Bacon has been around since ancient times. In early French it was known as Bako, in German as Bakko, and in Teutonic as Backe. In Middle English it was called Bacoun, but all these words simply meant “back,” as in the back meat of pigs. Preserved and flavored, bacon is a favorite the world over and has seen an explosion of uses in the past few years, from enhancing cupcakes, apple pie, and chocolate chip cookies to spicing up peanut butter sandwiches, lasagna, and French toast. There’s nothing like waking up to the sizzling aroma of bacon, and today’s holiday gives you the okay to indulge!
Everyone Loves Bacon
Written by Kelly Dipucchio | Illustrated by Eric Wight
From Egg to Waffle to Pancake, there was no one who didn’t love Bacon—even Bacon himself. Well…maybe French Toast was an exception, but he “doesn’t like anyone.” Bacon loved all the attention the other foods gave him. Jalapeño wanted to sit next to him, and Garlic thought he smelled so good! He made the fruit and vegetables laugh with his “charming stories and funny jokes,” and, boy, could he play the ukulele!
Image copyright Eric Wight, courtesy of us.macmillan.com
Ham, sausage link, and sausage patty were jealous, “but Bacon didn’t care about them. Not one bit.” After all, “He was becoming a real celebrity. His picture appeared on t-shirts. And billboards. And buses.” Bacon was so enthralled with himself that he began to forget his friends. Sometimes he even “pretended not to know some of his old friends.” Bacon had fans, and that was enough for him.
Bacon began to live the high life of sports cars, designer clothes, and the latest fads. He was even the star of the breakfast pastry parade. “Indeed Bacon was the toast of the town. Until….” Well…we did warn you that “everyone loves Bacon.”
Image copyright Eric Wight, courtesy of us.macmillan.com
Kelly Dipucchio’s witty cautionary tale about a piece of bacon that gets too big for his broiler sizzles with snappy sentences and the perils of celebrity. She chooses words and experiences that are recognizable to any child navigating the world of school, siblings, and friends, and with sly winks to popular culture shows that mistaking fans for friends ends badly and that there is always someone “bigger” than you.
Image copyright Eric Wight, courtesy of us.macmillan.com
Even if readers don’t like the taste of bacon, they won’t be able to resist Eric Wight’s adorable slice who becomes the star of a 1950s-era diner. From the first page where Bacon admires himself in the back of a spoon, kids will giggle as Bacon takes pictures with equally cute Hotdog, Chicken Leg, Pickle, Garlic, and Jalapeño, leads a citrus parade complete with paper cocktail umbrellas, and plays the ukulele for swooning tater tots, French fries, and curly fries. But as the other foods grow sad and disgruntled with Bacon’s attitude—even brandishing fancy toothpicks—kids will understand and empathize with these forgotten friends. When Bacon meets his fate on the last page, readers are sure to fork over a howl of surprise.
Ages 3 – 6
Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2015 | ISBN 978-0374300524
To learn more about Kelly Dipucchio and her books, visit her website!
Bacon Day Activity
Amazin’ Bacon Maze
There’s some tasty bacon sizzling in the center of this frying pan-shaped maze. Can you find your way through this printable Amazin’ Bacon Maze to eat it up? Here’s the Solution!
After all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it’s nice to just take a relaxing outing with the family. What better place to go than the zoo, aquarium, or other animal park? Don’t let the cooler (or cold) weather deter you! The meandering paths, opportunities to learn about the world’s creatures, and chance to get some fresh air all add up to the perfect way to spend the day!
There’s a Giraffe in My Soup
By Ross Burach
It seems that in such a fine establishment ordering the Special of the Day—Sonia’s Tomato Soup—would be easy, but for one little boy it is anything but. “Excuse me, waiter?” The boy politely summons the red-tuxedoed attendant, who is polishing crystal to a diamond sheen. “There’s a giraffe in my soup!” Offended, the waiter pokes his verrrry long nose in the air and says, “That simply cannot be.” But when he comes nose to teeth with said errant ingredient, he speeds off with the giraffe on his tray through the kitchen door.
