Books for Fair Trade

Have some books you've read and don't want to keep? Instead of giving them away - you can always trade them for other books online! There are a couple of different sites you can go through - super easy to use.

Just set up a user account and start listing your books. Soon you'll get requests for your books, ship them media mail (which is way cheap), and request your own books from other users!

I have used Book Mooch - not too bad. But from what I hear Paper Back Swap is more user friendly and has a greater selection of books to choose from.

One thing I do like about Book Mooch is the ability to set up a "wish list" - then you'll get emailed when someone lists one of the books you want so you can go request it from them, you don't have to constantly be searching the site inventory.

Have you used either site? Or a different one? What was your experience?

Five Love Languages in Marriage

Remember the giveaway I did back in May for this book?

Well, sadly - not doing another giveaway yet. But - since so many of you voted that your New Year's resolution was to improve your relationships I thought this would be a good place to start!

If you haven't read the book - do! Go out and buy it, or check it out at the library.

Here's a little taste of what it has to offer...

When I'm at the hospital in the next few weeks with my new baby the following will be my reading to help pass the time...

...if it's any good (which I'm sure it will be) - I'll be giving it away the beginning of February! Have you read either book? What did you think?

Giveaway: Love & Logic Magic for Early Childhood (closed)

I know I've been on a Love and Logic kick - I promise to stop soon. But since I believe in it so much, I am giving away one of their best selling books - Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood: Practical Parenting from Birth to Six Years.

Here's a little about the book...


"Parenting little ones can be exhausting...until you discover Love and Logic. Take the exhaustion out and put the fun into parenting your little one. 

If you want help with:

• Potty training 
• Temper tantrums 
• Bedtime 
• Whining 
• Time-out 
• Hassle-free mornings 
• and many other everyday challenges

Then this book is for you!

This book is the tool parents of little ones have been waiting for. America's Parenting Experts® Jim Fay and Charles Fay, Ph.D., help you start your child off on the right foot. 

The tools in Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood will give you the building blocks you need to create children who grow up to be responsible, successful teens and adults. And as a bonus you will enjoy every stage of your child's life and look forward to sharing a lifetime of joy with them."

There will be one lucky winner! So make sure to enter as many times as possible...

So here's what you need to do to enter to win...leave a comment. That's it. But, if you want to increase your chances of winning, for each of the following that you do (let me know in your comment what you've done) - your name will be entered again! This giveaway is open to anyone with a U.S. address and will be shipped directly from a book seller.

1 - Grab the button on the right sidebar and link my site up to yours

2 - Post about this giveaway on your blog

3 - Become a follower (see left sidebar)

4 - Post about this giveaway on your facebook status

5 - Become a fan of The Mom Blog on facebook

6 - Follow The Mom Blog on Twitter (barb_themomblog)

DO ALL 6, and let me know in your comment and your name will be automatically entered in 6 more times -- you'll be 6 times more likely to win!!

The giveaway will close next Monday the 6th at 9am - so start spreading the word!

{ Have a great business you'd like to promote through a giveaway on our site? Please contact me - barb.themomblog(at)gmail(dot)com }

Early Literacy: Practicing Reading Comprehension with Your Preschooler

As parents, I think we all realize the importance of literacy. But sometimes we get so focused on making sure our kids know the ABCs and phonics that we forget about other very important aspects of early literacy.

Although knowing and writing the alphabet is essential, there is more to reading than that. There is so much to the art of reading, but I have decided to just focus on some ideas to help build reading comprehension. Comprehension skills help children to understand what they are reading. These ideas are things that you can do with very young children, and continue to practice with advanced readers.

1. Ask questions while you are reading with your children (or for older readers, ask questions while they are reading to you). You can ask questions once you’ve finished the book, or even throughout the story. Don’t limit your questions to what literally happened in the story. Ask them questions that relate the story to their own lives (How would you feel? Do you like…? What other stories have we read where this happens?).

2. Think aloud as you read to your children. Children learn a lot by watching us—but our thoughts are not something they can see. So as you are reading, say what you are thinking: “This reminds me of…This is like when we…..I wonder if…I think he must be feeling…I’m going to reread that because it didn’t make sense…Mmmm, I can almost taste the….I can imagine what it is like to…I wish I could…” These kinds of verbalized thoughts will help your child see what they should be thinking as they read.

3. Retelling stories is an important way to help children improve their comprehension skills. To retell a story, children can simply tell you the story in their own words. For older children, have them write a summary of the story. They can also act out the story using costumes and/or props. They can pretend to be the characters in the story, or act as a narrator and tell the story while acting it out:

• Puppets: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault

You can also make props such as these for retelling:

• Flannel Board: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you See? By Eric Carle

• The Mitten by Jan Brett

Another great way to retell a story is to have kids make their own book. We colored a small picture-only version of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. You could also write your own version of the story. My daughter made Elmo, Elmo What Do You See?


