October 26 – National Pumpkin Day

About the Holiday

What would Halloween be without jack-o-lanterns or autumn without pumpkin pie? Even the seeds of the orange gourds we celebrate today are delicious with a little roasting. Whether you like pumpkins that are perfectly round or a little misshapen, small or behemoth, why not visit a pumpkin patch and pick a perfect pumpkin.

You Are My Little Pumpkin Pie

Written by Amy E. Sklansky | Illustrated by Talitha Shipman

In a big cozy, chair next to a roaring fire, a mom snuggles with her little boy. In a pretty nursery dotted with stars, a dad watches his tiny daughter, who’s learning to crawl. He tells her, “You light up any room / with your grin so big and wide.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-you-are-my-little-pumpkin-pie-fireplace

Image copyright Talitha Shipman, 2013, text copyright Amy E. Sklansky, 2013. courtesy of amysklansky.com.

In a bright and homey kitchen, a mother sprinkles the final touches on a pumpkin pie while her toddler helps. She says, “Your scent is just delightful— / like cinnamon and spice.” Outside, a mom and baby bundled up in the chilly weather share a hug, and the mom confesses, “Each time I kiss your yummy cheek, / I have to kiss it twice.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-you-are-my-little-pumpkin-pie-father

Image copyright Talitha Shipman, 2013, text copyright Amy E. Sklansky, 2013. courtesy of amysklansky.com.

At a farm, as Dad and his little one pick the perfect pumpkin, Dad wraps his arms around his child and says, “Your hugs are irresistible / Because you’re such a treat.” A mom playing with her daughter smiles and tells her, “I love to make you giggle. / No sound is quite as sweet.” In another home, dinner has been served and it’s time for dessert, but who are the parents praising as the “star of any feast”—the pumpkin pie or their children? The happy kids know the answer! And a baby drifts off to sleep with the sweet assurance, “You’re my little pumpkin pie, / Each and every piece.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-you-are-my-little-pumpkin-pie-kitchen

Image copyright Talitha Shipman, 2013, text copyright Amy E. Sklansky, 2013. courtesy of amysklansky.com.

Parents and other caregivers will love cuddling up with their little one and sharing the endearing rhymes in Amy E. Sklansky’s sweet tribute to the most special of relationships. The tender phrases on each page echo the spontaneous bursts of wonder, amazement, and of course love that fill an adult’s heart while thinking about or interacting with their child. The affection expressed with each verse will delight little ones.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-you-are-my-little-pumpkin-pie-kisses

Image copyright Talitha Shipman, 2013, text copyright Amy E. Sklansky, 2013. courtesy of amysklansky.com.

Talitha Shipman’s colorful and cozy illustrations embrace the parent-child relationship with depictions of the gestures, smiles, and assurances adults share with children. Little ones, sitting on Mom or Dad’s lap will be charmed by the happy faces of the babies and toddlers on each page and feel that same warm comfort. Extended fun can be found in discovering the pumpkin or pumpkins as well as the accompanying orange theme on each spread.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-you-are-my-little-pumpkin-pie-pumpkin-farm

Image copyright Talitha Shipman, 2013, courtesy of talithashipman.com.

You Are My Little Pumpkin Pie is a board book that little ones will want to hear again and again and that parents and other caregiver will love to share. It would make a wonderful gift and a sweet addition to any home bookshelf.

Ages 2 – 4

Little Brown Books for Young Readers, 2013 | ISBN 978-0316207140

Discover more about Amy E. Sklansky and her books on her website

To learn more about Talitha Shipman, her books, and her art, visit her website

National Pumpkin Day Activity

Rock! Paint! Pumpkin! Craft

With carefully chosen rocks you can create one jack-o’-lantern or a whole pumpkin patch!