Image copyright Ross Burach, courtesy of rossburach.com
Ah, a new bowl of soup is delivered post haste! But as soon as the bowl is set on the table, a little frog pokes its bulging eyes over the rim. Only it’s not a frog, but an alligator with its chompers ready to reverse the dining experience. It’s even seasoning the poor boy with pepper! Once again the waiter comes to the rescue.
Before the waiter even lifts the cover from the next bowl of soup, a suspicious blue trunk emerges. The elephant flails in the small bowl of soup as the boy yells for help. “Save her! Save her! Please hurry!” Before the elephant drowns, the waiter is on the scene. The next bowl fares no better. “Yak! Yak! Yak!” the boy shouts. “Yuck? Yuck? Yuck?” the waiter thinks, insulted by the young food critic. But no, indeed a hairy, horned yak has invaded the soup.
Image copyright Ross Burach, courtesy of rossburach.com
Bowl after bowl is delivered and bowl after bowl the boy encounters a walrus (that balances the chair and the boy on his nose), an ostrich (with its head in the soup), a koala bear (shhh…it’s sleeping), a snake (burp…it swallowed the boy!), and a whale (well…you can imagine). The bruised and sweating waiter slumps on the table with his last offering. “Here, huff at last. Your soup, huff roaring with flavor.” “Lying? Lying? Lying?” the waiter hears from the boy’s chair. He has had enough and loses his cool. “Sure, I made a minor gaffe with the giraffe. Maybe I overlooked a whale. But when it comes to taste, I am a professional. Do not dare accuse me of…LION!! Why didn’t you say something!”
Trying to tame the lion with his platter and a fork, the waiter runs for the kitchen. He returns bandaged and on crutches to reveal to the boy that there has been a mix up. It seems the zoo was sent the restaurant’s food and the restaurant was sent the zoo’s animals. The little boy is magnanimous and ready to let bygones be bygones. “Let’s skip the soup. Maybe dessert?” The waiter agrees.
He wheels out the dessert cart to present “one mousse…with a cherry on top!” And while the whipped cream and sprinkles look appetizing, the hooves and antlers? Not so much. “Never mind!” says the boy. “I’m eating somewhere else!” He quickly hops on his Big Wheel tricycle to follow the parade of animals on their way back to the zoo.
Image copyright Ross Burach, courtesy of rossburach.com
Just as it’s impossible not to laugh at the perennial favorite restaurant joke—“Waiter, there’s a fly in my soup!” / “What’s a fly doing in your soup?” / “The backstroke”—There’s a Giraffe in My Soup creates giggles on every page. Ross Burach creates a great comedy team in the little boy who only wants a bowl of soup and the snooty waiter who aims to please. Their dialogue crackles with puns, misunderstandings, and witty banter. Mixed in to the recipe are the creatures—some clueless, some dangerous, and some just out of their element—that act as the catalyst for the animated facial expressions and frenetic action that propel the story. Vivid colors, a variety of typography, and some of the cutest zoo animals ever complete the entertaining effect.
There’s a Giraffe in My Soup is sure to be asked for again and again and would be a very welcome addition to any child’s library.
Ages 4 – 8
HarperCollins, 2016 | ISBN 978-0062360144
Learn more about Ross Burach and view his illustrations on his website!
Reader! There’s a book trailer in this blog post!
Visit the Zoo Day Activity
In the Soup! Animal Card Game
Play this fun and easy game to fill your bowl with a variety of animals!
The Thursday before December 25 has been designated as National Regifting Day, owing to the number of office and other parties that hold gift exchanges. There is a certain art to regifting that requires special attention. Always remember to only regift quality, unopened or new items, be mindful of the person you are giving to, and do not return a present to its original giver! If you’re participating in today’s holiday, be creative and have fun!
Esther’s Hanukkah Disaster
Written by Jane Sutton | Illustrated by Andy Rowland
While enjoying a breakfast of Gorilla Flakes and bananas, Esther viewed her calendar. Time had crept up on her, and she realized with a shock that Hanukkah was only one day away and she hadn’t bought her friends any presents. She hurried out to the Jungle Store and hit the clothing department. There she found a pair of striped and a pair of argyle socks for her friend Sarah. “Then she spotted a bright red turtleneck. ‘I’ll surprise my friend Zack with this,’ she decided.”
