January 10 – Houseplant Appreciation Day

About the Holiday

Missing the green leaves and colorful flowers of spring and summer? Maybe it’s time to recreate the sights of warmer days inside with houseplants! Placed in a sunny window, some plants will continue blooming all winter long, making you feel happier. Houseplants also provide health benefits as they produce oxygen, release moisture into that dry winter air, and improve air quality. Add a few herb plants and even cooking will take on new life. Whether you add just one plant or create an indoor garden, today’s the perfect day to get started.

Nobody Hugs a Cactus

By Carter Goodrich

Hank, a little cactus, sat in his window and looked out with pleasure on the “empty…hot, dry, peaceful, and quiet” desert. Sometimes, though, visitors came by—like Rosie the Tumbleweed, who cheerfully greeted Hank and commented on the beautiful day. “Hank ignored her. He just wanted to be left alone.” Hank was happy when Rosie passed by without stopping.

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But then a tortoise ambled by to say hello. Hank shouted for him to get off his property. As he was yelling a jackrabbit bounded by. “‘Hiya, Prickles,’ she shouted,” and Hank turned his fury on her. It wasn’t long before a coyote appeared. Hank shooed him away, but not before the coyote commented, “‘You are as prickly on the inside as you are on the outside.’”

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When a passing cowboy was told to get off the grass, he countered that there was no grass and added that it seemed “‘somebody needed a hug. Too bad nobody hugs a cactus,’” he added. A lizard on the wall was quickly dispatched with a warning that Hank did not want a hug. That was just fine with the lizard, who didn’t want to give him one anyway.

By now, nighttime had fallen, and an owl landed on the roof of Hank’s house. Hank gazed at the owl, and the owl gazed back. Begrudgingly, Hank offered to give the owl a hug. But the owl flew off, and “for the first time, Hank began feeling a little lonely.” The next morning, Hank felt a little sad and had begun reconsidering that hug.

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Just then the wind picked up, and a Styrofoam cup flying by stuck to Hank’s face. Rosie tumbled by and knocked it off before rolling on. Hank thought about Rosie’s kindness and felt bad about all the times he’d been mean to her. He decided he wanted to make amends. Over several days he grew a beautiful flower, and when Rosie passed by again, he called out and offered it to her with a big smile. “Rosie was so surprised, she jumped up and gave Hank a big hug. It felt so nice Hank didn’t want to let go.” Which was a good thing, because they were stuck together. But they don’t mind; they like being stuck together better than being alone.

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Well-known for his talent for creating charming characters who steal your heart, Carter Goodrich takes on the cantankerous among us—or those cranky days—and shows that kindness does soften even the prickliest of shields. Carter’s diminutive grouch may be discourteous but he’s also adorable, hinting at the softie that lies below the prickles and turning those dissuasive phrases hurled at his neighbors into lines that will elicit giggles from kids and adults. Carter’s thin-limbed and elongated jackrabbit and cowboy are also stylishly humorous. The tortoise that sits in front of Hank’s house hiding in his shell throughout the story serves dual purposes, showing how rejection makes others feel while also demonstrating what it looks like to be truly isolated and alone. Hank’s slow change of heart rings true and the act of selflessness that brings him and Rosie together makes for another funny scene and a satisfying ending.

A story that is sure to be embraced for crabby days and cheerful days, Nobody Hugs a Cactus would be a favorite on home, classroom, and public library bookshelves.

Ages 4 – 8

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers | ISBN 978-1534400900

To learn more about Carter Goodrich and his books, film work, and art, visit his website.

Houseplant Appreciation Day Activity

Flip-Flop Plant Holder

Flip-flops aren’t only for your feet—or for summer! With this easy craft you can make a whimsical way to hang succulents and other light plants on walls or even windows!

