Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays! If you're traveling, please be safe and if you're not, then stay warm and enjoy being with friends and family.

Each Kindness

Each Kindness

By: Jacqueline Woodson

Illustrated by: E. B. Lewis

2013-2014 MD Black-Eyed Susan Nominee

In Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, kindness is compared to a ripple in the water's surface when a stone is thrown plunked into the water. The ripple gets bigger and bigger as it spreads throughout the world. When Maya comes to school, the girls were mean to her. They wouldn't talk to her and made fun of her second-hand clothes. They wouldn't even smile at her when she tried to smile at them. Then one day, Maya was gone. When everyone got to drop a stone into a bowl of water to see how their kindness spreads, one girl could not think of anything she had done. She felt bad for how she treated Maya, but now it was too late to say sorry. 

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson is a great story for World Kindness Day (13 November) and to teach children that the kindness they show to everyone around them, just gets bigger and brighter!!

Letters From Santa

We all know it's tradition for kids to sit down and write Santa a wishful letter, asking for a long of list of toys for Christmas morning. But what about a letter from Santa?

Macaroni Kid Annapolis, partnering with Pottery at South River Colony, is offering you the opportunity to send your child a letter from the man in the big red suit. Fill out a few tidbits about your child, and you are set. It's really fast, really easy and totally free!

Register your child using this link.
https://tinyurl.com/y74jx225

Remember, Santa wants to help you keep the kids off the naughty list, so let him send them a letter and make your life a little easier this holiday season. We would like to reach as many families as possible this year. Please register one letter per family.

(Notes: Letters will be mailed in early- to mid-December. Santa's letter will be postmarked from Maryland. Be on the lookout if you have some smarty pants readers in your home!)

Dia de los Muertos!

Ghosts

By Raina Telgemeier

Does the author's name look familiar? You bet it does! Raina Telgemeier is also the author of Smile, Sisters and Drama! Ghosts is her stand-alone graphic novel and is also a MD Black-Eyed Susan nominees for graphic novels grades 4-6. Ghosts tells of Cat's move to Northern California with her family. Her sister, Maya, has Cystic Fibrosis and up north is better for her health than in Southern California. Something seems very different about their new city of Bahia de la Luna. Everyone seems preoccupied with ghosts and when Dia de los Muertos comes around on the 1st of November, the ghosts come out to play and Cat learns that there is nothing to be afraid of. Throughout the book there is an undertone of breathing issues. It seems that the ghosts are very much like Cat's sister, whereas it is hard for her to breathe. The ghosts have their own issues with air and need to borrow a small bit of breath from the living to talk. Maya also mentions to Cat that her life may be cut short and she doesn't want Cat to be afraid of her if she comes to her as a ghost. 

This is a great book for children if they are struggling with a death of loved one or facing an uncertain future of their own. Raina Telgemeier paints a beautiful picture of ghosts as people who have passed, but still love us and want to spend time with us. If you have never read a graphic novel, then this is a good one to down with and read. Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier is a really good and moving story!

Apples To Oregon

Apples To Oregon:

Being the (Slightly) True Narrative of How a Brave Pioneer Father Brought Apples, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Grapes and Cherries (And Children) Across the Plain

By: Deborah Hopkinson and Nancy Carpenter

Apples to Oregon is a TALL tale about how Delicious and her family moved a rolling nursery from Iowa to Oregon. Through rivers and up mountains, through a hailstorm and unforgiving, drying heat of the sun, the family marched onward with the sole purpose of keeping the little plants healthy enough to be transplanted into Oregon soil. They made it! Just in time for the gold rush, but they had already found their fortune.

Don't forget to read the Author's Note in the back. Apples To Oregon, although a tall tale, was based on a real family. A pioneer named Henderson Luelling, his wife Elizabeth and his eight children left Salem, Iowa in 1847 with 700 plants and young fruit trees. The family did make it to Oregon and settled in Milwaukie which is about 6 miles away from Portland. The Luelling-Meek Nursery has been called the 'mother of Oregon nurseries'. 

I'm Gonna Like Me

I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem

By Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell

Jamie Lee Curtis? THE Jamie Curtis? LOL Yes, Jamie Lee Curtis is now an amazing co-author of children's picture books with her partner Laura Cornell. In I'm Gonna Like Me, children go through their day and although they do some things really well or some things really bad or make mistakes or succeed or look different - they still like who they are. When kids like themselves they feel safe and secure. This is a good book to share with younger kids to foster that spirit of good self-esteem.

Jamie Lee Curtis has also co-written with Laura Cornell:

When I Was Little

Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born

Today I Feel Silly

Where Do Balloons Go?

Pizza For The Queen

Pizza for the Queen

By Nancy Castaldo

Illustrated by: Melisande Potter

October is Pizza Month!

