Published on July 3rd, 2009
It’s summer vacation, and one thing parents often hear from children used to being stimulated by school all year is, “I’m bored!”. Personally, I am never bored, so I have little compassion when I hear my daughter issue this utterance, but I have found a new book that I think will help her overcome the doldrums. Let’s Go Outside!: Outdoor Activities and Projects to Get You and Your Kids Closer to Nature is a great resource for bored children.
Just as I have little understanding of boredom, I also never find myself needing an activity while experiencing nature beyond hiking and observing; however, children are a different breed. They sometimes need help focusing their energy. Author Jennifer Ward provides 52 outdoor activities. From “Playground for Poets” to “Five Fine Forts”, the summer boredom crisis is solved (and these activities are limited to warm summer months). Furthermore, these games and projects are designed for children ages 8-12. Here’s an example: Read the rest of this entry »
Published on June 9th, 2009
It is with pleasure that I write this review of special children’s book written by our Green Options colleague and Eco Child’s Play contributing writer Joe Mohr, aka Mean Joe Green! Not only is Joe a great political cartoonist, he’s a children’s author too. His new book Go Out! Go Out! is unique not only because it comes from Joe, but it is also a short book (14 “pages”) designed for your iPhone using istorytime.
From kite-flying to corndog buying, Go Out! Go Out! is a rhyming story that shares a small sample of the wonderful experiences that are waiting for us just outside our own front door.
Joe believes it is important kids get outside, no matter where they live! I couldn’t agree more, and my family spends most of their days in the great outdoors. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on June 2nd, 2009
This post was originally posted on Eco-Libris blog on June 1st.
Soccer is a great game and I used to play it every day when I was a kid. I love the game and therefore I enjoyed every page of our book today that got its inspiration from the (littered) soccer fields and is written by a soccer coach.
Our book today is:
20 Easy Ways to Help Save the Earth
Author: Coach Pedro and Susan Adam-Rita
Amarildo Pedro Rita was born in 1962 and has been playing high level soccer in Brazil and has being coaching youth soccer players in the United States since 1999. Currently he is the Director of Developmental Soccer Program in Ann Arbor, Michigan and author of The Magic Soccer Ball series plus The Boy and His Dream, A Great Soccer Tournament, and 20 Easy Ways to Help Save the Earth. Coach Pedro holds a bachelor degree in physical education and USSF “A” License
Susan Adam-Rita was born in a small city in Brazil where she lived for twenty-seven years. A psychologist in her home country, she continued to pursue her studies and currently is a PHD candidate in the counselor education program at Wayne State University. Susan lives with her husband, Pedro, in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Illustrator: Murilo Pruner
Ages: 4 - 8
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Published on: December 2008
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Published on May 20th, 2009
With the budget shortfalls directly affecting our schools (Oregon is experiencing HUGE education cuts), I’m looking at alternative education options for my five children.
I’m opting for traditional home education, but for those who feel that route isn’t for them, other options are out there!
Connections Academy… a FREE (public) online/charter school. Elementary students are provided with a computer (one per family) and all students are supplied with books and materials free of charge. There is a great deal of online work and a full staff support. This program (and others like it) take most of the work out of (home) schooling for parents. We used this program for a while for our 16 year old, but she wasn’t able to focus with so many hours spent on the computer. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on May 12th, 2009
This post was originally posted on Eco-Libris blog on May 8.
“Sammy and Sue Go Green Too!” is not only a great children’s book, but also a very inspirational one both for kids and their parents.
If you had a chance to read our review of the book you probably know already that a) this book is about a joint mother-daughter journey into the green world and b) Eco-Libris collaborates with the publisher, Beaufort Books, and the author, Suzanne Corso, to encourage the readers of this wonderful book to green up their reading and take a step to support the environment by planting a tree with us for their copy.
The book is already receiving enthusiastic feedback and endorsements. On March it was selected as Book of the Year by NWYA’s NY Reads Program, which is a program of New York Women’s Agenda (NWYA), a city-wide book discussion based on the reading of one book selected each year. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on May 5th, 2009
Sometimes people email me asking how they can teach their children to relax in nature when they don’t really get it themselves. I want you all to check out this book because it is the perfect example and explains it in such an amazing way.
Gus is a Tree by Claire Babin; illustrated by Olivier Tallec
Gus is a Tree is about a boy who, while playing with other children, falls asleep beneath a tree and then dreams of experiencing life as a tree. Gus shares the forest with other trees including birches, oak and beeches. He sees an autumn sunset and a wild boar family search for food. Night falls and he senses other creatures–owls, bats, even a dormouse that lives in a knot in another tree. He experiences a refreshing fall of rain and feels squirrels scamper up and down his bark. Then he is awakened by his friends who tell him it is time to go inside from the rain.
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Published on April 29th, 2009
This post was originally published on Eco-Libris blog on April 27.
I love bears. Polar, Panda, Brown - you name it. Therefore I was immediately was fond of our books this week - a children’s book that takes place in a little bears’ heaven and where the main characters are bears (and very funny ones!).
Our book this week is:
The Legend of Honey Hollow
We mentioned it firstly last month when we announced on a collaboration with the author who plant a tree for every book sold on her signing events and provides buyers of the book with our sticker (made of recycled paper), saying: “One tree planted for this book”.
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Published on April 10th, 2009
This post was originally posted on Eco-Libris blog on April 2.
This week we have a very unique book that suits perfectly not only the upcoming Earth Day but also Passover, the Jewish holiday that we’re celebrating this month.
Our book for today is:
The Barefoot Book of Earth Tales
As we mentioned yesterday, in celebration of Earth Day, Barefoot Books are working together with Eco-Libris this April to plant a tree for every copy sold of this book!
Author: Dawn Casey
Dawn Casey has always been passionate about traditional tales, believing that folklore can help answer some of the toughest questions about humankind. This is Dawn s second project with Barefoot Books, following The Great Race (2006). Dawn combines writing with a career as a primary school teacher. She and her family live in East Sussex, England.
Illustrator: Anne Wilson
Anne Wilson gains much of her inspiration and sense of color from her travels. She has an MA in illustration from St. Martin’s College of Art, London, and has been illustrating children’s books for several years. This is Anne’s fourth project for Barefoot Books, following Storytime (2005), The Great Race (2006) and We’re Sailing Down the Nile (2007). Anne live s in Reading, England, with her husband and daughters. Read the rest of this entry »
Published on April 8th, 2009
Up here in Vermont we live for spring. I mean, really. We literally go berserk. If it is 40 degrees and sunny, people become uncorked. They run, barely clothed, through the streets. We sit on porches. Everyone is outside, doing something. Because for months and months, we’ve been inside, in the dark, huttled around our woodstoves.
Okay maybe I am exaggering just a wee bit. But spring is a really big deal here. It’s like we should be awarded a congressional medal of honor just for making it another winter. Right now, we’ve got mud galore, and patches of dirty snow in the yard. And cold, driving rain. So we read about spring.
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Published on April 6th, 2009
Looking for new board book additions to add to your infant’s book collection? I was thrilled to come across these new books.
Meet Little Panda and his friend Little Monkey as they spend their day eating their favorite foods and playing together. Your little ones will enjoy cuddling with this book made out of super soft fleece.
Read the rest of this entry »
It’s summer vacation, and one thing parents often hear from children used to being stimulated by school all year is, “I’m bored!”. Personally, I am never bored, so I have little compassion when I hear my daughter issue this utterance, but I have found a new book that I think will help her overcome the doldrums. Let’s Go Outside!: Outdoor Activities and Projects to Get You and Your Kids Closer to Nature is a great resource for bored children.
