauge nail
  • Hammer
  • Needle-nose pliers
  • Pencil
  • Photographs

Directions

To make the photograph holders:

  1. Holding one end of a wire with the needle-nose pliers, wrap it around the pencil four or five times
  2. Remove the wire from the pencil
  3. Squeeze the coils of wire together with the needle-nose pliers
  4. Cut the wires to different lengths so the pictures stand at various heights

To make the stand:

  1. Make two or three holes in the center of the wooden spool of twine with the nail and hammer, holes should be about ½-inch deep to steady wire.
  2. Place the coiled wires in the holes
  3. Put photos in the coils

Note:

Even young children can help hammer the nail, place the wire in the holes, and choose photographs. Adults should coil the wire, cut the wire, and help with hammering.

Picture Book Review

August 25 – Kiss and Make Up Day

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About the Holiday

Even the best friends and closest relatives get into spats once in a while. The important thing is trying to see the issue from the other person’s point of view and finding a way to patch things up. Today’s holiday is all about saying “I’m sorry” or explaining the situation that started the argument in the first place. On the other side, it’s all about listening and accepting the apology.

Best Frints in the Whole Universe

By Antoinette Portis

 

Yelfrid and Omek live on the planet Boborp. They have been best frints since they were little blobbies. Staying frints on Boborp can be hard because “teef are long and tempers are short.” Which makes Boborp a little different than Earth, right? Hmmm… But just like here on Earth having frints is a good thing. And as “Yelfred and Omek know, best frints are the best frints of all.”

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Image copyright Antoinette Portis, courtesy of us.macmillan.com

Yelfred and Omek do everything together, like eating streeeetchy noodles for yunch and playing eye ball in the peedle pit. The peedle pit is full of dangerous spikes and sometimes the eye ball gets stuck in the middle of the pit. “‘Bad frow! You go get it!’” Yelfred says. To which Olmek answers “‘Bad kratch! You go get it!’” This can go on for hours—even until nighttime when Boborp’s two moons rise in the sky.

Of course there are blurfdays on Boborp and frints share their blurfday presents. Like if one frint got a spossip they’d let their best frint fly it, right? Hmmm…. But the spossip owner might say “‘No! You’ll schmackle it to bits’” while the other counters, “‘I’m the best driver on Boborp! Let me have a turp!’” But sometimes frints can’t take “No” for an answer, and they borrow the spossip anyway, and sure enough the spossip might get schmackled.

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Image copyright Antoinette Portis, courtesy of us.macmillan.com

That’s when the teef can come out easier than the words, and things get a bit messy. One frint might even lose their tail, and the words, when they do come out, may not be so polite: “‘YOU SMACKLED BY SPOSSIP, you double-dirt bleebo!’” Frintship can be pretty hard under those circumstances. But real frints find a way to make up. Tails can grow back (even better than before), and spossips can be fixed with a spewdriver, glume, a sturpler, twire, and lots of taypo.

And on planet Boburp, frintships can grow back too—just like on plant Earth!

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Image copyright Antoinette Portis, courtesy of us.macmillan.com

What kid won’t love hearing and saying the words “blobbies,” “yunch,” “peedle pit,” “spossip,” and all the others?! Antoinette Portis’s tribute to the diversities and commonalities of friendship will have kids rolling with laughter. Portis’s made-up vocabulary promotes literacy while introducing the concept of foreign language learning. Portraying arguments and positive resolutions shows kids that while differences occur even between the best friends, mutual cooperation and loyalty wins out.

The boldly colored alien landscape of BoBurp with its oddly familiar toys, celebrations, games, food, and other objects will captures kids’ imaginations, and all the spikey mountains, plants, noodles, and peedle pits give physical form to the theme that sometimes friendship is fraught with danger, but relationships can be smoothed out.

Ages 3 – 7

Roaring Brook Press, 2016 | ISBN 978-1626721364

Follow the little bunny on Antoinette Portis‘s website to discover more of her books!

Kiss and Make Up Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-cute-kids-drawing-template

Otherworldly Friends Template

 

Imagine you and your friends lived on another planet. What would you look like there? What would you be called? Use this printable Otherworldly Friends Template to create this otherworldly world!

