Today’s holiday gives kids an opportunity to get into the kitchen and help prepare meals—or perhaps create the whole meal themselves. By being involved, kids learn about nutrition and healthy eating habits. Planning menus, shopping for ingredients, preparing the food, and presenting it can be a fun family activity and may inspire some kids to be regular participants in the kitchen. Today, invite your child or children to take some time out from their schedule to bake up some terrific treats!
There’s a Lion in my Cornflakes
Written by Michelle Robinson | Illustrated by Jim Field
Who could resist clipping coupons to receive a free lion? Nobody, that’s who! I mean, it would be so cool, right? A lion to take on walks, ride to school, and open tin cans—awesome! So a little boy and his brother Dan take a year’s worth of their allowance, make “a million” trips to the grocery store, and start cutting.
Image copyright Jim Field, courtesy of jimfield.co.uk
But all those boxes of cereal squeeze out the other food on the pantry shelves, so Mom says the boys have to eat cornflakes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner until it’s gone—and, oh yeah, they don’t get an allowance until then either. It’s all worth it, though, because they’re going to get a real live lion.
There’s just one hitch—every other kid in town has the same idea, and while the brothers wait for their lion to arrive, everyone else is out playing with their new pet. Finally, the delivery truck pulls up in front of the house, and out walks…a grizzly bear?! That’s not right, and it’s even delivered to the wrong house. Well, the bear’s not too crazy about the situation either, and shows it. The kids and the bear have to clean up the neighbor’s yard and apologize.
Image copyright Jim Field, courtesy of jimfield.co.uk
A letter of complaint to the cereal company brings resolution in the form of…a crocodile?! The crocodile spends all its time in the bathroom, and the grizzly bear is still causing havoc. Dad calls the cereal company and to make up their mistake they send…a gorilla?! The gorilla stomps on Dad’s car and rips the door off, but the whole crew piles in so Dad can “give those cereal people a piece of my mind.”
The cereal people sure are sorry for the mix-up. They make amends by letting the family keep the grizzly bear, the crocodile, and the gorilla, AND the company gives them…a lifetime’s supply of cornflakes! But really, what good are they? The boys can’t walk them or ride them or even open cans with them.
You know what, though? Mom’s discovered the crocodile has some pretty sharp, can-opening chompers. The grizzly bear can walk forever and even wear a fanny pack. And the gorilla makes a very cool chauffeur. Why bother having a lion when everyone else has one?
But what are those cereal people offering now—a free tiger?! Hmmm….
Image copyright Jim Field, courtesy of jimfield.co.uk
Michelle Robinson has taken the lure of free stuff to its ridiculous best.With comical flair she aptly portrays the consternation on all sides, from the earnest kids to the flummoxed parents, that grounds this story in the recognizable while also providing hilarious suspense. The silly, over-the-top scenario of There’s a Lion in My Cornflakes serves up the benefits of individuality and drawbacks of consumerism that will have kids laughing at every page and escalation of the brothers’ problem.
Jim Field’s bold, vibrant illustrations are the perfect accompaniment to this boisterous tale. The boxes of cornflakes and clipped coupons are piled high, the boys are excited, nonplussed, shocked, and finally accepting as day after day brings new and unexpected results of their actions, and the parents are perfectly perplexed. Kids will love the funny details on every page that highlight the story.
Ages 3 – 7
Bloomsbury Children’s, 2015 | ISBN 978-0802738363
There are books, games, and coloring pages galore onMichelle Robinson‘s website!
Discover the vast array of work by Jim Field on his website!
While I take some personal days over the next couple of weeks, I am re-blogging some earlier posts with updated interior art and links.
There’s a Book Trailer in this Review!
Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day Activity
Spoon Lion Puppet
Spoons are just the thing for eating cereal! But with this craft you can make a ROARingly cute lion puppet!
Supplies
Wooden mixing spoon
Yellow Fleece
Brown felt
Colorful Fleece or felt
Fabric glue
Light brown marker
Dark brown marker
Hot glue gun or super glue
Directions
To make the lion’s face
Draw a nose, mouth, and eyes on the front/bowl of the spoon
To make the mane
Measure the rim of the spoon from one side of the handle to the other
Cut a strip of yellow fleece as long as rim measurement and 4 inches wide
Fold the piece of fleece in half long-ways
Glue the open edges of the fleece together
Along the folded side cut a fringe, leaving the loops intact
To make the ears
Cut round ears from the brown felt.
