Happy Thanksgiving! This is a fun book and very cute, simple treat to make with the kids this holiday!

Open A Book…

Title: Thanksgiving Rules

Author: Laurie Friedman

Illustrator: Teresa Murfin

Recommended Age: 4-8 years old

Book Brief: I officially command you to eat everything you see! Percy knows just what to do to get the most out of this very delicious holiday. And so will you if you follow his 10 simple rules. From, “the early bird gets the turkey” to “life is sweeter when you eat sweets” his rules will help you eat your way through the big meal. But is there more to Thanksgiving than stuffed turkey and sweet potatoes with marshmallows? See how Percy discovers the true recipe for a perfect Thanksgiving holiday.

About the Author: Laurie Friedman is the author of the popular Mallory chapter book series, as well as several pictures books, including, I’m Not Afraid of this Haunted House and Love, Ruby Valentine. Ms. Friedman says she loved writing about Thanksgiving almost as much as she likes celebrating it and wishes her readers a very happy holiday.

About the Illustrator: Teresa Murfin is the illustrator of several pictures books including, I’m Not Afraid of This Haunted House. She lives and works in Bristol, England where she does her best to follow Percy’s Rule #9.

Have a Blast!

Marshmallow Pilgrim Hats

from Disney’s Family Fun

From: www.familyfun.com

Cost: Less than $10 per batch of 30-40

Difficulty: Very easy but slightly messy

Instructions

1. Set the chocolate-striped cookies stripes down on a wax-paper-covered tray, spacing them well apart.
2. Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave or double boiler.
3. One at a time, stick a wooden toothpick into a marshmallow, dip the marshmallow into the melted chocolate, and promptly center it atop a cookie.
4. Using a second toothpick to lightly hold down the marshmallow, carefully pull out the first toothpick.
5. Chill the hats until the chocolate sets, then pipe a yellow decorators’ frosting buckle on the front of each hat.

There’s room for a little spooky and a little creepy on Halloween night, especially for the older kids. The Spider and the Fly is certainly a little creepy, but it’s a great Halloween book with amazing illustrations! Howl-O-Ween at the Zoo will also be good for a little scare. Intended for kids 8 years old or older, this will be a good event for those looking to scream this weekend.

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Humbug Witch sat on the family bookshelf my entire childhood. It is a classic Halloween book that captures a child’s imagination. The imagery is simple but engaging and memorable. We loved getting it out every Halloween as kids, and as soon as the first grandchild was born we brought it out once again.

Costumes!!! We love getting dressed for Halloween! I firmly believe that group costumes are the best. Our family can mark the passage of timed based on our family costumes alone. A great group costume can get everyone excited for the big day. Maybe our previous years’ costumes can inspire your clan.

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It’s October . . . and our family loves Halloween! We aren’t fond of haunted houses, creepy skeletons, and dark objects lurking in the corner – no way! We love to decorate, dress up, and make everything fun and whimsical . . . spooky but kooky!

Monsters, the cute and cuddly kind, are a great way to get into the fun Halloween spirit. I Need My Monster is a very funny book your kids will love! The illustrations are breathtaking and the plot is both lighthearted and meaningful. We also recently discovered MoshiMonsters.com. It’s a free website in which your child gets to customize their own monster and then decorate their house with items they “buy” from the monster village. Similar to webkinz.com and buildabearville.com, kids explore a fanciful virtual world and full of games and challenges. The games are educational and great practice, the website is intuitive and easy to use, and the experience is a lot of fun!

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