Gardening with children is a very important, and fun, activity to experience with your kids! Exposing children to where their food comes from or how flowers and plants grow allows them to understand and experience a natural process that can help them learn patience, problem-solving, science and an overall appreciation of nature’s way. Gardening can give kids a sense of responsibility, empowerment and accomplishment.
Pike Nurseries is a great place to go locally to get all the supplies you need to begin gardening with children. There are so many ways to begin the process. If the weather isn’t cooperating, plant a garden indoors. Pike Nurseries has a free class on container gardening this weekend! It can be as simple as an taking an egg carton, filling each section with dirt and planting little seeds in each so you can watch the little sprouts come up. Once you decide between planting flowers or food, you need to make sure to have the right soil and space available. And don’t forget about garden protection! Birds love to feast on your hard work, so some kind of cover can be necessary for fruits and veggies.
When you begin to till the soil, explain why it’s good to rough up the soil and how the seeds will need water and good soil to grow healthy roots! Tilling can be an easy activity for a toddler as young as 4. Once you plant the seeds, make sure to keep note of what seeds are planted where. Making little identifiers can be a fun craft project. Or draw the garden in a notebook and keep track with fun illustrations. You can explain along the way about how important it is to plan ahead with watering the garden and keeping any weeds out. This will help with teaching children about responsibility.
A garden will definitely keep kids guessing and wondering as the sprout turns into a little plant and the little plant turns into a flower or fruit/veggie. The important thing is to always remember that the time spent teaching children about the colors, shapes, sizes, soils, tools and tips of gardening is definitely a time to cherish and one that will surely impact their lives in a positive way.
Sources: Mom.me – Tips for Toddlers | Mom.me – 10 Reasons to Garden with Kids | Pike Nurseries – Free Classes
Photo Credit: Pike Nurseries
Hello girls and boys, parents and friends! Professor Labcoat here!
I work at The Children’s Museum of Atlanta as the Science Educator. This means that I get to do all kinds of activities here at the museum as well as in classrooms all across Atlanta and the surrounding area! Whether I’m mixing up a chemical reaction to make foamy bubbles, making my hair stand on end with static electricity, or using invisible ink to show how germs move around, I’m always having fun!
Science is all about trying to figure out how stuff works, from the tiniest pieces of the tiniest speck to the biggest things we can see out in space – as well as everything in-between, including you and me. No matter what you’re interested in or what question you have, there’s probably a scientist somewhere trying to figure it out. And the best part is that, one day, that scientist could be you!
You see, all scientists get their start the same way everyone gets their start: as a kid. I, Professor Labcoat, am no exception. I was a kid who wanted to be all sorts of things when I was growing up. At different times I wanted to be a garbage man, a puppeteer, a veterinarian, an actor, a doctor, a teacher, a scientist, and an architect. It was tricky to choose, but after I finished high school, I decided to go to college at Georgia Tech and study something called Materials Science and Engineering, or MSE for short. People who study MSE learn all about different kinds of metals and plastics and other stuff that things like cars, spaceships, sandwich bags, and comfy chairs are made of. They learn how to make things, measure things, and sometimes even how to break things! I enjoyed figuring things out and working in a laboratory, but as it turns out, my favorite thing to do is to share what I’ve learned with other people and show everyone around me what a cool world we live in.
One of the coolest things about the world is the fact that I know a lot of wonderful people who are working to make the world a better place. These are my Superhero Scientist friends, and I’d like to eventually introduce you to all of them! For this special first blog post of mine, however, I’m going to start with my friend Kathy Silver.
When I was in college learning how to be a scientist, Kathy was in some of my classes with me. She’d started working in the laboratory before I did, and when I came along, she helped to teach me how the different tools and machines worked. Even grownups don’t know everything, and we all have to help each other figure stuff out sometimes. Nowadays, Kathy works at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, or GTRI for short. There, she works with other scientists to try and solve all kinds of problems, and figure all kinds of things out. I decided to pay my friend a visit, so I went down the street to Georgia Tech to visit Kathy and see the buildings where she works. I decided to ask her some questions so that you could learn about her and her job. Girls and boys, allow me to introduce: My friend Kathy Silver, a Superhero Scientist!
Prof. Labcoat: How old were you when you decided you wanted to be a scientist?
Kathy Silver: Probably about 10 or 11.
PL: Was there anything else you wanted to be growing up?
KS: A medical doctor.
