You Nest Here With Me ~ Picture Book & KID KANDY

You Nest Here With Me
By Jane Yolen and Heidi E. Y. Stemple
Illustrated by Melissa Sweet
(Boyds Mills Press, 2015)

You Nest Here With Me is the perfect picture book for a bedtime story that allows readers to learn about birds and their nests.

I love this book! The illustrations are adorable. The story is told in peaceful rhyme and shares details about common birds.

You Nest Here With Me is a lullaby and a gentle learning tale.

KID KANDY:

Make a Reading Nest

Materials: pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, books

1. Curl the blankets into a nest shape.

2. Add pillows and stuffed animals to make the nest soft and cozy.

3. Curl up in the nest and read books.


When I was little, I loved building a nest of toys and books all around me as I played. How about you? Where do you like to read books?

Good-night, little bird.

Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink - Picture Books - Wacky Wednesday

Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink
By Diane de Groat
(Mulberry Books, 1996)

Wacky Wednesday brings a silly and humorous Valentine's Day picture book in Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink.

Gilbert had to get ready for his Valentine's Day party, which meant he had to write on his valentine cards. Gilbert had much success making up rhymes for friends. But his results for those he didn't really like were not as nice. Those poems were actually awful and unkind.

Read about the party disaster and how Gilbert was able to make amends to the friends he slighted in Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink. Readers will learn about kindness and getting along with others in this holiday picture book.

KID KANDY:

Decorate Valentine Heart Cookies

~ Bake or buy heart shaped cookies. Sugar cookies are best, especially if you let your child helper cut them out with heart cookie cutters. Chocolate chip heart cookies would taste very nice as well.

~ Put white frosting in a bowl. Add purple (or red + blue) food coloring drop by drop, mixing and adding more drops until you get the desired color.

~ Messy, yes. But that's what soap and water are for. Put a dollop of icing on the middle of a cookie and let your child spread it around. Continue with other cookies.

~ Provide an assortment of seasonal or favorite candies. Let your child add decorations on top of the icing (which is the glue). Cinnamon red hots, conversation hearts, sprinkles, M&M's, chocolate chips, or whatever else you have on hand is perfect.

~ Eat one or two.

~ Share the sugar wealth. Wrap extra cookies with plastic wrap or self-zipping bags. Give them to teachers, grandparents, neighbors, church members, friends ... anyone that will help take a sugar load off of your hands.

~ Most of the fun is in the mess making. But letting little ones help clean up is a valuable lesson. Soapy water, dish cloths (rung out, or else, tidal wave), and some sort of cleaning sing-song diddy, and you are off and running.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Angie Quantrell enjoys both writing and reading children's picture books. Kids are her favorite people.

This Is the Stable - Christmas Picture Books

This Is the Stable
by Cynthia Cotten
(Scholastic, Inc., 2006)

This Is the Stable is another example of a book with captivating illustrations.

Written in rhyme, This Is the Stable tells the story of the birth of Christ. Simple text shares the biblical account with readers. Young preschoolers and children will love reading this version.

Offering a variety of picture books that tell the same story allows readers to compare and contrast what lies between front and back covers. And invites deeper understanding of story and events.

I keep This Is the Stable in my Christmas collection of books for just those reasons.


Add a song:

Listen to songs that tell the Christmas story -

"Away in a Manger,"
"The First Nowell"
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"
"O Little Town of Bethlehem"
"Joy to the World! The Lord Is Come"

Hearing and learning stories put to music is an age-old way to remember details and story line.

Peace on Earth and goodwill towards men.

Noel.