All You Need is LOVE

Every year, the IKEA Foundation donates €1 for every soft toy sold in participating IKEA stores worldwide in November and December. 
The donation goes to Save the Children and UNICEF, and is spent on children’s educational projects.

Bring ME Home for Christmas

For more information: http://pages.ikeafoundation.org/Soft-Toys

The Giving Tree

Once there was a tree ...

and she loved a little boy.
 

And every day the boy would come

and he would gather her leaves

and make them into crowns and play king of the forest.
 

He would climb up her trunk

and swing from her branches

and eat apples.

And they would play hide-and-go-seek. 

And when he was tired,

he would sleep in her shade.

 

And the boy loved the tree ... very much.

And the tree was happy.

But time went by.

And the boy grew older.

And the tree was often alone ...

Fall is a spectacular time in many countries. The fall colours reminds me my favourite season of the year is approaching. Thanksgiving is already here in Canada and counting down in the United States.

It's a season of giving and thanksgiving. And this book, The Giving Tree ties well with the theme and the spectacular view outside the classroom is a perfect setting.

It is a tale of a relationship between a young boy and a tree. The tree always provides the boy with what he wants - leaves to making crown, branches to swing on, apples to eat, shade to rest.
 

As the boy grows older, he requires more and more of the tree. The tree loves the boy very much and gives him anything he asks for.

Apples for the boy to selling for money, branches for him to building house, trunk for him to sailing away.

 

Many years later, the boy, now an old man returned. And the tree sadly said,

 

"I am sorry, Boy," said the tree, "but I have nothing left to give you.  My apples are gone."

"My teeth are too weak for apples," said the boy.

"My branches are gone," said the tree. "You cannot swing on them.”

"I am too old to swing on branches," said the boy.

 

"My trunk is gone," said the tree. "You cannot climb."

"I am too tired to climb," said the boy.

"I am sorry," sighed the tree.

"I wish that I could give you something --- but I have nothing left. I am just an old stump." "I don't need very much now," said the boy.

"just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired."

"Well," said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could,

"Well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting.

Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest."

And the boy did. 

And the tree was happy.

If you are looking for GIVE ideas, here I've got some for you.
UNICEF USA
UNICEF Hong Kong

Over the last 60 years, UNICEF and its partners have been working tirelessly to improve the welfare of children. WE BELIEVE our work is not completed until there is ZERO MORTALITY from preventable diseases, ZERO UNDERDEVELOPMENT, ZERO ABUSE and ZERO ISOLATION for children around the world.
 

I BELIEVE in ZERO

Amaris Declaring "I Believe in Zero"

Supporting UNICEF to helping more children reach their 5th birthday 

If you believe, too.

Go to UNICEF to take ACTION TODAY.

http://www.ibelieveinzero.org.hk/index_en.html

http://www.unicefusa.org/about/believe-in-zero

   

Mr. Brown Can MOO! Can You?

Oh, the wonderful things
Mr. Brown can do!
He can go like a cow.
He can go MOO MOO
Mr. Brown can do it.
How about you?

He can go like a bee.
Mr. Brown can BUZZ
How about you?
Can you go BUZZ BUZZ

He can go like a cork ...
POP POP POP POP

Amaris loves imitating sounds and I think most of the toddlers do. 
Though Amaris is not a toddler anymore, she still enjoys reading and laughing with Dr. Seuss' book, like this one - Mr. Brown Can MOO! Can You?

MOO moo (like a cow ...)
HOO hoo (like an owl ...)
DIBBLE DIBBLE! DOPP DOPP! (like the rain ...)
COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO (like a rooster)
BLURP BLURP BLURP BLURP (like a horn ...)
SLURP SLURP SLURP (like a big cat drinking)

Oh, all the wonderful sounds Mr. Brown can do! 
The funny sound and rhyme makes reading a very enjoyable journey for infants, toddlers and young children.
And be sure to buy the original full version (check this out)

Mr. Brown is smart,
as smart as they come!
He can do a hippopotamus chewing gum!
GRUM GRUM GRUM GRUM GRUM GRUM GRUM

Happy Reading!

