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Q is for Quark

Guest reviewer Debbie Glade tells us that:

The ABCs of Science Are More Sophisticated than You Might Imagine

schwartzquarkQ is for Quark; A Science Alphabet Book, written by David M. Schwartz, is a paperback book, chocked full of fascinating information. Parents and teachers will learn great deal from this informative book too. To start with, I turned to the Q page to learn that quarks are what protons and neutrons are made from, yet they “don’t act like ordinary matter.” There’s a scientific topic for every letter of the alphabet, like E is for Element, J is for Jet Propulsion, V is for Vortex and much more.

What I like about Q is for Quark ($9.99, Tricycle Press/Random House, Trade Paperback) is that the explanations are really quite thorough; there’s a lot of text here and that’s a good thing. The reader will really understand the topic after reading the description. And the words are offset by colorful illustrations done by former medical illustrator, Kim Doner. They add to the educational aspect of the book plus provide an element of entertainment.

Author David M. Schwartz has penned more than 50 children’s math and science books. It’s obvious he did his homework here to write this mini encyclopedia that presents science education to kids in a most fun and fascinating way.

Editor’s Note: This book is recommended for ages 9-12

debbiegladeDebbie Glade, today’s guest reviewer, is the author, illustrator and voice talent of the award-winning children’s picture book The Travel Adventures of Lilly P Badilly: Costa Rica, published by Smart Poodle Publishing. She visits South Florida schools with her reading, writing and geography programs. For years, Debbie was a travel writer for luxury cruise lines. She writes parenting articles for various websites and is the Geography Awareness Editor for WanderingEducators.com. She blogs daily at smartpoodlepublishing.com.

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Taking Literacy on The Road

gh_14010Add a Dash of Literacy for a Big Dose of Fun!

From the Emmy Award-winning PBS Kids Series Between the Lions comes What Does a Lion Say? (Gryphon House, Inc. $14.95) an ideal book for parents to share with their kids this summer and year-round. Here’s an easy way to promote literacy, active listening skills, vocabulary, comparative language and so much more. Kids will be inspired by their favorite Between the Lions characters as they take on new adventures in learning. I wish I’d had this book when my children were younger, but when flipping through the different sections I noticed that these playful language games are suitable for either ages 3-93, 4-94 or 5-95, in other words, I can still play along! Portable and affordable, What Does a Lion Say? is a must for parents to include in their pack list for upcoming travel, dining out, long waits at the doctor’s office or simply to tuck in their beach bag for a day out.

lion1Families will never be bored with the educational and entertaining selection of over 50 games where you don’t have to worry about losing any pieces because most of the time you need nothing more than your imagination though occasionally some games do call for a pad of paper, some type of writing implement (I don’t recommend sharp pencils for a car ride) and a sense of humor. There’s a comprehensive introduction to help parents use the book to its greatest advantage, a More Ideas! section, book recommendations, an Index of Games by Age and one of the most useful, an Index of Literacy Skills so whether you see to work on letter recognition with child, descriptive language or or rhyming, the info’s at your fingertips.

lion2I remember when my daughter first began to read and the fun we all had deciphering billboards, but I was often hard-pressed to come up with other creative ideas to foster her love of reading. The variety of wonderfully inventive games found in the pages of What Does a Lion Say? means I’d never be wanting. Here’s an example of a super storytelling idea that would have been just up my daughter’s alley.

Fantastic Pets
Fantastic Pets make for some fantastic stories:. To play this game, make up a story about a silly or unusual animal that comes to live with you.

What if a bear, an eagle, or a kangaroo moved into your home? What would you name it? What would you do with your new pet? Would you keep it in your room? What would it eat for breakfast

If all these great games weren’t enough, available soon are LION LETTER cards from Between the Lions—a set of Alphabet Cards and a set of Rhyming Cards. For more information about these great educational tools click below:

LION LETTERS Alphabet Cards

LION LETTERS Rhyming Cards

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Summer Classes for Young Bookworms

image001

Visit Storyopolis today to find out more about book club classes for kids:

• An all new, fun, interactive book club just for kids!

• Innovative games and crafts!

• Kids learn comprehension, storytelling and critical thinking – and build their vocabulary!

Summer Classes Start Soon!

