Spectacular Southwest

This summer I've ended up having a couple of big trips for work that took me towards the west coast. I had to get to New Mexico by the middle of August, so I took a detour to Colorado first to visit the Rocky Mountain Mama and her family! I brought the boys some gifts. Super Sweet S is going into first grade and is apparently literally reading everything! "Titi," he says, "Do you want me to read the catalog about Halloween Costumes?"

His younger brother, Younger Brother E, is also obsessed with reading books as well. I brought a whole load of books with me as my, "Thank you for having me in your house this weekend gift." Among other books, I brought the boys a new series of comic chapter books, The Dodge Ball Chronicles! Apparently they loved them!

After visiting the southwest, Colorado and New Mexico, I decided I needed to search for my souvenirs for my nephew and Little Moon (who I would be visiting for the second part of my west coast tour after New Mexico). I found some great wildlife books. I found a board book about animals in the southwest, and a beautiful photography book of baby animals from this area. I also discovered a new series of non fiction books from Farcountry- So I had to get, The Rocky Mountain Babies.

I would be remiss if I didn't also pick up a story about the Day of the Dead after being in the Southwest. Luckily I found one by Tony Johnston and Jeanette Winters.

As I made my way from Colorado to New Mexico and then on to Seattle, I both dropped books off and picked new ones up to bring with me as souvenirs of my travels!

Hope your summer has been filled with travels and books! What books have you picked up as souvenirs to help you and the ones you love remember your adventures!









The nephew- Sending Back to Canada

The First Birthday: Some Suggestions

As I made the list of books for 2 years olds- I realized I have a bunch of friends this spring who have babies are turning one! Let me just suggest a few winners that my dear little man, my nephew loved on his first birthday.

Busy Doggies. It is actually a whole series of books, A Busy Book Series, that talks about busy animals. Busy Chickens, Busy Horsies, Busy Barnyard Animals.

Off We Go by Jane Yolen, is a beautiful, sing-song book of animals going to grandma's house. Very sweet, very fun.

Choo Choo Cickety Clack By Margaret Mayo, is a fun rhythmic text about trains. Big winner with the train obsessed nephew!

Have fun with the new reads!

Perfect For a Toddler

The day I left for Montreal, to go to my nephew’s birthday weekend extravaganza, I was talking with my friend- Auntie KB- about all the ways we were going to celebrate his birthday. “What an aunt you are! I need some suggestions for my 2 year old nephew!” Did I have some suggestions for her!

My nephew absolutely fell in love the Van Fleet Books. Dogs was his favorite but he had, Cats, Tails, Alphabet and The Fuzzy Yellow Ducklings! They have been a big hit with my nephew ever since he was a baby.

We also loved to capitalize on his love for the ABC's by getting many ABC books! One that we all especially love is, Creature ABC. Not only did it help to develop his letter recognition, phonemic awareness, but it also contributed to his knowledge of animal vocabulary.

There is this adorable interactive series called, Little Drivers. Both my nephew and Baby C have loved these books to death! Literally! They feature kids, of different ethnicity, driving the different kinds of vehicles. You can actually "put the driver" into the truck or airplane as you read! Different books feature different themes such as: emergency vehicles or transportation in cities.

Finally my last suggestions for toddlers is my nephew's latest favorite, Lost and Found by Olivers Jeffers. My friend, The Rocky Mountain Mama, introduced me to this series. Her two boys LOVE this author and have enjoy reading his different books. This has been my nephew's latest "go to" book to read on his own.

Hope this helps the gift giving and reading process! Happy reading to you all!

Text Sets: Fiction and Non Fiction

What would be a great topic to pair together two different genres- to read about and enjoy?

Snow! Yes, we have had our bit of snow in the Northeast this year. But kids love snow. We love to play in it and we love learn about it. What an interesting phenomenon that happens in some parts of the world!

Lester Laminack has a fun, fiction book about snow called, Snow Day.

The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter's Wonder by Mark Cassino is a wonderful non fiction book that helps engage the reader in the explanation and exploration of snow.

Pick a topic to explore- gather up your fiction and non fiction texts to explore, enjoy and engage the readers in your life in the mysteries and wonderment about the world! Kids have different entry points into reading and feeling connected to topics. Sometimes they find it through fiction and sometimes non fiction. Why not help them make the connection and read both!

