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)

The Christmas Tree Skirt - aka Tosca's Christmas

I can't imagine why the Christmas tree skirt looks like this. Or why the ornaments are falling down.

- House with 2 Cats

This picture (and daily life event during this season of the year) reminds me of a favorite picture book by Matthew Sturgis and Anne Mortimer.

Tosca's Christmas was one of my children's favorite books to read. That naughty Tosca!

Read more about Tosca here. http://bookblabbyabooklover.blogspot.com/2014/12/toscas-christmas-christmas-picture.html

Meow-y Christmas!


How about you? Who are your special helpers this year?

Pilgrim Cat ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

Pilgrim Cat
By Carol Antoinette Peacock
Illustrated by Doris Ettlinger
(Albert Whitman & Company, 2004)

Did cats travel on the Mayflower?

Explore the lives of pilgrim travelers on their journey to the New World. Meet Faith, a fictional character based on historical documents. As she waits to set sail, Faith notices a cat chasing a mouse. Both end up on the Mayflower.

Faith adopts the cat and calls him Pounce. Pounce is her constant companion by the end of the journey - through storms, illness, winter, and life in a new country. One day Pounce disappears. The surprise ending of what happened to Pounce will delight cat lovers.

Historical facts are woven into this tale of settling the New World. The story is based on research done at the Plimoth Plantation, a living history museum in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Enjoy Pilgrim Cat with young readers as you learn and use your imagination.

KID KANDY:

Visit Plimoth Plantation

Not everyone lives close enough to visit the Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, Massachusetts. But almost everyone has access to a computer or electronic tablet.

How about a virtual field trip?

1. Ask a parent or older child to help you.

2. Visit plimoth.org/virtual-tours and http://www.plimoth.org/learn/just-kids/thanksgiving-virtual-field-trip.

3. Go on a virtual tour of the Plimoth Plantation. Explore the website to find other interesting information.

4. Compare the illustrations and information found in Pilgrim Cat to what you viewed on the website.

What did you learn that was new?
What was most interesting to you?
Would you like to live back in the days of the Pilgrims? Why or why not?
Can you think of one thing you would like to try to do like the pilgrims?

Did you find out? Did cats travel with the pilgrims to the new world?

Square Cat ABC ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

 

Square Cat ABC

By Elizabeth Schoonmaker

(Aladdin, Simon & Schuster; 2014)



 

Square Cat ABC is the story of Eula and her friends, Mouse and Porcupine.

 

Mouse finds Square Cat digging in dirt. After discovering that Eula is planting a garden, Mouse begs Eula to plant spinach. Eula detests spinach and resists, only to find that Porcupine loves it as well. After finally being convinced to try the spinach, which Eula deems yucky, Mouse suggests that zucchini is included in the garden.

 

This story is told over the course of the alphabet. Giant letters on each page (beginning and middle of words) highlight which letter is being included. The alphabet is not the focus (though it really is), but the story is what is totally fun and engaging.

 

Readers will love meeting Square Cat Eula and her friends. Simple, bright and clever illustrations add the perfect touch to Square Cat ABC.

KID KANDY:

Chalk Alphabet Song

Materials: sidewalk chalk and a sidewalk or driveway (cement)

Write the alphabet letters in order along a sidewalk or driveway. Give plenty of space between each letter. Make sure you don't forget any letters!

Sing the "ABC Song" as you jump from one letter to the next. You can also be creative as you sing the song. You can:

~ dance
~ spin
~ ride a bike or tricycle
~ skip or gallop
~ jump on one leg
~ hold hands with a friend and go together
~ crawl
~ roll
~ kick a ball between your feet
~ toss a beanbag to the next letter as you go
~ use a stick for a pointer

OR you can make up your own way to move along the alphabet.

What did you do? I'd love to hear.

Pumpkin Cat ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

Pumpkin Cat
By Anne Mortimer
(Katherine Tegen Books, HarperCollins Publishers, 2011)

Pumpkin Cat is a story of unlikely friends, Cat and Mouse.

