I wish I had known about this book and exhibit much earlier! My family loved it, and it is too good of an activity to pass up! Nightly Night, Noah: An Ark Alphabet is a beautiful book. It’s sweet, vibrant, engaging, and perfect for bedtime. Large, framed illustrations from the book are hung on the exhibit wall, and my husband and I would both love to have them in our home.

The book is featured at “Read Me a Picture,” an exhibit at Tempe Center for the Arts. We badly needed a break in the middle of a very hectic Saturday. The entire experience was like a breath of fresh air. We would trade off taking the kids around to see all of the illustrations and snuggling up with a child in one of their chairs to read one of the stories on display. We almost had the place to ourselves. It was cool and quiet and the kids loved the “make your own book” project! You have to move quickly but both the book and the exhibit are a must see!

The Book

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Nighty Night, Noah: An Ark Alphabet

Author/Illustrator: Molly Schaar Idle

Recommended Age: 0-5 years old

Website: http://www.idleillustration.com

Book Brief: As the sun sets on the ark and the waves rock the boat, it’s time for everyone to go to sleep. It is then that Noah tucks in the animals (two by two) and in alphabetical order. Kids not only learn the alphabet and the different kinds of animals, they also get to see the animals going through the bed time rituals that they themselves go through with their parents—brushing teeth, asking for another drink of water, saying prayers.

About the Author/Illustrator: “I’ve been drawing ever since I could wield a pencil, at the tender age of 18 months, though my professional career began slightly later…

Upon graduating from Arizona State University, with a BFA in Drawing, I accepted an offer to work for DreamWorks Feature Animation Studio as a final line animator. After five years, a number of film credits, and an incredibly good time, I left the studio and leapt with gusto into the world of children’s book illustration.

Now, I live in Arizona with my fabulous husband, two mischievous sons, and three snuggly cats. And, when not making mischief with my boys, or watching old black and white movies with a cat in my lap, I can be found at my desk scribbling away a plethora of profoundly whimsical projects!”

The Blast

Read Me a Picture:  AZ Children’s Book Illustrators

Tempe Center for the Arts

Cost: Free!

Dates: Through Sept. 19

Times: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Friday
11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday
Open during most special events and performances.

Location: 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway – Tempe, AZ 85281

Its a Blast! The thriving art scene of contemporary published children’s book illustrators living in Arizona will be on display in “Read Me a Picture: Arizona Children’s Book Illustrators” from July 18 through Sept. 19 at the Gallery at Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway.

The exhibition will showcase artwork by more than nine Arizona artists whose illustrations have been published in children’s books. The exhibition will have elements about the strong connection between visual literacy and reading literacy for children.

Artists are: Molly Idle, of Tempe; Tanje Bauerle, of Gilbert; David Christiana, Chris Gall and Paul Mirocha, all of Tucson; Shonto Begay and Baje Whitehorne, both of Flagstaff; Anne Coe, of Apache Junction; and Sylvia Long, of Scottsdale.

Collaborating organizations are the Arizona State University Department of Speech & Hearing Science and Changing Hands Bookstore in support of children’s literary education with the help of inspirational artwork by artists who understand the importance of the relationship between pictures and words in the lives of children.

The Gallery at TCA offers visitors a warm and friendly environment for thoughtful and engaging experiences. The Gallery showcases a variety of curated, traveling and juried exhibitions, from contemporary art by local and internationally recognized artists to themes of popular and cultural interest.

Extra Tips for a Good Time!

• The Gallery is located near the back of the Art Center . . .  just walk in. (There are a few books out on display in the lobby, that’s not the exhibit. We were confused for a few seconds, but maybe it was just us.)
• Be ready to take your time, relax ,and explore. You don’t have to plan ahead on this one. We just dropped in, took 30-60 min., and went on with our day. But is was memorable and fun quality time and well worth it!
• Do you have an artist in the family? Molly Schaar Idle teaches illustration classes to kids! Look here. Be sure to peruse Molly’s website, It’s great!
• View a YouTube trailer of Nighty Night, Noah and her upcoming book, Nighty Night, Baby Jesus.

My husband recently brought The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School home from a business trip in preparation for school starting. It was an instant hit. Zoe starts the first grade and the rules just aren’t the same. She learns, just as all kids do, how to find her place in her new grade, new class, and new school year.

The first days of school can be very exciting or very tough (or a little of both) depending on the personality of each child. Extra anxiety has made our first days of school tough, but still exciting. Our daughter has enjoyed reading this book and others to help her know that everyone is nervous and a little anxious at the beginning of the year. Hooray for awesome teachers and fantastic kids! It’s going to be another great school year!

The Book

The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School

Author: Laurie Halse Anderson

Illustrator: Ard Hoyt

Recommended Age: 4-8 years old

Book Brief: Mom and Dad Fleefenbacher think their daughter Zoe’s hair is wild and beautiful. And for her kindergarten teacher, Zoe’s vivacious tresses were a comfort. But Zoe’s about to start first grade, and her new teacher doesn’t fool around… “School has rules,” she says. “no wild hair in my class!”  So what are Zoe and her free-spirited hair going to do now? With exuberance and humor to spare. Laurie Halse Anderson and Ard Hoyt, The New York Times bestselling author and illustrator, tease up a terrific tale of hairy hijinks, classroom chaos, and the importance of teachers and students learning to work together.

