A Modest Momma's Musings for Little Readers Valentine's Day Tales Spotlight #2--The Berenstain Bears' Valentine Love Bug

     Yet another new release featuring my all-time favorite bear family, The Berenstain Bears, is right on time to help spread the love this Valentine's Day with, The Berenstain Bears' Valentine Love Bug! As our tale begins, although a cold blanket of snow covers over Bear Country, the chill of the winter season is quickly thawing out inside the home of Mama, Papa, Brother, Sister and Honey Bear.   Valentine's Day is coming up soon, and an unexpected invitation to the wedding of cousin Cora is spreading the joy of the holiday.  Best of all, Sister Bear has been asked to be the flower girl!
      Quickly, Sister Bear becomes immersed in all things wedding-- learning about the traditions of weddings in books and magazines, flowers and invitation designs, forgetting almost about the upcoming Valentine's Day party at school!
     Complete with a holiday poster, stickers and Valentine's Day cards, and a lovely, sweet message as there is with every Berenstain Bears story, you and your little ones will be sure to get a jump start on this special day!

The Berenstain Bears' Valentine Love Bug
Written & Illustrated by Mike Berenstain
Publisher: Harper Festival, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers (2014)
Website:  www.harpercollinschildrens.com
Retails for $6.99 (Softcover)
For ages 4 thru 8
ISBN: 978-0-06-207562-8

A Modest Momma's Musings for Little Readers Valentine's Day Tales Spotlight #1: Amelia Bedelia's First Valentine

     With Valentine's Day right around the corner, this is the perfect time of the year to share not only the love that this special day brings to us all, but to celebrate the joy of reading.  So, set aside some time to snuggle up with your little ones this week with some of these truly affectionately adorable and amusing tales that I am delighted to feature during the coming days.

Amelia Bedelia's First Valentine

     Amelia Bedelia's First Valentine is the second release from author Herman Parrish (who has continued to write new adventures of the literally minded yet lovable classic character created by his late aunt, Peggy Parrish) featuring a young Amelia Bedelia.
     As our tale begins, those all too familiar symbols of love are all around Amelia...she sees hearts in the skies, at her neighborhood park, and she even finds them in the plate filled that is filled with french fries!         Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and Amelia has lots to do before the big party at school.  She sets out completing the special cards that her teacher, Miss. Edwards, made for all of the students to decorate.  But, the cards make Amelia confused and she sets right out to fix them up... putting a bandage over the "Hi Heartbreaker" card, and tosses in peanuts with the "I'm Nuts 4 U!" card's envelope.  Amelia goes to bed later that night after her father has told her about the myth of Cupid and his arrows, and has a hilarious dream about Cupid, hearts and flying squirrels!
     Arriving at school the next morning, our sweetly energetic heroine is shattered when she discovers that she left her Valentine's Day cards at home.  Will she be able to think quickly on her feet?  And, will Cupid's arrows leave a surprise Valentine for her when she least expects it?

Amelia Bedelia's First Valentine
Written by Herman Parish & Pictures by Lynne Avril
Publisher:  Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Childrens (2009)
Website:  www.harpercollinschildrens.com
Retails for $6.99 (Softcover)
ISBN: 978-0-06-154460-6
For ages 4 thru 8
Accelerated Reader Book Level: 3.2
Accelerated Reader Quiz Points: 0.5

Set Sail on the High Seas with Riff Raff the Mouse Pirate's Adventures!

    Forgive me for not posting in a while, as life sometimes has an inconvenient habit of getting in the way things.  Life... and the harsh realities of how quickly time passes us by, have preoccupied much of my mind these past few weeks, as our family is in the process of finding a new school for our son to attend next year as a freshman in high school.  A freshman.  For my husband and I, those words seem so difficult to comprehend.  For, as far as the two of us are concerned, even though an very tall, handsome, smart young man stands beside us, all we can see in our minds, and in our hearts, is our little boy.
      So,  I am sure that you can understand how I have found myself seeking solace in all things that remind me of a time, not too long ago, when my 'almost freshman' was still a little one.  Times such as when,  despite his small size at the tender age of four, how he would trudge around the house (and in bathroom, and into the car, and in the shopping cart in the grocery store.... you get the picture!) wearing his worn pirate hat that we brought home straight from the shop outside of his favorite ride, the Pirates of the Caribbean, at Walt Disney World, and clutching his pirate sword.   With a quiet, yet strong sense of determination, quite like author Susan Schade's adorably swashbuckling, cheese-loving Captain Riff Raff in Riff Raff, the Mouse Pirate (as well as one of his latest follow-up adventures, Riff Raff Sails the High Cheese), he too, never let his size get in the way of all the adventures that his growing imagination would take him too.

