Things to Read - On the Bookshelf (Kids' Reading, June 2015)

1. Minions: The Junior Novel - All three of my kids are somewhat Minion obsessed. I don't quite understand, I mean they're funny enough as co-stars, but I can't imagine a whole movie of just Minions. But F read the book and loved it. So who am I to judge?

2. Meet the Dullards - After I read about the Dullards on Silver Shoes and Rabbit Holes, I immediately reserved a copy from our library. And it did not disappoint. Especially when the Dullards LITERALLY watch paint dry. My kids could not stop laughing.

3. History Safari - My mom mailed History Safari to the kids after discovering it in a thrift store. And since then it has become T's favorite book. I'm not sure why (he's too young for the text), but the pictures are very detailed, so he enjoys looking at them and asking us questions about ancient times.

4. WALT DISNEY'S STORYLAND : 55 Favorite Stories Adapted from Walt Disney Films - I loved this book as a child. And even with a battered covered and destroyed spine, my kids seem to enjoy the old stories as much as I did. Davy Crockett. Pinocchio. Paul Bunyan. So much fun to discover them all again.

Things to Read - On the Bookshelf (2nd/3rd Grade Edition, May 2015)

I asked the girls to review their recent reads -

1. A Single Shard - F's review: I really enjoyed a single shard. The plot was incredible, and the ending has a twist. The main character, Tree-ear, is an orphan who lives with Crane-man under a bridge. Than Tree-ear gets a job working for a very talented potter named Min. There is a ton of adventure and tragedy, but not too sad. The book is incredible. I recommend it to kids 9-100.

2. Brown Girl Dreaming - F's review: I LOVED this book! The poems are incredible, and inspiring. It is the story of the author, Jackie Woodson, growing up. She describes the land and sadness of the time when blacks and whites were segregated. There are poems about her older brother and sister, and her younger brother. I recommend it to kids 9-100.

3. Superheroes (Amelia Rules!) - F's review: I really enjoyed this book. It is part of a series of books called Amelia Rules!. As you have probably guessed, it is about a girl named Amelia. This specific one is about when her club, G.A.S.P. (gathering of awesome super pals,) becomes famous. Everybody is trying out to be part of the team! I recommend this hilarious comic to kids 8 to 100.

4. The Baby-Sitters Club Graphic Novels - P's review: I like these books because they are interesting. They are also funny.

5. Garfield Sings for His Supper - F's review: I really love Garfield comics! This fat cat will bring a smile to your face when you read his books! It is about his adventures with his owner, the household dog, Odie, and the owner's girlfriend. It has everything from camping to candy! I recommend to kids 1 day old to 100 years old.

Things to Read - On the Bookshelf (2nd/3rd Grade Edition)

I'm feeling lazy, so I asked the girls to write about their recent reads. Don't these books sound awesome?

1. A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story

P's review - I love this book because it tells you about the lost boys of Sudan. Salva, the main character, was from the Dinka tribe. His story all started when he heard gun shots at school. The war had come to his town. He had to run for miles to get away from the fighting - all the way from Sudan to Ethiopa, which takes a very long time. On the way, he loses his uncle, who is his only remaining family. When he got to Ethiopia he lived in a refugee camp. After about six years in the refugee camp, everyone was kicked out and had to walk hundreds of miles again. This time to Kenya. Months later Salva was at a refugee camp in Kenya when someone taught him how to read. They picked some boys to go to America and he was one of them. In America,he started a family . He also started a charity to build wells for Sudan. When Salva built a school and well for his enemy tribe, the Nuer, everyone was surprised. And that is the story of Salva.

2. The Fourteenth Goldfish

P's review - I really like this book so far. The book is about a girl with a cranky old grandpa, who is a scientist. The grandpa is looking for a cure to make people young again. And then he actually turns young again. So when a thirteen year old boy comes to the girl's house, she doesn't believe he is her grandpa. Though eventually she believes him because he is so cranky. So far I like the book.

3. Under the Egg

F's review - Under the Egg is incredible so far. It is a mystery about a 13 year old girl who lives in Manhattan on her Grandfather's legacy of 375 dollars. Her grandfather has recently died, leaving her basically on her own. She still lives with her mother, but her mother stopped living in the real world a long time ago. As Jack, her grandfather, would say, "As the years passed, your mother started to prefer the world inside her head instead of the world outside, until she didn't even think the real world existed." Then the girl finds a painting that she thinks could change her life forever. I've only read this far in the book, so I don't know the end yet. I highly recommend it to kids 9-13.

4. Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes

F's review - This book is hard to explain. Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes is a book with complex words and an intense plot. It is about a blind 11 year old thief, who only steals to survive. He has an incredible sense of smell, and astounding hearing. He lives in a small port town, but even when he sees a giant fish, he is shocked. Would you not be shocked if you came across a giant dogfish the size of your boat when traveling to rescue a kingdom who's children are locked up and enslaved? I'm pretty sure you would be shocked. His loyal companion, Sir Tode, part cat, part horse, part man, is a knight... by default. A local dragon happened to come into Sir Tode's farm yard, eat some sheep, and choke. The next morning, when the local neighbors saw the dead dragon and Sir Tode sitting next to it, they assumed he had killed him and demanded he be knighted. And one day, while on a mission, he was fighting with a local cat while riding his noble horse in front of a old witch's home. Anyway, long story short, they woke up the witch, she cast a spell on the cat, the horse, and Sir Tode, combining them all into one odd creature, and preventing the weird creature from dying forever. So, when he meets Peter, he is hundreds of years old. Yet he looks shockingly young for his age. I recommend this book to kids 8-11.

Things to Read - The Book With No Pictures

We don't read many new picture books anymore. The girls seem to have outgrown them and T's the kind of kid who always wants to read the same books over and over. But we bought this a few months ago and the kids still can't stop laughing. All three kids. Even the nine year old.

What about you? Any funny children's books to recommend?

Things to Read - Four Children's Books Written By DC High School Students

(A photo of some of the books' teenage authors.)

Lately, I've been getting lots of "junk" blog-related email, asking (approximately) "could you please write a free exclusive blog post for our for-profit organization? For your time, you will get nothing whatsover." Ugh.

Luckily, every once in awhile, a wonderful reader email appears in my inbox.

A few weeks ago, a reader reached out to me about a program called Reach Incorporated that launched in 2010 to combat DC's literacy crisis (85% of DC public school students enter 9th grade below grade level). Through the Reach program teachers train high school students to become paid tutors for grade school kids. Sounds pretty great, right?

Even better, through its summer program, Reach works with DC high school students to author children's books. (Did you know that only 3% of children’s books feature characters of color, and only 1.8% of children’s books are written by authors of color? Pretty sad statistic.). For the book program, Reach split teens into groups of 3-4 students and paired each team with a Reach staff member and an illustrator to help craft and write the story. Four wonderful children's books resulted from their efforts.

Reach Incorporated sent us review copies of all four books (which are available for purchase here) and both the kids and I were pretty impressed, especially since each book involves some sort of lesson or moral that works great for the 2nd/3rd grade crowd (though T loved them too, so the age range is pretty flexible). Our reviews are below:



The Airplane Effect
This was probably my favorite of the books, it involves a boy going through chemo meeting a new friend. And I really like how the authors tackled a hard to talk about topic, while still creating a story that was upbeat enough for young children.

T [age 4.5] - It was good, the story made me think about watching TV all the time, but that TV must get boring at the hospital. Maybe they don't have Rescue Bots? I also really liked the dances! Can you read it again please?

me - Um, we have three more to review, how about another book?

T [age 4.5] - But this one is SO GOOD!



The Gloomy Light
This was the most bizarre of the books as it involved a llama/frog friendship, aliens, and a new baby. Truthfully, it seemed somewhat random, but the kids really liked it. So these high school authors obviously "get" what 2nd graders want.

P [age 7] - I liked it, lots of my stories have aliens too. I wish I could have read more about the llama's adventures in space.



Trio+1
This book involves a boy who feels like an outsider, so he comes up with a plan to break up a trio of three popular best friends by creating contests that have them all compete against each other. Luckily, his plan fails. And in the end everyone becomes friends.

F [age 8] - It was really good. It begins with a guy who is lonely, which everyone is sometimes, but then he realizes he has friends, he just didn't know it.

T [age 4.5] - I think it was good.

P [age 7] - I liked it. The cool boys were actually good guys.

T [age 4.5] - How did they get to have contests without asking grown-ups for permission?

P [age 7] - I liked the end when they all discover the truth at the end and all become friends.



One Lonely Camel
So this book involved a "rapping" camel trying to make friends at his new home, a zoo. It's pretty funny, in a good way.

P [age 7] - I liked how all the zoo animals had a story, but I wondered where the zookeepers were.

F [age 8] - I wish we had learned more about what happened to the camel's family, but all in all I liked it.

