Big Universe offers an assortment of baseball books for children -- just in time for summer reading.

Major League Baseball has a new official historian named John Thorn. Mr. Thorn is an established sports author, who loves baseball, history and words. He’s channeled that passion into his latest project – a children’s book titled “First Pitch: How Baseball Began,” published by Beach Ball Books.

Big Universe has an online collection of children’s baseball books too, so I compiled an easy-to-tackle summer reading list for all the young sports enthusiasts. (See list below.)

Big Universe thinks summer reading is vital to the educational process, and so do I. My girls read tens of thousands of pages each summer (no kidding!), and I have no doubt that this practice contributed to their highly successful academic careers.

Books read during the summer keep developing brains primed for learning, feeding children’s natural curiosity and desire to learn. Summer reading underscores lessons learned in the previous school year and helps remediate issues for struggling learners. Exposure to new books readies students for vocabulary, formats and new material they’ll see in their classrooms in the fall.

Children’s Books about Baseball

• “Baseball” – Interest level: 3-8.
• “First Basemen” – Interest level: 6-12.
• “Catchers” – Interest level: 6-12.
• “The Baseball Card” – Interest level: 3-12.
• “Jackie Robinson Graphic Biography” Interest level: 6 and up.
• “Babe Ruth Graphic Biography” – Interest level: 3 and up.
• “History of Baseball” - Interest level: 6-12.
• “Jermaine Dye and the Chicago White Sox” – Interest level: 6-12.
• “Jackie Robinson: A Life of Determination” – Interest level: 6-12.
• “David Eckstein and the St. Louis Cardinals” – Interest level: 6-12.

Go to the "Read" page on Big Universe and click on the "Browse or Search for Books" tab to find the "Summer Reading Lists" drop-down tab.

NOTE: Big Universe has compiled age-leveled book lists, as well as other assorted topical book lists for SUMMER READING. Students can tackle one or more lists, or they can pick and choose various Big Universe titles, logging books or reading minutes as they go. Simply go to Big Universe’s “Read” page, find the “Browse or Search for Books” sidebar, and click on the “Summer Reading Lists” tab to get a drop-down list of suggestions. Themes include: Animals, Chapter Books, Cultures, Humor, Nature, Science and Sports.

Or, click on one of the following blogs for other thematic book lists:

• “Summer Reading Lists: Cats, Dogs and Horses”
• “Summer Reading Lists: Books in Spanish”
• “Summer Reading Lists: Patriotic Books for Children”
• “Girl Power! Non-fiction Books with Female Heroes”
• “Discovery Lands But Space Education Does Not”
• “A Swarm of Bug Books at Big Universe”
• “Earth Day: Eco Kids Books on Big Universe”

My daughter just turned 5, and she will start Kindergarten in August. She loves books (like her momma) and is always wanting to be read a story. When we were reading at bedtime last night, she got upset when I finished reading one of the books. She told me that she wanted to read that book to me. I pointed to the bookcase and told her to go get one, and she could read to me for the next story. She looked up at me and said she didn’t know how to read those but she knew how to read the one I just read.

I started thinking about that book from last night. The story was presented in a predictable pattern. The words on the pages were clearly depicted in the illustrations. This was also a story she had heard several times before, so she knew what to expect (she even caught it when I missed a page). The familiarity of the story and story elements made her feel comfortable.

I want her to become a fluent reader, so that she won’t have to worry so much about the mechanics of reading that she won’t be able to experience the joy the can be found in reading a story. There are several things I could have done with the story I read last night to work on that skill (without sounding too much like a teacher to my child):

• Echo Reading: I could read aloud one or two sentences and then let my daughter attempt to “echo” my reading. This strategy works on sight vocabulary, decoding skills, and oral fluency. My daughter can hear the words and sounds I emphasize when I read and try to do the same thing.
• Easy Reading: I can find stories  the contain words and sentence patterns familiar to my daughter. Using this strategy should be pressure-free and enjoyable for both the child and parent/teachers. We could start by taking turns reading sections/pages until she feel comfortable enough to want to read it all by herself. I think great illustrations help here too.
• Repeated Reading: This reading fluency strategy works right along with the saying, “The more you practice, the better you will get.” As a parent or teacher, I often tell my child (or students) that they more we read a story, the more things we will notice about the story. Repeated Reading helps the child know what to expect and how it should sound.

