New Schedule – Making a Picture Book with Your Child

 

MAKING A PICTURE BOOK WITH YOUR CHILD

If your child is pre-reading but beginning to “pretend” read or a beginning reader, she is ready for copycat books. Here’s an example.

My just turned four granddaughter had memorized Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Eric Carle. Highly recommended if you are unfamiliar with it.

Together, we found free colouring pictures of other animals on the internet.

I printed them on 8″ X 14″ paper, landscape format. I didn’t try to print them on both sides of the paper as it often shows through regular printing paper and the spatial logistics are really complicated. Use two columns.

On the right type something similar to “Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see?” Put the colouring picture below. Leave an extra large space on the right of the text to have room for stitching.

On the left INDENT TWO EXTRA TABS to make room for stitching. Type something similar to “I see a yellow duck looking at me.”

I folded the pages down the middle and sewed them together to make a realistic book.

I taped the spine top reinforce the stiching. I glued the blank backs together.

Here’s  the cover. I should have capitalized all the words.

Below is the first page. I started with the child and ended with the child creating a circular story but you can start with an animal. I used rainbow girl because she loves colorful clothes but you can use the child’s name instead.

Here are the second and third pages. I recommend no more than 7-8 animals.

Notice that the color word is printed in the color the child needs to use. Keep it fun. Don’t fret about coloring skills.

The last page should feature your child. You can post a photo or have the child draw herself. Kayleigh is going to draw herself in colorful clothing.

Buddy read with your child. Point to each word as you read it aloud. Then have the child do it for you. Don’t get too concerned with pointing to the exact word at the beginning just make sure she is pointing from left to right. At first, stress the color words. Then focus on “looking” which has two open eyes “oo” and “see” which has two partly open eyes “ee.” After that is mastered focus on the animal’s name, then the rest of the words. Keep it light and fun. Progress at the child’s speed. Don’t persist if she becomes bored or frustrated. Have fun.

Because this blog is taking so much of my writing time, I will no longer post on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Sundays – Recycled Humor Column

Monday – Book Review

Wednesday – Writer Interview or Book Review or Special Series

Friday – Book Review

Saturday – Randomness

Please keep following, commenting, and sharing.

Bonnie Ferrante: Books For All Ages

 

 

 

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A Clever Variation – The Three Bears, An Alphabet Book by Grace Maccarone. Illustrated by Hollie Hibbert. Book Review.

Click here to buy The Three Bears ABC

This is an alphabet book that also tells the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. It begins, “A is for alphabets, and here it is.” The alphabet is superimposed on a tree. Then the story begins. “B is for bears. There were three Bears – Mama Bear, Papa Bear, and Baby Bear, who were in bed. Then Mama Bear made breakfast – big bowls of porridge. C is for cool. The Bears waited for the hot porridge to cool. So Papa put on his cap, Mama put on her cape, and Baby his coat.” And so it continues with examples on each page of words beginning with the featured letter.

The story follows the traditional tale. And in case you’re curious, “Z is for zipped. Goldilocks zipped back home as fast as her legs could carry her. And Z is for zany… Because it was that kind of day!”

I thought this was a clever retelling of the story. I think the child should be familiar with the tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and with the alphabet in order to get the full enjoyment out of it. Children three years old and up would enjoy it. Beginning readers, on the second time through, could help to find the other words that begin with the featured letter.

The illustrations done by Hollie Hibbert are double spread, cute, and bright. They remind me of Little Golden books illustrations. Interestingly, Goldilocks has brown eyes and brown skin and a whole lot of blonde hair. I especially liked Baby Bear. He would have made a cute stuffy.

This is a book that could be revisited as your child’s understanding of initial consonants improves.

As a retired teacher, my first thought was how much fun this would be to share with the class and then choose another simple folktale to turn into an alphabet tale. Then, as a writer, I wondered if it would be plagiarism to do it with a different story. Maccarone could actually do an entire series like this. Looking at the numerous books Grace Maccarone has written, I see she hasn’t repeated the idea. Maybe once was enough! She made it look easy but I know it isn’t. Maybe you could try it. Not me, I already have more book ideas than I have time to complete.

 

Ali the Inventor Saves the Garden! by Amire Makin. Book Review.

This was a unique and positive picture book. Ali is a boy who loves math and electronics and considers himself an engineer and inventor. He looks to be about 10 or 12 years old. Ali explains to the reader that electronics show how a thing really works. Math formulas solve electronic problems.

Allie goes out into the community to see who can he can help with his skills. He meets Mr. Maxwell whose vegetable garden is dying because the sprinkler system won’t work. Allie takes the electronic circuit board to his lab where he fixes it. While he works, he explains how to be safe using electronics. With the assistance of Mr. McCoy, he solves the timer problem using mathematics. This is pretty advanced formula work. Even though a child may not understand the math, they will be able to follow the story. Allie successfully repairs the sprinkler system.