Assembling the lion
Glue the ears to the back of the spoon
Glue the mane to the back of the spoon
To make the bow
Cut a 3-inch x 1 ½-inch piece of colorful fleece or felt
Cut a long thin strip of fleece or felt
Pinch the bow in the middle and tie with the longer piece of cloth. Trim as necessary
Glue the bow to the handle
To make the tail
Cut three thin 4-inch-long strips of yellow fleece
With fabric glue, glue the tops of the strips together
Braid the strips
At the bottom, glue the strips together, leaving the ends free
Fold the top of the tail and push it into the hole in the handle of the spoon
Instituted in 2007 by the Encouragement Foundation at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, today’s holiday entreats us to cheer on our friends, coworkers, and even those we don’t know as they attempt to reach goals or start new endeavors. A pat on the back, a simple “you can do it!,” or a reassuring “great job!” boosts people’s self-confidence and makes the world a happier place.
Tough Cookie
Written by Kate Louise | Illustrated by Grace Sandford
Although one gingerbread man in the bakery looks like all the others, there is one important difference. Yes, the batter had “eggs and cinnamon and flour and butter and sugar—but wait! The baker forgot to add the ginger!” Without this signature ingredient the gingerbread man just doesn’t feel like a gingerbread man at all. In fact his whole life has been turned upside down. He’s different from his friends, and what’s worse, he can’t be sold. Instead, he lives in the back of the bakery and in his sadness makes all kinds of mischief.
Image copyright Grace Sandford, text copyright Kate Louise, courtesy of Sky Pony Press
The gingerbread man chases the cat, splatters icing on other cookies, and squirts icing on the walls. “‘I need that for my cupcakes!’” the baker yells, but the gingerbread man just laughs. He moves on to the decorative candies, stuffing them in his mouth as fast as he can even though the baker needs them for his other treats and stands by tapping his foot. Next the gingerbread man scatters sprinkles all over the counter and slips and slides along on his belly—“‘woohoo!’” But the baker is not amused. “‘I need those for the donuts!’” he shouts.
Image copyright Grace Sandford, text copyright Kate Louise, courtesy of Sky Pony Press
Finally, the baker has had enough. Not only is the gingerbread man upsetting the other gingerbread men and women, he is ruining the business. The baker orders the gingerbread man to leave the store. But this is one gingerbread man that does not want to run away. “‘I don’t want to leave!’” he cries. The baker relents. He takes the little cookie in hand and teaches him that even though he is missing an ingredient he can still be kind. The baker shows him by being nice he can become one of the group.
Now, the little gingerbread man is happy. Instead of gobbling up all the candy, he helps create the other cookies. He no longer shoots icing on the walls or flings sprinkles around the kitchen. Rather, he helps the baker decorate the cupcakes and the donuts. He’s even learned how to sift flour and roll out dough, and he uses the cookie cutter to make new friends. And he never forgets to add the ginger!
Image copyright Grace Sandford, text copyright Kate Louise, courtesy of Sky Pony Press
In her sweet story, Kate Louise reminds readers that true happiness comes from within and that each person can decide for themselves how to perceive the world around them. While each of us is human, we all have different ingredients that make us unique. We can use those qualities to be kind and make positive changes in the world. Kids will recognize and giggle at the mischief the little gingerbread man makes with icing and sprinkles, but will also realize that friendships are built by using that same energy to help others. Sometimes tough cookies are actually softies at heart.
Grace Sandford’s bakery gleams with the golden hues of fresh-baked bread, the festive colors of sprinkles and icing, and the sparkle of sugar. Kids will love the vibrant pictures of cupcakes; lollypops; stacks of cakes, donuts, and candy; and decorated gingerbread houses surrounded by cookie forests. Her expressive gingerbread men and women register dismay at the wayward gingerbread man’s shenanigans and joy at his kindness. And the hero of the story? When he leaves behind his impish pranks he becomes a charming baker’s companion, sifting clouds of flour, running on the rolling pin to flatten dough, and passing out sugar-shiny gumdrop buttons to his new friends.
Young children will ask for this fun and funny read over and over. Tough Cookie makes an especially delicious accompaniment to an afternoon of baking or decorating gingerbread houses!
View the colorful world and signature style of Grace Sandford’s artwork on her website!
Gobble up this Tough Cookie book Trailer!
National Day of Encouragement Activity
Kindness Cards
Encourage your friends – and even strangers with these printable Kindness Cards! You can hand them to people and tell them how much they mean to you or slip them into a lunch bag, locker, shelf, backpack or other place and let the person discover a secret day brightener!
Q&A with Author Kate Louise & Illustrator Grace Sandford
Today I am happy to include a double Q & A with both author Kate Louise and illustrator Grace Sandford in which they share their inspirations, their other work, and the joys of creating picture books as well as reveal a favorite place for tea and cake and a ghostly pastime!
Meet Kate Louise
What were some of the books you most enjoyed as a child?
