“I believe, now more than ever, in the transformative promise of geography,” said Eric Weiner, the author of “The Geography of Bliss: One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places in the World.” He went on to write:
“Change your location and you just may change yourself. It’s not that distant lands contain some special energy or that their inhabitants possess secret knowledge (though they may), but rather something more fundamental. By relocating ourselves, reorienting ourselves, we shake loose the shackles of expectation. Adrift in a different place we give ourselves permission to be different people.”
I believe this wholeheartedly, and I think it is vital that children have an understanding of life beyond their town, state, country and continent. Although travel in the physical sense may not be a blessing that everyone can afford, educating students about other countries and cultures is affordable. In fact, it’s downright profitable. It fosters understanding, peace and good global citizenship.
Mark Twain was on the same page.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”
St. Augustine’s thinking was similar. “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page,” he said.
Big Universe’s approach to education echoes this sentiment:
“Our desire is to use children’s books online as a way to connect the next generation – our children – and help them look past the differences between our various cultures and instead focus on our similarities, so we can come together to explore our big universe.”
Recent additions to Big Universe’s library broaden resources for teachers trying to put together a well-rounded social studies curriculum that will stretch their kids’ horizons. Check out these cross-cultural and geography-related books. They’ll take your students on all sorts of travels, expanding their vocabularies, perspectives, dreams and ideas about this great big earth that we live on.
“Keys and Symbols on Maps” (Rourke)
“Kids Around the World” (Teacher Created Materials)
“Maps are Flat, Globes are Round” (Rourke)
“Japan” (Bellwether)
“We Share One World” (Illumination Arts)
“Machu Picchu…The Lost City of the Incas” (Mighty Book)
“Counting the Continents” (Rourke)
“North, South, East and West” (Rourke)
“India” (Teacher Created Materials)
“Canada” (Bellwether)
“Secret of the Dance” (Orka Book)
“Israel” (Bellwether)
“Around the World with Money” (Rourke)
“England” (Bellwether)
“Greece” (Teacher Created Materials)
Big Universe also carries Step-by-Step Reading Corner books in a variety of languages, for example: “Oranges for Everyone” in Arabic, “Dorothy and the Glasses” in Polish and “The Icicle” in Spanish. To find additional books in alternative languages, go to the website’s “Read” section and browse by language.
It is back to school already!?!? I think most of us are wondering what happened to summer break; I know I am. Break time is over with and it is back to the books and I know that there are probably many households that are “refreshing” their reading skills. We did slack off a bit during the summertime in our reading, which I really did not intend to do, so we are going to have to play catch-up to get back on track.
My oldest son is in the 2nd grade this year and, from the words of his mouth, he says “Second grade is hard; it is only for smart people.” I have to chuckle every time he says that. The biggest challenge that our household faced last year was in reading. I have searched for ways to help to make reading a bit easier and here are some things that I have found:
a. Consistency, consistency, consistency. Did I mention consistency? Yes, I feel that is the most important aspect. When you do things in repetition, you tend to finally “get” things after a certain time period – everything just “clicks”. So, I am determined to spend a certain amount of time, on a daily basis, with my child to go over the basics until he grows tired and weary, and can recite what was set out to be learned.
b. Make learning fun. Find a character that your child enjoys and make use of that character. Spice up the routine every now and then so the “routine” does not become so routine.
c. Progress and reward chart. Your child is just like you are – loves to see progress. Make a chart at where they are starting from to where they want to go. You will be amazed at how excited they can become once they see that they are progressing, and what a better way to celebrate their progress than with a reward? Now, the reward does not have to be anything extravagant, maybe take them out to an ice cream treat or to see a movie that they have been wanting to see. It will make them feel special and, most of all, it will make them feel proud of themselves.
The vitality of mastering early reading and comprehension skills is so crucial to our children’s future. Reading IS their future. So, whatever steps that we, as parents, need to take to ensure the best possible learning in literacy for our children, we need to take. Reading may be their future but our children are our future.
