Brimful Curiosities

Roald Dahl Month - Reading Dahlathon 2010 - What book should we read?

2010-09-02T14:00:00.005-05:00

I've yet to read a Roald Dahl book to my daughter, but this month we're planning to test the Dahl waters. You see, September is Roald Dahl Month (in celebration of his birthday month). There's a little celebration and reading challenge going on right now, sponsored by Penguin Young Readers Group called the "Reading Dahlathon." The reading challenge is for kids ages seven to 13 that live in the United States. Kids that participate have a chance to win prizes when they read three of Roald Dahl’s books from September through December 2010. If you'd like to participate, check out the website at http://www.roalddahl.com/dahlathon and print out a Dahlathon Official Reading Journal. For full details see the website.

For those that really want to have a "dahlicious" month, there's even a Roald Dahl Month Celebration Calendar and Reproducible Activity Sheets to print out.

Also in the news today, Penguin Young Readers released a book called The Missing Golden Ticket and Other Splendiferous Stories. The book apparently includes a chapter that was taken out of the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory book and some other Dahl-related content. I haven't read it yet, but would love to learn more about the missing ticket and character.

And, even though my daughter isn't old enough to truly participate in the reading challenge, we plan to read at least one Roald Dahl book together in September anyway. The problem is deciding which book we should read first. I'm asking my readers for recommendations. We'll choose a book and hopefully read it before Roald Dahl Day on September 13th.

What Roald Dahl book should we read? (My daughter is in kindergarten, FYI.) Let me know in the comments!

Wordless Wednesday - Yellow Bus

2010-09-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

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

Little Lexicographer - Creating a Pretend Dictionary

2010-08-31T08:00:00.003-05:00

My kindergartener has a love of words or, more accurately, a love of made-up words. She's not able to sit down and write words by sounding them out yet, but lately she's shown a lot of interest in arranging letters together to form pretend words. After she finishes writing her string of letters, she asks, "Mommy, what does this say?" We sound the word out together and laugh. She originally created a lot of words with only consonants, until I explained to her that all words usually contain vowels between the consonants. Our pretend word play turned into a simple lesson about vowels and consonants, and I provided her with a list of the vowels to use as a reference when making up words.

Here are a few of her made-up dictionary entries:

Eef: a type of lettuce that looks like a leaf

Amomilis: a kind of fruit that looks like a blueberry that grows on a pink bush. They are smaller than your pinky. If you drop one, it will disappear.

Coymix: type of food you need to mix. Need to make sure it doesn't have too much sugar because it might get very tall and all messy. It's a different kind of cake that has nuts in it.

Cobwixu: type of animal like a giraffe but it doesn't have any spots.

Hewtus: kind of flower, but if you try to pick it, it might stink you. Has a very stinky smell.

My daughter drew accompanying illustrations for each of her entries. Below I've included a few of her completed pages with illustration.

Most kids I know find dictionaries fascinating. Every home library should include include at least one printed dictionary, preferably more. Yesterday, I read an article in the Washington post titled, "Internet may phase out printed Oxford Dictionary." (Today the Oxford University Press issued a statement contradicting all the online buzz that they plan to stop printing the dictionary.) I use online dictionaries quite often when trying to find the correct spelling or meaning of a word, but I've never referenced the OED, print or online. However, we do own a massively large, one volume Webster's Third New International Dictionary and even though it is not as complete as the 20 volume Oxford English Dictionary, it is still very fun to browse though and use as reference. Last year we referred to the print dictionary several times when trying to think of an object that my daughter could take for her "starts with the letter -" weekly show and tell. My daughter also likes to look at all the words in her own copy of The Sesame Street Dictionary and view all the interesting color illustrations. Maybe we have a future lexicographer in the family.

Do you have a dictionary loving kid in your home? If so, you should encourage them to try creating a pretend dictionary of their own!

Adventures of Otto - Ready to Read Series by David Milgrim - For Early Readers

2010-08-30T14:00:00.008-05:00

My daughter is just in the very beginning stages of reading. She knows all her letter sounds and can identify a few sight words. This past month we started checking out early reader books from the library. Her favorite series so far is the Adventures of Otto Series by David Milgrim. These simple "Ready-to-Read" books are listed as Pre-Level 1 and are for kids that are just starting to learn to read.

The series consists of five books published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers (we wish there were more):
See Otto (2002)
Ride Otto Ride! (2002)
See Pip Point (2003)
Swing Otto Swing (2004)
See Santa Nap (2004)

My daughter loves these books because the illustrations are humorous and enormously engaging, unlike some other books meant for beginning readers. The main character, a cute little robot named Otto, goes on various silly adventures sure to generate some laughs. With simple words and sentences, lots of repetition and text written in a large font, this series is perfect for emergent readers. Best of all, the books appeal to both boys and girls. Some of the other "beginning readers" frustrated my daughter because they were too difficult for her reading level, but the books in this series are short and feature only a few words per page. Her favorite is Swing Otto Swing where Otto tries to swing on vines with his monkey friends, Flip and Flop. The books have boosted her confidence level, and I'm sure within a few months she'll be advancing to some of the more difficult early readers. If you have a beginning reader, I highly recommend this series. Sadly, it seems they are currently out-of-print, so you'll need to buy used or look for them at your local library.

Related links:
http://www.davidmilgrim.com/

Inspired by Otto, we've been listening to some robotic music. My kids recently discovered the song "Mechanical Man" by Bent Bolt and the Nuts while listening to the kids' channel on Sirius Satellite Radio. The song is an oldie but it still is pretty darn amusing. Here's an interesting YouTube video featuring a guy pretending to be the Mechanical Man. Next time we read Otto, we'll have to try using our best robotic voices!

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.)

Molding Farm Animals with the Moon Dough Barn - Product Review

2010-08-27T22:30:00.009-05:00

Exploration through tactile play is an important part of childhood. My kids especially love it when I bring out the play dough. They roll and shape it into interesting forms and like the way it feels when they squish and knead it between their fingers. Playing with dough improves motor skills and encourages creativity.

Recently, thanks to an opportunity provided by Team Mom, we had the chance to try a new kind of moldable dough called Moon Dough. It is a very lightweight, dry and crumbly dough that easily compresses into shapes. And, according to the manufacturer, it never dries out, is hypo-allergenic, and is wheat-free.

We received the Moon Dough Barn product to test and review. The large plastic barn is actually a crank driven toy that molds the dough into four different animal shapes: cow, sheep, horse or chicken. The barn requires some minor assembly before kids can play with it.

Besides the main barn pieces, the set comes with the following items:
3 packages of Colored Moon Dough, Removable Barn Silo, Fence Mold, Hay Bale Mold, Small Play Mat, Instruction Guide

The lightweight dough is a very different product to work with than your typical play dough and feels really interesting to squish and compress. My kids had fun trying to form the Moon Dough into balls, placing it into the hay and bale molds and liked crumbling it into bits. They also really, really enjoyed pressing the dough into the top compartment of the barn and turning the crank to create the various animals one by one. Oftentimes they were in such a hurry to make an animal that they didn't put enough dough into the mold compartment and didn't fully compress it before cranking so they would end up with half-formed animals.

This is a fairly messy activity so I decided to let the kids play with the dough outside to simplify clean up. The dough does end up everywhere because it is so lightweight and it tracks easily. I think that adult supervision is necessary for kids who use this product. Care needs to be taken if you don't want the different dough colors to mix. In my opinion the play mat is a little on the small size (the manufacturer suggests covering the play surface with a plastic sheet or disposable table cloth). If my kids played with it indoors, I think I'd invest in a large shallow tub or tray to help contain the play.

What I really like about this toy is that it gives me the opportunity to talk to my kids about the science and processes of molding. (Yes, the mechanical engineer side of me really loves mechanical toys. I worked for a company that specialized in blow and extrusion molding, so molding toys are especially intriguing to me.) While it seems like magic, the barn is actually a machine that molds figures. Molding is an interesting manufacturing process to discuss with kids because many toys are made using molding techniques. Also, from a creativity standpoint, the product offers unlimited possibilities for creative, messy play. For instance, how many other toys provide you with the opportunity to make a snowman in the summer?

Thanks to Moon Dough and Team Mom for this review opportunity and for providing a play set for my family to review. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)

Moon Dough products are available for purchase at many retailers. We've even seen them at our local K-Mart. For more information, visit http://www.moondough.com/

Full to the Brim - Kid's Book Giveaway List (8/27/10)

2010-08-27T07:00:00.007-05:00

Please check out my other "Full to the Brim" posts as well. Many contests are still underway. I publish "Full to the Brim" every Friday. Thanks for visiting my blog and come back soon!

