Snowflake Bentley By: Jacqueline Briggs Martin Illustrated by: Mary Azarian

Winner of the 1999 Caldecott Medal

 A true and inspiring story of Wilson Bentley a man who loved the beauty of snow.  A man who dedicated his life to sharing the beauty and originality of all snowflakes. Find out how he learned to use a microscope armed with a camera to take photographs of snowflakes that would never been seen again because no two snowflakes are alike.  He did this in a time when people looked down on him and thought it was silly.  He never made much money from his snowflake work but that didn't bother him. He just wanted to share what he had found.  In the summers he would take pictures of dew drops on spiderwebs and flowers, but it never compared to his love for snow.  Scientist who respected Mr. Bentley's work raised money for him to make a book out of his best photographs. He had it published when he was sixty-six years old. Shortly after that he became ill and died from pneumonia after walking six miles in a blizzard.  The town in his honor set up a museum for their "snowflake authority".

This is really a fascinating book that showcases a child who had a dream and a passion and followed it dispite not making any wealth from it.  It is really inspiring and a wonderful message for our children to follow their dreams!

The first time I saw a snowflake for the beautiful thing it really was, I was sitting in a cold car watching them drift down onto the windshield. I watched them for as long as I could.  Up until that point I just thought snowflakes were little puffs and that a snowflakes beauty was fabricated.  My girls are looking forward to catching a snowflake and getting a chance to admire it for as long as it will stay.

To learn more or if you are intersted in visiting the museum in Jericho Vermont here is a link:
http://snowflakebentley.com/




                       

Annie And Snowball and the Wintry Freeze By: Cynthia Rylant Illustrated by: Sucie Stevenson

I can't say enough about the author of this book Cynthia Rylant.  She does many series books that are easy to read, funny, and the characters are very lovable!  Some of her series books are Brownie & Pearl, Mr. Putter & Tabby, Henry and Mudge and of course Annie and Snowball.  We love each of them.  Henry is Annie's cousin and Mudge his Henry's dog.  Henry and Mudge live beside Annie and Snowball and they are usually having an adventure together. 

 

In this book Annie gets to put on all her pink snow gear and head out into a wintry wonderland that has been frozen over by an ice storm. Annie's dad told her "she looked like a big pink marshmallow."  She goes outside with Henry and Mudge to enjoy the icy adventure while Snowball stayed inside watching from the window.  Henry ice skates and Annie gets slid around by Mudge.  When they come in they are greeted by warm apple cider and cinnamon buns.  "They peeled off their icy mittens and icy hats and icy boots."  Annie ends up sleeping all warmed up with Mudge and Snowball by her side.

I can remember the blizzard we had in the 1990's and walking over fields covered with the slick ice.  How much fun it was to try to walk gingerly to not crack the ice and slide onward.  I can vividly picture my mittens being taken off after coming in from a long day out in the snow.  The ice clinging to the mittens making them almost useless outside but the thought of coming in was not an option until you were frozen solid!  Isabela in her first real snow was all done up in her pink snow suit armed with a wooden spoon and an Elmo cup.  Both of us playing outside together almost disappearing in the snow that was so deep.  She loved it so much and her frozen pink kissed cheeks looked so sweet warming up inside our house waiting for her "warm" cocoa with marshmallows!  Emma for her first snow would get stuck standing in one position or fall and not be able to get up!  She was so little and I would have to swoop her up and take her to another spot so she could eat the snow.  =)

The Mitten By: Jan Brett

The Mitten is a Ukrainian folktale.  It is about a boy who asks his Baba (grandmother) to knit him white mittens.  She warns him that if dropped in the snow they will be hard to find. But he still wants them and she makes them for him.  While out playing he drops one of his white mittens.  He continues to play without noticing one of his mittens is gone, but the animals notice and one by one go inside the cozy mitten.  Each animal bigger than the one before goes into the mitten until the biggest of all a bear fits himself in the mitten. By this time the mitten is quite big and very stretched out.  Then a tiny mouse perches herself on the bears nose causing the bear to sneeze and all the animals get shot out of the mitten!  The boy sees the mitten flying up in the air and runs for it. "From the window, Baba watched Nicki catch the mitten.  "See, Baba!" he called to her.  " I have both my mittens." And Baba smiled.

Each page has two mittens drawn on each side that act as a window.  From one you see what the boy is doing and from the other you can see what animal is coming next.  My youngest daughter Emma also likes the flowers and hearts that adorn each page and likes to tell me her favorite one as we read this book together.  This is a fun book that any child will get a good laugh out of!  Share with them the magic of this great folktale and see if they believe that this indeed could happen to one of their mittens!  What a great read for a cold winter day!  Follow the story up by trying to see how many things they can stuff into a mitten or how many stuffed animals they can get to fit.  If they are like my children they have plenty of mini sized stuffed animals just waiting for them to use.

I love the last picture in this book of Baba looking at the stretch out mitten!

                                                  

The Lion and the Little Red Bird Story & Pictures by: Elisa Kleven

In honor of my oldest daughter Isabela's birthday this month I share with you the Lion and the Little Red Bird. I remember pushing Isabela in her stroller from our home to our library one hot summer day.  I can vividly picture Isabela at 7 months old holding onto this book tightly against her chest the whole stroll home. (The book almost half her size)  I should have seen it then that her love of books was real even at this young age.  Isabela turns five on the last day of this month and as I have seen these first five years fly past I really can't wait to see what this amazing girl will do with all the years of her life!