Here we go! Summer is winding down, and the school year is gearing up. It’s kind of like January, just a whole heck of a lot hotter.
While it’s inevitable that the new year will pose some challenges, the first day of school brings to mind the old saying, “Starting with a clean slate.” All things are new and fresh. All things are possible.
The spontaneity of summer days is fun – but it’s sorta like hearing an improv session on the bongo drums. A little goes a long way.
The upcoming school year, however, resembles a really good drum corps that unifies syncopated cadences with a solid bass beat. The sound is powerful and engaging, inspiring people to dance, clap and tap their feet in sync with the rhythm. A good school does the same thing.
That paints a pretty picture, but the fact is that some students can’t hear the rhythm. Their little hearts are beating too hard.
The first day of school can cause nerves to jangle and imaginations to go into overdrive. However, parents, caregivers and older siblings can do a lot to calm fears and clear up misconceptions.
Talking about what to expect on Day One and in the following weeks at school helps little ones prepare for changes. Drive by or visit the school. Take time to ask and answer questions. If you have photographs of your first day of school, dig out those golden oldies and show them to your kids. They’ll get a kick out of them.
Help your child write a story about the new adventure ahead of him. It will be fun to reread at the end of the school year.
You also can read books such as “First Day Jitters” by Julie Danneberg and illustrator Judy Love. The Charlesbridge book is charming and rates 5 out of 5 stars on Big Universe.
Lobster Press has published a first-day-of-school themed book too, titled “The Little Dragon Who Couldn’t Breathe Fire.” It’s a cute story; take a peek.
Magination Press released a book by Dianne Blomberg back in 1999 titled “Sam and Gram and the First Day of School: A Story to Answer a Child’s Questions & Soothe Fears about School.” In addition to the story, two helpful sections have been added for parents.
A few years ago, the Monroe County Public Library in Bloomington, Ind., compiled an extensive book list about kids and their school experiences. Check it out.
If you can recommend other picture books about the first day of school, please share!
Best wishes and happy new (school) year.
There’s a guy who lives a few hours away from me – someone I’ve never met, but he’s been my hero for eight days now. I read an article about his new children’s book, “My Purple Toes,” and have been smiling ever since.
Blair Hahn is a lawyer in Charleston, S.C., with a sense of humor, a heart and hutzpah. Like a tiny pebble dropped into a pond, Hahn’s light-hearted actions on one particular day resulted in a ripple effect he or his family hardly could have imagined.
“The idea for ‘My Purple Toes’ all started with a trip to a nail salon with my daughter who I astonished when I boldly offered to get my toenails painted purple,” said Hahn in a Newswire press release.
The excursion was meant to be a bonding experience for teenage daughter and dad. A pedicure had been planned by his daughter, but the colorful outcome had not. His daughter walked out with pink toes, and he waltzed out with purple.
The laughs and reactions from strangers, his wife and friends culminated in life lessons that were perfect for a children’s picture book: the importance of enjoying life, being oneself and accepting others. So, Hahn teamed up with Charleston artist Tate Nation, and they ended up with a cheery board-style book aimed at kids 1 to 5 years old.
I like Hahn’s style – and I’m not talking about the nail polish. I like that he wanted to spend time with his daughter in her environment. I like that he was confident enough to have a little fun and then stand by his decision. I like that he was inspired enough to turn it into a book to teach children, and I love that he is sharing the proceeds with the needy.
A portion of the sales will benefit Soles4Souls, a Nashville-based non-profit charity that collects new and gently used shoes and distributes them to people around the world.
“The launch of ‘My Purple Toes’ has created a unique opportunity to give back to children in need,” said the author, “and we look forward to donating to Soles4Souls in support of its worthy cause.”
Almost 11 million pairs of shoes have been given in the last five years. The footwear has gone to Hurricane Katrina victims, as well as millions of others in 125 countries.
