Showing posts with label Rhyme. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rhyme. Show all posts

Mother Goose Day - May 1st


Although primarily celebrated in the US, Mother Goose Day on Sunday, 1st May celebrates the poems and rhymes that have delighted children across the globe. A growing understanding of the importance of rhythm and rhyme in reading development means it is never too early to share classics like 'Little Bo Peep' and 'Baa, Baa, Black Sheep.' An anthology of favorite Mother Goose selections, Mother Goose Remembers, is the perfect collection to celebrate the nursery rhymes that have become a literary staple for children. 

About The Book:

Mother Goose Remembers

Enjoy the rhythms and cozy warmth of the forty-six nursery rhymes in this nostalgic collection. This treasured gift book features a feather from the plumage of Mother Goose hidden on every page, waiting to be found by youngsters. Book with CD edition includes songs and rhymes performed by Caroline Butler, Charles Spicer, Nick Hooper and Dave Townsend.
For babies to 5 years
Illustrated By: Clare Beaton
Sung By: Caroline Butler


Purchase this hardcover book for $19.99 at
http://ladyd.barefootbooks.com
 
So, what's Mother Goose Day all about?


Purpose: To re-appreciate the old nursery rhymes.
Motto: "Either alone or in sharing, read childhood nursery favorites and feel the warmth of Mother Goose's embrace."
 
Mother Goose Day was founded in 1987 by Gloria T. Delamar in tandem with the publication of her book, Mother Goose; From Nursery to Literature (MFarland Pub.). The day is now listed in many calendars of events and celebrated throughout the United States. It has been noted by municipalities, a cereal producer, banks, etc. and has a particular appeal to Kindergarten-Primary grades, libraries, and nursing homes.


Visit the official Mother Goose Society Website, filled with information on the 'real' Mother Goose and some fun ways to celebrate Mother Goose Day.

Here's an example of what you'll find.

"Fingerplays have traditionally played an important role in education: they help teach rhythm, muscle control, and language. They can also teach good character, provide information about certain subjects, and even be useful as subtle disciplinary diversions.
This truly is "talking with your hands," for the story is illustrated by hand positions and movements.
The most basic form of fingerplay is the familiar counting-off of fingers (or toes!); others engage the hands more fully, and some even involve the whole body."

So, how will you celebrate Mother Goose Day? 


1. Will you go to a parade?

As a child, I have fond memories of attending the Mother Goose Parade. What joy to see the floats and marching bands. Here's some info on that.
Mother Goose Parade: El Cajon, California is traditionally held the Sunday before Thanksgiving and is the second largest parade in the state. Attended annually by half a million people, the three mile parade route spans a two-hour period. El Cajon celebrated its 47th annual "gift to children" in November of 1993. For information call the Mother Goose Parade Association at 619-444-8712. 

2. Will you eat curds and whey? 


Boil: 12 cups fresh water, 6 cups instant dry milk powder, 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups white vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let stand. Pour the mixture over a bowl with a paper towel on top. Curds are the cheese part and whey is the milky part. 

3. Will you draw Mother goose pictures? 


Nursery Rhyme and Fairy Tale Coloring Pages

 Do you have a favorite nursery rhyme? Here's a few:










All the best,
-- LadyD


Board Books and Fabric Balls, Oh My!

 I wanted to introduce you to 2 of my favorite, very popular board books for babies.





Clare Beaton’s Action Rhymes

Small children love to act out simple rhymes! This collection features classic favorites like Incy Wincy Spider, Pat-a-Cake and One Potato, Two Potato in a sturdy board book format that is ideal for sharing with babies and toddlers.
For babies to 4 years
Illustrated By: Clare Beaton
In Stock: 11/29/10


 Stop by my marketplace to see more lovely felt images by Clare Beaton with Board Books for Toddlers

Another board book from Barefoot Books that is on the top of my list for my new granddaughter is:

Clare Beaton’s Nursery Rhymes

Featuring seven classic nursery favorites like Humpty Dumpty, Little Bo Peep and Hey Diddle Diddle, this sturdy board book format is ideal for sharing with babies and toddlers.
For babies to 4 years
Illustrated By: Clare Beaton







You can view and order more at Board Books for Kids
Board Books are priced at $6.99




So, I busily went through all my fabric scraps and started sewing fabric balls for babies. I made them in 3 sizes; small, medium and large. Trust me when I say, they are so easy to make!




