¡Ver en español!

This Month’s Book: How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?

In this humorous story, parents everywhere are putting their little ones to bed. Except these children are not human; they are humongous toothy dinosaurs who do not want to go to sleep!  Ankylosaurus wants a piggy back ride, while Trachodon wants to hear “one story more!” The playful antics of these dinosaurs are reminiscent of the bedtime challenges many families experience from time to time. In the end though, even Tyrannosaurus Rex snuggles into bed and sweetly says goodnight. How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? features lovely rhyming text by Jane Yolen, and charming illustrations by Mark Teague, that bring to life an ensemble of adorable dinosaurs and their charismatic child-like spirit.

Children are often fascinated by dinosaurs and love talking about them!  Before reading the story, show your child the dinosaurs on the inside cover of the book. Read the dinosaur names and have a conversation about the unique characteristics of each dinosaur. Here are some questions to help keep the conversation going:

• How big do you think a dinosaur is?
• What did dinosaurs eat? How did they get their food?
• Which dinosaur is your favorite? I like to eat plants, and so does my favorite dinosaur; it’s Triceratops!
• How did dinosaurs walk? Can you show me? (pretend to be dinosaurs)

 

Include music in your bedtime routine! Studies suggest that the soothing effects of music may help babies, and young children, fall asleep. Singing also strengthens the loving bond between you and your child! Try singing this silly dinosaur song…

“A-B-C-D Dinosaur” (Sing to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star)
A-B-C-D Dinosaur,

That is what the D stands for.

Some are big and some are small,

I like T-Rex best of all: ROAR!

A-B-C-D Dinosaur,

That is what the D stands for.

Activity 1: As you read the book with your child, draw attention to the feelings and actions of the lively dinosaurs in the story.
For example, you could ask: “How is Corythosaurus feeling?” Or, “What is Pteranodon doing?”

Activity 2: The illustrations in this book are filled with many fun elements to talk about! Spend time enjoying each page and search for the following details:

• The name of each dinosaur is hidden somewhere in their bedroom. Ask your child to help you find them! Practice saying the names to build vocabulary. Some of the names may be hard to pronounce, but you can try learning the pronunciation using an online dictionary!
• Each dinosaur has their own different toys, room décor, even pets! Ask your child to help you find the pets! Which dinosaur has a goldfish?

Activity 3: Share bedtime stories with your child every night as part of your bedtime routine! According to research, reading aloud to children is the single most important factor for reading success.

Check out these fun bedtime books at your local Pima County Public Library!

• Dinosaur vs. Bedtime by Bob Shea
• Go to Bed Monster! by Natasha Wing
• The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton
• Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann
• Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site by Sherri Duskey Rinker

 

 

 

 

Play calming games with your little dinosaur before bedtime, or when you and your child just need some down time.

Activity 1: Belly Breathing relieves stress and promotes relaxation.

• Be a balloon! Tell your child that you are going to pretend to be a balloon. Take a nice deep breath, expanding your tummy like a balloon. Then, breathe out pretending to deflate the balloon.
• Be a volcano! While taking a deep breath, raise your arms over your head like a tall volcano. Lower your arms as you breathe out, like lava flowing down the volcano.
• Feather floating! Let your child choose a colorful craft feather. Show your child how to keep the feather afloat using only your breath. Then, have fun taking turns blowing the feather in the air. Dinosaur fun fact: Scientists have discovered that some dinosaurs had feathers on their body!

 

Activity 2: Let your child play with a sensory bottle at bedtime. A sensory bottle is a clear plastic bottle filled with water, glitter, and objects that are visually appealing to children. Let your child shake the bottle and see what happens! Watching the objects float and swirl in the sensory bottle has a magical calming effect on young children. If possible, invite your toddler, or preschooler, to help you make a personalized homemade sensory bottle.

1. Use a plastic water bottle, or another easy-to-hold clear plastic container.
2. Fill two-thirds of the bottle with water, then add in your choice of: glitter, food coloring, sequins, beads, mini figurines, or any other interesting item that is visually appealing to your child.
3. Be sure to hot glue the lid closed to prevent spilling and choking hazards!
4. Check out the blog Mess For Less for more instructions:
   http://www.messforless.net/calming-bottles/

Join the Conversation!

Share your experience with How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night? and be entered into a raffle to win next month’s C2C Book Club title! For example, you could:

• Tell us about your child’s favorite part of the story.
• Send a video of you sharing the book together, or singing the “A-B-C-D Dinosaur” song. Let’s hear your best dinosaur ROAR!
• Send a picture of you and your child with a homemade sensory bottle.

Share your photos and videos with us on Twitter and Instagram and be sure to tag Make Way for Books. For example:

@mwfbaz My daughter laughed because the dinosaurs are too big for their beds, but her favorite part was roaring with Triceratops! #storytime

Or email us your photo or video at info@makewayforbooks.org.

Be creative! We can’t wait to see what you loved about How Do Dinosaurs Say Good Night?

¡Ver en español!

This Month’s Book: A Cat and a Dog

Summer is upon us! It’s time to beat the heat indoors with books that will make you smile, like this month’s book selection, A Cat and a Dog, written by Claire Masurel; illustrated by Bob Kolar. In this delightful story, a dog and a cat live in the same house, but they do not get along. Day and night, Cat and Dog fight about everything, especially about their favorite toys! (Just like siblings.) When something terrible happens, Cat and Dog show kindness by using their unique talents to help each other. Can this odd couple possibly resolve their conflicts and become friends?

