We made these Valentine Animal Envelopes recently (idea and original post by Mer Mag).
white roasted chocolate sundaes for valentine's day
We’re gearing up for Valentine’s Day with these roasted white chocolate sundaes on The Land of Nod’s blog today.
heart-shaped pies
Milk chocolate and strawberry jam heart-shaped pies that I made during Super Bowl yesterday. Thanks to Hello, Wonderful for the inspiration. During the game, Avery kept referring to each team by their 3-letter abbreviation at the bottom of the screen next to their score. E.g., “Daddy, how’s DEN doing?”
little lit book series: love and friendship edition
In honor of Valentine’s Day, we’re sharing books about love and friendship for this month’s #littlelitbookseries.
Brimsby's Hats, by Andrew Prahin, is a sweet wintry tale about friendship. Brimbsy, a hat maker, has a great best friend who moves far away one day to pursue his dream of becoming a sea captain. Eventually feeling alone and lonely, Brimsby attempts to befriend some nearby birds who seem to be too preoccupied to strike up a new friendship. Then, with one thoughtful and resourceful gesture, he helps them solve a major problem and makes friends for life. I love how this story teaches children about creativity, compassion and friendship. This is Andrew Prahin’s first children’s book.
The Smallest Girl in The Smallest Grade by Justin Roberts and Christian Robinson is such a gem. You probably wouldn’t notice Sally McCabe since she’s the smallest girl in the smallest grade. But ever-observant, she notices you, everyone and everything. She sees kids being pushed, teased and insulted at school. One day, she puts her foot down and demonstrates a monumental act of kindness and courage that changes everything. Sally teaches us that looking out for someone’s well-being is an important part of being a good friend even if it means taking a risk and putting yourself out there. That’s what today’s kids need to learn. Because how else will they leave their mark and make this a kinder society? Maybe we should look to the Sally McCabes of the world to show us how.
Eager to see everyone else’s picks? Search for #littlelitbookseries on Instagram.
loose teeth
It's loose tooth season for us here as Avery is losing baby teeth left and right. Here’s what we’ve been reading:
One Morning in Maine. In this Caldecott Honor book by Robert McCloskey, little Sal experienced an important milestone—she loses a tooth, albeit in an unexpected way during a morning full of digging for clams and running errands with her father on the stunning and windblown Maine coast.
Throw Your Tooth on the Roof: Tooth Traditions from Around the World by Selby Beeler and G. Brian Karas. Who knew children in so many countries threw their freshly fallen teeth onto their roof? In the Philippines, “I hide my tooth in a special place and make a wish. A year later, if I can still find my tooth, I can make another wish.” Avery laughed a ton while learning what kids do with their lost teeth around the world. Definitely a fascinating read!