PL: I thought about doing that too! What is your favorite thing about your job now?
KS: Learning about new things happening on our campus that help others. For example, some researchers are looking at less painful methods to deliver vaccines/medicines traditionally delivered via shots. No more painful shots at the doctor’s office!
PL: I’m sure a lot of my friends would like that! But sometimes things that are no fun are necessary. What is the hardest part of your job?
KS: Deciding when an experiment is not working as expected and knowing when it’s time to move on to another approach
PL: That can certainly be tricky. I once spent six months trying to make one measurement, and after all of that time it didn’t work and I had to start all over! I eventually figured it out, though. What are you working on right now?
KS: Some of the work we are doing in our lab includes materials analysis (determining how and why something broke, for example), lithography (a method of printing) on very small objects (called micro-lithography) and viewing objects at the atomic level with special microscopes.
PL: That sounds cool! What kinds of special tools do you use?
KS: Liquid nitrogen (temperature of about -320 F, more than twice the coldest temperature ever recorded in Antarctica) , optical and atomic microscopes, and lasers.
PL: Wow. That all sounds really interesting! Is there anything you’d like to tell my friends who might want to have a job like yours?
KS: Do well in school, do math and science homework (don’t get discouraged when it seems too difficult – seek out help from your teacher), read for fun and most importantly, be curious. Curiosity is not only the first step in the scientific process, it is also a scientist’s best trick for keeping their work fun and rewarding!
PL: That’s some great advice! Thank you so much, Kathy!
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I’m so happy that I got to introduce you to my very first Superhero Scientist friend. Keep checking the blog to hear more from me and I promise to show you some cool stuff, answer your questions, and introduce you to even more Superhero Scientists!
Cooking With Colors has been one of our most popular programs over the last couple of years. Each “season” of ten weeks sees our favorite local chef, Tanisha Mott, explore healthy eating and nutritious ideas for families. Her sessions are hands-on, with lots of fruits and vegetables for her young helpers to chop and cut. With recipes, tips and suggestions for household kitchens, it’s impossible to finish a class without some new-found enthusiasm for enjoying healthy food. We caught up with Chef Tanisha after her class this week, where everybody enjoyed an avocado dip with endives, along with some samples of jicama for the families to taste.
Chef Tanisha, you’re originally from Jamaica, is that right?
It is. I was born and raised in Kingston, in Norman Gardens.
What were some of your favorite meals growing up?
I loved stewed peas, made with oxtail, stewed beef, and three different kinds of peas, and little dumplings that are called “spinners” in Jamaica. They’re called that because you roll them between your hands in a spinning motion! I also loved callaloo, which is almost a cross between spinach and collards. Once the leaf is all cleaned, you steam it like you would spinach. I love that!
What were some of the first dishes that you remember preparing yourself?
I remember making a mango stewed chicken. I worked for a fashion company, and the CEO offered to pay me if I cooked for one of his events. I was actually eating a mango when he asked me! I loved food and I loved fashion, so my career today is one of my two dream jobs!
What inspired you to become a chef?
My grandmother was always cooking, and she made everybody so happy. I wanted to do that as well, make people happy. I design plates just like I might have designed fashions! My grandmother would work at a counter and I would sit in a little cubbyhole and just watch her as she told me what she was doing. No measurements! She would say, in her Jamaican voice, “’bout so,” or “about so much.” She would always make banana fritters, and they were so ripe! She’d add a little brown sugar, vanilla, and flour.
Of all the classes that you’ve taught with families, what have been some of the kids’ favorites to make and eat?
Believe it or not, the rutabaga stew was the most popular with Cooking With Colors!
(the interviewer raises a skeptical eyebrow)
It’s true! They loved rutabagas! One student actually licked the bowl! Guacamole is always a favorite whenever I have a class, because it’s green and slimy and kids always want to play with it. Number three is my lemongrass steak. You take any kind of beef, and make a marinade with scallions, onion, ginger, olive oil, salt and pepper. Sear it or grill it; I like to grill it. Those are the top three.
If you could change any one thing about our country’s food culture, what would it be?
The way foods are being processed. There’s such a huge variety of food available, but the companies are taking all the good out to make it last longer with preservatives. If only we could go back to eating more natural!
Finally, what suggestions do you have for parents who want to teach their kids about nutrition and cooking?
Definitely have the kids be part of the process! It’s so fun for them, and it’s also easier to get them to eat things when they feel that they’ve contributed!