Talk about cats and dogs! Before reading the story, Ask your child, “What do you see on the cover?”Have a conversation with your child about how cats and dogs are different and what traits they have in common. For example:

• “Dogs have soft fur and tails, so do cats! Do cats like to chase their tails?”
• “Cats have short pointy ears, how do dog’s ears look?”

Cat and Dog may not like each other in the beginning of the story and prefer to be alone, but all pets need love. Talk about how to care for pets and how we can show our pets we love them. For example:

• “Some dogs like belly rubs, some cats do too! Both cats and dogs need water and food everyday. What else do dogs and cats need?”

Music and movement: Sing and dance to a silly Cat and Dog version of “If You’re Happy and You Know it” using animal movements! Make up your own actions to sing and dance about. Ask your child, “Can you show me what a dog does?”

“If You’re Happy and You Know it” Cat and Dog version
If you’re a cat and you know it, give a purr.

If you’re a cat and you know it, give a purr.

If you’re a cat and you know it, then your furry face will show it.

If you’re a cat and you know it, give a purr.

If you’re a cat and you know it… (meow, clean your fur; climb a tree)

 

If you’re a dog and you know it, wag your tail

If you’re a dog and you know it, wag your tail

If you’re a dog and you know it, then your furry face will show it.

If you’re a dog and you know it, wag your tail.

If you’re a dog and you know it… (bark; dig a hole; swim in the pond)

 

Activity 1: As you read the book, spend time looking at each page. The simple, yet humorous text, and color coordinated illustrations make it easy to recognize emotions, and to identify which treats and toys belong to each animal. Promote your child’s perspective taking skills by inviting your child to tell you about the emotions of the characters and their actions.

• “How do you think Cat and Dog are feeling?”
• “Why are they fighting?”
• On the page that says, “There was absolutely nothing they could do.” Ask your child, do you think there is anything Cat and Dog can do?”
• “How did Cat and Dog help each other?”

Perspective taking: According to Ellen Galinsky, author of Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs “Studies have found that young children who learn to understand what is going on in the minds of others have a better adjustment to kindergarten. And there are connections between this skill and learning to read.”

Activity 2: Attend a Read to a Dog program at your local Pima County Public Library! This is a great opportunity for children to learn peace with others, and with animals by sharing books with certified therapy dogs.

Read more books about lovable furry friends! Check out these canine and feline tales at your library!

• I’m the Best! by Lucy Cousins
• Kitten’s First Full Moon by Kevin Henkes
• Matilda’s Cat by Emily Gravett
• Perros! Perros! Dogs! Dogs! by Ginger Foglesong Guy

 

 

 

Activity 1: Cat and Dog love to play for exercise! Create a silly dog and cat themed exercise routine for you and your child: rolling, chasing, pretend swimming and climbing, etc.

• Stretch your muscles with animal themed yoga poses, like Downward Dog and Cat Pose. For more animal yoga poses, check out the book, You are a Lion! And Other Fun Yoga Poses by Taeeun Yoo

Activity 2: Dramatic play allows children to exercise their comprehension and narrative skills. Invite your child to be the storyteller, and help you re-enact the story of A Cat and a Dog using stuffed animals, homemade puppets, or costumes. Help your child create Cat and Dog puppets, or masks, made from materials around the house! Inspire your child’s imagination by inviting your child to use homemade puppets to make-up their own stories!

Join the Conversation!

Share your experience with A Cat and a Dog and be entered into a raffle to win next month’s C2C Book Club title! For example, you could:

• Tell us about your child’s favorite part of the story.
• Send a video of you sharing the book together, or acting out the story.
• Send a picture of you and your child’s homemade puppets.

Share your photos and videos with us on Twitter and Instagram and be sure to tag Make Way for Books. For example:

@mwfbaz Sometimes my kids fight like cats and dogs! They liked the part when Cat and Dog stop fighting and fall asleep together on the rug. #storytime

Or email us your photo or video at info@makewayforbooks.org.

Be creative! We can’t wait to see what you loved about A Cat and a Dog!

¡Ver en español!

This Month’s Book: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

This month’s book selection, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, is written by two authors, Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault; and illustrated by another brilliant author/illustrator, Lois Ehlert. This action packed book provides a great introduction to lowercase and uppercase letters of the alphabet in a fun rhythmic story. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom features lowercase alphabet characters who climb up a coconut tree, but then there is a catastrophe! “Skit, scat, scoodle-doot. Flip, flop, flee!” Won’t you read this book with me?

The letter “b” looks like an upside down “p” which looks like “q” turned around. How confusing! Learning the letters of the alphabet is quite a challenge. The more we have fun with our children looking at, playing with, and talking about letters, the easier it will be for them to develop an important early literacy skill called Alphabet Knowledge. Before learning to read, children must develop an awareness  that each letter has its own unique name, sound and shape and that the same letter can look different.

Activity 1:  Before reading Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, open the book to the inside cover page showing the uppercase and lowercase alphabet. Explain to your child that the big letter “A” is the same as little “a.” In the story, the Mommy and Daddy letters are the bigger uppercase letters while the babies are the little, lower case letters.