I loved Funny Bones and Winnie the Witch! And I was a big fan of Roald Dahl (especially Matlida) – I still am!
What influenced you to write Tough Cookie?
I had the idea at Christmastime. I was measuring ingredients for a batch of gingerbread cookies and wondered what a cookie character without sugar would do because they’d be unable to fulfill their cookie purpose without an important ingredient! I later changed the missing sugar to missing ginger, which is the most important ingredient of all for a gingerbread man.
You write picture books as well as young adult novels. Which came first? What is the biggest challenge in writing each? What is the biggest joy?
When I started writing, I knew I wanted to write young-adult fiction. So that came first. Writing picture books kind of felt like starting over again. It was scary, but exciting, too. And I could learn a lot from both and apply new skills to different projects.
Both have their charms and their tough moments. Writing novels can be really hard going at times when I get the feeling that I’m never going to make it to the end, or if I get myself tangled up somewhere along the way. I don’t get that feeling quite as much with picture books, though I would say they’re harder to write! To tell a story with a much, much smaller word count and to get used to letting the illustrations tell it too.
The biggest joy for me is always seeing the finished work. After putting so much into each project, getting it back as something I can hold in my hands and feel proud of is a great feeling.
Can you describe your writing space a little?
I can answer with a photo! Though, it depends when you catch me and how busy I am. Sometimes it can be piled up with books or notepads or pieces of paper and mugs of tea! My screen desktop (as you can see) can get pretty hectic sometimes too.
Since Tough Cookie is set in a bakery, I’m wondering if you have a favorite bakery and if so what is special about it?
Oh, nice question! My fave place to visit for tea and cake is a little farm shop tea room, where the cake is made by my friend Bethany at Picture Frame Puds and is seriously delicious! It has a lovely vibe and I can take my dog!
What are you working on next?
I’m working on The Pack, which is the sequel to my YA shape-shifter circus novel The Wanderers that came out last year.
Since this is a holiday-themed blog, I can’t let you get away without asking you a few holiday-related questions, so…
What is your favorite holiday?
It would have to be Christmas. But Halloween is a very close second.
Do you have an anecdote from any holiday you’d like to share?
I like to make a big deal about Halloween with movies, decorating, pumpkin carving, and themed baking. We’ve just started going to a pumpkin farm to pick the pumpkins ourselves too. There’s a corn maze and little wheelbarrows and the field stretches on forever. It’s a new tradition and a fun extra activity for us at Halloween.
Meet Grace Sandford
What inspired you to become an illustrator and a picture book illustrator specifically?
Growing up, I loved drawing and creating characters from my imagination. I believe a lot of that stemmed from picture books and animated film and television. I love Disney and Pixar and as a teenager I was fascinated with the concept art from Pixar films. I always knew that I wanted a career in art of some form but it’s hard discovering what jobs are out there when you’re at school! I did some studying in Graphic Design and eventually went to university to study Illustration, which is where I got truly passionate about picture books. I always admired the art of picture books and they have been a huge part of my life but having a reason to dissect them and create your own really made me want to be a children’s illustrator.
What were some of the books and/or artists you liked most as a child?
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, I am a Bunny illustrated by Richard Scarry and when I was 16 I stumbled across Catherine Rayner’s debut Augustus and his Smile. I think that book was a huge influence in wanting to be a children’s book illustrator, both the writing and illustrations are perfect!
Can you describe your process when illustrating a picture book?
It usually begins with the editor sending you the story/text. Then I start to do lots of sketches of the main character, the secondary characters and the environment around them. Pinterest is a godsend during this bit as you can flick through and look at photos of certain animals or buildings for reference to make sure you’re creating characters that will look believable (even if it is a walking, talking gingerbread man!)
Then I create roughs for each spread showing how the pages will look and which parts I have chosen to illustrate. This gives the editor a rough idea of how the final artwork is going to look and this is where most of the edits happen until it’s approved. Once all edits are approved I can create the final artwork which is my favourite part seeing all the hard work come together!
Can you describe your work space a little?
I now have a studio where I live, but when I worked on Tough Cookie I lived in a one bed apartment with my boyfriend straight after university and I had to work on the kitchen table! I’m so glad I have my own room to work in now (and I’m sure my boyfriend is too!)
My work space now involves a desk, my iMac, an A3 scanner, a windowsill with lots of pens and paints (and most importantly plants!) and I have a space that alternates between a lightbox and a graphics tablet. I also have a bad habit of putting all projects I’m working on into separate piles around the room until they are done!
You say in your bio that you like ghost hunting. How did you get involved in that? What is your favorite place to hunt ghosts?
