celebrate the year of the monkey! story time in china!

Happy Chinese New Year!  Today marks the start of the year of the monkey, and to celebrate we are taking our story time to China with some fantastic stories.  

• Brush of the Gods by Lenore Look and Meilo So

 u Daozi was one of China's most treasured artists during the T'ang Dynasty.  Daozi was addicted to painting from a very young age and painted over three hundred murals in his lifetime.  This book covers a legend found in T'ang dynasty poetry that says that Daozi's work was magical and would come to life after he painted it.  The legend also says that Daozi never died but simply walked through the wall into one of his paintings and lived there forever.  For a book about an artist, the pictures in this book do not disappoint!  My favorite part is when his paintings first start to come to life and the butterfly he paints starts to just barely flutter its wings. 

• The Story of Ping by Marjorie Flack and Kurt Wiese 

Ping is a mischievous little duckling who lives with his family on a boat that sails the Yangtze River.  The last duck on the boat each night always gets in trouble, and when Ping finds that he will be the last one night, he hides from the boat so as not to get in trouble.  But then he is lost!  

• This is Hong Kong by Miroslav Sasek

Come explore China's capitol - a bustling city where modern skyscrapers coexist with thousand year old traditions.  Hong Kong is such a complex city, and this book really explores the ins and outs of it.  Adults and kids alike will definitely learn something new with this one. 

• The Seven Chinese Brothers by Margaret Mahy and Jean and Mou-sien Tseng 

In this Chinese folk tale, seven brothers each have their own special power - super hearing, super strength, legs that instantly grow tall.  When the brothers use their powers to help others, the Emperor gets very nervous.  Powerful men have the ability to overthrow him.  So he has them brought to jail and tries to kill them.  The brothers put their powers together to do away with the evil Emperor in the end.  

• Lion Dancer: Ernie Wan's Chinese New Year by Kate Waters and Madeline Slovenz-Low with photographs by Martha Cooper 

I love books with real-world photography showing what life is like for real kids.  My kids seem to enjoy them too because so much of history and the news is about adults.  This story follows one family living in New York's China Town as they get ready for the Chinese New Year.  This book really goes in to detail about the New Year traditions culminating with the main character getting to do his first lion dance through the streets on New Year's Day.  

• Tikki Tikki Tembo retold by Arlene Mosel and Blair Lent 

This is a classic that we all know and love!  According to the book jacket, this story has been around for three decades and has sold over one million copies!  This fable tells the story of what happens when a little boy with a tongue twister for a name falls down a well.  Who will help him?  

spend your weekend exploring nature from around the world. the wonder garden by kristjana s. williams and jenny broom

What are your weekend plans?  Our's is looking pretty low key. I might make some gumbo and beignets to celebrate the last weekend of the carnival season.  Let's spend the weekend exploring some of the world's most amazing naturescapes. Author Jenny Broom specializes in fascinating non-fiction books that are beautifully designed.  The Wonder Garden is a walk through some of the biggest forests and jungles in the world.  Here are some fun facts about The Wonder Garden: 

• The book features 5 habitats from The Black Forest in Germany to the Chihuahuan Desert in Mexico.
• The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure in the world. 
• The Amazon rain forest contains over 5 million species of plants. 
• The roe deer in the Black forest makes a sound that is similar to a dog bark. 

Find more fun facts inside this adventure of a book! Happy weekend everyone!

a new release with a world of whimsy! ABC Dream by Kim Krans

ABC Dream by artist Kim Krans has created the most amazingly whimsical world for the alphabet to live in.  You must see it, and if you love what you see here, you can find more of her work at kimkrans.com. 

story time crafts: the noisy paint box by barb rosenstock and mary grandpre

"Vasya mixed red with yellow; then he mixed red with blue.  As the colors changed, Vasya heard a whisper.  HISS!  Louder. HISS! Then louder still.  HISS!"

Vasya Kandinsky was a boy who loved to paint and would grow up to be one of the first major abstract artists.  This book by Barb Rosenstock and Mary Grandpre follows the artist through his childhood and into adulthood where he created some of his most iconic works.  Kandinsky possessed synesthesia, the ability to hear color.  His paintings were composed almost like a composer creates a symphony.  One style the artist was famous for was the concentric circle.  If you search "Kandinksy Kids" on Pinterest, you will find so many great craft ideas working with and learning about his circles. We chose to keep it simple and paint some abstract circles of our own.

