{Note: As always, books are chosen based solely on my — and my kids — opinions. I’ve included affiliate links should a book spark your interest.}

If You Want to See a Whale. Last year this author-illustrator team created the gorgeous And Then It’s Spring. This year’s collaboration celebrates the rewards of patience, imagination, being in the moment, and close observations of one’s surroundings — all key qualities of a summer well-spent.

The Other Side. Since their mothers have instructed them not to cross the property-dividing fence, a white girl and an African-American girl make friends by sitting atop the fence instead.  Lewis’ beautiful illustrations accompany Woodson’s story, which amazingly never strays into the didactic. After you read this, you and your kids will surely be talking about the arbitrary divides that society erects between people and the simple acts of friendship that can bridge them.

Flotsam. Magical, twisting perspectives invite readers to study Wiesner’s exquisite watercolors in this imaginative journey that begins with the discovery of a camera on a beach.

Take Me Out to the Yakyu.  My 8 year old loves to go to ball games with dad and it wouldn’t be summer without a few hotdogs in the stands. Young baseball enthusiasts will love this brand-new, clever picture book depicting the difference and similarities between American and Japanese baseball. Also available as an ebook.

Traction Man and the Beach Odyssey. If you aren’t familiar with Mini Grey’s Traction Man, read the 3rd book in the series on your beach blanket. This book guarantees lots of giggles (he’s got a scrubbing brush sidekick for goodness’ sake!) and fodder for imaginative play. I double-dog dare you to resist using your superhero voice when reading it aloud. Also available as an ebook.

One Morning in Maine and Time of Wonder. I had a hard time choosing between these two books, and so… I didn’t! As a kid growing up in California, the summertime experiences in these two books were completely foreign but utterly beguiling. I first went to Maine a few years ago and yes, it’s all it’s cracked up to be. Get your kids daydreaming about lazy summer days free of digital screens and ringing phones. These two books are must-reads for summer. They are long, but you’ve got lazy summer days to fill.

You Can’t Take a Balloon into the Metropolitan Museum. Kids in the city fill their summer days quite differently than those in the country. I can attest to the fact that summer means lots of museum trips. Pour over the pictures of this classic wordless book and introduce your kids to a few famous paintings while you’re at it. (Books for Boston and D.C. are also available.)

Harvey Potter’s Balloon Farm. No summer picture book list would be complete without a book about a farm. Break out of the box with this amusing tale of an unusual, magical balloon farm. The narrator describes the farm as well as her attempts to discover the secrets of a successful balloon harvest.

A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever. Frazee’s popular book about two friends who spend their summer days doing everything and nothing, but having the greatest time ever, deftly captures what summer with friends is all about.

The Relatives Came. Is your extended family coming for a visit this summer? I hope your reunion is as rowdy, messy, joyous and love-filled as this one.

Disclosure: This blog is an Amazon affiliate, purchases made through links may result in an itty-bitty commission (at no extra cost to you! Including affiliate links underwrites the time it takes me to make these free book lists for you and does not affect which books I choose. Thanks for your support!

Are you getting ready for summer reading? Do you prepare book lists to read to the kids or sign up for library reading programs? This year’s Collaborative Summer Library Program‘s theme is “Dig into Reading” and many libraries across the country craft their summer reading lists around the recommendations from CSLP. (Our local NYC and BPL libraries have separate programming.) I’ve shared the chapter books I’m planning to read aloud to the boys as well as a few titles I’ve checked out for my 8 year old’s independent reading and later this week I’ll divulge which picture books I’m picking up at the library to get my kids excited for summer fun.

My own summer book lists haven’t followed the CSLP’s official theme but you are in luck because last week’s The Children’s Bookshelf included several posts which will help you get started if you are following the Dig into Reading theme:

• KC Edventures, always a useful source of book recommendations shared some favorite gardening picture books as well as a few fun gardening ideas for kids.
• JDaniel4′s Mom, who has a wealth of book activities on her blog shared a sunflower craft to go along with the easy reader Gus Grows a Plant. Deirdre also has an extensive Dig into Reading-themed book lists that are absolutely worth a look, including 22 Garden-themed books.
• Since we all know bugs love to lurk in the garden, pop on over to House of Burke for some bug picture books, perfect for babies and toddlers.

