Who Are You......

With the rain outside and the icy wind very strong today was a good day to be indoors, drinking a warm drink and listening to stories! The little corner at Storytime today was abuzz with laughing at some of the stories that the kids were read....but this is not a review of one of those books.

Instead, this is a review of a quiet time book. It's gently lilting rhymes and bright, oil painted pictures keep all eyes focused on this book.

The latest offering from Mem Fox is a little book that focuses on the fact that 'despite the differences between people around the world, there are similarities that join us together, such as pain, joy and love.'

The flying man begins by speaking directly to the children about how there are others like them all over the world. He then gathers up said children and they fly all over the place to see how different yet similiar everyone is.

By visiting children and adults all over the world, children are shown how similiar the human race is, despite our different appearances. While this can be a somewhat abstract idea for children to understand, using words such as pain, loss, blood that children can understand and relate to takes this book to a level that is not expected at first.

The thick, bright illustrations keep the text from becoming either saccharine or too abrupt, yet are emotive enough to pass along the message that people all around the world are feeling the same things that we are, whoever we are, wherever we are.

Since literacy is not just about reading, but also about understanding how what we read and hear fits into the world around us - there are many great activities that you can do with your children related to this book!

For example - you could make your own painting of people that are in your child life who appear different to him. You can collect stamps from around the world. You could play music on instruments from around the world.The options are only limited by your imagination!

Enjoy your time spent together!

*perfect for readers aged 2-5yrs

Where's My Teddy?

A lovely tale about something that everyone loves - Teddy Bears!

We have been very busy of late preparing all sorts of literacy adventures for all our families to participate in - but we have still managed to carve out some time to REaD with, and to each other (and ourselves!)

I have been spending time at our local coffee shop (Gloria Jeans at Rouse Hill Town Centre) on a thursday morning reading to any children and their mums - or grandma's, dads, big sisters - anyone who is there really.

We even have a 'frequent reader' card - come along 10 times and you can choose a free book from my book box!

So, when looking for books that are going to capture not only the kids imagination and engage them in participation - I look for a book that will keep me entertained too. After all, if the reader is not interested in the book, how can we expect the kids to be interested?

One that never fails to keep all eyes on the story is this gem:

This is one in a series featuring Bear, Teddy, Freddy and Eddy. The other titles include "My Friend Bear" and "It's The Bear'.

In 'Where's My Teddy?' Eddy has lost his teddy whose name is Freddy. If you suspected that there was rhyming galore in this book - you are correct. Just don't confuse Eddy and Freddy or the little listeners will point it out, guaranteed!

So, Eddy is looking for his teddy in the forest, and gets a little scared..until he see's a giant teddy. He is confused as to how his Freddy grew sooo big, and is concerned at how he will hug and cuddle with Freddy now that he is so large.

However, Eddy's musings are quickly interrupted by Bear who has also had something happen to his teddy. I don't want to give too much away of the storyline, but if you look closely at the picture below you'll probably be able to figure out what has happened to Eddy, Freddy, Teddy and Bear.



With bright illustrations and simple brief sentences, this book is easily understood by children from 2yrs onwards. The illustrations manage to convey not only the fun in the story, but also the immensity of the difference in size, with the illustrations delivered from a variety of angles and viewpoints.

This story is only enhance by dramatic storytelling - deep booming voices, high pitched squeaky voices and lots of dramatic sighs and sobs.

Enjoy the story - and the time spent together reading!

Weddings Are In The Air...

Before we get any further, I must admit that my head has been caught up in wedding fever of late. Cake, flowers, dresses....and flowergirls.

As my wedding date approaches, I have had to think about how to get the flowergirl 'into the zone' of a wedding; it will be both her's and mine's first weddings :) Other than luring her down the aisle with lollipops, I had to think of an easy way to make this fun!

And then I found this book:



Available on Amazon, Fishpond
and a bunch of other places

Since the flowergirl will only be 3 - this gives her and me lots of time to read the story together and get excited! There are lovely descriptions and illustrations of what a flowergirl does, and how flowergirls can do different things at different weddings.
This also makes this book suitable for a variety of weddings, from church ceremonies to garden ceremonies and from casual through to ultra traditional.

It also addresses concerns that your flowergirl may have, including what to expect at a wedding as well as subtle cues about how to behave at a wedding.

Other fun things that flowergirls might get to do include trying on a twirly dress, walking down the aisle, smiling big for pictures...and most importantly having lots of fun! Sophie (the main character) also manages to save the day!

It is full of cute illustrations and lets be fair - is priced well! - about $9.00 per book.

Enjoy reading to your children!

Look Who's Flown Into Town......

While it seems like an ages since we have posted here on our Paint The Town REaD blog, there has been some exciting happenings around the place!

Firstly, our mascot has arrived into town. His name is Lorrie and he has spent some time meeting the locals and introducing himself to lots of kids (and parents too!)

Here is Lorrie in action at Play In The Garden, reading a book and saying hi to everyone!

We've also launched our colouring competition for Paint The Town REaD - and there are lots of prizes to give away! Entries can also be got from Dymocks Bookstore and Learn 2 at Rouse Hill town Centre.

There is a major prize of a $75 book pack for the major winner, and then there are 20 honourable mentions who will recieve a $15 book pack. These will be split amongst the different ages, so everyone has a chance!

The entries will be displayed at the exhibition space at Vinegar Hill Community Centre..and Lorrie will drop in for a visit too!

