By the light of the Moona

When our starter kit first arrived, I just continued sorting laundry. My son noticed something was delivered but I ignored it.  That's because like any small child, I knew he’d get too excited about the box and it was business-related.

Then I heard him shout, “Barefoot Books!”

But, how could he know?  Then, I saw him pointing to the logo and as it turns out, he recognized the footprints and knew exactly what it was.  My plan was to wait until he fell asleep to go through it because it would be hard for him to grasp that some items were for others to enjoy.



But, some books we just had to keep for ourselves from the start, such as I Took the Moon for a Walk .

Toward the end there's an informative section and I must confess that as a grown adult, I knew there was a half moon, a full moon and a crescent moon, but only through this reading did I learn about a gibbous moon!  

Oh, and regarding the moon in general.  Every day, as the sun would set, we had a routine of looking for it in the night's sky.  It was one of my son's first words but he called it something a little bit different. Somehow, he had confused it with the Spanish translation, “luna” and thus the two had become one.  (A Spanish version is also available entitled Llevé a la Luna a pasear.)

Well, they say we must pick our battles and therefore, the moona it is.

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Lanterns @ Storytime

We were busy counting numbers while Granny Went to Market and then our focus shifted toward lanterns, specifically.

That's because China just happens to be one of the countries where Granny visits and she's on a global shopping trip after all.   

The flying carpet seemed to know exactly where to take her; 

They went to China next, to buy four lanterns made of paper."

I was inspired to look up pictures for more lanterns to view online and then thought I should buy at least four of them, just like Granny had done.

But, it might be something else entirely that will jump off the page for you. 

Simply click on the title above to learn more about these wonderful books or browse our full catalog here.

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FTC Required Disclosure: I am a Barefoot Books Ambassador. This post contains affiliate links.  If a purchase is made by clicking through to the affiliate links, I receive a small portion to support this website, at no cost to you. Thanks for your support.

Blue Eggs?

“She’s such a good mother; She’s happy to care for her own eggs and others.”

This applies to one of Millie’s Chickens.  She keeps three types and named them Rhodie, Leggy and Silkie.  They represent actual breeds.   

Can you guess what they are?  One of them even lays blue eggs!  Another kind has an extra toe.

I thought about reading this book for the first time while preparing our eggs.  Perfectly, Millie and her mother were depicted in one of the pages enjoying the same with hot toast and butter.   

Once we were done reading this story, it felt as satisfying as the scrambled eggs we just ate for breakfast!

Did you know that chickens are fully grown by their first birthday?

We learned all about what it takes to raise chickens and a ton of other facts.

For example, combs are not just something we use to straighten out our hair.  It’s also the word used to describe a distinguishable part right above each of their heads.  

You can ask these follow up questions about what you've learned in this book that comes "packed with STEM-friendly science info."

• Who lays eggs, chicks or hens?

• Why are grits important in a chicken’s diet?

• What is the purpose of a coop or an ark?

• When is a chick also known as a pullet?

• While birds like to sing loudly first thing in the morning, what does a rooster like to do?

• How many days does it take for a chick to hatch?

• What kind of test will show when an egg is rotten?

• Eggs are rich in protein and what essential Vitamin?

• Are eggs that come from free range chickens better and tastier than those by chickens that were raised indoors?

Some multiple choice options:

Which of these can be found in a chicken’s anatomy twice?

a)Beaks    b)Livers    c) Stomach

Which color listed below is not one you’ll find in a laid egg?

a)White    b) brown   c) cream    d)blue    e)pale green    f)yellow

A chicken’s diet consists of which of the following?

a)seeds    b) grain   c)insects    d)all of these

Some final notes about this book: 
Millie’s Chickens includes advice on raising chickens and cooking eggs.  It is also a companion to The Beeman (separate blog post review can be found here.)

Simply click on the title above to learn more about these wonderful books or browse our full catalog here.

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¿Flamingo?

"Clementina pinta muy bien. El otro dia pintó un gato tan perfecto que hasta se lamió la patita cuando ella terminó de pintarlo."

Well, that's hard to compete with and Lola sure is having a hard time living up to her big sister, Clementina!

Eventually, she discovers an old box with a pair of shoes that belong to her mother and asks about them...

Mami, ¿por qué no te pones nunca estos zapatos?

