Book of the Week

The Big Snuggle-up

School Library Journal (October 2011)

A child invites a scarecrow to come in from the snow, and the scarecrow asks if he can bring a mouse with him. A butterfly, a robin, and other woodland creatures soon join the group until the house is full of friends all snuggled and warm around the fireplace.

Patten tells this simple story of generosity and kindness with delightful rhyme, meter, and

alliteration. The poem begs to be read aloud, lilting and dancing on the tongue: “A

squirrel scampered down from a sycamore tree,/‘I’ll bring you some nuts, if you’ll shelter

me.’” Children will enjoy joining in at the end of each stanza when the growing list of visitors is repeated. The text is printed in a large, easy-to-read font on a cream-colored background and surrounded by Bayley’s colored pencil and crayon illustrations. The art is meticulously crafted, with attention given to every hair and whisker. The style of the pictures is similar to Bayley’s illustrations for Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book (Candlewick, 2005), but they are done on a larger scale and in slightly softer hues. The scarecrow is a little cartoonish, but the animals look realistic and soft enough to pet. A lovely book about sharing and compassion.

Book of the Week

How Big Was a Dinosaur?

The Answer is on a Huge Poster inside!
by Anna Milbourne
Ages 3 yrs +
24pp

Pipkin is a little penguin who asks very BIG questions! Just how big was a dinosaur? As big as a car? As big as a house? This delightful picture book has the answers.

Pipkin meets all kinds of different dinosaurs: from little ones to big roaring ones with very big teeth!

• This fun book includes a huge fold-out poster, beautifully illustrated to show just how big a dinosaur was in comparison to little Pipkin.

Book of the Week!

Doodling Fun for Everyone!

Drawing, Doodling and Coloring for Christmas
by Fiona Watt
Ages 6 yrs +
96pp

$13.99

There's lots to draw, doodle and color in this creative book filled with wonderful Christmas scenes.

Includes an astonishing selection of activities, from jolly pictures to color in to doodle-starters from which drawings can grow and grow and grow until they cover the whole page.

Doodlers can complete the scenes however they want and the craft paper quality pages are ideal for drawing on.

Peek Inside this Book

Keep them busy!

Keep the kids busy during your holiday travels with 1001 Things to Spot Christmas!

The Usborne 1001 Things to Spot books keep children engaged as they are practicing visual discrimination skills, improving their vocabulary and counting skills.

Find the disappearing quilting markers to circle the objects on each page, the special disappearing ink will fade in a few minutes to an hour or so. Making this book one they can use again and again. (I've not been able to find a supplier for this brand of pen since my local Walmart stopped carrying it.)

The Usborne 1001 Things to Spot series are great to keep children entertained during meetings. services and travel.

What Is an Internet-Linked book?

In the late 1990's, Usborne Books recognized the educational and entertainment value of the Internet and strove to link the power of the written word and the vast information available on the web together to enhance a reader's learning experience. In 2000, the very first Internet-Linked books were launched in the United States and the number of Internet-Linked and Internet-Referenced titles has grown each year.

How does an Internet-Linked book work?

Usborne Internet-Linked books serve as a gateway to knowledge for fact-hungry children.Visit Usborne Quicklinks ( www.usborne-quicklinks.com) to enter the book and page numberyou are interested in learning more about. This site will provide you web addresses of safe,content appropriate websites you can visit to research a subject in a fun and informative way.

What ages are these books designed for?

From Usborne's new Beginner's Series to the Science Encyclopedia, there are Internet LinkedUsborne Books that are appealing and appropriate for all age ranges - early childhood through adult!

Can an Internet-Linked or Internet-Referenced book help my child with homework?

Downloadable quizzes, word searches and activity sheets make learning a challenge - Amazing photographs, illustrations and diagrams provide the child with additional information on any subject…The facts found through Quicklinks help a child to fully understand a new concept and will be very helpful with school papers, science fair projects, etc.

Will Quicklinks recommended sites change?

Recommended websites will change over time as new and improved sites become available.

Is a computer necessary to own this book?

A computer serves to provide an additional learning tool however; it is not essential to fully enjoy Usborne Internet-Linked books.

What is the difference between Internet-Linked and Internet-Referenced books?

In an Internet-Linked book, the content of each double page spread includes specific websites found at www.usborne-quicklinks.com. An Internet-Referenced book contains quicklink websites that pertain to the overall topic of the book.

"Touching the lives of children and families for a lifetime through books"

Holiday fun!

50 Christmas Things to Make and Do is filled with Christmas crafts, card making ideas, yummy holiday nibbles for gift giving or parties.

I like to use it as part of a Holiday pocket countdown calendar. Print 25 pockets onto colored paper, fold and glue to a poster board. On index cards decorated with stickers, write a holiday activity to do each day.

Include the normal holiday prep that you need to do anyway, like signing/mailing cards, decorating the tree & home, and different baking days. Other things to include might be riding around looking at lights, going caroling, making gifts, wrapping gifts, reading Christmas books, watch Christmas movie(s), donate food to a food bank, “adopt” an angle tree child, participate in your church Christmas program, or attend a church Christmas program.

Since this is a daily calendar you can easily include daily advent readings, and/or Jesse tree reading/ornaments in each pocket as well.
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A Gift that Keeps Giving-

Twas the Night Before Christmas Recordable Storybook
Series: Recordable Book
Author: Moore, Clement

• Ages: 4 years and up
• Size of book: 8 x 10 inches
• Pages: 10

Delight a special child, parent or grandparent with this wonderful recordable book! Create a keepsake storybook by following the simple directions to record your own voice reading this treasured Christmas classic. The book is re-recordable and has a lock feature so that your special recording is kept safe, even when the batteries are replaced. Beautifully illustrated with sturdy board book pages, this is a unique gift made by you - and is sure to be treasured!

FREE BONUS! Also includes two Christmas music CDs, and three Look and Find activity books.

Full and Fabulous Year!

My favorite Usborne book is Usborne Internet Linked Children's Encyclopedia.

This is a perfect textbook for K-3 grade. It covers science and history and world geography. All that in one book! Each colorful double page spread includes a list of child safe internet links that opens the world to you and your child. What can you find on with the links? Downloadable quizzes, word searches and activity sheets, diagrams to print, lots of free, downloadable pictures, perfect for homeschoolers who like to "notebook". Plus simple, safe activities and experiments.

By reading one double page spread each school day, you will finish this book in a year. Add the activities found on the links and you will have a full and fabulous year!