March 10 – It’s Sing with Your Child Month

A Bear, A Bee, and A Honey Tree Activity Booklet

To support your local independent bookstore, order from Bookshop.

Picture Book Review

November 2 – It’s Picture Book Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Today’s picture books are amazing! Offering inspiration, characters that really speak to kids, moments to laugh out loud or reflect, glimpses into history, revelations in science, and much of the best art currently being produced, picture books defy their slim appearance with content that can change young lives. Reading a wide variety of books to children from birth on up is one of the most rewarding activities you can do. Make choosing the books to read a family affair! Kids love picking out their own books and sharing cozy and fun story times with you!

I’d like to thank Hippo Park and Astra Publishing House along with Deborah Sloan for sharing a copy of A Bear, a Bee, and a Honey Tree with me for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

A Bear, a Bee, and a Honey Tree

Written by Daniel Bernstrom | Illustrated by Brandon James Scott

A bear in his den and a bee in his hive are waking up on a sunny morning. The bee is a “busy bee, a honey bee,” darting back and forth from a flower to the honey tree. The bear is “a hungry bear, a honey bear,” and he knows just where to find some breakfast. The bear’s rummaging through the branches does not go unnoticed by the bee, so the hungry bear becomes “a sneaky busy honey bear.” And when his paw breaks into the golden hive, the “fretful bee” becomes “a very angry fuzzy bee.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-a-bear-a-bee-and-a-honey-tree-morning

Image copyright Brandon James Scott, 2022, text copyright Daniel Bernstrom, 2022. Courtesy of Hippo Park Books.

The bear and bee face off, but what is that new rumbling sound? He should know bees never live alone, and soon the bear is on the run from “a million fuzzy buzzing bees.” The swarming bees search everywhere, but they cannot find the “hiding bear.” As the sun goes down, the bees return to their hive, while “a hungry grumbly honey bear” waits out the night in his den, already planning tomorrow morning’s breakfast run.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-a-bear-a-bee-and-a-honey-tree-climbing

Image copyright Brandon James Scott, 2022, text copyright Daniel Bernstrom, 2022. Courtesy of Hippo Park Books.

Like a twirling, whirling dance that starts with one measured step…and then another…and another until it bursts into a freewheeling, rollicking reel, Daniel Bernstrom’s story is an exhilarating romp. Suspense mounts page by page with wonderfully rhythmic rhymes that flow unencumbered by punctuation that would slow or stop the brilliantly escalating action. With just thirty-five words, Bernstrom has also created a story that pre-readers can chime in on as adults point to the bee, bear, tree, and other illustrations while beginning readers will find that the rhyming clues, repetition, alliteration, and sight words that carry the story give them confidence in their growing skills.

Brandon James Scott’s dynamic illustrations fling kids into the action as a happy bee makes its winding way from honey tree to flower to flower and back while a bear – tongue out, eyes glued to the prize – scrambles into the tree’s canopy to raid the hive. Who to root for will bring on plenty of giggles as the bee’s and the bear’s expressive faces tell kids all they need to know about these two rivals. The beehive glows like the gold it is to each of these characters, and the swarm is a densely packed storm cloud of protection. As the disappointed bear trudges back to his den, kids’ allegiance may shift, but his next-morning covert operations reveal he really hasn’t learned his lesson. Young readers will love ferreting out the bear among the tree branches and tall grasses and will laugh out loud as he tries to hurry away through a deep wildflower field.

A Bear, A Bee, and a Honey Tree will be all the buzz for home story times both for adults – who will have a rollicking good time reading aloud – and kids – who will want to hear it again and again. The book will be a hit for classroom reading and would make a terrific addition to public library preschool programs. A Bear, A Bee, and a Honey Tree is a must for any children’s book collection.

Ages 3 – 7

Hippo Park, 2022 | ISBN 978-1662640087

Want a laugh? Hippo Park has you covered with this cover animation!

About the Author

Daniel Bernstrom is a poet and the author of 6 picture books, including One Day in teh Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree and Big Papa and the Time Machine, a Minnesota Book Award winner. Daniel lives in Worthington, Minnesota, with his wife and 5 adorable children. You can learn more about him and his books at danielbernstrom.com.

About the Illustrator

By day Brandon is a Creative Director working in animation and by night he illustrates picture books. For over a decade Brandon has worked on a range of hit animated entertainment including his own creation, the award-winning series, Justin Time. He loves to make art that brings adventure, levity, heart, and curiosity for the fantastic and whimsical world around us and in our dreams. A born and raised Canadian, he currently lives with his family in Toronto. You can view a gallery of Brandon’s artwork, animation, books, and more on his website.

Picture Book Month Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-a-bear-a-bee-and-a-honey-tree-activity-sheet

A Bear, A Bee, and A Honey Tree Activity Booklet

Hippo Park has designed a fantastic 4-page activity booklet that kids will have fun with while learning about letter sounds, adjectives, and nouns with a little drawing creativity thrown in. You can download it from the Hippo Park website and here:

**You can find A Bear, A Bee, and a Honey Tree at these booksellers**

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Picture Book Review

August 30 – Celebrating Family Fun Month with Ellen Mayer

Posted by Kath Carroll

Ellen Mayer is a writer with a background in early childhood and parent education. She has worked as a researcher at Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, studying family engagement in children’s learning. She has also worked as an early literacy home visitor with a diverse community of families, supporting young children in early language development through book sharing and play. Ellen held a writing fellowship for Math Picture Book Authors, from the Heising-Simons Foundation, and is a visiting author with the Somerville Family Learning Collaborative of the Somerville, MA Public Schools. Her books include picture books Rosa’s Very Big Job and Cake Day as well as her Small Talk Books series, which includes A Fish to Feed, Red Socks, Clean Up, Up, Up, Banana for Two, and Twinkle, Twinkle Diaper You. Ellen writes her children’s books to entertain and educate both children and the adults who read to them. She holds an M.Phil. in Sociology from Columbia University.