Cat wonders how pumpkins grow. So Mouse decides to show the answer by planting pumpkin seeds. All throughout the growing season, Cat and Mouse watch the pumpkin plant grow and develop baby pumpkins. By fall, Mouse is ready to carve a surprise for Cat.

Delicious illustrations in Pumpkin Cat make readers want to reach out and touch Cat and Mouse. They look so soft and cozy!

Young readers will enjoy the simple text and gorgeous pictures. Gardeners young and old will be delighted at the retelling of the pumpkin life cycle.

KID KANDY:

Decorate a Pumpkin

We can all carve a jack-o-lantern. But did you know there were others ways to decorate pumpkins?

1. Get some newspaper and wax paper. Spread newspaper on the table and cover it with wax paper.

2. Choose your pumpkin. Make sure it is clean and dry.

3. Gather colored tissue paper and white school glue. Squirt some glue in a disposable cup and add a tiny bit of water to thin it out. Find a wide paint brush.

4. Paint a small section of the pumpkin with glue. Tear off pieces of tissue paper and stick it to the glue. Continue painting and sticking on torn tissue paper until the pumpkin is covered. Add a thin coat of glue over the top of all of the tissue paper. Let dry.

5. Look! Now you have a rainbow pumpkin. Happy Fall!

Other art supplies to use on pumpkins: glitter, newspaper, patterned paper, permanent markers, stickers, sticky dots (for buttons, beads, and bits of yarn), ribbons, and curling ribbon.

TipTop Cat ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

TipTop Cat
by C. Roger Mader
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014)

TipTop Cat combines two of my favorite things - cats and Paris.

Mr. TipTop cat was the very best birthday present. He liked his new home, especially the balcony where he could go and climb up to the rooftops. From there, this beautiful black and white cat could survey his domain - the entire world.

Except for that one day, the day when a pigeon landed on his balcony. What else could he do but attack that intruder? Disastrous results left kitty with a broken spirit but no broken bones. A surprise inspiration helped Mr. TipTop cat reclaim his throne on the top of the world (of Paris).

Cat lovers and readers who love adventure will enjoy TipTop Cat.

KID KANDY:

Up, Up, Up

Draw a Cat on Top of a Building

1. Gather paper and pencils.

2. Draw a large rectangle at the bottom of the paper to make a building. You can add windows and doors if you want.

3. To draw a cat, start first by drawing a large circle on top of the building roof. This is the cat body. Attach a smaller circle to the top for the cat head. Draw 2 small pointy triangle ears on the head.

4. Cats have 4 legs with paws and claws at the ends. They also have a long moving tail. Add legs, claws, paws, and tail to the large circle body.

5. Add eyes, nose, and whiskers to the smaller circle head.

6. What color do you want your cat? Color your tiptop cat and give it a name.

My two gray kitties love to be up on top of the world. The highest place inside the house they enjoy is on top of a tall, almost to the ceiling, fancy hutch that is filled with pretty glass dishes. Outside, they both try to sneak up on top of the roof of the house!

Where is the highest place you have seen a cat?

Matilda and Hans ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

Matilda and Hans
By Yokococo
(Templar Books, Candlewick Press, 2012)

Matilda and Hans is a book about two cats.

Two completely opposite cats. Matilda was all things positive and calm. Hans was loud and got into trouble. After one particularly wild night (the zoo animals somehow escaped from their cages), a wanted poster was put up for Hans. Matilda knew exactly where Hans would be the following night and she informed the police.

When the policeman arrived, there was Hans, up to no good. Slowly Hans removed his hat, his mask, and his whiskers. And who was left standing?

You will need to read Matilda and Hans for yourself (and your child, of course). No spoilers!

KID KANDY:

Chalk Art

Chalk art is featured on one of the pages in Matilda and Hans. Chalk art is fun - but only when permission is given for the artists to draw on sidewalks and cement walls. Always ask permission first!

~ Purchase some fat chalk sticks from the store

~ Ask permission to draw on cement (driveways, roads, sidewalks, playground).

