*Note: this post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Any purchases made via the links provided go to support our literacy efforts.
And I mean ballet all day, every day.
I truly don’t think that my daughter is going to be a prima ballerina one day, but the joy that ballet brings to her life right now is indescribable. She pirouettes throughout the house, in the yard, at the store, whenever the mood strikes her and will invariably ask to wear some sort of ballet outfit at some point in the day. We change a lot. We recently found The Ballet Brigade on YouTube and visit my sister just so that she can watch the newest episodes of On Pointe on Disney+. I think our Leap! and The Nutcracker and the Four Realms DVDs are wearing out, though one plus is that she was introduced to Andrea Bocelli, who sings Fall On Me with his son at the end of the movie and now loves dancing to his mellow tenor tones. But what truly tops it all right now are books. Ballet books to be exact.
Until my daughter started asking for more books with ballet themes, I didn’t realize how many were out there. Fiction, non-fiction, sticker, coloring, you name it and they are there and many now reside in our home. Of course, my passion for books fans the flames and I’m a sucker for a well-illustrated rhyming tome such as the Miss Lina’s Ballerinas book series by Grace Maccarone. And what child can embrace ballet and not know of that famous mouse from across the pond, Angelina Ballerina by Katharine Holabird? If you’re a fan of You’ve Got Mail (can’t even count how many times I’ve watched it), you should be aware of Ballet Shoes, one of the shoe books by Noel Streatfeild, which just had a revival reprinting, as a matter of fact.
As an Usborne Books & More Independent Consultant, I am thrilled that they have ballet themed titles because I absolutely adore their books. Not just the quality of the books themselves, but the illustrations and stories as well. UBAM offers ballet stories, a musical book and, of course, a few sticker books (one of UBAM’s specialties). Can’t go wrong with Usborne and Kane Miller books, so if you need to find a consultant, look no further! ? You can see UBAM's selection of ballet themed titles on our new Ballet Books list.
A few other ballet books we think deserve a moment in the spotlight... 
B is for Ballet: A Dance Alphabet by John Robert Allman.
Presented by the American Ballet Theatre, this new, slightly oversized picture book provides ballet enthusiasts of all ages with a wealth of information through rhyming text and eye-catching illustrations. While I occasionally find myself stumbling through the rhymes because of certain ballet terms and names (gotta work on my French and Russian pronunciations), the book is still such a joy to read aloud and learn from. Included in the back are lists of terminology, famous ballets, choreographers and dancers. 
Boys Dance! by John Robert Allman
Ballet isn't just about ballerinas in pretty pink tutus and pointe shoes. Ballet is for boys too. After all, what would a ballet be without its men? Can you really have Cinderella without the Prince? Who would awaken Princess Aurora without Prince Désiré?! Thankfully the American Ballet Theatre knows the value of boys who love to dance and have created this delightful story just for them. Through lively, rhyming text, this story highlights the dedication, hard work, and strength it takes to be dancer. At the end, you'll find interviews with male dancers of the American Ballet Theatre that offer a firsthand look at what it's like to be a boy who loves ballet. 
Bunheads by Misty Copeland
Copeland is featured in the movie The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, a favorite film in our household, so when I saw that this book was written by the famous ballerina, I knew we had to read it ourselves. My daughter was captivated by the story, with its detailed descriptions of the ballet, Coppelia, as well as the supportive friendships amongst the young dancers in the story. If you do not have access to a copy of Bunheads, you can actually hear Misty Copeland herself read it on YouTube thanks to PBS. 
Ella Bella Ballerina series by James Mayhew
Young Ella Bella attends Madame Rosa's ballet class at the old theatre, a magical place where anything can happen. When Ella Bella opens Madame Rosa's enchanted music box, she finds herself whisked off into the stories of famous ballets: Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Swan Lake, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Nutcracker and The Magic Toyshop. Each title in this series more charming than the last, with whimsical illustrations that perfectly capture the beauty of each ballet. 
Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle
A mutual love of dance has the power to inspire and encourage lasting friendships, but even the best friendships take a bit of work. This wordless book from the extremely talented Molly Idle is not specifically about ballet, although the dance that Flora and her new flamingo friend engage in, after some practice, is certainly as graceful and elegant as the best pas de deux. 
Swine Lake by James Marshall
Swine Lake...get it? A down-on-his-luck, hungry Big Bad Wolf happens to acquire tickets to the Boarshoi Ballet's performance of Swine Lake. Sitting in his private theatre box, the wolf makes plans to dine on the performers, but as he watches the pigs prance across the stage, he finds himself completely captivated with the ballet. The wit and humor in this story are incomparable and appealing to readers of all ages, and the vocabulary is absolutely superb, but what else would you except from such a duo as James Marshall and Maurice Sendak? 
Tallulah's Tutu by Marilyn Singer
Tallulah just knows she will be a great ballerina, if only she had a tutu! She attends her first ballet class and learns the basic positions and does very well. At the end of class she is sure she will finally get a tutu, but sadly, her hopes are dashed when all she receives is praise and a hug from her teacher. This does not go over well with our friend Tallulah. Now, many parents will say they dislike this book because of Tallulah's rather bratty reaction to not receiving the tutu she so longs for, but I find that her reaction, like those of other characters such as Fancy Nancy, provides a teachable moment and, in the end, Tallulah does learn the value of patience and that the rewards are that much sweeter when you put in the hard work to earn them.
For more ballet books, check out our new list and don’t forget to search your local library and bookstore.
**A quick note: many ballet books may seem beyond your little one, what with their unique vocabulary, but remember, a child’s listening comprehension far exceeds their reading comprehension in their early years, so spend some snuggle time with your dancer by reading to them.**
I’m so glad that my daughter’s been able to get back to actual in-person ballet classes and her ballet wardrobe continues to grow as well, thanks to her grandmother who even found ballet underwear! Who knew? Though she’s only five, I feel that it’s important to indulge a child’s passions when you can for every experience not only adds to their wealth of background knowledge, but also adds to the wonderful well-rounded adult that they will eventually become. I’m just glad that she chose quiet ballet and not tap. Sorry tap parents.
“Life without ballet would be pointeless.”
Dance On!
-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 5) for Kate, and two sons (now 3 and 1) 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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*Note: this post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Any purchases made via the links provided go to support our literacy efforts.
Today marks the start of a new week, at the beginning of a new year, which means getting off to a fresh start working toward goals, completing chores and all that jazz. But for us this has been one of the Mondayest Mondays in the history of Mondays.
Our plan was a simple one. Get back to business, specifically school business, after the holiday break and take care of a few household chores. Great. No problem. We got this! Everything was off to a fine start. My daughter was fully engaged, reading our morning message on the board all by herself, being 100% attentive during storytime and making no fuss about working in her workbook. It was a homeschooler’s dream morning. So, I thought I would attend to a couple quick chores of my own while she was getting her work done. My plan? Touch up a few spots of chipped paint around the house from taking down holiday decorations. Nothing strenuous. Shouldn’t take too long. Oh…how wrong I was. Life is just full of little surprises. The gallon of paint had been sitting down in the basement since its last use, so I picked it up to give it a good shake to make sure the paint was nicely mixed up. Turns out I shook it a bit too well, when the lid opened up and a river of paint began to flow out onto the dining table. At my exclamation of surprise, my daughter came running in to see what had happened and thankfully jumped into action when I said I needed paper towels, STAT! In the process of cleaning up the mess we managed to create an even bigger mess as paint magically appeared on every surface we neared, including ourselves. (Thankfully I was still in the middle of laundry.) Each time I turned around I swear there was another smear of paint…on the edge of the table, the chairs, the counter, the handle of the dishwasher, the kitchen towels…you name it, there was a drop of paint on it…EXCEPT the floor. Miraculously, the rug was spared. Things can only get better from here, right? HA! Sure. While getting dinner ready, the bacon stuck to the non-stick pan. Bacon! In a non-stick pan! STUCK?! Is that even possible??? I assure you it is entirely possible, it happens and it’s messy.
All these little bumps in our day made me think of the classic story, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst and the wise words at the end of the story:
It has been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
My mom says some days are like that.
