Please Note
All exploration ideas and discussion suggestions can be tailored to fit the age and needs of your child or group. Ages given are guidelines only. For children who are not yet reading, adults can listen, record and transcribe their thoughts. Children love to see their words on paper and hear them read aloud. Having their efforts validated by an adult inspires them to read.
Drawing is an excellent way for children to express their feelings and thoughts about stories they hear. Consider keeping markers, crayons, colored pencils and blank notebooks available. Ask children to draw their favorite part of a story or what meant the most to them. Let them use any colors or medium available with no boundaries. When a child begins to draw, they are expressing their vision and understanding. You will be delighted and amazed at childrens' inherent brilliance and what they can teach you as well.
Children's Picture Books Reviews and Exploration Ideas: The Season of Light
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Christmas Tapestry by Patricia Polacco
offers the most heart-warming, soul-touching holiday story a family can share together. A testament to hope and possibility, Christmas Tapestry bridges religions, cultures, ages, gender - all the potent differences within humanity - in a creative work of pure joy. Polacco's storytelling abilities are showcased within Christmas Tapestry as she carefully, lovingly brings the reader breathlessly into her tale, helping us feel every character's emotions with intensity so that the story's beautiful ending is our beautiful ending. We - the readers- experience the miracle of the Season of Light through Christmas Tapestry as Polacco deftly guides our understanding about the horrors and gifts within humanity and the knowing that the universe provides perfect balance and reason for all things in time. Christmas Tapestry is "seamless, woven so perfectly" fulfilling our intrinsic need for magic and wonder and the promise that miracles happen.
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Discussion and Exploration Ideas
- Christmas Tapestry
provides the perfect, subtle opportunity to explore various religious systems. Enjoy reading a book about Hannukah with your child understanding the Festival of Lights and the magic and beauty invested. Explore a story about the Nativity and the sweet, gentle moments of closeness among the Holy Family, the guiding star and animals in the stable. Discover the meaning of the intricate, detailed Kwanzaa symbols and the importance of this holiday to African Americans in the United States.
- Enjoy comparing the similarities between the religious systems shared. What is the one symbol that is common among them all? How does this symbol relate to the Winter Solstice?
- Please be prepared to discuss the deeply felt emotions and experiences in The Christmas Tapestry. Polacco involves one of the most important, yet horrific events of all time - the Holocaust - as part of her story and children will want to understand the serious nature of the author's tone. The Christmas Tapestry discussion opportunity can help children understand that even in the darkest times, hope and beauty prevail.
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Consider making a tapestry with your child out of construction paper, felt or even cloth that reflects his/her joy of the season and the season symbols that have meaning for him/her. You can enjoy displaying and sharing your tapestry each year.
- Discuss with your child(ren) something to give or share with your neighbors and/or your community this holiday season. Something simple like an unexpected holiday card in their mailbox or possibly some baked goods or a holiday offering to help with their yardwork or pet sitting. Any idea that invites connection outside the home with others in a loving way. You may be surprised at the positive, everlasting impact your efforts have.
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Enjoy visiting Patricia Polacco's web site http://www.patriciapolacco.com - there is so much wonderful stuff to see and do here!!!
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Dream Snow by Eric Carle
is a clever holiday delight to be unwrapped with glee! Carle's creative genius has given our children so many wonderful and intentioned gifts in Dream Snow that every page is a sweet thrill. Modeled upon his dear friend and fellow illustrator Barry Moser, Carle tells the tale of a farmer and his animals - each named a number - and the magical events that take place one snowy evening. Carle's brilliance is his ability to guide the reader as if by little hand in big hand through Dream Snow, slowly and enticingly past transparent pages of snowfall, deep, rich, otherwordly colors and finally, the thrill of seeing the cozy, chubby Farmer dress in the red, black and white attire needed to carry his burlap sack of wonder. Carle leaves the thrill of discovery and the opportunity of voice to his gentle readers without saying outright who or what is happening. He lets our children be the teachers, telling us with giddy outpourings who we're seeing and what is taking place. The last page of Dream Snow reflects Carle's love of fun and knowing about children's curiosity - a button to press and lovely sounds to hear. Dream Snow is perfect, tender holiday joy.
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Discussion and Exploration Ideas
- Enjoy listening to your child tell you what's going to happen next in Dream Snow. Listen as he/she delights in predicting what the next page will say and what the ending will bring. Share the joy and wonder children will experience reading Carle's Dream Snow - it is infectious!
- Discuss who the Farmer represents as both an "any giving person" and Santa ideal. If you're comfortable doing so, have fun discussing Santa and the mythological magic he respresents from a bag pouring endless gifts to flying reindeer to decorated Christmas trees - where do these symbols originate? What do they mean in various cultures throughout time?
- Think about the loving manner with which the Farmer considers his animals and his Tree - i.e. how he cares for their needs and beautifies their lives. Take a moment to visit your backyard and surrounding neighborhood. What animals and birds live close? Are they hibernating or migrating or do they stay "home" all year?
- Enjoy creating backyard treats for those animals who stay with you all year. Black-oiled sunflower seeds can be purchased inexpensively and are loved by all birds especially Northern Cardinals, Black-capped Chickadees and Grackles. If you eat berries or grapes and have a few extra, Northern Mockingbirds love them. And, if your family doesn't suffer peanut allergies - nuts are loved by all including Tufted Titmice and Blue Jays. Peanut butter or butter can be spread on bagels, bread cookie-cutter cutouts, and pinecones then hung in trees. Animals don't need fancy feeders, the ground or a backyard table works wonderfully.
- Explore Eric Carle's lovely web site that has answers to readers' most frequently asked questions, teacher and parent book suggestions, etc - http://www.eric-carle.com/home.html.
Visit The Season of Light - the birth of light from darkness for lovely, fun and miraculous Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Winter Solstice book suggestions.
Visit The Seasons in Story - dancing in rhythm with nature's glory for book suggestions about migration, hibernation, Winter and snow.
A Holiday Gift for Mothers
As we spend our days thinking, loving, creating and working for our children and families, we experience passing moments of wonder about what our lives might be like had we stayed another path. In the spirit of love and understanding, I offer this book and review for you, beautiful Women.
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Fanny's Dream by Caralyn Buehner with pictures by Mark Buehner is about every Woman, every Mother, who has ever wished for more than the daily grind and the too-oft thanklessness of domesticity. Sincerely conceived and originally spun, Fanny's Dream is a gift to all Women reminding us that the greatest, most precious treasures - the most extraordinary - can be found in the ordinary comfort and familiarity of home. A modern, uplifting, sweet and simple Cinderella story painted in hushed, sleepy yet inviting tones that deepens the gentle spirit of the tale, Fanny's Dream is a unique, humorous and soul-fulfilling book. Fanny's Dream could be any Woman's dream.
Treat yourself to a little magic and enjoy!
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December Events to Explore in Children's Books
Hannukah Begins at Sundown - December 4
On Hanukkah by Cathy Goldberg Fishman, Melanie W. Hall (Illustrator)
Winter Solstice - December 22nd
The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice by Wendy Pfeffer, illus by Jesse Reisch
Full Moon - December 24 - Cold Moon
Long Night Moon by Cynthia Rylant; illustrated by Mark Siegel
Christmas - December 25
The Nativity illus by Julie Vivas
Kwanzaa begins - December 26
Seven Candles for Kwanzaa by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illus by Brian Pinkney
New Years Eve - December 31
P. Bear's New Year's Party! by Paul Owen Lewis
Creative Writing Inspiration
Instead of recycling your 2007 calendar, use its wonderful images as creative writing inspiration. Share calendar images with your children and have them choose ones that inspire them to tell or write a story. Another idea is to take all the images and secure them together in book fashion then have children create a story to go with the newly created book. Anything goes!
Articles and Interest for Preteens to Adults
The East -
exploring the myths, culture, philosophy and religion of the Middle East, Far East, Asia, Africa, and Christianity
OneWomansMind.net Highlight: Gifted Children
Giften children are a blessing to this earth. They come in any shape, size, gender and ability and are gifted in emotional, intellectual, psychological, spiritual and environmental areas that are advanced beyond their years and often, our ability to comprend. Some gifted children display asynchronous development, progressing forward rapidly in some areas, while moving slowly in others. Learning styles and interests among gifted children are as vast and varied as their beautiful minds, but all are scintillating, multi-faceted miracles who feel, see, think and do more.
If interested in discovering more about giftedness, please visit:
Gifted Children
resources for understanding, honoring and meeting the needs of gifted children
Is My Child Gifted?
helping parents identify and understand giftedness
A preview of what's coming in January 2008
Books sharing New Year festivals around the globe.
Books to help children explore the Self as we evaluate our personal hopes for the New Year.
Further winter exploration including books about snow and all its wonder.
Book review submission guidelines for ages 4-8 and 9 to adult.
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Awareness
First Book - giving low income children the opportunity to read and own their first new books.
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