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With the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio just around the corner, I am seeing more and more wonderful books that help our young readers understand the importance of this athletic milestone, but also to celebrate all of the notable athletes who have left their mark in Olympic history. Here are some of my top picks.

Olympic-themed books for kids

The Quickest Kid in Clarksville written by Pat Zietlow Miller and illustrated by Coretta Scott King winner Frank Morrison, is a charming story about wanting to be the fastest kid in Clarksville. It’s also about determination, dreams, and the friends we meet along the way.

In this fun review that is found right here on JIAB, we also take a look at the inspiring life of Wilma Rudolph; a three-time Olympic Gold medalist.

Melissa at Imagination Soup has a great booklist to Get Kids Excited About the Summer Olympics with Books!

Play-Activities.com has 6 children’s books featuring the Olympics 

Librarian Margo Tanebaum has a wonderful book review of Olympian Alice Coachman in the book Touch the Sky: Alice Coachman, Olympic High Jumper

I am personally very excited to learn more about author Paula Yoo’s book  Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story

Books My Kids Read has a great view of Nadia – The Girl Who Couldn’t Sit Still (the story gynastics legend Nadia Comaneci)

What great Olympic-themed books have you read?

Concerned that your kids aren’t getting enough “outside time?”

Despite data that shows that 80% of natural vitamin D comes from the rays of the sun, many children, roughly only 23% are spending enough time outside and welcoming the sun’s rays. Most children do not get enough vitamin D from food alone and are at risk of deficiency if they are spending prolonged periods of time indoors. Valarie Budayr from Jump Into a Book and Marilyn Scott-Waters from The Toymaker have combined their respective talents to not only create a clever solution, but also an amazing guidebook to help parents help their children regain their interest and love of nature.

With over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for families to enjoy, learn, discover and play together, A Year In the Secret Garden brings the magical story to life while also enjoying nature and the great outdoors.

With fascinating historical information, monthly gardening activities, easy-to-make recipes, and step-by-step crafts, designed to enchant readers of all ages. Each month your family will unlock the mysteries of a Secret Garden character, as well as have fun together creating the original crafts and activities based on the book. Our goal is to not only raise awareness for the necessity of families spending more quality “unplugged” time together, but to also share monthly activities that incorporate nature and the outdoors as well. Get your kids moving, exploring and playing today. Get access to this wonderful children’s activity book here.

Meet you “in the garden!”

The post Weekend Links-Olympic-themed books for Kids appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Welcome to weekend links!

This is my much-anticipated chance to share all sorts of great links and resources that I have encountered during my weekly Internet travels. I have all sorts of goodies for you today!

Did you know that April is National Poetry Month and also Poem in your Pocket Day?

The internet is buzzing with great book ideas and things to do to celebrate a love of poetry and share it with others. Here are a few of my favs:

Unique and Creative Non-Boring Poetry Books to Make You Love Poetry  via What do we do all day

Celebrate poetry month with author Shel Silverstein! Get poems, activities, and fun all month long.

This site is so bright and colorful, it just makes me smile! And it has some great book ideas as well. Mrs. Wheeler’s First Grade Tidbits: Poetry Ideas

I adore these 28 Must-Share Poem images for Elementary School from WeAreTeachers! Of course, the Roald Dahl one is at the top of my favorites list:) http://stfi.re/jnaldb

Creekside Learning also had a wonderful poetry booklist for kids

What great poetry finds did you discover this week?

Before you go…
Do you know what Hans Christian Andersen liked as much as his fairy tales?

Paper! He was an addict to paper. He wrote on it, he drew on it and he use to cut in it. Just like a sculptor carves the figure out of stone, Hans Christian Andersen use to cut his stories out of paper. In fact he was a very popular paper cutter. (images courtesy of the Odense Museum)

In order to amuse his friends and their children, Hans made his very famous paper cuts. Wherever he would go he would carry his bag filled with paper and these very large monstrous scissors which he used to cut out the most elegant figures.

Would you like to create a very special item that is inspired by the paper cuttings of Hans Christian Andersen?
I’ve made a FREE off the shoulder felt story bag craft and tutorial just for this occasion! This simple craft is something the whole family can participate in creating it will make a delightful gift for the book lover in your life. I hope your little bag of tales holds as many wonders for you as ours has.
Click the image below and get instant access to this Hans Christian Andersen-inspired shoulder bag!

The post Weekend Links: Poetry Booklists for kids (and Activities!) appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Welcome to weekend links!

This is my much-anticipated chance to share all sorts of great links and resources that I have encountered during my weekly Internet travels. I have all sorts of goodies for you today!

Did you know that April is National Poetry Month and also Poem in your Pocket Day?

The internet is buzzing with great links and things to do to celebrate a love of poetry and share it with others. Here are a few of my favs:

Great Poetry Resources:

Keep A Poem in Your Pocket pdf Download Keep A Poem In Your Pocket

Print Some Pocket Poems

Kenn Nesbit’s Poetry4Kids

Giggle Poetry by Meadowbrook Press offers several poetry activities.

Word Mover App for Kids (helps kids form their own poems)

Diamante Poem interactive, kids create verse in the shape of a diamond.

RhymeZone’s Rhyming Dictionary helps kids in their struggle to find words that express their feelings and ideas.

Jack Prelutsky Website for Kids

Shel Silverstein Printables for your pocket

Put a Poem in your pocket

Favorite Poetry Reads

• 20th- Century Children’s Poetry Treasury edited by Jack Prelutsky
• A Hatful of Seuss by Dr. Seuss
• A child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson
• The Missing Piece by Shel Silverstein
• You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You by John Ciardi
• Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl
• Joyful Noise: Poems for two voices by Paul Fleischman
• Big Talk: Poems for Four Voices by Paul Fleischman

**some of these links are affiliate links

Creative Ways to celebrate National Poetry Month

Take it to the streets: Pick a favorite line from a poem and choose a clean piece of sidewalk or pavement to write on. You can search for a poem on Poets.org or check your bookshelf for an old favorite. Use brightly colored chalk to attract attention to your work, and add drawings or artistic flourishes to create some extra fun.

Do you know what Hans Christian Andersen liked as much as his fairy tales?
Paper! He was an addict to paper. He wrote on it, he drew on it and he use to cut in it. Just like a sculptor carves the figure out of stone, Hans Christian Andersen use to cut his stories out of paper. In fact he was a very popular paper cutter. (images courtesy of the Odense Museum)

In order to amuse his friends and their children, Hans made his very famous paper cuts. Wherever he would go he would carry his bag filled with paper and these very large monstrous scissors which he used to cut out the most elegant figures.

Would you like to create a very special item that is inspired by the paper cuttings of Hans Christian Andersen?
I’ve made a FREE off the shoulder felt story bag craft and tutorial just for this occasion! This simple craft is something the whole family can participate in creating it will make a delightful gift for the book lover in your life. I hope your little bag of tales holds as many wonders for you as ours has.

Click the image below and get instant access to this Hans Christian Andersen-inspired shoulder bag!