4. Story Sequencing helps children to remember the order of the story. Have pictures of different parts of the story, and ask your child to put them in order. Discuss the story as you go along. For children who can already read, cut up sentences from the story or small descriptions of main events in the story, and have them place them in order. Don’t overwhelm children with too many events or intricate details.

• There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly

5. Draw a picture after reading a story. Have your child draw a picture of a scene in the story.

Reading comprehension is an important aspect of becoming a good reader. It helps children learn how to think as they are reading, and understand what they have read. It is important for your children to practice this skill throughout their reading career.

Some of these ideas were found in Classrooms That Work: They Can All Read and Write by Cunningham and Allington. If you have other ideas of how to practice story comprehension, please share them with us by leaving a comment below.

________________________________________________________________

Marie is a stay at home mom of two adorable kiddos who keep her super busy! She has a dual degree in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education and continues to use her degree everyday of her mommy career!

Marie is one of my good friends and someone I look up to very much as a mommy. She has tons of fun ideas for things to do with your kids - so keep an eye out for her future guest posts.

Spring Fun at the Library

I love reading to Little Miss and she loves reading...so. What better way to talk about/explore Spring than with books!

(one of her favorite places to read is in her bookshelf - she's getting a little big for it, but she still takes all the books out from the bottom shelf almost on a daily basis and gets cozy with some good reads)

Here's a list to take with you to the library...and then take some of those books to the park!

	Dandelion Adventures by L. Patricia Kite
	It's Spring! by Linda Glaser
	My Spring Robin by Anne Rockwell, Harlow Rockwell (Illustrator)
	Spring is Here by Lois Lenski
	The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree by Gail Gibbons
	Spring Equinox, The by Ellen Jackson

Big Bird Brings Spring to Sesame Street (Jellybean Books)
by Lauren Collier Swindler, editor Naomi Kleinberg, Marsha Winborn
A fun book that explains what spring is really about.

The Boy Who Didn't Believe in Spring
by Lucille Clifton, Brinton Turkle
Two skeptical city boys set out to find spring which they've heard is "just around the corner".

Pooh's Favorite Things About Spring
by Kathleen Zoehfeld, illustrated by Elisa Marruchi
Go on a journey with Pooh and learn about spring.

It's Spring, Blue! (Blue's Clues)
by Adam Peltzman, illustrated by Jenine Pontillo
It's spring! It's time to celebrate...but one little duckling is not happy -- he's lost! Readers can help Blue and the duckling trace the steps back to the duckling's home. And along the way they can use the stickers to find other creatures who've come out to enjoy spring!

Spring Fever (Jellybean Books)
by Sarah Albee, illustrated by Carol Nicklaus

Spring Has Sprung! (Bear in the Big Blue House)
by Kiki Thorpe, illustrated by Tom Brannon
It's the first day of spring. But when Pip and Pop go to the otter pond to ice-skate, they find all the ice has melted! They're disappointed until Bear shows them all the wonderful things there are to do in spring. By the end of the day, everyone in the Big Blue House has caught spring fever!

Spring Story (Brambly Hedge)
by Jill Barklem
It's a secret celebration for Wilfred! Mr. Apple has organized a surprise and put Wilfred in charge of carrying the picnic hamper. It's enormous! What was it Mrs. Apple had said was in the hamper? Knives? Sandwiches? They certainly were very heavy!

AGES 4-8

Clifford's Spring Clean-Up (Clifford)
by Norman Bridwell
Clifford's the big red dog is hard at work getting the house clean, or trying to, as he shakes to pieces Emily Elizabeth's rugs and digs up weeds at a vacant lot for Earth Day.

Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Sucie Stevenson
Henry and his 180-pound dog Mudge are best friends forever. Join them as they admire the first snow glory, playing in puddles in the rain, and watching the five new kittens next door.

Hopper Hunts for Spring (A North-South Paperback)
by Marcus Pfister, Rosemary Lanning
When Hopper's mother tells him that spring is coming at last, Hopper, the bunny, takes his mother's words literally and eagerly bounds away to meet his new friend.

Leaves from a Child's Garden of Verses
by Robert Louis Stevenson, illustrated by Donna Green
Absolutely gorgeous illustrations that enhance poems such as: Time to Rise, Singing, My Shadow, The Gardner, and To My Mother.