Image copyright Andrew Rowland, courtesy of Andrew Rowland
In the sports department Esther spied a jogging suit. It was even on sale—“marked down from $13.00 to only $12.99.” Esther quickly put it in her cart for her friend Josephine. She also discovered a make-your-own jungle gym that would be perfect for Hal, and it wouldn’t even take that long to build. “Just 10 minutes…or 10 days at the most!” the directions on the box said. “In the book department, Esther picked up a paperback called 100 Jokes About Elephants.” The jokes were so funny that she bought it for her pal Oscar. Back home, Esther wrapped her gifts.
The next night “Esther placed two candles in her menorah. She lit the shamash candle and said the special blessing. Then she lit the candle for the first night of Hanukkah and said the other two blessings. She remembered the story of the Maccabees and the little jug of oil that lasted eight days.” Soon it was time for her to deliver her presents.
She was happy to stop first at Sarah’s house. Esther was sure she would love the socks she had gotten her. But when the little monkey opened her gift she burst out laughing and said, “‘These socks are big enough for an elephant!’” but added that the gifts were not the most important part of Hanukkah. Sarah’s gift for Esther was Gorilla-Vanilla perfume, which was the perfect thing to make Esther smell nice.
Image copyright Andrew Rowland, courtesy of Andrew Rowland
Next, Esther headed over to Zack’s house. When the zebra unwrapped the red sweater Esther had chosen for him, he frowned. “‘I never, ever wear red clothing,’” he said, citing “‘that terrible riddle.’” When Zack related the riddle, ending with “an embarrassed zebra,” Esther laughed and agreed that red was probably not the best clothing choice. Zebra’s gift to Esther was membership in the Coconut of the Month Club—a perfect, yummy gift. Esther was beginning to feel bad about the gifts she was giving
At Josephine’s house Esther learned that the jogging suit she had picked for her turtle friend missed the mark, while the princess costume Josephine gave her fulfilled her dream of dressing up like a human. A little later when Oscar the Elephant opened the joke book, he gently told Esther that he thought “the book was in very poor taste” and that “there should be a law against elephant jokes.” Poor “Esther wasn’t laughing anymore. In fact she felt more like crying. ‘I’m sorry I hurt your feelings,’ she said.” She felt even worse when she opened Oscar’s thoughtful cookbook 1001 Ways to Serve Bananas.
With one gift left to deliver, Esther was sure there would be something wrong with it too, and when she reached Hal’s house she discovered what that was. “‘Hyenas can’t climb jungle gyms like monkeys can,’” he told her as he handed her two tickets to The Gorilla Theater. As Esther trudged away, she felt miserable, but at home with a cup of tea she had an idea. She sat down and wrote out invitations for all of her friends to join her on the Eighth Night of Hanukkah. “‘Make sure to bring the gift I gave you!’” she added.
Image copyright Andrew Rowland, courtesy of Andrew Rowland
When her friends arrived, they lit the shamash candle, said the blessings, and sat down to a delicious dinner. Afterward, Esther admitted, “‘I know that my gifts to you were a total disaster, but now you can trade!’” She looked at Sarah. “‘The two pairs of socks I bought you would fit an elephant,’ she said. Sarah smiled and handed the socks to Oscar. Hal’s jungle gym turned out to be just right for Sarah. Zack Zebra was thrilled to get Josephine’s jogging suit, and Hal laughed like the hyena he was at 100 Jokes About Elephants. And that red turtleneck was the exact thing for their turtle friend, Josephine.
After her friends left, Esther thought that her gifts had not been so bad. After all, they brought everyone together for a perfect Hanukkah celebration.