Haha, this is the best question! I love Ghost Hunting although it’s been a while since I’ve been on a walk. It started off when I was a teenager living in a small village in England, being bored with friends and wandering around abandoned churches at night, hunting for things that go bump in the night, and it grew over time into a huge interest. When I went to University in Lincoln, a historical city, I got very interested in the social history of the place. Ghost stories are ultimately another fantastic way of storytelling. There are some very scary but interesting stories about Lincolnshire if you’re ever interested! Fun fact, Tom Hank’s bodyguard tripped over a phantom ghost head rolling down Steep Hill in Lincoln during a Professional Ghost Tour!
What are you working on next?
This year I’ve been working on a four book series based on Minecraft which has been a complete joy to be a part of! It’s been hard work as I knew very little about the franchise before this and knowing how loyal the fans are, I’ve wanted to draw everything right whilst staying faithful to my style! I just finished some more colouring books for a Spanish publisher and I have also been writing a picture book that I have a good feeling about (fingers crossed!)
What is your favorite holiday?
I personally love Christmas just because I get to spend time with my family and chill out but I love Mexico’s Day of the Dead holiday too. It is such a vibrant and beautiful celebration of something that we all sadly experience in life.
Do you have an anecdote from any holiday you’d like to share?
Every Christmas it’s become a tradition to be at home with my family playing Jigsaws, watching films and eating a little bit too much!
Thanks, Kate and Grace, for sharing about your work and your favorite places and pursuits! I wish you all the best with Tough Cookie and your other projects!
September has been designated as National Courtesy Month to remind us that good manners and watching out for others, goes a long way toward making the world a more cooperative and happy place. Sometimes common courtesy is as black and white as directly following the rules…but sometimes…well, I’ll let you decide…
The Black and White Factory
Written by Eric Telchin | Illustrated by Diego Funck
You are one lucky reader! You have won a tour of the Black and White Factory where the employees are hard at work making products like checkerboards, dice, tuxedos…you know the stuff. Even the bosses—a panda and a penguin—are in black and white. Before you start your tour, you’re met by a zebra foreman who goes over the rules of the factory. And they are these:
“No Messes, No Colors, No Surprises Allowed.” When? “Ever.”
As you proceed inside your first stop is the billiard ball machine—8 balls only, of course! It doesn’t take you long to be ushered into the “top-secret Experiment Room,” where innovative products are being developed. You may be the first ever to see “trick dominoes that are impossible to knock over” and new black-and-white-paint in either checkerboard or polka-dot. Another prototype displayed on a wall chart is “never-melting vanilla ice cream.” Also prominently displayed are the factory’s rules: “No Messes, No Colors, No Surprises Allowed. Ever.”
Image copyright Diego Funck, text copyright Eric Telchin, courtesy of simonandschuster.com
Moving on you push the button leading to the Animal Room. Housed here are white Dalmatians, dairy cows, and skunks who are being sprayed with their distinctive black marks. An elevator takes you to the Bar Code Room. While waiting for your car, you are exhorted to remember the rules: “No Messes, No Colors, No Surprises Allowed. Ever.” The Bar Code Room is “the cleanest, most perfect, most black and white room in the whole factory. Every bar code in the world is make right here.” Even the one for the book you’re reading! Turn it over and see!
Image copyright Diego Funck, text copyright Eric Telchin, courtesy of simonandschuster.com
“Wait!” Wait!! Turn the book back! A stripe of yellow has seeped into the factory! “Someone didn’t follow the rules. Someone brought an outside mess into the Black and White Factory.” The bosses need your help! Can you “use your fingers to wipe the color off the bar code?” Oh, no, no, no! That just made it worse—now it’s smudged yellow and orange! “Quick! Do something! Rub the colors with your sleeve. Or your elbow. Something.”
We interrupt this review to remind you of the RULES: “No Messes, No Colors, No Surprises Allowed. Ever.” Right, then, back to our dilemma. Now the colors are dripping! It’s such a mess! Suddenly, the zebra has an idea. He asks you to “hold the book upright and tilt it so the color drips down the bottom of the page.” Okay—phew!—great job!
Oh, no!! More colors are creeping in! “Swirl the book so the colors fly off the page,” the penguin orders. You are one strong swirler—the zebra, penguin, and panda are all topsy-turvy, and now the factory looks like an abstract painting! This definitely is not good. “What a mess! The Black and White Factory is ruined.” But the panda may have an idea. Everyone, “back to the top-secret Experiment Room.” There the panda, zebra, and penguin, splattered in paint, stand in front of the “Air-powered comprehensive cleaning contraption.” They just need your help in getting it started. Can you blow into the nozzle? Harder? Come on, put some oomph into it! All right!
