August 15 – Relaxation Day

About the Holiday

Don’tcha wish every day could be relaxation day? Of course, if it were, though, we wouldn’t be celebrating this special occasion. Everyone has their own version of what’s relaxing, so if you’re a beach person, a reader, a binge watcher, a laze around the house person, or even if you find work relaxing, take the opportunity to indulge yourself today! Sometimes, as today’s book reveals, a relaxing day may not turn out as quiet as you might like. But a good laugh can set it right again.

BE QUIET!

By Ryan T. Higgins

Rupert, a scholarly little mouse is so excited to be writing a book in which he will be the starring character. It’s going to be great—a wordless book that is “very artistic.” But just as he gets started his friend Nibbs, pops over and wonders what Rupert is doing. Rupert tells him, “Shhh. Be QUIET. This book does not have words.” When Nibbs hears this, he wants to help, but there’s supposed to be no talking and he’s talking. In fact, he’s “talking about talking.”

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Rupert wants to throw his friend out of the book, but Nibbs begs and pleads to be included. He’ll even be “extra wordless” if he can just stay. Rupert is beside himself. “I said BE QUIET. This book is wordless!” Just then their friend Thistle drops by wondering what all the shouting is about. Nibbs tells him in some detail what’s going on and why he can’t talk about it.

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Thistle thinks a wordless book sounds perfect and also wants to be included. Nibbs says sure, but says they won’t tell Rupert because they’re not supposed to be talking. Rupert, though, is keeping count of all these words, and there are too many of them. Thistle rubs his hands in glee: it’s going to be such fun. But Rupert takes him to task. His book is going “to be more than FUN. It will be visually stimulating.” Nibbs isn’t sure what that means, so Thistle explains that it means they’re going to “poke our readers in the eyeballs with pictures.”

After a bit of strong-man silliness, Nibbs and Thistle buckle down to find “strong-but-silent types.” Nibbs suggests a very familiar bear, but Thistle thinks he looks too grumpy. Rupert thinks a cute kitten would be a good addition, but those claws? And those teeth? On second thought perhaps a cucumber would be better. With just a squiggly smile and some googly eyes, the cucumber makes a great vegetarian character. Thistle tries to explain about vegetarians, and Rupert is in a fury over all this nonsense clogging up his “brilliant piece of wordless literature.”

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Oh! Well, if “serious” is what Rupert wants, how about a portrait of Vincent van Mouse? Too esoteric? Then maybe the three mice should be converted into three potatoes. Rupert yells that he doesn’t even like potatoes. Action is what’s needed, says Thistle. A silent superhero, like “Captain Quiet the Vocabulary Vigilante. Bam! Pow! Kaboom!” No, no, no! Rupert is hopping mad. “No superheroes and no onomatopoeia either.” Say what? “I’m-a-gonna-pee-a?” asks Nibbs “What’s that mean?” Thistle thinks Rupert “should have gone to the bathroom before the book started.”

Really, Thistle and Nibbs just want to help. What about mimes? Nibbs comes up with a great routine, flapping arms and all. Thistle tries to guess what he is, and Rupert can’t understand how they don’t know what “quiet” means. Oh!, say Nibbs and Thistle. Like that saying about the tree in the forest. Is that what quiet is? With a chain saw and a nearby tree, they try it. But Rupert is screaming so much they can’t hear if it makes a sound or not.

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Poor Rupert! All he wants is for them to “be quiet for just one page!” He can’t hold his frustration in any longer. He goes on a tirade of words. Nibbs quietly interrupts him. “WHAT?!” yells Rupert. “Shhh. Be Quiet. This book does not have words,” Nibbs reminds him just as the book ends. Now that the book is finished, Thistle and Nibbs think it came out pretty good and hope they can do another one.

