Aaaarrgghh! Spider!

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

 Aaaarrgghh! Spider! is appropriate for all children.

Summary:
Why doesn't this family seem to want a spider as a pet? Aaaarrgghh! Spider! from author and illustrator Lydia Monks is told from the perspective of a friendly spider who just wants to be a family pet and makes a pretty decent argument for her case. Follow her as she captures the hearts (and flies) of one reluctant family. 

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Compare and Contrast:
While you read Aaaarrgghh! Spider!, find the similarities and differences between the types of pets in the story. This can also be reflected in your child's own life. Does your child have a pet, how is their pet the same or different from a pet spider? If your child does not have a pet, Aaaarrgghh! Spider! can be a window for your child to talk about what kind of qualities in pet they might want.  

Do this with your child:
The timing is perfect for Aaaarrgghh! Spider! since tomorrow is Halloween! Take the opportunity to find and count how many spiders are in the story, and compare that to how many they can find outside (real or decorations.) Just don't get too close!

If you're interested in sharing Aaaarrgghh! Spider! with your child you can find it from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt here.

Follow Lydia Monks on Twitter. 

The Little Scarecrow Boy

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

The Little Scarecrow Boy is appropriate for children age 2-8.

Summary:
Sometimes it is hard to be patient when you're growing up, just ask The Little Scarecrow Boy written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by David Diaz. He is learning all of the fierce faces he must make in order to scare the crows and keep the cornfield safe. His parents don't think he is quite ready yet, but one morning the little scarecrow boy sneaks out to try and prove them wrong. 

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Build Background Knowledge:
Before opening up the book and reading The Little Scarecrow Boy, focus on the cover picture and ask your child questions that will help them think about what they are going to read and make connections to the story. Here are some question suggestions:

• Do you know what a scarecrow is? 
• Where have you seen a scarecrow before?
• What do scarecrows do? 
• Why do farmers have scarecrows?  

Do this with your child-Body Movement:
As you read through The Little Scarecrow Boy, allow your child to engage in body movement. They will hang on your every word knowing they'll get to make a silly, scary, fierce face when the little scarecrow boy does. Your child will love participating with the story in a physical way. Whenever the little scarecrow boy makes a face, have your child make a face too. Whenever old man or old lady scarecrow make a face, the reader can make a face as well. 

If you're interested in sharing The Little Scarecrow Boy with your child you can find it from Harper Collins Publishers here.

Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English

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

Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English is appropriate for children 4-8 and is a perfect book to curl up on the couch under a blanket with this fall.

Summary:
Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English is a collection of poems in Spanish and English, one for each letter of the alphabet describing farms and harvest. The beautiful book from author Alma Flor Ada is perfect alongside the traditional style paintings of Simon Silva on each page, drenched in bold, warm colors which help bring the poetry to life.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Take a Picture Walk/Sequencing:
As you read through Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English, use the beautiful paintings to ask your child what they think that page's poem might be about. For an older child, you can also try sequencing and working on alphabetical order. Help your child remember what letter was on the previous page and try to figure out what letter the poem on the next page will start with.

Do this with your child:
Read through the poems in Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English in the language you are more comfortable with, then try the other language. Practice the titles of each poem in English and Spanish with your child. It's a good possibility that you will both be exposed to something new and different. It's okay if you're unsure of some of the words, that is how we learn!

If you're interested in sharing Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English with your child you can find it from Harper Collins Publishers here.

Like illustrator Simon Silva on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

Gilberto and the Wind

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

Gilberto and the Wind is appropriate for children 2-8 and is a perfect book to curl up on the couch under a blanket with this fall.

Summary:
The wind is whispering at the door, ready to play with Gilberto. Sometimes they are happy and silly together, but other times they are sad and scared. Follow their adventures and see the different ways Gilberto and the wind can play in the sweet story written and illustrated by Marie Hall Ets. 

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Retelling and Recalling:
From time to time as you're reading through Gilberto and the Wind, help your child reflect on what's happening. Once you reach the end, ask them to retell the story to you. How many things can they remember or recall that Gilberto and the wind played with? Which games made Gilberto happy, sad, or scared?

Do this with your child:
Ask your child what things they have seen the wind playing with. Have they ever lost a balloon to the wind, flown a kite, or watched the leaves being blown from the trees? Go outside with your child and blow bubbles together, then watch where the wind takes them.

If you're interested in sharing Gilberto and the Wind with your child you can find it from Penguin Publishing here.

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves

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

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves is appropriate for a pre-K audience and is a perfect book to curl up on the couch under a blanket with this fall.

Summary:
Fletcher the fox has a favorite tree; a beautiful, leafy friend. He becomes worried when the tree's leaves start turning dull and brown, frantic when the wind starts blowing the tree's leaves, and protective when he thinks his tree is sick. You and your child will enjoy the sweet story by Julia Rawlinson and darling illustrations of Tiphanie Beeke in Fletcher and the Falling Leaves. 

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Using Context Clues:
As you and your child read Fletcher and the Falling Leaves use context clues to figure out what is really happening to Fletcher's tree. Does your child think the tree is sick? What are the other possibilities that could be happening based on the tree's symptoms?

Do this with your child:
With the weather changing, the wind blowing and the leaves falling, Fletcher and the Falling Leaves is a great way to open the door to a conversation with your child about changing seasons. There is so much excitement that comes with Fall: pumpkin patches, hot chocolate, and crunchy leaves. Go outside with your child to see the changes together; feel the brisk air, talk about the changing colors, and of course step on fallen leaves!

If you're interested in sharing Fletcher and the Falling Leaves with your child you can find it from Harper Collins Publishers here.

Like author Julia Rawlinson on Facebook and follow illustrator Tiphanie Beeke 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.

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!