Day 180: This First Thanksgiving Day

I love to find good seasonal or holiday books throughout the year, and this was a cute little story we found this year among the Thanksgiving titles at our local library.  Thanksgiving is one of my absolute favorite holidays, second only to Christmas.  I often feel incredibly grateful for many things in my life, but it's always nice to have a special occasion that reminds me to do just that.  It's usually a rather busy weekend spent visiting family here and there, but I love being able to spend time with so many people that I love.  My children are two and and four and a half now, and at their age, let's be honest:  Thanksgiving isn't really all that exciting.  Some day, I know that they, too, will get excited about seeing lots of family, watching football, and eating a delicious meal, but for now they just love having four "daddy days" in a row and getting to see some of their favorite relatives.  Like many parents, I've been looking for ways to help them grow to love the spirit of Thanksgiving and learn how we came to celebrate this holiday.  We've done turkey crafts, talked about different things for which we are thankful every day, and picked out a big turkey to donate to our local food pantry, but I was still looking for a good book about the history of Thanksgiving.  This First Thanksgiving Day does a nice job of introducing little readers to the story behind this special day.  It's a simple counting book that juxtaposes the daily lives of Pilgrim children and their Native American counterparts page by page until the groups are all seated together at the first Thanksgiving meal.  "1 dressed in linen, sitting in a tree, dreaming of the tall, strong ship on which he crossed the sea.  2 dressed in deerskin, gathering nuts below, giggling as they tiptoe by, too shy to say hello."  The illustrations are charming, and my little ones enjoy finding the turkey and rabbit that are hiding on many of the pages.  I also like that the story mentions Squanto and the Wampanoag by name, setting up further learning opportunities about some of our local New England history.  I'd say this book is best suited to children in the 2-6 age range.  It's cute, simple, and does a great job of introducing the story behind this celebrated American holiday.  We'll be sure to look for this one again at our library next November.

I wish you and your families and wonderful Thanksgiving, and no matter where you are, hope that you can be surrounded by those you love today.

Day 173: The Water Hole

Graeme Base is one of the most amazing children's illustrators I know.  His artwork is simply stunning, with beautiful, intricate detail that gives his drawings a truly magical feel.  We love Animalia, and recently found The Water Hole at our local library.  We brought it home because my son wants to read any book about animals, but mostly because I'm always fascinated by Base's illustrations.  I briefly flipped through the pages and noticed that it was a counting book, and that each page had a cut-out area for a watering hole which kept getting smaller and smaller as the book went on.  Cute, I thought.  A nice little counting book about animals (with gorgeous illustrations, of course.)  My son took to the book immediately and enjoyed looking at it throughout the afternoon, but it wasn't until the next day that I really sat down to read the book with him.  We've read it many times since, including for an hour together this morning, and each time we pick it up we discover new gems hidden within its pages.

This book is a classic example of a picture being worth a thousand words.  There are so many amazing things about this story that I really don't know where to begin.  You can tell just by looking at the cover illustration that the artwork in the book is incredible, but there is so much more to this wonderful book! Each page features wildlife from various parts of the world, such as India, Australia, South America, the Galapagos Islands, and the Himalayas.  Hidden within each drawing itself are a variety of other native creatures, whose silhouettes appear in the borders of each spread.  We love finding all of these hidden animals, and I am always blown away by the artistry and creativity involved in crafting such elaborate illustrations.  As more animals come to drink at the water hole (that's where the counting element comes in), the level of water gradually goes down... until there is none left!  By weaving in the themes of seasonal change and migration, Base creates wonderful opportunities for further learning and discussion within his pages, as well.  You can see why the geography teacher in me absolutely loves this book!

My son's favorite page is the one for Europe with all of the ladybugs, but I think my favorite is actually the one where, after the water hole has dried up, "All the animals went away."  This page features a beautifully eerie and desolate image of a barren land, with 10 extinct animals hidden within.  It is the least colorful image in the book, but is positively brilliant in every way.  I also love the page shortly thereafter where the rains come, forming shimmering puddles in the shapes of the earth's continents as the world slowly comes back to life.   Yes, I think it's safe to say we've added yet another book to our "Must own someday" list!