My Spring Robin (Aladdin Picture Books)
by Anne F. Rockwell, illustrated by Harlow Rockwell & Lizzy Rockwell
Despite all the usual signs of spring, including sprouting ferns, colorful flowers, and a tiny toad, a little girl searches for the robin that means that spring is finally here.

Poppleton in Spring
by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Mark Teague
Go on a spring cleaning adventure with Poppleton, the pig. After the cleaning is done you'll join Poppleton as he searches for just the right bike. Finally, hit the hay with Poppleton as he sleeps out in a tent on a lovely spring night in his own back yard.

That's What Happens When It's Spring!
by Elaine W. Good, illustrated by Susie Shenk Wenger
A rural child discovers the sights, sounds, colors, and special feeling of spring.

When Spring Comes (An Owlet Book)
by Robert Maass
A photo-essay, with simple text, of springtime endeavors: cleaning, building, and repairing roofs and bikes and boats, and the celebration of spring holidays: Passover, Easter, and Memorial Day.

AGES 9-12

Alice in Wonderland
by Lewis Carroll, illustrated by John Tenniel
Alice in Wonderland is a classic of children's literature. Join Alice in her adventures from her fall down the rabbit hole to the Mad Hatter's Tea Party, The Queen's croquet match and the trial of the Knave of Hearts.

Leaves from a Child's Garden of Verses
by Robert Louis Stevenson, illustrated by Donna Green
Absolutely gorgeous illustrations that enhance poems such as: Time to Rise, Singing, My Shadow, The Gardner, and To My Mother.

The Secret Garden
by Frances Hodgson Burnett, illustrated by Tasha Tudor
As three children replant a neglected garden at lonely Misselthwaite Manor on the Yorkshire moors, the secret garden restores their health and good spirits. A classic!

Bluebird’s Nest by Dorothea DePrisco
Watch a busy bluebird build a comfy nest from start to finish.

The Caterpillar and the Polliwog by Jack Kent
A determined polliwog longs to become a butterfly just like his caterpillar friend.

Cold Little Duck, Duck, Duck by Lisa Westberg Peters
As a little duckling eagerly waits for his pond to melt, he imagines all the joys that come with the warmth of springtime.

Counting in the Garden by Kim Parker
Count the bees and dragon flies buzzing around the flowers in this beautifully illustrated book.

The Happy Day by Ruth Krauss
In this Caldecott Honor book, the sweet smell of spring awakens forest animals from their long winter naps.

Hurray for Spring! by Patricia Hubbell
Celebrate the season with an energetic young boy as he splashes in puddles, swims in a pond, talks to ants, and goes bird-watching.

In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming
Leap through the seasons with a tiny frog as he guides you through his pond in this vivid Caldecott Honor book.

Inch by Inch by Leo Lioni
A winsome inchworm is proud to be able to measure anything, and puts his skill to good use when a hungry robin gets too close.

It's Spring! by Linda Glaser
With eye-catching cut-paper artwork, spring pops to life as a curious boy explores the world around him.

Mouse's First Spring by Lauren Thompson
Follow a little mouse and his momma as a gentle breeze blows the first signs of spring their way.

Mud by Mary Lyn Ray
Rejoice in the arrival of spring with this lyrical homage to mushy springtime mud!

Poppleton in Spring by Cynthia Rylant
The popular pig goes through the usual spring rituals of cleaning, shopping for a new bicycle, and sleeping in a tent in the backyard, with his own Poppleton twist.

Rabbit's Good News by Ruth Lercher Bornstein
Follow a little brown bunny as a mysterious "soft green sound" lures her into finding spring.

The Rain Came Down by David Shannon
Find out what happens when an unexpected downpour creates chaos on a previously sunny day.

Splish, Splash, Spring by Jan Carr
Frolic through a fun-filled day of spring activities with three friends and their dog in this bright and lively book.

Spring Is Here by Lois Lenski
This charming classic will mesmerize a whole new generation of children who are eager to celebrate the wonders of spring.

Spring Song by Barbara Seuling
Guess how black bears, moles, bullfrogs and skunks respond to the change in season with this fascinating interactive book.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
In this wonderful classic, a voracious caterpillar eats its way through pages of food and transforms into a beautiful butterfly.

Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert
Enter a vibrant spring garden and witness the beautiful metamorphoses of butterflies in this masterful nature book.

(lists compliments of scholastic.com, kaboose.com, and apples4theteacher.com)

The Importance of Reading to Young Children

We started reading to Little Miss the day we got home from the hospital. I read to her everyday and although it didn't seem to make a difference at first I soon noticed she was paying close attention. She has always loved to read and now she asks to sit on the potty just so we'll read to her for a long period of time. We read multiple times a day.

