Friday, September 25, 2015

How Far Do You Love Me

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this fun title with your child and their grandparent or special friend! 


(2013, Lee & Low Books)
How Far Do You Love Me is appropriate for ages 2-8. 

Summary:
How Far Do You Love Me takes you on a journey across the globe to see how far your love can stretch. Explore the globe from Mexico to Antarctica and Switzerland to Vietnam and get a glimpse into the beauty of the bonds of love in different cultures.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy--Compare and Contrast:
How Far Do You Love Me brings the reader on a journey across the globe and gives you a peek into the lives of the people who live their. Have your child find the similarities and differences in terms of how they relate to the families they see in the pages. How do the families in the story differ from each other? Use the pictures to talk about the clothes, the landscapes and the environments on each page.

Do this with your child:
Author Lulu Delacre was inspired to write How Far Do You Love Me based on a game she would play with her daughters. Have your child play How Far Do You Love Me with a grandparent or special friend and explore how far their love can go. 

You can find How Far Do You Love Me from the publisher Lee & Low Books here.

Friday, September 18, 2015

The Children Who Loved Books

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this fun title with your child and their grandparent or special friend! 
(2013, Kane Miller Book Publishers)

The Children Who Loved Books
 is appropriate for ages 4-8.   

Summary:
In The Children Who Loved Books, Angus and Lucy don't have much. But they do have books. Tons of books piled on top of each other, crammed in every corner, and filling every free space in their tiny home. But their collection has gone too far, it has taken over their home, they have to get rid of all the books. See what happens to their home and family and discover the new joy they find in the library. 

Practice this Comprehension Strategy--Picture Walk:
Before reading any of the words in the story, take a picture walk through The Children Who Loved Books. Look at each page and talk about what your child sees. The colorful illustrations will lead the way for your child to make predictions about what each page may hold.

Do this with your child:
The Children Who Loved Books opens the door for discussion about your child's favorite books, who they enjoy reading with, and their local libraries. Just like the family in The Children Who Loved Books, your own family can enjoy spending time together through book sharing. Allow your child to lead the way with a book, let them pick the story, flip the pages and always allow them to ask questions. 

You can find The Children Who Loved Books from the publisher Kane Miller here
*Please note we have made a correction to the above link for purchase. Like Kane Miller on Facebook and follow them on Twitter!

Friday, September 11, 2015


Grandpa's Garden 

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this fun title with your child and their grandparent or special friend! 


(2012, Barefoot Books)
Grandpa's Garden is appropriate for ages 4-8.   

Summary:
In Grandpa's Garden, Billy and his Grandpa are working together through the seasons to plant, harvest and enjoy the fruits (and veggies) of their labor. But Billy has a hard time being patient, every step seems to take forever. With the help of his Grandpa, Billy learns why each action they take is important and becomes even more rooted in the special project they share. Included at the end of the story is a guide for planting your own garden. It takes you through the steps that are important during each season.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy--Inference:
Billy and his Grandpa are planting a garden. Using the pictures in Grandpa's Garden, help your child infer (using evidence from the story to explain or come to a conclusion) what will happen next in the garden. This is also a great opportunity to discuss the plant life cycle with your child and talk about how things grow. What are the things that Billy and his Grandpa needed for their plants to be healthy? How did Billy and his Grandpa prepare their garden and how did the plants grow throughout the seasons?

Do this with your child:
Billy and his Grandpa like to work in the garden together. Ask your child about some things that they enjoy doing with their grandparents. Is there anything that they have learned from their grandma or grandpa?

You can find Grandpa's Garden from the publisher Barefoot Books here. Check out their blog that includes Grandpa's Garden.  

We've teamed up with Hanna Andersson to bring you our Instagram Contest going on from August 31, 2015-September 13, 2015. 

There's only a few more days left of the contest! Post your pictures now in honor of Grandparent's Day for your chance to win! See full contest rules at http://www.thehannablog.com/
4 Winners will Receive:
  • RAR tote bag with 5 Grandparent Themed books (including Grandpa's Garden with a special thanks to Barefoot Books)
  • $100 Hanna Andersson gift Card
  • 1 pair of Hanna Jammies

Friday, September 4, 2015

Grandma's Chocolate / El Chocolate de Abuelita

FOR THIS LABOR DAY WEEKEND, share this fun title with your child and their grandparent or special friend!

(2010, Pinata Books/Arte Publico Press) 

Grandma's Chocolate/El Chocolate de Abuelita
 is appropriate for ages 5-8. 

Summary:
In Grandma's Chocolate/El Chocolate de Abuelita, Grandma comes to visit Sabrina all the way from Mexico. She and Sabrina open her suitcase full of surprises and explore the culture found within. They play dress up as a Mayan princess, make music with traditional instruments and most exciting for Sabrina, she learns all about the special chocolate from the Mayan and Aztec cultures. 

Practice this Comprehension Strategy--Compare and Contrast:

Grandma's Chocolate/El Chocolate de Abuelita explores the Mayan and Aztec cultures. Sabrina's Grandma shares stories and traditions of their culture. Compare the similarities and contrast the differences between their culture and your own. Are there princesses, special traditions, foods, instruments or songs that are unique to your culture? How are they similar to Sabrina's? How are they different? 

Do this with your child:

When Sabrina's Grandma visits in Grandma's Chocolate/El Chocolate de Abuelita, she brings a suitcase full of goodies. Ask your child about what their grandparent's have brought for them when they visit. Or, like Sabrina's drawing for Grandma, does your child bring anything to give to their grandparents? For an extra project, have your child draw a picture for their grandparent or special friend and send it in the mail to them as a special surprise of their own.

You can find Grandma's Chocolate/El Chocolate de Abuelita from the publisher Arte Publico/Pinata Books here.

We've teamed up with Hanna Andersson to bring you our Instagram Contest going on from August 31, 2015-September 13, 2015. Enter your post in honor of Grandparent's Day for your chance to win! See full contest rules at http://www.thehannablog.com/


4 Winners will Receive:
  • RAR tote bag with 5 Grandparent Themed books (including Grandma's Chocolate/El Chocolate de Abuelita with a special thanks to Arte Publico/Pinata Books) 
  • $100 Hanna Andersson gift Card
  • 1 pair of Hanna Jammies