Pon esos donde lo encontraste, Lola – dice Mami – Esos zapatos son para bailar, no para caminar, Lola.

¿Para bailar? ¿Bailar qué? – pregunta Lola.

Para bailar Flamenco – dice Mami.

¿Flamingo? 

Flamenco. Se baila en España.

Lola becomes inspired to learn this dance she never heard of, but without her mother or Clementina's knowledge.

Her father agrees to give her lessons, but only if she takes it seriously.

Through dedication and practice, Lola not only learns the art of Flamenco, she also performs for the first time at a party.

We should all learn a new dance!

Spanish language version also available entitled El Fandango de Lola. 

Simply click on the title above to learn more about these wonderful books or browse our full catalog here.

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FTC Required Disclosure: I am a Barefoot Books Ambassador. This post contains affiliate links.  If a purchase is made by clicking through to the affiliate links, I receive a small portion to support this website, at no cost to you. Thanks for your support.

A Clever Princess named Dara

Fairy tales are full of princesses and they’re usually waiting for a Prince to come to the rescue.

Then there is Dara’s Clever Trap which can be found in the Princess Stories series of Barefoot Books.

Dara hails from Cambodia and this strong female character is smart and quite talented.
She’s not just waiting in the wings and sitting pretty just because she’s an heir to the throne.

Instead, she keeps herself very busy working as an architect and engineer.

Then, in the midst of all the planning for building a new palace, Dara gets married with a man who shares the same interests.


It is a relationship that began as a true partnership!

So, they continue to work alongside each other on a special project that will ultimately be a surprise gift for her father, the King.

But, as you'll soon discover while reading this chapter book, something interferes with their collaboration.

When Dara figures out what's really going in, she immediately puts a plan in place that will set the record straight.

Following this reading, you can keep the story going and keep your child's interest in learning (even when school is out) by discussing a foreign region.

Look up interesting facts about Cambodia or print a map of the world that you can review.

In addition to this activity, below are my “after reading” questions to help form an interactive lesson in the process, such as:

• Dara certainly is clever, but what other qualities also apply to the Princess?
• Dara likes to create palaces and sketches them beforehand. Is this a field that interests you too?
• If so, what other common structures can be found in our modern society that architects and engineers also help to create?
• If not, what other types of careers would you be interested in learning more about?
• What other things could Princess Dara have done to let the King know what really happened?

If you signed up for our Summer Reading Program you'll find this story under the STEM section for ages 6 and up.

Simply click on the title above to learn more about these wonderful books or browse our full catalog here.

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FTC Required Disclosure: I am a Barefoot Books Ambassador. This post contains affiliate links.  If a purchase is made by clicking through to the affiliate links, I receive a small portion to support this website, at no cost to you. Thanks for your support.

Reading with Thesaurus Rex!

It’s hard to believe that the film that started it all, Jurassic Park debuted 22 years ago.

And, if you're a fan like me, then you can’t wait to get your fix of the latest installation, Jurassic World next!

 
I have a toddler who's still too young to join us at the movies but, we're planning his first visit to the Museum of Natural History and their Dino Tour will introduce him to the real thing.  Well, as close as any one of us is ever going to get with fossils.

It was in the comfort of our own home however, that we began those early Dino discussions with I Dreamt I was a Dinosaur before bedtime (as the end notes list the various kinds.)

These items are also available as a set.

If you signed up to our Summer Reading Program you'll find Thesaurus Rex under the vocabulary section for ages 3 and up.

By the way, staying on theme should be easy with these fun stickers and/or toothy puppet to further enhance your storytime experience.

But, don’t leave the dragons out of it.  There is something to be said about these mythical creatures too.

There's Herb, The Vegetarian Dragon who is no meat-eater and this story comes as “a hilarious picture book that also offers young readers plenty of food for thought.”


Then at last, there's a Dragon on the Doorstep (a singalong) about all types of animals playing hide-and-seek.

Simply click on the title above to learn more about these wonderful books or browse our full catalog here.

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Simple Reading & Scooters!

If children are unique and learn everything when they're ready, then I’m not too sure if there’s such a thing as a late bloomer.

Nonetheless, my child has displayed a schedule that is not consistent with his peers for certain activities, such as running, jumping and climbing. He’s not as bold as the others and a bit cautious.