 To pick up a free pattern and to learn how to sew these cute fabric beach balls, visit The Purl Bee

 http://www.purlbee.com/fabric-beach-balls/

Photo Credit: http://www.purlbee.com


“You can’t get a cup of tea big enough or a book long enough to suit me.” — C. S. Lewis Amplify

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

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Paper Mache Cow

A Holstein dairy cow with prominent udder and ...Image via Wikipedia

Cow
Originally uploaded by LadyD_Barefoot Books

This paper mache cow stands in the art center directly across from our farmer's market. It reminds me of another favorite board book of mine written by Stella Blackstone and illustrated by Clare Beaton called "There's a Cow in the Cabbage Patch." This children's book is perfect for ages 1-4, those young ones who are not gentle with book pages yet.
There's a Cow in the Cabbage Patch
Tour the farmyard and help all of the animals find their way to their rightful spots in this topsy turvy jaunt. Rhyme and repetition complement the story of a farm full of animals that are each exploring another's home.

Ages 1 to 4 years

Written By: Stella Blackstone

Illustrated By: Clare Beaton

My Daughter's Review: Silly Farm Animals

Easy to read, Animals, Educational, Colorful, Humor, Great illustrations, farm, fabric, rhyming

"The rhyming text and repetition in this book make it a favorite read aloud choice at storytimes. Children love making the different noises of each farm animal and seeing the mischief they get into as they end up in another animal's area on the farm. The farm map at the end of the book is a great vehicle for revisiting the farm vocabulary introduced in the story. I especially love the horse's and donkey's teeth! Clare Beaton has a terrific sense of humor!"

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It's not just the cow that's gone astray in Blackstone's (Bear on a Bike; Bear in a Square) mixed-up barnyard. Not one of the animals is where it should be: "There's a pig in the henhouse, with piglets pink and new./ They should be in the pigsty, what shall we do?" But the couple who runs the farm have a solution: "Tell them all it's dinnertime, then it won't be long/ 'til all these naughty animals are back where they belong!" Stitchery wizard Beaton (Mother Goose Remembers) seems right at home from the opening pages. Shedding the tableaux feel of her earlier work, she displays an almost cinematic aesthetic here, composing and cropping her remarkable appliqu‚s of felt, buttons and beads to capture the comic havoc of the farmyard denizens. What's more, the meticulous beauty of her work finds the ideal showcase in the book's full-bleed, double-page spreads. Ages 6 mos.-4 yrs. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

PreS-Exciting, eye-catching illustrations and rollicking, rhyming text follow a "cow in the cabbage patch, moo, moo, moo-" that "should be in the dairy, what shall we do?" Beaton's whimsical illustrations prepared in felt and cotton with beads and buttons follow two farmers who push the cow to the dairy, but find a dove destined for the birdhouse, and an owl in the birdhouse that ought to be in the old barn, and so on. The tale continues until it's dinnertime and "all these naughty animals are back where they belong!" Large shapes and bright colors will satisfy even those in the back row of a group. Pair this with Doreen Cronin's Click, Clack, Moo (S & S, 2000), Margaret Wise Brown's Big Red Barn (HarperCollins, 1965), and Wong Herbert Yee's Mrs. Brown Went to Town (Houghton, 1996) for a super storytime.-Debbie Stewart, Grand Rapids Public Library, MI
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
There's a Cow in the Cabbage Patch
Did you know that some farmers play music to relax their cows in order to increase milk production?!
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Large Board Books for Babies and Toddlers

 There are four wonderful children's board books that I recommend for gift giving. They are large board books that are called lap books.
1. I Took The Moon for A Walk
 

I Took the Moon for a Walk

Embark on a dreamy, nighttime jaunt with a young boy and the moon. Overcoming a fear of the dark and discovering the world at night lives at the heart of this poetic tale. Includes notes about the moon and plants and animals that thrive in the wee hours.
Ages 1 to 7 years
Written By: Carolyn Curtis
Illustrated By: Alison Jay
Price: $14.99

2. I Spy the Sun in the Sky


I Spy the Sun in the Sky

Set sail for a distant island with a young boy in search of a friend in this I-spy adventure. The rhyme and repetition encourage easy learning, and the surprise at the end will delight young readers.
Ages 1 to 4 years
Written By: Stella Blackstone
Illustrated By: Nicoletta Ceccoli
Price: $14.99

