It’s Sunday. Hopefully you’re planning a nice afternoon picnic, a drive by or to the beach and maybe a quiet morning reading on the porch or patio. I’m also pretty sure that for some, there is the chance you’ll be attending a Sunday service of some sort. All of these options sound delightful to me. That is, until you add the variable of two small children under the age of 3. Not that children aren’t completely delightful, but they don’t exactly ensue relaxation and peaceful quiet moments without a little bit of work.

So, why not make the “work” enjoyable for you both?
My suggestion…books! Are you really surprised?

Shortly after The Turkeybird was born we realized there would no longer be a “restful” Sunday. No more napping in the afternoon, unless by some miracle he decided to sleep for longer than 30 minutes at a time. But at almost the same time we made a huge discovery, he absolutely loved to read! He wasn’t yet 3 months old, but if we put a book in front of him, no matter his mood, he was almost instantly content. And happily this has continued on with Littlebug.

One of our very happy finds happened on a long trip to Washington D.C. for a weekend getaway. I stumbled upon these fantastic board books that were only just a few pages long, but had an amazing secret inside. Within each page were numbers, colors, animals and shapes. All basics you most likely have started teaching a little one by the time they are able to hold their head up.
But the secret? Each shape or color would pop out of the pages of the board book, a jigsaw puzzle right there in the book. The shapes are simple and easy to handle, but extremely fun to learn from. Under each puzzle piece was a little more learning to keep them entertained.

As time has carried on we’ve now all but completely passed them down to Littlebug, although there are times (usually during church) when the Turkeybird becomes completely enthralled with them again. He’ll take out all of the numbers or shapes and play a game with us by mixing them up and searching for the right place to put them. It’s the perfect tool for keeping little one’s minds and hands busy when you may need just a few minutes of peace and quiet.

I’d highly recommend any of the books pictured above, as well as any others in the same series. We have many more than are pictured here and I’m rarely found without at least a few of them.

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 4 and under. Perfect for teaching and busying little hands, especially when they need a little help being quiet.

For the comments: Do you have a favorite book to read on Sundays? A book for quiet peaceful times or just one that keeps the kiddos engaged for a few minutes?

These books were purchased for our home library.
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with IndieBound.

Bright Baby First Words by Roger Priddy

Published by Priddy Books (An imprint of Macmillan)

Ages: 1-3

Pages: 26

Publishers Summary: Perfect for babies and toddlers, the combination of colorful pictures and simple words help build a child’s vocabulary.

Sweet as a Bug: “D-dog, d-dog! I always look for the dog right away and then, the kitty! Well, okay, maybe it’s the ball first or the flower, I just can’t decide! There are so many great things to look at in this book and can’t wait to say every single word in here. From flowers to kitties to cups, I could read and say all of this book over and over again. My mom is always pointing to the different pictures helping me find new words to say. I just love it!

Mom’s Two Cents: “Teaching little one’s their first words can be fun and sometimes more difficult than you could think. As adults we take words for granted, the things we see everyday and speak without batting an eye.  Words like, apple, pants, cup and so many others. Without little books like First Words the task of teaching wouldn’t be impossible, but definitely a little more daunting.

“Each page is basic and perfect for little one’s small hands. If I had any qualms about the book it would be the fact that there are no illustrations. I’m not a huge fan of actual pictures in toddler/beginning books, but that’s more of a personal taste than a problem with the book because it is very tastefully done. First Words by Priddy Books is the perfect addition to any beginning readers library. With 26 pages of new words to teach your little one, you will both enjoy learning and sharing together.”

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 6 months to 3 years. Perfect for little hands just getting to know the world around them.

For the Comments: What was your first word?
(Those interested…The Turkeybird’s was “Truck”, Littlebug’s was “dancing”, and The1stdaughter’s was “fish”.)

This book was purchased for our home library.
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with IndieBound.

Today at There’s A Book we have a very special guest, Melissa Stewart, the author of A Place For Birds and A Place For Frogs. I’m delighted to have Melissa stop by today, her books have quickly become some of The Turkeybird and Littlebug’s favorites. Especially because of the opportunity they get to take the things they read and carry them with them into the outdoors. So, without further babbling on my part, Melissa’s journey into reading and conservation:

I was a reluctant reader as a child. But then a very smart librarian, Mrs. Freeborn, gave me a copy of Mr. Mysterious & Company by Sid Fleischman. The book’s combination of intriguing setting and quirky characters fascinated me. After I read the last page, I turned right back to page 1 and started reading it again. That book turned me into a reader.