  

I am NOT Sleepy and I WILL NOT go to BED

 

I have this little sister Lola.

She is small and very funny.
Sometimes I have to keep an eye on her.
Sometimes Mum and Dad ask me to try and get her off to bed.
This is a hard job because Lola likes to stay up late ... 

Usually, when I say, "Lola, Mum says it is time for bed,"
"No! I am NOT sleepy and I WILL NOT go to bed."
I say, "But all the birds have gone to sleep."
She says, "But I am not a bird, Charlie."

Amaris has started her first grade in September. 
Her school has a very good reading program that encourages every child to read and enjoy reading as a lifelong companion. 

Every morning, the children either bring their favorite book from home or pick one from the classroom reading corner to enjoy morning reading before school starts.

Children enjoy going to the learning center located on the 3rd floor with a comprehensive collection of children's books, close to 20,000.

Yesterday, Amaris brought home with two books, one was The Lion King and the another one was I am NOT sleepy and I WILL NOT go to bed, again from the Charlie and Lola's series. 
The title echoes Amaris' mind and soul.

In my last blog, I will NEVER NOT EVER eat a Tomato, big brother Charlie faces an epic struggle with her little sister, Lola in a dinnertime battle. 
In this equally spirit, Charlie takes the hardest job to try to get Lola to bed. 
This is a hard job because Lola likes to stay up coloring, scribbling, sticking, wriggling, bouncing and most of all chattering!


Read it with your toddlers to laugh out loud or children like Amaris enjoys reading it by herself as an echo of mind.

I Will Never NOT EVER Eat a Tomato

 

 

I have this little sister Lola.

She is small and very funny.

Sometimes, I have to keep an eye on her ...

Sometimes, Mom and Dad ask me to give Lola her dinner.
This is difficult because she is a very fussy eater.

Lola won't eat carrot of course.

She says, "carrots are for rabbits."

I say, "What about peas?"

Lola says, "Peas are too small and too green."

Lola is a fussy eater. 
A very fussy eater who will never ever eat carrots, peas, cauliflowers ... just like my six years old at home, I can name them ALL.

The only difference here is Lola has a very creative brother, Charlie who is playing this imagination game with her in this dinnertime battle.

Charlie turns carrots into orange twiglets from Jupiter, mashed potatoes into cloud fluff from the pointiest peak of Mount Fuji, tomatoes into moonsquirters AND green peas into green drops from Greenland. 

These two endearing siblings with boundless imagination turns the dinnertime battle into a Fantasyland.

And I ABSOLUTELY will never NOT EVER eat a TOMATO ...

The CAT in the HAT

The sun did not shine.

It was too wet to play.

So we sat in the house

All that cold, cold, wet day. 

I sat there with Sally.

We sat there, we two.

And I said, "How I wish

We had something to do!" 

So all we could do was to 

Sit! Sit! Sit! Sit!

And we did not like it.

Not one little bit.

  

 

The Cat in the Hat is a children's book classic by Dr. Seuss in 1957.

It is the first book featuring this tall, anthropomorphic, mischievous cat, wearing a tall, red and white-striped hat and a red bow tie.

This story is about Sally and her brother are bored in the house one day, on a cold, cold and wet day.

They are sitting by the window, looking out the house with nothing to play.  

Then something went BUMP and made them JUMP! 

There it comes the Cat in the Hat stepping in on the mat and bringing all the FUN!

Dr. Seuss makes reading a joyful journey for every child. Don't let your children miss it!

“Look at ME!
Look at ME!
Look at me NOW!
It is FUN to have FUN
But you have to know HOW.”

Happy Reading EVERYONE!

Are We Missing a PLANT Here

We've got BEES
We've got POLLEN
Are we missing a PLANT here

An one-month old Asagao (Japanese morning glories) grown from seed, inspired by the beautiful flowers in Takayama, Japan this summer.

