WHY YOU SHOULD GET YOUR KIDS READING MORE

It is a tale as old as time. Parents would read to their children nightly without fail. Times have changed though. Once when children would have asked for a story and their favorite book to be read, they are now grabbing a console or binge watching their favorite films or YouTube channel. 

That isn’t to say that reading to your children doesn’t and shouldn't still be an important feature within their lives and why you shouldn’t encourage independent reading as they get older. There are many reasons for your children to read. Here are some of the main reasons. 

Sparks Creativity & Imagination 

Unlike their digital counterparts, books don’t come with moving and animated visual aids. Whether you choose a classic or have a design one and use a company for custom printing, it is down to your child to take the words and build that image up in their mind’s eye. 

The ability to use imagination is a skill that can be carried through into their later life. Nurturing and encouraging them to use their imagination can change their childhood and shape their passions as they grow. It is fair to say that it is imaginary and the ability to visualize a concept that has influenced the world as we know it. Classic stories that are known and loved, your favorite car to even the technologies that are available today all started off based on the imagination of an individual. 

Improves Language & Speech 

Reading or encouraging your child to read, introduces them to a wide range of different words, writing formats, and ways to articulate a point or message. Whether they’re reading a book on their favorite superhero, Encanto, or reading something new each book and tale will be written differently. They will learn new words and learn the definition of them in context. If you are reading to children it allows them also to hear how you are pronouncing words increasing their vocabulary. 

Opens Doors for Conversation 

Reading is a pastime that can be enjoyed by all. No matter your age, you can enjoy sitting together, reading a book, and hearing and marveling at how the tale unfolds. You can discuss the characters, talk about the plot. Speak about your favorite parts. Hear and discuss what you think will happen next. There is no limit surrounding the conversations that you can have together. 

Creates a Shared Bond 

You can never have enough ways to bond with your children. They don’t remain small for long and as they grow and develop their own interests and hobbies you can find yourself no longer being the center of their universe. But, when you create and build together a love of books and reading you will have created a bond that will last the test of time and one that even when they are grown adults and are no longer living at home with you, you can still talk about discuss, and enjoy together.

HarperCollins Middle-Grade Reads

 ** A Geek Daddy received the featured products for free to review **

My eight year old twins are at an age where they've moved beyond early reader books but aren't yet ready for adult novels yet.  They are reading  at what is called the Middle-Grade level.  These books are aimed at children 8 - 12 years old (Grades 2 - 5), often referred to as tweens, and include lots of illustrations to enhance the reading experience plus the subject matter is specifically written to cater to this age group.  Middle-Grade publications tend to be shorter than normal books, no more than 50,000 words (compared to 75,000+) and are not permitted to contain profanity, graphic violence or sexual situations. Our family is always on the look out for Middle-Grade Reads that will capture my kids attention.

HarperCollins kindly sent my kids complimentary editions of two recently published Middle-Grade books, OLGA AND THE SMELLY THING FROM NOWHERE by Elise Gravel and STICK CAT: A TAIL OF TWO KITTIES by Tom Watson, to check out.  My daughter and son haven't put these books down since we got them in the mail.  At the age when parents start get some friction from children about spending time reading, it has been great to see my kids immersing themselves in these middle-grade reads.

To share my kids enthusiasm for these books, A Geek Daddy has an OODLES OF DOODLES prize pack courtesy of HarperCollins to giveaway.  It includes copies of Stick Cat: A Tail of Two Kitties and Olga and the Smelly Thing from Nowhere, art prints from each of these book's creators, a notebook to doodle in, and a colored pencil set.

To be eligible to win complete the entries below before May 12, 2017 at 11:59pm.  Must be a U.S. resident over 18 years old to participate in this giveaway.  One winner will be randomly selected from all eligible entries.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My daughter LOVES this book! She says it is hilarious.  I am excited as a parent by this book because its been awhile since I've seen her as enamored with reading as she has been since getting her hands on OLGA AND THE SMELLY THINGS FROM NOWHERE.

