I know, summer isn’t over yet. But it’s good to be prepared, right?
One of the most vital things to learn in life is reading, and a big highlight of kindergarten is developing that skill.
Reading Head Start has tips on how to teach your kindergarteners how to read, and the following link is one of the articles they have.
Do you use other methods of teaching children to appreciate words and stories? Feel free to share in the comments. *smile*
Have you heard of Liu Bolin?
He’s a Chinese artist who’s the innovator behind a series of pictures where he’s the “hidden Mickey Mouse” in each one. He’s actually blended into the background, so you can see his shape only if you look closely. In a way, it’s like I Spy or Where’s Waldo?
Thank you, Rick Mallery, for sharing this on your blog. Now we all can have fun playing this picture game.
Okay, so the above Liu is easy to find, but the following link shows more challenging images.
Did you know there was a canine mascot at the Hoover Dam? It happened while the historic structure was being built.
I came across this story shared by fellow writer Jeff Maxim. The dog was a friendly companion to the construction crew at the dam. His life ended tragically, but he was loved by the construction crew so much, they took time to make a grave for him.
Thank you for sharing the story with us, Jeff.
What was your favorite picture book?
When I was little, I loved the book Bedtime for Frances by Russell Hoban. To this day, I have fond memories of my dad reading it to me. Another one I liked was In the Forest by Marie Hall Ets. See? Even as a little kid I loved adventures with animals.
The thing with picture books is that even if your children don’t know how to read yet, they can still appreciate the book by looking at the illustrations. I used to have the Big Golden Book version of Peter Pan, and I especially liked the pictures. As if that Disney movie hadn’t fed my obsession with Peter enough. 🙂
Author Lara Lee shares more titles that might add to your child’s TBR list. Or they might bring you memories of the stories you enjoyed. Take it away, Lara.
Hi, all.
Happy Independence Day to all you Americans! Just be sure to stay safe around fireworks.
If you also observe Christmas in July, I wrote a book review on an adorable holiday picture book. It’s posted on Jennifer Hallmark’s blog, and if you love sled dogs, it’s the book for you.
And speaking of sled dogs, I’m still on the hunt for a publisher who would be interested in my “Galdur Snow Dog” book. It’s a middle grade fantasy about malamute-like dogs with magical traits, and they can talk to us humans. I’m actually going to pitch it to a publisher soon, so I’d appreciate your prayers that things will go according to God’s plan.
Hi, all you writers out there.
If you’ve been following my blog for a long time, you may remember me posting the benefits of creating a map of your fantasy land. Benefits include helping your reader visually picture your land, thus easing their comprehension as they read. If you haven’t read it, you can click on the following link, where I feature author Krystine Kercher’s map (pictured below).
Are you a sci-fi author? Author Joseph Ficor shows that you can create a map of your planet’s diversity of climates. It’s helpful for both you and your reader, and it doesn’t have to be complicated. Check it out.
NOTE: I wrote this post on the day of Father’s Day, but I’ve been a bad girl and neglected to select the “Sticky” feature. So, this post wasn’t featured on the top of the blog. Aaarrrgh!
I greatly apologize for this, and to all you dads, I still remember you. The following activity from Clubhouse Magazine will still be fun for your family to do together.
Don’t worry. I did not forget about Father’s Day, and neither has Focus on the Family’s Clubhouse Magazine. They have a puzzle activity that kids can do with you dads. It involves finding names of Bible dads in pictures like this (image from the activity’s web page):
Interesting, huh? Check it out!
Hi, all.
Does your teen prefer listening to stories over reading them? Or do they enjoy audio dramas?
Here’s the latest article/podcast episode by Lou Allen, aka Christian Faith and Fiction. Here she shares a few recommendations of Christian-friendly stories, including dramatized retellings of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.
For those who still want physical books, she also mentions two:
A Noble Masquerade by Kristi Ann Hunter (a Regency-period fiction)
Once a Queen by Sarah Arthur (a Narnia-like fantasy)
I actually have my own copy of Arthur’s book (which I found at a library book sale of all places). I haven’t read it yet, but it sure looks intriguing.
Do you crave the excitement that comes from a search-and-rescue story? Is your teen or pre-teen looking for peer role models who would help them handle risky wilderness situations? Try M. Liz Boyle’s Off the Itinerary: The Search and Rescue Files.
The author herself shares more of her book in the following link. Thank you for sharing, M. Liz!
Do you want to tour Europe with characters you’ve read about and bonded with? Or maybe you’d like to meet new characters while you travel? Look no further than The Bobtails Go to France, a historical novel by Arthur Yeomans for fifth and sixth graders.
This is Book 3 of Bobtails Adventures, a series of novels about four orphaned siblings, nicknamed the Bobtails. Only by this book, they’re adopted by their aunt and her husband. I wrote reviews on the first two books for you to check out.
The Bobtails Go to France starts in August 1889 and ends in September 1889. Aunt Grace, or Mother, receives an inheritance that requires her to visit France to claim it. The family and their friend Geoffrey join her, and they take marvelous tours in New York, London, and France.
The book introduces us to two boys the Bobtails meet on their trip. The first one is Charles, a boy from an English upper-class family with a French-speaking nurse. He meets the Bobtails on an ocean liner and helps them with their French. Even though the Bobtails aren’t upper class, he’s happy to befriend them, and as the story progresses, he’s more used to being with people not of his class.
The second boy is Francois, an orphan who’s easy to sympathize with. He’s poor and starving, and the Bobtails hire him to be their guide in France. While he stays with the family, though, he fears they would make him leave. However, rather than be thrown into the streets, he finds a home in a way he doesn’t expect.
Geoffrey, the Bobtails’ friend, is made babysitter of little Ruth, which I think is sweet. It’s adorable when Ruth calls him “Pweachew’s Kid,” using his nickname in her toddler lisp. When she runs off in Paris, Geoffrey chases her, adding humor and intensity to the plot. Thankfully, he catches up. One of my favorite scenes is where he and Ruth have their portrait done by an artist, and I’m sure they further bond then.
It’s endearing that Bobtail Roger struggles with his French grammar yet does his best. Interestingly, even though English is the Bobtails’ primary language, French isn’t too foreign to them. They live in Vermont close to the Quebec border, so their English has a hint of a French accent. Also, they call their girl cousins “cousines,” which comes from the French.
Throughout Bobtails Adventures, characters ride on trains, and Yeomans continues the train motif while adding hotel rooms and an ocean liner. The world building is superb, and there are curved dinner plates on the liner. Those are meant to keep food from sliding off with the waves. Coca Cola makes an appearance as well, as it was invented in 1886. Yeomans takes liberty in bottling the drink, and bottled Coke wasn’t in circulation until after 1889, though I speculate somebody might have bottled it before that became a trend.
Experiencing the Bobtails’ journey will be perfect for anyone who wants a vacation, even in their imaginations. So, read The Bobtails Go to France in between your summer trips.
K.A. Ramstad 