You can discover more about Ellen Mayer and her books as well as activities for kids to accompany all of her books on her website. You can also connect with Ellen on Facebook and Twitter.

Hi Ellen! It’s so great to have you join in on my summer interviews, especially because this is a really exciting time for you! Your books for the youngest readers consistently make “Best of” lists and win awards. Your work before becoming an author centered around families and literacy and your books really show the kinds of caring connections that build strong bonds and learning skills. The two careers seem perfect for you, who I know as someone who is a wonderful friend and loves to bring people together. As summer winds down, I wonder if you’d share a special childhood memory with readers.

One of my favorite memories is pulling a wagon with real human cargo the length of a long dirt driveway through the deep woods, wearing no shoes, during a hot New Hampshire summer. That was one of the most gratifying summer things this seven-year-old did!

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-Ellen-Mayer-and-wagon

Each summer my family and another spent our vacation in New Hampshire in two houses on the same road. We were brought together because our mothers were friends from high school and our fathers were friends from college. Between our families there were five children ranging in age from one to seven, and I was the oldest. Halfway down the road, the woods broke to a clearing where my father grew sunflowers. I was in charge of managing and operating round-trip wagon rides to “Sunflower Stop.” When we reached Sun Flower Stop, my passengers invariably alighted to stop and look up in awe at the sunflowers, and I got a much-needed rest.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-Ellen-Mayer-Sunflower-Stop

When it was time for my family to return home to New York City and our friends to Boston after three long summer vacation months, I pulled my wagon into the back of the garage until the next summer. I don’t remember whether I got to take this sunflower back with me, but I like to think that I did.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-Ellen-Mayer-with-sunflower

What a fun and fantastic story! Those must have been amazing summers. Thanks so much for sharing that special memory with us!

I’m excited to get to your books because your latest board book, Twinkle, Twinkle Diaper You!, recently received a national award from the Carnegie Library, which named it one of the Best Books for Babies for 2021! Carnegie Library chose the books on their list because the librarians “believe they offer something special to babies and their grown-ups and will delight and engage babies age birth through 18 months and the adults who care for them.” This is a great description of your Small Talk Books^®, which always offer ways for adults and kids to play and learn together while looking forward to a bright future.

Twinkle, Twinkle, Diaper You!

¡Brilla, brilla, pañalito! / Twinkle, Twinkle, Diaper You!

Written by Ellen Mayer | Illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu

Ellen Mayer’s newest addition to her Small Talk Books^® series is a charming story that little ones will eagerly respond to and which can help parents turn diaper time into a joyful experience full of opportunities for language and literacy development. Mayer’s clever take on the kid-favorite Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, is infectious and fun for adults to sing while reading with their baby and while diapering. Sweet endearments, playful words, and even a tummy kiss realistically reflect the loving relationship parents and caregivers share with their little ones.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-twinkle-twinkle-diaper-you-kick

Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, 2020, text copyright Ellen Mayer, 2020. Courtesy of Star Bright Books.

Children love and respond positively to routine, and the frequency of diaper changing makes this one of babies’ first familiar experiences. Adding parental conversation, songs, smiles, and mirroring of the child’s sounds, expressions, and motions to the dedicated time diapering takes creates a rich educational environment for baby to listen to caregivers and begin the basic foundations of language learning.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-twinkle-twinkle-diaper-you-family

Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, 2020, text copyright Ellen Mayer, 2020. Courtesy of Star Bright Books.

Ying-Hwa Hu’s bright illustrations, sprinkled with silver stars that glitter on the page, will delight little readers. Her clean lines and soothing color palette create a pleasing backdrop to familiar details that give adults plenty to point out and name while reading. The centerpiece of each page is the relationship between mother and child and reflects actions, such as making eye and physical contact, that enhance a child’s learning and self-confidence. Hu’s adorable baby giggles and belly laughs as Mama smiles and talks lovingly while changing and then cuddling her little one. The appearance of the baby’s big sister (perhaps still using diapers herself, or recently transitioned to underwear), makes this a book that will appeal to a wide range of ages. The final spread of the baby’s family reading and cuddling together is heartwarming.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-twinkle-twinkle-diaper-you-cover-Spanish

In ¡Brilla, brilla, pañalito! / Twinkle, Twinkle, Diaper You! the story is charmingly translated into Spanish by Eida Del Risco. Spanish verses share two-page spreads with the English translation, providing a rich reading experience for native Spanish speakers, bilingual families, and those parents interested in teaching their children Spanish.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-twinkle-twinkle-diaper-you-kick-bilingual-version

Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, 2020, text copyright Ellen Mayer, 2020. Courtesy of Star Bright Books.

