Brimful Curiosities

Cheerios Spoonful of Stories Book Giveaway - Mostly Monsterly by Tammi Sauer Review

2012-05-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

Mornings would be so much brighter if every box of cereal contained a book to read! That's why I always look forward to the Cheerios Spoonfuls of Stories® program every year. The Spoonful of Stories program recently celebrated its 10 year anniversary with the distribution of more than six million children books! This year's books could be found free inside specially marked Cheerios boxes starting in March 2012. However, if your area is anything like ours, the boxes flew off the shelves! But don't worry if you missed all the new stories this year -- read on for a giveaway you won't want to miss.

Several great Simon & Schuster small-sized paperback books were offered this year in the Cheerios boxes. The selection featured six picture book titles, written in both English and Spanish and appropriate for ages three to eight:

● Noodle & Lou by Liz Garton Scanlon and illustrated by Arthur Howard
● Hello Baby! by Mem Fox and illustrated by Steve Jenkins
● If I Were a Jungle Animal by Amanda Ellery and illustrated by Tom Ellery
● Peeny Butter Fudge by Toni and Slade Morrison and illustrated by Joe Cepeda
● Mostly Monsterly by Tammi Sauer and illustrated by Scott Magoon
● Can I Just Take a Nap? by Ron Rauss and illustrated by Rob Shepperson

In addition to providing books in the cereal boxes, Cheerios made a $300,000 donation to First Book, a literacy focused non-profit, and also gave 5000 children's books to 10 First Book local volunteer chapters nationwide.

I applaud Cheerios for promoting literacy through this wonderful book distribution program. If only they could continue the program year round, and work together with other publishers to get more free books in the hands of children!

One of the best things about the books is that they are bilingual! (And, due to the small paperback size (7" x 5-1/4"), they are also very portable and easy to stash inside a bag for trips.) My kids and I have been reading a few of the Spoonful of Stories titles this week to brush up on our Spanish just in time for Cinco de Mayo.

Both my kids really enjoy reading Tammi Sauer's Mostly Monsterly (Mayormente Monstruosa). The book stars a mostly monsterly little girl monster named Bernadette (though for a monster she's not really all that scary and pretty darn adorable). Though she has fangs and fur she doesn't really act like a monster. She picks flowers and exhibits other nice sweet tendencies not typically seen in your standard, everyday monster. Because she's just a little different, she doesn't fit in terribly well with the other monsters at school. Thankfully, little Bernadette is as clever as she is cute, and she finds a way to bond with her classmates while remaining true to her slightly sweet, monsterly self.

Bernadette, the contradictory sweet yet still monster-ish character, provides for quite a few laughs. Magoon does such a splendid job in capturing both of Bernadette's qualities in his illustrations. Bernadette wears skullbone accessories and has sharp, pointing teeth and ears, but somehow she's not really scary at all but perfectly adorable! In fact, all the monsters in the book seem to have a likeable, familiar cuteness about them. There's one spread in the book with the monsters hanging from trees that reminds me of Where the Wild Things Are. This is one of those stories that could get a little preachy if written the wrong way, but Sauer manages to get the "it's OK to be yourself" message across in a sneaky, subtle way, while also showing that sometimes it's best to work out difficult situations through compromise.

Mostly Monsterly by Tammi Sauer, illustrated by Scott Magoon. Simon & Schuster (August 2010); ISBN 978141696110; 40 pages

Mostly Monsterly Self-Portrait Monster Art Activity

Sauer's book, with the "be yourself" message and monster theme, provides a fun tie-in opportunity for kids show off their own individual artistic skills and create individual, personalized monsters. To jump-start the project, I took a picture of both of the kids, cut out their faces and attached the photos to paper. Armed with markers, they took over from there and created little, mostly monsterly and very silly versions of themselves.

I've noticed lately that my preschool age son is hesitant to create self-portrait drawings or drawings of people because the little perfectionist in him is never satisfied with the result. His drawings never turn out the way he thinks they should look and he gives up. It's a bit of a challenge to get him to draw anything, but this monster project was a huge hit and he's wanted to make several more pictures. Because we start with an established face and work in an imaginary world, it's easier for him to concentrate on the creative aspects of drawing and worry less about it looking realistic.

Add your kids craft post to the Kid's Get Crafty linky at Red Ted Art's Blog. Wrote a post about play? Join the It's Playtime party! Find more great book tie-ins at JDaniel4's Mom Read, Explore, Learn link-up.

I have an extra copy of the Cheerios Spoonful of Stories paperback version of Mostly Monsterly by Tammi Sauer and illustrated by Scott Magoon to give away to a lucky Brimful Curiosities reader.

For a chance to win, comment about the best free item you've discovered inside a cereal box.

• For contact purposes, if you are a non-blogger or your email is not accessible in your blog profile, please leave a valid email address within the comment section.
• Contest is open to US only
• Contest ends on Monday, May 14th, 2011 at 11:59 PM CST.
• Winner will be chosen at random and sent an email notification.

Three ways to gain extra entries (Maximum total entries is 4; please leave a separate comment for each entry):
1st extra entry: Blog about this contest then post your link in the comment section.
2nd extra entry: Follow me on twitter (iambrimful) and tweet about the contest.
3rd extra entry: Follow Me via GFC or Facebook or subscribe by email or RSS reader

I am an Amazon affiliate and may receive a very small commission for products purchased through my Amazon links. Thanks to General Mills for providing my family with a set of this year's Spoonful of Stories titles to review. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)

May Day Baskets

2012-05-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

My kids spread some spring cheer yesterday by hanging May Baskets on our neighbor's doors. We made 12 baskets total and placed a marigold plant inside each one. We usually use cut flowers from around the yard but this year, due to the early spring, all of our spring flowers are already finished blooming!

It only takes 3 pieces of 12" x 12" scrapbook paper to make 12 holders. Cut each piece of scrapbook paper into four - 6 inch square sections. Fold the squares into cones using the guide below. Staple the cone flaps together, punch holes on the sides and add a piece of ribbon for a handle.

We also attached a little May Day poem to our baskets. I found a lovely poem in an old poetry book, Tentative poems; a collection of verse written during the past four years by Charles Frederick James Nightingale Stott. The poem is titled "May-Day" and below is the portion we included with our baskets:

"All around in nature's world

Visions bright are seen to-day,

Blossoms of the thorn unfurled

Tell my soul 'tis gladsome May!"

- Charles Frederick James Nightingale Stott

Full to the Brim - Kid's Book Giveaway List (4/27/12)

2012-04-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

Full to the Brim is a list I compile by hand of children's book giveaway online contests. Please check out my other "Full to the Brim" posts as well. Many contests are still underway. I *try to* publish "Full to the Brim" every Friday, though this month my postings have been few and far between. If I missed your book giveaway, feel free to mention it in the comment section or send me an email.

