Allie's Basketball Dream

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

Allie's Basketball Dream is appropriate for children age 4 and up.

Summary:
In Allie's Basketball Dream we meet Allie, a girl who really wants a basketball after watching a game with her dad at Madison Square Garden. But when Allie finally receives that gift, the neighborhood boys tease her and her girlfriends won't play with her either. With practice, determination and perseverance, Allie gets better and better at the sport that she loves, and inspires all of the children around her.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Summarize:
After reading Allie's Basketball Dream ask your child to tell you what the story was about. Ask questions about who is in the story, where the story takes place and what is happening with the characters. To further the engagement even more, ask your child about how Allie is feeling. Creating an emotional connection with a character can deepen your child's interest in the story and how it ends. 

Do this with your child:
In Allie's Basketball Dream Allie loves basketball. Has your child ever played basketball? Take the opportunity to go outside and play! You can try basketball or any sport that you've seen during the Olympics; it is always fun to try something new and play outside. Playing a sport or a game will help your child learn teamwork, let them practice following directions, and build self esteem. If you are watching the Olympics with your child, use this book as an opportunity to talk with them about the power of female athletes!

If you're interested in sharing Allie's Basketball Dream with your child you can find it from Lee & Low Books here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. 

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.

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