Raffaaele was the finest pizza maker in the land and his reputation stretched straight up to Queen Margherita! She sent her royal messenger to order pizzas from Raffaele's pizzeria Pietro e Basta Cosi. The Queen wanted to taste the pizza that her servants were raving over!  Rafffaele visited local markets to pick up the favorite tastes of the Napoli people. He did not get the 'best', but got the people's favorite. The first pizza was spread with olive oil and tomatoes and oregano and garlic. The second pizza was spread with sausage and mozzarella and basil. By the time Raffaele got to the third pizza, he noticed all the anchovies were gone! Inspired by the flag of Italy, Raffaele spread the last pizza with tomatoes, basil and mozzarella cheese. Queen Margherita loved Raffaele's pizzas, but particularly noticed and loved the last pizza which came to be known as - Pizza Margherita! The book even includes it's own recipe for Pizza Margherita.

Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match

Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match

By: Monica Brown

Illustrated by: Sara Palacios

Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match was a MD Black-Eyed Susan nominee in 2013-2014. 

Little girls love to mismatch! Marisol is no exception, but she takes it to unusual lengths. She writes in cursive and in print, she brings peanut butter and jelly burritos to lunch, she likes to play soccer-playing pirates and she speaks spanglish. One day on the playground, Ollie says to Marisol that she couldn't match even if she wanted to! Marisol takes this as a challenge and comes in the next day with matching clothes. She plays just a pirate at recess and eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on mushy white bread. Marisol's teacher asks her if she is okay and at the end of the day gives Marisol a note explaining that she likes Marisol just the way she is. Marisol learns that it's okay to be different. It's important to be YOU!

Maybe Something Beautiful by F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell

Maybe Something Beautiful

By F. Isabel Campoy and Theresa Howell

In a drab, gray world, Mira draws beautifully colorful pictures and hands them out to people in her community until one day she meets a man. This man was a muralist and with his brush he spread colorful sunshine throughout the city. Neighbors, family, friends all joined in with the muralist and Mira and the music played and the city came alive with color! It brought the city together and made the people happy. 

Maybe Something Beautiful by F. Isabel Campoy is based on a true story of downtown San Deigo, CA. Rafael and Candice Lopez came up with the idea to color their community in effort to bring people together through art. Rafael was an artist and his wife, Candice, was a graphic design. Together they invited their whole community to come up with the concept of the Urban Art Trail. They painted murals and benches and utility boxes...and transformed their neighborhood into something beautiful. 

Here are few links to checkout:

Maybe Something Beautiful website

Rafael Lopez talks about an upcoming mural in Chicago

Here are some pictures of the Urban Art Trail in San Diego and a picture of Rafael Lopez. Notice how things like Port-o Potties and junction boxes are painted!

Helen's Big World: The Life of Helen Keller

Helen's Big World: The Life of Helen Keller

By: Doreen Rapport

Illustrated by: Matt Tavares

October is World Blindness Awareness Month

Has there ever been a more celebrated advocate for the blind than Helen Keller? Helen Keller was not born blind. In fact, she was a perfectly healthy baby until she became sick at 19-months old. Her sickness left her in a dark world that she didn't understand and a world that she fought against.  Alone and afraid, Helen raged against her new, dark world. Helen's parents didn't know how to help her until Annie Sullivan came into her life. Annie Sullivan had been legally blind, but after several operations she was able to see again, but her eyes were weak. Annie worked with Helen and brought light to her world and gave her words to communicate with those around her. 

Helen's Big World was a MD Black-Eyed Susan Nominee in 2014-2015 and is a wonderful picture book about the life of Helen Keller. It is also a wonderful book to teach kids that there is no boundary to your dreams and with hard work and dedication, you can accomplish anything.

Blackout by John Rocco

Blackout

By John Rocco

2012-2013 MD Black-Eyed Susan Nominee

Life can get pretty busy sometimes and it's hard to just stop and take a break until...the power goes out. When all of the power in the city goes out one hot summer night, folks break out of their homes and abandon everything and are forced to take that moment to be with neighbors, to dance, to sing, to be with each other and to see the lights in the sky! Sometimes when one thing fails, there is something marvelous that can be born. Blackout is a great reminder to us all to off the "lights" and take that time for family.

The Library Dragon by Carmen Agra Deedy

The Library Dragon

By Carmen Agra Deedy

Miss Lotta Scales was a real dragon. She guarded the books at Sunrise Elementary School. Maybe a little too well. The kids were not allowed to check out any books and story time was a thing of the past. Soon, no one went to the library until...Molly Brickmeyer. What happened next made the scales drop off Miss Lotta Scales one-by-one until all that was left was Miss Lotty, librarian extraordinaire. 

