A Kid-Friendly History Lesson: Larry Gets Lost in Philadelphia

Make connections to a child's life and personal experiences with a book, and a world of learning emerges. This post shows how we used the new book Larry Gets Lost in Philadelphia by Michael Mullin and John Skewes as a way to experience our nearby city in a new light and learn a little more about why we love it.

Larry Gets Lost in Philadelphia is a book that is perfect for introducing a young child to the beauty,   and of course, the history of the city of brotherly love in a fun, kid-friendly way. Children go on an adventure through Philadelphia with Larry, a cute dog who manages to end up lost in a strange city! As he tries to find his way back to his owner Pete, children will enjoy seeing site after site through his eyes.

 

What makes this book a great learning experience is that it presents historical facts to children in an inviting way, and the vivid and colorful illustrations really make the learning experience come alive!

If you really want to accelerate your child's learning and comprehension with this book, try a few of these strategies that we used:

1. List the places in the book you have visited. We went through the story and identified the places we have been before like the Liberty Bell, art museum, and zoo. We talked about the things that we saw and did there, and also discussed what new fact we learned from the book about that place.

2. Pull out old photos or videos you may have of you visiting the city. We took a trip down memory lane by viewing and reminiscing about our previous tours of Philadelphia.

3. Make a list or draw a picture of the places you would like to visit and why. We decided we'd really love to get to the Barnes Foundation because art is one of my daughter's favorite things to do and learn about.

If you haven't yet visited Philadelphia, but are planning a trip soon - read this book beforehand! Then, as you tour the city refer back to the book. By reading this book in advance, your child will have a knowledge base for him to relate his new experiences to.


Of course these learning strategies can be applied to any of the books in the LARRY GETS LOST series. Check out Sasquatchbooks.com to see if there is one for your city!


Disclosure: We received a free copy of this book from Sasquatch Books, but our learning is real and our opinions are honest!

Halloween-inspired Fun: We're Going on a Ghost Hunt Plus Ideas to Extend the Learning {Book of the Week}

This week's book of the week is We're Going on a Ghost Hunt by Susan Pearson and illustrated by S.D. Schindler.

This book is a Halloween-themed take on the popular "We're Going on a Bear Hunt." Rather than a family searching for a bear, four pajama-wearing children set off in the middle of the night with flashlights in tow to find a ghost! Children will love the sing-songy, chant-like rhythm to the book, as well as the excitement that it stirs up. The illustrations are elaborate and really bring the adventure to life.

To extend your learning, after reading this story:

1. Reenact it. Pretend that you are going on your own ghost hunt. What's up ahead? How will you get past the obstacle? Pile up a bunch of pillows to represent a tree and crawl over them, or splash, splash, splash in a bucket of water to get across the river - the possibilities are endless. Reenacting the story is a great way to enhance gross motor skills.

2. Play "ghostbusters" - a hide and find counting game. Create ghost cut outs and hide them all around your house (or outside). Then, play the song "GhostBusters" as your child races to see how many he can find. Don't forget to count them as you go along. Who found more? Who found less?

3. Point out the onomatopoeic words - creeeeak - sqeeeak - eeeeeeeeek! If your child can talk, ask him to repeat them, if not, say them to your child - a few in the book are good examples of letter blends in words. What two letters do you hear at the beginning of the word?

4. Talk about real versus pretend/imaginary. What does it mean for something to be real or imaginary? Make a list of pretend things and those that are real to illustrate the difference.

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A Tale of Facing Fears: The Little Yellow Leaf by Carin Berger {Book of the Week}

The Little Yellow Leaf by Carin Berger is this week's book of the week.

An almost melancholy, yet comforting and powerful story of one little yellow leaf. Alone. On a branch waiting to let go and soar into the autumn wind. The leaf is not only lonely, but afraid. Find out what helps the little yellow leaf to overcome his fear and embrace what lies ahead.

This book is a symbolic tale that teaches children many important lessons: even when we seem alone, we are often not; sometimes the unknown can be scary; it can take some people longer "to be ready" for what lies ahead; a friend can make a journey more fun.