Jane Sutton brings humor and meaning to her Hanukkah story that reveals the true nature of the holiday and friendship. With clever gift choices and a sweet plot twist, Sutton’s Esther’s Hanukkah Disaster will have kids giggling and empathizing as Esther’s plans go awry. Her easy-going delivery invites kids along on Esther’s shopping trip and sets up the jokes and final swap in a natural and engaging way. Sutton’s inclusion of Esther’s and her friend’s honest reactions to the gifts encourages discussion of how to choose gifts, how to make up for mistakes, how to graciously accept gifts, and more topics surrounding gift-giving.
Andy Rowland’s purple gorilla Esther is sweetly expressive even as she is a bit oblivious to the needs of her friends and clearly disgruntled when her gifts don’t work out. Kids will love the brightly colored illustrations loaded with details appropriate to Esther’s world, especially the bowls, drawers, and hangers of bananas, banana cookbooks, banana-decorated table cloth and even a banana-shaped teapot in her kitchen. The Jungle Store is a riff on big-box stores with multiple departments where shoppers finding everything from fish for a pelican to a book of Antelope Recipes for a lion to Ele-Wellie boots for an elephant.
Esther’s nighttime neighborhood is likewise beautifully drawn with lush foliage; hanging lanterns; wood, bamboo, and stone homes; and even a waterfall. The window of each friend’s home frames a menorah.
With its humorous take on a common mishap and loveable characters, Esther’s Hanukkah Disaster is a book kids will enjoy no matter what the gift-giving occasion is!
Ages 4 – 7
Kar-Ben Publishing, 2013 | ISBN 978-0761390435
Discover more about Jane Sutton and her books as well as book-related activities on her website!
Become wrapped up in this swinging Esther’s Hanukkah Disaster book trailer!
Regifting Day Activity
Whimsical Gift Tags
Every present needs a tag! With these printable Whimsical Gift Tags you can present your present in style! Just color them and add the names!
Fermented chocolate drinks date back to 1900 BCE and the Aztecs believed cacao seeds were a gift from Quetzalcoatl, their god of wisdom. Who can argue that chocolate is a pretty smart thing? Almost anything is better covered in chocolate, and today’s holiday proves it! Whether you like your chocolate straight up or on the…potato chips, enjoy the day with a little indulgence!
Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate Cake
Written by Michael B. Kaplan | Illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch
Betty Bunny knows she’s a “handful” because her parents often tell her so. Betty Bunny also knew her parents love her, so she figures that “being a handful must be very, very good.” One day when her mom offered her a piece of chocolate cake after dinner, Betty Bunny declined. She didn’t like trying new things, and “announced: ‘I hate chocolate cake. Chocolate cake is yucky.” But then added “‘What’s chocolate cake?’”
Image copyright Stéphane Jorisch, text copyright Michael B. Kaplan. Courtesy of Penguin Books
With her first bite, Betty Bunny was in love. She was so in love, in fact, that she decided that when she grew up she was “going to marry chocolate cake.” Her siblings were supportive—kind of—but her older brother Bill thought “‘you’re going to have really weird-looking kids.’” The next day at school, Betty Bunny had chocolate on the brain. When her teacher went over the A B C’s Betty said, “‘A is for chocolate cake, B is for chocolate cake, C is for chocolate cake.’”
On the playground when Betty Bunny mixed together dirt and water, it looked like chocolate cake, but sure didn’t taste like it. At dinner Betty Bunny was ready for her dessert before her healthy dinner, but her mom said no; and her dad agreed with her mom. Her siblings tried to help—kind of. Henry suggested she eat some peas. Kate told her to eat her carrots, and Bill taunted, “‘Why don’t you have some chocolate cake? That’s what you really want. Oh, no, wait. You can’t. Ha-Ha.’”
Image copyright Stéphane Jorisch, text copyright Michael B. Kaplan. Courtesy of Penguin Books
Betty Bunny exploded. She threw peas at Henry, tossed carrots at Kate, and lobbed mashed potatoes at Bill. Betty Bunny’s mother was not pleased and sent her little daughter to bed without chocolate cake. “Betty Bunny screamed, ‘This family is yucky!’” and stomped up the stairs. Later, her mom came up to kiss her goodnight, and she had a plan. She would put a piece of cake in the fridge and the next day after a good dinner, Betty Bunny could have it. “‘Maybe if you know it’s there waiting for you, it will be easier to be patient,’” her mom said. Betty Bunny thought this was a great idea and “wanted to say something especially nice to her mother. ‘Mommy,’ she said, ‘you are a handful.’”