Image copyright Diego Funck, text copyright Eric Telchin, courtesy of simonandschuster.com
The machine’s at 100% power! The machine shakes and whirrs with a color overload. It explodes with a rainbow of colors that covers everything in the factory. The panda, zebra, and penguin stand in the midst of it. “Everything is so…different,” says the panda. “It’s…colorful…,” adds the penguin. “And wonderful!” concludes the zebra. There’s just one problem…The RULES: “No Messes, No Colors, No Surprises Allowed. Ever.” Hmmmm….
How about: “No Messes, No Colors, No Surprises Allowed. ForEver.”
Yes! Much better! So “that concludes the Best. Tour. Ever!” Off you go—just don’t forget the rules: “Messes, Colors, Surprises Allowed. Forever.”
Eric Telchin’s The Black and White Factory will have kids tipping, tilting, swinging, and even reading this fun and funny interactive picture book. Directly addressing the reader, the three staid and rule-abiding managers of a very focused factory, play straight-man to the child’s laugh inducing and unintentional “mistakes” that lead to a brighter future. With the pacing of a favorite theme-park ride, the story has a suspenseful “Oh, no! What’s going to happen?” feeling as readers progress from page to page until the first tinge of yellow precipitates the humorous chaos to come.
Diego Funck’s sly illustrations riff on the black-and-white theme, as he designed a clever product line in line with “the rules.” Kids will want to linger over the pages to catch all the jokes and visual puns. The reactions of the three employees of The Black and White Factory will make readers laugh too as they endeavor to hang on to their beloved rules in the midst of their changing world. The bold colors of the transformed factory are as refreshing as the sun after a dark, rainy day.
The theme that creativity and expression come from making messes and allowing surprises to happen is a welcome idea and one that leads to innovation and personal freedom. The Black and White Factory is sure to be asked for again and again!
Is there anything as delicious as a perfectly ripe peach? Native to China and classified with the almond, the peach is peachy in pies, tarts, fruit salads, and just on its own. To celebrate today pick some peaches from a local farm, farmer’s market, or grocery store and enjoy!
Each Peach Pear Plum
By Janet and Allan Ahlberg
This perennial children’s favorite “I spy” nursery rhyme book is a perfect read any time, but especially during the summer when it can be tucked away in a travel bag or picnic basket and enjoyed on the go. After the first introduction of “Each peach pear plum / I spy Tom Thumb,” in which readers are invited to find Tom who is happily reading high in a peach tree nearly hidden by leaves and fruit, every page offers another double challenge.
Building on the discovery in the preceding page, kids are given a hint as to the current whereabouts of the previous character and are also urged to find another nursery rhyme or literary favorite: “Tom Thumb in the cupboard / I spy Mother Hubbard” followed by “Mother Hubbard down the cellar / I spy Cinderella.” This structure creates anticipation in even the youngest readers as they begin to recognize the pattern and wonder who is coming next.
Copyright Janet and Allan Ahlberg, 1999, courtesy of Viking Books for Young Readers
Besides Tom Thumb, Old Mother Hubbard, and Cinderella, the Three Bears, Baby Bunting, Little Bo-Peep, Jack and Jill, the Wicked Witch, Robin Hood, and a deliciously plump Plum Pie are hidden in the book. What makes Each Peach Pear Plum a classic is the Ahlberg’s artistic magic, which is on gorgeous display in every illustration. The vivid, fine-line drawings spare no details in bringing the short text fully to life.
Humor abounds, especially in the depiction of the “hidden” character or characters, whose only appearance is an arm dusting a shelf, faces at a window, feet sticking out of tall grass, a camouflaged archer, and more. And perhaps the clumsy baby bear could use a bit of assistance! Kids will love pointing out the birds and bunnies, dog, cat, and other animals that also follow from page to page.
Copyright Janet and Allan Ahlberg, 1999, courtesy Viking Books for Young Readers
Each Peach Pear Plum is also a wonderful introduction to the literature alluded to and will entice kids to hear all the stories contained in this forever favorite. Each Peach Pear Plum makes a fantastic gift for new babies or young readers and belongs on every child’s bookshelf.
Ages Birth – 5 and up
Viking Books for Young Readers, Penguin, 1999 | ISBN 978-0670882786 (Board Book Edition)
It’s National Peach Month Activity
Peachy Picnic Find the Differences Puzzle
These two friends are enjoying a picnic and took two selfies. Can you spot the 12 differences between the two pictures in this printable Peachy Picnic Find the Differences Puzzle?
Marilyn Dalrymple of Lancaster, California created Respect for Parents day to, as she said, “make our families become united and strong by recognizing the leadership roles parents have, and to reinstate the respect for parents that was evident in the past.” Former President Bill Clinton recognized Respect for Parents Day as a national observance in 1994. To celebrate thank your parents for what they have done for you, spend time with them, and tell them you love them.
