July 18 – Global Hug Your Kids Day

About the Holiday

The purpose of today’s holiday is simple: show your child or children that you love them by giving them a hug. And why stop at just one? Such closeness builds strong family bonds and also helps with a child’s brain development and social and emotional learning. Give hugs throughout the day, and tell your kids how much and why you love them!

Thanks to Tundra books for sending me a copy of Baby Squeaks for review consideration. All opinions on the book are my own.

Baby Squeaks

By Anne Hunter

In those early days when Mama Mouse held Baby Mouse, Baby was quiet. But then that long-awaited time came, and “Baby said Baby’s first word!” It was long before Baby said another. And then another and another and many, many, many more. In fact, Baby talked all the time. And to anything—even an acorn. Desiring a little peace and quiet, Mama put Baby right outside the door, where a mama bird was about to feed her little bird a nice, juicy dragonfly.

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Baby Mouse squeaked hello. Baby even climbed up to where Mama Bird and Baby Bird were sitting and “talked and talked … and talked.” When Mama Bird spied another dragonfly floating past, she and Baby Bird took off in pursuit. Lucky for Baby Mouse, a rabbit was now munching a small flower at the base of the tree. Baby Mouse squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeaked. And squeaked some more until the rabbit hopped away.

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Next, Baby Mouse found a porcupine family and then a fawn. Baby found a seat between the fawn’s ears and “talked and talked … and talked” until the fawn lay down to take a nap. Baby lay down on the fawn’s back and went on talking as the little deer fell asleep. Back at home, Mama Mouse was enjoying the silence until she realized it was “TOO quiet.” She went outside only to discover Baby missing.

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She climbed to the top of the tree to survey her surroundings and then “heard the sound of Baby Mouse talking.” Mama followed the squeak, squeak, squeaks and found her baby. She held Baby in a tight hug, and for a moment all was quiet. But on the way home, Baby “talked and talked … and talked.” But that’s okay, because Mama Mouse and Mama Bird found the perfect solution for when they both need a little quiet time.

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Anne Hunter’s endearing story, infused with love and humor, is made for snuggly story times with plenty of giggles—and maybe some shared memories too. The repeated phrasing is sure to have kids chiming in, and children who are beginning to read independently will enjoy demonstrating their skills. Hunter’s lovely illustrations invite kids into the heartwarming relationship between Mama Mouse and Baby Mouse as lap time, feeding time, play time, and even bed time are carried out to the sound track of Baby’s endless chatter.

Baby’s enthusiasm to meet new friends and discover new things is infectious and may prompt kids and adults to imagine what Baby might be saying in each speech bubble. Adults will no doubt smile in appreciation of Mama Mouse’s and the rabbit’s wide-eyed expressions as Baby Mouse’s squeak bubbles float around them. Looking out for images of Mama and Baby Bird (as well as a beetle) across the pages will reward readers as the story comes to it’s charming conclusion.

A story that parents, grandparents, and other caregivers will love sharing with their kids, Baby Squeaks will become a quick favorite. The book is highly recommended as a gift or addition to home, school, and public library collections.

Ages 3 – 7

Tundra Books, 2022 | ISBN 978-0735269095

Discover more about Anne Hunter, her books, and her art on her website.

National Hug Your Kids Day Activity

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Free Hug Coupons

Everyone needs a hug now and then! With these printable Free Hug Coupons you can extend Global Hug Your Kid day to every day of the year! Why not fill a jar with these coupons and display it so that all your favorite people can get a sweet hug whenever they need it most.

**You can find Baby Squeaks at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

August 3 – It’s Family Fun Month and Interview with Jamie Michalak

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

August is a perfect time to have fun with the family! The days are long and warm, and there are so many activities to discover. Get away from the heat at a pool, the beach, or on the cool shade of a forest path. Explore your adventurous side while camping or traveling to an unfamiliar town, or increase your knowledge by visiting a science, art, history, or other museum. As today’s book shows, a museum might just be the most adventurous place on your list! So, before school starts up for another year, get out there and have fun!