~ Draw pictures with the fat chalk.

~ For fun, get a bucket of water. Soak the chalk in the water and then draw with the chalk.

~ Experiment with the chalk and water.

Have fun. And always try to be like Matilda. Or is that not like Matilda?


P.S. Thanks for reading! If you would like to get future blog posts delivered to your email inbox, just sign up in the box below. Thank you!

Tosca's Surprise - Picture Book + KID KANDY Activity

Tosca's Surprise
Story by Matthew Sturgis
Illustrations by Anne Mortimer
(Dial Books for Young Readers, Penguin Books, 1991)

Tosca's Surprise is one of those books both of my children loved. Now my grandchildren love it as well.

Not just because the illustrations of Tosca look real enough to touch and cuddle, or because they loved Tosca's Christmas, but also because Tosca has a surprise.

It's spring. Perhaps you can guess the surprise?

Without totally giving it away, Tosca spends some time nesting and looking for the perfect quiet spot. After which, well, you will have to read to see the adorable surprises.

We love this throwback to the childhood of my children. If you like cats, you will love Tosca.

KID KANDY:

Make your own nest for a surprise!

~ Dig out those stuffed animals or Beanie Babies. You can use kitties or cats or any other animals that produce surprises in the spring.

~ Provide old towels, doll blankets, and boxes. For padding, packing paper or shredded newspaper is wonderful (messy, but fun).

~ Let your child prepare the best place for his/her spring surprises. Nesting is lots of fun for humans at play.

~ Go for a walk to see who else is nesting and getting ready for young ones.

The girls, coming home at 2 1/2 months.

The gray girls, no longer this small...

Angie Quantrell loves spring and the babies that seem to pop up out of nowhere. Kittens, puppies, foals, and all sorts of baby animals are so adorably cute, it's a wonder her house is not filled with four-legged children. For now, there are only two kittens, soon to be cats on April 15.

Tosca's Christmas - Christmas Picture Books I Love

Tosca's Christmas
By Matthew Sturgis
Illustrations by Anne Mortimer
(Dial Books for Young Readers, Penguin Books, 1989)

What attracted me to this Christmas picture book ages ago when my children were young was the illustrations. That seems to be a theme for me. I adore great illustrations. What caught me next was the story about naughty Tosca, the beautiful fluffy feline who desperately tries to join Christmas festivities.

Only to be tossed outside on a cold winter's night. And who should she meet on the roof, but a jolly old soul wearing a red suit!

Matthew Sturgis creates a wonderfully explorative character in Tosca. I see my kitties in this book as I read, for they adore Christmas and at times cause just as much trouble.

Anne Mortimer has illustrated this book in such a way that it appears that we can reach out to touch and cuddle furry little Tosca.

Tosca's Christmas is a beautiful story about a cat at Christmas. Not only does it have a great story and gorgeous illustrations, this book has sentimental associations to the childhood of my children. I can still hear their little voices requesting the tale of Tosca - just one more time. Please!

Memories of a very special season. It is the most wonderful time of the year.

Reading Tip:
Curl up with a favorite stuffed animal and cozy pajamas to have the best of times when reading books with your child.

Cookie's Week

Cookie's Week by Cindy Ward

Love this book. Especially since my kinders are paying attention to rhyming, illustrations, authors, animals, days of the week...According to one particularly memory-gifted child, I also read it on the first day of school (in August). Today is March 20. He is correct, by the way.

As we re-read Cookie's Week, suddenly my eagle eye super kids noticed, "Hey, that's watercolors!" "And salt!"

Maybe the grammar wasn't correct, but the comments were right on. We have been noticing how authors illustrate and create stories. We've even used watercolor paints, combined with cool salt effects, to make our own illustrations.

Read about Cookie's days and troubles caused by an over-energetic kitten. Enjoy simple predictable phrases and great watercolor illustrations.

Thumb's up.

(Weird, but the photo is correct on my memory card, but each time it loads sideways. Just hold your computer on its' side and you'll be fine.)