Book Giveaways:
Mommy of Two Little Monkeys - Ends 5/15
Little Learner Children's Books from Parragon Publishing
Simply Stacie - Ends 5/10
Take Two and Bug Off by Jane Yolen
Mommies with Cents - Ends 5/2
Prize pack of baseball books from Candlewick Press
The Children's Book Review - Ends 5/8
Rosie Flo’s Coloring Fashion Show by Roz Streeten
Mundie Kids - Ends ??
Puzzled by Pink by Sarah Frances Hardy
Mommy Maestra - Ends 4/30
United States Activity Atlas
Silver Dolphin Books Blog - Ends 4/30
Classic Books from Thunder Bay Press: Jane Austen, War & Peace and The Arabian Nights
Books 4 Learning - Ends 4/30
Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Bookalicious - Ends 4/30
Jacob Wonderbar for President of the Universe by Nathan Bransford (middle grade)
Simply Shop and Save - Ends 4/4
I Can Read! Princesses Twins book set by Zonderkidz
No Water River - Ends 4/29
The House by J. Patrick Lewis
Teaching Authors - Ends 5/21
one of three $30 gift certificates from Biblio.com
Good Reads with Ronna - Ends 5/9
Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus, plus a promotional JBJ calendar
The Hate-Mongering Tart - Ends 4/30
3 Books from Candlewick Press: Falling Hard by Betsy Franco, The Watch that Ends the Night by Allan Wolf & The Hound Dog's Haiku by Michael J. Rosen
The Hate-Mongering Tart - Ends 4/30
FORGET-ME-NOTS: Poems to Learn by Heart by Mary Ann Hoberman, illustrated by Michael Emberley
Walden Pond Press - Ends 4/30
Juniper Berry by M.P. Kozlowsky, The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy, and Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu (middle school/YA)

TeachingBooks.net Blog offers several giveaways each month. The April 2012 giveaways include: A Little Book About Feelings and My Feelings Activity Book, Rachel Carson and Her Book That Changed the World, How Many Jelly Beans, Guacamole, and The Surrender Tree. View their site for details: http://forum.teachingbooks.net/?p=8327

Because Your Mommy Loves You by Andrew Clements, illustrated by R. W. Alley -- Giveaways
5 Minutes for Mom – Ends 5/3
Resourceful Mommy – Ends 5/7
Our Ordinary Life – Ends 5/6

The Extraordinary Education of Nicolas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart --- Giveaways (middle grade)
5 Minutes for Books – Ends 5/2
Frugality is Free – Ends 5/16
Milk and Cookies – Ends 4/30
A Life Bound by Books – Ends 4/28
Mundie Kids – Ends ??

Mo Willems’ Pigeon and Pals 2 DVD set by Scholastic Storybook Treasures/NewKideo --- Giveaways
Muse Reviews – Ends 5/1
Building Carpenters – Ends 5/8
Natural Mama – Ends 5/10
Connected 2 Christ – Ends 5/2
Wee Share – Ends 5/4
A Mom's Take – Ends 5/4

Fish for more children's book giveaways at Lori Calabrese's Fish for a Free Book linkup each Friday

Wordless Wednesday - when the world is mud-luscious

2012-04-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

Find more of this week's Wordless Wednesday (or Wordful) posts at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Ultimate Blog Party 2012

2012-04-14T08:00:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the 2012 Ultimate Blog Party at Brimful Curiosities! Please grab a wood stump chair, put up your feet, make yourself at home and stay awhile. We like to keep things whimsical and relaxed here.

My name is Janelle -- I'm the hostess and blog proprietor here at Brimful Curiosities. I'm a stay-at-home mom to two young children. And, in case you didn't guess by the subtitle, I like to read children's books with my kids and blog about our reading experiences. We also spend time crafting, exploring the outdoors and doing all the normal things families do together like building Christmas trees out of books and making silly things out of Popsicle sticks.

One of the regular features here is my Full to the Brim - Kid's Book Giveaway List, published each Friday (though this year I've been somewhat lax at publishing each week, but I hope to get back into the groove soon). If you like children's books and entering giveaways, you'll probably want to take a look at my lists. Additionally, my kids and I often post a fun, book-related craft each week, and I try post a photo for Wordless Wednesday each week. Other than that, my posts vary ranging from reviews to personal observations.

April is National Poetry Month so we've been reading a few poems together. This week our favorite poetry book is Shel Silverstein's Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook. It's full of spoonerisms in rhyming verse -- poems that feature crazy, mixed-up words with switched letters that can take on new meanings. The poems in Silverstein's book inspired this amateur attempt at writing spoonerisms. It's my topsy-turvy description of what Brimful Curiosities (or rather Crimful Buriosities) is all about:

Crimful Buriosities is a blog
mostly about bhildren's cooks.
My family likes to cead and rraft,
be sure to lake a took!
Niction or fon-fiction,
it doesn't batter a mit.
On our lrips to the tibrary,
we always bind fooks that are a hit.
Besides books, it's sard to hay
just what I'll decide to post.
Products, giveaways, Full to the Brim, nature activities,
it's best not to bit and soast.
So friends, don't hesitate to stop, hay si!
I cruly therish each and every comment left here.
And I promise to feturn the ravor,
it's cun to fonnect at the UBP every year!

This is my fourth year participating in the party, and I've been blogging since 2008. If you want to know more about me you can read my previous party posts 2011 and 2010 and 2009.

And, if you'd like, connect with me via other social media sites: @iambrimful or Facebook or http://pinterest.com/brimful/

Thanks for visiting!

The Three Trees by Elena Pasquali - Book Review and Stand Up Cross Craft

2012-04-12T10:44:00.017-05:00

I know that many people read the story of the three trees at Christmas, but for me the story is one that evokes especially poignant emotions at Easter. While several retellings of this story exist, I really like this new, beautifully illustrated picture book version by Elena Pasquali and illustrated by Sophie Windham.

"Long ago, on a hillside, stood three trees ... Under the cold night sky that glittered with stars, they dreamed their dreams."

The Three Trees: A Traditional Folktale by Elena Pasquali, illustrated by Sophie Windham. Lion UK / Kregel (September 2011); ISBN 9780745962894
Book Source: Copy from our personal library

The Three Trees folktale is one with a Christian message that tells of Jesus' life journey from cradle to cross from the perspective of three forest trees. Each of the three trees stand together on a hill and dream of greatness: the first wants to be made into a chest and hold a fine treasure, the second yearns to be a proud ship and carry a king and the third tree hopes to remain forever on the hillside pointing to heaven. One day, woodcutters climb the hill and chop down the trees. The three trees lament over their situations as the forms they eventually take are not as they had dreamed. However, overtime the trees each realize they play a greater role than they could ever imagine. They are each part of God's plan and play a part in Jesus's life.

I like several things about this version of the familiar tale. First of all it provides a wonderful example of how God's will may not always be the same as our will, but God does have wonderful plan, a purpose in mind for each and every one of us. Also, in Windham's illustrations each of the trees is different, just like each of God's children. The text is not overly long and slightly simplified when compared to alternate retellings, and Pasquali retains the heart and emotion of the story. For this reason, this retelling is particularly suited for younger children. Windham's folksy artistic style definitely is a good fit for this story. My kids remarked at all the extra details in Windham's colorful illustrations, and we especially like the elaborate borders and different sized panels.

"The tree that had borne his death was now a symbol of his life. And the third tree knew that it would stand for ever, pointing to heaven."

Because of the way the final sentences are worded, the book can be used as a useful tool in talking about the symbolism of the cross in Christianity -- the cross is not only a symbol of the suffering and death of Jesus but, as it stands empty pointing toward heaven, it also serves a reminder of the promise of salvation through Jesus Christ. Windham's final illustration shows a cross superimposed over a tree full of life, a lovely image showing the Easter blessing of new life through Jesus Christ.

✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ Stand Up Cross Craft ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞
My kids made 3D crosses that stand up as a tie-in activity for The Three Trees book. In order to make this cross you need two pieces of cardstock paper. Cut out two identical cross patterns, then cut halfway down one cross and halfway up the other cross. To make the cross stand up, fit the two crosses together up the center. Once you have the cross assembled, flatten and color on all four sides. We strengthened our crosses with a bit of tape at the top and the bottom.

