Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
As fall is upon us, the days are getting shorter which means that the sun is shining for less each day. Today we are sharing a sweet book about the sun deciding to take a dip in the ocean, and it needing saving to light the world again. The book is Saving the Sun by Emma Pearl and illustrated by Sara Ugolotti. Along with my review there is a craft round-up to go with the book and a giveaway!
Looking to teach little ones about the world? Today we are sharing a fun pop-up book that takes us around the world. I am also sharing links to crafts, activities, and recipes to go with each city and/or its country. The book is The Pop-Up Guide: Cities Around the World by Maud Poulain and illustrated by Sandra de la Prada. It is recommended for ages 3 to 5.
Today is day two of the new picture books released this week. I have four to share with you so make sure you check out yesterday's and the next couple of days' posts! Today we are going to look at Chef Edna by Melvina Noel and illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera. It is a book that shares the life of the Queen of Southern Cooking, Edna Lewis with 4- to 8-year-olds.
Today we are sharing a fun new book that reads as a love letter to parents. It is meant to show kids and parents what a nurturing home looks like, however to me it is a love letter to the girls parents. The book is My Home Filled with Love by Desiree Blanchard and illustrated by Hayley Moore. This post includes a giveaway as well as a round-up of gifts and cards kids can make for their parents!
What did you dream of when you were a child? I dreamed I would be an inventor and have a huge mansion with all sorts of inventions to not have to do the cleaning, chores, cooking, etc. Of course, I also told my parents I would have some crazy number of kids 10, 20, or more and they could come help me take care of them all. Dreaming is such an important part of childhood. Today I am sharing a fun new multicultural book that helps get kids' imagination flowing. The book is Someday, Maybe by Diana Murray and illustrated by Jessica Gibson. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
It has been a long couple of weeks. Our school stops regular classes for two weeks starting with Presidents Day and the high school holds mini courses. Some of my colleagues and I are teaching a science of cooking and baking class. I have to say as fun as it is, it is tiring to teach cooking to fourteen high school students. I have come home most nights and falling asleep between 8:30 and 9:00. It has been crazy and I'm preparing for this coming week. Before I get to sleep early tonight, I want to share a fun new book with you that is perfect for every family of 6 to 12-year-olds. It is 365 Days of Play by Megan Hewes Butler and illustrated by Emily Balsley.
Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I am working with the Children's Book Review and Alexa Palmer to participate in this virtual blog tour and will receive a small stipend. All opinions are my own.
Do you have a picky eater? I know so many kids who only like junk food. It can be so hard to get kids to eat healthy. Today I get to share an award-winning book that teaches kids about healthy eating in a fun way! The book is Jolene: Adventures of a Junk Food Queen by Alexa Palmer and Catharine Kaufman and illustrated by John Martinez and Hayden Mills.
When Hazel was younger, we loved exploring the world and participated in a blog group celebrating food from around the world. We did the series Around the World in 12 Dishes. I miss it sometimes because it got us exploring different dishes. Some we loved and others not so much. Today I get to share a book that lets you explore the world through food so basically our series in one book sort of. The book is Ultimate Food Atlas: Maps, Games, and Recipes for Hours of Delicious Fun by Nancy Castaldo and Christy Mihaly. It is from National Geographic Kids and is recommended for ages 8 to 12 but could work with younger kids with adult help.
This past week I turned 52. Fifty-two is not one of the benchmark years. I turned 50 in the summer of 2020. It was when we were afraid to be indoors with too many people and were still wearing masks often. Yet it was one of my best birthdays ever. My sister came for the day and she and Hazel made a delicious meal topped off with a homemade birthday cake. They did all the planning, the shopping, the cooking and the cleaning. They even decorated our patio for the party. Yes, we ate outside. My sister works with newborns and their moms in a hospital setting and has taken being cautious to a new level. She wore her mask whenever she was in our house. It was truly the perfect birthday for me because I didn't have to do anything. It was small, intimate and simple. It certainly wasn't the ball my girlfriend went to for one of her friends who turned 50 this year. My girlfriend and many guests caught Covid from the ball. My girlfriend who is a nurse on a Covid unit in a local hospital. My girlfriend whose kids got Covid last summer and her oldest was truly sick for weeks. He could barely move off the couch, and she didn't get it. But she went to a 50th birthday ball and got it. No, my 50th was simple and fun and perfect and best of all we didn't get sick from the celebration!
Spring is in the air!! Up in New England the weather is slowly getting warmer--or at least more consistent. We have been having a roller coaster of temperatures this year. As spring starts up people start thinking about about gardening and fresh fruits and vegetables. Today I am sharing three picture books that focus on just that--gardening, fruits, vegetables and cooking with fresh garden harvests. All three books have an age range of 4 to 9. And all three books are being released today!! The first is I Love Strawberries! by Shannon Anderson and illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett.
