Book Reviews

momstown reads Lucky Duckling at Tales for Tots program

momstown chapters read Scholastic's Lucky Ducklings at Tales for Tots programs across the country - it was a great fit with our Little Explorers curriculum theme as our little ones learned all about a true story about some very lucky ducklings!

 

tales for tots lucky ducklings

 

Lucky Ducklings is the true story of a family of ducks who went for a walk only to fall down a storm drain and how an entire town rallied to save the ducklings.  Just when you think the story is over and there is nothing more that can be done, someone else jumps in to help!

 

lucky ducklings ottawa

momstown Ottawa decided to make the ducklings a compass - so next time they will know where they are going! What a great tie-in with our Little Explorers theme this month!

 

tales for tots lucky ducklings

 

momstown Hamilton's little ones made colourful duck mobiles, using duck cutouts, stickers, card stock cut-out umbrellas, and a coat hanger - what cute little ducks!

 

tales for tots lucky ducklings

momstown Brampton kiddos got painting - sweet little duck pictures! With a bit of blue paint, cut out ducks, and feathers, they had some Lucky Duckling masterpieces!

 

Learn more about momstown's partnership with Scholastic and the Tales for Tots program - running monthly in momstown chapters across the country!

Posted by Teacher Mom on 05/08/2013 - 10:07
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Books about Shapes for Toddlers, Preschoolers, and School-agers

momstown chapters are learning all about Shapes this month - and we've got some great momstown-approved titles to support our Shapes curriculum theme!

 

shapes collage

 

The Greedy Triangle  by Marilyn Burns   

The triangle is very happy, until he decides he needs ‘one more side’... so becomes a square, and is happy again – until he needs ‘one more side’... hexagons, heptagons, octagons, etc. are introduced in this funny and creative way of looking at shapes!


Shape  by David Goodman and Zoe Miller  

This book introduces children to basic shapes using photographs of children playing with everyday objects (such as buttons for circles, sailboats for triangles). Older children can ‘find’ different shapes within the photographs or match up shapes. Non-fiction, informative book to teach children about shapes. Would be a good lead-in to painting with shapes.


My Very First Book of Shapes by Eric Carle  

This great Eric Carle board book has split pages, so that children have to match the shape (i.e. circle) with the picture on the bottom (sun). Lets children explore the different shapes and identify them in other objects (kite, tent, watermelon slice, eye, etc.) Perfect if you have a young group.
 

Mouse Shapes  by Ellen Stoll Walsh

Three mice are running away from a cat, and find shapes to help them hide. They use basic shapes to build a house, tree, sun, and other objects. Then they figure out how to build some giant mice using shapes, and scare away that pesky cat! The pictures are great for simple introductory shape recognition – two dimensional and colourful. A great introduction to the ‘Shape Creations’ craft – will spawn some ideas for sure!


Shape Capers  by Cathryn Falwell  

Written in rhyme, this brightly illustrated book introduces children to the basic shapes. The first few pages introduce each shape, and then the children in the story put the shapes together to build cars, rocket ships, boats, etc. Another great introduction to the ‘Shape Creations’ craft idea!

Posted by Teacher Mom on 05/08/2013 - 09:51
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momstown reads Good Night Canada at Tales for Tots program

momstown chapters host Tales for Tots programs in communities across Canada every month! This month's book from Scholastic Canada was "Good Night, Canada" by Andrea Beck.

 

good night canada tales for tots

It was a great complement to our Little Explorers theme for March - as the pages turn, each province and territory comes to life in this perfect bedtime book that sends out a 'goodnight' to friends from coast to coast.

 

good night canada tales for tots

momstown Burlington decorated a map of Canada - using cotton balls for snowy places, wheat for the prairies, and discovering landmarks across Canada!

 

good night canada tales for tots

momstown Brampton kiddos decorated Canada Flags with bingo dabbers - a little creative license on the colours (!) but a great tie-in to exploring our country.

 

good night canada tales for totsAnd in every chapter, one lucky mom brought home a copy of Good Night Canada to add to her child's collection!

 

Learn more about momstown's partnership with Scholastic and the Tales for Tots program - running monthly in momstown chapters across the country!

 

Posted by Teacher Mom on 04/12/2013 - 09:58
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5 great books for Earth Day

Earth Day is April 22 - it's a great chance for kids of all ages to learn about how they can care for the Earth, small things that make a difference, and the importance of helping in the community. momstown's got 5 great books to help engage kids on Earth Day, and every day!

Visit our Arts & Crafts site for great Earth Day crafts, too!

 

earth day books for kids

 

 

Emeraldalicious by Victoria Kann

When Pinkalicious and Peter decide to visit their favorite park, they find that it's no longer their favorite place—the park is now filled with stinky trash! So, Pinkalicious decides to make an extra-special wand out of a stick and some flowers. Now whenever Pinkalicious makes a wish, adds a little love, and recites a pinkatastic rhyme, something amazing happens: It's pinkerrific magic!