About the Author: Laurie Halse Anderson is the author of numerous wonderful books for children and teens. Her highly acclaimed novels include Speak, which was a National Book Award finatlist. Printz Honor Book, and ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers. Her first novel for Silon & Schuster, Fever 1793, was named one of New York Public Library’s 100 Best Books of 2000, was selected as an ABA Kids’ Pick of the Lists title, and has won more than a dozen state awards. Her novel, Twisted, was a New York Times bestseller, Laurie’s picture books include Thank You, Sarah and Independent Dames, both illustrated by Matt Faulkner. Her most recent novels are Wintergirls and Chains. Laurie lives in Mexico, New York.

About the Illustrator: Ard Hoyt has illustrated numerous beloved books for young readers, including the utterly ebullient Utterly Otherly Day by Mary Casanova and the New York Times bestselling I’m a Manatee by John Lithgow. His otter illustration credits include two additional Mary Casanova-penned picture books, One-Dog Canoe and Some Dog! Carol Weis’s When the Cows Got Loose, Corrine Demas’s Saying Goodbye to Lulu, and the Kennedy Center’s Capital Kids chapter books.

The Blast

First days of school

Article: www.familyeducation.com

Achieving a Successful Start to the School Year

Brought to you by the American School Counselor Association

For some kids, a new year in school is old hat. For others, the idea of a new teacher, a new classroom, and new classmates can cause tremendous anxiety. Help your child make a smooth reentry to school with these tips from school counselors and teachers.

1. Review the Route
2. Visit the Classroom
3. Supply the Supplies
4. Label it All
5. Make Clothes Kid-Friendly
6. Adjust Your Clock
7. Set the Scene for Homework
8. Sign Up for a Library Card
9. Check In with Yourself
10. Celebrate!

This is one of my favorite times of year. We’ve purchased the perfect backpacks and new shoes, and I love all of the organizational boxes and notebooks! Like you, we are looking for ways to get the gears turning in the brain after a summer of pools, fun, and sun. Phantom Tollbooth is a crazy book all about Math, but it is so much fun! Another great way to brush up on their math skills is with all of the clearance sales. Let your kids calculate the new price of the items you buy. It might be crazy and a tad stressful, but have fun getting ready for school anyway. P.S. The Phantom Tollbooth might be a great book for you to read too, it will bring back a flood of memories of math and English you have blocked out for years.

The Book

Title: Phantom Tollbooth

Author: Norton Juster

Illustrator: Jules Feiffer

Recommended Age: 9-12

Book Brief: Readers of all ages will find much wit and wisdom in Norton Juster’s beguiling, offbeat fantasy about a boy names Milo “who didn’t know what to do with himself.”

Through the Phantom Tollbooth lies a strange land and a series of even stranger adventures in which Milo meets some of the most logically illogical characters ever met on this side or that of reality, including King Azaz the Unabridged, unhappy ruler of Dictionopolis; the Mathemagician; Faintly Macabre; the not-so-wicked Which; and the Watchdog Tock, who ticks. In his quest for Rhyme and Reason, Milo helps settle the war between words and numbers, visits the island of conclusions (which can only be reached by jumping), and ventures into the forbidden Mountains of Ignorance, whose all-to-familiar demons menace his every step.

The Phantom Tollbooth is a remarkable story whose humor, irony, sense and non-sense (illustrated with nearly 100 superb Jules Feiffer drawings) make it one of the most unusual and appealing books of the twentieth century.

Author: Norton Juster is an architect and planner, professor emeritus of design at Hampshire College, and the author of a number of highly acclaimed children’s books, including The Dot and the Line, which was made into an Academay-Award winning animated film. He has collaborated with Sheldon Harnick on the libretto for an opera based on The Phantom Tollbooth. An amateur cook and professional eater, Mr. Juster lives with his wife in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Illustrator: Jules Feiffer is the author of two books for young readers The Man in the Ceiling and A Barrel of Laughs, a Vale of Tears. He has won a number of prizes for his cartoons, plays, and screenplays. Mr. Feiffer lives in New York City.

The Blast

Back to school shopping with your kids

Location: Your favorite store with great sales.

It’s a blast!

For kids, it’s Christmas in August. New clothes and shoes; sharp pencils and even sharper back packs. Make it educational this year. Allow your kids to calculate the price of their clothing after the sale discount. Better yet, give them a budget and have them keep track and plan out how they will use the money wisely to get what they want. It will be a great experience to get those wheels turnin’ and ready for class again.

For fun I’ve included some statistics from the US Census Bureau about Back to School Shopping.

Back-to-School Shopping

$7.6 billion
The amount of money spent at family clothing stores in August 2008. Only in December were sales significantly higher. Similarly, sales at bookstores in August 2008 totaled $2.4 billion, an amount approached in 2008 only by sales in January.
Source: Monthly Retail Trade and Food Services

For back-to-school shopping, choices of retail establishments abound: In 2006, there were 25,430 family clothing stores, 6,417 children and infants clothing stores, 26,699 shoe stores, 9,425 office supply and stationery stores, 23,270 sporting goods stores, 10,989 bookstores and 9,969 department stores.
Source: County Business Patterns: 2006

Extra Tips for a Good Time!