While “My Purple Toes” is not offered through BigUniverse.com, there are many selections on the children’s picture books website that touch on issues of confidence, kindness, sharing and personal growth. Here are just a few to get you started:
Note: Library, school and hospital representatives may contact the author directly at 1-(800) 247-6553 or blair@mypurpletoes.com to request copies of the book at a discounted rate.
I was on a crowded train in Spain when I was introduced to the World Cup. I was backpacking across Europe with a friend after college graduation and had just commented on how tightly we were packed in the train.
“I wonder if it’s always this crowded?” I mused. A British guy sitting on the floor near me said it was because of the World Cup.
“World Cup?” I asked, naively.
After the guy and his buddy picked their chins up off the floor, the cheekier of the two said, “Foo-ball! You know, A-mer-i-can sack-ur,” he said, giving a poor imitation of a cross between J.R. Ewing and a Boston fireman. “You gaw eh be kitten me,” he added, shaking his head. Or, at least that’s what I thought he said.
After thoroughly roasting us, the two English “blokes” invited us two American “birds” to see a game with them in Seville, Spain. (They were rabid soccer fans and were following the Copa del Mundo de Fútbol – España 82 competition until their money ran out.) We agreed.
I’m not sure how they swung the tickets, since the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium was wall-to-wall people. Don’t ask; don’t tell.
Once inside, the adrenaline rush was overwhelming, or that might have been my fear of being crushed by 68,000 exuberant fans or impaled by one of their waving flags. Once I secured a safe perch up on a wall, I found out that the actual soccer game was exciting too. Brazil beat the Soviet Union 2 to 1, and afterward the fans hit the streets of Seville, parading into the middle of the night.
A chance encounter in Spain? Nah! The four of us all kept in touch, and six years later my friend married her soul mate – one of guys on the train. They are raising a brood of soccer players now here in the States. He coaches and refs, and I’m sure she has done her share of soccer mom duties. Eventually, my husband and I got involved in the sport too and coached Under 8 Girls soccer in the local recreation league for six or seven seasons.
The sport that no one believed would ever catch on in the United States, has in fact ignited a generation! Here are a few soccer books for kids offered at Big Universe to fuel the flame…both for soccer and reading.
My 2 year old learner 
This year my son graduated from 8th grade. He is headed to high school with a strong educational foundation and a genuine love of reading. I began to reminisce about his toddler years and the things that we would do together. It’s true that parents are the first teachers. Back then, I had no knowledge of child psychology, developmental theory, or popular teaching strategies. All I had was a deep love for my child and a strong belief that he could do anything. In hindsight, I did some things that set him up for academic success. You can do it too! Here are 5 ways to create a learning environment for your own toddler:
1. Become a narrator. When you are walking around the house, verbalize your actions. Ex. “Let’s get ready to go see Granny! The first thing we need to do is put on our shoes. Now where are those shoes?” This is a natural way to expose your child to wide variety of vocabulary words and sentence structure.
2. Invest in food coloring. During bath time, place a few drops of food coloring into the bath water. Act excited about the color by saying, “Wow, look at that beautiful GREEN water!” Your toddler will recognize all of the colors in no time. Plus its a fun bath time surprise that your toddler will grow to love.
3. Choose a letter of the week. Buy letters and systematically introduce the alphabet to your child. I had foam letters for the bath and large wooden letters for the high chair tray. I began with the first letter of my son’s name and jumped around the alphabet from there. During bath time, stick a foam letter to the wall and every now and then point to it and say something like, “Look at the letter I!”, then trace it with your fingers (using the same motion you would if you were to write the letter). At dinner time, use the wooden letters. Place the same letter on the high chair tray or table. Again, mention the letter a few times during the meal. By the time my son was 3, he knew all of the letters in the alphabet.
4. Visit the library OFTEN. Make your local library the first place you look for free reading material and free entertainment. They offer special programming for toddlers and during the summer there are a ton of shows, craft opportunities, and presentations. My son still has fond memories of carting a milk crate to the library and coming home with 20-30 books for me to read to him during the week. Make sure to get board books so your child can explore them alone, and choose a few of your own favorites to share. The reading bug is easy to catch. Make sure your child catches it early.
5. Limit or Eliminate Television. Hold off from allowing your child to watch television for as long as possible. You want the strongest influence in their life to be you, not the cartoon character on TV. You want them to emulate the way you speak, not the way SpongeBob speaks. If you do allow your toddler to watch television, choose educational programming produced on the PBS channel, the Discovery Network, or even better, rent educational videos from your local library.
Keisa Williams (aka Ms. K) is a mother & a K-5 School Librarian at Monarch Academy, a public charter school in Oakland, CA. She is certified in secondary and elementary education (MLIS and MEd) and loves collaborating with teachers and integrating technology into her library lessons. She considers herself a “Technology Diva” and “Gadget Junkie”.
Posted on June 25, 2010 by Suzan Woodard in Commentary, General, Personal Experiences, Tips.
Tags: Big Universe, Building Literacy Skills, Car games, Family Time, Family Travel, Road Trip, summer reading, Summer Setback, Traveling with kids
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“This is June, the month of grass and leaves . . . and a new summer is offered me.”
– Henry David Thoreau
There’s something magical about summertime: new adventures, freedom and beauty that one can almost sip from a straw.
Summer clips the tethers that hold us tight the rest of the year. We stay outside longer, we stop for impromptu ice cream cones, and we get up early on Saturday morning and consider it fun because we are headed to the farmers’ market.
And then, there are the vacations! Off we go to the beach, the lake, the amusement park or to the mountains to camp.
Unfortunately there’s usually some significant travel time involved on vacations, and that can be tricky with little ones in tow. But, that’s part of life, so early on I decided to embrace the inevitable car rides, seeing them as opportunities – rather than something one step above rubbing sunscreen in my eyes.
So, I came up with a kid-friendly strategy that made trips both fun and educational. In my two previous blogs I detailed tips to make long trips easier, including a packing list and some car game suggestions to make the time go faster and to exercise brain cells.
Here are a few more car games to boost your children’s language skills and minimize irritability and whining.
Who Am I?
One child says, “Who am I?” The second child asks, “Are you a person, place or thing?” The first child answers, and then the question-answer volley proceeds until the mystery item or person is guessed. (Are you smaller than a car? Do you make noise? Can you be eaten? Are you scary? Are you soft? This models conversation patterns, teaches critical thinking skills and sharpens listening aptitude.
License Plate Game
If you have a long road trip planned, print copies listing the 50 states. As your child spies license plates from different states, have him check the state off his list. Or, give him some crayons and a black and white map of the United States and let him color in each state that he sees. Reading, geography and small motor skills wrapped into one.
Rhyme Time
Language is made of sounds, and making rhymes is an early literacy milestone. This game involves parent-child interaction, which builds communication bridges as well as a wide vocabulary base. Some of the rhymes will be silly or nonsensical, but that’s OK. Language has its serious side, but words can be a delight, too.
Give a noun in a phrase, pausing so your child can fill in the blank. Start by example:
The dog and a ___. (hog, log, frog)
A star with a ___. (car, jar, or a nonsense word like “dar”)
Jack Sprat and his ___. (cat, rat, mat, bat)
Fortunately, Unfortunately
Older kids will love this word play game. It encourages the imagination and a sense of humor. One person starts a scenario by say, “Fortunately…” The second person responds by saying, “Unfortunately…” You alternate between fortunate and unfortunate things. It’ll get the laughter going. For example:
“Fortunately, we are stopping for lunch soon.”
“Unfortunately, Mom left your sandwich at home.”
“Fortunately, I have a bag of peanuts in my pocket.”
“Unfortunately, the park we are going to is infested with aggressive squirrels.”
“Fortunately, I speak ‘squirrel’ fluently and will be able to talk my way out of trouble.”
“Unfortunately, the park is a wildlife refuge and kids aren’t allowed to speak out loud there.”
“Fortunately…”
And so on.
Would You Rather?
This game is as simple as they come. Start by example, then let the kids have a turn.
“Would you rather go to the pool or go to the zoo?
“Would you rather eat lima beans or eat spinach?”
“Would you rather pet a bear or pet a lion?
“Would you rather have 12 toes or 12 fingers?”
These are just a few of the many games that can be played in the car. I shared “Horse on Wheels” in my first blog in this series and three other car games in my second posting: “The Great Race from A to Z,” “Sack on My Back” and “Name Game.” They foster communication, build literacy skills and boost family bonding. Check them out.
I’d love to hear about some of the word games your family plays in the car to pass the time. Feel free to post a comment.
Have a great summer.
*** If you are taking a laptop with you on your road trip and have a 3G Internet card or have Internet hookup at your vacation lodging, Big Universe provides a portable library for children at your fingertips. With thousands of beautiful picture books available 24/7, there is no reason for your kids to experience “summer setback” in reading. Maintain or even improve their literacy skills with a wide assortment of fiction and non-fiction stories.
Posted on June 13, 2010 by Suzan Woodard in Commentary, General, Personal Experiences, Tips.
Tags: Big Universe, Car games, Family Time, literacy games, memories, Online Children's Books, Road Trip, summer reading, Summer Setback
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Oprah Winfrey said, “My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.”
I’ve always been an optimist, so I appreciate her sentiment. I try to look at the bright side of things and make the best of less than ideal situations – even imprisonment in a smallish vehicle with three other people.
…That’s 70 cubic feet of space, divided by four – not counting the luggage, the snacks and the pillows. But, I suppose if Oprah and her best friend, Gayle King, can go cross country for 11 days in a little Chevy Impala, I can survive for five in an SUV.
Road trips. They can be viewed as either adventures or a stress-packed short cut to Purgatory – especially if children are involved. If vacations involve a lot of driving, parents MUST be prepared. Prepare or perish, I say!
A captive audience
Some of my girls’ fondest memories are of the vacations we took when they were little. It wasn’t necessarily the destination that thrilled them either. I worked hard to make the drive time fun…and educational…to make the most of a potentially difficult situation. I figured I had a captive audience and took advantage of the opportunity.
If you set your children up for a successful road trip, 99 percent of the time, that’s what you’ll get. Plan well, prepare your children, have a positive attitude…and pray like crazy. That was my formula. I desired happy children…but, I also wanted to avoid a nasty case of vehicular momicide.
We listened to books on tape, and we played word games. (See car game at end of this article…and more in the next blog!) We sang and we TALKED about what we saw out the windows.
Building Blocks for Literacy
A language-rich environment like this helps children develop their vocabulary and their ability to communicate. They learn how to express their observations and opinions, to ask questions, and to listen – all building blocks for literacy. And, if parents engage fully, they can get to know the hearts of their children.
One for You, and One for Me
Of course, what’s a car trip without snacks? I packed healthful treats in Ziplocs, but crossing state borders was something to really celebrate! One Gummi Worm for North Carolina. Two for Virginia. Three for West Virginia, and, well, when you hit Pennsylvania, you hit the Mother Lode!
What’s in the Bag?
There were always a few brown bags marked “Top Secret,” too. When we reached certain landmarks and IF the children behaved properly, they each got a bag with her name on it. Sometimes it contained a coloring book or puzzle booklet. Other times it had a 50-cent bracelet, a miniature dolly, a little book or a couple of plastic animals. (Note: Don’t forget something for the return voyage!)
NEVER, No Never Ever…
And, of course, we NEVER embarked on a long excursion without a fresh supply of books from the library. We wedged a laundry basket between the girls’ booster seats, which gave them easy access to a heap of books. We left a list of the library books taped to the refrigerator at home with their due dates to make their return easier and to minimize late fees. Our library was good about printing a list for us.
Now with mobile 3G Internet cards becoming more common, network access on the road is possible. That means websites like BigUniverse.com and all its beautiful children’s picture books can go on vacation with you. Can’t get much better than that!
To help get all you road warriors ready for this summer’s trips, I have compiled a checklist to make your preparations kid-friendly.
How to Survive a Road Trip with Kids
- Pack comfort items. Pillows, teddy and a favorite blanket.
- Buy or borrow books on tape/CD. Great for when it gets dark.
- Bring drinks in spill-proof containers. Pack individual snacks. Dry nibbles are best. There will be crumbs, so choose things that can be vacuumed up.
- Don’t forget hand wipes to clean sticky faces and grimy hands.
- Buy or borrow a fresh collection of age-appropriate books to fight boredom and make the trip go faster. Have older siblings read to their younger brothers and sisters. You’ll get twice the mileage from each book.
- Pick out a few movies for the laptop or DVD player, but use sparingly. I suggest saving them for the return trip or for when it gets dark. Don’t forget headsets – unless you want to be humming kiddie songs for the next week.
- Tuck Dramamine, ear patches or pressure-point bracelets in the glove compartment.
- Pack a jump rope, Skip-It or football in the trunk to facilitate some quick exercise at rest stops. Antsy kids don’t make good passengers. Stop often.
- Give each child their own flashlight. Just take my word on it. It’s a godsend, while en route and once you get to your destination. (Don’t forget a plug-in nightlight, too.)
- . Place a few surprises in opaque gift bags: mini books, Matchbox cars, stickers, word search puzzles, sugarless gum, Polly Pocket dolls, tiny spiral notebooks and washable markers, mazes, string and string games booklet, etc.
- . Prepare a list of car games and pack any necessary props. Many of them are good literacy builders, since they involve word and symbol recognition, playful rhymes, spelling, counting and writing.
- . Add your own ideas to this list.
A Car Game for You
“Horse on Wheels” is a good car game for beginning readers. It involves observation, counting, spelling, writing and stickers. It can be competitive in nature or not. It’s a little like bingo and a little like the driveway basketball game “Horse” – only there is no hoop or basketball…or driveway for that matter! You do spell “h-o-r-s-e” though!
It’s easy to play and only requires three simple components.
- One sheet of stiff card stock, matte finish (no shine)
- One child-safe washable marker or a pencil
- One sheet of yard sale dot stickers (office supply aisle)
How to assemble: Take card stock and write the word “horse” in big bold letters across the top. Draw vertical lines from top to bottom between the letters. Draw horizontal lines to create squares big enough to fit a dot sticker in the middle. Add a few more horizontal lines to create rows of empty boxes big enough for a child to write the corresponding letter. (See graphic above.)
How to play: The child looks out the window until he or she spots a horse. For every horse, the child gets to add a sticker dot to the chart, placing it first under the letter “H,” then in the “O” column, and so on. After the sticker is in place, the child should write the letter below the sticker. The first child to write “horse” three times wins.
Note: We were driving through Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana, so it was easy to count horses. Not so easy if you are sticking to urban byways. If this is the case, mark the top of your sheet with a different word or phrase: dog, police car, taxi, bridge and so on.
– SEE MORE CAR GAME IDEAS IN MY NEXT BLOG!
*** If you are taking a laptop with you on your trip and have a 3G Internet card or have Internet hookup at your vacation lodging, Big Universe provides a portable library for children at your fingertips. With thousands of beautiful picture books available 24/7, there is no reason for your kids to experience “summer setback” in reading. Maintain or even improve their literacy skills with a wide assortment of fiction and non-fiction stories.