Finally, my apologies for the absence of the linky on this blog last week. We took a family vacation to lovely rural Oregon and instead of checking email, twitter and Google+ I was picking wildflowers, collecting eggs and feeding goats. Unfortunately, even though I scheduled the post, the code failed to work properly and I was unable to get on a computer to fix it. Many thanks to those of you who visited a co-host to link up.
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If you have a book review, literacy or book-related post, please share it! As before, you are welcome to submit one to three present or past posts, but please do not submit commercial or duplicate posts. You can also grab the button below and share the love on your own blog.

You can also follow The Children’s Bookshelf on Pinterest or visit TCB’s co-hosts:

What Do We Do All Day?
No Twiddle Twaddle
Smiling Like Sunshine
My Little Bookcase
The Picture Book Review
Sprout’s Bookshelf
MeMeTales
Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns

Rat-a-Tat Cat is a card game for kids from Gamewright that requires players to use simple strategy, mathematical and memory skills. It has won tons of awards, including the Mensa Select award. I love it when our favorite games are recognized by Mensa because that makes me feel super-smart. I mean, winning obviously proves I’m a genius, right? Right?

Ok, maaaaybee I’m not a genius, but still, the card game is enjoyable, doesn’t take long to play and is adaptable for different age and skill levels.

How to Play Rat-A-Tat-Cat {affiliate link}:

Each player is dealt 4 cards face down. Each card has a numerical value and the object is to end with the fewest points. During his turn, a player draws a card and must decide either to discard it or use it to replace one of his own cards. The twist is that players may not look at their own cards unless they draw the special “peek” card. Once a player believes he has fewer points than anyone else, he calls out “Rat-a-Tat Cat!”, at which time, the game ends, cards revealed and points are calculated.

Special Considerations:

• Good game play requires kids to memorize numbers and perform simple math equations in their heads.
• The game is recommended for ages 6 and up. Kids should have a basic understanding of addition to play.
• The game can be quite competitive as players race to exchange high scoring cards for low ones. One of the “power” cards gives the player the opportunity to switch cards with another player. Some kids can be upset by another player “stealing” his cards; in that case you can remove the “swap” cards from the deck.

Playing with Younger Kids at the Table:

• The game can be modified so that 2 of the 4 cards are placed face up on the table.
• I play in a team with my 4 year old against my 8 year old. When we draw a card I ask his advice on swapping it. This gives him a chance to understand quantity (e.g. 9 is greater than 2) even though he isn’t yet able to calculate sums.
• Parents may find that kids can better remember the hidden card values than they can!
• My 4 year old makes the game more fun by calling out “ooh, that’s a nasty rat!”  whenever he gets a rat card.

Rat-A-Tat-Cat has been around for more than 15 years, but this past winter was the first time I’d ever played it. Has your family played this game?

Interested in our previous choices for Game of the Month? See them all!

Are you making a summer reading list for your child this year? What titles have you included? I’d love to get your recommendations!

{Note: I’ve chosen these books based on my own opinions and included affiliate links for your convenience, should you wish to learn more about a particular book.}

Like Bug Juice on a Burger. Both my son and I were delighted to receive a review copy of Julie Sternberg’s sequel to Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie. Brooklyn girl, Eleanor, is nervous about being sent off to Camp Wallumwahpuck. She doesn’t like learning how to swim, or the suspicious food, but with the companionship of new friends and camp counselors, she finds herself growing and learning. What I like best about Sternberg’s writing is her ability to tenderly capture a well-rounded picture of growing up by combining the small joys of new childhood experiences as well as its frustrations. The author’s website also has a terrific (and free!) companion activity kit. Also available as an ebook.

How Tía Lola Saved the Summer. This is the only book in Julia Alvarez’ praised Tía Lola series that I have read, but I am eager to read more. A single father and his three daughters are coming to stay with Miguel’s family for a week during the summer. Miguel is not looking forward to the visit, but Tía Lola manages to make everything magical with her insight and understanding. Also available as an ebook.