Ryan T. Higgins’ laugh-out-loud book about best intentions gone awry is a definite day brightener. Kids and adults will recognize the zany truth of control lost to the unexpected or the oblivious. While we may often feel Rupert’s frustration in real-life situations, Higgins reminds us that it’s good to step back and see the humor in it all. Higgins’ action-packed illustrations and rakish mice ramp up the fun. Kids will enjoy seeing a glimpse of their favorite grumpy bear, Bruce, and discovering what the three mice have been up to since they transformed Bruce’s home into a hotel.

Clever wordplay, realistic dialogue, and sweet characters make BE QUIET! a perfect read-aloud book that kids will want to hear again and again. It would be a funny and fun addition to any child’s bookshelf.

Ages 3 – 6

Disney-Hyperion, 2017 | ISBN 978-1484731628

Discover more about Ryan T. Higgins and his books on his website!

Relaxation Day Activity

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Homemade Bath Clings

Taking a nice long soak—or playing in the bathtub—can be a nice change of pace. With these homemade bath clings, kids can make up their own stories—wordless or not—right on the bathtub wall!

Supplies

Craft foam in various colors
Scissors
Cookie cutters for creating shapes (optional)

Directions

Trace cookie cutters on the craft foam (optional)
Cut out cookie cutter shapes or hand-drawn shapes from the craft foam
With a little bit of water, the clings will hang on the wall

Picture Book Review

August 14 – It’s Family Fun Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Every month can be full of family fun, but in August we take time to celebrate the longer, more relaxed days during summer vacation that can lead to special times together. Little ones especially love having fun while exploring and learning about the world. This month look for those spontaneous or planned moments that make good memories!

Circle, Triangle, Elephant! A Book of Shapes & Surprises

By Kenji Oikawa and Mayuko Takeuchi

This brightly colored concept book is sure to intrigue little learners and have them giggling while discovering and pointing out shapes, colors, and even doing some counting. On the first page a regular stack of shapes are presented: “triangle, circle, square.” A large blue square gives support to a smaller pink circle while a smaller red triangle creates a bit of a hat on top. The next page rearranges this order and replaces the square with a rectangle. The circle is still pink, but it’s larger and on top. Underneath is an orange rectangle, and balancing these two shapes on its tip is the triangle, now purple.

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Turning the page, we find: “triangle, elephant?!, circle” Wait, what?! Oh my! This does shake things up a bit! How did that elephant get between a pink triangle and a red circle? And he’s brought his family! On the next page we find a small elephant standing on a larger elephant who’s standing on a yellow rectangle. I’m sure they’re just passing through and we’ll be back to regular shapes in a second.

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Maybe if we turn the page really fast… “elephant, boat!, triangle” Oh! I see, the little elephant is taking a boat ride home, but they have run aground on a teal triangle. Here come “boat, boat, boat” to help! Ah, good! The elephants are safely on their way now. One more boat to go and we’ll be back to… “triangle, face! square.” That’s no ordinary face—it’s cute and clownish. A bit like a jack-in-the-box, really, the way it’s resting on a blue rectangle and wearing a yellow triangle at a jaunty angle.

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Okay, okay, on the next page there are… a couple more faces bouncing on a pointy triangle. I hope they’re not balloons! And on the facing page is our original face stacked with a very pretty green rectangle and a bright yellow lemon! Oh! The next page is nice. It makes a bit of a picture: the orange sun is shining above a bus that’s traveling on a green square carpet of grass. Uh-oh! The bus has gone a little off course. On the next page it’s driving on top of two big lemons. “bus, lemon, lemon.” Is that even possible?

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Hmmm… what’s this next one? “square, square, square.” Not quite as exciting, you think? Maybe, but look! The top square is yellow, the bottom square is red, and the middle square is…? Orange, right! Good job! Oh this is fun! All right, next we have “square, bird, rectangle” and after that “bird, boat, triangle.” On the facing page a small pink bird and a larger green bird are racing that bus. Go, “bird, bird, bus.”

