Category: Poetry

April = Aperire = Open

3/26/2020

*Note: this post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Any purchases made via the links provided go to support our literacy efforts.

Spring is in the air with showers and the anticipation of blooming flowers. April is also the month that celebrates BLT’s, grilled cheese, pecans, soft pretzels and garlic. Quite the combination, but it is also Poetry and School Library Month and includes National Library Week. So, in this “Open” month, why not open a cookbook, a book of poems and an account at your local library or for that matter, open any book in April and read! Combine National Picnic Day with Earth Day and Arbor Day and pack a picnic basket with foods you’ve made with your family and kick back and take the time to enjoy a good book, good food and good company. Once again, look over our food calendar and choose a date, choose a food and choose a book and enjoy! Don’t forget to consult our book lists for suggestions and ideas. **Note: unfortunately, the Coronavirus has changed our daily lives, how we go about them and what we do. Sheltering at home can still include reading books, telling stories and writing poems and even picnicking in the backyard. Keep little brains engaged with books. Reading and listening to stories and baking in the kitchen are excellent for home learning. Enjoy and stay safe!

April
National BLT, Garden, Garlic, Grilled Cheese, Pecan, Poetry, School Library, & Soft Pretzel Month

National Garden Month

We Are the Gardeners by Joanna Gaines

Jack's Garden by Henry Cole

Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

The Curious Garden by Peter Brown

Plantzilla by Jerdine Nolan

The Gardener by Sarah Stewart

The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss

National Geographic Readers: Seed to Plant by Kristin Baird Rattini

From Seed to Plant by Gail Gibbons

Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots: Gardening Together with Children by Sharon Lovejoy

To learn about the benefits of having children help in the garden, refer to our previous blogs: The Power of a Garden and Why Get Kids in the Garden?.

“For children, most importantly, being in the garden is something magical.”
Fritjof Capra

National Pecan Month

Let's Go Nuts!: Seeds We Eat by April Pulley Sayre

100 Pecans for Tabitha by Tracey M. Cox

National Poetry Month

Sadly, there don‘t seem to be any anthologies of poems about food and cooking for children (at least that we have found). But poets, such as Shel Silverstein, have been known to write an amusing poem or two about food. In fact, Kenn Nesbitt has a list of food poems on his Poetry for Kids website. So, take the time to look through popular children‘s poetry anthologies for amusing food related poems and other poems to delight you and your family (and refer to our Nursery Rhymes & Poetry book list).

An activity you can do at home to celebrate Poetry Month is a type of found poetry called Book Spine Poetry. Using the titles of books on their spines, you stack the books to create a poem.

2nd: National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day

Peanut Butter & Brains: A Zombie Culinary Tale by Joe McGee

Peanut Butter & Aliens: A Zombie Culinary Tale by Joe McGee

Peanut Butter and Jelly: A Play Rhyme by Nadine Bernard Westcott

Peanut Butter & Cupcake! by Terry Border

8th: National Empanada Day

The Empanadas that Abuela Made by Diane Gonzales Bertrand

The Pumpkin Moon Empanadas by Clementina Llanes

12th: National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day

12th: National Licorice Day

14th: National Pecan Day
See National Pecan Month above.

19th: National Garlic Day

19th - 25th: National Library Week

Consult your local library's website, as well as the American Library Association, to see what activity ideas are out there to celebrate National Library Week.

"No Pirates Allowed!" said Library Lou by Rhonda Gowler Greene

Homer the Library Cat by Reeve Lindbergh

Chicken Story Time by Sandy Asher

A Library Book for Bear by Bonny Becker

22nd: Earth Day

Compost Stew: An A to Z Recipe for the Earth by Mary McKenna Siddals

For additional titles about Earth Day, refer to our previous blog: Let's Celebrate Earth and Arbor Day!.

22nd: National Jelly Bean Day

How Many Jelly Beans? by Andrea Menotti

The Jellybeans Love to Read by Laura Numeroff

23rd: National Picnic Day

One Hundred Hungry Ants by Elinor J. Pinczes

The Teddy Bears' Picnic by Jimmy Kennedy

Need help planning a picnic? Take a look at The Picnic: Recipes and Inspiration from Basket to Blanket by Marnie Hanel, Andrea Slonecker, and Jen Stevenson. While intended for adults, this title is beautiful, witty and full of grand ideas for having the most splendid picnic imaginable.

The Picnic: Recipes and Inspiration from Basket to Blanket by Marnie Hanel, Andrea Slonecker, and Jen Stevenson

26th: National Pretzel Day

Brother Giovanni's Little Reward: How the Pretzel Was Born by Anna Egan Smucker

Pretzels by the Dozen: Truth and Inspiration with a Heart-Shaped Twist by Angela Hunt

30th: National Raisin Day

How Do You Raise a Raisin? by Pam Munoz Ryan

Last Saturday: Arbor Day

As An Oak Tree Grows by G. Brian Karas

Because of an Acorn by Lola M. Schaefer

Stay healthy and happy reading!