Seven and a Half Tons of Steel

Seven and a Half Tons of Steel

By Janet Nolan

Illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez

Wow! This is an amazing book about a beam that was taken from the wreckage of  the Twin Towers after they collapsed. This beam was melted down and molded into the bow of the USS New York. Construction of the Navy warship was halted due to Hurricane Katrina, but the workers made a camp at the shipyard and building continued until the USS New York was placed in the water and started it's journey home to New York. From New York, the mighty ship sailed into the Atlantic only to return in 2011 to it's home port for the 10th anniversary of 9/11. 

For those of us who were a part of this American tragedy or who watched helpless on televisions around the world, this book is a reminder of that fateful day, but a solid lesson that there are good, strong things that come out of the even the worst situations. 

Just a forewarning, have tissues handy!

School Supplies

Every year Edgewater Books collects school supplies for kids that are less fortunate. This year they had some surplus  left over so below are the items that they need:

#2 Pencils
Crayons
Elmer's Glue
Individual sanitized wipes

You can drop them off at Edgewater Books at 131 Mitchell's Chance Road.

Summer Reading

What are YOU reading this summer? The Anne Arundel County Library has summer reading lists for every grade available. There are some great books on the list. Check them out!

Anne Arundel County Summer Reading Lists

Pass It Along!

Family Fun Night

Join us for Family Fun Night @ Pottery at South River Colony

Your family will create your own Tic Tac Toe game. Paint to match your family room, basement, kids room or beach house.
Enjoy free pizza while you paint

DATE: May 13, 2017

TIME: 4:30PM to 6:30PM

LOCATION: Pottery at South River Colony
167 Mitchells Chance Road, Edgewater MD

COST: $45 per family

DEPOSIT REQUIRED: $15.00

REGISTRATION is REQUIRED: https://edgewaterbooks.wufoo.com/forms/winv3mv1ty6vo5/

You Belong To Me

You Belong to Me by Mamoru Suzuki
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Hey! My parenting strategy wrapped up in a simple and soothing book about security among family and friends. This is such a sweet book that’s perfect for any bedtime. The pictures are soft and warm and the text is reassuring and perfect for toddlers. Being a cat person, I adore the cover which first caught my attention. This would actually make a GREAT baby shower gift!! You Belong To Me by Mamoru Suzuki should on every babies book shelf.

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Unicorn On A Roll by Dana Simpson

Unicorn on a Roll by Dana Simpson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Unicorn On A Roll is another installment by Dana Simpson of the Heavenly Nostrils series. Phoebe and her unicorn stroll through another school year that’s filled with friendship, sarcasm and new knowledge of unicorns. In Unicorn On A Roll we begin with reminiscing to when Phoebe met her unicorn a little less than a year ago. The book carries on in diary fashion as Phoebe begins school. She enters a spelling bee and gets the lead in the school play much to the chagrin of her rival, Dakota. Phoebe also gets to attend the birthday party of Lord Splendid Humility. In the end, Phoebe is happy to decree - SUMMER!!!

I am trying my hardest to like graphic novels and the Phoebe And Her Unicorn books by Dana Simpson are really helping. The unicorn’s sarcasm gets me laughing out loud and my family just gives me strange looks. They are truly just fun and entertaining books to read. Kids will love them, but I’m going to go out on a limb and suggest them for adults too. Why can’t we have a little fun and EVERYONE can use a little levity once in while. So pick up your copy of Unicorn On A Roll by Dana Simpson and kick your feet up and just enjoy a good laugh!

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So You Want To Be President?

Do you want to be President one day? How do you compare to past Presidents!

Chopsticks Book Trailer

Happy Chinese New Year!!

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Looking for a good book on Martin Luther King for a young child? Martin and Mahalia: His Words and Her Song is an excellent book that describes Martin and Mahalia's journey to the Lincoln Memorial where Martin gave his "I have a dream" speech. Thoughtful and well written, this book is perfect for the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.

What Do You Do With An Idea

What Do You Do with an Idea? by Kobi Yamada
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What Do You Do With An Idea by Kobi Yamada is about a little boy who has an amazing idea. At first he doesn’t know what to do with the idea and tries to ignore it. Some people think it’s strange or weird, but eventually the little boy decides to take the idea under his wing and nurture it. He takes care of it and gives it a lot of attention. When the little boy’s idea grows up, it becomes a part of everything and changes the world.

What Do You Do With An Idea by Kobi Yamada is an amazing book for both young and old readers. Young readers will learn that even though ideas can be strange and new, embrace them for being yours. Older readers will learn if you take care of and nurture your idea then they will turn into something great. What Do You Do With An Idea by Kobi Yamada is a great conversation starter. I highly recommend it to everyone.

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January is Book Blitz Month!

January is Book Blitz Month!!! Book Blitz month is the start of better reading. It is making that goal to read and find new and exciting books. Make a monthly reading goal! Start a book club! Set aside time every day devoted to reading! This is the month to get it going!

Happy New Year!

Looking forward to a great new year!