You know what this book could use? A hat. And there it is! Just around the corner: “hat!, square, bus.” Haha! You’ll love the next page: “hat, hat, elephant.” That elephant looks so dapper wearing two hats. Let’s see what else we can find. Awww! Next there’s “square, triangle, fish!” And what a cutie—blue with little green dots! I guess it’s time to wind this fun down with “triangle, circle, square” and two elephants who would each like to say goodbye with their own very colorful triangles and circles.

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Kenji Oikawa and Mayuko Takeuchi have created a concept book that will get little ones excited about learning the names of shapes, colors, and various objects. An enthusiastic reading will have kids laughing and wanting to read along as adults talk with them about what they see on each page. Cleverly constructed, the book invites deeper thought about the shapes and colors presented. The shapes come in different sizes and can also be found within the boat, face, bus, birds, fish, and elephant. Children may discover—on their own or with a bit of help—that with a few adjustments parts of the lemons, elephant, fish, and hats contain or could be made into circles, triangles, squares, or rectangles.

The colors of the shapes and objects are vibrant and eye-catching. The primary colors are all here, but so are the secondary colors and other beautiful mixtures that could lead to an opportunity to get out paints and have fun while experimenting and learning about color.

Circle, Triangle Elephant! A Book of Shapes & Surprises is a wonderful first shapes and colors book for children. It would make a great gift for baby showers, new babies, or toddlers. The sturdy board book is perfect for tucking away in a diaper bag to bring out during waiting times or outdoor activities.

Ages 1 – 5

Phaidon Press, 2017 | ISBN 978-0714874111

Family Fun Month Activity

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Water Color Fun

A splish-splashy way to let kids experiment with colors is to let them explore with a tub or sink full of water and some food coloring. As they drip individual colors into the water, the colors spread, mixing with each other to form new colors.

Supplies

A plastic tub, a sink, or a bathtub
Food color – one multi-color box
An apron or old clothes
A spoon or other utensil to mix colors

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Directions

If the child is young and playing at the sink while standing on a stool or chair, adult supervision is advised.
Fill the tub or sink 1/3 to 1/2 way with cool water
Allow child to choose a color from the box
Let the child squeeze the bottle, dropping a bit of color into the water
Let the child choose another color
Before adding this color to the water, talk with your child about what they think will happen when the two colors mix together.
Let the child drop the new color into the water a small distance from the first color
Allow the colors to mix naturally or with a spoon.
You can mix colors in different corners or sections of the tub or sink to see, for instance, what happens when yellow and red food color or blue and red food color mix. What happens if all the colors are mixed together?
Discover your own questions to explore!

Picture Book Review

August 13 – What Will Be Your Legacy Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

As you grow and have difference experiences, it’s fun and instructive to look back and reflect on your life: are you doing the things that make you happy? Are you performing your job and other responsibilities the way you want to be? What impact you are making? This month’s holiday encourages people to think about their legacy and make changes if desired.

Homer Henry Hudson’s Curio Museum

By Zack Rock

Everything has a story, the narrator tells readers, especially the Homer Henry Hudson Curio Museum, which, he says, has been described as “a colossal collection of curios, discovered, described, and displayed by that eccentric explorer extraordinaire: Homer Henry Hudson.”

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Come in and experience the wonders inside. A dignified bulldog dressed in a dapper tweed suit and leaning on a crooked cane will greet you. His job is to keep the place clean and dusted. Although the museum is stuffed floor to ceiling, he knows the placement of every object, knick-knack, and curiosity. As you explore the museum’s holdings—its portraits, musical instruments, ancient artifacts, taxidermy animals, and other treasures, the caretaker sits silently, hoping you will read the display cards that Homer Henry Hudson has lovingly written out with a description and personal note. He even has his favorite “bits and bobs” that he would like you to see.

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One of these is Item #0001, the Conausaurus Skull of a small dinosaur from the late Jurassic Period that HHH found in the soil of his family’s farm. This bony discovery made Homer Henry wonder what else the world held and sparked his love of exploration. Another is Item #0023, a Radial Tide Diviner once used by Calypsonian seers to predict the future based on tidal patterns. It was the discovery of the lost Calypsonian civilization with its valuable artifacts that funded Homer’s further explorations.