A Note for Parents, Grandparents, and Caregivers by Dr. Betty Bardige, an expert on language and literacy development in young children, is also included in each book. The note reveals the important connection between talking, singing, and playing with babies and their language learning. Bardige goes on to provide tips for interacting with your child and following their cues as well as for how to share this book with little ones.

Ages Birth – 3

Star Bright Books, 2020 | ISBN 978-1595728937 (English edition) | ISBN 978-1595728944 (Spanish/English bilingual edition)

Read my full review of Twinkle, Twinkle, Diaper You! here.

You can find Twinkle, Twinkle, Diaper You! at these booksellers

You can find ¡Brilla, brilla, pañalito! / Twinkle, Twinkle, Diaper You! here

Storytelling Math Board Books

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-clean-up-up-up-cover

Clean Up, Up, Up!

¡Arriba, arriba, arriba a limpiar!/Clean Up, Up, Up!

Written by Ellen Mayer | Illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu

In Clean Up Up Up!, the concept of spatial relations is organically introduced to toddlers through the motions and words used while putting items in their proper place, stepping up on a stool to use something out of the child’s reach, and even when eating. Research shows that talking with children at all ages about math concepts such as positions and locations improves their understanding and leads to better success in school and beyond.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-clean-up-up-up-nap

Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, 2018, text copyright Ellen Mayer, 2018. Courtesy of Star Bright Books.

The loving relationship between father and child in Mayer’s early language development book A Fish to Feed, is expanded on here as the same interracial family enjoys clean-up and dinner time. The engaging dialogue between Daddy, Mommy, and their toddler will captivate young readers and inspire adults to continue the story in their own daily lives.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-clean-up-up-up-dinner

Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, 2018, text copyright Ellen Mayer, 2018. Courtesy of Star Bright Books.

Ying-Hwa Hu’s adorable toddler giggles and plays while soaking up the rich language of positions and locations that the father clearly points to while cleaning up. Little readers will be charmed by the enthusiastic child and the little puppy that follows along. Images of books, toys, washing up, and dinnertime all demonstrate the positions and locations referred to in the story, while other details provide an opportunity for adults and children to expand on the text (the fish from A Fish to Feed swims inside its bowl and balls sit inside a bin, for example). Hu’s vivid colors as well as the smiles and enthusiasm with which Daddy, Mommy, and their child interact make Clean Up, Up, Up! a feel-great educational read.

A note for parents, grandparents, and caregivers from childhood education expert Susan C. Levine on how they can find opportunities to talk about spatial relations during everyday activities is included. Gender neutral clothing and hairstyle as well as an absence of pronouns makes this a universal story.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-clean-up-up-up-spanish-edition

Clean Up, Up, Up! is also available in a bilingual Spanish/English edition: ¡Arriba, arriba, arriba a limpiar!/Clean Up, Up, Up! translated byAudrey Martinez-Gudapakkam and Dr. Sabrina De Los Santos

Ages 1 – 3

Star Bright Books, 2018 | ISBN 978-1595728012 (English edition) | ISBN 978-1595727589 (Spanish/English edition)

Read my full review of Clean Up, Up, Up! here.

Discover more about Ellen Mayer and her books on her website.

To learn more about Ying-Hwa Hu, her books, and her art, visit her website.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-clean-up-up-up-washing-hands

Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, 2018, text copyright Ellen Mayer, 2018. Courtesy of Star Bright Books.

Sing Along!

Adults will have fun sharing “Wash Up, Up, Up!,” a song inspired by the story, with little ones as they wash their hands! The lyrics are also available for download and printing. Listen and sing along here:

“Wash Up, Up, Up!”

**You can find Clean Up, Up, Up! at these booksellers**

**You can find ¡Arriba, arriba, arriba a limpiar!/Clean Up, Up, Up! here**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million | Bookshop | IndieBound

A Fish to Feed

Written by Ellen Mayer | Illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu

Dad plans a fun trip into town with his young child to buy a pet fish. He says, we will get “‘a fish to swim in our bowl. A fish we can look at and feed.’” The pair are excited to go together and have time to “‘walk…and talk.’” The two head out and soon pass a store. In the window the child sees a T-shirt with the picture of a fish on it and points. “‘Look—fish! Fish! Fish!’” Dad reinforces the observation using complete sentences that model conversation and increase his child’s vocabulary—“‘Yes, I see the fish on the T-shirt too.’” He further explains: “‘That’s a fish to wear, not a fish to swim in our bowl.’”

As Dad and his toddler visit other stores, the child finds more fish on a backpack, toys, and other items. When they get to the pet store, the child is excited to find a fish that swims. They take the goldfish home, where it swims happily in their bowl. They’ve found a pet they “‘can love and feed.’”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-a-fish-to-feed-t-shirt

Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, text copyright Ellen Mayer. Courtesy of starbrightbooks.com

Ellen Mayer’s story of a dad and his child out for an afternoon together as they look for a pet to love offers adults and children a sweet way to spend time with one another. The story, set in the familiar environments of home and stores and revolving around a close parent-child relationship, will engage even the youngest readers. The back-and-forth conversation between Dad and his child as they shop models ways in which adults can follow a child’s lead while providing language and literacy development.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-a-fish-to-feed-mobile

Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, text copyright Ellen Mayer. Courtesy of starbrightbooks.com

Ying-Hwa Hu’s illustrations are vibrant and joyful. When Dad bends down to be at eye-level with his toddler as they talk, the close bond between them is obvious in their smiling and laughing faces. The shops are full of colorful toys, clothes, backpacks, and other items that will capture kids’ attention. Spending time looking at each page allows adults and children to point at the various items, name them, and talk about them.