Supplies

Child’s flip-flops with elastic heel straps
Buttons or charms
Small plastic solid-bottom pot
Small plant
Dirt
Hot glue gun
Heavy duty mounting strips
Small shovel or spoon

Directions

Place the flip-flop toe down on your work surface. With the hot glue gun, attach the buttons to the plastic toe straps of the flip-flops.
Add dirt to the pot
Add plant to the pot
Slip the pot into the elastic strap and gently push down so it is also supported by the plastic toe straps
To hang, use appropriate-weight mountable strips.
To make an interesting and attractive arrangement, use various sizes of flip-flops

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

Picture Book Review

January 6 – National Cuddle Up Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

As the icy temperatures of January settles in, one of the best ways to stay warm is to cuddle up with someone special or a favorite pet. Not only does snuggling take the chill off, it gives you those warm fuzzies inside that make you feel loved. Cuddling also has health benefits as it releases oxytocin, a natural pain reliever that can reduce heart disease and lower blood pressure, stress, and anxiety. Children especially benefit from snuggling that builds strong relationships with parents and other caregivers. So share cuddles—and books—today and all winter long!

Where’s Baby?

By Anne Hunter

Papa Fox is looking for Baby and asks Mama if she’s seen her. Mama hasn’t but says she “must be somewhere” and so starts the search. “Ba-by!” Papa calls into their den, but there’s no answer. Papa decides to look outside. When he turns around, Mama spies Baby hiding right behind Papa; she smiles and waves and Baby waves back.

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Papa comes to a stand of tall trees and shouts, “Ba-by! Are you up in the tree?” This time he gets a response, but it’s from an owl, who is “up in the tree, but…not your baby.” Something black-and-white and potentially stinky is hiding in a log, but it’s not Baby. Next, Papa comes to a big hill. It’s so big that Papa can’t see over it, so he yells out, hoping his little one will hear him. Of course, Baby does hear him—but from much closer than over the hill. What is waiting for Papa if he climbs all the way to the top? A bear with very sharp teeth that frightens even Papa Fox.

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Since Baby isn’t high up, Papa tries down in the ground (where it’s his turn to frighten a little mouse) and in the lake (where he finds an extremely long fish). In the pasture, Papa spies a bull named Davy, but not his Baby. Papa goes back to Mama and states that he “can’t find Baby anywhere.” Mama suggests that Papa look behind him and, lo-and-behold, there’s Baby! “Where on earth have you been?” Papa says. “I’ve looked for you everywhere!” To which Baby has only one answer: “Can we do that again?”

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Little ones will love Anne Hunter’s hide-and-seek game in a book that perfectly captures the cadence and suspense of the real thing while adding a sprinkling of giggly humor to each page. Hunter’s soft-hued blue-and-grey illustrations, rendered in pen and colored pencil, are the perfect backdrop for little orange Baby, who pops up in corners, in a family portrait, from behind boulders and tree stumps, in the grass, and, of course, behind Papa.

Young readers will be proud to best Papa while pointing and shouting, “there’s Baby!” Kids will also have fun naming the other animals Papa encounters on his search, an adventure that also offers adults the opportunity to teach spatial relation words, such as up, inside, outside, under, over, down, around, in front of, and behind. And you can bet that when the story ends little ones will—just like Baby—want to do it again.

Sure to be a hit with little ones and a terrific take-along book for fun outings or for times when waiting is expected, Where’s Baby? would make an often-asked-for addition to home, classroom, and public libraries for cuddly or active story times that are sure to lead into real games of hide-and-seek.

Ages 3 – 7

Tundra Books, 2020 | ISBN 978-0735264984

To learn more about Anne Hunter, her books, and her art, visit her website.

National Cuddle Up Day Activity

Snuggle Buddy Craft

It’s easy to make your own snuggle buddy with a few pieces of fleece, some fiber fill, and a needle and thread or fabric glue. The great thing about creating your own friend is you can personalize your pal anyway you want!