Activity 2: Children are usually interested in learning the letters in their name first, since they can connect with those letters in a meaningful way. Using the alphabet letters in Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, point out the letters in your child’s name with a lot of enthusiasm.

Activity 1: Now I know my ABC’s! Reciting letters in a song does not necessarily mean that your child understands the alphabetic principle. Even so, the traditional alphabet song is fun to sing!  To make a more meaningful connection, point to each letter in the front cover of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom as you sing the alphabet song with your child. This will help match the name of the letter to its written shape.

Activity 2: Cheer for your child! Introduce the letters in your child’s name by singing a name cheer. Write the letters of your child’s name on separate pieces of paper. Hold up each letter as you cheer about it.

Give me an L!
Give me a U!
Give me an N!
Give me an A!
What’s that spell?
LUNA!

(Lay the letters out on the floor to spell the name.)

 

Activity 1: As you read the story, invite your child to say the repeated phrase, “Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom!” Clap your hands twice as you say “Chicka Chicka,” and stomp your feet twice as you say “Boom Boom!”

Activity 2: Engage your child by asking questions throughout the story: “What do you see on the cover?”  “What do you think will happen next?” “Why is the tree leaning over?” Be sure to look for the cute little details in the illustrations. Can you find the Band-Aid on patched up “F”, or the loose tooth on letter “T”?

Activity 3: Add movement and dramatic flair as you retell the story! After sharing the book, invite your child to act out the story: pretend to climb the tree; lean way over to the side, like the letter laden tree; and fall to the ground along with the letters. Ask your child, “Then, what happened?”  

Activity 4: Discover more alphabet books at your local Pima County Public Library!

• B is for Box: The Happy Little Yellow Box, a pop-up book by David Carter
• Bad Kitty by Nick Bruel
• Creature ABC by Andrew Zuckerman
• Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert

 

 

 

Play with shapes! Researchers have found that children identify letters by their shapes. Wow, the letter “O” looks like a circle! Is there a triangle hidden in letter “V”? Support your child’s Alphabet Knowledge by providing tactile experiences with shapes:

• Play ball with your baby! Using a soft ball, gently roll the ball to your baby. Talk as you play, “This ball is round, now it is rolling on the ground.”
• Toddlers love to play with shape puzzles! Describe the shapes as your toddler picks them up. “That rectangle has four, long straight sides! This square has four sides too, but they are shorter than the rectangle.”
• Preschoolers enjoy building projects with shapes cut out of paper. Let your preschooler tell you about their creations.

Play with letters!

• What is a pirate’s favorite letter? The letter “R”! Can you make a letter “R” with your body? What other letters can you make with your body? Try using your index finger to create invisible letters and shapes in the sky.
• Make letters inside on the floor with pieces of yarn, or long pieces of fabric. Make letters outside on the ground using rocks, or sticks.
• Play a letter sorting game: Using magnetic letters and a cookie sheet, ask your child to look for letters that look like they have holes, and put them on one side of the cookie sheet. Then, ask your child to look for letters with straight lines and put them on the other side of the cookie sheet.
• Create letter art with your child’s special letter! Write the first letter of your child’s name on a piece of paper and invite your child to decorate their letter with stickers, yarn, sequins, scraps of paper, feathers, tape, etc.

 

Join the Conversation!

Share your experience with Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and be entered into a raffle to win next month’s C2C Book Club title! For example, you could:

• Tell us about your child’s favorite part of the story.
• Send a video of you sharing the book together, or playing with shapes.
• Send a picture of your decorated letters, or a picture of you and your child making letter shapes with your bodies.

Share your photos and videos with us on Twitter and Instagram and be sure to tag Make Way for Books. For example:

@mwfbaz My son and I sang the name cheer for everyone in our family, and we even cheered the name of our dog! #storytime

Or email us your photo or video at info@makewayforbooks.org.

Be creative! We can’t wait to see what you loved about Chicka Chicka Boom Boom!

 

 

¡Ver en español!

This Month’s Book: Book Fiesta!

This month’s  selection, Book Fiesta! is a bilingual presentation of happy children with books, having reading adventures in fun settings throughout the day. The combined creative genius of author, Pat Mora, and illustrator, Rafael López,  highlights the beautiful array of cultures and diversity in the world, and within the communities we live in.  Book Fiesta!  is inspired by Children’s Day, Book Day, recognized on April 30^th as a celebration of all children, emphasizing the importance of connecting children to languages, cultures, and books every day.

 

In Book Fiesta! Pat Mora writes, “Our families tell us stories while we listen and play.” Each family has unique stories and traditions, which contribute to the collective story of our world. Share family stories with your children! If you need inspiration, show your child photographs from your own childhood and talk about them.

 

Start your day with an exercise to boost brain activity: sing a song! Try singing the José-Luis Orozco song “Good Morning/Buenos Días” in English and Spanish for extra brain boosting power.

Good Morning / Buenos Días

(Sing to the tune of Frère Jacques)

Good morning, good morning
How are you? How are you?
Very well, I thank you,
Very well, I thank you,
How about you?
How about you?

Buenos días, buenos días,
¿Cómo estás? ¿Cómo estás?
Muy bien, gracias,
Muy bien, gracias,
¿Y usted?
¿Y usted?

Sing along with José-Luis Orozco!