A Fish to Feed contains die-cut holes in the pages that kids will love peering through as they shop along on this adventure to find a special pet.

Ages Birth – 5

Star Bright Books, 2015 | ISBN 978-1595727077 (English edition) | ISBN 978-1595727589 (Spanish/English edition)

Read my full review of A Fish to Feed here.

**You can find A Fish to Feed at these booksellers**

**You can find Un pez para alimentar/A Fish to Feed at these booksellers**

Amazon | Books-a-Million | IndieBound

A Sneak Peek at the next Small Talk Books® Math Board Book, Yellow, Red, Green – GO!

The third book in the Small Talk Books® series (joining Banana for Two and Clean Up, Up, Up!) to focus on math talk, Yellow, Red, Green – GO! features the math of patterns for children ages 1-3 and welcomes back the interracial family from A Fish to Feed and Clean Up, Up, Up! In the story Mommy and her child bicycle through their neighborhood to Grandma’s house and, along the way, discover lots of patterns – from the traffic lights that each change from yellow, to red, and then to green – to the windows, lights, and doors on each of the row houses on Grandma’s block.

Yellow, Red, Green – GO!, illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu, releases in Spring, 2022 in English as well as in a bilingual Spanish/English edition.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-cake-day-cover You can read a review of Cake Day and find a delicious recipe to make here.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-Rosa's-very-big-job-cover-2

Find my review of Rosa’s Very Big Job and paper dolls of the characters plus clothes and accessories to download and print here.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-banana-for-two-cover-final

Read my full review of Banana for Two and find a fun shopping game to play with little ones here.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-red-socks-cover

You’ll find my full review of Red Socks and a fun matching puzzle to do with little ones here.

Family Fun Month Activity

CPB - Playhouse craft

Come Inside! Playhouse

Kids love pretending with their toys in playhouses. With this craft you and your child can make a playhouse with recycled items and lots of imagination. While making the house, talk with your child about the building process using spatial relation words and ask for their ideas on what it should look like.

Once finished, you and your child can make up stories using words that use spatial relations as characters come in the house, go out of the house, peek in or out of a window, sit on the roof, wait under the window, sit next to a friend while having tea, and so much more!

Supplies

Cardboard box
Craft paint
Markers
Glue

Plus Recycled items, such as:

Bottle caps for door knobs,
Small boxes for a chimney
Use the cardboard cut from the windows to make shutters
Scraps of cloth for curtains

August 27 – Banana Lovers Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

If you love bananas, you’re not alone! Bananas are the most popular fruit in the United States and one of the most popular worldwide. How popular are they? On average each person eats 100 of these delicious fruits every year. Bananas’ are versatile and nutritious, making them a perfect addition to breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack time. Today, banana lovers can celebrate by enjoying this appealing fruit in their favorite way. But first, you’ll need to buy a bunch. Make the shopping fun for you and your little ones with today’s book!

Banana for Two

Written by Ellen Mayer | Illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu

As a mother strolls her shopping cart through the grocery store, she engages her toddler, who’s brought along two stuffed bunnies, in choosing the items they need. Mama talks to her child about the one roll of paper towels she puts in the cart, then it’s off to the cereal aisle. Holding up a colorful box, Mama says, “‘Here’s your favorite cereal’” to which her toddler enthusiastically answers, “‘MORE!’” Playfully, Mama holds the box up to one eye and says, “‘we don’t need more—just one box. Peek-a-boo! Can you see just one eye?’”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-banana-for-two-cereal

Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, 2017, text copyright Ellen Mayer, 2017. Courtesy of Start Bright Books.

Her little one giggles as they head for the dairy aisle for yogurt. Here, the child’s wish for “‘MORE!’” is granted, and Mama lets her little one hold the containers. “‘One, two—one for each hand,’ says Mama.” The child laughs and kicks, excited to help. As they pass through the fruit section, the toddler grabs a banana from the display and holds it up triumphantly. Mama is happy to add the one banana to the cart to eat later. “‘Look—one banana for one hand!’” she points out.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-banana-for-two-banana

Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, 2017, text copyright Ellen Mayer, 2017. Courtesy of Start Bright Books.

At check-out, Mama names each item and the quantity they are buying as she puts the banana, yogurt, carrots, potatoes, milk, and other things on the conveyor belt. But her little one wants to help too! Suddenly, one of the stuffed bunnies is riding toward the smiling clerk on top of the roll of paper towels. Back home, it’s time for a snack. As Mama cuts the banana in half, her toddler proudly exclaims, “‘TWO!’” showing an understanding of the concept of two.

A note for parents, grandparents, and caregivers by early math expert Deborah Stipek is included. Gender neutral clothing and hair and the absence of personal pronouns in the text make this a universal book for all children.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-banana-for-two-snack

Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, 2017, text copyright Ellen Mayer, 2017. Courtesy of Start Bright Books.

