December 7 – International Civil Aviation Day

About the Holiday

This United Nations-sponsored observance was established to raise worldwide awareness of the importance of civil aviation between cities and countries to their social and economic development. Every five years a theme is chosen under which agencies work to advance the global rapid transit network to the benefit of all. The theme for the years 2015 – 2018 is “Working Together to Ensure No Country is Left Behind.” If you are an aviation buff, spend a little time today introducing your hobby to a child!

Amazing Airplanes

Written by Tony Mitton | Illustrated by Ant Parker

“An airplane’s amazing / for it travels through the sky, / above the clouds for miles and miles, / so very fast and high.” Where do you start a trip by airplane? At the airport! First you go inside the terminal to check in, show your ticket, and leave your luggage. While you wait at the gate, the ground crew weigh the passengers’ bags and load them into the cargo hold at the bottom of the plane.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-amazing-airplanes-ground-crew

Image copyright Ant Parker, 2002, text copyright Tony Mitton, 2002. Courtesy of us.macmillan.com.

When your flight is called, you’ll take the walkway connecting the plane to the terminal. Once inside the plane, you find your seat. In the flight deck the pilot and co-pilot are ready to “do their jobs. / They both know how to fly the plane / with all its dials and knobs.” Before taking off, the pilot radios the Control Tower to make sure the runway is clear.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-amazing-airplanes-flight-deck

Image copyright Ant Parker, 2002, text copyright Tony Mitton, 2002. Courtesy of us.macmillan.com.

When everything is ready and the plane is just about to leave, “by intercom the captain on the flight deck says hello. / You have to do your seat belt up before the plane can go.” Then that big and heavy plane races down the runway and soars into the sky. How can it do this and fly among the clouds? “Its wings hold big jet engines / which are loud and very strong. / They suck in air and blow it through / to whoosh the plane along.” Then when the plane is going fast enough, the air is moving quickly too. “It pushes up beneath the wings / and makes the whole plane lift.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-amazing-airplanes-take-off

Image copyright Ant Parker, 2002, text copyright Tony Mitton, 2002. Courtesy of us.macmillan.com.

Once the plane is in the air, the flight attendants come by with drinks and snacks, and you can watch a movie in your seat. When the plane has reached its destination, the pilot radios the Control Tower to see if it is safe to land. Then “there’s a bumpy, rumbling sound— / the wheels are making contact, / and the plane is on the ground.”

When the door opens you gather your things and leave the plane, full of smiles. It’s fun to visit new exciting places, to “fly for miles and miles.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-amazing-airplanes-deplaning

Image copyright Ant Parker, 2002, text copyright Tony Mitton, 2002. Courtesy of us.macmillan.com.

On the final page, the parts of an airplane and the control tower are described in more detail.

Tony Mitton’s engaging rhymes introduce young readers to the various steps in plane travel and parts of an airplane in language that is accurate while maintaining a child’s sense of wonder and fun in this mode of travel. The mini-lesson in aerodynamics will intrigue little ones with a mechanical or engineering mind and may spur an interest in more exploration.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-amazing-airplanes-snack-cart

Image copyright Ant Parker, 2002, text copyright Tony Mitton, 2002. Courtesy of us.macmillan.com.

Ant Parker’s bright and cheerful illustrations that follow a group of animals on their flight are full of the kinds of realistic details that young travel and airplane enthusiasts will want to linger over. The traveling friends watch as their luggage is wheeled out to the tarmac, allowing kids to see the ground crew load the bags into the cargo hold. The flight deck with its myriad “dials and knobs” is drawn from a perspective that allows readers to see the whole cockpit while also showing the control tower in the background. The wings are depicted with their various panels and supporting the engines, while the cabin and refreshment carts are also portrayed with realistic touches.

For children enthralled by airplanes and transportation or who are taking their first flight, Amazing Airplanes makes a first-rate choice for home bookshelves or as a take-along in a carry-on bag for in-flight reading.

Ages 2 – 5

Kingfisher Publishing, Macmillian, 2017 Board Book Edition | ISBN 978-0753473702 (Paperback ISBN 978-0753459157; Hardcover ISBN 978-0753454039)

To learn more about Tony Mitton and his books, visit his website.

View a gallery of artwork by Ant Parker on his website.

International Civil Aviation Day Activity

Got a Plane to Catch Word Search Puzzle

When you’re flying, do you think of all the parts of the plane you’re in? Find all twenty plane-related words in this printable Got a Plane to Catch Word Search Puzzle. Here’s the Solution.

