Margo's Musings: Everyone's an Inventor!

Margo and I love picking out books from our local library. Today we discovered a beautiful board book and it has only been out a few weeks. What a treat! Little Heroes: Inventors Who Changed the World by Heidi Poelman is a book that families and schools should definitely add to their collections. I can already tell we’ll be reading it over and over again.

This is the inspiring book about a wide assortment of inventors and how they made their mark on the world. Some of the people featured were men and others were women. They lived in different places and times throughout history. I learned a lot while reading about some of the most important contributions each person made to society. I knew about some of the inventors, like Marie Curie, and the Wright Brother. But others like, Cai Lun were new to me. I had no idea he invented the first piece of paper! Lots of interesting tidbits about inventors including: Leonardo da Vinci, Marie Curie, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Orville and Wilbur Wright, Grace Hopper, Mary Sherman Morgan, and Cai Lun.

The book is written in a way that's easy for young children to understand, but the facts and information can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Margo loved the pictures. They're so bright and bold they pull the reader in. I especially liked how the artist, Kyle Kershner, drew the faces. 

Reading this story made me happy that these wise men and women were able to ask questions and they didn’t give up on their passions. I think Margo wants to be a scientist now- or at least she does this week. She keeps taking my magnifying glass and looking at everything. Her curiosity is awesome! Who knows what she’ll discover. 

Little Heroes: Inventors Who Changed the World is a wonderful book for people who like to learn about history in an interesting way. It's a book that will inspire. I bet you will learn something new too!

Happy reading! ~ F

Margo's Musings: Would You Dare Stay With A Bear?

When we were at the library this week my little sister, Margo, couldn’t wait to pick out some new books. We’ve read and enjoyed Mother Bruce by Ryan.T. Higgins, so I knew as soon as we saw Hotel Bruce it would be our pick.

I had no idea that Bruce was the star of a picture book series. In his first book, Bruce, a grumpy bear, accidentally becomes the mother of baby chicks. That’s what happens when a bear loves eggs and those eggs actually hatch before he can cook them. Let’s just say that Bruce tried everything he could NOT be the mother of the chicks. But—nothing he did worked, and he tried some funny things. He was a reluctant mom for sure. 

Hotel Bruce continues right where the first book left off.  Bruce and his goslings arrive back to his den after their beach vacation. Unfortunately, they are not alone. It seems that while Bruce was away relaxing from the demands of motherhood (or parenthood) some mice had set up home in his den. The mice were out to make a buck or two and had rented space to many other animals as well. Bruce may have had a chance at getting rid of these unwanted guests, but the crafty mice put the goslings to work as bellhops! Will Bruce lose his temper? Is there a way to get the hotel guests to leave? Will he really be happy if they do leave? Read this funny story to find out!

Margo and I especially love the expressions on the faces of Bruce, the goslings, and other animals. Since Margo is little, I think some of the humor went over her head. And based on the way my father was laughing when we read it- I’m guessing some of it even went over my head. We’re so excited that there are more books with Bruce. His grumpy ways do get us laughing and we look forward to finding out what else he's up to and how he will try to solve his problems. I think this would be great for parents and kids to read together. Fun for the whole family!

Has anyone else ever read Mother Bruce or Hotel Bruce? Or have you read another book by Ryan T. Higgins? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!

~F

Margo's Musings: Music Changes Everything!

“The world sends us garbage. We send back music.” ~ Susan Hood, Ada’s Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay 

This is the true story of how a village turned garbage into music. Ada Rio’s family lives in Cateura, Paraguay. Her town is filled with trash and is actually built on a landfill. Many of the people in the village go through the garbage collecting items, like plastic, which they can trade in for money. Then Favio Chavez arrives and starts teaching about ecological safety, and before long he brings music to the children. When there aren’t enough instruments for everyone who wants to play, he works with them to make unique ones out of the garbage all around. Playing music is hard work, but the children that stick with it learn and get better. Soon the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay is on tour, seeing new places, and even being asked to play with famous rock bands, like Metallica. Music truly changes lives.

The bright colors and textured illustrations really draw in the reader. My sister, Margo, was intrigued by the images. The recycled instruments and scenes were enhanced by the collage style used to create the pages. My heart goes out to the people who live in Carteura, and I know how upset I get when I see litter, so I can only imagine how hard it would be to see so much garbage everywhere. I loved learning how music and the creation of instruments from the materials they salvaged changed their lives. The kids worked hard and learned how to make music, and even though it was not easy, they didn't give up. Their perseverance ended up being able to change their village and the lives of many people in it. Together they made our planet prettier and filled it with good tunes. So often we want something brand new from the store, but if we reuse and recycle, there is less waste and we can help make our planet a more beautiful place.

