Search results matching tag 'picture book'

Room on the Broom Math Activities

Anonymous — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 12:03:00 GMT

Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson is a wonderfully fun book for Halloween but it can be enjoyed any time of year. It's an especially great text to use when learning the concept of addition as putting together and adding to a number.

In Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson, a witch and her cat are flying on their broom stick when misfortune strikes in the form of a gust of wind. The witch and her cat are knocked off their broom stick. While they are on the ground, a dog asks to join their flight on the broom. The generous witch obliges and so the story goes on. Each time the witch gets knocked down, she pops back up with one more friend riding along. In the end, her generosity pays off as she is able to escape a terrible dragon with the help of her new friends. The ending offers a creative solution to the dragon and her broken broom.

When I was reading the book with my son, Logan, I noticed that he was constantly making connections to the story and the concept of adding one. I wanted him to practice determining quantity when one object is added without having to count the objects.

I gave him a 5 frame and 5 buttons. As we read the book, he added a button to the 5 frame to show the number of people/ animals on the broom. As he added one more, I would ask him, "Can you tell me how many buttons without counting?"

After we had done the activity in the order of the book, we practiced the skill by playing a dice game. Logan would roll a dice and add that many buttons to the 5 frame. (If he rolled a 6, he took another turn. If he rolled a 5, I'd ask him how many more he could add - zero!) After he made his number, I'd ask him to add one more to his 5 frame. Then I'd ask, "Can you tell me how many buttons you have without counting?" We also had number cards, so we built the addition sentence to match.

He did so well with the five frame, we also used a 10 frame to play the game.

If you would like to play this math game with your child or students, I have provided a free printable copy of our 5 frame that has a room on the broom theme. You can also play this game with blank 5 frames. In this free printable, I've provided both 5 frames and 10 frames that are blank. Click on the image to download free in google drive. (If you have difficulty downloading, I've noticed many schools block downloads from google drive. Teachers, you might want to download this at home.)

Room on the Broom is a wonderful text to use to explore early math concepts. The illustrations in the story are captivating and the rhyme pattern is nicely done. Julia Donaldson's books are (always?) rhyming and are wonderful to use with children who are developing phonological awareness. Donaldson is the featured author of the VBC for kids this month. You will be able to find activities, recipes, games, and more to accompany many of her books in the linky party below.

Here's how to link up:
1. Link up only posts that involved Julia Donaldson books. Any other posts will be deleted.
2. Visit other blogs in the linky and comment and share the ones you like.
3. Add our Virtual Book Club to your post if you'd like.

Also, check out the Virtual Book Club for Kids Pinterest Board.
Follow me on Pinterest for more educational resources.

Coming this Wednesday to Ready-Set-Read- A 5 Day Series of Nursery Rhyme Activities for Easter and Spring. I'd love if you'd hop back over for it!

THELONIOUS MOUSE ▪ Picture book

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:30:00 GMT

THELONIOUS MOUSE
by Orel Protopopescu ▪  illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf
Available now ▪  FSG/Macmillan Kids  ▪ Ages 4 - 7
Story: Thelonious the mouse has got so much rhythm in him he can’t help letting it out. To his family’s horror, he won’t stop scatting and shimmying around the house, teasing deadly Fat Cat instead of collecting crumbs like the rest of them. But just as Thelonious's games become too dangerous, he find a most unexpected musical partner in this jaunty picture book with art and text that truly sing!
Story behind the story:
Dear Reader,

Wrap your tongue around the rollicking rhymes in my newest picture book, THELONIOUS MOUSE, and you'll soon be scatting to the beat of his dancing feet. This jazzy mouse risks his tail and more to fierce Fat Cat, because Thelonious has "too much music in him to stuff into a mouse hole." Teased for being different from other mice, Thelonious dares all to let his music out, even when Fat Cat is "in the air, claws screaming, teeth gleaming!" Yet beneath the sometimes scary hilarity, young readers will discover a vital message: It takes courage to be all we can be.

My little mouse is named for Thelonious Monk, American composer and jazz pianist, who showed that creative courage. Now, on the thirtieth anniversary of his death, I hope my book would have made him smile.

I'd love to hear how your read-aloud went, so visit my website and let me know!

