Picture Books

June 8 – National Best Friends Day

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About the Holiday

What would we do without our best friends? They’re the ones we go on adventures with, laugh with, commiserate with, even cry with. And no matter what, we know they’ll always be there for us. Best friends can be people we’ve known all our lives or ones we’ve just met; they can live far away or in our own home. Best friends don’t even have to be people—beloved pets or favorite toys are sometimes just what we need. Today is the perfect time to celebrate your best buddy. Get together with them, call, or text. Relive some favorite memories or make some new ones!

Painting Pepette

Written by Linda Ravin Lodding | Illustrated by Claire Fletcher

 

If you peek in the great room window of the grand yellow house at #9 Rue Laffette in Paris, you will most likely see cuddled on the comfortable seat Josette Bobette and her beloved stuffed rabbit Pepette. It’s their favorite place. Looking past them you will see that the great room is filled with fine art. On the walls hang portraits of the family—Josette’s mother is there as well as grand-mère and grand-père, the three Bobette sisters, and even their schnoodle Frizette.

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“One day Josette noticed something strange. There was no portrait of Pepette!” Josette determines to find an artist to paint a special portrait of her best friend. The pair heads out to Montmartre, where the all the best artists set up their easels to paint and sell their work. It doesn’t take long for a man in a striped shirt to stop them.

“‘Those ears!’” he cries. “‘Never have I seen such majestic ears. I must paint this rabbit’s portrait!’” Pepette blushes at such an effusive compliment, and Josette exclaims, “‘Magnifique!’” It appears Josette has found just the artist to create Pepette’s portrait. The painter waves his brush with a flourish, declares his painting a “masterpiece,” and holds it up for inspection. Josette gazes at a Pepette with two noses and three ears. Diplomatically, she proclaims the picture “nice” but not quite Pepette. Her best friend agrees.

Just then a man with a thin, curved handlebar mustache spies the pair. Admiring Pepette’s whiskers, the artist begs to capture “the very essence of her rabbitness!” He immediately sets to work, and in no time a most unusual portrait emerges. Pepette seems to melt from a tall red wall. Josette considers it and her reaction carefully. “‘It’s imaginative,’” she says. “‘But you’ve painted Pepette quite, well, droopy.’” Pepette agrees.

As Josette and Pepette enjoy a Parisian snack on the curb of Montmartre, a rakish young man happens along. He is arrested by Pepette’s nose, which he likens “‘a faint star twinkling in a misty, velvet night.’” Josette has a good feeling about this artist and follows him across the square to his easel. Pepette poses on a red tufted stool as the artist paints a rabbit soaring through the clouds. He proclaims the finished portrait “‘one of my best works’” as he displays it to the crowd. Josette likes the clouds but tells the painter that Pepette is afraid of heights and not fond of flying. Pepette agrees.

By now Pepette is the most sought-after model in Paris, and another artist rushes up, captivated by her beauty. The balding man in a dapper suit and round spectacles peers at Pepette. “‘What a colorful lady—balloon blue, pansy pink, and radish red!’” A little suspicious of his vision, Josette allows him to paint Pepette. “‘Ta da!’” the man exclaims, revealing the magic of his brush. Josette studies the canvas with its vibrant dots, dashes, and splashes. While she admires the colors, she reminds the artist that Pepette isn’t pink.

“‘Ah, yes,’” nods the painter. “‘But through art we can see the world any way we want.’”

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With the sun setting low in the sky, Josette politely says thank-you and goodbye to the artists. She and Pepette have enjoyed their day, but it’s time to go home. Curled up once more on the window seat, Josette sighs. She had so hoped to have the perfect portrait of Pepette—one that showed her velvety grey listening ears, her heart-shaped nose, and her soft arms that give tight hugs. Suddenly, Josette has an idea! Gathering all her art supplies, she creates the perfect likeness—as special as Pepette herself!

An author’s note on the last page describes the creative atmosphere of 1920s Paris, home to writers, artists, musicians, and fashion designers, that gives a frame to her story. The artists that Josette meets are inspired by Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Marc Chagall, and Henri Matisse.