Supplies

1 8-inch by 11-inch piece of fleece in the color or your choice for the body (or scraps if you have some from an earlier project). A larger piece of fleece can be used to make a larger buddy
1 5-inch by 8-inch piece of fleece in the color or your choice for the hair (or scraps if you have some from an earlier project)
1 small piece of fleece or other material for a pocket, clothes, or blanket
Small scraps of fleece or other material for the face
Fiber Fill
Thread and sewing needle OR fabric glue
Scissors

Directions

To Make the Body

Fold the large piece of fleece in half lengthwise and sew along the open side and along the bottom. Alternatively, if using a larger size piece of fleece, fold upward and sew or glue the two sides closed.
Turn the form inside out

To Make the Hair

Cut a piece of fleece as wide as your buddy and about 7 – 8 inches long
Fold the fleece lengthwise
Insert both ends of the fleece into the opening at the top of the body
Sew or glue the opening shut, securing the hair
Cut strips about ¼-inch wide from the top of the hair to close to where the hair is sown into the body

To Make a Pocket or Clothes

Cut a piece of fleece in the shape of a pocket, shirt, pants, diaper, or blanket
Sew or glue the pocket or clothes to the buddy

To Make the Face

Cut eyes, a nose, and a mouth in whatever way you would like your buddy to look.
Sew or glue the face to the buddy

**You can find Where’s Baby? at these booksellers**

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

Picture Book Review

January 3 – Festival of Sleep Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

After all the celebrating, we’re finally ready for some down time – and when I say down time, I mean sleep! That feeling of sinking into a deep slumber and waking refreshed the next morning is so comforting. And the opportunity to sleep in – or sleep all day? That’s luxury! To take full advantage of today’s holiday, jump in bed, pull up the covers and…Zzzzzzzzzz…

Henry & Leo

By Pamela Zagarenski

Ever since Henry was two, he and his stuffed lion, Leo, have been inseparable. “Perhaps it was his glass button eyes, which made him look as if he knew secret things” that made him so special and unlike Henry’s other toys. One Saturday Henry’s parents suggested a hike in the Nearby Woods. Henry was excited because he knew Leo would love the outing. Henry’s sister thought this idea was foolish, after all Leo wasn’t real, she said, and couldn’t love anything.

Henry didn’t care what his sister thought, and as they walked through the forest, he “could tell that Leo loved hearing the birds and finding the woodland animals as much as he did.” When evening began to fall, the family headed home, Henry riding on his father’s shoulders. At home, Henry discovered that Leo was missing. They looked everywhere, but Leo could not be found.

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Image copyright Pamela Zagarenski, courtesy of Houghton, Mifflin Harcourt

Papa promised that they would resume the hunt in the morning, but Henry worried. He knew Leo would want to be home with him tonight, and asked that a light be left on for him. Henry’s mother suggested that since Leo was only real in Henry’s imagination that he “‘imagine Leo tucked into a safe place.’” In the morning, she said, they would return to the Nearby Woods and find him.

In the darkness of his room, clutching a stuffed rabbit and fox, with a toy bear nearby, Henry thinks about Leo. He “knows that his family just didn’t understand what it truly meant to be real.” But Henry and Leo were best friends. They cared for each other. “That’s real.”

Meanwhile, in the Nearby Woods, a bear, a rabbit, and a fox discover Leo sitting at the base of a tree. With a twig, Leo sketches a house in the dirt, washed white in the gleam of the full moon. The rabbit produces a compass as the fox consults the stars. The foursome takes off down the path, watched over by owls and other night creatures. As the trip grows longer, Leo rides on the bear’s back. At last they reach the edge of the forest, and in the distance Leo points to a house bathed white in the moonlight.

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Image copyright Pamela Zagarenski, courtesy of Houghton, Mifflin Harcourt

With the dawning sun Henry and his family take up the search again. Suddenly, Henry spies Leo near the front door. “‘Leo!’” he shouts. His family sighs in relief, but his sister and father are both perplexed. They know they had “‘looked in that very spot last night.’” As Henry hugs Leo tightly, he whispers “‘You found home! I love you, Leo.’” And Leo whispers back, “‘I love you, too, Henry.’”

With her signature grace and lyricism. Pamela Zagarenski infuses her lost-toy story with the mystical imagination of childhood. As the title suggests, she presents the experience from both Henry’s and Leo’s perspectives, echoing the wonderful ability of young children to fully embrace and transfer their emotions, giving—and accepting—love from animate and inanimate objects equally. Zagarenski’s illustrations are glorious, with the richness of royalty—a motif that is carried through in the crowns that hover above and settle on the heads of Henry, his family, other toys, and the woodland animals. Children may enjoy discussing and interpreting the different crowns. The middle spreads of nighttime in the forest are wordless, allowing the animals to communicate in their own way and in a way children believe. Young readers will appreciate the gentle suspense and be satisfied with the correctness of Henry’s prediction as Leo finds his way home. Fans of Zagarenski’s work will notice familiar images, such as teapots, tea cups, and paper sailboats, scattered among the pages.