Image copyright Stéphane Jorisch, text copyright Michael B. Kaplan. Courtesy of Penguin Books
The next morning Betty Bunny couldn’t leave the house without first checking on her piece of cake. It looked so alone sitting on the plate all by itself, so Betty Bunny decided to put it in her pocket and take it to school with her. All day the secret knowledge of what was in her pocket made Betty Bunny happy. At dinner, after she had cleaned her plate, she reached into her pocket for her chocolate cake, but all she found was “a brown, goopy mess” that made her cry.
After her mom explained to her that putting the cake in her pocket was not the same as being patient, she prepared another piece for the next day. In the morning, Betty Bunny remembered her lesson in patience—and that’s why she put the cake…in her sock.
Michael B. Kaplan’s adorable Betty Bunny Loves Chocolate Cake is a delight from its beginning to its smashing ending. He hits all the right notes in this humorous family drama, from the “helpful” siblings to the hair-trigger tantrums to the Ramona Quimby-esque misunderstanding of phrase. Along with the giggle-inducing fun kids learn a bit about patience, and adults discover insight into what goes on in their little bunny’s mind when obsession meets disappointment.
Stéphane Jorisch’s Bunny family is as cute as…well…a bunny. His watercolor, pen and ink, and gouche paintings employ brilliant color and crisp lines to depict the loving relationship among the siblings and parents as well as the realistic home and school environments. The perfectly drawn body language—including folded arms, sly looks, emotional meltdowns, and understanding smiles—will resonate with kids and adults alike. And once the piece of chocolate cake appears, it’s easy to see how little Betty Bunny could become such a fan.
Ages 3 – 7
Puffin Books, 2016 (paperback) | ISBN 978-1101998632
Chocolate Covered Anything Day
Delicious Dot-to-Dot
Everything is better with chocolate—even this printable Delicious Dot-to-Dot! Get your pencils, follow the dots, and then color this delectable page!
Seems particularly specific, doesn’t it? But I have to admit that lemon cupcakes—especially the ones my daughter makes—are my favorite too. Of course, today’s holiday gives you license to enjoy any kind of cupcake you like! Looking for a little cupcake history? Here it is! The first mention of cupcakes was in 1796 in Amelia Simmons’ first American cookbook titled American Cookery. She recommended using small cups to create a small, light cake. The first published mention of “cupcakes” came in 1828 in Seventy-five Receipts for Pastry, Cakes and Sweetmeats by Eliza Leslie. We all know that cupcakes have long been a snack and party favorite and how they have exploded in popularity over the past few years. To celebrate, whip up a batch of your favorite cupcakes!
Peanut Butter & Cupcake
By Terry Border
Peanut Butter bread got a soccer ball for his birthday—there was just one problem. While he could balance the ball on his head, he was pretty bad at kicking it. Besides, it “wasn’t much fun playing with a ball all by himself.” Peanut Butter was new in town and hadn’t made friends yet, so he asked his mom if she’d play with him. But she was busy with the laundry and suggested he go outside and find someone to play with.
Image and text copyright Terry Border, courtesy of Philomel Books
Off Peanut Butter went, and “it wasn’t long before he found a someone.” Peanut Butter enthusiastically went right up to this someone who was walking his Hot Dogs, and gave him a winning appeal. “‘Hello. I’m new here and I’d like to play. / Maybe now, maybe later—or even all day. / I’ll make you chuckle deep down in your belly. / And we’ll go together like Peanut Butter and…Hamburger.’” Hamburger was flattered but too busy with his dogs to play. Peanut Butter thanked him anyway, and kept on walking.
