June 6 – It’s National Vacation Rental Month

About the Holiday

A great vacation starts with a great place to stay! Whether you like a cabin by the lake, a cottage by the shore, a tent or camper in the woods, an airbnb, or that good-ol’ staple the hotel, getting away from home is an adventure in itself. National Vacation Rental Month takes place in July because this is the month when most people go on vacation. If you haven’t planned a get-away yet, there’s still time to find just the right accommodation for maximum enjoyment! You might even look into staying in a sandcastle – especially if it’s as luxurious as the one in today’s story!

Sandcastle

By Einat Tsarfati

A girl finds an empty spot near the water’s edge and begins to build a sandcastle. This is no ordinary sandcastle, though. It’s “a real castle with domes and turrets and a crocodile moat. And large windows with an ocean view.” Indeed, it is a spectacular castle, representing all the world’s architecture and decorated with seashells. Winding staircases lead to outside viewing spots, and its sculptural features are astounding. The girl stands on tippy-toe on a tall tower to place a pebble just on the tip of a taller tower.

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Inside, chandeliers hang in the great hall and above the double staircase on either side. The girl pauses during construction for a moment to gaze out of the five-paned bay window at the rolling sea. But she is not alone. A king peaks out of a doorway, watching her. It didn’t take long for more kings and queens from across the globe to discover the girl’s castle and come to visit, bringing along their children and pets and plenty of luggage.

They took in their surroundings, marveling at the girl’s craftsmanship. “‘It’s one hundred percent sand,’ murmured a king with a curly mustache. ‘And you can hear the ocean!’ added a queen with a fancy pearl necklace.” From the great hall they fanned out into the castle to enjoy its many rooms—the music room and the aquarium room; the camping room, complete with trees and a tent; the ice-skating rink and the carousel; the natural history room and the archaeology room with its brontosaurus skeleton. There was a library and a room with many safes for the royal jewelry. Visitors could play tennis, dance, and spend time feeding the swan in the pond room. Of course, there were bedrooms, and bathroom, and dining rooms galore.

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The first night there was a “grand party in the ballroom. Dollops of ice cream were served all night long. It was awesome.” But in the morning the kings and queens saw things quite differently. The almond strudel, the pizza, the soups, the sandwiches, and all the cakes were full of sand. The next day, the Triathlon of Knights Tournament of badminton, cards, and Twister was “completely ruined. ‘Aargh! There is sand in my suit of armor!’ sobbed the bravest knight in the kingdom.” It was so bad that he couldn’t even pick up a playing card from the stack. Royal toes grew itchy. Royal treasure chests became welded shut. And one elderly queen thought it was “even worse than a single pea underneath [her] mattress.

They all came to the girl to bitterly complain. There wasn’t much the girl could do. After all, the castle was made of sand. She decided to make a sand ball and then another and another until there were enough for a huge sand ball fight. Then, suddenly, the castle sprung a leak, and the kings and queens, their kids, and their luggage floated away on furniture, towers, and pedestals. Everything was washed away, so the girl “built a sandcastle.”

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Einat Tsarfati’s Sandcastle is a feast for the eyes, loaded with humor, marvels, and whimsy on every page. From the crowded beach to the luxurious interior of the sandcastle, kids will have a blast scouring the detailed drawings for their favorite feature. As the royal visitors’ initial awe dissolves into whiny complaining, Tsarfati’s droll storytelling will elicit plenty of laughs (and maybe even a bit of recognition). The girl’s clever solution to her guests’ dissatisfaction may surprise readers, but with a turn of the page, Tsarfati promises to begin the imaginative journey all over again.

Highly recommended for funny and immersive story times, Sandcastle wows with ingenuity that will inspire kids’ imaginations. Sure to be an often-asked-for favorite on home, school, or public library bookshelves.

Ages 4 – 7

Candlewick, 2020 | ISBN 978-1536211436

Discover more about Einat Tsarfati, her books, and her art on her website.

National Vacation Rental Month Activity

Family Vacation Fun! Maze

This family is really looking forward to their vacation in the woods. Can you help them find their way to their cabin in this printable maze?

Family Vacation Fun! Maze | Family Vacation Fun! Maze Solution

**You can find Sandcastle at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

June 23 – It’s National Homeownership Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Owning a home is a major goal for many people, and while home ownership provides security for individuals and families, it’s also good for cities and towns, offering stability, economic benefits, and community cohesion. To that end, today’s holiday was established as a week-long observance in 1995 by then-President Bill Clinton as a way to increase homeownership by helping people negotiate the sometimes confusing elements of finding and purchasing a home. In 2002, President George Bush extended the holiday to a full month. A home is so much more than just a building, and each person has their own idea about what makes a home—or a neighborhood—perfect. Sometimes you can’t really put your finger on it—it’s just a feeling. Today’s sweet book shows how one community welcomed its newest member.

Thanks to Tundra Books for sending me a copy of Mr. Mole Moves In for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Mr. Mole Moves In

By Lesley-Anne Green

Mr. Mole was new to Juniper Hollow and couldn’t wait to meet his neighbors. “Now, Juniper Hollow doesn’t get too many new residents, so when they do, boy oh boy, do these critters get excited!” In fact, Raccoon had been playing close to Mr. Mole’s house, just waiting for him to come outside. When he did, Raccoon ran over, introduced himself, and stuck out his paw. Mr. Mole was happy to meet Raccoon, but instead of shaking Raccoon’s hand, he grabbed a branch from the bush next to him and gave “it a good shake.” Although a bit confused, Raccoon took it in stride and figured that’s just how things were done in Mole Town.

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While Raccoon was relating this story to the Rabbit family, Mr. Mole ran into a fence post and apologized to it. Rabbit was impressed with Mr. Mole’s manners and hurried after him to introduce herself and her bunnies. They caught up with him at the general store, where he was talking to Giraffe. “‘What a beautiful baby!’ Mr. Mole said, looking sweetly at the watermelon Giraffe was holding.” When Mr. Mole went inside the store, Giraffe and Rabbit discussed what had happened. They decided that watermelons must be very prized in Mole Town. Inside the store, Cat and Chicken were talking about Mr. Mole too.

Mr. Mole stocked up on cans of worms and approached the counter, where Rabbit introduced herself and her bunnies. He was so thrilled to meet them that he immediately reached for a jar on the counter. “‘Bear, I will also take three of these candies for the little ones,’” Mr. Mole said as he handed them around. The bunnies looked at the erasers in their paws and decided to keep them for later.

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Watching all of this, Cat and Chicken decided that they would plan some kind of special event to welcome their wonderful new neighbor to Juniper Hollow. Everyone wanted to help. The next day they all went to visit Mr. Mole, and called out that they wanted to welcome him to town. A little nervously, Mr. Mole went out onto his front porch. All the critters had made him a welcome basket of all his favorite things.

Then “the littlest bunny hopped over to Mr. Mole and handed him her extra pair of glasses.” Mr. Mole was surprised and thanked her profusely. He had lost his glassed while moving, he told them, and couldn’t “‘see a THING without them.’” After the get-together, Mr. Mole took his basket inside and found—along with a handknit sweater and a pie—branches, erasers, and watermelon. Hmmm… he thought. “‘I guess that’s just how they do things in Juniper Hollow.’”

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Lesley-Anne Green’s story of friendship and acceptance charms with humor, clever misunderstandings, neighborliness, and one particularly sweet and empathetic bunny. Green’s enchanting storytelling immerses readers in the world of Juniper Hollow, a gentle, easy-going community that welcomes readers with the same warmth it extends to Mr. Mole. Kids will be especially pleased to see that the littlest bunny understands Mr. Mole’s plight and knows just how to help. Green’s adorable needle-felted critters, decked out in dapper outfits, shine with personality, conveying the critters’ confusion as well as their enthusiasm to embrace their newest resident and desire to make him feel at home. Her handmade backgrounds will also captivate readers with their rustic appeal, and readers will want to spend some time in the General Store exploring its well-stocked shelves.

The second book in Lesley-Anne Green’s Juniper Hollow series, Mr. Mole Moves In is a story with depth and charm and inspiring illustrations that will be asked for again and again. The book is a top choice for home, school, and public library bookshelves. You’ll also want to check out Fox and Raccoon, the first Juniper Hollow book.

Ages 3 – 7

Tundra, 2021 | ISBN 978-1101918029

You can connect with Lesley-Anne Green on Instagram.

You can watch Lesley-Anne Green talk about her work and create an adorable critter on Tundra Illustrator Studio.

National Homeownership Month Activity

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Pop Up Houses Play Set

You can own your own home with this printable Pop Up Play Set thanks to Education.com. It has a house for you and one for a friend! Give your houses some color, plant the trees and move in! Print on heavy paper to make the figures sturdier.

Pop Up Houses Play Set

**You can find Mr. Mole Moves In at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

June 18 – Clean Your Aquarium Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Today’s holiday is pretty straightforward as was instituted to remind those who keep aquariums to give them a good, thorough cleaning at least once a year. A clean tank is a healthy tank for your fish and aquarium plants. If you don’t have an aquarium but love their beauty and calming influence, today can be a spark to learn more about responsible aquarium ownership and maybe even head out to your local pet store for a tank or a bowl.

Too Crowded

By Lena Podesta

Seeing a new pair of eyes looking in on him, Gil does what any well-mannered goldfish would do: gives the onlooker a tour of his home. He shows off the plant he fits neatly within. Next to the plant is his castle, and under his castle are his pebbles. “I clean them every day,” he explains. “All 138 of them. All by myself.” The viewer may notice that Gil looks a little less enthusiastic than he did just the page before. He quickly comes to the end of his tour with a “BONK!” into the glass. He sums up his house as “small, round, cramped [and] TOO CROWDED!”

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Gil – as any reader can see from the next page – is a go-getter, and having climbed out of his bowl, he’s going to get a new “house that is not too crowded.” He’s well equipped for the search with his suitcase, his shoes, and his injured nose covered with a band aid. First, Gil strolls up to Bird’s nest. He finds it roomy – plenty big enough for him and the three eggs already there. One by one, though, the eggs hatch and the nest is filled with song all day long. Gil considers this house “TOO LOUD!”

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Next, Gil comes upon a quiet high rise. It’s got three stories. It’s fuzzy. Cat lives there. Gil thinks maybe Cat’s house is too quiet… and “TOO DANGEROUS!” Soon, Gil runs into Turtle, who’s house seems just…. But, wait! Turtle has an urgent question for Gil. “‘Hey, aren’t you a fish?'” he inquires. Gil answers in the affirmative, but doesn’t see what that’s got to do with anything. Until… Turtle gives him the bad news. Then, with a “GAG,” a “GASP!,” and a “GLUB” Gil flops to the ground.

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Turtle calls for help and a little girl comes running. She scoops him up and runs toward home, where Gil’s bowl awaits. With a splash, Gil revives. He swims around his same old cramped house… but what’s this? Turtle is coming to stay! Now Gil is excited to show off his – I mean their – plant, castle, pebbles… perfect home.

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Witty, quirky, and completely charming, Lena Podesta introduces kids to a small-scale hero that will steal their hearts. Podesta’s short, snappy dialogue imbues Gil with an endearing personality that makes his impossible journey outside the bowl completely plausible until Turtle breaks the spell in a moment of hilarious horror that kids are going to want to relive again and again. Gil’s rescue offers pitch-perfect satisfaction as readers are treated to a two-page spread Gil’s b inside the little girl’s house and the juxtaposition of Bird’s nest, Cat’s climber, and Turtle’s garden. As Gil is restored to his house, Podesta ingeniously adds more layers to her story with a small illustration of Turtle watching at the window and an invigorating change of pronoun from “my” to “our.” Suddenly, this tale of a rebellious goldfish is transformed into a story of friendship and the contentment that sharing brings.

