Book Talk Tuesday - Discover Music with Uncle Peter

Dumpling has been on her violin journey for just around 2 years and it has been a learning journey even for mum here too. :) Learning a musical instrument is a fairly hard journey (to me at least) as it is a very fine line trying to balance the children's interest and ensuring that she needs to learn what she has to for the week.

Amongst the things that I do to help encourage that interest is to bring her for musicals, theatrical plays, listening to music CDs, watch youtube videos of her favorite violinist and attending the concerts by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO). I must say that we are quite fortunate in Singapore as the SSO puts up concerts very frequently and even has concerts for children. Beyond that, there's CDs which they sell at a booth whenever there's any performances. 

I saw this book at one of the booths and bought it many months ago but only opened it recently. The book comes with a CD and has activity pages too.

The CD is narrated by Uncle Peter who gives a general introduction of music to children and a general introduction to the various groups of musical instruments - strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion.

Uncle Peter also takes the children through musical terms (with appropriate accompanying music) and where he also explains dynamics and the 'make up' of the Orchestra.

Using the famous Peter and the Wolf piece by Prokofiev, Uncle Peter also introduces how various instruments are being used to mimic the various animals in the story in a succinct manner.

What the kiddo also enjoys are the activity pages peppered in each section - the illustrations are adorable and the colours are bright and colourful!

 

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Counting down to Lunar New Year #1 - Chinese New Year Books!

Chinese New Year is a fairly big celebration here in Singapore and since Dumpling attends daily Chinese lessons, we read up on many of these Chinese celebrations and festivities. Here are some of our picks: great as a read-aloud or for your child to read independently. 

:: 1. Chelsea's Chinese New Year

What first drew me to this title was how 'Charlie and Lola like' the drawings and characters are, except well, Chelsea is an Asian. :) After a bit of research, I realised that the illustrator has also illustrated many children's books bearing similar cherubic faces. :D

The story is simple, narrated by Chelsea on how her family celebrates Chinese New Year and the common practices the family has.  

The story is presented in a simple manner and provides some good basic information on this celebration. The title also has 'blurbs' of useful information (in purple boxes below).

Number of pages: 24
Author: Lisa Bullard 
Illustrator: Katie Saunders

:: The Runaway Rice Cake
The Runaway Rice Cake is like the Asian version of Gingerbread Man, with a twist. The Changs are celebrating Chinese New Year and all they have left is just enough flour to make one rice cake 年糕. However, something miraculous happened - the Rice Cake came alive and ran off.

The Changs gave chase and the rice cake runs into an old woman... What happened to the rice cake and did the Changs have enough to eat?

Number of pages: 40
Author: Ying Chang Compestine
Illustrator: Tungwai Chau

:: Hiss! Pop! Boom! 
If you are looking for a informational title, Hiss! Pop! Boom! is a good choice. It talks about the various traditional practices presented with gorgeous Chinese ink painting. I was actually reminded of the meaning of some of the things we eat and do after reading this book! :)

Number of pages: 32
Author: Tricia Morrissey
Illustrator: Kong Lee

:: Chun Jie
I really like this series of Chinese titles (a series of 6 titles) which is on traditional Chinese festivities. This story shares how some Chinese New Year practices came to be e.g. 'firecrackers' and 'red couplets' came about, and how they were used to frighten the monster Nian.

The title is also not too wordy with about 5 sentences per page mostly. The illustration is cute and the colours are bright too.

:: TaoShu
Everyone's favourite siblings - Tao Shu and Ling Ling learn more about Nian in this short and funny story. Created and published locally, this bilingual title is an easy and entertaining read for preschoolers. Tao Shu (the warrior boy) was told to get some cabbage from their garden. However, he and Ling Ling discovered that someone has eaten all their cabbages. Who can it be? That marks the start of the siblings' investigations.

Number of pages: 32

Author: Andy Logam Tan 

I hope that these give you some ideas on what books you can borrow from the library to read with your preschoolers in getting them to understand and enjoy Chinese New Year more!

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Book Talk Tuesday - "Good-bye Baby Max" and "Riley's Lost Tooth" with a GIVEAWAY of $100 Amazon card (or PayPal cash)

:: Riley's Lost Tooth 

Dumpling actually walked before she cut her first tooth so LOL, I think her tooth may drop much later as compared to her peers. However, this title had me interested as Dumpling is at a stage where loads of her friends are dropping their first tooth and I thought that it would be nice to be able to read this with her.