Well, when that thought popped into my mind, I of course had to pull out our copy of the book to share with my daughter, which sparked an impromptu storytime of books about having a not-so-good day.
Moral of this long story?
Sometimes your day may not go quite as you had hoped or expected it to. Messes happen, but they can be cleaned up. Days like these make for some great stories to laugh about later and they can lead to some spectacular reading inspiration too.
Anywho…happy Monday, friends. We wish you a very happy Monday ?
-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 5) for Kate, and two sons (now 3 and 1) 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. 
*Note: this post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Any purchases made via the links provided go to support our literacy efforts.
A new year invariably means new year resolutions. We all make them because…well, that’s the thing you do at the beginning of a fresh year, right? But how many of us stick to our resolutions? I would guess most of us can keep the momentum and enthusiasm going for maybe the first month after the ball drops. And then it’s just downhill from there.
If there is one thing that 2020 taught us, it’s that life is completely and totally unpredictable and the only constant we can reply upon with absolute certainty is change. No matter what else goes on, something is bound to change…especially when we least expect it. And as parents we know all too well that the unexpected is lurking around the corner, just waiting for us to let our guard down long enough for it to sneak up behind us and yell, “BOO!” As parents, we never know when something will be the last time because our children are growing and maturing at such an alarming rate, we can’t really keep up. One minute you’re helping tie their shoes, then you blink and they’re driving off to college. There is one thing, however, that you can do for and with your child no matter how old they are and that’s read.
Read aloud to you child.
Listen to your child read aloud to you. Read the books that your child loves. Share your own reading life. Discuss what you’re reading.
Books have the power to bring people together, particularly a parent and child. Through books, lasting bonds are created, nurtured and memories are made. So, I challenge you now to resolve to make 2021 the year of the book. I’ll help you get started:
I resolve...
Read One Dad's Reading Resolutions for the New Year from Brightly.
Happy reading all year long!
-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 5) for Kate, and two sons (now 3 and 1) 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.
*Note: This post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Any purchases made via the links provided go to support our literacy efforts.
Today marks the second day of National Family Literacy Month. This is a month that has been designated to bringing attention to getting the whole family involved in bringing literacy to the forefront. Study after study has shown that reading aloud is the most important activity that you can engage in with your children to prepare them for reading on their own and to raising a future reader, opening a plethora of future possibilities.
Reading aloud is best started right from the beginning with infants, giving them the opportunity to listen to your voice as you read stories and looking at illustrations but if you didn’t start reading to your child when they were an infant, there is no better time like the present to begin. Reading aloud to your child will help with vocabulary, writing skills, memory, attention span and builds background knowledge, giving them an understanding of their world and also teaching empathy. Don’t forget to read with feeling and excitement, using different voices when possible. Look at the illustrations together and see if they hold clues to the story, characters and subsequent outcome. Be sure to make it a fun experience that builds curiosity so that children will gain a fondness for books and don’t forget to share books from your childhood as well.
If you aren’t sure what to read, check with your local bookseller, library or check out ourbook lists. Some of our go-to read alouds include:
Remember that National Family Literacy Month includes the entire family and that reading aloud is not enjoyable and beneficial for children alone. Adult children reading to their aging parents, adults reading to other adults and even beginning readers reading to others to gain confidence should all be included this month and beyond. Reading is a gift, meant to be shared.
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 5) for Kate, and two sons (now 2 and 1) 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. 
*Note: this post contains Amazon Affiliate links. Any purchases made via the links provided go to support our literacy efforts.
Fall continues in October with National Apple, Caramel, Chili, Cookie, Dessert, Pasta, Pizza, Popcorn Poppin‘, Pork, Pumpkin, Seafood and Tomato month. We in Michigan think of it as the time to head to the farmer‘s market, cider mill and apple orchards as well as the pumpkin patch. Share a non-fiction book about apples, such as Apples for Everyone by Jill Esbaum or Apples by Gail Gibbons, and then consider going apple picking. Search cookbooks for tasty recipes in which to use your apples. Think about making your own applesauce, which you can then use instead of oil in your baked goods. When picking out your pumpkin for Halloween, grab some pie pumpkins as well for baking and share Seed, Sprout, Pumpkin, Pie by Jill Esbaum. Now is a great time to also include a book about fall while partaking of one of those delectable desserts that you and your child(ren) have baked or pop some corn out around a bonfire and tell your favorite story.