Supplies

Round, smooth rock ( or rocks in a variety of sizes)
Orange craft paint
Black permanent marker or black craft paint
short sturdy twig (one for each rock)
Hot glue gun or strong glue
Paintbrush

Directions

Clean and dry the rock
Paint the rock orange, let dry
Draw or paint a jack-o’-lantern face on the rock, let dry
glue the short twig to the top of the rock pumpkin

**You can find You Are My Little Pumpkin Pie at these booksellers**

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

Picture Book Review

October 24 – National Food Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Established in 2011 by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, National Food Day aims to raise awareness of nutrition issues and encourage people to “Eat Real.” Eating real means “cutting back on sugary drinks, overly salted packaged foods and fatty, factory-farmed meats in favor of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, and sustainably raised protein.” Prominent food activists help people discover where they can find food that is healthy and affordable. Another goal is to promote food production that is mindful of the environment, farm animals, and farmers. The efforts of National Food Day continue year round and culminate on October 24 with special events.

I received a copy of Now You Know What You Eat from Orchard Books for review consideration. All opinions are my own. I’m excited to be teaming with Orchard Books in a giveaway of the book. See details below.

Now You Know What You Eat: Pictures and Answers for the Curious Mind

By Valorie Fisher

As you lick an ice cream cone, dip your spoon into a bowl of macaroni and cheese, or crunch on a pickle, do you ever think about all of the ingredients that go into it or where those ingredients come from? That’s the fascinating premise behind Now You Know What You Eat. Valorie Fisher presents this information in bright graphic form with an inviting vintage touch. Her clearly marked pages make connections that even the youngest readers can follow.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-now-you-know-what-you-eat-milk

First up is that delicious summer treat—the ice cream cone. For kids this may look like cone + vanilla ice cream, but that pointy (or flat bottom) cup is made up of “flour + sugar + eggs + butter.” And the scoop? That’s made from “cream + milk + sugar + eggs + vanilla extract.” But where does all that stuff come from, a curious kid may wonder. Fisher has that covered too. Running along the bottom of the page is a pictorial which shows that eggs come from a chicken, flour comes from wheat, milk, cream, and butter come from a cow, sugar comes from sugarcane, and vanilla extract comes from the vanilla orchid.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-now-you-know-what-you-eat-maple-syrup

Children will be amazed to see what a collage the Oatmeal Raisin Cookie is and where the ground cinnamon that gives them their spice and the baking soda that helps the dough rise come from. There’s even a little tutorial on how the cookies are made once the dough is mixed. That seemingly simple peanut butter sandwich is another work of art. Among other things, kids learn how jelly is thickened, the difference between whole wheat bread and white bread, and the role of yeast in bread making. They may also find it interesting that the peanut, despite its name, is not a nut at all, but a legume.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-now-you-know-what-you-eat-macaroni-and-cheese

We all know mac ‘n’ cheese is scrumptious comfort food, but there’s a lot more to it than that—and readers will discover some surprising ingredients that go into the making of cheese. A short primer on macaroni dishes up some favorite shapes. Want to know how chocolate’s made? There’s a two-page spread for that too. From the cacao pod to the oven to the mold and every step in between, children discover how this favorite comes to be as well as the fact that “dark chocolate = milk chocolate – milk” and “white chocolate = milk chocolate – cocoa mass. The makings of maple syrup, dill pickles, lemonade, yogurt, vegetable soup, pizza, honey, and potato chips are also explored. A few ingredients, like milk, eggs, corn, and apples, are given an entire page to explain how it is grown or produced.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-now-you-know-what-you-eat-egg

Valorie Fisher combines symbols, such as addition and subtraction signs, brackets, and equal signs to show how separate ingredients are combined to become a favorite food. She also includes easy-to-understand text that explains more about each ingredient or finished dish and where base ingredients come from and/or how they are grown. Fisher also talks about the variety of milk-producing animals, kinds of corn, and types of apples and citrus fruits around the world. Noteworthy facts, such as how much milk one cow produces each week and that a person could stand on an egg without cracking it, will captivate kids.