When Margo and I finished reading she wanted to make music. We looked through our recycling bin and found jars, cardboard tubes, and a coffee can. We made a few instruments, and Margo has loved playing with the “rainmaker” she decorated.  Who knows- maybe one of us will come up with a new instrument or we’ll be inspired to play other instruments. We’re definitely having fun!

Ada’s Violin: The True Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay is an excellent picture book for anyone who likes to learn about people who are making the world a better place. It's a great story to introduce to children that will inspire creativity and to show them what life is like in different places. I especially loved that the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay toured with bands like Metallica and earned money to help build houses in their village. Such an inspiration!

Check out the 60 Minutes Spotlight to see the village and musicians. 

Listen to the band play with Metallica? 

Has anyone else read Ada’s Violin: The True Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay? Or have you read another book by Susan Hood? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading! ~ F

Margo's Musings: Who Wants a Waffle?

My little sister, Margo, loves anything that comes with the syrup. Of course, she’s a sticky mess afterwards! I knew when she saw Woodpecker Wants a Waffle at the local library it would be this week’s favorite.

In the story Benny, the woodpecker, smells something delicious and learns that it’s waffles he's craving. The other animals of the forest think he’s crazy. They don’t think that woodpeckers should eat waffles. Benny doesn’t care! He wants what he wants. He devises a plan to get the tasty breakfast treat. Nobody believes he’ll be able to pull it off. But will he?

This was a really cute read and Margo was rooting Benny on the whole time. We found out there is a “Flat Benny” online that kids can print. Then, they can take Benny to get waffles or some other treat and share the picture with a special hash tag.  I’m sure you can guess what we had for breakfast three times this week! Luckily, my dad’s a wizard in the kitchen, and cooking up delicious breakfast goodies is one of his specialties.

Has anyone else read Woodpecker Wants a Waffle? Or have you read another book by Steve Breen? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Reading!
~ F

Margo's Musings: Cooking Up Words...

My little sister, Margo, loves birds. We have fun as a family watching them in our backyard. So many varieties to admire! She loves to try to imitate them, so I wasn't surprised when she came home from the Ashpot Library with Mango, Abuela, and Me by Meg Medina. I'm sure the bird on the cover caught her eye.

In this book, Mia’s grandmother comes to live with them in the city. They’ll be sharing a bedroom, but they have trouble communicating. Mia doesn’t know how to say what she wants to say in Spanish, and her grandmother (abuela) doesn’t know many words in English. They begin doing little things every day to help them talk to each other. When they’re cooking, the grandmother will say the Spanish word for an ingredient and Mia repeats it, and then says the English word for each item. When Mia remembers what her class did to help a new student who was learning English, she puts words on top of objects all around the apartment so her grandmother will know how to say them in English. To make her grandmother feel more comfortable, Mia asks her mom to buy a parrot so her grandmother will be reminded of the one in her garden back at her old home. The parrot is a wonder and repeats words it hears Abuela and Mia say to each other. Another way for the two to learn to understand each other!

This was a fun story that will help people learn some words/phrases in Spanish or English. The illustrations are bright and interesting. Even more exciting- Margo and I learned some Spanish words!

Has anyone else read Mango, Abuela, and Me? Or have you read another book by Meg Medina? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

~ F

Margo's Musings: Can I Have a Dinosaur with That?

Most kids love dinosaurs, and my little sister, Margo, is no exception. I'm always amazed at the large dinosaur names she's able to say. When I saw this book on display at the Ashpot Library I knew we had to get it, and that it would instantly become a favorite. Once we got the book home, Margo was bursting at the seams to start reading it. 

When Dinosaurs Came with Everything by Elise Broach starts off with a little boy who isn’t too happy about having to run errands with his mom. Errands become a whole lot more fun when each one comes with a different dinosaur or two. He can’t believe it, and even tries to get his mom to run a few more errands. But, she's understandably panicking. When they arrive them home things get even more fun. And I didn’t see the end coming.

The cover and title are eye-catching, and I like the way the illustrator has a very kid friendly technique. It's a book that an emerging reader could easily retell just from looking at the pictures. Margo cracked up when it mentioned some things that the dinosaurs do at the boy’s house. It's a fun read for kids and dinosaur lovers of all ages. By the end, I was thinking about what it would be like if we really did get a dinosaur with everything. I am guessing things would be a little crazy! The cutest thing was that after we finished reading this book, Margo decided to pass out some of her plastic dinosaur toys to us. Too cute! Then when my dad gave her lunch she asked, "Do I get a dinosaur with that."  She was a little disappointed. But, we can always read the story again!