The post Weekend Links: For the Love of Poetry! (Poetry Month Printables & Links) appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Welcome to Weekend links! All of the drama affiliated with politics and the election can drive some of us nuts, but it is also a wonderful opportunity to share the world of American Presidents with your young readers. Here are some great book picks and booklists that help kids understand the Presidency and politics.

Check out this past blog post of mine that encourages parents, homeschoolers, teachers and librarians to take A Look back at Past President’s Day Booklists and Activities!

President Squid is a hilarious picture book from Caldecott award winner Aaron Reynolds. With a good deal of tongue and cheek it explores the ideal qualities of a good president. One resident of the sea, Squid, feels he would be perfect for the job. Why you ask ? Well because he lives in a big house, know a lot about lots of things, does all the talking, bosses people around, but mostly importantly, he wears a tie. That’s all anyone needs to be president right?

Back in November 2012 of  I created a very fun booklist in honor of the upcoming elections season.

Monster Needs Your Vote is a hardcover children’s book with vibrant illustrations from Wendy Grieb that is a great book about teaching kids to take a stand and fight for what they believe in.

When Monster learns he is too young to vote, he runs for president instead! Through trial and error, he rallies his community together to save his local library from closing. This picture book features people of all ethnicities and religions coming together in the name of education, democracy and reading-a trifecta of awesome! Read the full review here.

Dog and Cat for President: The narrator asks the intriguing question all Americans want answered: Who would win if a cat and dog ran for President of the United States? Cat and dog lovers will both agree that this is a fun rhyming tale with a political heart. Both sides of the campaign are humorously depicted in a clever way that young readers will relate to and understand. The illustrations are rich, bold and colorful. “Cat or Dog for President” will keep readers engaged and laughing from beginning to end. Read my full review here.

Here’s the link to the Presidential Fun Kit to create all these fun Election-themed activities.

I am very excited to be an ambassador for Tinker Crate! Kiwi Crate/Tinker Crate delivers fun hands-on experiences every month. Tinker Crate is for the 9-16+ crowd and a monthly crate will contain 2-3 themed projects designed by our experts to be fun and educational. I love this service because it not only inspires young makers with tools for learning and discovery; it also encourages them to explore science, engineering and technology. I’ve always been an advocate for using imaginations via books or play so this company is a perfect fit for my book-ish passions.

Go HERE to view all of the amazing exploration, activities, science projects and use specific promo code JUMPBOOK30 at Kiwi Crate for 30% off your first crate subscription!

The post Weekend Links-booklists that help kids understand the Presidency. appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Of course the big news this week was the occurrence and success of Multicultural Children’s Book Day on 1/27. This huge online nation event continues to grow and be successful beyond our wildest dreams. As you can imagine, it is a monumental amount of work for myself, co-founder Mia Wenjen and our support team of Becky and Susan M. It is such an important event and such a rewarding project. Read more about our mission here.

I love this wonderful video that Platinum Sponsor StoryQuest Books was kind enough to create for the event.

There were SO MANY amazing book review with activities offered up by our review bloggers in honor of this event. In fact, if you visit our MCCBD Link-up, you’ll see over 250 multicultural book reviews from several hundred reviewers.

Here are some of my top picks.

Trinitoga: Stories of a Life in a Roughed Up Tough Love No Good Hood Shout Mouse Press book review from Squishable Baby

I love the graffiti project that Lisa did as a book extension with this review to help her kids understand the complex characters in the book.

Drum Dream Girl: A Book Review and fun drum-making craft from Here Wee Read

Do You Have a Thinking Girl or Boy? It’s time for a Goosebottom Booklist

Picture Books About Japan from Mama Smiles

Hot Air Balloon Craft For Kids Inspired By The Stories I’ll Tell from Playdough & Popsicles

I also adore this delightful hot air balloon craft that goes along with the book!

Spanish Places Vocabulary: Book and Writing Activity from Spanish Playground

The Case of the Missing Museum Archives by Capstone Young Readers review and companion activities from Wise Old Owl Factory

Feb 8th, Year of the Monkey! Chinese New Year Crafts, Books and More from Pragmaticmom

Does Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2017 sound like something you would like to get involved in? Sign up for our free newsletter and stay in the loop on contests, book reviews, author visits, event details and giveaways!

The post Weekend Links: The Thrill of Multicultural Children’s Book Day appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Such an exciting week this week with great awards, reviews and victories! As you can imagine, much of my focus has been on the upcoming Multicultural Children’s Book Day Event (1/27) and all the excitement surrounding this national event. Bloggers are frantically reading books and publishing their reviews and activities. Here an example:

Great review on multicultural children’s books from Lil’ Libros at @espanolita #ReadYourWorld!

All Sorts of awards and victories this week too! Here are a few notable ones:

2016 Newbery and Caldecott Winners  via @imaginationsoup

MCCBD now has it’s official poster thanks to the huge talents of Robert Liu-Trujillo! Sqqquueeeee! LOVE this poster!
FREE Downloadable Multicultural Children’s Book Day!

I was the first Featured Expert for 2016 on KidLit TV!

Booklists To Investigate
11 Inspiring Multicultural Biographies For Kids from I’m Not The Nanny

The Ultimate List of 2016 Children’s Picture & Board Books! at Here We Read.

Fond Memories of Katie Woo & 3 Book #giveaway via @PragmaticMom

Diverse Winter Books for Children-via @Multicultural Kids

A Snowy Kidlit Booklist at Jump Into A Book

Sadly, the book world lost a very bright star recently Godspeed Andrea Cheng Read the interview we did with her last year and also Lee and Low’s wonderful tribute post as well Remembering Children’s Author Andrea Cheng.

Follow me on Pinterest!
Follow Valarie Budayr @Jump into a Book’s board Jump Into a Book Kidlit Booklists on Pinterest.

Follow Valarie Budayr @Jump into a Book’s board A Year In The Secret Garden on Pinterest.

The post Weekend Links: Multicultural Links, Awards and Updates appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

It’s time for Weekend Links!

So as usual, my week has been filled with the discovery of wonderful booklists, activities and ideas from amazing blogger, authors and moms. Here are some of my favs:

Want to load up on your Holiday reading list? Check out this great Holiday booklist from Library Adventure

CHRISTMAS BOOKS ROUNDUP-PART ONE from Good Reads with Ronna

G is for Gingerbread Man -Sue from Sock Fairies has an absolutely delightful book review, craft and gingerbread baking activity project for kids! Love this!

Do We Do all Day has a Swedish Christmas and Holiday Picture Book list that is near and dear to my heart!

I had to smile and giggle when my Head Elf (assistant and project manager) told me she had never even heard of a Tomte until she met me! Is there really is such a thing as a Winter Tomte? Yes! This time of year especially we have many eager children waiting for the Jul Tomte to come on Christmas Eve bring sack full of presents, chocolate and good fun.

The Tomte in Sweden and Nisse in Norway and Denmark is a Scandinavian myth. Tomtes are small, bearded men who wear red colored caps and are rarely, if ever seen by humans. Since we are talking about Winter Tomte I have to also share that you’ll only see the menfolk as the women and children are home making merry and getting ready for the great celebrations ahead.