For Ages 4 and 5

@ Storyopolis
14945 Ventura Boulevard
Sherman Oaks
(310) 933-5833

Tuesdays at 4pm (July 6 – August 24)

Sundays at 11am (July 11 – August 29)

Wednesdays at 10am (July 7 – August 25)

Cost: $150 per Bookworm

www.ILoveBookworms.com

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We’re on Our Way Home

Humans Aren’t the Only Creatures Who Relocate

Regular contributor Debbie Glade tells us about migration in the following review:

home_coverAnimal lovers will delight in Going Home: The Mystery of Animal Migration, written by Marianne Berkes. The author features 10 very different animals, like penguins and manatees, artic terns and caribou and writes rhyming verses about their migration patterns. Then the migration routes are beautifully mapped out. At the back of the book there’s a paragraph with more migration details about each animal. I, for home1one, am thrilled to learn new fascinating facts. For example, did you know that a loggerhead turtle migrates for some 20 years and travel around 8,000 miles in its lifetime?

home3Award-winning illustrator and environmentalist, Jennifer DiRubbio provides some marvelous pictures of the creatures in their natural habitats to round out this great book. I love the fact that   Going Home teaches children about geography as well as animals. This book will encourage some great conversation with your children and generate many questions about our wide, wonderful world.

debbieglade2Debbie Glade, today’s guest reviewer, is the author, illustrator and voice talent of the award-winning children’s picture book The Travel Adventures of Lilly P Badilly: Costa Rica, published by Smart Poodle Publishing. She visits South Florida schools with her reading, writing and geography programs. For years, Debbie was a travel writer for luxury cruise lines. She writes parenting articles for various websites and is the Geography Awareness Editor for WanderingEducators.com. She blogs daily at smartpoodlepublishing.com.

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Plant the Seeds of Peace and Hope

Sean Burgess reviews We Planted A Tree ($17.99, Random House Children’s Books, Ages 5-8 )

weplantedatreeI try not to judge a book by its cover, but you can’t help it when you check out We Planted a Tree by Diane Muldrow. The title is centered and planted firmly in the leaves of the modernized, cartoon-style tree. And at the roots, two families, one from possibly the USA, the other from somewhere in Africa, all lined up and proudly admiring the result of their awesome arborous accomplishment. I knew right away this was going to be a special read. I got the sense that a connection was about to be made. Definitely, the essential bond between people and plants, fixed in our duty to conserve.

Dr. Wangari Maathi, a 2004 Nobel Peace Prize laureate is quoted on the first page saying, “When we plant tress, we plant the seeds of peace and seeds of hope.” We plant the seeds of trees, just as we plant the seeds for a family. And like planting a tree, we get the chance to see the majestic growth and changes through years and years of nurture. The simple text by Diane Muldrow, outlined through a little science, is cheerfully and amazingly complemented by the illustrations of Bob Staake. I love reading books to my daughter Teagan and weplantedatreeteaI’m always amazed at how well illustrators enhance the stories. But in the case of We Planted a Tree, I think Bob Staake has artfully expanded the who, what, where and why the trees are being planted. On each page, there were plenty of details Teagan and I could talk about. I think she is already getting a sense of how important tress are to the world’s existence both scientifically and aesthetically. We Planted a Tree takes us on a journey around the world and shares how all families, from any country, can work together to plant and preserve
our botanical buddies.

This was one of the few children’s books that I have sat down to look over all by myself after reading with Teagan. I had to do a little more research about this book and its creators. One great fact I discovered was that We Planted a Tree was inspired by the work done by Kenya’s Green Belt Movement, and its message celebrates nature, growth, and the power of community effort.

Whether it’s Earth Day or Arbor Day, I think any day is a good day to think about our impact and imprint on society and our eco-system. Trees sustain and withstand the passage of time. We only hope the same for our families for generations to come. I wish the book was printed on recycled paper but I do thank Diane and Bob, for a wonderful book that has renewed the sense of how important it is for my family to contribute to cleaning, conserving and saving our Earth.

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Watch out! Ouch! It’s a Mr. Bump DVD Contest

mrbump_boxTHE MR. MEN SHOW’S

Mr. Bump Presents: Planes, Trains and Dillymobiles!

Which Mr. Men or Little Miss character are you? I am definitely Little Miss Chatterbox.

