Today I get to share a creative and fun beginning reader illustrated chapter book with you that kids are going to love. It is also perfect for back to school since its main character, Mrs. R. Snugglesworth goes to dog law school in it. The book is Mrs. R. Snugglesworth, Attorney-at-Law by Amy Flanagan and illustrated by Jon Davis.
Weaving has always fascinated me. Think about it--so many of our fabrics are created by weaving! Perhaps it is the sewer and quilter in me and my love of fabrics that makes me so intrigued. I always wonder about the patterns in woven works. Now with that said the only looms we have are ones for kids. Therefore, I was interested in Weaving Big on a Little Loom by Fiona Daly.
Sorry it has been so long since my last post! I have been getting ready for the start of school. I will be officially working full time starting Monday! Hazel and I headed to school to set up my classroom and I have had other responsibilities to get ready for the year plus things going on at home. Hazel has switched around her rooms and is redecorating to more of a teen vibe. I have been trying to organize the house. Next I will need to find a housecleaner to come since I won't have time to do it. Enough of my quick update on my life. Today I am going to share with you a fun macrame book. It is Macrame Made Easy: Stylish Patterns and Projects for Beginners by Harumi Kageyama.
Music is such an important part of life. We hear music everywhere. Listen to the wind blowing or the birds singing. It is musical. Today I am sharing a book that takes a look at music from across time and around the world. It shares where musical instruments come from and I'm sharing a round-up of diy musical instruments for kids. The book is Before Music: Where Instruments Come From by Annette Bay Pimentel and illustrated by Madison Safer. It is recommended for ages 8 to 12.
Today I am going to share a new middle school/young adult novel that takes a look at a different life than I am used to. It has been sitting on my shelf for awhile. When my life changed in April, I got behind reading my middle grades and young adult (as well as adult) books. This book is perfect for an Earth Day theme as well as just an adventure lover or explorer. It is Northwind by Gary Paulsen. It is recommended for ages 10 to 14.
When Hazel was younger, we loved exploring the world and participated in a blog group celebrating food from around the world. We did the series Around the World in 12 Dishes. I miss it sometimes because it got us exploring different dishes. Some we loved and others not so much. Today I get to share a book that lets you explore the world through food so basically our series in one book sort of. The book is Ultimate Food Atlas: Maps, Games, and Recipes for Hours of Delicious Fun by Nancy Castaldo and Christy Mihaly. It is from National Geographic Kids and is recommended for ages 8 to 12 but could work with younger kids with adult help.
This past week I turned 52. Fifty-two is not one of the benchmark years. I turned 50 in the summer of 2020. It was when we were afraid to be indoors with too many people and were still wearing masks often. Yet it was one of my best birthdays ever. My sister came for the day and she and Hazel made a delicious meal topped off with a homemade birthday cake. They did all the planning, the shopping, the cooking and the cleaning. They even decorated our patio for the party. Yes, we ate outside. My sister works with newborns and their moms in a hospital setting and has taken being cautious to a new level. She wore her mask whenever she was in our house. It was truly the perfect birthday for me because I didn't have to do anything. It was small, intimate and simple. It certainly wasn't the ball my girlfriend went to for one of her friends who turned 50 this year. My girlfriend and many guests caught Covid from the ball. My girlfriend who is a nurse on a Covid unit in a local hospital. My girlfriend whose kids got Covid last summer and her oldest was truly sick for weeks. He could barely move off the couch, and she didn't get it. But she went to a 50th birthday ball and got it. No, my 50th was simple and fun and perfect and best of all we didn't get sick from the celebration!