Bird and Little Bird

Notes from Friday Morning.

The first half of our move to Massachusetts went pretty smoothly. Although it was apparently pretty busy, because I managed this one photo, and that appears to be about it. It is a picture of the living room of the new place, before we started filling it with stacks of boxes. As you can see, the floors are very shiny, which tells you that my children do not yet actually live there. But soon.

In the meantime, we have a big weekend coming up back here in Vermont. Dan is graduating from medical school on Sunday, an event worthy of my waxing philosophical at least a little bit. But right at this moment I am typing with one hand while trying to both nurse the baby and eat a sunny side up egg. This is actually pretty tricky business. So thoughts on the medical school journey later, I guess.

By the way, I made you all some printable and pocket-sized lists for summer library going. Fun, yes? You can find them over at Playful Learning.

Happy Friday, friends.

Library Monday: Birds, Nests, and Eggs.

It was, by all accounts, a very good weekend for the bird enthusiasts at our house. We had not one, but two, awesome nest sightings, both with a trio of tiny eggs inside and both in bushes at eye level. Pretty fortunate, yes? The nest above belongs to a scolding mother robin living just off the side of the deck at the home of some friends that we visited over the weekend.

 

The sighting of the robin's nest was a good reminder of exactly why it is handy to have an easy-to-reference kid's field guide handy. I think that I have mentioned before that I really like the Take Along Guides series by Mel Boring and Linda Garrow. They have lovely illustrations, are easy to navigate, and are full of great information that is accessible to kids of pretty much any age. I find that they have an intuitive structure to them that leaves Mariam feeling like she can probably find out what she wants to know when she goes to get one off the shelf.

We particularly like the Birds, Nests, and Eggs guide, and it was the first book that we went looking for this weekend when we found a second nest in the bushes in our own yard, near our front door. The mama bird wasn't around when we first found the nest (well, we didn't see her right away, anyway), so we needed to figure out what kind of eggs they were without the benefit of a bird sighting. I think that it is absolutely the mark of a good kids' nature tome when they immediately go hunting for it when they realize that there is something that they want to know about, or when they have a specific question that they want answered. It got me thinking that we should really collect each of the titles in this series. We have a handful already, and they are all fantastic. With baby Z. on his way up in the world, they will probably continue to be both useful and loved, so are likely well worth the investment.

 

And, we did figure out what kind of egg these are. Not long after we first found the nest, we caught a glimpse of their layer.

Anyone want to take a guess at who laid these little front yard treasures?

Don't forget about the big Alphabet Glue May moving sale!  Any and all issues of Alphabet Glue are on sale until May 15th! Enter "may25" at checkout for 25% off. There are lots and lots of great book recommendations, printable pages and fun science and craft projects in there; perfect for getting busy with the small folk this summer!

Library Monday: Q & A a Day for Kids.

There was a time in my life when I was a keeper of journals. I guess in some ways, I still am (this blog being a fine example, I suppose), but I don't do the same kind of waxing poetic with pen and paper type of thing that I did in my college years. I'm good with that, although from time to time, I do thing about the little details of daily life that might be nice to remember later. Which is one of the reasons why, when I ran across Betsy Franco's Q & A a Day for Kids, I snapped up a copy like that.

The idea here is genius in its simplicity, and pretty well done in its execution. There are pages assigned to every day of the year, each with a prompt for kids to write to. The pages have space to write an answer to the prompt three times: this year, next year, and then one more time three years from now. The questions are mostly about small details of daily life: what kinds of things a kid likes to wear or eat, what instruments they play, what they see when they look outside of their bedroom window. There are also some questions aimed at finding out a bit more about a kid's perspective on things. One question asks what they think a gallon of milk probably costs. Together, revisiting each of these questions again over the next couple of years will create a unique journal of the way that a child's likes, dislikes, world view, and thoughts on life's smaller moments change as they grow. I love it.