The story ends:

“Friends, remember we used math to convert the time for minutes into seconds. We also used math to fix an electronic circuit so sprinkler system would work. Always use a grown-up when working with electronics. The ability to make a big difference is deep inside of you. Train your brain to solve problems in your neighborhood!”

I love that this young man showed how important, useful, and fun understanding math can be. He also demonstrated that we can use whatever our skills are to contribute to our society. He was socially engaged and responsible. This would be a great book to read to a child who says, “I’ll never use math in real life.”

The book showed people of diverse backgrounds. The illustrations were in the style of early comic books. Allie was a lovable protagonist, especially when he did his little victory dance.

Bonnie Ferrante: Books For All Ages

Extinction Chant Videos

For those parents, teachers, and children interested in raising awareness about the eminent extinction of polar bears, elephants, and more, I’ve written a rap/chant. There are two versions. This one has only the words.

This one has pictures.

You are free to use it in any non-commercial pro-conservation activity. Please provide a link back to this page or my youtube site.

Here are the words:

extinction

 

Down in the trees

Where the elephants roamed

We built a dam

And flooded their home

We took their tusks

for ivory keys

Made some do tricks

On painful knees

Now we must ask

Do we not realize

When the elephants die

They’ll be gone for good

 

Down on the plains

Where the rhinos ranged

We built a farm

And the land was changed

We took their horns

To make strange brews

And locked the calves

Inside of zoos.

Now we must ask

Do we not realize

When the rhinos die

They’ll be gone for good.

 

Up on the ice

Where the polar bears swim

We made it hot

And hard for them

To find ice floes

Where they can sit down

As they hunt for food.

But now they drown.

Now we must ask

Do we not realize

When all the bears die

They’ll be gone for good

 

Deep in the sea

Where the whales reside

We hunted them down

While their families cried

We chopped them up

For ribs and oil

We sold their meat

Causing great turmoil

Now we must ask

Do we not realize

When all the whales die

They’ll be gone for good

 

In the northern woods

Where the grey wolves howl

We trapped their legs

When they were on the prowl.

We stuffed their heads

And sold their skin

Now there’s so many deer

For us to thin

Now we must ask

Do we not realize

After all the wolves die

They’ll be gone for good

 

By the ocean shore

Where the starfish sleep

And the coral grows

The fish swim deep

We dragged our nets

Caught dolphins and more

Threw the dead waste in

Sank them to the floor

Now we must ask

Do we not realize

If the sea life dies

It’ll be gone for good

 

In the big cities

Where there’s always a crowd

And car horns honk

Everything is loud

We’ll be alone

No life to share

The earth with us

It’ll be all bare

Now we must ask

Do we not realize

After everything dies

It’ll be gone for good

 

So what can you do

If you’re just a child

To save the earth

And all things wild

Fight for life

You can begin

By living green

And being vegan

Now you must ask

Do they not realize

After everything dies

It’ll be gone for good

Gone for good

Gone for good

Bonnie Ferrante: Books For All Ages

My Videos for Kids, Parents and Teachers on Youtube Bonnie0904

https://www.youtube.com/user/Bonnie0904

Preschool to Kindergarten – counting to 5 for teachers and parents- Counting to 3 on the Cheap

Preschool to Kindergarten – counting to 5 for teachers and parents – Counting to 5 on the Cheap

Preschool to Grade 1 – counting for children – Sing to Ten and Down Again

Preschool to Grade 1 – counting, number recognition ideas for teachers and parents- Play and Learn with Number Mats

Preschool to Grade 1 – physical activity & more for children – Come On. Let’s Play.

Kindergarten – numbers, shapes, counting for children- Do You Believe in Fairies (not narrated)

Preschool to Grade 2 – classification of animals & more for teachers and parents – Educational Play with Animal Puzzle Mats

Kindergarten to Grade 3 – animal rescue, fractured folktale for children – The Gingerbread Man

Kindergarten to Grade 3 – (book read aloud) – focussing on the task at  hand, nutrition for children – Never Send Callie

Grade 1 to 3 – sound, a balanced life, problem solving – Too Quiet, Too Noisy 

Grade 1 – mixing paint colours – Mixing Colours

Grade 1 to 3 – human body for children – The Fascinating Sense of Taste

Grade 1 to 3 – human body for children – The Sense of Smell

(The other senses will be coming soon.)

Grade 1 to 2 – opposites for children – Opposites #1

Grade 1 to 2 – opposites for children – Opposites #2

Grade 1 to 3 – animal rescue, fractured folktale for children – Three Little Pigs are Rescued

Grade 1 to 3 – (book read aloud) worrying – Then the Tooth Fairy Won’t Come

Grade 1 to 3 – traditional fairytale with legos & graphics for children – The Snow Queen

Grade 2 to 4 -(book read aloud) gratitude brings happiness – Rayne Shines

Grade 2 to 4 – fractured fairytale told in rhyme with fashion dolls for children – The Real Princess (The Princess and the Pea)

If you would like me to create a video on a specific topic for children aged 1- 10, please leave a comment.