The last few weeks of school is a great time for reflection. Our kindergarten class has come a long way since the first days of school. I used the Big Universe Book Creator to make our first kindergarten book. I asked students, “What can you do that you couldn’t do at the beginning of the school year”. Their answers were heartwarming.
Inspired by Kris Bonnell’s book, Who Can Wiggle? , our kindergarten students brainstormed a list of things they have learned during the school year. I can’t wait to show our book to the incoming kindergarten students at the beginning of the year!
Keisa Williams (aka Ms. K) is a K-5 School Librarian at Monarch Academy, a public charter school in Oakland, CA. She is certified in secondary and elementary education (MLIS and MEd) and loves collaborating with teachers and integrating technology into her library lessons. She considers herself a “Technology Diva” and “Gadget Junkie”.
A white rabbit with pink eyes appeared in my driveway two weeks ago. It was a tame rabbit and quite lost.
My property is far removed from suburbia, so I have no idea how he arrived where he did. He stuck out like a sore thumb and would have been better suited for the snowy Arctic, rather than a southern lane lined with kudzu, poison ivy and wild roses.
He reminded me of the three white bunnies my brother, sister and I got one Easter when we were little…and, oddly, of baseball. Weird, I know, but bear with me.
After we had eaten our jelly beans and a couple of chocolate malted eggs that Easter morning, we settled down to name our new pets. It only took about 10 minutes. Their names were “Cherry Blossom,” “Apple Blossom” and “Harmon Killebrew.”
For the unenlightened, hoppin’ Harmon was named after my brother’s hero, a powerful home run slugger for the American League in the 1960s. We had recently moved away from River Falls, Wisc. – not far from The Twin Cities, the home of the Minnesota Twins, whom my brother Glenn loved. In particular, he worshipped Harmon Clayton Killebrew, who had hit 49 homers the previous season, driving in 140 runs and garnering the MVP Award.
…Naming his new rabbit “Harmon Killebrew” was the sincerest form of flattery.
My brother played baseball, so I did too. He charted each game he watched on TV, so I learned as well. He got sports books for his birthday and Christmas as gifts, and although I loved horse books more, I read his baseball stories – because to me a book was a book. I read whatever I could get my hands on…plus my brother was my hero.
He’s still an avid sports fan today, and he still likes to read. My parents were wise, giving each of us books tailored to our interests. They fed our passions and hobbies, while promoting literacy in a natural way. Our interests expanded and so did our reading material. I followed my parents’ example with my children, and they are both book lovers with a broad range of interests and a penchant for learning.
Families with baseball loyalties or who are spending time at the diamonds this summer will be happy to know that BigUniverse.com has just added some online baseball-themed books for young readers. They are a good fit for the sports-minded kid and a perfect way to fight ”summer setback” in the reading department. I think they’ll be a hit. Batter up!
- “Baseball” by Holly Karapetkova. Interest level 3-8. Grade: 1. Reading level: C. (Rourke Publishing)
- “First Basemen” by Tom Greve. Interest level: 6-12. Grade: 3-4. Reading level: O. (Rourke Publishing)
- “Catchers” by Tom Greve. Interest level: 6-12. Grade: 3-4. Reading level: O. (Rourke Publishing)
- “The Baseball Card” by Jack Siemiatycki, Avi Slodovnick and illustrator Laura Watson. Interest level: 3-12. Grade: 3. Reading level: N. (Lobster Press)
- “Jackie Robinson Graphic Biography” by Saddleback Educational Publishing. Interest level: 6 and older. Grade: 4-5. Reading level: Q, R, S, T.
- “Babe Ruth Graphic Biography” by Saddleback Educational Publishing. Interest level: 3 and up. Grade: 4-5. Reading level: Q, R, S, T.
Also, Embracing the Child, Common Sense Media and Scripps Howard News Service offer their own lists of kid-friendly baseball books. Check them out.
“I believe, now more than ever, in the transformative promise of geography,” said Eric Weiner, the author of “The Geography of Bliss: One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places in the World.” He went on to write:
