October 8 – It’s National Book Month

About the Holiday

National Book Month celebrates the joys of books for all ages. Starting at birth, children reap tremendous benefits from being read to every day. Even before they can talk, babies love listening to stories and looking at bright, colorful illustrations. Reading with babies improves their language development, literacy development, their understanding of math concepts, and their recognition of emotions. Board books, with their smaller, chunky size and thick pages are perfect for the youngest readers and their parents, grandparents, and other caregivers to share! Board books make excellent gifts for baby showers and new babies as well as for other gift-giving occasions.

This week I’m thrilled to share five new board books from Little Simon and to be partnering with them in an amazing giveaway of all five books. Simon & Schuster sent me the books to check out. All opinions are my own. You’ll find details about the giveaway below. Watch every day this week for another terrific title!

The Itsy Bitsy School Bus

Written by Jeffrey Burton | illustrated by Sanja Rešček

It was a big day for itsy bitsy school bus! With a full backpack and a ready smile, the itsy bitsy bus was “dropped off at school, it was time to learn and play.” In the bright classroom with pictures, numbers, and a colorful table where all the students sit the teacher said hello and then itsy bitsy bus read and played, drew and painted with new friends – pink car, little police car, and tiny cement truck. And what happened after school? “The itsy bitsy school bus asked to go back again.”

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Image copyright Sanja Rešček, 2018, text copyright Jeffrey Burton. Courtesy of Little Simon, Simon & Schuster.

A fun, school-time twist on the nursery rhyme “The Itsy Bitsy Spider,” Jeffrey Burton’s sweet story for the preschool set is sure to charm the littlest students as they go off to school on their first day or want to relive the fun of the day at story time. For little ones who have not yet started school, the jaunty lilt of the story and upbeat activities shown will get them excited for when their turn does come. The story can be read and/or sung and invites kids to join in on subsequent readings.

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Image copyright Sanja Rešček, 2018, text copyright Jeffrey Burton. Courtesy of Little Simon, Simon & Schuster.

Sanja Rešček’s first double-spread page lets little ones into the Bus family’s sunny kitchen with its car-motif tablecloth, healthy breakfast, and garage-sized door. Itsy bitsy bus rolls on out with backpack attached and zips down the road, first in line. The school has an equally wide door through which other vehicle families can be seen entering. Waving their tires, the little bus and Daddy say goodbye. The teacher, an orange beetle car, greets her new students and, after reading time, she shows them to the arts and crafts area where they all love making pictures of…themselves! When the final bell rings, the students file out to be picked up, but their smiles show that they’re ready to come back tomorrow.

Ages 2 – 4

Little Simon, 2018 | ISBN 978-1534416956

The Gift of Story Time Giveaway

Little Simon board books make the perfect gift for all of the young readers in your life! With cute and creative illustrations, accessible and engaging stories, and the perfect size and durability, these books are great for new parents and for reading aloud. These fun series teach important lessons and concepts through adorable characters, interesting stories, and hilarious creatures!

One (1) winner receives this collection of five sweet stories from Little Simon

The Itsy Bitsy School Bus, written by Jeffrey Burton | illustrated by Sanja Rešček
Roary the Lion Roars Too Loud, written by Ame Dyckman |illustrated by Alex G. Griffiths
Día de los Muertos, written by Hannah Eliot | illustrated by Jorge Gutierrez
This Little Scientist: A Discovery Primer, written by Joan Holub | illustrated by Daniel Roode
Hello Knights!, written by Joan Holub | illustrated by Chris Dickason

To be entered to win, just Follow me on Twitter @CelebratePicBks and Retweet a giveaway tweet during this week, October 8 – 14. Already a follower? Thanks! Just retweet for a chance to win.

A winner will be chosen on October 15.

Giveaway open to US addresses only | Prizing and samples provided by Little Simon.

National Book Month Activity

Sort the Straws

With a box of colorful plastic straws and a muffin tin, you can set up a sorting activity that will keep little ones happily busy. Talk with children about how they can sort the straws and why they choose that method.

To start: cut straws of different colors into various lengths. For younger children, use only two or three lengths. Older children may enjoy a more challenging activity with straws that are cut into lengths that are more difficult to distinguish.

To sort: children can sort straws by size, by color, or by any way that makes sense to them.

