Category: books

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

“Wake Up! For today is your Day of all Days!”

Today, the world celebrates Theodor Seuss Geisel, best known as Dr. Seuss, one of the world’s most beloved children’s authors.  For what would have been Dr. Seuss’ 107th birthday, surely, many will celebrate his birthday in their own favorite way.  In fact, courtesy of PBS Kids’, we hosted a small screening party to preview The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That’s new episodes in preparation for Dr. Seuss’ Birthday. (more on that soon!)

But really, Dr. Seuss’ birthday and celebration should be about the books that still line our kids’ shelves.  According to an article I read, during his lifetime, more than 200 million copies of his 46 memorable books for children were sold. His stories have been translated into 20 languages and continue to touch kids’ lives.

And to commemorate the late author’s birthday, students, teachers and Dr. Seuss fans will honor his legacy with Read Across America Day.

After a trip to the library this morning, we will be having our own mini-party to celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday!  In the name of Dr. Seuss, we have a fun day planned, which includes reading our favorite Seuss titles, playing our favorite Cat in the Hat game from WonderForge, craft time and catch a few episodes of Cat in the Hat, too.

No matter how you choose to celebrate, whether it’s watching The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That marathon on PBS, reading Dr. Seuss books all day or having your own little party, be sure to make it a colorful one.

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The Cat in the Hat marathon is on PBS today.  Check your tv listings for the time.  In NJ, it starts at 7am; NYC 8:30.

Want to do some crafts? Seussville has a few fun Dr. Seuss printables in line with Read Across America Day.  PBS’ Cat in the Hat site also has a good variety of games, as well as printables.  Thing 1 and 2 finger puppets? I think we will, thank you very much!

Q and A: Sarah Ball, Chuggington Writer and Director

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Over the weekend, the kid and I did all kinds of fun stuff that were NKT-related. Among the fun events on our agenda, we went to a Chuggington screening and storytime at the Scholastic Soho store.

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Along with other Chuggington fans, we had the chance to view a fan favorite, “The Chugger Championship” and preview a never-before-seen episode, “Snowstruck Wilson.” The sneak preview of “Snowstruck Wilson” involved a curious trainee straying, after being told to stay close. Having lost my own curious and adventurous kid the other week at a store, “Snowstruck Wilson” hit pretty close to home.

In addition to the screenings, Sarah Ball, Writer/Director of Chuggington, gave a brief introduction before the episodes. After the screening, the kids all enjoyed a little bit of coloring and crafts, which made for a fun afternoon.

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As we’ve been reporting, Chuggington has a whole slew of new licensed products coming our way, which includes a series of Scholastic books (reviews are forthcoming.)

It’s always a pleasure to share the latest and greatest about one of our favorite properties, but it’s even cooler to be able to speak to the brains behind such a beloved show. Check out my brief Q&A with Sarah Ball who told us a little bit about the ideas behind the episodes and the new characters, Hoot and Toot.


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Season two of Chuggington debuts on February 14 on the new Disney Jr.  If you’re on Twitter, join me and other Chuggington fans tonight at 9 p.m. as we celebrate the upcoming Season Two premiere. Follow @Chuggington, and #Chuggington.  And of course, my twitter handle is @jenrab.

Finally, let’s give @Chuggington a shout out for the Shorty Awards. Chuggington is currently in 8th place 7th place and needs to get to 6th to get to the finals.   To nominate Chuggington, just tweet why you think the property deserves a Shorty Award. Easy enough!

The Robot Book Reveals What Matters Most

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Even though I’m in the “Valentine’s Day is everyday” camp,  I can’t help but share some favorite goodies that celebrate all things heart-y.  While chocolates and candy are yummy treats, I can think of so many other ways to spread the love.

Books, even in the era of iPads, will always remain one of my favorite gift-giving ideas. With a love for robots, gear and gadgets, I think this book is a fun gift idea for our fellow robot fans.

The Robot Book by Heather Brown, a thoughtful and multi-faceted book about a robot, gets into the nuts and bolts of what matters most.  From page to page, the interactive book features working and moving gears, cogs, nuts, and bolts throughout the creative illustrations, leading to what makes robots tick.

All of the interactive components of the book, paired with a straightforward storyline, make The Robot Book a fun read for babies to big kids and robot enthusiasts alike.

Because of the kid’s love for robots, The Robot Book always finds its way into our bedtime storytime list.  We love turning the knobs and talking about how each part works together, which usually leads to more silly stories and laughs.  It’s a story that engages imagination, thoughtfulness and conveys a message that everyone should take to heart.

Check out the cool trailer after the jump.
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Chuggington Celebrates One Year in U.S.

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Another train-centric show that we’ve been fans of since they chugged their way stateside, Chuggington, is celebrating its one-year anniversary since its U.S. debut!  I shared my initial thoughts of the show from the beginning and we’ve been tuning in ever since.

As a Chuggington Conductor, it’s been really fun checking out the latest and greatest products.  You think Chuggington had a good first year?  Well, this Ludorum property is riding the rails steadily, so much so, they’ve launched a slew of cool toys, books and games.  Be on the look out for my upcoming reviews and vlogs of the latest Chuggington goodies.  BTW, apparently, you guys are big fans of the Chuggington vlog I did on the roundhouse because it’s received over 6k views.

In the meantime, if you’re around in a few minutes, join us on at 1 p.m. for a Chuggington Twitter Party celebrating their one year milestone!  I hear there will be some cool surprises, so be sure to honk your horns!

Celebrating and Giving Thanks to Dr. Martin Luther King

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

On August 28, 1963, the honorable Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood before a crowd of civil rights supporters and admonished racial inequality, discrimination and social injustice.  Dr. King’s 17-minute  “I Have a Dream,” speech is perhaps one of the most recognizable public addresses that spoke volumes, and in turn, gave a movement even more momentum.

Today, we observe the celebration of Dr. King’s life.

Though every word of the speech has inspired generations, as a parent, this line underscores the significance of Dr. King’s plight:

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

As a parent to a multicultural child who is the product of an interracial marriage, I’d like to say,  Thank you, Dr. King, for helping to pave the way, but we’re not all the way ‘there’ yet.

We’ve come a long way, much thanks to Dr. King’s efforts, but there’s still a long road ahead until we achieve his dream.

The day where it’s assumed that I’m not the nanny to my fair-skinned child, the day where I’m not greeted in Spanish by complete strangers who are unsure of my ethnicity and assume I don’t speak English (much less have a degree in it) or the day where our family doesn’t prompt judgmental double-takes while walking together in a crowded suburban mall, the day when crimes aren’t committed as a result of hate and ignorance…that’s when I know our society is getting even closer.

Maybe our kids will have a chance to experience this in their lifetime, but educating about the importance of equality is up to us just as well.

Today isn’t a day where our family will go ice skating to celebrate a “day off.”  Instead, it’s a day where I hope to emphasize to my young child about the beauty of color.

He’s only three, but thanks to YouTube, we started our day by listening to the speech of “I Have a Dream.”  If you or your kids haven’t seen it, then go watch and be inspired.  (My guy insisted that the video’s black and white appearance indicated the beginning of his favorite movie, “Up.”  Hey, I’m trying here.)

But I digress…

If books and dvds are more your speed, here are some suggestions for books and dvds about Dr. King that are worth checking out:

The Story of Martin Luther King Jr., by Johnny Ray Moore, is a board book that gives kids a concise primer on Dr. King’s life that’s easy for small children to understand.

The award-winning Martin’s Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by Doreen Rappaport gives kids a pictorial glimpse of Dr. King’s life.

Part of Scholastic’s Storybook Treasures includes March On! And More Stories About African American History on dvd.  March On! The Day My Brother Martin Changed The World, the title story included on this dvd, is by Dr. Christine King Farris, who recounts her perspective of her brother’s legacy.

*And btw, another inspirational man who shares a January 15th birthday and moves mountains for family?  My dad.  Happy Birthday, dad!

Barnes & Noble Rolls Out Mega Playroom Boutiques

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Just in time for the holiday season, my friend, Carrie of Dog-Eared and Well-Read reminded me of Barnes & Noble’s latest foray in the kid space.

Big Box book retailer, Barnes and Noble announced that they are rolling out a 3,000 sq. ft. playroom boutique concept in five test stores.  Barnes & Noble is describing the play area as “Ultimate Playroom” Mega-Boutiques where interactive displays, creativity and learning through activities, scientific discoveries, and favorite children’s characters can underscore children’s experience at the bookstore.

Barnes & Noble has aligned partnerships with several toy manufacturers and brands who are well known in the educational sector, such as LeapFrog, Crayola, Curious George, Thomas the Tank Engine, among others.

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It’s Election Day: Lead by Example

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

It’s Election Day, and the world around us is abuzz about how important it is to vote in the Midterm Elections.  Politics and elections can be a trivial time for some adults, nevermind explaining the significance of it all to smaller kids.  But, perhaps, the best way to teach kids about the importance of voting and being heard is by leading by example.

