Dozens of Cousins

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this title Family themed title with your child! 

Dozens of Cousins is appropriate for children of all ages.

Summary:
Dozens of Cousins from author Shutta Crum and illustrator David Catrow is a true celebration of family. It is time for the annual family reunion. Join along as aunt, uncles, sisters, brothers, grandparents and of course dozens of cousins gather. These cousins spend the day playing, exploring, eating, and laughing surrounded with the people they love most. This lyrical story is filled with lively illustrations that readers will enjoy exploring again and again.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Take A Picture Walk:
Before you read Dozens of Cousins flip through the pages with your child and talk about what you see in the pictures. When you take a picture walk before reading, your child will be furthering their involvement in the story, and this story has pictures filled with happy details. Ask questions about who is on the page, where they are, what it looks like they're doing. Then as you read, see if any of your child's answers match what is happening in the story.

Do this with your child:
After reading Dozens of Cousins talk with your child about your own family. Does your child have any cousins? Have you ever had a family reunion? Help your child write a letter about the fun things you'd like to do together and send to a family member you might not get to see too often. 

If you're interested in sharing Dozens of Cousins with your child you can find it from Clarion Books, an imprint of Houghton and Mifflin Harcourt, here. You can like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter for more inspiration.

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Bear's Busy Family

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this title Family themed title with your child! 

Bear's Busy Family is appropriate for children of all ages.

Summary:
Bear's Busy Family from author Stella Blackstone and illustrator Debbie Horter introduces readers to roles of extended family and household activities. Each family member has a special role that they bring to the family. A young bear narrator introduces her grandma, grandpa, uncle, auntie, mommy, daddy, sister, brother, and cousins, and describes all the special things they do.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Making Connections:
Bear's Busy Family highlights the roles that extended family can play. Talk with your child about all the different things that people in your own extended family do when you get together. Are any of the things the same? Are any different? When your child is able to make connections to the text, they will be furthering their engagement with the book and deepening their involvement with the story.

Do this with your child:
After reading Bear's Busy Family talk with your child about all the types of families there are. Talk with your child about your own family and ask questions about which parts of the book relate to your own family and which are different. Make a list using the pages in the book to see what type of family you have!

If you're interested in sharing Bear's Busy Family with your child you can find it from Barefoot Books here. You can like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter for more inspiration.

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Flores Family Cafe/La lonchería

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this title Family themed title with your child! 

Flores Family Café/ La lonchería is appropriate for school age children.

Summary:
Flores Family Café/ La lonchería from author Ann Stalcup is a beautiful bilingual book that highlights the strength of family bonds in the face of an obstacle. In this story an unexpected letter changes the lives of a family in Baja, California. Read along to find out how they worked together in this story of family loyalty and ingenuity. In Flores Family Café/ La lonchería, we all learn that when you mix flowers, determination and inspiration you get a beautiful slice of life.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Take a Picture Walk:
Flores Family Café/ La lonchería is a wonderful book for taking a picture walk. Before you read the story with your child, flip through the pages and look at the pictures. Ask your child what they see in the pictures. Do they see people, where are they, what is around them. After gathering that information you can take it one step further and ask what they think is happening in the pictures, how do the people look like they are feeling, where might they be going, what are they doing. Then as you read, you can learn if their predictions came true.

Do this with your child:
After reading Flores Family Café/ La lonchería talk with your child about the things you do together as a family. The Flores family worked together to overcome their circumstances and improve their situation. Is there anything you work on as a family, no matter how big or small? Take some extra time to do something special together, do a puzzle, make a special dinner together, etc. 

If you're interested in sharing Flores Family Café/ La lonchería with your child you can find it from Lectura Books here. Please like on Facebook and follow them on Twitter for more.

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The Family Book

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this title Family themed title with your child! 

The Family Book is appropriate for children of all ages.

Summary:
Readers young and old will delight in the bright and bold The Family Book from Todd Parr. This books touches on the many diverse types of families that fill our world. Some families are big, some are small; some families like in a house by themselves, some live in a house with other families. But the text also describes what makes all families the same. All families like to celebrate special days and all families are sad when they lose someone. Todd Parr does an amazing job reminding us all that despite our differences, we are more alike than we sometimes think!