Does your family or did your family have a tradition of Sunday dinner? I remember when I was young, we would gather at my grandparents' house for Sunday dinner. Often it would be a steak dinner or some type of beef I believe, but that is not really a memory, but more information told to me. The memory I have is when my cousin was a baby. I remember his holding my finger with his little hands for hours. I was finally not the baby of the family anymore. The funny thing is I don't remember his younger sister as a baby, but I remember him. Today I get to share with you a story about a Sunday dinner tradition in an Ecuadorian-American family and it has a family recipe to try at the end!! (We tried it and I loved it!!) The book is Dinner on Domingos by Alexandra Katona and illustrated by Claudia Navarro. This book is recommended for ages 5 to 8 and this review is for Multicultural Children's Book Day! Join us here, we are co-hosting, on January 28th for the BIG LINKY of all the Multicultural Children's Books and the celebration. There is more information about it all below!
With the Covid cases rising more than it has for any real travel, it is time to explore the world and cultures from home. Today's book will help you and your family do just that. It is Katie Chin's Global Family Cookbook by Katie Chin.
Happy National Kids Take Over the Kitchen Day! Do you let your kids take over your kitchen or do you have them cook beside you? Hazel takes over the kitchen when baking but when cooking she usually still needs my help. Since it is a national holiday it seems the perfect time to share with you a new children's cookbook! The book is Green Kids Cook:Simple Delicious Recipes & Top Tips by Jenny Chandler. It is recommended for ages 7 to 14 or with adult supervision for younger kid. This book provides healthy recipes, promotes eating more vegetables and also has information about being green as well as some green craft projects.
Have you watched any of the cooking competitions? How about the ones with kids as contestants? Hazel and I love them. I am always amazed with how much these kids can do in the kitchen. They are better cooks and/or bakers than me. Today's book is about a boy who enters one such competition. It has twists and turns that involve family and more. It is The Last Super Chef by Chris Negron.
Have you been watching the Olympics? This year is the first time I have really watched in a long time. I love watching the women's gymnastics but always hated how it was shown so late. I love the live streaming videos that I can watch any time. With the Summer Games in Tokyo and where spectators are not allowed, I thought it was the perfect time to explore Tokyo and Japan. Today I'm going to share some cookbooks to bring home a bit of the Japanese culture with food and it is food your kids may enjoy! These books are also perfect for getting ready for school lunches, parties and more! We will start with Ultimate Bento by Marc Matsumoto and Maki Ogawa.
Yesterday we talked about a book full of fun facts about the ocean. Today let's focus on one of the creatures in the ocean waters--sea turtles. I am going to share a book recommended for ages 4 to 8 as well as some fun facts from the book and a turtle craft round-up! The book is from National Geographic Kids and is Go Wild! Sea Turtles by Jill Esbaum.
May is Asian/Pacific Islander-American Heritage Month. Last May I focused on Japan and I thought this year I might try to do that with Vietnam, but as I looked at my resources this year I decided I would do one post on Vietnam and posts about other Asian and Pacific Island countries. Today we will focus on Vietnam and I will share two books--a cookbook and a picture dictionary. At the end I will share a round-up of some activities and books on the topic of Vietnam and the culture.
Happy International Women's Day!! It seems like the perfect time to do our second post for Women in Wars--our focus for Women's History Month this year. Today we will focus on the Revolutionary War. During the time of the Revolutionary War women were not even considered for military service. There were some roles that women were able to play for the military units. Wives, mothers and daughters of some soldiers would go with the military units and do the cooking, sewing and clothes washing for the men and they would get to sleep in a tent and get food. They were called camp followers by some and General George Washington called them women of the army. Women also helped with the care of injured soldiers. They served as nurses and were considered civilians. They received no military status or benefits and no medical training. They did jobs like feeding and bathing the patients as well as cleaning the beds and emptying the bed chambers. They were paid only about $2-$4 a month and often got ill from the soldiers.
How is the weather where you are? We have been having a warm stretch and I have been enjoying it and not on here writing the posts I had planned. Sorry! However November is Native American Heritage Month and I love Native American culture and what to share it with you!! This year instead of doing research on Native American history and finding books, etc. I have changed it up by sharing Native American business owners and their businesses with you. This year has been tough on so many of us and especially on our small businesses. I am hoping by sharing these businesses with you, you will help support them! Last week we learned about Diane Tells His Name and her dolls and for Indigenous Peoples' Day I shared some of Aaron Carapella's posters from Tribal Nations Maps. Today I want you to meet Rachel Sage Carapella. She owns Native Sage Nutrition. In this post you will learn a bit about Rachel and her business and she provides some tips for us to stay healthy as flu season starts up among the Covid-19 pandemic.