Turtle in Paradise. 11 year old Turtle moves in with her extended family in this lovely gem of a book set in 1930s Florida Keys. Turtle’s time running around the neighborhood, meeting new people and having pirate adventures with her boy cousins make for a charming and funny story with old-fashioned overtones. Also available as an ebook.

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Camping, Hiking, and Other Natural Disasters. This is the 2nd book in an early chapter book series about 2nd grader Alvin Ho and his struggle to overcome his various fears. Alvin’s adventures coming to terms with his family camping experience are sweet and funny. Also available as an ebook.

Summer According to Humphrey. Humphrey is the classroom hamster hero of his own early chapter book series, which I unfortunately left off my list of early chapter books starring animal protagonists. In book 6 of the series, Humphrey and the class frog take a summer camp vacation with the teacher and some of the kids from school.

Summer with Elisa. Long time readers of my book lists (yay for long time fans!) know that I hold a special place in my book-loving heart for Johanna Hurwitz’ Riverside Kids series. SuperDuper Teddy was one of the first chapter books I read aloud to my oldest son and the series is about a group of kids living in an Upper West Side Manhattan apartment building.  Summer with Elisa is one of the easier books on this list and perfect for early chapter book readers. These books are mostly out of print but the excellent news that they are now available for the Kindle.

Summer Reading is Killing Me! (Time Warp Trio, No. 7). I admit, the title sucked me in, but when I read the description I laughed out loud. The three boys find themselves trapped in a world with literary characters gone wrong. The narrator describes, ”I saw Homer Price being carried by the Headless Horseman. Dracula was dragging Winnie the Pooh in a headlock. Mr. Twit was breaking Harold’s Purple Crayon.” Kiddo has read several of Jon Scieszka’s Time Warp Trio books, but not this one, so it’s on the list for sure!

Justin Case: Shells, Smells, and the Horrible Flip-Flops of Doom. This is the latest book in Rachel Vail’s Justin Case series about about an imaginative, intelligent boy who worries about pretty much everything. It’s the summer before fourth grade and going to camp presents a whole new set of challenges, but Justin is determined to rise to the occasion. Both of Vail’s Justin Case books have received starred reviews from Kirkus — no easy feat.

Starring Grace. Summer is the perfect time for Grace and her friends to have some wonderful, imaginative adventures right in her own backyard. This is a solid early chapter book about the heroine of the much loved picture book, Amazing Grace.

Runaway Ralph. This is the middle book in Beverly Cleary’s classic Mouse and the Motorcycle trilogy. I have read all three out loud to Kiddo in the past few years, but that’s no reason not to pick up the book for independent reading. Ralph spends his summer at Happy Acres Camp evading cats, making friends and eating pb &  j.  Also available as an ebook.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases made through links may result in a small commission. Including affiliate links does not affect which books I recommend and supports the time it takes me to make these free book lists for you. In addition, I received a free review copy of Like Bug Juice on a Burger for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

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If you have a book review, literacy or book-related post, please share it! As before, you are welcome to submit one to three present or past posts, but please do not submit commercial or duplicate posts. You can also grab the button below and share the love on your own blog.

You can also follow The Children’s Bookshelf on Pinterest or visit TCB’s co-hosts:

What Do We Do All Day?
No Twiddle Twaddle
Smiling Like Sunshine
My Little Bookcase
The Picture Book Review
Sprout’s Bookshelf
MeMeTales
Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns

The blank space can serve as a place for a handwritten message, or cut it out to turn the card into a frame.

Download and Print: Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Printable Coloring Page Cards

You can meet children’s book illustrator Melanie Hope Greenberg every month on the second Sunday at New York City’s Hip Tot Festival. This month the show is on Mother’s Day, so take your kids and listen to The Trummy Tones.

Visit one of the affiliate links below to learn more about Melanie’s children’s books.

More about the illustrator:

Melanie Hope Greenberg is an award winning author and illustrator of more than 15 children’s books, including Good Morning, Digger and Down in the Subway. Her popular book, Mermaids on Parade was selected as a Bank Street Best Book, and for the Texas Reading Club and PBS Kids Summer Reading Lists.

Melanie’s illustrations have been published internationally so take a peek at her illustration website. She was an artist-in-residence at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art and conducts author-illustrator workshops at schools and libraries all over the country.