Sharing this family tradition, along with a robust booklist, made my An Exceptionally Magical Winter Tomte Booklist! even more special.

Speaking of Swedish Christmas, it’s something near-and-dear to my heart because my parents were from Sweden. Every December 13th, we continue a long family tradition of celebrating St. Lucia. In the darkest hours of the morning a young girl with a wreath of candles on her head brings hope, warmth and light to the darkest, coldest time of the year. I have taken all of our favorite recipes, activities and books that celebrate this event, along with the history of Santa Lucia as well, and created a very special color pdf for the holiday season.

The Celebrating a Santa Lucia Christmas pdf guide is my gift to you and simply click the image below to enjoy these fun family-friendly activities. Click this link or click the image below to grab your copy and create some new traditions in your own family! Thank you!

JIAB Recap Of the Week!

It always delights me that, despite the fact this post was written quite some time ago, it’s still one of my most viewed post. Have you seen/read this one? What do think it is that makes this post so popular?

Grandfather Tang’s Story: Storytelling with Tangrams

Don’t Forget

Review Bloggers! We Need YOU! MCCBD 2016 Review Blogger Sign-up is OPEN

We still could use a Few Good Bloggers! Review bloggers, that is

As the Co-founder of Multicultural Children’s Book Day is can’t even begin to tell you how thrilled I am at how this event continues to GROW. If you are unfamiliar with this very special online event that is coming January, 27, 2016, go here for the full scoop. In the meantime, we could really use a few more book reviewers.

It’s not too late to sign up as a review blogger for Multicultural Children’s Book Day! We have a plethora of simply amazing diversity children’s authors who are offering up a free books to bloggers who would like to do a review in honor of this January 27, 2016 online event!

The deadline to sign up is December 31st and we still have a few spots left. This is great way for bloggers to get involved in an important national initiative and gain new visitors to their site! All participating bloggers will be invited to add their book review to a Huge Linky on 1/27/16 that will ultimately become a valued resource for parents, teachers and librarians. Sign up ASAP!

The post Weekend Links- Swedish Christmas Booklists and More! appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

The holiday season is sneaking up fast! Are you still scrambling to find the perfect gift for a certain someone? Hands down, I believe, one of the best gifts that can be given is the gift or reading. Books unlock the magic and wonder of other worlds, cultures and dreams and it’s a gift that can be “opened” again and again. In my online travels this week I have discovered several superb Book Gift Guides for young readers. Here are a few of my top picks:

A Holiday Book Gift Guide for 8-10 year-old girls- chosen and written by a girl who is that age from I Never Grew Up.

The feisty and savvy Pam from Unconventional Librarian puts her own spin on her Book Gift Guide!

Franticmommy also has a great Book Gift Guide for Kids. I see she has some WONDERFUL taste in books in her Picture Books and Middle Readers Gift Guide! From monsters to garden activities, this Holiday Gift Guide has great options for moms giving the gift of reading.

I also adore her blog post on Ten Reasons Why Books Make Great Gifts.

What glorious gift guides have you discovered?

Final Note:

JUMP into a Book! Valarie Budayr joins us for BOY TALK. She is an author, editor, and ‘master magic maker’ at Jump Into a Book.  This is a great resource for all of  the kids on your list.  Meet her below.  Save your seat for BOY TALK here. 

Note from Valarie: As the holiday season approaches, consider adding the gift of books to your shopping list. There are many wonderful booklists available for parents looking to give their child the gift of reading and adventure. A book makes a great gift because they are meaningful, beautiful, portable, appealing, and inexpensive and it’s a gift that can be opened again and again. Books are the perfect gift for any age and a gift that doesn’t require batteries or sizing instruction!

If you would like to get started on your family reading adventure, or would just like to add to your family bookshelf, Audrey Press has some special deals on their catalog of books to get readers and gift-givers on their merry way. From November 30^th to December 15^th, give the gift of reading, adventure and education at extra-special (and extended) Black Friday prices! Go here for the full scoop on the Holiday Book Love Sale!

The post Weekend Links: Glorious Book Gift Guides appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Did you know that December 5th was National Ninja Day? I didn’t know either until I stumbled upon the #NationalNinjaDay hashtag on Twitter! What fun!

So even though I am a day late on celebrating this “stealthy” event, I think we all need to tap into our “inner ninja” and do some ninja-related reading and activities! Luckily, Corey Rosen Schwartz has some amazing activities, book suggestions and in her free National Ninja Day PDF.

Corey has two delightful ninja-ish books to her credit including the upcoming Hensel and Gretel Ninja Chicks

and NINJA RED RIDING HOOD.

I also learned that, thanks to Corey’s wonderful PDF, my ninja name is Ru-Ka-Ta

Mia at Pragmaticmom  has a list of the Top 10 Ninja Books for Kids Ages 4 through 16

The Magic Treehouse Classroom has some books extension activities for the Magic Treehouse book Night of the Ninjas.

Homeschool giveaway blog has some great ideas for All Things NINJA Resources ~ printables, crafts, recipes & MORE!!

Did you do something fun for National Ninja Day? Or did it “sneak” up on you?

Note from Me: As the holiday season approaches, consider adding the gift of books to your shopping list. There are many wonderful booklists available for parents looking to give their child the gift of reading and adventure. A book makes a great gift because they are meaningful, beautiful, portable, appealing, and inexpensive and it’s a gift that can be opened again and again. Books are the perfect gift for any age and a gift that doesn’t require batteries or sizing instruction!

If you would like to get started on your family reading adventure, or would just like to add to your family bookshelf, Audrey Press has some special deals on their catalog of books to get readers and gift-givers on their merry way. From November 30^th to December 15^th, give the gift of reading, adventure and education at extra-special (and extended) Black Friday prices! Go here for the full scoop on the Holiday Book Love Sale!

The post Weekend Links- Recapping National Ninja Day appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

What a whirlwind November has been! From national events like Native American Heritage Month, The Polar Express 30th Anniversary Edition Book Review & Giveaway and my week+ adventure doing author appearances at the Frances Hodgson Burnett Sesquicentennial Event, November has been an exciting and “book-filled” month! Here’s a quick recap of the highlights of November.

Native American Heritage Month links and booklists:

November is Native American Heritage Month, or as it is commonly referred to, American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.

The month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people. Heritage Month is also an opportune time to educate the general public about tribes, to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges.

As always, the amazing authors and bloggers have gone above-and-beyond in sharing the best-of-the best in quality Native American booklists, activities and reviews.Go HERE to view some of my top picks along with some great posts from the JIAB archives.

The Polar Express 30th Anniversary Edition Book Review & Giveaway

Has it really been 30 years since that magical Christmas tale of a train pulling up into a young boys front yard and hurling him over hill and dale until he reaches the North Pole? To my astonishment, it’s true. Thirty years later, The Polar Express has become a holiday Caldecott Medal-winning classic leaving children all over the world laying quietly in their beds on Christmas Eve, hoping to catch a ride on that magical train. For 30 years author/illustrator Chris Van Allsburg has inspired us to “believe.”

In honor of this event, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has released a 30th anniversary edition complete with a new jacket design, expanded interior layout meaning we get to see and experience more goodness, a letter from Chris Van Allsburg, a downloadable recording of the story read by none other than renowned actor Liam Neeson and a gorgeous golden keepsake ornament. AND….I get to give one copy away to one lucky winner thanks to this The Polar Express 30th Anniversary Edition Book Review & Giveaway!! Go HERE for details and to enter-to-win.

Author Appearances at Frances HodgsonBurnett Sesquicentennial Event:

You may remember my mention of the upcoming Frances Hodgson Burnett Sesquicentennial Event Celebration. If you read that post you know how excited I was to celebrate an author who has touched my life in so many ways, and also one who is from my home state of Tennessee.

This year the New Market/Knoxville areas are celebrating 150 years since Frances Hodgson Burnett’s moved to the United States in 1865. On hand will be her great grand-daughter Penny Deupree, as well as her great great grandchildren. Penny Deupree, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s great-grand daughter, is coming from her home in Texas to give three free public presentations and display some of Burnett’s personal belongings. You can see all the places I made author appearances here.

As you can imagine, this event was absolutely spectacular and it was such an honor to be invited by Frances Hodgson Burnett’s family! Here are some pictures and highlights from this memorable event:

I was fortunate enough to meet, and spend time with, Frances Hodgson Burnett’s great granddaughter, Penny.

The young readers at the New Market School were some of the many groups that enjoy book extension activities from my book A Year in the Secret Garden.

What were some of your November highlights?

Attention K-8th Teachers! Get a FREE Diversity Book for Your Class!

2016 Multicultural Children’s Book Day Classroom Reading Challenge begins November 1, 2015!

Multicultural Children’s Book Day Classroom Reading Challenge is a special project connected to Multicultural Children’s Book Day (1/27/16) that gives classrooms the opportunity to earn a FREE Diversity Book for their class!
Teachers: We want to help you build your classroom library with diverse, inclusive and multicultural books! Here’s how to get a free book through Multicultural Children’s Book Day during the month of January. Teachers and classrooms can also win a Skype author visit with a children’s book author and the drawing will be made from the pool of teachers who signed up before 1/27/16. {author to be announced} This special project is free of charge to all teachers and schools and helps MCCBD achieve their mission of getting multicultural books into the hands of young readers and teachers.

What is it:

The Classroom Reading Challenge is a new project for us but it is a way for teachers to sign up, read up to four multicultural books in their classroom and earn a free multicultural book from us.

All Books are pre-screened and approved by the Junior Library Guild: Having Junior Library Guild on board assures that the free book that classrooms earn from MCCBD is a pre-screened, library-quality book that maps to Common Core. This is a HUGE and exciting benefit for this project.

The MCCBD team would like to take a moment to say a huge “Thank You!” to Junior Library Guild, for allowing us to tap into their collection of library-quality books for kids. Their development and book review service relied upon by thousands of schools and public libraries and we are grateful they are sponsoring Multicultural Children’s Book Day Classroom Reading Challenge by donating the books for the classrooms!
The Junior Library Guild editorial team reviews more than 3,000 new titles each year, in manuscript or prepublication stage. They have a keen sense for finding the best of the best. Over 95 percent of their selections go on to receive awards and/or favorable reviews.

Go HERE to view some of the books that teachers can earn and win as part of our Multicultural Children’s Book Day Classroom Reading Challenge and sign your classroom up to earn a few book!!!!

The post Weekend Links: The Highlights of November appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

November is Native American Heritage Month, or as it is commonly referred to, American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.

The month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people. Heritage Month is also an opportune time to educate the general public about tribes, to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges.

As always, the amazing authors and bloggers have gone above-and-beyond in sharing the best-of-the best in quality Native American booklists, activities and reviews. I’ve share a few of my top picks here along with some great posts from the JIAB archives:

Joseph Bruchac, Abenaki descent, newest book “The Hunter” It’s an informative blog posting with “The Hunter’s Promise” a book summary, link to an interview with the author, some teacher resources and two recipes that tie in with the book at Ever Ready.

“The egg of the thunder bird in The Thunder Egg was actually inspired by geodes. The Thunder Egg book extension and review.

Custer’s Last Battle by Paul Goble {A Wisdom Tale’s Book} book review.

The Wisdom Tales website has wonderful tipi patterns for book extension activities. See what happened when we downloaded them and created a village!

Crafty Moms Share: Pine and the Winter Sparrow Book Review & #extension activities for kids.

Tribal Nations Maps and books about inspiring Native American Women at Crafty Moms Share.

Great booklist from “Comanche-inspired author” Max Oliver-Native American Books for Kids- A Recommended Reading List

Plimoth Plantation: Learning About Native Americans at Pragmaticmom

Stumped for ideas? Ways to Celebrate Native American Heritage Month via the American Indian College Fund

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This holiday season, give your children the gift that will nurture a lifetime of positive habits; give the gift of a book.

As parents, we want/need quality books with extension activities to help our young ones unplug and create memories. Pulling books from shelves, and stories from pages, is also an important act that will aid in them being life-long readers. Quality books with companion book extension activities are not only work to create special family time, it allows kids to solve the world’s problems without major consequences.
A Year in the Secret Garden is just such a book. This delightful children’s book from authors Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters offers unique and original month-by-month activities that allow readers to delve deeper into the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! With over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together.
This book will make a great gift and be the catalyst of many hours of family growth, learning and FUN! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” More details HERE!

The post Weekend Links: Books and Experience for #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Another busy week has just wrapped up here at JIAB headquarters. It was a bittersweet week of highs and lows as well. I was so sad to hear of Vera B Williams death. She contributed greatly to so many in the wonderful literature she wrote . You will be greatly missed Vera.

Then there were light-hearted milestones like the fact that one of my favorite books, Caps for Sale, turned 75.

But like all weeks, I discovered some wonderful reading nuggets of gold.

Here are some of my top picks:

Thirteen Scary YA Books: Diverse Edition via @LEEandLOW

An alternative (or bonus) to #halloweentreats Book or Treat (A Book-ish Twist on Halloween)

Picture Books You Might Not Know With Great Role Models For Girls at No Time for Flashcards

The Mighty Boy Reading List: Ages 9-12 at I think We Could be Friends

40 Tween & Middle Schoolers; All-Time Favorite Book List via @thehousehendrix

13 + Children’s Picture Books About Famous Artists – via @imagination soup

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2016 is COMING (1/27/16) and we have many things to be grateful for here at MCCBD headquarters. There are a ton of exciting things in the works right now!

Need to get a multicultural children’s book in front of readers? Participate in this national event as an Author Sponsor and get enjoy many unique ways to gain visibility for your books. Those who lock in their Author Sponsorship before October 31st will get a bonus; 2 guest posts on MCCBD blog, banner ad on the Author Sponsor Page, social media shares and book review opportunities by book bloggers. A great value for only $65. Go HERE for more details.

The post Weekend Links As the end of October Nears appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

My word of the week is “fantastical”… Not sure why….maybe because it sounds like a Willy Wonka-type word! The official definition of “fantastic” is: conceived or appearing as if conceived by an unrestrained imagination. That exactly how I feel about my Weekend Links picks this week. Enjoy!

Minds in Bloom: 6 Ways to Teach Kids about the World -a guest post from the wonderful Becky Morales of KidWorldCitizen.

The Children Shall Lead Us: Top 7 Children’s Books on Leadership for Social Justice
via @blackvoices

4 Early Chapter Book Giveaway! #ScholasticBranches  via @PragmaticMom

Excellent Nonfiction Books To Get Kids Reading  via @imagination soup

13 Children’s Books that Encourage Kids to Love Black Hair  via @ForHarriet

Fantastical News

There are so many exciting things in the works right now. If you missed it, we recently did a special post on becoming an Author Sponsor for MCCBD 2016 AND we announced the opening of our Review Blogger Sign-up for MCCBD 2016 as well. Pass the word on both please!

But another thing we are tickled about is the fact that we have two powerhouse multicultural children’s book publishers joining us as Platinum Sponsors for 2016. Wisdom Tales Press is joining us for a 3^rd year and newcomer Story Quest Books will be a crowd pleaser too.

Capstone Young Readers and Lee and Low and have stepped forward and filled out two of our Silver Sponsorship spots and we have quite a few awesome Author Sponsors as well so please take a peek. There are many Sponsorship opportunities still available (one Platinum left along with Gold, Silver and Bronze) so if you know of an author or publisher who would like to be part of the growing event, have them check out our Sponsorship Level page ASAP. The Early Bird Sale on the top three levels of Sponsorship ends 10/31/15.

Final Fantastical Thoughts: Here are a few of my “Fantastic” blog posts from the past!

The Fantastic Adventures of Krishna by Demi: In this elegant read, we ventured into the world and land of India, the God Krishna, and Hinduism in the book The Fantastic Adventures of Krishna by author/illustrator Demi.

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore harkens back to the days of silent films with the grander of those first technicolor movie classics such as the Wizard of Oz. Each page as a hidden piece of magic embedded to be discovered by those who journey through this soon to be classic.  Something may look familiar to you during your time with this app and that is because of the brilliant work done by William Joyce.

Your Fantastic Elastic Brain is more than just an ebook for children, parents and educators…The app goes above and beyond the concept of a children’s book in digital format. Embedded lesson plans offer activities designed to build an understanding of neuroanatomy, the brain’s primary functions, and how to stretch and shape the brain to its full potential. I have a sneaking suspicion we could all use a refresher course in brain function, so parents and teachers might find this feature interesting as well… Go forth, young parents, and download.” ~ Leslie Rasimas, Appy Awards

Have a Fantastic week!

The post Weekend Links: Fantastical Reading Finds appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

It may have started in late September, but Banned Books Week is already providing this busy readers with all sorts of new children’s book ideas!

Banned Books Week is the national book community’s annual celebration of the freedom to read. Hundreds of libraries and bookstores around the country draw attention to the problem of censorship by mounting displays of challenged books and hosting a variety of events. The 2015 celebration will be held September 27-October 3.

Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. More than 11,300 books have been challenged since 1982 according to the American Library Association. Read more about Banned Books Week HERE.

I shared my own “banned book” experience on Thursday when I talked about the one and only time I “banned ” a book from my family’s bookshelf, and how I used the opportunity as a learning experience for everyone as well. I also whipped up my own Banned Books Week Booklist for everyone to enjoy as well.

In my weekly travels, I have also discovered even more book ideas, resources and booklists. Enjoy!

13 Banned and Challenged Books For Kids from No Time for Flashcards

Even Children’s Books are Banned- Banned Book Week from Alohamora

Free printable Banned Books Bookmarks from Classroom Freebies!

What book is your favorite banned book?

Looking for better guide for successful homeschooling? The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook is a simple step-by-step guide to creating and understanding a Waldorf inspired homeschool plan. Within the pages of this comprehensive homeschooling guide, parents will find information, lesson plans, curriculum, helpful hints, behind the scenes reasons why, rhythm, rituals, helping you fit homeschooling into your life. Discover how to educate your children in a nurturing and creative environment.
The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook is a simple step-by-step guide to creating and understanding a Waldorf inspired homeschool plan. Within the pages of this comprehensive homeschooling guide, parents will find information, lesson plans, curriculum, helpful hints, behind the scenes reasons why, rhythm, rituals, helping you fit homeschooling into your life. Discover The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook: The Simple Step-by-Step guide to creating a Waldorf-inspired homeschool.

Grab your copy HERE: The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook: The Simple Step-by-Step guide to creating a Waldorf-inspired homeschool. http://amzn.to/1OhTfoT

The post Weekend Links: Great books for Banned Books Week appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Welcome to Weekend Links! This week was the official final day of summer and fall is starting off with bang with the occurance of a Lunar Eclipse or “Blood Moon.” Basically when the Earth casts its shadow on a Full Moon and eclipses it, the Moon may get a red glow causing many to refer to it as a blood moon. Rumor has it that tonight will be the night to view it so our household is buzzing with anticipation!

The moon, solar system and stars are always a great source for learning opportunities for kids so in honor of list weekend’s lunar eclipse, here are some great booklists and resources that are “outer space” themed. Enjoy!

Astronomy for Kids: Great Books and Marshmallow Constellations from KC Edventures.

Stories from a Summer Night Sky: Learning about Constellations and Legends

Stargazing & Astronomy Booklist for the whole family

30+ fabulous books to read for a space theme from The Measured Mom

It’s almost OVER! Don’t forget to enter to WIN our ginormous Back to School Library Book Bundle Giveaway!

Right on time for back to school, KidLit TV is teaming up with Pragmatic Mom, Jump into a Book, Franticmommy and Multicultural Children’s Book Day to give parents, teachers, and librarians a chance to win a multicultural book bundle for their school library.

School libraries play an integral role in the life of students. Many students can cite their school library as a place where a love of reading and learning is fortified. Throughout the country, budgets for school programs are being slashed, school libraries have been heavily hit. Hours for library time are cut in some schools, and non-existent in others. Furthermore, the tight budget impacts a school librarian’s ability to secure funds to purchase new books.

GO HERE to enter to WIN!

The post Weekend Links: A Great Week of Lunar Eclipse-Themed Booklists appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month and my travels across the interwebs this week has turn up soooo many amazing links, posts and resources for parents, teachers and young readers. Enjoy!

33 Latino Middle Grade Chapter Books You Should Know  @JumpIntoABook

Top 10: Best Latino American Children’s Books (ages 2-16)  @PragmaticMom

Best Books for Latino Heritage Children at Walking by the Way

Why We Need Hispanic Heritage Month-via @MulticulturKids

Bring Hispanic Heritage Month to Life: A Collection of Resources | Scholastic.com

Favorite children books about Ecuador culture in Spanish @HispanicMama

Children’s Books about Costa Rica via @alldonemonkey

Don’t forget our ginormous Back to School Library Book Bundle Giveaway!