Picture Book Review

August 6 – Sandcastle Day

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About the Holiday

While pinning down the official date of Sandcastle Day is as hard as holding back the tide, any sunny summer day is perfect for going to the beach and letting your artistic abilities take over! These days sandcastles are so much more than creations made with a few buckets full of wet sand and a few shells. Elaborate sculptures of every imaginable subject and character soar into the blue sky—some up to 50 feet! So whether you celebrate today, August 19, or any other day, every day is perfect for this distinctive art form!

The Critter Club: Liz and the Sand-Castle Contest

Written by Callie Barkley | Illustrated by Marsha Riti

 

In a summertime adventure for one of the girls in the Critter Club, Liz Jenkins, her brother Stewart, and their parents take a long weekend vacation at the beach. Liz is excited about visiting a new place, but knows that she’ll miss her friends, Ellie, Amy, and Marion.

With the car packed with beach supplies, sports equipment and food, the Jenkins family heads for Luna Beach. Next to Liz in the seat compartment are her drawing supplies. Both she and Stewart can’t wait to get out on the water to surf, boogie board, and swim. And of course, Liz is looking forward to building a sand castle. As the car travels down the highway, Liz imagines the castle she might build and remembers all the photos of past sand castles she’s built.

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Image copyright Marsha Riti, courtesy of Little Simon

As soon as the Jenkins family settles into the cottage they have rented, they walk to the beach, ready for a fun weekend. Suddenly, a boy whizzes past Liz on his bike, almost hitting her. He pedals on, but looks back and Liz thinks she sees him smirk. The afternoon at the beach goes quickly. On the way back to the cottage, Liz spies a sign advertising a sand castle building contest. Thrilled, Liz and Stewart go to the lifeguard station to sign up. Liz is about to give the lifeguard her name when a boy rudely interrupts, demanding to sign up for the contest. It’s the same boy Liz encountered earlier.

It seems the one open spot will have to be given to either Liz or Tommy based on a toss of a coin, but just then the lifeguard receives a call from a contestant who is dropping out. The next morning Liz assembles her sand-castle-building tools and is shown to her square on the beach by the lifeguard. In the square next to her is Tommy. Liz says “Hi” and tries to engage him in conversation, but Tommy remains silent and sullen.

Liz decides to build a replica of The Critter Club barn, complete with animals, for her entry. She’s happy with the way her castle is turning out, but is amazed to see that the walls of Tommy’s castle look like real stone. “‘Wow!’” she says “‘That looks awesome!’” Tommy mumbles a “thanks” and returns to trying to build a sand horse. When the horse collapses, Liz offers to help Tommy build it again. He rejects her suggestion, and pointing to her barn says, “‘You call that a castle?’… ‘It looks like a plain old barn to me.’” Liz tries to turn the insult into a teachable moment and tells Tommy about the Critter Club and rescuing animals, but Tommy gets angry and throws his bucket. A gust of wind carries it into Liz’s square, where it lands on her sculpture of Rufus, crushing it.

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Image copyright Marsha Riti, courtesy of Little Simon

When Tommy gives her a half-hearted “sorry,” she almost says “‘That’s okay,’” but she doesn’t, choosing instead to walk to the ocean’s edge for a break. There she finds a baby octopus floating in the shallow water. When she tries to move it into deeper water, the octopus doesn’t swim away, and Liz knows something is wrong. She puts it in her bucket with water, and when Tommy joins her and asks about the creature, Liz explains.

Liz is now on a mission to save the baby octopus. Forgetting the sand castle contest for the day, she calls Dr. Purvis, the veterinarian, for help. Following Dr. Purvis’s instructions to keep the baby octopus safe in a container until it can regain its strength, Liz watches over her rescue animal carefully. Another run-in with Tommy later that evening at the miniature golf course, only serves to increase their conflict.

The next morning, Liz returns to the beach, and while her parents take care of the octopus, heads to her sand castle. When she reaches her square, she’s devastated to discover that it was destroyed overnight. Tommy is staring at her with a strange look on his face. Liz tries to stay calm, but remembering all the times he was mean to her and the accidental incident at the golf course, she demands, “‘Did you do this? Hitting you with the golf ball was an accident. You did this on purpose!”