In Painting Pepette Linda Ravin Lodding has written a multi-layered story of love, friendship, and unique vision. Through the sweet relationship between Josette and Pepette and with a sprinkling of humorous self-congratulation on the part of the artists, Lodding nudges readers to appreciate that while art can reveal and obscure, reflect and transcend reality, ultimately the success of a piece—complex or simple—lies within the viewer’s heart. Lodding’s lyrical language trips off the tongue and is a joy to read—it’s like following Josette as she skips happily through Paris.

Claire Fletcher’s striking pen and ink illustrations pay delicate homage to cityscapes of a bygone Paris. Adorable Josette in her white pinafore over red-dotted dress, red shoes, and big red bow along with her enchanting rabbit are the perfect tour guides through crowded Montmartre and an introduction of art history. Soft tones of yellow, rose, and green illuminate the apartments and cafes of the square where colorful shoppers and artists mingle. Fletcher’s renderings of Pepette’s various portraits will not only make kids giggle, but entice them to learn more about each artistic style. The final endpapers reveal that the four fine-art portraits now hang in the Muse of Paris, while readers already know that Josette’s perfectly perfect portrait of her well-loved friend has taken its rightful place on the wall in the Bobette great room!

Painting Pepette is a beautiful addition to any child’s bookshelf and a lovely way for teachers to initiate a discussion of art history and get kids excited about artists and different art styles.

Ages 4 – 9

little bee books, 2016 | ISBN 978-1499801361

Follow Josette through Paris as she searches for just the right artist to paint a portrait of her best friend Pepette and comes to a surprising discovery in this beautiful trailer:

Discover more books by author Linda Ravin Lodding on her website.

Illustrator Clair Fletcher invites you to find more of her artwork by visiting her online gallery.

Best Friends Day Activities

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Painting Pepette Reading and Activity Guide

 

little bee books has created an interactive activity so you can continue exploring Josette’s world and your own artistic talent! Just click here—Painting Pepette Reading and Activity Guide—to start having fun!

Stuck on You Magnets or Picture Hanger

 

Best friends stick together whether they’re near or far, right? Here’s a fun craft that you and your friends can make to show how magnetic personalities attract each other! If your best friend or friends are far away, why not make them one too? Or make the alternate picture hanger! Be creative—use inside jokes, favorite characters, or shared experiences to make these  crafts personal!

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For Magnets

Supplies

  • To get you started, here are two printable Best Friends Templates! Template 1 Template 2
  • Poster board
  • Large, 1 ½-inch clear glass stones (decorative fillers), available in craft stores
  • Markers or colored pencils OR find images online to print out
  • Medium to large flexible magnets, available in craft stores
  • Super glue
  • Toothpicks
  • Scissors

Directions

  • Place the glass stone on the poster board and trace around it
  • Draw your design in the circle on the poster board
  • Cut out the circle
  • With the toothpick, apply glue around the very edge of the design side of the circle
  • Attach the circle to the flat side of the stone, let dry
  • Trim the cardboard circle if needed
  • Attach the magnet to the back of the cardboard with glue

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For Map Picture Holder

Supplies

  • Use a mapping program to find a map of your town and your friend’s town
  • Poster board
  • Large, 1 ½-inch clear glass stones (decorative fillers), available in craft stores
  • Twine
  • Super Glue
  • Toothpicks
  • Scissors
  • Heavy duty mounting squares

Directions

  1. Find maps of your and your friend’s towns
  2. Zoom in so the name of your and your friend’s towns are displayed well. You will be using about a 1-inch area around the towns’ names.
  3. Take a screen shot of the maps
  4. Print the maps
  5. Place the glass stone on the map and trace around it
  6. Place the glass stone on the poster board and trace around it
  7. Cut out the circles on the map and poster board
  8. With the toothpick, glue the map to the poster board, let dry
  9. With the toothpick, apply glue around the very edge of the map side of the circle
  10. Attach the circle to the flat side of the glass stone, let dry
  11. Trim the cardboard circle if needed
  12. Repeat with the other map
  13. Attach a length of twine to the back of each glass stone
  14. Attach heavy duty mounting squares to the back of each glass stone
  15. Attach stones to the wall and hang pictures on the twine

