Looking at Lincoln

Are you fascinated by our presidents? Me, too. Here’s a book about one of our presidents, Abraham Lincoln. Looking at Lincoln, by Maira Kalman, is a fun book to read and learn more about Lincoln.

Did you know he is on the $5 bill?

This book tells of his life, and how he grew up and became president. It shows how he lived – the story of his life, and his kids, and his wife.

He loved his wife’s vanilla cake. He wore a tall top hat. He was very smart, and loved his dog (who may have been cross-eyed).

Lincoln was important in that he changed our country’s course. He didn’t want slavery, and we went to war to end slavery. He was an awesome dude.

Poor, poor Lincoln. He was killed in a theater, watching a play.

You can see his statue in Washington, DC, at the Lincoln Memorial.

The colors in this book – they are so vibrant. The colors and the drawings are spectacular, and make you want to read more.

I love it.

Looking at Lincoln

Save Our Oceans

71% of the earth’s surface is ocean. We must take care of our home. Some of the ways we can do this is to recycle, clean up after ourselves and others, and support organizations that protect our waters.

California Sea Lions courtesy of Ocean Conservancy

Last week at the kids marketplace at our annual unschoolers gathering, I had a donation box specifically to support one of my favorite causes, the Ocean Conservancy.

I took all the donations and added in all of my profit. I am proud to say that we donated this to Ocean Conservancy today.

Garibaldi Kelp Forest courtesy of Ocean Conservancy

They support trash-free seas, sustainable aquaculture, ocean habitat restoration, the Arctic, marine protected areas, and marine spatial planning.

At Ocean Conservancy’s website, you can see free e-cards, download ocean wallpapers, watch youtube videos of our amazing oceans, and support them, as I do.

http://www.oceanconservancy.org/

Travel with Bella

Author Stacey Zolt Hara has written a series of books, about travel in Asia with a cute young girl named Bella.   Bella is adorable – a huge smile, big curly hair, and fun glasses.

In Bella’s Vietnam Adventure, Bella and her family travel to Vietnam. I learned so much about Vietnam – the beaches, transportation, and CRAZY motorbikes.

Bella's Vietnam Adventure

Bella’s Chinese New Year tells the story of a young girl named Bella, and her adventures during Chinese New Year in Singapore. They throw food!

Bella's Chinese New Year

I recommend these books to kids who want to learn about other cultures around the world. They are a great way to introduce kids to other cultures and locations.

I liked these books because they are cute, cool, and interesting!

You can learn more at the Travel with Bella Website.

Travel with Bella

Delicious Cinnamon Roll Cake Recipe

This is a delicious, yummy cake that is easy to make. The taste is like eating cinnamon rolls.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Cake:

3 c flour
1/4 t salt
3/4 c sugar
4 t baking powder

1 stick butter (1/2 c), melted
1.5 c milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 t vanilla

Mix dry ingredients. Mix wets in a separate bowl. Add wets to drys, mix til combined but don’t overmix (as with muffins, if you mix it too much, it won’t taste soft). Put into a greased 9×13 pan. If you have one beloved pan from your great-granny, extra goodness and love will come into your cake. My mom’s friend Beth said she’d add blueberries to hers next time. YUM!

Topping:
1 c butter, melted
1 c brown sugar
2 T flour
2 T cinnamon
1 c chopped walnuts

Pour topping onto cake batter, swirl with a knife.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until cake is done. After first 10 minutes, swirl the cinnamon mixture again so that you make sure to get it everywhere.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Let cake cool. When it is only a little bit warm, pour on this glaze:

2 c powdered sugar, 1 t vanilla, 3 T milk, mixed up.

If you put the glaze on when the cake is too warm, it will just soak into the cake (not a bad thing, either).

I even made a video! You can see it here:

Bah Humbug! Dickens’ Christmas Carol Favorites for Kids

Charles Dickens wrote the classic Christmas tale The Christmas Carol in 1843. More than a hundred years later, this story is much beloved and still has important lessons to share.

Dickens wanted to bring the troubles of poor children to light, and told the story of Scrooge, a mean businessman who learned the true meaning of Christmas (love and charity) through the visits of 3 ghosts.

I’d like to share two of my favorite Christmas Carol adaptations with you.

The Muppet Christmas Carol
Walt Disney Pictures and Jim Henson Productions

This movie features the Muppets, whom I love. It is narrated by Gonzo and Rizzo the rat (who is always eating). This is almost like the classic tale, but they have their own twists to it. For instance, there is singing, lot of it! And, the Marley ghosts are the crabby old men (Waldorf and Statler) with chains and crazy smiles.

The movie features mostly Muppets, although Michael Cain plays Scrooge, and a few other characters are human.

The movie is humorous, scary at times, and gently teaches how to be kind and caring.

I love this movie because it is a family tradition to watch it every Christmas. We laugh, we sing along, and it’s a good family time together.

Ben’s Christmas Carol
Written by Toby Forward and illustrated by Ruth Brown

The book is also almost like the classic Christmas Carol, but is told from the viewpoint of mice. It is about a greedy mouse, Ben, and a poor mouse, Tim. Tim offers Ben a gift – Ben says no. Then Ben is visited by a ghost – Ben lives in the walls of Scrooge’s house. So you will see a little bit of Scrooge’s story if you look closely throughout the book.

The ghost takes Ben to different scenarios, including a party where Ben learns he is not welcome. He also visits Tim, who is cold and lives in extreme poverty. When Ben opens Tim’s present, and it is a grape, he rethinks the meaning of Christmas. He gives many presents to people and learns how to care.

The illustrations are very lifelike, and are beautiful. You see Victorian England in all shades of colors and greys. It makes you feel like you were there.

I love this book because it is a different view of the classic tale, and is in the mouse’s view, which I love. This twist is interesting. The illustrations are incredible.

Out of all the Christmas Carols I have read, these two are my very favorite. I hope you enjoy them!

I Love the Teashop Girls!

Teashop Girls

Book Review: Irish Alphabet

Irish Alphabet, by Rickey E Pittman, illustrated by Connie McLennan

This book is about Ireland, represented by the alphabet. It teaches you more about Ireland. I have been to Ireland, and I still learned more from this book!

W is for Wolfhound – we saw two of these at Bunratty Folk Park. They are REALLY big.

D “is for the faerie Dullahan, a harbinger of death. Riding a black stted, he just may steal your breath.”  creepy! His horse has red eyes, and HE has no head!

The illustrations are beautiful pictures – they bring Ireland to life. They look like Ireland itself – green, colorful, full of history and culture. Ireland is a beautiful place, and this book reflects that.

As much as I’ve told you now, there’s a lot more – 26 letters, to be precise.

I love this book, and I wanted to share it with you.

iStoryTime – The Penguins of Madagascar Book for iphone/ipad – Review and Giveaway

Do you like to read books on the go? I have lots of books on my itouch, and love to listen to them. But I found a new way to read picture books on my itouch!  It’s a website called iStoryTime, and they have over 100 kids books available for you to read!

I received a review copy of The Penguins of Madagascar: The Lost Treasure of the Golden Squirrel from istorytime.  The Lost Treasure of the Golden Squirrel is a music-filled, narrated children’s picture book for ipod/itouch/ipad. You can turn the pages, and as the narrator reads, the words are highlighted. It’s a fun story, based on one of the Penguins of Madagascar tv episodes.

istorytime is a platform for children’s books, from FrogDogMedia. Several of their books come in multiple languages. Offerings include traditional children’s books, as well as books from movies and tv shows that your kids love (Kung Fu Panda, Megamind, Ben 10, Penguins of Madagascar, Shrek, and How to Train Your Dragon). There are many picture books to choose from!

Here’s what I think about The Penguins of Madagascar: The Lost Treasure of the Golden Squirrel:
It is hilarious! I like that you can choose to read it to yourself, or be read to. There’s a game where you spot the ducky in each page of the book. It is fun to click the duckies, because they make noise. I can’t wait to show this book to my 3-year old cousin – I think she will love it even more than I do.

