Play Library » kids-books

Go On Vacation With The Berenstain Bears

Linette Gerlach — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 03:11:01 +0000

I remember reading about the Berenstain Bears when I was growing up, and reading them to my son when he was younger. He still has a couple of the Berenstain Bears books, and picks them up once in a while to re-read the stories, even though he’s on to chapter books these days.

It’s fun to learn that many of the Berenstain Bears stories are based on real life experiences. Since we just got back from a beach vacation, I was extra interested in the story behind The Berenstain Bears Go On Vacation. The book was based on the Berenstain’s real life summer vacation to the Jersey Shores.

You can check out a video of the story behind the story, at this weeks Barnes and Noble Back Stories. The video shows how the Berenstains used real life pictures and videos to create the stories for their books.

Image via Barnes and Noble

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Good Night Our World Books – Educational and Fun

Susan Gunelius — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 02:46:53 +0000

My husband takes our triplets to the library every week. The kids love it, and we discover a lot of cool books that way. For example, we found the Good Night Our World book series from our local library.

If you’re not familiar with the Good Night Our World series, it currently includes 33 titles each dedicated to a different city, state or area. The books are all set up the same, with children saying good night to various landmarks, animals and more related to the location in the title. For example, the “Good Night Florida” book says good night to the beach, Kennedy Space Center, etc. The “Good Night New York City” books says good night to the Statue of Liberty and more.

My kids are only 3, so they don’t completely understand all of the landmarks and so on that are including in the books, but I love that they’re being introduced to various parts of the world. I’m sure that older children would really enjoy these books as well, and they could probably learn so much from the Good Night Our World series.

Have you read these books with your children? What age are your kids and what did they think of the books?

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Magic Treehouse Book Series

Kerri Aldrich — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 21:34:15 +0000

Have you been introduced to Jack and Annie and their Magic Tree House? The Magic Tree House series, written by Mary Pope Osborne, is one that my daughter was introduced to last year. The series follows Jack and Annie, siblings, who find themselves on a variety of adventures through different times and destinations, beginning and ending at the Magic Tree House.

In addition to the series itself, there are Research Guides that include additional facts to the times, places, and situations that Jack and Annie have experienced. My daughter enjoys these as well, but the Twisters and Other Terrible Storms did have her a bit freaked out and watchful of storms for a few weeks!

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Literature for Young Minds

Kerri Aldrich — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 04:46:53 +0000

I have to say, I’m so very excited to have a child who loves to read! Okay, so the other two may have that also, but being that they’re only 2 and 3, I’m not sure, yet, whether they’re going to share with me that insatiable desire to have a book in hand at all times.

My daughter, though, shares my passion for reading. And because she does, it’s getting to be more of a challenge to keep her supplied with books that push the limits of her reading level while keeping her entertained. (Love the library!!!)

I’m thinking it’s time to introduce her to Laura Ingalls and Anne of Green Gables. I’m actually sad to say that I’ve never read either series of books. Of course, I watched Little House on the Prairie, but I never got around to picking up the books. However, it might make it fun to discover the stories with my daughter for the first time. And maybe now I’ll get to be on the receiving end of storytime for a change.

What are some of your favorite book series for young readers? (I’m fishing for suggestions!)

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Dinosaur’s Binkit by Sandra Boynton

Kerri Aldrich — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 04:43:35 +0000

One of the first books we received for my daughter upon bringing her home from the hospital was Dinosaur’s Binkit by Sandra Boynton. My daughter fell in love with this book (as did her mom and dad), and it has been well used through the infancies/toddlerhoods of both of her brothers as well. The text and the illustrations of the book are fun to read and look at, and lend really well to being expressed and acted out! This is one of my favorite kids’ books of all time.

Looking for other books to share with your kids? You can check out the suggestions at Great Books to Read Aloud.

ht: Hsien

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Toy Storage: Are Lego taking over the living room?

Kerri Aldrich — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 21:21:10 +0000

What was your house like growing up? Was every room in the house fair game for kids’ toys, books and puzzles? Was the living room mascot more likely to be identified as Strawberry Shortcake or G.I. Joe than Hummel or Lenox?