There are many books/stories on Big Universe that I can use with these strategies to work on oral fluency without it seeming like I am working on oral fluency with my daughter.  Did you know that one of the ways to search for Big Universe books is by publisher? I have seen it in a list of ways to search Big Universe (I might have even made a list like that), but I had not tried it out until today. One of the publishers is Reading Reading Books, LCC.  On the Big Universe page for this publisher, you can find this description:

Reading Reading Books, LLC is an independently owned and operated publishing company located in Reading, Pennsylvania. The books published by Reading Reading Books, LLC are written to promote a young reader’s enjoyment of literature… with books they can really read! Each book is carefully developed by an experienced, certified K-12 Reading Specialist, with a concentration in the area of primary literacy. Our books are ideal for a variety of students including: lower level first graders, on level pre-kindergarten and kindergarteners, elementary school children with special needs, and English as a Second Language learners.

When I saw the second sentence of this description, I knew I had found some books that would be great for me to use with my daughter. This will also be a great publisher to recommend for anyone working with any children who would experience success reading this type of book. I can’t wait to try it out! I think we will start with Bedtime for Carl.

Reading strategies from The Howard Street Tutoring Manual, pages 205-206

There’s a golden apple waiting to be plucked by a worthy literacy teacher, and it’s valued at $10,000 for his or her organization, plus a trip to Louisville, Ky., this spring.

 The National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) in Louisville is hosting its annual search for the Toyota Family Literacy Teacher of the Year and is accepting nominations for outstanding educators through Jan. 31. Online applications are available, so although the clock is ticking, it’s not too late to make a bid for the prize.

 The winner and three other finalists – who will be awarded $500 scholarships – will present their best teaching practices at the National Conference on Family Literacy in April. Organizations may nominate up to two candidates, but the educators must not have been finalists in the past three years, 2008-2010. The winner will be determined by a panel of family literacy specialists.

 Please note that the nomination application must be completed by either the director or coordinator of the candidate’s program. The application also requires the prize candidate to write a response to a particular question, and it must include a supportive statement from an adult student who has worked with the nominated educator.

This is the 15^th year that the Toyota company has teamed with NCFL to promote literacy. Kay Brown of Louisiana was the 2010 winner. She was instrumental in the success of the Union Parish Family Literacy Center, located in rural Bernice, La. The center was one of three named as outstanding English language/civics programs in the state in 2008.

NCFL was founded in 1989 by Sharon Darling with the help of a grant from the William R. Kenan Charitable Trust. Since that time, more than one million families have benefited educationally and financially from its programs, according to the organization’s website.

BigUniverse.com, a literacy-minded web community of more than 39,000 members, offers thousands of online children’s picture books for teachers, parents and their K-8 students, as well as a kid-friendly Author Tool to encourage a love of language, creativity and writing.

I just came back from the polling site in a nearby elementary school. Lots of people were exercising their right to vote today. There were men and women and citizens of various ethnic backgrounds and ages, walking into booths to cast their ballots.

 A mother held the hand of her skipping 5-year-old, who peppered her with questions. “Why are you voting? Who are you voting for? When do I get to vote?” It was music to my ears…a bright child with some good questions.

One hundred and fifty years ago, there was another election, resulting in the selection of our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. On Nov. 6, 1860, Lincoln defeated three other candidates for the presidency: northern Democrat Stephen Douglas, southern Democrat John C. Breckinridge and Constitutional Union candidate John Bell. Soon the former Midwestern farm boy (and avid reader) was knee-deep in the woes of a divided nation.

Our country has been through a lot since that election so many years ago, and I am happy to say our nation has prevailed. If we can overcome a horrible civil war, we can work our way through our present troubles, too. That inquisitive 5-year-old and the rest of her generation deserve it.

Why not mark this historic anniversary by reading an illustrated children’s biography about Abraham Lincoln? Big Universe has two in its online children’s books collection, plus a presidents encyclopedia volume that highlights Lincoln’s life.

• Abraham Lincoln by Christi E. Parker is part of the Primary Source Readers series published by Teacher Created Materials. (Grade 4-6, Reading Level S).
• Abraham Lincoln: A Life of Honesty by Tonya Leslie is part of the Blastoff! Readers series published by Bellwether. (Level 4).
• Rourke’s Complete History of Our Presidents Encyclopedia, Volume 5 features information about Lincoln. It’s part of an encyclopedia set by Rourke Publishing. (Grade 6-8 and up).