Graphics-loving kids will immediately gravitate toward Fisher’s pages that use readily recognizable, but generic, images to deconstruct food into its individual parts. Presented on alternating colored squares, strips and blocks, the steps are easy to follow. Her vibrant choices highlight the food and draw readers in to linger over each page and its absorbing content. Illustrated pages also contain a guide to the makeup of a healthy plate; a chart outlining the minerals and vitamins in the foods presented and how they help the body; and a glossary.

Now You Know What You Eat: Pictures and Answers for the Curious Mind will entice readers of all ages to dig deeper into learning what goes into the food they eat and is an excellent accompaniment to cookbooks and nutrition guides at home and in school and public library collections.

Ages 4 – 8

Orchard Books, 2019 | ISBN 978-1338215465

To learn more about Valorie Fisher, her books, and her art, visit her website.

National Food Day Activity

CPB - Noodle Puzzle

Noodle on This! Puzzle

Pasta is a perennial favorite! Help these noodles get to the right plate, bowl, or pot in this printable Noodle on This puzzle that’s as wiggly as a wet noodle!

**You can find Now You Know What You Eat: Pictures and Answers for the Curious Mind at these booksellers**

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

Picture Book Review

October 22 – National Nut Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

Today we celebrate cashews, almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, and all the other nuts that flavor dishes and provide healthy snacks. Nuts are nutritious, providing a good source of vitamins, protein, fiber, and important minerals. Eating nuts on a regular basis can also help keep your heart healthy. So, crack open some nuts today and have a feast!

I received a copy of The Squirrels Who Squabbled from Scholastic, Inc. for review consideration. All opinions are my own. I’m happy to be teaming with Scholastic, Inc. in a giveaway of the book. See details below.

The Squirrels Who Squabbled

Written by Rachel Bright | Illustrated by Jim Field

In the middle of autumn, “a flighty young squirrel, / Who everyone knew as / ‘Spontaneous Cyril’” discovered he hadn’t prepared for the winter. In fact, “he hadn’t a mouthful of food ANYWHERE.” Then he spied a closed pinecone in a tree across the way. But as Cyril planned how to nab this very last treat, “‘Plan-Ahead Bruce’ had his sights on the prize.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-squirrels-who-squabbled-swinging

Image copyright Jim Field, 2019, text copyright Rachel Bright, 2019. Courtesy of Scholastic, Inc.

Although Bruce had amassed a tower of nuts, seeds, berries, and mushrooms to get him through the winter, he decided he must have that last pinecone too. So while Cyril took off running up the tree trunk on one side, Bruce scrambled up around the other side. Their scrabbling shook the tree and dislodged the pinecone from its nook. “Both squirrels gave chase at a lightning pace. / This was the start of a wild, nutty race.” They called out: “it’s mine!”. . . “No, it’s not!” . . . “Yes, it is!” and other such talk as they rushed after the pinecone.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-squirrels-who-squabbled-pinecone

Image copyright Jim Field, 2019, text copyright Rachel Bright, 2019. Courtesy of Scholastic, Inc.

“It BOINGED over bushes. . . and flew through the air. / It BINGED on the nose of a slumbering bear! / It BOUNCED over boulders then came to a . . . / STOP.” There, high on a cliff, it balanced a moment then fell into the rushing river below. Bruce and Cyril dived in after it. Each were thiiiis close to grabbing it when a bird nab it instead and flew far away. Meanwhile, the logs they were rafting on drifted over a waterfall. As they plunged did they think: “They’d squandered their chances / to team up and share. / Would their nutty young homes / simply end in despair?”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-squirrels-who-squabbled-cliff

Image copyright Jim Field, 2019, text copyright Rachel Bright, 2019. Courtesy of Scholastic, Inc.

As they passed by a tree, Cyril clung to a branch and reached out his hand to rescue Bruce. Soaked and exhausted they crawled to dry land. “Then Bruce looked at Cyril and… exploded in giggles!” He thought they’d been silly and that he was greedy to boot. He vowed that he’d change and that their skirmish would cease. He said, “‘We should celebrate—seeing / we’re both in one piece!’” And Bruce kept his word. From then on he shared his bounty with Cyril and all the animals of the forest because he’d learned that sharing with friends was the best thing of all.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-squirrels-who-squabbled-waterfall

Image copyright Jim Field, 2019, text copyright Rachel Bright, 2019. Courtesy of Scholastic, Inc.