Picture Book Review

December 6 – It’s Computer Science Education Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Computer Science Education Week was launched in 2009 to raise awareness of the importance of computer coding in all careers and to invite people to learn how to code. Students from kindergarten to grade 12 are especially encouraged to take an interest in computer science and learn coding skills and also to take part in Hour of Code programs at school and elsewhere. The holiday is celebrated in December to honor computing pioneer Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, who was born December 9, 1906 and went on to become a United States Navy rear admiral. Her work with machine-independent programming languages led to the development of COBOL, and she was instrumental in many other early computer-related advancements. To celebrate this week, check out Hour of Code and try coding for yourself!

Margaret and the Moon: How Margaret Hamilton Saved the First Lunar Landing

Written by Dean Robbins | Illustrated by Lucy Knisley

“Margaret Hamilton loved to solve problems.” When she looked around, she saw many things that made her wonder “why?” Instead of going with the status quo, though, she came up with her own answers. Some things she questioned were why girls didn’t play baseball and why there were so few women doctors, scientists, judges and other professionals. So Margaret joined the baseball team and studied “hard in every subject at school—reading, music, art, and especially mathematics.”

From her father who was a poet and philosopher, Margaret learned about the universe. She wanted to know “how the planets moved, when the galaxies formed, and why the stars shone.” She loved to gaze “at the night sky in wonder.” She especially wanted to know more about the moon—how far away is it? How many miles is its orbit around the Earth? What is its diameter?

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-margaret-and-the-moon-father

Image copyright Lucy Knisley, 2017, text copyright Dean Robbins, 2017. Courtesy of Knopf Books for Young Readers.

In school, Margaret found it fun to solve “harder and harder math problems” in algebra, geometry, and calculus. “And then she discovered computers!” She realized that she could use computers to solve so many of her questions about the universe. She began writing code and called herself a software engineer. After starting with simple mathematical problems, Margaret moved on to writing code that “could track airplanes through the clouds,” predict the weather, and perform functions they never had before.

In 1964 she joined the team at NASA that was working on sending astronauts to the moon. In writing her code, “Margaret thought of everything that could happen on a trip to the moon.” What if the spacecraft went off course or lost power? What if one of the astronauts made a mistake? Margaret wrote code that could solve all of these problems and more. Soon Margaret was leading a team of her own as “Director of Software Programming for NASA’s Project Apollo.”

She was instrumental in helping Apollo 8 orbit the moon, Apollo 9 hook up with another ship in space, and Apollo 10 come “within nine miles of the moon’s surface.” When NASA was ready to land people on the moon, Margaret wrote the code. She thought of every problem that could arise and included a solution. The printout of her code stood taller than she was.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-margaret-and-the-moon-studied-hard

Image copyright Lucy Knisley, 2017, text copyright Dean Robbins, 2017. Courtesy of Knopf Books for Young Readers.

On the day of Apollo 11’s launch, Margaret was in the control room while the world watched on television. It took four days for the spacecraft to reach the moon. Finally, the lunar module, Eagle, separated and was ready to make the landing. But just as it was about to descend, an astronaut flipped a switch that sent the Eagle’s computer into overload.

Had Margaret “prepared for this problem? Of course! Margaret’s code made the computer ignore the extra tasks and focus on the landing.” Slowly the Eagle approached the surface of the moon and touched down. “The Eagle has landed!” Neil Armstrong announced to an amazed audience. In NASA’s control room, everyone cheered. “Margaret was a hero!”

An Author’s Note with more information about and photographs of Margaret Hamilton follow the text.

With excellent examples from Margaret Hamilton’s childhood and adult life, Dean Robbins presents an accessible and compelling biography that reveals, from the beginning, Margaret’s curiosity, confidence, and convictions. Robbin’s focus on Margaret’s hard work, her excitement at discovering computers, and her leadership at NASA creates a narrative that is inspirational for all children. His emphasis on positive, affirming events in Margaret’s life is welcome, allowing girls and boys to realize that through dedication and self-assurance, they can achieve their goals just as Margaret—a superb role model—did.

Lucy Knisley’s bright, supportive illustrations, full of thought bubbles of Margaret’s ideas and wonderings, give readers the kinds of details that will spark their imaginations and help them understand and appreciate Margaret Hamilton’s many gifts and expertise. Images of mathematical problems give way to lines of code, helping children see the connection between what they’re learning at school and future careers. Kids interested in space exploration will be enthralled with the illustrations of the NASA control room and lunar launches.

For kids interested in computer science and other sciences, biographies, and history, Margaret and the Moon is an excellent addition to home as well as classroom and school libraries.

Ages 4 – 8

Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2017 | ISBN 978-0399551857

Discover more about Dean Robbins and his books on his website.

To learn more about Lucy Knisley, her artwork, books, and comic, visit her website.

Computer Science Education Week Activity

I Love Computers! Coloring Page

Learning to code is awesome! Why not try an Hour of Code here and then color this printable I Love Computers! Coloring Page!

Picture Book Review

December 5 – Bathtub Party Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

In a rush? Just jumping in for a quick shower? Slow down, relax, and enjoy a good soak! Today’s holiday gives you permission to luxuriate a little with a nice, warm bath. So grab some bath salts or a fizzy bath bomb and start the water running. Kids will love a before-bed bath with bubbles and toys!

When Your Lion Needs a Bath

Written by Susanna Leonard Hill | Illustrated by Daniel Wiseman

What is up with the little boy’s pet lion? He’s dirty and disheveled and…smelly. He definitely needs a bath. But getting a lion into the tub can be a little tough. After all they are cats, “and have you ever met a cat who likes water?” But, if you’re determined, there’s a certain order to things when you’re trying to bathe your lion. First, you have to get everything ready because once the lion is in the tub, “you’ll have to work fast.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-when-your-lion-needs-a-bath-bath-ready

Image copyright Daniel Wiseman, 2017, text copyright Susanna Leonard Hill, 2017. Courtesy of simonandschuster.com.

Getting the lion in the tub in the first place takes stealth and cunning. You don’t want your lion to realize what’s happening. You can try getting him to chase a toy mouse, but sometimes that just results in a dizzy lion. Perhaps he’d follow “a ball with a bell inside.” Or maybe he’ll just send all your toys flying! Cats love pouncing on yarn! There he goes…! But wait! How did he get so tangled up?

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-when-your-lion-needs-a-bath-tricks

Image copyright Daniel Wiseman, 2017, text copyright Susanna Leonard Hill, 2017. Courtesy of simonandschuster.com.

Maybe a dog can chase him into the tub. Don’t cats run away from dogs? Hmmm…not lion cats, I guess. Well, who can resist an ice cream sundae? Build the biggest “brownie banana butterscotch berry marshmallow marmalade strawberry-smothered caramel-covered peanutty-buttered double-dip chocolate-chip triple-whipped jelly-bean sundae supreme. Too much?”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-when-your-lion-needs-a-bath-ball

Image copyright Daniel Wiseman, 2017, text copyright Susanna Leonard Hill, 2017. Courtesy of simonandschuster.com.

Then why not try a simpler approach: go fishing! Just “tie a feather to your fishing line and cast!” (Over the tub, of course!) Got ‘em! Now “quick!” Squirt and scrub and rinse! Great! Now he’s “squeaky clean.” But watch out! There he goes! “You probably should have closed the door.” He just jumped right back into the mud puddle. You too? “Looks like your lion needs another bath. And so do you.”

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-when-your-lion-needs-a-bath-sundae

Image copyright Daniel Wiseman,, 2017, text copyright Susanna Leonard Hill, 2017. Courtesy of simonandschuster.com.

Susanna Leonard Hill’s race to lure a lion into an unwanted, but much-needed, bath is madcap fun for young readers. The boy’s many attempts to chase his lion into the tub will set little ones giggling as they think of their own bath-time antics or the challenges of washing their own pets. The funny suggestions may lead kids to think of their own sneaky solutions, which would make this book a great prompt for classrooms or home reading time.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-when-your-lion-needs-a-bath-lion

Image copyright Daniel Wiseman, 2017. Courtesy of simonandschuster.com.

Kids will be enchanted by Daniel Wiseman’s puff-maned lion who likes to play more than preen and the sweet boy determined to tempt his pet into the tub. Wiseman’s charming illustrations enhance the humor as the lion enthusiastically pounces on each enticement but without the intended results. As the lion finally goes from “smelly” to sparkling and then takes off for the mud puddle again, kids will find the boy’s choice funny and satisfying.

When Your Lion Needs a Bath will be an often-asked-for addition to toddlers’ and young readers’ home book shelves and in daycare, preschool, and kindergarten classrooms.

Ages 2 – 4

Simon and Schuster Little Simon Board Book, 2017 | ISBN 978-1481495028

Discover more about Susanna Leonard Hill and her books on her website.

View a gallery of art work by Daniel Wiseman on his website.

Jump into this jazzy When Your Lion Needs a Bath book trailer!

Bathtub Party Day Activity

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-bathtub-clings-craft

Homemade Bath Clings

Instead of buying bathtub clings for your kids to play with, make some yourself! It’s easy with regular foam sheets, cookie cutters or stencils, and scissors! Make it a family activity and watch the shower of creativity that results!

Supplies

Foam sheets in various colors
Cookie cutters or stencils
Scissors

Directions

Trace cookie cutter shapes or stencils onto the foam
And/Or cut squares, triangles, rectangles, circles, and other shapes from the foam in a variety of sizes
Cut out the shapes
Wet the backs of the shapes with water and stick them to the tub or tiled or lined wall. Shapes will also stick with a little shaving gel or cream applied

Picture Book Review

December 4 – National Sock Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Today’s holiday celebrates togetherness—the togetherness of matched socks that always seem to find each other even after being tumbled around in the washer, separated in the drier, stuffed into different shoes, and tossed onto the floor. Mismatched socks are fun, but having a pair of matching socks goes a long way toward looking neat and put together. To honor today’s holiday, you might want to spend a little time organizing your sock drawer or doing a little laundry. As winter approaches, your tootsies will thank you for having warming socks ready to go!