How to Put Your Parents to Bed
Written by Mylisa Larsen | Illustrated by Babette Cole
So here you are—night time. Bedtime, really, but you’re not tired. You still have enough energy to “scale a tall tower,” “sail savage seas,” or “paint a masterpiece,” but think about your poor parents. Look at them! They really need to go to bed! You know parents, though—“Parents are not good at going to bed. “‘I have to put in a load of laundry,’” they say. ‘I need to do the dishes.’ ‘Just one more email.’”
Someone needs to take charge, and the family feline—who has been a keen observer of the bedtime dynamics—thinks its pint-sized owner is just that “someone.” So the little girl, living in the midst of a chaotic night with her overscheduled, overworked parents, follows the cat’s pointed paw directions. She takes food out of her parents’ hands, closes the computer, and tells them “‘It’s time for bed.’” The first task is getting them to brush their teeth. The girl squeezes the toothpaste onto the brush and even helps her dad reach his molars.
Image copyright Babette Cole, courtesy of babette-cole.com
Next is making sure her parents dress in their pajamas. But Dad’s on the phone and Mom’s still watching TV. Ugh! First Mom and Dad won’t go to bed and now they’re falling asleep on the couch and floor! Their daughter keeps them moving in the right direction, though. Once they hit the bedroom, however, they get a second wind and become “unruly when faced with actually getting in bed. Tiny things upset them. They can work themselves into a state.” What to do? The girl remains calm and does not negotiate. Once Mom and Dad are tucked in, it’s story time. A tricky bit—do they only want their favorite story? How many?
At this point, the girl thinks she’s almost finished. But suddenly something unexpected comes up. Mom is missing her favorite pillow. Dad’s socks itch. And they both want to check on the dog. Oh brother! While the girl is handling these crises, her parents are starting a pillow fight! Phew! She gets them all tucked in, gives them each a kiss good night, and takes away their cell phones.
Image copyright Babette Cole, courtesy of babette-cole.com
Finally, they are off to dream land, and the girl has some time for herself! But wait a minute. The cat suggests she’s not exactly looking her best. In fact, she looks exhausted. Maybe, the frisky feline thinks, she needs to go to bed.
Mylisa Larsen’s funny role-reversal primer will have kids giggling and adults nodding appreciatively from Page 1 until The End. Speaking directly at readers, How to Put Your Parents to Bed offers sly winks at the many bedtime distractions of today’s families. The witty conspiratorial tone to the cat’s instructions gives kids a secret feeling of clout even while they may recognize their own behavior. And parents will wish they could still act this way.
Rebecca Cole’s dynamic illustrations of the recalcitrant parents doing last-minute chores, stubbornly refusing to brush their teeth, jumping on the bed, and fooling with delaying tactics ramps up the hilarity of this bedtime how-to. Kids will want to linger over the pages to catch all the humorous details.
Ages 4 – 8
Katherine Tegen Books, HarperCollins Publishers, 2016 | ISBN 978-0062320643
Visit Mylisa Larsen’s website to learn more about How to Put Your Parents to Bed and read her blog!
Enter the world of Babette Cole—her books, artwork, and more—by visiting her website!
Get ready to laugh with the How to Put Your Parents to Bed book trailer!
Respect for Parents Day Activity
Home Rules! Maze
Look around your house and find something to thank your parents for. Then run through this printable Home Rules! Maze and have fun!
The world can’t celebrate Culinary Arts Month without having a special day to recognize and thank the many chefs, cooks, bakers, and other creators of delicious treats. Today is that day! With their special talents for taste, presentation, and innovation, culinarians make life better for everyone!
The Ugly Dumpling
Written by Stephani Campisi | Illustrated by Shahar Kober
“Once upon a time, perhaps last week, or even last night, at your local dim sum restaurant…there was an ugly dumpling.” Sure, you might think all dumplings are ugly, but we’re talking about one particular ugly dumpling. It tried all sorts of tricks to make itself more attractive, but it still remained lonely and uneaten. It sat dejected until a cockroach traversing the kitchen caught sight of it and immediately fell in love.
Image copyright Shahar Kober
The cockroach “reached out an arm. (Or a leg.)” toward the dumpling and offered to show it the beauty of the world. Together they traveled to cities near and far, experiencing them through culinary lenses—stacked plate skyscrapers, piled dishes skylines, chopstick bridges that took them over flour mountains and folded napkin peaks. Then, in a certain restaurant, the dumpling saw something astonishing! Not only one, but two, three, four, and more dumplings just like itself!