**You can find The Itsy Bitsy School Bus at these booksellers**

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

Picture Book Review

October 7 – National Photographer Appreciation Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

National Photographer Appreciation Month is for all photographers, whether professional or amateur. The month-long holiday gives people an opportunity to really look at the photographs they see in newspapers, books, online, and even in their own home and truly appreciate the artistry that goes into capturing a moment, a place, or a personality to tell a bigger story. October is also a great month to go through your own family photographs from today to generations past and relive or rediscover memories.And for those job seekers, a professionally taken picture for your online profiles can make a big difference in how you are perceived by potential employers. To celebrate, consider having a professional portrait taken of yourself, your kids, or your whole family to decorate your home, give as gifts, or send as a holiday card. There are also lots of galleries displaying photographic work to explore.

Dorothea’s Eyes: Dorothea Lange Photographs the Truth

Written by Barb Rosenstock | Illustrated by Gérard DuBois

When Dorothea Lange opens her green eyes, she sees things others miss. In the shadows, in patterns within the grain of wooden tables, in the repeated shapes of windows on a wall, and most especially in people’s faces. “Dorothea loves faces! When Dorothea looks at faces, it’s like she’s hugging the world.”

When Dorothea is seven she contracts polio. The disease withers her right leg and forever after she walks with a limp. Other kids tease her and make her want to hide. Her mother encourages her, but Dorothea pretends to be invisible. When her father leaves his family, her mother gets a job in New York and Dorothea goes to a new school. She is different and lonely.

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Image copyright Gérard DuBois , text copyright Barb Rosenstock. Courtesy of Caulkins Creek.

As Dorothea waits for her mother to finish work, she looks around her, spying “into crowded tenements where fathers, home from peddling, read newspapers, and mothers wash dishes, clothes, and babies in rusty sinks—happy and sad mixed together.” She begins to skip school to wander the city, gazing at it with her curious eyes and heart.

When Dorothea grows up she decides to become a photographer. Her family is surprised—it is not a ladylike profession. She works any job she can find in the photography industry, learning about cameras, darkrooms, negatives, and the printing process. “Alone in the darkroom’s amber glow, she studies the wet printing paper while faces appear in black and white. Dorothea loves faces!”

When she is 23 Dorothea travels west and when all her money is stolen in San Francisco, she stays, gets a job, and starts her own portrait studio. She becomes the sought-after photographer of the richest families in California. She makes money, gains friends, gets married, and starts a family of her own. But she always wonders, “Am I using my eyes and my heart?”

When the stock market crashes and the Great Depression sweeps the country, Dorothea focuses her camera on the desperate and the downtrodden. Her friends don’t understand, but Dorothea sees into these poor people’s hearts. She “knows all about people the world ignores.” For five years she goes out into the fields, peers into tents, documents families living in their cars, crouches in the dirt to reveal the stories of the people struggling with the devastation wrought by the Dust Bowl.

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Image copyright Gérard DuBois , text copyright Barb Rosenstock. Courtesy of Caulkins Creek.

Newspapers and magazines publish her pictures. “Her photographs help convince the government to provide parents with work, children with food, and families with safe, clean homes. “The truth, seen with love, becomes Dorothea’s art.” Dorothea’s photographs are still known today. Their subjects continue to help us see others with our hearts.

Six of Dorothea Lange’s most famous and recognizable photographs are reproduced on the last page—still as riveting today as they were in the 1930s. Further information on her life and work is provided as well as sources where her photographs can be viewed, resources for further study, and a timeline of her life.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-dorotheas-eyes-kids

Image copyright Gérard DuBois , text copyright Barb Rosenstock. Courtesy of Caulkins Creek.

Barb Rosenstock brings Dorothea Lange’s vision to the page with love, honesty, and understanding in this excellent biography of a woman whose photographs defined the Great Depression and Dust Bowl era. Lange’s life-long connection to the poor and often overlooked people of the world is beautifully described and explained in a gentle, compassionate way that will resonate with children. Rosenstock’s language is lyrical with staccato sentences that echo the clicks of Lange’s shutter capturing life’s reality with her eyes and her heart.

Gérard DuBois’s illustrations are arresting and set Dorothea Lange’s story firmly in its historical and emotional landscape. Rendered in acrylic and digital imagery, they feature the muted colors and style of book illustrations from long ago. By placing the images of Dorothea, her family, and her photography subjects against white backgrounds, DuBois emphasizes Lange’s focus on the people she met and faces that inspired her. Distressed textures accentuate the troubled times and the anguish of both Dorothea and her subjects.

Ages 7 – 12

Calkins Creek, 2016 | ISBN 978-1629792088

Discover all the amazing books by Barb Rosenstock on her website!

