Aunt Eater Loves a Mystery

Aunt Eater Loves a Mystery, by Doug Cushman, is a fun I Can Read Book, 2.  For fans of Aunt Eater, this is a great way to begin reading chapter books.  The book is divided into four easy to read chapters.  Each chapter introduces a new mystery that children will have fun solving.  If your child is a beginning reader, this book can provide  good practice with using context and graphic clues to develop reading comprehension.  Aunt Eater Loves a Mystery is a great stepping stone for young readers to make the transition from picture books to chapter books.  Have fun solving Aunt Eater’s mysteries!

Question Collection:

*What did you think the shadow was?

*How could Aunt Eater prevent a bag mix-up next time?

*Why do you think Aunt Eater loves mysteries?

31 Days.....2013

The thirty-one days challenge in 2012 was a great opportunity to learn so much from so many bloggers.  Headed by the Nester, bloggers chose a topic to write about for 31 days.  There was such variety and inspiration!  Here at Our Learning Collection we wrote about 31 days of ABC books.  It was fun to read new ABC books and review our favorites.  Are you thinking about joining the 31 Days Challenge in October 2013?  If so, check out this post.  Have fun reading and brainstorming!

One to Ten...and back again

One to Ten…..and back again is a fun, interactive book that helps children visualize numbers in a creative way.  The board book has cut out handles on each page to help children turn the page as the story is read.  Black and white looped moving ribbons are imprinted with various insects to represent each number.  As the brightly illustrated pages are turned, the ribbons reveal the insects.  After one to ten is counted through the pages, directions are given to turn the book around and upside down, revealing a reverse countdown back to one.  This book’s colors and fun in turning the pages just invites children to count and have fun.  The descriptive adjectives and verbs also add to the reading quality and visualization.  As your child learns to write, this book is a great one to pull out and use as a mentor text.  One to Ten…and back again would make a great gift for children learning to count (and write)!  Have fun!

Question Collection:

*Which insect do you like best?

*Do you like this book counting up or counting down better?  Why?

*What’s your favorite word in this book?

Custard Surprise

We love humorous books, as you well know! We’ve found another one in Custard Surprise, by Bernard Lodge and illustrated by Tim Bowers. Dinah and Rufus, two chickens, open Dinah’s diner in this fun I Can Read! Book.  Rufus tries, to no avail, to get the customers interested in his dessert, custard surprise.  The animal customers always request something not on the menu, so Rufus makes various concoctions to surprise them.  However, the custard surprise turns out to be a real surprise as Dinah outsmarts a fox!  

Question Collection:

*Were you surprised by the custard surprise?

*What did you think was the funniest recipe that Rufus made?

*What animal do you think visited Dinah’s Diner next?

Will You Be My Valentine?

Will You Be My Valentine?, by Steven Kroll and illustrated by Lillian Hoban, is a book that takes a look at preschool friendship.  Thomas and Gretchen are the main characters who work out conflicts that can happen between young children. The Valentine’s aspect makes it fun to share at this time of year.  Will You Be My Valentine? Provides many great conversation starters for young children as they are navigating the social world of preschool.  Happy Valentine’s Day!

Question Collection:

*Have you liked someone who didn’t like you?

*How did Thomas and Gretchen become friends?

*What things do you like to do with your friends?

Valentine's Books

We've reviewed several books about Valentine's Day in the last two years.  Here are some you and your family might like to check out:

We also think Valentine's Day is a great time to talk about friendship.  Here are some of our favorites:

We hope that you and your family have a Happy Valentine's Day!

Strawberry Shortcake Be My Valentine

Be My Valentine (Strawberry Shortcake), by Megan E. Bryant, is a typical Strawberry Shortcake story that is centered on Valentine’s Day.  Many young girls enjoy Strawberry Shortcake stories, and this one has some nice features that open up discussions about friendship.  Strawberry discovers a secret valentine and tries to discover who sent it to her while she delivers her valentines.  We like looking at the full page illustrations of the valentines Strawberry has designed for her friends.  One page is a recipe for friendship, one is a seed packet, and another is a scavenger hunt.  We enjoy the creativity and how it sparked some ideas for handmade valentine’s cards!

Question Collection:

*Who did you think the secret valentine was from?

*Which valentine card did you like the best?

*What kind of valentine card could you make?

Light: Shadows, Mirrors, and Rainbows

We’re enjoying adding more nonfiction to our reading times.  Light:  Shadows, Mirrors, and Rainbows, written by Natalie M. Rosinsky and illustrated by Sheree Boyd, is a great book that teaches so many facts about light. A fun, brightly colored format introduces something to learn about light (shadows, mirrors, or rainbows) in a real life situation.  Fun facts are included with each section to give more information.  Out of Sight experiments and enlightening facts are given at the conclusion of the book.  We found this book to be informative and enjoyable.  We hope you’ll like this nonfiction selection!

Question Collection:

*What did you learn about light?

*Which fun fact is your favorite?

*Which activity would you like to learn more about?

Only You

Only You is an important book for parents written by Rosemary Wells.  The book contains tips for reading to toddlers before the delightful story starts.   This book is a great reminder, at any age, of the important bonds between parents and children.  I think this book would make a great gift to any expectant or new parent.  It’s one that will be treasured!