The beauty of Zagarenski’s art and her stardust magic of imagination make Henry & Leo an excellent choice for bedtime and quiet time reading, and would be an often-asked-for addition to children’s bookshelves.

Ages 4 – 7

Houghton, Mifflin Harcourt, 2016 | ISBN 978-0544648111

To learn more about Pamela Zagarenski, her books, and her art, visit her website.

Festival of Sleep Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-snuggle-buddy-craft

Snuggle Buddy Craft

Supplies

1 8-inch by 11-inch piece of fleece in the color or your choice for the body (or scraps if you have some from an earlier project). A larger piece of fleece can be used to make a larger buddy
1 5-inch by 8-inch piece of fleece in the color or your choice for the hair (or scraps if you have some from an earlier project)
1 small piece of fleece or other material for a pocket, clothes, or blanket
Small scraps of fleece or other material for the face
Fiber Fill
Thread and sewing needle OR fabric glue
Scissors

Directions

To Make the Body

Fold the large piece of fleece in half lengthwise and sew along the open side and along the bottom. Alternatively, if using a larger size piece of fleece, fold upward and sew or glue the two sides closed.
Turn the form inside out

To Make the Hair

Cut a piece of fleece as wide as your buddy and about 7 – 8 inches long
Fold the fleece lengthwise
Insert both ends of the fleece into the opening at the top of the body
Sew or glue the opening shut, securing the hair
Cut strips about ¼-inch wide from the top of the hair to close to where the hair is sown into the body

To Make a Pocket or Clothes

Cut a piece of fleece in the shape of a pocket, shirt, pants, diaper, or blanket
Sew or glue the pocket or clothes to the buddy

To Make the Face

Cut eyes, a nose, and a mouth in whatever way you would like your buddy to look.
Sew or glue the face to the buddy

**You can find Henry & Leo at these booksellers**

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

Picture Book Review

January 2 – It’s National Sunday Supper Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Isabelle Lessing began the Sunday Supper Movement in 2012 after her oldest child left home to attend college and she realized that the time spent around the family table would be something she missed most. Isabelle reached out to other food bloggers to share their experiences and recipes, and the Sunday Supper Movement was born. If you’d like to revive this tradition, which was once a staple of family life, you’ll find recipes and ideas on the Sunday Supper website.

Nothing Wee About Me! A Magical Adventure

Written by Kim Chaffee | Illustrated by Laura Bobbiesi

It was time for Sunday Supper at Grandma’s again. Liesel ran past her brother and up the front walk into Grandma’s kitchen, where she began to search through the spoons, spatulas, and other baking utensils. Grandma held the large soup ladle aloft and asked, “‘Looking for this?’” When Liesel cheered, Grandma said, “‘Dear Liesel, you’re just like me when I was a wee girl.’” But Liesel let her know that there was nothing wee about her.

Grandma warned Liesel that the old ladle didn’t work quite as well as it used to and made her promise to “be back in time for Sunday soup.’” Liesel raised the ladle above her head and made a wish. Immediately, she was in a little submarine, her ladle-scope trained on an island where a rumbling volcano threatened the pretty castle and the villagers. Liesel hurried toward the island to warn its inhabitants.

When she landed on shore, she was met by a lion pirate who took in her wee size and sneered while informing her that the island belonged to him. In turn, she informed him that the volcano was about to blow and—in her loudest voice—that “‘THERE’S NOTHING WEE ABOUT ME!’” Then she brandished her “ladle-hook” hand at him and sent him running. Then she rushed through the town announcing the danger through her ladle-megaphone.

She came to the castle and knocked loudly on the door. But then she spied, crouched over the tallest tower and with its wings outstretched, a fire-breathing dragon who was keeping the prince prisoner. The dragon was not afraid of such a “wee girl,” but Liesel swung her “ladle-sword” at the dragon and ordered it to let the prince go. Surprised by Liesel’s bravery, the dragon relented.