We started by painting four yellow circles with plenty of space in between followed by painting circles around the center as many times as you want.  This is so simple that it almost feels silly to call it an official "craft", but it was really fun to read this great story and experience a little bit of what we read about in an easy way.  Everything needed for this activity is probably already in your house, and anyone can do it from toddlers to teenagers!  We found the painting to be fun and almost meditative.  Have a wonderful day!

"I let myself go.  I had little thought for houses and trees, drawing colored lines and blobs on the canvas with my palette knife, making them sing just as powerfully as I knew how." - Vasily Kandinsky 

story time around the world: africa!

I am so excited to participate in Multicultural Children's Book Day with Pragmatic Mom and so many other amazing bloggers!  If you haven't checkout out pragmaticmom.com, please click the link to visit the very talented Mia and her amazingly helpful, informative, and entertaining blog.  No really, go ahead.  Clink the link and visit Pragmatic Mom. I'll just sit here and wait for ya.  (Surfs Instagram and waits) Back now?  See I told you it was amazing.  Let's get down to business.  Africa is a continent that is majorly on my travel bucket list.  There is so much diversity there, from safaris and elephants and giraffes to big cities that coexist with tribal traditions, the whole continent seems so attractive to me.  Here are six books to celebrate Africa in all of its beauty. 

• We All Went on Safari: A Counting Journey through Tanzania 

This beauty from Barefoot Books is a wealth of information and fun!  Readers will follow Masai children on a Safari where they will learn how to count the animals they see in English and Swahili.  Images of Tanzania and the Masai tribe are quintessentially African to me.  Also in this book - wildlife species from the Serengeti, what the Masai people name their kids and why, facts about the country, and some of the most vivid and playful illustrations I have ever seen. 

• Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions by Margaret Musgrove and pictures by Leo and Diane Dillon 

This elegant Caldecott Winner fills the alphabet with traditions from across the continent and has some of the most beautiful African artwork I have ever seen.  From "A" is for Ashanti weavers creating kente cloths to "Z" is for Zulu dancers leaping to salute their chief, this book exposed me to more than just the images of the Safari that is very familiar.  It taught me and my kids about really rich traditions that are less known.    

• Jambo Means Hello by Muriel Feelings and Tom Feelings

Swahili is the most widely spoken language in Africa, and this book teaches vocabulary coupled with very engaging black and white artwork.  Swahili is so lyrical and musical!  So fun to learn new words. 

• Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain by Verna Aardema and Beatriz Vidal

This is a Kenyan folktale as told by legendary African folktale author, Verna Aardema.  It is the story of Ki-pat, a boy who wants to help save his village and his livestock from a great drought.  Ki-pat puts together a plan to bring the rain to his land.  It is noted in the back of the book that this story was discovered by an anthropologist around ninety years ago, and it fascinated him because of the way it resembled the English folktale "The House that Jack Built".  It has the same cumulative nature with each story element building on another, so for a long time, this story was called "The Nandi House that Jack Built" after the tribe where he was first told the story. 

• Mama Panya's Pancakes: A Village Tale from Kenya by Mary and Rich Chamberlin and Julia Cairns

This Barefoot Books story has so much to offer!  A wonderful story, information about life in a Kenyan village, and a recipe for deliciously thin Kenyan pancakes.  Adika and his mom, Mama Panya don't have a lot of material wealth, but they do have a very rich life.  Loved this! 

There is so much to know and learn from Nelson Mandela.  This breaks down his life's work in a way children can understand and appreciate.  Do you have any books to add to our journey to Africa?  Thanks for visiting Booktomato today!

what we read today: lenny & lucy by philip c. stead and erin e. stead

A little boy named Peter and his trusty dog Harold are moving to a new house.  This house is nothing like their old house.  The woods surrounding the house are creepy at night.  The house is old and creaky.  Peter and Harold aren't happy, and worst of all, they both have trouble going to bed knowing that the dark, creepy woods are right outside their window.  As a solution, Peter constructs a friend out of pillows sewn together named Lenny.  It will be Lenny's job to guard the house at night and keep it safe.  There is only one problem.  Peter and Harold still can't sleep because they spend the whole night worrying that Lenny is lonely.  The next day, Peter makes another friend, this time a girl named Lucy, who will keep Lenny company.  Peter finds that a little girl named Millie lives in the house next door, and the whole troop of Peter, Harold, Lenny, Lucy and Millie become wonderful playmates.  recommended age: 5-8 

warms reads for chilly days: extra yarn by mac barnett and jon klassen

Hi there!  Are your toes frozen?  Is your breath forming icicles in the air?  Not to fear!  Go throw on your fave hand-knitted sweater/blanket/socks, and check this book out.  