Any ideas on planting is welcome

BEE our 1500TH?

Eat Your Peas

It was dinnertime again and Daisy knew just what her mom was going to say, before she even said it.

"Eat your peas," said Mom.

Daisy looked down at the little green balls that were ganging up on her plate.

"I don't like peas," said Daisy.

Mom sighed one of her usual sighs.

"If you eat your peas, you can have dessert," said Mom.

"I don't like peas," said Daisy. 

What will it take to make Daisy eat peas?

Mom promised dessert, a later bedtime, no bath, and then, in increasing desperation, a baby elephant, a chocolate factory and much, much more.

This dinnertime battle of wills is sure to amuse children and parents like myself. It shows the power of vegetables to turn a meal into an epic struggle. A funny outcome and determined little Daisy make this book super fun and entertaining to read.

The author, Kes Gray has been called one of the top ten children's authors in the UK by THE INDEPENDENT. 

Eat Your Peas is the first book among the Daisy series, has won the coveted overall prize at the 2001 Children's Book Awards.

Eat Your Peas is available to order online via Book Depository. 

Free Shipping Worldwide.

 

I CAN READ with My Eyes SHUT

I can read in red.

I can read in blue.

I can read in pickle colour too.

I can read in bed.

And in purple.

And in brown.

I can read in a circle and upside down!

I can read with my left eye.

I can read with my right.

I can read Mississippi with my eyes shut tight!

Amaris' favourite is still among Dr. Seuss this week

Dr. Seuss continues with the funniest stories, craziest creatures and the most entertaining blend of rhyme, rhythm and repetition to make every children a joy to read. 

I CAN READ with MY EYES SHUT belongs to Dr. Seuss Green series, designed for children just beginning to read on their own. 

This is in the same series as The Cat in the Hat, The Cat in the Hat Comes Back, as well as our all time favourite Fox in Socks.

I will tell you this is a must-read for every children, let them benefit reading can be so much fun!

Dr. Seuss will tell you,

There are so many things you can learn about

BUT ... you'll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut.

The more that you read,

the more things you will know.

The more that you learn, 

the more places you'll go.

SO ... that's why I tell you to keep your eyes wide.

Keep them wide open ...

at least on one side. 

Happy Reading!

I Can Read with My Eyes Shut is available to purchase via Book Depository.

Free shipping worldwide.

  

The CAT in the HAT Comes Back

This was no time for play.

This was no time for fun.

This was no time for games.

There was work to be done.

All that deep, 
Deep, deep snow,

All that snow had to go. 

When our mother went
Down to the town for the day,
She said, "Somebody has to clean all this away. 
Somebody, 
SOMEBODY Has to, you see."

Learning to read is FUN with Dr. Seuss.

Dr. Seuss brings the zaniest stories, the silliest rhymes for young readers everywhere to enjoy.

The CAT in the HAT comes back was launched in 1958 after The CAT in the HAT created in 1954. After more than 50 years, it is still funny and Amaris is crazily laughing every time she reads.

The story is about Sally and her brother was instructed by her mother to clear away a huge amount of snow one day. While they were working, the CAT turned up and were eating a cake in the TUB and left a big long pink cat ring.

The CAT was trying to clean it up with Mother's WHITE DRESS, the WHITE WALL, a PAIR of SHOES, the RUG, the BED and lastly the 26 Little CAT in his HATS ... one by one.


A simple Dr. Seuss for the young readers to use. 
Happy Reading! 

The Cat in the Hat Comes Back is available online at Book Depository. 
Free shipping worldwide.

Katie and The Mona Lisa

Katie and her grandma often went to the gallery on their days out together.

Grandma liked to tell Katie all about the famous paintings.

"Which picture do you like best?" asked Grandma.

"Mona Lisa," said Katie. "She smiled at me."