Suddenly the ugly dumpling realized that it was not a dumpling at all, but a “steamed bun—a golden-hearted, smooth-skinned steamed bun, exactly like all the other steamed buns in the world.” The ugly dumpling puffed with meaning, importance, and…yeast! The restaurant patrons and staff and even the other steamed buns took notice. The cockroach by the ugly dumpling’s side cheered to see its friend receiving so much attention.
image copyright Shahar Kober
The wide eyes and astonished expressions were not for the dumpling, however. Instead, they registered horror at the insect in their midst. The ugly dumpling was familiar with that look and did “something quite beautiful. It reached out an arm. (Or a leg.) And it led the cockroach out into the world, The beautiful, beautiful world.” And in that moment the ugly dumpling realized that it “was not like all the other steamed buns after all” and that “perhaps that was a good thing.”
Stephani Campisi’s The Ugly Dumpling is a fresh and delectable dish-up of the classic Ugly Duckling story for a new audience. Stuffed with charm and off-beat humor, this tale of friendship and diversity embraces all who feel at odds with their environment—with or without the recognition of why. Its sweet and insightful ending emphasizes the idea that finding your niche does not always mean finding your true self and that having the courage to strike out on your own path leads to beautiful relationships and happiness.
Image copyright Shahar Kober
Shahar Kober’s dumpling is anything but “ugly.” His adorable puffed dough, lonely and ignored for not adhering to the mold, will melt readers’ hearts as he tries anything and everything—including green pleated pants—to fit in. Kobar’s stylish drawings are the perfect underscore to Stephani Campisi’s quick, dry wit—as in his rendition of three uglier-than-the-next dumplings—and if cockroaches were really as cute as Kober’s, we’d all set out a different kind of Roach Motel. A clever bit of typography transforms steam coming from a wok into the word HISS, and the restaurant scenes will make readers hungry for their favorite Asian eatery.
As readers turn to the last pages and watch the steamed bun and the cockroach leave the restaurant hand in hand (foot in foot?) under the shade of a paper umbrella, they will want to turn back to the beginning and start over again. The Ugly Dumpling is a must read and a must addition to children’s bookshelves.
Ages 2 – 9
Mighty Media, 2016 | ISBN 978-1938063671
Get to know more about Stephanie Campisi and her work on her website!
To view a gallery of art by Shahar Kober for books, magazines, animation, and more, visit his website!
Check out the Mighty Media Press website for more about The Ugly Dumpling and a-dough-able coloring pages!
Take a look at the trailer for The Ugly Dumpling!
Culinarians Day Activity
Embrace Your Inner Dumpling Plush
We are all beautiful “dumplings” in one way or another! With this easy craft you can create a huggable friend and show others what you’re made of!
Supplies
Square piece of cloth in any fabric and color. Size of plush depends on size of cloth (the plushes shown are made from 18”-square cotton fabric)
Poly fill (the plushes shown use about 1 1/8 ounces of fill)
White cloth for eyes and mouth
Twine or string
Fabric glue
Directions
Cut the corners from the square cloth to make a circular piece of cloth
Fill the middle with poly fill
Pull the edges of the cloth up and around the fill
Tie the top closed with the twine or string
To make the face, cut small circles and a mouth from the white cloth
Observed annually on the third Saturday of July, the day commemorates the “contributions of the Cowboy and Cowgirl to America’s culture and heritage. The heyday of the cowboy and cowgirl came after the Civil War when Texas experienced a booming wild cattle population. As the United States grew and people moved West, the demand for beef in the Northern states grew. Cowboys and cowgirls drove nearly 5 million head of cattle north, sparking tales, legends, and a rich history of the Great Plains in their boot and hoof steps.
Cowboy Camp
Written by Tammi Sauer | Illustrated by Mike Reed
In the first moments of Cowboy Camp, Avery sizes up the other kids (both boys and girls) and decides he “was all wrong.” Not only is his belt buckle too big and his hat too small, but his name is completely UNcowboy. When the Camp leader, Cowboy Dan, introduces himself, Avery thinks he is “the realest looking cowboy” he’s ever seen. Cowboy Dan promises to turn the “little ragamuffins” into real walkin’, talkin’ cowboys. But first a chow time of grits and beans!
Image copyright Mike Reed, 2005, text copyright Tammi Sauer, 2005. Courtesy of Sterling Children’s Books.
All the other buckaroos dig into their plate eagerly, but Avery spits out his very first bite and is relegated to eating cheese and crackers. “Whoever heard of a cowboy who doesn’t like grits and beans?” Avery thinks. Next up, announces Dan, is horse riding. All the kids saddle up. “It wasn’t but a minute later” though that Avery starts sneezing and has to ride a cow instead.