And after all that - Lorrie got himself in the paper too!

What a busy last couple of weeks!

See you all soon!

Lifetimes

Hi Everyone!

I have just attended a ‘Celebration Of Life’ (read: funeral – planned in advance by Sue when she was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer) and it made me think about how we can talk about death, loss, and even change with our children. I have in my hands a delicately written book for children of all ages - Beginnings and Endings With Lifetimes In Between.

This is a beautifully written book with careful illustrations that speaks about how everything has a beginning and an ending, and in between that there is a lifetime.

With a repetitive theme of...........

“That is how things are.

For plants.

For people.

For birds.

For fish.

For animals.

Even for the tiniest insect.

It is the way they live, and this is their lifetime”

Bryan Mellone never strays into melancholia or over explanation. Neither does he oversimplify. He consistently writes with a sympathetic, easily understood and sympathetic style. However, he does empathetically and gently write about the realities of lifetimes; some are longer (such as giant trees and fish) and some are shorter (such as butterflies and rabbits). He writes about how people have a lifetime too – but like all things – plants, animals, vegetables - this can change if they get sick and their lifetime may become shorter.

This book is used by many counsellors and therapists as an introduction to grief and loss around death or change. It can also be used as a tool for the preparation for a discussion around these topics. Using simple words and beautiful illustrations, this book could be used for children of any age.

If you are looking for a book around these topics, I would recommend that you check this one out.

Think Locally This Christmas

Hands up if you've heard the phrase Think Locally, Act Globally?
What about the phrase Pay It Forward?

While these terms get bandied about, we thought that this might be a good point to stop, review the book that they came from, and chat about how this can affect us at Christmas time this year...and years to come.

A quick summary of the book: Trevor is 12yrs old, and has been challenged by his Social Studies teacher to come up with an extra credit assignment based on the notion of thinking locally and acting globally.

What a precocious 12yr old, you may be thinking?
However, the idea is deceptively simple; Trevor will help 3 people, and then those 3 people will help another 3 people...so on and so on until the whole world is helped.

However, as with all good stories, nothing goes to plan. The first 2 people Trevor helps end up in jail or dead. Trevor become disillusioned and gives up on his plan, unaware that he has already set the wheels in motion and people are paying it forward. Before Trevor knows it, his little extra credit assignment has become a nationwide phenomenen and is spreading worldwide.

Let me be real: this book deals with some real gritty stuff, and can also veer off into sentimentality at times, but is a great book to read..and one that will sit with you for longer than it took to read.

So why this book, now? 
Being the Christmas (or silly, or hectic, or stressful, or painful) Season, it is a good time to remember the principals behind the concept of Pay It Forward. This isn't about Random Acts Of Kindness - another popular yet different motto and ideal - but about the idea that if someone does you a favour, then you need to do one for someone else.

So how can we Pay It Forward this christmas?
Here are some easy and free ideas to try out this Christmas season.
You may say I'm too busy.
You may say I don't have any money to donate.
You may say 'well, who is going to help me'?

I say - try them out and see if they make a difference this Christmas.
So:
--At the shops, smile at the shop assistants, and say thankyou. They are just as busy and as stressed as you, and they have to deal with lots of stressed and impatient customers
--Give your unwanted/uneeded christmas presents to a charity to deliver on christmas day. The Salvation Army is local, and will dliver chirstmas hampers to those families in need.
--The carparks in the shops are busy. Let someone go in front of you, and wave to them. you don't have to be a pushover and let everyone in, but go ahead and brighten someones day. It will lift their mood...and you maybe surprised how it lifts yours.
--Forgive a driver directing road rage at you - gosh this is a hard one, but an important one. The anger can build up in us, and come out at our loved ones who don't deserve it.
--Compliment a stranger. This could be the decorations in a shop, someone's crazy hairstyle or even a busker. There are plenty of strangers in the world - go out and get them!
--Next time you’re at the airport, offer to pull the bags out of the conveyor belt for someone who looks like they need help.

We'll leave you with a Haiku poem about the book that summarises the whole concept rather nealty:

Debts to be repaid;
The world is changed by one boy.
Pipe Dream? I hope not.

Who's Confused....?

The last few weeks have been spent looking at new books, reading new books and trying to find people who would like to review some books...books that kids might like, and books that are good for parents too.

So, I bring to you.......The Mixed Up Caterpillar.

It's cute. It's hardcover and hardy for grabby little hands. It's brightly coloured with not many words. It comes with a wiggly caterpilllar puppet..and it also carries a theme of uniqueness and similarities.

Our wiggly caterpillar hero is travelling through the forest and meets lots of other animals (with fetching alliteration inspired names), all who want to know what he is.

But what is he? He doesn't know....but he sure does have lots of guesses!

When the mixed up caterpillar finally discovers what he is....he then undergoes a transformation that confuses him all over again, and forces him to rediscover what he is all over again.

You could read this book just as a funny story, but I don't believe that would do justice to the underlying theme...that we all share similiarities but that we are all unique too. You could also talk about belonging - where do we belong and how do we develop a sense of belonging?

There is plenty of chance for discussion with this book, as well as the chance for littler ones to play at being the mixed up caterpillar with the puppet.

If you know of a great book that you would like to review, or that you think we should review, contact us at Rouse Hill Families Connect and let us know - we'd love to hear what books you have found useful/brilliant/funny/sad or a myriad of emotions in between!