Dakota Crumb: Tiny Treasure Hunter

Written by Jamie Michalak | Illustrated by Kelly Murphy

“In the great, big city, in the great, big museum, a clock tick-tocks past midnight.” The guards are on the watch, but they don’t see the tiny mouse that “creeps out of the shadows” and zig-zags her way through the galleries under the peering eyes of the art hung on the walls. Who is this explorer that carries a sack over one shoulder and has her eyes riveted on a map? It’s Dakota Crumb, and “for endless nights, Dakota has searched for a famous priceless treasure.

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Image copyright Kelly Murphy, 2021, text copyright Jamie Michalak, 2021. Courtesy of Candlewick Press.

The map reveals that it is in “the Deepest, Darkest Cave. But perils lie ahead. Scurrying past knights in armor, Dakota spies a tiny masterpiece across the room. Using her rope, she swings and picks it up. She places it into her sack and continues on. Into the hall of giants she roams. The only movement is the maintenance worker cleaning the floor. Dakota scans the room and—“aha!”—discovers a forgotten statue. Trying to collect it, she’s nearly swept away with the day’s refuse.

Dakota consults the map again and crawls away. Her journey takes her “to the land of Egypt,” where Dakota is on the hunt for “the famous Purple Jewel of Egypt.” Dakota summons all her courage when she comes eye to claw with “A GIANT… EVIL EYED… MOUSE-EATING… CAT!” She hurries past and into the deep, dark cave. She climbs up, up and “Pull. Pry. Oh, my!” grabs the treasure she’s been seeking—the Purple Jewel of Egypt. “Oh! how it sparkles!” As dawn colors the glassed rotunda, Dakota tiptoes home, her sack full.

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Image copyright Kelly Murphy, 2021, text copyright Jamie Michalak, 2021. Courtesy of Candlewick Press.

The museum opens, but not only for people. Around the corner, a “teeny-tiny door” welcomes visitors of another sort. These city dwellers—insects and mice, raccoons and squirrels, worms and pigeons await the opening of a new museum—the Mousehole Museum, where Dakota Crumb proudly presides over her carefully curated exhibits. The visitors enter and roam the galleries, marveling over all of the wonderful treasures they see. You’re welcome to join them too!

Following the story, Dakota Crumb invites readers to return to the museums—both big and small—to scour their rooms for forty-five items that are cleverly concealed.

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Image copyright Kelly Murphy, 2021, text copyright Jamie Michalak, 2021. Courtesy of Candlewick Press.

Charming from beginning to (ingeniously extended) end, Jamie Michalak’s Dakota Crumb: Tiny Treasure Hunter is sure to become a favorite of any child. Michalak’s crafty uses of the types of exhibits seen in major museums not only add intrigue to the story but will thrill those kids who are already museum lovers and entice others to visit their local museums. The hushed sense of suspense that infuses the pages as Dakota Crumb creeps from room to room gathering items in her bag will have kids eagerly turning the pages to discover the provenance of the Purple Jewel of Egypt. What is she doing with all of the things she finds? Michalak’s perfect answer will enchant every collector, artist, scientist, history buff, and explorer.

Kelly Murphy’s wizardry begins on the title page, where the museum is just about to close and they city dwellers are heading home in the purple twilight. Taking in the lush urban landscape, alert readers may pick up on details that tell them the fun is just beginning. As kids follow Dakota through the quiet museum, finding themselves searching for treasure just as she does, they see paintings, ceramics, sculptures, animal exhibits, and finally the regal Egypt room.

Murphy ingeniously incorporates items from the scavenger hunt list kids find at the end of the story into each page spread while adding humorous hints, realistic portrayals of famous exhibits, and even a comical nod to a common cleaning occurrence. But like many museum goers, readers may find themselves catch their breath when they enter the Mousehole Museum. Murphy’s well-imagined exhibits turn everyday items into masterpieces—and who’s to say they’re not? From toys to fasteners to snacks, containers, and trinkets and even an overdeveloped polaroid photograph, the displays in Dakota Crumb’s museum invites readers to look at their surroundings in a brand-new way.

A smart, witty, fun, and thought-provoking book, Dakota Crumb: Tiny Treasure Hunter is a superb book for introducing the excitement of museums to children and engaging them in observation as well as ideas on art, historical value, community inclusion, and collecting. All this and an imaginative scavenger hunt that challenges readers to be as intrepid a treasure hunter as Dakota Crumb. Sure to spark plenty of ideas for teachers, homeschoolers, museum educators, and libraries, Dakota Crumb: Tiny Treasure Hunter is a must for home, school, and library bookshelves as well as for museum gift shops.

Ages 3 – 8 and up

Candlewick Press, 2021 | ISBN 978-1536203943

Discover more about Jamie Michalak and her books on her website.

To learn more about Kelly Murphy, her books, and her art, visit her website.

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You can download a Dakota Crumb: Tiny Treasure Hunter Activity Kit for teachers, families, librarians, or any book lover here or on the Candlewick Press website.

A Chat with Jamie Michalak

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Jamie Michalak is the author of many children’s books, including Dakota Crumb: Tiny Treasure Hunter, illustrated by Kelly Murphy; Frank and Bean, illustrated by Bob Kolar; the highly praised Joe and Sparky early readers series, illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz; as well as the forthcoming picture book Niki Nakayama: A Chef’s Tale in 13 Bites, co-written with Debbi Michiko Florence and illustrated by Yuko Jones, and many more.

When not writing, she can often be found singing off-key, drinking too much coffee, or hanging out with her two sons. Jamie lives with her family in Barrington, Rhode Island.

You can connect with Jamie on her website | Instagram | Twitter

Welcome, Jamie! I’m so happy to be part of your book tour for Dakota Crumb: Tiny Treasure Hunter! Visiting museums is one of my and my family’s favorite activities, especially when we travel. They always provide us with wonderful memories. Do you have a favorite memory from a trip you took to research one of your books?

When I was writing Dakota Crumb: Tiny Treasure Hunter, in which a mouse searches for tiny objects in a museum, I wanted to scout out the best places to hide them. So I decided to visit an art museum in Manhattan, and I asked my eight-year-old son to come along as my research assistant.

Within fifteen minutes of our visit, he tugged on my sleeve. He was looking up at me with an expression of shock and horror.

“What’s the matter?” I asked.

“Mom,” he whispered, looking around. “They’re not wearing ANY PANTS!”

I had no idea he hadn’t seen nude Greek or Roman statues before.

In any case, he learned a lot about art, found some perfect hiding spots for mice treasures, and went home with lots to tell his friends.

That’s fabulous! Kids’ reactions to new experiences are such treasures in themselves.

In your school and library programs you share your writing process and give lots of advice for kids and teachers on how to create characters and stories as well as talking about your books. They sound like a blast! This past year, you probably held more virtual programs than usual. What was one funny thing that happened during one of these events this year?

I ended all of my virtual visits with a sing-along of the “Jelly Donut Hole Song” from my early reader Frank and Bean, illustrated by Bob Kolar. I’d play the audio and share the lyrics on my screen, so the class could join in. (Keep in mind I couldn’t see the faces of any of the kids.) During one visit, I’m playing the song, kind of half singing along because I can’t carry a tune AT ALL. Also, I’m clapping every now and then. Aaaand at the very end, the teacher says, “Um, Jamie? We couldn’t hear the audio on our end.” So basically the kids only saw my big head and heard me humming one note or mumbling every other three words. This went on for at least two minutes! Awkward.

Well, that sounds like a story Frank and Bean would love! Perhaps this funny oops! will find its way into one of your books. Thanks for sharing these two humorous events that show just what a varied tapestry being a picture book author is!

Here’a a little more about Frank and Bean

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Written by Jamie Michalak; Illustrated by Bob Kolar

When the introspective Frank meets the gregarious Bean, can they find a way to make beautiful music together? Dry wit and hilarious illustrations introduce a new unlikely pair.

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Image copyright Bob Kolar, 2019, text copyright Jamie Machalak, 2019. Courtesy of Candlewick.

