Author: Judy Smith

Posted on by — Leave a comment

The Crayons Trick or Treat

Dear Reader,

This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children.  Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills.  You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story.  Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.

*Read to the children in your life every day.  You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!

The Crayons Trick or Treat            By:  Drew Daywalt            Illustrated by:  Oliver Jeffers

Ages:  Pre-school through First Grade

 

 

The Crayons are at it again in this fun Halloween tale.  They decide to go Trick or Treating, but have difficulty learning what to say when someone answers the door.  No worries, they figure it out and Halloween is a success.  This story is beyond cute and a lot of fun!  Put this one on your holiday book list.

 

 

 

Continue reading The Crayons Trick or Treat

Posted on by — Leave a comment

It’s Fall!

Dear Parents,

This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children.  Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills.  You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story.  Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.

*Read to the children in your life every day.  You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!

It’s Fall!            By:  Renee Kurilla

Ages:  Pre-school through Second Grade

 

 

This colorful book just looks like fall from beginning to end.  It highlights fall events, like the beginning of school, cooler weather, Halloween, and ends with the celebration of Thanksgiving.  The story is perfect for this time of year and the illustrations are wonderful.

 

 

 

 

Continue reading It’s Fall!

Posted on by — Leave a comment

How to Count to 1

Dear Reader,

This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children.  Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills.  You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story.  Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.

*Read to the children in your life every day.  You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!

How to Count to 1              By:  Caspar Salmon            Illustrated by:  Matt Hunt

Ages:  Toddler through Kindergarten

 

 

This fun book stresses to “only count to 1”, but there are many opportunities to count higher.  Children will also need to interact with the book and visually locate items to count.  The text is delightful and the illustrations are colorful and perfect for the story.

 

 

 

Continue reading How to Count to 1

Posted on by — Leave a comment

I Am A Dragon!

Dear Reader,

This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children.  Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills.  You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story.  Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.

*Read to the children in your life every day.  You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!

I Am A Dragon!              By:  Sabina Hahn

Ages:  Toddler through Kindergarten

 

 

This fun book is about the importance of really listening to each other.  In our story, the frogs all believed that their new friend was a frog and NOT a dragon.  The dragon tried to tell them many times.  Finally, all of the frogs realized that they needed to listen.  The book also highlights the importance of questioning and not always believing everything that you hear.  What a good lesson for children.

 

 

 

Continue reading I Am A Dragon!

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Turkey’s Sandtastic Beach Day

Dear Reader,

This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children.  Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills.  You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story.  Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.

*Read to the children in your life every day.  You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!

Turkey’s Sandtastic Beach Day           By:  Wendi Silvano            Illustrated by:  Lee Harper

Ages: Pre-school through Second Grade

 

 

 

Well, “Turkey” is back and this time he is going to the beach to be part of a petting zoo.  Unfortunately, he really wants to be down on the beach doing fun things.  He tried many disguises to get there, but none of them worked.  No worries, as usual, it all works out for Turkey and his friends.  Children will love the play on words throughout this fun story.  If you have read the other books by Wendi Silvano, you will not want to miss this one.

 

 

Continue reading Turkey’s Sandtastic Beach Day

Posted on by — 2 Comments

We Don’t Eat Our Classmates

Dear Reader,

This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children.  Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills.  You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story.  Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.

*Read to the children in your life every day.  You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!

We Don’t Eat Our Classmates            By:  Ryan T. Higgins

Ages:  Pre-school through First Grade

 

This delightful story is about Penelope Rex’s first day of school.  To her surprise, her classmates were children and not dinosaurs.  It took persuasion from her teacher to convince Penelope not to eat her classmates.  Penelope learns a valuable lesson from the classroom’s pet fish and finally made new friends at school.  Children will love this wonderful little dinosaur and her first day of school adventure.

 

 

 

Continue reading We Don’t Eat Our Classmates

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Hot Dog

Dear Reader,

This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children.  Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills.  You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story.  Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.

*Read to the children in your life every day.  You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!

Hot Dog            By:  Doug Salati

Ages:  Pre-school through First Grade

 

 

Hot Dog is the 2023 winner of the Caldecott Medal and the Ezra Jack Keats Award for best illustrations.  It is the story of a dog who lives in the big city where it is very hot in the summer.  He and his owner decide to escape the city for a bit and they make their way to the beach.  The amazing pictures truly illustrate life in the city and a wonderful day at the beach.  Readers need to take their time to look at all of the illustrations, which help tell the story.

 

 

 

Continue reading Hot Dog

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Otis

Dear Reader,

This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children.  Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills.  You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story.  Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.

*Read to the children in your life every day.  You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!

Otis            By:  Loren Long

Ages:  Pre-school through First Grade

 

 

“Otis” has been around for awhile, but remains a classic story for children.  Otis is a busy farm tractor who makes friends with the new little calf.  One day,  the farmer buys a big new tractor and puts Otis behind the barn.  His busy life changes, but as you might expect, our story ends with Otis being a hero and saving his best friend.  Children will love Otis!

 

 

Continue reading Otis

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Simon and the Better Bone

Dear Reader,

This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children.  Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills.  You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story.  Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.

*Read to the children in your life every day.  You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!

Simon and the Better Bone            By:  Corey R. Tabor

Ages:  Pre-school through First Grade

 

Simon is an adorable dog who finds a bone.  As he looks into the pond, he spots another dog that also has a bone.  At first, Simon is not happy and wants the other dog’s bone and tries all kinds of tricks to get it.  In the end, the bone is gone, but Simon thinks that he has made a new friend.  Children will love watching Simon and will figure out the mystery in this delightful book.

 

 

Continue reading Simon and the Better Bone

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Woo Hoo! You’re Doing Great!

Dear Reader,

This Blog is designed for the parents, grandparents and caregivers of young children.  Each post will highlight a great book that all children should hear, with tips to enrich beginning reading skills.  You will also find fun recipes that go along with each story.  Enjoy reading and cooking with the children in your life.

*Read to the children in your life every day.  You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!

Woo Hoo!  You’re Doing Great!            By:  Sandra Boynton

Ages:  Pre-school through First Grade

 

 

In this fun book, Chicken shows children how to encourage others by giving a big “WOO HOO!”.   This book is in rhyming verse and besides learning about giving encouragement, children learn that it is okay to make mistakes.  Most importantly, children can learn how to give encouragement to themselves.

 

 

 

Continue reading Woo Hoo! You’re Doing Great!