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Item #3412, a Temple Montepaz Choir Finch with a C sharp trill that chanted to accompany the parrot priest, was a most unusual gift. It was bestowed on HHH for convincing the Parrot Priest to release a piece of wood stripped from the temple wall. This shard turned out to lead Homer Henry Hudson into his future—for better or worse. With renewed fire, HHH charged toward the promise of riches only to fly his plane into a mammoth stone figurehead, which resulted in injury and his life-long limp.

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Item #3415, The Manneken Mort of King Ingmar, is perhaps Homer Henry’s most treasured possession. Composed of fabric bands that represent the stories friends and family tell when someone dies, this Manneken Mort contains hundreds of bands relating the life of King Ingmar. This object HHH acquired for bravery and self-sacrifice when he was younger and still full of enthusiasm for life.

The old bulldog thinks of this curio most. He wonders what his Manneken will look like and whether all the bands of his life have been woven. He likes to think his Manneken Mort “would be hundreds—thousands—of feet tall. It’d tower over the Taj Mahal, shame the Sphinx!” But he knows “few memorable tales are told of rusty old codgers who spent their days…leaning upon fear like a crutch.”

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Though blind in one eye and nagged by trepidation, the old bulldog packs his suitcase, dons his hat and throws away his cane. As he walks out the door, past pictures of himself on his early expeditions of discover, he knows he might “meet with catastrophe,” be “swallowed by quicksand,” or “gnawed on by piranhas.” But he also knows “there’s no success without failures,” and he has had many successes.

Homer Henry Hudson boards the cruise liner Phoenix and sets out for adventure once more. After all, he well knows that everything has a story. So if you come by the Homer Henry Hudson Museum today, you will see a sign hanging on the door: The Curio Museum is CLOSED Until Further Notice.

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Zack Rock has written a compelling and unique picture book for adventurers of all types and ages. Part motivation and part cautionary tale, this story of the once intrepid explorer turned tremulous caretaker has a mysterious, treasure-around-every-corner quality that will appeal to kids. The life of Homer Henry Hudson is told through the display cards that accompany some of the museum’s curios. As the story develops through the cards’ personal notes, readers learn of the museum’s true owner and the life-altering decision he makes.

Rock’s illustrations in greens and parchment-paper golds and browns have a high “Oh, Cool!” factor as the odd, ancient, and unusual objects of the museum invite kids to explore every nook and cranny of the pages. The exhibits serve not only to fill the museum, however; they remind us how easily the future can get overshadowed and crowded out by the past.

Ages 6 – 10

The Creative Company/Creative Editions, 2014 | ISBN 978-1568462608

To discover more about Zack Rock and his books and to view a gallery of his artwork, visit his website!

What Will be Your Legacy Month Activity

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Legacy Letter Page

If you were building a museum about your life, what would you put in it? Write or draw about what you would put in your museum on this printable Legacy Letter Page

Picture Book Review

August 12 – International Youth Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

International Youth Day was established by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2250 in 2015. Since then there has been “growing recognition that as agents of change, young people are critical actors in conflict prevention and sustaining peace.” The theme for 2017 is Youth Building Peace and celebrates “young people’s contributions to conflict prevention and transformation as well as inclusion, social justice, and sustainable peace.” Children and young adults have many paths to travel as they grow up. We should all work to make the world a better and safer place to live in as they journey through life.

Wherever You Go

Written by Pat Zietlow Miller | Illustrated by Eliza Wheeler

“When it’s time for a journey, to learn and to grow, / roads guide your footsteps wherever you go. / Roads give you chances to seek and explore. / Want an adventure? / Just open your door.”

So opens this lovely, inspirational picture book that looks at life through the metaphor of those sometimes straightforward, sometimes winding, but always intriguing roads. In these pages “Roads…go” over hills, under bridges, and through valleys. They can take you past vast seas and small streams. “Roads…zoom” through brightly lit cities, and “bend,” taking you on detours “you wouldn’t expect, / showing you various ways to connect.”