Image and text copyright Terry Border, courtesy of Philomel Books
Soon Peanut Butter noticed Cupcake playing by herself with her pail and shovel in the nonpareil box. “He thought she looked sweet, and might make a good friend.” He launched into his spiel and finished up, “‘And we’ll go together like Peanut Butter and…Cupcake!’” Cupcake had some stern words for Peanut Butter. She was building sprinkle castles, she told him, and if he knocked them down with the ball, she’d be mad. Not wanting to upset Cupcake, Peanut Butter moved on.
Next Peanut Butter met Egg rolling along on his unicycle. He started his rhyme and finished with a flourish, “‘And we’ll go together like Peanut Butter and…Egg!’” Egg thought this was funny. “‘You’re cracking me up!’ Egg laughed. And then he really did crack.” Peanut Butter was afraid to make Egg laugh anymore, so he went on his way.
Image copyright Terry Border, courtesy of Philomel Books
Farther down the path Peanut Butter found Meatball jumping a strand of spaghetti. He got through his welcome only to be shushed by Meatball because he was interrupting his counting. Finding a friend was proving harder than Peanut Butter had thought. He was getting tired and wanted to sit down. Under a tree he found French Fries. After hearing Peanut Butter’s request, however, French Fries begged off, saying that he was late in helping “‘Hamburger with his Hot Dogs’” and now needed to “‘catch up.’”
Image and text copyright Terry Border, courtesy of Philomel Books
Ever persevering Peanut Butter saw Alphabet Soup standing nearby and approached, but before he could even get a word out, Soup dipped in his spoon and came out with “two letters, an ‘N’ and an ‘O.’” Feeling dejected Peanut Butter sat on a bench and thought about giving up. But then he saw a new kid coming his way. “‘Hello,’” the kid said. Peanut Butter brought out his poem one more time. “‘Um…Hello. I’m new here and I’d like to play. Maybe now, maybe later—or even all day. I’ll make you chuckle deep down in your belly. And we’ll go together like Peanut Butter and…Jelly!’”
Jelly thought this sounded great—there was just one thing. While she was good at kicking a ball, she wasn’t good at balancing it on her head. So the two new friends taught each other their special talents and “made each other chuckle deep down in their bellies.” All this laughter attracted the other kids, who came over to play together!
Image copyright Terry Border, courtesy of Philomel Books
Terry Border has mixed the culinary and the cute to create this one-of-a-kind recipe for friendship. Peanut Butter’s endearing self-introduction establishes his sweet personality, and its rhyme scheme ensures that kids will be held in suspense waiting for Peanut Butter to meet Jelly. With visual wit and plenty of puns, Border serves up a unique picture book that offers surprises and laughs on every page. Kids will also empathize with Peanut Butter’s dilemma and cheer when he finally makes a friend.
Border’s vibrant photographic illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to his story. Peanut Butter, slathered on bread and sporting wire arms and legs, is an immediately loveable hero. The other kids he meets, especially hamburger walking his two Hot Dogs and Soup, are inspired characters, and the background props make playful use of kid-favorite items.
Peanut Butter & Cupcake is a wonderful addition to kids’ bookshelves for story time, playtime, or any time a laugh or the inspiration of creative art is needed.
Ages 3 – 7
Philomel Books, 2014 | ISBN 978-0399167737
Discover the very original world of Terry Border on his website!
Lemon Cupcake Day Activity
Cupcake Wrapper Tree
Today’s paper cupcake cups are so pretty that it’s a shame they just get thrown away. Here’s a way to use cupcake liners to make an attractive winter decoration. You can use various sizes of cones to create a multi-tree decoration.
