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Tuesday Tales – How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah?

Posted on December 4, 2012 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

While walking around the Scholastic Book Fair at school with my children, a book on the holiday table caught my eye. It was How Do Dinosaurs Say Happy Chanukah? by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Mark Teague. As long time fans who own many of the dinosaur books, the boys were very intrigued. I have to admit, I was as well. We decided to get some other books and wait to get the book out of the library before making the purchase. (FYI – I now wish I had bought it to support our school.)

This book came out in September, along with How Do Dinosaurs Say Merry Christmas? and keeps the twelve year tradition of the series alive while teaching children about Chanukah. NHL and I have been reading the books since he was an infant. The first thing he immediately pointed out was the names of the dinosaurs were on each page, skillfully placed along side of them by Teague. Jane Yolen introduces readers to Chanukah traditions like the blessings over the menorah, chocolate Chanukah gelt, and playing dreidels. As always, Mark Teague’s illustrations with the popular dinosaurs are perfect and make the experience complete. Here is a quick look inside the book:

We will definitely be buying a copy of this book for the boys for Chanukah. It will make a great addition to our holiday collection. I also hope to share this with JSL’s kindergarten class because I think they will appreciate the items in the book and I hope to bring in some things mentioned to share during Chanukah.

In case you were curious about the Christmas book, I have not read that one yet, but did see a book trailer for it from Scholastic and thought I would share.

Are you a fan of the How Do Dinosaurs book series? I would love to know your thoughts. As always, please share what you have read recently. Be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else. Tuesday Tales are all about spreading the love for books.

Disclosure: Two Amazon Affiliate link are included in this post for the books mentioned. I will receive a percentage of money for the sale should you opt to buy the book through that link.

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books holidays Tuesday Tales

Tuesday Tales – Getting Swept Away in a Book

Posted on November 27, 2012 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

One of the beautiful things about reading is that you can be swept away to a different land, time, and become part of the world of amazing characters. I recently finished a book that I couldn’t wait to write about. The book took control of my life for a while. Which one? It was The Middlesteins: A Novel by Jami Attenberg. The picture below was an Instagram I sent out when I first started the book.

The Middlesteins for Kindle

I have been digesting the book since I finished. It made me think a lot about family life, Jewish guilt, and beyond. I seriously fell in love with the book and did not want it to end.

The plan was to review it today, but illness changed that. I have been battling something for over a week now. After an asthma attack on Thanksgiving, I was home for two days and really sick. While resting up, I decided to read another book that a lot of people have been talking about.

I now understand why everyone said that Gone Girl: A Novel by Gillian Flynn would pull you in until you finished. I can’t stop reading. My Kindle was on while waiting for the dentist, while waiting outside of school in the freezing cold for the boys, and just before I fell asleep. I must finish this book.

So please know that both of the books I have mentioned are ones that I have enjoyed a lot. The Middlesteins will be coming in a future Tuesday Tales shortly. Now, I must be off to read more.

Have you read The Middlesteins or Gone Girl? I would love to know your thoughts. As always, please share what you have read recently. Be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else. Tuesday Tales are all about spreading the love for books.

Disclosure: Two Amazon Affiliate link are included in this post for the books mentioned. I will receive a percentage of money for the sale should you opt to buy the book through that link.

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books me moments Tuesday Tales

Tuesday Tales – Pete the Cat Books

Posted on November 20, 2012 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

The Scholastic Book Fair was visiting school recently and I promised the boys that I would take them shopping. While a teacher caught me to ask me a question, the boys went off on their own. Of course, my boys went right to the most expensive items there. I managed to move them away because one was on a Chanukah list for the big kid. We continued to look around.

JSL’s face suddenly lit up when he recognized a book from his kindergarten classroom. Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes by Eric Litwin was coming home with us. The adorable feline on the cover illustrated by James Dean really intrigued me. Later on, JSL and I went back to the book fair and I bought him the other book from the series. Yes, Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes was also going to join our library at home.

I hate to admit it, but this was my introduction to the Pete the Cat books. I am now a big fan of Eric Litwin and his furry feline character. I love the repetition, rhyming, and learning within these cute stories. Pete the Cat also has songs that you can download to use when reading the books. I can not tell you how many times we listened and rocked out to these this weekend. JSL now “reads” the book and sings the song as he turns the pages. This is so great for early readers. There are a lot of Pete the Cat items available on the Harper Collins website including the songs, videos, and downloadable activities.

Here is a preview video of Pete rocking in his school shoes:

I highly recommend these books as a fun way to encourage early readers. Plus, you can use them to encourage writers workshop ideas with more tales about Pete and his shoes. If you are looking for ideas, there are some great ones on Pinterest. I do believe that JSL and I will be checking some of these out together during winter break.

Are you familiar with Pete the Cat? As always, please share what you have read recently. Be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else. Tuesday Tales are all about spreading the love for books.

Disclosure: We paid for the Pete the Cat books on our own during a fundraiser at our school. Two Amazon Affiliate link are included in this post for the books mentioned. I will receive a percentage of money for the sale should you opt to buy the book through that link.

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books Tuesday Tales

Tuesday Tales – Scholastic Books from School

Posted on November 13, 2012 12:00 am by TheAngelForever

As a child, I used to love when the Scholastic Book Orders would go home. I would sit and try to figure out what to ask for. When I had a classroom of my own, it was no different. I would spend a lot of time trying to make an order to supplement my classroom. As the mother of two young boys, I smile each time they come home with an order form. These days, I like Scholastic even more since teachers are able to open up online orders. This means that I can charge my order, earn points for the classroom teacher, and select from even more books.

This time around, I ordered a few books for the boys and one that I have been intrigued with. I had been hoping to save them for Chanukah, but that didn’t happen. Now the kids are excited to get a few books at the Scholastic Book Fair. Although I love going to that, there is just something more special about the order forms and helping the teacher out with points.

Do you enjoy scanning the Scholastic Book order forms and buying items for your family? I would love to know what you have purchased recently. If you have not bought something from Scholastic, I would love to know what books you are you reading right now? Please be sure to link up to your book posts in the comments below. Include something you read on your own, with a child, or someone else. Tuesday Tales are all about spreading the love for books.

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books Tuesday Tales

A Retro Kind of Weekend

Posted on November 4, 2012 1:06 pm by TheAngelForever

As a kid who grew up in the 80s, I am very familiar with old school video games. I pretty much lived and breathed Mario Brothers, Q*Bert, Pacman, and other familiar gaming friends from the days. This weekend, Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph opened and all of the boys and I are excited to finally see this movie.

I just know this is something that the kids, TechyDad, and I are going to love. It just seems like the type of movie that we can all enjoy together and talk about after. Who knows maybe later we will even pull out some of the old video games to let them see what we grew up playing.

These are not the only memories that have been flooding back this weekend. The iPad that I won during a Twitter party arrived and it was loaded with Sweet Pickles books. I spent so much time reading these books as a child and now JSL will be learning to read with them. Last night before bed, we sat together and let the book come alive before our eyes.

Lots more about these coming soon. Now, I am off to enjoy the weekend with the boys. If you have seen Wreck-It Ralph, I would love to know what you thought. Oh and do you remember Sweet Pickles and their bus?

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