Category: Activity Books - READING STYLE GUIDE

What a Concept

9/13/2021

Circle Under Berry by Carter Higgins

Ingenious!
With a few simple shapes and carefully selected words, Circle Under Berry invites readers to explore a range of concepts.

Bold, bright, hand-colored shapes on a stark white background are continually rearranged on each succeding page, allowing for multiple points-of view.

It's a visual treat, experimenting with color, texture, shapes, and graphic design. However, Higgins gives her readers so much more. This is a study in word play and a discovery of relationships. Readers will be delighted with the rhythmic language, multiple word meanings, and a fresh consideration of prepositions.

The appeal of this concept book is visual, auditory, and cerebral. The publisher suggests an audience of ages "preschool and up."

This makes an excellent read aloud selection, but it also works well for individual inspection, thoughtfully poring over each page. Because the text is not particularly linear, readers may choose to flip pages back and forth as they make new discoveries.

Students can expand on the ideas presented by creating cut paper shapes and then arranging those shapes in interesting ways that will display a variety of ideas and relationships. This book is a keeper. It belongs in early childcare centers, elementary and secondary classrooms, as well as graphic design studios.

Copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: September 14, 2021 Publisher: Chronicle Books ISBN: 978-1797205083

Wonders and Delights

12/16/2020

Counting Creatures by Julia Donaldson ill by Sharon King-Chai

Looking for a picture book for gift-giving? Consider Counting Creatures. This more-than-a-picture book is an explosion of tactile wonders and visual delights. Presented as a counting book featuring various animal species and their young, it begins with one baby bat and sequentially progresses to ten piglets before leapfrogging to multitudes of caterpillars, tadpoles, and spiders.
This interactive volume invites young readers to predict what will be underneath the next flap. How many babies? What word is used to describe them?
Many terms are familiar, but the young of some species are not well-known. A baby arctic hare is known as a leveret while baby turkeys are called poults.

Rhyming couplets and the repetitive line of text "Who has more babies than that? " make this an excellent book for sharing and reading aloud.

Counting Creatures by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Sharon King-Chai has a wow factor to the max.
The generous size (approximately 8x10.5 inches) features a die cut cover with foil accents. Cut outs continue throughout the book, giving readers a hint as to the animals to be revealed. Art is stunning. Deep rich colors, gorgeously textured shapes, ingeniously designed flaps and tiny details sprinkled throughout the pages will send readers back the beginning to discover the answer to one final question.

Copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: November 24, 2020 Publisher: Dial Books ISBN: 978-0593324530

Hands On. Minds On.

3/14/2020

Recently several parents and grandparent have asked about materials for homeschoolers. They are familiar with available packaged programs. They have wonder: Is there something more? Yes, there is.

TinkerActive Workbooks

TinkerActive Workbook series is designed for young learners ages 5-8. Three disciplines are covered within each grade level: English, Math, and Science.
The workbooks are sturdy, with stiff, laminate covers. This will protect from spills that may occur. Thick quality paper, pages with round corners. A lot of thought is evident in the creation of this series.

All workbooks follow a similar pattern: A concept is introduced with Let's Learn About which consists of basic information and a few interesting activities to practice the concept. Then the real fun begins with Let's Tinker, Let's Make, and Let's Engineer projects related to the concept. All activities require a collection of materials and simple tools, such as glue, markers, scissors, boxes, etc. Each consumable book includes stickers and a magnetic merit badge. These hands on, minds on projects are FUN. From the clever quirky minds at Odd Dot.

Calling All Minds: How to Think and Create Like an Inventor
by Temple Grandin with Betsy Lerner

Calling All Minds is an intriguing mix of inventor mini-biographies, images of registered inventions from the U.S. Patent office with step-by step project instructions. Grandin frames these elements within a running narrative describing her personal journey of discovery. She introduces readers to her thinking process, her experiments with various concepts, and schematic drawings of her creations.
The book is organized into five general sections: "Things Made of Paper," "Levers and Pulleys," "Things Made of Wood," "Things That Fly", and "Optical Illusions." Each section includes a cornucopia of material that is loosely connected. Like the discovery process, they do not flow in a strict linear fashion, instead inviting moments of serendipity along the way.