Candlewick Press, 2019 | ISBN 978-0763695590

Early Reader; Ages 3-7

A 2019 Amazon Best Book of the Year

2019 Junior Library Guild Selection

Florida 2020-2021 SSYRA JR Award Nominee

Cybils Award finalist

Family Fun Month Activity

Tiny Treasure Hunt

This treasure hunt from Jamie Machalak is just like Dakota Crumb’s, but with a twist! And it’s perfect for families to do together! Print and cut out this tiny treasure hunt checklist for your child, so they can gather the objects listed. Then ask them to share what they found, using three adjectives to describe each treasure. What does a button feel like? What does the tiny toy look like? (Magnifying glasses are optional!)

Tiny Treasure Hunt List

**You can find Dakota Crumb: Tiny Treasure Hunter at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

May 11 – It’s Reading Is Fun Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

What’s your definition of fun? Is it going new places? Meeting new people? Laughing with friends? Getting in on the latest trend – or setting one of your own? If it’s one – or all – of these, you’ve just described reading! This week is dedicated to discovering the enjoyment that delving into a great book can bring at any age! To celebrate, stock up on books old and new – like today’s book that’s all about FUN – and have fun reading!

Thanks go to Disney-Hyperion and Big Honcho Media for sharing a copy of The Bruce Swap with me for review consideration. All opinions on on the book are my own.

The Bruce Swap

By Ryan T. Higgins

To say that Bruce doesn’t like fun may be an understatement—a big understatement. Just look at the yard surrounding his log cabin at “13 Go Away Lane” in the woods. It’s littered with signs: No Diving, No Fishing, No Skating, No Standing, No Picnicking, No Loitering, No Talking, No Running, No Bird Watching, No Hiking, No Climbing, No Whistling, No Camping, No Trespassing…and the one Bruce is just installing: No Playing. So when a letter comes for Bruce from his cousin Kevin promising a very FUN visit, you can imagine what Bruce would say. Unfortunately, Bruce never read this letter because the goose who retrieved it from the mailbox ate it all up.

Around this same time, Bruce got a little fed up with all the requests for fun his “kids” peppered him with—things like “Can we make a Roman sculpture with Greek yogurt?” and “Can we fly this hang glider made out of your sheets?” After Bruce said “No” and “No” as well as “No” to an all-sweets menu, Thistle, Rupert, and Nibbs wished for a Bruce who was “more cheerful,” “more adventurous,” and “had more pizzazz” before they went to sleep.

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Early the next morning before anyone was up, Bruce decided to go fishing by himself. He left a note, hopped on his motorbike, and was off. The note made a delicious breakfast for one of the geese, and so no one knew that Bruce was gone…or that “Kevin was coming.” Later that morning, as everyone sat around the table hoping they were going to do something fun that day, Kevin arrived.

With just one look, the mice and the geese could see that their nighttime wishes had come true. Even though they didn’t know quite what had happened, they were ready for fun. “And Kevin was VERY fun.” There was the candy, and the order for twenty-six pizzas, and the pogo stick jumping in the living room. Kevin was loud—REALLY LOUD. He also turned the cabin into a swimming pool. The outdoor fun was no less chaotic.

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Then “Kevin’s fun friends” arrived. This was just too much “fun Bruce” to take. Rupert, Nibbs, Thistle, and the geese sat on the lawn and cried. “They all wished for regular Bruce to come back.” And Kevin? He and his friends were still looking for more fun. Besides, there was all that mess to contend with – and Kevin and his friends thought “messes are not fun.” They clamored back into their van and drove away just as Bruce was coming back from his fishing trip.

When he got home and saw his wailing family, his heart softened and he decided that “maybe…just maybe…he should try having FUN.” But when Bruce told the mice and geese, they were shocked, they screamed, and they backed away. “Do you want to have fun or not?” Bruce asked, perplexed. “No! No! No! No! No!” his family shouted. So Bruce gathered them all up and went inside to find “what FUN had done to his house.” Bruce’s unibrow rose. Bruce’s unibrow lowered and settled into its usual grumpy position above his sad eyes and deep frown. The Bruce the mice and geese loved was back. They hugged Bruce until there was a knock on the door…. Pizza delivery!