Kids will eat up Rachel Bright’s funny friendship story that bounces along at the pace of a flick of a squirrel’s tail. Her set-up to the action of the story is nifty with humorous and telling nicknames for the two squirrels and spreads that deftly depict their opposing lifestyle philosophies. Cyril and Bruce’s race through the forest, plunge over the waterfall, and daring rescue provide plenty of material for dramatic readings of Bright’s spectacular rhymes and rhythm. Her delectable vocabulary serves up comical squabbles, gripping suspense, and a heartwarming ending. Readers will eagerly join in on the rousing onomatopoeic rhymes. Bright’s message of camaraderie and what’s most important in life is always welcome and is well delivered. The story offers many opportunities for creative extension ideas.

Jim Field’s striking images of the forest in autumn—rendered in gold, red, orange and green with touches of rose—are fresh and peaceful. The sun-dappled vistas soon become an ironic counterbalance for the hilarious antics of Cyril and Bruce. The two rakish squirrels leap and bound through the forest, their speed portrayed with blurred backgrounds and their wrangling for the last pinecone pictured in tangled and grasping arms and legs. Cyril and Bruce’s plummet over the waterfall is a vertical showstopper as is an illustration of the black bear among the birch trees. Get ready for repeat readings of the page where the pinecone ricochets from tree to rocks to the bear’s nose and lots of giggles when Bruce and Cyril make up. The final two-page spread of Bruce and Cyril’s feast shows friendship at its best.

Without a doubt, The Squirrels Who Squabbled is a book to add to home, classroom, and school libraries. It will be an often-asked-for favorite for story times all year ‘round.

Ages 3 – 7

Scholastic Inc., 2019 | ISBN 978-1338538038

Discover more about Rachel Bright and her books on her website.

To learn more about Jim Field, his books, and his art, visit his website.

National Nut Day Activity

CPB - Bird Feeder I (2)

Pinecone Bird feeder

Making a pinecone bird feeder is a quick, fun way to nourish your backyard friends! Here are some simple directions for making your own!

Supplies

Large pinecone
Vegetable shortening
Birdseed
String
Knife or popsicle stick
Spoon
2 Bowls

Directions

Tie a length of string around one of the top layers of pinecone leaves and knot it to make a loop for hanging.
Spoon about 1/3 cup of vegetable shorting into a bowl
With the knife spread the shortening over the leaves of the pinecone, covering it completely.
Pour birdseed into a bowl
Roll the pinecone in the bowl of birdseed, patting seed into the crevices and around the sides.
Hang your pinecone bird feeder on a branch or pole and watch the birds enjoy it!

**You can find The Squirrels Who Squabbled at these booksellers**

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

Picture Book Review

October 21 – National Apple Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

It’s apple season! Honeycrisp, Cortland, Gala, Fuji, Macintosh—there are so many delicious varieties to choose from and enjoy! The bounty of apples allows bakers and chefs to create scrumptious desserts and dishes, and for purists, there’s nothing better than biting into a crisp apple. Orchards are open for picking, and farmers markets and grocery stores are packed with these red, green, and yellow treats. To celebrate today and all month long, take the family apple picking, make your favorite apple recipes, or discover new taste sensations.

Applesauce Day

Written by Lisa J. Amstutz | Illustrated by Talitha Shipman

As a girl and her family have breakfast, she spies the tall pot that means it’s applesauce day. Her younger sister Hannah cheers, and her little brother “bangs his spoon.” After breakfast they head to the orchard outside the city. There, the air smells of ripe apples and it’s quiet. “There are no sirens or screeching tires. Only the buzzing of bees and the rustling of leaves in the wind.”