• Take it slow; make a day out of it. Talk about peer pressure, grades, expectations, drugs, and other school-related topics. Give them time to talk and think, and they will open up. Help prepare them emotionally for going back to school too.
• Lunch or ice cream makes anything special. Clear your calendar for a few hours and spend some quality time with getting the kids prepped for the summer to end.

Monster’s are awesome! Some of my kids’ favorite books are all about these silly make believe creatures. Some of the all-time great monster books are The  Monster at the End of This Book, Go  Away Big Green Monster, Where the Wild Things Are, and Leonardo, the Terrible Monster. We would like to add to another to the list of great monster books with When a Monster is Born. This book is very funny and crazy fun! After reading, take your silly little monsters to the AZ Museum for Youth, where the current feature exhibit is My Favorite Monster.  They have fantastic hands-on exhibits to help you build, create, and play with toy monsters. Make your day less scary and more fun! Enjoy reading this great book and having fun with your kids today!

The Book

Click here to visit our Amazon Store.

Title: When a Monster is Born

Author: Sean Taylor

Illustrator: Nick Sharratt

Recommended Age: Ages 4-8

Book Brief: When a monster is born there are two possibilities- Either it’s a faraway-in-the-forest monster or . . . it’s an under-your-bed monster. If its a faraway-in-the-forest monster that’s that. But if its an under-your-bed monster all sorts of comical things can happen. This subversive monster story explores the hilarious possibilities of what if . . . Read it at bedtime and laugh your pajamas off . . . or read it during the day and laugh your socks off!

Author: Sean Taylor went to school in south London. “I would put on my tie, my hat, my blazer and take the 8:09 train with the bankers and the lawyers. I was probably being prepared to grow into one of these myself but (fortunately for them) it didn’t happen!” After teaching in Zimbabwe, Sean went to Cambridge University to take a degree in English Literature. He worked in publishing and journalism, and taught adults to read and write as a literature development worker in east London. When a Monster is Born is his first book. He lives in Bristol, England.

Illustrator: Nick Sharratt liked drawing from an early age. “When I was nine,” he says, “a picture that I drew was pinned up in the hallway and the husband of a teacher saw it and offered me five pounds to do a similar picture for him. That’s when I decided I was going to be a professional artist one day!” On leaving school Nick went to art college in London to study in graphic design. After that, he drew humorous illustrations for magazines and packaging and illustrated school text books, before going on to write and illustrate several picture books. He lives in Brighton, England.

The Blast

My Favorite Monster

Location: Arizona Museum for Youth

35 N. Robson, Mesa, AZ 85201

Hours: 10am-4pm, Tues.-Sat.

12-4pm, Sun.

Exhibit Dates: 5/22-9/27/09

Admission: $6.50 1yr.+ thru Adult

Free: Members & >1 yr.

$5.00: Group Rate

Its a Blast!
The ghoulishly delightful “My favorite Monster” exhibition is full of ghastly excitement. Check out the neon dark room that features colorful ghosts, goblins, and a carnival-style, distorted mirror with furry, glow-in- the-dark puppets.

You can also creep your way through a fantastic monster castle with flickering lights and, then, flee from a gargantuan spider hanging overhead, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting guests. Kids will also find themselves enthralled in the Monster Mash Puppet Theatre where they can choose, create, and produce their very own show. In fact, the whole family can show up in their personal, favorite monster costume for a starring role on the Big Silver Monster Screen!

This goblin-loving, ghoulishly fun festivity is a batty exploration into the minds of Valley artists and others to help us find and enjoy the not-so-scary monster within us all. It’s sure to be a fabulous adventure for the entire family with age-appropriate themes for everyone.

All little monsters are invited to boogie on over to the Big Monster Mash at AMY, happening now through September 22, 2009. Just don’t forget to bring your Mummy and Deady with you! 

Extra Tips for a Good Time!

• After the exhibit your kids will love to play in Artville. An area intended for kids 0-4 years old, but older siblings can play too. It’s included in admission, but socks or shoes are required (even for babies).
• If you get hungry at the Museum there is no cafeteria, but some of my favorite cafes are within walking (or a very short drive, depending on the heat) distance just across the street in Downtown Mesa.
• There are a lot of crafts and take home projects, so bring a stroller for the baby so your hands are free to help and a bag to stuff it all in when you’re done. (Strollers are not allowed in the Artville portion of the Museum.)

Any child who has ever been playfully tossed into the air, flying higher than the clouds, knows their  daddy is a giant. Any child who has been scooped up into their daddy’s arms in order to avoid something scary knows their daddy is a giant.  Any child who has been lulled to sleep as they listen to his strong heartbeat and deep voice knows their daddy is a  giant. My Daddy is a Giant is a wonderful story about all of the reasons a Daddy is so special to his kids.

