April 2024

Wombats are Pretty Weird

Author: Abi Cushman

Illustrator: Abi Cushman

Summary: Learn all about the wombat in this funny and informative narrative! Wombat and his friend Snake tell you all the fun facts!

Recommended Ages: 4-8 years

Themes, Skills, & Concepts: There are so many interesting, funny and weird facts about this endangered little mammal! Unknown vocabulary can be learned with the glossary as well as facts about three different variety of wombats found in Australia.

Extension Activities: Meet Elle the Wombat! She is a rescue wombat living at the Australian Zoo. Click here!

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March 2024

Butterflies are Pretty Gross!

Author: Rosemary Mosco

Illustrator: Jacob Souva

Summary: This awesome non fiction book about butterflies is told by a butterfly! Everyone loves butterflies! They are so beautiful and graceful...but are they really? Be prepared to be grossed out and learn some great new butterfly facts!

Recommended Ages: 3-7 years

Themes, Skills, & Concepts: This book takes the reader through all the good, bad, and gross about butterflies. Told through fun illustrations and a variety of text features, the kids will never look at a beautiful butterfly in the same way!

Extension Activities: Learn to draw a butterfly with our friends from Art Hub for Kids. Have kids color and write some of the gross facts about butterflies they learned from the book! Click here!

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February 2024

Valensteins (A Love Story)

Author: Ethan Long

Illustrator: Ethan Long

Summary: Valentine's Day is almost here and Fran wants to share his feelings with his friend (who is nameless) and all the other monsters in the house are curious and teasing. Fran becomes frustrated and stomps out of the house. Will he be able to share his valentine?

Recommended Ages: 4-8 years

Themes, Skills, & Concepts: A funny take on a child's perspective of what it means to be in love and share feelings with another person.

Extension Activities: After reading this book, take the opportunity to have your kids create their own valentine for someone special. Many great discussions about "feelings" and "love" are possible, with care and guidance. Click here!

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January 2024

The Three Snow Bears

Author: Jan Brett

Illustrator: Jan Brett

Summary: A cozy retelling of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" set in the Arctic. The three bears are polar bears and the mischievous Aloo-ki is a curious Inuit girl out for a little winter stroll!

Recommended Ages: 2-6 years

Themes, Skills, & Concepts: A fun, beautifully illustrated fractured fairy tale from Jan Brett. Brett spent time meeting the Inuit, learning their culture, studying their clothing, homes and land. The text is full of rich language, some of which may be new and provide great opportunities for learning.

Extension Activities: So many fun activities can be tied to this fun book. There is a great venn diagram activity in the link below. It would be fun to build an igloo using toothpicks and marshmallows, blocks, legos or any kind of building material you have on hand. Click here!

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December 2023

Red & Lulu

Author: Matt Tavares

Illustrator: Matt Tavares

Summary: Red and Lulu, a pair of cardinals, live in a huge, beautiful tree. Each year, that tree is decorated for Christmas and the sounds of the song "O, Christmas Tree" are heard. One day, Red goes looking for food and when he comes back, he sees his tree and his Lulu loaded on a truck. He frantically follows the truck and eventually finds Lulu in Rockefeller Center in New York, but what about his tree?

Recommended Ages: 2-7 years

Themes, Skills, & Concepts: This gorgeously illustrated story is told both in word and by illustrations. Don't flip through them, as they give important clues and details about what is happening to Red and Lulu. Be sure to read the historical information about the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree on the end pages.

Extension Activities: My first thought for activities for this beautiful book was to learn the song "O Christmas Tree". Lots of research opportunities present themselves with this book...learning about cardinals or types of trees used for Christmas time. But how fun to follow the directions and create your own Red and Lulu with watercolors!! Read the following blog for another fun, crafty tribute to Red and Lulu. https://www.gluedtomycraftsblog.com/2018/01/snowy-birdhouse.html Click here!

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