Has anyone else read When Dinosaurs Came with Everything? Or have you read another book written by Elise Broach? We'd love to hear your thoughts.

Happy reading!
~ F

Margo's Musings: Can You Spin A Name?

We’ve been doing a fairy tale unit at school and working on writing our own versions. After my teacher read, Frankly, I'd Rather Spin Myself a New Name! The Story of Rumpelstiltskin as Told by Rumpelstiltskin by Jessica Gunderson. I knew I had to share it with my little sister, Margo. I was right, she loved it! 

This book is a twist on the traditional version of Rumpelstiltskin, because it's told from Rumpelstiltskin’s perspective. I know a lot of people feel bad for the maiden who has to spin straw into gold and can’t do it, but I have always felt a little sorry for Rumpelstiltskin, so hearing his take on the tale made me feel justified. As he tells the story, he makes lots of side comments to the reader. These cracked us up as we read.

Margo and I loved this book! The illustrations are bright and colorful. Looking at the character's expressions was our favorite part! Both the maiden and Rumpelstiltskin make some faces that had us is hysterics.

There are lots of books in this series- so I look forward to reading more of them with Margo. Not only are they entertaining, but they help us remember that there are two sides to every story.

Has anyone else read, Frankly, I'd Rather Spin Myself a New Name! The Story of Rumpelstiltskin as Told by Rumpelstiltskin? Or have you read another book by Jessica Gunderson? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!
~ F

Margo's Musings: Bartholomew and the Oobleck

"The least you could do is say the simple words, I'm sorry." ~Bartholomew Cubbins, Bartholomew and the Oobleck

I love when Read Across America Day arrives because I know that spring is around the corner. Plus, it's awesome to get to celebrate Dr. Seuss and his fantastical books. This year, I was excited to share some of my favorites with my little sister, Margo. With so many books to choose from, we were able to enjoy lots of stories. She loves the funny rhymes and creatures that are in Dr. Seuss’s books. But this year, her choice is Bartholomew and the Oobleck. It’s hard to resist a book that's followed up with making a slimy, interesting mix that will entertain for hours!

In this book, King Derwin of Didd is tired of rain, sun, fog and snow. He wants something different and asks the royal magicians to make the sky shower something exciting upon them. The next morning, a young page, Bartholomew Cubbins, wakes up to find that the oobleck the king wanted is indeed falling. The king declares a holiday and wants everyone outside. It is green, unique, and exciting- at first. But, after a bit, there’s no doubt it’s messy. The oobleck won’t stop showering the kingdom, and creatures are getting stuck. How can they stop it? Can anything be done? What are the magic words? This entertaining story has an important message in its pages.

If Margo loves one thing, it’s a mess. That made this Dr. Seuss book perfect! Her giggles as we watched the green goop sticking to things throughout the book made me laugh too. She kept pointing and saying, “Bleck, bleck, bleck”. After we finished reading, it was time to make some of our own. The ingredients are so easy (we made it with and without the food coloring, and it’s fun either way). I know we’ll be revisiting this Seuss classic again!

Ingredients:

2 cups cornstarch

1 cup water

1-2 drops food coloring (optional)

Mix in a bowl. Add water to cornstarch sl-ow-ly! (easier to mix)

Has anyone else read Bartholomew and the Oobleck? What’s your favorite book by Dr. Seuss? Have you ever made oobleck? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!

~ F

Margo's Musings: Feeling Wild?

On a recent visit to The Hickory Stick, a lovely local bookshop, we spotted Wendell and Florence Minor signing books. It’s exciting to meet authors and illustrators, and we had fun learning more about their stories. It was hard to decide which one to buy with so many great titles, but Margo and I love animals, so Daylight Starlight Wildlife won. 

This book has gorgeous illustrations that depict animals in the day and at night. It’s a wonderful way to learn about wildlife, and there are interesting things to search for in the realistic illustrations. We played “I Spy” while reading, and the game was super fun because there's so much to see in every picture.

Where are they going? What are they doing? 

Has anyone else read Daylight Starlight Wildlife? Or have you read another book written or illustrated by Wendell or Florence Minor? 
We'd love to hear your thoughts. 

Happy Reading!
~F

Tune in Saturday to catch our illustrator spotlight

Artists' Corner: Featuring an interview with Wendell Minor, hosted by David SanAngelo

Florence & Wendell Minor signing books at
The Hickory Stick bookshop

Margo's Musings: It's Not Jack and the Beanstalk!

When we walked into the Ashpot Library my little sister, Margo, was immediately drawn to the cover of It’s Not Jack and the Beanstalk. I thought the cover looked great too. I'm a big fan of fairy tales (and not simply the Disney ones, but the real fairy tales), so I was excited to get reading.

This book is a twist on the traditional version of Jack and the Beanstalk that most people are familiar with, which is what makes it such a blast. While the reader is being told the story by the narrator, Jack comments with his thoughts on what is happening. Some of the classic elements are included, but the reader can expect a different ending. 

Margo loved this book because she thought it was funny. I totally agree! Jack’s comments made me laugh, and they put a hilarious spin on the story. Edwardian Taylor's bright illustrations really pop off the page. All of the colors and details give the reader a lot to look at, this was especially interesting when we read the book a second time.

The book even inspired us to do some planting. Although the ground is frozen, and we can’t grow anything outside right now, we did plant some bean seeds we bought at the store. They are on the windowsill in the kitchen, and Margo has made sure to use all kinds of magical phrases to help them grow. Of course, she used the spells from the book on our beans! While I don’t think we'll grow a magic beanstalk since they were regular seeds, it will be fascinating to see what happens. I'm guessing there will be more readings of this book in the future!

Has anyone else read It’s Not Jack and the Beanstalk? Or have you read another book by Josh Funk? We’d love to hear your thoughts!
~ F

Margo's Musings: Eggbert's Christmas at the Farm

I just found out where my parents are going to take us this weekend, and it all stems from a book Margo found at pre-school. Eggbert’s Christmas at the Farm by Laura Ann Smith McFarland is a children’s picture book about an attraction at Devitt’s Farm in Hudson Valley, New York. 

This fun holiday story has Zoe visiting the farm for the first time. She has an ornament of Eggbert with her, which her mom got when she was a little girl. After all that Zoe has heard about Eggbert, she's excited and nervous to meet him. Readers go through a tour of Devitt’s Farm and we get to see the animals and décor that make this a memorable holiday stop. Family traditions are important, and they’re something you can look forward to every year. I think after my family visits and my sister gets to experience the magic of Eggbert, this is a local farm that we’ll be visiting for many years to come!

I enjoyed this book! I had a blast reading it to Margo, and we both loved looking at all the details in the pictures. I'm definitely curious about Eggbert. In the book he talks, and I'm not sure if he talks in real life too- but I am curious to find out. Margo has been walking around, calling out, “Eggbert!” so I think she is ready to meet him. Plus, we both love farm animals, so it't sure to be a highlight of our holiday season.

Have any of you read Eggbert’s Christmas at the Farm? Have you visited Devitt’s Farm in New Windsor, New York and met Eggbert in person? Do you have a special holiday tradition that you make sure to do each year? 

Stop by this Saturday for an interview with the author, Laura Ann Smith. We'll also be hosting a fabulous holiday giveaway for an autographed copy of Eggbert’s Christmas on the Farm, along with a classic Eggbert ornament. ; )

Happy reading!

~ F

Margo's Musings: What Do Snowmen Do at Night?

Winter is nipping at our noses and soon snow will be blowing down around us. As we drive around our small town we see sparkling lights on trees, wreathes on doors and the smell of evergreens is in the air. We’re getting ready for the holiday season and my little sister, Margo, can’t wait to play outside in the snow again. She knows it’s almost time for sled rides and snowmen, which is why she had to get Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner during our last visit to the local library. I remembered this one from when I was her age, and honestly, it still gets my imagination going.   

In this book, a child builds a snowman and notices the next day that its grin wasn’t the same and its arms had moved. This makes the child start wondering what happened during the night to make these changes. Could the snowman have been playing with others, drinking hot cocoa or skating on ice? It seems like anything could have happened!

Margo loved seeing the activities that the snowmen could have been doing at night. The bright pictures are beautiful and really help create a fun winter scene. She especially loved the facial expressions on the snow faces! Seeing all the fun the snowmen were having has made my sister even more excited for our first snow fall. From the weather reports she doesn’t have ling to wait. I know that when we have enough snow my sister will want to build a snowmen, and then she’ll be dreaming of all the adventures it will get into when we go to sleep.

Has anyone else read Snowmen at Night? Or have you read another book by Caralyn Buehner? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy reading!

~ F