T [age 4.5] - I'm glad everyone became the camel's friend.

Things to Read and Do - Zoopossible! Royal Kingdom

When my friend Lola told me about an awesome-sounding children's book she authored, my immediate response was "I want a copy! I want to review it for the blog! This sounds fantastic!" And then I became nervous, what if my kids didn't like it? How awkward. My fears were not alleviated when I told F I received a new book for us to read. Without even glancing at the book in my hand, F declared "um, mom, I'm kind of into picking out my own books now. sorry." So I moved on to my ever-skeptical second child who answered my inquiry by stating, "um, well, I guess. What's it about? Can I play wii instead?"

As you can tell, operation book review was NOT going well. Then, FINALLY, P actually looked at the book. Still hesitant, she stated, "this looks sort of cool, can we read it together?"

Luckily, as soon as we started reading, the MAGIC KICKED IN!! The plot, which involves a zoo kingdom, an animal lover prince, and an arranged marriage with a mall-loving (rather awful) princess is funny in a way that both parents and kids can appreciate (thank you, Lola!!). But here's the really cool part - every few pages the books asks children to draw something mentioned in the story. For example, early in the book the prince discusses a hurt "Snoozfly." And then a blank page asks children to doodle/describe the injured creature.

"But what does a snoozfly look like, mom?", asked P.

"Well, it's up to you," I replied. "How do you think a snoozfly would look?"

Within seconds, P had relocated the markers to our living room and was busy creating a new species.

And so went our afternoon, alternating between reading and arting, as P became both reader and illustrator for "Zoopossible! Royal Kingdom."

I have to admit, I think Lola's whole idea of an interactive book is sort of brilliant. Sometimes when I read to my kids, I wonder "are they even listening?" It can be like talking to a void. But with Zoopossible, kids actively engage with a book. And, more importantly, they WANT to do so.

The book is available on Amazon, click here to check it out (and/or purchase a copy).

*Zoopossible! is somewhat long and contains some large words, so I'd probably recommend it for children over 5.

Things to Read - Chapter Book Reviews from a 1st Grader

F basically spent the whole summer reading, which isn't surprising if you know her. I always try to encourage my kids to read, if only because I like to read and, like most people, i want my kids to be like me, but F's the only one who really seems to NEED books, as in she has a hard time getting through the days without one. Sometimes I wish she'd look around more, enjoy the moment, actually PLAY at a playground. But she's very similar to me in her bookishness, which I recognize is not a necessarily a good thing. Maybe that's why I spent the whole summer road tripping from place to place, forcing us to live our own experiences instead of reading about other people's. Embrace life and all the other cliches. By us, I mean F and me, because P and T always embrace moments - sometimes strangling them to death, but still they're IN IT, whereas F and I always sit on the outside and watch. When you first have kids you think you can control so much, but in the end they are who they are. I'm not sure if it's easier or harder when that means they're almost exactly like you.

Anyways, I asked F to write up a few reviews of her favorite chapter books, here's the scoop:

The Boxcar Children - I liked that they finish the mysteries. And I like that they take care of each other - Henry works for money, Violet takes care of Benny. (Click here to see the books).

Judy Moody - She's really funny. She wanted an extreme pet from the rainforest, they ran out of sloths so she got a venus flytrap and her brother, Stink, almost killed it. (Click here to see the books).

Anna Hibiscus - She is really kind and fixes problems when she makes mistakes. And she lives in Africa. (Click here to see the books).

Junie B. Jones - She is really funny - hilarious. Instead of saying "it's okay" she gives people a pat on the head and tells them they can't do things as well as her. (Click here to see the books).

Any recommendations for other good chapter book series for younger readers? We could use some new material.

BOOK LINKS:

*An election map by book, check out what both parties are reading. This is pretty cool.

*100 Best Children's Chapter Books of All Time.

Things to Read - Kids' Books on Colonial Life and George Washington

In sticking with the Colonial theme of this summer, I decided to check out some books from the library on life in the 1700s and our founding fathers. Most of the books I found on daily life were a bit lengthy for my kids, but we found A LOT of children's books on George Washington. Here's what we thought:

BOOKS ON GEORGE:



George Washington's Teeth - This book is funny and it rhymes (a win win in my world). Plus (sadly) it's somewhat historically accurate (poor George was toothless). And it makes my kids want to brush their teeth, over and over again. So, in summary, I'd call this book a "sure thing."



