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 Witch By: Alice Walstead and Megan Joyce
Ages: Pre-school through Second Grade
In our story, a fun Halloween night is made more exciting by a witch and all of her friends. The trick or treaters try to catch the witch, but she escaped every trap. After all of the fun, the witch finally left, taking her friends with her. This book is done in poetic verse and the illustrations are very colorful.
Tips for Reading:
- Before reading the story, read the title and ask the child how they might try to catch a witch.
- After reading the story, ask the child to tell you some of the ways that the children tried to catch the witch.
- After reading, ask the child how the children felt about the witch and her friends at the beginning of the story and were they the same at the end.
- After reading, discuss with the child what a “portal” is.
Additional Books:
- The Good, The Bad, and The Spooky By: Jory John Illustrated by: Pete Oswald
- Crankenstein By: Samantha Berger Illustrated by: Dan Santat
- Sir Simon By: Cale Atkinson
- A Halloween Warning By: KH Meyers Illustrated by: Tal Burdine
Cooking Time:
Halloween Pretzels
These spooky pretzel rods are so much fun for children to decorate and they will love eating them.
Melting chocolate wafers (milk chocolate, white chocolate, green and orange wafers)
Pretzel rods
Sprinkles, candy corn, candy eyes, etc.
- Melt wafers in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time, stirring often. Tip: Melt in a tall class for easy dipping.
- Dip the pretzel rods into the melted chocolate and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Decorate with sprinkles, candy eyes, etc.
- Allow to dry completely.
Make as many as you would like.
Walking Mummy Dogs
We have made mummy dogs before, but never ones that could walk. Children can help by cutting the dough and wrapping the hot dogs.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place parchment paper on a baking sheet.
1 can refrigerated crescent dough sheet
10 large hot dogs
Cooking spray
Mustard and ketchup
- Unroll dough and cut into 4 rectangles.
- Using a pizza cutter, cut each rectangle lengthwise into 10 strips, making a total of 40 strips.
- Take a hot dog and make a slit at the bottom for the mummy’s legs.
- Make two slits along the sides for the mummy’s arms.
- Wrap strips of dough around the individual arms and legs and then around the body of each hot dog. Leave an area open where the mummy’s face will be.
- Place the wrapped hot dogs on the baking sheet and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Bake in a 375 degree oven for 13 to 17 minutes or until the dough is golden brown and the hot dogs are hot.
- Use mustard or ketchup to draw two eyes on the mummy’s face.
Makes 10 mummies.
Spooky Spider Cookies
This recipe is a version of Peanut Blossoms with a Halloween twist. Children can help by measuring, adding ingredients, cracking the egg, rolling the cookies in sugar and adding the chocolate and eyes.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
1 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Additional sugar
30 to 36 mini peanut butter cups
Candy eyes
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, soda and salt.
- Using a mixer, cream together the butter and peanut butter.
- Add the sugar and brown sugar, cream for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla and combine completely.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Using a spoon or a scoop, form the dough into balls.
- Roll the balls in sugar and place on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Place the baked cookies on a wire rack. While still hot, use a spoon to make a divot in the middle of each cookie.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely.
- Place chocolate chips in a bowl. Microwave in 15 second intervals until completely melted.
- Drizzle the chocolate onto the cooled cookies to form the legs. (Put chocolate in a ziplock bag and cut a tip at the corner.)
- Place a mini peanut butter cup up-side down in the middle of the cookie to form the body.
- Place a dab of chocolate on the backs of the eyes and place them on the peanut butter cup.
- Allow chocolate to dry.
Makes 2 1/2 to 3 dozen cookies.