But even after I learned to love books, I probably didn’t spend as much time reading as most of my children’s-book-writing colleagues. That’s because I was constantly being drawn outdoors. My parent’s owned 10 acres of beautiful New England woodlands, and there was a national forest on the other side of the street. Those woods were the most amazing playground a child could ever hope for.

My brother and I spent our days exploring the wonders of our natural surroundings. We searched for salamanders and other little critters under rotting logs. We made necklaces out of wildflowers and caught frogs and turtles. We climbed trees and built forts and made trails for our bikes. My father taught us the names of the trees, and my mother taught us to identify birds and their calls.

One day, when I was about 8 years old, I remember walking through the woods with my dad and brother. He was asking us lots of questions.
“Why do stone walls run through the middle of the woods?”
“Why do sassafras trees have three kinds of leaves?”
“Why don’t chipmunks build their nests in trees like squirrels?”

He wanted us to think about our surroundings, and he knew a guessing game would be more engaging than a lecture.

As we reached the top of a hill, my dad stopped and scanned the landscape. Then he asked if we noticed anything unusual about that area of the woods.

My brother and I looked around.

We looked at each other.

We shook our heads.

But then, suddenly, the answer came to me. “All the trees seem kind of small,” I said.

My dad nodded with approval. Then he explained that there had been a fire in the area about twenty-five years earlier. All the trees had burned and many animals had died, but over time, the forest had recovered.

That was a magical moment for me because I instantly understood the power of nature. I also realized that a field, a forest, any natural place has stories to tell, and I could discover those stories just by looking closely.

With early experiences like that, it’s probably no coincidence that, today, my brother works as an environmental consultant and my writing focuses on sharing the beauty and wonder of the natural world with kids. If one of my books inspires a child to take a closer look at a rock or to chase after a butterfly just to see where it’s going, then my job is done.

“Thank you so much Melissa for stopping by There’s A Book! Your books and work are wonderful! Not only are her books fantastic, but she has a website full of great activities and information for parents, teachers and even kiddos to interact with, so make sure to check it out!”

Make sure to enter for your chance to win one of her two books, A Place For Birds and A Place For Frogs(courtesy of Pechtree Publishers), and read our review as well!

A Place For Birds & A Place For Frogs by Melissa Stewart Illustrated by Higgins Bond Published by Peachtree Publishers

Pages: 32

Ages: 4-8

Publishers Summary for A Place For Frogs: In this simple introduction to frogs and ecology, Melissa Stewart shares with young readers the behavior and beauty of frogs and describes specific ways people can help protect them and their natural habitats.

Children learn basic facts about frogs, including where they live, what they eat, and how they benefit plants and other animals. Sidebars throughout the book contain information on how human action has harmed frogs and the many ways people can protect certain frog populations, such as by preserving wetlands and cutting down on pesticide use. Pointers on how youngsters can help frogs in their own neighborhood are also included.

Author Melissa Stewart offers children a glimpse into the interconnectedness of our world and shows how the actions of one species can inadvertently harm another. Illustrator Higgins Bond’s colorful, realistically detailed watercolor illustrations highlight the diversity of the species—from the northern leopard frog native to Minnesota ponds to the harlequin frog in the rainforests of Central America.

The Turkeybird Speaks: “Wow! Look at all the frogs! There are even snakes and birds and lizards! These books are amazing! The best part is that when we’d read them all, mom took me out to look for frogs and birds outside. I love being outside! We didn’t find any frogs, but we did see so many birds and even a few squirrels. We even picked up a frog for our fish tank here at home, he’s kind of funny though and just lives inside the water. He likes to swim a lot too.

“These books are so much fun! Especially if you can talk your mom and dad into going on a ‘nature hike’ to find all of neat animals in the books. I even learned a few things I didn’t know before. So neat! Great books for the kids in your life who love to learn and be outside.”

Illustration from A Place For Frogs by Melissa Stewart

Illustration from A Place for Birds by Melissa Stewart

Mom’s Two Cents: “These beautiful and educational books are absolutely perfect for any home, school and/or library. Personally I think the illustrations are absolutely gorgeous, filled with detail in every inch and the text is perfect for little thinkers. Each page has illustrations, a little ‘story’ and an informational section. In this way it’s adaptable to even the smallest of readers up to the more advanced. There are even detailed images in the book of where each species of bird or frog is located in the world, making it even more interactive for older readers.

“Both, A Place for Birds & A Place for Frogs, are books I’m happy to have in our home library. Even Littlebug has begun to enjoy the illustrations and with time I know she will gain even more from the knowledge provided in these books. The Turkeybird is absolutely fascinated to read through the book and then step outside to see in real life those animals he only just read about. With children facing an increasing lack of outdoor play this is a book that gets them out and interacting with nature which adds so much to the overall experience within the book.