Annabelle lives in a pretty dull town where the only two colors to see are the white of the snow and the black of the soot from the chimneys.  It's cold, boring, and the people are pretty grumpy.  She finds a mysterious box one day, and inside the box, she finds a ball of yarn and a pair of knitting needles.  Annabelle decides to knit herself a sweater to keep warm, and once she starts knitting, she realizes this is no ordinary yarn.  No matter how much she uses it, the ball of yarn never gets smaller.  She knits and knits and never runs out.  Annabelle makes sweaters and hats for everyone and everything in her town, and her act of kindness spreads love and warmth all over town.  

I have just one question for illustrator Jon Klassen: is there anything you can't do?!  Klassen has illustrated so many good books over the past couple of years, from the hilarious I Want My Hat Back to Sam and Dave Dig a Hole , his artwork has a quality that I can't find the right word for.  It's humorous but not over the top silly.  It's adorable and sweet but not cartoony.  I love the way he painted Annabelle's sweaters with the little v's that make hand-knittted things to distinctive.  Have a great Monday and stay warm! 

a story for your hot chocolate break! red sled by lita judge

Is there a blizzard outside your window? We were predicted to get up to six inches of snow (which is a lot for southern states) but alas, we only got a small dusting.  Even the small amount of snow that we got makes everything look pretty, but no matter how hard my kids tried, you just can't sled on half an inch of snow.  If you have snow drifts to dig yourself out of, you might have no sympathy for me, the grass being greener and all that.  For those of you sledding today, check out this book for your next hot chocolate break. 

Red Sled by Lita Judge is a book of few words that lets the illustrations do most of the talking.  The pictures are lively enough to carry the story, and readers will have a lot of fun with this one.  A child leaves their sled leaning against the house and goes inside for the night.  When no one is watching, forest animals take the sled to the nearest hill and slide down all night!  Then when morning comes, they leave the sled against the house where they found it.  By the end of the story, both the kid and the animals are getting in on the sledding fun.  

Lita Judge is the author of several books including Red Hat, Born to Giants (a book about dinosaurs), and so many others.  She is releasing a new book in March, Hoot and Peep, with some adorable owl illustrations.  If you enjoyed this book, definitely check out her website, www.litajudge.net.  She has some really great activities and coloring pages that go with her books.  Stay warm out there!  

shhh! this book will help bed time go better.

Shhh! This Book is Sleeping by Cedric Ramadier and Vincent Bourgeau is a great new board book released this month that just might help get the kiddos to bed a little more easily.  Every school night, we start getting kids ready for bed early with the best intentions.  By eight o'clock, teeth are brushed, pajamas are on, and kids are in bedrooms, but then the part of this scenario where they settle down and go to sleep just takes forever!  Maybe this one will help.  

The book is getting sleepy, and through the story, the book gets ready for bed by brushing its teeth, reading a story, getting a hug and a kiss.  Slowly, the book gets sleepier and sleepier until both the book and hopefully the young reader are asleep! recommended age: 0-4

our favorite new release this month: miss moon, wise words from a dog governess

Miss Moon: Wise Words from a Dog Governess by Janet Hill was released this month, and I am in love with the quirky, beautifully painted scenes in this book!  Miss Moon takes a job as the governess of a dog school on a little island off the coast of France.  While on the job with her sixty-seven doggy charges, she learned a thing or two about life and how to live it to the fullest.  This book contains twenty wise lessons paired with charming scenes from daily life at the dog school.  You have to see these illustrations!  I am a new Janet Hill fan for sure.  

library loot: what we checked out this week

We have an awesome local library.  It has a large children's section that has colorful and comfortable places to sit and read as well as wonderful librarians who are always willing to help you find the perfect book.  I am embarrassed to say that in years past, I have not taken enough advantage of my library.  Isn't that nuts?!  An entire building filled with quality reading material for free and the kids and I hardly ever went.  I have made a new year's resolution to use my local library to the fullest.  Here is what we picked out this week.  