Ellen Mayer’s joyful math board book for the youngest readers introduces parents and other caregivers to ways that they can add math talk to everyday activities. In Banana for Two, grocery shopping becomes a fun opportunity for an adult and child to talk together about quantity—an important early building block for math understanding and future math success. Connecting concepts a child already knows—such as two containers of yogurt for two hands—as the mother does in Banana for Two is another way to strengthen understanding.

Mayer’s conversational style—indeed the whole story is a conversation between mother and child—is sweet and loving and full of the kinds of moments that may seem routine to adults but that children cherish sharing with parents, grandparents, or other caregivers. And the final image of the little one happily savoring slices of banana will have kids asking for “‘MORE!'”

Ying-Hwa Hu’s exuberant illustrations of mother and child will make little ones and adults smile. Cheerful eye contact between the two shows the love they share and their enjoyment in spending time together. Colorful boxes and containers line the grocery store shelves, giving the pages a fresh and sunny feel. The items Mama adds to the cart are clearly shown in quantities of one and two. Little readers will love the adorable stuffed bunnies and join in the toddler’s pride as they too recognize the ideas of one and two.

Banana for Two will charm little ones and would made a perfect book to share before shopping, at meal or snack time, or during playtime to reinforce the lesson and the fun of learning. The book also makes an excellent shower or new baby gift and is highly recommended for home, preschool classroom, and public library board book collections.

Ages Birth – 2

Star Bright Books, 2017 | ISBN 978-1595727886 (English edition) | ISBN 978-1595727992 (Bilingual Spanish/English Edition)

Banana for Two is also available in bilingual editions in these languages. See the Star Bright Books website for more information and how to order. To find all of languages Star Bright Books titles are published in, click here.

To discover more about Ellen Mayer and her books as well as find lots of resources for adults and fun activities for kids, visit her website.

Learn more about Ying-Hwa Hu and her art, and her books, visit her website.

Banana Lovers Day Activity

$celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-math-fun-is-in-the-bag-game$

Math Fun Is in the Bag Grocery Shopping Game

Little ones love to pretend to go grocery shopping! With the printable game pieces and instructions here, you and your child can fill a bag with items in quantities of one and two and share some math fun!

Supplies

Printable Math Fun Is in the Bag template
One 8 ½” by 11” piece of paper, or your own paper sandwich bag
Scissors
Tape
Crayons (optional)

Directions

To Make a Bag

Fold the 8 ½” by 11” piece of paper in half and tape on the side and at the bottom
Your child may enjoy decorating your homemade bag or a paper sandwich bag with crayons

To Play the Game

After printing the Math Fun Is in the Bag template, talk with your little one about the quantity of items in each picture. Even if your child is not talking yet, they are listening and learning.
Help your child cut the pictures apart
Ask your child to find a picture of one banana and put it in the bag
Continue with the other pictures, noting the quantity of the item
For older children, print two (or more) copies of the Math Fun Is in the Bag template and have them add two bananas, two cartons of milk, four carrots, and four containers of yogurt to the bag.
Older children may also enjoy paying for their groceries with pennies in quantities of one or two (or more). Set a price for each item and help children count out the coins needed to pay for them.

More Math Fun!

You’ll find more Math Fun, including printable bunny puppets to make, pretend play suggestions, and tips for talking about two on Ellen Mayer’s Website!

**You can find Banana for Two at these booksellers**

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

I’ve Got the Reading Bug! Books to Read List | I’ve Got the Reading Bug Bookmark | I’ve Got the Reading Bug Bookplate

Picture Book Review

December 2 – It’s Read a New Book Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

You’ve heard the saying “Too Many Books, Too Little Time,” right? Well, this truism has spawned not only one, but two Read a New Book Month celebrations! Both December and September have been designated as times to make special plans to search out and read new books. These can be books that are newly published or books that are new to you. And if you find yourself putting a few old favorites in the pile, that’s okay too! It’s also a great time to think about adding books to those gift lists!

The B on Your Thumb: 60 Poems to Boost Reading and Spelling

Written by Colette Hiller | Illustrated by Tor Freeman

One of the joys of books for little ones is sitting with a parent, teacher, or other caregiver and listening to the story play out with wonder, silliness, sadness, and a whole world of feelings. Hearing the words and sentences, it all makes sense. But when kids start reading, start really looking at the words, well…all of those vowel combinations, silent letters, words that sound the same but look completely different, words that look completely different but sound the same… it can get confusing!

And that’s where Colette Hiller and Tor Freeman’s book of poetry comes in handy. Sixty poems covering the topics of spelling and pronunciation are broken out into four categories—Sounds, Silent Letters and Secrets, Spellings, and Words that Sound the Same—that make understanding the written English language easier and more fun to learn. With this ditty, Hiller welcomes kids in to this delightful book: “Some letters sound as they are meant to. / Other letters change. / They sometimes make surprising noises. / English can be strange!”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-B-on-your-thumb-cheetah

Image copyright Tor Freeman, 2020, text copyright Colette Hiller, 2020. Courtesy of Frances Lincoln Children’s Books.

One of the first sounds a baby hears may be a gentle “sh.” Encountering this consonant combination on the page, though, can seem daunting. Ssss and Huh? Hiller gives a hand in pronouncing it though, with a little intro to the two letters on their own and then… “S and H go sh, / that is what they do. / The sh that’s in your shoulder, the sh that’s in your shoe.” She then goes on to add a few more lines with familiar “sh” words that will make kids “shout!”