Supplies
Styrofoam or cardboard cone, available from craft stores
Cupcake wrappers with a winter or favorite design
Straight pins (for Styrofoam cones), glue dots, or small clear mounting squares (for either Styrofoam or cardboard cones)
Scissors
Glue
Directions
Cut the bottoms out of the cupcake wrappers
Using the ribbed sides of the cupcake wrappers, start from the bottom of the cone and attach the cup to the cone with the straight pins, glue dots, or mounting squares, putting them along the top rim of the wrapper
You may need to use two or more wrappers to cover the cone. Fill in gaps by overlapping with smaller cuts from the cupcake wrappers
Overlap the first row of cupcake papers a bit with the second row of cupcake papers. Attach at the top rim
Continue moving up the cone, overlapping and attaching cupcake wrappers
At the top, overlap the sides of the wrapper to cover the tip of the cone and make a sharp point. Glue seam together if needed
Attach the top wrapper to the layer below near the bottom of the wrapper
Yummy, warm gingerbread and winter just go together. And one of the best ways to enjoy gingerbread is by making a gingerbread house decorated with icing and candy. Gingerbread houses can be elaborate—like those made by professional bakers for competitions—or simple, but they all have one thing in common—they are so tempting to nibble on! To celebrate today’s holiday, grab the mixing bowl, flour and spices, bag of gumdrops, peppermints, and hard candies and get creative!
Gingerbread Christmas
By Jan Brett
Matti and the Gingerbread Baby are excited about the coming Christmas Festival. Gingerbread Baby even has plans to sing with his Gingerbread Band. There’s just one problem—there is no Gingerbread Band. But then Matti has an idea. As he rushes off to find the cookbook, he tells Gingerbread Baby to start practicing his song. “In no time Matti had mixed the ingredients, rolled out the dough, and popped the Gingerbread into the oven.”
Copyright Jan Brett, 2016, courtesy of G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Even though the recipe specifically says not to open the oven for a full eight minutes, after six minutes Matti can’t wait another second. He opens the oven door ever so slightly to peek, and out pop the musical instruments made of gingerbread. The instruments hop onto the table and begin playing immediately. But Matti knows they need a bit of icing before they’re ready to make an appearance in the village.
Copyright Jan Brett, 2016, courtesy of G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
After they are decorated in their party best, the Gingerbread Baby leads the procession of instruments—“a violin, cello, double bass, French horn, clarinet, and trumpet, tooting and zumming to the beat of the big bass drum”—to the village. The band jumps on stage, tunes up, and begins playing. People hurry from all over tocome and listen; even the woodland animals stop to watch from behind the trees. The villagers can’t help but tap their toes and dance to the band’s sweet music.
Copyright Jan Brett, 2016, courtesy of G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
When the animals join the crowd, the Gingerbread Baby conducts the band in ‘The Wild Animal’s Waltz.’ No one is left on the sidelines as the band plays faster and faster and everyone joins in the dance. Suddenly, young Ann-Sophie calls out, “‘I think those instruments are really cookies. And I so want one!’” Everyone else takes a closer look, and they all so want a cookie too. The Gingerbread Baby notices the hungry looks on the villagers’ faces, and begins singing an entrancing melody. While the people stand listening, the instruments quietly tiptoe offstage.
Matti meets each one and cleverly disguises them—covering them in snowballs and decorating them as snowmen. As soon as all of the instruments are safe, the Gingerbread Baby somersaults off the stage with a playful taunt for the villagers to try to catch him but also teases, “‘you’ll never guess where I’ll be.’” The chase is on. Zigging and zagging the Gingerbread Baby dashes toward the enormous decorated Christmas tree—where he suddenly vanishes.
Copyright Jan Brett, 2016, courtesy of G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Although the villagers search everywhere, they can find neither the band nor the Gingerbread Baby. While Matti waves goodbye and takes off with his sled full of snowmen, the Gingerbread Baby is being as still and quiet as possible, hidden in the boughs of the Christmas tree. Finally, all the villagers give up the game and go home—all except Ann-Sophie, who may or may not hear “a tiny voice singing” in the now silent air.
Jan Brett’s mischievously loveable Gingerbread Baby is back, wanting to participate in the Village Festival. With her signature storytelling that includes danger, mystery, and clever shenanigans surrounding Matti and his special gingerbread creations, Brett creates a holiday adventure that kids will love. Her well-known intricate illustrations, in a rich palette, offer vivid action as the Gingerbread Baby and instruments play onstage while the villagers dance below. Brett’s beautiful details and cozy settings make Gingerbread Christmas a feast for the eyes, and readers will also like to linger over the musical instruments in the margins of each page that reveal more snapshots of the story line. A dazzling fold-out Christmas tree, decorated from top to bottom will occupy and delight kids as they search for where the Gingerbread Baby is hiding.