June 7 – It’s National Fishing and Boating Week

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About the Holiday

National Fishing and Boating Week promotes the fun of getting out on the water and enjoying time in the sun. Whether you glide in a sailboat, zip around in a motorboat, or leisurely row a kayak, dingy, or other craft, the freedom of the open ocean or river is enticing. Fishing is also a wonderful way to spend time together outdoors. To celebrate this week go boating or learn a new skill, grab your fishing pole and cast your line, or do both together!

Fish

By Liam Francis Walsh

 

A boy with fishing poles and tackle box in hand and faithful dog at his heals pass a runner as they sprint toward a rowboat. The boy takes the oars and is soon off shore. The pair cast their lines overboard, and soon the little boy brings up an F. Another try snags an I. The boy happily aims his line in another direction, but his dog sees danger on the horizon—a rising C. He tries to warn the boy, but when they turn around again, the waters are calm.

This is one successful fishing trip as the boy’s line again grows taut. He pulls up his catch. A Q—not a keeper. He unhooks it and throws it back as his dog pokes at him in alarm. Again, when the boy looks, the water is peaceful. The two fish in contented silence until the boy catches a big one. The beast runs with the boy’s line, even pulling him out of the boat.

The boy holds his breath as he’s pulled into the depths amid swirling schools of H, B, M, O, and V. Not deterred from his quest, the boy swims toward an H, but it slips from his grasp. The boy tumbles and sinks, but eventually grabs the H and zooms to the surface. He cheers! They’ve caught an F, I, S, and H!

His dog points—something’s coming for them! Suddenly, they’re surrounded by a swarm of Bs and the sharp fins of As. The C swells, swamps the small dingy, and the F, I, S, H are lost in it’s wake. The boy stares dejectedly into the water, but his dog taps him on the back. He has a surprise to share. When the boy turns around, his dog reveals that he’s been a successful fisherman too!

With their quarry safely stowed, the boy rows back toward shore. He leaps out and darts through a group of disoriented road racers toward a sign that reads N I. No one it seems knows what to do. The boy offers his string of letters, and with the FINISH marker complete, the racers cross the line in victory!

With a well-barbed hook, Liam Francis Walsh reels in readers with his fabulous, funny fish story. Wordlessly, but with plenty of visual wordplay, Walsh tells the tale of a boy with a great idea and his eagle-eyed companion with emotion, action, and lots of heart. The bold blue, black, white, and red illustrations have an engaging quality—at once loaded with old-fashioned charm and modern sophistication. Fish is a wonderful addition to anyone’s bookshelf or coffee table. This is one catch you don’t want to let get away.

Ages 5 – 9

Roaring Brook Press, 2016 | ISBN 978-1626723337

National Fishing and Boating Week Activity

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Tackle the Tackle Box Game

 

A good fisherman always needs a well-stocked tackle box. Play the Tackle the Tackle Box Game to earn lures, bobbers, hooks and more to fill your box. The first player to complete their set is the winner! for more fun you can color the tackle box items any way you like. There are even three extra cards per set for you to draw your own tackle box items!

Supplies

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Directions

  1. Print one Tackle the Tackle Box Game Board for every player
  2. Print one set of Tackle the Tackle Box Game Cards for every player
  3. Each player can color a set of playing cards
  4. Cut the cards apart
  5. Gather all the cards and set in separate piles
  6. Roll the die to determine who goes first, highest roll goes first
  7. The first player rolls the die, and adds the item that corresponds to the number on the die. The list is below.
  8. Play continues with each player rolling the die and collecting cards
  9. If the player rolls a number for a card that he or she already has, the die passes to the next player
  10. The first player to fix their tackle box is the winner!