Thanks so much, Chef Tanisha! There are three more classes in this season of Cooking With Colors, and reservations are required. We recommend calling no later than 72 hours before the class date and time to purchase tickets. You can call our Reservations line at 404-527-3693.
One of our favorite Museum programs is “Meet the Holidays,” in which we learn about and celebrate the traditions of cultures all around the world. “We live in a global community and Atlanta is an extremely multi-cultural city,” explains Pam Duncan, manager of public programming. “Meet the Holidays allows our youngest visitors to learn about cultures different than their own as well as re-affirm those cultures for folks who celebrate them. In the end they find out that their cultures have much more in common than they thought.” We really love the experience of people having a great time and also learning about the special days on their neighbors’ calendars!
This Sunday, we’re having some special events to commemorate Purim. This is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire, from a plot to annihilate them all in a single day. According to the Book of Esther, Haman, the royal vizier to King Ahasuerus, planned to kill all the Jews in the empire, but his plans were foiled by the prophet Mordecai, and his cousin and adopted daughter Esther. Purim is celebrated annually according to the Hebrew calendar on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar, which is the day following the victory of the Jews over their enemies.
It sounds like the setup for a pretty sober and serious commemoration, but based on the text of Esther 9:22, Purim is celebrated with joy and good spirits. The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, all of the observances are important, but they are equally “serious and silly.” The Book, or scroll, of Esther, is usually read aloud twice during the celebrations. The recitation is called the Megillah, and it comes with a raucous audience participation component, as the audience is armed with graggers, special noisemakers that you shake or whirl to drown out the evildoer’s name:
“It is crucial to hear every single word of the Megillah! At certain points in the reading where Haman’s name is mentioned, it is customary to twirl graggers and stamp one’s feet to “drown out” his evil name. Tell the children Purim is the only time when it’s a mitzvah to make noise!” The USCJ goes on to say that when Haman’s wife, Zeresh, gets mentioned in the Megillah, the crowd is to hiss at the sound of her name!
For our Meet the Holidays celebration on Sunday March 9th, you’ll be able to make your own gragger before listening to the Imaginators’ retelling of the Meglliah story. Every time Haman’s name is mentioned, shake your gragger and boo! Afterward, enjoy traditional hamantaschen cookies. Hamantaschen is a Yiddish word meaning “Haman’s pockets.” Jews eat hamantaschen on Purim as part of the celebration of the holiday. One explanation for the triangular shape of these pastries is that Haman wore a three-cornered hat. Another explanation is that the three corners represent Queen Esther’s strength and the founders of Judaism: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
We kick off the fun at three on Sunday, and look forward to seeing you there!
The Spring Festival, Lunar New Year, or Chinese New Year, is celebrated on the first day of the first month in the Chinese calendar. That’s the day of the second new moon after the Winter Solstice, ending fifteen days later. This year, Chinese New Year begins on Feb. 18 and ends on March 5. Annually, it is the longest public event in China, and it is observed and celebrated all over the world. It’s a time for families to have reunions, for lots of food to be cooked (fish and dumplings are traditional in many families), for epic games of mahjong to be played, and for gifts in red envelopes to be exchanged.
In the Chinese calendar, each year corresponds to one of twelve different animals or mythical creatures. This is the once-every-twelve-years instance when there’s a little good-natured confusion about exactly which animal gets the celebration named after it. According to The International Business Times, some people say that this is the year of the sheep, and some say it’s the year of the goat. “Both animals,” writes Zoe Mintz, “share the same Chinese character, the ‘yang,’ which refers to any member of the caprinae subfamily — goat or sheep. Researchers say the actual animal is beside the point, what remains important is the Chinese character and its meaning.”
Speaking of meanings, the firecrackers and noisemaking that come with the first night of Chinese New Year all commemorate a legendary event in which a village banded together to drive away a monster that ate most of their crops. The story is that a remote village was besieged by an indestructible creature called “Nian.” Swords and pikes could not wound the beast, and the villagers were helpless until an old nomadic monk – or, in some versions of the tale, a wandering god – told them that “Nian” was afraid of loud noises and the color red. The firecrackers that begin each year’s festivities are meant to start the year with good luck, leaving behind evil spirits and obstacles that you thought, wrongly, that you could not overcome.