The language in The Little Yellow Leaf is poetic and full of rich vocabulary. The pictures are crafted in vivid, warm, autumnal hues. Don't be at all surprised if at the end of the book, you and your child say to yourself, "wow, that was beautiful".

After reading The Little Yellow Leaf, try the following to extend your learning:

1. Talk about the themes. There are some themes in this book that may actually elicit a sadness from your child at the end of the story. Talk about these important themes and feelings.

2. Discuss any new vocabulary. This book is full of vocabulary that is likely to stretch your child's ability to figure out meaning, so take the time to talk about any words that are unfamiliar and discuss what they mean.

3. Relate the book to your child. Making connections from text to self is a wonderful way to aid a child's comprehension. Ask your child, "When have you ever been afraid?" or "Describe someone or something that helped you get through a scary moment?"

A Clever Lesson on Name Calling: Bully by Laura Vaccaro Seeger {the book of the week}

This week's book of the week is BULLY by Laura Vaccaro Seeger (also the author of Green).

There are only a few words in this book, yet they tell such a meaningful story in a very clever way. At the heart of BULLY is the simple moral: calling people names is not nice, and they will not want to be your friend if you do.

BULLY teaches this important lesson in a very kid-friendly way by using farm animals as the story's characters. The mean-spirited bull at the center of the tale is great at making fun of others, but find out what happens when he gets a little taste of his own medicine.

The illustrations in BULLY highlight the animals and their emotions, which is a crucial element to the theme of the book, and makes for a perfect learning opportunity. It's an easy book to read with those three and under because it's short for the babies and toddlers, and clever for the 3-year olds who may understand the significance of the title and main character.

After reading this book

Extend your child's literacy and comprehension by taking a few minutes to discuss the book after you are done reading it. Try to:

talk about the moral. Why is it bad to be a bully? How did being called names make the animals feel?

relate the book to the child. Have you ever been a bully or been bullied? How did it make you feel?

talk about each animal. What animals can you name from the story? Why did the bully call each animal the name that he did?

draw a picture. What animal would you add to the story? How would he feel? What would he do or say?

Great Books for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers

I had the pleasure of attending the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children (DVAEYC) conference a few weeks ago. One of the workshops I attended was on best new books for preschoolers, and I thought I would share a few of the recommendations from Isabel Baker of BookVine.com.

Here were a few of her selections for good literature for children, as well as ones that I thought really stood out as exceptional books. While the workshop was aimed at preschoolers, I think babies and toddlers would enjoy and benefit from all of these selections.

green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

 

Full of AMAZING paintings and simple, yet creative text - this book was the inspiration of my last post that featured an art project we completed to go with green.
 

Alphabet Everywhere by Elliot Kauffman

 

Photographer Elliott Kauffman shows us how letters can be found everywhere with this fun alphabet book. Pair this book with a walk in the woods, park, or neighborhood to encourage children to find literacy in their everyday environment. Check out how we've searched for hidden letters while out on a nature walk.

 

Rah Rah Radishes: A Vegetable Chant by April Pulley Sayre 

 

A bunch of words immediately come to mind when I think about this book: fun, interactive, sing songy, colorful, educational, rhyming! Babies, toddlers, and preschoolers will enjoy echoing the fun words in this "vegetable chant" all the while learning about healthy vegetables (and colors too). For more information on this topic, check out my post on teaching kids about healthful eating and foods.

Z is for Moose by Kelly Bingham and Paul O. Zelinsky
 

 

An alphabet book that teaches letter knowledge while telling a story that makes children giggle. This creative book deserves to be on your bookshelf! If you are looking for other ways to teach your young child A to Z, check out my post on simple ways to help children learn the alphabet.

 

Press Here by Herve Tullet

  

 

A unique book that feels like a computer game without the electronics - it encourages children to "press here" on the different colored dots. Just see what fun unravels! You could make this book a movement activity by moving your body like the dots, or if you have a whole group/classroom of kids, put dots on them and act it out. For more ideas on books and movement, check out this post on how to build gross motor skills with active books.