Each number of dots on the die corresponds to these cards:

1: Fish Lures

2: Hooks

3: Worms

4: Fishing Line

5: Flies

6: Bobbers

Picture Book Review

Picture Book Review

June 5 – Hot Air Balloon Day

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About the Holiday

People have always endeavored to create flying machines that give them a bird’s eye view, speed travel, and take them higher and farther from Earth. One of the earliest innovations was the hot air balloon, which offered the first manned flight in 1783. Today’s holiday celebrates the ingenuity and beauty of hot air balloons. Now that summer is here, taking in a balloon festival and going for a ride are fun ways to spend a day.

Because You Are My Teacher

Written by Sherry North | Illustrated by Marcellus Hall

 

Now that the school year is winding down, it’s a good time to remember everything teachers do inside and outside of the classroom to get kids excited about the world and its wonders. In Because You Are My Teacher a child narrator presents various scenarios and alternatives to the usual classroom: “If we had a schooner, we would have our class at sea / And study the Atlantic, where the great blue whales roam free.”

Other appealing rhymes follow the intrepid class as the kids try out different modes of transportation. They could study from camelback, traversing deserts and exploring the pyramids; peer from a whirling helicopter as it hovers over an erupting volcano; and ski past baby penguins gobbling down their first fish. From their river raft on the Amazon, the children could listen to howler monkeys “growl their spooky song.”

A submarine would be the perfect place to learn about the ocean depths and its unique creatures, while from an off-road truck the class “would ride savanna trails, / Where Africa’s young elephants hold on to mothers’ tails.” These adventurous kids would love having school in a kayak on a Grand Canyon river, soaring with hang gliders over the Australian outback, afloat on an airboat in the Everglades, polling through Venice on a gondola, and in a rocket ship for an out-of-this-world experience.

What about a hot-air balloon, you ask? It is hot-air balloon day, after all. That’s here too: “If we had hot-air balloons, we would set out on a quest / To study China’s Great Wall from the east end to the west.”

But the child narrator and the class are happy right where they are: “Our classroom is our vessel, / always headed someplace new. / Because you are our teacher, / We’ll explore the world with you.

Sherry North’s exuberant ride of discovery honors all teachers and their students who daily adventure into new worlds together. North’s clever rhymes and superb turns of phrase combine with uncommon experiences to entice readers to join these exciting field trips. The last pages are a nice reminder that teachers bring the universe into their classrooms no matter where they are.

Marcellus Hall brings readers up close to the world of the sea, the vast sands of the desert, a slippery ice floe, the lush rainforest, and more exotic environments with his bold, vibrant artwork. The denizens of these world landmarks nearly walk off the page into a child’s reading area, and kids will love searching for the little mouse that is the class’s constant companion on their journey.

This book would make a perfect gift for a teacher or education student.

Ages 5 – 8

Scholastic, 2014 | ISBN 978-0545768887

Hot Air Balloon Day Activity

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Hot Air Balloon Planter

 

Hot air balloons love to reach for the sky just as plant do! With this activity you can make a unique pot for your favorite plant.

Supplies

  • Plastic or terra cotta pot
  • Wooden paddle ball paddle, available at toy or craft stores
  • Paint or markers
  • Paint brush
  • Dirt
  • Clay (optional)
  • Plant or seeds

Directions

  1. Draw six crescent shapes on the globe part of the paddle
  2. Paint the crescent shapes in alternating colors, let dry
  3. Draw lines for the cables on the handle of the paddle
  4. Fill the pot with dirt (or if you don’t want to use this craft as a planter, you can add clay to the pot to hold the paddle upright)
  5. Add your plant or seeds
  6. Carefully push the paddle into the dirt or clay

June 4 – Hug Your Cat Day

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About the Holiday

Just as it sounds, this holiday celebrates all the benefits of snuggling with your cat. While some cats may be cuddlier than others, today gives cat owners the opportunity to show just how much they love their feline friends. If you don’t happen to have a cat, why not consider visiting an animal shelter and showing some love to homeless kittens—you may even want to bring one home!