It’s because “Nian” was so afraid of red that the color is seen in other Lunar New Year traditions. Each year, married couples will often give small gifts of money in red envelopes called “hóngbāo” to younger family members who haven’t yet wed. Also, the paper lanterns that are often made for evening parties or celebrations are typically made from red paper.
On Saturday, we celebrated Chinese New Year with a performance by students from Toomer Elementary and then celebrated with the Imaginators making a sheep puppet craft that the kids and their families waved in a Chinese Parade complete with our own fun take on “firecrackers.” We like to use bubble wrap for our noisemaking; there’s less of a mess, children love it, and it’s every bit as loud as necessary to frighten away last year’s evil spirits!
A colorful diet is a healthy diet! As a part of the Museum’s Eat a Georgia Rainbow program, local chef Tanisha Mott helps children create colorful and healthy creations with local fruits and vegetables. Cooking With Colors is among our most popular programs, and it returned this week for a new season of ten classes.
Tanisha Mott started right in the world of culinary arts by volunteering at Tavern on the Green and Alison on Dominick Street in New York City. She was born in Jamaica and relocated to New York in 1988 as a high-school student after being awarded a full scholarship to Johnson & Wales. In Charleston SC she spent time in several of Charleston’s top rated kitchens, and she graduated with an AS in Culinary and a BS in business management.
Chef Tanisha has traveled throughout the US following her passion for Culinary Arts. She has cooked for such celebrities as Michelle Obama, Jill Scott, Shirley Franklin and Sonny Perdue with Compass Group as executive chef. She is currently running her own catering and events company, T.N.T. Catering, as well as teaching culinary arts training classes.
We asked Chef Tanisha to contribute a recipe for Growing Into the World and were pleased to receive this popular, traditional meal from Jamaica. Ackees are the national fruit of Jamaica (they are related to lychees and distributed in many grocery stores in cans), and ackee and saltfish is the country’s national dish. Tanisha writes that ackee and saltfish “can be eaten any time or any day of the week. However, in my family it was served as a breakfast on Saturday as my dad play old hits and we talked about our week and upcoming events. Ackee and saltfish is sautéed saltfish (codfish) with boiled Ackee, onions, thyme, Scotch Bonnet peppers, tomatoes, bell pepper and black pepper. It is usually served with a combination of any of these items: Yellow Yam (boiled), Fried Breadfruit, fried or boiled dumplings, boiled green bananas or fried plantains.
“Ackee is Jamaica’s national fruit. In Jamaica the debate continues whether it is a fruit or a vegetable either way it is a beautiful and delicious dish.”
Ackee and Saltfish with Fried Dumplings (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
1 can ackee (use fresh if you have – about 2 cups)
1/3 lb. saltfish – boneless/skinless (salted cod)
1 medium onion diced
1 habanero or scotch bonnet pepper
fresh thyme (couple sprigs) leaves only no steam
1 medium tomato cubed
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 scallions Thin Sliced
1/4 medium bell pepper diced
(All items can be found fresh at the local farmers market).
Directions:
In a medium sauce pot boil saltfish in water for 5-7 minutes drain and add more water. Repeat three times or until salty taste is slight.
Clean the ackee. Open can, drain, and rinse with cold water.
Pick up (flake) the saltfish and check for any bones.
Sauté diced onions and sweet pepper.
Add diced Tomatoes, scallion and thyme leafs.
Add saltfish and the ackee, cook over medium heat.
Add white pepper
Serve in a bowl eat with fresh baked biscuits or traditional Jamaican breakfast items such as: boiled yellow yam, fried or roasted breadfruit, boiled or fried dumplings, boiled green bananas and fried plantain.
As a leftover item: It can be baked in a biscuit or croissant as a breakfast pocket.
Don’t miss out on Cooking With Colors, Mondays at 10.30 am. The class is limited to ten children and their adult caregivers. Advanced ticket purchase required, please call 404.527.3693 or email reservations@childrensmuseumatlanta.org for more information. We recommend calling no later than 72 hours before the date and time of the class to purchase tickets, and bookmark the class’s page: http://www.childrensmuseumatlanta.org/parents/cooking_with_colors
“I’m melting! I’m melting!”
“We’re not in Kansas anymore.”
“Lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my!”
“I’ll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!”
And of course, “There’s no place like home.”
These quotes have become a part of American culture over the past 75 years since the world was introduced to the musical The Wizard of Oz. The most expensive production for MGM at the time, the movie is noted for its use of Technicolor, as well as its musical score, elaborate make up, and special effects. Surprising to most, the movie was not a box office success, leaving the studio with an initial loss. It was still nominated for six Academy Awards, winning two: Best Original Song and Best Original Score.