 

For our part, we began the journal on Mariam's ninth birthday. So, if we stick with it, we will finish it on the day that she turns twelve. I expect that we will have days when we forget to write, and am planning to give us leniency for catching up within a reasonable window of time (so that the answers are still an accurate picture of her thinking at the moment). So far I have learned that she thinks that I am the person who understands her best (at least most of the time), and that she is pretty sure you can buy a car for about 1,000 dollars. Good to know.

And remember.

Learning Through Play: Super Book Bundle for Spring!

So, as of right about now, the incredibly fantastic "Learning Through Play" spring book bundle is officially available. Organized by Melitsa of Raising Playful Tots and Cathy of NurtureStore, the bundle is available between now and April 14th. Melitsa and Cathy have put together a package of e-books and resources worth more than $130, from sixteen different authors. It is all based around the theme of "learning through play," which is kind of the perfect idea as we head into warmer weather and longer days.  The bundle includes books, resources, and an online course, and covers sensory play, outdoor play, art and crafts, positive parenting, learning to read and write, math and lots more. There is tons of great inspiration to keep busy and get creative with your kiddos all spring and summer long.

How to buy and download the bundle

The book bundle has officially gone on its way. But not to worry! The individual authors of the books included in the bundle all have their very own webpages and blogs where you can find their contributions. To track down any of the included ebooks that you were particularly hopeful about getting your hands on, simply click through to the author's site below.

The Garden Classroom by Cathy James of NurtureStore:

The Garden Classroom brings you fifty-two creative and playful outdoor activities, giving you a whole year’s worth of garden-based projects to enjoy with your children. Value $9.99  

ScienceArts by MaryAnn Kohl of Process Art & Treasures of Childhood:

ScienceArts inspires children to explore the world of science through art with open-ended experiments. 141 pages of art experiments amaze & delight children as they discover the magic of crystals, light, constellations, plants and more. All scientific reactions and concepts explained. Value $9.99

The Playful Family by Shawn Fink of Awesomely Awake:

The Playful Family encourages and challenges busy parents to slow down and spend quality time together with their children, regardless of their age. With nearly 100 ways to connect, engage and play together this easy-to-read e-book is a must-have resource for any parent interested in becoming more playful and happy while raising children. Value $4.99  

Connecting Family through Creative Play e-Workshop by Gina Kimmel of Connecting Family & Seoul and Katherine Lockett of Creative Playhouse:

Connecting Family through Creative Play is a 30 day e-Workshop designed for families who wish to connect with their children on a daily basis through simple, creative play. These ideas are perfect for parents looking to find a balance between the everyday responsibilities and connecting with your child in meaningful ways that fit into your family’s daily rhythm. You will receive daily messages from us in your inbox with inspirations to play, ideas for connection, and resources to help spark your imagination, including access to a private Facebook community. {Please note this course is running April 29th 2013 to May 28th 2013 only and you must register on the course before May 15th 2013} Value $25  

Alphabet Glue: Volumes Nine through Eleven by Annie Riechmann of Bird and Little Bird (Hey! I know her!):

Alphabet Glue is a downloadable e-magazine for families who love books, and aims to help more families to incorporate creativity, imagination and all things literary into their everyday routines. Each issue contains leveled book recommendations organized by theme, bookmaking tutorials, story-building activities, and hands-on projects that complement favorite titles in children's literature or teach basic elements of science. Value $11  

Alphabet Summer Learning Pack by Erin Wing of Small Types:

The Alphabet Summer Learning Pack is a collection of flexible summer learning ideas organized around an "A to Z" theme. Use these resources to prevent the dreaded "summer slide" and build fun learning routines into your summer plans. Ideas are simple and flexible, so families can pick and choose the activities that work for their particular child and schedule. They provide opportunities to practice key literacy and math skills, and they leave plenty of time for lemonade stands and sand castles. Value $7  

Pink and Green Mama Crafts: Backyard FUN by MaryLea Harris of Pink and Green Mama:

Backyard FUN brings you 13 Art Lessons and Craftivities to create your own Backyard Fun Camp at home or in your classroom with step-by-step instructions, supply lists, and full color photos. The supplies for these fun and easy projects will come from your own art and craft stash, garage, hardware store, and recycling bin! Value $10  

Alphabet Crafts by Allison McDonald of No Time For Flash Cards:

Alphabet Crafts lets you create the alphabet from A-Z with fun crafts that promote more than just letter recognition. Kids will love making their own alphabet and forget that they are learning in the process. With 5 exclusive crafts never published on No Time For Flash Cards. Value $8  

Alphabet Games by Malia Hollowell of Playdough to Plato:

The Alphabet Mega Pack includes 12 hands-on games that teach children to recognize the names and sounds of letters - skills that are important for learning how to read. Each activity includes easy to follow parent instructions and helpful photos. The games are addictively fun for kids AND their families! Value $6

Raising a Creative Kid: Simple Strategies for Igniting and Nurturing that Creative Spark by Jillian Riley of A Mom with a Lesson Plan:

Raising a Creative Kid will help you raise a creative thinker by simply setting up a creative environment, using intentional language, and nurturing mistakes. This easy read is full tips and tricks that will help you transform your environment into a creativity growth center. Value $7.99

5 minute reading tricks for raising rockstar readers by Amy Mascott of teach mama:

Fifteen 5-minute reading tricks that cover everything from teaching names to what parents should say during read-alouds, from learning sight words to reading fluently. It’s about rolling out the red carpet for our rockstar readers. Now. Whomever you are, wherever you are, no matter how busy you are. Value $10  

Parenting with Positive Guidance: Building Discipline from the Inside Out by Amanda Morgan of Not Just Cute:

Parenting with Positive Guidance gives you the tools for understanding your child’s behavior and effectively teaching and guiding your child toward increased self-control while fostering a healthy parent-child relationship. 100+ pages of information you can start using today! Value $9  

Treasure Basket Play by Melitsa Avila of Raising Playful Tots:

Treasure Basket Play lets you learn step by step how to make your own natural sensory baby play activity with a Treasure Basket. Includes case studies and interview with a sensory play expert on using Treasure Baskets. Value $8.95  

Play Grow Learn Issue 2 by Christie Burnett of Childhood 101:

Issue 2 of Play Grow Learn is packed full of playful fun with 55 pages and over 100 activity ideas. Includes ideas for creating family stories with internationally acclaimed author Hazel Edwards, an exclusive full colour, printable sea themed bingo game, 12 pages of active and outdoor play ideas, recipes, art, literacy, creativity, construction, imaginative play, books and more! Value $4  

Spring Literacy and Math Activities and Games by Christine Lanyon of Scribble Doodle and Draw:

Spring Literacy and Math Activities and Games includes 15 fun learning center ideas. Skills worked on include, addition to 8, patterns, counting to 20, measurement, number sequencing, abc order, writing 3 letter words, rhyming, syllables, compound words and more. Value $8

Kind of a ridiculous amount of good stuff, eh? Click on the magic button below and it will all be in your inbox pretty much immediately. Oh, and tell a friend!

Alphabet Glue: Say Hello to Volume Twelve!

Hey! Guess what? Volume Twelve of Alphabet Glue is officially here. I didn't do my usual preview post this time around because our little household has been thrown way off the proverbial track by the big kid finding herself in posession of a wicked case of strep throat. She has been sick enough over the last couple of days that I wasn't at all sure if I actually would be able to finish this issue of the magazine anywhere near on time. But naptime is magic, and by the end of Monday, it turned out to be ready afterall. Oh, and did I mention that it is filled with spectacularly fun stuff? Because it is.

 

Hop on over to the brand new and oh-so-shiny Volume Twelve page on the Alphabet Glue website, and before long you will be in on all of the pertinent details about the new issue. There are whales and waves, weird inflatable eggs, and entire books folded out of single sheets of paper. There are instructions for making music with rubberbands, and of course, pages and pages of brand new recommendations for great reads on interesting topics.

 

And, as my way of saying a vociferous thanks for all of your wonderful support for the magazine, especially over the month of March, I have a little launch day surprise for you all. I've assembled a handful of great books from one of my very favorite authors, Cynthia Rylant. Perhaps I've mentioned her a time or twelve here on the blog? Anyway, to enter to win a five book bundle of Rylant titles, leave a comment on this post sharing your own favorite author with the rest of us. I'll pick a winner via random number generator, or baby pulling numbers from a hat, on Friday.

