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 6 – Russian Language Day

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About the Holiday

Established in 2010 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Russian Language Day honors the music, art, and other unique aspects of this intriguing country. The observance coincides with the 1799 birthday of Alexander Pushkin, a Russian poet who is considered the father of Russian literature. Celebrations include concerts, readings, and other cultural events. Today, listen to the music of a Russian composer, read a novel or short story, or learn a few Russian words!

Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition (Once Upon a Masterpiece Series)

Written by Anna Harwell Celenza | Illustrated by JoAnn E. Kitchel

 

It’s the 1870s and Russian culture is enjoying a resurgence. Young musicians and artists are excited to be recognized by the world. Three friends—Modest Mussorgsky, a musician; Victor Hartmann, an artist and architect; and Vladimir Stasov, an art critic—have big plans for their work. Victor, especially, has dreams of designing the new City Gate in Kiev. But on July 23, 1873 Victor suffers an aneurysm and dies. Modest is devastated. He feels that Victor’s death is his fault because he had dismissed Victor’s complaints about a headache only days before. Although Vladimir tries to comfort his friend, Modest pushes him away.

Modest stops going out, he stops being happy, and he stops writing music. Meanwhile Vladimir organizes an exhibition of Victor’s art so everyone will remember him. Vladimir and other friends think that seeing Victor’s work displayed will help Modest come to terms with his friend’s death. When the exhibit is ready, Vladimir visits Modest to invite him to come. When Modest refuses, Vladimir locks the door, puts the key in his pocket, and tells Modest he had two choices: either go to the exhibition or have a new roommate in Vladimir. Modest reluctantly agrees to go.

When they reach the gallery, Modest reluctantly enters. He is awestruck. “Every inch was filled with Victor’s hopes and dreams, his fears, and his greatest triumphs.” Slowly Modest wanders through each room, gazing at the paintings that bring back such vivid memories. He sees familiar faces, costume designs, children, couples, peasants, even Baba-Yaga, a witch from Victor’s favorite fairy tale.

Modest stops in front of Victor’s picture “The Great Gate of Kiev.” Tears fill his eyes and he thinks, “This was to be your greatest achievement…now it will never be more than a dream. If only I could build it for you.” He studies the picture for a long time, and suddenly an idea comes to him—“Maybe I can build it for you!” He dashes from the gallery straight to his piano.

As Modest thinks about Victor’s art, “one by one the spirit of each picture filled the room.” The images rise from the piano and Modest follows them from one theme to another, note by note. Some passages he plays are slow and sad, others clear and quick, while still others flutter or whisper. Even Baba-Yaga makes an appearance. With each chord special parts of Victor came to life until the last majestic strains built the Great Gate of Kiev in music. Modest calls his composition Pictures at an Exhibition.

With the spirit of his friend Victor in his heart. Modest Mussorgsky goes on to compose operas and visit with friends. Vladimir Stasov also follows his dreams to travel far and wide, and wherever he goes he tells people about Victor and Modest’s Pictures at an Exhibition

Anna Harmann Celenza relates the heartfelt story of the origins of Modest Mussorgsky’s great work with sensitivity and honors the emotional origins and effect of his Pictures at an Exhibition. The hopes of the three friends as well as the details of Victor’s artwork are evocatively described, allowing children to easily picture the feelings and objects that influenced Mussorgsky’s music.

Both the colorful architecture of Russia and the soaring notes of Mussorgsky’s music are beautifully depicted in JoAnn E Kitchel’s illustrations. Each one-and-a-half-page spread depicting scenes of St. Petersburg, Modest’s apartment, the art gallery, musical imagery, and the theater is framed in lovely floral borders, tying together the themes of art and music. Rich purples, regal blues, fiery reds, and glowing yellows makes this book a feast for the eye as well as the mind.

The book is accompanied by a CD of Mussorgsky’s work, making Pictures at an Exhibition a must have for music lovers of all ages.

Ages 6 – 10 and up

Charlesbridge, 2016 | ISBN 978-1580895286

Russian Language Day Activity

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Celebrate Russia Word Search

 

Find the names of Russian musicians, artists, writers, cities, and more in this circular word search. Print your Celebrate Russia Word Search here! And here’s the Solution!

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 2 – Leave the Office Earlier Day

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About the Holiday

The brain child of Laura Stack, a specialist in employee motivation, Leave the Office Earlier Day urges a look at how employees and employers use the working hours of the day to best advantage. Today’s holiday motivates employees to finish their tasks before schedule by making a conscious effort to increase efficiency and productivity. Greater cooperation between workers and their bosses can lead to less downtime and more success. To celebrate today’s holiday, employees can ask their bosses if they can leave the office once their work is truly and well finished. Employers may want to allow their workers to leave as soon as they have completed all their tasks. Both sides may find this tactic improves productivity and creates a more positive work environment.