Laughing at Jack falling down the hill - her favorite book at 3 months, Jack & Jill.

Little Miss started talking at 10 months and has always had off the chart verbal skills. I attribute it mostly to the fact that we read to her from a very young age. I even read aloud when I was pregnant just so she could get used to my voice.

So happy daddy is reading to her while she sits on her potty.

Her latest thing - she is memorizing her favorite books. She's not even two yet! I turn the page and she can say the words almost exactly...she even sings her alphabet! Not perfect all the time, but she understands that letters make up words.

Every gift-giving holiday Little Miss gets at least one new book. Books make great presents!

We all know reading to young children is important - but how important? I love facts. I love data. I love research. So here's the proof...

_________________________________________________________________

17 Reasons to Read Aloud to Our Children

1. Gives children information on a variety of topics
2. Promotes language development and literacy skills
3. Raises reading levels
   
4. Helps increase attention spans
5. Promotes family relationships
6. Build a lifelong interest in reading. "Getting kids actively involved in the process of reading, and having them interact with adults, is key to a lifelong interest in reading," said BeAnn Younker, principal at Battle Ground Middle School in Indiana.
7. Children whose parents read to them tend to become better readers and perform better in school, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
8. Reading to kids helps them with language and speech development.
9. It expands kids' vocabulary and teaches children how to pronounce new words.
10. Reading to toddlers prepares them for school, during which they will need to listen to what is being said to them (similar to what they do while being read to).
11. Reading to older kids helps them understand grammar and correct sentence structure.
12. Kids and parents can use reading time as bonding time. It's an excellent opportunity for one-on-one communication, and it gives kids the attention they crave.
13. Being read to builds children's attention spans and helps them hone their listening skills.
14. Curiosity, creativity and imagination are all developed while being read to.
15. Being read to helps kids learn how to express themselves clearly and confidently.
16. Kids learn appropriate behavior when they're read to, and are exposed to new situations, making them more prepared when they encounter these situations in real life.
17. When read to, children are able to experience the rhythm and melody of language even before they can understand the spoken or printed word.

And if you want even more information...

• Children who have not developed some basic literacy skills by the time they enter school are 3-4 times more likely to drop out in later years. - U.S. Dept of Education Survey
• In 1999, only 53 percent of children aged 3 to 5 were read to daily by a family member. Children in families with incomes below the poverty line are less likely to be read aloud to everyday than are children in families with incomes at or above the poverty line. - Natl Center for Education Statistics
  