The main characters of this story are Sunday, Precious and Mr. Lee who are the family pups, on a mission to help Riley find her 'lost ' tooth! :) Where could Riley's tooth be? How did she lose it? After looking for it in the yard, in the garden and in the trash, Tooth Fairy appears to explain to them how it works and that dropping the milk teeth is a sign of 'growing up'.

I found the story simple yet engaging as the story centered on the pups. A rhyming story, it is an easy and fun read-aloud for the younger children, preparing them for what is to come.

:: Goodbye Max

"Spring  has arrived. Birds are building their nests. And cold winter days are now laid to rest. The children are thrilled for soon they will greet three baby chicks, so soft and so sweet..." Goodbye Baby Max explores the topic of 'death' gently with this lovely title where some children experience loss when one of the baby chicks, Max, died.

Some of the children were devastated and the class discussed on having a memorial for Max. I like that the story touches on this topic in a gentle manner yet exploring different ways for the children to express their and deal with that loss.

:: About the Book

Title: Riley's Lost Tooth Author: Diane Cantrell Illustrator: Heather Castles Publication Date: February 16, 2010 Publisher: Brown Books Publishing Group Number of pages: 24 Recommended age: 4+ Summary: Oh no! One of Sunday's very favorite humans, Riley, has lost her tooth! But where did it go? How did she lose it? Why does no one besides Sunday seem to care? It isn't long before the tooth fairy steps in and tries to teach the pups all about growing up. Join Sunday and her two puppy-pals, Precious and Mr. Lee, as they try to hunt down . . . Riley's lost tooth!

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Author Website

:: Book Trailer for Riley's Lost Tooth

  Title: Good-bye Baby Max Author: Diane Cantrell Illustrator: Heather Castles Publication Date: February, 2008 Publisher: Bridgeway Books Number of pages: 32 Recommended age: 4+ Summary: Mrs. B's class excitedly awaits the birth of three baby chicks. When Max is unable to crack open his shell, the children's loving teacher assists them in expressing their feelings of loss and planning a special good-bye.  

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Author Website

:: The Buzz

Riley's Lost Tooth: "The book is well written and the illustrations are beautiful. The book will definitely appeal to all children (including children at heart like this reviewer) and their parents / grandparents / elder siblings and other care givers. The book is strongly recommended as a good gift that is educational and also entertaining." ~ 5 Star Review, S.V. Swamy, Amazon

Good-bye Baby Max: "This book is amazing! I have given it as several gifts to my friends with children. It is very well written and the illustrations are fun and colorful. This book it a great tool to help parents and teachers talk to children about loss of a pet and a loved one in general. I would highly recommend this book to everyone!" ~ 5 Star Review, Dawn N., Amazon

Good-bye Baby Max: "This colorful, hardcover children’s title Good-bye, Baby Max (Bridgeway Books, Texas, 2007) by Diane Cantrell & Heather Castles is special in its purpose of teaching an invaluable lesson: that of properly saying the final farewell to a loved one who is no more ... Diane Cantrell has created a very purposeful book for children-one that is at once a story, a poem, and a healthy course of helping children get over grief. The book’s illustrations by Heather Castles are very appealing to a child’s imagination. There is a good deal here in Good-bye, Baby Max to learn for children ages 4 to 8 years and the 32-pages book is a must read for all kids of this age category." ~ Ernest Dempsey, Book Corner

Good-bye Baby Max: "I bought this book to help my nieces and nephews deal with the loss of a beloved pet. The storyline and illustrations were used as a springboard to discuss their own loss. I highly recommend this book to anyone that has young children and is looking for a way to help them cope with a loss in their lives." ~ 5 Star Review, Jeanne B., Amazon

Good-bye Baby Max: "[Good-bye, Baby Max] is a tender story about death, a tough topic for young children. Kindergarteners eagerly await spring and the hatching of the class' three chick eggs. But one chick, Max, dies. What ensues is a gentle exploration of grief and its many expressions -- from tears to songs to artwork. At the end, the surviving chicks' peeps encourage the children to embrace the living without forgetting the dead." ~ Michele Siuda Jacques, Detroit Free Press

 