You love the books by Roger Hargreaves and the Cartoon Network TV show, now win then watch the DVD when Good Reads With Ronna gives away 3 copies of Mr. Bump Presents: Planes, Trains and Dillymobiles! courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. ($14.94, Rated TV-G, 69 minutes).

packshot_043396325371_3c0e07f9Bring an extra ice pack and some bandages. Poor Mr. Bump, always injuring something when he’s out and about in Dillydale. See him and all your favorite Mr. Men Show characters in six silly episodes: “Car Wash,” “Flying,” “Trains,” “Cars,” “Boats,” and “Inventions” then take part in the activities including a Find Mr. Bump Game, How To Draw Mr. Bump, Dance, Dance, Dance! and more.

1024x768_bumpTo enter, click here and remember to write Mr. Bump in the subject. Please click here for contest rules. The contest ends June 3.

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Winner Claims her Spot

spotpartyhatandhorn-150x1501Congratulations to Kelly Ann Dollard who has won the Spot special prize package commemorating the 30th anniversary of Eric Hill’s beloved and world reknown Where’s Spot? book. A copy of the book, a DVD and plush toy are on their way to you today!

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Be Amazed with Mazes

Wander Your Way Through the World

and Be Amazed with Mazes

More and more I’m impressed by the increasing number of books that teach kids about the world in the most clever ways. Ecomazes: 12 Earth Adventures ($14.95, Sterling Publishing, ages 4 and up) by award-winning author and illustrator, Roxie Munro is a most imaginative book. It features 12 unique ecosystems found throughout the world, which are presented with illustrated mazes readers follow. When open, the book has a wonderfully wide spread, making the expansive illustrations all the more inviting to study. Best of all, readers can search for a list of animals integrated into the maze routes.

61bmx1aydtl_sl500_aa300_In the back of the book is an Answer Key, revealing where all the animals are hidden on each page, should a reader have trouble finding any of them. There are also easy-to-understand descriptions of each type of ecosystem, giving readers a great introduction to the terrain, weather, plants and animals that make each of these places unique.

The author did a great deal of traveling and research to complete this book, and I’m so glad she did. The world is a bit of a better place now with this book in it.

debbieglade1Debbie Glade, today’s guest reviewer, is the author, illustrator and voice talent of the award-winning children’s picture book The Travel Adventures of Lilly P Badilly: Costa Rica, published by Smart Poodle Publishing. She visits South Florida schools with her reading, writing and geography programs. For years, Debbie was a travel writer for luxury cruise lines. She writes parenting articles for various websites and is the Geography Awareness Editor for WanderingEducators.com. She blogs daily at smartpoodlepublishing.com.

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A Winning Selection for Children’s Book Week

The Children’s Book Council (CBC) in association with Every Child a Reader, Inc. (the CBC Foundation), announced the winners of the third annual Children’s Choice Book Awards at a gala in New York City this week. Children across the country voted for their favorite books, author, and illustrator at bookstores, school libraries, and at www.BookWeekOnline.com, casting over 115,000 votes.

The Children’s Choice Book Award winners are as follows:

9780316002905_94x145Author of the Year

James Patterson for Max (A Maximum Ride Novel) (Little, Brown)

9780316015479_94x145Illustrator of the Year

Peter Brown for The Curious Garden (Little, Brown)

Please click here for a link to my review of this book in 2009 on World Environment Day

9781599903439Kindergarten to Second Grade Book of the Year

Lulu the Big Little Chick by Paulette Bogan (Bloomsbury USA)

Third Grade to Fourth Grade Book of the Year

catalog_cover_100Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Knopf/Random House)

Please click here for a link to my review of this series now being adapted for the big screen

9781416980063_thFifth Grade to Sixth Grade Book of the Year

Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life by Rachel Renée Russell (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster)

9780439023498_smTeen Choice Book of the Year

Catching Fire (The Second Book of the Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic Press)

The Children’s Choice Book Awards program, launched in 2008 by The Children’s Book Council (CBC) in association with Every Child a Reader, Inc. (the CBC Foundation), was created to provide young readers with an opportunity to voice their opinions about the books being written for them and to help develop a reading list that will motivate children to read more and cultivate a love of reading.

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If America Were a Village

Startling Statistics About the USA for Little People

Regular contributor Debbie Glade reviews this terrific book from the Citizen Kid series published by Kids Can Press:

2046_cv2David J. Smith is the author of If the World Were a Village, which sold more than 400,000 copies in 16 languages. In If America Were a Village: A Book About the People of the United States, Smith takes facts and figures about the 306 million people of America and reduces them down to a village of 100 people, to give children vital information they can easily understand in the simplest terms. Essentially, this is a book of statistics for little people, and I for one think it’s a brilliant idea.