Father’s Day is coming and what Dad doesn’t love getting a tie on his special day? Make this one extra unique. Create an oragami tie with your kids. Make it crazy! Make it fun! Personalize it and make it just for him. Have them write a short message on the back just for Dad. It will be a tie he’ll treasure (but never have to wear). After the kids give their tie, let them snuggle up with Dad and read My Daddy is a Giant. It will be a Father’s Day to remember for years to come.

The Book

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Author: Carl Norac

Illustrator: Ingrid Godon

Reading Level: 4-8 years old

Book Brief: Having a daddy is like having your own personal giant. He’s so tall the clouds can rest on his shoulders. His sneezes are as powerful as hurricanes. And there’s no safer place to be than is a giant’s strong arms. Whimsical illustrations and a simple text create a loving celebration of these true giants among men.

Author: Carl Norac is a prize-winning poet and the author of many widely acclaimed and bestselling children’s books. His work for children has been translated into eighteen different languages.

Illustrator: Ingrid Godon has illustrated several picture books that have been published internationally. She lives in Belgium with her husband and three children.

The Blast

Make a Tie for Dad

From: origami-club.com

Location: Your kitchen table

Time: 10 minutes

Cost: Paper and markers for decorating

Its a Blast!

Follow the Directions below to make a great paper tie for Dad!

Extra tips for a good time:

• Decorate the tie using ribbons, buttons, appliques anything to give extra pizazz.
• Attach a ribbon to the top of the tie (one on each side) so Dad can wear it around the house to show it off.
• Make sure your kids sign the back and add their age

Every year a crew of actors and artisans revive a themed village on the outskirts of Phoenix, and The Arizona Renaissance Festival comes to life. With jousting tournaments, comedy acts, street performers, artisans, food, games, rides, and more, the Festival is literally a full day of fun for the whole family. It’s a particularly memorable place for me because I watched my brother propose to his wife at the Festival (in front of a huge crowd and at the request of the king, no less).

The Festival can help your child envision what life may have been like for the characters in one of our favorite books, Princess Academy. Though the book isn’t necessarily set in the Renaissance period, the descriptions of life on the slopes of Mount Eskel seem to hearken back to a Medieval Era. The villagers go through their own form of awakening and enlightenment that felt to us like a localized version of the Renaissance. Besides the lack of technology, your little reader will find other similarities between the Festival and events in the book, including the singing, dancing, craftsmanship, and (of course) the life of royalty!

The Book

Title: Princess Academy

Click here to get this and other Shannon Hale books in our Amazon store.

Author: Shannon Hale

Recommended Age: 9-12

Book Brief: High on the slopes of Mount Eskel, Miri’s family has lived forever, pounding a meager living from the stone of the mountain itself. Miri dreams of working alongside the others in the quarry, but she has never been allowed to work there – perhaps, she thinks, because she is so small.

Then word comes from the lowlands: the king’s priests have divined that the prince’s bride-to-be – the next princess – will come from Mount Eskel. The prince himself will travel to the village to choose his bride, but first all eligible girls must attend a makeshift academy to prepare for royal lowlander life.

At the school, Miri finds herself confronting both bitter competitin among the girls and her own conflicted desires to be chosen. Yet when danger comes to the academy, it is Miri, named for a tiny mountain flower, who must find a way to save her classmates – and the chance for the future that each of them is eager to secure as her own.

From acclaimed author Shannon Hale comes a richly imagined novel about would-be princesses and the destiny of one small but determined girl.

About the Author: Shannon Hale started writing books at age ten and has never stopped. With an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Montana, she published The Goose Girl and its companion, Enna Burning, to critical acclaim. She lives in Salt Lake City with her husband and their son, Max. Learn more about Shannon Hale at www.shannonhale.com.

The Blast

Arizona Renaissance Festival

Dates & Times:

Saturdays and Sundays through March 29th, 2009

10AM-6PM

Location: 12601 East Highway 60, Apache Junction (7 miles east of Apache Junction on Highway 60)

Parking is free

Website: http://www.royalfaires.com/arizona/

Cost:

Online or at box office -

Adults – $20

Children (5-12 years) – $10 (under 5 are free)

Seniors (60+ years) – $17

It’s a Blast! The Arizona Renaissance Festival is a medieval amusement park, a 12-stage theater, a 30-acre circus, an arts and crafts fair, a jousting tournament and a feast — all rolled into one non-stop, day-long family adventure!

The Marketplace features over 200 artisans displaying a variety of unique, hand-made wares.  Watch as the ancient skills of glassblowing, leatherwork, weaving, woodcarving, blacksmithing, candlemaking and pottery are displayed…IT IS A TREASURE TROVE!

Soar into the sky on the Assault Catapult, ride The Piccolo Pony – the world’s largest rocking horse, take a spin on Da Vinci’s Flying Machine or sail the high seas on the Voyage to the New World.  The Festival’s unique “people-powered” rides provide merriment for the entire family!

Test your abilities at the Festival’s many games:  target-shooting with bow or crossbow, storming the castle in a paintball battle, or throw a tomato at an insulting peasant at Vegetable Justice.  For those patrons in the mood for an extreme challange you can test your physical mettle at the Climbing Tower or show your warrior side throwing a battle axe.