-Kate @ BTBL

Author

We are three generations that seek a way to get back to basics. It’s not that we eschew technology, but sometimes simpler is better, especially in raising our children. Mom was a reading teacher, Amanda is an early childhood educator and Kate a children’s literature specialist and former school librarian along with the latest additions, a daughter (now 4) for Kate, and two sons (now 1 and a newborn) for Amanda. We advocate reading aloud, the simple toys that use imagination and encourage creativity and learning in the kitchen, which can be a fun mess but also teaches life skills. Join us in raising healthy, happy, inquisitive and intelligent children.

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Spring Into Reading!

2/25/2019

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*Note: this post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Any purchases made via the links provided go to support our literacy efforts.

The March saying, “in like a lion, out like a lamb” makes us wonder what the month will bring after an already interesting winter here in Michigan. March is also designated as National Reading Month and March 2 is the birthday of beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss, as well as Read Across America Day. We at BTBL enjoy Dr. Seuss books filled with silly words and rhymes and are saddened when we read about groups wishing to ban some of his books. We don’t agree with banning any books but instead to discuss concerns with your children before and after you read the book. You also have to take into account the historical context of any book and the world climate, the author’s background and what was taking place at the time it was written. You cannot alter history and we feel that challenged books make for an excellent learning opportunity.

"Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory."
- Dr. Seuss

Regardless, whether you choose to include Dr. Seuss titles or not, we hope that you will fill the month with books. Use this month to:

Read aloud to your child(ren) every day and hopefully it will become a habit if it isn’t already.
Share a favorite book from your childhood.
Extend a story with an activity to make it memorable (follow us on Facebook and Pinterest for additional ideas not found on our blog)
Create or join a book club or just get together with other parents and children to read a book and do a craft. Turn it into a readers theatre.
Encourage your child(ren) to read to a pet or to a favorite plush book buddy. Research has shown that reading to a pet or book buddy helps struggling readers gain confidence because they don’t feel so self-conscious or judged.
Visit your local library to participate in the many activities offered during National Reading month.
Visit a local bookstore to look at their displays and peruse new titles. Choose a store you haven’t been to before. Don’t forget about used bookstores too. You never know what books you'll find when browsing at a used bookstore or sale.

Special Days in March

March is a month filled with nods to literacy. In addition to March being National Reading Month, the 14th is Pi Day as well as Albert Einstein’s birthday, the Ides of March on the 15th, the 17th St. Patrick’s Day and author/illustrator Kate Greenaway's birthday, the 21st World Poetry Day and the 22nd illustrator Randolph Caldecott’s birthday. All of these occasions offer wonderful opportunities for reading and learning.

14th: Pi Day – Celebrate the never-ending number with Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi by Cindy Neuschwander or grab a slice of pie and read a pie book with your little ones. Refer back to our blog Celebrate National Pie Day with a slice of pie and a storybook to see a list of books all about pie!

Albert Einstein’s Birthday – “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” – Albert Einstein.
There is no argument that Albert Einstein was intelligent. He along with many others recognize the value in reading fairy tales. Celebrate the day by reading your favorite fairy tale. If you don’t have a favorite, check out our Fables, Folktales & Fairy Tales list for some recommended titles. Also, learn about Einstein’s life by sharing a picture book biography such as On a Beam of Light: A Story of Albert Einstein by Jennifer Berne and/or I Am Albert Einstein by Brad Meltzer.

15th: Ides of March - The soothsayer’s warning to “beware the Ides of March” opens up an opportunity for you to learn about Julius Caesar and Shakespeare’s play as well. Consider reading the Who Was? series or History for Kids. Plays are fun to read aloud as, by nature, character reading is done with more feeling and inflection, which aids in fluency and comprehension. Try Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar for Kids by Brendan P. Kelso.

17th: St. Patrick’s Day – Celebrate the foremost patron saint of Ireland by going a little bit green. One of our favorite stories to read aloud in anticipation of St. Patrick's Day is The Night Before St. Patrick's Day by Natasha Wing. Check your local library or book store for St. Patrick’s Day displays and more book suggestions.

Kate Greenaway’s Birthday – The Kate Greenaway Medal, established in 1955, honors the legacy of the British author and illustrator it is named for and is awarded annually to a UK illustrator of children’s books. Paving the way for authors and illustrators such as Beatrix Potter, Greenaway is most famous for her children’s book illustrations of Victorian children wearing her version of late 18th century and Regency fashions.

20th: Vernal Equinox (First Day of Spring) - Celebrate the time of transition from blustery cold, gray days to warm sunshine filled ones. Spring is considered to be a time of rebirth with flowers pushing up through the earth and the new buds waiting to blossom on trees. Some of our favorite books to share at this time of year are Miss Maple’s Seeds by Eliza Wheeler, Flowers are Calling by Rita Gray, A Seed is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston and Who Likes Rain? by Wong Herbert Yee.

21st: World Poetry Day – “A poem begins in delight and ends in wisdom” – Robert Frost
A time to appreciate and support poets and poetry! One of our favorite picture book poems to read aloud is All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon. Share your favorite poems and discover new ones. Take a look at our Poetry & Nursery Rhymes list for anthology recommendations and read our previous blog From Words to Poetry to learn about the benefits of reading poetry.

