Fun | Love, Laughter, and Life

June 16, 2016
by Angie 2 Comments

This Is My Dollhouse ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

This is what a homemade dollhouse looks like.

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

This Is My Dollhouse

By Giselle Potter

(Schwartz & Wade Books, 2016)

I’ve always loved dollhouses, so I was instantly attracted to This Is My Dollhouse.

A young girl uses an old box, craft materials, and toys to create and decorate her own dollhouse. Her imagination is in full swing as she makes food, clothes, and props for the little family that lives in her dollhouse.

Her friend, Sophie, also has a dollhouse. It is a fancy store-bought dollhouse with pretty furniture and a family. When the girl goes to visit Sophie and play with the dollhouse, their imagination is stilted and comes to a stand still.

After seeing Sophie’s dollhouse, the girl is afraid of showing her own dollhouse to her friend. But one day, when Sophie came to play, Sophie discovered the hidden house and was delighted. Many hours of creative play followed and the girl was once again pleased with her own dollhouse.

I don’t think this book is against store-bought dollhouses at all, but rather This Is My Dollhouse celebrates creativity and ingenuity of those who build from scratch.

It was so much fun to see the creativity of the young girl and the way she used her imagination to create scenarios and adventures for her little family. This book will inspire little ones to create from miscellaneous materials found around the house.

This is a little sewing room I made in a wooden box. Can you find the tiny mouse?

KID KANDY:

Make A Dollhouse

Materials: box (any size will work), cardboard, paper scraps, fabric scraps, ribbon, markers, scissors, tape, glue, toy figures, wood scraps or blocks

1. Make a dollhouse. You can use ANY type of container to make a little house. I once made one from a teapot! Cut cardboard and paper to make walls and floors. Ask for help in cutting a door and windows.

2. Use craft scraps and other materials to decorate your house. Add curtains, rugs, furniture, and whatever else you want. Use markers to add color.

3. Make your little family comfortable. Cut blankets, clothes, and other household necessities from your supplies.

4. Give your family (and their pets) names. You are now ready to imagine adventures for them!

P.S. This would be a fun activity to do with a sister, brother, or friend!

June 14, 2016
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The Typewriter ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

What a vibrant cover!

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

The Typewriter

By Bill Thomson

(Two Lions, 2016)

There are not many words to read in The Typewriter, but oh, what a story they tell!

Three children out riding bicycles discover an old-fashioned typewriter on the back of a merry-go-round bee (the merry-go-round is not working). Fascinated, they place the typewriter on the ground and start to type out words. Very few words.

That’s because each word that is typed instantly becomes reality.

Beach. Ball. Ice Cream. Crab…

Each word does not come to life in the size one would imagine. Some are much larger. Imagine what would happen if a crab the size of an elephant appeared?

The children discover the ways of the typewriter and finally decide enough is enough.

I was enthralled by the illustrations and story line of this simple yet complex picture book. Readers will be surprised and enchanted as they read The Typewriter.

KID KANDY:

Typewriter Exploration

Materials: an old typewriter (the kind with a ribbon, not a printer), paper, crayons

Hint: Borrow an old typewriter or find one at a thrift store.

Welcome to old-fashioned computers!

1. First, you have to roll a piece of paper between the rollers on top. Turn the knob on the right side to advance the paper.

2. Now you are ready to type words or write a story. Start by typing your name.

3. Explore what each key does. Can you find the shift key? Punctuation marks?

4. To go to the next line to continue typing, you have to advance the paper again with the handle on the right side.

Fun, isn’t it?

5. Try typing single words like in The Typewriter. Use your crayons to illustrate your own story.

Dog. Cat. Cactus. Bee. Rain. Lightning. Car. Wind. . .

Anything could happen!

June 9, 2016
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Chester ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Chester

By Melanie Watt (and Chester)

(Kids Can Press, 2007)

Chester is a cat.

Not just any cat, but a very talented, imaginative, and creative cat.

Chester loves to be in the limelight. He also has ideas about what type of limelight and focus he wants.

And while Chester is all of the above, he is also – gasp – somewhat NAUGHTY!

Meet Melanie Watt, the author who is trying to tell the story of Chester, a very large calico cat who carries his own red correcting pen. At all times.

Meet Chester, the star of the book, who repeatedly hijacks the story and turns it to his own purposes.

Chester and Chester’s Back! are delightful, funny, and imaginative picture books. The voice of Chester interacts seamlessly with the author’s voice of Melanie. Kids will love Chester and his antics.

But beware, kids might get some ideas from Chester!