The Festival has 12 stages of continuous, live entertainment, each packed with a unique mix of comedy, music and mischievous antics! You never know what is going to happen, on stage or off . . . Rub shoulders with the King & Queen, banter with the village fool, watch the Birds of Prey or dance with the gypsies! Enjoy swordplay, wordplay, raucous music and roaring comedy at The Renaissance Festival!

Extra tips for a Good Time:

• Admission includes free parking and all entertainment shows, including the Tournament Jousting and Birds of Prey show.  You may choose to purchase arts and crafts items, food or beverage, or enjoy some rides and games (costs vary) – so bring some extra cash!
• No outside food and drink is permitted through the Festival Main Gate, so if you plan to bring some food you’ll need to leave it in the car.
• You can leave and come back in the same day, if you need to. As you exit the front gate, you may have your hand stamped in order to re-enter the Festival that same day.
• Strollers, wheelchairs, wagons, and motorized scooters are available to rent, on a first-come, first-served basis, at the costume rental shop located just outside the Festival Main Gate.
• No pets!
• You are welcome to come dressed in costume and costumes are available for rental.  Costumes are available for rental at the Costume Shoppe located behind the box office prior to entrance to the Festival.  Prices vary based upon costume choice.  Costume swords and daggers are permitted as long as they are properly sheathed and peace tied.
• To help plan your day, check out the schedule of events before you go.

New Year’s Resolution:  Teach the family to open a book and have a blast!

Steps:

1. Sign up to receive Book|Blasts by email.
2. Get a library card (if yours has expired).
3. Reacquaint yourselves with the children’s section of the library.
4. Actively participate in the OnceUponAGoodTime.com community – leave comments, tell your friends about us, and enjoy the Book|Blasts!

If your kids need a little extra persuasion, make your next visit to the library be to the Scottsdale Civic Center Library. Their children’s section is one of the coolest around. Prime the pump a little by reading Library Lion . . . you’ll be sure to have a roaring good time.

The Book

Title: Library Lion

Click here to find the book and more in our Amazon store.

Author: Michelle Knudsen

Illustrator: Kevin Hawkes

Recommended Age: 4-8

Book Brief: Miss Merriweather, the head librarian, is very particular about rules in the library. No running allowed. And you must be quiet. But when a lion comes to the library one day, no one is sure what to do. There aren’t any rules about lions in the library. And, as it turns out, this lion seems very well suited to library visiting. His big feet are quiet on the library floor. He makes a comfy backrest for the children at story hour. And he never roars in the library, at least not anymore. But when something terrible happens, the lion quickly comes to the rescue in the only way he knows how.

About the Author: Michelle Knudsen has worked in libraries in New York City and Ithaca, New York. She is the author of the Brand New Reader Fish and Frog, among many other books for children. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

About the Illustrator: Kevin Hawkes is the illustrator of many award-winning books for children, including Weslandia and Sidewalk Circus, both by Paul Fleischman, as well as Handel, Who Knew What He Liked and Me, All Alone at the End of the World, both by M.T. Anderson. He lives in Gorham, Maine.

The Blast

Scottsdale Civic Center Library

(Below is a video someone shot of the kids’ section of the library.)

Location:

3839 N Drinkwater Blvd

Scottsdale, AZ 85251

(480) 312-2476

http://library.scottsdaleaz.gov/

Hours:

Monday – Thursday: 9 am to 9 pm
Friday & Saturday: 10 am to 6 pm
Sunday: 1 pm to 5 pm

It’s a Blast! Despite the advent of the digital age, the library still holds power to inspire your children to be lifelong readers. Become frequent visitors at your local library. If you want to make a special excursion, visit the Scottsdale Civic Center Library. The section for kids is filled with thematic environmental elements that somehow make the reading experience more fun than usual. A castle, trees, clouds, streams, bridges, and more bring familiar stories to life. Your kids can find comfy, secluded places to curl up with a book. Let them explore the space, and they’ll soon be picking up books and enjoying the atmosphere.

Extra tips for a Good Time:

• Plan to spend at least an hour at the library. Since you’re probably only there for a one-time visit, you may not want to check any books out. Make the trip worth it by finding a stack of books to read with your kids.
• Extend the excursion by doing some shopping at the nearby Scottsdale Fashion Square or grabbing a bite to eat at any of the numerous nearby eateries. (We like Fuddruckers.)
• Make sure your kids have their own library cards. It’ll make them feel special, and you’ll be able to take home significantly more books.
• Team up with another grown-up. If you’re like us, the library grabs you. You’ll want a few minutes to explore the shelves for your own gratification.

Ahhh . . . a new year. Time for some fresh goals and resolutions. And time for reflection on the events of the last 365 days. Why should children be immune to this annual ritual? Kids can certainly benefit from considering some new habits to enrich their lives, and we have a great recommendation that we think your kids will enjoy. Help them start a journal! (Or instill in them a renewed enthusiasm for continuing a previously abandoned journal.) This simple activity, if continued through the years, will enable your kids to reflect on their growth, recognize their achievements, and learn to express their emotions.

To help them catch the journal-writing bug, grab a copy of Diary of a Worm. Follow a worm as he chronicles the ups and downs of being a worm through words and pictures. Your younger kids will love the visuals, while your older kids will crack up at the buggy humor.

The Book

Buy the book in our Amazon store!

Title: Diary of a Worm

Author: Doreen Cronin

Illustrator: Harry Bliss

Recommended Age: 4-8

Book Brief: This is the diary . . . of a worm. Surprisingly, a worm not that different from you or me. Except he eats his homework. Oh, and his head looks a lot like his rear end.

Doreen Cronin, the New York Times best-selling author of Click, Clack, Moo and Giggle, Giggle, Quack, teams up with cartoonist Harry Bliss for this hysterical journal about the daily doings and the hidden world of a lovable underground dweller.

About the Author: Doreen Cronin is the author of two New York Times best-selling picture books, CLICK, CLACK, MOO: Cows That Type, a Caldecott Honor Book; and GIGGLE, GIGGLE, QUACK. She lives in New York with her husband, Andrew.

About the Illustrator: Harry Bliss is an award-winning cartoonist and cover artist for The New Yorker magazine. He is also the artist of the New York Times best-seller A FINE, FINE SCHOOL by Sharon Creech; WHICH WOULD YOU RATHER BE by William Steig; andCOUNT-DOWN TO KINDERGARTEN by Alison McGhee. He lives in norther Vermont with his family and a backyard full of worms.

Extras: Doreen Cronin first planned to be an FBI agent, then a lawyer, and finally landed in the fun world of writing children’s books. She has written two additional books in this series: Diary of a Spider and Diary of a Fly. You can find out more about the author by visiting www.doreencronin.com.

The Blast

Buy journals and more in our Amazon store.

Start a Journal

Cost: Anywhere from “super cheap” to “as expensive as your taste requires”

It’s a Blast: There are hundreds of different ways to keep a journal. The key is to try something out for your kids and then evaluate whether they are enjoying it. Don’t give up if you can’t find the perfect solution right away. Some kids just want some blank paper and a pen. Others are born with less artistic talent and want their paper lined so they don’t feel the pressure to draw anything. Older kids may enjoy scrapbooking, while tech savvy ones might think it’s cool to keep a journal online. We have found success using a journal that asks specific questions to get our kids thinking about what they may want to write. Your kids will thank you when they’re grown! With a little effort, you can help your children create some of their favorite keepsakes.

Extra Tips for a Good Time:

• Set reasonable goals. If your kids don’t want to write every day, they’re normal! Weekly, monthly, or special occasion journaling can be a much more successful endeavor anyway.
• Create journal time for the family. You’ll be glad that you keep a journal, too!
• Keep a family journal. That will help your kids think of things to write about.
• Don’t read your kids’ journals!!! Though if you get in the practice of sharing some special entries with them, they may reciprocate and journal sharing can become a special routine for your family.
• Try one of the new, high-tech methods of journaling. For instance, OurStory.com is free for a basic membership and let’s you do some really cool stuff. You can create stories on a timeline, add pictures and video, and comment on stories that other members of your family have written. Very cool!

We feel there is no event that could replace the fun and excitement of spending Thanksgiving with family and friends, whether your group is big or small. To add a serving of childish fun and a dash of silliness, we enjoy having young and old create Thanksgiving hats to wear during dinner. The hats use simple materials: construction paper, scissors, glue, and staples. We have it ready on the coffee table to be completed as the Turkey is carved or the finishing touches are made to the dinner. Try it out! It will be a Thanksgiving to remember and the pictures are fantastic!

Thanksgiving on Thursday from the Magic Tree House book series is a great pairing of Thanksgiving traditions and learning historical facts about the pilgrims and Native Americans in the first Thanksgiving. In the book, the children are transported back to the Fall of 1621 and are asked to help with the preparations for the Harvest Celebration. The book focuses on children’s duties in the Plymouth Colony and ends with a lesson that could be applied in all our lives no matter what century we live in. Happy Thanksgiving!

The Book

Get the book and more in our Amazon store!

Book Title: Thanksgiving on Thursday

Author: Mary Pope Osborne

Illustrator: Sal Murdocca

Recommended Age: 9-12

Book Brief: It’s time for giving thanks . . . when the Magic Tree House whisks Jack and Annie back to 1621 on the first Thanksgiving Day. The Pilgrims ask them to help get things ready. But whether it’s cooking or clamming, Jack and Annie don’t know how to do anything the Pilgrim way. Will they ruin the holiday forever? Or will the feast go on? Find out in Magic Tree House #27: Thanksgiving on Thursday.

About the Author:  Mary Pope Osborne is the author of the popular Magic Tree House series. She works with her husband Will and her sister Natalie on the nonfiction companion series, Magic Tree House Research Guides. Many of her books have been named to best-books lists.