With a whole lot of humor and a tiny fin full of pathos to make the laughs all the sweeter, Podesta has created an intrepid cutie who’s unabashedly self-assured as he steps out into the world, his tail fins stuffed into sturdy shoes. She depicts Gil’s delayed “last gasp” with slapstick precision and captures the little girl’s mad dash back inside with perfectly cupped hands and steely resolve. Kids will also enjoy following the fate of the souvenirs Gil collects along the way. The playful antics of Gil and Turtle together in the bowl are a sweet ending to this unique story.

Too Crowded would make a splash with any child and is highly recommended for summer reading and for all home, school, and public library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2021 | ISBN 978-1728222387

To learn more about Lena Podesta, her books, and her art, visit her website.

Clean Your Aquarium Day Activity

Fish Bowl Coloring Pages

Here’s one fish bowl to fill with your favorite fish – real or imaginary – and one to color!

Fish Bowl with Fish | Fish Bowl to Fill

**You can find Two Crowded at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

June 14 – International Bath Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Today’s holiday encompasses so much more than keeping clean. Sure, a soaking in a tub of warm water is necessary and relaxing, but did you know that a bath is responsible for a mathematical and a linguistic discovery? The story goes that on June 14th in the year 287 BCE, Greek mathematician, scientist, and scholar Archimedes, noticed that when he stepped into the bathtub, the water rose. He realized then that by submerging an object in water, he could accurately find its volume by measuring the amount of water displaced. Unable to contain his excitement over this discovery, Archimedes leaped out of the bathtub and ran naked through the streets of Syracuse, Greece yelling “Eureka, Eureka!” Thus, both a scientific principle and a new word were born! To celebrate today, take some time for yourself and indulge in a nice long soak!

Naughty Ninja Takes a Bath

Written by Todd Tarpley | Illustrated by Vin Vogel

Naughty Ninja had been training in the jungle when his rumbling stomach told him it was time to go home. As he stepped in the door, he announced that he needed food. But Naughty Ninja aka Will “was covered with river mud, smelly leaves, and beetle dung. Flies buzzed around him.” His mom and dad told him he needed to take a bath before he had his “ninja nuggets.”

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Image copyright Vin Vogel, 2019, text copyright Todd Tarpley. Courtesy of Two Lions.

Will’s dad filled the tub and calmly reminded him not to say “‘Ninja to the rescue’” because whenever he did bad things happened. But Naughty didn’t hear. He was focused on the flies that were now swarming around his dad. He recognized them as “wild, poisonous flies from the jungle.” His dad saw the gleam in his eyes and begged him not to say those dreaded words.

But they were already leaving Naughty Ninja’s mouth, and his foot was already coming up to kick those flies. Unfortunately, he kicked his dad instead. Dad fell backward into the tub of water. Naughty Ninja was sure a fierce alligator had dragged his dad into the tub. Calling out his signature phrase, Naughty Ninja leaped into the air and rescued his dad. Of course, he also caused a tidal wave of water to fill the bathroom. He was sure his dad was okay now, but Dad said he was ‘not better.’ Naughty Ninja thought about this. “It could only mean one thing…invading samurai warriors!” In on smooth move, Naughty Ninja picked up the bubble bath, soared into the air, and poured it into the tub. In a moment, clouds of bubbles filled the room. Naughty Ninja yelled for his dad to run.

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Image copyright Vin Vogel, 2019, text copyright Todd Tarpley. Courtesy of Two Lions.

As water and bubbles, bath toys and toothbrushes flowed out of the bathroom, Naughty Ninja bounded across the bathroom and out the door. Ninja Dad gave chase with an armload of towels. But Dad slipped and slid on a towel across the room and back again. “Naughty Ninja thought that looked like fun.” He grabbed a towel and slid loop-de-loops around the floor, walls, and ceiling. By this time even Ninja Dad was having fun.

They came to a halt in front of Mom, who wanted to know what they were doing. “Naughty Ninja and Dad stopped and slowly pointed at each other.” Mom didn’t care who started it or how it had happened. She was just thrilled with how clean the house looked. Dad smiled at Will. It was just another successful Ninja rescue.