You can connect with Melanie (and share photos of your kids doodling on her coloring pages) on facebook. Visit Melanie’s Blog to find out how you can get one of her books autographed. They make lovely gifts, especially for kids who might like diggers or mermaids. You wouldn’t happen to know any kids like that, would you?

(scroll through third party vendors to find Melanie’s vendor link)

This coloring page and others will be collected on a Pinterest board.

This post contains affiliate links which may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you!) for this blog. Thanks for your continued support!

Ah, summer reading. Warmer days have begun and now is a good time to choose a few summer read alouds. There are few things more pleasant than cracking open a book on a lovely, sunny day. My kids and I have picked out a stack of books to read aloud when we are lounging outdoors at the park or community garden. If you are looking for some books to supplement your school’s summer reading list I hope this list provides you with a bit of inspiration. Some of these titles are actually new to me, others we have read before (reading chapter books over and over is good!), and some I’ve read, but haven’t yet introduced to the kids.

Summer Chapter Books to Read Aloud:

I chose these book for a variety of reasons. They don’t all have specific summer themes, but they all called out to me about the carefree adventures and magical inspiration that summer always promises. If you have young kids, take a look at my list of 50 chapter books to read aloud to preschoolers for further suggestions. If you don’t like to tote around a stack of books in your beach bag, I’ve noted which titles you can download to your e-reader.

{Note: As always, books are chosen only by me and my kids! I’ve included affiliate links so you can learn more if a book strikes your fancy.}

Farmer Boy. Can you believe I have never read a Little House book to my kids? I admit, although I really enjoyed them when I was a kid, I’ve never felt a great desire to read them aloud. It’s time to change that.

Poppy. We are currently reading the first book in Avi’s very popular Tales from Dimwood Forest series, Ragweed. Ragweed is such a huge hit, especially with my 4 year old who is constantly interrupting conversations throughout the day to tell me “Silversides [the cat] needs to go to jail!” that you can be sure we will be reading, Poppy, which is the next book in the series.

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy. This is one of my favorite summer-themed books of all time. Birdsall’s series about the Penderwick girls manages to be both old-fashioned and contemporary at the same time. In the first book, the Penderwick girls and their father spend the summer in a cottage exploring the grounds of a sprawling mansion. Also available as an ebook.

Matilda. This one is on the list for selfish reasons: I really want to see the Broadway musical, Matilda, and I haven’t read the book since I was a kid. It’s an excellent book, so I feel justified picking it!  Also available as an ebook.

The Rescuers. This book is new to me! I’ve actually never seen the Disney movie version. The book was out of print for many years, but was re-issued a few years ago. Adventure, tiny animals, a Norwegian poet in danger, what more could you need in a summer book?  Also available as an ebook.

Charlotte’s Web. Here’s another one I haven’t read to the boys, yet! I feel a bit like a fraud when there are so many classics I’ve yet to read aloud. My 8 year old saw the book sitting on the table and informed me his friend was reading it at school and told him it was a great book. I’m pretty sure it will live up to his expectations. Also available as an ebook.

Bed-Knob and Broomstick. Full confession: I adored this movie when I was a kid and it wasn’t until many years after seeing the film that I read the book. It has lots of adventure and high-flying fantasy, perfect for a summer escape. Norton wrote The Borrowers, which is also under consideration for our summer reading list. Also available as an ebook.

Half Magic. Kiddo agreed that we could read this book again. It will be new for his 4 year old brother and you can’t go wrong with it. One magical summer four siblings find a coin that grants half a wish, creating irresistible adventures.  This is one of my must-read books for every child and I can’t wait to read it again! Also available as an ebook.

Betsy-Tacy. Yes, I am ashamed to say I have not read this classic aloud, either! It was one of my all time favorite books as a kid and I’m hoping my 8 year old will pick up the sequels to read independently.  Also available as an ebook.

Moominsummer Madness. What can I say, every summer should include a little Finnish whimsy. I haven’t read this particular installment of the beloved Moomin book series, but I dare anyone not to love the enchanting little creatures.

Do you have any plans for summer read alouds with your kids?