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Image copyright Eliza Wheeler, 2016, text copyright Pat Zietlow Miller. Courtesy of Little Brown Books for Young Readers.

Roads can bring you closer to your dreams or veer away, giving you choices on whether “to go? / Or to stay?” “Roads…reach” from shore to shore or mountain to mountain, “attaching two places that once were apart.” You can “choose to cross over. Follow your heart.” Some roads are small—built with only one lane, but they merge with another “and the two become one.”

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Image copyright Eliza Wheeler, courtesy of hachettebookgroup.com

With time and change “Roads…grow,” becoming longer and wider and more populated with people you know and those you don’t—yet. Often “Roads…wait. For click-clacking trains / and boats with tall sails. / Slow-going hay wagons carrying bales. / Stoplights and crosswalks, a deer with a friend. / Roads sometimes pause, or just come to an end.”

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Image copyright Eliza Wheeler, 2015, text copyright Pat Zietlow Miller. Courtesy of Little Brown Books for Young Readers.

Roads also rise to dizzying heights and the sense of accomplishment is well worth the climb. From on top “Roads…remember. Every life landmark, the big and the small. / The moments you tripped, the times you stood tall.” At last when you’re ready there are roads that will help you find your way home. So… “Which path should you choose? / That’s easy to see. / The one that will take you / where you wish to be.”

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Image copyright Eliza Wheeler, 2015, text copyright Pat Zietlow Miller. Courtesy of Little Brown Books for Young Readers.

Pat Zietlow Miller’s lyrical journey down the paths life presents is an enchanting quiet-time and story-time read. Wherever You Go also offers parents, caregivers, and teachers a wonderful opportunity to discuss the concepts of self-confidence and self-respect and also the idea that life is made up of many different experiences that can be accepted or rejected like alternate routes on a map. Miller’s rhymes flow as smoothly as a wide open country road, soaring and winding on her exquisite descriptions and word choices. Adult readers may well find a catch in their throat as they read the last line to their children.

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Image copyright Eliza Wheeler, 2016, text copyright Pat Zietlow Miller. Courtesy of Little Brown Books for Young Readers.

Eliza Wheeler captures not only the literal meanings of the lines in Wherever You Go, but also the heart and thoughts of life’s travels. Her soft-hued watercolor-and-ink illustrations glow with the promise and possibilities encountered on life’s roads. Intricate details fill every page to show readers that their journeys are shared with others. Children will enjoy following the main character, a rabbit who rides a bike along a chosen path, but they will also love keeping track of traveling companions met along the way.

Wherever You Go is a fabulous book for all children and makes a wonderful gift for baby showers, new babies, and graduations. The gender-neutral text offers inclusiveness for all.

Ages 4 – 9 (and up)

Little Brown and Company, 2015 | ISBN 978-0316400022

Discover more about Pat Zietlow Miller, her books, and her writing life on her website!

View a portfolio of artwork and a gallery of books by Eliza Wheeler on her website!

Before taking off on your journey, watch this Wherever You Go book trailer!

International Youth Day Activity

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Kids around the World Poster

Kids all around the world are working to make the world a more peaceful place. Print, color, and hang this Kids around the World Poster to remind you that you can make a difference through the various roads you choose to take!

Picture Book Review

August 11 – It’s National Sandwich Month

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Most people are familiar with the story of how the Earl of Sandwich created the first sandwich and parlayed his invention to world-wide stature as it became part of nearly everyone’s daily routine. And it all got started during a card game in the British town of Sondwic, which became Sandwic, and finally Sandwice—which means “Market town on sandy soil.” Seems the Earl got hungry but didn’t want to get his cards stained with greasy fingerprints, so he ordered his meat between slices of bread, and a new culinary star was born. Celebrate this month’s holiday by trying some of the many types of sandwiches made popular in various regions of the country and areas around the world!