View a portfolio of art and book illustration by Gérard DuBois on his website!

Here’s a snapshot of Dorothea’s Eyes!

National Photography Month Activity

News Professionals Clothespin Figures

Make one of these clothespin figures that honors the men and women who work to keep the world informed.

Supplies

Printable News Professionals Templates
- News Professionals Template 1
- News Professionals Template 2
Peg clothespins, available at craft stores and hardware stores
Markers
Scissors
Tape

Directions

Draw a face and hair on the clothespin
Cut out the clothes you want your journalist or photographer to wear
Wrap the clothes around the clothespin. The slit in the clothespin should be on the side.
Tape the clothes together
Cut out the camera
Tape one end of a short length of thread to the right top corner of the camera and the other end of the thread to the left corner. Now you can hang the camera around the figure’s neck.

Idea for displaying the figures

Attach a wire or string to the wall and pin the figure to it
Pin it to your bulletin board or on the rim of a desk organizer

You can find Dorothea’s Eyes: Dorothea Lange Photographs the Truth at these booksellers

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

Picture Book Review

October 6 – National Noodle Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Noodle on this: what’s the difference between noodles and most other dry pastas? Noodles contain eggs! It’s just this kind of fascinating fact you can learn on National Noodle Day. Whether you like spinning the long strands around your fork or slurping them right from the bowl, noodles make the perfect comfort food whether they’re mixed with sauce, pesto, or meat and veggies. People make some pretty awesome crafts from them too! And that’s not just modern-day creativity, either. Thirteenth-century bakers made their dough into birds, stars, words, and other shapes. To celebrate today enjoy your favorite noodle recipe!

Noodle Magic

Written by Roseanne Greenfield Thong | Illustrated by Meilo So

The emperor’s birthday is coming, and everywhere excitement fills the air. Mei’s Grandpa Tu will no doubt be making his famous noodles for the celebration. Mei loves to watch her grandfather work, slapping and kneading the dough and pulling the strands of noodles. He is so creative with his cooking that everyone marvels, even the Moon Goddess. In fact, Grandpa Tu is such an extraordinary artist that he makes noodle jump ropes and kite strings for Mei and her friends. They are as “simple as a sunflower” and as “easy as a sea breeze” to make, says Grandpa Tu.

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Image copyright Meilo So, text copyright Roseanne Thong. Courtesy of meiloso.com

But Mei thinks there is more to his talent and wishes that she had his magic. Her grandfather believes she does possess it. One afternoon the pair watch animal-shaped clouds fill the sky, and Mei asks if her grandpa can catch them with noodles. That night he makes a batch of noodles, and in the morning the two collect clouds as the sun appears.

On the day before the emperor’s birthday, everyone is busy making something special—everyone except Grandpa Tu. The villagers are perplexed. On such an important day, they will all want to enjoy noodles—and what about the special long-life noodles for the emperor? It is time, Grandpa Tu tells Mei, for her to make the noodles.

Mei is surprised and terrified. She slaps and kneads the dough as she has seen her grandfather do, but it remains ordinary. Where is the magic? “‘Trust in yourself,’” Grandpa Tu tells her, but Mei is doubtful. She decides that perhaps if she gives the Moon Goddess a gift, she will get magic in return. “‘You have all the magic you need,’” her grandfather assures her. Still, he helps Mei make enough dough to form an enormous ball of noodles.

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Image copyright Meilo So, text copyright Roseanne Thong. Courtesy of meiloso.com

Mei throws the ball to the Moon Goddess and calls out for the Goddess to give her magic. Wisely, the Goddess reminds Mei that magic must come from inside. Mei closes her eyes and thinks very hard. She tussles with the Moon Goddess in a noodle tug-of-war, and suddenly…Snap!…the noodles break. The sky rains noodles of all shapes and sizes, Mei has discovered the magic that was in her all along!

With the charm of a Chinese folktale, Roseanne Greenfield Thong tells the universal tale of self-discovery. Her lyrical language adds a magic of its own to the tale, as when Mei watches her grandfather make dough: “she loved the powdery flakes that hung in the air and freckled the morning light.” The relationship between the little girl and her grandfather is lovingly portrayed, offering a gentle depiction of the wisdom and reassurance provided by extended family members.