3. Listen, Listen
 

Listen, Listen

Listen to all the wonderful sounds of the seasons. Birds chirp, leaves crunch, fires crackle and seagulls squawk in the rhythmic verse that features iconic images and sounds for each season of the year. Includes end section with fun hide and seek spreads for each season.
Ages 1 to 7 years
Written By: Phillis Gershator
Illustrated By: Alison Jay
Price: $14.99 


4. You and Me


 

You and Me

Imagine yourself in a variety of situations along with the boy and girl in this simple rhyming text. As they play an imaginary game of opposites and contrasts, the children explore valleys and hills, light and dark, and hot and cold, but find that in the end, it's best when "You're you, and I'm me."
Ages 1 to 4 years
Written By: Stella Blackstone
Illustrated By: Giovanni Manna
Price: $14.99 


You can order books on my site:
http://ladyd.barefootbooks.com

Take off your shoes and go barefoot!
LadyD
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You and Me by Stella Blackstone and Giovanni Manna

You and Me

Imagine yourself in a variety of situations along with the boy and girl in this simple rhyming text. As they play an imaginary game of opposites and contrasts, the children explore valleys and hills, light and dark, and hot and cold, but find that in the end, it's best when "You're you, and I'm me." 
Ages 1 to 4 years
Written By: Stella Blackstone
Illustrated By: Giovanni Manna
 livingbarefoot says:



Opposites Attract! I LOVE this book!
Easy to read, Well-written, Colorful, Bedtime, Great illustrations

This is so much more than a book of opposites. It sends a loving message that what sets us apart from one another is also what makes us compatible. I love how the two children, on opposing pages for each set of opposites, are always looking at each other from across the binding of the book. You and Me is also a book about imagination, as it personifies shapes, weather, animals, and states of being. In the end, the comforting message is about our individuality and friendship.
Giovanni Manna's illustrations make this a perfectly dreamy book! Snuggle up!
 LadyD says:


The words on the pages are so very simple to read but the over all concept of opposites is brilliant! Plus each sturdy, durable page has a detailed border encompassing gorgeous detailed pictures of rich colors to see. You and Me is a very special picture book that will captivate pre-school audiences but will also attract plenty of adult fans, too. This sweet book makes a perfect gift for all. Enjoy celebrating the differences in the story line while reading this beautiful lap book together! 

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

A joyful celebration of contrasts and wordplay, You and Me explores opposites through a make-believe game. A boy and girl take turns transforming themselves into contrasting concepts and creatures. "I'm a valley/You're a hill/You're moving/I'm still." The children place themselves in their imaginary environments, depicted in Giovanni Manna's very pretty, almost old-fashioned watercolors. Each page with its illustrated concept is framed in an enchanting border with related objects scattered about. For example, when the girl says "I'm a river," she stands in a swirling river with ducks, rushes, and a crab nearby. Surrounding her in the border is a waterfall cascading down the length of the page, with river rocks in a pool beneath. Children will enjoy the fantasy of this book and be inspired to go beyond the text in their own opposites game. The simple, rhyming verse is perfect for reading aloud to even the smallest children, as it never varies from its lilting pattern, concluding with the very satisfying and esteem-boosting "You're you/And I'm me." (Ages 2 to 6) --Emilie Coulter --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

From Publishers Weekly

Manna (Someone I Like) makes the most of Blackstone's (Bear in a Square; Bear About Town) deceptively simple text in a playful exploration of opposites. He creates a stage of sorts, for a boy and girl who perform each couplet. For "I'm a circle,/ You're a square," the left-hand page features a girl in a red dress striking a "ta-da" pose, encircled by a ring of blue on a yellow background; Manna then frames her in a border of geometric shapes cast in an array of colors. Meanwhile, on the right-hand page, the boy looks over at her, a red square behind him, with a similar border of geometric shapes. For "I'm a valley/ You're a hill," the girl, lying in the lower left-hand corner of her framed vignette, looks across the gutter at the boy perched on a hilltop that rivals those pictured in Saint-Exup?ry's The Little Prince. A few of the antonyms in the narrative are a stretch (tiger/bear and tree/flower), but Manna's delicate, penumbral watercolors retain a timeless, fairytale quality, depicting enchanted forests populated by castles and towers; the scenery underscores the feeling of the boy and girl playing various parts in their own imaginative play. The audience will appreciate Manna's theatrical approach to wordplay. Ages 2-6. (Aug.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

This is a very sweet lap book that makes a special gift for Valentine's Day!
Visit my market place:
http://ladyd.barefootbooks.com 


 Take off your shoes and go barefoot!
LadyD
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The Sounds Around Town

 

The Sounds Around Town

Follow a baby throughout the day, listening to all the sounds of life in the city. The colorful spreads are adorned with sound words to try out, and the rhyming text uses repetition for easy learning.
Ages 1 to 7 years
Written By: Maria Carluccio

The day has just begun, and there are all kinds of sounds to listen to: the drip drip of the coffee maker
the beep beep of taxis, the coo coo of pigeons and lots more throughout the day.


What kind of sounds can you hear around town?




Maria Carluccio has studied art all over the world and has also taught drawing and illustration at the Academy of Art in San Francisco. She comes from a creative background - her mother was an artist and her father was a lawyer and writer.


Maria finds her inspiration in everything around her, from the knick-knacks she collects in flea markets to scraps of interesting paper she finds on the streets. She lives in New York with her husband, their daughter, and their dog and cat. This is her second project for Barefoot, following Skip through the Seasons (2004)
Was 16.99 Now 12.99 till Jan.31, 2010
http://ladyd.barefootbooks.com
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Book Review: Starlight Sailor by James Mayhew and Jackie Morris

I received a lovely package in the mail from my Daughter the other day. Inside the box I found four lovely hardcover Barefoot Books! What a delightful surprise and I jumped into reading Starlight Sailor by Jackie Mayhew and Jackie Morris right away!


Product Description

Award-winning artist Jackie Morris' dream-like illustrations provide an enchanting interpretation of James Mayhew's lyrical poem as a young boy and his dog set sail to distant lands in the enchanting dream landscape, where singing mermaids, majestic whales and flying dragons are brought to life by the lilting, rhyming prose and ethereal illustrations. This book includes instructions on how to make your own paper boat. 

About the Author

James Mayhew is an author and artist based in Hertfordshire. He starts his art workshops for children by telling them a story then asking them to illustrate the story, guiding them on the style of dress and architecture of the period. James has illustrated Shakespeare's Storybook (PB + 2 CDs: 9781905236855) and Stories from the Opera (PB + 2: 9781846860973) for Barefoot Books. Jackie Morris has illustrated several books for Barefoot, including The Barefoot Book of Classic Poems (HB: 9781905236558). She lives and works in Pembrokeshire, Wales

Product Details

  • Reading level: Ages 4-8
  • Hardcover: 24 pages
  • Publisher: Barefoot Books; 1 edition (November 1, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1846861853
  • ISBN-13: 978-1846861857
 About The Book:


Starlight Sailor is a wonderful story. The soft rhyming tells a lovely, dreamy tale and opens with:
"Star light, star bright,
 First star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight."

The illustrations are magical - a timeless classic! 
You'll see blue whales, bluebirds, knights and kings along this journey of fantasy and pretend. Even the red and gold dragon is a nice gentle dragon, flying here and there, taking children everywhere! The starfish and mermaids singing their lullaby are sure to put any young child fast to sleep. So dream on little ones of flying fish dancing in the sky! A perfect bedtime book!


This beautiful book is currently on sale til January 31, 2010. It was $16.99 now $12.99
Visit my marketplace to order:
Dena's Book Nook
Along the same lines, I'm presently reading a very cool book that I haven't been able to put down... it's that good... in fact it's great! Perhaps you would like to take a peek:
http://www.laurasepesi.com/
Happy Reading,
LadyD
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Skip Through the Seasons and Sounds Around Town: large-format board books

 Barefoot books has new large-format board books available!

Skip Through the Seasons

Jump into January and dance all throughout the rest of the year. This rhyming, seek-and-find book of months features plenty of seasonal objects on each page for readers to point out. Educational endnotes include facts about different calendars, seasons and days of the week.
Ages 1 to 7 years
Written By: Stella Blackstone
Illustrated By: Maria Carluccio
Ambassador Review:


"This book is so much more than the title would suggest. Of course it teaches your children about the four seasons, but it is also a lovely rhythmic tale about the months of the year. Along the bottom of each page there are twelve objects that children can search for in the beautiful illustrations. This book can be a quick "just one more book" bedtime read or an endless source of entertainment waiting for a doctor's appointment. If that wasn't enough, there are five pages of educational end-notes that detail the origins of the names of the months, changing of the seasons, calendars from different cultures through the ages, and days of the week in six languages."
Was $16.99 Now $12.99 


The Sounds Around Town

Follow a baby throughout the day, listening to all the sounds of life in the city. The colorful spreads are adorned with sound words to try out, and the rhyming text uses repetition for easy learning.
Ages 1 to 7 years
Written By: Maria Carluccio
Was $16.99 Now $12.99 
To view more illustrations in these books, visit my marketplace:
http://ladyd.barefootbooks.com

 
Here in California we've had warm days with palm trees swaying in the breeze. So the only sound we've heard  lately is birds chirping and bees buzzing! How about you? What sounds have you been listening to where you are?