The Secret Subway

Written by Shana Corey | Illustrated by Red Nose Studio (Chris Sickels)

 

In the 1860s the streets of New York were…well, not to put too fine a point on it…disgusting. Cobblestone and filled with trash, waste, horse manure, dust, dirt, and throngs of people, the roads made for rough travel. Many people had ideas about what could be done to make the streets safer and cleaner. Some thought a moving sidewalk would work, others talked about double-decker roads or an elevated train system. But although there was a lot of talk, nothing ever got done.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-secret-subway-city

Image copyright Chris Sickles, courtesy of rednosestudio.com

Alfred Ely Beach, however, peered down from his high office room and studied the street below him. Alfred Beach was a thinker, a publisher, and an inventor. He put his clever mind to work and came up with a solution. He envisioned a train powered by an enormous fan that would travel underground. “People would get where they needed to go as if by magic!” he thought. He couldn’t wait to start building. There was just one problem—he didn’t own the streets. And getting permission to dig them up would be hard. “So Beach hatched a sneaky plan. He would propose building an underground tube to carry mail instead.” As he had imagined, no one objected to this project when he proposed it—not even Boss Tweed, who unofficially ran the city.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-secret-subway-designing

Image copyright Chris Sickles, courtesy of rednosestudio.com

Given the okay, Beach rented the basement of Devlin’s Clothing Store. Every day he sent in workers to dig and every night wagons took away the debris. For 58 days and nights Beach’s men tunneled under the city, moving forward 8 feet each day. At last the tunnel was finished. It was 8 feet across and 294 feet long—large enough to hold a train full of people.

Beach then decorated the basement to be a beautiful, welcoming waiting room. Gaslight lamps and paintings dotted the walls, flowers added color, and a grandfather clock rang out the time. There was even a fountain with goldfish, a man playing a grand piano, and a delicious lunch. When everything was ready, Beach invited reporters, government officials, and distinguished citizens to join him on February 26, 1876 at the “Beach Pneumatic Transit Company.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-the-secret-subway-designing

Image copyright Chris Sickles, courtesy of rednosestudio.com

That first day Alfred Beach’s guests only admired the train, but they gave it glowing praise. Soon Beach opened his train to the public. With a WHOOSH of a gigantic fan, the train zipped down the track and then back again. “Beach’s train was a SENSATION! All winter while wagons slipped and slid on the slushy streets above, people poured into Devlin’s for the twenty-five-cent ride.”

While riders loved it, some people objected. Shop keepers didn’t want potential buyers underground. Property owners were afraid the digging would hurt their buildings, and some felt Beach wanted too much power. Even Boss Tweed no longer supported it since some of his friends had their own ideas on building a subway. When the governor of New York refused to let Beach expand his train, the project came to a halt.

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Image copyright Chris Sickles, courtesy of rednosestudio.com

The idea didn’t die, however, and “many years later drilling could be heard once again under the streets of New York City” as a train system powered with electricity was being built. Diggers discovered many unusual things buried under the city. Perhaps the most surprising was a brick wall behind which stood a little railroad car rusting in its tracks, a memorial to innovation and the future.

Alfred Ely Beach was one clever man, and Shana Corey tells his story with historical perspective, wit, and suspense. Corey’s language crackles with evocative alliteration, stealth, and action. Kids will be excited to learn of the intrigue and imagination that led to this remarkable snippet of America’s history.

Fans of Claymation will love Chris Sickels’ multimedia artwork that combines sculpted characters, specially built props, photographs, and illustration. Sickels’ characters are nothing short of astounding. Their period clothing, hairstyles, and expressive faces lend an engaging and realistic dimension to the vintage scenes. Sickels cleverly depicts early New York City and people’s alternative ideas to the traffic problem. His use of color and lighting sets the perfect tone for this highly entertaining and educational picture book. Kids will want to linger over each page to catch all the details of The Secret Subway.

Ages 4 – 10

Schwartz & Wade, Random House Kids, 2016 | ISBN 978-0375870712

Leave the Office Early Day Activity

 

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Chris Sickels’ Secret Subway

 

Chris Sickels of Red Nose Studio invites you to build your own Secret Subway with this printable play set, complete with Alfred Ely Beach and a passenger! Click here to download your printable Secret Subway Activity!

Build a Super Subway Car

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Every day, millions of people all over the world travel to work, school, and other activities by subway. Here’s an easy and fun way to build your own subway train from recycled materials. You can make just one car or make a few and connect them to create a long train worthy of any big city!

Supplies

  • Printable Subway Car Template
  • Medium or long toothpaste box
  • Silver paint
  • Glue
  • Paintbrush
  • Scissors

Directions

  1. Paint the toothpaste box with the silver paint, let dry
  2. Cut out the windows, doors, and stripe templates
  3. Trim the stripes to fit your box
  4. To make the little sign near the door, trim a small aquare from one of the stripes
  5. Glue the templates to the box

Picture Book Review