Printable PDF Cross Craft Template - Print on 8 x 11" paper:

The craft is really simple to make but it looks beautiful and points to heaven just like the cross in the book. Another craft that would correspond well with this book is the Life of Jesus Cross Craft found at Prekinders. You could adapt the images to show the parts of Jesus's life discussed in the book.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
- Hebrews 12:2

A Mommy's Adventures hosts the "stART" meme (Story + Art) each week. Add your kids craft post to the Kid's Get Crafty linky at Red Ted Art's Blog. Join in Read Aloud Thursday at Hope is the Word. Wrote a post about play? Join the It's Playtime party! Find more great book tie-ins at JDaniel4's Mom Read, Explore, Learn link-up.

I am an Amazon affiliate and may receive a very small commission for products purchased through my Amazon links. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)

Rosie Flo's Fashion Show Pop-up Coloring Runway Set - Review and Giveaway

2012-04-11T08:30:00.009-05:00

Today you're cordially invited to my daughter's virtual coloring fashion show, a glitzy extravaganza showcasing the new Rosie Flo's Fashion Show Pop-up Coloring Runway Set. My daughter has worked hard and long to ready her fabulous models and spectators for the show.

Rosie Flo's Fashion Show is a box gift set published by Chronicle Books that contains a ready-to-assemble paper theater and catwalk along with 18 paper models, 8 front-row spectators and a little poodle for kids to color and personalize. There are also pop-up chairs for the front-row spectators, little invitations to pass out and a paper camera to set up at the show. Along with coloring in all the designer dresses, kids get to complete the character line drawings, a sort of "filling-in-a-person" drawing activity. Like all Rosie Flo products, the dresses are ready for a creative mind to take over and add heads, faces, legs, arms and all the extra flourishes. Kids get creative by making up their own characters to fit the costumes.

The pop-up theater is impressively detailed, both inside and out. Models "get-ready" at the outside back of the theater in a dressing room and then enter through the doors onto the catwalk. No glue or scissors is required and the theater itself isn't too hard to assemble though smaller kids will probably need some assistance. According to the outside of the box, this set is recommended for ages six and up but with parental help I imagine younger kids would also enjoy coloring and creating the models.

My artsy daughter has already spent several hours drawing and coloring the models and spectators in her set and still has several more models to color. I asked her what she likes most about this product and she replied that, "It is better than a coloring book because when you are done coloring you can play with it. It is hard work but a lot of fun because you get to draw people."

Models walking the catwalk.

A variety of spectators watch the fashion show.

As a parent I really like that this set challenges young artists by helping them practice the art of drawing people. The ready-made dress sketches help set the proportions and kids can take off from there by making their own creative characters and adding color and expression. The 3D pop-up theater is also wonderful as it allows the kids to endlessly play with their creations after they are finished completing the characters. In addition, a group of girls could easily work on the project together because of the large number of figures included in the set.

If you have an artistic child, this product would make an excellent gift. No markers or colors are included with the set, so make sure to purchase those as well if the child doesn't already have their own art supplies.

Rosie Flo's Coloring Fashion Show by Roz Streeten. Chronicle Books (March 2012); ISBN 9781452107844

The Rosie Flo’s Coloring Fashion Show Set product released a few weeks ago and Chronicle Books has kindly offered to give away a copy to a Brimful Curiosities reader.

For a chance to win, take a look at the spectators my daughter drew (pictured above) and let her know which spectator you like the best. Thanks for taking part in our fashion show!

• For contact purposes, if you are a non-blogger or your email is not accessible in your blog profile, please leave a valid email address within the comment section.
• Contest is open to US only
• Contest ends on Monday, April 23rd, 2011 at 11:59 PM CST.
• Winner will be chosen at random and sent an email notification.

Three ways to gain extra entries (Maximum total entries is 4; please leave a separate comment for each entry):
1st extra entry: Blog about this contest then post your link in the comment section.
2nd extra entry: Follow me on twitter (iambrimful) and tweet about the contest.
3rd extra entry: Follow Me via GFC or Facebook or subscribe by email or RSS reader

I am an Amazon affiliate and may receive a very small commission for products purchased through my Amazon links. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)

Wordless Wednesday - Kite Weather

2012-04-11T08:00:00.002-05:00

Find more of this week's Wordless Wednesday (or Wordful) posts at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Full to the Brim - Kid's Book Giveaway List (3/30/12)

2012-03-30T19:00:00.004-05:00

Everyone is talking about the Mega Millions lottery jackpot, but guess what? You'd have a far better shot at winning if you were to enter one of the following children's book giveaways! And just think of the literacy benefits!

Full to the Brim is a list I compile by hand of children's book giveaway online contests. Please check out my other "Full to the Brim" posts as well. Many contests are still underway. I *try to* publish "Full to the Brim" every Friday, though this month my posting have been few and far between. If I missed your book giveaway, feel free to mention it in the comment section or send me an email.

My Giveaway(s):
Mirror Mirror - Movie Prize Pack Giveaway - Ends 4/9/12

Book Giveaways:
Kid Lit Frenzy - Ends 4/4
Women Explorers by Julie Cummins
5 Minutes for Mom - Ends 4/9
Chuckling Ducklings and Baby Animal Friends by Aaron Zenz
No Time for Flashcards - Ends 4/8
Sir Cumference and All The King’s Tens & Sir Cumference and The First Round Table by Cindy Neuschwande
Book Box Daily - Ends 4/30
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing signed by Judy Blume
Book Box Daily - Ends 4/14
The Very Fairy Princess signed by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton
Sweep Tightd - Ends 4/11
Dot to Dot Children’s Book Set
Mom to Bed By 8 - Ends 4/12
Sports Illustrated Kids: Pro Files: Baseball
Mom to Bed By 8 - Ends 4/4
The Gruffalo
Lille Punkin - Ends 4/1
Kohl's Cares for Kids books and plush
Chasing Rainbow - Ends 4/4
International Children’s Book Day giveaway
Just a Little Creativity - Ends 4/1
The Parable of the Lily
A Mom's Take - Ends 4/13
Bob Books
Scraps of Life - Ends 4/23
A Perfect Pet for Peyton by Rick Osborne & Gary Chapman
Rookie Moms - Ends 4/4
Silverlicious Prize Pack
Thet Better Mom - Ends 4/4
The Parable of the Lily
Thet Better Mom - Ends 4/4
The Parable of the Lily
Metropolitan Mama - Ends 3/30
Little Color Fairies written and illustrated by Mara Van Fleet
Just Children's Books - Ends 4/12
Bear’s Birthday by Stella Blackstone

Mirror Mirror Book and Fandango Gift Card Giveaways
There's A Book – Ends 4/6
Mom to Bed by 8 – Ends 4/4
Mundie Kids – Ends 3/30

Fish for more children's book giveaways at Lori Calabrese's Fish for a Free Book linkup each Friday

Mirror Mirror Giveaway - Movie Prize Pack including book and Fandango Gift Card

2012-03-29T12:00:00.004-05:00

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all? Are you ready for the newest retelling of the Snow White fairy tale? The aptly titled live-action movie, Mirror Mirror hits the big screen tomorrow (March 30). Starring Julia Roberts as the evil Queen and Lily Collins as Snow White, from the early reviews this kid-friendly version sounds like it's going to be a fun if not a bit quirky film to watch! Other cast members apparently add to the humor including Armie Hammer as the dashing prince and Nathan Lane as the queen's bungling servant. The film, released by Relativity Media, promises CGI special effects, lavish costuming, spunky girl power and a Bollywood-inspired dance sequence ending.