Meilo So brings the story to vibrant life with her colorful paintings of village life, Mei and Grandpa Tu’s home, and the Moon Goddess. The magic of Grandpa Tu’s noodles is cleverly shown in the transparent animals, dragons, and birds outlined in noodles that frolic across the pages. The two-page spreads of Mei’s village are particularly captivating, as packed with interesting scenes and details as any bustling town.

Ages 4 – 8

Orchard Books, 2014 | ISBN 978-0545521673

To learn more about Roseanne Greenfield-Thong and her books, visit her website.

Discover more about Meilo So, her books, and her art on her website.

National Noodle Day Activity

CPB - Noodle Puzzle

Noodle on This! Puzzle

Everyone has their favorite kind of noodles! 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 Noodle Magic at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

October 5 – World Teachers Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

World Teacher’s Day, sponsored by the United Nations, was established to celebrate the role teachers play in providing quality education from preschool through college and beyond. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights signed in 1948, where education is recognized as a key fundamental right—a right that cannot be fulfilled without qualified teachers. To commemorate this event, today’s holiday is being celebrated under the theme “The right to education means the right to a qualified teacher.” According to UNESCO, in order to reach the goal of universal primary and secondary education by 2030, worldwide nearly sixty-nine million new teachers will need to be hired. “This ‘teacher gap’ is more pronounced among vulnerable populations—girls, children with disabilities, refugee and migrant children, and poor children living in rural or remote areas.” Today, thank a teacher for everything they do to further quality education.

Because You Are My Teacher

Written by Sherry North | Illustrated by Marcellus Hall

The child narrator in Because You Are My Teacher is excited to learn all about the world and its wonders. They have an unbounded imagination for all the things the class could do “if only….” The child is excited to share their ideas. “If we had a schooner, we would have our class at sea / And study the Atlantic, where the great blue whales roam free.”

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Image by Marcellus Hall, 2012, text copyright Sherry North, 2012. Courtesy of Abrams Books for Young Readers.

Other enticing 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.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-because-you-are-my-teacher-submarine

Image by Marcellus Hall, 2012, text copyright Sherry North, 2012. Courtesy of Abrams Books for Young Readers.

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 paddling in a kayak on a Grand Canyon river, soaring with hang gliders over the Australian outback, gliding on an airboat throug the Everglades, polling through Venice on a gondola, and zooming in a rocket ship for an out-of-this-world experience.

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

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Image by Marcellus Hall, 2012, text copyright Sherry North, 2012. Courtesy of Abrams Books for Young Readers.

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.

Because I Had a Teacher would make a much-appreciated gift for a teacher or future teacher as well as an inspiring book for classroom, public, and home libraries.

Ages 5 – 8

Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2012 | ISBN 978-0545768887

Discover more about Sherry North and her art on her website.

To learn more about Marcellus Hall, his books, and his art, visit his website.

World Teacher’s Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-teacher-coloring-certificate

Thank You, Teacher! Certificate

If you have a favorite teacher, here’s a printable Thank You, Teacher Certificate for you to color, fill out, and give to them today or any day.

**You can find Because You Are My Teacher at these booksellers**

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

Picture Book Review

October 4 – It’s National Book Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

For readers every month is Book Month, but October is especially set aside to highlight books and the love of reading. Fall is a book bonanza as publishers release new books in all categories and the holiday gift-giving season beckons. Books, of course, make superb gifts for all ages! So whether you’re looking for a new or new-to-you book to read right now, or new titles to give to all the family and friends who will be on your list, this month is a perfect time to check out your local bookstore to see what wonderful books are on the shelves!

Shark Dog and the School Trip Rescue!

By Ged Adamson

When your dad’s an adventurer and you get to travel with him, your life is pretty exciting. In fact, you can discover lots of unique places, people, objects, and animals. And sometimes they even follow you home. Well, at least one did—Shark Dog, the most perfect pet imaginable! “He’s sort of a dog, but he’s also kind of a shark. Life with him is a great big adventure.”

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Today is the class field trip, and since Dad is an explorer, Ms. Ablett invited him—and Shark Dog—along. Out in the woods, the class saw insects and frogs and toads enjoying a leisurely day basking on their lily pads—that is until Shark Dog wanted to join the fun and with a splash the frogs ended up on Ms. Ablett’s head. Deeper in the forest, we saw deer, a fox, a snake, rabbits, and so much more. During lunch it started to rain, but the class was nice and dry in a cave until…well, let’s just say ”Shark Dog loves mud!”

