Flashlight Game!

Flashlight Game! (With "bugs")!! 🐛🐛🐞🐞🦋🦋

This game is not new to us and I LOVE that my kids (4 and 7) still LOVE this game! I hide oversized toy bugs all over the lawn after the sun goes down and they search for them with flashlights. This time I paired it with the book I Love Bugs by Emma Dodd.

Chicken big (my son, 7) read the book to Chicken Little (my daughter, 4)... talk about great descriptive words, vocabulary building, and text and illustrations that encourages dialog!

After they found all the bugs outside we went through the book again to see if any of the bugs they found looked like the bugs in the book and talked about how they were similar or different.

Chicken Little

Big Bugs

Brightly-colored wings bugs

Whiny-buzzy-sound bugs

Springy jumpy leapy bugs

Spiky spiny bugs

The toy bugs are between 3 1/2 and 6 inches (so they are very sizable!) and come in packs of 10. I got mine from Hobby Lobby so I could use the 40% coupon (I bought two packs with two different transactions so I could get both packs using the coupon, making them about $6 a pack.

You can google: "Hobby Lobby Coupon" to get the 40% off coupon

40% off Hobby Lobby Coupon

You can google: "Wild Republic Insect Collection" to find out all the other places you can find these toy bugs, including Amazon or from Wild Republic directly.

This is such and easy and exciting game that keeps the kids busy for a while and requires virtually no set up or clean up. I Love Bugs is out of print in hard cover format, but you can still buy it in paper back or check out your local library!

Favorite Picture Book Authors and Why: Post #1

This post is about books that I love to read in storytime, with groups, and even one-on-one!

(I'd love to see comments about your favorite picture books / authors and if you've already read any of the ones I've listed below, or if you decide to check them out)

Jane Cabrera: 

Official Website

Facebook Page

Many of her picture books are traditional nursery rhymes or songs with a fun, modern twist making them super interactive. All of her books invite participation from the young child and adult reading with them. The illustrations are bright and bold and big making them perfect books for group sharing or one-on-one reading. Unfortunately some picture books are out of print, but you can often find them at your library or used on Amazon.

Among my favorites: 
* Row, Row, Row Your Boat 2013
* Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star 2012
* If You're Happy and You Know It 2009
* Mommy Carry Me Please 2006
* Rock-a-bye-Baby 2017
Cat's Colors 2000
The Wheels on the Bus 
The 12 Day of Christmas 2014
Over in the Meadow 2000

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Nancy Tafuri: 

Official Website

Facebook Page

Nancy Tafuri's picture books and illustrations have received many accolades awards.... and for good reason! These are among my favorite books to read to young children during storytime and one-on-one with kids (especially my chickens when they were younger). The pictures are big, there is fun repetition, and the text lends itself to being interactive between the adult and child and for using props during storytime.... though the illustrations really don't need any extra help as they are amazing. The stories are simple in the sense young children with follow along with delight and are relatable to this age group.

Reading these one-on-one is SOO fun! There are lots of little details like bugs on each page or hints of what is going to come next.

(From her BIO : Noting her use of “tiny details,” generously sized shapes, and “sunny colors,” a Publishers Weekly contributor noted that Tafuri's picture book Five Little Chicks “proves once again why Tafuri ... is a favorite with youngsters.” )

Among my favorites:
* All Kinds of Kisses 2014
* Silly Little Goose 2010 
* Spots, Feathers, and Curly Tails (young toddlers) 1988
* Snowy, Flowy, Blowy: A Twelve Months Rhyme 1999
Have You Seen my Duckling 1996
Daddy Hugs 2014
Five Little Chicks 2011
Blue Goose 2011
Big Storm 2013
What the Sun Sees 1997

My blog post for Silly Little Goose

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Kevin Henkes:

 Official Website
This official website includes: Bio, games, videos, book information, and teaching guides / resources / activities for schools, libraries, and home.

I love Kevin Henke's picture books geared toward the younger age group and the kids are totally engaged while I read these in storytime. (Of course his books for older children are also adored!) Again the text is charming, the pictures are engaging, colorful, and big making them perfect for group reading! Both my chickens were sooo into A Good Day when they were younger and really interacted with the emotions of the animals and little girl at the end. A bad day can always be turned into a good day....!

Among My Favorites: 

* A Good Day (OMG I love this book!) 2010
* Birds 2017
* When Spring Comes 2016
* In the Middle of Fall 2017
* Old Bear 2011 (Seasons, hibernation, and Spring)
My Garden 2010
Little White Rabbit 2014
Winter is Here (not released yet)
A Parade of Elephants 2018 (not released yet)