Find out more about the movie and characters, watch trailers, download a coloring book and more at the official website: http://www.mirrormirrorfilm.com.
Social media site links: Facebook or Pinterest.

For those that want to gauge whether it's age-appropriate, The Dove Foundation has approved the film as family friendly and provides a review of Mirror Mirror, including a detailed content description.

For online learning resources, visit Film Education. They offer a Mirror Mirror curriculum resource featuring interactive learning tools and other activities intended for ages 9-13.

It's been too long since my daughter and I have gone on a mother/daughter outing. I think perhaps we'll take an afternoon together and check out this enchanted, princess-y fare. I admit part of the reason I'd like to see this one is because I'm curious to see if Julia Roberts can successfully play a mean-hearted queen. Snow White also happens to be one of my favorite fairy tales.

In celebration of the release, Relativity Media has kindly offered to give away a Mirror Mirror prize pack to a Brimful Curiosities reader. One (1) winner will receive:

- $25 Fandango Gift Card
- Mirror Mirror: The Movie Storybook

For a chance to win, answer one of the following questions: Do you plan to watch this film variant of Snow White? What is your favorite film variation of classic fairy tale or book?

• For contact purposes, if you are a non-blogger or your email is not accessible in your blog profile, please leave a valid email address within the comment section.
• Contest is open to US only
• Contest ends on Monday, April 9th, 2011 at 11:59 PM CST.
• Winner will be chosen at random and sent an email notification.

Three ways to gain extra entries (Maximum total entries is 4; please leave a separate comment for each entry):
1st extra entry: Blog about this contest then post your link in the comment section.
2nd extra entry: Follow me on twitter (iambrimful) and tweet about the contest.
3rd extra entry: Follow Me via GFC or Facebook or subscribe by email or RSS reader

I am an Amazon affiliate and may receive a very small commission for products purchased through my Amazon links. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)

Titanic Educational Resources for Teachers, Parents and Kids

2012-03-22T07:00:00.003-05:00

With the 100th anniversary of the Titanic disaster approaching, I decided to do a little research online to locate educational websites and resources on the Titanic. There's no doubt about it that this ship, this disaster, this part of our history still fascinates both children and adults. The sinking is often referred to as the the greatest maritime disaster in history. But is the Titanic an appropriate topic for children to study? The Associated Press recently released a timely article, "Titanic a magnet for kids, fine line for educators" detailing how some educators and parents balance the tragic details when presenting information about the Titanic to children.

I was a student in middle school when Dr. Ballard discovered the wreck of the Titanic in 1985. At that time, books on the disaster became widely available, and I found reading about the discovery and the ship extremely interesting. Today, there are even more Titanic resources available for children. As with all sensitive topics, some kids will be able to handle more detailed information than others. If you do decide to talk about the disaster with your kids this April, I hope you'll find this list of online resources useful.

Titanic Activity and Discussion Guides / Lesson Plans for Educators
Titanic Science Teacher Activity Guide [pdf]
Titanic related science activities and experiments for kids

Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition Teacher's Guide [pdf]
Extensive lesson plans, activities and resources for Elementary, Middle Grade and High School (correlates with the Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition but if even if you can't visit, you can still use many of the lessons)

Ghosts of The Abyss Educator's Guide [pdf]
Companion guide to James Cameron's film, Ghosts of the Abyss. Activities are designed for use by students in grades 5-8.

NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration - Return to Titanic Expedition lesson plans [pdf]
Lesson plans tied to the RMS Titanic 2004 Wreck Expedition focusing on shipwrecks, biodeterioration and marine archaeology. For grades 5-12.

Titanica IMAX Film Educator Guide [pdf]
Educational supplement to the film, Titanica. For junior and senior high.

Titanic Educator Guide - North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences [pdf]
Nicely designed guide with seven learning activities encompassing history, geography, science, English and math. Grades 4-12.

Magic Tree House Titanic - Teacher's Resource Guide and Activities
Website includes classroom connections and downloadable activity pages for use with the Titanic Magic Tree House books

Scholastic's Dear America Series: Voyage on the Great Titanic Teacher Resources
Discussion Guide, downloadables and whiteboard slides for use with the Titanic Dear America series book

T is for Titanic: A Titanic Alphabet
Companion guide to picture book, T is for Titanic by Sleeping Bear Press

National Geographic Explorer April 2012 Teacher's Guide and Digital Edition
Includes "Unsinkable Ship" portion about the Titanic (pages T17-T24) available as a pdf

The Titanic Unit Study - Homeschool Helper Online
Six home assignments encompassing math, language arts, history and science. Includes a library book list.

Titanic Coloring Pages
Kids-n-Fun.com coloring pages of the Titanic

twinkl The Titanic Colouring Posters (click the download button for pdf)

Informational Websites:
www.encyclopedia-titanica.org
Extensive website containing Titanic passenger and crew biographies, information about the ship, Titanic pictures, articles and ongoing discussions about the Titanic disaster

http://www.nmni.com/titanic
National Museums Northern Ireland Titanic Website offers a treasure trove of information focusing on the design and build of the ship as well as personal stories and many photographs and videos

titanicphotographs.com
Father Browne SJ Photographic Collection - Father Browne was a first class passenger on the Titanic from Southampton to Cobh. This picture library shows his photographs, one of the most important collections of images from the Titanic's maiden voyage.

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/titanic/
The National Archives (UK) informational website includes a selection of images as well as a timeline, passenger stories, videos, podcasts and education resources

www.rmstitanic.net
RMS Titanic, Inc, a subsidiary of Premier Exhibitions, Inc has recovered over 5,500 artifact during research expeditions. The website provides information on traveling exhibits and artifacts. Explore the wreck site with the interactive photos and videos available in Expedition Titanic section.

www.immersionlearning.org
Immersion Learning, a nonprofit science education organization, offers a nice "Return to the Titanic" online page as well as pages about other ocean related topics. Don't miss the neat Titanic themed games. View the links section in Return to the Titanic for other Titanic website recommendations.

http://www.pbs.org/lostliners/
PBS Lost Liners website includes information presented by Dr. Robert Ballard about five lost liner archaeological expeditions: Lusitania, Titanic, Empress of Ireland, Britannic and Andrea Doria.

Interactive Websites and Games
Mapping Shipwrecks! - Immersion Learning
Arrange images to make a photomosaic of a shipwreck then zoom in to explore the wreck. One of the shipwrecks featured is RMS Titanic.

Titanic Moviemaker - Immersion Learning
Combine video clips of Titanic and the wreck to create your own movie.

Adventure on the Titanic - Interactive Game - National Geographic
In this strategic online game, survival is all about choices. Journey aboard the Titanic as a first-class passenger and complete quest cards while exploring the decks to gain clout. Click on the "White Star" flag emblems during the game to learn more about actual people and places on the Titanic.

On Board The Titanic - Discovery.com
"Follow the paths of actual passengers with Macromedia Flash movies."

Titanic Interactive - History.com
"Explore the Titanic, with interactive features about its construction, its ill-fated maiden voyage and the survivors who lived to tell the tale."

Treachery on the Titanic - historyonthenet.com
"A treasure hunt game designed to teach the facts about the Titanic disaster." Players must answer questions by clicking on links leading to other websites. The game is rather lengthy and sends you to outside webpages. It also contains an image of a character with a gun.