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After the rain, we paired up to go exploring. We all had cool experiences, “but there was one discovery that got everyone’s attention. Footprints. BIG footprints!” Shark Dog did what he does best and began sniffing. We all followed him until he found a bear cub in trouble. Her foot was caught under a fallen tree. Shark Dog “grabbed the tree trunk” in his sharp teeth, and “we all joined in.”

When the bear cub was happily on her way back home, we realized that now we were lost. But Shark Dog wasn’t! He knew just how to lead us back to the bus. The whole class agreed that with Shark Dog along, this was the best school trip ever!

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Ged Adamson’s sweet-natured shark-pup mix—first introduced in Shark Dog!—is as endearing as ever as he romps about during a school field trip showing more of his puppy side than his shark side. When his sharp teeth and super strength are needed, though, this lovable mutt is ready to perform a swimmingly successful rescue. Shark Dog’s enthusiasm is infectious and will have readers giggling at his unintended mishaps. The discovery of unusual footprints and the ensuing chase provides humor and gentle suspense, and the effort to free the baby bear is a sweet show of teamwork.

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Adamson’s bright, fresh artwork brings a smile as the diverse group of children show happy excitement while discovering creatures in the woods and working in pairs to find something of interest to share. The children’s expressions of concern and quick willingness to help the trapped bear will resonate with today’s philanthropic kids. Any child would love to go on a field trip like this one!

Shark Dog and the School Trip Rescue! is an adorable addition to story times at home and in the classroom – especially as a fun lead in to a school field trip.

Ages 4 – 8

HarperCollins, 2018 | ISBN 978-0062457189

To learn more about Ged Adamson, his books, and his art, visit his website.

National Book Month Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-shark-and-books-maze

Book-Loving Shark Maze

This shark loves to read! In fact, she wants to devour that whole stack of books. Can you help her cross the sea to get them in this printable puzzle?

Book-Loving Shark Maze | Book-Loving Shark Maze Solution

**You can find Shark Dog and the School Trip Rescue at these booksellers**

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

Picture Book Review

October 3 – Random Acts of Poetry Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Are you a poet? Most likely! Inside all of us are poignant moments that tug at our hearts, funny memories that make us laugh, and questions that beg for answers. All of these things are the seeds of poetry! Let these seeds grow by writing down your thoughts. Your ideas don’t have to rhyme or be made up of fancy words to be a poem. Today’s holiday encourages people to publicly share their poetry by grabbing a piece of chalk and writing poems on sidewalks or walls, picking up a pen and composing on paper, or sharing on social media. Rather read poetry than write? Go for it! Find a new or favorite collection of poetry and enjoy! For more ideas on how to celebrate Random Acts of Poetry Day visit Writer’s Digest.

I received a copy of Poetree from Red Deer Press to check out. All opinions are my own. I’m happy to be partnering with Red Deer Press in a giveaway of Poetree. See details below.

Poetree

Written by Caroline Pignat | Illustrated by François Thisdale

In Caroline Pignat’s remarkable acrostic poems, readers glean fresh insight into the wonderous life of trees as they germinate, thrive, prosper, and even propagate their own legacy. Divided by season, the poems also metaphorically follow the stages of human life from Spring’s youth to Winter’s old age. Pignat offers six poems for each season, which is introduced by a rhyming couplet.

Exquisite, evocative images – leaves described as “Emerald flags” and “Vibrant bunting” and apples as “plump parcels,” – entice readers to look anew at trees, with their singular seeds, intricate foliage, and long-held histories.

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Image copyright François Thisdale, 2018, text copyright Caroline Pignat, 2018. Courtesy of Red Deer Press.

As a buried seed nudges its way upward in springtime, it is simultaneously:

“Stretching up

Higher

Out

Of darkness, yearning for

The sky.”

And

“Reaching down deep

Out

Of sight, anchoring in

The

Soil.”

During summer, the sapling grows stronger and mature trees “beckon buzzing bees” and offer strong support where:

“Nature’s nursery keeps

Each egg

Safely

Tucked ‘til mother’s return.”

In Fall it’s reaping time for farmers and for small, diligent creatures:

“Nestled

Underground, another harvest hides,

Thanks to a busy

Squirrel.”

As the weather turns cold and leaves fly away,

“Brittle bark hugs the

Aging tree at

Rest as its sap

Ebbs.”

But with the coming of spring, the cycle begins anew as once again there is “Amazing growth and wondrous deeds / now promised in these tiny seeds.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-poetree-summer-leaves

Image copyright François Thisdale, 2018, text copyright Caroline Pignat, 2018. Courtesy of Red Deer Press.