With clever versus that will bring on many giggles and even more “Ah-ha” moments, Hiller and Freeman introduces kids to the sounds that vowel combinations “o-u,” “o-i,” “a-i,” “o-a,” “e-e,” and “o-o” make with a sad U that’s just struck “out,” and a cheering crowd that invites them to join in chanting “oggy, oggy, oggy, oi, oi,oi!” There’s also a train filled with rain, a goat in love with a toad, a treed cheetah, and of course the man in the moon.

Hiller doesn’t forget about those perfectly matched consonant couples either. She relates the story of how Q and U fell in love in a queue; goes shopping with Mrs. Owl for a new gown and crown; and takes on that “bossy E” who always takes over when together with A. There are many more poems about letter combinations in this section as well, and each one is loaded with examples of words that incorporate those letters.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-B-on-your-thumb-queue

Image copyright Tor Freeman, 2020, text copyright Colette Hiller, 2020. Courtesy of Frances Lincoln Children’s Books.

In the chapter Silent Letters and Secrets, Hiller engages readers in the finer arts of the silent B in “doubt” and “thumb.” In the book’s title poem, she says, “Look, there’s a B / right there on your thumb, / but of course you shouldn’t mind… / For the B that you see / right there on your thumb / is not the stinging kind!” Silent K gets two poems of its own and silent W comes knocking in two more poems. She investigates that mysterious “h” in where, what, why, and when as well as the equally mysterious pair “g-h” in words like night and sight. Kids will also enjoy finding hidden words lurking in longer words.

Now, reading may be one thing, but spelling? At times that seems like something all together different. In the chapter Spellings, Hiller teaches kids some tricks of the trade. In her poem “Magical E,” “Magical E / has magical might. / See how she turns / a kit to a kite…. / Abracadabra: / a cap is a cape! / She hops on a tub. / Now the tub is a tube. / Abracadabra… / A dud is a dude!” Readers discover rhymes that make it easier to remember unusual spellings in words such as “separate, important, and rhyme as well as that old favorite “I before E except after C” that includes a twist.

Colette Hiller finishes up with Words that Sound the Same. In “Two, Too, and To,” she explains the difference in those three little words that often trip us up and gives tips on remembering them. “Witch” and “which,” “here” and “here,” “whole” and “hole,” and “whether” and “weather” are also treated to poems of their own.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-B-on-your-thumb-chimpanzees

Image copyright Tor Freeman, 2020, text copyright Colette Hiller, 2020. Courtesy of Frances Lincoln Children’s Books.

In each poem, the subject letters are called out in a bright color that allows kids to make the connection between the combinations of letters and how they contribute to the structure of a word visually and in sound. Following the poems, Hiller includes detailed tips and fun exercises and activities that adults and kids can do together to enhance learning from poem to poem and when reading classroom assignments and books and other materials at home.

Colette Hiller nimbly navigates the dual desires to teach and entertain with her jaunty rhymes that are ingenious, witty, and clear examples of how words sound and are pronounced. When shared with children reading along, the poems reinforce how each word looks with their sometimes-confusing mix of letters. When education is this humorous and joyful, kids will beg to read “just one more” which, of course, means better literacy, success in school, and opportunities in the future.

Accompanying each poem are Tor Freeman’s whimsical and hilarious illustrations of adorable letters interacting with people taking showers, fleeing from a wily cheetah, waiting in a queue, and even flying a car in outer space. There are also chimpanzees eating cheese sandwiches, a cat doing calisthenics, and an ant learning a lesson in importance. And, of course, there are letters, letters, letters rowing a boat, deigning to give audience to a princess, dining in a haunted castle, and cavorting from page to page and poem to poem.

A rousing collection of poems that kids will love on their own and as inspirational learning tools in language arts lessons, The B on Your Thumb is highly recommended for homeschoolers and home bookshelves and a must for classroom and public library collections.

Ages 3 – 8 and up

Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, 2020 | ISBN 978-0711254602

You can download a Teacher’s Guide with pre- and post-reading discussion questions, a writing activity and a word play activity on the Quarto Knows website.

Discover more about Colette Hiller and her books on her website.

To learn more about Tor Freeman, her books, and her art on her website.

National Read a New Book Day Activity

I’ve Got the Reading Bug! Collection

When you buy a new book, you need new book bling to go with it! Here’s a printable book plate and bookmark, plus a want-to-read list to help you choose your next new book to buy!

**You can find The B on Your Thumb at these booksellers**

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Picture Book Review

November 12 – It’s Young Readers Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Established in 1989 by the Center for the Book and Pizza Hut as a way to celebrate reading and invite kids and adults to discover the fun and benefits of reading, Young Readers Week is a favorite on any book-lovers’ calendar. Bringing together businesses, schools, families, and libraries, the Book It! program offers encouragement and resources to get kids excited about reading. To learn more and find activities, printables, reading trackers, and other resources for schools and families, visit the Book It! program website.

Thank you to Roaring Brook Press for sending me a digital copy of Ronan the Librarian for review consideration. All opinions about the books are my own. I’m excited to be teaming with Tara Luebbe in a giveaway of the book. See details below.

Ronan the Librarian

Written by Tara Luebbe and Becky Cattie | Illustrated by Victoria Maderna

With his skills for invading, raiding, and trading, Ronan was a great leader of his barbarian community. “Ronan was legendary for finding the best pillage… until one raid went horribly wrong.” The traders took one look at the book he’d brought back and turned away. After all “barbarians didn’t read books.” Ronan contemplated all the ways he could use this “useless thing” and had finally settled on toilet paper, when he caught sight of a picture and was hooked.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-ronan-the-librarian-pillage

Image copyright Victoria Maderna, 2020, text copyright Tara Luebbe and Becky Cattie, 2020. Courtesy of Roaring Brook Press.

He was still reading the next morning when his raiding partners came to find out where he was. “‘Ronan, you dunga! What are you doing?’ asked Gunnar.” When they found out he was reading, Helgi thought he’d gone berserk. So he joined the crew on the day’s raid, but once they were done, he didn’t stick around for the trading, but hurried home to read some more.

Now whenever Ronan raided took the books while the other barbarians hauled away the gold and silver and jewels. Now he read at home and on the job, and his collection of books grew so enormous that formed tall, precarious stacks all over his house.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-ronan-the-librarian-sailing

Image copyright Victoria Maderna, 2020, text copyright Tara Luebbe and Becky Cattie, 2020. Courtesy of Roaring Brook Press.

But Ronan was not only a reading barbarian, he was a smart barbarian. He took all of those books and built a library. How did the other barbarians like his grand opening? They loved… the refreshments. “‘Uff da! I must conquer my own village,’ he declared.”

One day he looked around at his busy villagers and began to read a thrilling tale about Odin aloud. But this story didn’t make a dent in the din. The next morning, Ronan went to his library only to find that it had been invaded… and raided. Barbarians young and old sat on the floor with book, clung to the shelves with books, and clutched armloads of books. It turned out that “barbarians do read books.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-ronan-the-librarian-storytime

Image copyright Victoria Maderna, 2020, text copyright Tara Luebbe and Becky Cattie, 2020. Courtesy of Roaring Brook Press.

Tara Luebbe and Becky Cattie’s clever old, old world tale will delight both avid and reluctant readers with hilarious dialogue, rambunctious characters, and enough invading and raiding to satisfy any little barbarian. Ronan’s conversion from raider to reader—complete with puns and fun-to-say words like “dunga” and “uff da”—is sure to entice reluctant readers to discover the joy of reading, and book lovers will cheer when the villagers embrace the new library.

Victoria Maderna’s laugh-out-loud illustrations shine with piles of gold, silver, jewels and other shiny pillage as well as kid-pleasing details that will bring on plenty of giggles. Late-night book-sneakers will appreciate the images of Ronan so busy reading in bed that he forgets to put on pajamas or even take off his shoes and trying to share his enthusiasm with his fellow barbarians. These long-haired villagers, decked out in fur and spikes and sporting Viking helmets are a tough bunch who ride wild boars to pillage, sail the wild seas, and… wear fuzzy wild boar slippers.

Kids will love keeping an eye out for the page-nibbling goat and Ronan’s constant companion (a raven that alludes to Poe’s famous poem?). Maderna’s dramatic rendering of the story of Odin that so fascinates the barbarians may well inspire children to invade their own libraries—just like a barbarian.

A treasure for all young readers, Ronan the Librarian will be a favorite for rollicking story times and is highly recommended for home, classroom, and public library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Roaring Brook Press, 2020 | ISBN 978-1250189219

Discover more about sisters Tara Luebbe and Becky Cattie and their books on their website.

To learn more about Victoria Maderna, her books, and her art, visit her website.

Young Readers Week Activity

CPB - Bookmobile

Bookmobile Craft

Bookmobiles are love on wheels! If libraries are some of your favorite places, you’ll like making this bookmobile from a recycled box! You can even use it as a desk organizer!

Supplies

Printable Book Shelves and Sign Template
Cardboard box, 16-oz pasta or other recyclable boxes work well (I used a 5” x 7 ¼ -inch pasta box)
Small wooden spools or wheels
Paint
Scissors
X-acto knife
Strong glue
Paint brush

Directions

1.Gently pull the box apart at the seam and lie flat with the unprinted side facing up

2. To Make the Awning:

On one of the wide sides of the box, measure a rectangle 1 inch from the top of the box, leaving at least 1 ¼ inches at the bottom of the box and 1 ¼ inches on both sides
With the x-acto knife or scissors cut the sides and bottom of the rectable, leaving the top uncut
Paint the top and underside of the awning (if you want to make stripes on the awning lay strips of tape side by side across the awning. Remove every other strip of tape. Paint the open stripes one color of paint. When the paint dries replace the tape over the paint and remove the tape from the unpainted stripes. Paint those stripes a different color.)

3. Paint the rest of the box on the unprinted side any way you like, let dry

4. Cut the Printable Book Shelf template to fit the size of your window opening, leaving at least a ½ inch margin all around

5. Tape the book shelf to the inside of the window

6. Reconstruct the box, making the original seam an inside flap

7. Glue the flap and sides together

8. If using small spools for wheels, paint them black. Let dry

9. Glue the wheels to the bottom of the box

10. Attach the Bookmobile sign, found on the printable template, above the awning

To Make a Desk Organizer from the Bookmobile, cut an opening in the top of the bookmobile with the x-acto knife or a scissor

**You can find Ronan the Librarian at these booksellers**

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

“Big Words” Word Search Puzzle | “Big Words” Puzzle Solution!