Activity 1: In Book Fiesta! Pat Mora shows us that we can enjoy books everywhere: in a hot air balloon; while riding an elephant; even underwater in a submarine! As you go about your day, bring a book to share with your child while at the park, or waiting in line.

Activity 2: Each page of Book Fiesta! shows children reading in a different setting. As you read the book with your child, take time to enjoy the vibrant illustrations and talk about the story.

• Ask your child to help you find all the books on each page.
• Encourage your child to talk about the animals and the various modes of transportation. For example: “How did that giraffe get so high in the sky! Do giraffes know how to fly?”
• After you read the book, ask your child to show you their favorite page.

Activity 3: Explore books that embrace diversity and acceptance! Check out these titles at your local Pima County Public Library.

• The Crocodile Who Didn’t Like Water by Gemma Merino
• Families, Families, Families! by Suzanne Lang
• Global Baby: Bedtimes by Maya Ajmera
• Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match by Monica Brown

 

 

 

Celebrate Children’s Day, Book Day playing games your child loves to play.  Make funny faces for your baby during tummy time! Have a dress-up dance party with your toddler! Help your preschooler build a fort! According to research, “Play builds the foundation for a lifetime of learning.” (Dr. Rachel E. White, The Power of Play: A Research Summary on Play and Learning)

Activity: The laughter of children is one of the most beautiful sounds in the world. Playing with bubbles is a fun way to inspire giggles from children of all ages.

• Experiment with various kitchen utensils as bubble wands and let your child observe the differences. For instance, using a potato masher to blow bubbles has an interesting effect that is different from using a cookie cutter, or a funnel.
• Construct bubbles wands with your child! A simple wand can be made with yarn and straws. String yarn through two straws and tie the ends together leaving enough yarn between the two straws to form a square, or rectangle. Pipe cleaners can be twisted into various shapes for bubble wands also. Notice that no matter what shape you make; the bubbles will become round as they float through the air.
• Play a game with the bubbles! Take turns popping bubbles with different body parts. While playing, say the name of the body parts and describe the bubbles to support your child’s vocabulary development. Use all the languages spoken at home.  For example: “The bubble is floating towards you. Wow! You just popped the bubble, con su codo, with your elbow! I am going to pop a bubble with my knee, mi rodilla.”

 

Join the Conversation!

Share your experience with Book Fiesta! and be entered into a raffle to win next month’s C2C Book Club title! For example, you could:

• Tell us about your child’s favorite part of the story.
• Send a video of you sharing the book together, or singing the Good Morning song.
• Send a picture of you and your playing with bubbles!

Share your photos and videos with us on Twitter and Instagram and be sure to tag Make Way for Books. For example:

@mwfbaz I made a homemade book about shapes! I read it to my baby today while waiting for the bus. #storytime

Or email us your photo or video at info@makewayforbooks.org.

Be creative! We can’t wait to see what you loved about Book Fiesta!

 

 

¡Ver en español!

This Month’s Book: The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Let’s celebrate spring with the classic book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, written and illustrated by Eric Carle. A little caterpillar emerges from a tiny egg in search of food to satisfy his ravenous appetite. After eating his way through a variety of fruit, and a whole picnic, the little caterpillar grows, and grows! The adorable illustrations and simple text in this beloved story invites readers to follow caterpillar’s journey from a tiny egg to becoming a beautiful butterfly.

Sharing books is a great way to spark conversations with little ones! The Very Hungry Caterpillar provides the opportunity to talk about concepts such as: days of the week; counting; nutrition; and butterfly life cycle.

Activity 1: In the story we discover that the caterpillar was born from an egg. Many animals lay eggs, including: birds, insects, reptiles, and fish. Dinosaurs laid eggs too! Have a conversation with your child about animals that hatch from eggs, and how the animals are different. For instance, chickens and crocodiles lay eggs. Do crocodiles have feathers, like chickens?

Activity 2: The caterpillar in the story changed into a butterfly! What else changes? Here are some fun activities that emphasize change as a natural part of life:

• Make popcorn! Show your child a stalk of corn, or a picture of corn from a grocery food ad. Explain to your child that popcorn comes from corn. Show your child a popcorn kernel. When it gets hot enough, the little kernel expands until it becomes popcorn.

• Make and melt ice cubes! If possible, let your child help you pour water into ice cube trays, or another container. Explain to your child that when the water gets cold enough in the freezer, it will turn into ice. Place ice cubes into a plastic baggie, or in a bowl. Let your child observe the ice cubes melt and change back into water.

• Plant a flower! Show your child what the flower seeds look like before planting them. Invite your child to participate in the planting process, and let your child help water the flower daily.

Did you know you can get seeds for free from your local Pima County Public Library? Visit: https://www.library.pima.gov/browse_program/seed-library/

 

Sing and dance to a butterfly song! Flap your arms like butterfly wings and pretend to fly as you sing, “Flutter, Flutter Butterfly.”

 

Flutter, Flutter Butterfly

(Sing to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star)

Flutter, flutter butterfly
Floating in the Tucson sky
Floating by for all to see
Floating by so merrily
Flutter, flutter butterfly
Floating in the Tucson sky

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is a great book to share with babies, toddlers, and preschoolers! This book can usually be found at the library in picture book, or board book format. Invite your child to help you tell the story and repeat the phrase, “but he was still hungry.”