 Looking for more about Abe? Apples4theTeacher provides a list of Lincoln-themed books as well as a number of coloring pages for younger children and printable short stories.

***

  “No one who cannot rejoice in the discovery of his own mistakes deserves to be called a scholar.”

  – Donald Foster, Vassar professor

Note: Read “Kids’ Civics Books: ‘Why are Elections Important?” which features a list of leveled books about voting, elections and Americans’ basic rights.

As I headed toward the swing set, I could see a circle of students on the playground. There were some shouts. As I got closer, I crouched down. Peaking around knobby knees, sneakers and knee socks, I could see a girl on the ground.  Someone was taunting, “Kicky, girl! Kicky, girl!”

I don’t know what precipitated the incident, but I do know the child was outnumbered. She was striking out with her feet to defend herself from the swarm around her. Most of the other kids were kicking her. I remember feeling sick in the pit of my stomach. “If it happened to her, what would keep it from happening to me?”

I was 6. The perpetrators and victim were also first-graders.

Bullying is an ugly issue. It’s not just a problem among today’s YouTube-posting teens. It’s been around a long time, and it starts young. Parents and teachers need to be vigilant for signs of this behavior. We need to be proactive, too, teaching children that verbal or physical bullying is absolutely unacceptable.

Unlike the woman who was just arrested in Hartford, Conn., for sending her 12-year-old to elementary school with weapons to protect him from bullies, we can arm our children with effective and less drastic methods for handling mean teasing.

The National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) offers these tips on its website in an article titled “Safeguarding Children from Bullying, Gangs, and Sexual Harassment.”

• Teach your children early on to steer clear of youth with bullying behavior.
• Teach your children to be assertive rather than aggressive or violent when confronted by a bully. Instruct them to walk away and get help from an adult in more dangerous situations. Practice various responses with your children through role-playing.
• Teach your children to never defend themselves from bullies with a gun or other weapon.
• Keep communication lines open with your children. Encourage your children to share information about school and school-related activities.
• Pay attention to the following symptoms that may indicate your child is being bullied: withdrawal, abrupt lack of interest in school, a drop in grades, or signs of physical abuse.
• If your child is a victim of bullying at school, inform school officials immediately. Keep your own written records of the names, dates, times, and circumstances of bullying incidents. Submit a copy of this report to the school principal.
• Respond to your children’s concerns and fears with patience, love, and support. 

 Big Universe offers another way to broach this subject – hopefully before it becomes an issue for your children and students. The children’s picture book website has added a new piece of fiction to its online library shelves. “Dimples Delight” tells the story of a child who becomes the target of a classroom bully. Written by Frieda Wishinsky and illustrated by Louise-Andrée Laliberté, this Orca chapter book takes a look at how seemingly innocent teasing can escalate into emotional torture. The story also shows how friends support friends with kindness and a listening ear.

Dianna Hutts Aston’s book “Not So Tall for Six” (Charlesbridge) is another clever book offered by Big Universe. Frank W. Dormer illustrated this humorous take on a serious topic. Although some of the text will prompt smiles, readers will still feel the undercurrent of fear experienced by the main character. (Target audience: ages 6-8)

“Chester Raccoon and the Big Bad Bully” (Tanglewood) and “Pippo the Fool” (Charlesbridge) also provide nice gateways into discussions about bullying.

Note: Another Big Universe blogger posted an article about bullying about a year ago. Check it out. Or, read my blog, “Underdog Triumphs in ‘Pippo the Fool’.”

Big Universe has added a broad range of new books to its online library recently – thanks to publishing partners attuned to children’s vast interests and the wish lists of teachers. I have marveled at this website’s diverse inventory and decided to put it to the test.

“I wonder if I can find a book to coincide with each day in September?” I mused. “…Something to coincide with the holidays, historical anniversaries and other special observations from Sept. 1-30?”

Here’s what I found!

Sept. 1 – This day is set aside to remember the iconic verses of “Mary’s Lamb” – now referred to as “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” According to Rita Smith, the curator of the University of Florida’s Baldwin Collection of Children’s Literature, the poem was written by Sarah Josepha Hale and published in the September 1830 issue of a periodical titled “The Juvenile Miscellany.” Try these wooly tales to celebrate the anniversary: “Sheep,” “The Ultimate Mother Goose Collection,” (Twin Sisters) “Lambs” (Bellwether) or “Bad Day at Arnold’s Sheep Ranch” (Remedia).

