|
Featured
Children's Book: Seasonal
All Hallows Eve
The Story of the Halloween Fairy
By Lisa Sferlazza Johnson, illustrations by Tucker Johnson
Age Range: 3 to 5
A pinch of modern fairy dust is sprinkled on Halloween
traditions in this playful, ghoul- and goblin-free introduction
to the holiday. Eve, a young fairy from the All Hallows pumpkin
patch, loves candy but is unable to make it—she can only create
toys with her magic. Eve determinedly practices her spells,
hoping she’ll be able to magic up candy on her birthday, October
31st. During her dress-up birthday party, Eve’s finest attempts
yield only candy-shaped toys—such as candy bar blocks, candy
cane whistles, and squeaky toy cakes. As her frustration grows,
her party guests save the day by visiting all the pumpkins in
the patch and collecting candy to fulfill Eve’s wish. Overjoyed
by their kindness, Eve gratefully offers the toys she created to
her friends. A tale of friendship, cooperation, and
self-acceptance, this children's story also provides health-conscious
families and those with specific dietary concerns an alternative
way to enjoy the holiday activities.
Lisa Sferlazza Johnson is executive director of
Peacemakers, Inc., a nonprofit curriculum-development group
specializing in geographic and cultural programs for elementary
school children. Tucker Johnson is the principal designer at
StudioC/V/R. They both live in
Barrington,
Rhode Island.
Best Christmas Ever, The
by Chih-Yuan Chen
Age Range: 5 to 7
Christmas at the Bear family household is slim this year,
but Mother Bear and Father Bear create holiday spirit by
adorning their home with decorations sewn from outgrown clothes
and a tree assembled from gathered branches dusted with flour.
Little Bear worries whether Santa will come and ultimately
proves to be the most resourceful to ensure that gifts are under
the tree. On Christmas day everyone has a present—a mended kite
for Brother; a once-missing umbrella for Sister; a favorite old
hat for Father; and, for Mother, a long-lost button that has
been conspicuously missing from her red dress. This charming
children's story demonstrates that even the smallest person can give big
gifts, requiring only love and ingenuity.
Chih-Yuan Chen is an illustrator of children's stories
and the author of The Featherless Chicken, Guji Guji—named a
Best Children's Book by Publishers Weekly and a New York Times
Top 10 children's bestseller—and On the Way to Buy Eggs.
Book of Treasure Hunts, The
Ready-to-Cut Clues for 40 Hide-and-Seek Games
By Rick Walton
With varying degrees of difficulty—from picture clues for
pre-readers to coded clues for older children—these engaging
treasure hunts are designed to bring the whole family together.
Preprinted clues, with directions on where to hide each one,
create an instant adventure. Numerous themes, including
dinosaurs, Wild West ghosts, Egyptian treasure, and secrets to
the kitchen, are incorporated in the 40 treasure hunts offered
in this magical activity book.
Rick Walton is the author of more than 50 children's
books - picture,
riddle, activity, and educational books, including Dog Day
Detectives; Once There Was a Bull . . . Frog; Really, Really,
Bad Summer Jokes; and So Many Bunnies. He lives in Provo, Utah
Christmas Eve
The Joy of Giving
By Lisa Sferlazza Johnson, illustrations by Tucker Johnson
Age Range: 3 to 5
Tfresh take on Christmas traditions follows Eve, the
enchanting toy-making fairy, as she leaves her pumpkin patch and
heads to the North Pole, where Santa’s elves have come down with
a nasty case of Elfpox. Eve is delighted to lend a magical hand
and help Santa do the elves’ work, but she is unsure of her
abilities—she can only create small toys. After learning about
the first Christmas and getting a few history lessons from the
Mrs. Claus, Eve begins to understand that it’s not the size of
the gift but rather the love that inspires the presents that
counts. Once Eve gets hooked on the "Joy of Giving," she infuses
every pint-sized toy with feeling and is given the distinguished
title of "Christmas Eve." Providing adults with a new
explanation of Christmas traditions, this story helps children
understand that, sometimes, less is more.
Lisa Sferlazza Johnson is executive director of
Peacemakers, Inc., a nonprofit curriculum development group
specializing in geographic and cultural programs for elementary
school children. Tucker Johnson is the principal designer at
StudioC/V/R. They both live in
Barrington,
Rhode Island.
Josh Discovers Passover!
By Larry Stein, illustrations by Marlene K. Goodman
Age Range: 4 to 8
The Passover story is brought to life with fun narration
and dynamic, full-color illustrations. Donning his magical
tallit, Josh travels back in time to discover the meaning of
Passover. Children and their parents accompany Josh as he
travels with Moses, reliving all of the Passover tale's special
moments, from seeing the burning bush to walking through the
parted sea. Fascinating explanations of Passover traditions are
included, as are multiple-choice questions designed to trigger
discussion among the family and in the classroom.
Larry Stein is the author of The Really Fun Family
Haggadah. He is a member of the Board of Jewish Education of Metropolitan
Chicago and served on the
Chicago Cabinet of the Jewish Theological Seminary of
New York. He lives in Deerfield, Illinois.
Really! Fun Family Haggadah, The
by Larry Stein
Age Range: 5 to 8
Useful for both parents and children, this guide to the
seder service provides all the Hebrew parts that families desire
combined with English text for those needing help in
translation. Two versions of the Passover story—one for adults
and a brief one for children—are provided. In addition to all of
the seder’s 14 steps, this Haggadah provides explanations of the
Passover traditions, as well as fun multiple-choice questions so
families can understand the service better and gain a greater
appreciation for its purpose and meaning. Many of the features
are designed to encourage discussion among family members, both
young and old, which is an important part of the Passover
experience.
Larry Stein is the author of Josh Discovers Passover! He
is a member of the Board of Jewish Education of Metropolitan
Chicago and served on the
Chicago Cabinet of the Jewish Theological Seminary of
New York. He lives in
Deerfield,
Illinois.
|