Making Career and Kids 'Work' for You: Mastering the Mommy Track by Erin Flynn Jay {Book Review}

I recently had the pleasure of reading an informative, insightful, and helpful book titled Mastering the Mommy Track: Juggling Career and Kids in Uncertain Times by Erin Flynn Jay. Whether you are a mom who goes to the office to work, or one who works from the comfort of home like myself - you will relate to the community of working moms who openly share their experiences, opinions, and advice in this book. What's more is that it offers solutions from doctors, psychologists, life coaches, and other field experts that transforms this book into a working-mom handbook that can be referred to over and over again.

 

Erin is a Mom Handling it All

Erin Flynn Jay is a mom who knows this topic first hand. In fact, her inspiration for the book comes from her own life experience of raising two young girls while working as the president of her own publicity firm, Flynn Media. Erin shares personal stories of struggles and successes in making her home and work life a healthy and happy one; she is not only a voice, but a role model for working moms everywhere.

A Comprehensive Guide 

Divided into four parts: Home Issues, Health Issues, Parenting Issues, and Work-Life Issues, Mastering the Mommy Track leaves no subject untouched. It offers insight into how to handle such things as mental health, communication, finances, romance, sleep deprivation, nutrition, parenting, childcare, support, time management, self-care, and work - all while playing the dual role as mom and career woman.

What Makes this Book Unique

Erin does not just summarize and offer expert advice - she creates a community for working moms to empower themselves with the information they need to lead happier lives. Juggling a career and kids is no easy task; it can feel isolating and overwhelming at times. Mastering the Mommy Track helps to break down these walls by sharing real-life stories of women who have "been there". No longer does a working mom have to feel like she's doing it all on her own - she can learn from and identify with the impressive mom contributors in this book.

Why You Should Check It Out 

We all want what is best for our family, our children, and our careers. But the fact of the matter is that it's not always as easy as it seems. Mastering the Mommy Track by Erin Flynn Jay takes the guess work out of handling it all. With useful advice from her own experiences, working mothers who have been there, and field experts - you will find yourself not only reading this book once, but using it as a comprehensive guide to becoming the working mother of your dreams.

Five Books That Will Warm Your Spirit This Winter

If the cold weather and after-holiday blahs have got you down - here are 5 cute books that are sure to help you find delight in the winter weather.  And, if you are lucky enough to live in an area of the world that is warm year round - I think these books will help you daydream about all of the good and the bad you are missing.

Frozen Noses by Jan Carr and illustrated by Dorothy Donohue


Yes, winter is about frozen noses and bundling up in snowsuits and boots, but it's also about fun things like drinking cocoa, having snowball fights, and ice skating.  Frozen Noses captures the joy of all things winter.  The illustrations, with their three dimensional appearance, are also captivating.  A perfectly cozy tale for both babies and toddlers.
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The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats


A classic.  In fact, if you would ask me to name the one book that I think of when I hear the word winter, The Snowy Day comes to mind immediately.  It's a book about a boy named Peter that captures the utter childhood excitement of a snowy day.  And, in fact, after reading this book, you'll hope you have a snowy day soon.  This book also happens to be the 1963 Caldecott Award winner.

Grandmother Winter by Phyllis Root and pictures by Beth Krommes


A book that reads like poetry.  A tale of nature's response to winter.  With beautifully colorful illustrations that appear to be etched into the pages of the book - Grandmother Winter gets you in the mood to cuddle up and read this book over and over.

White Snow, Bright Snow by Alvin Tresselt and illustrated by Roger Duvoisin


Written in 1947, this book and its illustrations have an "old-timey" feel - which is why I find it really comforting.  The story follows a postman, a farmer, the policeman and his wife, some rabbits, and (of course) the children as they prepare for and experience the snowfall.  White Snow Bright Snow mixes narrative with poetic text; and coupled with the illustrations (also Caldecott Award winning) that seem to take you back to a simpler time in life, this book is sure to be a hit in your household this winter.