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

My giveaways:
Backpack filled with new DINOSAUR TRAIN products/books - Giveaway Ends 8/30/10
Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by Audrey Vernick - Picture Book Giveaway Ends 8/30/10
Fur and Feathers by Janet Halfmann - Picture Book Giveaway Ends 8/30/10
The 39 Clues: Book 1 and Book 2 Giveaway Ends 8/31/10
DINOSAUR TRAIN: Dinosaurs Under The Sea DVD Giveaway Ends 9/6/10

Other book giveaways:
Tolivers to Texas - Book Giveaway Ends 9/5/10
Using Decimals to Plan our Vacation
From One Mommy to Another - Book Giveaway Ends 9/22/10
Little One Books single product of your choice
On the Lap - Book Giveaway Ends 8/31/10
On the Night Your Were Born by Nancy Tillman
Imagine Childhood - Book Giveaway Ends 9/2/10
Rip the Page!: Adventures in Creative Writing (middle grade)
Mommy's Memorandum - Book Giveaway Ends 9/3/10
$25 Gift Certificate to spend on LittleOneBooks.com
Go Graham Go! - Book Giveaway Ends 9/9/10
Wubbzy Goes to School DVD and School Surprise Wubbzy book
And then there were 4 - Book Giveaway Ends 8/31/10
You Can Cook cookbook by Annabel Karmel
Where the Best Books Are - Book Giveaway Ends 9/2/10
Scumble by Ingrid Law (middle grade)
Rookery Ramblings - Book Giveaway Ends 8/30/10
Tasha Tudor Day Giveaway: old-fashioned hand-crank ice cream maker AND a copy of Tasha Tudor's Cookbook
Teaching Authors - Book Giveaway Ends 8/30/10
Number One Kid and Big Whopper by Esther Hershenhorn (ages 6-9)
Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves - Book Giveaway Ends 8/29/10
We Like Kindergarten
From the Mixed Up Files - Book Giveaway Ends ??
What Happened on Fox Street by Tricia Springstubb (middle grade)
Bookworm's Dinner - Book Giveaway Ends 8/31/10
Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein
Imagination Soup - Book Giveaway Ends 9/5/10
Bears! Bears! Bears! by Bob Barner
Reviewed By Mom - Book Giveaway Ends 9/2/10
Little Chimp's Big Day by Lisa Schroeder
Clara Gillow Clark - Book Giveaway Ends 9/1/10
One Square Inch by Claudia Mills (middle grade)
?The World of Peach Tree Publishers - Book Giveaway Ends 9/7/10
Three Scoops and a Fig by Sara Laux Akin, a set of cookie cutters and a fabulous new kitchen apron

TOO PICKLEY! online party August 23-28, 2010 at http://www.jeanreidy.com/Partypage.html - free gifts & door prizes plus Grand Prize for teachers/librarians

Fill the Backpack back to school giveaways (August 16th to September 17th) - 8 different bloggers, $300 worth of items in each giveaway (includes Rose Art products, LeapFrog, Silver Dolphin books and more!)
The Centsible Life Ends 9/3
Detroit Mommies Ends 9/3
Just Precious Ends 8/31
Savvy Sassy Moms Ends 9/5
It’s Jessica’s Life Ends 8/31
Tech Savvy Mama Ends 9/5

Check out the Curriculum Clean-Out Link-up at Homeschool Creations. Many book giveaways there to browse. (Too many for me to list again!)

Spaceheadz by Jon Scieszka book giveaways (middle grade):
Karin's Book Nook Ends 9/6/10
Read House Books Ends 9/10/10
Booking Mama - Ends 9/6/10
The Children's Book Review - Ends 9/20/10
There's a Book - Ends 9/11/10

Reminder: Make sure to check out all the stops along the The 39 Clues blog countdown tour and enter the giveaways (middle grade):
July 23: Techmamas; July 27: Brimful Curiosities; July 30: Susan Heim on Parenting; August 4: Manic Mommies; August 9: HighTechDad; August 12: Tree, Root, and Twig; August 18: The Children's Book Review; August 23: Robyn's Online World; August 25: On Our Minds @Scholastic; August 31: 5 Minutes for Mom.

Have a children's book you are giving away on your blog? Let me know! I'll spread the word here!

Flavorful Low-sodium Family Meals with Mrs. Dash

2010-08-26T18:00:00.001-05:00

When picking recipes to make, I always try to choose those with lower salt content. Often, if a recipe does list salt, I usually won't add it (except when I'm making recipes involving yeast). My husband does have heart related health concerns so we try to make healthy choices in the kitchen. Thank goodness for herbs and spices. I love to use them when I cook. They help add flavor and make meals more appealing. One seasoning I reach for again and again is Mrs. Dash Original Blend. I always keep a bottle of this salt-free, natural seasoning in my spice cabinet so I can spice up many of our meals. It is MSG free and contains 14 different herbs and spices. We use it as a salt replacement, and I especially like to use the seasoning on vegetables, in soup and on chicken and fish.

One of my favorite vegetable side dishes to make is Green Bean and Mushroom Medley from All Recipes. I make it quite often, instead of the typical French Onion Green Bean Casserole. However, instead of using salt, the seasoned salt and the garlic salt, I use Mrs. Dash Original Blend and a minced fresh garlic. Here's my modified recipe:

Green Bean and Mushroom Medley

Ingredients:

* 1/2 pound fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths
* 2 carrots, cut into thick strips
* 2-3 tablespoons butter (can substitute olive oil)
* 1 onion, sliced
* 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
* 1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash
* 1-2 cloves garlic minced
* 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Directions:

1. Place green beans and carrots in 1 inch of boiling water. Cover, and cook until tender but still firm. Drain.
2. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions and mushrooms until almost tender. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 3 minutes. Stir in green beans, carrots, salt, seasoned salt, garlic salt, and white pepper. Cover, and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.

The the Mrs. Dash® website (http://www.mrsdash.com) includes many other recipes (mostly low sodium) you can easily browse. There's even Video Recipes and Cooking Videos to watch online.

Did you know that there are 15 flavors of Mrs. Dash® Salt-Free Seasoning Blends? They include Original Blend, Garlic & Herb, Table Blend, Extra Spicy, Onion & Herb, Lemon Pepper, Italian Medley, Tomato Basil Garlic, Southwest Chipotle, Steak Grilling Blend, Chicken Grilling Blend, Mesquite Grilling Blend and Hamburger Grilling Blend. Which are your favorite ones to use?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the Mrs. Dash and TwitterMoms blogging program for a chance to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Potty Animals by Hope Vestergaard - Book Review and stART project

2010-08-26T08:00:00.007-05:00

Germs lurk and bad habits are hard to break. When it comes to teaching proper bathroom etiquette, it's best to start early and remind, remind, remind. This week we're headed to kindergarten orientation with my daughter. One of the only reasons that I'm not really looking forward to the school year is the increased risk of colds and illnesses. This year I'm planning to make a side trip to the bathroom with my daughter on orientation day to familiarize her with the restroom and remind her of the importance of hand washing and other bathroom protocol. And, we've found the perfect book to help us remember all the rules of the bathroom.

"They don't mean to be messy. They haven't got a clue. Let's meet some potty animals and tell them what to do."

Potty Animals: What to Know When You've Gotta Go! by Hope Vestergaard, illustrated by Valeria Petrone; Sterling Publishing (June 2010); ISBN 9781402759963; 32 pages;
Book Source: Review copy provided by publisher

Potty animals. Every daycare, preschool and kindergarten teacher has seen their fair share of them. I'm sure you've even seen them yourself. Maybe even in your home. What kind of animals am I talking about? Those kids that refuse to wash their hands, flush the toilet and, time after time, display poor bathroom hygiene. Hope Vestergaard provides a humorous yet instructive book for all those little potty animals. Sycamore Preschool is full of animals that forget their bathroom manners. Wilber doesn't wash his hands, Wilma waits too long, Freddie forgets to flush and Georgie doesn't wipe. In rhyming verses, Vestergaard writes of all sorts of bathroom woes and gently provides tips on the right way to handle bathroom visits. An easy and fun read aloud, the verses even prompt kids to help remind the characters of the potty rules. Hopefully when kids use the bathroom, they'll remember and try to avoid the bad behaviors of the potty animals.

