Books of April!

Here are some of our favorites!

The story follows Lisa and her little brother Jon as they participate in a stamp collecting competition. But when their father determines which child will get the new large stamp album, he bases his decision on his preconceived idea that stamp collecting is a boy’s hobby, not a girl’s hobby. Lisa has to learn how to discuss her feelings with her father in a calm and honest way. Her mother, her teacher, and her friends provide guidance to Lisa as her talk with her father and Passover, approach.

The Passover Surprise combines a Civil Rights Era backdrop and experiences from Heller’s own Jewish upbringing to illustrate issues of the time like racism and sexism.

It also includes a Discussion Guide at the back for parents and teachers and a glossary of Hebrew terms used in the book, making it a great primer for readers not yet familiar with Jewish traditions.

I received a free copy of this book and I found it very interesting. I loved learning more about the Jewish upbringing and loved the glossary of Hebrew terms. This is a great book for children and I highly recommend!

You can purchase on Amazon.com.

The Next two books are great for children and getting crafty at home!

     

Let’s Get Crafty with Paper & Glue 25 CREATIVE AND FUN PROJECTS FOR KIDS AGED 2 AND UP
Published by CICO Kidz, March 2016, $12.95
Bring out your child’s creative side with Let’s Get Crafty with Paper & Glue. This inspiring book has 25 easy-to-achieve projects that you and your child can enjoy making together at home.
With ideas including colourful projects such as party bag cones, cardboard tube bracelets for dressing up and paper chains for birthdays, decorations or even Christmas, there’s all kinds of crafty fun to be had. Other creative ideas include button photo frames, stained glass butterflies and a super-snappy crocodile. You’ll be sure to find a project that will excite both you and your child into creating enjoyable keepsakes.
The emphasis is on teamwork, with you helping with the tricky steps, such as cutting out and your child doing the fun and messy parts, such as glueing, painting and decorating.

I really like this one because it has such a great variety of different crafts that young children can do with the help of Mom or Dad or even big brother or sister! 

Let’s Get Crafty with Fabric & Felt 25 CREATIVE AND FUN PROJECTS FOR KIDS AGED 2 AND UP
Published by CICO Kidz, March 2016, $12.95
Bring out your child’s creative side with Let’s Get Crafty with Fabric & Felt. This inspiring book has 25 easy-to-achieve projects that you and your child can enjoy making together at home.
With amazing animal projects, such as fun finger puppets, the buzziest pom-pom bumblebee and a cute cat mask, there’s all kinds of crafty fun to be had. Other creative ideas include customisable T-shirts, a fuzzy dinosaur badge and a crazy sock creature. You’ll be sure to find a project that will excite both you and your child into creating enjoyable keepsakes.
The emphasis is on teamwork, with you helping with the tricky steps, such as sewing and your child doing the fun and messy parts, such as glueing, painting and decorating. All the projects have clear step-by-step instructions.

This one has some great crafts for the upcoming Mother’s Day holiday! I like that this one is great for younger and a little older kids too!

Find these and many more at http://www.cicobooks.com

Have a young Dinosaur Lover in the house? They will love this book!

Discover Literary History With a Prehistoric Twist!

Deep underground, a mysterious cave of stone tablets has been discovered, and researchers are working frantically to translate a treasury of prehistoric literature. In this collection, you’ll learn what made the greatest dinosaur writers so very great, uncover the real story behind our modern classics, and be introduced to masterpieces including:

• Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeareasaurus, a timeless play about forbidden romance
• Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontësaurus, the tortured tale of doomed dinosaur love
• The Raven by Edgar Allan Terrordactyl, a ghoulish poem with a haunting ending
• The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twainceratops, the story of a mischievous young dinosaur growing up in the Cretaceous age
• A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickensodocus, a prehistoric epic about love, war, and sacrifice
• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austenlovenator, a clever critique of dinosaur manners disguised as a love story.

I really love this book! It is perfect for ages 7-11 and a great way to learn about literature! This is a book you will want to keep and pass down to other children. It’s quite unique and very creative!

You can purchase on Amazon.com.

About Saskia Lacey

A beautiful storyteller, Saskia Lacey is an educational children’s author with an extensive teaching background. She is also the author of the Technical Tales series from Walter Foster Jr.  Lacey has developed engaging children’s stories and projects for a variety of publishers and illustrators.

This next one is a great one for families with kids of all ages!

LOOK AT US NOW: A Creative Family Journal (A TarcherPerigee paperback, on sale May 5, 2016) by Bernadette Noll, an interactive diary for families to complete together. Filled with clever questions that will engage parents and kids alike, this illustrated journal encourages families to capture the essence of their lives during the present moment. It’s the seemingly mundane things – the sleep patterns, school choices, and family rhythms and rituals – that make up the fabric of daily life; and Noll captures this with playful prompts, including:

 

• The last time we laughed out loud was because…
• What does family dinner look like? Who talks the most? The least?
• Inside jokes. Family sayings. And things only our family gets (Spill it):
• Things we appreciate about each family member:
• Something crazy that happened this month:

 

Designed for families of all ages, LOOK AT US NOW will foster connection, reflection, and creative fun.

I love that this one is so creative and is such a great way to help families get to know each other better! I received a copy and was thrilled to see that there are even pages my tween and I can do together, I love that it is It is not just geared towards parents and very young children. This one would even make a great Mother’s day or Father’s Day gift!

You can purchase here.

Self Disclosure: I received free copies of these books to facilitate this post.