Morse Code Translator
Type in a message and listen to it play in Morse Code. Options for "Text to Morse" or "Morse to Text"

Boys' Life Morse Code Machine
Test out your Morse code skills with two games: "Listen and Guess" or "Morse the Letter" in this Boys' Life online game

2012 Titanic TV Shows (Check local listings for possible time changes)
Saving the Titanic
Airs Sunday, April 1 at 10:00 p.m. ET on PBS
"Historical drama that tells the untold story of the self-sacrifice and bravery of the ship’s engineers, stokers and firemen in the face of impending death."

Titanic: The Final Word with James Cameron
Airs Sunday, April 8 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on National Geographic Channel
"Join director and Explorer-in-Residence, James Cameron, with a team of Titanic experts, for the ultimate forensic investigation into the most infamous shipwreck of all time."

Save the Titanic With Bob Ballard
Airs Monday, April 9 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on National Geographic Channel
"Oceanographer and Explorer-in-Residence Bob Ballard revisits the iconic ship he discovered in 1985, driven by one question—will the Titanic survive another 100 years?"

The Titanic with Len Goodman
Airs Tuesday, April 10 at 8:00 p.m. ET on PBS
Len Goodman, the Dancing with the Stars judge, was previously a welder in the 1960's for Harland and Woolf (the same company that built the Titanic in 1912). "He explores the impact of the sinking on the thousands of affected families."

Titanic (ABC TV Mini Series) -
Airs Saturday, April 14 (8:00-11:00 p.m., ET) and concludes SUNDAY, April 15 (9:00-10:00 p.m., ET) on ABC
Mark the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic by watching this dramatic four-part miniseries written by "Downton Abbey" creator Julian Fellowes.

NOVA Why Ships Sink
Airs Wednesday, April 18 at 9:00 p.m. ET on PBS
"Investigates the safety of cruise ships and questions whether passengers are safe at sea a century later."

Recommended Subject Searches for Library Holdings:
Titanic (Steamship)
Titanic (Steamship)--Fiction
Titanic (Steamship)--Juvenile fiction
Titanic (Steamship)--Juvenile Literature
Shipwrecks
Shipwrecks--North Atlantic Ocean
Shipwrecks--North Atlantic Ocean--Juvenile Literature
Ocean liners
Underwater archaeology

Blog Break

2012-03-08T08:57:00.002-06:00

My daughter has been ill now for over a week. Right now my focus is on her health. I'll be back to blogging when we're healthy again here.

Full to the Brim - Kid's Book Giveaway List (3/2/12)

2012-03-02T12:00:00.007-06:00

Happy Leap Day!

2012-02-29T08:00:00.000-06:00

A little leapfrog on leap day! My kids are both enjoying leap year for the second time in their lives.

Thirty days hath September,
April, June, and November;
All the rest have thirty-one,
Except for February alone,
Which has four and twenty-four
Till leap year gives it one day more.

Mother Goose Rhyme

Speaking of sayings about Leap Year, we recently ran across a Leap Day joke in Simms Taback's Great Big Book of Spacey Snakey Buggy Riddles and thought we'd share:

What is the best year for grasshoppers? Leap year!

Guess the same could be said about frogs, too!

Find more of this week's Wordless Wednesday (or Wordful) posts at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life - DVD Review (a new movie based on the middle grade novel by Wendy Mass)

2012-02-26T20:00:00.014-06:00

It takes guts to write a middle grade children's book centering on the great philosophical question -- What is the meaning of life? In 2006 author Wendy Mass took a stab at answering the age old question in her book, Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life. Her book about living each day fully and finding one's equilibrium after personal loss went on to receive many positive accolades by both adults and kids.

A family-friendly movie version of the beloved story is set to release on DVD on March 6th. Mass' fans will be delighted to discover that the movie, Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, retains many of the tender and quirky aspects of the book, even Jeremy's odd peanut butter sandwich obsession! The movie's cast includes some big names including Mira Sorvino, Joe Pantoliano and Roscoe Orman (Sesame Street).

Ever since his father's death, Jeremy Fink has dreamed of finding a way to connect with his dad, so much so that he attempts to build a time machine. Turns out he doesn't need a time machine, he needs a box! Jeremy receives a most mysterious gift a month before his 13th birthday - a locked wooden box with an unusual inscription on the top, "The Meaning of Life: For Jeremy Fink to open on his Thirteenth Birthday. Years earlier Jeremy's dad passed away in a car accident, and, before he died, he assembled the box with Jeremy in mind. Opening the box requires four keys, but sadly the keys are missing. Jeremy and his best friend, Lizzy, embark on a journey around New York City in search of the keys. During the search they meet several eccentric individuals who offer insights that bring them closer to finding the answers they seek.

Tender yet humorous at the same time, the movie provides a fresh and interesting perspective on life. The two teen actors who play Jeremy and Lizzy (Maxwell Beer and Ryan Simpkins) play their roles wonderfully in this coming-of-age story. Their devoted friendship is really the heart of the film. Lizzy helps Jeremy find his way and encourages him to face his fears. One of my favorite lines in the film is, "Are you gonna sit there what-iffing all day when you can actually go out into the world and find the answers?" It is also really nice to see a boy/girl friendship that maintains closeness without becoming romantic, despite Lizzy's "feminine wiles."

Before I watched the movie I made of point of finding a copy of Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life to read. I'm so glad I did. Wendy Mass has an amazing flair for bringing unusual subjects to light and writing books that stimulate the mind. Her characters have real emotional depth, while exhibiting true to life, somewhat humorous oddities. I really enjoyed this coming-of-age story and now understand why the book has a fairly large following. It is for this reason I was somewhat apprehensive to watch the movie version.

Thankfully, the book's storyline is only moderately altered. The movie version is lightened with the addition of dorky humor and over-the-top, wacky characters often found in kid flicks. This is definitely a movie meant for tweens, pimples and all! Several of the characters including Oswald and Jeremy's mother are a lot more eccentric in the film than in the book. To be honest, I wasn't very happy with how Mr. Oswald's character was portrayed in the film. In the book he is a distinguished mentor figure, but not so in the movie. Luckily, James the limo driver (played by Michael Urie), in a way, takes over this guiding role in the movie. As a Christian, I am disappointed the characters didn't at least explore a religious perspective on life in the film. I do really like the creative way Jeremy's time machine plays a key part in the search -- a nice twist different from the ending in the book. Jeremy's t-shirt in the middle of the film is an awesome touch. Yes, he is definitely a true "Rock It Scientist."

I'm sure Wendy Mass will gain quite a few new fans with the release of this film. It's thought provoking and full of heart without being too preachy, just like her books. Definitely worth a watch, but make sure to read the book, too! (And, by the way, if you watch really closely at the beginning of the museum scene, you might just see Mass star in a cameo role in the film.)

(DVD Source: DVD provided for review purposes by Phase 4 Films and Team Mom. All opinions expressed are my own. I am an Amazon affiliate and may receive a very small commission for products purchased through my Amazon links. View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)

Sonoma Rose by Jennifer Chiaverini - Review and Giveaway

2012-02-23T19:00:00.006-06:00

One of the perks of working in a library is that you come across titles that you might not otherwise stumble across. Such was the case for me in 1999. While shelving titles, I discovered a new book, The Quilter's Apprentice by Jennifer Chiaverini. After reading the cover flaps, I quickly learned the author, Jennifer Chiaverini, resides in Wisconsin. I always make a point of reading books by authors from my home state.