Did you know that in 1900, 40 people out of 100 in the US lived in towns and cities, and 60 lived in the country? And today, 80 out of 100 live in cities and 20 live in the country? Well, you will learn many more fascinating facts like these when you read this beautiful book. Statistics regarding where we come from, our religions, what we do for a living, how wealthy we are, how many products we consume (this will astound you), how healthy we are and more are all covered. There’s a helpful section in the back of the book with tips to help children understand more about America. And like all books with facts and figures, there’s a list of sources of information.

I love the unique, slightly hazy yet colorful illustrations done by Shelagh Armstrong, depicting Americans in every day life situations. Her cover design, an aerial view of a village is more defined and is also incredibly appealing. The talented Ms. Armstrong has had a lot of experience designing packages for international products, some of which you can see on her Web site by clicking here.

As a geography literacy advocate myself, I am so pleased when I find creative books like this that teach kids (and their parents and teachers) about the world in unusual ways. And what better way to start teaching children about the world than helping them understand their own country first? I highly recommend all children in the USA read If America Were a Village. It certainly would be a welcome addition to any classroom.

Now why didn’t I think of this idea for a book myself?

debbiegladeDebbie Glade, today’s guest reviewer, is the author, illustrator and voice talent of the award-winning children’s picture book The Travel Adventures of Lilly P Badilly: Costa Rica, published by Smart Poodle Publishing. She visits South Florida schools with her reading, writing and geography programs. For years, Debbie was a travel writer for luxury cruise lines. She writes parenting articles for various websites and is the Geography Awareness Editor for WanderingEducators.com. She blogs daily at smartpoodlepublishing.com.

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Get on Board with a Good Book on National Train Day May 8th

A Is for “All Aboard!” is one of those books both my son and daughter would have loved when they were younger and big-time into all things
T R A I N!! We had our turn with Thomas and Brio, even Lionel for a while, but there’s nothing like the real thing. I have to admit we are all tremendous train fans in our family. Having lived in both Frankfurt and London, we frequently travelled by train throughout the Continent and the U.K. taking the Eurostar and the I.C.E.  I was even hoping we’d get a chance on the TGV in France or better yet, the fabled Orient Express, but there’s still time.

516fonxryhl_sl500_aa300_Reading through this lively new book has brought all our exciting train journeys back to the fore and will definitely get youngsters eager to have an experience of their own. My husband still takes my son, Coleman, down to Union Station now and then and frankly I wonder if it’s really more for him than for Coleman!

Written by Paula Kluth, Ph.D. and Victoria Kluth, the  daughters of a Green Bay & Western Railroad worker, this ABC book  for train lovers is both educational and entertaining. When I delved a little deeper I also discovered the book was conceived with autistic children in mind, and the publisher’s Web site says the authors even incorporated feedback from children with autism. The bright bold artwork by Brad Littlejohn will capture kids’ attention and the information is sure to spark their imagination. The language used is clear and concise and many new concepts are introduced creating great learning opportunities.  I liked the teaching tips included at the end pages since ABC books are a great vehicle for engaging children and promoting literacy. At $16.95 this book is worth every penny.

The following is an example that is a particular favorite of mine. O is for Orient Express: The Orient Express is the name of a long-distance passenger train. The route has changed many times. Paris and Istanbul were its original end points.

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All About Moms

This Mother’s Day I’d like to salute moms everywhere with a roundup of new and noteworthy books on one of my favorite subjects – MOMS!

moms1A must-have for new moms is The Ultimate Organizer for Moms: Pregnancy Through Year Five ($24.95, Welcome Books, Edited by Natasha Tabori Fried & Lena Tabori). This beautiful book has elbbmoms_2010verything a mom could possibly want and more, including a place to note details of her child’s medical records, birthday parties (a personal fave for me), teachers, favorite toys and that ever popular list of “firsts.” The handy color-coded side tabs make finding all the different sections easy plus there’s also journal space and pages for photos, locks of hair, foot prints and the birth certificate. An elastic band keeps papers and keepsakes secure. Don’t forget the Tenth Anniversary Edition of The Little Big Book for Moms which is filled to its silver gilt-edged brim with Fairy Tales, Nursery Rhymes, Songs, Games and more with adorable vintage art, and 21st century style.