I suppose I've gone on enough about how fabulous a book I think this is, so I'll leave you with this tidbit from the author himself about the inspiration behind the story.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!  "The Water Hole was inspired by a four-week sight-seeing safari through Kenya and Tanzania.  I had in mind a simple story about the cycle of season on the African plains, but the idea gradually expanded to embrace other countries and their wildlife, in the process giving the central image of the water hole a certain metaphorical significance -- and, of course, providing me with the perfect excuse to draw lots of animals from other parts of the world, as well!"

Day 149: Driving My Tractor

We have thoroughly been enjoying the spring weather we've been having lately, and one of our favorite new places to visit is a community organic farm that is just a few towns away.  They have all sorts of adorable animals to see (including, at the moment, 2 week old piglets!), trails to explore, log bridges to cross, and even a child's nature center hidden away in the woods.  Both of my kids love visiting there, and I am always so thankful for places like this farm who open their doors so graciously and offer such fabulous learning opportunities for children.

Our visit to the farm got us thinking of (and singing) one of our favorite sing-along books, so I thought it only appropriate to feature it today.  I'm also excited because after borrowing it from the library on several occasions, watching its animated video on youtube repeatedly, and singing the song more times than I can count, I'm finally giving my son his own copy of Driving My Tractor as an Easter gift.  I can't tell you how many times I've had this song stuck in my head, and yet, I'm still happily willing to add this sing-along to our home library.  That's got to say something about how great it is, right?


Driving My Tractor is an upbeat, fun, toe-tapping sing-along that is a favorite of both my son and daughter.  Watch the video clip mentioned above and you'll immediately see what I mean. The colorful, bold illustrations are wonderfully appealing to toddlers and preschoolers, and the fact that is a counting book about animals makes it perfect for that age group, as well.  The end of the book also features some fabulous information about other types of farm machines (such as combine harvesters and balers) and a beautiful two-page spread about various types of crops that farmers grow (including at what times of the year they can be planted and harvested.)  I love books that include informational "extras" like this, and love watching my son soak up all of that knowledge even more.  The other thing that is so great about this book, as with so many others from this publisher, is that it truly grows with your child.  My daughter (20 months) loves the bold pictures and the silly sing-along song, just as my son (age 4) has for quite some time.  Now that he is a little older, though, he appreciates other things about the book, such as the information about the types of crops at the end.  Plus, the book comes with a cd featuring the vocal talents of Steve Songs, so you'll know just how the tune goes and be able to add the song to your child's music collection.  In fact, the tune is so catchy and easy to sing, I don't think I could read the book without singing it now even if I tried.  Driving My Tractor is a perfect book to have in the car for road trips, afternoon story time, or any time you simply want to stop what you're doing and sing and dance with your kids.


** One last little thing... Driving My Tractor was one of the first Barefoot Books we read and came to love, and was part of the reason why I became a Barefoot Ambassador last summer.  I am continually impressed by the quality of Barefoot Books and their passion for art and literacy, and I always find it refreshing to know that there is a publisher out there whose books I am pretty much guaranteed to love.  I felt I needed to add this disclaimer here because I don't want anyone reading this to think that I am only featuring this (or other Barefoot Books) out of possible personal gain.  On the contrary, I just want you to know about them because they are truly great books that I think everyone with children should know about!  Find them in your local library and see what I mean.  After all, this is the whole mission of my blog:  to share fabulous children's books that are well worth reading so that no day goes without a great story.  No pressure, just great books!  That's what it's all about.

Day 116: Ten Little Ladybugs

For some unknown reason, my son was obsessed with ladybugs when he was around two years old.  His grandmother gave him this book after seeing it in a bookshop in North Carolina, and it was an instant hit!  Now, almost two years later, he still enjoys reading it, and it has lived in his bedside bin of books all this time... until his sister (14 months) recently found it, that is.  As soon as she laid eyes on the colorful cover and saw the three dimensional ladybugs on the vine, she claimed that book as her own, dragging it with her into her room and sitting herself down on the floor to read it.  Fortunately, my son didn't seem to mind, and this is another one of those books that he can read to her, which is always incredibly cute.  Ten Little Ladybugs is a fabulous story for babies and toddlers, alike.  It's colorful, engaging, has fun, rollicking rhymes, and the little ladybugs sticking up off each page just begged to be touched by little hands.  It also teaches children to count down from ten to one, with a clever design that captivates little readers from beginning to end.  What child can resist the ladybugs sticking up off the right-hand page or the opposing holes that await them after the page turn?  I know mine certainly can't.  As far as my daughter is concerned, this book doesn't even need words.  Just give her the ladybugs to play with and the holes to stick her fingers through and she would be perfectly content.  The simple, rhythmic verse makes this story even more appealing to her, though, and the accompanying illustrations are captivating without being too busy.  "Ten little ladybugs sitting on a vine, along came a butterfly -- then there were... (turn the page) NINE little ladybugs skipping on a gate, along came a caterpillar -- then there were... EIGHT..."  You get the idea.  My daughter is quite picky about her books these days, but this is one that she wants to read over and over every time we pick it up.  I've been impressed, too, at how well this book has held up.  After many, many reads, the ladybugs are still holding on strong and showing no signs of falling off.  If you're looking for a fun, interactive story that will grow with your child from infancy and beyond, my little ladybug highly recommends this book.

Day 105: We All Went on Safari

I LOVE books that teach children about other people and places around the world.  To me, this is one of the most important things we can do for our children.  The more they are exposed to other cultures and people who are different than they are, the more tolerant and respectful of those differences they will be.  As a teacher, I have three major goals for all of my seventh grade geography students at the beginning of the year:  1.  To become curious about our beautiful world and its people; 2.  To respect and appreciate the diversity of other cultures, particularly those that are most different than our own; and 3.  To become well-informed, empathetic citizens who will try their best to make the world a better place.   As a parent, my goals are very similar.  I hope to raise my children to be curious, passionate learners who are loving, thoughtful, and kind.  Goodness knows today's world could use more tolerance, love, and understanding.  One of my favorite new multicultural reads is We All Went on Safari:  A Counting Journey through Tanzania.  Written by Laurie Krebs and illustrated by Julia Cairns, We All Went on Safari takes us on a stunning journey through the savanna of Tanzania with members of the Maasai tribe.  Along the way, we encounter majestic wildlife -- lions, ostriches, hippos, wildebeests, and more -- while learning to count from one to ten in both English and Swahili.  Cairns' illustrations are simply gorgeous and provide the perfect background for Krebs' soothing, rhythmic verse.  "We all went on safari, past an old acacia tree.  Nearby giraffes were grazing, so Tumpe counted three."  And, like so many other wonderful Barefoot publications, there is a wealth of fabulous information at the back of the book:  a double-page spread devoted to the animals of Tanzania, including their Swahili names, a page about the Maasai people, meanings of the Swahili names used throughout the book, facts and map of Tanzania and its neighboring countries,  and a page on how to count from (and pronounce) one to ten in Swahili.  There are so many things I love about this book, and there are countless other ways to keep the learning going after we have finished reading.  Find Tanzania and Africa on a map, pretend to go on your own safari, look up the meaning of your child's name, look up how to count to ten in other languages... the possibilities for extended learning are virtually endless!  Based on the Swahili names used in the book, I think my daughter would be named Arusha (independent, creative, ambitious) and my son would be Suhuba (clever, talented, affectionate.)  Whether you're looking for a great book about animals, other cultures, or counting, this is one that is bound to captivate both you and your child.  Kufurahia!  (Enjoy!)

Day 91: My Granny Went to Market

I'm SO excited to begin my journey as an ambassador with Barefoot Books!  I just hosted my first book party yesterday and can't wait to share these wonderful stories with my friends and family.  We have yet to pick up a Barefoot Book that we didn't like!  In honor of my book party yesterday, I wanted to feature one of our favorite Barefoot stories at the moment, My Granny Went to Market: A Round the World Counting Rhyme.  Of course, the geography teacher in me LOVES this book, too.  It's never too early to introduce children to other countries and cultures, and this book does just that.  Fly around the world with Granny on her magic carpet, stopping to buy all kinds of fun things from different countries along the way:  two temple cats from Thailand, three masks from Mexico, four paper lanterns from China, and more!  We love the maps on the inside cover, as well, which show Granny's route around the globe.  The full page illustrations are bright, fun, and colorful; I especially love the one from Kenya with its wildlife meandering in the shadows of Kilimanjaro.  Also available in a Spanish language version, My Granny Went to Market is a fabulous addition to any classroom or home library.  Where would YOU go if you had a magic carpet?