:: About the Author: Diane Cantrell

Diane Cantrell began her career in education teaching Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Transitional First Grade. She also worked as a counselor providing assistance to parenting teens in a local school district. As a Licensed Professional Counselor, Diane has provided therapy for adults, families, and children in agencies and private practice settings. As part of her private practice, she offers parent training to her clients and to parents in local schools. Diane is presently writing and publishing children’s books as well as provides counseling services to adults and children in her private practice, Life Designs Counseling. Diane’s time at Fort Sam Houston I.S.D. provided inspiration for Good-bye, Baby Max. The book, which is based on a true story, describes how Ms. B helps her kindergarten class cope with the loss of a classroom pet. At the time Diane wrote the book she was working with many children who were experiencing a great deal of loss in their lives. Her hope in writing Good-bye, Baby Max was that the story would help parents, children, and other caring professionals begin talking about losses rather than responding to their losses from a state of fear. Her second book, Riley’s Lost Tooth, was written for her granddaughter, Riley as a Valentine’s Day present. Mr. Lee, and Sunday are main characters in the book as is Precious, who died before the book was written. When Diane is not involved in writing or listening to people’s stories, she enjoys being with her husband, Rich, and their two dogs, Sunday and Mr. Lee. Diane and Rich live in San Antonio, Texas.

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* $100 Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: $100 AmazongGift card or PayPal cash (winner's choice) Contest runs: January 20th to February 19th, 11:59 pm, 2014 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Diane Cantrell and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions - feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

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Book Talk Tuesday + A Giveaway ~ Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears

An African folklore which is also a Caldecott Medal winner, 'Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears' tells of how the mosquito came about, well, to buzz in people's ears. 

:: The Story
The story starts from a mosquito who loves to tell lies and annoyed the iguana so much that he stuck sticks into his ears to avoid listening any further to the mosquito. This in turn sets off a chain of events where the iguana annoyed the snake, who frightened the rabbit, who startled the crow, who alarmed the monkey, who killed an owlet and saddened the Mother Owl who would not wake up the sun! 

It is an interesting title to read with, and to a child to understand 'cause and effect' as well as the value of being truthful. The story also sports an easy rhythm with the sequence of event being repeated a few times while the Lion King called for a meeting to investigate how this all, came about. 

:: The Illustration
While I am certainly no expert in African Art, I have to say that the illustrations in this book is simply beautiful. The illustrator uses a simple yet bold style of colour blocks and lines to create the various scenes and animals. Just look at how pretty they are!  

While most of the scenes are in the day and set against a while background, when Mother Owl won't wake the sun up, the drawings were then painted against a black background to depict the night.

A Caldecott medal winner for the best illustrated book for children in 1976, this simple yet wonderful title is great whether it is to discuss a certain moral or to introduce to your children African drawings / Art. 

Author: Verna Aardema
Illustrators: Leo Dillon and Diane Dillon
Age: For 5YO and Up

I have one copy of this title to giveaway! 

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Book Talk Tuesday - Big Truths for Little Kids

One of the things that I have not been doing enough on the homeschool front is bible reading and discussions around this topic. We have been trying to adjust our schedule to be able to attend bible camps and the weekly sessions at the church but it always clashes with our timing and primarily Dumpling's nap time. With one more year before she goes for Catechism classes, I decided to bite the bullet in letting her skip her naps for this upcoming year.

On the homeschool front, I faced some challenges in getting good resources to go through with the kiddo.W What I am looking for is the exposure to God's words but yet brought to a level which she will be able to understand better. One of the resources which I really like is the title below:

Written by a mother-son team, Susan Hunt is a wife to a pastor and the former Director of Women's Ministries for the Presbyterian Church in America while the son, Richie, is a Director of Children's Ministry at his church. Susan holds a degree in Christian education from Columbia Theological Seminary and she has written a number of books. (Source)

I am not an expert in bible verses etc., so this book works beautifully for me. The story is woven around a pair of siblings - Cassie and Caleb and how they learn and explore about God's words and presence in their everyday lives and with their friends and families. Each chapter in the book starts with the review of some questions and answers which is then followed by a reading and some discussions. 

:: The Q&A
The Q&A is the first part to all readings and in this, it describes and explains concepts in a very simplified manner which I feel is easily understood by children.

:: The story

Each chapter then comes with a story where traits and beliefs are woven in the story. In the story below, Caleb was planning to build a tree house with his 2 friends Angus and Daniel. Daniel, not quite understanding the implication of his actions, decided to take some wood that he saw at a building site. 

What I like about this is that instead of a traditional approach where adults are often used to discuss the rights and wrongs with the children, in this book, most of the time, the discussions are from the children. In the story below, on the next page, Daniel says that it was OK because no one saw and would know that he took the wood. 

The boys then reminded him that "God knows". When Dumpling and I read through this part, she went "Oh" and pondered for a moment. And I could see that she was thinking hard about it. True enough, about an hour after we were done, she said to me "Mama, it is true. Others may not know but God knows and we know too."  