Alphabet Glue Turns Two!

Two years ago this week, I first launched an experimental little project called Alphabet Glue. The first issue was a goofy kind of labor of love. A collection of whimsical ideas and projects that my then six year old and I had been tinkering around with and thought we might share. I wrote much of that issue under a nest of blankets in Mariam's bunk bed while she dug through picture books and occasionally chimed in with titles that I should include in those very first booklists.

Two years later, there are eleven issues of Alphabet Glue (twelve if you include the Summer Science Special). I have built a website from scratch, working late into the evenings after my kids were tucked into bed. I have assembled hundreds of pages of science projects, book recommendations, quirky printable pages, and hands-on activities. I have dropped them into your virtual laps every other month, hoping that you will like them.

And you? You all have been beyond supportive and enthusiastic. You have sent kind emails, shared photos of your kids doing the projects, and left really nice comments on the blog to help keep me motivated (and on schedule). Blogger friends have written dozens of posts and shared like crazy on social media. The result is that the community of Alphabet Glue families feels like one big family in and of itself, and I am incredibly grateful. Because of your families, this is no longer just about me making a fantastic mess on our dining room table in pursuit of the perfect repurposing of an empty cardboard toilet paper roll. Instead, it is about all of us sharing a love of literature with our collective small folk, and about finding creative (if sometimes messy) moments for families to work together.

So thanks to each and every one of you for supporting my little magazine. As a way of saying thank you, I'm having a big sale on issues of Alphabet Glue. Between now and the 27th, you can enter "two" at checkout and receive 30% off.

Library Monday: Series for Reluctant Readers

Every so often I get an email from a concerned parent of a reluctant reader who is looking for ideas that might get a book into the lap of their small person on a more regular basis. There is a lot to be said on this subject; much more than will fit in this post with all of the other Monday business nipping at my heels today. So let's save some of that for another day and for now, focus on the fun bit: great books for motivating reluctant readers.

The Henry and Mudge series is written by the always fantastic Cynthia Rylant (and illustrated by Sucie Stevenson). Regular readers of this blog know that along with cupcakes and my disdain for mud, Cynthia Rylant is one of the things that I like to talk about the most. I personally love pretty much everything I have ever read of hers, but have to admit that Henry and Mudge seems to have a special something when it comes to encouraging otherwise persnickety little boys to pick up a book. I have seen many a third grader, struggling to learn to read independently, and discouraged by a lack of good books that are "easy" enough for reading alone, pick up a Henry and Mudge title and never look back. These are classic boy and dog tales that are sweet, funny, and infinitely readable. I have yet to meet a kid that doesn't like them, and with a reading level hovering around early to mid-second grade, they are excellent confidence builders for struggling or reluctant readers in the seven to ten age range. If Henry and Mudge prove popular, you might also try Mr. Putter and Tabby.

You can read my Library Monday post on Henry and his big dog Mudge here.

Another series that I particularly like for reluctant or struggling readers is the Nate the Great detective books by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat. There is a lot to love here: longer books that have the "look" of chapter books but are still quick reads, humorous plots with quirky characters, mysteries that are fast moving and not overly involved. Nate the Great books also generally hover around the end of first grade or beginning of second when it comes to reading level, a fact which, when paired with the fact that they have the look and feel of a chapter book, can be a really nice confidence booster for kids who aren't sure about reading non-picture books.

Our favorite boy detective gets the Library Monday treatment in this post.

The Houndsley and Catina books are somewhat newer on the scene here, but are so charming and well-done that I definitely plan to build a little collection of them to share with Zak as he gets older. Written by James Howe (of Bunnicula fame), this series pairs reading levels mostly hovering around mid-second grade with a cast of animal characters both lovable and funny. I especially like the fact that Howe's characters in these books are anything but one-dimensional. In spite of being animals spread across the pages of an early reader, they have relatable personality quirks that I think kids can really appreciate, and that make them good "starter characters" for delving into books with more nuanced storylines.