“Melissa Stewart’s passion for nature and conservation is evident in every page. As a family who constantly strives to do our best to help the environment in whatever way possible, this is a book I’m happy to continue sharing with my own children in an attempt to help them value the beauty found just out our back door and beyond.”

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 1 and up. Well suited for children and adults of any age with an interest in learning more about the world of nature around them.

For the Comments: Do you have a favorite outdoor spot or hobby that involves nature? Where or what is it? We’d love to know!

Giveaway: Thanks to Peachtree Publishers I have one copy of each book to giveaway, two winners total!

Details: Two winners will be chosen and the first selected will get their choice of either A Place for Birds or A Place for Frogs, the second place winner will get the book not previously selected. You MUST fill out the form below, comments will not count as entries. Only one entry per household. Must be a follower of There’s A Book. Must be a US/Canadian resident. The giveaway will run from May 13, 2010 until May 31, 2010 midnight EST.

This book was provided for review by Peachtree Publishers, find them on Twitter here and also on The World of Peachtree Publishers Blog. Images provided courtesy of the Publisher. Thank you! Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with Amazon.com.

This Giveaway is now closed. Thank you to all who entered, the winner will be announced shortly. Make sure to stop by our giveaways page for more fantastic giveaways to enter!

This fabulous weekly recap is hosted by Shelia of One Persons Journey Through a World of Books. Each week we recap what we’ve read and look at what’s coming up this week. If you’re interested head over to Shelia’s site and get involved! It’s a blast and I may even stop by to see what you’re up to!

Here’s what we’ve been up to this week:

This week has been fun! We’ve been reading like crazy and were able to get quite a bit done around the house. Also, yesterday (Sunday), I announced the exciting event Arm Chair BEA. It’s for those of us not able to make it to BEA this year, but still craving that fabulous interaction and networking. We also made some changes to the site! Tell me, what do you think? Something you think needs changing? Colors not quite right? I’m definitely looking for input on this as we are in the throws of changing, now is the time to speak up! Thank you!

Reviewed (Just click on the title to see the Review!):
A Tree for Emmy by Mary Ann Rodman Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss
Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey
The House of Night Series by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast
The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen (For ChickLitReviews.com)

Wishlist:
The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau by Dan Yaccarino

Read(ing):
The Queen of Palmyra by Minrose Gwin
Tempted and Burned by PC Cast & Kristen Cast

Interviewed:
Bobbie from ‘Til We Read Again

Events:
Book Events – LA Times FoB wrap-up & Arm Chair BEA coming soon!

Giveaways-New and Ongoing (Please see post for giveaway details):
One Copy of Arbor Day Square by Kathryn O. Galbraith Illustrated by Cyd Moore (Ends 5/15/2010)
One Copy of A Tree for Emmy by Mary Ann Rodman Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss (Ends 5

What’s up for the week to come:

Events:

All week long we will be celebrating Children’s Book Week with giveaways, more children’s book reviews and author guest posts.

Reading/Reviewing:
The Queen of Palmyra by Minrose Gwin
Tempted and Burned by PC Cast & Kristen Cast
Leaving Unknown by Kerry Reichs
Love Match by Amy Bates

The Turkeybird and Littlebug are Reading/Reviewing:
Cat the Cat, Who Is That? by Mo Willems
Max Spaniel: Funny Lunch by David Catrow
A Place For Birds & A Place For Frogs by Melissa Stewart Illustrated by Higgins Bond
One More Sheep by Mij Kelly and Illustrated by Russell Ayto

Giveaways Coming Up:
Max Spaniel: Funny Lunch & Dinosaur Hunt by David Catrow

In Our Mailbox This Week: We had a crazy week here and I just had to share the craziness that were the looks I got from the UPS/FedEx/Post Office friends. Here’s the picture for your viewing craziness!

So, what are you reading this week? Have any suggestions I should add to my reading pile?

Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with Amazon.com.

The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau by Dan Yaccarino

Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers (A division of Random House)

Pages: 40

Ages: 6-9

Publishers Summary: Jacques Cousteau was the world’s ambassador of the oceans. His popular TV series brought whales, otters, and dolphins right into people’s living rooms. Now, in this exciting picturebook biography, Dan Yaccarino introduces young readers to the man behind the snorkel.