 

Earth Day, Birthday by Maureen Wright

It's April 22, and Lion and his friends want to plant trees, recycle bottles, and have fun on Earth Day. But not Monkey. He wants to celebrate his birthday. Can he convince the other animals that it really is his birthday? Violet Kim's humorous artwork, rendered in paper, photographs, and colored pencil, highlight the sunny, friendly world of the animals.


A Leaf can Be by Laura Purdie Salas

A leaf can be a . . .
Shade spiller
Mouth filler
Tree topper
Rain stopper

Find out about the many roles leaves play in this poetic exploration of leaves throughout the year.


The Berenstain Bears Go Green by Jan & Mike Berenstain

The Berenstain Bears live in a wonderful place filled with green grass, blue skies, and lots of furry friends. But on a fishing trip at the creek, the Bear family discovers that the town dump is overflowing. It's spilling garbage into the water! Can the Berenstain Bears find a pollution solution before their beloved county is filled with garbage?


Biscuit's Earth Day by Alyssa Capucilli

Join Biscuit as he helps take care of our green world. From planting seeds to cleaning up, Biscuit's celebration is an exciting adventure for Earth Day and for every day!

 

Thanks to Amazon for book descriptions.

 

Do your kids have a favourite Earth Day book?

Posted by Teacher Mom on 04/05/2013 - 10:05
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Books about Rainy Days - curriculum theme "Wet Wet Wet"

Springtime brings rain - and lots of great chances to learn about weather and stomp around in puddles! To accompany our "Wet Wet Wet" curriculum theme this month, momstown has reviewed 5 great books to celebrate Spring and encourage kids to play outdoors in any weather!

 

wet wet wet books

 

Water Baby  from Usborne Touchy-Feely    Babies    Touch-and-feel board book depicts baby having fun with water – in a turtle pool, on the beach, in the bath, watering the garden, and doing lots of splish splash sploshing!

 

Who Likes Rain?  by Wong Herbert Yee   Babies & Toddlers

Rhyming text takes the reader through ‘who likes rain?’ like the flowers, the trees, the ducks, the worms, the frogs – and the little girl who has fun jumping in the puddle. Cute illustrations and simple text.

 

Mushroom in the Rain by Mirra Ginsburg    Babies & Toddlers   

A little ant gets caught in the rain, and finds a mushroom to hide under. His friend butterfly joins him, then mouse, sparrow, and rabbit. They hide rabbit from the fox chasing him, while they wait out the rain until the sun comes out. Ant can’t figure out how they all hid under such a small mushroom, until frog reminds him what mushrooms do in the rain! (they GROW!)

 

10 Little Raindrops by Leroy Comrie    Toddlers & Preschoolers    Kevin counts from one to ten as raindrops fall on him – but he keeps playing in the park until the sun is shining. The rain drops become Kevin’s friends as they are illustrated with little faces on them. Written in rhyming text, this is a good counting practice book also!

The Rain Stomper  by Addie Boswell  Preschoolers   

Jazmin is a cheerleader who can’t wait to march in the big parade. However, when rain and wind threaten the parade, Jazmin decides she will become a rain stomper and make the best of the weather. Great text echoing the action of the story: “slap, clatter, bam, bash, boom walla, bang, crash” as Jazmin outstomps the rain.


 

Have fun getting wet outside this Spring!

Posted by momstown Teach on 04/05/2013 - 09:56
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Books about Exploring - Little Explorers curriculum theme for toddlers and preschoolers

momstown's going exploring with our Little Explorers curriculum theme! We've got 5 books to kick off this theme and share with toddlers and preschoolers who are ready to explore their world both indoors and out!  Don't forget to grab some healthy on-the-go snacks before you head out exploring!

 

little explorers

 

Explorer Extraordinaire (Fancy Nancy)  by Jane O’Connor   

Fancy Nancy starts an explorer club! She and her best friend Bree explore insects, flowers, birds, leaves, and the nature all around them. Find out just how fancy the outdoors can be!


It’s Raining, It’s Pouring, We’re Exploring  by Polly Peters   

When it’s raining outside, three children decide they can go exploring inside... with their imaginations! Written in rhyme and with colourful illustrations, this story highlights the magic of imaginative play, and children will be able to connect to how they play at home!

 

Let’s Explore, Moose!  by Audrey Fraggalosch   

Moose is teaching her baby how to explore his forest home. The moose baby explores the forest, finds new animals, learns to swim, and discovers new foods to eat. When Spring comes, the baby is now a young moose, and can live and explore on his own.

 

Dora’s Cousin Diego   Nickelodeon/Leslie Valdes   

Everyone's favourite explorers – Dora and Diego – are off to explore and save baby jaguar before he plunges into the waterfall. Children can participate by making animal noises, counting, and of course warding off Swiper! 
 

We’ll All Go Exploring by Maggee Spicer and Richard Thompson   

Three friends go exploring in the ‘world of trees’ and find different kinds of trees and different animals living in each one. Simple text written in rhyme, the tree pages open up to reveal the animals living within them. The imaginary forest contains trees and animals from all over the world (maple, gum, jungle, mangrove). Great book for all ages – colourful illustrations will captivate young ones and the older children will enjoy seeing different animals and learning about different types of trees.

Posted by Teacher Mom on 03/06/2013 - 13:14
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