"Things Made of Paper" chapter callout boxes contain a plethora of STEM-related components. Readers will find brief introductions to the history of these inventions: moveable type, the typewriter, Liquid Paper, scissors, and Crayola crayons. Bonus material includes an explanation of the term QWERTY and a discussion of the Fibonacci "golden ratio." Makers are treated to directions for creating Handmade Paper, Paper Snowflakes, a Crystal Snowflake, a Kaleidoscope, and Water Bombs.

Explorer Academy by Trudi Trueit

National Geographic takes on a new publishing venture with Explorer Academy, a fiction series combining action-adventure with science, technology and world exploration. Twelve-year-old Cruz Coronado is a member of Explorer Academy, an international team of young people training to become the world's future scientists.

Trueit has created stories with action, intrigue, and suspense galore. At one point in my reading I replied to a request from an individual near me, saying “I can’t come right now. Cruz is trapped underwater and can’t breathe.”

Those who love scientific and geographical trivia will be fascinated with all the factoids scattered throughout the narrative. All volumes are chock-full of fascinating futuristic tech gadgets. There is a Jules Verne quality to the series, envisioning scientific achievements that may become a future reality.

National Geographic has created a wealth of extras to enhance the series. The treasure trove of online resources includes codes and ciphers to solve, profiles of scientists working on cutting edge advances. There’s an animation video of C.A.V.E. (Computer Animated Virtual Experience), a slide show of "Weird But True" facts, and personality quiz to determine a science-interest type.

Crafty Cat series by Charise Harper

Comics, a charming cat, and crafts. What more could you ask for?

Crafty Cat and the Crafty Camp Crisis is a story of expectations, making friends, and dealing with bullies is appropriate for younger readers. Back pages include directions for making each of the six monster crafts described in the text.

I followed the directions for making mini monsters. This is a fun and easy-to-do project. These paper critters would be great as place cards. Add a message to accompany a gift package. Set one of a shelf for an expected surprise.

With great characters, clever dialog, and simple craft projects, Charise Mericle Harper has a created a graphic novel series for young craft and comic enthusiasts.

Bonus: There's No Place Like Home

Looking for additional resources to support home-centered learning? Try these.

KidLitTV stories, crafts & activities

Celebrated actors read children's books.

Activity guides from Just Us Books

Create with Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Plan your day with this suggested daily schedule from NESCA (Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents. Accessed via Lorena Germán

Mysterious Doings

10/15/2019

The Upper Case: Trouble in Capital City
by Tara Lazar ill by Ross MacDonald

Following up on her hit picture book 7 Ate 9: The Untold Story Tara Lazar brings readers another clever take on our alphabet system, specifically capitalized letters.

Readers are treated to a noir style whodunit. Private I is informed by Question Mark that the capital letters are missing. ALL of them. Our intrepid detective is on the case.

This was serious. If all the capital letters were gone, there’d be incomplete sentences dangling everywhere.

The super sleuth begins to search for clues, hoping to enlist the assistance of punctuation marks. They are busy. Hyphens dashes around, apostrophe gathers personal possessions, while ampersand minds her p's and q's. Lazar is a master of the well-placed pun.
Eventually Private I returns to waitress little b at Café Uno. Together they locate the missing letters and rescue them from a theater marque. "I'd always wanted to see my name in lights."
Tranquility is restored. Or is it? The final page suggests that there will be more mysteries for Private I.

MacDonald's illustrations add to the frivolity. Letters fade away. Distinctive expressions animate the punctuation and letter faces. Observant readers will find Easter Eggs scattered throughout the book. Hints: Look for the train with conjunction cars attached behind the engine and find Exclamation reading a copy of 7Ate 9. Final tip: keep an eye on the mouse.

The Upper Case: Trouble in Capital City is a read aloud delight. Who knew that grammar and punctuation could be so much fun?

Upper Case Antics

The Upper Case trailer

Alphabuild magnetic blocks

Bake alphabet cookies

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: October 15, 2019 Publisher: Disney-Hyperion ISBN: 978-1368027656

Mini-Making

10/11/2019

Tiny World: Pins! by Keith Zoo

I maintain the Book Shop for our community’s Ronald McDonald House. The facility offers children and their families a welcoming residence when a child requires ongoing medical treatment at local hospitals and treatment centers. The purpose of the Book Shop is to provide books of interest to children and teens during their stay.

As I monitored book usage patterns, one thing became clear: the current collection was not meeting children’s interests. It was time to rethink the Book Shop. What would appeal to young residents?
Here are some things I discovered: Youngsters undergoing therapy want materials that will quickly engage them. While there are differences according to age and interest, I found books with the highest use fell in these general categories: board books, picture books featuring popular characters from T.V. and movies, nonfiction animal books with large color photographs, books celebrating holidays, teen romance, picture books with an engaging cover, and easy-to-read bilingual books.

