*Read to the children in your life every day. You are giving them a gift that will last a lifetime!
Ricky, the Rock That Couldn’t Roll By: Jay Miletsky Illustrated by: Erin Wozniak
Ages: Preschool through Second Grade
This amazing book is now one of our favorites. Children will love the story line and adults will enjoy the humor in the comments made by Ricky’s friends. This is a story of true friendship and problem solving at its finest. It also explores the importance of perseverance and determination. Children will encounter new vocabulary such as knoll, physique, dejected, etc., within the rhyming verse of the story. The illustrator has done an amazing job of bringing Ricky and his rock friends to life. This is a must read!
Tips for Reading:
- Before reading the book, ask the child to tell you what activities that he/she likes to do with friends.
- As you are reading the story, point out vocabulary that may be new to the child.
- After reading the book, ask the child the following:
- What was Ricky’s problem that needed to be solved?
- How did his friends try to help Ricky roll down the hill?
- What solution finally worked?
- Ask the child to tell you about a problem he/she may have had in the past and how it was resolved.
Additional Books:
- Tess the Tin That Wanted to Rock By: Jay Miletsky Illustrated by: Erin Wozniak
- The Little Engine That Could Retold by: Watty Piper Illustrated by: George and Doris Hauman
- Little Blue Truck By: Alice Schertle Illustrated by: Jill McElmurry
- The Enormous Carrot By: Vladimir Vagin
- The Enormous Potato Retold by: Audrey Davis Illustrated by: Dusan Petricic
Cooking Time:
Rocky Road Team Treats
Since our story is about Ricky the rock, we had to make something with rocky road in the title and this amazing treat came to mind. This dessert combines sweet and salty and the toppings really look like a rocky road. This is one of the best desserts that we have ever posted! Children can help by adding the ingredients, putting on the toppings and kitchen clean-up.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 13 by 9 baking pan by spraying with non-stick cooking spray.
1 1/2 cups finely crushed thin pretzels or pretzel sticks
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 3/4 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
3 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/3 cups chopped pecans
- In a small bowl, mix the crushed pretzels, sugar and melted butter until all of the pretzels are coated.
- Evenly press the pretzel mixture into the baking pan.
- Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the pretzel mixture and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips evenly over the condensed milk layer.
- Sprinkle the mini marshmallows evenly over the chocolate chips.
- Sprinkle the pecans evenly over the marshmallows.
- Press down firmly on the pecans.
- Bake in a 350 degree oven for 18 to 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Place pan on a wire rack to completely cool.
- Cut into bars.
Makes 24 to 32 servings depending on size.