All the best,
LadyD
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Review: Bear On A Bike by Stella Blackstone


Bear on a Bike
Join Bear as he tries out different forms of transport and has an adventure with each one. Rhyme and repetition support the learning layers of travel and transportation, as Bear travels in a raft, a rocket ship, a boat, a bike, a steam train, and a carriage.




Ages 1 to 4 years

Written By: Stella Blackstone

Illustrated By: Debbie Harter



My Review:

This is a favorite book with preschoolers. This board book by Stella Blackstone is well written and easy to read. Children will easily pick up on the repetition and poetic flow of the story. Bear and his polite young friend ("Please wait for me!") take you on exciting travels by way of adventurous modes of transportation:
* bear on a bike
* bear on a raft
* bear in a steam train
* bear on a boat
* bear in a carriage
* bear on a rocket



The vivid illustrations invite you to stop and explore the many interesting things along the way - name market foods, count animals, find hidden critters and laugh at silly things. Debbie Harter's vivid illustrations are so bright and colorful. Debbie has illustrated many children's book including the Bear series, Herb the Vegetarian Dragon, and many others.

Stella Blackstone has written many wonderful books for young children including the Cleo the Cat series, Island in the Sun and Zoe and her Zebra. Other recommended books in the Bear series include Bear At Home--told in rhyming couplets, this book teaches the function of different rooms in Bear's house -- and Bear In a Square, which encourages the reader to find the shapes in the story. You can read my review of bear in Sunshine at:

http://barefootbooks-lady.blogspot.com/2009/07/bear-in-sunshine-by-stella-blackstone.html


Bear About Town is another favorite of mine. Here's my review of this great board book:

http://barefootbooks-ladyd.blogspot.com/2009/07/bear-about-town-stella-blackstone-book.html


Take a look at these editorial reviews of Bear On A Bike:

From Publishers Weekly
A youngster hurries to keep up with a bear as he tries out various methods of transportation in Blackstone and Harter's eye-catching paper-over-board book, a companion to their Bear in a Square. Rhythmic quatrains in question-and-answer format establish the momentum for each spread: "Bear on a bike,/ As happy as can be,/ Where are you going, bear?/ Please wait for me!" A child runs after the bear, who answers on the following page: "I'm going to the market,/ Where fruit and flowers are sold,/ Where people buy fresh oranges/ And pots of marigold." A different environment emerges on each spread, whether the busy outdoor market peopled with funny shoppers (like the elderly lady with a rooster on her head) or the teepee-dotted prairie that the bear crosses by covered wagon. The abundance of bright colors and busy patterns is contained by tidy draftsmanship, so that the overall effect is manageably dynamic and frolicsome. This travel primer has plenty of get-up-and-go. Ages 2-5.

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1-A bear takes off to see the world on a variety of vehicles: a bicycle, a raft, a covered wagon, a steam train, a sailboat, a hot-air balloon, a carriage, and a rocket. As each mode of transportation is introduced, a young African-American boy calls out, "Where are you going, bear?/Please wait for me!" The bear takes the child along on his journeys where he discovers exciting animals, people, and places. As the bear blasts off in the rocket, the boy remains behind and calls out, "Wherever you are going, bear,/Goodbye and goodnight!" Despite several awkward rhythms, the story works as a read-aloud. The strength of this book, however, lies in Harter's flat, colorful cartoon art. Black-and-white accents in the cheery, sun-drenched landscapes unite the illustrations and add balance. The bear is depicted as a friendly, caramel-brown creature who comfortably walks through a multicultural world of interesting, jolly people. The playful pictures extend to the endpapers where the various modes of transportation glide across a turquoise background.
Shawn Brommer, Southern Tier Library System, Painted Post, NY

I highly recommend this book to you. Plus, you'll want to look at Stella Blackstone's Counting Cockatoos and My Granny Went To Market. To order books, please visit my website.

Thanks,
~ LadyD


http://ladyd.barefootbooks.com


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