Snow by Uri Shulevitz


The whole city is gray, and then....a snowflake.  An excited little boy exclaims, "It's snowing".  We've all felt the joy of seeing one little snowflake transform life from "gray" to a snow covered dreamlike winter wonder world.  Snow captures that amazing moment simply, yet perfectly, and it has captured our hearts.  We read this book for the first time last winter season, and I'm sure it's one we will return to for winter seasons to come.

3 Books Little Girls Will Likely Love

Sugar and spice and everything nice - that's what little girls are made of. 

Baby bookworm is a girly girl.  She likes to play princess, wear my jewelry, and has been pulling clothes off the racks in stores since she was one and exclaiming "cute!" (apparently I must do the same thing).

Here are a few of our favorite books with little girls as the main characters.

Fancy Nancy and the Fabulous Fashion Boutique by Jane O'Connor and illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser

We love Fancy Nancy in our house.  She's this adorable, red-headed little girl with a passion for all things fancy (including fancy words).  This book here is just one in the Fancy Nancy series - which include picture books and beginner readers.  In this story, Fancy Nancy has her heart set on a beautiful fan that she doesn't have the money to buy.  So, she decides to open her very own fashion boutique and sell her fancy clothes and accessories. But, when her little sister JoJo really wants one of Nancy's fancy necklaces for her birthday that she has already sold - Nancy has to come up with a plan to make everyone happy and save the day at her sister's birthday party.

Not only will your girly girl love all of the fancy fashions in the beautiful pictures, but she'll likely learn a few great "fancy" new words like overjoyed, ensemble, and persuade. 

Thanks to this book, baby book and I had our own fashion show and cleaned out all of her drawers of old clothes!




The Fancy Nancy Doll to go with the book will be
a special treat for Baby Bookworm's two year birthday!



Ladybug Girl Dresses Up! by David Soman and Jacky Davis

This book is also just one in a series of books surrounding this "Ladybug Girl" character.  Baby bookworm and I have read a few of the other books and she enjoyed them very much. But some of them can get kinda lengthy for the under 3 crowd, especially those with short attention spans.

So, when I saw Ladybug Girl Dresses Up (which is in board book format) at the library, we had to check it out because it is the perfect length for a toddler.  In this book, Lulu plays dress up - each page shows her in a different costume and describes how she acts or what she does as she pretends to be someone or something else.  It would be a great book to reenact with your child or to read before you play your own game of dress up! 

Ladybug Girl isn't quite the girly girl that Fancy Nancy is, but she makes a great role model. Lulu likes being Ladybug Girl best because she "can do anything".  And, we like that, too. 

 Pinkalicous by Elizabeth Kann and Victoria Kann

A cute tale about a little girl who becomes pinkalicous thanks to eating one too many pink cupcakes.  The illustrations are playful and girly and very pink, of course.  But, there are other dominant colors in this book, which makes reading it also great practice in color naming.

 Baby bookworm and I have only read this book once in Barnes & Noble (a favorite way we spend rainy afternoons).  But, I have a really good feeling we'll be reading it again soon.

Books for Parents' Not So Favorite Toddler Moments....

...like getting rid of that binky, potty training, and going to bed. 

Baby bookworm and I read all of these books listed below and thoroughly enjoy them.  Now, have they honestly helped baby bookworm ditch her binky at bedtime, learn to use the potty, or to lay in her crib without so much as a whimper?  Not even close.  But that's us.  I'm guessing sooner or later these little "life lessons" from these stories will sink in one way or another. So, we will keep on reading them, and enjoying them (and learning from them). 

Not So Favorite Toddler Moment #1: Getting Rid of Binky

I'm actually kinda embarrassed to admit that my almost two year old who speaks in full, complete sentences uses a binky at night.  I had full intentions of getting rid of it at a year....which moved to 18 months...which has now turned into her 2nd birthday (Happy Birthday, baby bookworm!).  But I'm really going to stick to it this time, and I'm hoping these books can help!