The White Cat and the Monk

Retold by Jo Ellen Bogart | Illustrated by Sydney Smith

 

In the nighttime a white cat approaches a monastery. He slips through a window and pads along a darkened corridor and down stone steps. He creeps behind a barrel, vase, and pitcher standing in a row and adds his shadow to the black mosaic on the floor. He leaps the last few steps and hurries along to the doorway, leaking light.

His secret signal alerts the occupant of the room, who opens the door to this playful feline. “I, monk and scholar, share my room with my white cat, Pangur,” the old man explains. He lifts Pangur into his arms and strokes him then releases him to pursue his “special trade.” The monk also returns to his trade—studying ancient manuscripts to understand their meaning.

A dedicated scholar, the monk reveals, “Far more than any fame, I enjoy the peaceful pursuit of knowledge. I treasure the wealth to be found in my books.” Pangur is a dedicated scholar of another kind, studying “the hole that leads to the mouse’s home.” In that moment both man and cat become hunters—one for meaning and the other for prey.

The two do not disturb each other for each is content in his pursuit. Pangur at last “finds his mouse” as the monk finds “light in the darkness.”

Jo Ellen Bogart’s quiet and graceful retelling of Pangur Bán, a beloved Irish poem from the 9th century is a welcome respite in this age of multitasking and mega-activity. With sparse, but compelling and lyrical language, Bogart uncovers the companionable relationship between the monk and his cat as each follows their heart together.

The fine textured pages of Sydney Smith’s illustrations recall the beauty of parchment as the smooth gray and gold line drawings of the monastery’s architecture and characters give way to the vibrant colors of ancient manuscripts and the natural environment. The contentment and friendship of the monk and the cat are sweetly drawn in the characters’ mirrored actions as well as the depictions of a long-held affection between man and beast in the panels of the manuscript the monk studies. As the monk states, “Ours is a happy tale.”

Reassuring and reaffirming, The White Cat and the Monk honors the individual challenges and quests that make us who we are, and would be a wonderful addition to regular quiet-time reading.

Ages 4 and up (this book will be enjoyed by both children and adults)

Groundwood Books, House of Anansi Press, 2016 | ISBN 978-1554987801

Hug Your Cat Activity

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Fishing for Playtime Cat Toy

 

Cats love to chase after bouncing, sliding objects, and they love fish. While this toy may not taste as good as fish, it sure smells better and doesn’t require worms or hooks to attain!

Supplies

  • Old or new child’s sock
  • Fiber Fill
  • Yarn or string
  • Fabric paint or markers
  • Small bell (optional)
  • Catnip (optional)

Directions

  1. Paint or draw fins and eyes on the sock
  2. Fill the sock with fiber fill
  3. Add a teaspoon of catnip (optional)
  4. Add a small bell (optional)
  5. Use the yarn or string to close the opening with a strong knot
  6. Leave a long section of yarn or string to pull or dangle the toy

June 3 – Repeat Day

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About the Holiday

Remember how your brother or sister or friend used to repeat everything you said? Everything you said? Well, that has been made into a holiday! Today gives you the perfect excuse to do your favorite things twice! Go ahead, have two lattes, watch your favorite show twice, listen to an album over again! Whatever you do, just remember to double up on it!

Follow Follow: A Book of Reverso Poems

Written by Marilyn Singer | Illustrated by Josée Masse

 

When you ask someone, “Can you repeat that?” they often use the exact same words so you understand what they want to tell you. But what if the exact same words could have completely different meanings? That’s the brilliant concept behind Follow Follow. In this ingenious book, 17 classic fairy tales are told in verse (and reverse) from two opposing points of view that will forever change the way you think about exchanges of ideas and dialogue.

In Your Wish Is My Command, Aladdin and the Jinni trade wishes and their view of what freedom means. Six lines from this clever poem read from Aladdin’s perspective: “I no longer wish to be a slave / to lords, magicians, merchants, other urchins. / Jinni of the Lamp, / I am just a poor / young knave. / Give me all I crave.”

And then from the Jinni’s perspective: “Give me all I crave, / young knave. / I am just a poor / Jinni of the Lamp. / To lords, magicians, merchants, other urchins, / I no longer wish to be a slave.”

The Emperor’s New Clothes loses none of its impact in Birthday Suit, a humorous abbreviated telling from the King’s ego-centric thoughts and the little boy’s stunning revelation.

Just as the original tale of The Golden Goose presents a princess who can’t help but laugh at the ridiculous parade going by her window, Silly Goose reveals both sides of the princess’s personality.

Ready, Steady, Go! gets into the heads of both the too-clever-for-his-own-good rabbit and his persevering competitor of The Tortoise and the Hare. The lounging hare thinks: “That ridiculous loser! / I am not / a slowpoke. / Though I may be / the smallest bit distracted, / I can’t be / beat. / I’ve got rabbit feet to / take me to the finish line.” While the tortoise urges himself: “Take me to the finish line! / I’ve got rabbit feet to / beat. / I can’t be / the smallest bit distracted. / Though I may be / a slowpoke, / I am not / that ridiculous loser.”

Will the Real Princess Please Stand Up? peeks into two bedrooms where would-be brides to the prince slumber. One exclaims, “This bed rocks! / I feel like I’m sleeping on feathery flocks,…” but the other complains, “feathery flocks? / I feel like I’m sleeping on / rocks.” Who will win the heart of the prince?

The Little Mermaid, Puss in Boots, The Pied Piper of Hameln, Thumbelina, The Three Little Pigs, The Nightingale, and The Twelve Dancing Princesses are also touched with Marilyn Singer’s magic wand of poetry. Under her spell the perfect choice and placement of words combined with a simple change of punctuation can send the verse swirling in the opposite direction with surprising results. As readers encounter each fairy tale, they’ll wonder, “How does she do it?” But there’s no time to ponder—another terrific tale follow follows!

Like being on the cusp of competing realities, Josée Masse’s vibrant illustrations deftly represent the viewpoints of the mirrored verses. On either side of a subtly split page, the opposing characters tell their side of the story amid contrasting color schemes and flowing lines that bridge the divide. In Your Wish Is My Command, Aladdin dreams in his rooftop window of riches and freedom while the Jinni floats away from his lamp over golden rooftops. On with the Dance makes clever use of the half-page design as the king ponders the condition of his daughters’ shoes while they are pictured dancing in a regal hall that doubles as the king’s crown.

Follow Follow would be a welcome addition to any fairy tale or poetry lover’s bookshelf. And since Marilyn Singer and Josée Masse really know what Repeat Day is all about, you’ll want to check out their other books: Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reverso Poems and their newest, Echo Echo: Reverso Poems about Greek Myths.

English and language arts teachers will also find these volumes to be a wonderful way to teach point of view.

Ages 5 – 11 and up (anyone who loves fairy tales will want to read this book)

Dial Books, Penguin Group, 2013 | ISBN 978-0803737693                                                         

Repeat Day Activity

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Book Jacket Bookmark

 

When a book is long, you can’t always finish it in one sitting. If you forget where you left off, you can often find yourself reading the same section twice. That’s okay—especially on Repeat Day!—but this bookmark will help you remember your place and get you reading again in style!

Supplies

  • Printable Book Jacket bookmark 
  • Colored pencils or markers
  • Poster board
  • Scissors
  • Glue

Directions

  1. Color your bookmark in your own unique style
  2. Cut the bookmark out
  3. Glue it to poster board if you’d like to make it more durable

June 1 – Global Running Day

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About the Holiday

On your mark, get set, run! More than 2 million people in 160 countries have pledged to run on today’s holiday. Global Running Day is the evolution of National Running Day in the United States, which was started in 2009 by leading running organizations and races throughout the nation. It has been held annually on the first Wednesday of June ever since. This year will mark the first-ever Million Kid Run that aims to have a million kids around the world pledge to run with the hope that they will discover the joys of running and will be inspired to continue the sport through life. Participating is as easy as running in your neighborhood, gathering with friends to run, or even playing tag with your kids.

The Wildest Race Ever: The Story of the 1904 Olympic Marathon

By Meghan McCarthy

 

On August 30, 1904 the first United States Olympic Marathon took place at the World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. Torrential rainstorms in the days before the race had washed away the original route, so a new, more difficult route was mapped out. Some of the 32 racers were:

Fred Lorz, a Boston bricklayer; John Lorden, the winner of the 1903 Boston Marathon; Sam Mellor from New York and the winner of two major marathons; Felix Carvajal, a mailman from Cuba; Arthur Newton; Albert Corey;  Len Tau, a long-distance running messenger from South Africa; William Garcia, the “greatest long-distance runner on the Pacific Coast”; and Thomas Hicks, who had only trained on flat terrain and was not ready for hilly St. Louis. There were also racers from countries all over the world.

At the starting line the racers waited in 90-degree heat for the signal. When the pistol shot rang out, they took off. The early leader was Fred Lorz. As the racers took to the hills outside the stadium so did cars full of reporters, judges, and doctors. Some spectators rode along side them on bicycles. All these vehicles stirred up so much dust that the runners choked on it.

At mile two, Sam Mellor and Fred Lorz were in the lead with Thomas Hicks only a little behind, but at mile 9 Lorz suffered terrible cramps and was driven away in a car. Now Albert Corey and William Garcia were neck and neck, and Hicks was catching up!

And what about Felix Carvajal? He ran and ran—but he also stopped and stopped. He loved talking to the spectators that cheered him on. It gave him an opportunity to practice his English! Arthur Newton, Sam Mellor, and Thomas Hicks exchanged the lead several times. No one knew who would win!

Where was Len Tau? Unfortunately, an angry dog chased him until he was a mile off course. Felix Carvajal also got distracted—not by a dog, but by an apple orchard! He settled down under a tree to satisfy his hunger. Soon, Mellor began suffering cramps and was suddenly out of the race.

Hicks suffering unbearable thirst in the staggering heat, began begging his trainers for water. They refused, instead giving him a concoction of strychnine and egg white. Another name for strychnine is rat poison! What would happen to Hicks after he drank it?Meanwhile who should appear out of the dust? Fred Lorz! He ran through the tape at the finish line and was declared the winner! Cheers erupted from the crowd. But wait! Someone said that Lorz had cheated. The cheers turned to boos, and even though Lorz said it was all a joke, the race committee banned Lorz from racing for life.

Hicks, somehow, kept running, buoyed by the cheering crowds. His trainers gave him more of the “health” drink, which made Hicks sluggish and confused. Nevertheless, he struggled on. When he came to the top of the last hill, seeing and hearing the crowds energized him. He pushed himself to run harder and harder until he broke through the tape. He collapsed on the ground just as he was declared the winner. He was rushed to the hospital, but was well enough to accept his award an hour later.

What happened to the other runners? All, except William Garcia who was overtaken by the clouds of dust, crossed the finish line at various times and with unique comments on their performance. These racers may have been very different, but they all had one thing in common. Each one accomplished an astounding feat: They competed side by side in the “killer marathon” of 1904 while upholding the Olympic spirit.

Meghan McCarthy with wit and suspense brings the story of the 1904 marathon to life for kids used to paved, well-marked routes, energizing sports drinks, supportive running shoes, and comfortable running clothes. Perhaps the only similarities to today’s races and yesteryear’s are the start and finish line and the cheering crowds! McCarthy’s inclusion of the humorous and the near-disastrous will keep readers’ hearts racing until the very end, when the topsy-turvy finish is revealed!

McCarthy illustrates The Wildest Race Ever with verve and comic flourishes that well-represent this extraordinary Olympics event. Kids will giggle and gasp to see what happens to the racers – and even a couple of spectators – during the race.

The Wildest Race Ever is a must-read for sports and history enthusiasts alike! 