From the first moment he got a glimpse of what lived under the ocean’s waves, Cousteau was hooked. And so he set sail aboard the Calypso to see the sea. He and his team of scientists invented diving equipment and waterproof cameras. They made films and televisions shows and wrote books so they could share what they learned. The oceans were a vast unexplored world, and Cousteau became our guide. And when he saw that pollution was taking its toll on the seas, Cousteau became our guide in how to protect the oceans as well.

“The Turkeybird is such a huge fan of Good Night, Mr. Night by Dan Yaccarino that when I received an email from the author pointing me in the direction of the trailer for his most recent release I was very excited! It looks marvelous! I’m also a huge advocate of making something educational entertaining and enjoyable for little ones, because I believe they genuinely learn more that way. So, for those reasons and the fact that it’s by Dan Yaccarino, one of our favorite authors/illustrators, we are putting this at the top of The Turkeybird’s wish list. Check out the trailer below:”

The Turkeybird’s Review of Good Night, Mr. Night by Dan Yaccarino

Other Yaccarino books we can’t wait to read:

For the Comments: What do you think? Are you a fan of Jacques Cousteau?

Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with Amazon.com.

Animals and Farm Animals by Fiona Watt and Rachel Wells

Published by Usborne Books

Ages: 4-8

Pages: 10

Publishers Summary (both books): Contains four delightful two-piece jigsaws, each one featuring a different touchy-feely texture. Perfectly designed for tiny hands, these simple puzzles promote sensory awareness and the concept of matching. The brightly coloured illustrations are accompanied by clear and simple text that introduces each animal.

Sweet as a Littlebug: “Fuzzy, bumpy, scratchy and more! Of course I’m in love! Plus, they have one of my favorite animals ever, a chicken and her baby chicks. So cute and their wings are soft and fluffy. You know me…I’m a texture girl, what can I say?

“It’s also so great to see all the great things the animals eat and where they live. Did you know a Koala eats eucalyptus trees and that my mom is allergic to them? So, this is probably as close to one as I’m going to get! I could stare at the pages for days and never get tired of it. Almost everyday I go to my bookshelf and pull this one off, crawl with it to mom and hand it to her to read. I like it that much. Because…I get to play with my mom, since the animals on each page come apart and go back together again and I need a little help now and again. It’s so much fun!

Mom’s Two Cents: “Of course I completely agree with her. These are fabulous books that every little one will enjoy. Not only do they teach with words on a page, but they’re also interactive with the puzzle pieces embedded on each set of pages. Great for early readers and little hands.

“As I mentioned, each set of pages has one side with a puzzle embedded inside. The nice thing about this, besides helping with hand-eye coordination, is that it will help to keep a little one occupied for quite a bit of time. We generally take these books with us to church, the doctors office, to the park so the Turkeybird can play while I read to Littlebug, and so many other places. I keep them on hand in a lot of situations.

“Animals and Farm Animals are wonderful books. I’ve been very excited to see more and more of these types of puzzle books for early readers coming out, because they can be so useful. Their bright colors and cute illustrations show children the very basics of animal life and get them started toward learning more. Absolutely delightful. A great addition to a beginning library!”

The1stdaughter Recommends: Ages 9 months and older. The Turkeybird, at age 3, still tries to steal these from his sister from time to time and don’t see him losing interest for quite a while.

These books were purchased for our home library.
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with Amazon.com.

How and why would we want to incorporate activity and sticker books into our family reading rituals? Activity and sticker books are often used by parents as “babysitters”, but when used appropriately they may help a beginning reader make connections between visual images and words on a page with reality. In fact, these valuable resources can be an excellent teaching tool when used in conjunction with reading daily, especially for children who may struggle with some form of a learning disability.

Turkeybird’s Struggle
Our sweet Turkeybird was an early reader, but a late talker. He was diagnosed with a form of Autism called “Hyperlexia” at just around 20 months of age. It basically boils down to him reading by the time he was just older than a year old, but not being able to communicate verbally or interact socially until he was a bit older. I know you’re thinking, “he couldn’t talk, but he could read???” Yes, he would literally read words off of pages but hardly say hello when greeted by another family member or friend.

We sought the aid of a speech therapist and children’s counselor not knowing how else to help him. They used evaluations and problem solving games to help him express visually the words he was struggling to connect verbally. This continued for a few months and shortly thereafter our sweet Littlebug was born. For some reason, maybe a lack of attention, triggered in him a greater desire to communicate with us, but he still struggled to connect the “truck” on the page with the truck in his bedroom.

Soon, we moved across country and no longer had the aid of outside therapists and counselors. I decided there had to be something else that I could do as a parent to help him make those little connections. While looking through some “teaching” books and materials on the internet one day I came across some sticker books. The Turkeybird has always been a huge fan of sticker and activity books. What kid doesn’t love a sticker as a reward for a trip to the doctor or for a job well done? This was it, I thought! I ordered some and the work began.

