Cranberries always make me think of the holidays. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, they are a part of lots of meals, decorations and traditions. I was excited when I found this book which gave me the opportunity to have some learning fun with them!
Standard Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may receive a commission from purchases you make through the links in this post.
de Devlin is a classic which has been shared among many generations. Maggie and her grandmother invite guests to Thanksgiving dinner every year, especially those who are poor or lonely. Grandmother doesn’t trust Maggie’s guest because she worries he will steal her famous cranberry bread recipe. However, when the recipe goes missing, Grandmother may be proven wrong! This classic story reminds us not to judge a book by it’s cover and to be gracious during the holiday season. It also provides an opportunity to enjoy a lot of cranberry fun!
Thanksgiving is a time for friends, family, gratitude and delicious foods. My parents have always had an open door policy for our holiday meals, believing that anyone who doesn’t have a place to go has a place at our table. Today’s book is a great reminder about sharing what you have with others and creating new traditions.
by Teresa Bateman tells the story of Pete the turkey and the townspeople of Squawk Valley. The people in the town need to get a turkey for their Thanksgiving dinner, so they decide to trick one into coming to town. They host a turkey themed arts and crafts festival to capture a vain turkey. Pete doesn’t want to be dinner though, and he may just outsmart the people of Squawk Valley! This story is an entertaining read aloud written in verse, and accompanied by colorful and fun illustrations. Kids will love reading about Pete again and again!
This election has me very worried about the state of our country and the future we’re building for our children. As adults, we are supposed to be the role models, the positive influences and the good decision makers. Yet, the news is filled with people name-calling, interrupting, and making decisions that we would not accept from our children. It may seem oversimplified to think that we can fix all of our issues by working together and being respectful. However, I believe in the impact of positivity and respect. So, to overcome the negative attitudes that kids may be absorbing during this election, I decided to find positive books about America and citizenship. These books can remind kids and parents how America can be great while showing us how we can all help to make it a better place.
“Why should I start reading to my baby when she can’t even understand the story?”
is an old tale that has been retold for many years. There are many versions available using a wide variety of illustration styles and characters. The main character in the story is a stranger who wanders into a village looking for food, but no one in the village is willing to share what little they have. The stranger convinces everyone he can make soup from a stone, and they are all intrigued. He asks each person to add just a tiny bit of their ingredients to his pot with a stone and watch while he makes soup. The community learns that by each giving a little, they can help each other!
The Halloween season is upon us! While kids are planning their costumes and making trick-or-treat plans, don’t forget to find time to enjoy some fun and spooky stories together! There are a ton of great Halloween books for children including everything from monsters and vampires to costumes and pumpkins. Whether you are looking for lighthearted seasonal fun or books to teach a lesson or help face a fear, there are plenty of great books to meet those needs. I cannot possibly list all of the amazing Halloween books, but these are some of my favorites.