This is not a potty training book, but a book for kids on bathroom manners. Somehow Vestergaard manages to cover this important topic in a fun and tasteful way without sounding preachy. She's a veteran early childhood teacher so she's had plenty of experience with the subject matter. And it's pretty hard not to laugh at Petrone's bold illustrations of the cartoon animal characters as they break the rules. The poor male elephant teacher has his hands full in this zoo of a preschool! The toilet paper letters in the title on the cover are a cute, eye catching touch. My daughter just loves to look at the pictures (she likes the girl raccoon in the pink dress), and I've noticed that she doesn't rush around quite as much in the bathroom and thinks about the rules covered. Read the book to remind kids of proper bathroom etiquette and maybe they won't end up looking like they were raised in a barn. It's a perfect back-to-school read for all young children, and I highly recommend this helpful, humorous bathroom basics book. Teachers of young children will especially appreciate the book.

Related links:
Hope Vestergaard - Author Website
Potty Animals Bathroom Poster [pdf]

❖❖❖❖❖❖ stART Craft - Potty Rules Chart ❖❖❖❖❖❖

We made our own chart to hang on our bathroom door for our book craft project this week. I drew a big picture of a toilet and let my daughter decorate it. (I didn't think my husband would approve of coloring on our toilet, otherwise I might have let her decorate the real thing.) The chart includes some the rules covered in the book: Flush, Wash Hands, Wipe, Plan, No Mess, Close Lid, Don't Wait

I also printed out a train potty training chart for my son to color from childavenue.com. I'm going to start potty training him next month. Wish me luck. Sometimes potty animals can be stubborn as well as forgetful.

A Mommy's Adventures hosts the "stART" meme (Story + Art) each week. Hope Is the Word hosts a Read Aloud Thursday link-up as well. Homeschool Creations hosts the weekly Preschool Corner link-up, a place to share activities for preschool and 5K.

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 - Day Out With Thomas

2010-08-25T00:00:00.001-05:00

One of my son's favorite activities is playing with his set of wooden track and trains. He loves Thomas the Tank Engine so we drove to Union, Illinois this past weekend and attended the Day Out With Thomas Event at the Illinois Railway Museum. Everyone had fun riding the train, even Grandpa and Grandma. And I was surprised at the number of cars and trains on display. We didn't have time to look at them all. Here are a few pictures from our trip.

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

A few art contests for kids

2010-08-24T13:53:00.012-05:00

We've returned from our weekend travels. Now I'm trying to reorganize our house in preparation for the start of school. So no review posts for a few days. However, here are a couple fun art / design / drawing contests that sound like fun to enter. They should keep the kids busy:

Lands' End Every Tee Tells A Story Art Contest -
For kids ages 4 to 11. Submit a drawing based on the theme of “Arctic Exploration” for a chance to have your design featured in the next Lands’ End Graphic Tee collection. Equally awesome and another great reason to submit a drawing -- For every entry received, Lands’ End will donate $1 to fund art-related classroom projects at public schools throughout the nation via its partnership with DonorsChoose.org – up to $10,000. Get creating - the contest ends Septemember 7th. For more information visit http://www.landsend.com/thehub/dads/index.html. Be sure to check out the rules and use the official entry form.

Chronicle Books Taro Gomi's Oodles of Doodles Creativity Contest -
For all ages. Scribble, Doodle and Draw! In celebration of the newest Taro Gomi books, Chronicle Books is holding an art contest. See the website for full details: http://www.chroniclebooks.com/tarogomi. The contest ends October 31st, 2010. The grand prize (5 available) consists of a Taro Gomi art print, a Faber-Castell Ultimate Sketching and Drawing Gift Set, and full collection of Chronicle's Taro Gomi books and gifts.

Rebekah Joy Plett Painting Contest -
No painting involved here. Just put on your creativity hats. Submit your idea and let the artist know in 10 words or less what she should paint next. Details at: http://rebekahjoyplett.blogspot.com/2010/08/painting-contest.html Ends September 1st.

Full to the Brim - Kid's Book Giveaway List (8/20/10)

2010-08-20T13:00:00.010-05:00

Please check out my other "Full to the Brim" posts as well. Many contests are still underway. I publish "Full to the Brim" every Friday. Thanks for visiting my blog and come back soon!

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

My giveaways:
Backpack filled with new DINOSAUR TRAIN products/books - Giveaway Ends 8/30/10
Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by Audrey Vernick - Picture Book Giveaway Ends 8/30/10
Fur and Feathers by Janet Halfmann - Picture Book Giveaway Ends 8/30/10
The 39 Clues: Book 1 and Book 2 Giveaway Ends 8/31/10
DINOSAUR TRAIN: Dinosaurs Under The Sea DVD Giveaway Ends 9/6/10

Other book giveaways:
Mom to Bed by 8 - Book Giveaway Ends 9/8/10
Ruby's School Walk
Coupon Geek - Book Giveaway Ends 8/22/10
$20 Amazon gift certificate
Mama Monkemee - Book Giveaway Ends 9/3/10
Indestructibles book set
Bookscoops - Book Giveaway Ends 8/26/10
Otto Grows Down by Michael Sussman illustrated by Scott Magoon
Becoming Sarah - Book Giveaway Ends 8/22/10
Just Like Us! or Just Like Me! series books by Jess Stockham
Cynsations - Book Giveaway Ends 8/31/10
Busing Brewster by Richard Michelson (scroll to bottom of post for info)
Momma in Flip Flops2 - Book Giveaway Ends 8/24/10
Ruby's School Walk by Kathryn White
Fabulous Family Reviews - Book Giveaway Ends 9/3/10
Yo Gabba Gabba Book & DVD
The Book Smugglers - Book Giveaway Ends 8/21/10
ARC of The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson (middle grade)
From the Mixed Up Files - Book Giveaway Ends 8/21/10
Advanced Reading Copy of Scumble by Ingrid Law (middle grade)
From the Mixed Up Files - Book Giveaway Ends 8/31/10
Karma Bites, Shooting Kabul and Goddess Girls #3: Aphrodite the Beauty (middle grade)

Simon & Schuster Sweepstakes: Love Karen Katz? Enter this sweepstakes for your chance to win some of her books! http://www.simonandschuster.com/sweepstakes/the-karen-katz-sweepstakes

For Homeschoolers: Win a complete Oak Meadow grade level package of your choice, including all curriculum materials and readers (excluding the craft kit) at http://simplehomeschool.net/oak-meadow-giveaway-back-to-school-week/ (Ends 8/21)

Dinosaur Train Backpack Giveaways (include books) featuring products based on the PBS Dinosaur Train series:
Momma Findings Ends 9/2/10
Keeper of the Cheerios Ends 8/31/10
Firefly Blog - Ends 8/20/10
Confessions of a Psychotic Housewife - Ends 9/4/10
Energizer Bunny's Mommy Reports - Ends 9/4/10
Flying Giggles and Lollipops - Ends 8/27/10
Grammy Janet's Place - Ends 8/27
Toronto Teacher Mom - Ends 8/28/10
and Twins make 5 - Ends 9/9/10
Ice Fairy's Treasure Chest - Ends 9/1
Susan Heim on Parenting - Ends 8/29/10

Bob Book Giveaways:
Sheilacakes Ends 9/4/10
Chalk Talk: A Kindergarten Blog Ends 8/27/10
Raising Itty-Bitty Bookworms - Ends 8/28/10
Mom Start - Ends 8/30/10
Growing Up Mo' Reviews - Ends 8/27/10
Mommy Perks - Ends 8/30
Ladybug Soup - Ends 8/27

Have a children's book you are giving away on your blog? Let me know! I'll spread the word here!

DINOSAUR TRAIN: Dinosaurs Under The Sea - DVD Giveaway

2010-08-20T08:00:00.006-05:00

Did your kids miss the new DINOSAUR TRAIN "Under the Sea" special this morning on PBS? Don't worry, the shows from the special are all on the new Dinosaurs Under The Sea DVD that is releasing August 24th. One lucky Brimful Curiosities reader will win a copy. Read on for our review of the new sea adventures!