We did a little research and found that the production of the movie and its lasting legacy are almost as fun as watching the movie itself. For example, did you know that 20th Century Fox wanted to make the movie with Shirley Temple as Dorothy? The role was eventually taken by Judy Garland, who was only 16 at the time, made $500 per month, and had to attend school on set everyday.
One of the original proposals for the movie’s production was to have Toto played by a human actor when the story moved to Oz! Terry, the dog who (happily) ended up playing Toto, earned 2.5 times more money per week than each Munchkin.
The Tin Man’s oil was actually chocolate syrup, because it showed up on the Technicolor film better than actual oil! Similarly, gelatin powder was used to color the horses, which they enjoyed licking off. The snow in the poppy field was made from industrial grade asbestos. On the other hand, the cowardly lion’s costume was made from real lion skin, and wasn’t an imitation. We can’t imagine either of those last two production decisions being employed by a contemporary Hollywood film!
Some of the Wicked Witch of the West’s scenes were cut after the producers deemed them too scary for children. She’s actually in only twelve minutes of the movie! Margaret Hamilton reprised the role of the Wicked Witch in personal appearances and cameos for the rest of her career. Proving that the decades did nothing to blunt the Witch’s impact, her 1976 appearance on Sesame Street has only aired once, after parents complained to PBS and the producers that she’d frightened their children.
L. Frank Baum published seventeen sequels to his original novel. The movie suggests that Dorothy’s experiences were all a dream, but Baum created Oz as a real place that Dorothy and other characters would revisit in the sequels.
The most amazing thing that we learned, however, was that “Over the Rainbow” was very nearly cut from the film due to time constraints. Can you imagine a Wizard of Oz without this iconic song?
Are your children familiar with the movie? Gather your family, make some popcorn, and watch it together! Because your children will be obsessed afterwards, check out familycrafts.about.com for some super fun Wizard of Oz craft and activity ideas! Make your own character puppets, learn about the science behind tornadoes, and check out a map of Kansas to find Dorothy’s home. Hop over to www.care.com for some DIY costume instructions, because your little ones will love to act out the movie or just go everywhere dressed as their favorite character.
This Saturday, January 24 the Museum will be celebrating The Wizard of Oz with a full day of fun! Click here for more info!
Many thanks to Awesome Ariel Capellupo for all her help with research into the movie!
Volunteering is a great way to teach children about appreciating what they have and helping others. It is also a great experience for families to do together to strengthen bonds. A guaranteed outcome will be meeting new friends and feeling more involved in the community. Children will learn new skills and get to explore different activities. Youth who volunteer are more likely to do better in school and less likely to engage in risky behavior. I may be rushing things a bit for our readers, but students who volunteer are 19% more likely to graduate from college. By encouraging your children to do community service now, you are making it more likely that they will continue to do so as adults. One study showed that adults who started volunteering as children donate to and volunteer for charitable organizations more often than those who did not. Studies even show that volunteering increases happiness! Who doesn’t love an extra dose of happy?
Check out Red Tricycle’s article What Gives? Volunteer Opportunities for Children for a list of some family-friendly charities in Atlanta for you and your children to become involved with. Fur Kids is an animal shelter that lets children help take care of the animals waiting for homes. Help your children put together a “Hero Box” for service men and women who are overseas. Piedmont Park’s Clean and Green program teaches kids as young as five how to keep their parks clean, as well as basic gardening techniques. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has a program for little ones to do service projects around the hospital. Gather meals and toiletries with your children to donate to the Ronald McDonald House. There are also lots of walks raising money for different illnesses throughout the year for kids to become involved in.
You can visit handsonatlanta.org for even more organizations to become involved with. On the left there is an option to refine the search to “appropriate for children” which is super helpful. Tons of opportunities will pop up, such as helping at farmer’s markets, working with senior citizens, and assisting under-served children in the city.
Happy 2015! We’re half-way through the first month of a new year and this month is traditionally the perfect opportunity to try new things and improve on others. “New Year’s Resolutions and Kids: A different approach to traditional goal-setting” on mom.me is a great guide to opening up a discussion with your little ones, if you haven’t already. The article encourages posing questions to them such as:
Am I a kind person?
How do I treat my friends, siblings, people I don’t know?