Work Together!!!
Working with The Turkeybird was the key to progression. Children learn the most when they are read to or when they are taught directly.* Starting with the above pictured Sticker Activity book and moving on to many others, we worked together.Every day, while Littlebug slept, we sat down together at the table and went through the pages of the books one at a time. The first book focused on numbers, but also used “real” life objects to illustrate the numerals. Even from the beginning I tried to allow him to place the stickers in the appropriate places and verbally tell me what each was. After this we would go on excursions, be them around the house or to different venues (the park, petting zoo, etc.), and we would point out the different things he found in his activity books. Soon, he began to connect the dots.

Repeat, Repeat, Repeat
To this day we still use the sticker books on a daily basis. We read on a daily basis. And we play together on a daily basis. It’s important to create routines in all children’s lives, but especially in those that struggle with some form of learning disability. Even as adults we benefit from a daily routine and continued persistence with a difficult task. Why would it be different with a child?

Everyday the Turkeybird looks forward to our “mini-school” sessions and asks for the next task. This shows me that he is making connections and learning more everyday. He loves to learn and I can tell when I see his face light up at the mention of crayons, stickers and books.

The End Result
The Turkeybird is talking more now, carrying on long conversations with non-family members and can now connect the words on the pages in his books to real life objects.  His social skills have progressed far beyond what was originally thought he would be capable of at this age. He continues to love reading and learning and his mom continues to love to read to and teach him.

I’m not saying that sticker and activity books will solve all your learning/teaching dilemmas, but if done right they can’t hurt. I’m not a professional, just a mom, and I make no presumptions about how effective these activity books may be in your own child’s life. Make sure to use them with your son, daughter or student; this is where you will find the best result. Children love to be taught, they love attention and exultation when they’ve accomplished something they’d never been able to do before. Interact and show you care about the outcome. And then, do it all over again.

This post was presented as part of the Share A Story Shape A Future Day Two. Make sure to stop by The Book Chook’s site for more posts pertaining to Literacy My Way/Literacy Your Way!

Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with Amazon.com.

*Referenced & paraphrased from: On the Road to Reading: A Guide for Community Partners – December 1997

Colors & Counting by Emily Bolam

Published by Tiger Tales

Pages: 10

Ages: Baby-Preschool

Publishers Summary: Colors: A delightful introduction to colors for the very young springs to life in this vibrantly illustrated board book that features an embossed bumpy texture on the cover and throughout! Touch the textures to reinforce recognition, look at the pictures and words, and learn a rainbow of colors!
Counting: A delightful introduction to numbers for the very young springs to life in this vibrantly illustrated board book that features an embossed bumpy texture on the cover and throughout! Touch the textures to reinforce recognition, look at the pictures and words, and learn to count from one to five!

Littlebug Speaks: “These books are so much fun! I’m just starting to speak up and tell my mom exactly which books I want to read and these are always first on the list. My favorite pages are a bumpy read strawberry and the smiling giraffe with the number one next to him. Every page is so much fun to feel and I love all of the colors, they’re so bright! Even the outside cover of each of these books is covered in bumpy rising colors and numbers!

“My mom bought these for me because I’m definitely a touchy-feely kind of girl. I like to hold onto things and the more bumps and lumps the better! She still won’t let me get them in my mouth though, but I’m going to keep trying. These are great books and I highly recommend them!”

Mom’s Two Cents: “She’s right, I bought these books because my Littlebug (who’s not looking so little recently) loves textures and colors. Since she was a very small baby she enjoyed cuddling up with a soft cozy blanket and always had to have socks on her feet. The Turkeybird was/is quite different and definitely enjoys more technical analytical things. So, when I saw these books in the new Tiger Tales catalog, I knew I had to get them for her.

“Each of these books teach basic beginning concepts – colors and numbers – five in each. In the counting book it not only shows an actual numeral representation, but a physical representation ie. five fish. The colors book has pages the help even a little reader connect actual ‘real life’ images (an ocean with sailboats) with the words on the page. All of the pages are covered in textured goodness and beautiful colors. These books are for the kiddo in your life who loves touching, snuggling, smooshing, and just about anything tactile. Wonderful beginning books for beginning readers and learners!”

For the Comments: Do you have a favorite counting or ABC book from your youth? Or do you remember how you learned to count/say your ABC’s?

These books were purchased for our home library.
Purchasing products by clicking through the links in this post will provide us a modest commission through our affiliate relationship with Amazon.com.