March 28 – National Little Red Wagon Day

About the Holiday

In 2016 Radio Flyer established today’s holiday in anticipation of its 100^th anniversary in 2017. That’s one hundred years of children enjoying the imaginative outdoor play a little red wagon provides! Whether kids are transporting their siblings, giving their pets or toys a ride, helping out in the garden, or participating in a community parade, the red wagon has been at the center of the action and a plaything that gets passed down from parent to child as a family grows. If you have little ones in your family, celebrate today by taking a little red wagon for a spin.

Red Wagon

By Renata Liwska

When Lucy got a new red wagon, “she wanted to play with it immediately.” Her mother thought she could take her wagon to the market. That didn’t sound like much fun to Lucy, but she headed to the market with a list anyway.

When she came to the big hill, her friends Hedgehog and Squirrel jumped in. That made the wagon “pretty heavy.” Fortunately, Rabbit came along to help push. At the top of the hill, they stopped for a snack with Bird and Raccoon, but “it started to rain! Oh, brother.” Lucy pushed the wagon to the bottom of the hill, but by now the rain was a torrent. That was okay, though, as the wagon had transformed into a ship, and Raccoon, in his umbrella, had become a pirate captain.

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When the rain stopped, the friends went on their way in their red Conestoga wagon. Bunny, in his ten gallon hat, pushed while Sheriff Lucy pulled. Hedgehog held the reins, and Raccoon road her horse alongside. “At last Lucy arrived at the market.” As Hedgehog rolled their circus wagon into the center, Bunny toddled tall on stilts, Lucy juggled rings, and Raccoon blew a horn.

Lucy gathered all the vegetables on her mother’s list and started toward home. The train engine chugged, pulling the vegetable car up the steep hill. They were almost home “when the wagon hit a rock” and rocketed into space amid vegetable planets. When they landed, Lucy “gathered the vegetables and put them back into her wagon.

Lucy’s mom was happy to see her when she got home and thanked her happily for helping. “Finally, Lucy was free to play with her wagon,” which now made a perfect spot for a nap.

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Snuggling up with your little one and Renata Liwska’s Red Wagon is such a sweet way to spend story time. As young children so often do, adorable Lucy turns a chore into imaginative playtime as she and her friends rapidly use mishaps, bumps, and their changing surroundings as springboards for their supple creativity. Liwska’s simple story is the perfect frame for her beautiful, soft-hued, and detailed art as this group of cute friends become cowboys and cowgirls, sailors, pioneers, circus performers, and mom’s helpers.

A rich story for the youngest readers, Red Wagon would be a perfect baby gift and a much-loved addition to any toddler’s bookshelf.

Ages 1 – 3

Philomel Books, 2013 | ISBN 978-0399162398

To view a portfolio of books by Renata Liwska, visit her website.

National Little Red Wagon Day Activity

Take a Ride in the Little Red Wagon Maze

Everyone wants to ride in the wagon. Can you help these friends find their way in this printable maze?

Take a Ride in the Little Red Wagon Maze | Take a Ride in the Little Red Wagon Maze Solution

Picture Book Review

March 27 – National Joe Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Are you just a regular Joe? Well, not today! Today you’re special! Today, we’re honoring all those regular Joes, cups of Joe, and people named or nicknamed Joe—or Jo. Why? Just because! So celebrate today by indulging in your favorite coffee, getting in touch with any friends or family named Joe—or Jo—or even changing your name to Joe for this particular day.

Groovy Joe: Dance Party Countdown

Written by Eric Litwin | Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld

“Groovy Joe is totally fun. / He’s a song-singing, / tail-wagging / party of one.” And how does he rock? Wow! Like this: “Disco party bow wow! Disco party bow wow!” But just as Joe is feeling the beat, there’s a knock on the door. Who is it? One tuba-playing dog who wants to join in. Now there are two dogs and a big ol’ tuba taking up space, but does Joe mind? Not at all! He just keeps groovin’ with a “Disco party bow wow! Disco party bow wow!”

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Image copyright Tom Lichtenheld, 2017, text copyright Eric Litwin, 2017. Courtesy of tomlichtenheld.com.

They’re soon interrupted by another knock at the door. Two more dogs come in, so now there are four! Four dogs mean there’s even less room for Joe. “Does Joe get upset? Goodness no!” So the four set to rockin’ ‘til there’s another knock at the door. “Who’s there?” asks Joe, and the answer is four. “Four who? Four more dogs are going to disco with you.” These dogs bring a flute, a cello, a violin, and a guitar. With eight in the room it’s getting pretty crowded, but does Joe care? Not a bit! They just “Disco party bow wow! Disco party bow wow!”

A pretty cool squirrel has danced onto the scene, and pretty soon he’s joined the band with his tambourine. Is eight dogs and one squirrel all the room can hold? No! Even though “This party is rocking” and “they’re packed on the floor… Groovy Joe says there’s always room for one more!” Do you know who that is? You’re about to find out because there’s a knock at the door. “Knock! Knock! / Who’s there? / Joe invited. / Joe invited who?” Just look! “Joe invited YOU to come to the party!”

So put on your dancing shoes and get your voice ready to sing because “there’s always room for more” at this “Disco party bow wow! Disco party bow wow!”

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Image copyright Tom Lichtenheld, 2017, text copyright Eric Litwin, 2017. Courtesy of tomlichtenheld.com.

What little one can resist the upbeat beat of a dance party—especially one as inviting as Eric Litwin and Tom Lichtenheld’s disco bash at Groovy Joe’s? With a little math and a lot of inclusiveness, Litwin shows how adding more friends multiplies the fun. His infectious rhythm and repeated phrasing will have listeners memorizing and reading along with the knock-knock jokes and the call to party. Joe’s final invitation to kids to join in will have them up and dancing along joyfully.

Tom Lichtenheld’s shaggy Joe’s not worried about how much room he has. He’s only got smiles for the other dogs who come knocking at his door. As each new musician joins the band, readers will love watching the various dogs play their instruments and boogie to their own music. With each knock, the dogs stop their playing and turn their eager eyes to the door anticipating the fun repartee to come and the appearance of more friends. Presented addition problems, clearly drawn instruments, and a crew of recognizable dog breeds also give adults and kids lots to talk about during the party.

With playful, action-packed fun for energetic story times, Groovy Joe: Dance Party Countdown would be a terrific and favorite choice for preschool, kindergarten, and home libraries. The story would even be fun to act out for added learning opportunities.

Ages 3 – 5

Orchard Books, 2017 | ISBN 978-0545883795

Discover more about Eric Litwin, his books, music, and more plus find free downloads on his website

To learn more about Tom Lichtenheld, view a portfolio of his books, and find fun activities, visit his website.

Dance along with Joe and Eric in this Groovy Joe: Dance Party Countdown book trailer!

National Joe Day Activity

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Build a Band Game

Play this fun game to gather all the instruments you need to create a band. The first person to collect all six instrument cards is the winner!

Supplies

Printable Paper Die Template
Printable Musical Instruments Cards—print one page for each player
Scissors
Tape

Directions

Print the Paper Die Template, cut it out and assemble the cube die.
Print the Musical Instruments cards, cut out cards, and separate the instruments into piles
Players take turns rolling the die to collect musical instrument cards
The first player to collect all 6 instrument cards is the winner

Picture Book Review

March 9 – It’s National Reading Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Hosting Read across America Day, March is the perfect month to celebrate reading! Reading is one of life’s great joys! Reading with children every day is one of the best ways to develop language and literacy skills that promote future success in school and beyond. Even if your child isn’t talking yet, they’re listening and learning about their language as you read to them. You can get kids enthusiastic about reading by setting up a bookcase specially for them and letting them choose the books they want to read. To celebrate this month, why not go on a book hunt and bring home some new books to enjoy together?

Somewhere Else

By Gus Gordon

There are birds that fly north and those that fly south. There are birds that take the bus and those that don’t care how they travel just so long as they go somewhere. And then there’s George Laurent. “George never went anywhere.” He told himself that he liked his home and his garden and, especially, the pastries he baked in his oven better than anything or anywhere else.

It wasn’t like he never saw anyone. His “friends were always dropping by on their way to somewhere else” to enjoy his delicious treats. And they often invited George to fly away with them. When Penelope Thornwhistle was reminded of the Andes while eating one of his éclairs, she asked George to go with there with her. But George had potentially award-winning brownies in the oven. When Walter Greenburg tasted George’s apple strudel and thought about Paris, he was ready to take George to see the city of lights, but George had ironing to do. And a trip to the Alaskan tundra with a flock of other ducks had to be postponed because of yoga class.

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As time went on, everyone stopped asking George to share their adventures. They knew he was too busy anyway. When winter came, “George found himself alone.” At least until Pascal Lombard, came knocking, looking for a place to spend the snowy months. When the bear wondered why George wasn’t sunning himself on some Caribbean beach, George said he was learning Flamenco songs on his guitar, catching up on the TV series Lost in Space, and typing out his memoirs.

But Pascal reminded George that he didn’t have a guitar or a television and that he hadn’t yet done anything worthy of a memoir. It was then that George made his confession: he didn’t know how to fly. When all the other ducks had learned to fly, he said, he had been too busy with something else. “He had been making excuses not to fly, ever since.”

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Well, Pascal was ready to remedy the situation. Fortunately, he had an “uncanny knack for solving tricky problems.” They tried reading books, taking wing on a kite, and using a crane. But nothing worked. “It turned out Pascal Lombard didn’t have much of a knack for solving tricky problems after all.” Both George and Pascal felt disappointed as they read by the fire, until George happened to peek at Pascal’s newspaper and see an announcement for a hot air balloon ride in Paris.

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George was intrigued. And Pascal said, “‘I am remarkably good with my hands! We can build it!’” So they set to work, but it was harder than they thought, and “it took all winter (it turned out Pascal Lombard wasn’t actually very good with his hands).” Finally, though, they were flying! They flew their red patchwork balloon for months, seeing the Eiffel Tower, floating over the Arctic Circle, soaring through Madagascar, and experiencing places that were “more exciting than they had ever imagined.” But still, they missed George’s homemade pie. So they flew home, enjoyed tea and pie, and planned next year’s “anywhere somewhere else” adventure.

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Gus Gordon’s tenderhearted and funny story about missed opportunities that can lead to more missed opportunities, excuses, and sometimes isolation tackles a common predicament not often seen in children’s books. George’s amusing tales of loads of laundry, Flamenco lessons, and yoga classes as well as his real talent for baking will endear George to readers, making his admission a moment for true empathy and encouragement. More silliness ensues as Pascal tries to help out, and kids will cheer when the two finally get off the ground.

Gordon’s reassurance that there’s no shame in making mistakes or not knowing something is also found in Pascal’s bravado and subsequent asides to the contrary. As George and Pascal work together to teach George to fly, kids see that help can be as close as a good friend—and as fun. A welcome undertone to the story is the idea that it’s also okay to be yourself: the first page abounds with very unique birds flying here and there; for Penelope an éclair reminds her of the Andes and for Walter, strudel reminds him of Paris—and who’s to say they’re wrong?; and when George and Pascal miss home and homemade goodies, they return to their favorite place.

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Gordon’s illustrations are a treat too. Full of visual humor and word play, the mixed-media, collage-style images bring together snippets of old advertising, photography, and traditional mediums and invite readers to linger to catch all the humor included. The page on which George finally makes his confession is worthy of special note. Here, in contrast to the other pages, the background is white, a saddened George is simply sketched with a blue outline, and the stack of firewood he was carrying lies haphazardly at his feet. The image gives children and adults an opportunity to talk about feelings of embarrassment, doubt, or uncertainty.

Somewhere Else is an original story with heart, humor, and an uplifting lesson that would make a sweet and meaningful addition to classroom and home libraries.

Age 4 – 8

Roaring Brook Press, 2017 | ISBN 978-1626723498

Discover more about Gus Gordon and his books on his website.

National Reading Month Activity

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Reading is Super! Maze

A boy wants to bring books to his friends so they can all read together. Can you help him get through this printable Reading is Super Maze to reach his friends?

Picture Book Review

March 4 – Marching Music Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Taking place during Music in Our Schools Month, Marching Music Day was established by Drum Corps International and celebrates this ever expanding art form. Built on the drum beats that once kept military units in marching in unison, marching bands now include brass, woodwinds, and even electric guitars. Dance teams, baton twirlers, and color guards often interpret the music through motion, creating entertainment enjoyed by spectators of parades, football games, Broadway shows, and other events. The production of electronic and digital instruments has created an evolution in marching music to include string instruments and synthesizers, broadening its definition, sound, and audience.

Bears in a Band

Written by Shirley Parenteau | Illustrated by David Walker

Four colorful wooden chairs are waiting with instruments on their seats, but “where are the bears?” “Here they come! / ‘Music! Hurray!’ / Each bear chooses / something to play.” Yellow Bear picks the bells on a string. He shakes them, making them “ding-a-ding-ding.” Floppy Bear puts on the little red drum and pounds it, creating a ‘Boompity boomp / Pah-rum, pum, pum!”

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Image copyright David Walker, text copyright Shirley Parenteau. Courtesy of Candlewick.

Calico blows the shiny brass horn “Tootley-tooo” while Fuzzy chooses the cymbals to “crash and bang.” Then “the bears all play / a noisy song. / They don’t care / if the notes are wrong.” But then the four little bears hear a snoring sound from behind the door. Who is sleeping there? It’s Big Brown Bear! Will all the practicing wake him up?

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Image copyright David Walker, text copyright Shirley Parenteau. Courtesy of Candlewick.

Sleepy Big Bear hears the drum bang and the cymbals clash. He opens one eye, sits up, and calls, “‘What’s going on?’” The dings and dongs, thrums and toots don’t sound like music to Big Bear. He covers his ears with his paws. “The big bear / rushes into the room. / The racket stops / with a small ka-boom.”

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Image copyright David Walker, text copyright Shirley Parenteau. Courtesy of Candlewick.

But he’s not there to stop the group. He picks up a ladle and waves it happily. “He joins the others / on dancing feet / with his ladle baton / setting the beat.” He shows Floppy Bear how to play the drum low, and when he raises the ladle, Yellow Bear shakes the bells loudly. Then all four bears stand in front of Big Bear with their instruments ready. When Big Bear gives the signal, they play together harmoniously. With a tinkling of the bells and a final drumroll, the concert is ended and the bears take a bow.

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Image copyright David Walker, text copyright Shirley Parenteau. Courtesy of Candlewick.

Shirley Parenteau’s story for little music makers is as adorable as they come. With fun musical sounds to read aloud and a bit of gentle suspense, Parenteau’s rhymes will delight young children. When Big Bear wakes up and joins in, readers get a sweet lesson in inclusion that leads to harmony in both music and friendship. A spirited reading will no doubt turn story time into music time in no time!

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Image copyright David Walker, text copyright Shirley Parenteau. Courtesy of Candlewick.

Little ones will fall in love with David Walker’s huggable bears. With eager, smiling faces they take to their instruments, shaking, pounding, and clanging with abandon. Even Big Bear rushing out from his interrupted nap is keenly curious and ready to play. Walker’s softly vibrant colors highlight the cuteness of this group of friends and will charm both the kids and adults reading together.

A sweet story that little ones will ask for over and over, Bears in a Band would be a terrific new baby gift and a lovely addition to children’s bookshelves.

Ages 2 – 4

Candlewick, 2018 (Board Book) | ISBN 978-1536203363; (Hardcover) 978-0763681470

Discover more about Shirley Parenteau and her books on her website.

To learn more about David Walker, his books, and his art, visit his website.

Marching Music Day Activity

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Drum Coloring Page

It’s fun to rat-a-tat-tat on a drum! It’s also fun to color! Grab your crayons, pencils, or markers and enjoy this printable Drum Coloring Page!

Picture Book Review

February 19 – XXIII Olympic Games

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Today we celebrate all the athletes around the world participating in the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang. While competing against each other and for different countries, each athlete knows the same hard work, determination, courage, and spirit it takes to be a champion. Most of the athletes have dedicated their lives to practicing and perfecting their skills. As today’s book shows, learning a new sport starts with the first step.

Mice Skating

Written by Annie Silvestro | Illustrated by Teagan White

“During the cold winter months, most field mice take cover…tunneling deep underground, burrowing into farmhouse walls, nesting in hollow logs.” Lucy was different. She loved to scamper in the snow and feel the frost on her whiskers. Most of all Lucy loved her “fluffy wool hat with the pink pom-pom on top.” Wearing this hat, Lucy was brave and bold. “It made her bloom!” But while Lucy loved everything about winter, her friends only saw Lucy’s freezing fur, dripping nose, and “chedder-ing” teeth.