• Out-of-school reading habits of students has shown that even 15 minutes a day of independent reading can expose students to more than a million words of text in a year. - Anderson, Wilson, & Fielding, 1988
• Students who reported having all four types of reading materials (books, magazines, newspapers, encyclopedias) in their home scored, on average, higher than those who reporter having fewer reading materials. - Natl. Center for Education Statistics
• First grade children with good word recognition skills were exposed to almost twice as many words (as young) readers as were children who had poor word recognition skills. - Juel, 1988
• Reading aloud to children is the single most important activity for building knowledge required for eventual success in reading. - National Academy of Education's Commission on Reading (1985)
• Children's comprehensive, conceptual and behavioral patterns are primarily shaped between the ages of birth to five years. It is especially important for families and child caregivers to read to children early and often. - Essa, E. Introduction to Early Childhood Education (2^nd ed.). Albany, NY: Delmar.
• While a variety of experiences contribute to the preschool child's emerging literacy, there is overwhelming consensus among researchers that exposure to children's books is particularly important. - Anderson, AB, Stokes, SJ. Social and institutional influences and the development and practive of literacy. In: Goleman H, Oberg A, Smith F, eds. Awakening to Literacy. Exeter, NH: Heinemann: 1984:23.
• By reading to infants, parents can help their children develop an understanding about print at an early age as infants learn to make connections between words and meaning. By engaging children at an early age in reading and allowing children to observe those around them in reading activities, parents can help foster a lifelong passion for reading that leads to benefits in all areas of development as children grow older. - National Association for the Education of Young Children. (1997). Helping Children Learn About Reading. (Online). Available: http://npin.org/library/texts/home/learnabo.html [1997, September 25].
• For infants and toddlers as well as preschool children, books provide a context for language and cognitive developments related to literacy acquistion and school success. Rhythmic speaking and holding enhance infant attention. - Brown, DR, Ottinger CD. The Perceptual Basis of Developing Reading Skill: Final Report. Washington DC: Office of Education, Bureau of Research; 1970. US Department of Health, Education and Welfare publication RMQ66004.
• Reading to children is one of the best ways to promote positive attitudes toward reading and to give children the sounds and words of literacy and reading. Beginning at birth, all children should be read to with regularity and enthusiasm. - Southern Early Childhood Association (2002) Early Literacy and Beginning to Read: A Position Statement of the Southern Early Childhood Association. Southern Early Childhood Association: Dimensions of Early Childhood, 30(4), 28-31.
• Reading aloud to young children helps to develop vocabulary, phonological awareness, oral language skills, fluency, and a positive attitude toward learning. - Barrentine, S.J. Engaging with reading through interactive read-alouds. The Reading Teacher, 50(1), 36-43.
• Reading aloud to children is one of the most effective and inexpensive activities parents, caregivers and educators can do to promote literacy. Children who are introduced to books early and read to on a regular basis do better in school. - Herb, S. (1997) Building Blocks for literacy: What current research shows. School Library Journal, 43(7), 23.
• In a study conducted of kindergartners, those who were read to at least three times a week as they entered kindergarten were almost twice as likely to score in the top 25 percent of literacy tests than children who were read to less than three times a week. - National Institute for Literacy (2006). The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study. Available online. http://www.nifl.gov/nifl/facts/ECLS.html.
• Children who are read to frequently are nearly twice as likely as other children to show three or more skills associated with emerging literacy. - Nord, C.W., Lennon, J., Liu, B., Chandler, K. (1999). Home Literacy Activities: Signs of Children’s Emerging Literacy: 1993 and 1999. (From the National Center for Family Literacy, 2005.)
• Children in poor families are less likely to be read to daily. A U.S. Department of Education Survey found that 46 percent of children in families in poverty were read to every day, compared with 61 percent of children in families living above the poverty line. - U.S. Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, National Center for Education Statistics (1996). National Household Education Study, 1995. Washington DC: Author.
• Children from low income families enter school at a disadvantage. The gap between children from low- and high-income families on reading comprehension scores is more than 40 points. - National Center for Education Statistics (1993) The Condition of Education. Washington DC: National Center for Education Statistics.
• Some experts believe that for America's poorest children, the biggest obstacle to literacy is the scarcity of books and appropriate reading material. - Needlman R, Fried L, Morley D, Traylor S, Zuckerman B. Clinic-Based Intervention to Promote Literacy. American Medical Association American Journal of Diseases of Children; 145(881) 1991.
• A team of researchers concluded that nearly two-thirds of the low income families they studied owned no books for their children. As a result, direct access to books is extremely limited for these children, a fact that significantly impacts their educational growth and development as well as their sense of creativity and imagination. - McQuillan, Jeff. The Literacy Crisis: False Claims, Real Solutions. 1998.
• The problems continue as people with low literacy levels enter adulthood. Among adults at the lowest level of literacy proficiency, 43% live in poverty. Among adults with strong literacy skills, only 4% live in poverty. - The State of Literacy In America, 1998.

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So go pick up a book and read to your child!! Turn off the TV and read. Let them see you reading for pleasure. Can't afford to buy a ton of books? Go to the library! Don't like reading? Find something you like to read - magazines, newspaper - and read that!

Little Miss watching daddy read at 1 month - she was helping hold the book up I think...

You should be reading to your child at least 30 minutes a day, providing lots of opportunity for your child to ask questions. If neither of you can handle that chunk of time in one sitting - break it up into smaller time periods throughout the day, then slowly work up to a longer time - this will help your child develop patience and the ability to sit still, which they'll need for school.

What is your child's favorite book? Or your favorite book to read to your child?

Left Foot, Right Foot

Today is Dr Seuss's birthday - not to mention Read Across America Day. So get reading!!

To celebrate, Little Miss and I read every Dr Seuss book we could find at home and at the library.

We even checked out a couple of short videos to watch from the library later.

And of course we had to do some kind of crafty project...


Little Miss loves getting her toenails painted. So, after reading The Foot Book, we painted the toes on her left foot and her right foot.

Then we traced her feet.

Then we did foot prints on paper for daddy with craft paint.

Which also led to tracing her hands, dolly's feet, and doing hand prints with paint - talking about left hand, right hand.

Some other things you could do...

• Make green eggs and ham of course! We're saving that one for St. Patrick's day coming up...
• Use construction paper and paint to make your own red-white hat like the Cat In The Hat.
• Buy some rainbow colored Goldfish crackers and play sorting games. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish - we'll probably do this one later.
  

And for older kids...

• Wet Foot, Dry Foot pdf worksheet - click here
• Foot Book Lesson Plan
• Or...make these awesome pencils