This story is a beautiful tale of an odd friendship forged between a lion and a little red bird.  The bird wonders why the Lion's tale changes every night after he enters his cave.  She tries to ask him but the lion can not understand her but enjoys her chirping.  The lion has busy days filled with chasing butterflies, splashing in the water, and picking red berries.  His days our filled with color and his tale changes each night.  One night a storm comes and the lion runs out to bring the Little Red Bird into his cave to protect her.  She then sees why his tale changes colors.  He paints beautiful scenes every night on the walls with his tale.   

 "The bird sang while the lion painted.  She sang a song without any questions, full of color and joy.  The lion had never heard anything so unusual and so pretty.  Just listening made him happy." 

 This book has beautiful illustrations and a great message.  Teach your children about colors and animals with this book and teach them one of the most important lessons of life; friendships without prejudices.  A lesson worth learning.

Happy Birthday Month Reading!

First Snow By: Emily Arnold McCully

First Snow is such a delightful read.  The illustrations are adorable and nostalgic.  The text is as simple as it comes with one word sentences adorning most pages.  This allows the illustrations to really speak for themselves and allows parents to become an active participant in the descriptions.



I really love the simplicity of this book and look forward to reading it every year to my little girls. My girls like most children can't wait for the white stuff to start piling up outside and this year they are ready to try out their own sleds!  Like the little character Bitty my girls will have to climb a steep hill and see if they too have the courage to slide down.  Will they be like Bitty and find the nerve to do it?  Will they want to do it over and over and make us drag them home?!  I can't wait to find out!  I will post pictures as a follow up of the girls sledding and I hope like Bitty they have such a magical time that when they get home they end up falling asleep in front of their hot chocolates.

The author of First Snow Emily Arnold McCully is a Caldecott Medal winner.  Here is to a brilliant read and to many snowy days this winter. 

Our first sledding adventure was some of the most fun I have ever had with my girls!  It was a really steep hill and they were both not afraid and went up and down probably 15 times!  Great winter fun just like Bitty had!

The Thanksgiving Beast Feast By: Karen Gray Ruelle

This month we celebrate Thanksgiving and I have an easy read fit for this holiday season.  The Thanksgiving Beast Feast is a great introduction to little ones about the importance of our Thanksgiving celebrations.  The story is about two cat children Harry and Emily.  Their mother clues them in that Thanksgiving is much more than eating a big meal but that it is about giving.  The two of them then get an idea to help some animals prepare for the winter, by giving them their own "beast feast" in the same spirit that the American Indians helped the Pilgrims so long ago.




It is a simple lesson but such an important one.  This holiday season is really about gratitude.  We need to show our appreciation for the earths many bounties and for the special people we share them with.  Giving is so important and although many children like to be on the receiving end they will learn from example and that is a reminder to us adults to be giving all year round!

The Tooth Mouse By: Susan Hood Illustrated By: Janice Nadeau

Have a child that is close to loosing teeth? Then this would be a great book to read.  If your children are like my girls then they love any talk about the "tooth fairy" but have they ever heard of the Tooth Mouse? I know I never have until we came across this book.  Isn't it wonderful the knowledge you can get from a book and at any age continue to learn?  

The illustrations in the book look like water colors and are beautifully done.  The story takes place in France and some french language is included in the text. The Tooth Mouse is about a little mouse named Sophie who doesn't want to go to bed.  And while dodging bedtime she finds that the Tooth Mouse who has served for many years will be choosing a successor. Sophie accepts the challenge and tries to compete for the job. Does she prove that she can be brave, honest and wise? Read the book to find out if Sophie succeeds and what she comes up with to prove herself.  The end of the book will bring a smile or toothless grin to everyone who reads it.

At the end of this book they list some traditions of countries where baby teeth are taken.  Botswana the moon takes the teeth, Egypt the sun, Brazil birds and many countries have a fairy or a mouse. It is such a wonder to be a child with such fairy tales and dreams running through your head at every moment.  That is the beauty of a child's mind and engaging it.  Books help do that in such brilliantly simple way!

Don't forget parents that whoever takes the teeth leaves something in its place.  At my house the fairy will be leaving pennies!

Red Sings from Treetops a year in colors By: Joyce Sidman Illustrated by: Pamela Zagarenski

A 2010 Caldecott Honor Book

Imagine trying to explain the wonders of the seasons to young and inspired eyes.  How can you do it justice?  How can you explain something so magical and beautiful?  I know a way.  A beautiful and awe inspiring way.  A book that takes you on a poetic journey to experience the different seasons with color and through brilliant imagery.  Red Sings from Treetops a year in colors provides parents with a colorful tool to discuss seasons and bring our children on the journey with us.  I love the illustrations in this book.  The woman and dog with their crowns followed by the cardinal on each page are fun and whimsical.

My children love color. They will often recite their favorite colors to anyone who is listening "I like pink and purple best.  Oh, and silver and gold.  Well I guess my favorite color would be rainbow".  Like all children color is so important to them.  Not only artistically but they see the world so brightly and lit up!  Living in a part of the US where we are lucky to have a taste of each season my girls have grown to love each one of them.  And as of recently winter is their favorite.  As an adult long removed from childhood it reminded me of a time where snow was such a delight and wonder.  Children have a wonderful way of reminding us of what is fun and how magical our world really is!


SPRING: "In spring, Yellow and Purple hold hands.  They beam at each other with bright velvet faces. First flowers, first friends."  Describing Pansies.









SUMMER: "In SUMMER, White clinks drinks. Yellow melts everything it touches...smells like butter, tastes like salt."  Imagine lemonade, and corn on the cob.






FALL: "Brown gleams in my hand:  a tiny round house, dolloped with roof."  The author describing an acorn.









WINTER: "Pink prickles: warms fingers against cold cheeks." Imagine going out without your mittens.

Do something to spark your children's love of learning.  Read them this amazing book and provide them with a wonderful learning experience in a beautiful way!