About the Illustrator:  Sal Murdocca illustrated two Muppets Little Golden Books: Oscar the Grouch’s Alphabet of Trash (1977) and Grover’s Own Alphabet (1978). His largest body of work is in illustrating mary Pope Osborne’s on-going Magic Tree House series,  published 1992. As of the end of 2007, there will be 38 titles in the series released. Murdocca illustrated two books by Andrew Clements: Double Trouble in Walla Walla and the hardcover version of the novel The Landry News. From 2000 to 2004, he illustrated the ten book in the Third-Grade Detectives series by  George E. Stanley.

Extras: The Magic Tree House Series has 38 different book adventures that whisk children away to a different time and a new adventure. Go to www.magictreehouse.com to print a passport and then answer questions about each book to receive an official Magic Tree House Passport Stamp for each book.

The Blast

Thanksgiving Hats for the Whole Family!

Turkey Hat

Materials

• Construction paper in fall colors
• Glue
• Scissors
  
• Stapler
  
• Marker
  

Directions

1. 1. From brown paper, cut a circle 3.5 inches in diameter for the turkey’s head. Next, cut a 3-inch-wide band to fit around the child’s head.
2. 2. Cut a strip of paper 5 by 1.5 inches to use for a neck. Fold it three times accordion style, then glue one end to the back of the paper circle.
3. 3. For a beak, fold yellow construction paper and cut out a small double triangle (1.5 inches along the fold). Cut a rounded L from red paper for the turkey’s wattle.
4. 4. To create eyes, draw a black circle on two small white circles with the marker. Glue the eyes, wattle, and one side of the beak to the head. Let them dry. Then, glue the loose end of the neck to the center of the headband.
5. 5. Now, wrap the headband around your child’s head; mark where the ends overlap, then remove the band and glue the ends. Finally, glue on construction paper feathers and wings.

Note: This can be easily changed to a feather headband for a Native American boy or girl as well.

Pilgrim Hat for Girls

Materials

• 12 by 18 inch white construction paper
• Glue-Scissors-Hole punch
• Yarn

Directions

1. 1. Fold the paper lengthwise back two inches to create the front opening. Crease well.
2. 2. Bend, without folding, the hat over the child’s head so that the two shorter ends meet at each side of the child’s jaw line.
3. 3. Mark the paper with a  pencil where it will meet at the child’s jaw line, then cut a slit abut six inches from the end of the paper towards the head. Cut another slit about six inches from the other end in towards the head. 
4. 4. Bending paper back in same position as if on child’s head, fold the middle section down and hold.
5. 5. Fold one side over the middle section and staple in place.
6. 6. Fold the other side over the other two sections and staple in place.
7. 7. On each end, hole punch one hole in the turned over flap.
8. 8. Tie a piece of yarn to each hole.
9. 9. The child then puts the hat on and ties the yarn to hold it on her head.10. Cute as can be, and simple to make!

Tips: This has could also be made out of felt and used all year.

You could use Velcro to hold the hat in place and then lat it flat for storage.

Pilgrim Hat for Boys

Materials

• Large black paper plate (circular paper)
• Black construction paper (preferable 10 x 13)
• Grey or white construction paper
• Scissors
• Aluminum foil
• Glue

Directions

1. 1. Cut the center of the large paper plate or paper, leaving the outside rim about two inches wide.
2. 2. Wrap the black construction paper around so both ends meet, making a cylinder. Secure with stapler, glue, or tape. (If you don’t have 10 x 13 size or for an adult, use two pieces and staple together).
3. 3. Apply glue onto rim of the paper plate and place construction paper so it is sticking upright from the rim.
4. 4. Using the white or grey paper, cut a 2 inch wide strip and wrap around the hat closest to the paper plate rim. Glue to construction paper.
5. 5. Using another piece of construction paper, cut circle big enough to fit in center of hat. Place in hole of hat to form the top.
6. 6. Make 4 inch tabs and fold in half to glue the top to the cylinder.
7. 7. From a small yellow or grey piece of paper cut a buckle and glue over the band around the hat.

Extra Tips for a Good Time: Crafts make the holidays extra fun. There are a number of great resources online to find craft projects. The three we highlighted here come from www.familyfun.com, www.kaboose.com, and www.iparty.com respectively.

Toys coming to life is the premise of many of our favorite books (The Indian in the Cupboard), stories (Pinocchio), and movies (Toy Story). Children and adults alike are obsessed with imagining that there is something more to the wood, plastic, and fabric that makes up our toys than meets the eye. How do toys interact when we’re not around? What do they say? What do they like to do? What does it take for a toy to become real?

The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams was perhaps the first well-received book to explore the subject. Written in America in 1922, the book has stood the test of time as a children’s favorite for several generations of make believers. We think your kids will love it. Paired with the activity from last week’s Chapter Book Blast – the TOYS exhibit at the Arizona Museum for Youth – this book will help you and your kids fall in love with some of your old toys all over again.

The Book

Get the book and more in our Amazon store!

Book Title: The Velveteen Rabbit

Author: Margery Williams

Illustrator: Donna Green

Recommended Age: 6-10

Book Brief: Margery Williams’ famous story tells of a young boy and his treasured favorite toy, a splendid “fat and bunchy” rabbit, whose ears are lined with pink sateen. He carries it everywhere, talks to it, pretends with it, and sleeps with it each night. The love he steadfastly bestows on his toy helps him through a serious illness and afterwards saves his beloved bunny from a terrible fate.