Sam’s Sandwich

By David Pelham

With a gleam in his eye, Sam entreats his sister to grab the bread and butter to make a sandwich. Starving and eager to “raid the pantry,” Sam’s sis urges her brother to slather on the butter. “‘Don’t worry, Sis.’” Sam smirks. “‘You’ll never / eat a tastier sandwich…ever!” But perhaps Sam’s eyes glint a little too much. While Samantha celebrates the crispy greenness of the lettuce leaves, “as a tasty little filler, / Sam popped in a… [caterpillar].”

Next Samantha adds “big tomatoes, red and round, / while in the garden Sam had dug / a hole and found a slimy…” (What do you think? Yes—“slug”). Another layer sports cheese and ants, topped with watercress and a creepy fly. Cucumber makes any sandwich yummy, but Sam’s wiggly worm? That’s kind of crummy.

Watching the sandwich grow, Samantha can hard wait to dig in: “‘Add some hard-boiled eggs as well.’ / Samantha drooled and cracked a shell. / But Sam had seen a silver trail / that led him to a crunchy…” (shall we say it together?—“snail”). A spider rests in the pile of salami, and in the tier of onion rings, Sam gets creative, plopping down a small tadpole.

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Samantha pronounces the sandwich finished, and with a flourish sauces it up with a squirt of ketchup. “But Sam still felt that it might need / a creepy-crawly… [centipede].” Even though Samantha is licking her lips, she remembers the beloved sibling who helped her build such sustenance. As she reached “toward the plate and grabbed the bread, / “‘Would you like some, Sam?’ she said.”

Magnanimous to the end, Sam begs off: “‘I’m full. I’m stuffed. I really am. / so you can have it all,’” said Sam.”

This edition, published for the 25^th anniversary of David Pelham’s classic book of sibling trickery, is pure fun and eye-poppingly realistic. Opening the thick “bread” cover reveals layer after layer of sandwich fixin’s on the right hand side. The bright images of tomatoes, boiled eggs, lettuce, cucumbers, and the rest of the ingredients look good enough to eat—until readers fold out the edges to discover Sam’s special additions. The rhyming text is ingenious and sly, begging kids to shout out the name of the creature Sam has sprinkled into Samantha’s lunch.

Guaranteed to make kids laugh, Sam’s Sandwich is a terrific addition to a child’s bookshelf for home story times and take-along reading.

Ages 3 – 8

Candlewick, 2015 | ISBN 978-0763678081

Check out what lurks between the bread in this Sam’s Sandwich book trailer!

National Sandwich Month Activity

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Scrumptious Sandwiches Word Scramble

Sandwiches are fun to build and delicious to eat! The only hard part is trying to figure out which kind to have. Maybe this list will help! Print this Scrumptious Sandwiches Puzzle and unscramble the names to pick your favorite. Here’s the Solution!

Picture Book Review

August 10 – World Lion Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Today’s holiday was established by Big Cat Rescue, the world’s largest sanctuary dedicated to Big Cats, to raise awareness of the dwindling number of lions and promote action to save them. Because of hunting, habitat destruction, and other environmental and manmade dangers, the lion has been placed on the endangered species list. To observe World Lion Day, visit a preserve or sanctuary if you live near one or read up on lions and consider donating to their protection.

The Lion Inside

Written by Rachel Bright | Illustrated by Jim Field

“In a dry, dusty place where / the sand sparkled gold, / Stood a mighty flat rock / all craggy and old.” Way down below in a chink in the rock a little brown mouse lived in the tiniest house. He was so small and meek that no one noticed him—Ever. The other animals stepped on him and sat on him and forgot all about him when they got together.

On top of the rock sat a fierce lion. He had very sharp teeth and a very loud roar that made sure everyone knew how important he was. “Yes, ALL were impressed / by this mighty King Cat. / ‘If only,’ thought mouse, / ‘I could be more like that.’” Then one night it hit him—he should have his own roar. “With a little more Grrrr / and a little less meek” he’d make lots of friends, the mouse thought.