Judging by all the activity on Facebook and Foursquare, it sounds like many of you have already done your civic duty.  Hooray!

Looking for a learning resource to engage the kids in the election?  Scholastic has a variety of non-fiction books that overview the voting process.  Skimming over the content, I think Let’s Vote on It! by Janice Behrens is a great primer for preschoolers and younger grade schoolers to learn more about the voting process.

 

The book introduces terms that are relevant to elections and voting within the classroom.  It also touches up on the topic of how adults vote, which is timely for Election Day.

Regardless of when and how you do it, go vote and lead by example!

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I love the way social networks have created a dialogue for civic participation.  There’s no ignoring this election if you’re on Twitter, Facebook or read any sort of website. If you haven’t already, don’t forget to show off that you voted on Facebook, grab your I Voted Badge on Foursquare (check in at your polling location and shout #Ivoted) or tweet #Ivoted.

Time for Kids Releases Two New Titles for Curious Kids

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

While strolling Costco this weekend, my three-year old looked up at me and innocently asked, “Do donkeys go to church?”

And before I could answer the first question, he then asked, “What do donkeys do?”

The past few weeks, the kid has done his best to stump us with his curiosity and long list of questions, impossible questions included.  We do our best to answer them, but sometimes, truly, I have no answer because I really don’t know!  As every parent knows, kids are innately curious and they love to ask questions, which why I totally appreciate these new releases from Time for Kids.

Just in time for Halloween, the editors of Time for Kids released two new books for our inquisitive and answer-starved kid: That’s Awesome and The BIG Book of Why.

Geared to school-aged kids to read on their own, Time for Kid’s new books aim to answer many questions that even the littler ones might ask.

The Big Book of Why features 1,001 facts, including the science or history to further explain the answer in a straightforward and kid-friendly way.


And with Halloween in mind, here are some fun excerpts from The Big Book of Why:

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Happy 90 Years, Scholastic!

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

I can still remember those awesome days, sitting in a circle, indian-style at the library, listening to my grade school librarian read a silly story about Amelia Bedelia aloud during story time.  Or, how about those days when the latest Scholastic book club flyers went out?  I can still remember circling every awesome book on every page.  Or what about those awesome book fairs? Or how about collecting every single Babysitter’s Club book and re-reading them five times over.

These days, I practically squeal with excitement when we head to Soho, because that usually means a gratuitous trip to the Scholastic store—a trip that I wholeheartedly enjoy as a lifelong book lover grooming the next generation of book nerds. My boy embraces his Clifford classics.  And hello, a specific Pirate potty training book made life a little easier during these trying months.

Perhaps you have similar memories, or maybe more current ones of how Scholastic has impacted your life?

Today, Scholastic celebrates quite a monumental anniversary.  Ninety years ago, Robbie Robinson created the first issue of a magazine called The Western Pennsylvania Scholastic. Today, Scholastic is now the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books.

Based on the awesome microsite to celebrate this anniversary, Scholastic has had a fabulous 90 years thus far!

If you’re in the NYC area today, be on the lookout for the many ways Scholastic is celebrating their special day.  They’ll be in Times Square, Central Park, outside the American Museum of Natural History, at the Liberty/Ellis Island Ferry Terminal, and  outside Scholastic HQ at 557 Broadway and will even be ringing the closing NASDAQ bell.  A busy day celebrating in NYC will be capped off with the Empire State building glowing a bright red as a nod to Scholastic’s amazing 90 years.

To emphasize their impact on the importance in reading for kids of all ages, Scholastic also announced their latest global campaign, Read Every Day/ Lead a Better Life.  It’s so fitting, isn’t it?  Check it out and be sure to fill out the Reading Bill of Rights to take part.

Congrats, and here’s to 90 more years of awesomeness, Scholastic!

 

 

Read for the Record Today

by Jen Rabulan-Bertram

Readers unite: today, parents, teachers and children are being encouraged to take part in Jumpstart’s Read for the Record, which is a nationwide campaign that aims to set a new world record for the largest shared reading experience on a single day.

This morning, The Today Show interviewed spokesperson, Amanda Peete, about her involvement with Read for the Record.  According to Jumpstart,  Read for the Record encourages record-breakers to spread the word that reading with a child before he or she enters kindergarten can improve his or her chances of graduating from high school by as much as 30%. Today, more than 2.5 million children are expected to take part by reading The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. In the process, Jumpstart and the Pearson Foundation aim to draw attention to the growing crisis for disadvantaged young children whose literacy experience is limited and to Jumpstart’s role in addressing this issue.

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