As our first tale, Riff Raff, the Mouse Pirate,  begins, we are introduced to Captain Riff Raff and members of the loyal crew of the aptly titled, Sea Cat--- Cheddar, Munster, Swiss, and Colby.  But, two mates are missing---Blue and Brie! Just as they are about to set out a search party, Blue and Brie quickly rush in, clutching a tattered treasure map. As they spread out the map to try to see where their treasure awaits them, Captain Riff Raff and his mateys are quite displeased to see that an important part of the map has been, well...nibbled away!  Little Brie admits the deed, as the tantalizing aroma and taste of ketchup was just too hard to resist.  With the map patched up, the mice realize that there are still words missing from the name of a street featured above the drawing of the treasure box.  Which street could it be?  Join the mice on this first voyage of the Sea Cat as they sail across the seas beneath the sewers of the city in search of the missing treasure.

Our second tale, Riff Raff Sails the High Cheese, catches us up with Captain Riff Raff and his trusty crew, who are dealing with, horror of horrors.... the theft of their big cheese! As they set out to retrieve their missing cheese, they soon realize with the help of their friend, Ali the Gator, that a word that sounds like "hat", is where their cheese has been taken.  Embarking on a voyage through the waters of the underground sewer pipes, Captain Riff Raff and his devoted mice travel to "Roly-Poly-Mat", only to find that the little bugs of the same name living underneath a shaggy "Welcome" mat haven't seen their cheese.  Soon, they realize that their beloved cheese has been taken to, shudder the thought....the dreaded Cat Island!  Will Captain Riff Raff and his tried-and-true crew mates of the Sea Cat ever get their stolen bounty back again?
       Both tales, which are filled not only with the lively, rhyming text which will assist your little ones in developing their reading and vocabulary strength, but best of all, are loaded with whimsical adventures as your little pirates-in-training (and you!)  will delight in trying to help the mice decode the mysteries of the hidden treasures!

Riff Raff the Mouse Pirate (I Can Read! Reading 2 With Help)
Written by Susan Schade & Pictures by Anne Kennedy
Publisher: Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Childrens (2012)
Website: www.harpercollinschildrens.com
ISBN: 978-0-06-230508-4
Retails for $16.99 (Hardcover)
For ages 4 thru 8

Riff Raff Sails the High Cheese (I Can Read!  Reading 2 With Help)
Written by Susan Schade & Pictures by Anne Kennedy
Publisher:  Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Childrens (2012)
Website: www.harpercollinschildrens.com
ISBN: 978-0-06-23-509-1
Retails for $3.99 (Softcover)
For ages 4 thru 8

Insightful Tips on Fostering a Love for Reading with Your Pre-Schooler

     Delighted to share this insightful post that I recently came across from Penguin Random House Kids' Brightly blog filled with tips on encouraging a love of reading with your pre-schooler!
 http://www.readbrightly.com/encourage-love-of-reading-preschoolers/

National Readathon Day is Fast Approaching!

     Get ready to make #timetoread with your little ones on Saturday, January 24th for National Readathon Day.  Please click and share on the link to learn more on how you can participate!  bit.ly/1y5Z7ru

New Year, New Changes, and New Little One's.... A New Chick for Chickies by Janee Trasler

     Hello 2015!  It's so hard to believe how quickly another new year has come upon us all once again!  A new year that is filled with the promise of new beginnings, and for many people in my life, new little additions that will soon  make their anxiously awaited arrivals in the coming months.  If you are expecting new additions to your family, where there are older siblings involved, it is important to take the time leading up to your new baby's arrival to help make the adjustment a little bit easier for everyone involved.
      Stories, such as author/illustrator Janee Trasler latest "Chickies" picture/board book, A New Chick for Chickies, can help to provide your soon-to-be little 'big' ones with an outlet to ask questions, voice their concerns and open the doors to express their feelings, just as the lovable little chickies do in this sweet story.

     As our tale begins, life was going very good for the chickies, until one very fateful day when a small little egg  decided to crack.  Instantly, the little chickies are introduced to their new baby brother, and they soon learn from the adult critters in their lives (the pig joyfully can now add on to his conga line, and the sheep is thrilled to add another player to her band) that having a new chick join the family can bring many new adventures and a lot of joy.
     With a cute twist of an ending, and filled with engaging rhymes and adorable illustrations, A New Chick for Chickies is not only a welcome addition to Trasler's delightful series, but it would make a lovely gift for anyone expecting a new arrival to their family.