Picture Book Review

November 10 – It’s Young Readers Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Sponsored by Pizza Hut and the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress since 1989, Young Readers Week is celebrated during the second week of November to improve literacy and raise awareness of the benefits of reading. Schools participate in setting reading goals for their students who are then rewarded for meeting them. Adults are encouraged to provide a variety of reading materials for their kids – picture books, novels, graphic novels, magazines, newspapers, whatever will get them excited about reading.

Calvin Gets the Last Word

Written by Margo Sorenson | Illustrated by Mike Deas

The moment Calvin wakes up, he grabs his dictionary and heads to the kitchen for breakfast. While Calvin may be well-rested, his dictionary tells readers that it is tired. “Why? Because Calvin loves words—I mean REALLY loves words,” the dictionary says. Calvin won’t rest until he’s found the perfect “word for everything—especially his rascally brother.” At breakfast, Calvin has just taken a big gulp of milk. It’s just the moment his brother’s been waiting for to tell his super funny joke. You can imagine what happens—and that’s why the dictionary’s page that contains the word revenge is soaked.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-calvin-gets-the-last-word-cover

Image copyright Mike Deas, 2020, text copyright Margo Sorenson, 2020. Courtesy of Tilbury House Publishers.

But is revenge the right word for Calvin’s brother? Not quite. On the school bus as the kids are tossing a backpack, talking, laughing, and hanging over the seats, Calvin’s dictionary offers up mayhem, but that doesn’t completely describe his brother either. As Calvin struggles in geography class and passes notes during library story time, his dictionary helps describe the mood, but those words don’t really apply to his brother. On the way home, though, Calvin does discover a good word for himself when he stands up to a bully and helps a kindergartener.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-calvin-gets-the-last-word-breakfast

Image copyright Mike Deas, 2020, text copyright Margo Sorenson, 2020. Courtesy of Tilbury House Publishers.

At Little League practice, the dictionary reveals, Calvin “loves to crush the ball during batting practice, sending it over the fence. That’s why the page that reads pulverize has grass stains on it.” Could pulverize be the right word for his brother? While Calvin thinks it could be fun, it’s not exactly right.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-calvin-gets-the-last-word-bus-milk

Image copyright Mike Deas, 2020, text copyright Margo Sorenson, 2020. Courtesy of Tilbury House Publishers.

That night dinner turns into a repeat of breakfast—only in broccoli green. When Calvin goes to bed, he sits for a while, thinking. Then he grabs his exhausted dictionary and a glass of water and sneaks into his brother’s room. The dictionary thinks it knows what’s going to happen and riffles through its pages to find the right word, unconcerned whether it stays dry or not. And then, there on the page, is the perfect word! But wait, that doesn’t fit because now the brothers are laughing. The dictionary tries flipping to another page and a better word, but Calvin has it beat as he turns the pages and discovers the exact right word to describe his brother. What are all of these words? Come flip through Calvin Gets the Last Word yourself to find out!

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-calvin-gets-the-last-word-bus-stop

Image copyright Mike Deas, 2020, text copyright Margo Sorenson, 2020. Courtesy of Tilbury House Publishers.

In her funny and unique mashup of sibling rivalry and vocabulary, Margo Sorenson offers kids an engaging story of the singular type of love brothers share uncovered little by little through word-building. Calvin’s dictionary makes a sincere and charming guide through high-interest words that lend panache and nuance to events throughout Calvin’s day even if they don’t quite describe his brother. Astute kids may notice that the words the dictionary chooses for Calvin’s brother proves his loyalty to his favorite reader. Calvin’s spewed milk, whispered secrets, and home run batting add up to a real kid that readers will love. The words that the dictionary finds are fun to learn and say and will spark an enthusiasm in readers to do their own flipping through the dictionary and thesaurus. Sorenson’s endearing ending rings true with a word kids are sure to embrace.

Mike Deas’ glasses-wearing and sweat suit-clad Calvin, whose dictionary is always at the ready to define his experiences, is a character readers will respond to. Images of the sprayed milk and broccoli, rockin’ school bus, library story rug, and baseball field are full of familiar details and plenty of action. As Calvin prepares to play his trick on his brother Deas gives kids a cutaway view of the house from above, letting them tiptoe through the maze of rooms with Calvin. The final scenes of the brothers checking out the dictionary together in the light of a bedside lamp is sibling devotion at its best.

A delightful family story that can stir a love of language, Calvin Gets the Last Word would be a favorite addition to home libraries. The book is highly recommended for school and classroom bookshelves to enhance language arts, writing, grammar, and vocabulary lessons and for public library collections as well.

Ages 6 – 8

Tilbury House Publishers, 2020 | ISBN 978-0884488224

Discover more about Margo Sorenson and her books on her website.

To learn more about Mike Deas, his books, and his art, visit his website.

Young Readers Day Activity

“Big Words” Word Search

Knowing and using a wide range of words allows you to express yourself in exact—and often—fun ways. Find the 26 “big” words—one for each letter of the alphabet—in this printable word search puzzle.

**You can find Calvin Gets the Last Word at these booksellers**

To support your local independent bookstore, order from