Dear Reader,
The 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 Gruffalo By: Julia Donaldson Illustrated by: Axel Scheffler
Ages: Preschool through Second Grade
This is a story about a very clever little mouse who tricks a fox, an owl, a snake and eventually the Gruffalo. The author of this wonderful book also wrote one of our favorite Halloween stories, Room on the Broom. This delightful book is done in rhyming verse and promotes vocabulary development. You will enjoy this journey with mouse and The Gruffalo.
Tips for Reading:
- Before reading the book, ask the child to look at the cover and predict what the Gruffalo might be thinking as he is looking at the mouse.
- While reading the story, discuss with the child any new vocabulary such as prickles, knobbly, astounding, etc.
- After reading the story, ask the child to recall the animals that the mouse met in the forest and how he tricked them.
- After reading the story, ask the child to tell you how the mouse tricked the Gruffalo.
- After reading the story, go back through the book to find rhyming words such as, claws/jaws, wood/good, etc.
Additional Books:
- The Gruffalo Child By: Julia Donaldson Illustrated by: Axel Scheffler
- The Snail and the Whale By: Julia Donaldson Illustrated by: Axel Scheffler
- My Lucky Day By: Keiko Kasza
- Finders Keepers By: Keiko Kasza
- The Wolf’s Chicken Stew By: Keiko Kasza
Cooking Time:
Cheese Dip Fit for a Mouse
This is one of our favorite cheese dips and it is always a hit with family and friends. The bacon is what makes the difference. Children can help by adding all of the ingredients, stirring and adding crackers to the serving plate.
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon green onion, diced
1 tablespoon freeze dried chives
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 bag (3 ounces) real bacon bits
1 cup mayonnaise
- In a large bowl, mix together the cheese, onion, chives, almonds and bacon bits.
- Add the mayonnaise and mix well. Add additional mayonnaise if needed.
- Place in a serving dish and serve with your favorite crackers.
Makes 10 to 12 servings.
Peanut Butter Mice Cookies
This is a great peanut butter cookie which is perfect for molding into these cute little mice. Children will love shaping the dough to look like mice and adding the faces. If you don’t want to make mice, the dough can be made into regular cookies. Children can also help by adding the ingredients, cracking the egg and kitchen clean up.
Prepare baking sheets by covering with parchment paper.
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Peanut halves for ears
Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips for eyes
Mini M & M’s for nose
Shoestring licorice for the tail
Sugar to sprinkle on top if making regular cookies **
- Using a mixer on medium speed, cream together the peanut butter, butter and sugars for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and mix completely.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking soda with a whisk.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture until completely blended.
- Place the dough in the refrigerator for an hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Using a 1 1/2 inch scoop, form the dough into balls.
- Pinch one side of the ball to form the head of the mouse.
- Place on the baking sheets 2 inches apart.
- Add the peanut halves for the ears, the mini chocolate chips for the eyes and the mini M & M’s for the noses.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly brown.
- After removing from the oven, add the licorice for the tail.
- **If not making mice, just roll the dough into balls. Using a fork, go both ways on top of the cookie and lightly press down. Sprinkle with sugar before baking.
Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.