A New Chick for Chickies
Written and Illustrated by Janee Trasler
Publisher:  Harper Festival, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers (2014)
Website:  www.harpercollinschildres.com
Retails for $8.99
ISBN: 978-0-06-227471-7

Tales of Tradition, Thanks and yes, Turkey!

   

It's that time of year again---- Thanksgiving is truly a special time where your little ones can learn all about the importance of sharing, showing compassion for others and gratitude.  The stories like the ones spotlighted below hopefully will act as the springboard for discussions on a whole host of Thanksgiving subjects--the importance of our country's history, responsibility and the strength of family.
       Wishing you and your little ones everywhere a Happy Thanksgiving!

Sarah Morton's Day:  A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl
      Join a young Pilgrim girl throughout the course of her day, which your little ones will soon see is very unlike their life.  Sarah Morton was a real life Pilgrim who was born in Holland during 1618.   At the age of five, Sarah, her mother, father, sister and two brothers traveled from England to America, landing on the shores of Plymouth, Massachusetts during the summer of 1623.  
     Sarah Morton's Day, as well as the accompanying books in this series which include Samuel Eaton's Day (which follows the life of a Pilgrim boy), On the Mayflower and Tapenum's Day (a day in the life of a young Native American boy) are truly well-researched, with photographic depictions of the children wearing authentic clothing, living in a historic reproduction of the style of homes, furniture and other items of that time which makes children feel as if they are actually right there alongside Sarah as she goes about her life in our nation's first colony.  As your little ones will see, life was extremely difficult for all the Pilgrims, most especially for young Sarah, between helping to prepare all of the daily meals, milking the cows, churning for hours to make butter, school work and cleaning. Each of these four stories in this series are ones that we turn to every year at school to provide our Third, Fourth and Fifth graders with a "day-in-the-life" depiction.

Sarah Morton's Day:  A Day in the Life of a Pilgrim Girl
Written by Kate Waters & Photographs by Russ Kendall
Publisher:  Scholastic Bookshelf (Reprint, 2008)
ISBN: 978-0439812207
For grades 1 thru 5
Retails for $5.71 (Softcover)

Balloons Over Broadway-The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade
     Being born and raised on Long Island, New York, Thanksgiving morning meant two things--- the joy that my senses felt waking up to the sounds of my grandmother cooking in the kitchen, with the delicious combination of the scent of roasting turkey and stuffing coming upstairs, and the thrill of turning on WNBC Channel 4 to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade to check out all the familiar and new balloons that have become a hallmark of this 90 year-old tradition.
      Author/Illustrator Melissa Sweet's Balloons Over Broadway, recently brought all my childhood memories back while on a search of our bookshelves for Thanksgiving-themed books to display on our front desk in the media center.  This delightful tale tells the story of Tony Sarg, the developer of the majestic balloons that have graced the parade since their debut back in 1928.  While working for the famous retailer Macy's, Tony's artistic talents were put to good use for their decorative window displays.  One day, when parade organizers realized that the live animals that were featured in the annual parade were scaring some of the children, Tony put his creative experience designing marionettes together to help to come up with a new feature for the parade.  Collaborating with a balloon blimp company, the aerial floats were born!  Balloons Over Broadway will show your little ones just how far the power of persistence and imagination can take them in life.

Balloons Over Broadway
Written & Illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Publisher:  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers (2011)
ISBN: 9780547199450
For ages 4 to 8
Retails for $15.00 (Hardcover)

The Berenstain Bears Thanksgiving All Around (A Lift-The-Flap Book!)
     I couldn't let my Thanksgiving spotlight pass without including this newest book featuring my all-time favorite bear family, The Berenstain Bears!  Thanksgiving time has arrived once again in Bear Country, and as our tale begins, Papa, Mama, Sister, Brother and Honey Bear are taking advantage of the cool, crisp Fall air to discover all the signs of the season around them during a family walk.  Cleverly designed with lift-the-flaps, your little ones will delight in joining along with the Berenstain family as they follow the tracks left by a large turkey which lead to Farmer Ben's farm.  Bright autumn colored leaves guide the path towards the deliciously yummy smells of pumpkin pie drifting from Mrs. Ben's kitchen.  All of the sights, sounds and smells of Thanksgiving delight the family as they search for Mr. Turkey.  Will they finally catch up with him?

The Berenstain Bears Thanskgiving All Around (A Lift-The-Flap Book!)
Written & Illustrated by Mike Berenstain
Publisher:  HarperFestival, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Website:  www.harpercollinschildren.com
ISBN: 9780062075611
For ages 4 to 8
Retails for $6.99 (Softcover)

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