Mama's Little Bears by Nancy Tafuri 

Mama Bear has three little cubs, and boy, are they curious!  Readers follow the curious cubs through the forest as they explore.  My three year old liked this one.  It's a simple and quick read with good illustrations. recommended age: 0-3

Blue Goose by Nancy Tafuri

Another one by Nancy Tafuri, and it is perfect for preschool readers as well.  This teaches the concept of color mixing in a barnyard animal setting.  Farmer Grey is going away for the day, and the animals want to surprise him by painting his farm and making it colorful.  Blue Goose, Red Hen, White Duck, and Yellow Chick mix their colors together to paint the barn, grass, and sky.  When Farmer Grey gets back, he loves his new farm! recommended age: 0-5

Light Up the Night by Jean Reidy and Margaret Chodos-Irvine 

I have a little boy that loves to daydream about rocket ships, astronauts, and far away planets.  If you have a little one who is equally fascinated by all things outer space, this is a great story time choice!  This stars a little boy who imagines what it would feel like to rocket to the stars.  The pictures are amazing!  recommended age: 2-7

We are pretty happy with our library loot!  Do you visit your local library?  It is budget-friendly and a fun place to browse for new titles that I might not find otherwise.  I hope to make it a part of my weekly routine.  Have a great Tuesday!   

learn with little owl: numbers and colors

Author Divya Srinivasan's character Little Owl has a growing collection of books to delight babies and preschoolers.  We first read "Little Owl's Night" about all of the activity in a forest during the night.  Srinivasan also has "Little Owl's Day" and now a set of board books featuring our tiny feathered friend.  

In Little Owl's Colors, there are adorable woodland scenes to enchant little readers.  Black bats gliding, blue dragon flies zig-zagging, red cardinals eating red berries fill the pages of this sturdy board book.  

In Little Owl's 123, there are mushrooms, fish, birds, and other creatures to count all with that woodland cuteness that Little Owl books are known for.  recommended age: 0-3

eat your numbers! edible numbers by jennifer vogel bass

What better way to learn your numbers than with yummy fruit and veggies?  This book has gorgeous photographs and serves as not only a numbers primer but also a guide to learning the names of the food we eat.  We stay so busy sometimes that I have a hard time sitting down with my three year old every day to work on numbers and letters.  We have to work in numbers/letters time when or where ever we can.  One place I squeeze it in is at the grocery store.  There are a million things to count there - bananas, apples, cans of beans, you name it!   

nerd power! nerdy birdy by aaron reynolds and matt davies

So it happened for the first time - my son was called a nerd by a school mate.  He was reading a book on the playground at recess, and another kid came up to him, saw that he was reading instead of hanging from the monkey bars, and called him "nerd".  

He was upset, of course, but I told him to wear his nerd label with pride.  His parents are nerds.  His grandparents are nerds.  Presidents, scientists, and teachers are nerds.  Nerds are the people who make a difference in this world, and the term is simply not derogatory in my eyes.  

Nerdy Birdy was a great reading pick to comfort him and me.  There are cool birds, and there are not cool birds.  Eagles, cardinals, and robins are super cool with their sharp beaks, strong wings, and predatory ways.  Nerdy Bird is neither sharp, strong, nor predatory.  

Eventually, Nerdy Birdy finds his tribe.  He finds friends and learns how to be a friend as well.  This story is funny, relatable, and will comfort and inspire.  If a young reader in your life is struggling with being "different" from the rest of their class, read this.  It made us feel proud to be nerds! 

a great beginning reader novel: the story of diva and flea by mo willems and tony diterlizzi

My third-grader son and I recently read this together, and we loved it!  Diva is a small well-bred dog who lives with her owner in an apartment building in Paris.  Diva spends her day sitting in the fenced courtyard of the building too timid to imagine what lies outside her gate.  Flea is an outgoing and curious alley cat who prides himself in his adventurous nature.  Every day he passes by Diva's courtyard, and Diva gives him her fiercest little bark.  It is so small and squeaky that it makes Flea laugh.  Eventually, the two become friends, and Flea convinces Diva to leave her courtyard to explore the exciting city.  What will happen when Diva leaves her courtyard and her fears behind? 