Sept. 2 – The Great Fire of London started on this day in 1666. Prior to modern day safety practices, many other cities around the world experienced similar fires. Read “The Fire Department” or “Surviving the Great Chicago Fire” (Rourke) – depending on the age and maturity of the reader.

Sept. 3 – It’s the 350th anniversary of the founding of the Royal Society, an international network of top scientists, engineers and medical professionals who “exist to expand knowledge (and) support science.” Read “The Nervous System,” (Bellwether) “In Arctic Waters” (Sylvan Dell) or anything else in Big Universe’s math or science sections.

Sept. 4 – On this day in 1893, English author Beatrix Potter first told “The Tale of Peter Rabbit” as a “picture letter” to the son of her former governess. Almost 120 years later, the classic is read all over the world in many languages. Big Universe has the book among its audible “Read Alouds.” This version is recited in Mandarin Chinese! Potter’s “The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin,” however, is recited in English. (MightyBook)

Sept. 5 – The Salmon Festival is being held in historic Eastport, Maine. Read “The Life Cycle of a Salmon.” (Bellwether)

Sept. 6 – Today is Labor Day, a federal holiday. Read “Workers” (Teacher Created Materials) or other books about people in the work force, such as “Test Pilot” or “Forest Firefighter.” (Weekly Reader)

Sept. 7 – Today is the third annual National Clean Energy Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada. To learn more about eco-friendly power and caring for the earth, read “Going Green.” (Rourke)

Sept. 8 – International Literacy Day is celebrated worldwide on Sept. 8. Founded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), this observance was initiated to highlight the necessity of improving literacy on a global basis. Read “ABC Safari” (Sylvan Dell) or any other book on Big Universe.

Sept. 9 – This date marks singing legend Elvis Presley’s first appearance on the “Ed Sullivan Show” in 1956. Read the graphic-style book “Elvis Presley Graphic Biography” to learn more about this music celebrity. (Saddleback)

Sept. 10 – Charlotte, N.C., is holding its annual Literary Festival this weekend. Join the observation by reading “The War of the Worlds (Illustrated Classic),” “Macbeth,” “Hamlet (Illustrated Classic),” or “Julius Caesar.” (Saddleback)

Sept. 11 – It’s Raptor Weekend at the Environmental Education Center in Bristol, R.I., featuring live flight presentations and other educational activities. To learn more about birds of prey, read “Eaglets” (Bellwether), “Eagles,” “Hawks,” “Kites” or “Owls.” (Rourke)

Sept. 12 – Grandparents Day is celebrated on the first Sunday after Labor Day. “How Far to Heaven” (Illumination Arts) is a beautiful love story between a grandmother and her grandchild, and the illustrations and words in “Grandma’s Feather Bed” (Dawn Publications) will make you smile.

Sept. 13 – Chiang Kai-Shek became the president of China on this day in 1943. To read more about this large, fascinating and complex country, read “China” (Bellwether) and another book also titled “China” published by Teacher Created Materials.

Sept. 14 – On this day in 1984, Joseph Kittinger set off on a record-making trip from Caribou, Maine, in the cabin of a helium balloon. Four days later he landed in Italy, becoming the first man to fly solo across the Atlantic in a balloon. To learn more about hot air balloons, read “Hot Air Ballooning.” (Rourke)

Sept. 15 – The United Nations has designated Sept. 15 at the International Day of Democracy. Read “Why are Elections Important?” (Weekly Reader)

Sept. 16 – To observe Collect Rocks Day, consider reading “Julie the Rockhound” (Sylvan Dell) or “Rocks, Minerals and Soil.” (Rourke)

Sept. 17 – It’s Constitution Day. Read “What is a Constitution?” (Weekly Reader)

Sept. 18 – This year, Oktoberfest begins on Sept. 18 in Germany, and festivities will continue until Oct. 3. Learn more about Germany in Bellwether’s book “Germany.”

Sept. 19 – Aye, mate! It’s International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Read the funny story “Lucky the Pirate” (Remedia), or go to the Big Universe blog titled “Ahoy! Pirate Books for Boys (and Girls).”

