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 Catch a Turkey By: Adam Wallace Illustrated by: Andy Elkerton
Ages: Preschool through Second Grade
This fun book is perfect to begin the Thanksgiving season. The turkey in our story is part of the school’s Thanksgiving program, but he gets stage fright and tries to escape. After being chased throughout the school, he returns to the stage and becomes the star. The book is done in rhyming verse and the illustrations are amazing.
Tips for Reading:
- After reading the story, ask the child to tell you who is telling the story.
- After reading, ask the child to tell you why the turkey ran away.
- After reading, ask the child to tell you the turkey’s escape route.
- After reading, ask the child to tell you what happened once the turkey actually got on the stage.
- After reading, discuss with the child new vocabulary, such as flasks, beakers, catapults, goopy, etc.
- After reading, ask the child to find rhyming words such as year/clear, right/fright, wall/all, etc.
Additional Books:
- Turkey Trouble By: Wendi Silvano Illustrated by: Lee Harper
- ONE is a Feast for Mouse By: Judy Cox Illustrated by: Jeffrey Ebbeler
- 10 Fat Turkeys By: Tony Johnston Illustrated by: Rich Deas
- Pete the Cat: The First Thanksgiving By: Kimberly and James Dean
- Five Silly Turkeys Salina Yoon
Cooking Time:
Corn Casserole
This classic side dish is a family favorite and perfect for Thanksgiving. There are many versions, and this is ours. Children can help by adding the ingredients and stirring.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2 quart casserole dish.
1 (14.75 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14.75 ounce) can creamed corn
1 (8.5 ounce) package Jiffy cornbread mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- In a large bowl, combine the corn, muffin mix, sour cream and melted butter.
- Pour mixture into the greased casserole dish.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and add the cheddar cheese to the top of the casserole.
- Return to the oven and bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Pilgrim Hats
These cute hats are so easy to make and so much fun. Children can actually put them together with little assistance. And what is not to like about the combination of cookies and candy. These would be great for a Thanksgiving party or family gathering.
Fudge Stripe Cookies
Miniature Reese Cups
Vanilla canned icing
Yellow or orange food coloring
Nestle’s dark chocolate chip morsels (These morsels are larger than a regular chocolate chip.)
Yellow or orange M & M’s
- Place the cookies fudge side up. Put a morsel in the hole of the cookie. (This is to keep the icing from going through the hole.)
- Add yellow food coloring to the vanilla icing.
- Place a dab of the icing (about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon) in the center of the cookie, covering the morsel.
- Place a Reese Cup top side down into the icing, allowing the icing to show around the edges.
- Place an M & M in the icing for decoration.
Acorn Cookies
This is another fun treat that children can make on their own. They really do look like acorns.
Vanilla wafers
Hershey kisses
Canned chocolate icing
Mini chocolate chips
- Take a Hershey kiss and put frosting on the flat side.
- Attach the kiss to the flat side of the vanilla wafer.
- Put a dab of icing on the bottom of a mini chocolate chip.
- Attach it to the top side of the wafer.