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Image copyright Vin Vogel, 2019, text copyright Todd Tarpley. Courtesy of Two Lions.

Todd Tarpley’s madcap ninja adventure will thrill kids who play hard and have active imaginations. His funny description of Naughty Ninja’s dire need for a bath segues naturally into the slapstick comedy to come. Ninja Dad’s wary warning ramps up the suspense, and readers will be eagerly anticipating Naughty Ninja’s catch phrase to see what “bad things” happen. Tarpley’s disconnect between Naughty Ninja’s thought process and his dad’s desires to get him in the tub create moments that will have appreciative kids laughing out loud. As Dad embraces the slip-sliding fun and Mom thanks them for cleaning the house, readers will be happy to adventure with this Ninja Family again and again.

Vin Vogel’s humorous, action-packed illustrations depict all the fun of Naughty Ninja’s imagination with clever details and a deft eye for scenes that make kids giggle. Flailing arms, heroic leaps, and air-born kicks are all part of Naughty Ninja’s repertoire, and his ninja outfit (which includes a black hoodie with the size tag sticking out and one untied sneaker) is inspired. Readers will enjoy pointing out the flies, bath toys, and bath accessories that become unwitting stars of Naughty Ninja’s daring rescue.

Sure to be a favorite of Ninja-loving kids and fun-loving adults, Naughty Ninja Takes a Bath would be an often-asked-for addition to home, school, and public library collections.

Ages 3 – 7

Two Lions, 2019 | ISBN 978-1542094337

Discover more about Todd Tarpley and his books on his website.

To learn more about Vin Vogel, his books, and his art, visit his website.

International Bath Day Activity

Recycled Bathtub Catapult Battleship

If your kiddo isn’t interested in taking a bath like Otis P. Oliver then you should give this craft a try! Blast the bubbles away as you sail your battleship in the tub.

Supplies

Applesauce or yogurt cup
Skewer
Plastic spoon
Popsicle stick
10-15 pennies
Rubber band
Hot glue gun
Scissors
Paper
Crayons (are best since they are waterproof)
Tape

These supplies are just suggestions. Play around with different recycled materials and see what works!

Directions

To Make the Mast

Cut the bottom of the popsicle stick off so the end is flat
Take the cut-off part of the popsicle stick and hot glue the flat side to the popsicle stick, one inch down from the top. This will help hold the rubber band in place
Hot glue the popsicle stick to the center of your yogurt or applesauce cup.

To Make the Catapult

Cut off the pointy ends of skewer
Hot glue the handle of the plastic spoon to the skewer
Hold the catapult at an angle and hot glue the skewer next to the popsicle stick

To Make the Flag

On paper draw a triangle and color in.
Cut out triangle and tape to popsicle stick as a flag

To Finish

Place pennies in front of popsicle stick to balance it out for floating (mine needed 12 pennies to keep it from tipping over backwards)
Attach rubber band around popsicle stick and skewer
Float in bathtub and attack those bubbles!

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**You can find Naughty Ninja Takes a Bath at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

June 13 – National Weed Your Garden Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

So, you’ve planted your seeds and seedlings and they’ve started coming up, but so is something else. Suddenly, it’s a race for ground space, water, and nutrition between the veggies, fruit, or flowers and a fast-moving intruder. How do you slow down the intruder or keep it at bay? That’s where today’s holiday comes in. National Weed Your Garden Day encourages people to set aside some time each day to weeding their gardens and give their crops the best environment to grow in.

Dandy

Written by Ame Dyckman | Illustrated by Charles Santoso

When Daddy Lion looked out the window and saw the little yellow flower of a dandelion nodding to him “on his perfect lawn. He ran for his clippers….” But when he got out there, his adorable daughter, Sweetie, was already there watering her “flower.” “‘Her name is Charlotte. She’s my best friend,’” the tyke said, gazing up at her daddy with her big, bright eyes.