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Image copyright Jim Field, 2015, text copyright Rachel Bright, 2015. Courtesy of Scholastic.

The mouse determined right then to learn how to roar, but he knew that the only one who could teach him might gobble him up. He decided it was time to be brave. As he began his long climb to the top of the rock, he was nervous and scared, but he knew that “if you want things to change, / you first have to change you.” When he got to the top. he found the lion sleeping. Standing nose-to-nose with the big cat, he squeaked out his request. The lion woke up, took a long look, and then “opened his mouth and let out an Eeeeak!” The lion shook with fear and begged the mouse not to hurt him.

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Image copyright Jim Field, 2015, text copyright Rachel Bright, 2015. Courtesy of Scholastic.

The mouse told the lion he didn’t need to be scared. They could work together and have some fun. In that moment the mouse found his true voice. He discovered he didn’t need to roar or shout to be heard. And the lion learned that it was okay to be friends with the other animals. Now the mouse and the lion share the big rock, and when the lion roars it’s “with laughter instead.”

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Image copyright Jim Field, 2105, text copyright Rachel Bright, 2015. Courtesy of Scholastic.

Rachel Bright’s jaunty rhyming story about embracing your true nature is sure to enchant kids who are learning to find their place within various groups. As the mouse and the lion discover, size and volumn don’t define importance or influence. Kindness, friendship, and self-confidence are what matter most. Sprinkled with squeaks, grrrrs, gulps, and roars, the story will have little ones giggling and reading along.

Jim Field’s tiny mouse with elephantine ears is adorable and sweetly determined as he decides to bravely confront the lion. Young readers will laugh as the once strutting and roaring lion is left quivering at the sight of the mouse. Kids will also enjoy pointing out that the rock the mouse and lion share is itself shaped like a lion. Field’s palette of golds and browns reflects the sun-drenched savannah while the mouse’s house, painted in vibrant red and yellow, hints at the individualistic creature who lives inside.

The Lion Inside is a great book to share within a classroom at the beginning of the year or anytime. It also makes a fine addition to home bookshelves to remind kids to celebrate what they’re made of.

Ages 3 – 6

Scholastic, 2016 | ISBN 978-0545873505

View a gallery of books and artwork by Rachel Bright on her website!

World Lion Day Activity

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Spoon Lion Puppet

With a round, wooden spoon, you can make a ROARingly cute lion puppet or decoration!

Supplies

Wooden mixing spoon
Yellow Fleece
Brown felt
Colorful Fleece or felt
Fabric glue
Light brown marker
Dark brown marker
Hot glue gun or super glue

CPB - Spoon Lion with stuff

Directions

To make the lion’s face

Draw a nose, mouth, and eyes on the front/bowl of the spoon

To make the mane

Measure the rim of the spoon from one side of the handle to the other
Cut a strip of yellow fleece as long as rim measurement and 4 inches wide
Fold the piece of fleece in half long-ways
Glue the open edges of the fleece together
Along the folded side cut a fringe, leaving the loops intact

To make the ears

Cut round ears from the brown felt.

Assembling the lion

Glue the ears to the back of the spoon
Glue the mane to the back of the spoon

To make the bow

Cut a 3-inch x 1 ½-inch piece of colorful fleece or felt
Cut a long thin strip of fleece or felt
Pinch the bow in the middle and tie with the longer piece of cloth. Trim as necessary
Glue the bow to the handle

To make the tail

Cut three thin 4-inch-long strips of yellow fleece
With fabric glue, glue the tops of the strips together
Braid the strips
At the bottom, glue the strips together, leaving the ends free
Fold the top of the tail and push it into the hole in the handle of the spoon

Picture Book Review

August 9 – Book Lovers Day

Posted by Kath Carroll

About the Holiday

Simply stated this is a day when those who love to read can indulge their passion. With so many amazing books available—both new and old—no one could fault you if you call in sick and spend the day reading!

