…There was once a star that twinkled…and a boy who reached for it. Thus begins a simple but profound story about friendship, holding close, and letting go.
“In The Middle of the Lake,” a new, beautifully illustrated book app, explores the world of the brook trout
This unique storybook app offers a way for children to understand connectedness, being part of the natural world – all seen through the activities of a brook trout. Realistic detailed illustrations depict an idyllic lake environment, evoking the spirit and beauty of nature and engaging the reader to experience nature’s essence.
Subtle animation brings a brook trout to life as well as others in its habitat. The touch-screen sound effects make the reader aware of the unseen life also living near the lake, and contribute to the ambiance of the lake’s environment.
This meditative story can be enjoyed on its own by following the activities of the fish. But multiple layers of meaning can also be revealed if questions are asked. A fish has to eat to survive but discovers a new way to get food, there are many bugs with remarkable capabilities and functions, and the natural cycle continues and there is beauty in this constant rhythm and activity. The duality of being an individual but also belonging to a group or community, suggest another concept of connectedness – being part of something bigger – that can be explored by families or in the classroom.
With adult guidance, the fun facts and related web links offer ample opportunity to discuss and learn more about brook trout and their habitat, the biology of fish, insects, birds and water life, and natural ecosystems and their conservation. Creating an awareness of nature – our environment that everyone shares – can help us learn to enjoy it, utilize it wisely and take care of it for the future.
Introducing author Gina Ricci and her new picture book – and app – “Boo!”
Click on the image above to go to the YouTube trailer!
Meander Art’s new release – “BOO!” is a Halloween-themed picture book by Gina Ricci featuring Sophie and Sam. It has also just been released as a PicPocket Books app. Get to know the author, Gina, as she describes the inspiration behind her writing and illustration, and especially her newest picture book, Boo!
"Boo!" picture book by Gina Ricci on the iPad
About Boo!:
Sophie (the little witch in Boo!) and Sam (her cat) have been in my life for years. In fact, Erin, my daughter, was my inspiration for Sophie. 
Sophie and Sam celebrate Halloween!
With her cat Sam, tucked under her arm, Sophie made her debut in “Splish! Splash! Splosh!” the first of many adventures Sophie and Sam take together. Their latest story is “BOO!” – a Halloween night full of black cats, bubbling cauldrons, and a haunted house.
Sophie and Sam in "Splish! Splash! Splosh!"
“BOO!’s” richly detailed illustrations bring to life the magic of Halloween and the playful, rhyming adventure, which young children will love to read.
About Gina:
I was born in England, but have lived in America for the last 30 years. I’ve always loved to draw and paint. One Christmas, my sister Louise was visiting, and we had such a bad snowstorm that we were stuck indoors for a week. We sat at the dining room table and decided to make our own Christmas cards. On the back of them we wrote “from Me and ‘er.” And that’s how Meander Art was born.
Each year I designed another card, wrote a poem for the inside, and from those first few cards came my designs and the stories for our children’s books.
At the heart of Meander Art’s books are wonderful childhood memories, splashing in puddles, building sandcastles, trick-or-treating, and more. We want our stories and artwork to make children smile, and for the parents to remember when they were young–those days of endless summers, the first chill of Autumn, memories of building snowmen, and best friends.
Look out for another Sophie and Sam–whimsical tale from Meander Art– coming this winter “Snowflakes are Falling.”
Encourage summer reading – and prevent summer reading loss
It is called “summer slide,” “summer reading gap,” “summer learning loss,” and “summer setback.” Unfortunately, each year, summer learning loss accentuates the reading gap that exists between students from low–socioeconomic and high–socioeconomic families. One way to combat the summer slide is to get books into kids’ hands and encourage them to actually read them. Linda B. Gambrell, Professor of Education at Clemson University, and former president of the International Reading Association has some very practical tips for connecting kids and books. These suggestions were first published in her 2008 article “Closing the Summer Reading Gap: You Can Make a Difference!”
Ways you can make a difference
by Linda B. Gambrell
There are a number of things that individual classroom teachers can do to encourage summer reading. In a study conducted with elementary–age students, Jimmy Kim found that reading four to five books during the summer was potentially enough to prevent a decline in reading achievement from spring to fall.
