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.

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.

The Book

Humbug Witch

Author/Illustrator: Lorna Balian

Recommended Age: 5-7 years old

Book Brief: There was this thing…and an ugly thing it was! It was scary and nasty and dressed quite horribly. It called itself a witch.

It tried to laugh wickedly. It tried to weave fierce Black Magic potions. It tried to fly through the dark, eerie sky on its broom. Yet nothing happened!

This witch became quite discouraged. It took off its tall black hat. It took off its gold-buckle black shoes. It took off its long black dress…and then the unexpected happened!

About the Author: Lorna Balian’s prizewinning books have delighted young and not-so-young readers for more than a quarter of a century. Now a proud grandmother, Ms. Balian lives with her family in a converted schoolhouse in Hartford, Wisconsin.

The Blast

Family Costumes!

Everyone is brainstorming their costumes and getting ready for Halloween Night. I hope your family has a great place to celebrate . . . and that you go in style, with your whole family dressed as a matching theme! Here are some of our most memorable Halloween costumes. Some have been pricey and complicated; others have been simple and last minute. Regardless, we have always had a lot of fun!

Our first year married: Super Heroes

Couple: Mad Scientist and Bride of Frankenstein

Our first baby: The Three Amigos

1 Child: Mouseketeers

2 kids: Donald, Daisy, Mickey, and Minnie

2 kids: The Incredibles, with extended family – Grandparents were Mr. and Mrs. Incredible; we also had Violet, Dash, Bomb Voyage, Syndrome, and Edna Mode.

3 kids: Alice inWonderland – Queen  of Hearts, Mad Hatter, Alice, King of Hearts, and Baby Ace of Hearts

This year?…….

Other great family costumes I’ve seen: The Flintstones, Toy Story, Peter Pan, Vampires or Witches, Mario Bros. Cast, Star Wars, Cowboys and Cowgirls, Ghostbusters,  and Where the Wild Things Are (whichwould be a great one this year!).

Extra Tips for a Good Time:

• If you use hair spray paint, only use it on short hair or hair that is pulled back. Otherwise every time it brushes her face or she brushes it out of her face it gets all over everything.
• Make sure they can easily walk without tripping, and they can easily be seen. Completely black costumes on kids make them nearly impossible to find.
• The accessories make the costume! If you are going for a really great costume for an adult or a child, the accessories are what makes it stand out (and they usually don’t come in the package)!
• Make it yourself. We made Alice, from Alice in Wonderland, all out of fabric left over from other projects and it was perfect! There are lots of great websites for costumes you can make on your own. One of my favorites is www.familyfun.com.

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!

The Book

Click here to view our Amazon Store

I Need My Monster

Author: Amanda Noll

Illustrator: Howard McWillaim

Recommended Age: 4-8 years old

Book Brief: When Ethan checks under his bed for his monster, he finds a note instead: “Gone fishing. Back in a week. -Gabe” What will Ethan do? He needs a monster under his bed. Substitute monsters appear but none are as perfect as Gabe. Herbert’s teeth aren’t sharp enough, Mack’s slobbering induces giggles, Cynthia’s tail isn’t scary at all, and Ralph has nail polish on his claws! This will never work! How will Ethan get to sleep without his monster?

I Need My Monster is a unique monster-under-the-bed story for all monster-loving kids. The perfect balance of giggles and shivers will keep you under your covers, and you’ll soon be sleeping soundly.

About the Author: Amanda Noll blames her fundamentally twisted sense of humor on either genetics or the steady stream of Australian humor on which she was raised. She lives in Spanaway, Washington, and the monster under her bed is Gertie. This is her first picture book.

About the Illustrator: Howard McWilliam has won awards for his artwork and is published in a wide range of UK magazines and newspapers including The Daily Telegraph, The Week, Child Education, and Nursery Education. He lives in Kingston Upon Thames, England, and the monster under his bed is Brompton. This is his first picture book.

The Blast

MoshiMonsters.com

Cost: Free (optional membership upgrade)

Information:www.moshimonsters.com/parents

It’s a blast! Moshi Monsters is a free online game for kids, in which they adopt a monster and look after it. Kids whose parents give their approval can become members on the site, and can adopt a Moshi Monster. Kids care for their monster by solving puzzle games, which earn their monster virtual rewards called Rox. Kids can spend Rox on virtual items like food, furniture and other treats and toys for their monster. Over time their monster will increase in level, be able to visit new locations in Monstro City, and earn all kinds of in-game rewards for playing. Monster owners will also be able to make friends with other owners and leave messages on their pages.

Education is right at the heart of the Moshi Monsters experience. Every day your child’s monster will create a series of fun puzzles that test everything from vocabulary and arithmetic to logic and spatial skills. The better your child does at these puzzles, the more Rox they’ll earn to buy cool things for their monster. The difficulty level of the puzzles automatically calibrates each day, so puzzles get harder if they are doing well, and easier if they are struggling.

Successfully nurturing a Moshi Monster is no mean feat. It takes a variety of skills that your child can develop over time. Your child will need to think creatively, hypothesize, strategize, manage scarce resources, collaborate with friends, and nurture a wide variety of other skills that could extend positively into their everyday lives.

Extra tips for a good time!

• Sign up with your children. It’s fun to let them make the decision about their monsters appearance and name, but you’ll need to provide your email address and give permission for them to enter the site, so its easiest to help them through the registration process.
• The games or puzzles get progressively harder as you do better and increase in Level. They can be challenging and a lot of fun! It would not be unusual to find this adult playing a few games to “help earn a few monster dollars.”

Celebrate National Grandparents Day! Nothing makes our kids happier than a day with one of their grandparents. Grandmas and Grandpas bring constant excitement, joy, and love into our lives. Not to mention that they are the best babysitter’s on earth, and we would be lost without them!

My Granny’s Purse is a fantastically fun book celebrating this wonderful relationship between grandparents and their grandkids.

The Book

Click here to visit our Amazon Store

My Granny’s Purse

Author: P. H. Hanson

Recommended Age: 3-8 years old

Book Brief: Open Granny’s purse (yes, she said it’s OK) and enter a treasure chest of mementos and magic. A unique, fourteen-page die-cut storybook crammed with interactive features and surprises for ages 3 and up, it contains a whole life waiting to be discovered.

Peek inside Granny’s notebook. Try on her sunglasses. Check yourself in the mirror. Play with her keys. Look at her photos, read her letter, tie a bow, try on Granny’s rings, wear her scarf. Not only is Granny’s purse a veritable playground for little girls, but piece by piece it creates a portrait of an adventurous, independent, contemporary grandmother, imbued with spirit and gumption. This Granny’s a traveler (and has the passport filled with stamps to prove it). A self-sufficient handyperson with her wrench and compass. A collector of lives and memories. And a genuine softie, with handfuls of treats ready to dispense.  Jam-packed with fun things, it’s really a story about love between the generations.

About the Author: P. H. Hanson has three children and lives in Oxford, England. Hanson has also written My Grandpa’s Briefcase and My Mommy’s Tote.

The Blast

National Grandparents Day

Date: Sunday, September 13, 2009

Official Site: www.grandparents-day.com

It’s a blast: Do something special for the Grandparents in your life! We celebrate Mothers Day and Fathers Day but Grandparent’s Day has yet to become an extremely popular holiday. Don’t let it pass you by this year; let your mom and dad know how special they are to you are your kids. And take the opportunity to tell your kids how important and valuable their grandparents; experience and wisdom is in their lives.

The Grandparents Day website has great ideas for projects to do with your grandparents.

“The impetus for a National Grandparents Day originated with Marian McQuade, a housewife in Fayette County, West Virginia. Her primary motivation was to champion the cause of lonely elderly in nursing homes. She also hoped to persuade grandchildren to tap the wisdom and heritage their grandparents could provide. President Jimmy Carter, in 1978, proclaimed that National Grandparents Day would be celebrated every year on the first Sunday after Labor Day.”

Extra Tips for a Good Time!

• Older kids can do reports on their Grandparent’s Lives. They will be amazed at how much life has changed and just how much their grandparents have accomplished.
• Have kids make a card, a book, a poem…Personalized gifts mean more. Even if they aren’t spectacular, they are a great reflection of your child’s age and ability and will be fun for everyone to look back on.
• If you have really young kids, print out a photograph and create a photocard they can color and decorate. Finish it by adding their own dictation about what they love about their grandparents.

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.

Summer is in full swing, and it’s hot! What do you do? Hit the pool of course. Kids love to swim and there are so many great benefits for them. It’s fun, it cools them down, and it’s a great form of exercise and outdoor activity. But deep water has inherent dangers, and with an abundance of pools in AZ, all children should be taught to swim. This can be daunting and scary for some kids. Swimming Lessons is about those nerves children get when first learning to swim. It’s a fun story that will set your child at ease if they are nervous about being so wet.

Aqua Tots is a great pair with this book. They have a year-round indoor swimming facility, with locations all around the valley. You get to stay indoors with air conditioning during lessons, you don’t have to worry about lathering your kids with sunscreen, and your kids have a great time, all while being taught by professional instructors. What a win-win opportunity! So, grab this book, sign up for lessons, and swim away your summer.

The Book

Click here to view more product in our Amazon Store

Title: Swimming Lessons

Author: Betsy Jay

Recommended Age: 4-8

Book Brief: Jane’s mother signs her up for swimming lessons, but the child is completely opposed to the idea. When the big day arrives, Jane is standing next to Jimmy, who calls her a chicken, saying “Chickens and girls can’t swim.” Jane then makes a quick decision and jumps in the water, because obviously, “Jimmy doesn’t know anything about girls.” The text succeeds in maintaining a light, humorous tone while treating Jane’s fear seriously.

Author: Betsy Jay grew up in Waynesville, North Carolina, with her brother and two sisters. She now attends the University of North Carolina at Asheville, majoring in biology.

Betsy wrote Swimming Lessons as an assignment for her twelfth-grade English class. Her teacher liked it so much she encouraged Betsy to try to have it published. Though this is Betsy’s first children’s book, she has been writing since she was a little girl. Betsy’s mom says Jane is a lot like Betsy was when she was little.

Illustrator: Lori Osiecki was born in Shillington, Pennsylvania, and attended the York Academy of Arts. She worked for Hallmark Cards, Inc., for eight years before moving  to Arizona and becoming a freelance illustrator. Though she has illustrated books for such educational publishers as Macmillan and McGraw-Hill, this is her first children’s book to appear on a bookstore shelf. Lori lives in Mesa, where there are 365 swimming days a year, with her husband Jared, son Max, daughter Alex, and dog George. Lori was swimming before she could walk, and both her children take swimming lessons – cooperatively – at the Y.

The Blast

Aqua Tots Swim Schools

Aqua-Tots Swim Schools have years of experience, comprehensive curriculum, family friendly state-of-the-art facilities, and a location near you – Aqua-Tots has it all!

Experience

Since 1991, Aqua-Tots has been an industry leader in swimming instruction. Aqua-Tots specializes in small group instruction (4:1 ratio), in-home private and semi-private lessons, and pool parties.

Curriculum / Instructor Training

Over 50 years of instructional experience has been used to design the most comprehensive swim training curriculum. Thousands of children have learned to swim and have advanced their skills through the Aqua-Tots curriculum.

Each instructor must have 2 years of teaching expertise before they are eligible for a position with Aqua-Tots. Instructors go through 32 hours of our “Lessons for Life” training and must pass the rigorous Aqua-Tots WSI instructor exam.

State of the Art Facilities

The year-round training centers offer parents a clean, safe, family-friendly teaching environment. And the water is always 90 Degrees!

Multiple Locations

Whether you choose a year round facility, a satellite program, or lessons in your home pool, Aqua-Tots offers the same great instruction at any of their facilities.

Extra Tips for a Good Time:

• Go to their website to find an Aqua Tots in your area – www.aqua-tots.com
• In addition to swim lessons they offer in home instruction, adult swim lessons, swim club-swim team, adaptive aquatics, competitive training, CPR & first aid training, indoor pool parties, and lifeguard rental services.
• Check the site for class schedules and registration. Classes fill up quickly!

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

Click here to view more products in our Amazon Store

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

This one is for the grownups.  Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever is written by Mem Fox, a best-selling children’s book author and literacy expert. The book illustrates how reading aloud to your kids can prepare and even teach them to read, improve their speaking skills, expand their vocabulary and (my favorite) strengthen the bond between parent and child. Mem Fox comments, “The time spent reading together provides clear evidence to a child of a parent’s love, care, and focused attention. And it gives the parent a chance to close off the rest of the world, relax, and connect with the child wonderfully.”

Summer is around the corner. Make reading together part of your summer plans. Schedule trips to the library or bookstore and browse our recommended books in our online bookstore. You can even email us for ideas and we will help you find books your kids will love! Work reading time into your plane trips, car ventures, and everyday activities.  We will provide fun, weekly activities to keep your summer moving  and your kids reading. Make a commitment to connect again with your kids this summer through books!

The Book

Title: Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever

Author: Mem Fox

Recommended Age: Parents

Book Brief: We all hope and expect our children will learn to read, but how many of us realize we can get our kids on the road to reading simply by reading aloud to them every day? With passion and humor, Mem Fox explains why reading aloud to young children has such an impact on their ability to read — and on their entire lives.

Writing as an ordinary mother as well as a bestselling author and internationally respected literacy expert, Fox explores when and where to read aloud and emonstrates with clear, easy-to-follow examples how to to read aloud to best effect and how to get the most value and joy out of a read-aloud session.

Filled with practical advice, activities, and inspiring true read-aloud miracles, this book is a must for every parent — and for anyone who would like to know more about how children learn to read.

About the Author: Mem Fox was born n Melbourne, Australia in 1946. She grew up on a mission in Zimbabwe, went to drama school in London for three years in the mid-sixties, and returned to Australia in 1970, where she continued her studies and then taught drama and literacy for twenty-eight years. In 1996, she took early retirement from her position as Associate Professor of Literacy Studies at Flinders University in order to write and consult full time. She has been a literacy consultant in Australia, the United States, Taiwan, Guam, Singapore, South Africa, Uganda, and Tanzania and is well known as the writer of several nonfiction books for adults and many bestselling picture books for children, including Time for Bed and Possum Magic. She and her family live in Adelaide, South Australia.

The Blast

Family Summer Reading Program

Location: At home and on the road this summer

Cost: Priceless

If your kids are in school, you have serious concerns about keeping them busy and engaged in learning this summer. If your kids are preschoolers, you’re looking for things to get them prepared for school in future years. And all families  are looking for ways to have fun together this summer. The very best solution: read together. Make it a commitment; you will love it! It will be a great summer, and we’re here to help.

• Not every kid loves to read, but there is a type of book your kid would love. Email us if you’re having trouble; we will help you find it.
• Read the book with your child, even if its a chapter book. They might not let you cuddle up with them and read before bed time. If they are too old and/or too cool, get your own copy so you can talk about it together.
• Reward reading with a Book|Blast and a day out together. This activity will mean a lot to both you and your child.
• Tell us the books you and your kids would like to read this summer. We will read them with you.

Extra tips for a good time!

• Have fun! Make it fun! And enjoy reading together!

Let’s face it, moms are the best! Celebrate this Mother’s Day with My Mommy is Magic, a wonderful tribute to all the ways a mom magically heals wounds, creates new worlds, and makes our very favorite things. Help your child make Mom feel special by assisting them in this free (or nearly, at least) art project for kids. They can create  their own bouquet of flowers to present to their mom on Mother’s Day. These flowers are beautiful and will never die nor fade, just like their love for their Mom.

The Book

Author:  Carl Norac

Click here to buy the book and more in our Amazon store!

Illustrator: Ingrid Godon

Reading Level: 4-8 years old

Book Brief: Is there anyone more magical than Mommy? She can kiss a boo-boo and make it better. She can chase monsters away after a bad dream. And she can make a delicous cake appear – right out of thin air!

From the author-illustrator team of My Daddy Is a Giant comes an equally hearfelt and well-deserved tribute to mothers – the everyday magicians who not only do it all but make it look so easy.

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

Tissue Paper Flowers for Mom

from FamilyFun.com

Location: Your kitchen table

Time to Complete: 15 minutes – 1 hour

Cost: Little to nothing

It’s a Blast!

Follow the directions below or check out a video tutorial at Family Fun:

1. Start with a stack of 6 multi-colored pieces of tissue paper.

2. Fold the tissue paper accordian style the long way.

3. Twist a pipe cleaner at the center, tightly keeping it together.

4. Round both ends of the folded tissue with scissors.

5. Open up the flower by pulling up the first layer of tissue paper towards the center. Repeat fluffing all six layers.

6. Attach a stem wrapped in green tissue or crepe paper.

Extra Tips for a Good Time:

• Change the size of the rectangular paper to get varying sized flowers. You can make very small lifelike flowers or giant blossoms beautiful for decorating.
• For a different look, do a flower in all one color tissue paper but use crayon or oil pastel to the very edge of the flower before you fluff it.
• One year we attached a pretty note to the stem and delivered a single flower to all of the special Mom’s in our lives.