:: Discussion and Prayer
After the story (which usually spans over about 1.5 - 2 pages) the next section would be the "discussion and prayer" section. This is where both Dumpling and I would sometimes have fairly long discussions over the story, what happened and where God is in the story / where God is in our everyday lives and how we should glorify him. 

From a homeschooling perspective, I find some terms hard to explain to the kiddo and this is where this book comes in handy for me. What I also like about it is that there is always a verse at the end of each chapter where we will read and decipher as well as ending it off with a prayer, always in line with what was read and discussed earlier. 

This is a lovely resource to include in your homes for your preschoolers (4/5YO and up). We are doing this on a weekly basis and it has been an insightful journey both for me and for the kiddo. Highly enjoyable and highly recommended! 

Here's the link if you wish to view more inside pages on Amazon. I bought this title on Book Depository previously. 

GIVEAWAY & Book Review - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Pop-Up Book

While this was one of my favorite titles when I was younger, Dumpling and I first chanced upon this famous Roald Dahl story on DVD. I bought a bundle set of the classic title and the new one starring Johnny Depp. I had thought that it was too whimsical for her but it turns out that she loves the hilarity of it. From the Oompas Loompas to the strange Mr Wonka, and from empathizing with young Charlie Bucket to ogling at all the marvelous candilicious creations, Dumpling was totally entertained.

So that was what started us on a chocolate unit study journey with extension into a chocolate workshop where we then read the book too.

I came across the Pop-Up version recently and I was totally sold! I decided to buy it for Dumpling and this is her first pop-up book. And boy, was it a right choice!

:: Illustrations
The illustrations are the true originals by Quentin Blake. What this version added on was the clever use of cutouts for the popups and usage of special materials and embossing techniques. These made the characters more 3D and the story interesting.

Above: the pop-up from pages 1 & 2

I was also particularly impressed with the pop up from the last 2 pages where the Glass Elevator 'shot' out from the pages as we flipped them. Dumpling went "Wow" and "Wow" it was.

While a 'pop-up' book does just that - pops up from the book, what I really like are the interactive parts of the title. There are fold out flaps... 

and pull out flaps which also feature the Oompa Loompas' Songs on the various golden ticket winners. 

Best of all, we even have our very own GOLDEN TICKET! How cool is that? :D

 :: Storyline
This is, of course, an abridged version of the original story but the beauty is that the main gist of the tale is captured. The storyline is kept straight to the point with the introduction of Charlie Bucket, a boy who loves chocolate. And, Mr. Willy Wonker, the most wondrous inventor in the world, who decided to open the gates of his factory to five lucky winners!

Along the way are the hilarious tales of how each winner meets his/her 'end' which are of course, accompanied by the Oompa Loompas' songs. Entertaining, funny and certainly a beautiful book. This is definitely a keeper and would be great as a gift! Here's a video clip to share

Now, I am pleased to share that The Groovy Giraffe is sponsoring one copy of this title for a giveaway! 

Earn credits using Rafflecopter below by:

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:: About Groovy Giraffe

Groovy Giraffe is Singapore's first official online remainder bookshop. Its books are new, overprints and are heavily discounted (up to 80%!). Shipping (within Singapore) is free for orders above $60. Visit http://www.thegroovygiraffe.com for more information or a look at the other discounted titles! 

If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with you, my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram! 

Book Review + Giveaway - The Little House!

My first Virginia Lee Burton book was Katy and the Big Snow which Dumpling and I read for one of our homeschool units. I recalled that the illustrations were very interesting where the 'borders' were actually scenes which add to the story too.

When we received The Little House for a review, I was naturally excited and after a quick flip through, I had on purpose, kept this title as the last to review. In comparison Katy and the Big Snow (which had shorter sentences), this title is more suitable for older children due to the theme and heavier text.

:: The storyline 

Beneath the beautiful illustrated cover lies a heartwarming story of a little house caught in a web of modern development. While I expected the story to revolve around the little house, what I was unprepared for was how the author, in a subtle yet clever manner, brought me through an array of emotions - panic, sympathy, sadness and finally relief.

Where the little house used to be curious about the city life and longed to experience it; it later learnt that the loud, intimidating and bustling life was certainly not what it expected to be. (A great life lesson here too!) There was just no place for the little house amidst the looming tall buildings, glaring bright city lights and the loud blaring of car horns and rumbling of the subways.