From the sepia-toned endpaper at the book’s opening—in which a boy carrying a hoe walks past a fog-enshrouded barn—through to the endpaper that closes the book and presents the boy’s home standing silent amid a wintry mix of snow and sleet, François Thisdale recreates the richly textured world of a farm in his double-spread, mixed-media masterpieces. In addition to interpreting the poems, each page gives readers much to see and talk about as life goes on above and underground. Birds, animals, and insects stop by to pluck a worm from the ground, sniff a tender seedling, gather powdery pollen, and prepare for, enjoy, or sleep through winter.

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Image copyright François Thisdale, 2018, text copyright Caroline Pignat, 2018. Courtesy of Red Deer Press.

As the seasons change, the boy—always shown in silhouette—matures, becoming an adult in summer, passing through middle age in fall, and growing older in winter. While most of the illustrations depict the natural world, two take children inside the farmhouse where an apple-raspberry pie waits in the cozy fall kitchen, and a nearly-finished puzzle is set up next to a warm radiator while a windy and moonlit night makes a “leafy canvas” of the curtain-less window. The final view of the now-old man walking away near the edge of the page and the last image of a straw hat nestled next to a hewn tree present poignant moments for discussion.

Ages 7 and up

Red Deer Press, 2018 | ISBN 978-0889954922

Discover more about Caroline Pignat and her books on her website.

To learn more about François Thisdale, his books, and his art, visit his website.

Poetree Giveaway

I’m excited to partner with Red Deer Press in this giveaway of:

One (1) copy of Poetree, written by Caroline Pignat | illustrated by François Thisdale
To be entered to win, just Follow me on Twitter @CelebratePicBks and Retweet a giveaway tweet during this week, October 3 – 9. Already a follower? Thanks! Just retweet for a chance to win.

A winner will be chosen on October 10.

Giveaway open to US addresses only. | Prizing provided by Red Deer Press.

Random Acts of Poetry Day Activity

CPB - Plant Poem

Grow a Poem Craft

A poem often grows in your imagination like a beautiful plant—starting from the seed of an idea, breaking through your consciousness, and growing and blooming into full form. With this craft you can create a unique poem that is also an art piece!

Supplies

Printable Leaves Template, available here and on the blog post
Printable Flower Template, available here and on the blog post
Wooden dowel, ½-inch diameter, available in craft or hardware stores
Green ribbon
Green craft paint
Green paper if leaves will be preprinted
Colored paper if flowers will be preprinted
Flower pot or box
Oasis, clay, or dirt
Hole punch
Glue
Markers or pens for writing words
Crayons or colored pencils if children are to color leaves and flowers

Directions

Paint the dowel green, let dry
Print the leaves and flower templates
Cut out the leaves and flowers
Punch a hole in the bottom of the leaves or flowers
Write words, phrases, or full sentences of your poem on the leaves and flowers (you can also write the poem after you have strung the leaves and flowers)
String the leaves and flowers onto the green ribbon (if you want the poem to read from top to bottom string the words onto the ribbon in order from first to last)
Attach the ribbon to the bottom of the pole with glue or tape
Wrap the ribbon around the pole, leaving spaces between the ribbon
Gently arrange the leaves and flowers so they stick out from the pole or look the way you want them to.
Put oasis or clay in the flower pot or box
Stick your poem pole in the pot
Display your poem!

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-poetree-cover

**You can find Poetree at these booksellers**

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

Picture Book Review

October 2 – It’s National Pasta Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

This month-long holiday celebrates one of the world’s favorite foods. With over 600 different shapes and sizes, pasta offers a wealth of recipe choices, from fancy to plain to that can’t-live-without Mac n’ Cheese. Pasta—the Italian word for dough—has been part of people’s diets since ancient times and was introduced to America by Thomas Jefferson in 1789, when he brought the first pasta machine and a supply of macaroni back home from a trip to France. There’s only one way to enjoy this special culinary event—so get the pot boiling or head out to your fav Italian restaurant and eat up!

The Great Pasta Escape

Written by Miranda Paul | Illustrated by Javier Joaquin

The pasta was fresh. Oh! I don’t mean that way—I’m just sayin’ they were new to the world. They? Well, yeah—you’ll see. The pasta was…recently made at the factory, and they knew their place. Each type “stuck to their own kind” in their own boxes, and they never talked to one another or the people who worked the machines or the lines. “They didn’t mix, move, or mingle. They were very good noodles.”