Bonnie Ferrante: Books For All Ages

Only in Canada! From the Colossal to the Kooky by Vivien Bowers. Book Review.

buy link – Only in Canada!: From the Colossal to the Kooky (Wow Canada!)

This hefty, nonfiction 95 page book has a humorous approach to engaging the reader. Scattered throughout the book are the narrators, a Canada goose and the moose, dressed in full clothing and making comments, some helpful and some silly.

There are six chapters in the book. The first is “Amazing Facts about How Canada Was Bashed, Pummelled, Scrunched, and Scraped into the Shape It’s in Today”. The humour and hyperbole draw the reader in to learn about tectonic plates, the Great Lakes, earthquakes, volcanoes, ice and more.

Chapter 2 is “Naturally and Wildly Canadian”. The author promises to share the “weird, intriguing, obnoxious, badly behaved, and utterly improbable plants and animals that exist in Canada.” I was not at all surprised to learn that Canada has one million square kilometers of muskeg.” Just try digging anywhere in my neighbourhood. I was surprised to learn puffins have a regular beak underneath their big fancy one, which they drop off after they win the female. Hmmm. Typical.

The only thing I must warn you about is if you need reading glasses, make sure you have them when you open this book. It is jampacked with tiny print. You won’t want to miss any of the fascinating facts and crazy tidbits. I had heard of Gray Owl but not Billy Miner or Two-gun Cohen. There’s even a paragraph about the lines down the middle of the road.

Chapter 3 focuses on the arrival of people. Chapter 4 is about Canada’s modern growth such as the canals, bridges, and buildings. Chapter 5 is about our weather. Yes it does deserve an entire chapter of its own. Chapter 6 is about interesting Canadians and I’m sure you’ll find some you’ve never heard of before.

This is a fun and informative book that may engage children (and adults) in Canadiana who otherwise would not be interested.

Bonnie Ferrante: Books For All Ages

Canada Celebrates Multiculturalism by Bobby Kalman. The Lands, Peoples, and Cultures Series. Book Review.

Canada Celebrates Multiculturalism (Lands, Peoples, & Cultures) buy link

The topics covered in this nonfiction book are:

• Beginnings of multiculturalism
• Celebrating Canada’s history
• Heritage days
• Caribana
• Cross-cultural festivals
• Harvest festivals
• Christmas customs
• New year celebrations
• Religion
• Holidays
• Family days
• Festivals
• Recipes

It also Includes a Glossary and an Index.

This is a lot of things to tackle in such a small book of 32 pages. Basically, it just whets the appetite.

The beginnings of multiculturalism is a two-page spread, three-quarters of which is a photograph. In the text bar there is a short paragraph written on native cultures, French and British, more people came, and celebrating multiculturalism. At the bottom, in italics, is a caption for the picture that reads, “Many cultures can be found in Canada. People in this picture represent the Native, German, Ukrainian, Filipino, and Engine populations in Canada. Can you identify them by their costumes?” I’m not sure about the other cultures, but First Nations people do not like their regalia to be called a costume. This is a disrespectful term.

In the “Celebrating Canada’s history”, there are paragraphs on Canada Day, Victoria day, Labor Day, and Remembrance Day. It does mention the alternative holiday celebrated by the French Canadians in Quebec. There is a small text box below the fireworks picture and a sketch about Louis Riel. It is entitled “remembering a hero.”

Under heritage days, the author gives a short blurb on the powwow. The entire second part of the two-page spread is about African Canadians. Turn the page and you’ll find paragraphs on the national Ukrainian Festival, Fete National, Festival du Voyageur, Klondike Days, Oktoberfest, Highland games, and Icelandic Festival. The entire next double-page spread is devoted Caribana.

Under harvest vegetables, Canadian Thanksgiving is described. The Green Festival celebrated by the Iroquois, harvest fall fairs, and the wild rice harvest by the Algonquin, Cree, and Ojibwa are explained. There is a flashback about the order of good cheer. A short paragraph explains the Chinese Moon Festival.

For such a short book, it shares a great of information on unfamiliar holidays. Well worth a read or for stocking your class library.

Bonnie Ferrante: Books For All Ages

buy link American Girl – Beforever Josefina – Josefina’s Festival Outfit for 18-inch Dolls

buy link Fall Leaf Window Clings (4 Sheets with 10 Stickers Each – Total of 40 Stickers)

buy link – Amscan Festive Kwanzaa Celebration Table Cover, Multicolor, 54″ x 102″

buy link – 25 Fortune Teller Fish, Old Time Party Favorite

buy link – Marionette Style Puppet – Chinese New Year Dragon – For Play or Display Any Time of Year! by Asia Overstock

Ride the Big Machines Across Canada. Illustrated by Carmen Mok. Book Review.

Ride The Big Machines Across Canada

This is a thick, hefty board book. It begins “I’m going on a trip from sea to sea. How will I do it? Come ride with me!” We see a little boy lying on the lawn playing with a toy car over a map of Canada. His parents are loading an RV in the background.

On each double-page spread, the child participates in an activity. “I’ll run a gondola up the mountain high.” It’s British Colombia in the picture but it isn’t entirely clear until you realize that each page has a unobtrusive flag of the province and he is literally going to travel from sea to sea.

“I’ll drive a hauler as high as the sky!” Here we see the child driving an actual dump truck! On the next page he is steering the combine as he harvests the wheat. On the page after that he’s driving a train. Obviously, this is imaginary and should be explained to toddlers.

It isn’t until we get to “I’ll operate a crane in Montréal!” that the actual city is mentioned.

All the provinces are covered from west to east. You might need to have a resource handy in case you forget which provincial flag is which. It does go in order though, most of the flags are recognizable even though they are tiny, and the activity in which the child participates is a good clue too. So, I wouldn’t worry too much about it.

Although this is a board book, it would certainly fit in nicely with a primary classroom. This is a fun and imaginative introduction to the diversity of Canada’s provinces. Kids who like big machines will really enjoy this approach.

Follow-up activity:

Parents and teachers could have fun tracing the child’s trip across a map of Canada.

If you have access to a photocopier, I thought it would be cool to photocopy the pictures blocking out the child. Your child can then draw himself or herself in that spot. If you have a big map, you could then cut out the part of the picture featuring your child  on the big machine and tack it up on the map of Canada.

Painless Learning Canada Map Placemat

Canada Placemat

MasterPieces Puzzle Company Canada Map Jigsaw Puzzle (60-Piece)

Bonnie Ferrante: Books For All Ages

Good Morning, Canada by Andrea Lynn Beck. Book Review.

Good Morning, Canada

The double-page spread illustrations in this book are soft and inviting. It features racially diverse children in various Canadian environments and activities.

The story is told in rhyme which, thankfully, holds up quite well. It reads aloud smoothly. The rhyming is never awkward or forced.

It begins with two boys high up on a ladder looking across the map of Canada. The words read, “Where are you out there?… Good morning, Canada!

The next page reads, “Good morning, beaver.” Two little girls, who are camping, peek out from behind a tree. Five beavers chew sticks beside an impressive lodge. In the background are two moose and a red canoe. I especially love the fact that the children are tenting.

Featured throughout the book are moose, Canadian geese, kayaks and canoes, loonies and toonies, hockey, tobogganing, Mounties, maple syrup, and fields of wheat. Although it does not feature every Canadian activity or special environment, it shares just enough of the classics with a child to give them a taste of the variety and richness of our country.

This is a wonderful book to share with a preschooler or primary student. Parents and teachers alike will enjoy the conversations that rise from the illustrations. Adults are sure to have a story prompted by most of the pictures. I have several stories of being accidentally (?) dunked by my husband when we were embarking or docking our canoe.

Click on the book covers for more information or to buy the book.

  

Bonnie Ferrante: Books For All Ages

All Fall Down: The Landslide Diary of Abby Roberts – Frank, District of Alberta, 1902 by Jean Little. Book Review.

Jean Little is a national treasure. Her body of work is phenomenal and this is up there with the best of them. You don’t have to be Canadian to enjoy this book, or the series, which is told in diary format.

The story of the landslide that buried part of the town in the coal mining area of Alberta, Canada, is told through the eyes of a young girl, Abby. Her father has recently died and her family has moved to Frank to live with relatives who run a hotel. The family dynamics are as complex and intriguing as real life drama. Abby, is a sensitive and loving child, the only one of her siblings willing to care for her Down Syndrome brother. The story is told through her diary entries.

This moment in Canadian history is relatively unknown by people living outside of Western Canada. The book is based on the true events and the deaths and near misses resulting from the landslide are taken from actual historical incidents. There are black and white photographs at the back of the book which show the size and extent of the mountain’s partial collapse. An explanation is given in the afterword as to the possible causes of the enormous landslide.

This book is both an engaging story of a family around the turn of the century and a stunning example of the power of nature. Abby, and her family, are based on a number of people Jean Little researched. Although it is written for tween readers, anyone from 9 to 90 will be intrigued by the story and touched by the impact of this tragedy on the community and individuals.

This book is part of the Dear Canada series which features a number of remarkable books. Some speak of heroism and sacrifice while some examine our most shameful moments.

Bonnie Ferrante: Books For All Ages