The key to overcoming summer reading loss is finding novel ways to get books into students’ hands during the summer break. Here are four suggestions for classroom teachers:
- During “teacher read–aloud time,” share information about a variety of books. Students are more likely to read books they know something about. During the 15 to 20 minutes that you would read aloud from a single book, give a brief overview of multiple books instead, making sure you share a balance of narrative and informational texts reflecting a range of reading levels. Encourage students to make a list of the books they want to read over the summer. If a teacher shares 12 to 15 books a week during the final four weeks of school, students will be introduced to 50 or 60 books for potential summer reading.
- Share “3–a–day.” If you can’t devote 15 to 20 minutes at a time to book sharing, try taking 5 minutes each day during the last month of school to share “3–a–day,” quickly sharing a narrative text, an informational text, and something else, such as a book of poetry. Using this approach, you could share up to 60 books with your students.
- Distribute older books to students to take home for summer reading. When I was a classroom teacher, I carefully guarded my own library, making sure I could account for every book. As a consequence, the number of books in my classroom library grew substantially each year. I’ve since come to realize that students, like adults, gravitate toward newer titles. While there are some classics we will want to retain in our classroom libraries, perhaps it is time to weed out some of the older or never–touched books and give them to students for summer reading. If the books in your classroom library have been purchased with school funds, first obtain permission from your principal.Giving students books to take home on the last day of class is a powerful way to increase the likelihood of summer reading. You might want to duplicate a book plate that students can paste inside the front cover of the books they select. This book plate might say something like “Happy summer reading from your 5th–grade teacher, Mrs. Brown.” Books given to students by the teacher often become favorites and are highly likely to be read over the summer.
- Explore other ways you and your school can promote access to books, particularly for students from low–socioeconomic families. Suggestions include keeping the school library open during the summer months, taking a class trip to the local library during the last month of school to ensure that every student has a library card, and working with local businesses to sponsor the purchase of books for each student to take home on the last day of class.
The Twelve Days of Springtime
by Deborah Lee Rose
This charming picture book for ages 4-9 is a delightfully fresh take on the traditional 12 Days of Christmas carol. The beautiful spreads of this counting book will delight young readers as they find activities that can be part of their own springtime days.
“The kindergarten gang from The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003) and The Twelve Days of Winter (2006, both Abrams) is back in a hilarious counting book that welcomes spring. The text could be sung or acted out. Areas of the primary curriculum are presented within the illustrations showing insect study, plants, and metamorphosis. Many aspects of kindergarten life are revealed through the entertaining illustrations such as a child with her stuffed animal, field trips, music class, and various learning centers. Even the class hamster has fun on the field trip to the farm, rowing a boat in the stream, and riding on a turtle near a pond. [The Twelve Days of Springtime is]…a perfect choice to use with a group.” ~from School Library Journal
Time to plow and plant!
Springtime is here (at least in our part of the world), and it’s time to start up the tractor and get plowing and planting. When it comes to plowing, there’s no one better to turn to than good ole Tractor Mac. He’s a hard worker, a true friend, and a great storyteller. Here’s an excerpt from a recent review from Christopher Lay all the way from Beijing, China:
If your children are like Reina [the reviewer's daughter], they churn through storybooks. Whether a paper bound edition or a digital one on the iPad, Reina goes through phases where she reads through everything one week and fixates on one or two stories the next. Here are some reads she has recently been flipping through on screen.
PicPocket Books continues to add to its long list of dependable titles with the Tractor Mac series written and illustrated by Billy Steers. This wonderfully drawn set of stories captures the spirit of farm life as it recounts the exploits of the tractor named Mac and the animals on Farmer Bill’s Stony Meadow Farm. With lessons on fitting in, working hard, patience, winning, and losing, there is much to be gained by reading and exploring these stories with a child.There is added authenticity in Billy Steers’ tales as he is a farmer himself and his voice delights as he narrates Tractor Mac Arrives at the Farm, Tractor Mac You’re a Winner, and Tractor Mac Builds a Barn.These books are rated 4-8, but I enjoyed them too; it’s true, I’m a little bit country.
Download Tractor Mac on iTunes or go to www.picpocketbooks.com to browse our titles.
PicPocket Books Celebrates Reading: Great Offers and Free Book Apps for Kids!