I’m really surprised anymore at how many times I hear of houses being built or bought specifically with a play room in mind. An entire room just for the kids to use to play with and store their toys. In addition to the toys in their rooms and, very often, also spread around the house. When we were young (insert geezer voice here), you kept your toys in your room. There might be a few around the living room, but they were, for the most part, in your room. The one you shared with your sister.

Anyway, it seems that the issue of the toys encroaching on the adult space in the house is a big one. So big that people are designing products and such specifically to store toys in the main areas of the house in ways that can’t be seen when the kids aren’t playing. An article at canada.com shares some tips and solutions for this situation.

Sherry of Inside Motherhood shares her family’s solution to kid clutter in the living room. We went that route for awhile, but still felt a bit overwhelmed with it all. Now, one of the shelves on the bookcase is for the kids’ books, and the rest of the mess is supposed to stay in their rooms. If there are too many toys in their rooms, then there’s probably just too many toys. Time for a yard sale or Goodwill.

What’s your family’s solution to avoid toy clutter?

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Storytime at the Library: Pattern Bugs

Kerri Aldrich — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 04:04:08 +0000

We recently picked up a copy of Pattern Bugs by Trudy Harris, illustrated by Anne Canevari Green, from the library. The illustrations are colorful and lively. Each bug that’s introduced demonstrates a new or different pattern through the words of its rhyme, and each rhyme allows for a turn-of-the-page pause to give the child a chance to complete the last bit of the pattern themselves. The colored blocks around the pages match the pattern of the bugs’ rhymes as well.

Very cute book. Too bad real bugs don’t seem nearly as cute and appealing as the little critters illustrated here!

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Book Review: Where Did Daddy’s Hair Go?

Kerri Aldrich — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 04:18:51 +0000

Bald Man wrote a bit about this book a few months back, and then my kids found it at the library. The oldest thought the cover was hilarious and had to bring it home.

Where Did Daddy’s Hair Go? by Joe O’Connor, illustrated by Henry Payne, shares a fun story of little Jeremiah and his dad. It begins with Jeremiah’s realization that his dad is, in fact, bald. You then get to go on the search for his dad’s hair, Jeremiah’s imagining of what his dad would look like with hair (love the illustrations there!), and his love of his dad just as he is.

I love the portrayal of the dad as accepting and unfussy about who he is, and his willingness to entertain all of Jeremiah’s many questions. It reminds me of my own Bald Man. The kids do occasionally ask him questions about his lack of hair, and he is more than willing to answer them. And the fact that he is very comfortable with himself, hair or not, I think will help them to be comfortable with themselves.

Do you have a favorite children’s book that deals with acceptance of differences?

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Storytime at the Library: If you’re happy and you know it, The Jungle Edition

Kerri Aldrich — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 03:36:56 +0000

We were back to the library today for storytime and were introduced to a fun book entitled If You’re Happy And You Know It: The Jungle Edition. You can probably get the gist of the storyline, but there are “jungle specific” indicators of happiness throughout the book for parents and kids to exhibit together. There are several steps that involve getting up and moving, and the kids loved it!

What are your favorite books based on kids’ songs?

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Seven Random Playtime Facts

Kerri Aldrich — Sat, 07 Jul 2007 03:14:49 +0000

Okay, so, Maricar tagged me on June 13th, and I’m finally getting around to keeping up my end of the deal (less than a month later—woohoo!). Basically, it’s a Seven Random Facts About Me kinda thing. I figure I’ll do my best to relate it to playtime.

1. I used to hate to play outside as a kid. Hated it. Would always prefer to be in my room reading a book.

2. If my mom did kick me out, my friends and I would play Barbie for hours. My friend had the inflatable furniture, and we’d make cars by taping shoe boxes together.

3. My favorite books to read as a child were the Ramona the Pest books, anything else by Beverly Cleary, and everything by Judy Blume. I remember going into the children’s room at the library and scanning the shelves for anything by my favorite authors. That much hasn’t changed.

4. Basketball is my favorite sport to play. I haven’t played it in way too long.

5. I was here for the first round of Strawberry Shortcake, when she was cute and frumpy instead of stylish and sassy.

6. One of my favorite boardgames to play is THERAPY. (Recommended for ages 16 and up.)

7. The most advanced gaming console ever owned in my family growing up was the Atari 2600.

Okay, so, there you go. Now comes the part that I’m not so good at, the continuation of the tagging. If you participate, just let me know in the comments!

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