The book's subject also appealed to me right away. Recently married, I had received a special quilt made by my grandmother for my wedding. A cherished and personal gift, I know my grandmother spent much time lovingly piecing it together with my husband and I in mind. Powerful and memory evoking, it's amazing how quilts can tell stories and bring generations together. As I cracked open The Quilter's Apprentice and started reading I found an intriguing story involving two interesting characters, one elderly and one young, whose lives were brought together through quilting. I thoroughly enjoyed Chiaverini's first novel and over the years have read all of the books in her Elm Creek Quilt books series. Earlier this week on February 21st, Chiaverini released Sonoma Rose, the 19th book in her bestselling series.

Sonoma Rose is an adult, historical fiction novel set in California during the Prohibition era of the mid to late 1920's. The book explores the story of Rosa Diaz and Lars Jorgensen, lovers that are forced apart in their youth by old family resentments and personal choices. In a series of flashbacks readers learn that Lars previously struggled with alcoholism and Rosa, finding herself pregnant, decides to marry John Barclay, someone she does not love but deems stable. John becomes abusive and also becomes involved in various lawless activities. John and Rosa disagree about how to best care for their children, who are stricken with celiac disease, a mysterious and fatal (without proper treatment) affliction.

Lars slowly reenters Rosa's life and, at first, Rosa tries to keep him away. Eventually John's violent nature escalates and he almost kills a man. Lars and Rosa seek out each other and escape together with the children to wine country in northern California. Lars is wanted by the mob because he reported John's involvement with illegal liquor trafficking. The pair finds work and a home in the countryside at a vineyard owned by second-generation winemakers, the Cacchiones. While working there they learn all about the difficulties faced by winemakers and the dangers of bootlegging during Prohibition. Lars and Rosa struggle to find happiness together and though they live in fear that they might be discovered by the mob or by John when he exits jail, they remain hopeful for a better future.

Sonoma Rose is a rather complex combination of themes and fairly action-packed, full of dramatic events. The book brings together a lot of subjects including Prohibition, winemaking, spousal abuse, alcoholism, and celiac disease. Unlike many of Chiaverini's books, it does not focus as much on quiltmaking or women bonding as the result of creating quilts together. The setting of the book is really quite fascinating, and I learned a lot about the heartbreaking travails California's winemakers faced when trying to abide by the Prohibition laws and their dealings with corrupted law officers and politicians. Many winemakers lost their land, some which had been tended with care for generations. (For those that want to learn more about the Prohibition, I highly recommend watching Ken Burn's three-part documentary film series, Prohibition.)

Although Sonoma Rose can be easily treated as a stand-alone novel, it is truly a sequel to The Quilter's Homecoming, a story that focuses on the character of Elizabeth Nelson, a cousin to Sylvia, the founder of the Elm Creek Quilt Camps. When Elizabeth moves from Pennsylvania to California, she befriends Rosa and locates previously hidden quilts from Rosa's family's past. Elizabeth, in a sense, provides the tie to the other Elm Creek series stories and her character is also introduced in Chiaverini's The Christmas Quilt. The novel, Sonoma Rose, fleshes out the details found in The Quilter's Homecoming and supplies a satisfying ending to Lars and Rosa's story.

Sonoma Rose (Elm Creek Quilts) by Jennifer Chiaverini. Dutton / Penguin (February 2012); ISBN 9780525952640
Book Source: ARC provided by publisher through TLC Book Tours

Related Links:
Jennifer Chiaverini - Website

Win a copy! This review is part of TLC Book Tours, and Dutton / Penguin has kindly offered to give away a copy of Sonoma Rose to a lucky Brimful Curiosities reader!

For a chance to win, leave a comment relating to this post or if you're a Chiaverini fan, let me know the title of your favorite Elm Creek series book.

• For contact purposes, if you are a non-blogger or your email is not accessible in your blog profile, please leave a valid email address within the comment section.
• Contest is open to US only
• Contest ends on Monday, March 12th, 2012 at 11:59 PM CST.
• Winner will be chosen at random and sent an email notification.

Three ways to gain extra entries (Maximum total entries is 4; please leave a separate comment for each entry):
1st extra entry: Blog about this contest then post your link in the comment section.
2nd extra entry: Follow me on twitter (iambrimful) and tweet about the contest.
3rd extra entry: Follow Me via GFC or Facebook or subscribe by email or RSS reader

I am an Amazon affiliate and may receive a very small commission for products purchased through my Amazon links. Thanks to TLC Book Tours for including me in this book tour. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)

We Give Books - Read For My School

2012-02-14T12:00:00.005-06:00

I thought I'd take a break from our busy Valentine's Day and let you know about a special campaign for public schools. Starting today, Feb. 14, the We Give Books website is running a new literacy campaign, "Read for My School." It's a really good way for kids to help out their schools and get a little reading in at the same time. Depending on the number of books kids read online, schools can earn up to 500 books.
More information here: http://www.wegivebooks.org/campaigns/rfms

We Give Books is a wonderful online resource for digital children's books. It's free although parents and teachers must first register before kids can read books. The website is run by the Pearson Foundation, and every time a child reads a book on the site the foundation in turn provides books to various literacy groups -- a win/win for all. Several Penguin and DK Publishing books, both non-fiction and fiction, are available for children to read and the books are appropriate for various levels up to age 10. Both my kids love looking at all the books online and I'm surprised at the number of popular books available like the Llama Llama books and The Snowy Day. My son especially loves the new book based on a true story, Little Dog Lost by Mônica Carnesi.

Even if your child doesn't attend a public school, make sure to take a look. You can help support other campaigns such as Support My School India and Tinga Tinga Tales Early Childhood Development Programme supporting children in Africa. And all the while your child will benefit as well!

Hugs, Kisses and Love: New Valentine's Day Children's Books

2012-02-09T12:00:00.000-06:00

I noticed a theme as I recently searched through the new 2012 children's books appropriate for Valentine's Day: Hugs and Kisses! A plethora of XOXOXOXOXO with a smackerel of ♥ LOVE ♥. I've included a list below of the new titles in case you're planning a trip to the library this weekend.

All Kinds of Kisses by Nancy Tafuri
Amelia Bedelia's First Valentine by Herman Parish, illustrated by Lynne Avril
The Best Kind of Kiss by Margaret Allum, illustrated by Jonathan Bentley
Big Hugs, Little Hugs by Felicia Bond
The Biggest Kiss by Joanna Walsh, illustrated by Judi Abbot
Goodnight, I Love You by Caroline Jayne Church
Hedgehug: A Sharp Lesson in Love by Benn Sutton, illustrated by Dan Pinto
Hugs from Pearl by Paul Schmid
Just Because You're Mine by Sally Lloyd-Jones, illustrated by Frank Endersby
The Kiss Box by Bonnie Verburg, illustrated by Henry Cole
Mr. Prickles: A Quill-Fated Love Story by Kara LaReau, illustrated by Scott Magoon
One Love by Cedella Marley, illustrated by Vanessa Newton
Plant a Kiss by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
Pinkalicious: Pink of Hearts by Victoria Kann
Snowy Valentine by David Petersen
Time for a Hug by Phillis Gershator and Mim Green, illustrated by David Walker
Where Does Love Come From? by Accord Publishing, illustrated by Milena Kirkova
You: A Story of Love and Friendship by Stephen Michael King
Zombie in Love by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by Scott Campbell

Amazon.com Widgets

Also, here's a compilation of my past Brimful Curiosities' Valentine's Day posts for your viewing pleasure:

A String of Hearts by Laura Malone Elliott, illustrated by Lunn Munsinger (Heart Garland Craft)
Valentine Surprise by Corinne Demas and Fancy Nancy: Heart to Heart (Cut Heart Banner)
Love, Ruby Valentine by Laurie Friedman, illustrated by Lynne Avril Cravath (Candy Airplane Valentine)
The I LOVE YOU Book by Todd Parr
Peek-a-Boo, I Love You! by Sandra Magsamen

Bunny Valentines with Dum Dum Lollipop Tail
Quarter-fold Heart Pocket Valentine's Day Card
Homemade Valentine's Day Cards - both vintage and modern styles

We're busily preparing for a science fair so we haven't had a chance to prepare much for Valentine's Day yet this year! I imagine we'll have a busy upcoming weekend. We have nearly 50 Valentines to write out for my kids' upcoming Valentine's Day class parties. Are you busy with Valentine's Day preparations?