As you know from our DINOSAUR TRAIN backpack giveaway post yesterday, my family enjoys watching the DINOSAUR TRAIN series on PBS. My kids love exploring the Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic time periods with Buddy and the Pteranodon family as they travel on the Dinosaur Train. In the new "Under the Sea" episodes, the dinosaurs travel in a glass tunnel to different under water stations and learn about marine creatures. We had the chance to preview four of the new under water episodes:

• "Elmer Elasmosaurus" - The Dinosaur Train’s new Aquacar gets its first passenger when the Pteranodon family helps transport Elmer back to his home in the ocean. This long-necked, giant marine reptile is a deep-sea diver with a special talent for holding his breath. (Cretaceous time period)
• "Carla Cretoxyrhina" - On their underwater excursion, the Pteranodon family meets up with a young shark named Carla Cretoxyrhina and her father. Both sharks turn out to be much nicer than their reputations suggest. Kids learn that the prehistoric Cretoxyrhina is similar to the great white shark. (Cretaceous time period)
• "The Amazing Michelinoceras Brothers" - Buddy and his family continue their underwater adventure by traveling deep underwater on the Dinosaur Train to view two backwards-bounding brothers named Max and Mitch Michelinoceras. (Triassic time period)
• "Paulie Pliosaurus" - The Pteranodon family view the "T. rex of the Ocean," a marine reptile called Paulie Pliosaurus, one of the largest-ever marine predators known. The group gets to meet his very large mother as well. (Jurassic time period)

Cowabunga! These ocean themed episodes feature a fun and catchy beach music song sung by the conductor and my kids love to sing along. Before watching the episodes we had never heard of these prehistoric creatures of the ocean. The kids especially enjoyed watching the shark episode and my daughter was surprised that the shark species has been around for such a long time. They also loved comparing Buddy to Paulie Pliosaurus, the "T-Rex of the Ocean." Later on we researched the Pliosaurus and learned that a large plesiosaur fossil measuring 50 feet was discovered a couple of years ago on an Arctic island. That's the beauty of DINOSAUR TRAIN - it appeals to a wide audience. Younger kids can watch the show and check out the corresponding website, while older dinosaur-loving kids can further research and learn more about the dinosaurs and creatures introduced in the episodes.

DINOSAUR TRAIN: Dinosaurs Under The Sea DVD contains the four episodes mentioned above plus four others (eight total) and runs 120 minutes.
• Elmer Elasmosaurus
• Carla Cretoxyrhina
• The Amazing Michelinoceras Brothers
• Paulie Pliosaurus
• Elmer Visits the Desert
• Shiny’s Sea Shells
• Jess Hesperornis
• The Old Spinosaurus and the Sea

The Jim Henson Company has kindly offered to give away a copy of the new DINOSAUR TRAIN: Dinosaurs Under The Sea DVD to (1) Brimful Curiosities reader.

To enter, leave any comment relevant to this post.

• 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, September 6th, 2010 at 11:59 PM CST.
• Winner will be chosen at random and sent an email notification.

Thanks to The Jim Henson Company for sending us a review screener DVD of the Dinosaur Train: "Under the Sea" special for review purposes. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)

"Get Ready For Kindergarten Month" with Dinosaur Train - GIVEAWAY

2010-08-19T08:00:00.009-05:00

We're nearly finished filling my daughter's backpack with all the supplies she'll need for kindergarten. (The last item we need to find is a pack of feathers. Wonder what they'll use that for?) For the most part, I'm confident she's prepared. She can write her name, knows all her letters and numbers, and is just starting to read on her own.

Choo! Choo! Chomp! Even though I coordinate our school's science fair, science is a subject that we haven't spent a lot of time on yet at home. However, my daughter has learned a few things through watching shows like The Jim Henson Company's Dinosaur Train on PBS. The show encourages basic scientific thinking and skills as well as discussing various dinosaurs, life science, natural history and paleontology. Both my kids like watching Buddy the Tyrannosaurus Rex travel on the dinosaur train with his adoptive Pteranodon family. Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous - I can barely say those words but thanks to the show my children can easily recite them along with spouting out other interesting dinosaur facts.

The PBS website also contains a lot of wonderful content useful in helping to prepare pre-schoolers for school. Several fun scientific activities can be found on the DINOSAUR TRAIN website for parents and teachers http://www.pbs.org/parents/dinosaurtrain/activities/ or http://www.pbs.org/teachers/dinosaurtrain/lessonplans/. Here are a few but make sure to click on the links above for more:

A Colorful Hypothesis: help your child understand and apply the term "hypothesis"
Dinosaurs A to Z - learn the alphabet letters and memorize some dinosaur names from A to Z
Dinosaurs of a Feather - all about bird feathers
Make a Dragonfly - learn basic insect anatomy by creating a model of a dragonfly
Homemade Fossils - learn what fossils are and create a model of a fossil

Several new DINOSAUR TRAIN themed products are hitting the shelves this fall, including a few children's books! Here is a preview of a few of the new items available for purchase at major retailers (product descriptions from publishers/manufacturers):

Books:

I Am a T. Rex! (DINOSAUR TRAIN) -
Buddy has spent his whole life in a pteranodon nest. He knows he's not a pteranodon, but he's not sure what he is. When his family decides to visit a new stop on the DINOSAUR TRAIN, Buddy finally learns the truth. He's a T-rex! This simple storybook is the perfect introduction to the world of DINOSAUR TRAIN! Ages 3 and up; Grosset & Dunlap

Triceratops for Lunch (DINOSAUR TRAIN) -
A Little Golden Book about DINOSAUR TRAIN! The Triceratops are coming over for lunch. Do you serve them plants or fish? That's what Buddy and his dinosaur siblings need to figure out before Tank and Trudie Triceratops arrive at the train station. This Little Golden Book retells an episode of the new PBS Kids animated series Dinosaur Train. It explains to young readers the difference between herbivores and carnivores—so that the next time you're dining with a dino, you'll know what to expect! Ages 2-5 ; Golden Books

Other Merchandise:

Take 'N' Play Anywhere™ Go Fishing™ Magnetic Activity (Patch Products) -
Now kids can help Buddy and his family catch fish, practice hand-eye coordination and matching skills. Take ‘N’ Play Anywhere activities feature big magnetic pieces that are easy for kids to use and hard for kids to lose! Ages 4 and up

Learning Curve Dinosaur Train Collectible 3-Packs -
These 3-packs feature three detailed DINOSAUR TRAIN character figures and a special collector card and are available in the following sets: Mrs. Pteranodon, Shiny & Derek; Mr. Pteranodon, Don & Velma; Boris, Annie & Pete; Dolores, Ollie & Oren. Ages 3 and up

Dinosaur Train™: All Aboard Game (Pressman Toy Corp) - Join Buddy and his friends on the DINOSAUR TRAIN! Choose a character – Buddy, Tiny, Shiny, Don, Cory, Tank or Mr. Conductor – and try to move the fastest along the tracks. Speed through the three dinosaur eras: Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous along the beautiful scenery. The first player to reach the nest area in the center of the board wins. Ages 4 and up

Dino Train T-Rex Backpack from Accessories 22 -
The DINOSAUR TRAIN 16” backpack features Buddy the T-Rex, adjustable padded shoulder straps and 3 easy zippered compartments and side pockets for markers, pencils. The glossy Buddy appliqué makes Buddy virtually come alive on both the blue and brown styles. This is a definite back-to-school must have for any DINOSAUR TRAIN fan!

While we haven't had the chance to view these products personally, I'm excited about the opportunity to offer some of the products in a giveaway. One (1) Brimful Curiosities reader will win a DINOSAUR TRAIN themed backpack full of new DINOSAUR TRAIN products, just in time to celebrate back-to-school time and kindergarten month!

To enter, leave any comment relevant to this post.

• 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, August 30th, 2010 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! or subscribe by email or RSS reader

I did not receive any products or any other compensation in exchange for writing this blog post. (View my full disclosure statement for more information about my reviews.)

Wordless Wednesday - Chicago trip

2010-08-18T00:00:00.000-05:00

A few images from our recent trip to Chicago. We visited the Children's Museum (free on Thursday nights) at Navy Pier and also Shedd Aquarium. The kids especially loved walking along the lake, seeing the city at night and watching the animals in the Fantasea aquatic show at Shedd.

Intrigued by the Caribbean Reef exhibit at Shedd

Chicago View from Shedd Aquarium

Catching Butterfly Shadows at the Children's Museum

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

Kids' Picks - August 2010 (The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz & A Particular Cow by Mem Fox)

2010-08-17T10:00:00.009-05:00

Here are two of our favorite reads from this month. For more August kids' picks, visit 5 Minutes for Books.

Daughter's Pick (Kindergarten)

The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz, illustrated by Angela Barrett; Candlewick Press (February 2010); ISBN 9780763636746; 128 pages

The Night Fairy is a fascinating, imaginative and spellbinding story about a small night fairy named Flory who makes the most of a difficult situation by using her survival instincts. She loses her wings when a bat mistakes her for a moth and she ends up falling into a giantess's garden. Resourceful, though sometimes selfish, Flory quickly learns how to cope in her new environment. With themes of friendship and forgiveness, the book beams brightly. Schlitz has a wonderful way with words and the fanciful illustrations by Barrett pair perfectly with this imaginative read. The full color pictures are so gorgeous and detailed, and my daughter spent a lot of time looking at them. I'd highly recommend the book to children interested in fairies and woodland animals. I read the book aloud to my 5 year old daughter and she loved it, especially the part featuring the hummingbird, though she did find the spider a little scary and felt sad when the fairy lost her wings. Most of the plot is slightly suspenseful so it might not be the right choice for very sensitive, younger readers. However, the book is perfect for provoking discussions on nature, bravery, friendships and survival in the animal world. I like the book so much I plan to purchase a copy for our home library.

Son's Pick (Toddler)

A Particular Cow by Mem Fox, illustrated by Terry Denton; Harcourt Children's (September 2006); ISBN 9780152002503; 40 pages

We see plenty of cows around our area, so it isn't surprising both my kids loved Mem Fox's A Particular Cow picture book. They must like the way the word "particular" sounds, too, because it appears on nearly every page spread. In this very silly and humorous book, one particular cow goes on particular walk on particular Saturday morning. A series of ridiculous, particular events occur after the cow gets a pair of bloomers caught on her head. Bloomers - not a word one usually finds in a picture book, but that is part of the charm of this read! Many of the involved characters make funny comments along the way and the comments are shown in word balloons. Denton's cartoonish illustrations greatly add to the hilarity. I found the book really fun to read aloud and we've read it nearly daily since we picked it up at the library. Simply and particularly silly!

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.)

Guest Post - The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson

2010-08-16T08:00:00.005-05:00

Today, I'm thrilled to host another guest post on Brimful Curiosities! Adam Jay Epstein & Andrew Jacobson, co-authors of the soon-to-be released middle grade fantasy, The Familiars, discuss possible alternative career paths. Luckily they seem to be well on their way to successful careers as writers.

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Guest Post: “If we weren’t writers, we would be…”

Andrew: If I wasn’t writing novels and films, I probably would be a sportscaster, or working behind the scenes in sports broadcasting. You might be familiar with Bob Costas, who sits on the sidelines calling the action at Super Bowls or the Olympics. But there’s also a guy sitting off-camera next to him, giving him all sorts of stats and information that he parrots on air. I could have been that guy. It’s kind of a thankless life, traveling on the road to different cities for games every night, surrounded by dudes who love sports. I love sports, but not the way these guys do. My passion was for telling stories, and thankfully I was able to make a living as a writer. This way, I can watch ESPN before I go to bed, and that’s more than enough for me.

Adam: Since space pirate is unrealistic and probably not going to happen, I think if I wasn’t an author and screenwriter, I would be a video game designer. While gaming is not the same kind of traditional storytelling as writing books or films, rich narratives can be told through hopping, role playing, and even puzzle games. Plus it would be an easy way to get paid for my childhood obsession with arcades and home computing. Fortunately, for both Andrew and myself, these career back-up plans remained just that. But who knows, if things had been different, perhaps gamers would be playing “The Familiars” on their Nintendo Wiis or Playstations. Or maybe Bob Costas would be wondering if Lebron James was a real life wizard, and not a king.

ADAM JAY EPSTEIN spent his childhood in Great Neck, New York, while ANDREW JACOBSON grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but the two met in a parking garage out in Los Angeles. They have been writing for film and television together ever since. The Familiars is their first book.

One day, Adam asked Andrew, “Are you familiar with what a familiar is?” And from that simple question, Vastia was born, a fantastical world filled with the authors’ shared love of animals and magic. They wrote every word, sentence, and page together, sitting opposite each other.

Adam Jay Epstein lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Jane, their daughters, Penny and Olive, and a black-and-white alley cat who hangs out in their backyard. Andrew Jacobson lives with his wife, Ashley, and their dog, Elvis, four traffic lights away.

THE FAMILIARS will be produced for film by Sam Raimi and Sony Animation.

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Thanks, Adam and Andrew! I've read the excerpt online of The Familiars and can't wait to read the entire story. I secretly wish I had my own magical animal companion. My cat doesn't seem to have any magical abilities other than the ability to disappear completely from sight whenever we host visitors in our home.

The Familiars by Adam Jay Epstein and Andrew Jacobson; HarperCollins (September 2010); ISBN 9780061961083; 368 pages

You can learn more about The Familiars at www.thefamiliars.com.

Dora turns 10! - Dora's Big Birthday Adventure DVD Review and a list of 2010 Dora DVD releases

2010-08-15T07:00:00.005-05:00

We celebrated Dora the Explorer's birthday at Walmart yesterday by eating some yummy birthday cupcakes. Today, Nickelodeon is airing a special birthday episode of Dora and everyone can celebrate her big day -- she's 10! The episode airs at 8PM ET.

Before this year I guess I never questioned Dora's age. Her character has been an ongoing favorite of both my son and daughter. In my kids' minds, she has always existed. Dora clothes, Dora backpack, Dora DUPLO -- we own plenty of Dora merchandise that I purchased mostly at garage sales. The kids love pretending to explore along with Dora and they really like to make up their own pretend Dora adventures.

Along the way, Dora has personally saved the day for me a few times. Today, on her special day, I thought I'd share a couple of our real life Dora adventures:

1st Brimful home episode - "Dora and the bath mat" - My mother-in-law stays with us from time to time. Once, when my daughter was a toddler, she took a shower, removed the plain suction cup bath mat and lightly placed the map with the suction cups facing up so the bath mat could dry out. Neither my husband or I realized that the bathmat was the wrong way and we tried to place my daughter on it for a bath. My daughter screamed and screamed after touching the strange suction cups and refused to go near the tub after this unfortunate incident. Luckily, after a little while and thanks to a new and fancy Dora bath mat, we finally coaxed her into the tub.

2nd Brimful home episode - "Dora and the hospital visit" - Late one night this past spring, my toddler son woke up crying and frantically pulling at his PJs. I turned his bedroom light on, took off his sleeper and it shocked me when I discovered that his entire body was swollen, red and covered in hives. I freaked out a little, called the nurse on call and ended up taking him to the hospital. For some reason Dora popped into my mind on the trip there (probably because I was overly tired and delirious). Anyway, to calm my son and myself, I made up a little Dora game. I told him we were on an adventure like Dora. First we passed the starry sky, then drove up to the big building and finally visited the doctor so that he could help solve the hives mystery. Amazingly, my son breezed through all the tests without becoming upset and even enjoyed the pretend Dora game. I let the nurses in on the secret and they played along, too. We never found out what caused the hives, but I'll always remember the part Dora played in helping to keep both of us calm.

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A new Dora DVD titled Dora's Big Birthday Adventure (released August 03, 2010) contains the birthday episode that will be on TV tonight along with two other episodes. All three episodes feature the Wizzles and Wizzle World and form the Magic Storybook Trilogy.

"Dora's Big Birthday Adventure" - Dora is preparing to celebrate her birthday with her friends and family but a twisting wind blows Dora and Boots into the Magic Storybook and the Wizzle World. Dora ends up with a wishing crystal and must take it to the Wishing Wizzle before she can return home. Hmm, sounds a little familiar...what follows is a plot relatively similar to The Wizard of Oz. There's a mean witch (La Bruja) with flying monkey helpers, a nice Snow Princess, a star studded road, and even a scarecrow. To find to the Wishing Wizzle Dora must first find her way through Sea Snake Lake, The Dancing Forest and go over the RAINBOW. Along the way she looks into the wishing crystal and her memories of her family and friends (shown as hazy flash backs to previous episodes) help propel her over the obstacles. My children especially enjoyed the birthday celebration at the end of the show.

"Dora Helps the Birthday Wizzle" - In this episode about birthday wishes, the Birthday Wizzle is celebrating his own birthday. As he prepares to make his own birthday wish come true, a strong wind blows his wishing wand out of the storybook. Dora catches and works to return the wand to the Birthday Wizzle before the candles on his cake burn out. She goes through the Unicorn Forest and Dinosaur Caves and ends up on Wizzle Mountain. There's a Birthday Express train in this episode that appealed to my toddler son.

"Wizzle Wishes" - A little Wizzle happily holds a bag of four wishing stars, but a strong wind blows the wishes right out of his bag and the storybook. He follows them out of the book, and Dora helps him try to capture the wishing stars so that he can wish his way back home. They follow the path through a flowery garden and nutty forest all the way to the wishing well.

The new birthday episode is enjoyable to watch because it includes all the characters from previous Dora episodes. My daughter was happy to see the Piggies. The DVD cover we received includes a big pop up flap and a sticker sheet so that kids can actively join in the birthday fun. My kids also enjoyed counting the ten candles on the cake displayed on the cover. The Nickelodeon website contains even more Dora birthday activities, games and printables including a Dora Wishing Crystal Necklace, Dora Forest Puppet Theater and even a Big Birthday Adventure Game.

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In case you're itching to celebrate the big day with some more Dora DVDs, I've compiled a list of new 2010 Dora DVD releases created by Nickelodeon Home Entertainment and distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment:

Dora The Explorer: Let's Explore! Dora's Greatest Adventures - (Released 2/2/2010)
This DVD is packed full with eight all time favorite episodes:
"Lost Map"; "Hide and Go Seek"; "Journey to the Purple Planet"; "Rescue, Rescue, Rescue!"; "Star Catcher"; "Star Mountain"; Boots to the Rescue"; "Swiper the Explorer"

Offering the most bang for your buck, this DVD features 198 minutes of Dora episodes. Favorite episode here is "Journey to the Purple Planet" with the aliens and the spaceship.

Dora the Explorer: Explore the Earth - (Released 4/13/2010)
Released in time for Earth Day, this DVD explores four Earth themed episodes:
"Mixed Up Seasons"; "To the South Pole"; "Save Diego" and "Beaches"

My daughter, a huge penguin lover, loves "To the South Pole" because Dora and Diego rescue a penguin. (DVD runs 99 minutes)

Nick Jr. Favorites - 2010 Compilation DVDs that include a Dora episode

Nick Jr Favorites: Go Green - (Released 3/30/2010)
Another Earth themed released, this compilation DVD covers some "green" episodes:
Dora the Explorer – "Bugga Bugga"; Go, Diego, Go! – "Manatee’s Mermaid Rescue!"; The Wonder Pets! – "Save the Tree" / "Save the Elephant"; Yo Gabba Gabba! – "Green"; Blue’s Clues – "What Does Blue Want to Make out of Recycled Things?"; Ni Hao, Kai-lan – "The Place Where We All Live"

The Dora "Bugga Bugga" (from Season 1) isn't a favorite here, but my kids did go a little ga-ga over the Yo Gabba Gabba! episode about taking care of flowers, plans and animals.

Nick Jr Favorites: The First Day of School - (Released 7/13/2010)
The school themed Nick Jr. TV episodes on this 122 minute DVD include:
Dora the Explorer – "First Day of School"; Go, Diego, Go! – "Linda the Librarian"; Blue’s Clues: "Blues Takes You to School"; Wonder Pets – "Off to School" / "Save the Pangaroo"; Ni Hao, Kai-Lan – "Lulu Day"

The Dora "First Day of School" episode is from Season 5 in the television series. Dora accompanies Tico and Boots on an adventure as they travel to school.

Nick Jr Favorites: Happy Halloween - (Releasing 8/24/2010)
Costumes. Candy. Trick-or-treating. All the episodes have Halloween themes:
Dora the Explorer - "Boo!"; Go Diego, Go! - "Freddie the Fruit Bat Saves Halloween!"; Wonder Pets! - "Save the Bat" / "Save the Acting Donkey"; Yo Gabba Gabba - "Halloween"; Blue's Clues - "What is Blue Afraid of?"; Ni Hao, Kai-lan – "Ni Hao, Halloween"

I don't understand what the appeal is (maybe the dressing up aspect or maybe the candy?), but my kids can watch Halloween themed DVDs all year round. When I asked my daughter to pick her favorite DVD from this post, this is the one she chose! It runs 149 spooky minutes.

(DVD Source: review copies provided for free for review purposes by Paramount Home Entertainment and Nickelodeon. 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.)

Full to the Brim - Kid's Book Giveaway List (8/13/10)

2010-08-13T07:00:00.007-05:00

Please check out my other "Full to the Brim" posts as well. Many contests are still underway. I publish "Full to the Brim" every Friday. Thanks for visiting my blog and come back soon!

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

My book giveaways:
Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by Audrey Vernick - Picture Book Giveaway Ends 8/30/10
Fur and Feathers by Janet Halfmann - Picture Book Giveaway Ends 8/30/10
The 39 Clues: Book 1 and Book 2 Giveaway Ends 8/31/10

Other book giveaways:
Polishing Mud Balls - Book Giveaway Ends 8/26/10
Dork Diaries book by Rachel Renee Russell (middle grade)
Baby Loving Mama - Book Giveaway Ends 8/24/10
$25 gift certificate to Little One Books
Book Giveaways - Book Giveaway Ends 8/24/10
Hallmark Recordable Storybook
Becoming Sarah - Book Giveaway Ends 8/15/10
Gossie by Olivier Dunrea
Katie's Literature Lounge - Book Giveaway Ends 8/15/10
Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein
The Children's Book Review - Book Giveaway Ends 8/30/10
Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates
The Children's Book Review - Book Giveaway Ends 8/20/10
Goddess Girls series set (middle grade)
Happy Birthday Author - Book Giveaway Ends 8/15/10
Tropical Rainforests by Seymour Simon
Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves - Book Giveaway Ends 8/15/10
Flix by Tomi Ungerer
Live Learn Love - Book Giveaway Ends 8/15/10
Children of God Storybook Bible
Booking Mama - Book Giveaway Ends 8/21/10
Horrid Henry and the Abominable Snowman
Little Nippers - Book Giveaway Ends 8/31/10
I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self Esteem by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell.

Lee & Low Books: August Giveaway - autographed copy of Elizabeti's School, by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen, illustrated by Christy Hale. Ends 8/31

Fur and Feathers by Janet Halfmann, illustrated by Laurie Allen Klein 8-day blog tour giveaways:
Katie’s Nesting Spot - Ends 8/20
Pudgy Penguins Perusals - Ends 8/19

Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Daniel Jennewein - Blog Giveaways:
Lady V dZine - Ends 8/20
There's a Book - Ends 8/27
Imagination Soup - Ends 8/13
For the Love of Naps - Ends 8/15
5 Vinez Monkeys - Ends 8/25
In Search of Giants - Ends 8/16

Bob Book Giveaways:
Book Giveaways Ends 8/24/10
Guessing All the Way Ends 8/21/10
Pea Pod Squad Stuff - Ends 8/23
She Scribes - Ends 8/18
Chronicle of an Infant Bibliophile - Ends 8/16
There's a Book - Ends 8/28
Mundie Kids - Ends 8/23
Go Graham Go - Ends 8/25
Mama of 3 Munchkins - Ends 8/23
K is for Kindergarten - Ends 8/14
It's Not All Flowers and Sausages - Ends 8/21

Other Book Related Giveaways
Where the Best Books Are - CSN Giveaway Ends 8/18/10
Alexander Taron Black Forest Owl Clock with Moving Eyes
Muse Reviews - DVD Giveaway Ends 8/15/10
The Rosemary Wells Collection 2-DVD set
Kindred Spirit Mommy - DVD Giveaway Ends 8/23/10
The Rosemary Wells Collection 2-DVD set

Have a children's book you are giving away on your blog? Let me know! I'll spread the word here!

Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by Audrey Vernick - Book Review, Giveaway & Buffalo Craft

2010-08-12T06:00:00.000-05:00

I get excited about little things like the librarian previews on Fuse #8 blog, for instance. Last June, as I scrolled through the Fall HarperCollins Preview on Fuse #8, I became even more excited. In the middle of this preview, I noticed a mention of a book called Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? As many of you know, my daughter is starting kindergarten this fall. Upon first sight, I knew this was a book I wanted for our home collection. I promptly bought a copy and, boy oh boy, is it ever adorable! It's the perfect school themed read for all those little kids that will be attending school for the first time and will amuse even those older, experienced kids that are preparing to go back to school once again.

"Some people say kindergarten is no place for a buffalo. How crazy is that? Does your buffalo have a backpack? Well, then. He's definitely ready for kindergarten!"

Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Daniel Jennewein; Balzer + Bray (June 2010); ISBN 9780061762758; 32 pages;
Book Source: Personal copy from our home library

A big, backpack wearing buffalo makes his way to kindergarten for the very first time, walking hand-in-hand with his friend, a little girl in pigtails. His teacher looks slightly worried about her newest bovine student, but buffalo eventually wins her over along with his classmates. Even though he is shy at first and looks different from everyone else, he tries to do his very best. No, he doesn't exactly fit in -- he eats the schools flowers, smashes a little chair, gets carried away painting, and regurgitates his food (ew!) -- but he is a good role model otherwise. Buffalo follows all those important rules of kindergarten like caring and sharing and teaches his classmates that "everyone's special in his or her own way."

What I love about this book is the lighthearted tone and the creative text. It's only natural that some kids will be a little anxious on the first day of school, but Vernick cleverly uses a hilarious and big character to help alleviate their fears. Obviously a buffalo could never attend school, yet Vernick makes it seem that it really could happen, especially since the book addresses the reader personally. This out-of-place character grabs your attention and makes his way into your heart.

Jennewein's illustrative style pairs wonderfully with Vernick's story. He uses a black caran d’ache pencil to create a crayon outline look that's perfect for a book about kindergarten. With muted, soft colors and effective use of white space, the layout of the book is crisp and clean. And, I adore how the comical characters make you smile. I mean, just look at that buffalo -- isn't he the cutest, cuddliest, big and lumbering animal you've ever seen? In my book, he's right up there with the lovable Snuffleupagus from Sesame Street! The page where the buffalo is finger painting always makes my daughter laugh, but I think one of the funniest illustrations is on the title page -- the buffalo is head-butting the bus.

Is my own little buffalo ready for kindergarten? - she says, "Yes! Yes!" Is her mommy ready for her to go to kindergarten? - maybe not quite as ready. But, if a buffalo can manage to adapt to kindergarten, I'm sure my daughter will be just fine, too, so long as she doesn't use her horns in class and takes the book's message to heart!

Related Links:
Audrey Vernick - Author Website
Daniel Jennewein - Illustrator Website
Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? Teacher's Guide and Activities [pdf]
Buffalo Coloring Sheet [pdf]

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After reading the book, every kid will want their own buffalo. At least my daughter did. I know that paper bag crafts are a dime a dozen in the world of preschool and kindergarten art, but really a brown bag makes the perfect the buffalo to go along with this story. It's already brown!! Plus, the bag buffalo is super simple to create, so kindergarteners can have their very own buffalo in a matter of minutes.

Instructions: Using the illustrations in the book as a guideline, I drew a 5 inch wide buffalo face on a piece of copy paper, complete with horns and ears. My daughter colored in the face and added her own personal touches (her buffalo is a girl with a hair bow). Using a glue stick, she glued the face onto the bottom of the bag. We cut out two arms with notched hooves out of brown construction paper and attached them to the side of the bag with glue. We also cut the tail out of brown construction paper and glued it to the back of the bag.

There you have it -- a brown bag buffalo puppet ready to go to kindergarten. Hmmm...the only thing missing is a blue backpack!

HarperCollins has kindly offered a giveaway. Enter to win a hardcover copy of Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten?

**Plus, as an additional incentive, the winner of this Brimful Curiosities contest will also be entered (along with me) into a contest for a grand prize -- if this post is chosen over of all the posts in the blog tour, the winner and I each get to pick a personalized pose for the buffalo which Daniel Jennewein will illustrate and then print onto a book bag. How cool is that?

To enter, leave any comment relevant to this post. (Or amuse me with a comment about one of your experiences with an animal in school or homeschool. Any buffaloes visit by chance?)

• 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, August 30th, 2010 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! or subscribe by email or RSS reader

A Mommy's Adventures hosts the "stART" meme (Story + Art) each week. Hope Is the Word hosts a Read Aloud Thursday link-up as well.

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 - A Little Unexpected Sun

2010-08-11T00:00:00.000-05:00

A sunflower I didn't plant in my flower pot. Guess our friendly chipmunk neighbor thought I needed a little more happiness in my life. Either that or he's trying to apologize for being such a little stinker. All that dirt alongside the pot -- that's his handy work.

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

Fur and Feathers by Janet Halfmann - Book Review and Giveaway

2010-08-10T00:00:00.016-05:00

Blustery winds and lightning made the last few storms that passed through our area a little scary for my children. Sometimes, to help ease fears, we pull out books and read them snuggled close together during a storm. But, what would happen if those same storms made their way into a child's dreams? Janet Halfmann channels a child's creativity and spins an imaginative and informative tale about animal coats lost in a storm in her latest picture book, Fur and Feathers.

Fur and Feathers by Janet Halfmann, illustrated by Laurie Allen Klein Sylvan Dell Publishing (August 2010); ISBN 9781607180869; 32 pages;
Book Source: Paperback review copy from publisher

"I can make new coats for all of you, just like your old ones," she exclaims. "Form a line and tell me what you need."

A featherless duck? A bear without fur? In Fur and Feathers, a little girl named Sophia falls asleep during a storm while her mother reads a counting book about animals. The wind and animals enter her dreams, the animals get caught in a swirling storm and the wind blows their skin coverings right off. The duck loses all its feathers, the polar bear loses its fluffy white fur and the snake's scales fly away. Sophia must come to their rescue. At first she tries to dress them in her own clothing, but the animals agree that it isn't a practical solution (a diving suit looks pretty silly on a portly pig and the porcupine closely resembles Paddington from the classic books). Luckily for the animals, Sophia comes up with a better idea. She grabs her grandmother's sewing basket and, one by one, she proceeds to craft a new coat for each animal, adding her own special touches as she finishes each coat. The author leaves the end of the book to the reader's own imagination - was it truly a dream?

Sophia, the main character, uses all her creative energies coming up with appropriate coats for the animals. She sticks pins and needles on the porcupine, uses a little green slime for the frog, and covers a fish in sequins. Illustrator Laurie Allen Klein certainly must have enjoyed creating all the animal artwork in this fun book. One page spread shows 26 animals without coverings standing in line, starkly contrasting a colorful ladybug with brilliant and starry new wing covers. (There's a nice little puzzle on that page, by the way. Bet you can't figure out the names of all the animals pictured from from A to Z...we surely can't!) We laughed at the silly clothing on the animals, enjoyed the illustrator's hints about what animal would get a new coat next, and loved the proud and adorable expressions on the animals' faces as they regain their new, improved coverings.

Fur and Feathers releases today (August 10, 2010) and certainly sparks the imagination. My kids thought about all the household items they could use on different animals if they needed a new coat and we had fun discussing the differences between the animal coverings. In fact, like other Sylvan Dell books, this fictional story contains an impressive educational component. The "For Creative Minds” section in the back of the book covers basic scientific classification. Young children (preschoolers through early elementary) can learn how to categorize animals in classes by observing their different skin coverings (Mammals, Fish, Reptiles, Birds, Insects, Gastropods, Amphibians). Teachers, parents, and homeschoolers can find free online educational resources to accompany this book on the publisher's website.

Related Links:
Publisher's website: http://www.sylvandellpublishing.com/FurFeathers.php
Janet Halfmann - Author Website
Laurie Allen Klein - Illustrator Blog
Utah Education Network - Animal Coverings Lesson Plan

Readers might also enjoy: Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett

Fur and Feathers inspired us to create our own animal classification story stretcher and craft (for other educational activities view the extensive Teaching Activities guidebook):

Grouping Stuffed Animals - After reading the book, we gathered up all our stuffed animals and grouped them into their appropriate classes. The mammal group (71 total stuffed animals) by far surpassed all the other groups. Birds (7 total) came in a distant second. Even though we used the chart in the back of the book, one animal, the octopus, had us stumped as to what group it belonged. And, we ended up forming an entirely new category - Monsters!

Animal Covering Craft - My daughter decided to try her hand at providing a bunny with a coat of fur. She searched our home and decided that the dryer lint would work well for covering a rabbit. She drew a picture of a rabbit and glued the lint to cover her picture. Together we researched how to classify a rabbit and included this information on her craft page. (She modeled her drawing after her favorite stuffed animal, a stuffed rabbit that goes by the name of Summerfield.) This project would be so much fun to do with a classroom. The students could combine their projects to make a touch and feel animal classification book.

Sylvan Dell has kindly offered a giveaway. Enter to win a choice of a hardcover copy of Fur and Feathers personalized by Janet & Laurie (ship US only) or 3-month e-book license for all of Sylvan Dell Publishing’s 55 books (international)

To enter, leave any comment relevant to this post. (Or answer the following question: Name your favorite animal and let me know what materials you would use for its covering, if it asked you to make a new one.)

• 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 for hardback book, International for 3-month e-book license
• Contest ends on Monday, August 30th, 2010 at 11:59 PM CST.
• Winner will be chosen at random and sent an email notification.

Aug. 5 Cafe of Dreams ; Aug. 6 Katie’s Nesting Spot ; Aug. 8 She Is too Fond of Books ; Aug. 9 Pudgy Penguins Perusals ; Aug. 10 Brimful Curiosities ; Aug. 11 Outnumbered 3-1 ; Aug. 12 Lori Calabrese ; Aug. 13 Write for a 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.)

