Don't Need Friends

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

Don't Need Friends is appropriate for children age 4-8.

Summary:
In Don't Need Friends Rat prefers to keep to himself, he stays in his crate, on his side of the junk yard, declines dinner invitations from Raccoon, and often grumbles that he 'don't need friends.' Then Dog moves in to the junk yard too. Dog prefers to keep to himself, he stays in his barrel, on his side of the junk yard, declines lunch invitations from Mouse, and howls at the moon every night. Until one very cold night when Dog doesn't howl at all.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Retelling:
As you read Don't Need Friends ask your child questions about what is happening. This will help to engage their interest in the story, and further their connection with the book. Once you have read through the book, ask your child to take a turn retelling the story to you. They will flip through the pages and use the pictures to give clues to what they are able to recall from the story. It is okay if they stray from the original story line!

Do this with your child:
February is a month full of promoting love and friendship. Don't Need Friends is proof that everyone can use a friend. Ask your child who their friends are and what they like about them. 

If you're interested in sharing Don't Need Friends with your child you can find it from Dragonfly Books here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Learn more about author Carolyn Crimi.

Te Amo I Love You

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

Te Amo I Love You is appropriate for children age 2-8.

Summary:
Te Amo I Love You is a charming bilingual book celebrating the love between a parent and a child. The darling illustrations depict a variety of animals telling their young things that they love about each other. Calee M. Lee and Tricia Tharp capture the beautiful bond between parent and child that transcends all species.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Making Connections:
As you read Te Amo I Love You ask you child to try to make connections using the text and pictures. They will be using what they already know to become further involved with the reading. How does the text connect to them? How can they make connections between the text and other stories they've read? And can they make connections between the text and the world around them? Has your child ever made a pillow fort; have they read any other stories that have shooting stars; have they ever watched a dog enjoying a bone? All these things will get your child more invested in the story as they think of ways they can relate it to their own self and their experiences.

Do this with your child:
February is a month full of promoting love and friendship. Te Amo I Love You is full of different ways that a parent describes their love. Make a list with your child of ways that you love each other. Pick one item from your list and draw a picture to go along with that depiction.

If you're interested in sharing Te Amo I Love You with your child you can find it from Xist Publishing here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

One Love

FOR THIS VALENTINE'S DAY WEEKEND, share this fun title with your child! 

One Love is appropriate for children of all ages.

Summary:
One Love is an adaptation of Bob Marley's beautiful song. Author Cedella Marley, Bob Marley's daughter, brings this beloved song to a new generation. It is a reminder that we can always get together and feel all right! Readers will delight in dancing to the beat and feeling the positive groove of change when one girl enlists her friends, family, and community to help transform her neighborhood for the better. 

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Take A Picture Walk:
The illustrations in One Love depict the story of a little girl bringing together her family, friends and community to help create a beautiful and clean park. Have you child take a picture walk through the book before you read. Flip through the pages and ask what they are seeing, who the people might be, where they are and what they are doing. Then ask your child why they might be working to make the park more beautiful and clean. Then read or sing the story with your child. They have the potential to make a deeper connection with the book after answering the questions that arose during their picture walk.

Do this with your child:
One Love is not only the name of this beautiful book, but it is the name of the song this story is adapted from. Click here to listen to the original song and have a dance party with your child! Sharing in a dance with your child is a great way to share your love and friendship this February!  

If you're interested in sharing One Love with your child you can find it from Chronicle Books here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

The Giant Hug

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

The Giant Hug is appropriate for children age 2-8.

Summary:
In The Giant Hug, written by Sandra Horning and illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev, Owen wants to send his Granny the perfect birthday gift in the mail, a GIANT hug. A drawing of a hug just won't do. You and your child will delight in the journey that this giant hug takes as each different postal worker opens their arms as wide as they possibly can to pass along Owen's hug for Granny.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Retelling/Chronological Order:
As you read The Giant Hug help your child pay attention to the order that the hug travels. Make a mental note of who or where the hug goes to after Owen passes it along at the post office. After reading, ask your child to retell you the story, trying their best to have the hug pass along the same order.