Happy Reading,
Orel Protopopescu
www.OrelProtopopescu.com

PRAISE FOR THELONIOUS MOUSE:
"Children will cheer for this rascally oddball revel." —Booklist

"Replete with scat-y, cat-and-mouse-y wordplay, this is giggle worthy fun." —Kirkus Reviews

"Getting the beat and the tongue-twisting phrases just right takes some practice, but the outcome is well worth the effort." —School Library Journal

Order your reviewer's copy now.

“Stinky Steven Stench” Picture Book Giveaway! A Story of Alliteration!

Anonymous — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 01:13:37 GMT

Another giveaway! YEAH! This time I am giving away a copy of the picture book, “Stinky Steven Stench!” This book was written by Lavern T. Robinson, who is a 14 year ELA teacher. It was illustrated by Lowell Hildebrandt. This is her first children’s book and she is very excited about sharing it with [...]

All the Way to America • Picture book

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:51:00 GMT

All the Way To America: The Story of A Big Italian Family and A Little Shovel
written and illustrated by Dan Yaccarino
Available now • Knopf Books for Young Readers • Ages 5 - 8
The portrait of an Italian-American family from a beloved storyteller.
Story: This is the story of four generations of an Italian American family. It begins with an immigrant who came through Ellis Island with big dreams, a small shovel, and his parents' good advice: "Work hard, but remember to enjoy life, and never forget your family."
Now, many years later, the man's great-grandson, Dan Yaccarino, tells how he succeeded, and how the little shovel has been passed from father to son—along with the good advice.
It's a story that captures the experience of so many American families. One that will have kids asking their parents and grandparents, where did we come from? Tell me your story.
Story behind the story: Dan has written more than 30 books and earned numerous awards during his nearly 25 years as a published author, and All the Way to America is by far his most personal book to date. It’s his family’s story. Starting with his great grandfather’s immigration from Sorrento, Italy to New York, NY, all the way to his own son, Dan connects the four generations of his family through images, food memories, love of family and history, and a special shovel. The book is dedicated to Dan’s grandmother who was alive to see the sketches and confirm family stories, but unfortunately she passed away before the book was published. The shovel that plays such a pivotal role in the story, is now in Dan’s possession and will one day be in his son’s.

To hear Dan tell his story, watch this interview with him and Vicky Smith, editor of Kirkus Reviews, at the Texas Book Festival:

Can't get enough? Want to know even more? Read this interview with Dan and John Sellers from Publishers Weekly, check out the teacher's guide, watch the trailer, tell your immigration story here at the book's blog.

PRAISE:
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2011

★"A gloriously warm celebration." --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★“Folksy and warm, this is a timely reminder that America is a nation of immigrants." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

★"Readers of varied backgrounds will be able to identify with the search for a better life in a new country, the passing along of values and heirlooms, and the addition of new family members. The story will make an excellent family-history discussion starter." –SLJ, starred review

Order your reviewer's copy now.

Everyday Dress Up • Picture book

Anonymous — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:00:00 GMT

Everyday Dress Up
written and illus. by Selina Alko
Available now • Knopf Books for Young Readers • Ages 5 - 8

It's no secret that little girls love playing dress up, but the little girl in this book ditches her princess duds in favor of costumes inspired by great women in history.

Story:
I used to only play princess
Until Mommy showed me pictures
And told me stories of real, great women.

Now dressing up is an adventure
When, every day of the week,
I am a daring new dame!

From Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor to chef extraordinaire Julia Child to queen of jazz Ella Fitzgerald, our protagonist pays homage to the women who came before her and imagines herself in their shoes. Maybe someday she'll inspire little girls with her own gown of greatness.

Story behind the story: Selina loved playing dress up as a child and now enjoys helping her kids play dress up—especially on Halloween. She was inspired to write Everyday Dress Up as a way to give her daughter alternatives to all the princess dress-up books on her shelves. Through her art, writing and childrearing, Selina believes in instilling open-mindedness in children, as well as sparking their imaginations to be and do whatever their little hearts and minds desire. SELINA ALKO is the acclaimed author-illustrator of I'm Your Peanut Butter Big Brother and B Is for Brooklyn, and the illustrator of the beloved My Subway Ride and My Taxi Ride. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their two children.