The book has been published in numerous editions, several of which you can find at the local library or in our bookstore. You can even follow this link to an electronic version of the book (which is now public domain) on Project Gutenberg. We recommend the 1998 edition, illustrated by Donna Green. For this edition, Green has created superb oil-on-canvas works that are fresh and innocent, painted with a soft tender touch. She captures the magic of the story perfectly.

About the Author: Margery Williams was born in London, England to successful and accomplished parents. She moved to the United States with her family in 1890. At the age of nineteen, she moved back to England to pursue a career as a writer. She married her publisher and had a son and daughter. She and her family returned to America from a depressed postwar Europe in 1921. Her most popular book, The Velveteen Rabbit, was published the next year. The rabbit in the book is modeled after one of her children’s toys. She wrote several additional books about toys during the remainder of her writing career, including The Little Wooden Doll and The Skin Horse.

About the Illustrator: Donna Green spent her early years on her grandparents’ New England farm where she learned to value the serenity and independence of country life. Self-taught, she began exhibiting her paintings when she was fifteen. These days, she reserves Saturdays for showing her original paintings at her studio, a little 18th century cottage located in Cohasset Village along Massachusetts’ south shore. Paintings by Donna Green now adorn fourteen lavishly illustrated books, including Merry Christmas, Days to Remember, and Anne of Green Gables Journal. You can read more about Donna Green and see some of her original artwork at www.donnagreen.com.

Extras: The story has been used as the basis for several TV shows and movies. The most critically acclaimed is narrated by Meryl Streep and does a pretty good job of staying true to the feeling of the book. It’s always fun for kids to read the book and then compare a movie to the way the story played out in their imagination. The movie is not available directly from our bookstore, but a link there allows you to view purchasing options on Amazon.

The Blast

TOYS Exhibit

Arizona Museum for Youth
35 N. Robson
Mesa, AZ 85201

(Click here to see a map and get directions)

Website: www.arizonamuseumforyouth.com

When:

August 4 – November 25, 2007
Tuesday – Saturday: 10 AM to 4 PM
Sunday: Noon to 4 PM

Closed on Thanksgiving

Cost:
$5 per person
Babies under 12 months old are free

It’s a Blast: Whether you are a toddler, child, teenager or adult, an important part of learning is playing with toys. Toys are more than amusement and have a profound influence on most aspects of life, including art. To highlight these whimsical masterpieces, AMY (Arizona Museum for Youth) presents “TOYS,” an exhibition featuring paintings, sculptures, photographs and other artwork that depict playthings and games from the artist’s point of view.

Items on display include:

• Color photographs of the classic Troll doll in playful settings by Sue Cullumber of Chandler
• Nostalgic toy paintings by the late Apache Junction artist Bob Luby
• Oil painting by Phoenix artist Deborah McMillion Nering, depicting toys and humans in surreal situations

In the Art Gallery, art projects and age-appropriate Art Stops will allow visitors to play around with the ideas of art-making, toys and games. Young artists and designers can:

• Learn an ancient African game involving counting and strategy
• Make and decorate their own spinning top or
• Create an original board game with game pieces and chance cards

“Toys connect us to our own past, providing meaningful memories of childhood interests, traditions and relationships that continue into adulthood,” says AMY Curator Jeffory Morris.

Extra Tips for a Good Time:

• The Arizona Museum for Youth is participating in the annual Toys for Tots Charity Drive. Through the end of the exhibit, toy donations may be dropped off to the front desk at the museum. Mesa firefighters will distribute the toys in December.

• Parking at the museum is free.

• Food and drink are not allowed in the galleries. There are a number of restaurants nearby if you get hungry.

• A visit will probably take 1.5-2 hours.

• Strollers are not allowed inside the Artville portion of the museum, but you really won’t need one.

• Museum members get into the exhibit for free. There are several annual membership levels, starting at $50 for two people.

Extras: The museum was founded in 1980 as the only children’s museum in the United States with a focus on fine art. Featuring artwork by local, national and international professionals, the exhibits of the museum bring the very best of the world of art to those under 1 to over 101 years of age. AMY links each exhibit with interactive art making activities. Trained through current research, AMY’s educational staff has developed the premier experience for the museum patrons. Caregivers and children learn together about the techniques, processes and materials used to create art while exploring themselves and our world through play and self-expression. With each exhibit, areas are dedicated to expression through music, reading, theatre, art making, and of course, art appreciation.

Artville is an additional AMY feature for younger children. More than just a “play space,” ArtVille is an aesthetic environment designed with the unique requirements of those under five years of age – young crawlers to curious toddlers will keep busy in a town built to cultivate awareness of color, line, shape and texture. Larger-than-life crayons, paintbrushes and glitter glue can be found at every corner – emphasizing the town philosophy of artistic exploration. Admission to ArtVille is included in the Arizona Museum for Youth admission fee. ArtVille is especially for children birth through 4 years. Older children may visit, but only as “helpers” – as a consideration to younger visitors.