Do this with your child:
Owen is sending his Grandma a giant hug for her birthday. Since February is a month to promote friendship and love, make a list with your child of all the nice things we can do for our friends and loved ones. You can pick flowers for your teacher, or draw a picture for a sibling or classmate, you can bring a yummy snack to your grandparents, or give someone your own GIANT hug! Pick a few items on the list to complete together.

If you're interested in sharing The Giant Hug with your child you can find it from Dragonfly Books here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

For more on author Sandra Horning visit her website here. Like illustrator Valeri Gorbachev on Facebook.

The Snowy Day

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

The Snowy Day is appropriate for children age 2-8.

Summary:
In The Snowy Day, written and illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats, join in the wintery adventures of Peter as he enjoys a snow day. Peter wakes up to his neighborhood covered in snow, he suits up and heads off for a day of forging tracks, building snowmen and making snow angels. He even made the perfect snowball and kept it in his pocket. You and your child will enjoy curling up under a blanket as you explore the beautiful pictures and simple story of The Snowy Day.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Take a Picture Walk:
Before you read The Snowy Day flip through the pages with your child, paying attention to the pictures on each page. As you flip through, without using any of the text, ask your child to tell you the story based on the pictures. 

Do this with your child:
Peter does all types of things as he's playing in the snow. If it's snowing where you live have your child try some of the things that Peter did; make different tracks, build a snowman, perfect their snowball. If it isn't snowing or you live in a more moderate climate, you can still do some of the movements with your child. They might enjoy making tracks in the mud and finding a stick to add to their tracks. You can show them how to make a snow angel on the carpet or hardwood floor. 

If you're interested in sharing The Snowy Day with your child you can find it from Puffin Books here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

To learn more about Ezra Jack Keats, click here.

Poppleton in Winter

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

Poppleton in Winter is a beginning chapter book appropriate for school age children.

Summary:
In Poppleton in Winter, written by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Mark Teague, join Poppleton the pig in three winter stories. In the first story, Poppleton loves his house covered in icicles, but discover what happens when Patrick the finch accidentally knocks them all down. Then in the second, Poppleton decides to sculpt a bust of his friend and neighbor Cherry Sue. And in the third, find out why all of Poppleton's friends are too busy cooking to join him on a sleigh ride.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Inference:
As you read Poppleton in Winter ask your child to guess what they think will happen on the next page using the clues in the story. They will be making inferences based on what you have read and what the pictures tell them. 

Do this with your child:
There are 3 separate stories in Poppleton in Winter. Ask your child which was their favorite and why they chose that specific story. Then have them draw a picture to add a new winter adventure for Poppleton and his friends to take!

If you're interested in sharing Poppleton in Winter with your child you can find it from Scholastic Books here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

To learn more about author Cynthia Rylant, visit her website.

Perritos en Invierno/A Winter's Tale

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

Perritos en invierno/A Winter's Tail is appropriate for children age 4-8.

Summary:
Join Martha and Skitsy as they share an adventure with their humans in Perritos en invierno/A Winter's Tail. Based on the characters created by Susan Meddaugh and adapted by Karen Barrs. Learn the story of why Skitsy is afraid of hockey pucks in this exciting story, written in both Spanish and English. 

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Cause and Effect:
As you read Perritos en invierno/A Winter's Tail ask your child to think about why the events in the story are happening. Why did Helen show Skits Mr. Chewy in the snow? Why was Ronald no longer mad after Skits took the hockey puck? Why did Martha and Helen go get Dad? These are all questions that will get your child thinking about how all actions have effects associated with them, this happened because of this. This strategy is called cause and effect.

Do this with your child:
Perritos en invierno/A Winter's Tail is in both Spanish and English. If you are comfortable in both languages read through the story twice, once in each language. If not, pick one page in the story to practice in the unfamiliar language. It will be a fun learning experience for you and your child!!

If you're interested in sharing Perritos en invierno/A Winter's Tail with your child you can find it from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.