March 2nd is Read Across America, an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss. For more info visit: NEA’s Web site
March 3rd is World Book Day in the UK and Ireland. World book day is a celebration of books and reading, a partnership of publishers, booksellers and interested parties who work together to promote books and reading for the personal enrichment and enjoyment of all. For more information, visit world book day:worldbbokday.com
PicPocket Books champions books and reading aloud to kids, whether from print books or digital versions while on the go.
To help you discover great book apps for kids, PicPocket Books is pleased to announce:
4 Free Book apps on iPad for a limited time only!
To a very young person, big people seem so capable! Daddy pours juice and never spills a drop, Grandma bakes a cake effortlessly, and a next door neighbor rides a bike as if he were born on one. Whatever the activity, this little heroine “wants to do it too!”
And so she does – thanks to the love and support of those around her. Is it any surprise that soon she is big enough to pass on loving encouragement to someone even younger?This simple cadence of the words and the direct-to-the-heart art result in a book that recognizes how satisfying growing up surrounded by love can be.
I Can Do It Too! for iPad is available for download via the iTunes App Store – iPad App
Far to the North
“Far to the North” takes young readers on an enchanting journey to the snowy Arctic. Under the magical, starlit sky of the Far North, polar bears roam. This lyrical picture book offers a glimpse of a young polar bear as he learns to swim, fish, and play in his wintry home.
Far to the North for iPad is available for download via the iTunes App Store – iPad App
In an imaginative adventure through the digestive system, Human Body Detectives Merrin and Pearl tackle their first case. The girls’ little brother has swallowed a penny. Now through magic and imagination they find themselves on an adventure through his digestive system where they must grab the penny, save Robbie, and narrowly escape his poopy diaper.
The Human Body Detectives series highlights the girls’ adventures through the different body systems, and teaches kids the importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle. If children understand how their bodies work, they are more apt to make healthy food and lifestyle choices.
The Lucky Escape is available for download via the iTunes App Store – iPad App
A My Name is Andrew is a winsome and whimsical, tongue-twisting journey through the alphabet and across the country. Imaginative and artistic illustrations combine with an engaging alliterative verse in this original and refreshingly multi-cultural alphabet picture book. Look out for those happy, hula-loving hamsters!
A, My Name Is Andrew is available for download via the iTunes App Store – iPad App
Special Price offer: 50% off to celebrate reading
from March 2nd to March 5
Books Apps for iPhone and iPod Touch
When the Fairies of the Crystal Mountain steal Anna’s tapestry, she sends her three sons to get it back. With the help of three magic horses, her youngest son, Perrin, goes through fiery plains and icy seas and at last reaches the Crystal Mountain. Will he succeed in his task?
The Crystal Mountain is available for download via the iTunes App Store – iPhone and iPod Touch
Join the adventures of Tractor Mac and his friends as they work and play at Farmer Bill’s Stony Meadow Farm. Tractor Mac has many friends, including Sibley the workhorse, Margot the cow, Fetch the dog and Sam the ram who all help Tractor Mac learn about friendship, teamwork, the joy of winning, and how to lose gracefully. In this first story of the Tractor Mac series, we meet Sibley the workhorse who can do the work of two horses.
But then Mac, a shiny new tractor, arrives at Stony Meadow Farm. Poor Sibley! Just when he’s worried he’ll be put out to pasture he saves the day when Tractor Mac runs into a big problem.
Tractor Mac Arrives is available for download via the iTunes App Store – iPhone and iPod Touch
Three Blind Mice on Vacation in Africa
Wooleycat is a musical poet who adds inventive twists to the classic Mother Goose rhymes. With this app, you are invited along on Safari in Africa with the three blind mice. Dennis Hysom’s lyrical voice finds perfect accompaniment in Christine Walker’s paintings.
Their award-winning album is now an engaging app. Your ticket to rhyme awaits!
Three Blind Mice is available for download via the iTunes App Store – iPhone and iPod Touch
Mico the Mouse Who Was Afraid of the Dark: Mico is a little mouse with a big fear. A special friend helps him make discoveries that open up a whole new world for him! Mico’s story encourages kids to take new steps that lead to positive experiences.