Read up on a Houndsley and Catina favorite here.

As with Cynthia Rylant, there is special place on our bookshelves for all things Gail Gibbons. Now, these books don't necessarily have text that is written with struggling readers in mind. In fact, the reading levels tend to be high, generally out of the reach of independence for the younger readers that the books are written for. So why include them here? Because compelling informational books like the ones that Gibbons writes are a perfect vehicle for helping reluctant readers to understand what the fuss is all about. They may not be able to read these books on their own, but browsing through them or reading alongside a grown-up is a really great way to further emphasize the idea that we read to get information about things that we would like to learn more about. All of Gibbons colorful illustrations about owls, milk production, mail sorting and phases of the moon? Well, she will tell you all about them if you are willing to spend a little time learning to read her words. Jump in.

Gail Gibbons love on Library Monday in this post.

Can we give just a little bit more love to Cynthia Rylant before we move on? Because when it comes to really great reads for reticent readers, I do think that her High-Rise Private Eyes series has a lot to offer. This series, about an animal detective pair, has reading levels that consistenly come in around mid-first to early second grade, making them really accessible for younger or struggling readers. But the books are also full of slightly clever (and very corny) humor that kids seems to love and that lets the reader feel that they are in on the joke; something which helps to disguise the fact that these books are written as early readers. Everybody wins! This series, along with Nate the Great and Encyclopedia Brown, was one of the primary sources of inspiration behind  the kid detective issue of Alphabet Glue (Volume Two).

Oh, and all this week get a free issue of Volume Five of Alphabet Glue (one of my favorites!) when you purchase Volume Ten or Eleven. Just let me know where to email the free issue in the "note to seller" area when you checkout!

Library Monday: Cul de Sac.

Most weeks, the girl child is fairly uninterested in the title choices that I make for my Library Monday posts. I may, for example, ask her if there is something that we've read lately that she thinks I should write about, and she will answer something along the lines of "Oh, I don't know. Go look at my bookshelf." So, when she tells me that I should share a particular book or series with you, I figure that I should listen up and comply. I think of it as a nice way to respect her choices as a reader and to validate the fact that I think she has good taste. She likes that. And thus, I introduce to you the Cul de Sac comic strips, written and illustrated by Richard Thompson.

I think that I first happened upon Cul de Sac when Lori mentioned that her kids had really loved them. We don't currently read the newspaper at our house, so I hadn't seen the actual strip in a comics section and wasn't familiar with it. I trust Lori's taste pretty implicitly though (she's wicked funny but also very kind), and when the books went on sale on Amazon (I think they are still only $5.00!), I bought a couple for Mariam.

She has had her nose buried in them ever since.

Cul de Sac follows the comic adventures of preschooler Alice Otterloop, and the neurotic, hilarious family and friends that surround her. And as far as Mariam is concerned, the strips have it all. Gentle but intelligent humor, super quirky characters who have interactions that are really and truly funny and unexpected. Alice gives speeches atop manhole covers about a four year old's perspective on life, while her brother recreates the history of mankind in shoebox dioramas. There is even a guinea pig, something which I believe to be a strong indicator of good literature in my daughter's world view.

One of the things that I'm enjoying the most about our burgeoning collection of Cul de Sac anthologies is the fact that the comics have such broad appeal. Mariam loves the expressive illustrations and the face value humor of the storylines. I find myself chuckling at the references to the bland sameness of surburban life which is punctuated in such hilarious ways by our general ridiculousness as human beings. There have been occasions where a particular strip just seemed so true and so funny that I had to read it through three or four times and just appreciate the brilliance of it.

There is a whole lot to be said for books that use gentle humor to remind us to have a little chuckle at our own expense, as well as for comic strips that let us spend a few minutes eavesdropping on a bunch of kids chatting as they dig a hole to Disney World. There is a good reason why my kid is keeping a stack of Cul de Sac books in her bunkbed with a flashlight nearby.

Library Monday: A Reading Round-Up.

I originally had a couple of titles that I thought I might talk about in depth this morning, but then I realized that I'm kind of just in the mood to share a little about what everyone is reading around here, and maybe find out a bit about what you all are reading while I'm at it. That is always good, clean fun.