Take the Lead George Washington - My kids really like this book, probably because learning about George's childhood makes him seem more relatable. And the illustrations are quite good. It is somewhat lengthy though, so I often start skipping words/sentences/pages while reading it to them. The author paints a nice portrait of George's younger years without going into his presidency (the book ends when George is still establishing himself as a surveyor).



Farmer George Plants a Nation - This is one of my favorites, as it ties in nicely with our trips to Mt. Vernon, where all the guides like to tell you about George's innovation as a farmer. But it too is somewhat wordy, we tend to skip over a lot.



George Did It - Apparently George Washington DID NOT want to be president, but the people pretty much demanded it of him. So this whole story deals with him accepting his fate. I think the point is to explain to kids how everyone needs to face their fears in order to succeed. A decent message. It also explains how pivotal a role George played in shaping how we view the president's position (even in modern day), such as how to address a president and how a president should dress.

BOOKS ON COLONIAL LIFE:



Colonial Voices: Hear Them Speak - This book - which describes the jobs of various townspeople, while debating whether or not America should go to war with England - uses old fashioned words and dialogue, making it tricky for younger kids. But, oddly, my kids seemed to really like it, even if they had problems understanding it (they asked a ton of questions), I think they particularly enjoyed learning about all of the different jobs (like midwives and tavern owners).



How to Be a Revolutionary War Solider - T loves this book, though most of it goes over his head. Tons of interesting (somewhat depressing) facts presented in short paragraphs with lots of illustrations make this book readable for kids of all ages.

Things to Read - Blexbolex's Seasons

We often check out Blexbolex's picture book, Seasons, from the library. The kids like the pictures and it seems to help in teaching them new words. Yet, probably because of the lack of prose, I never paid very close attention to the book as a whole.

The other day, when I finally took the time to peruse every page, I was awed by how the book tells a story through illustration. Rather than divide itself into four sections, the book goes back and forth through several iterations of the seasons, incorporating highlights (harvest, flowering, discovery, picnic, abundance) and lowlights (allergy, traffic jam, torrent, sunburn, avalanche). A gorgeous diary of the passing of time. Now that I've finally taken notice of it, I'm a little obsessed.

Things to Read and Do - Outer Space Books and Activities

Since I've spent the week talking about planets and rocket ships, I figured now is the perfect time to discuss our favorite space books and activities.

THINGS TO DO:



1. The Night Sky Iphone App - A friend told me about this app and now we can't stop using it. You simply hold your phone up to the sky at night and the app diagrams and names all the stars and planets. It's addictive. So if you see us in front of the house pointing our phone towards the moon, now you know why.



2. Planet Sticker Scenes from Oriental Trading Company - My kids love sticker scenes and these were an especially big hit. F enjoyed creating her own planet chart (rather than always looking at the ones in books). Further, the stickers contain many cosmic entities I knew nothing about - iris nebula, pleiades, chandra galaxy, etc. which lead to some fun google time. So we learn . . .

THINGS TO READ:



Do Stars Have Points?'s appeal rests in its Q&A format, where the authors respond to questions - such as How hot is the sun?; Which star is closest to Earth?; and Is there life elsewhere in the solar system? - with simple, concise answers. The book divides the questions into three categories - stars, planets, and other objects in space, so it covers a wide range of information. And each page contains beautiful illustrations, assuring that younger kids always have something fun to look at.



Another favorite, which is loved by all the kids (well, T loves at least loves the pictures, the text still alludes him somewhat). We've been enjoying several books from the Magic Schoolbus series lately as they're both informative and funny ("Could Saturn take a bath? Yes, but it might leave a ring!") with comic-book illustrations. I think most children's books attempt to make science too serious of a subject, so I appreciate the Magical School Bus's comical approach. In "Lost in the Solar System", the children lose their quirky teacher in the asteroid belt. The kids, of course, manage to rescue their teacher and return to earth, all while teaching the reader about outer space. How fun is that?



This book concentrates more on the myths and stories behind the constellations than on the "science" of the stars. It includes Greek legends, Philippine folktales, ancient Chinese stories, Native American myths, and much more. It also contains several games and projects concerning the sky, along with detailed astronomy maps. P and I enjoy the stories, as reading too much non-fiction starts to feel heavy after awhile.



This book on Saturn exists as part of a series, which we're slowly making our way through. We started with Saturn because of its "beautiful rings." Learning about Saturn's huge size and gaseous surface fascinated the kids. Plus the book contains lots of pictures, big text, and divisions by chapter, all of which help make complicated information easy to digest.
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What about everyone else? Any good book recs on outer space?