9780811874908_normMom’s One Line A Day: A Five Year Memory Book ($16.95, Chronicle Books) is something I wish I’d been given to carry with me (or tuck in a nighttable drawer) to capture all those irressisitible and special one-of-a-kind fleeting moments I’ve all but forgotten during my kids’ first five years. Bound in gorgeous pink with rounded gilt edges, this special journal is one mom will keep forever.

9781402769689mA Mother’s Song ($14.95, Sterling Publishing) by Janet Lawler with illustrations by Kathleen Kemly invites readers to join a mother and her daughter as they spend time together throughout the year leaping like frogs, listening to birds, chasing after leaves and making snow angels in an enchanting story about enjoying nature, each other and some very special magical moments.

Ibedtime-for-mommy-bookn this funny and clever role-reversal tale, Bedtime for Mommy by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by LeUyen Pham gives children a chance to live vicariously through the lovely little girl as she gets mommy (and then her daddy) ready for bed. Classic lines like these brought a huge grin to my face : “Did you brush your teeth?” “Yep” “A nice long time?” Wow, was Rosenthal eavesdropping on my family’s bedtime routine? Bedtime for Mommy is sure to delight.

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Chicago Worth The Trip

michelle-williams

25_nedI took a trip to Chicago on opening night and skipped the airport…the celebrities were there as well. While I never spotted Priscilla Presley, I did see Lea Thompson and Arsenio Hall, whom I stood alongside of as I text messaged my teen. It was obvious we were all eager to see the extremely talented and beautiful Michelle Williams in the role of Roxie Hart.

833I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Terra C. MacLeod who gave a stunning performance as Velma Kelly and I wonder to this day how she has the stamina to perform such a physically demanding role and still wow audiences with a freshness and vigor night after night! Brent Barrett as Billy Flynn was brilliant as was Tom Riis Farrell as Amos Hart and Carol Woods as Mama. Every actor and actress was top notch and the entertaining ensemble only added to the sexy and sizzling staging of this sensational show.

837The Los Angeles engagement of CHICAGO, which is now playing at the Pantages Theatre, Hollywood…ends this Sunday, May 9th, 2010, but not without having entertained scores of theater goers who love a show with moxie, music and more.

For more information about this and upcoming shows,  please visit the Pantages Theatre’s official Web site at www.BroadwayLA.org

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Borders Summer Reading Challenge for Kids

ATTENTION PARENTS: An offer from Borders that’ll flip your pages!


borders_2xdogdareresizedThe Borders “Double Dog Dare Reading Challenge” for kids kicked off yesterday, May 4th, in stores nationwide. To participate, children age 12 and under can read any 10 books they want and they’ll get one book free from Borders. For their free book, they can choose from a number of great titles including Ramona the Brave by Beverly Cleary and My Weird School #1: Ms. Daisy is Crazy! by Dan Gutman, Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes, Hoot by Carl Hiaasen among many others.

200px-ramonathebrave_dockrayTo obtain their book, kids need only note the titles they’ve read on the Summer Reading form and have a parent sign it. (The form is available in-store and online, but can only be redeemed in-store.) The Reading Challenge ends Aug. 30.

9780060507008Editor’s note: kids do not have to buy the 10 books from Borders – they can get them from anywhere. Also, there is no limit on the number of times they can do the Challenge!

Rules: Free books available in-store only. No purchase necessary. Form must be completed and brought to any Borders, Borders Express, or Waldenbooks store by 8/26/10 to redeem coupon. Offer valid in-store only. Valid only on selected titles. See forms for complete details.

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Word Girl Contest Winners Announced

imagesCongratulations go out to Edith Cruz, Maria Angulo and Nathalie Rocklin, all winners of the WORDGIRL contest which came to us courtesy of PBS Kids and Paramount Home Entertainment. This exciting new animated series follows the adventures of a superhero who fights crime and enriches vocabulary usage all in a day’s work. Join WORDGIRL and her sidekick CAPTAIN HUGGY FACE as they battle Dr. Two-Brains, The Butcher, Mr. Big, Lady Redundant and more in 100 minutes of word walloping wackiness! Here’s to word power.

Our three lucky winners get the new-to-DVD  WORDGIRL Earth Day Girl that includes eight adventures, interactive games, video shorts, coloring pages and each episode introduces four new vocabulary words and reinforces their meanings in a variety of contexts. ($14.99, not rated).

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