The Penguins of Madagascar: The Lost Treasure of the Golden Squirrel

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GIVEAWAY!

Wandering Educators and istorytime are giving away three! copies of The Penguins of Madagascar – The Lost Treasure of the Golden Squirrel. To enter this giveaway, head to:

http://www.wanderingeducators.com/best/stories/istorytime-penguins-madagascar-review-giveaway.html

and leave a comment. You’ll need to register on the site (it’s free).

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READ on!

Zoobies Review: A Great Travel Accessory for Kids

Zoobies are a wonderful travel accessory – they are both a blanket and a pillow! Zoobies can also double as a book or ipod rest. They are stuffed animals that have a secret pocket inside, that holds a soft and fuzzy fleece blankie. I have lots of stuffed animals, but my Zoobie is now my very favorite.

Caliel the Camel Zoobie

I love my Camel Zoobie because it is multi-purpose – I can use it for many things! I can cuddle with it – it’s very soft, so it’s a nice pillow. It’s easy to open and get the blankie out. It’s hard for a kid to put it back in right, but it doesn’t matter, you can stuff it in and make your Zoobie animal even puffier. When your blankie is out (and on your lap), you can put your book and flashlight right into the secret pocket! VERY COOL!

The blankie is warm and soft. It’s perfect for the car, or just sleeping at home. They have many kinds of Zoobies – all sorts of animals. I chose the camel because I love Egypt! They also have Zoobies that are book characters (Paddington Bear, Good Night Moon).

Zoobies is a great product for kids that actually makes sense, is fun, and high quality.

Learn more at http://www.wanderingeducators.com/special-interest/traveling-children/zoobies-perfect-travel-accessory-kids.html

Note: We received a Zoobies and Blankie Baby for review from Zoobies. THANK YOU, Zoobies!

Caribbean Book Review: Hurricane Mia

Well, one of our very favorite authors is back with another Great Book! We’ve shared her children’s picture book, Where is Simon, Sandy? . Now, author Donna Seim has a new book, a chapter book, called Hurricane Mia. It’s also set in the Caribbean, where I imagine that it is very warm, compared to a cold winter in Michigan! This book takes you to the islands, and follows Mia (of the title) and her brother Jack and friend Neisha. It’s interesting, because Mia is VERY real – she misses her friends, mopes around, spills nail polish, and sometimes makes poor choices. I loved her – she’s a very relatable character. Even in the storm, though, she’s VERY brave. I liked her a great deal. The book is illustrated by Susan Spellman – she truly brings the story to life.

Author Donna Seim and illustrator Susan Spellman with stormy weather in the background! 

We chatted with Donna about Hurricane Mia, Sandy, and more. Here’s what she had to say…

WE: Please tell us about your book, Hurricane Mia…

DS: Hi Lillie, so nice to hear from you again! It was great corresponding with you about my first book, Where is Simon, Sandy? and now we get to discuss, Hurricane Mia!

Hurricane Mia is a middle grade reader for ages 8-12 and up. I have found that the adult reviewers, which have given, Hurricane Mia, rave five star reviews, made a point to say how much they enjoyed reading Mia as well as their age appropriate children! 

In the story, Mia, a twelve year-old from Boston, learns that her mom has leukemia. She is suddenly whisked off, with her younger brother, Jack, to their grandparents’ home in the Caribbean, for the entire summer. Mia, finding that her summer plans are ruined, clashes with her grandmother, and becomes completely inconsolable. That is, until she meets Neisha, who lives on the island and whose mom owns a really cool café. The girls become fast friends and the plot thickens when Neisha tells Mia that there is a tea that cures everything. Their adventures begin as they search to find the tea and Mia’s hopes rise that this tea will be the answer to her prayers. If they do find the tea, will this be the cure for her mother? But as things often go, it is not so easy – Auntie Cecilia, who makes the tea, lives on a different island. Mia, Neisha, and younger brother Jack will take you with them to far-away islands on their hair-raising adventures to find the elusive, magical tea!

Want to read more? Yep, I thought so.

http://www.wanderingeducators.com/books-film/childrens-books/book-review-hurricane-mia.html