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: Halloween
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Miss Fiona's Stupendous Pumpkin Pies written by Mark Kimball Moulton, illustrated by Karen Hillard Crouch Good
From the charmingly spooky and inviting cover into and between each and every page, author and artist team mark Kimball Moulton and Karen Hillard Crouch Good have created a Halloween masterpiece. Cleverly written, rhyming text spins the story of Kooky Miss Fiona who shares her freshly baked pumpkin pies each Halloween at exactly Midnight with the children of her town. Shaded hues of purple, black, green and orange; folk art figures of creepy perfection; and a gentle message about looking beyond appearance to find a person's true heart combine to make Miss Fiona's Stupendous Pumpkin Pies a Halloween bookshelf favorite that is a joy to reread each year.
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Discussion and Exploration Ideas
- Enjoy looking at each page with your child discussing the Halloween symbols and charcters, researching, exploring and describing their meaning and relevance and learning which are your reader's favorite and why. Enjoy drawing or creating Halloween characters your child loves. Enjoy Gail Gibbons' Halloween Is...
to discover the meaning of Halloween symbols.
- Have fun counting the pumpkins throughout the book and creating your own. A simple craft idea includes one piece of orange construction paper, one piece of green construction paper, one piece of yellow tissue paper, pencil, glue stick and scissors. Draw and cut the orange paper into a large pumpkin shape. Next, using a pencil draw and cut out three triangle, two for ones and one for the nose. Next, draw and cut out a mouth shape you like. Then take your yellow piece of tissue paper and cut it to fit the back of your pumpkin and glue. Top with a green stem piece. Hang on a window and watch as the sun lights up your jack-o-lantern!
- If possible bake some pumpkin goods or bring some from home to share with children. Here's a recipe for Chocolate Pumpkin Cake or Cupcakes. We make these each October and they are divine - the best of everything!!!
- Discuss Ms. Crouch Good's folk art illustration style as an American tradition and the homey feeling it engenders. Explore and discover folk artists or art pieces via the Internet, library or as you shop throughout the Halloween season. Many Halloween trinkets today are created with a folk art feel. Work with your reader to create their own Halloween folk art piece, experimenting with modeling clay, water colors or whatever medium he or she enjoys.
- Discuss Miss Fiona's Witchy appearance. Have your reader determine if Miss Fiona is indeed a Witch and if so, what about her makes her such? Ask your reader how he or she feels about Miss Fiona's "witchiness" - is it fun, spooky, interesting, exciting or frightening? Discuss how Miss Fiona's eccentricities make her a special, unique and giving person. Who does your reader know who is similar to Miss Fiona?
- Visit the author's, Mark Kimball Moulton, and illustrator's, Karen Hillard Crouch Good web sites. They are both magical!!
Visit Halloween: the most delicious night of the year for more wonderfully fun and spooky holiday stories!
Enjoy more pumpkin and Autumn books at
The Seasons in Story: dancing in rhythm with nature's glory.
Children's Picture Books Reviews and Exploration Ideas: Bats
Discussion and Exploration Ideas
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Children have an inherent understanding and affinity for mythology and folklore. Still meshed with the glorious dream world, children intuitively understand symbolic thinking. Discuss with your reader the idea of Creation and Davol's Mother of All Living Things. Listen objectively as your child explains his/her ideas about how life came to be. You will be awed and humboled by their responses.
- Explore the nocturnal animals Davol has included in her story. Discuss, research and discover their different habitats, country of origin and night habits. Discuss how the animals bridged the predator/prey relationship in order for Creation to be complete and to reach their goal of letting light into the darkness.
- Enjoy a night walk with your child. With flashlight in hand let twilight be your starting point and keep your eyes peeled toward the sky to be dazzled by diving, dipping bats, skittery Nighthawks, flitting moths, silent-sweeping owls and birds of all sorts heading toward their roosts. Listen for night singing Northern Mockingbirds, chirping crickets and the last frog choruses of the year. Watch as the Northern Red Cardinal comes, the last visitor at feeders and birdbaths, peeping and flashing by in brilliant not-to-be-missed red. Watch as cats slink and opposums slowly dawdle looking for food. With the safety of parent in hand, night becomes a time of great and miraculous wonder.