Sept. 20 – It’s been 37 years since Wimbledon champion Billie Jean King, 25, defeated 55-year-old Bobby Riggs – also a Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion – in an exhibition tennis match in Houston, Texas, demonstrating women’s ability to play high-caliber tennis – even against a man (and win). Young fans of this sport may like to read “Tennis.” (Bellwether)

Sept. 21 – What better way to celebrate International Peace Day than reading books about children, homes and places around the globe. Try “We Share One World” (Illumination Arts), “Kids Around the World,” “Homes Around the World” and “Places Around the World.” (Teacher Created Materials)

Sept. 22 – Today is Elephant Appreciation Day. Read “Critters Up Close – Elephants” (Zoobooks) or “The First Elephant,” an animated story by author and Big Universe member Rick Walton.

Sept. 23– German astronomer Johann Golle discovered Neptune in 1846. Read about this planet in the book “Neptune” (Bellwether) or “Going Around the Sun: Some Planetary Fun.” (Dawn Publications)

Sept. 24 – Native American Day is a celebration to honor the first Americans. Read the treasure of information in “Rourke’s Native American History and Culture Encyclopedia, Volume 1-10,” including Native American legends in the back of each book. They are an outstanding resource for reports.

Sept. 25 – The Library of Congress is sponsoring today’s National Book Festival on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., a celebration of “the joy of reading.” Read “ABC Letters in the Library” (Lobster Press) or any other book you please!

Sept. 26: The fourth Saturday in September is International Rabbit Day. Read “Rabbits,” “Bunnies,”  “Caring for Your Rabbit,” (Bellwether) or “My Little Rabbit.” (Mathew Price)

Sept. 27 – On Sept. 27, 1862, in Greytown, South Africa, a little boy named Louis Botha was born. He grew up to become the first prime minister of South Africa, 1910-1919. While Big Universe does not have a specific book about Botha or South Africa, its non-fictions “Mansa Musa, Leader of Mali” and “Sub-Saharan Africa” (Teacher Created Materials) paint some historical background for those exploring the great continent of Africa.

Sept. 28 – It’s National Good Neighbor Day. Whether your neighbor is across a fence or sitting at the desk next to you, thoughtfulness and being kind are important facets of social interaction. Read “One Smile” (Illumination Arts) by author Cindy McKinley and illustrator Mary Gregg Byrne. This book has been read more than 3,500 times on BigUniverse.com and rates 5 out of 5 stars!

Sept. 29 – It’s Confucius Day, and you can read about this Chinese philosopher in a book titled “Confucius, Chinese Philosopher” by Wendy Conklin, M.A., and Gisela Lee, M.A. (Teacher Created Materials)

Sept. 30 – National Mudpack Day is an obscure observance with little traceable history. So, pardon my artistic license when I suggest you read a few books about pigs instead of packing on the facial goo! “Piggies in the Pumpkin Patch” (Charlesbridge) is a new addition to Big Universe’s shelves. Or read “When Pigs Fly” (Lobster Press) or “Piglets” by Colleen Sexton. (Bellwether)

That wraps it up. Have a wonderful month sharing the joy of reading. There’s something for everyone.

In my last blog, I talked about summer vacation, traveling in a car and how important it is to prepare carefully when carrying young passengers. If you are going to confine small people in small spaces for hours on end, it’s best to have a plan. “Prepare or perish” were my exact words.

Car games are a good way to pass the time on a long trip, along with a pile of books, a new toy and some snacks. Car games are literacy builders, too – whether players look for letters on billboards, build an expanding story based on the ABCs and memory skills, or sing silly songs with changing sounds.

I shared a new but simple game called “Horse on Wheels” in my previous blog. Here are three more games to foster communication, build literacy skills and boost family bonding while putting some mileage on your car.

The Great Race from A to Z

Have your children look for each letter in the alphabet, using billboards and signs on businesses. See how many times they can get through the alphabet before getting to Aunt Carolyn’s house. Or, use a stopwatch to time the race from A to Z. It can be a group effort or kids can compete, depending on the squabble factor. Add a notebook and pencil to the equation if your children need practice with penmanship.

Sack on My Back

This is a memory game and tongue twister all packed into one! Each player takes a turn reciting the game prompt: “In a sack on my back, I think I’ll pack…” He or she adds a noun each time, starting with A, then B, and so on. Each player will need to listen closely, so he doesn’t leave anything off the list. “In a sack on my back, I think I’ll pack an apple, a basketball, a camera and my dachshund.”