I decided to try experimenting with other materials which might engage hands as well as minds. For a test run, I began adding puzzles, board games, and small puppets to the mix.
Early response to these changes has been positive.
I learned of an additional service that will be added. Our local Ronald McDonald House will begin supporting children beyond the walls of the residence. A mobile cart will deliver books, magazines, puzzles, games, etc. to youth when they must remain hospitalized for a length of time.
I searched for possible items to add to the Book Shop as well as the mobile cart. These nifty Tiny World kits caught my eye. The projects are fun-to-create crafts. Self-contained packages include most materials and an instruction booklet.

I decided to try a test run with Tiny World: Pins! and document my experience. After opening the kit and examining all the items, I read through the directions and assembled the additional items needed to complete the project.
The step-by step instructions are easy to follow. Detailed illustrations are helpful. I was pleased with the finished product. It's a fun project!

There are enough supplies to make three pins. Zoo provides three pin designs within instructions. Other suggestions are in the back of the booklet. I'm considering the crab motif for my next pin. But maybe I'll get creative and try my own design.

Helpful Hints

Don't color your paper sketch. It is difficult to see the areas that your markers may have missed when working directly on the plastic if the paper template is colored.
Before you cut the plastic, hold the design up to window and inspect any areas needing a bit more color.
Use a very sharp pair of small scissors and follow the instructions' cutting hints to create a precision shape.
Two coats of white enamel paint take time to dry completely. I let mine dry overnight before gluing on the pin backing.
Think about the space requirements needed to complete this project. You'll need a table with space to cut and color. Also, you may want to cover the surface when painting with enamel paint. You'll need an oven or toaster oven and a heat-resistant area when the cookie sheet comes out of the oven. Plan before you begin.
As the package clearly states, this project requires adult supervision.

Copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: September 24, 2019 Publisher: Odd Dot ISBN: 978-1250203847

Trivial Pursuits

12/28/2018

100 Questions About Oceans by Simon Abbott

What did one tide pool say to the other tide pool?
Show me your mussels!

Simon Abbott's subject-specific trivia books are jam-packed with fascinating factoids.

100 Questions and About Oceans covers a wide range of ocean-related data including basic underwater geography and ecology, ecosystems, marine animal records, well-known marine biologists, historical shipwrecks, and protecting aquatic life.

Information is presented as a series of questions with corresponding answers, formatted in brief easy-to-read statements.

How does the goblin shark hunt in the dark?
Its snout is lined with natural sensors called ampulae, which detect weak electrical fields from living creatures. The shark simply tracks down its prey, open its retractable jaws, and ... chomp!

Bright colors fill the pages. Animalia have expressive faces with googly eyes and winsome smiles. Some scientific terms and animal species names appear in bold face type with the pronunciation in parenthesis.

Text is replete with puns that will delight young readers and probably elicit groans from adults.

Why did the fish blush?
Because it saw the ocean's bottom!

This kid-friendly series is sure to be a hit with those who enjoy interesting and sometimes obscure informational tidbits.

More Questions & Answers

Copy provided by publisher

Pub date: December 1, 2018 Publisher: Peter Pauper Press, Inc. ISBN: 978-1441329394

Soul of Invention

5/15/2018

Calling All Minds by Temple Grandin with Betsy Lerner

How to Think and Create Like an Inventor

"if you want to create, you need to take things apart and put them back together with your own hands."

Calling All Minds is an intriguing mix of inventor mini-biographies, images of registered inventions from the U.S. Patent office, and step-by step project instructions for youngsters. Grandin frames all these elements within a running narrative describing her personal journey of discovery. She introduces readers to her thinking process, her experiments with various concepts, and schematic drawings of her creations.

"There is no better way to start than by making things of your own design. All the projects I made when I was young contributed to the inventions I've made throughout my life. And they have given my life meaning. I hope these projects and the ones you create will do the same for you."

The book is organized into five general sections: "Things Made of Paper," "Levers and Pulleys," "Things Made of Wood," "Things That Fly", and "Optical Illusions." Each section includes a cornucopia of material that is loosely connected. Like the discovery process, they do not flow in a strict linear fashion, instead inviting moments of serendipity along the way.