Honestly, the reading level of this book was probably best for first or second grade, but even so, the story was entertaining for my third grader.  It was funny and taught lessons about bravery and friendship in a light hearted way.  My third grader isn't big on stories with a lot of edge or darkness, so this was up his alley in a big way.  This would be great for first time novel readers because it is filled with illustrations making it a good bridge between picture book and chapter book.  Check it out!   

upcoming release: my fab fashion style file by lesley ware plus outfitting the young fashionista

***While this post does contain affiliate links, the book and product picks are solely the opinion of Booktomato.  Thanks for supporting businesses that help support this blog.***

My Fab Fashion Style File

By Lesley Ware

Buy on Amazon

I wanted to share with you something that I am excited about - the release of Lesley Ware's second book, My Fab Fashion Style File.  You might remember that we shared her first book, Sew Fab, last year.  

Sew Fab is a book we can really get behind not just for the way it promotes creativity and learning the crafty skill of sewing.  Even though the sewing projects that are perfect for beginners would be great enough for promotion, what makes this one special is the way it gives young girls what they need to hear - you are unique, you are special, you are enough.  There is a real promotion of good body image and the celebration of personal style over following trends.  We can't wait to see what Lesley Ware brings in book number two!  If you have a young fashionista on your hands who wants to get started in the world of sewing, here is what needs to be on your shopping list.

Janome Hello Kitty Sewing Machine

Janome

Buy on Amazon

Singer 1512 Beginners Sewing Kit, 130 pieces

Dyno Merchandise

Buy on Amazon

Fiskars 45mm Contour Rotary Cutter (195210-1001)

Cell Distributors

Buy on Amazon

OLFA 24" x 36" Double-Sided, Self-Healing Rotary Mat

Olfa

Buy on Amazon

Happy sewing! 

what do animals do in winter?

Animals in Winter by Henrietta Bancroft and Richard G. Van Gelder with pictures by Helen K. Davie will answer any questions young readers have about what wild creatures do during the coldest season of the year.  Some creatures, like birds and butterflies, migrate to warmer climates while others, like bats and woodchucks, hibernate until the snow thaws.  Some animals like foxes and rabbits must find food throughout the season when food is scarce.  

The lively pictures and diagrams aid in the reader's understanding of the informative text, so that even the smallest of biologists can learn about the hardest season for animal survival.  The authors were really thoughtful in their writing making the information easy enough for preschoolers to appreciate yet informative enough for older kids to be interested as well.  There are also tips for how we can help wildlife find food during winter.  

the prettiest puffin in bloom covers!

While this post does contain affiliated links, the book picks are completely the opinion of Booktomato.  Thank you for supporting businesses that help support this blog. 

Have you seen the series of classic novels that Puffin is publishing called "Puffin In Bloom"?  I've been adding them one by one to my book shelf. Some of them are so heirloom-worthy!  Here are some on my wish list. 

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

By Lewis Carroll

Buy on Amazon

A Little Princess (Puffin in Bloom)

By Frances Hodgson Burnett

Buy on Amazon

Anne of Green Gables (Puffin in Bloom)

By L. M. Montgomery

Buy on Amazon

Heidi (Puffin in Bloom)

By Johanna Spyri

Buy on Amazon

Little Women (Puffin in Bloom)

By Louisa May Alcott

Buy on Amazon

Let it snow! Snowballs by Lois Ehlert

Is it snowy where you live?  Send a little my way!  In Memphis, we tend to get a couple of snow days a year late in the winter season, so no snowballs for us yet.  We will settle for the crafty world of Lois Ehlert and her happy snow people.  Ehlert is the winner of many awards for her cut and paste style collage art in her picture books. In Snowballs, Ehlert builds snowmen, snow women, and snow kids, each with a variety of interesting materials like bottle caps, beans and berries, construction paper, and more!  Read this book, and let it inspire some crafty snowmen of your own!

baby wants a board book for christmas: where's baby's present?

Here is a sweet little lift-the-flap board book that baby will enjoy to read again and again.  This baby wants his Christmas present now! (can you blame him?) Help baby search through the house to find his present.