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Ryan T. Higgins’ latest “Mother Bruce” adventure answers the question the mice and geese have been asking since they met Bruce: “What’s wrong with a little fun?” Here, Higgins exposes the truth about too much fun in hilarious scenes – from the ravenous geese gobbling up letters, to the activities Thistle, Nibbs, and Rupert wish Bruce would sanction, to Kevin and his friends’ wild romp.

On the way to learning the wisdom of that old adage, “Be careful what you wish for,” readers will soak up the snappy dialog, wry narration, and Bruce’s brief and surprising change of heart. There are lots of places for kids to join in on reading, especially when Kevin invites everyone to use a shouting voice, when the mice and geese are wailing, and when Bruce adds another yard sign at the beginning of the book and Kevin cleverly changes them at the end.

Higgins’ dynamic illustrations are loaded with humor and action, and lingering over the pages reveals details that expand on the rich environment Higgins has created for his beloved characters. And don’t forget to peek under the book’s jacket for a delicious surprise!

Funny, smart, and a joy to read aloud, The Bruce Swap is a must for all fans of the “Mother Bruce” series – old and new – at home and in the classroom as well as for public library collections.

Ages 3 – 8

Disney-Hyperion, 20201 | ISBN 978-1368028561

You can connect with Ryan T. Higgins on Twitter.

Reading Is Fun Month Activity

CPB - Pizza Day Toppings

Create Your Pizza Game

Play this fun game to build your pizza ingredient by ingredient before the others! For 2 – 8 players.

Supplies

Printable Pizza Crust Game Board template
Printable Pizza Toppings Card 1 template
Printable Pizza Toppings Card 2 template
Cardboard or Poster Board if wanted
Scissors
1 Playing die

Directions

Object of the Game: to fill a pizza slice with 5 delicious ingredients

Print a Pizza Crust Game Board and Ingredients Cards
Each player picks a slice on the board to fill
Roll the dice to choose who goes first. Play
The first player rolls the dice and places an ingredient on their slice according to the numbers below
Play passes to the right
The player who fills their slice with all 5 ingredients first, wins

Alternative for older kids: Print a game board for each player. The first player to complete the whole pizza is the winner

Each number on the playing die corresponds to one ingredient or other instruction, as noted below:

1: Sauce (red x)

2: Cheese

3: Green peppers (green squares)

4: Garlic (white half moons)

5: Pepperoni

6: Remove one ingredient from your pizza and pass the playing die to the next player

**You can find The Bruce Swap at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

May 3 – It’s Children’s Book Week

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Children’s Book Week is the longest-running national literacy program in the United States. The history of the holiday goes back to 1913, when Franklin K. Matthiews, the librarian of the Boy Scouts of America, toured the country to promote a higher standard in children’s books and proposed a Children’s Book Week. He then enlisted the help of Frederic G. Melcher, editor of Publishers Weekly who believed that “a great nation is a reading nation,” and Anne Carroll Moore, the Superintendent of Children’s Works at the New York Public Library to help spread the word. This year Children’s Book Week will be held twice: May 3 – 9 and November 8 – 14. Each week with host different programs under the slogan “Reading is a Superpower.” You can find resources to help your child take part in the Superpower Challenge, a list of cross-curricular activities that allow kids to explore their passions in depth, here. To learn more about this special holiday for readers visit Every Child a Reader.

**About the Bear and Friends Series**

In the newest addition to the Highlights Puzzle Readers – books that use an innovative approach to engage emergent and new readers in strengthening their skills and fluency – Jody Jensen Shaffer and Clair Rossiter charm the youngest readers with a sweet group of friends: Bear, Mouse, and Squirrel. Released at the same time, Where Is Bear? and A House for Mouse get kids excited about learning to read on their own with a combination of a story and a search-and-find letter puzzle. A bonus matching and vocabulary puzzle follows the story and will entice children to turn to page 1 again and reread the story.