In the story, Olga finds a creature in her garbage can one day and all it says is "MEH!"  It won't eat, it won't sleep, it snores, it stinks and Olga studies it like mad.  She adores it and eventually names it after herself --> an OLGAMUS.  A trip to the library reveals little, while a trip to the local grocery store proves successful when Olga discovers Meh's favorite food is olives!

Her adventures with Meh take place over a few days and during that time Olga's life is never dull.  Readers progress through Olga's journal as she reveals a great deal of information not only about herself, but also concerning everything from the scientific method to Jane Goodall.  She also documents her favorite odd creatures along with things like the ins and outs of friendships with entries that seem to have my daughter constantly chuckling.

The author, Elise Gravel, is an award winning author/illustrator from Quebec who is well known in Canada for her wacky picture books.  Having studied graphic design in college, Gravel has carried over a tendency to incorporate text here and there within her drawings in her career as a literary illustrator.  She is inspired by social causes and  you should be prepared to find a good dose of eccentricity within her work.
 


My son gravitated to STICK CAT: A TALE OF TWO KITTIES when these books arrived in the mail from HarperCollins.  He loves to draw and has been tirelessly working on sketches that replicate the artwork found in the book.  This book is heavily illustrated with young readers in mind making it a perfect fit for him.

In this story it's a big day in the big city for Stick Cat and his best friend Edith.  There are treasures to hunt, songs to sing, pigeons to catch, and naps to take.  But way up on the 23rd floor, danger lurks just around the corner.  Terrible noises and violent crashes trap a desperate man in the building across the alley.  Stick Cat will need to navigate his way across the alley -- an around Edith's peculiar ways -- to attempt a rescue.

The author,Tom Watson, lives in Chicago with his wife, daughter, and son. He is the author of the Stick Dog series and now is starting a Stick Cat series. This is the first book in that series. Tom does not have a cat. So his ideas for the Stick Cat series come from a whole different place. He’s not sure where that place is exactly, but he knows it’s kind of strange there. While he has your attention, Tom would like to make one thing perfectly clear: There are not going to be any other stick animal books. There won’t be a Stick Monkey, for instance. Or Stick Chicken (even though that’s fun to say) or even Stick Giraffe (even though that would be fun to draw). He’s having plenty of fun just with dogs and cats.



OLGA AND THE SMELLY THINGS FROM NOWHERE and STICK CAT: A TAIL OF TWO KITTIES are available to purchase at retailers now. For additional suggestions of Middle-Grade reading selections available from HarperCollins, please CLICK HERE.

HarperCollins Publishers is the second-largest consumer book publisher in the world.  Headquartered in New York City, it has publishing operations in 18 countries. This two hundred year old company  publishes approximately 10,000 new books every year in 17 languages, and has a print and digital catalog of more than 200,000 titles.

Disclaimer & Contest Rules: A Geek Daddy has not been financially compensated for this endorsement or hosting the giveaway but was provided the same items being provided as a prize for personal use. The prize is provided by HarperCollins and A Geek Daddy is hosting the promotion as a benefit to our readers. Must be a US resident over the age of 18 to participate. One entry per mailing address and winner will be randomly selected from all eligible entries. If you have already won this prize through another blog participating in this promotion, your entry will be disqualified if that prize has already been awarded by HarperCollins. By participating in this promotion you waive any liability of any kind against the publisher of this blog. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. No P.O. Boxes allowed for delivery of the prize. Must reply to notification email within 48 hours by providing requested contact information or else the prize will be forfeited and a new winner randomly selected. HarperCollins will be responsible for shipping the prize to the selected winner.

Enjoy a Super Summer of Reading

Don't let all the hard work the children in your life have put into reading over the previous school year stagnate during their summer recess warns Gabrielle Miller, the president and CEO of the non-profit organization Raising A Reader, which is dedicated to helping families develop, practice, and maintain literacy habits for children ages 0-8 that are critical for a child's success in school and life.  Miller notes that with no homework assignments from teachers many of the 50 million plus children that are on summer vacation will stop reading during this break from school impairing their learning abilities when they return in the fall.  She reached out to A Geek Daddy to help spread the message that parents need to incorporate books into summer vacation activities and establish regular reading routines for their children.