No More Pacifiers! by Melanie O'Brien and Amanda Enright

We've been reading this book since baby bookworm actually was a baby.  It's a really cute rhyming book that tells your baby bookworm all the reasons why he or she doesn't need a paci.  As you turn each page, one of the babies in the book gets rid of his binky, until all babies are binky free!  Nothing like a little peer pressure, right?  In addition to being a book to help your child ditch his pacifier, it's a great counting book, as well.

You might also want to check out:
Coco and Tula's Good-Bye Pacifier! and Pacifiers Are Not Forever

Not So Favorite Toddler Moment #2: Potty Training

Now, baby bookworm actually has had "potty words" since about 14 months, and has been using the potty since 15 months.  I once went 2 weeks without changing one poopy diaper (it's the little things in a mommy's life that make her happy). However, baby bookworm is still not potty trained...but I think she is pretty close.  Now I have to read up on potty training myself, and baby bookworm will be reading more of these books here...

Lily's Potty by Begin Smart Books

Not my favorite potty book, but baby bookworm adores it.  She has read it hundreds of times.  I think she really enjoys it because it's interactive.  It's a short book with few words, but on each page the child is asked where is Lily's potty (it's for poo and pee)?  And then the child lifts a large flap to see if the potty is there. 

Potty Time with Elmo

Again, not my pick for best potty book ever, but it's not always about me I'm realizing.  Baby bookworm, like many kids, loves Elmo.  And this Elmo (and his doll David) potty book has gone over as a real hit.  It is one of those little sound books where as you come to a particular picture in the story, you press that object on the side panel and it makes the appropriate sound.  In this book, there's a toilet flushing, a door closing, a toilet paper roll unraveling as well as a few other sounds.  Unlike Lily's Potty, I like that this book talks about underwear....

....which leads me to the next book...

Bear in Underwear by Todd H. Doodler

Not specifically a potty training book, but baby bookworm and I BOTH love this book about a bear who finds a backpack full of different underwear.  He tries them on to find the perfect pair.  It's humorous to see Bear in underwear that are too loose, or too scratchy, or too dorky.  If this book doesn't make your child excited about buying his or her first pair of underwear, I'm not sure what will.





Not So Favorite Toddler Moment #3: Going to Bed

Baby bookworm is just a night owl I'm realizing, and I may just have to deal with it.  In a perfect world as the clock strikes 7:30 I lay her in her crib, kiss her good night, turn out the light, shut the door.....and she drifts slowly off into slumber.  Maybe that's how it happens in your house, and bless you if it does, but that is very rarely how it happens in ours.  Baby bookworm's resistance to bedtime has gotten much, much better in the past few months, especially after we established a solid bedtime routine, but we are always trying to improve!  Here is our favorite bedtime lesson....

Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

I adore this book and all Anna Dewdney books.  In this story, baby llama's mama tucks him into bed for the night.  Or so she thinks.  As he is left in the dark of his room, he begins to fret and scream for his mama llama.  When she doesn't respond right away, he works himself up into a full-on tizzy fit.  Sounds familiar?  Very familiar.  In the end, baby llama learns that mama is always near even if she is not right there. 

You also might want to check out:
Just Go to Bed by Mercer Mayer

I hope you find comfort and humor in your toddler's "moments" with the help of

a few good books.

Top 5 Favorite Books to Give as Gifts to New Parents

If you are like me, then every time you turn around someone you know is having, or just had a baby.  Here are my favorite go-to books as gifts for parents who have just welcomed their special bundle of joy into the world.

The Boss Baby by Marla Frazee

If you know someone who just had a baby boy, then this book makes the perfect gift.  Parents of a newborn can easily identify with the baby boy at the center of this book who has somehow become the "boss" of the household; he sets up his "office" right in the middle of the living room, calls meetings in the middle of the night, and has his very own "jet".....sound familiar?  The pictures accompany the story well - the depiction of the tired and worn out parents is spot on, and the images of the "boss baby" in a tie and onesie pjs are too cute for words.

Having checked this book out from our library on a number of occasions with baby bookworm, I know that it not only appeals to parents but to children, too. It's creative and clever, and even if you aren't looking for a gift for someone else, you can always buy it for you and your baby bookworm to enjoy for yourselves.

Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox and Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury

A cute rhyming book about babies born in different places, who all have one thing in common - 10 little fingers and 10 little toes.  Helen Oxenbury has illustrated many books, but the adorable chubby babies of many skin tones in Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, I personally think, are some of her best. Given as a gift, this book will make any newbie parent want to squeeze and kiss and cuddle up next to their very own "truly divine" baby.

I Love You More by Laura Duksta and Illustrated by Karen Keesler

This book is unique because it appears to never end, much like the love that any parent has for their child.  Once you read it in one direction, you flip it over and read it in the other.  In one direction it is a tale of a boy who asks his mother, "how much do you love me?" and in the other direction it is a tale of a mother who asks her son the very same question.  The two tales meet in the middle with a picture of the Earth with the words "I love you more than anything in the whole wide world". 

In my personal experience that's exactly how I felt the moment I laid eyes on baby bookworm.  Which is the exact reason I think it makes the perfect gift.

On The Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman

An eloquent and poetic tale about the uniqueness of a child.  Illustrations are soft and comforting, and this could easily become a parent and newborns favorite bedtime tale.  I received this book as a gift at my very own shower for baby bookworm, and we have both enjoyed it thoroughly over the past two years. 

Someday by Alison McGhee and Peter H. Reynolds

Although this book will undoubtedly bring any parent (especially ones of a newborn) to tears - I still think it makes a great gift and keepsake.  I think the book is truly beautiful and extremely moving - just like life.  In my opinion, Someday isn't really a book for children, but a poem about the stages of motherhood.  Trust me on this one, it has all the elements for a fabulous gift.

Less Than A Week Till Halloween: 5 Monster Books To Help Set The Mood

Well since my post yesterday on monsters, I've got monsters on my mind!  Here's a short list of some cute and 'friendly' monster books.

1) Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

This book is a true classic (that has even been made into a movie, although I've never seen it).  I can remember my school librarian reading this book to my classroom in elementary school, and being mesmerized by the story and the pictures because there is something magical about them.  At heart, this is a story about a child's vivid imagination and the land of monsters (or wild things) that he creates to entertain himself while he is being punished in his room.  The story has a few (what I would consider famous) lines that are repeated, and if said with the proper enthusiasm like my school librarian said them so many years ago, I'm certain this tale will become one of your child's favorites, too.  Two thumbs up for a book that celebrates childhood imagination, and has withstood the test of time.

2) There's a Nightmare in My Closet by Mercer Mayer

This is another book that brings me right back to elementary school and has also withstood the test of time (I just saw it on display in Barnes & Noble and it was first published in the 60s). It is the tale of a little boy who is afraid of a nightmare (or monster) who lives in his closet.  It turns out, though, that this nightmare is a big wimp!  It's not a lengthy book, so I think a younger or older toddler would enjoy it.  If your child is anything like baby bookworm, he will thoroughly enjoy seeing this wimpy monster shed a tear or two instead of the other way around.

3) Five Ugly Monsters by Tedd Arnold

This book is similar to five little monkeys jumping on the bed, but only with monsters.  It's a fun version of the well-known song and book that nearly any toddler would love.  Work it into a theme on monsters, or into a math lesson - either way, I promise you will end up having a good time.

4) The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone and illustrated by Michael Smollin

Our old pal Grover from Sesame Street is the lead character in this funny story.  What I like about this book is that it builds anticipation in the reader - you want to turn the pages of the story even though Grover is begging you (the reader) NOT to because there is a monster at the end of the book (and he is afraid of monsters)!  I won't spoil the ending, although I'm sure you can imagine where it might lead.  It's a really fun book for us because we can act completely silly - I have the most fun exclaiming "YOU TURNED ANOTHER PAGE!" and baby bookworm thinks it's hysterical. 

5) Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley

A book about a monster who appears and disappears as you turn the pages.  A good lesson for baby bookworms on parts of the face and colors!  If you are interested in a craft idea for this book, check out my post from yesterday.

I hope you enjoy making friends with all of these monsters as much as we did!