Mariam and I just began reading A Wind in the Door, by Madeline L'Engle as our new read-aloud selection. We are only about thirty pages in, but I can already tell that it is going to have the same depth and addictive pull of its predecessor in the series, A Wrinkle in Time. More and more I'm finding that the tendency Mariam had when she was smaller to listen to anyone read absolutely anything, anytime, is fading a bit. Now that she reads so well on her own, she doesn't really need an adult to help her access reading material anymore. Read-aloud is no longer about having help getting through a trickier text, it is about a shared experience, and she wants it to be a really good one. This, of course, means that I will need to be giving a different level of attention to choosing books for us to read together as we go forward if I'm going to keep her on board.

On her own, she is reading My Life with the Chimpanzees by Jane Goodall, which I gave her as a literary valentine this year.

Zak is still proving to have more enthusiasm for using books to hit things or sit on than to read, but we've managed incremental progress with Hug by Jez Alborough. I hate to be the one to say so, but it is probably because it has almost no words, and the one it does have over and over is one of baby Z.'s favorites. The kid is a hugger, for sure.

For my part, I'm continuing on with the reading of Anne Lamott books downloaded to my Kindle and read during small fry nap times. In the last week or so, I read through Help, Thanks, Wow and really enjoyed it. I think that even if you don't consider yourself a "churchy" person per se, but just like to spend a little bit of time here and there contemplating your small place in the big universe, there are some nice reflections to be found inside.

And, although they are admittedly not a book, I've also been spending a lot of my time reading through the recipes from the Whole Family Kitchen meal plans. I had debated signing up for months, but just recently decided to go for it when I saw that they were having a special on annual memberships (and when we were in the midst of a particularly challenging food week at our house). We've come a long way on our food journey since Mariam's celiac diagnosis, but there have been some rough patches lately in terms of what she is eating, when she is eating it, and making sure that it is well-balanced enough for her body as she simultaneously heals and grows. I was in serious need of a plan. More about all of this later, I think.

Oh, and Dan is reading about a hundred different things right now. At least as far as I can tell.

What about you? Who is reading what at your house?

p.s. Visit Small Things today to download a sample activity (pinhole viewboxes!) from Volume Eleven and to see the project in action through Ginny's lovely photos.

Officially.

We are having our first real snow day of the season, with All Things being cancelled in honor of a big storm that actually managed to make it far enough north to visit our house. I feel like we often miss out on the rest of the New England weather phenomena because we are so close to being Canadians instead.

Mariam and I are supposed to be reading Because of Winn Dixie as our new read aloud book, but a funny thing keeps happening. One of us will walk by and see the book laying on the table or on the couch and just not be able to resist the urge to pick it up and read just a little. And before long, it is necessary to inform the other partner in Winn Dixie that they will need to take a minute to catch up before read aloud time tonight so that we can all be on the same literal page. And so we move on through. Such a great book. Actually, it is the book for the Read Aloud Book Along right now. The discussion these days has been light, and has moved over to Good Reads, but, it is still fun to be reading the same book with some other families. Someone noted in the discussion over there that this is one of those books that draws you in immediately because it has such a great opener:

My name is India Opal Buloni, and last summer my daddy, the preacher, sent me to the store for a box of macaroni-and-cheese, some white rice, and two tomatoes and I came back with a dog.

Love that.

Anyhow, I suppose I was going to talk about other things here today, but just like with the vaccuming, laundry folding, baby chasing and all the rest, I just seem to be getting distracted by Because of Winn Dixie.

If you haven't had a chance to vote in The Homies blog awards yet, today is the final day to give your virtual thumbs up over there. Bird and Little Bird is nominated, and although I won't make it to the next round, I do seem to be hanging in there with the top twenty, which is really fun. If you can, stop by and vote for this here blog, and consider casting a second vote for Ginny's blog, Small Things.

Related articles

Library Monday: The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester.

Yarn Along (Here and There).

Thoughts About Very Little (and Giveaway Winners, too).

January Thaw.