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Making Predictions:
The Family Book is a great book to use to make predictions about what's to come. Each page depicts a different type of family, large or small, messy or clean. As you read the first type, ask your child what they think the next family might be. By giving them a role to play in sharing the story, they will be further engaged in the text. 

Do this with your child:
After reading The Family Book talk with your child about all the types of families there are. Talk with your child about your own family and ask questions about which parts of the book relate to your own family and which are different. Make a list using the pages in the book to see what type of family you have!

If you're interested in sharing The Family Book with your child you can find it from Little Brown Books for Young Readers here. You can like Todd Parr on Facebook and follow him on Twitter for more inspiration.

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Who's in a Family

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this title with your child! 

Who's in a Family? is appropriate for children of all ages.

Summary:
Who's in a Family? from author Robert Skutch and illustrator Laura Nienhaus is a beautiful book illustrating the many packages a family can come in. Parents, grandparent, aunts, uncles, siblings, pets, cousins - no matter what color, shape or size - every family is different. What this book ultimately details is that a family is made up of the people who love you most! 

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Making Connections:
Who's in a Family? is a perfect book for you and your child to make connections with. Are there any families in the story like your own? How are the families in the book the same as your own family? How are they different? Does your child have any classmates or friends with a different kind of family portrayed in the book? By furthering their involvement with the book, your child will become more engaged with the text and make deeper connections with the story.

Do this with your child:
After reading Who's in a Family? talk with your child about all the types of families there are. Talk with your child about your own family and who makes your family up. Draw a picture with your child of all the wonderful people in your family.

If you're interested in sharing Who's in a Family with your child you can find it from Random House here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter for more inspiring tales.

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Feast for 10

FOR THE THANKSGIVING WEEKEND, share this title with your child! 

Feast for 10 is appropriate for children of all ages.

Summary:
Feast for 10 from author Cathryn Falwell is a simple and beautiful story listing out all the things this family is using for their feast. You'll count from 1-10 twice as the family makes their way through the grocery store and through the meal prepping process. Readers young and old will delight in the familiarity of the traditional family meal time and lively collage images.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Sequencing:
Feast for 10 is a perfect story to practice sequencing with your young reader. Each page takes you through a new number. After reading, look through the story again and have your child put the events in order. Did the family pick 5 types of beans or 2 pumpkins first? Ask questions using the words first, then and next. By analyzing the sequence of events in the story, your child will further their engagement with the book and deepen their interest in the story.

Do this with your child:
After reading Feast for 10 talk with your child about traditions. Does your family have a specific meal they like to prepare? Did you celebrate Thanksgiving with a turkey and mashed potatoes or do you prepare a different menu? This is also an excellent book to use for counting. You and your child can count items on your own trip to the grocery store or even in your own kitchen!

If you're interested in sharing Feast for 10 with your child you can find it from Houghton Mifflin & Harcourt here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter for more inspiring tales.

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Thank You, Mr. Falker

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this title with your child! 

Thank You, Mr. Falker is appropriate for school age children.

Summary:
Thank You, Mr. Falker tells the story of a little girl who's life is changed due to a wonderful teacher. Trisha can't wait to learn how to read! She loves listening to her mother and brother read stories to her and is so excited for when she will be able to share the stories as well. But as she grows older and enters each new grade, the words and numbers never seem to make any sense to her. It isn't until the 5th grade, when young Trisha meets Mr. Falker, that she is given the extra help and understanding she so desperately needs. This story is founded in the author's own life and experiences with dyslexia; Patricia Polacco is Trisha and her life was changed forever by the caring and understanding of Mr. Falker who is proof that a good teacher can change a child's life forever.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Summarizing:
Thank You, Mr. Falker is a great story to practice summarizing. After you read the story, ask your child to tell you what happened. Have them tell you who the characters were and where the story takes place. Then ask them to fill in the story with the events that happen, doing their best to keep the events in the correct order.

Do this with your child:
After reading Thank You, Mr. Falker ask your child why they think that Trisha is thankful for her teacher. Make a list of reasons why the author may have wanted to thank this special teacher. Then talk to your child about a person in their own life that they are thankful for. Once they decide on that person, help them write a thank you note and send it to them!

If you're interested in sharing Thank You, Mr. Falker with your child you can find it from Philomel, an imprent of Penguin Random House here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter for more inspiring tales.

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