As the author spun the story through these environmental changes, I was dismayed and certainly surprised to actually feel a sense of disgust in me at how cold our society is, where it could not even tolerate the existence of a harmless little house. I actually loathed the thought of our Earth becoming this polluted, our society this cold and our world this populated one day. Hard to imagine that this book was first written more than 70 years ago and the author has already seen what is to come. 

Be prepared for discussions with your kiddos as Dumpling and I pored through each page slowly while admiring the illustrations too. A heartwarming story told by a master story-teller. 

:: The Illustrations

The title was awarded a Caldecott medal which says a lot about its illustrations. After flipping through, I was certainly not let down.  Her attention to details are amazing yet they are drawn and painted in a style that's also appreciated by Dumpling.

Look at how small changes on little details on the house (shutters and doors and the usage of colours) can totally change the mood and how it changes from a smiley face

To a frightened face!

This title is also wonderful for homeschool units as we can extend to learning about Seasons and Phases of the Moon (included in the illustration on another page, not shown here). I downloaded the free pack from Homeschool Share here.

Dumpling pointed out the various scenes where the children were playing and dogs running and pored over 4 pages specifically which showed the changes in the seasons. These 4 pages are definitely my favourite pages, just look at how the author depicted the various seasonal changes with the same house.

While reading through, I feel like I was almost there, taking in the laughing scenes of children squealing into the air in delight as they swam and played outdoors. Such is the charm and talent of Virginia Lee Burton.

A wonderful classic title and one definitely for keeps to even pass on to your grandchildren!

Author and Illustrator: Virginia Lee Burton

Age group: 5 - 8

I received this title from My Imagination Kingdom in order to do a review on and give my opinion of it. 

I am excited to share that I have 2 copies of The Little House kindly sponsored by My Imagination Kingdom for 2 readers! 

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If you have enjoyed this post, please follow me on my Facebook Page where I share my parenting thoughts, food photos (be prepared for tons of them!), early shout outs for giveaways and interact with my readers! You can also follow me on Pinterest and Instagram! 

CONGRATULATIONS TO SERENE SEAH & JUDY FOO ON BEING OUR WINNERS FOR THIS GIVEAWAY! My Imagination Kingdom will be in touch soon! Please check your email! 

I was also invited guest post at My Imagination Kingdom to share my experiences and tips on read aloud and literacy. Hop on over to find out more!   

Book Review: The True Story of The Three Little Pigs

:: The True Story of Three Little Pigs

“So I walked down the street to ask my neighbour for a cup of sugar.

Now, this neighbour was a pig.

And he wasn’t too bright, either.

He built his whole house out of straw.

Can you believe it? I mean who in his right mind would build a house out of straw?”

The title of this book and the cover design stood out immediately for Dumpling and I when we first saw it. Curious, we both made a dash for it and started flipping through immediately.

Imaginative, hilarious and clever are three words which I would use for this title. All of us know the story of the classic tale ‘Three Little Pigs’ but how many have thought of it from the big bad wolf’s perspective?

Well, this is the ‘other’ side of the story, his story. The untold story of a badly misunderstood wolf who was at the wrong place at the wrong time with a bad cold!   

The story is told by Mr. Alexander T (Al for short) and started from what was supposedly to be a simple task of borrowing a cup of sugar for a birthday cake for his Grandma. This of course became an adventure (or 3!) along the way. This story is a rhyming story peppered with doses of humor and pun.

Now, the comic styled illustrations are wonderfully quirky too. And no wonder! They are illustrated by award winning (Caldecott Honor) artist Lane Smith and the book also won New York Times Best Illustrated book in 1989. 

(Can you spot the additional ‘ingredients’ in the cheeseburger?)

Before the end of the story, I was giggling as much as Dumpling and we re-read it once more. The twists to the classic tale are imaginative and hilarious. We both fell in love with Al as it is just so hard to view him as the 'villain'. After all, how can we blame Al? As he so eloquently puts it “It seemed like a shame to leave a perfectly good ham dinner lying there in the straw” and so he ate the pig up.

Though this is recommended for children of 5 - 8 years old, it is a truly delightful read and I certainly would recommend it for older kids (and adults too!) 

Author:  Jon-Scieszka

Illustrator: Lane Smith

I received this title from My Imagination Kingdom in order to do a review on and give my opinion of it. Just for Beanie N Us readers, I am pleased to share that My Imagination Kingdom is offering a 15% discount for all its titles. 

Just key in BNUS15 upon checking out (billing and shipping info page)! 
Code is valid till 17 July 2013

I was also invited guest post at My Imagination Kingdom to share my experiences and tips on read aloud and literacy. Hop on over to find out more!