Name Game

This rhyming car game takes some practice, but the kids love it. I never quite mastered it, but children have a special knack to pick up on the playful sound switcheroos, especially when names are involved. You can play it with other words, too. Learn one line; then add another. Here are several examples:

Darby, Darby, Bo-barby

Banana, Fanna, Fo-farby

Fee, Fie, Mo-marby

Daaar-by!

—-

Tom, Tom, Bo-bom

Banana, Fanna, Fo-fom

Fee, Fie, Mo-mom

Tooo-ooom!

—-

Maddie, Maddie, Bo-baddie

Banana, Fanna, Fo-faddie

Fee, Fie, Mo-maddie

Maaad-die!

—-

Dave, Dave, Bo-bave

Banana, Fanna, Fo-fave

Fee, Fie, Mo-mave

Daaa-ve!

(Clue: Note the rhyming pattern. Pick a name. Say it twice, then drop the first letter of the name and substitute the silly consonants and sounds.)

*** NOTE: See more car games in my next post, and read the first in this three-part series:

• The ABCs of Car Games: Part Three

• The ABCs of Car Games: Part One

***  NOTE: 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.

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

1. Pack comfort items. Pillows, teddy and a favorite blanket.
2. Buy or borrow books on tape/CD. Great for when it gets dark.
3. 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.
4. Don’t forget hand wipes to clean sticky faces and grimy hands.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Tuck Dramamine, ear patches or pressure-point bracelets in the glove compartment.
8. 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.
9. 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.)
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. 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.

1. One sheet of stiff card stock, matte finish (no shine)
2. One child-safe washable marker or a pencil
3. 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.

*** NOTE: See more car games in my next two posts – all part of a three-piece series:

• The ABCs of Car Games: Part Two
• The ABCs of Car Games: Part Three

***  NOTE: 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 Lamaze instructor said, “Bring Kleenex to the next class.” She smiled knowingly. The 10 women in her prenatal class looked at each other and at their spouses. “What did that mean?”

Sure enough, when the next session rolled around, everyone’s mascara was running down their cheeks by the end of class. Me included. My husband sat beside me, shifting uncomfortably at this turn of events. It wasn’t mass hysteria, but rather something akin to The Perfect Storm. Pregnancy hormones, a good book and impending motherhood!

“I’ll love you forever, I’ll like you for always, As long as I’m living my baby you’ll be,” intoned the instructor as she read from the short story “Love You Forever” by Robert Munsch. She had her delivery down to an art form.

Lest I be considered a spoiler, I’ll refrain from giving away the simple plot. But no matter what your stage in life, this book is likely to pluck a tune on some heart strings.

Here are a few other picture books for kids and moms to celebrate the holiday on Sunday.

“A Mother’s Promise” by Lisa Humphrey is another perfect book for Mother’s Day. It’s gorgeous and reflects the hopes and dreams and emotions that wash over a new mom. The book’s narrator wants to give her child so much – the world, in fact! The illustrations by David Danioth are absolutely beautiful. The picture spreading across Pages 22-23 is particularly poignant. “A Mother’s Promise “ is one of many books by Illumination Arts that appears on the Big Universe children’s picture books website.

“I Love You the Purplest” by Barbara M. Joosse weaves a story about a mom who trims the thorns of sibling rivalry. (Chronicle Books)

“A Boy Had a Mother Who Bought Him a Hat” is a cumulative poem that gathers momentum as a boy’s mother buys him all sorts of things. Ages 4-7. (HarperCollins)

“Animal Mothers and Babies” is a nature book by Dona Herweck Rice for beginning readers, Level 1.4. (Teacher Created Materials Publishing)

“A Mother’s Journey” by Sandra Markle and illustrator Alan Marks is a fact-filled story about a mother Emperor penguin. It is suited for Grade 3. (Charlesbridge)

“Are You My Mother” by P.D. Eastman has been a favorite for 50 years. This Dr. Seuss-like book is just right for readers aged 3-7. (Random House)

“When Wishes Come True” by Per-Henrik Gürth is a warm tale of love, hope and reassurance in the Arctic. Good for preschoolers. (Lobster Press) 

“My Mother Is So Smart!” by Tomie dePaola salutes mothers in all walks of life. “My mother is so smart that she can stand on her head.” It’s ideal for ages 3-6. (Putnam)

 “A Pocket Full of Kisses” by Audrey Penn and illustrated by Barbara Leonard Gibson demonstrates the power of a mother’s love and wisdom. Interest age, 3-5. (Tanglewood Press)

Do you have any stories that you think should be added to this list? Let me know.