Day 74: Counting Our Way to Maine

It's official… we leave tomorrow for our Maine vacation!  Maine is one of my favorite places on the entire planet, and I just can't wait to get there.   As the sign says when you cross the state border, it's "The way life should be!"  6 days on Long Lake followed by 3 days in Boothbay Harbor (over my birthday at the place where we got married) = vacation perfection.  Lobster, kayaking, listening to loons on the lake calling out at night, more lobster, the crisp ocean breeze...  Aaaahhhhhh......  For those of you who have been to Maine, you'll read this story and immediately want to go back.  If you haven't been to Maine, don't worry -- this is still a fun, summer story that will make you nostalgic for great family vacations of the past.  As its title implies, Counting Our Way to Maine is a counting book (it goes up to 20), but it's so much more than that.  Any parent who has ever packed up children and gone on a road trip is sure to appreciate Maggie Smith's delightful choice of events along the way.  "For our trip to Maine this summer we packed one baby, two dogs, and three bicycles... We had to stop for the bathroom six times!  When we were halfway there, we stopped again and ate seven ice creams."  The counting continues with sandcastles, lobster pots, buoys, clams, mosquito bites, and of course, blueberries!  The illustrations are detailed and charming, and we just love counting along with the family throughout their vacation.  Be sure to look at the illustrations inside the front and back covers, too, that recap all twenty highlights of the trip.  Time for me to get packing!  Maybe I'll start by putting this great story in our book bag.

Day 6: Cha Cha Chimps

Shortly before my son turned two, he became obsessed with monkeys.  I don't remember why, but he thought they were quite possibly the most hilarious things on the planet.  One day before picking him up at daycare, I stopped by one of our local libraries so that I could surprise him with a  few new books to read that night.  I was in a hurry since I couldn't wait to pick him up, so I quickly scanned the shelves and judgementally grabbed a few stories whose titles seemed appealing or whose covers looked nice.  Cha Cha Chimps was one of them.  "Perfect!" I thought to myself.  "A book about monkeys!  He'll love it."  Without even cracking the cover, I checked it out and was on my way.  As we snuggled up and read it for the first time that night, we both giggled our way through the entire story and it instantly became a classic in our house.   Ten silly chimps put on their boogie woogie pants and sneak out of their tree to dance the night away with their animal friends at Mambo Jamba's.  My son loves to dance around and sing the chorus in his best monkey holler:  "Eee eee, ooh ohh, ah ah ah!  Ten little chimps do the cha cha cha!"  This is one story that I love reading again and again, which is a good thing, since we've read it more times than I could count.  Your little monkey is bound to love it, too!

Day 5: Over In the Jungle - A Rainforest Rhyme

Okay, I'm sure I'll say this many times over the course of this blog, but I love, love, love this book!   LOVE!  This is another random library shelf find, and another book I have long had memorized.  I was shocked and disappointed to find that my local Barnes and Noble doesn't carry it, (a book this good?  Seriously?) but fortunately you can find it in both hardcover and paperback on amazon.  Phew.  Marianne Berkes has written a fabulous story about the creatures of the rainforest set to the tune of "Over in the Meadow," and has conveniently even included the music to the tune in the back of the book.  (One play through on the piano to figure out the melody and reading this story became even more fun!)  Count your way from one to ten, meeting different jungle animals and their young along the way.  There are so many things I love about this book, I hardly know where to begin.  For starters, I adore books that teach me something new.  There are so many fun and unique animals in this story, and even a little write-up about each one in the back of the book that provides even more information about their lifestyles and habits.  Did you know that honey bears and kinkajous are the same animal?  Or that marmosets are only 7-12 inches tall?  Or that leaf-cutter ants fertilize the leaves they bring back to their colony with saliva and then eat the fungus that grows on it for food?  Yeah, neither did I... until I read this book.  Now my son knows all about poison dart frogs and morpho butterflies ("They are a beautiful blue!"), ocelots and sloths.  He often asks me to sing him this song as he's falling asleep at night or when we're just driving around in the car.  What better endorsement could you ask for?  Believe it or not, though, my favorite part of this book actually might not even be any of the things I've already mentioned, but rather the illustrations.  They are AMAZING!  I'm talking seriously fabulous in every way.  Artist Jeanette Canyon created all of the imagery for this story out of relief sculptures of textured polymer clay.  There is a little write-up about her process in the back of the book -- another cool bonus!  The colors are vibrant and her attention to detail is incredible, making this one of the most creatively illustrated books I've ever seen.  Berkes has her own little featured page at the back of the book, as well, which offers ideas for other activities that you can do with your child while reading this story.  This is another book I love to give as a gift.  Check out your library to see if they have it, or better yet, get a copy of your own.   You won't be disappointed!