Right on time for back to school, KidLit TV is teaming up with Pragmatic Mom, Jump into a Book, Franticmommy and Multicultural Children’s Book Day to give parents, teachers, and librarians a chance to win a multicultural book bundle for their school library.

School libraries play an integral role in the life of students. Many students can cite their school library as a place where a love of reading and learning is fortified. Throughout the country, budgets for school programs are being slashed, school libraries have been heavily hit. Hours for library time are cut in some schools, and non-existent in others. Furthermore, the tight budget impacts a school librarian’s ability to secure funds to purchase new books.

GO HERE to enter to WIN!

The post Weekend Links: National Hispanic Heritage Month Booklists appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

….And Today’s the Day!

Roald Dahl Day takes place every September 13th, the celebrated birthday of one of the world’s favorite storytellers.

There are celebrations happening all over the world and Jump into a Book is no different. So to prepare for your own Roald Dahl Day, go have a look at some of these very fun activities on the official Roald Dahl site including crazy-fun things like, “Which Roald Dahl Character are You” quizzes, ideas for your own Dahlicious Dress-up Day, and learn more about the man himself here.

Be sure and revisit some of JIAB’s past Roald Dahl book reviews, bookjumps and book extensions:

BFG

Witches-“This is not a fairy tale. This is about real witches.” -The Witches by Roald Dahl

Looking for more #RoaldDahl inspired fun? Our wonderful friend and supporter Amy Ambroult from Elemental Design and her family created some pretty amazing “Fizzy Lifting Drinks.”

Kristen from CraftGossip.com and her kids opted for the fun Willy Wonka Luminary craft on her site. It turned out great too!

Wait! Before you get going on your Roald Dahl Day celebrations….how about some Wonka-inspired party snacks? Check out my Wonkalicious Chocolate Covered Pretzel Activity and recipe!

Get the full recipe details HERE.

If any of these recipes and creative learning activities look familiar…it’s because they can be found within the virtual pages of my award-winning enhanced digital e-book The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

As many of you may already know, this ebook is the result of a labor of love, and this first-ever enhanced digital e-book inspired is by the classic tale of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

It’s been several years since my Ultimate Guide to Charlie and The Chocolate Factory enhanced digital e-Book hit the virtual shelves of the iTunes iBookstore and what fun adventure it’s been! We have much to celebrate:

• We’ve seen “Charlie” top the charts to #1 on the iTunes iBookstore no less than 7 times.
• We won the coveted QED award for innovative design.
• We won a Bronze medal in the E-Lit Book Awards.

What We Encountered Along The Way thanks to Charlie:

• We won our own golden tickets by sheer wit.
• We entered into the jungle to learn how chocolate and gum were made and even got to make some of our very own.
• We met Oompa Loompas and even had a wardrobe exchange. We’ve never truly been right since then as they have very short legs.
• We learned the true secrets of gobstoppers. We’d tell you but our mouths are full.
• Willy Wonka’s factory is a masterwork of mazes. We had to utilize our skill at them to work our way through this enchanting chocolate factory, including but not limited to the ever famous scissor maze where we walked clean through a piece of paper. Of course we haven’t kept that info to ourselves but have happily shared it with all of you

What many teachers and parents don’t realized about the enhanced digital e-book The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and The Chocolate Factory is that is contains many book extensions related to the classic tale by Roald Dahl; many of which meet the criteria for common core. It’s basically a collection of inventive and creative book extensions inspired by the classic tale, with the benefit of Common Core activities:

“Charlie” includes these Common Core Standards:

• Math Skills
• Social Sciences
• Geography
• Basic geometry
• Biology
• Mazes
• Measuring
• Hand/Eye Co-ordination

Other skills your young reader will be exposed to is basic cooking, map-reading, linear thinking and conservation.

Although The Ultimate Guide to Charlie is a beautifully illustrated interactive e-book, the entertainment comes from doing the crafts, recipes, and games once the book is shut. It’s good old fun ,21st century style. We loved creating a balance between the virtual world and the actual world. Magic comes from our inspirations and imagination. The Ultimate Guide to Charlie will lend itself to hours of fun again and again. Homeschooling families have also found this enhanced digital e-book helpful in their studies and this creativity-packed adventure is also available in PDF for homeschoolers as well.

The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is only $3.99 at iTunes!! Grab your copy HERE.

The Ultimate Guide to Charlie and theChocolate Factory PDF $9.95

Enjoy your Roald Dahl Day celebration on the 13th!!

**This book is not affiliated or associated with the author, publisher, or distributors of Roald Dahl’s book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

The post Roald Dahl Day Party Ideas, Recipes and Book Extensions! appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

September first marks the “beginning” of many new things for different people, but for the fans and readers of the Harry Potter books series from J.K. Rowlings, September 1st exceptionally special.

You see, 9/1 is the day that all students go back to Hogwarts in Harry Potter’ World. That being said; this last Tuesday was a huge day all across the Internet and Twitter in honor of the #backtohogwarts celebration. There were huge giveaways , J.K. Rowling herself was interacting with Tweeters and I personally had a ball interacting, reading and tweeting all of the wonderful “Harry-related” stuff.

Here are some highlights of our very Harry Potter fulfilled day. First off, Kings Cross Train Station, the real actual one in London England had Hogwarts posted on their train schedule. The platform was wrong but what can we except from muggles?

One of my favorite tweets was from Professor Snape with a word of caution to students. Anyone remember when Ron Weasley missed the Hogwarts Express and took the car instead ? Bet he won’t do that again?

JK Rowling sent her greetings to Harry Potter’s son James Potter, wishing him good luck on his first day at Hogwarts.

A little bit later she heard from one of this year’s newest students that she is near James on the Hogwarts Express. A funny little conversation ensued.

Later on in the day we learned that young James Potter, son of Harry, has now been sorted into Gryffindor. That was a no-brainer. Would this be an appropriate time to get on my knees and BEG for more Harry Potter books, or even James Potter books.

I miss this boy Harry Potter. I am filled with nostalgia at the thought of returning to Hogwarts. My eldest daughter Zaina and Harry are the very same age. Harry Potter is a huge part of my parenting memories as my sweet girl would sit on a lawn chair in the driveway waiting for the FedEx man to come with the NEXT newly-released Harry Potter book. Begging is not a crime, neither is pleading. I know you may have moved on JK Rowling but you must miss the wizarding world just a little. PLEASE……bring us another book.

OK, all begging aside, let me wave my magic wand and share some really incredible info with you.

JK Rowling  has this incredible site called Pottermore.

Pottermore is the official Harry Potter site created by JK Rowling along with Sony. A unique and free-to-use website which builds an exciting online experience around the reading of the Harry Potter books. We enter inside the wizarding world book by book via scenes that we unlock which correlates with the writing.

Also added perks is that JK Rowling herself shares exclusive new writing all the time because she owns this site. Besides being FREE here are a few good reasons to join,…. it’s so incredibly safe for kids, promotes literacy by interacting with her books and it’s the only place you can get the audio versions. Wonderful interactive items inside the books where you can earn badges, collect friends, and items for your trunk.  The most important thing is that everyone is magical and a wizard. It’s amazing. Yep I think it’s time to dive into the Potterverse. So you see I really didn’t need to beg, I was just being dramatic. Head on over to Pottermore and have a ball. You’ll see all the regulars there!

Looking for better guide for successful homeschooling? The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook is a simple step-by-step guide to creating and understanding a Waldorf inspired homeschool plan. Within the pages of this comprehensive homeschooling guide, parents will find information, lesson plans, curriculum, helpful hints, behind the scenes reasons why, rhythm, rituals, helping you fit homeschooling into your life. Discover how to educate your children in a nurturing and creative environment.
The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook is a simple step-by-step guide to creating and understanding a Waldorf inspired homeschool plan. Within the pages of this comprehensive homeschooling guide, parents will find information, lesson plans, curriculum, helpful hints, behind the scenes reasons why, rhythm, rituals, helping you fit homeschooling into your life. Discover The Waldorf Homeschool Handbook: The Simple Step-by-Step guide to creating a Waldorf-inspired homeschool.

The post Weekend Links: Exploring the Potterverse (Harry Potter events and links) appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Welcome to Weekend Links! Is summer whizzing by or what?? Reading is always an important part of our children’s lives no matter what time of year it is and so is helping our young readers learn about other cultures, religions and traditions through the pages of these books. Here are some great booklists and resources based on popular kidlit series that I discovered, or created myself, for your young readers to enjoy.

30 incredible book series for kids ages 8-12 from It’s Always Autumn

The Golden Compass review: Earlier this week I explored and jumped into on of the many books from the wonderful author Philip Pullman. Read more about it HERE.

#DrewToYou -A Fun and Bookish Way to Honor Nancy Drew. Back in May I celebrated the 80th birthday of literary icon Nancy Drew. Though May has long since passed, it’s always a good time to celebrate the Nancy drew series! Show me YOUR “Drew!”

Great “Series” Booklist for Independent or Middle Readers from Jump Into a Book.

10 Favorite First Chapter Books for Girls from The Sunny Patch

What series is YOUR family’s favorite??

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Follow me on Pinterest!
Follow Valarie Budayr @Jump into a Book’s board Jump Into a Book Kidlit Booklists on Pinterest. Follow Valarie Budayr @Jump into a Book’s board A Year In The Secret Garden on Pinterest.

Foxes
Do your young readers love nature and all of nature’s critters? Experience the magical story of a family of foxes that took up residence right in the front yard of the author and publisher, Valarie Budayr. The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden offers an enthusiastically educational opportunity to observe this fox family grow and learn together.

From digging and hunting to playing and resting, this diary shares a rare glimpse into the private lives of Momma Rennie and her babies. Come watch as they navigate this wildly dangerous but still wonderful world. Great to share with your children or students, The Fox Diaries speaks to the importance of growing and learning both individually and as a family unit. It is a perfect book for story time or family sharing. Not only can you read about the daily rituals of this marvelous fox family, there is an information-packed resource section at the end of the book that includes lots of facts and even a few “fox movies” that you can enjoy with your family. Grab your copy of this beautiful and inspiring book HERE.

The post Weekend Links: Exploring & Sharing Incredible Book Series for Kids appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Welcome to Weekend Links! Is summer whizzing by or what?? Reading is always an important part of our children’s lives no matter what time of year it is and so is helping our young readers learn about other cultures, religions and traditions through the pages of these books. Here are some great booklists and resources to help everyone #ReadYourWorld.

Middle Eastern and Northern African Heritage Month-via @MulticulturKids

Teens can learn about being Amish through the eyes of Ellie– Children’s Book Review and Giveaway at Kristi’s Book Nook

KidLit TV’s Top 10 Summer Reading Books  @NYMediaWorks

The Most Anticipated Children’s and YA Books of Fall 2015 via @publishers weekly

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr at JIAB

In Memory of Hiroshima Bombing Book List for Kids at PragmaticMom

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Follow me on Pinterest!
Follow Valarie Budayr @Jump into a Book’s board Jump Into a Book Kidlit Booklists on Pinterest. Follow Valarie Budayr @Jump into a Book’s board A Year In The Secret Garden on Pinterest.

The post Weekend Links: Booklists that Help to #ReadYourWorld appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Welcome to Weekend Links! Is summer whizzing by or what?? Reading is always an important part of our children’s lives no matter what time of year it is. Here are some great booklist to help everyone squeeze out the last drops of summer:

Looking for some books to help prepare kids for starting a new school year? Here are our Favorite Children’s Books for Back to School from Buggy and Buddy.

August 2^nd - also known as International Friendship Day. How will YOU celebrate? Here are 8 Books to Celebrate International Friendship Day from Lee and Low.

Why Picture Books – 5 Reasons Why They Belong in Every Classroom http://wp.me/p3Lwy8-Rh via @pernilleripp

New books examine Hurricane Katrina’s immediate and lasting effects on the Gulf Coast. After the Storm: Hurricane Katrina 10th Anniversary at Publisher’s Weekly

Books that Celebrate the Bond Between Mothers and Sons and Brain Power Boy.

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“End of Summer??!!” I hear you wringing your hands and gasping in dismay from here.

Yes, I know it’s hard to believe that those words could even be coming from my lips, but the truth of the matter is that school starts here in Maryville, TN next week already. Vacations have been achieved, many travel miles have been logged and I feel the lazy days of summer beginning to wind down. So as things come to a close and thoughts begin to turn to the upcoming school year for many families, my focus is shifting to books and activities that will take us into (and through) the colder months ahead.

Instead of being sad to see summer go, I choose to Celebrate! And what better way to do it than with an End of Summer Audrey Press Book Sale. For two weeks only readers can get a great deal on two of my most popular books. But don’t delay; this super special sale ends August 14, 2015!

First book on sale is the extremely popular Waldorf Homeschool Handbook: The Simple Step-by-Step guide to creating a Waldorf-inspired #homeschool. And for a limited time, this best-selling book by Donna Ashton, The Waldorf #Homeschool Handbook is now only $17.95 until August 14th, 2015 !

Enjoy more month-by-month activities based on the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! A Year in the Secret Garden is a delightful children’s book with over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. AND, it’s on sale until August 14th ! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!”

Two great children’s books-Your choice, $17.95 each!

***

The post WEEKEND LINKS- Books that Help Kids Enjoy the Last bit of Summer appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

It’s time for Weekend Links! This is my chance to share the best-of-the-best in regards to bookish fun and resources that I have encountered over the course of the week.

Oh my! Can you believe it is almost August already? Summer is slipping by but it’s my hope that all families continue to get outside, experience the world and keep up on their summer reading until that first school bells rings. Speaking of summer adventures and reading, I spotted this on facebook. What a fabulous idea! I gathered a few more for you to enjoy as well. Happy reading!