Ages 4 – 9

Simon & Schuster, 2016 | ISBN 978-1481406390

Global Running Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-shoe-lace-craft

Sassy Shoe Laces

 

Did you know that having cool shoelaces makes you run faster? Well…that might not be exactly true, but you will definitely look good no matter what you’re doing if you make some unique laces for your shoes.

Supplies

  • Shoelaces in any color
  • Fabric paint or markers

Directions

  1. With the fabric paint or markers make dots, stripes, or any designs you like. You can even paint fish or flowers!
  2. Enjoy them on your run!

May 31 – Web Designer Day

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About the Holiday

Today we laud all the brilliant web designers who bring us our favorite sites and make it so easy for us to shop, do business, watch videos, and play games. We can’t even imagine life without them anymore. If you know a web designer, thank them for their hard work!

Coding Games in Scratch: A Step-by-Step Visual Guide to Building Your Own Computer Games

By Jon Woodcock

 

Video games are so fun to play! You know you’re good at them; don’t you sometimes wish you could make one of your own? With Coding Games in Scratch, you can! In just 11 chapters you’ll discover all the basics of creating different kinds of games plus how to add special effects, cool characters, exciting backgrounds, music and sounds, and more.

Chapter 1 reveals what makes a game fun to play. Things like characters, objects, obstacles, the mechanics of the game, story, sound, speed, atmosphere, rules, goals, and difficulty levels all contribute to the playability and enjoyment of the games you create. Discussions of the various types of games and a bit about coding round out Chapter 1.

Chapter 2 introduces the programming language Scratch developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at MIT. Here you’ll learn about objects, scripts, and running a program. It shows you where to get Scratch and provides a tour.

Chapter 3 welcomes you to building your first game—Star Hunter, which is a fast-paced underwater treasure hunt. Some of the things you’ll learn include setting the scene, building the script, adding sound, how to introduce an enemy, collisions, and collecting stars. Plus you’ll learn some hacks and tweaks for making your game the best it can be.

Love maze games? Chapter 4 shows you how to build Cheese Chase and help Mimi the mouse find her cheese while avoiding beetles and ghosts. Here you also learn about keyboard control, using the paint editor, making things spooky, creating intricate mazes, and how to move characters along the passages.

Chapter 5 covers Circle Wars—a quick-paced search and chase game full of clones and bouncing friendly and unfriendly circles. In Chapter 6 you’ll discover the gravity of the situation. Literally. Jumpy Monkey may love to leap, but he has to come to earth sometime!

Building Doom on the Broom from Chapter 7 introduces scene, casting spells, enemy attacks, explosions, adding harder enemies, and how to give players extra lives. Phew! Platform games are the subject of Chapter 8. You’ll find the ins, outs, ups, and downs, of jumping from platform to platform, falling, portals, progressing through levels, and more.

Racing games are covered in Chapter 9 with Glacier Race, where cars compete with the clock to avoid obstacles and gather the most gems. You’ll discover how to use game loops to keep the action happening just right, how to make a scrolling road, all about collisions and spins, and adding a penguin race official to start things off and end the race.

Music more your thing? Enjoy a brain teaser? Welcome to Chapter 10 and Tropical Tunes where you listen to drums play and then repeat the sounds you hear in an ever-growing song.

Now that you’ve learned to create video games, what’s next? Chapter 11 tells you about remixing and how to create your very own games. If you really love making games, there’s a section on the kinds of jobs there are in video gaming.

In Coding in Scratch Jon Woodcock clearly explains with text and illustrations how kids can create fun games with a good bit of complexity. Screen shots and digital imagery show kids exactly what they will encounter as they progress through the different kinds of games. Colorful pages and Woodcock’s easy-to-understand directions makes this a go-to guide for budding programmers.

So grab the book, your computer, and your creativity and start Coding Games in Scratch!

Ages 8 – 13

DK, Penguin Random House, 2015 | ISBN 978-1465439352

Web Designer Day Activity

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Computer Kids Find the Differences Puzzle

 

Whenever a designer builds a website there are bugs to work out. Can you discover the “bugs” in these pictures? Take a close look at this printable Computer Kids Puzzle and find the differences!