But were they too late to get to the rescue boat? Lava was already streaming from the volcano as the earth shook. Once more, Liesel raised the ladle and made a wish. Immediately, Liesel found herself holding a stick with a marshmallow attached. She told the ladle that the volcano was “‘not a campfire’” and that this was “‘no time for s’mores.’” The prince, thought a snack sounded good, though.

Liesel made another wish and found herself holding a plunger; another wish presented her with a golf club. Liesel had to admit that Grandma had been right about the ladle being broken, but she tried one more time. When she opened her eyes, she was holding a fishing pole. The prince couldn’t see how that would help, but Liesel knew just what to do. She sent her line flying, “hooked the largest coconut she could find,” and…saved the day.

While Liesel wished she and the prince could stay on the island, she knew Grandma was waiting. At dinner, Liesel slurped up her whole bowl of soup and asked for another. As Grandma ladled up another serving of Sunday soup, she remarked that she’d never seen Liesel eat so much. “‘That must have been some adventure today!’” she said and then worried that perhaps it had been too dangerous. But Liesel reassured her grandma that there was “‘Nothing this WEE girl couldn’t handle.’”

Kim Chaffee’s enchanting and action-packed story is a celebration of imagination and the way that simple toys or objects can spark children to discover their own creativity. With evocative verbs, suspenseful encounters, rich dialog, and a sprinkling of humor, Chaffee creates a charming page-turner that’s sure to thrill readers. Kid-power, girl-power, and themes of family and tradition as well as a sweet and loving intergenerational relationship between the children and their grandmother make this a multi-layered story that kids will love. Liesel’s mantra “There’s nothing wee about me” is sure to become a rallying cry for readers.

Laura Bobbiesi’s watercolor and ink illustrations are filled with captivating details that revel in the joys of simpler times and hint at some of the adventures to come. As Liesel and her brother run to meet Grandma, Liesel wears a paper hat while her brother sports the gold crown and red cape of a prince, and the seagull that greets their little dinghy wears an eyepatch. The plump submarine, golden-maned pirate, and rainbow-scaled dragon are whimsical while highlighting the ingenuity of young minds at play. Subtle hints incorporated in the text and accompanying images may spur some readers to join in on the adventure and guess how Liesel will solve the problem of the volcano.

An inventive story with lots of heart, Nothing Wee About Me! A Magical Adventure would make a fun addition to home, classroom, and public library collections for story times that stir children’s imaginations.

Ages 4 – 8

Page Street Kids, 2019 | ISBN 978-1624146923

Discover more about Kim Chaffee and her books on her website.

To learn more about Laura Bobbiesi and see a portfolio of her work visit her website.

National Sunday Supper Month Activity

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Souper Maze!

Soup makes a souper meal for Sunday Suppers, but you can’t eat it without a spoon! Can you help the spoon get through the maze to the bowl in this printable maze?

Souper Maze Puzzle | Souper Maze Solution

**You can find Nothing Wee About Me! A Magical Adventure at these booksellers**

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

Picture Book Review

December 31 – National No Interruptions Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

If you yearn for a nice long stretch of peace and quiet in which to work, think, or play without the barrage of sounds, images, and other interruptions that make up modern life, then today’s holiday is for you. So how do you go about celebrating? Turn off your phone, TV, and music, tell your friends and family you’re taking a “me” day, and find a spot where you can shut the door and just…ahhhh…. For those on the other side of that door who want attention or need help, the day may require a bit of patience. But they might find that they appreciate a little quiet time too—just like the little girl in today’s book.

Patience, Miyuki

Written by Roxane Marie Galliez | Illustrated by Seng Soun Ratanavanh

“Blue earth, orange moon, Spring was all dressed up and ready for her first day of the year.” Up with the dawn, Miyuki was ready too. She rushed to her grandfather’s house eager to rouse him to watch the “last moonbeams of winter” and enjoy the first full day of spring. But Grandfather urged patience. He wanted to soak up the sunshine through his window. The day would still be there in an hour, he told her.