Red Socks

Written by Ellen Mayer | Illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu

It’s laundry day and the clothes are all dried and soft and ready to wear. “‘Here is your blue shirt, with the goldfish on it,’” Mama says, pulling the top out of the basket and bending down to eye level to show it to her baby. Next, Mama describes the “yellow and white striped pants” she puts on her child. “‘Let’s see what else is in the laundry basket,’” she says.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-red-socks-shirt

Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, text copyright Ellen Mayer. Courtesy of starbrightbooks.com

Mama pulls a tiny red sock from the basket, but—“UH-OH!—where is the other red sock?’” Now it’s the baby’s turn to help. With a look down, the toddler shows Mama where the sock is. “‘You found the other red sock. Yay!’” she says, giving words to the baby’s action. She continues explaining while pointing to the sock poking out of the baby’s pocket: “‘It was hiding in your pants pocket!” Once the laundry is folded, Mama tells her child exactly what they will do next while she playfully slips the other red sock on the baby’s wiggling feet. “‘Let’s put that other sock on your foot. Then we can go play outside.’” As the baby flies in the swing outside, the red socks are brilliant dots against the blue sky.

celebrate-picture-books-picture-book-review-red-socks-pants

Image copyright Ying-Hwa Hu, text copyright Ellen Mayer. Courtesy of starbrightbooks.com

Ellen Mayer’s simple and charming story of a particular moment in a mother and child’s day will immediately appeal to even the youngest reader. Familiar words coupled with clear, vivid illustrations will engage toddlers who are pre-talking and just learning language and concept development. The mother’s use of complete sentences as well as step-by-step descriptions of the activities the child sees and is involved in demonstrates how adults can converse with their babies and young children to encourage strong language and literacy skills. Free of gender-specific pronouns, Red Socks is a universal story.

Ying-Hwa Hu’s illustrations show a mother and child interacting on a typical day while they complete common chores and go outside to play. The mother and child portray a range of emotions and gestures, giving further depth to the understanding of the ideas and conversation presented. Kids will giggle at the adorable puppy who causes a bit of mischief on each page.

Ages Birth – 5

Star Bright Books, 2015 | ISBN 978-1595727060

To learn more about Ellen Mayer and her Small Talk Books® (including other titles: Cake Day and Rosa’s Very Big Job) as well as to find activities to accompany each book, visit her website!

Discover more about Ying-Hwa Hu and view a portfolio of her illustration work on her website!

About Small Talk Books®

Ellen Mayer’s Small Talk Books® feature young children and adults conversing (or adults speaking to children who are not talking yet) while they have fun, do chores, shop, and bake together. Their conversations demonstrate the kind of excitement and close relationships that encourage learning and language advancement. Each Small Talk Book® includes an accompanying note from Dr. Betty Bardige, an expert on young children’s language and literacy development and the author of Talk to Me, Baby! How You Can Support Young Children’s Language Development. The introduction discusses how children connect actions, words, and meaning as adults speak to them while doing particular jobs or actions.

Other titles in the Small Talk Books® series include Cake Day and Rosa’s Very Big Job. Each book makes a wonderful gift for baby showers, new parents, or anyone with young children in the family. They would be a welcome addition to any young child’s bookshelf as well as libraries and preschool classrooms.

National Sock Day Activity

Sock Tumble Matching Game

These socks were separated in the laundry. Can you find the matching pairs in this printable Sock Tumble Matching Game.

Picture Book Review

December 3 – It’s a Supermoon

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Today we celebrate not so much a holiday as an event—the Supermoon! Today’s full moon will be the only supermoon to occur during the entire year of 2017. What makes tonight’s moon special? A supermoon occurs when the full moon coincides with the day on which the moon is closest to the earth. Because of this proximity it appears larger and reflects more light. According to National Geographic, today’s supermoon will be 16 percent brighter and 7 percent bigger than usual. For star-gazers and night-sky enthusiasts, the supermoon gives you a great (big) reason to get outside and enjoy this autumn evening.

City Moon

Written by Rachael Cole | Illustrated by Blanca Gómez

A mother and child take advantage of fall’s early darkness to take a walk around their neighborhood. Cozy in pajamas and a coat, the little one is eager to leave home behind for a bit “to look for the moon.” When they get to the park, where people are out walking their dogs, they gaze into the sky, but the moon “is hiding. Where is it?”