- Research and discuss the nocturnal animals found in your area. Try and identify the animals you saw on your night walk. Knowing the animals in your area can lead to a greater, more profound appreciation of place. Additionally, idenitifying the flora and fauna of your area is an enriching, life-altering language to learn.
- Explore and enjoy Keepers of the Night: Native American Stories and Nocturnal Activities for Children (Keepers of the Earth Series)
by Michael J. Caduto (Author), Joseph Bruchac (Author), David Kanietakeron Fadden (Illustrator)
- Visit the author's, Marguerite Davol, and illustrator's, Mary GrandPre web sites. Enjoy!
More bat books to enjoy:
Fiction
How the Bat Got Its Wings & Young Bear's Lesson by Paul Williams
The Bat In The Boot by Annie Cannon
A Promise to the Sun: An African Story by Tololowa M. Mollel, illus by Beatriz Vidal
Bat Jamboree by Kathy Appelt, illus by Melissa Sweet
Bats Around the Clock by Kathi Applelt, illus by Melissa Sweet
Baby Bat's Lullaby by Jaquelyn Mitchard, illus by Julia Noonan
Stellaluna by Janell Cannon
Non-Fiction
Bats by Gail Gibbons
Zipping, Zapping, Zooming Bats (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2) by Ann Earle, illus by Henry Cole 
DVD
The Magic School Bus - Creepy, Crawly Fun!
National Geographic: Creepy Creatures
Kids Discover Bats - Bats Conservation International
Internet Resources
Bat Conservation International - a fantastic organization and offer a monthly free newsletter that is informative and wonderful!
Please visit Nature Books at OneWomansMind.net for children's picture books about experiencing the deep joy and contentment found within nature.
October Events to Explore in Children's Books
Columbus Day - October 12
Follow the Dream: The Story of Christopher Columbus by Peter Sis
Full Moon - October 26 - Harvest Moon
Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back by Joseph Bruchac
Creative Writing Inspiration
Halloween is such a fantastic time to share stories around a fire or cuddled under blankets and cozy with family and friends. As a little girl I have vivid memories of my Grandmother telling me stories she knew by heart. I was fascinated by her tone and inflection and could listen to her indefinitely. For me, she was pure magic! My favorite story she told was Little Orphant Annie by James Whitcomb Riley - quite spooky! Because I had no pictures to see in a book or on television, I imagined every moment she described. As such, the story became indelible.
Creative writing is about putting pencil to paper but more importantly it is about imagination and freedom. The first storytellers were oral wonders who had a special gift for remembering details, nuances and entertaining moments. Invite your child or student to imagine a story, stream-of-consciousness, and let he/she tell it with no boundaries. If possible, record the story digitally or with a tape recorder. If not, just enjoy the moment of listening to your creative genius share his/her soul with you.
Articles and Interest for Preteens to Adults
Halloween - celebrating the seasonal descent into darkness by Paula Vaughan
The Celts:
An Introduction to Ancient Celtic Spiritual, Psychological and Eco-Religious Belief Systems
and Their Manifestation in the Legends of the Holy Grail by Paula Vaughan
OneWomansMind.net Highlight: The Function of the Witch - Tuesdays, 1:00-3:00pm, October 2nd - 30th
The Function of the Witch is an interdisciplinary studies course for Mothers, Daughters and Women that examines and seeks to understand the cultural, psychological, historical and mythological impact the title "Witch" has conferred upon women for thousands of years and to unravel the dichotomous power roles of villain and victim thrust upon elderly, outrageous, unique, reclusive and lonely people worldwide. The Function of the Witch also explores the necessity of the Witch in humanity's social, global evolution. Mainly, The Function of the Witch is interesting, engaging, Halloween fun!
Visit The Function of the Witch Optional Reading List and Internet Resources for great information and exploration.
Listen to Anne Sexton read her poem, Her Kind.
A preview of what's coming in November...
Thanksgiving book reviews and suggestions to share with your family.
Continuing Autumn exploration including leaves and hibernation.
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Awareness
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series) signature largess and stunning pastel mastery, 