I am an Amazon affiliate and may receive a very small commission for products purchased through my Amazon links. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)

The Secret World of Arrietty - Disney Movie (based on The Borrowers by Mary Norton)

2012-02-06T08:00:00.005-06:00

In college one of my friends belonged to an anime club. At the time I just couldn't understand the appeal of this animation style. The characters with huge eyes and dubbed voices seemed rather strange to me. Now, 15+ years later anime and manga/graphic novels are mainstream, and I've grown to appreciate the artwork and storytelling (mostly).

Anime adaptions of classic literature are not unheard of. I'm rather excited for Disney's movie The Secret World of Arrietty to open in U.S. theaters on February 17th. This Japanese animated fantasy film is based on Mary Norton's classic story The Borrowers. From the look of the previews, the classic story is updated, and "the Borrowers" live in a modern, suburban setting. The film was originally released in Japan in 2010 and did well in the box office. I'm interested to see how it fairs with U.S. audiences. Due to the animation style, I imagine it will appeal to a broader age range than the typical Disney animated movie.

Hopefully the release will also ignite a renewed interest in Mary Norton's original book! I'm reading The Borrowers aloud to my daughter this month. If you own a Kindle, you can download a copy of The Borrowers by Mary Norton for only $1.59 on Amazon.com.

A number of well-known celebrities provide the voices of the characters in the U.S. movie release including Will Arnett, Amy Poehler, Bridgit Mendler and Carol Burnett.

Here's the studio's summary of the movie:

Residing quietly beneath the floorboards are little people who live undetected in a secret world to be discovered, where the smallest may stand tallest of all. From the legendary Studio Ghibli (“Spirited Away,” “Ponyo”) comes “The Secret World of Arrietty,” an animated adventure based on Mary Norton’s acclaimed children’s book series “The Borrowers.”

Arrietty (voice of Bridgit Mendler), a tiny, but tenacious 14-year-old, lives with her parents (voices of Will Arnett and Amy Poehler) in the recesses of a suburban garden home, unbeknownst to the homeowner and her housekeeper (voice of Carol Burnett). Like all little people, Arrietty (AIR-ee-ett-ee) remains hidden from view, except during occasional covert ventures beyond the floorboards to “borrow” scrap supplies like sugar cubes from her human hosts. But when 12-year-old Shawn (voice of David Henrie), a human boy who comes to stay in the home, discovers his mysterious housemate one evening, a secret friendship blossoms. If discovered, their relationship could drive Arrietty’s family from the home and straight into danger.

I am an Amazon affiliate and may receive a very small commission for products purchased through my Amazon links.

Full to the Brim - Kid's Book Giveaway List (2/3/12)

2012-02-03T07:00:00.010-06:00

Welcome to this week's edition of FTTB! Full to the Brim is a weekly list I compile by hand of children's book giveaway online contests. Please check out my other "Full to the Brim" posts as well. Many contests are still underway. I *try to* publish "Full to the Brim" every Friday. If I missed your book giveaway, feel free to mention it in the comment section or send me an email.

Book giveaways:
Chasing Supermom - Book Giveaway Ends 2/6
Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal
No Time for Flashcards - Book Giveaway Ends 2/4
Ring Around the Rosie , Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes , Humpty Dumpty and Pat-A-Cake!
Babes and Kids Review - Book Giveaway Ends 2/10
set of 5 Chuggington Books
Spanglish Baby - Book Giveaway Ends 2/5
Scholastic Art and Imagination Pack
Take It From Me - Book Giveaway Ends 2/4
Gryphon House Books: The Budding Gardener, The Budding Chef, L Is For Lion and What Does A Lion Say?!
Thrifty Nifty Mommy - Book Giveaway Ends 2/16
Being Wendy by Fran Drescher
MomCentral - Book Giveaway Ends 2/7
Kohl's Cares Eric Carle books: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (Written by Bill Martin), 10 Little Rubber Ducks, Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too? and The Very Busy Spider and plush animals
Thrify and Thriving - Book Giveaway Ends 2/3
American Girl doll Kanani and book
Energizer Bunnies' Mommy Reports - Ends 2/11
Scholastic Valentine Book Prize Pack
That's IT Mommy - Ends 2/7
Workman Publishing Books: Love the Beastie and The Splendid Spotted Snake
Baba's Farm Life - Ends 2/8
The Sneezy Wheezy Day by Sharon Cramer
5 Minutes for Mom - Ends 2/6
The Perfect Name For You personalized storybook
Little World After All - Ends 2/6
“Have You Filled A Bucket Today: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids by Carol McCloud
5 Minutes for Books - Ends 2/8
50th anniversary edition of A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas - Ends 2/9
Lilly's Chocolate Heart by Kevin Henkes and other heart goodies
Toddler Approved - Ends 2/8
I Love you Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt, Amos and Boris by William Steig, Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
Ready Set Read - Ends 2/14
I Love You More by Laura Duksta
Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves - Ends 2/5
Mystery box of 25 books

Magic Tree House Facebook Sweepstakes - Enter to win a copy of Magic Tree House #46 Dogs in the Dead of Night signed by Mary Pope Osborne, and its companion Fact Tracker, Dog Heroes, signed by Natalie Pope Boyce - Ends 2/29

Win a Free Jan Brett Visit to your School or Library Facebook Contest - Ends 4/9

Paddington Goes for Gold competition: Win a copy of the brand new Paddington picture book, 'Paddington Goes for Gold' - Ends 2/23

Lee & Low Books February Giveaway: Tofu Quilt, written by Ching Yeung Russell. - Ends 2/29/12

Bob Books Early Readers Giveaway - one winner each week, from now until February 17.

Scholastic Storybooks Treasury DVD Giveaways
A Mom's Take - Ends 2/17
Africa's Blog - Ends 2/9

UK Only Book Giveaways:
Book Reviews for Mums - Ends 2/10
Socks by Nick Sharratt & Elisabeth Lindsay
Playing by the Book - Ends 2/10
Usborne Write Your Own Story Book

Fish for more children's book giveaways at Lori Calabrese's Fish for a Free Book linkup each Friday

Brownie Groundhog and the February Fox by Susan Blackaby - Groundhog Day Snack

2012-02-02T08:00:00.005-06:00

How much winter would a woodchuck predict if a woodchuck could predict winter? The woodchucks (a.k.a. groundhogs) emerged from their burrows this morning. Some saw their shadows (including the famous Punxsutawney Phil) and many didn't (among the ranks our own state prognosticators, Jimmy the Groundhog of Sun Prairie and Wynter the Groundhog of Milwaukee). Those silly groundhogs never seem to agree when it comes to forecasting the weather!