Activity 1: Reading and Math! As you read the story, count each set of fruit the caterpillar eats. Ask your child to point to each piece of fruit as you count them together. Emphasize that the last number counted represents the total amount of fruit in a set. This technique supports a math concept called cardinality. For example:

How many oranges did caterpillar eat? Let’s count them…1,2,3,4,5! Caterpillar ate 5 oranges! Did he eat more oranges than strawberries?

Activity 2: Explore more books about caterpillars, butterflies and other bugs! Check out the following titles at your local Pima County Public Library!

• Butterfly, Butterfly by Petr Horáček
• In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming
• Little Kids First Big Book of Bugs by Catherine D. Hughes (National Geographic)

 

 

 

Painting, drawing, and exploring various art materials are examples of creative play that encourage self-expression. Studies show that creative play is important for a child’s social emotional development. Create open-ended art with your child!

Activity: Eric Carle, the creator of our favorite caterpillar, uses an art technique called collage to illustrate his books. Invite your child to create unique collages with tissue paper!

Step 1: Many children enjoy the simple activity of cutting paper. Let your child use safety scissors to cut pieces of colored tissue paper, or tear the paper pieces with their hands. Both methods help your child develop eye hand coordination and fine motor control.

Step 2: Encourage your child to glue the pieces of tissue paper onto a background, such as construction paper. Stray materials around the house can be repurposed for this project! Cut cardboard from cereal boxes, or paper grocery bags into pieces large enough to use as collage backgrounds.

Step 3: Making decisions is an important aspect of the open-ended art process. Allow your child the creative freedom to decide the placement of the tissue paper, and experiment with layering the paper.

 

Join the Conversation!

Share your experience with The Very Hungry Caterpillar and be entered into a raffle to win next month’s C2C Book Club title! For example, you could:

• Tell us about your child’s favorite part of the story.
• Send a video of you sharing the book together, or singing the butterfly song.
• Send a picture of you and your child’s creative collages, or other art inspired by The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Share your photos and videos with us on Twitter and Instagram and be sure to tag Make Way for Books. For example:

@mwfbaz My daughter loves The Very Hungry Caterpillar. We went on a picnic and ate strawberries like the caterpillar! #storytime

Or email us your photo or video at info@makewayforbooks.org.

Be creative! We can’t wait to see what you loved about The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

 

 

¡Ver en español!

This Month’s Book: A Splendid Friend, Indeed

This tender story, written and illustrated by Suzanne Bloom, features a cheerful, chatty goose and a quiet polar bear. How will these two diverse characters ever become splendid friends? Goose eagerly wants to join in Bear’s activities, but Bear just wants to be left alone to read, write and think. Parents may relate to Bear’s longing for some alone time, while Goose’s attempts to connect with Bear reminds us that children need attention and affection. The loving bond that you create when you talk, sing, read, and play with your child helps set the stage for learning!

 

Talking about books and introducing new words helps your child build a splendidly diverse vocabulary. Explain to your child what the word “splendid” means. (Dictionaries are splendid tools for grown-ups!)

• The last page of the book is wordless, which invites readers to tell the story! Look at the illustration with your child and have a conversation. For instance, you could talk about Goose and Bear’s deliciously splendid snacks. Then, take turns talking about your own favorite splendid snacks!

• Continue the splendid conversation around the home by using rich language to describe family members, pets or favorite toys. For example:
  “Our dog Luna has white fur like Bear. Luna likes to play fetch with her tennis ball, and gives us wet doggie kisses. Luna is a splendid dog!”

 

Sing about Bear and Goose in the song, “Who Took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar?” Ask your child, “How do you think Bear’s voice sounds? How will Goose sing the song?”

Brainstorm with your child about other animals who may have taken cookies, and what their voices sound like. For instance, a little mouse might say, “Who me?” in a squeaky soft voice, while a lion might use a loud growly voice. The rhyming and repetition in this song builds memory and nourishes a child’s quickly growing brain!

Who Took the Cookies From the Cookie Jar?
Who took the cookies from the cookie jar?
Bear took the cookies from the cookie jar.
Who me? (Point to self; use a gruff voice for bear.)
Yes you!
Couldn’t be. (Shake head “no”)
Then who? (Shrug shoulders)
Goose! (Repeat song with Goose and the other animals)

 

Snuggle up and share a story! Invite your child to sit in your lap, like Goose and Bear on the cover of the book. Encourage your child to be the storyteller! Allow your child time to enjoy the charming illustrations and make observations. As you read the story consider the following questions:

• What are Bear and Goose doing on the cover? What are they reading about?
• How are Bear and Goose the same? How are they different?
• Can you find the tablecloth in the story? How do Goose and Bear use the tablecloth? What else could we do with a tablecloth?
• Point out Bear’s facial expressions. How do you think Bear feels?
• How does Goose make Bear feel happy? What can we do today to help someone feel happy?

Enjoy more books about friendship & kindness! Check out the following titles at your local Pima County Public Library!

• Gossie & Gertie by Olivier Dunrea
• How to Hide a Lion by Helen Stephens
• Little Beauty by Anthony Browne

 

In the book, A Splendid Friend, Indeed, Goose writes a lovely note for Bear. Take note that Goose is actually “reading” a picture. Reading and writing are a splendid pair just like Goose and Bear!