PRAISE:

"A happy antidote to the princess plague." – Kirkus Reviews
'A well-meaning. . .reminder of girls’ potential." – Publishers Weekly

Order your reviewer's copy now.

Estie the Mensch • Picture book

Anonymous — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 13:00:00 GMT

Estie the Mensch
by Jane Kohuth • illustrated by Roseanne Litzinger
Available now • Random House Books for Young Readers • Ages 4 - 8
Story: Estie does not always like people. So when her grandmother reminds her to be a mensch (what's a mensch?), she'd rather not. She'd rather be a dog. Or a turtle. Or a seagull. Being a monkey can even make another kid laugh! But it can also make another kid cry, and that's when Estie and her grandmother find out what a mensch Estie can really be. If being a meansch means helping a new friend, then maybe it's not so bad after all?
Story behind the story: Jane Kohuth (also the author of DUCKS GO VROOM, a Ready to Read book) says, "I had been thinking, for some reason, about the Yiddish term, "mensch," which literally means "person," but which is always used to mean a truly exemplary person of high moral character. It occurred to me that there might be a story in a child's coming to understand the difference between being a person (as opposed to being an animal) and being a "real mensch," a person of good character, generosity etc. So many children love pretending to be animals, and I began to develop a picture of a child who deals with shyness and social awkwardness by avoiding being a person at all and instead pretending to be different creatures. I felt like I understood this child, having been a shy imaginative child myself, and having had a similar but zanier little sister. I didn't want the book to be preachy. My character had to stay true to herself while uncovering in herself a mensch in the deep and most important sense of the term. In my first draft my main character was a boy, but it didn't feel right. The story only came to life for me when I invented Estie, who was a little bit me, a little bit my sister, and a little bit a person and a mensch all her own. My editor, Christy Webster, helped me to flesh out the second half of the story, which created a better rhythm and pace to he story as a whole, and let me play up the story's humor."

HERE'S WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT ESTIE:
"Litzinger's chalky illustrations have a tender, earnest quality, and Estie's red hair and green eyes give her animal impersonations pep in an offbeat story of gentle misbehavior, budding friendship, and close-knit family dynamics.- Publishers Weekly

"Estie’s six. Maybe. She doesn’t like people. She doesn’t like not being the way she wants to be. And when you’re six, that’s exactly where it’s at. When you’re six, you’re doing your thing. You’ve figured out that putting small stuff in your mouth is bad, but you probably, sometimes, accidentally-on-purpose still color the wall with crayons. And Estie? She would rather be anything but a person or a Mensch, and so she is every animal under the sun instead. I love Estie." - Anne Tynham Blog

A PJ Library Book

Order your reviewer's copy now.

Night Flight Picture book

Anonymous — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:30:00 GMT

Night Flight: Amelia Earhart Crosses the Atlantic

By Robert Burleigh illustrated by Wendell Minor

Available now Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books Ages 4 - 8

An American Library Association Notable Children's Book Nominee
Story: Award-winning author Robert Burleigh has captured Amelia Earhart's first solo flight across the Atlantic in 1932. She was only the second person to do this – and the first woman. Rich in detail, feeling and incident this is nonfiction with edge and action, a you-are-there experience made more dramatic and real by Wendell Minor's vivid paintings.
Story behind the story: Let's go to the videos for the scoop! First one of Wendell Minor -- who's worked on 50 children's books! -- talking about NIGHT FLIGHT, about Amelia Earheart as "an iconic figure" who "represents, for young women, anything that a man could do", his research (particularly with the Air & Space Museum), and much more (there is a little ad -- worth waiting for the vid interview though!):

and then another showing more from the book itself!

PRAISE:

"A gripping narrative and dynamic art immediately pull readers into the story of Earhart's historic 1932 solo transatlantic flight. Urgent yet lyrical, Burleigh's (One Giant Leap) account opens with Earhart's takeoff: "It is here: the hour, the very minute. Go!" .... Minor's (The Last Train) gouache and watercolor paintings easily convey the journey's intense drama, balancing lifelike closeups of Earhart with images of her imperiled plane. Stunning skyscapes are suffused with shadow and light; a breathtaking spread reveals streaks of multicolored clouds at daybreak as "Splinters of sunlight stab down through cloud slits and brace themselves on the vault of the open sea." Hearts will be racing. Back matter includes notes on Earhart's life.

-PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, *STARRED REVIEW

"A worthy new addition to the recent spate of books about the famous aviatrix, Burleigh's story concentrates on Earhart's 1932 solo flight from Newfoundland to Ireland, placing compelling poeticemphasis on her single-hearted struggle. "Why? Because 'women must try to do things as men have tried,'" writes Burleigh, quoting Earhart.... Minor's illustrations maintain tension by alternating between cockpit close-ups and wide views of the plane crossing the foreboding ocean. Predominant reds and blues convey the pure excitement of the nail-biting journey.Finally, Minor's endpapers, with a well-drawn map and mechanical illustration of the plane Earhart called the"little red bus," also work to inspire further learning."

- BOOKLIST, *STARRED REVIEW

Order your reviewer's copy now.

Who doesn't love a sale? Especially one that helps build your (digital) library...

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 23:27:00 GMT

If you're a fan of bestselling, super-creative pop-up master David A. Carter (author of ONE RED DOT) or seriously silly kids' poet Alan Katz (author of SMELLY LOCKER, silly dilly school songs), listen up: Ruckus Media Group announced special Back-to-School pricing of $0.99 per app on its entire digital library of 15 apps starting tomorrow, Friday, August 26 through the Labor Day weekend, ending Tuesday, September 7, 2011. The discounted pricing offers parents and students the opportunity to enjoy bestselling and award-winning interactive storybooks for iPad, iPhone and iTouch at savings of more than 50% off the regular price.

“We’re always looking to provide our customers with tremendous value, but especially so as they kick off the school year,” says Jim Young, COO, Ruckus Media Group, “We’re thrilled to be able to help families grow their children’s mobile reading library with more affordable educational and entertaining digital experiences.”

Each Ruckus Media app features distinctive interactive elements that allow children of all ages to experience a story through an array of sensory-driven activities.

Reading readiness begins for preschoolers and young children with stories featuring their favorite Hasbro characters, Chuck and Friends: Friends for the Long Haul, as well as the Parents’ Choice Award and About.com Readers’ Choice Award winner, A Present for Milo, with more than 80 touch-interactive objects that initiate more than 125 animations. Toddlers and preschoolers can learn their colors with Spot the Dot, a dynamic, eye-popping game and the first app from pop-up master and New York Times best-selling children’s book author David A. Carter. Elementary schoolers learn to read and master use of language with Best Apps Ever Award finalist, Andrew Answers from bestselling author Alan Katz, while science-curious kids will learn all about the rainforest in Rainforest Survival Challenge, created with the Stepping Stones Museum for Children and the Rainforest Alliance.

As Rick Richter, Ruckus CEO (and and former President of Candlewick as well as Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing) says, “The goal of Ruckus is to combine the most creative minds in children’s media with tremendously exciting new mobile devices. We’ll be satisfied when a mom or dad can hand their phone or tablet to their child without one ounce of guilt, knowing that the experience the child is about to have will entertain them, challenge them, perhaps make them giggle, and be utterly satisfying.” Here's to all of the above!

The entire Ruckus Media library of 15 interactive storybooks can be found on iTunes for $0.99 from Friday, August 26 through Monday, September 6, 2011.

PS Teachers and librarians -- Ruckus would love to hear how you use interactive storybooks with your students. Share your thoughts on apps, what works, what doesn't, what you look for in an app, how you share them with the kids, if and how you incorporate them into your lesson plans or programming, and more by commenting here on the Picnic Basket -- and Ruckus will send you a sample for your Apple mobile device (25 samples available on a first-come, first-served basis).