Are all people as lucky as I am?
What should I be thankful for?
What am I good at?
What do I struggle at?
These questions will help them reflect on “who they are and who they want to be” and create self-awareness. This will help them learn about appreciation, empathy, and compassion.
Here are some ideas of little resolutions for youngsters, aka preschoolers:
-Clean up my toys after I play with them.
-Wash my hands after I use the bathroom.
-Play nicely with my brother/sister.
For children a little bit older:
-Always wear my helmet while riding my bicycle.
-Turn off the TV and read a book.
-Practice (my instrument, sport, etc.).
-Trade an unhealthy snack for a healthy one.
-Do my chores the first time I am asked.
We decided to ask some of our little guests at the Museum for their resolutions and they came up with some gems:
-Plant more flowers! (especially pink ones)
-Recycle (which is perfect for our new exhibit, Super Kids Saves the World)
-Hug mommy more!
You can even make this process into a craft project by helping your kiddos make their own vision boards! Cut out pictures from magazines and draw pictures illustrating the resolutions. Decorate with stickers and glitter, and then hang up the board as a fun reminder to keep up with the resolutions. This also makes for a great opportunity to have a talk about accepting setbacks, getting back on track, and rewarding yourself for sticking with it.
Last month, we asked our staff to share some favorite children’s books, and the resulting chapter, which you can go check out if you haven’t, was really popular! Reading with your kids is a great way to inspire them to read on their own, and to keep them engaged and interested in reading. So, with an eye toward curling up under a blanket this evening and having some quality reading time, why not stop by your library or a great bookstore like Little Shop of Stories in Decatur and pick one of these favorites?
Pam Duncan, manager of public programming, recommends:
My favorite book as a youngster was Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary. It was my first chapter book and I loved it because I could identify so well with the heroine, Ramona. As the youngest of five children and ten cousins I was ALWAYs striving to be a big kid. (I still am.) I wanted so badly to grow up but was accused of being a nuisance and a pest. As Ramona bemoans, “How can I stop being a pest if I never was trying to be one in the first place?” I was always getting into trouble and can relate to Ramona wanting to touch the beautiful boingy curls of a classmate during kindergarten recess only to get into trouble for pulling her hair. (I’m blessed that the women I now work with let me touch their beautiful boingy curls). I always meant well but kept messing up.
Karen Kelly, director of exhibits & education, recommends:
My children loved Goodnight Gorilla by James Mayhew, because it had words, but also room to talk about what was happening on each page, as the Gorilla let all the animals out so they could sleep with the zookeeper. We had lots of fun inventing our own description of the story and thinking about the sounds each animal would make if it snored! As a life-long museum person, I also loved Mayhew’s Katie and the Mona Lisa. The idea of climbing in and out of paintings, meeting Mona Lisa and St. George and the dragon, and dancing with nymphs was fun for me and my children. It made art come to life in a way they related to easily.
Christy Costello, director of finance and HR, recommends:
A book I’m sure my parents tired of is The Monster at the End of this Book by John Stone and Mike Smolin. But I loved the illustrations (they are ’70s fabulous) and the interactivity of this book. Our Narrator, lovable furry Grover from Sesame Street, is afraid of the future (the end of the book) and he does everything he can think of to keep you the reader from turning pages to get there. Which made for some super fun reading – pretending to have to break through ropes and brick walls etc. When the end comes we find it is not at all scary. A good reminder that the unknown is not necessarily bad, its just unknown.
Grant Goggans (that’s me!!), marketing assistant, recommends:
I don’t remember reading Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile by Bernard Weber as a child myself, but I have read this book more times in the last twelve months than anything else. It’s the second in the series of Lyle books, and my three year-old is completely taken by the plot, which I feared, wrongly, might have been too complicated for him. Lyle is a performing crocodile who lives with the Primm family and can’t help but aggravate their grouchy neighbor, Mr. Grumps. Apart from the fun artwork, which often sweeps across double-page spreads and gives you and your young reader the chance to ask questions and look for details, parents will get the opportunity to use different voices for different characters. Only try not to create too gravelly a voice for Mr. Grumps, because if your children like this half as much as mine does, you’ll be growling his lines a lot, and it’ll take quite a toll on your throat!
We would love to hear from you! What children’s books are your family’s favorites?
For more info on our literacy outreach program, Connected Learning, Connected Communities, click here.
Growing Into the World 