Activity 1: Encourage open-ended creativity by inviting your child to use plain paper and markers, crayons, or colored pencils to write notes, or draw pictures, for friends and family.

• Accept all scribbles and marks as writing and/or drawing. Ask your child to tell you about their work, “Can you tell me about your creation?”
• Show your child how to roll up their note into a scroll and tie it with a ribbon, like Goose did in the story.

Activity 2: Babies can write too! Let your baby play with edible finger paints, such as whipped cream or pudding, for emergent writing practice.

Activity 3: No time for messes? Try mess-free finger painting! Squirt finger paint, or tempera paint, in a gallon size plastic baggie; tape the paint-filled bag to a table, high chair tray, floor, or window. Finger painting is a fun sensory activity that is enjoyable for all ages, and boosts fine motor development.

Join the Conversation!

Share your experience with A Splendid Friend, Indeed and be entered into a raffle to win next month’s C2C Book Club title! For example, you could:

• Tell us about your child’s favorite part of the story.
• Send a video of you sharing the book together, or singing the cookie song.
• Send a picture of you and your child sharing a great big bear hug!

Share your photos and videos with us on Twitter and Instagram and be sure to tag Make Way for Books. For example:

@mwfbaz We liked the part when Goose drew a heart picture for Bear. We painted a love note and gave it to grandma! #storytime

Or email us your photo or video at info@makewayforbooks.org.

Be creative! We can’t wait to see what you loved about A Splendid Friend, Indeed.

 

 

 

¡Ver en español!

This Month’s Book:

Not A Box / No es una caja

Look there’s a small brown box! Wait a minute! It’s not a box, it’s a book! This month’s book selection, Not A Box, written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis, introduces readers to a creative little bunny who proclaims that a simple box is “not a box!” Instead it is a race car, a robot, and much more! This book inspires playing and imagination. Open-ended pretend play, such as playing with boxes, allows children the opportunity to exercise their narrative skills and supports creative expression and exploration.

 

 

Activity: The grocery store is a wonderful place to have a box talk! As you go through the aisles, talk to your child about all the different types of boxes. There are so many different shapes, sizes and colors of boxes to find. As you look at the boxes, underline letters and words on the packaging as you read them to your child. This helps children develop print awareness: the understanding that print is all around us and it has meaning.

 

Activity: In the story, little bunny pretends to blast off into outer space in a rocket ship made from a “not-a-box.” Invite your child to pretend zooming to the moon by singing the following song:

“Zoom Zoom Zoom”

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom,

We’re going to the moon.

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom,

We’ll get there very soon.

If you want to take a trip,

Climb aboard my rocket ship.

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom,

We’re going to the moon.

Countdown in

5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

BLAST OFF!

 

Activity 1: The simple, yet endearing illustrations in this book invite readers to join in little bunny’s vivid imagination. As you read the book ask your child questions about the story, for example:

• “We are going to read this book called, Not A Box, what do you see on the cover?”
• Ask you read the story, ask, “Why do you think the bunny is sitting in the box?” Accept any answer your child gives.
• In the story the bunny says, “It’s not a box!” Ask your child, “What do you think it is?” Let your child be just as imaginative as the bunny, even if the answer is not the same as in the story.

Activity 2: Enjoy more fun books about imagination and pretend play!

• Meeow and the Big Box by Sebastien Braun
• Faster! Faster! by Leslie Patricelli
• I’m a Frog! by Mo Willems

 

 

 

 

Studies show that pretend play helps children develop creative problem solving skills. Pretend play allows children to think outside the box and gives them the confidence to explore endless possibilities!

Activity: Invite your child to play with boxes! A simple box can provide children with hours of playful exploration. Suggestions:

• Cereal boxes can become building blocks!
• A box can become a really cool robot costume!
• Tissue boxes with a long strand of fabric tucked inside can become a wonderful game for babies! Grasping and pulling the seemingly endless fabric allows baby to work fine and gross motor muscles.
• Tissue boxes can also become a fun game that supports language development! Cut out pictures of animals from discarded magazines, or draw your own. Glue, or tape, the various animals on different sides of the tissue box. Let your child gently toss or roll the box to see what animal it lands on. Talk about the animal, then get silly with your child and imitate the sounds and movement of that animal.

 

Join the Conversation!

Share your experience with the book Not A Box and be entered into a raffle to win next month’s C2C Book Club title! For example, you could:

• Tell us about your child’s favorite part of the story.
• Send a video of you sharing the book together.
• Send a picture of you and your child playing with boxes.

Share your photos and videos with us on Twitter and Instagram and be sure to tag Make Way for Books. For example, you could write:

@mwfbaz My child loved the part where the bunny pretends to be a robot, so we made a robot costume out of boxes! #storytime

Or email us your photo or video at info@makewayforbooks.org.

Be creative! We can’t wait to see what you loved about Not A Box.

¡Ver en español!

This Month’s Book:

Owl Babies / Las Lechucitas

Deep in the dark woods, in the trunk of a tree, live three baby owls: Sarah, Percy and, Bill. One night they wake up to discover their mommy is gone! The worried little owls try to comfort each other, but still poor little Bill, cries “I want my mommy!” Will their owl mother ever come back? Find out in this month’s book selection, Owl Babies, written by Martin Waddel and illustrated by Patrick Bensen. This sweet story reflects the anxiety some children feel when separated from their loved ones, while the beautiful illustrations present the cuteness and personality of each fluffy owlet.

 

Activity 1: Before reading the story, ask your child, “What do you see on the cover?” Explain to your child that the baby owls in this story are nocturnal; they like to sleep during the day and play at night! Owls also search for food at night. “What do you think these owlets like to eat?”

Activity 2: Do birds talk? Birds chatter just like people do! Talk to your child about different birds and get silly making their unique bird calls.
For example:

What do Owls say? Hoo-hoo! What about chickens? They say, “Buk, buk!,”
but maybe chickens are actually saying, “Book, book!”

Tucson is full of talkative birds! As you go about your day, talk to your child about the different birds you see in the sky, in the yard, at the park, etc…

 

Activity: Singing is a fun way to bond with your child!

“If You Want To Be an Owl” – (Tune: If You’re Happy and You Know It)

If you want to be an owl, screech: Hoo-hooo!

If you want to be an owl, screech: Hoo-hooo!

Then you get to sleep all day,

And at night you get to play.

If you want to be an owl, screech: Hoo-hooo!

(Verse 2) If you want to be an owl flap your wings…

(Verse 3) If you want to be an owl shake your feathers…

 

Activity 1: As you read the story, ask your child to look for Bill, the smallest owl. Invite your child to repeat Bill’s line “I want my mommy!”

Activity 2: Ask your child questions about the story. For example:

• Where do you think Mama Owl went?
• The baby owls think mice are nice, do you think so?
• Are the baby owls happy to see their mommy? Can you show me how the baby owls “flapped” and “danced” and “bounced up and down?”

Activity 3: Enjoy more fun books about cute little owls!

• I’m Not Cute! by Jonathan Allen
• A Snowy Owl Story by Melissa Kim
• Peek-a-WHO? by Nina Laden

 

 

 

 

Activity 1: Babies and toddlers love playing Peek-a-Boo! This helps your little one learn about object permanence, knowing that even if they can’t see something, it still exists. Have fun playing Peek-a-Boo with your baby/toddler, or Hide & Seek with your preschooler, to help them understand that even when you go away, you will always come back, just like Mother Owl in the story.

Activity 2: Make homemade owl puppets using paper bags, paper plates, paper rolls, etc. We love these examples provided by one of our Storytime families:

 

Join the Conversation!

Share your experience with the book Owl Babies and be entered into a raffle to win next month’s C2C Book Club title! For example, you could:

• Tell us about your child’s favorite part of the story.
• Send a video of you sharing the book together.
• Send a picture of you and your child with your homemade owl puppets.

Share your photos and videos with us on Twitter and Instagram and be sure to tag Make Way for Books. For example, you could write:

@mwfbaz We drew a picture of Bill, our favorite baby owl! #storytime

Or email us your photo or video at info@makewayforbooks.org.

Be creative! We can’t wait to see what you loved about Owl Babies.

¡Ver en español!

This Month’s Book:

Niño Wrestles the World

“Señoras y Señores, put your hands together for the fantastic, spectacular, one of a kind . . . Niño!” These are the exciting opening lines of this month’s book selection, Niño Wrestles the World by award winning author/illustrator, Yuyi Morales. Bright vivacious colors, an adorable hero, eccentric characters, and elements of Mexican culture are featured in this lively story. This action-packed book is a wonderful celebration of open-ended play and sibling team work!

 

Activity 1: Explain to your child that Niño is pretending to be a Mexican wrestler called a Luchador.  As you read the story, talk about the illustrations. For instance, you could talk about the toys in Niño’s room, or the characteristics of each luchador. Ask your child questions about the story. For example: “What do you think Niño is going to do next?” or “How did Niño win against the Guanajuato Mummy?”
Activity 2:  Some of the characters in this story might seem scary to children at first, such as “El Chamuco” and “La Llorona.” Lend your child a sympathetic ear and encourage your child talk about their fears.

 

Activity: Have fun with your child singing a silly version of “The Wheels on the Bus.” Sing about the lucha characters from the story and their battle cries!

 

“The Wheels On the Bus” – Lucha Libre Style

El Niño on the bus shouts, “¡Ay, ay, ay ajúa! ¡Ay, ay, ay ajúa! ¡Ay, ay, ay ajúa!”

El Niño on the bus shouts, “¡Ay, ay, ay ajúa!” All through the town!

The Guanajuato Mummy on the bus moans, “Muarggg, whargg, argg! Muarggg, whargg, argg! Muarggg, whargg, argg!”

The Guanajuato Mummy moans, “Muarggg, whargg, argg!” All through the town!

The Olmec Head on the bus goes, “Krunch crack-crack! Krunch crack-crack! Krunch crack-crack!”

The Olmec Head on the bus goes, “Krunch crack-crack!” All through the town!

La Llorona on the bus cries, “¡Ayyy mis hijos! ¡Ayyy mis hijos! ¡Ayyy mis hijos!”

La Llorona on the bus cries, “¡Ayyy mis hijos!” All through the town!

Las Hermanitas on the bus go, “Cuchi cuchi-coo! Cuchi cuchi-coo! Cuchi cuchi-coo!”

Las Hermanitas on the bus go, “Cuchi cuchi-coo!” All through the town!