Un Pato en Nueva York • Picture book with music CD

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 16:19:00 GMT

Un Pato en Nueva York
by Connie Kaldor • translated by Yanitzia Canetti
Available now • Secret Mountain • Ages 5-7
Parents' Choice Gold Award and Juno winner for Best Children's Album of the Year -- now available in Spanish from Secret Mountain, publisher of high-quality picture books, video and music for children.
Story: A little duck from the heartland dreams big -- making it to New York City and doing his ducky dance on Broadway! An adventurous journey bound for failure? Not when Duck meets up with truck driver Big Betty, who tells him "yes you can" with a nudge and point in the right direction of the Big Apple.
The original release (in English) won a Parents' Choice Gold Award and a Juno Award (Canadian equivalent of a Grammy!) for Children's Album of the Year. This new edition, translated by Yanitzia Canetti (who also translates the Dr. Seuss books) and with songs from Ines Canepa, includes narration of the story and the title song -- plus 11 additional songs in Spanish, featuring alligators who like to waltz at midnight, and opera-singing slugs who sneak out at night to dance the boogie-woogie, among others.
Story-behind-the-story: Connie Kaldor explains, "The idea for A Duck in New York City came to me after playing a gig in New York City while I was on my way to the airport, heading back home. There was a lone rubber ducky on the back seat in my cab, and I just started making up stories to the driver about how he got there. The next thing you knew I had a story and song about a little duck from the prairie who dreams about making it big on Broadway.
And Big Betty, the truck-driver who helps the little duck, is a character that I really wanted to put in there. She’s like some musicians I’ve met on tour: a true road-warrior, a sister, a generous soul. Of course, in the end, the little duck makes it to New York on his own, and goes on to have a pretty interesting life. It beats swimming back and forth in a little pond! When we recorded the Spanish version, it was important for me that Yanitzia Canetti and Ines Canepa capture the spirit of the project, especially the humor, even if that meant sometimes changing the words here and there. They were both very generous and made it their own, making sure that our little dancing duck was right at home!"

Leaf through the original English version of the book, listen to 60-second exerpts of all original English recordings and read brief bios of the author and illustrators -- here!

Order your reviewer's copy now.

Mitchell's License • Picture Book

Anonymous — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:30:00 GMT

Mitchell’s License

By Hallie Durand • Illustrated by Tony Fucile

Just out! • Candlewick Press • Picture Book

Hop in for a hilarious, heartwarming ride with four-year-old Mitchell, a kid with a need for speed, a lead foot, and a very special license to drive.

Story: Mitchell was three years, nine months, and five days old when he got his license. This tyke may be tiny, but when he hops behind the wheel—Left turn! Right turn! Speed Bump!—boy, does he go fast! This pro driver is having a blast! He’s running out of gas, though, and his car doesn’t like what type of fuel Mitchell plans to put in the tank…

Story-Behind the Story with Hallie:

I have three children, ages 12, 8, and 6, and for many years now, I’ve watched them play “Remote-Control Dad” with their father, whose energy is boundless. I’ve been astonished, all these years, at how much joy there is for them in just getting up and doing something, without any electronics. I wanted to write a story about this, but more important, I wanted to write about the love of a dad toward his kids, about the dad’s willingness to get knocked around, a lot, just to make his kids laugh.

But I didn’t know how to do it, until one day, while I was working my way through a massive pile of paperwork, the “key” came to me. And the “key” was that the Dad was not a remote-control dad at all, he was actually a car. And the thrill for the kid was that he could get his license and drive, at a very early age. Once I cracked that, the story, which is about kid power, parent boundaries, but most of all love and being a family, pretty much wrote itself.

What People Are Saying:

«“Mitchell, an overwrought toddler who almost (but not quite) rules the domestic roost, is instantly recognizable as every tyke who gets a second wind after nine o’clock.”

— The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, starred review

“In a nice pairing of text and art, illustrations show clearly and humorously what the spare narrative doesn’t, and doesn’t need to: three-year-old Mitchell’s car is actually his father, on whose shoulders Mitchell rides every night before bed… This car and driver know how to have fun together, and the portrayal of father-son bonding is realistic and reassuring.”

— Booklist

“An incredibly entertaining ride.”

— Kirkus Reviews

“This one is destined for family favoritehood.”

— Publishers Weekly

“Young readers will be tickled, and parents will appreciate the creative bedtime play.”

— School Library Journal

Links:

See “Mitchell” drive his “car!” This is actually Hallie’s own son, Marshall. How cute!

Download the story-hour kit!

Order your reviewer's copy now. (25 copies available on a first-come, first-served basis.)