Mico is available for download via the iTunes App Store – iPhone and iPod Touch
The beautiful illustrations in this classic rendition of Sleeping Beauty bring new details and style to this favorite fairy tale. Vibrant watercolors relate the timeless story of the princess who sleeps for one hundred years. From an emerald frog to the cascades of roses that twine their way through the story, the rich colors of these painted pages are bound to please!
Sleeping Beauty is available for download via the iTunes App Store – iPhone and iPod Touch
Do you ever wonder what your pet cats do when you leave them home alone? Catrina and her cat friends cook, feast, sing and dance the whole day long. No one can remember having so much fun. But all too soon the family returns home. Will the cats get the house back in order without being discovered?
Wednesday Is Spaghetti Day is available for download via the iTunes App Store – iPhone and iPod Touch
Eric can’t understand why the polar bears and penguins at the Brookfield Zoo are unhappy. When the animals don’t know what’s wrong, Eric wishes to talk to Sophia, the sky fairy, who first gave him his enchanted leaf.
Sophia takes Eric on a journey from the Arctic to the Antarctic to the Amazon to help him see the effects of Global Warming and the human aspect of the problem. Through the story, young children will see that while no one can do everything, even they can do something to help put less carbon dioxide into the air.
The Earth Grows Warmer is available for download via the iTunes App Store – iPhone and iPod Touch
Blue Beary is a book about belonging. Everyone needs a primary place of belonging from which to grow. We all need someone who loves us best of all and cleans us up when we fall down. From that place of belonging we wander out and forage through life, discovering the world around us.
Join Samantha and Beary on their first colorful adventure in the Open Eyes series as they grow, learn and explore the world.
BlueBeary is available for download via the iTunes App Store – iPhone and iPod Touch
Happy Reading and enjoy these precious moments with your kids.
Chinese New Year 2011: Year of the Rabbit
"Boy Dumplings" for the iPad from PicPocket Books
PicPocket Books is proud to offer Boy Dumplings, a unique story from Ying Chang Compestine with elements of Chinese folk tales, for the iPhone and iPad for the Chinese New Year.
(…from the Holiday House Book Page)
Get ready to gobble up this fun-filled tale of a crafty youngster’s hilarious efforts to avoid the cooking pot.
Begin with one hungry ghost. Add a plump, delicious-looking boy. Sprinkle in some Chinese folklore and a healthy dash of humor. Now sink your teeth into an exciting story about a ghost eager for his next meal—and a boy who must think fast if he doesn’t want to get turned into dumplings! Includes a fantastic, child-friendly recipe for dumplings.
Watch the author give simple step-by-step instructions for delicious dumplings in this video. Then go get some dumpling wrappers and make your own at home tonight! Easy and yummy!
Who’s Your Valentine?
Are you thinking about Valentine’s Day? Will you make homemade cards?
If you are looking for some Valentine’s Day inspiration in the form of a children’s picture book, check out A String of Hearts, by Laura Mallone Elliott and illustrated by Lynn Munsinger. A String of Hearts is lovely Valentine story about the real meaning of friendship.
The story illustrates that popularity isn’t everything and a steady, loyal companion who is there when needed is what we really cherish. A historical note about the origins of Valentine’s Day makes A String of Hearts a clincher for a February fourteenth storytime. (Reading Level: Kindergarten-3rd Grade)
String of Hearts, by Laura Malone Elliot
Fireside Stories: Tales for a Snow Day
We woke up this morning to the entire neighborhood covered in a sheet of ice – and, much to my son’s delight – no school! What could be more conducive to a cozy morning reading by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate by your side?
Fireside Stories, from Barefoot Books. Available from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fireside-Stories-Caitlin-Matthews/dp/1846860652
Even though this beautiful collection of stories is entitled Fireside Stories: Tales for a Winter’s Eve, my son and I can attest to the fact that these are darn good stories for any time of the day. This children’s book is a collection of traditional tales, beautifully illustrated, with handsome borders and colorful images. The eight tales in Fireside Stories, retold by Caitlin Matthews, come from Scotland, Russia, Austria, the Czech Republic, and Canada.
Drawn from countries and cultures around the world, these wonderful wintry stories express the magnificence of the season. From a group of courageous Russian animals to a legend about a bag of warmth that can keep winter away forever, these cozy stories will keep out the winter chill. So next time there’s a snow day, cuddle up and share a story by the fire!