KID KANDY:

Make a Paper Plate Chester

Materials: wax-free paper plates, construction paper, scissors, glue, markers, crayons

1. Draw a cat face on your paper plate. Include eyes, nose, whiskers, and mouth.

2. Color your cat Chester colors (or any color you like – that’s what Chester would do).

3. Cut ears, paws, and a tail from construction paper. Glue them in place.

4. Cut a pen from construction paper. Make sure it is red! Glue it to Chester’s paw.

Now you have your own Chester. Both of you can make up your own stories!

Meow!

Chester’s Back!

(Kids Can Press, 2013)

June 7, 2016
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There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

Instead of an old lady, a dragon swallows everything!

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight

By Penny Parker Klostermann

Illustrated by Ben Mantle

(Random House, 2015)

There used to be an old lady who swallowed a fly. I don’t know why, but she swallowed that fly. Kids love to read and sing this silly song.

Now we can enjoy There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight.

A dragon, not a lady. A knight, not a fly.

I love this book!

Part nursery rhyme song, part fairy tale, part humor, part adventure. This picture book has it all. Sure the knight gets swallowed (along with many other fairy tale sorts), but what happens in the dragon’s belly is quite comical.

Told in rhyme, There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight is a delightful and inventive take on the old stand-by. Never fear, the dragon does not die at the end.

KID KANDY:

Make-Believe Castle Fun

Materials: connecting blocks, horse, people figures, blue felt, dragon (or a large sock)

Make up your own story or use the items to retell There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight.

1. Build a castle with connecting blocks.

2. Choose people figures to be the knight, cook, squire, and lady. Add the horse and blue felt water.

3. Retell the story and let the dragon pretend to gobble up the other characters in the story. Or put your arm in the sock and pretend it is the dragon grabbing things to eat.

What other things could the dragon eat? Make sure he burps at the end and spits out everyone!

June 6, 2016
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Come, Have Tea with Me!

The inside of one of the barracks at Fort Simcoe

by Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Do weekends go faster and seem busier than the rest of the week, or is it just me?

Pull up a cup of your favorite tea and let’s chat. I am drinking PG Tips with a tiny swirl of honey in the bottom. If I really wanted to be reminded of my visits to England, I would add a dash of milk and use raw sugar instead. Delish!

Here’s what I’d share with you about my weekend:

On Friday, I went grocery shopping. This is only worth mentioning because of the crowds! It was insane. But I did have my pint-sized helper, Miss Khloe. She assisted me as we grazed our way through Costco.

Nana with her 5 grands, from 5 weeks to 7 years-old.

The Quantrells took Fort Simcoe by storm on Saturday for a birthday plus a birthday plus a graduation picnic day. It was very nice, but it turned into a HOT day as the temps kept rising. We were done by 1, back in the cars, and on the road seeking AC. We enjoyed hanging out together. Nana especially loved having the grands in one spot, though it only lasted for 5 minutes. And then they were off and running.

Saturday was a free National Park Day, so we wanted to take advantage of the special day by visiting Fort Simcoe. You can read more about Fort Simcoe here.

We saw:

– a passel of squirrels, rolling and tumbling all over each other

– no snakes (Amen)

– no bears (double-Amen)

– cows (yes, cows – and plenty of cow-pies, ick!)

– old buildings

– 2 springs

– canons

– a tiny museum

– a parade of Model T’s that also traveled out to Fort Simcoe for a picnic

– a park worker in a golf cart chasing away the poopy-cows who wanted to graze (and poop) on park grounds

– the location of my son and daugther-in-laws’ wedding

On Sunday, we continued our celebration of graduates at church with a relaxed gathering where we viewed photos, chatted, and shared cake.

Our beautiful graduates!

My honey and I went on a lunch date. This was followed by relaxing in a cool theater and watching a movie. We migrated home, dodging the heat, and stayed inside and under shade. Temps were in the triple digits, so there was no working outside or going for a walk. Nope.

Back-to-work Monday has arrived. Triple digit temps are in the works as I type. I think I hear the beach calling me, if only it weren’t 5 hours away.

Thanks for stopping by. I’ve so much enjoyed tea with you.

Lavender from my garden and a tea cup we received as a wedding gift (31 years ago)

What did you do during the weekend? I’ll make another cup and you can tell me about your weekend.

June 3, 2016
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Mother Bruce ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

Funny and adorable book!

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Mother Bruce

By Ryan T. Higgins

(Hyperion, 2015)

I’m sure you’ve heard of Old Mother Goose. Or you’ve seen a goose trailed by a parade of her goslings. This is not a story about Mother Goose.

Or maybe it is. Except Mother Goose is a he, not a she. And his name is Bruce. Bruce is a bear.

Bruce jumps from the frying pan and into the fire of motherhood after the goose eggs he had collected hatch on the stove while he is gathering firewood.

Bruce, Mr. Grumpy himself, does everything he can to get rid of the goslings. But alas, he is stuck being Mother. Bruce.

