Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day, Everyone!

I hope that you had a nice Father's Day! My father passed away at a young age at 48 years of age but I took my adopted father out to dinner. We had a great time! This was a delightful day for me. I couldn't let this day pass without including a Father's Day post!

Here are two Father's Day books that you might want to consider for next year:

A Perfect Father's Day by Eve Bunting and Illustrated by Susan Meddaugh

"I'm taking you out for Father's Day," Susie tells Dad. "First we'll go for lunch."

"Good," Dad says. "May I drive?"

"Certainly," Susie says.

"She chooses the restaurant, and pretty soon Dad can see that she's filled this special day with treats - treats for both of them!"

 This book is quite nice. It is a warm, cuddly quick read. Check it out from you local library for next year!

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A Father's Day Thank you 

by Janet Nolan 

and Illustrated by Kathi Ember

This delightfully written and illustrated children's book describes how Harvey can't figure out what to give his father for Father's Day! This book makes for a great discussion on what Father's Day is all about. This will be a great addition to any family, school, and public library. This is a great read! You won't be disappointed!

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"Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters" for Father's Day!

Written by President Obama and illustrated by Loren Long

I had to include President Barack Obama's "Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters" for Father's Day! Written by President Obama and illustrated by Loren Long

I loved this book! The pictures are gorgeous! We learn about various characters such as Georgia O'Keefe, Albert Einstein, Jackie Robinson, Sitting Bull, Billy Holiday, Helen Keller, Maya Lin, Jane Addams, Rev. Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr., Neil Armstrong, Cesar Chavez, Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington 

"Have I told you lately how wonderful you are?

How the sound of your feet 

running from afar 

brings dancing rhythms to my day?

How you laugh

and sunshine spills into the room?"

Have I told you are creative? We learn about the great artist Georgia O'Keefe!

Have I told you that you are smart? We learn about the genius Albert Einstein!

Have I told you that you are brave? We learn about the pioneer who broke the color line in baseball, Jackie Robinson!

Have I told you that you are a healer? We visit Sitting Bull, the great Sioux Medicine Man

Have I told you that you have your own song? The great songstress Billy Holiday, sings the blues for us!

Have I told you that you are strong? Helen Keller is our example!

Have I told you how important it is to honor others' sacrifices? We visit with Maya Lin who designed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Have I told you that you are king? We see Jane Addams who fed the poor!

Have I told you that you don't give up? Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King the great Civil Rights Leader who taught us to never give up 

Have I told you that you are an explorer? We visit Neil Armstrong who was the first to walk on the moon!

Have I told you that you are inspiring? The great leader Cesar Chavez who led the farm workers!

Have I told you that you are part of a family? President Lincoln who freed the slaves and brought the nation together!

Have I told you to be proud to be American? Our first president was George Washington. He believed and liberty and ... you fill in the rest!

I will let you see and read how this wonderful book ends!

This well written creatively designed book is a must read for all children... Adults will enjoy this also!

When you tell children that they can... and give them hope..... They will start to believe and internalize that they can! Remember!!!!!!!!!!!!! Success breeds success!

If more children were given this book and reminded of these great people, they would have better achievement in schools!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Parents, your children need this book!

I recommend this book for all home, school, and public libraries!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Reading!!!!!!!!!!!!

Until the next time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A children's book a day, keeps the scary monster away!

I Know a Shy Fellow Who Swallowed a Cello by Barbara S. Garriel

I Know a Shy Fellow Who Swallowed a Cello

 

by Barbara S. Garriel

Illustrated by John O'Brien

"He's SHY, a wallflower. He's the man at the side of the room listening to a duet for cello and viola. Even now you wouldn't notice him. But our shy fellow suddenly has an urge to swallow a cello, which is precisely what he does. And he doesn't stop there. He follows it with a harp, a sax, and a fiddle. On and on he goes, trying to satisfy his voracious appetite for musical instruments."

What an absolutely funny book! This book begins with...

"I KNOW A SHY FELLOW ...

... WHO SWALLOWED A CELLO.

I don't know why he swallowed a cello

Perhaps he'll bellow."

The pictures and text are fun and engaging! What a brilliantly clever book! I just couldn't put this book down. As our hero swallows instruments, left and right... his body takes on the shape of the instrument. Imagine having the body of a harp.........or a sax... or a fidddle.. or a cymbal...or a flute... or a kazoo... a bell... and a petite cascabel...