A note for parents and other caregivers tells more about this book series that has been developed in collaboration with reading experts, how the puzzle-and-story structure of the books improve learning, and the skills children learn, including shape and letter recognition, letter-sound relationships, logic, and flexible thinking, and more.

Bear and Friends: Where Is Bear? (Highlights Puzzle Mystery)

Written by Jody Jensen Shaffer | Illustrated by Clair Rossiter

On a sunny day, Bear visits his friends, Mouse and Squirrel, in the woods. They are excited to see him. “Look! Look! It is Bear,” says Mouse. Squirrel lets readers in on two important facts about Bear: “Bear is big. Bear is fun.” They can’t wait to play together. Bear takes the lead, and whatever Bear can do, Squirrel and Mouse can do too. They swing and run and jump.

But then Bear decides he’s going to play hide-and-seek. “Where is Bear?” Mouse asks the reader. “Is Bear here?” Squirrel and Mouse check behind trees, in a cave, and behind a big rock. They’re still looking for Bear as they cross over a stream on a fallen log. Mouse and Squirrel may not spot Bear or just miss him as he moves from place to place, but young readers will love finding him on each page and trying to guess why he’s picking flowers, acorns, and apples. Suddenly, Mouse points and exclaims. “Look! Look!” Then Squirrel says, “I see Bear.” But what is Bear doing? Kids will be as delighted as Mouse and Squirrel with Bear’s special surprise.

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Image copyright Clair Rossiter, 2021, text copyright Jody Jensen Shaffer, 2021. Courtesy of Highlights Press.

Throughout Jody Jensen Shaffer’s sweet story, kids will also be on the lookout for the letter B, which is cleverly hidden in the texture of a tree trunk, made from blades of grass, constructed with rock, in the folds of mushrooms, incorporated into Bear’s picnic basket, and many other places. The puzzle presents an age-appropriate challenge that will encourage kids to search for the letters again and again. Many of these hiding places reoccur, prompting children to look for and recognize patterns in the illustrations, just as the story’s words and sentences have patterns.

The introduction of a ball and a bowl on the final page gives kids an opportunity to explore the B sound further and to return to the story to find more examples of words that begin with B (like Bear, branch, and boots as well as bandana, boulder, and bite for older readers) or include the letter b (as in the umbrella Mouse carries). Shaffer’s short, inviting sentences also introduce declarative, exclamatory, and interrogative sentences as well as their punctuation. Plenty of repeated words will build confidence and enthusiasm in even the most reluctant reader.

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Image copyright Clair Rossiter, 2021, text copyright Jody Jensen Shaffer, 2021. Courtesy of Highlights Press.

Clair Rossiter’s enchanting, upbeat illustrations masterfully combine learning and fun as she maintains a focus on what Bear, Mouse, and Squirrel are doing as well as their facial expressions to give new readers visual clues to the words and sentences they are learning. Rossiter’s vivid color palette allows kids to show their knowledge of colors, including red, blue, green, brown, white, pink, purple, and orange. The forest scenery provides even more high-interest images for kids to explore.

Loaded with personality, charm, and the kinds of learning opportunities kids love, Bear and Friends: Where Is Bear? and A House for Mouse will be favorite go-to books for young readers that can grow with them as they increase their reading and other concept skills. The Bear and Friends series is highly recommended for home, classroom, homeschool, and public libraries.

Ages 4 – 7

Highlights Press, 2021 | ISBN 978-1644723388 (Hardcover) | ISBN 978-1644723418 (Paperback)

Discover more about Jody Jensen Shaffer and her books on her website.

To learn more about Clair Rossiter, her books, and her art, visit her website.

**You can find Bear and Friends: Where Is Bear? at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Bear and Friends: A House for Mouse (Highlights Puzzle Mystery)

Written by Jody Jensen Shaffer | Illustrated by Clair Rossiter

As the story opens, Mouse is looking through a house magazine. “Mouse wants a house,” Bear says. Squirrel tells readers, “Mouse wants a good house.” Bear finds a house for Mouse right away in a cave in a hill. It is so big that Bear can even fit inside. “You can live here,” Bear says. But Mouse says, “No, thank you. It is too big!” Squirrel thinks a leafy nest up in a tree would make the perfect house. But once up on the branch, Mouse says, “No, thank you. It is way up.”