This last week I was in the lovely state of California and had the chance to enjoy the mighty redwoods. We are so inspired by these incredible trees. They are the oldest, tallest trees on the planet. Some of them are 1000 years old. It’s been a huge challenge to save these glorious trees from the blade of the lumber companies. Muir woods it a save haven for the redwoods. It’s our hope that our booklist will inspire you as well to make a trip to visit these ancient giants and become active in saving them for future generations.

Dance can take so many shapes is a universal language across the globe. My friend Mia at PragmaticMom has a wonderful blog post and booklist on Diversity Dance Picture Books.

The Logonauts has More Great Picture Books about Ramadan and Muslim

I know this is on the minds of MANY parents–Our Favorite Children’s Books for Back to School

World Travel from you Couch? Yes, please! Books that Take Kids Around the World

Global STEM Books for Elementary Students –  via All Donkey Monkey

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Discover the joys of delving into this timeless children’s literature classic and see the Secret Garden through new eyes and a modern twist!

Kids and nature go hand-and-hand and enjoying the bounty that the great outdoors brings is not just a “summer thing.” The newest book from children’s book authors Valarie Budayr and Marilyn Scott-Waters teaches families everywhere to enjoy not only the great outdoors with month-by-month activities, but to jump deeper into the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! A Year in the Secret Garden is a delightful children’s book with over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” More details HERE!

The post Weekend Links: A Summer of Fun, Travel and Reading appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

It’s time for Weekend Links! This is my chance to share the best-of-the-best in regards to bookish fun and resources that I have encountered over the course of the week. This week I stumbled upon a bounty of booklists just for our boy readers. Some of these are excellent! Enjoy

9 Thrilling Book Series for Teen Boys That They Won’t Be Able To Put Down  via @brainpowerboy

10 BEST Middle Grade Books for Boys –  via Written Reality (@MitziCSmith)

50+ Amazing Adventure Chapter Books for Boys  via @JennyEvolution

The Mighty Boy Reading List: Ages 9-12 at I Think we Could be Friends.

Wacky Books for Reluctant Readers –  via @imaginationsoup

40 MORE Books for Boys at the Milk and Cookies Blog

The Ultimate Book List For Boys at The Modest Mom Blog

***
Do your young readers love nature and all of nature’s critters? Experience the magical story of a family of foxes that took up residence right in the front yard of the author and publisher, Valarie Budayr. The Fox Diaries: The Year the Foxes Came to our Garden offers an enthusiastically educational opportunity to observe this fox family grow and learn together.

From digging and hunting to playing and resting, this diary shares a rare glimpse into the private lives of Momma Rennie and her babies. Come watch as they navigate this wildly dangerous but still wonderful world. Great to share with your children or students, The Fox Diaries speaks to the importance of growing and learning both individually and as a family unit. It is a perfect book for story time or family sharing. Not only can you read about the daily rituals of this marvelous fox family, there is an information-packed resource section at the end of the book that includes lots of facts and even a few “fox movies” that you can enjoy with your family. Grab your copy of this beautiful and inspiring book HERE.

The post Weekend Links: Awesome Booklists for Boys appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

It’s time for Weekend Links! This is my chance to share the best-of-the-best in regards to bookish fun and resources that I have encountered over the course of the week. Enjoy!

OVER IN THE WETLANDS booklist from Read Alikes

Top Indian Picture Books for Children from Artsy Craftsy Mom

3 Amazing Wordless Diversity Picture Books from PragmaticMom

Children’s Books about the Cherokee – vai @alldonemonkey

16 Great Diversity Graphic Novels for Kids and Teens via PragmaticMom

A Little Extra News:

On behalf of Chronicle Books, I’m pleased to share the book trailer for Marvelous Cornelius: Hurricane Katrina and the Spirit of New Orleans.

By Phil Bildner
Illustrated by John Parra
9781452125787

The inspiriting true story of the trash collector who rallied his neighborhood in the wake of one of the most devastating natural disasters in recent history inspired a group of Texas 4th graders to create a video trailer, with the guidance of author Phil Bildner. As the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches on August 25, I hope you’ll share this video and book with your readers, students, friends and community.

**I was not compensated for this review and some of these links may be affiliate links.
Looking for a unique way to keep your kids busy this summer…and engaged with nature? The At-Home Summer Nature Camp eCurriculum is available for sale!

This 8-week eCurriculum is packed with ideas and inspiration to keep kids engaged and happy all summer long. It offers 8 kid-approved themes with outdoor activities, indoor projects, arts & crafts, recipes, field trip ideas, book & media suggestions, and more. The curriculum, now available for download, is a full-color PDF that can be read on a computer screen or tablet, or printed out. Designed for children ages 5-11, it is fun and easily-adaptable for all ages!

**

The At-Home Summer Nature Camp eGuide is packed with ideas & inspiration to keep your kids engaged all summer long. This unique eCurriculum is packed with ideas & inspiration from a group of creative “camp counselors.” Sign up, or get more details, HERE

The post Weekend Links: A Bevvy of Wonderful Booklists for Kids appeared first on Jump Into A Book.

Welcome to Weekend Links! This is my chance to share the best-of-the-best thanks to my online travels of the course of the week. This week has been filled with wonderful booklists and activities surrounding loving and celebrating our Earth and all that inhabit it. Here are some of my top picks this week.

This week we’ve been celebrating the planet we live on, Earth. Earlier this week I created a very Love the Earth  booklist which honors amazing people preserving and restoring areas on our planet as well as others reusing items to accomplish great feats. The great thing about this list is that I am giving it away!

Enter to win the Giveaway HERE and don’t delay! It ends July 13th

Seems to me it’s SharK Week on Animal Planet so I though this booklist from Brain Power Boy was very fitting

Sharks!  They can be so fascinating and just a bit scary as well. We found some great non-fiction shark books for your boys.

{just for fun}

Mia at PragmaticMom had a wonderful book review of a book that lets young readers readers explore the ocean floor. Explore Ocean Forests with Non Fiction eBook

Since we are looking way down low into the ocean floor, let’s look way up high at the sky. Here’s a great past JIAB post that will help get your family interested in stargazing! Stargazing & Astronomy Booklist for the whole family.

I loved encouraging kids and families to GET OUTSIDE! That’s why I adore this Backpack Nature Books and FieldGuides Booklist from KCEdventures! “Outdoor guides for kids to take on their next hike — what a fun way to encourage reading this summer!”

Speaking of “getting outside”…did you know that my book A Year in the Secret Garden is filled with all sorts of outdoors activities inspired by the classic children’s book The Secret Garden?

Enjoy more month-by-month activities based on the classic children’s tale, The Secret Garden! A Year in the Secret Garden is a delightful children’s book with over 120 pages, with 150 original color illustrations and 48 activities for your family and friends to enjoy, learn, discover and play with together. AND, it’s on sale for a limited time! Grab your copy ASAP and “meet me in the garden!” More details HERE! http://amzn.to/1DTVnuX

The post Weekend Links: Celebrating Our Wonderful Earth with Booklists (and a Giveaway!) appeared first on Jump Into A Book.