Mother Bruce is funny and clever. I loved it!

KID KANDY:

Play Bear, Bear, Goose

Have you heard of Duck, Duck, Goose?

This is the same game, only the one who is IT should tap others on their heads and say “Bear, Bear, Bear, Bear, . . . Goose!” The goose should chase IT around the outside of the circle until he/she reaches the empty spot and sits down. Then goose becomes IT.

Bear, Bear, Goose is an outdoor (or a gym) game. So invite those friends, make a big circle, choose someone to be IT, and have fun!

May 31, 2016
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Strictly NO Elephants ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

From exclusivity to welcoming – great read!

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Strictly NO Elephants

By Lisa Mantchev

Illustrated by Taeeun Yoo

(Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2015)

And the sign means NO elephants!

A young boy has a pet elephant. The trouble with having a pet elephant is that no one else has one and it’s hard to fit in.

Come Pet Club Day, he decides to take his pet elephant. Instead of welcome, he is met with a sign that reads “Strictly NO Elephants.”

The friends leave, unwelcome and unwanted. As they wander the sidewalks, they notice a girl with a pet skunk. Her pet is unwelcome, too!

Relieved to have found common ground, the two new friends decide to start their own pet club, one where EVERYONE is welcome!

Strictly NO Elephants is a great read!

I love this book about welcoming everyone instead of being exclusive. What a nice lesson to share with young children! (This book does not sound like a lesson, never fear. Fun story.)

KID KANDY:

Draw Your Dream Pet

Materials: paper, crayons, markers, pencils

1. Brainstorm. What kind of pet do you wish you had? Pretend that your pet could be ANYTHING at all. Even a made up pet. What would you like to have?

2. Draw your pet. Don’t forget the head, body, legs (does it have legs?), tail (does it have a tail?), eyes, hair or fur, and all of the other body parts.

3. What is your pet? What is its name? I’d love to see a picture.

Wouldn’t it be fun to make up your own pet with a friend?

Thanks for stopping by. If you know someone else who would love to read a great book and enjoy a KID KANDY project, please share this blog with them. Thank you!

May 26, 2016
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The Cow Who Climbed a Tree ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

The cow who climbed a tree!

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

The Cow Who Climbed a Tree

Story and Illustrations by Gemma Merino

(Albert Whitman & Company, 2015)

Aha! Who wouldn’t love a cow who climbed a tree?

And why would this cow climb a tree anyway? Really? Just picture it.

The Cow Who Climbed a Tree is a wonderfully illustrated book about a cow who was insatiably curious. About everything.

Her sisters? They were only interested in grass.

But this cow had more exciting things on her mind. What about this? Or that? Why not this?

One could say that this cow, Tina, had a great and wondering imagination, to which her sisters always replied with scorn: Impossible, ridiculous, nonsense.

But The Cow Who Climbed a Tree did not give up.

I love this story about a cow who kept dreaming and exploring and doing in spite of the lack of belief from those around her. I think young readers will be encouraged to hold onto and follow their dreams regardless of what others think.

Go, Cow!

KID KANDY:

Climb a Tree

(If you don’t have a tree, paint one with watercolors! I fell in love with the illustrations in this picture book. Paint me a tree like Gemma did!)

Head outside and find a strong, tall tree. Make sure you have good pants and a shirt on to protect your knees and skin.

Climb that tree! Pretend you are Tina, a cow, and you are going to climb that tree. Of course you don’t have a tail or cloven hooves, but you can pretend!

Look for finger and toe holds. Rest against the trunk and sitting on top of branches. Watch out for pitch – it’s very sticky. See how high you can get before you are too far.

Was it fun?

I used to be a champion tree climber. I’ve put holes in many a pair of pants from stray branches and broken off bits. And it was never as easy getting down as it was getting up. So do be careful.

May 25, 2016
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A child is…

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May 24, 2016
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Stars ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

Stars

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Stars

By Mary Lyn Ray

Illustrated by Marla Frazee

(Beach Lane Books, 2011)

I love shapes! Stars are one of the first shapes that children learn to identify. Stars and hearts.

This beautiful picture book is about stars.

Stars tells about stars – the shape, the stars in the sky, the stars in your hand, and the way stars can be used to have fun. A star can make you a sheriff, a princess, or a magical fairy with a wand.

But what about other stars? Flower stars that become favorite fruits, frozen stars that give us snow, and paper stars that mark special days are all different kinds of stars that mean something wonderful is going to happen!

Readers will love the creative imagination and ideas about stars they find in Stars.

KID KANDY:

Make Stars

Stars are sort of difficult to make, but once you learn how, they are fun and easy.

Materials: paper, scissors, markers, glitter glue, scrap paper, sticks, tape, ribbon

Here is how you draw a star.