I read this book, Katie and The Mona Lisa by James Mayhew with Amaris yesterday. Amaris flipped through the pages days before and told me she didn't want to read this. She doesn't quite like the idea that Mona Lisa is always gazing at her, although with a smile, she thinks it is scary!

So I suggested let's do an adventure today. This time, with Mona Lisa just like we did last time with Alice in Wonderland. Amaris quite liked this idea.

So we started the adventure with Katie and Amaris climbing over the frame of Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, meeting this lady from 1500.

Mona Lisa is sitting in a grand room. Although smiling, she doesn't feel happy at all. Very lonely indeed. So Katie has this idea of bringing Mona Lisa around the gallery to meeting anyone she likes in the paintings. 

They went through the frame of Saint George and the Dragon by Raphael. With Saint George, the Knight rescuing a beautiful princess from a fire-breathing dragon

Then, a group of dancers, Venus and Flora in Primavera by Sandro Botticelli.

They met The Lion of Saint Mark by Vittore Carpaccio, flying over Venice.

And An Angel with a Lute painted by a student of Leonardo da Vinci at last.

It was an exciting adventure with wild imagination!

If you'd like your children to explore the paintings during the Renaissance, this is the book for you. This is good for children at all ages, even parents.

Learning through story-telling makes everything easier to remember and enjoyable.

I have included some links if you'd like to know more about each painting and painter's history and background.

Happy Summer AND Happy Reading! 

James Mayhew has a Katie adventure series, bringing classic art to life for children. For more info, you may refer to Book Depository which offers free shipping worldwide. 

Fox in Socks

Fox

Socks

Box

Knox

Knox in box. 
Fox in socks.

Knox on fox in socks in box.

Socks on Knox and Knox in box.

Fox in socks on box on Knox.

What is your favorite Dr. Seuss book?

Amaris is a Dr. Seuss fans. Among Seuss collections, her favorite is this tongue twister - Fox in Socks.

The story starts with a tricky fox and he likes playing tongue-twisting game with his friend, Mr. Knox. 

Mr. Fox will start with something easy, such as  

 New socks. Two socks. Whose socks? Sue's socks. 

 Then something more tricky, such as 

 Hose goes. Rose grows. Nose hose goes some. Crow's rose grows some.

If this is way too easy for you, let's try this:

When beetles battle beetles in a puddle paddle battle and the beetle battle puddle is a puddle in a bottle... ...they call this a tweetle beetle bottle puddle paddle battle muddle.

Isn't this fun? 

This is among Dr. Seuss classic read-aloud series.

Children from 4 to 8 would love this! 

Fox in Socks is available at The Book Depository

Manners in the Lunchroom

Mr. Coleman's class heads to the lunchroom to eat. Leah and Carlos wait patiently in line.
Leah and Carlos are using good manners.

"May I please have some corn?" Alex asks the lunch servers.
He thanks her when she puts the corn on his tray.
He is using good manners.

Manners in the Lunchroom is a fantastic book with brilliant illustrations by Chris Lensch. The book is easy to read for the 5 years old, showing nine great practical examples of using good manners in the lunchroom. 

One of the page showing a girl enjoying lunch with her friend, it said:

Morgan takes a bite of her apple. 

She chews with her mouth closed. 

She waits to talk until she is finished chewing.

She is using good manners.

Both me and my girl laughed right away. She knows how many times I have told her to finish chewing with her mouth closed before she talks and this is now a good example for her to follow.

Then she asked, "Mommy, why this girl sitting on a wheelchair?"

I seized the opportunity to tell her it is common that some people might have difficulties walking, so they need help with a wheelchair.

She then pointed to children with different skin colors, why some have darker and some have fairer skin? 

So we talked about people in different races having different colors of skin tone and hair ... And this will be a fantastic opportunity for them to sharing amazing stories around the world.

Home is always the best school for teaching moral behaviors. 
You might want to refer to my older post on the book Words Are Not for Hurting, that's another great book on the must-read list.

Happy reading!

Manners in the Lunchroom is available at The Book Depository