22nd: Randolph Caldecott’s Birthday – The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of British artist and illustrator Randolph Caldecott. Choose a Caldecott Medal winner from 1938 to present to share with your child. Look for the gold Caldecott medal on the cover of books when browsing at your local library or book store or take a look at this list of medal winners from the American Library Association. Interesting fact...Caldecott and Greenaway (mentioned above) were both born in March of 1846 and worked as illustrators during the Victorian era.

Enjoy this month in celebration of reading but continue throughout the year to place reading at the forefront and instill in your children the value of books. Most of all, just bond with your children and read, read, READ! These times when they are young are all too precious and end all too soon, so cherish the reading aloud snuggles while they last.

Happy reading!

-Kate @ BTBL

Author

We are three generations that seek a way to get back to basics. It’s not that we eschew technology, but sometimes simpler is better, especially in raising our children. Mom was a reading teacher, Amanda is an early childhood educator and Kate a children’s literature specialist and former school librarian along with the latest editions, a daughter for Kate (now 3) and a son for Amanda (now 1.) We advocate reading aloud, the simple toys that use imagination and encourage creativity and learning in the kitchen, which can be a fun mess but also teaches life skills. Join us in raising healthy, happy, inquisitive and intelligent children.

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From Words to Poetry

4/4/2018

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"A poem begins in delight and ends in wisdom."
-Robert Frost-

Words spoken or written on a page can be used to convey thoughts, ideas or some other narration but when words are giving special intensity to express feelings and ideas through a distinctive style and rhythm, it is pure poetry.

Pointless, too scholarly or just plain boring is what has been said by some about reading poetry but perhaps they just haven’t been introduced to poetry that speaks to them. Poetry can be narrative, dramatic or lyrical. It can be serious or it can be humorous. There are many types of poetry and so many poets, both classic and modern that in honor of April being Poetry Month, we are asking you to afford poetry a bit of time in your daily life. Explore and share some poetry, for reading poetry truly does enhance one’s life.

A novel can be read silently but poetry was made to be read or told out loud, even if only to an audience of one: you. An essential element of poetry is its rhythm, which when read aloud forces the reader to become more aware of prosody, the defining feature of expressive reading. Poetry is expressing an emotion that the reader needs to make the listener believe, not only through the words, but through intonation, expressions and body language. Therefore, reading and writing poetry is an excellent way to build strong readers. Consider that:

Poetry can be a quick read when time is short or listeners have short attention spans. Ideas and emotions can be conveyed within a few lines and when children wish to express their own emotions in writing, they can do so in a few lines of poetry.
Young children are instinctively drawn to rhymes and the rhythmic pattern of language in poetry and when children learn and recite poems, they are learning vocabulary, spelling, grammar and phonemic awareness.
Vocabulary improves with reading and writing poetry. Words need to fit into the rhythm and flow of the poem and those words may not always be the ones that are generally used in everyday conversation, so new words are learned from reading or sought out in writing poetry.
Memorization skills are developed naturally through listening to and reciting poetry and rhymes. As nursery rhymes, poems and verses are repeated to a child they will learn them by heart or commit them to memory and be able to recall them with ease. Memorization strengthens the power of the mind and exercises the brain. It will help an individual to build up and store a wealth of knowledge that can be called upon later in life.

Mem Fox, Australian author and educationalist specializing in literacy, stated in her book, Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever, that “experts in literacy and child development have discovered that if children know eight nursery rhymes by heart by the time they’re four years old, they’re usually among the best readers by the time they’re eight.” So check out the Back to Basics Literacy website for a list of poetry books or ask for recommendations from your local library or bookstore and make a vow this month to read aloud a poem a day.

“Every day we should hear at least one little song, read one good poem, see one exquisite picture
and if possible, speak a few sensible words.”
-Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe-

Happy reading!

*Note: this post contains Amazon affiliate links. Each purchase made via the links provided helps support our literacy efforts!

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Back to Basics

April = Aperire = Open

“For children, most importantly, being in the garden is something magical.”
Fritjof Capra

Author

Spring Into Reading!

"Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory."
- Dr. Seuss

Special Days in March

Author

From Words to Poetry

"A poem begins in delight and ends in wisdom."
-Robert Frost-

“Every day we should hear at least one little song, read one good poem, see one exquisite picture
and if possible, speak a few sensible words.”
-Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe-

Author

Archives

Categories

Back to Basics

April = Aperire = Open

“For children, most importantly, being in the garden is something magical.” Fritjof Capra

Author

Spring Into Reading!

"Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory." - Dr. Seuss

Special Days in March

Author

From Words to Poetry

"A poem begins in delight and ends in wisdom."-Robert Frost-

“Every day we should hear at least one little song, read one good poem, see one exquisite picture and if possible, speak a few sensible words.”-Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe-

Author

Archives

Categories

“For children, most importantly, being in the garden is something magical.”
Fritjof Capra

"Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory."
- Dr. Seuss

"A poem begins in delight and ends in wisdom."
-Robert Frost-

“Every day we should hear at least one little song, read one good poem, see one exquisite picture
and if possible, speak a few sensible words.”
-Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe-