We Survived the Holocaust: The Bluma and Felix Goldberg Story -- New Graphic Novel Review with Craft Ideas

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

It is hard to believe there are people who do not believe the Holocaust actually happened. But there are. If we do not study history, we will repeat it and the Holocaust is not a part of history I care to ever have repeated. With this in mind, I am sharing today's book. It is We Survived the Holocaust: The Bluma and Felix Goldberg Story by Frank W. Baker with Tim E. Ogline and Esther Goldberg Greenberg, Karl Goldberg, and Henry Goldberg. It is a graphic novel, and it shares the stories of survival of Bluma and Felix Goldberg. They lived through the concentration camps and so much more of World War II. At the end I will share some crafts to go with this book.

The Red Palace -- YA Historical Fiction Perfect for Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

As May marches on, we continue to look at Asian and Pacific Island heritage products. Today I am sharing a historical fiction young adult novel that takes place in Korea in 1758. It is The Red Palace by June Hur.

All About Vietnam -- Book Review & More!

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

May is Asian American and Pacific Island Heritage Month. All month long I will try to share books, crafts, and activities to help celebrate this fun heritage. Today I get to share the newest book from one of my favorite series about Asian countries. It is All About Vietnam: Projects & Activities for Kids: Learn About Vietnamese Culture with Stories, Songs, Crafts & Games by Tran Thi Minh Phuoc and illustrated by Nguyen Thi Hop and Nguyen Dong. It is a middle grades reading level but can be shared with younger kids if you do the reading!

The Juneteenth Story and Fun Facts about Juneteenth

 

Disclosure: I was given a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Do you know what Juneteenth is? Do you know why it is a holiday? Do you know how it is celebrated or when? Today I am sharing a new book that answers these questions and more. And I'm going to share some fun facts about Juneteenth too. We will start with the fun facts! On June 19, 1865, General Gordon Granger announced in Galveston, Texas that the slaves were free by order of the President of the United States. The next year the first Juneteenth was celebrated.

Unicorns & Other Mythical Creatures

 

Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Unicorns, dragons, and other mythical beasts have been the center of attention for many people. I know most girls go through some unicorn phase and some never grow out of it. Today I am going to share with you a picture book based on the unicorn tapestries and a fun fact book about mythical beasts. I am also sharing a unicorn craft round-up to go with these fun books! We will start with The Lady and the Unicorn by Béatrice Fontanel and Vanessa Hié. It is recommended for ages 8 to 12.

Awashonks -- Chief Leader of Sakonnet Tribe

 

It is hard to believe that March is almost over so today will be our last edition of our Women's History Month series for this year. Today I am going to feature a Native American leader that goes back to colonial time. Her name is Awashonks. This was her name when she became leader, but we do not know what her name was before that. Awashonks means "she who is queen." We do not know much about her life prior to 1671. It is estimated that she was born in 1640 and other records say she was born in 1620 after the Mayflower landed in Plymouth. She was the daughter of Corbitant, the sachem in 1620. Her name however appears in the records more than any other indigenous female. 

Norma Merrick Sklarek - the First Black Female Architect in the US

 

Today we continue our celebration of Women's History Month with a look at Norma Merrick Sklarek. She was the first licensed Black female architect in the United States. She worked on buildings such as Terminal One of the Los Angeles International Airport, San Bernardino City Hall, Fox Plaza in San Francisco, the American Embassy in Tokyo, Pacific Design Center, Mall of America and much more.

Anne Bradstreet: Poet, Pilgrim, Rebel #womenshistorymonth

 

Disclosure: I was sent a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Today we are continuing our celebration of Women's History Month. Today I am featuring Anne Bradstreet. She was the first American poet to be published! As I was doing my research and looking for children's books about her, I discovered Poet, Pilgrim, Rebel: The Story of Anne Bradstreet, America's First Published Poet by Katie Munday Williams and illustrated by Tania Rex. Sadly, I could not find a copy at our local library, but I was able to get a digital copy to review, so I get to share it with you!

Te Ata: Chickasaw Storyteller, Performer & Educator --Women's History Month

 

Today I am going to share about Te Ata or Mary Frances Thompson Fisher. What an amazing woman who I hadn't heard of until recently. She was a Chickasaw and became a world-renowned storyteller, performer, and educator. At a time when the non-native people saw Native Americans as savages, warriors, etc. (mostly from Wild West Shows and films), she became dedicated to share more of the Native American culture and educate the nation. 

Ruth Handler & Fun Facts about her Barbie Doll

 

Today is National Barbie Day! To celebrate I thought we would look at the creator of Barbie and some fun facts about Barbie. Now growing up my mother was very against Barbie dolls. My sisters were not allowed to have any. I however inherited some from family friends and for some reason my mother allowed it. I know she like many parents were concerned with the measurements and body image. What I discovered with my research couldn't be farther from the truth. Stay tuned for a fun ride as well as a book round-up for you to teach your kids about Ruth Handler and the history of Barbie. 