Before Tommy can respond, the lifeguard appears and tells Liz that her castle was blown down by big winds during the night. Her castle was, unfortunately, the only one not protected by the seawall. Suddenly, Tommy blurts out a suggestion. He asks Liz if she would like to help him finish his castle. He even gives her a “real, warm smile.” Liz jumps at the chance and helps Tommy build animals for his castle while he lets her add a replica of the Critter Club barn.

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Image copyright Marsha Riti, courtesy of Little Simon

While the judges check out all the entries, Tommy finally explains his attitude. “‘Every summer I enter this contest. And I’ve never won. Not even close! I really wanted to win, finally—all on my own.’” Liz understands and tells him it was nice of him to let her help. Tommy admits that he could never have made the animals by himself without learning her trick.

Finally the ribbons are handed out. Third place goes to a skyscraper, second place to a replica of a Sphynx, and third place to a castle complete with working drawbridge. Tommy and Liz shrug and smile. But wait…one more prize is being awarded. An honorable mention award goes to…Liz and Tommy! They cheer and jump up and down.

One more exciting moment awaits. After the contest Liz carries her bucket down to the water’s edge. As soon as Liz places the bucket in the ocean, the octopus propels itself into the open sea and swims away. With the promise of a sand castle rematch next year, Liz and Tommy part as friends.

Enjoyed by early independent readers and any child who likes a longer story, Callie Barkley’s Critter Club books offer excitement, adventure, and purpose. Liz and the Sand Castle Contest sets up a commonly experienced conflict between children (and adults). Exposing honest emotions, this story reveals that there is often more to a situation than meets the eye and that good communication between people is important. The facts about the baby octopus rescue are organically introduced and incorporated into the plot, and the ongoing friendship between Liz, Marion, Amy, and Ellie makes a comfortable and reaffirming beginning to the story.

Marsha Riti’s grayscale illustrations beautifully bridge the gap between picture books and longer chapter books for the series’ young readers. Allowing readers to see the facial expressions of the characters, to view details of perhaps unfamiliar settings, and to develop relationships with Liz, her family, her friends, and those she meets increases understanding and enhances the reading experience. The baby octopus is adorable as it floats in Liz’s bucket and pool and will have kids cheering as it swims safely away in the end.

The Critter Club: Liz and the Sand-Castle Contest and the rest of the books in the series will find their way into readers’ hearts and are a great addition to early independent readers’ bookshelves.

Ages 5 – 9

Little Simon, Simon & Schuster, 2015 | ISBN 978-1481424059

To see a gallery of art and more books by Marsha Riti, visit her website!

Sandcastle Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-octopus-dot-to-dot

Dig This Beachy Dot-to-Dot

 

Enjoy this printable Beachy Dot-to-Dot Page! Follow the dots to discover the hidden picture and have fun coloring it in!

Picture Book Review

July 30 – International Day of Friendship

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About the Holiday

First established in 2011 by the United Nations General Assembly, the International Day of Friendship asserts the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures, and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. The UN resolution places particular emphasis on involving young people in community activities that include different cultures and promote respect for individual diversity. On this day UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urges everyone, especially young people who will be our future leaders, “to resolve to cherish and cultivate as many warm relationships as possible, enriching our own lives and enhancing the future.”

The day is celebrated with special initiatives, events, and activities that promote dialogue, education, understanding, and cooperation.

Hector and Hummingbird

By Nicholas John Frith

 

Deep in the mountains of Peru Hector and Hummingbird have forged an unbreakable friendship. “Mostly.” Hummingbird has lots of energy and loves to hover around his best bear pal. Which is ok, except sometimes Hector would just like a little quiet time, and Hummingbird won’t stop talking: “Hey, Hector! Is that a custard apple? I love custard apples! I’m going to eat this one! Oh, no! I’m going to eat that one! Shall I eat your one! Hector? Hec-torrr!” Sometimes a simple alone-time scratch would be just perfect, but Hummingbird copies him on a tree nearby: “Hey, Hector! Are you scratching? I’m going to scratch too!…” And nap time? Forget it! Hummingbird always keeps Hector awake with some story. It’s enough to make Hector cross with Hummingbird!

One day Hector can’t take it anymore—“‘Arrgh!!’” he roars. “‘Leave me alone!’”—and he takes off into the forest to find some peace. Hector’s outburst comes as a surprise to Hummingbird. He needs to find out what’s wrong, so he follows Hector into the woods, his constant hum filling the air. “‘Stop following me!’” Hector says. And Hummingbird complies—mostly. From behind leaves and tree trunks Hummingbird spies on his friend.

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Image copyright Nicholas John Frith, courtesy of zoetucker.co.uk

As Hector delves deeper and deeper into the woods, he feels an unfamiliar excitement and also a bit of trepidation. Perhaps he’s just hungry, Hector thinks. He picks a custard apple to quell the gnawing in his stomach. The fruit tastes delicious, but Hector also feels funny eating alone. He imagines how much Hummingbird would enjoy the apple too.

The scratchiest tree Hector has ever seen beckons to him, and he settles in for a nice, quiet scratch. But again he experiences that twinge of loneliness. As the forest becomes dark, Hector finds a branch to snooze on. The night air is full of strange noises, and Hector is a little scared. “‘I wish Hummingbird were here,’” sniffs Hector. “‘He could tell me a story.’”

That’s all Hummingbird needs to hear. “A story? Yay! You should have said! I love telling stories! Once upon a time…” This time Hector doesn’t roar or run away. He exclaims, “‘Hummingbird! You’re here! I missed you!’” Hummingbird admits that he missed Hector too, and that he was there all the time. “Here all along?” says a surprised Hector. “I thought I told you not to follow me!”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-hector-and-hummingbird-interior-art-best-friends

Image copyright Nicholas John Frith, courtesy of zoetucker.co.uk

“But why?” Hummingbird asks. This time Hector doesn’t keep his thoughts inside. “‘Because you never stop talking!’” he answers. “‘And you’re always copying me!” Hummingbird has ready reasons. He’s only being friendly, he explains. And he loves Hector’s ideas. “‘Oh,’” says Hector. “‘Really?’” Then Hector has a brain storm. He asks Hummingbird if he can copy his being really, really quiet. “Absolutely!” Hummingbird says. And he does—in his Hummingbird sort of way, which sounds like this: “Hey, Hector? This is fun, isn’t it? We’re being really, really quiet, aren’t we? I love being quiet, don’t you? Hector? Hec-torrr?”

Nicholas John Frith humorously exposes the niggling burrs of true friendship with his endearing and inspired pairing of a quiet bear and an energetic hummingbird. While best friends love to spend time together, have lots in common, and share a history, they also share moments of frustration, misunderstanding, and vexation. Through Hector and Hummingbird, Frith reveals what happens when communication breaks down and resentments build up. Readers will see that true friendship consists of both honest dialogue and accepting people for who they are.

Frith’s jungle environment, rendered in a palate of vintage aqua, pink, green, brown, and black on a white background gives the story a fresh, bold appeal while highlighting the emotional responses of the characters to maximum effect. As day turns to night, Hector—having gone off in a huff—realizes that he misses his friend and moreover misses the very things that annoyed him about Hummingbird. His expressions of sadness and loneliness, delight at seeing Hummingbird again, and then confusion as to why Hummingbird is there in the first place can lead kids into an understanding that even the best of friends have differences.

Hector and Hummingbird offers kids both amusing and teachable moments with two funny, charming characters to escort them on the journey. An animated storyteller will have kids asking for this book again and again. It’s a great addition to the family library.

Ages 4 – 8

Arthur A. Levine Books, Scholastic, 2015 | ISBN 978-0545857017

Have fun perusing Nicholas John Frith’s online portfolio of illustrations, projects, and products!

International Day of Friendship Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-friendship-coloring-page

Best Friends Coloring Pages

 

Friends like to play together and color together! Here are two printable pages for you to have fun with. Why not text a friend and color them together?

Coloring Page 1

Coloring Page 2