I wouldn't recommend trying this at home boys and girls...... Just read along and enjoy the musical ride!

What do you think happened to our hero after he swallowed all of those instruments?

He belched and he burped, he turned shades of yellow.

It seemed he was doomed, that very shy fellow.

He weaved and he wallowed, he stomped and he yelled.

AND THE NEXT THING HE KNEW,

OUT JINGLED THE ....

You will have to read the book for the rest of the story!

This book uses poetry and rhyme and happy, fun colors and pictures! It is easy to read and follow. The text reinforces each instrument that our hero has swallowed so this will help with cognitive development through recall and memorization. 

This musically fun book is perfect for story time. If you can have some of the instruments on display all the better. However, this book is a fun read all by itself... You won't be able to put this book down! It will have you all roaring with laughter for many days to follow! Children of all ages and adults will enjoy this must read!

I recommend this book for all home, school, and public libraries. You can have a contest to "guess the instruments!"I recommend that you visit your local library and check out this musical treasure! You won't be disappointed!

Until the next time............

Happy reading!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A children's book a day, keeps the scary monster away!

Meet the Orchestra by Anna Hayes and Karmen Thompson

Meet the Orchestra

Written by: Ann Hayes and Illustrated by Karmen Thompson

Have you ever met an orchestra? Well, here's your chance.
Meet the rabbit with her flute ... the koala cellist... the tuba playing warthog .. the alligator on the drums ...


This unusual introducton to the orchestra describes the instruments--strings, brass, woodwinds, and percussion -- and offers interesting information about them.

This colorful and engaging book is a delight for young and older readers alike as an introduction to musical instruments in an orchestra. The book begins with "The Orchestra plays tonight. The audience has arrived. The musicians come on stage with their instruments. What a lot of different kinds they play -- strings, woodwinds, brass, adn percussion."

There is a lovely picture with the animals preparing to play their instruments. There is an alligator, rabbit, tiger... and .... you tell us the rest in the picture!

The first instrument described is the Violin. A raccon dressed in a tuxedo coat sits on a chair playing the violin. Notice his violin case.... There are stickers from the places where he has performed? Paris... Boulder, Colorado... New York... How fun!

We next move to the babboon wearing a summer dress or tutu playing the Viola. We learn the difference between the Violin and the Viola..... "The viola looks and sounds like a big brother to the violin. It has a deeper tone, reminding you of evening shadows, cloudy skies, and the color blue....

Who has ever seen a koala bear playing a cello? We have one here...... "You can't tuck a cello under your chin the way you do a violin or a viola?"

Why not?????????

"It is so big you must rest it on the floor."

A walrus playing the String Bass greets us next......
What is the string bass?

"The string bass is the grandpa of the string family... When bowed, its low notes moan and groan."

Rabbit plays the flute?

Beaver plays the Piccolo

Panda Bear plays the Oboe

Polar Bear plays the Bassoon

Two lovely Foxes  play the Clarinet... A girl fox plays the B-Flat Clarinet and a boy fox plays the Bass Clarinet

Tiger plays the French Horn

Monkey plays the Trumpet

Wart Hog plays the Tuba

Alligator plays the Timpani or Kettledrums

Elephant plays the Cymbals

Another Monkey plays the Piano

Lion is the Conductor

and finally.......

The musicians have taken their places. The strings, who are by far the largest group of players, sit in front, almost filling the stage. The woodwinds sit close together at the center. The brass and percussions are in the back.

The conductor strides on stage in front of the orchestra, raises his baton ...

Let the music start!

I absolultely love this book and have recommended it to all of my musician friends, teachers, librarians, friends, family, co-workers!I love the pictures of each animal playing his /her instrument. Each description was short, fun, and played on our senses. For example, To play the flute, you hold it sideways, tighten your lips, and blow across the air hold. With practice, you can trill like a bird or play slow, quivering notes as cool as a mountain stream.

This certainly engages all of our senses!It is quite descriptive and makes you feel like running out and playing our favorite instrument!

My father played the tuba and my brother the trumpet so I am partial to the Bass instruments.......

The Tuba has a huge bell and a very long tube. The tuba seldom carries a tune. It is more of a rhythm instrument. Its "umpahs" help the brass to keep the beat, just as the thump of the bass does for the strings."

This book is an excellent addition to every home, school, and public library. This book is a great introduction to instruments, orchestra, classical music, etc.

Happy reading!

Until the next time...

A children's book a day, keeps the scary monster away!