This is also a great time to use fall and all its natural splendor to enhance home learning through cooking and baking and identification, using the leaves, apples and pumpkins of fall. Cooking and baking utilizes math and reading skills, and you can use the different varieties of apples and leaves for identification. For younger children, count the apples you pick, count the seeds from the pumpkin, measure the circumference of the pumpkin and collect leaves and discuss the different colors and shapes. Search online for craft ideas using leaves, apples, pumpkin seeds etc. Read a fall storybook and then extend the learning with a craft.
Refer back to our previous blogs to find fall book recommendations:
Fall Into Books! Autumn is almost here! Good-bye Summer, Hello Fall!
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October
National Apple, Caramel, Chili, Cookbook, Cookie, Dessert, Pasta, Pizza, Popcorn Poppin‘, Pork, Pumpkin, Seafood & Tomato Month
National Apple Month
Ten Apples Up On Top! by Theo. LeSieg (Dr. Seuss)
Use this book as part of a math lesson: -Count from 1 - 10 by ones -Count by tens -Practice Addition You can also draw, color or cut out apples from red paper and stack them just as the animals do (dot markers would also fun to use). Expand this into a science lesson by attempting to stack real apples, whether on a table top or your head!
National Chili Month
Armadilly Chili by Heather Ketteman
National Cookbook Month
The Bake-A-Cake Book by Marie Meijer
"Come bake a cake with the cake-bakers!" We found this title at a used book sale some time ago and it has been a favorite ever since. Truthfully, we have not actually made the cake that the two bakers in the book make, but we have used this book countless times during imaginative play in my daughter's little kitchen. She gathers all of the utensils, tools and ingredients together and then carefully follows each step as the little bakers create a most scrumptious looking cake. It is a wonderful learning through play experience!
For even more cookbook recommendations, take a look at our list:
Baking, Cooking, Gardening and Food Related Books
National Cookie Month
National Pizza Month
National Popcorn Poppin' Month
National Pumpkin Month
National Tomato Month
1st: National Homemade Cookie Day
Refer to 'National Cookie Month' above.
4th: National Taco Day
4th: National Pumpkin Seed Day
Refer to 'National Pumpkin Month' above.
6th: National Noodle Day
8th: National Pierogi Day
Every Culture Has a Pierogi by Lorraine Krusinski
9th: World Egg Day
10th: National Cake Decorating Day
Decorate Cakes, Cupcakes and Cookies with Kids by Autumn Carpenter
12th: National Farmer's Day
For more information on farmers and farming, refer back to our previous blogs:
Celebrate National Farmers Market Week! How Does Your Garden Grow?
17th: National Pasta Day
18th: National Chocolate Cupcake Day
22nd: National Nut Day
24th: National Food Day
26th: National Pumpkin Day
Refer to 'National Pumpkin Month' above.
27th: National Breadstick Day
28th: National Chocolate Day
29th: National Oatmeal Day
30th: National Candy Corn Day
Julius's Candy Corn by Kevin Henkes
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“The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.”
A quote from Marcus Aurelius, a Roman Emperor and philosopher who lived from 121 AD to 180 AD yet the sentiment still applies today. Let’s do our best to keep our thoughts positive as we go through these challenging times and teach our children to favor others with kindness and respect as we are surrounded by the beautiful colors of fall.
Happy fall!
-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 5) for Kate, and two sons (now 2 and 10 months) 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. |
AuthorWe are mom Sandra and daughters Amanda and Kate, all with backgrounds in literacy and education, who want to share our philosophy of taking the basics of life; books, simple toys that encourage play, imagination and creativity, and using cooking and baking to teach math and real life skills to raise happy, inquisitive children. Join us in exploring the old and the new and sifting through the myriad of research to consider what is best for our children. Archives
February 2021
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