The majority of the Groundhog Day groundhogs are male. Why is that? At least here in Wisconsin we're trying to level the playing field. Wynter the Groundhog from Milwaukee is female.

This morning we read a book titled Brownie Groundhog and the February Fox. It's about a girl groundhog named Brownie who sees her shadow and complains about having to wait for spring.

"Shadows mean more winter, and more winter means waiting. Wait, wait, wait." Brownie stomped her foot. "Phooey!"

Brownie is so busy being impatient she doesn't see a red fox lingering nearby. The fox pounces on Brownie and plans to eat her for breakfast. What to do? You guessed it -- implement the old, ever reliable "outfox the fox" tricks. After some quick thinking, Brownie convinces the fox that he has missed breakfast time and now must wait for lunch. Brownie cleverly keeps the fox plenty occupied all day long with skating and looking for signs of spring. When suppertime arrives, both animals witness the first sign of spring and the fox hungrily devours a snack (a tasty wintertime treat, at that)!

Carmen Segovia's painted illustrations are really quite lovely with the striking contrasts of the red fox and red-scarf-wearing groundhog against the snowy winter landscapes. The story of how this book came to be is quite unusual. Carmen Segovia displayed a series of illustrations at the Bologna Children's Book Fair depicting a groundhog waiting for spring. The illustrations were discovered by Sterling Publishing and Segovia's editor sought out an author to write a story for the little groundhog. Susan Blackaby created this adorable tale of patience and friendship with the little groundhog sketches in mind. It's the perfect picture book for reading on Groundhog Day or really any cold, winter day that leaves you impatient, longing for some spring cheer!

Brownie Groundhog and the February Fox by Susan Blackaby, illustrated by Carmen Segovia. Sterling Publishing (January 2011); ISBN 9781402743368
Book Source: Review Copy provided by publisher

Related Links:
Carmen Segovia - Website
Carmen Segovia - Blog

❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ Groundhog Day Snack ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄
In the story, Brownie and Fox sit down for a picnic of cocoa and cinnamon toast. This morning for breakfast we had our own cinnamon toast treat shaped like a groundhog! We did not, however, pounce on our meal. No red foxes in our house.

The kids used Cheerios for the ears, mini chocolate chips for the eyes and mouth and a big, fat blueberry for the groundhog's nose.

"Only with winter-patience can we bring The deep-desired, long-awaited spring." - Anne Morrow Lindbergh

A Mommy's Adventures hosts the "stART" meme (Story + Art) each week. Add your kids craft post to the Kid's Get Crafty linky at Red Ted Art's Blog. Join in Read Aloud Thursday at Hope is the Word. Wrote a post about play? Join the It's Playtime party! Find more great book tie-ins at JDaniel4's Mom Read, Explore, Learn link-up.

I am an Amazon affiliate and may receive a very small commission for products purchased through my Amazon links. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)

Wordless Wednesday - No Sleds Needed

2012-02-01T08:00:00.001-06:00

Find more of this week's Wordless Wednesday (or Wordful) posts at 5 Minutes for Mom.

Red Sled by Lita Judge - Popsicle Stick Sled Craft

2012-01-30T14:00:00.006-06:00

Children beware -- you may not want to leave your sled outside at night. Or maybe you should. A forest creature might snatch the sled up one winter evening, take it for a joy ride and return it with a thanks, leaving only a few tracks outside to tell of the adventure. One can hope!

Lita Judge is one of our newest favorite author/illustrators. She grew up enjoying wintery weather and, according to her latest book, Red Sled, as a child she often wondered about the tracks left behind by the woodland animals. Judging from the animals' expressions in the book it appears she also knows a thing or two of the joys (and perils) of sledding downhill.

Red Sled is a nearly wordless picture book that shows the events that occur when a child leaves a red sled propped against the side of a home. A bear wanders by, notices the sled and sneaks away with it, scrunch, scrinching through the snow. The bear invites a rabbit friend for a fun, moonlight ride. As the sled flies downhill, other animals pile on one-by-one, gadung, gadunging on the snowy surface together while making gleeful noises. The impromptu sledding party results in smiles shared by all.

The illustrations in this endearing book are truly remarkable, from the animals' exuberant expressions to the little boy's wonderment at the tracks found near his sled. My kids giggle with delight at all the silly sledding antics and the faces the animals make. The adorable, bundled-up, red-hatted child reminds us of the classic character in Keats' The Snowy Day. The text consists only of a few joyful utterances and onomatopoeias like "sssssffft" for the sound the sled makes as it glides across the snow. The wordless silence punctuated by random sounds is a perfect textual interpretation of a sledding experience. Judge's Red Sled so beautifully captures the exhilaration of a sledding adventure that you'll want to immediately head to your favorite sledding hill!

Red Sled by Lita Judge. Atheneum Books for Young Readers (November 2011); ISBN 9781442420076; 40 pages
Book Source: Copy from public library

Lita Judge spent part of her childhood living with her grandparents in Wisconsin. In an interview with Jules at Seven Impossible Things before Breakfast she tells how this experience helped partly inspire her to write Red Sled. There's also an adorable photograph of a grizzly bear she grew up watching (apparently her parents are wildlife photographers).

Related Links:
Lita Judge - Website

❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ Popsicle Stick Sled Craft ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄

My kids, like many nowadays, think that all sleds are made of plastic. In fact, after reading this book I realized my kids had no firsthand knowledge of the flexible flyer or runner type of sled. This became even more evident when we tried constructing some popsicle stick sleds. My daughter thought the runners belonged on top of the sled for the rider to hold onto! Too funny!

We followed the Family Fun Classic Sled directions to make our popsicle stick sleds. The craft is fairly simple and child-friendly, except for the part that involves cutting the popsicle sticks. I could barely hack through the sticks with our tin shears, so adult-assistance is definitely required for the cutting part of the craft!

The little red sleds are the perfect size for miniature animals. My kids used some mounting putty to attach small toy animals to the tops of the sleds. They had a lot of fun helping the animals careen down the wooden sledding ramp!

I think perhaps we'll leave the sleds outside overnight and see if any real animals want to give sledding a try. Maybe the mourning dove that leaves tracks around our patio door is hankering for a new pastime. :)

Link up your Monday book posts at Teach Mentor Text's meme: It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? From Picture Books to YA! or Book Sharing Monday at Smiling like Sunshine.

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Wordless Wednesday - Year of the Dragon

2012-01-25T08:00:00.000-06:00

Find more of this week's Wordless Wednesday (or Wordful) posts at 5 Minutes for Mom.

ALA Youth Media Awards 2012

2012-01-23T07:30:00.003-06:00

I'm very excited for today's ALA Youth Media Awards. Which books will earn the top awards? Soon we will all find out! For those that can't attend, make sure to tune into the live webcast starting at 7:45 A.M CT.

Before the announcements start, the kids and I would like to mention our favorites for the Caldecott. I personally think that Grandpa Green by Lane Smith is the most deserving of an award this year. As I wrote in my review, his book gracefully tackles the subject of aging and intergenerational relationships. With unusually lush, green illustrations, it's simply a beautiful book.

Of all the 2011 picture books, my daughter likes Me . . . Jane by Patrick McDonnell the best. While we didn't review it, we did purchase the book last year after checking it out from the library twice. Usually that's a good sign it's a book we should own. Me...Jane tells the story of Jane Goodall's childhood and the illustrations have a scrapbook feel.

My son really likes Where's Walrus? by Stephen Savage. It's a wordless picture book about a silly walrus and the book has an uncluttered, bold design. Searching for the walrus in the pictures is part of the fun.