Every once in a while, you come across a fabulous cookbook or a wonderful picture book, but rarely are they one and the same! “Arab Fairy Tale Feasts: A Literary Cookbook” by Karim Alrawi is just such a book. Not only does it contain great recipes, but it also has a story to accompany each dish. The intro also gives the reader a bit of the history of cookbooks; did you know some of the earliest cookbooks date back to the tenth century and included recipes for soap? Continue reading “Cookbooks We Love: Arab Fairy Tale Feasts”
In a few short weeks, on January 25, it’ll be National Opposite Day! Rooted in the old children’s game, Opposite Day, the aim of this special day is to have fun saying the opposite of what you really mean. So you would say “Goodbye” when meeting someone and “Hello” when you part ways. And you would say, “Today is not Opposite Day,” when you really mean, “Today is Opposite Day” (which is a little confusing!). So in preparation for Opposite Day, here are some of the many books on opposites that we have here at the library:
BOARD BOOKS
Perfect for the littlest readers, “Opposite Surprise” is a fun, interactive board book that uses folded pages to let kids compare opposite concepts — small and big, one and many, hot and cold, curly and straight. (Picture book “Opposnakes” employs a similar method to show opposite types of snakes!) Continue reading “Opposite Day!”
As we head into the colder months, what better way to spend the time than snuggling up with the ones we love — while sharing a big bowl of popcorn and a good book!
Spread a blanket on the floor, cozy up in a warm bed or build a reading fort of your own creation. Pick an old favorite or find a new book to explore.
I’ve included some cozy reading suggestions and my absolute favorite popcorn recipe below.
Yummy things first! POPCORN!
I came across this popcorn recipe years ago through a friend. This is fabulous savory popcorn to make year-round.
You will need:
Continue reading “Popcorn and a Book”
“Big bodies, small bodies, dancing, playing, happy bodies! Look at all these different bodies! Bodies are cool!” Tyler Feder’s new picture book, “Bodies Are Cool,” is practically perfect in every way. I’ve followed Tyler’s social media and books for a long time, so I knew I was going to love it. Each page features all sorts of folks doing all sorts of activities, including my favorite pages which focus on people swimming! Young and old, big and small, moms and dads, all are in swimsuits having a grand time! Her whimsical and bright illustrations will make you want to read this book over and over again. You’re likely to find something new every time you read it. I read it a third time just so I could find everybody with a tattoo!
This book celebrates ALL bodies, and by the end, you may find yourself staring into a mirror admiring your coolness.
It’s common to create paper chains to count down the days until a favorite holiday or highly anticipated event. These chains are visual trackers that can help little ones grasp the concept of time. Recently, I saw where parents were creating paper chains for New Year, and I thought this would be a wonderful activity for families to count down to midnight on December 31.
I love how versatile these paper chains can be. When I started to create my own for this blog, the plan was to just write the time in a 12-hour format using different colors. Then I realized I could also write the time in a 24-hour format. What a great way this would be to introduce and practice this concept to older children.
Then I thought about being super visual with different times and writing out the times with words and drawing little clocks on light-colored paper. (But how amazing would it be to create a rainbow chain! I love the idea of using super special paper to make the midnight chain, such as patterned scrapbook paper.) Continue reading “Count Down to New Year’s Craft”
Handmade gifts are special for any celebration. In this blog, I’ll teach you how to create a winter cottage box that can be filled with homemade treats or a special gift!
For this project, you will need:
- Cottage box pattern
- White cardstock paper
- Colored pencils or fine tipped markers
- Scissors
- Glue
- Tape (regular or double-sided)
Continue reading “Create a Cottage Box”
The holiday season is in full swing, and with this exciting time of year comes plenty of opportunities for quality time with the family! In my mind, there’s no better way to spend these cozy days than sharing a book with a loved one.
Coming from a family of voracious readers, some of my fondest memories of this time of year involve good books: snuggling with my sister in the back seat as we listened to “A Christmas Carol” on the drive to Grandma’s house, gathering around my grandpa’s easy chair on Christmas Eve to listen to the nativity story, my dad drifting off in the middle of a sentence while reading “Little House on the Prairie” to me. Even as an adult, these memories stick with me, and I hope to share my favorite childhood reads with my own family one day.
Long car rides, snowed-in days at home or the nightly bedtime routine are all ideal occasions for story time! The challenge often comes in trying to find an appropriate book that everyone, from toddlers to grandparents, will find enjoyable and engaging. Here are some helpful tips for choosing the perfect read-aloud book: Continue reading “Winter Read-Alouds for the Whole Family”
The clocks have changed, the days are getting shorter and here in central Missouri, winter has come with plenty of its characteristic frost and wind. For some, this season and its chill are a welcomed time to gather together in celebration and anticipation, to share stories of the past and make goals for the new year. For others, these colder, darker days are difficult to get through, especially when the previous year (or more) has come with its own challenges and heartaches. Wherever you fall on this continuum, I hope you can find some salve and some brilliance, or even some simple moments of “this gets me” resonance, in the following books of poetry which embody the many reflective moods of this season.
Continue reading “Poetry to End the Year”
2021, it’s been fun, but we’re ready for the new 2022!
Celebrate the new year by printing off a handy-dandy handprint calendar (on cardstock) to decorate with the little ones in your life. These calendars make great gifts for family or special keepsakes to record milestones and accomplishments in 2022. Continue reading “Handprint Calendar 2022”
Brrr! Can you feel the chill in the air? It’s almost wintertime again! Time to pull out our wool socks, heavy coats and gloves. Time to turn up the heat in our homes and maybe dust off our sleds and inner tubes in preparation for the first snow day of the school year! And time to perhaps prepare gifts and/or decorations for the upcoming holidays. Whatever your favorite part of the season, these wonderful books, catchy songs, informative videos and fun craft projects can hopefully serve as a complement to your winter fun.
BOOKS:
FICTION
“Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter” by Kenard Pak
A brother and sister take a walk through their town on a late autumn afternoon, greeting the signs of the coming winter and wake the next morning to a beautiful snowfall. Continue reading “Virtual Activity Bundle: Winter”