Surely, lassoing will be easier, he reasons. “It wasn’t but a minute later,” however, that his hands are red and chaffed with rope burn and he has to practice with yarn. “Whoever heard of a cowboy who got rope burn?” he thinks. A bit dejected, Avery sits in front of the campfire trying to think cowboy thoughts after all the other kids have “turned in for some shut-eye.” “It wasn’t but a minute later that Avery discovered he wasn’t alone.” Creeping out of the shadows is the meanest looking cowboy Avery has ever seen.
Image copyright Mike Reed, 2005, text copyright Tammi Sauer, 2005. Courtesy of Sterling Children’s Books.
“‘I’m Black Bart,’” the mean looking cowboy says. He tells Avery that he’s there to put a stop to Cowboy Camp because “‘Cowboy Dan and his gang of good cowboys are makin’ it too hard to be a bad guy.’” Avery does some quick thinking. He doesn’t want anything to happen to Cowboy Dan or the camp. He stutters out that this isn’t Cowboy Camp, but Space Camp. Black Bart isn’t so easily fooled. Sensing disaster, Avery gives himself up as proof: “‘Sir,’” asks Avery, “‘Do I look like cowboy material?’”
To root out the truth Black Bart gives Avery three tests. First he opens a can of beans from his saddlebag. “‘All cowboys eat beans,’” Bart exclaims. Avery takes a tiny taste from the can and begins coughing and wheezing. “‘Hmm…’” says Bart. Next he sets Avery on his horse. “‘All cowboys ride horses,’” Bart exclaims, but as soon as Avery sits astride the horse, he begins sneezing. “‘Hmm…’” says Bart. He hands Avery his rope. “‘All cowboys know how to lasso,’” Bart exclaims. Avery grabs the rope and immediately begins crying in pain.
Image copyright Mike Reed, 2005, text copyright Tammi Sauer, 2005. Courtesy of Sterling Children’s Books.
Black Bart has seen enough. “‘You’re no cowboy,’” he agrees. With time a wastin’ to find and stop the real cowboys, Black Bart saddles up and turns his horse toward the rising sun. “‘It wasn’t but a minute later’” that the other campers and Cowboy Dan arrive. Dan congratulates Avery on his bravery and quick wit and proclaims that “‘No one but a real cowboy could outsmart the likes of Black Bart the way you just did.’” Avery smiles. He finally feels like a “real honest-to-goodness cowboy.”
In Avery, Tammi Sauer has created a welcome hero—a boy who uses his individual talents of intelligence and bravery to defeat the bad guy and comes to realize that he does fit into the group. Sauer’s witty plot line is a joy to read and offers real surprise when Black Bart appears on the scene. Bart’s “cowboy test” in which Avery’s supposed failings become his greatest assets is inspired. The realistic dialogue with a Western twang transports kids to the Great Plains and is fun to read, while the repeated “uh-oh” moment—“It wasn’t but a minute later that Avery discovered…”—elicits suspense and will have kids reading along.
Image copyright Mike Reed, 2005, text copyright Tammi Sauer, 2005. Courtesy of Sterling Children’s Books.
Mike Reed beautifully captures the allure of the Wild West in his humorous, sometimes larger-than-life illustrations. The golden plains of Cowboy Camp stretch to the red-rock plateaus in the distance while scrub grass and cacti pop up here and there. Cowboy Dan has a chin almost as long as his 20-gallon hat is tall, and Black Bart is perfectly scruffy and menacing, with a long black coat and bolo tie, as he creeps out of the midnight blue shadows to confront Avery by campfire light. Kids will both sympathize with Avery’s travails even as they giggle at his evocative expressions.
An ingenious bit of illustration occurs in Reed’s depiction of Avery. Although Avery feels as if his belt buckle is too big and his hat too small, in reality both of these are the same size as the other kids. Moreover, a side-by-side comparison with Cowboy Dan, the “realest cowboy,” shows that Avery looks almost identical to his hero with both wearing grey vests and hats. (You can even measure the hats for yourself!) In addition, the other campers are all different in some way, emphasizing the idea that everyone is unique and has their own place in any group and the world in general.
Both for the wonderful story and the burst of confidence building provided, Cowboy Camp belongs on every young reader’s bookshelf.
Ages 4 – 9
Sterling Publishing Co., 2014 | ISBN 978-1454913603 (Paperback) | ISBN 978-1454913894 (Board Book)
To view more of Tammi Sauer’s books and learn what she’s working on next, visit her website!
National Day of the Cowboy Activity
The Best Durn Tootin’ Cowboy and Cowgirl Coloring Pages
Well, buckaroos, here’s your chance to create your own Wild West scene. Just print out these Best Durn Tootin’ Coloring Pages and have a rip roarin’ blast!
celebratepicturebooks.com 