High atop a hotel overlooking Atlanta’s cityscape, my toddler and I peered out the picture window in our room. We were staying overnight, so we could pick up my nephew/her cousin, Ryan, from the airport early the next morning.

“Wow. We’re up high, aren’t we?” I said.

“Yes, way up!” little Darby replied. 

“Do you see what I see?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said, tapping the glass with her chubby little finger.

I watched as yet another impressive jet took off into the skies over the busy international airport.

“What do you see?” I prompted again.

“I see an ‘M.” ‘M’ is for McDonald’s,” she crowed with delight.

While that was not the answer I was looking for, I soon located that all-too-familiar yellow beacon of enlightenment. Airplanes were not on the radar for my little redheaded 2½-year-old, but those golden arches certainly were. They signified French fries and catsup, friends and indoor playgrounds – where the slides were never too hot and fire ants were banned. (Outdoor playgrounds harbor some cruel foes in the South in the heat of summer.)

While Darby had not been impressed by the modern marvel of aeronautics, I was happy to realize she associated the letter “M” to something beyond the shape on her wooden puzzle at home. It was a sign that her reading readiness skills were moving along. Soon she recognized the letter “D.”  “D is for Darby,” “W is for window” and “B is for ball.”

We had labeled items in our house with big brightly lettered words on card stock for our 4-year-old, who was fascinated with words and reading. While our household décor was not the traditional picture of loveliness portrayed in “Southern Living” magazine, witnessing the blossoming of intellect, curiosity and love for language in my two daughters was truly beautiful.

Developing Early Literacy Skills

Name that Object. Developing a child’s vocabulary will assist him when he starts to learn to read. Talk to your children from the time they are newborns. “Look at the balloon.” “Here is your bottle.” “The dog is barking.” “See my buttons?” “Where is Mommy’s nose?”  Later, introduce the concepts of big and little, happy and sad and other vocabulary and concept-builders.

Ask and Do Tell. Talk to your children. Ask them questions. Ask them to describe what they have seen. Model conversation, using animated narrative words. And, please, please embrace the question “Why?” Kids may get fixated on this word, but it’s a natural tool to explore their exciting world. So, while it may wear on your last nerve when you are exhausted, see it for what it is. An opportunity! A teaching moment handed to you on a golden platter!

Joyful Reading. Reading time should be a highlight of the day. Make sure your child’s mood is right, the topic is appealing and the time spent with reading material is tailored to your child’s attention span. If Johnny is full of the dickens, it’s yard time, not book time. If Sally is interested in the computer, use online children’s picture books or games to pique her interest.

Make bedtime stories a positive culmination of a structured bedtime routine. We made books a happy part of the morning routine, too. In our house, a cloth or board book would “appear” in the middle of the night at the end of their crib or bed. Soon happy babbling could be heard from the baby monitor each morning when they found their prizes. I remember hearing my 3-year-old reading to “Mother Teddy,” her prized comfort item, with my husband’s voice inflections. Priceless!

A is for Apple. Play alphabet games in the car. Use magnetic letters on the refrigerator. Put together an alphabet puzzle. Let them feel cloth letters and Velcro them to a felt board. Sing songs emphasizing the sounds letters make. (Silly rhymes are usually a big hit.) Use finger paint or chalk to form giant letters. Read ABC books; there are a million out there. This will help with letter knowledge, an important pre-reading skill.

Monkey See, Monkey Do. Model literacy in your home. Reading parents beget reading offspring. Go to the library. Incorporate adult and kid reading time in your day. Keep kid-friendly books accessible in a basket or on a child-level shelf. Switch them out often to keep things fresh. Use other media including educational videos, board games and educational computer software. Show your little ones how to hold books, turn the pages and follow along with their fingers.

Print Awareness. Read the stop sign on your street’s corner every time you drive by. Read the “Beware of Dog” sign when you walk past the barking dog in the neighbor’s yard. Point out a sport team’s name and logo. Read the “Exit” sign over the door at church. Tap familiar high-frequency words when reading favorite books together. And, yes, point out the “M” when you are at McDonald’s.