Ralph Tells a Story

By Abby Hanlon

“‘Stories are everywhere!’” Ralph’s teacher sang to her class, but Ralph wasn’t so sure. He didn’t see stories anywhere. It seemed the other kids could make up stories from everything that happened to them, and Ralph’s teacher loved these stories. But when it came time to write, Ralph just stared at his paper or at the ceiling; he could never think of anything. He tried distractions like going to the bathroom or the water fountain, but it didn’t work.

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One day Ralph asked his friend Daisy for help. She was surprised that Ralph couldn’t write a story because she had written a bunch about him. One was about the time she combed his hair and another was about when he painted his fingernails black with a marker. In fact she was just stapling all these stories together into a book. Ralph wanted to use the stapler too, but Daisy said he needed a story first.

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So Ralph “looked for stories out the window, in the aquarium, in [his] desk…and even on the floor.” Lying on the floor reminded Ralph of a time at the park when an inchworm crawled on his knee. Just then his teacher saw him and asked what his story was about. Ralph said the first thing he thought: “Um…um…I saw an inchworm.” His teacher thought that sounded marvelous. But really, Ralph thought, there was no story to tell.

And when Ralph sat down to write it, he immediately got stuck. He asked Daisy to help, but she was too busy writing her own story. Suddenly, the teacher called everyone up to the rug, and she picked Ralph to read his story first. Ralph got up and, clutching his paper to his chest, said, “‘I was at the park and an inchworm crawled on my knee.’” He looked out at the quiet faces gazing up at him.

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Ralph looked at Daisy. She said, “‘Wow! Really? Did it feel squishy, Ralphie? Did you take it home?’” Then everyone started asking questions, and Ralph remembered that something had happened with the inchworm. He began to tell about the day. He had picked up the inchworm and named him Nick. He had “built Nick a house but he just inched away.” Ralph followed Nick and never noticed the baby following him until the baby picked up Nick and put him in his diaper.

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Ralph asked the baby to give Nick back, but he didn’t. Then Ralph saw Nick escaping from the diaper by crawling up the baby’s belly. He grabbed Nick and ran, and they spent the day playing together. At the end “everybody clapped and cheered” and they wanted to see Ralph’s picture.

Now Ralph is a great writer. He’s written one hundred funny stories and has even drawn covers for some of his favorites. Do you need help writing? Take a few tips from Ralph!

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Abby Hanlon’s story of a would-be storyteller with writer’s block is as cute as they come. Ralph’s angst at not finding the stories that his classmates seem to pop out so easily will be recognized by anyone who is a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to their endeavors. With gentle humor, Hanlon shows readers that putting oneself out there often turns out okay. Ralph’s inchworm story will keep kids riveted to and giggling over Nick’s fate. Through Daisy, Hanlon also reveals how a good friend can help encourage the kinds of self-confidence that lead to success. Ralph’s writing tips are lighthearted and helpful in getting kids to relax, appreciate their own real-life stories, and open their imaginations.

Hanlon’s soft-hued illustrations of a group of adorable, rakish kids draw readers in to Ralph’s creative classroom. Once there, children will want to linger over all the details included. Comics-style dialog bubbles hold humorous asides as well as Ralph’s developing inchworm story. The titles of Ralph’s many stories many inspire kids to make up tales to go with them.

Ralph Tells a Story would be a fantastic classroom book to share during a story-writing unit and a fun addition to home bookshelves for anyone who needs a little encouragement or who loves a funny story.

Ages 5 – 8

Two Lions, 2012 | ISBN 978-0761461807

Book Lovers Day Activity

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Bookworm Bookmark

If you love books then you will love this printable Bookworm Bookmark! Just print it out and cut a slit at the mouth. This little worm will happily save your page for you.

Picture Book Review

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Homemade Bath Clings

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Spoon Lion Puppet

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Ralph Tells a Story

By Abby Hanlon

Book Lovers Day Activity

Bookworm Bookmark

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