For example, we purchased a scooter for him early on and even though the other kids were speeding around him, he didn't show any interest in doing the same.  Most of the time we were carrying it around instead.

Here’s how books come to life.

While reading one of our favorites (from the board book options) in which modes of transportation are compared in terms of speed, we came across a picture of a child riding a scooter.
 
We really enjoyed this one and would choose it specifically for us to read.  He'd step on his foot stool and search the shelves and I adore his participation.

Then, on an average day as I was doing the dishes (yawn) he zoomed by on his scooter in the hallway (something he's been doing more often and getting better at in the process.)

But, on this particular occasion, he made sure to make eye contact with me while he shouted, “Faaaaaaaaaaast and slow.”

“Yes, baby!” was my reply.

I knew he made the connection and don't we as parents always looks forward to these moments?

A few notes regarding these titles:

Fast and Slow also comes in a set, along with another tale of opposites for Big and Small which is listed for ages 0+ under the category for Math and Basic Concepts of our Summer Reading Program list.

A Spanish language version of Fast and Slow is also available as Rapido y Lento.

Simply click on the title above to learn more about these wonderful books or browse our full catalog here.

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FTC Required Disclosure: I am a Barefoot Books Ambassador. This post contains affiliate links.  If a purchase is made by clicking through to the affiliate links, I receive a small portion to support this website, at no cost to you. Thanks for your support.

Busy Bees are the Bees Knees!

I’m a tea drinker so as soon as my son was able to try honey, I gave him his own little (cooled down) cup to join me in my relaxing ritual before bed. 

Then, when he wasn’t feeling well, he’d ask for honey and lemon by the spoonful. He knew all about honey but not about the bees.  Then we read The Beeman. 

Well, let’s just say that there was a lot I didn’t know and the story begins with an introduction by Aileen Fisher who shared these poetic facts:  


There wouldn’t be sunflowers,
Wouldn’t be peas,
Wouldn’t be apples
On Apple trees,
If it weren’t for fuzzy old,
Buzzy old bees
Dusting pollen
From off their knees.

This insightful book guided us through the life of a bee keeper with rhyming verse.  It also includes (as do several other Barefoot Books cooking related titles) a recipe in the end. 

The Beeman's recipe is for "Grandma's Apple and Honey Muffins" which is a fun baking activity to look forward to and as I'm sure you know, honey is a healthy alternative to sugar. After reading, don't forget to turn your storytime experience into a mini lesson plan as well. 

For example, we came away with some new words, one of which is pupa and below are some questions you can review together:

• What types of bee colonies are there and how many?
• What is royal jelly all about?
• Beekeeping involves many tools. Find out the purpose of a smoker.  What are some others?
• What role do honeycombs play in the process?
• Who is the Beeman in this story?
• Does a beekeeper work in regular clothes while handling the bees?

We were fascinated and learned about all of this and more! If you're interested in any of these books, simply click on their title above. You may also turn it into an interactive experience by adding a Bee puppet with the set option (each is also available separately.)

To browse the full catalog, please visit www.amadorsbooks.com

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1,2,3, in Swahili!

Turn counting numbers into a cultural experience walking alongside the proud Maasai People as you read We all Went on Safari!

With the turn of each page, you’ll be counting in both English and Swahili.

This beautifully illustrated story was listed under the Math category for ages 3+ in the Barefoot Books Summer Reading Program list, but it easily overlaps into other subjects such as language and geography.

In addition, the different children mentioned in this story were given very meaningful names and in the end notes we learn what they symbolize.

Well, there are countless ways to engage your child with this book, as it’s another story time that effortlessly transforms into a new lesson and here are some questions to consider after reading:

1. Why is a Leopard easy to spot even though its way up high in a tree?
2. Is Tanzania the home of the highest mountain in Africa? If so, what’s it called?
3. Several decades ago, Tanzania went by another name. What was it?
4. What ocean is nearby?
5. If you love nature and the outdoors, what name would best describe you?
6. The Maasai people live in which part of Africa? (South, North, East or West?)
7. Which animal displays tender mommy instincts?
8. Tanzania is almost as big as which country in Europe?

If you're interested in this book (which is also available in Spanish and French) simply click on the title above to see more.

To browse the full catalog, please visit www.amadorsbooks.com

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This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Thanks for your support!