"Things Made of Paper" chapter callout boxes contain a plethora of STEM-related components. Readers will find brief introductions to the history of these inventions: moveable type, the typewriter, Liquid Paper, scissors, and Crayola crayons. Bonus material includes an explanation of the term QWERTY and a discussion of the Fibonacci "golden ratio." Makers are treated to directions for creating Handmade Paper, Paper Snowflakes, a Crystal Snowflake, a Kaleidoscope, and Water Bombs.

A treasure trove for the curious, creatives, tinkerers, inventors, makers and problem-solvers. It will find a place in libraries, classrooms, after school programs, summer camps, scout troops, homeschool curriculum, professional development collections, as well as personal and family bookshelves.

"I observed a situation that needed to be fixed...I could see in my mind how to do that. Then I learned how to draft and communicate my ideas. And that, as far as I can tell is the soul of invention."

Review based on copy provided by the publisher.

Pub date: May 15, 2018 Publisher: Philomel Books ISBN: 978-1524738204

Let's Get Crafty

12/7/2017

Crafty Cat and the Crafty Camp Crisis by Charise Mericle Harper

First Second has done it again. This publisher has its finger on the pulse of young readers' interests, moving beyond the genre traditionally found in comics and exploring fresh concepts to offer in graphic format. Recent examples: The Science Comics series features a wide array of fascinating nonfiction in panel form. Also consider the brilliant journal/comic book hybrid CiCi's Journal: The Adventures of A Writer-in-Training.
Now this leaders in children's comics turns its attention to the Maker Movement with a series of graphic novels for young readers featuring Crafty Cat, the fearless alter ego for somewhat timid Birdie. Crafty Cat and the Crafty Camp Crisis finds Crafty Cat preparing for Monster Craft Camp. She has the right tools, plenty of skills and the "crafty feelings" needed to create a winning project. Best friend Evan, requisite "mean girl" Anya, and a school janitor who serves as craft instructor attend this camp. Each chapter is devoted the escapades surrounding the creation of a monster-related craft. Bonus: Birdie's imaginary friend Cloudy. Love this!

Take note. There will be a CRAFT-MERGENCY; plenty of drama from Anya; a healthy snack "another way of saying it's good for you and tastes bad" which, by the way, is enjoyed by everyone; and an important lesson learned about friendship.
Back pages include directions for making each of the six monster crafts described in the text. With great characters, clever dialog, and simple craft projects, Charise Mericle Harper has a created a graphic novel series for young craft and comic enthusiasts.

I followed the directions for making mini monsters. This is a fun and easy-to-do project. These would be great as place cards. They would also make terrific cards to top a gift. Think fun reminders for table tops too!

Art of the Game

8/7/2017

Masterpiece Mix by Roxie Munro

I first met Roxie Munro in 2014 when she presented her forthcoming book Market Maze to a group of librarians. In her introductory remarks she used a term that was unfamiliar to me: gamification. The word intrigued me. I hastily scribbled it down on in my notes, determined to learn more about the concept: "the application of game-design elements and game principles in non-game contexts." *
The genius of Munro's work lies in her ability to create a story, add a game element, and then take the book one step farther, creating layers of visual complexity within a picture book format.

On the surface, Masterpiece Mix consists of a simple narrative: an artist facing a blank canvas seeks inspiration for her next creation. Seems fairly straightforward. There follows a series of explorations of various types of paintings: landscape, portrait, still life, as well as other artistic expressions found in images curate by the National Gallery of Art. So that's fun: comparing various subjects and styles of painting.

Munro wants to paint what she loves: her neighborhood. So she moves beyond the walls of the National Gallery and sets this book in her own community. With the accomplished strokes of the artist's brush, she brings this masterpiece into her own environment. That's where the gamification commences. Her neighborhood becomes a repository for these masterpiece images. Readers will enjoy locating the art reproductions, referring back to the pages on which each is introduced and then, observing the clever placement of each classic showpiece within the neighborhood. For example, Cassatt's sketch of mother and child is located at the Day Care Center, The Degas sculpture of a ballerina is found in front of the Dance Studio.
A map key with corresponding images and descriptions of the art is located on the back pages.
It's art. It's educational. It invites discovery and exploration. It encourages creation. It's gamification. It's brilliant!

More Amazing Mazes

Munro has published a variety of picture books that employ a gamification element. This is just a sampling of her books.

Maze Ways A to Z

Market Maze

Amazement Park:
12 Wild Mazes