It’s the wave of the future, kids and their electronic devices. Anything from an iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Leapfrog product, laptop or any number of others out there today. Anyone who says differently has never had a child around who’s even remotely fascinated by bright colors and cute characters. I don’t mean to say that I feel this should be there only means of education or entertainment, but to exclude it entirely is to make a huge error.
In our home the two products the rule the roost so to speak: mom’s iPhone and dad’s Laptop. Outside of the Turkeybird’s regular obsession with print books and his go-to toy, blocks, these other two products are more frequented than the TV. Which is actually just fine with me. He loves to be outside as well, but now that the winter months are upon us and more time is spent indoors it’s nice to know he has access to a greater variety of learning materials and interactive books. One of our absolute favorite stops happens to be the focus of my post today:
Big Universe happens to be one of the best sources out there for online book reading that I know about. One of the greatest thing about them? They feature over has 24 different publishers and 2,725 books! That’s a lot of books! And if that isn’t enough you can always create your own books! I mean truly it doesn’t get much better than this.
Another really fantastic thing about Big Universe is that they make it incredibly easy to find books based on your child’s needs. Be it a reading level you are searching for, a topic, certain skills, publishers or even their top 100 picks. They make it so easy, even for the smallest of readers. Which is exactly one of the many reasons I love setting my Turkeybird down to read a few books there everyday. Here are just a few of our favorites:
Cat On The Hill by Michael Foreman
Summer in St. Ives is a good time for the stray cat. Visitors give him titbits to eat, and it is warm on his hill. Then, in autumn the tourists start to leave, and food is more difficult to come by. But winter is worse: it is a cold, lonely time – full of danger and constant hunger. Appetizing smells from the village drift up the hill, enticing him to risk the notice of the fierce village cats. And come Christmas, who will remember the cat on the hill?
Sure to be a family favourite throughout the year – and especially, perhaps, at Christmas.
Boo Cow by Patricia Baehr and Illustrated by Margot Apple
Thump, creaak, clink-clunk . . . MOOOOO!
Mr. and Mrs. Noodleman don’t know what to do. They’ve left city life behind and moved to the country with hopes of being farmers. But their dreams turn grim when nightly visits from Boo Cow scare the Noodlemans’ hens so much, they won’t lay any eggs! These first-time farmers are at a loss. Why is Boo Cow haunting them, and how can they banish this ghostly bovine visitor?
Baehr’s fun and accessible text make this book a great read-aloud. With unexpected twists and turns, Boo Cow keeps readers guessing as they attempt to solve the mystery on the Noodlemans’ farm.
When Pigs Fly by Valerie Coulman and Illustrated by Rogé
Ralph’s father tells him he can have a new bicycle “when pigs fly.” Instead of giving up, Ralph cheerfully tries to get his curly-tailed pals airborne. This uplifting, award-winning story teaches kids important lessons about thinking outside of the box, and maintaining a positive attitude!
Penguin’s Special Christmas Tree by Jeannie St. John Taylor and Illustrated by Molly Idle
Penguin really wants to win “Santa’s Best Tree Award,” but he can’t think of anything special enough to go on the top of his Christmas tree. Penguin’s friend pitches in to help, and together they try all sorts of wacky ornaments, including a confused frog and an energetic monkey, but nothing works. Will this darling decorating duo find the perfect tree–topper before Santa arrives? This quirky tree–trimming adventure delivers a heart–warming message about friendship, teamwork, and the importance of never giving up.
My Even Day by Doris Fisher & Dani Sneed and Illustrated by Karen Lee
In this delightful, rhythmic sequel to One Odd Day, the young boy awakens to find that it is another strange day—now everything is even, and his mother has two heads! This time, a school field trip to the zoo is dealt with in an odd, but even-handed manner. And, like its predecessor, children will spend hours looking for all the hidden objects in the incredible art. Square it all off with more “number fun” in the “For Creative Minds” section.
I could go on for quite a bit longer about how fantastic this site is, but I think I’ll let you discover a few books for yourself! If you still haven’t decided what to get for that little reader in your life you may want to check out Big Universe and see if a subscription may be just the thing. It’s pretty inexpensive, educational, entertaining and perfect for the readers we all love!
Thank you so much to Big Universe for the opportunity to review their site and get to know some more fantastic books we love! Find them online here as well as on Twitter and Facebook!