Activity 1: This book provides rich vocabulary words, like: “superb,” “contenders,” and “dreadful.” Sharing this book and other books with your child is a superb way to introduce them to new or rare words!

Activity 2: Take time to enjoy the extras! Luchador trading cards are displayed on the inside front and back cover of the book for each character in the story. Read the descriptions with your child and practice saying their names.

Need help with the Spanish pronunciations? Share the book with your child while watching a video of the author reading the book. After the video, practice saying the Spanish words together. Click here to watch the video.

Activity 3: Enjoy more fun books written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales:

• Just a Minute
• Little Night 
• Viva Frida

Studies show that imaginative play reinforces healthy social and emotional behavior, supports cognitive flexibility, and stimulates your child’s creativity!

Activity 1: In Mexico, luchadores design their unique costumes to reflect their personalities. Get creative with your child and work together to design your own luchador masks!

Click here to visit the author’s website for mask templates based on the illustrated luchadores in the story.

Activity 2: Engage your child in imaginative play by retelling the story wearing your masks. Don’t forget to test out our favorite lucha style – the Tickle Tackle!

 

Join the Conversation!

Share your experience with the book, Niño Wrestles the World and be entered into a raffle to win next month’s C2C Book Club title! For example, you could:

• Tell us about your child’s favorite part of the story.
• Send a video of you sharing the book together.
• Send a picture of you and your child wearing your luchador masks.

Share your photos and videos with us on Twitter and Instagram and be sure to tag Make Way for Books. For example, you could write:

@mwfbaz We made our own luchador masks and acted out the story! #storytime

Or email us your photo or video at info@makewayforbooks.org.

Be creative! We can’t wait to see what you loved about Niño Wrestles the World.

¡Ver en español!

This Month’s Book:

Maria Had a Little Llama / María Tenía una Llamita

Where is that llama going? To school of course! Maria Had a Little Llama/María Tenía una Llamita by author/illustrator Angela Dominguez provides a fun twist to the classic nursery rhyme, “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” The delightful illustrations in this book features majestic mountains, a lively Peruvian village, and a lovable llama. Enjoy this bilingual story in English, Spanish, or both languages!

 

Share the story with your child in both languages. Learning a second language activates brain growth in children and adults. Studies show that dual language learners receive the benefits of: focused attention span; better test scores; improved confidence and self-esteem. Give your child the gift of bilingualism – talk and read with your child in all the languages you say, “I love you!”

Activity 1: Llamas play an important role in Peruvian culture. Many children raise llamas as pets. Invite your child to talk about what kind of animal they would like to have for a pet.

Activity 2: On one of the pages, the book shows a map of where Maria lives. Invite your child to look at a map with you. Point out Arizona, and then find Peru. Explain that in Arizona, it gets really hot. Maria lives in the mountains, ask your child, “Do you think it’s hot or cold where Maria lives?”

 

Singing nursery rhymes like, “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” helps children learn new words, and hear the sounds and rhythm of language.

Activity: Support your child’s language development by singing your favorite nursery rhyme! Here is one of our favorites:

Diez Deditos / Ten Little Fingers

Dos manitas, diez deditos,                    Two little hands, ten little fingers,

Dos manitas, diez deditos,                    Two little hands, ten little fingers,

Dos manitas, diez deditos,                    Two little hands, ten little fingers,

Cuéntalos conmigo,                                Count them all with me.

Uno, dos, tres deditos,                          One, two, three little fingers,

Cuatro, cinco, seis deditos,                  Four, five, six little fingers,

Siete, ocho, nueve deditos,                 Seven, eight, nine little fingers,

Y uno más son diez.                                And one more makes ten.

Activity 1: As you read the story, help your child discover various characteristics of the village like: people with instruments, fruit vendors, different animals, farmlands, mountains, and traditional Peruvian clothing.

Activity 2: A couple pages in this book are wordless, pause and look at the illustrations. Invite your child to help you find the school, “la escuela.”

Enjoy more fun books featuring rhyme and llamas! We recommend:

• Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino
• Llama, Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney

Explore non-fiction animal books to learn more about llamas!

• Life-Size Farm by Teruyuki Komiya – this book is filled with beautiful photos, and fun facts about llamas and other animals.

 

Activity 1: What does the llama say? I don’t know; do you know? Ask your child, “What sound do you think a llama makes?” Have fun making silly animal sounds.

Activity 2: Throughout the story we see village musicians playing traditional Peruvian instruments. Have fun with your child making homemade instruments. For instance, an empty oatmeal container makes a great drum. Pots, pans and wooden spoons make wonderful sounds too!

 

Join the Conversation!

Share your experience with the book, Maria Had a Little Llama/María Tenía una Llamita and be entered into a raffle to win next month’s C2C Book Club title! For example, you could:

• Tell us about your child’s favorite part of the story.
• Send a video of you sharing the book together.
• Send a picture of you and your child wearing a disguise.

Share your photos and videos with us on Twitter and Instagram and be sure to tag Make Way for Books. For example, you could write:

@mwfbaz We love singing and making music with our homemade paper plate maracas! #storytime

Or email us your photo or video at info@makewayforbooks.org.

Be creative! We can’t wait to see what you loved about Maria Had a Little Llama/María Tenía una Llamita