For winter fun and especially those days when the house fills with the delicious aroma of baking cookies, Gingerbread Christmas is great book to have on hand.
Ages 4 – 7
G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2016 | ISBN 978-0399170713
Discover more about Jan Brett and her books as well find activities, coloring pages, contests, and more on her website!
For almost as long as human kind has recognized time, we have wanted to be able to move back and forth in it, searching for enlightenment, to witness history being made, or to right some mistake (isn’t that a no-no, though?). Still, our fascination with the reality of time and the ability to manipulate it has spawned countless books, movies, television shows, scientific experiments, and dreams. Established in 2007, today’s holiday lets us indulge our fondness for time warps. Hey! If anyone can manage it—could you add a few hours to the day? Thanks!
Tek: The Modern Cave Boy
Written by Patrick McDonnell
There once was a Troglodyte cave boy named Tek. Well…actually, this might have happened yesterday. Tek was a normal cave kid except he never wanted to leave his cave—even when T-rex came by wanting to play. He stayed inside “glued to his phone, his tablet, and his game box.” At night the light of the stars was dwarfed by the “eerie glow” coming from Tek’s cave. His mom was mad at his dad for ever inventing the Internet.
Copyright Patrick McDonnell, 2016, courtesy of Hachette Book Group
“Outside, the real world was evolving, but Tek couldn’t have cared less.” During the ice-age? Tek missed all the winter fun. Dinosaurs? Tek only knew them as “Watchamacallitasaurus,” “Hoozdatasaurus,” and “Idontgiveadactyl.” Time was going by, and even Tek’s best friend Larry, whose brain was “the size of a walnut” knew something had to be done.
Tek’s parents tried everything they knew to pull him away from his gadgets. “‘I need to light a fire under that boy’s butt,’ grumbled Tek’s dad. ‘Except I haven’t invented fire yet.’” They appealed to the higher-ups in the tribe, but Tek paid them no notice. Not even “Dora Duddly and her dinosaurs for a better tomorrow” could talk sense into Tek. But then Big Poppa, the village volcano, had a blast of an idea.
Copyright Patrick McDonnell, 2016, courtesy of Hachette Book Group
“The eruption shot Tek and his phone, tablet, and game box out of his cave and into the sky.” When he crashed down to Earth he was “totally disconnected.” Upon opening his eyes, Tek wondered at the fresh smells, the warm sun, the bugs and flowers, the hairy elephant, and the hairy people. He thought the world was “‘Sweet!’” Tek rushed to find Larry and on the way stopped to kiss his mom and dad. He used some fancy footwork atop a wheel to reach Larry and beeped him on the nose. Larry was thrilled to see him. The two spent all day playing with their friends, and by that night they knew how to “reach for the stars.”
Copyright Patrick McDonnell, 2016, courtesy of Hachette Book Group
On every level Patrick McDonnell’s Tek: The Modern Cave Boy is a delight. If you love wordplay, it starts on page one…no, before that—on the cover—with riffs on technology, kids TV, dinosaurs, and more. If you like time shifting, you’ll relish the prehistoric/modern mashup, and if you’re partial to laugh-out-loud illustration, you’ll want to get an eyeful of little Tek, full beard and all. This is one book that adults and kids will giggle over together even as it humorously pokes fun at our penchant for gadgets. Even the book itself is in on the joke , with a size and shape any tablet user well knows. But the board book-thick covers give way to paper pages, reinforcing the idea of leaving technology behind to enjoy the outside world.
Tek: The Modern Cave Boy will quickly become an often-read favorite for both kids and adults and would make a welcome addition to kids’ bookshelves.
Ages 4 – 9 and up
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2016 | ISBN 978-0316338059
The ability to travel through time would be so cool! If you could suddenly find yourself in a different time period, where would you go? Back to the age of the dinosaurs? To medieval times? To the gold rush? Maybe to a time when pizza is delivered by spaceship! Grab your pencils and have fun coloring these printable Visit another Time Coloring Pages!
celebratepicturebooks.com 