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. That means if you click on an Amazon link and make a subsequent purchase, I may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Including affiliate links supports the time it takes me to make these book lists for you and does not affect which books I choose. Happy reading!

I found some wonderful resources last week through The Children’s Bookshelf, including a few new book lists to add to my ever-growing collection of titles to check out from the library. If you missed the linky last week because of Screen-Free Week, I’m sure you had a relaxing time away from the computer and no doubt got in lots of reading time with your kids. I hope you are able to find time to take a look at last week’s post and share something new today.

Here are some kids’ book list ideas to get your reading jump started:

• Seven Little Australians has a list of books about Native Americans. Almost all of these titles are new to me and I can’t wait to read them.
• Even in Australia shares a few classic books that address bullying.
• Pragmatic Mom brings National Poetry Month to a close with 10 poetry books.
• My kids love penguins! Thankfully, The Picture Book Review supplies her favorite picture books about penguins.
• Is your child’s birthday coming up? Meme Tales has a few suggestions for birthday-themed books.

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If you have a book review, literacy or book-related post, please share it! As before, you are welcome to submit one to three present or past posts, but please do not submit commercial or duplicate posts. You can also grab the button below and share the love on your own blog.

You can also follow The Children’s Bookshelf on Pinterest or visit TCB’s co-hosts:

What Do We Do All Day?
No Twiddle Twaddle
Smiling Like Sunshine
My Little Bookcase
The Picture Book Review
Sprout’s Bookshelf
MeMeTales
Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns

<a href=”http://www.whatdowedoallday.com/the-childrens-bookshelf” ><img src=”http://www.whatdowedoallday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/booklinky-150-final.png”></a>

Easy Shape Activities for Preschoolers

Over the last few years I’ve shared a number of learning activities the kids and I have done at home. The boys always had fun with shape activities which create a strong foundation for math and geometry later on.  I don’t do many round-up posts because you can find all my easy ideas on my Giant List of Indoor Activities. However, just for fun since I have so many new readers, here are five ways to play with shapes that are perfect for 2, 3 and 4 year olds.

All of these ideas are really easy to do at home with your preschool-age children and even if your goal is simply to keep your kids busy and entertained you can still sneak a little educational learning in.

• Explore pattern blocks. Do you have a tangram puzzle game?  If your preschooler is not ready to replicate the printed image cards, show them how to put small blocks together to create larger shapes. We used a muffin tin to keep the shapes together (and keep from getting frustrated!).

• Replicate patterns with felt shapes. Repetition is a great activity for building pre-math skills. You could easily use pattern blocks (like the ones used in the above idea) for this if you don’t want to cut out dozens of felt squares, circles and triangles!

• Explore 2-dimensional shapes and their 3-dimensional counterparts using blocks. This is a fun way to use all those blocks you have scattered all over the floor.

• Create patterns with Montessori triangles. Instead of purchasing expensive wooden Montessori triangles, I made mine out of craft foam using a pattern I found online.

• Bake cookie fractions! This was one of my sillier ideas. It didn’t come out perfectly, but we had fun and it was a tasty way to learn about the relationship between shapes and fractions.

Look! The kids and I got crafty! I combined my love of bookmarks and my affection for foreign postage stamps and together we made these awesome (if I do say so myself) handmade postage stamp bookmarks! These would also make a lovely Mother’s Day present (if it’s not too weird to help make your own gift!) or a gift for teachers.

Sadly, the triumph of email over snail mail means fewer stamps to collect for crafts. Fortunately most people still send holiday cards in the traditional fashion, so after a few Christmases, you can amass a collection of stamps to use. Flea markets and junk stores are also good places to find old stamps. Often non-valuable stamps are sold by the bag-full.

I have a soft spot for foreign stamps. There is something so appealing about exoticness of the words and symbols on them. The bookmarks have a nostalgic element, too. If you have old letters from when you were a kid, it would be fun to make a bookmark out of them.

How to make Handmade Bookmarks from Postage Stamps:

Materials:
Construction paper (preferably card stock) in any color
Old postage stamps
Scissors
Glue Stick

Note: You may be tempted to cover your bookmarks with Contact Paper. This is what I would have done in the past. Do not do use Contact Paper. Contact paper is made out of PVC vinyl which is a major source of phthalates. Please don’t buy it. If you want to know why to keep phthalates out of the hands of kids, read this article about the dangers of the chemical from Healthy Child Healthy World. Yes, it may mean that your bookmark becomes worn over time. Embrace the aging process!

