Writings, Wanderings

Three more children's books with activities to share!  If I Had a Gryphon by Vikki Vansickle was a delightful read that I highly recommend for any mid-elementary kid. It has a nice pattern to the words, and I love how it hits on so many mythological creatures across the world. Make sure to turn to the last page for a fun surprise. This book lends itself to a variety of activities including more in-depth research on lesser-known creatures mentioned or brainstorming other problems to go along with a specific mythological pet. (Could you imagine taking a unicorn to the veterinarian for a check-up?) A Song in Bethlehem took a unique look at the night of the Christ Child's birth. It had lovely illustrations that mixed the ethereal and the realistic. This book would work well for a read-together in early elementary or even a read-alone if the child has good reading skills. The story connects to music, so an extension activity could be to sing favorite Christmas carols o...

Looking to buy a book for a child for Christmas? Check out what I've read in the last month to get my opinion on some choices! Dinosaur vs Santa is my top pick for reading with little ones for this season. This book followed an adorable if slightly mischievous dinosaur kid as he prepared for Christmas. I had a lot of fun reading this story out loud with its dinosaur sound effects as he made presents, decorated the tree, and more. The illustrations are simple but engaging. Enrichment idea: discuss Dinosaur vs Halloween (or another holiday). What activities would he need to successfully conquer for this holiday? Draw some of your own pictures. Wombat Walkabout was another fun read although it did have me nervous about the fate of the wombats until nearly the end! What I loved about this book was its integration of words used in Australia. There was a glossary at the front of the book, but I actually missed it until I had read the story. However, the story and ...