Enjoy!

Read stories again and again looking for the facts!

In many of the fiction stories we read with kids, there are facts buried inside. Many writers do extensive research on their topics as they write stories to reach our hearts. Read books like, Stellaluna, Swimmy, and Henry and Mudge and The Cold Shivers. Question each other and the stories and ask, "What in this book could really be true?" Do some research on your own. Seek and find the answers.

See what in the book is fact and what is fiction.

Some books will include an epilogue or an introduction that describes the non fiction information in the text. Read all the parts of the book. Learn about the world in fiction as well as non fiction. Question the stories and see where those questions lead you.

Read the World with Babies

When Brand New Baby S was born, I couldn't resist getting him, To Be a Kid! I love books for babies that have babies and kids from all of the globe. Celebrating the diversity and beauty in our world- yet celebrating the common links we have as children and people in the world.

Another favorite gift I like to get for people is Mem Fox's book, Whoever You Are. That is another wonderful celebration of childhood and understanding one another.

At my nephew's daycare, each birthday one of his fellow classmates have, my sister and I get a book for the daycare to celebrate their day! I bought, One World, One Day for them. A beautiful book of photographs form National Geographic, documenting a day in the life of kids all over the world.

When I was growing up, I remember reading, People by Peter Spier.

Celebrate the world! Celebrate life! Enjoy the reads.

Get Ready For Your Trip

Auntie ME, Uncle B, and Baby C, just got back from Paris! Once a year they travel as family to France. Auntie ME has work, and Uncle B and Baby C just play all day!


Before their trip, though, Baby C had been reading up for his third trip across the Atlantic. He had a couple of non-fiction books like, Amazing Buildings that he read with his mom and dad. He also had a couple of fiction books like, Adele and Simon. Guess where they visit? Paris! Reading each of these books, made a nice little text set for Baby C! Learning and remembering all about different places and things that he would see once again on their trip. Both types of books, fiction and non fiction, provide a rich experience. He can as well, retell and read both types of books to you!

What a nice way to get ready for travel- wherever you go- whether it be another country or city- the zoo or a museum.

Study up! Read up! Get yourselves already to explore. When you come home, you'll be able to talk and remember some beautiful family memories.

Give a Poem and Say, "I Love You"

I love reading poetry! I love sharing poems with kids- all year long. I love giving the gift a poem. Yes just one, wrapped with a beautiful ribbon. One year I gave AB a poem that I had written for her birthday. She hanged it on her bulletin board above her desk. Just imagine snuggling up with your little person and reading, Honey I Love, By Eloise Greenfield. What a delicious moment to share! For my brother's wedding a read a poem, by Maya Angelou. I gave him and his wife that poem, in a frame. Mentor Mommy S and her family send cards once a year in December or January. They always include an inspirational quote instead of a holiday greeting. It feels so poetic- celebrating important words! Baby C's Nanas send a card with a poem. I remember one year they sent a Mary Oliver poem to everyone. What a gift!

I also love to read an anthology. Some many wonderful books with beautiful themes for kids. Maybe you want a theme about the Earth. I just got for my little fellow, The Tree That Built Time. It comes with CD so he can both read the book and listen to the poetry. It is truly a beautiful collection. You may want to just read an anthology by one author like Georgia Heard's amazing book, Creatures of Earth, Sea and Sky. What a love and reverence for nature these poems hold. Her poems will fill you with love! You may want an anthology that includes poems, songs, raps, and celebrates the spoken word- Hip Hop Speaks To Children is a beautiful one to share with those you love (it also includes a CD inside)

Make this a poetic year! Give a gift to your love ones and make it a poem. Celebrate the written word. Celebrate the spoken word. Celebrate poetry all year long!

Other great poets and poems for kids of different ages:
Angela Johnson: The Other Side
Janet Wong: A Suitcase of Seaweed, Night Garden
Naomi Shihab Nye: Honeybee, Salting the Ocean, 19 Varieties of A Gazelle, And an edited volume from poets from around the globe: This Same Sky
Nikki Giovanni: Spin a Soft Black Song, The Sun is So Quiet
Georgia Heard: This Place I know: Poems of Comfort, Songs of Myself
Eloise Greenfield:Nathaniel Talking, In the Land of Words, Friendly Four