Saturday, January 31, 2015

Winter is for Snow by Robert Neubecker

From School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2–Two siblings hold decidedly different opinions on winter and snow in this simple, rhythmic paean to a city snowfall. Big brother wakes up gleefully to the fluffy white stuff piling up outside their apartment window: “Winter is for wonderful!/Winter is for snow!” But younger sister frowningly responds, “Winter is for cold and damp./It must be ten below!” And so goes their droll verbal point/counterpoint, reflected in fonts of different colors, as Sis reluctantly turns off her media devices and bundles up for their trudge to the local sledding hill. Along the way, Brother envisions the adventurous worlds of polar ice and snow that lie beyond their doorstep, and his sister slowly has a change of heart, ultimately tasting flakes and sledding with gusto. Back home enjoying hot chocolate and a cozy fire with Mom, she is a smiling convert to the joys of the season. The rhyming text, while slight, will hold children's attention as they pore over the appealing illustrative details, rendered in black line and bold color. Snowflake patterns, suffusing nearly every page, underscore the blanketing snowfall and create a cohesive visual motif. Equally suitable for a lapsit or group read-aloud, this title is a worthy purchase for collections needing additional winter-themed materials.–Kathleen Finn, St. Francis Xavier School, Winooski, VTα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.

Saturday, January 24, 2015

Don't Know Much About the Presidents by K. Davis

Front Cover  While not necessarily written as a children's' book, it could make for great conversation and interest for research.

Which president was also a movie star?
What happened five days after the Union won the Civil War?
What food did Americans think was poisonous until Thomas Jefferson ate some?
Hail to the chief!
Here's your chance to learn all about the presidents' important political achievements, their nicknames, hobbies -- even what kind of foods they ate. Best-selling author Kenneth C. Davis packs fun facts and cool quotes into his signature question-and-answer format. 
Who knows? 
After you learn so much about the presidents, maybe you will want to run for office someday, too

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Red Fox Runing by Eve Bunting


Red Fox Running

One of my favorite authors -
Red Fox runs on and on through the snow in search of food for his family. Then he makes the long trek back to his den where his mate and cubs are waiting. 

Saturday, January 10, 2015

The Kids Winter Handbook by Jane Drake (Author), Ann Love (Author)

Winter is a special time. As the snow begins to fall, it sets the stage for a whole array of wintry activities, like searching for special effects in the winter night sky. Or sewing up a pair of cozy fleece mitts. Or enjoying an outdoor picnic on a blanket of snow. This book in the Family Fun series is packed with over 120 pages of unique ideas for celebrating winter. In fact, there are so many wonderful ways to enjoy this frosty season -- winter just isn't long enough! Kids can * learn to identify animal tracks * tell silly fireside stories * make marshmallow s'mores * build sparkling sun catchers * set up their own goofy winter Olympics.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5-The authors of The Kids Campfire Book (Kids Can, 1998) are back with more activities. With its one-color (green) illustrations, Winter Handbook has a vintage look reminiscent of an old-fashioned craft book. Most of the projects are inexpensive to make, and supplies are easy to obtain, making these interesting alternatives to holiday boredom or too much TV. Many of the activities, especially those that are science related, are also suitable for the classroom. Although the instructions aren't always consistent on when adult assistance is needed, generally the projects can be handled by children with little, if any, supervision. A few crafts involve drilling holes, and one recipe calls for boiling maple syrup, but most use only readily available materials and kids' ingenuity. While several of these ideas can be found in other titles, some of them-crokinole (a game), ice candles, record baffles (to fool squirrels that steal from your birdfeeders), and instructions for making your own snowshoes-are unique.
Laurie Edwards, Dauphin County Library System, Harrisburg, PA
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

The Kids Winter Cottage Book is virtually indispensable. It is full of great ideas for lots of fun both inside and out. And you don’t have to be at a cottage to get the most out of this book.

Most of the projects are inexpensive to make, and supplies are easy to obtain, making these interesting alternatives to holiday boredom or too much TV. Many of the activities, especially those that are science related, are also suitable for the classroom.

Friday, January 2, 2015

The Night Before New Year's by Natasha Wing

The newest title in Natasha Wing?s bestselling Night Before series! It?s the night before New Year?s, and the whole family is determined to stay up until midnight! Everyone?s stocked up on sparkly streamers and festive party hats, but after a night filled with card games and too many cupcakes, the little ones are getting sleepy. . . Can they make it until the clock strikes twelve?