Love, Laughter, and Life

Adventures With a Book Lover

Category Archives: Kid Stuff


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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!


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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.


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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.

How to draw a 5-pointed star

Or you can cut out 2 triangles, put one upside down on the other, and make a different star!

How to make a 6-pointed star with 2 triangles

Cut out and decorate your star. I always love to add glitter glue to make things sparkle and shine!

What can you do with a star?

– Tape your star to a stick for a wand or decoration.

– Display your star on the fridge.

– Give your star to a friend.

– Make a hat or crown with your star.

– Put your star on the calendar to mark a special day (your birthday?).

– Hang several stars on ribbon to make a wall decoration.

Have a starry day!


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Decorated Metal Tins ~ How to Use Those Empty Altoid and Ice Chip Tins

The top cover of my decorated tin

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

I joined a group of ladies to make these pretty prayer boxes last weekend.

I recently attended the Columbia Basin Baptist Association’s Annual Women and Teenage Girls’ Retreat at Camp Touchet, just outside of Dayton, Washington. What a beautiful, if somewhat remote and out of cell coverage zone, location!

Much fun was had Friday night when our craft lady and photographer shared her idea and supplies with us. We made these fun prayer boxes!

Of course, the boxes could be used for anything, but we were at a retreat that featured prayer, so our boxes were prayer themed.

So make use of those empty Altoid or Ice Chip metal tins and create to your hearts’ content.

The top and bottom of my tin

Decorated Metal Tins

Materials:

empty metal tins

spray paint

decorated scrap paper

scissors

pencils

thin-tipped permanent markers

craft glue

washi tape

buttons, ribbon, stickers, gems, glitter glue, and assorted embellishments

1. In advance, spray paint the outside of the tin, including top, bottom, and sides. Let dry.

2. Trace the tin bottom on decorated scrap paper. Cut it out and trim to fit. You can use this as a template for the bottom, top, and inside top of the tin. Glue in place with craft glue.

3. I loved the look of the washi tape, so I edged the top and bottom with washi. It doesn’t stick very well around the corners by itself, so I need to glue down the corners.

4. Add buttons, butterflies, stickers, or any embellishments you want. Make a decorated label for the lid to tell what the tin is for. Glue to top.

5. I also decorated the inside of the lid. You can see the little poem that we included in our lids.

6. I left the bottom empty, but added small pieces of paper for notes and a short pencil (our craft person found them on Amazon – just search for mini mechanical pencils).

The inside poem, note paper, and pencil

Et voila! You are ready to take notes, write down thoughts, pen tiny masterpieces, or scribe prayers.

How are you going to use this craft idea? I think it would be great for a camp project!

 


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Little Red Gliding Hood ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

Doesn’t that title sound vaguely familiar?

Little Red Gliding Hood

Story by Tara Lazar

Pictures by Troy Cummings

(Random House, 2015)

Little Red’s skates are worn out and ready to fall apart. Without her trusty skates, she won’t be able to visit Grandma every Sunday. But the upcoming skating competition first prize is a pair of brand new gold skates!

Little Red is a great skater, but she doesn’t have a partner. Everyone else is matched up, but who will Little Red find to join her for the competition?

Fairy tale characters and stories abound in this fractured tale. Readers will laugh and enjoy the antics of Little Red and her friends as she finds an unexpected partner. Dare we say the bad guy turns good?

Delightful text and imaginative illustrations come together to make one great picture book. Both adults and children will love Little Red Gliding Hood.

KID KANDY:

Make Up Your Own Silly Fairy Tale

1. Choose a favorite fairy tale. Think of the characters and the problems they encounter in the story.

2. Now, choose one thing to change. You can:

– change a name

– change the problem

– change the setting (where the story takes place)

– add new characters

– mix two fairy tales together

3. Make up your own fairy tale.

4. Tell your new silly fairy tale to a friend or a sibling. Did they laugh?

Storytelling is fun, isn’t it?


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Ask for Help, And It Will Be Given

Great flyers from WMU and my friends in the Preschool Resources Department

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Ask (for help) and it will be given.

This weekend I will be presenting two breakout sessions about writing at a retreat. I’m very excited to attend and enjoy the retreat, as the past couple of years my schedule has not allowed me to go.

Besides sharing with women, I was invited to bring my books. Isn’t that nice? Of course I’d love to bring my books.

The problem was that I didn’t have any up-to-date flyers or informational handouts.

What does Angie do? She contacts the professionals (and her good friends) at Woman’s Missionary Union.

I asked and boy, did I receive.

We back-and-forthed messages for quite a few days. And because there was a tiny break in their schedule of deadlines, my friends were able to put together several lovely pieces for me to use.

The flyers and posters look so lovely and colorful, I just had to share . . . though it is odd and a bit disconcerting to see so many me-faces staring back!

Thank you, Clay, Teri, Robin, and Joye! You ROCK! You also made me look good. We can never underestimate the value in that now, can we?


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Fun with Friends – A Look Back in Time

LOOK! We both had more hair! Ah, the good old days. . .

A recipe for fun: Take a good measure of great friends, a scoop of laughter, a cup of silliness, 5 T. of craziness, a dash of daring, and add to this a mud pit and questionably upright 3 (or 4)-wheelers, and you have a guaranteed over-the-top serving of fantastic fun!

let the games begin!

Let the games begin!

I almost fell off!

I almost fell off!

It begins when they are so young...

It begins when they are so young…

We’re only missing Carmel, but someone had to stay dry and clean! And take photos.

What fun things do you enjoy doing with your friends?


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How to Share with a Bear ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

Meet clever, resourceful, and kind Thomas

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

How to Share with a Bear

By Eric Pinder

Pictures by Stephanie Graegin

(Farrar Straus Giroux, 2015)

How to Share with a Bear is an adorable book!

One day, Thomas made a cozy cave with cushions, pillows, and blankets. It was so warm and comfy! Thomas ran to get the flashlight so he could see to read in his cave and when he got back, someone with bright shiny eyes was in his cave.

It was a bear!

Throughout the rest of the story, Thomas strategized to lure the bear out of the cave and get himself back in the cave before the bear returned.

Thomas was very inventive in his bear-removal-plans and used his bear background information to plan tricky attempts to reclaim his cave.

At last, Thomas succeeded. The bear began to cry, as there was no room for both of them in the cave.

Thomas, ever kind and resourceful, enlarged the cave and invited the bear in to read – together.

How to Share with a Bear is delightful! I love the two characters and how Thomas solves his problem. A surprise ending will thrill young readers.

KID KANDY:

Make a Cave

1. Read How to Share with a Bear.

2. Follow the directions at the end of the book to make your own cave (pillows, blankets, cushions).

3. Gather your favorite books and a flashlight.

4. Be kind like Thomas and invite a bear (or your brother, sister, or friend) to join you in the cave.

Sharing is so much fun!


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Top Ten Reasons Picture Books ROCK…

I am thrilled to count myself among the ranks of children’s picture book writers. I believe, whole-heartedly, in the power of picture books. Of course, there are thousands of reasons to love pictur…

Source: Top Ten Reasons Picture Books ROCK…

Picture books DO rock! Thanks, Michelle!