The friends look up, down, under, and all around – even at some houses on the water – but none of them are quite right for Mouse. Hmmm…. Mouse and Squirrel lie on one end of a log that’s balanced on a rock to think, while Bear rests his foot on the other end. “Where is a house for Mouse?” Bear wonders as he steps down hard on the log, sending Mouse and Squirrel flying. They land right in front of the perfect house – and it’s for sale! “It is a good house,” Bear declares. Mouse packs up a wagon with boxes and in no time is moved into the cozy home at the base of a tree.

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Image copyright Clair Rossiter, 2021, text copyright Jody Jensen Shaffer, 2021. Courtesy of Highlights Press.

Kids will enjoy helping Bear, Mouse, and Squirrel find a new house for Mouse while they also look for the letter M hidden in some pretty creative places. Trees, furniture, fencing, home decor, and other natural homes all sport the letter M for eagle-eyed readers to find. As the friends search up, down, under, and in, children also learn these spatial relationships. They’re also introduced to the idea of “far away” and “near,” as the tree Mouse eventually moves into is seen with a “For Sale” sign from afar early in the story and increasingly close as the story goes on.

The matching puzzle at the end of the story invites kids to match mug, map, and mouse to their pictures, while enticing them to find these objects throughout the pages as well as others, such as magazine, mat, mushroom, and scuba mask.

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Image copyright Clair Rossiter, 2021, text copyright Jody Jensen Shaffer, 2021. Courtesy of Highlights Press.

Just as in Where is Bear?, Jody Jensen Shaffer charms new readers with a question that will pique any child’s interest: Where will Mouse live? In this story Shaffer introduces slightly longer sentences while again incorporating a mix of statements, exclamations, and questions and repeated phrasing.

Children will look forward to spending more time with Bear, Mouse, and Squirrel in the familiar setting, enhanced with new sights that give kids and adults an opportunity to talk about the variety of animal homes found in nature. Clair Rossiter uses the same appealing color palette and decks out Bear, Squirrel, and Mouse in their favorite outfits that makes sharing another reading adventure as comforting as coming home.

Ages 4 – 7

Highlights Press, 2021 | ISBN 978-1644723425 (Hardcover) | ISBN 978-1644723418 (Paperback)

Children’s Book Week Activity

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Bookmarks and Activities

One of the highlights of Children’s Book Week are the bookmarks created by illustrators and author/illustrators. This year’s bookmarks and attached activities were designed by Angela Dominguez, Paola Escobar, Ebony Glenn, Oliver Jeffers, and Aram Kim. To download one or all five bookmarks as well as their accompanying activity sheet, visit the Every Child a Reader website.

**You can find Bear and Friends: A House for Mouse at these booksellers**

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-a-Million

To support your local independent bookstore, order from

Bookshop | IndieBound

Picture Book Review

February 8 – Opera Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Opera has been a favorite art form since its beginnings in Italy in the 1500s. Combining magnificent voices, soaring arias, grand costumes, and dramatic storylines, operas continue to thrill audiences and gain new fans. To celebrate Opera Day today or at a time in the future, enjoy a performance in your area or find one on YouTube and gather your family and friends for an opera party.

I received a copy of Diva Delores and the Opera House Mouse from Sterling Children’s Books for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Diva Delores and the Opera House Mouse

Written by Laura Sassi | Illustrated by Rebecca Gerlings

Fernando had many loves in his life—including chocolate, cheese, gumdrops, and popcorn—but what he loved most was “feasting on Mozart, Puccini, and Strauss, / and lending a paw at the Old Opera House.” Delores loved nothing more than being in the spotlight, and now she was getting the chance to leave her place in the chorus to “take center stage and be Diva Delores.” She warmed up in her dressing room with “Me-me-me-me!”