Back to School & Some New Books

2010-08-08T21:30:00.012-05:00

I hate to talk about the end of summer already but I must face the facts -- August is here, the back-to-school sales are in full swing and (*sniff*) my daughter will soon start attending school full-time next month. Fortunately, she is super excited and seems ready for all the new experiences ahead. Yet even though she attended school twice weekly last year, she's still a little nervous about that first day. There are so many things are running through her mind right now. Will she like her teacher? Will she meet some nice friends? Will she remember her school bus number? Will she miss home? It is my job as a parent to make sure she is prepared, feels at ease, and is ready to go back to school.

TwitterMoms and HarperCollins want bloggers to share their tips for getting kids ready to go back to school. Here are a few ideas from those of us in the Brimful home:

1. Shop for supplies together - We've reviewed the school supply list from my daughter's school and we've been hitting all the sales together, buying the needed items one at a time as they go on sale. My daughter likes putting all her supplies in her backpack and crossing all the items off on the list.

2. Plan the first day of school outfit - I always loved having a special outfit for the first day of school and plan to continue the tradition with my kids.

3. Learn teacher's name / meet classmate(s) - This year my daughter's teacher's name is fairly difficult to pronounce so we've been practicing it. My daughter was worried she wasn't going to know anyone in her class, so I asked around and discovered that she is already friends with at least one girl in her class. She feels a lot better about going to school because she knows she'll see a familiar face.

4. Make sure all vaccinations are up-to-date - My daughter missed her last yearly check-up because she was ill. This summer I scheduled a special appointment so she can get the necessary shots required for her age.

5. Revisit concepts learned last year in school - Even though my daughter is constantly learning from our daily activities, I'm still planning to sit down with her a few times before school and quickly revisit the core concepts from last year. This will give her confidence as she begins school and help get into the school mind set.

6. Remind about safety - A short discussion about strangers is always a good idea. Also, we'll once again review important things to remember like our phone number and address.

7. Organize and start routines - Since I stay at home, our schedule is fairly relaxed. A couple weeks before school, we plan to start with earlier bedtimes so that when the time comes my daughter will be getting enough sleep to cope with long school days. Also, an organized home helps alleviate stress. It's important to establish good habits and make sure to put everything back in its proper place. We want to avoid those mad dashes in the mornings!

8. Make the most of the remaining summer days and approach school with a positive attitude - We're planning to go on a few more family trips and spend as much spend together as possible. Hopefully our fun summer will lead to an equally fun school year!

And, of course, we plan to read some books about back to school. I've started a list of some new reads perfect for this time of the year. It is not representative of all the new selections and I've only read a few so far on the list so I can't guarantee quality, but if you know of others, please do let me know. (Watch for upcoming reviews on Brimful Curiosities of some of the titles mentioned.)

New 2010 books for Kindergarten Aged Children:
Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Daniel Jennewein
Kindergarten Diary by Antoinette Portis
Adventure Annie Goes to Kindergarten by Toni Buzzeo, illustrated by Amy Wummer
Kindergarten Cat by J. Patrick Lewis, illustrated by Ailie Busby
Kindergarten Day USA and China: A Flip-Me-Over Book by Trish Marx
My First Day of School by Nancy Skarmeas, illustrated by Meredith Johnson
Eliza's Kindergarten Pet by Alice B. McGinty, illustrated by Nancy Speir
Mr. President Goes to School by Rick Walton, illustrated by Brad Sneed

Other New 2010 School Themed Picture Books:
Dotty by Erica S. Perl, illustrated by Julia Denos
Potty Animals: What to Know When You've Gotta Go! by Hope Vestergaard, illustrated by Valeria Petrone
The Exceptionally, Extraordinarily Ordinary First Day of School by Albert Lorenz
How Rocket Learned to Read by Tad Hills
There's No Place Like School: Classroom Poems by Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by Jane Manning
This School Year Will Be the BEST! by Kay Winters, illustrated by Renee Andriani
First Grade Jitters by Robert Quackenbush, illustrated by Yan Nascimbene
Rules for School by Alec Greven, illustrated by Kei Acedera
A Pirate's Guide to First Grade by James Preller, illustrated by Greg Ruth
Ruby's School Walk by Kathryn White, illustrated by Miriam Latimer
My New Preschool: An Interactive Playbook by Moira Butterfield and Estelle Corke
Junkyard Wonders by Patricia Polacco

Back to School Book Lists for Young Children:
NYPL Back to School Recommended Reading
Allen County Public Library - Books About Starting School
Back to School Booklist compiled by ReadWriteThink [pdf]
SLJ Go-To Books for the First Day of School

Enter the HarperCollins Back to School Sweepstakes for a chance to win the following books: Amelia Bedelia’s First Day of School, First Grade Jitters, Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten?, Kindergarten Diary, One Smart Cookie, Read All About It!, Rules for School, and There’s No Place Like School : http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/parents/gamesandcontests/contests/backtoschool/

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and HarperCollins blogging program. By posting, I've also entered for a chance to receive a HarperCollins book set. If you'd like to participate in this TwitterMoms program, find more information here.”

Full to the Brim - Kid's Book Giveaway List (8/7/10) Late Edition

2010-08-07T10:00:00.001-05:00

July Contest Winners

2010-08-06T08:00:00.001-05:00

Sorry, no Full to the Brim today...look for a late edition on Saturday morning (8/7/10).

I have a few winners to announce this morning from some July Contests on Brimful Curiosities. Look for more fun giveaways to enter next week and don't forget the 39 Clues Giveaway currently open for comments. I used Random.org to pick the winners and all winners have been contacted by email. If you are a winner you have 72 hours to get back to me before another winner is chosen. (Click on the image to enlarge the Random.org numbers.)

Despicable Me Book Prize Pack

The winner is Sue (comment #19).

Got Books? Summer Giveaway.

The winner is andrea (comment #140).

LMNO Peas by Keith Baker - Book Review & Pea People Craft

2010-08-05T16:00:00.000-05:00

"We are peas--alphabet peas! We work and play in the ABCs."

LMNO Peas by Keith Baker Beach Lane Books (April 2010); ISBN 9781416991410; 40 pages;
Book Source: Copy from local library

A versatile and yummy vegetable, the little round green pea is a favorite in my home. My kids gobble up peas like candy and like rolling them around on their plates. Now, thanks to author/illustrator Keith Baker, peas have another useful purpose -- they do a pretty decent job teaching the ABCs and LMNO peas. Little green peas of all sorts of different backgrounds and occupations star in this new and creative alphabet book. The peas are astronauts and artists, dancers, hikers, parachutists and even READERS! Each page shows a large letter of the alphabet swamped by tiny peas performing different jobs that start with the same letter. For instance, the peas surrounding letter C are climbers, campers and a clown. The minimal text rhymes, but really the cute, detailed illustrations of all the peas are what makes this alphabet book unique and a worth-while addition to all alphabet book collections. And, to add to the fun, Baker has hidden a tiny ladybug on each page spread.

As far as alphabet books go, this is certainly a winner. I especially like the title name "LMNO peas" because kids often slur those letters together when singing the alphabet. It's nice to be able to point them all out separately right on the front cover and spend a little time going over this part of the alphabet right away before reading the book. Little details like an Elvis pea make this a fun read for adults, too.

Related Links:
Keith Baker - Author Website

❖❖❖❖❖❖ stART Craft - Pea People ❖❖❖❖❖❖

I saw a really cute bead and string happy girl doll craft on ArtMind a month ago and thought that the design would make perfect pea people. We made some green beads out of green play dough and let them dry for a few days. Then I began the craft with my kids. Unfortunately I ended up assembling the dolls completely by myself because the small size and skill level required makes the project too hard for young children. Here is a picture of the completed dolls.

I decided to simplify the project and change some of the materials to make it easier for my kindergarten-aged daughter to make her own pea person. It takes about 10 minutes to assemble one and the process requires only minimal adult assistance. Surprisingly, we all prefer the pipe cleaner pea people over the string dolls because they are posable!

Materials List:
Scissors
1 and a half Green Pipe Cleaners
5 Pony Beads (4 Green, 1 Pink)
1 Wooden Bead
Felt
Black Sharpie Marker
Green Crayola Marker
Glue Dots
Tacky Glue

The kids are really enjoying playing with their pea family. While my daughter and I worked on the pea people, my toddler son played with frozen peas and filled in a big letter "P."

A Mommy's Adventures hosts the "stART" meme (Story + Art) each week. Hope Is the Word hosts a Read Aloud Thursday link-up as well.

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.)