Ruth Handler

That's Betty! -- The Story of Betty White -- a new picture book to honor this American Treasure

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

On December 31, 2021, the news of Betty White's death saddened the country. She was weeks shy of her 100th birthday. With the pandemic still going on people were upset that 2021 took yet another beloved person and thing from the normalcy of life. Shortly after her death #bettywhitechallenge was everywhere. The idea was to donate $5 to a local animal shelter in honor of Betty White on her 100th birthday, January 17, 2022. Betty White was a huge animal lover and spoke out for them often. Well people in the United States and elsewhere honored Betty for her birthday. On Facebook and Instagram alone $12.7 million was donated to animal shelters. (Source) The LA Zoo got almost $95,000 in donations. The Calgary Humane Society in Canada posted that it received over $91,000 (Canadian) in honor of Betty White. (Source) And that does not even cover the small animals shelters that people like me donated to directly. After her death Betty White was making a difference. Today I get to share a wonderful new picture book about Betty White. It is called That's Betty! The Story of Betty White by Gregory Bonsignore and illustrated by Jennifer M. Potter. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8. It is also a multicultural children's book. 

Finding Family Treasure -- a Middle Grades Novel about Family History & More -- Review & Giveaway

 

Disclosure: I am working with The Children's Book Review, K.I. Knight, and Jane R. Wood and was sent a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. I am receiving a small stipend for this review.

Have you ever looked into your family history? Perhaps you have gone onto Ancestry or Family Search and looked up your relatives. Did you discover anything? Or perhaps your child needed to share a bit about the country your family comes from. Do you come from just one country? As what I call an American mutt, I cringe at those assignments. How do I pick one of the countries my family is from? When Hazel got that assignment, we went with Steven's family history since he is Italian American. Today I am going to share a middle grades book with you that a diverse class begins researching their own history. It is a tale of genealogy, family, connections and so much more. The book is Finding Family Treasure by K.L. Knight and Jane R. Wood. Oh, and there is a giveaway at the end of the post!

Queen Goharshad -- Brave with Beauty -- a Multicultural Children's Book Day Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Have you ever heard of Queen Goharshad? She was queen of Khorashan back in the 1400s. Khorashan was in present day Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey. She is remembered for the buildings she built including the Goharshad Mosque (in present day Iran) and for supporting the arts. Today I get to share with you a wonderful picture book based on this amazing woman and her accomplishments. The book is called Brave with Beauty: A Story of Afghanistan by Maxine Rose Schur with art by Patricia Grush, Robin Dewitt, and Golsa Yaghoobi. It is recommended for ages 7 to 9.

Art Is Everywhere: A Book About Andy Warhol -- Review

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Last week we shared how math is everywhere. This week we are looking at a book called Art Is Everywhere: A Book about Andy Warhol by Jeff Mack. So today we are adventuring into the world of art and Andy Warhol. Andy Warhol was born as Andrew Warhola in Pennsylvania in 1928. His family moved to New York City shortly after. He became part of the Pop Art Movement. (Source) This book is recommended for ages 4 to 8.

Call and Response: The Story of Black Lives Matter

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Black Lives Matter are three words that seem to stir up a lot of emotions and controversy. After the murder of George Floyd, #blacklivesmatter went viral and so did the conspiracy theories. My conservative husband told me that I didn't know the truth behind Black Lives Matter and that the organization had some bad plans and people. Others responded with "blue (police) lives matter" or "all lives matter." A few weeks ago I shared the meme below on the Crafty Moms Share Facebook page. I was shocked when I got a comment from a white woman sharing a gif of black people saying "This is bullsh*t." 

Fry Bread -- Book Review & More

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Today we are going to explore Native American fry bread and share a picture book about it. Fry bread is a bit controversial in the Native American society. Some love it and others hate it due to its history. When Native Americans were forced away from their ancestral lands, they took everything they owned and could carry and walked to new lands which were nothing like their original homelands. One such "walk" is known as the Trail of Tears. Thousands of people died on the long walk. After this displacement, some of which is still occurring, the Native people could not live the way they always had. They could not get the food they knew or even grow the food they usually grew. The United States Government subsidized some basic foods and it is said the Navajos were the first to create fry bread with flour, baking powder, salt and water. 

Spirit of the Indian Warrior -- Fascinating Look at the Native American Warrior

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Today I turn our focus back to Native American Heritage Month. I'm sharing a book that gives us a look at the true spirit of the warriors with quotes, photographs, and artwork. The book is Spirit of Indian Warrior edited by Michael Oren Fitzgerald and Joseph A. Fitzgerald. 

Protest! --Book Review and sharing about some of the Native American protests in the book

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Protest! What comes to mind when you hear the word? There have been so many protests throughout history and many in recent times even during the world pandemic. Some protests are peaceful and some are not, but today's book will focus on peaceful ones. The book is Protest! How People Have Come Together to Change the World by Alice and Emily Haworth-Booth. This book is recommended for ages 8 to 12.

Notable Native American Posters & More!

 

November is always an interesting month for me. Halloween is over and fall is winding down. It is a month of thankfulness and Native American themes. Of course, I feel all year should be full of thankfulness and Native American themes, but that is a different topic. In November we also prepare for the gift giving holiday season, whatever ones you celebrate. In my house we also begin to prepare for a birthday party and this year she is turning 13--officially a teenager! So this month will be full of posts having to do with Native American themes (like this one), preparing for the holidays (including my holiday gift suggestion list) and of course holiday (including Thanksgiving) crafts and more. Stay tuned for some Native American and Christmas book reviews as well!

Rhinos in Nebraska -- a scientific look at the changes in the USA

 

Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

How much do you know about the history of our Earth? Did you know part of the United States use to be a savanna and have animals like rhinoceros and elephants roaming around? I know I certainly didn't. Today I get to share a middle grades book (ages 8-12) that takes us through the science of discovering the history of our land. The book is Rhinos in Nebraska: The Amazing Discovery of the Ashfall Fossil Beds by Alison Pearce Stevens.