Instructions:

1. Cut card stock to the desired size of the finished bookmark.
2. Glue postage stamps to card stock. I love the glue sticks that go on purple and dry clear. The purple color makes it easy for kids to see where they’ve put the glue.
3. Resist the temptation to straighten the stamps your child as affixed haphazardly!
4. If the stamps are hanging over the edge (like ours) you can glue the bookmark to a slightly larger piece of colored card stock and trim. You can see we did this with dark blue paper.
5. Read a book! Mark your stopping place with your new bookmark!

This list of Journals for Children is a bit different than my typical book lists for kids. I was inspired one day in a library gift store and the first book you see below caught my eye. I have written several times about how I and my kids keep diaries. My older son has a spiral notebook he uses as a hobby book, and my 4 year old uses his journal for pre-writing practice to help strengthen his fine motor muscles. I, myself have kept a diary since I was nine years old. Summer is coming up soon, lots of you will be traveling, or even just lounging around in the yard or at the beach — it’s a perfect time to do a little free writing with your kids.

A Journal is a Memory Book

As an adult I so enjoy looking back at the childhood experiences that I thought were important enough to record for posterity. I encourage all parents to give their children the opportunity to create their own life chronicle. Believe me, you’ll love looking back at your children’s memories, too.

{Note: I have chosen these books based solely on my personal opinion and included affiliate links so you can take a closer look, should something spark your interest.}

Q & A a Day for Kids: A Three-Year Journal. I first saw this in the New York Public Library’s gift store (a dangerous place for my wallet) and fell in love. It might be my favorite of all the journals collected here. Each page features a question with space below designated for a child to write his answer for three consecutive years. It will be so much fun to see the different answers as time passes.

Wreck This Journal. This one is not specifically for kids, but I think they would love it. Each page has instructions to get journalists to be destructively productive! Creative prompts include things like, “poke holes in this page with a pencil”, “figure out a way to attach these two pages together”, “draw a line while in motion.” This journal would be great fun for kids who are full of restless energy. (I sort of want it for myself, too!)

Kids’ Travel Journal and The Children’s Travel Journal. Travel journals are really popular. Although I personally prefer a blank book with plenty of space for sketching and adhering mementos, these are two of the better ones I’ve seen.

Rip the Page!: Adventures in Creative Writing. Several years ago the publisher set me this excellent book to review. It contains writing prompts and inspiration to get kids writing in unusual and creative ways.  Kiddo has just started doing some of the activities and I’m finding it really opens up his imagination. I highly recommend it for kids ages 7 and up (the publisher recommends ages 9 and up). Just this month the author released a companion book, Leap Write In!: Adventures in Creative Writing to Stretch and Surprise Your One-of-a-Kind Mind, I look forward to checking that one out.

My One Line a Day: A Three-Year Memory Book. The concept here is similar to the first book on the list, but with no specific prompts or questions to shake up the brain if your child experiences writer’s block.

Vintage Keys Mini Journal. This may seem like an odd choice, but a journal that’s easy to sneak in a pocket can become a secret treasure for a child who may want to write down stealth observations at a moment’s notice. Its spine is at the top, much like a detective notebook. My son received a Pocket Reporter Notebook in this style as a gift and he loves using it during pretend play.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the economy standby composition book. You can buy the traditional black, ruled book for under $5, or you can even get 100% Recycled Paper version. If your kids decorate it with stickers, collage items or cover it with their art, it gives them a sense of ownership and encourages them to crack the spine and start writing.

A simple spiral notebook is very handy, and we have many of them that we carry with us when we go out. I admit I am a sucker for good design and love the simple, blank page journals by ecojot, like this orange one with a bike on the cover or this brown notebook with graphic birds and flowers.

I shall leave this post with a page from Kiddo’s journal from four years ago. Its insanity still makes me smile.

Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a subsequent purchase I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you). Including affiliate links supports the time it takes me to make these lists for you. Thanks for your support.