"Summer reading should be all about the parent-child experience," Miller communicated to A Geek Daddy. "Rather than having it be a chore, or a list of must-read books, summer is a terrific opportunity to build family reading experiences.  Whether it's as simple as reading with children so they can see how much adults love reading, or visiting places and doing activities tied to a book, there are a host of ways reading can help children enjoy the summer and be ready to start school in the fall."

Here are a  few Raising A Reader tips for parents on helping their children have a super summer of reading:

• Participate in a local public library summer reading program that will often provide fun educational activities during the break from school plus challenge kids to read in order to earn an invitation to a special event like a pizza party or other  rewards or prizes.  Many libraries across the United States participate in the Collaborative Summer Library Program which provides a uniform theme and resources for libraries to use to encourage kids to read.  This year's theme is Wellness, Fitness & Sports.  Check out what your local library has to offer kids to help keep them reading during the summer.




• Invite the family pet to join the book sharing experience. Even if your child can’t read yet, have her ‘read’ the story to you and the pet. Children who can read will be able to practice their skills and children who have not yet learned to read will begin to think of themselves as ‘readers’ which is very important to lifelong learning. 


• Find books that are centered on summer activities he or she enjoys. If your child likes to go horseback riding, for example, find books about horses or stories with horses as an integral part of the plot. This will give a child a welcome change from the types of books read during the school year and better complement their summer. 


• If you are taking a trip, read books about your destination with your child before you leave. Do some research with them on the location and find things in the area they want to do while visiting. And don’t forget to play “I Spy” with road signs or license plates along the way.


• Write a book with your child about them, your family, their favorite foods or toy, their friends or whatever interests them most. Your child can draw pictures or use actual photos. If you’re worried that your child spends too much time watching TV or playing video games, have him or her tell you or write a story about their favorite TV show or video game. You can also use one of many templates available to create and print the book on your computer.


• Create an outdoor reading area so the whole family can enjoy the summer weather and not feel stuck inside. Children generally read indoors, so being outdoors will create a new environment for enjoying a book and boost a child’s enthusiasm for reading. 


• Let your child choose. Books are great, but so are comic books, magazines and even educational websites such as National Geographic Kids. Let them chase their interests and they’ll be reading more than they realize.

My kids love super heroes so we're encouraging them to enjoy a super summer of reading with DC Super Heroes books from Capstone Publishing, which specialized in children's books and digital products specializing in the educational market serving class rooms, libraries and parents looking for good materials for their children to read.  Capstone Publishing has a wide range of DC Super Heroes books to choose from suitable for all ranges of children to enjoy from those in their preschool years having mom or dad read to them to elementary school students just learning to read on their own to teens who are looking for something interesting to read during their high school years. They generously sent A Geek Daddy a free sample of the books in their super hero collection perfectly matched to my kids reading level to help keep my 7 year old twins reading over the summer months.  Easy to read Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman stories written for a children's elementary school aged audience will keep my kids interested in flipping through books all summer long.  My kids also just discovered through these book Capstone Publishing sent us the world of the DC Super-Pets which is a line of books featuring stories about the unique animal companions to the super heroes and villains of the DC Comic book universe.  My kids have fallen in love with the DC Super Pets collection!

My twins also are participating in our local public library's summer program to help keep them reading during their break from school.  Each week they are provided a list of challenges involving reading books and educational activities that if are completed allow them to grab something from a treasure chest of prizes.  Also throughout the summer they'll have the opportunity to spend some time visiting the library and reading to a therapy dog in training.  They are both excited to share their new DC Super Pets books with the therapy dog when they have a chance to read to it this summer.  At the end of summer there is a party for all the kids who participated that includes a magic show and Kohl's department store provides all the children with Kohl's Cares stuffed animals and books as a reward.  Have you checked out what types of summer activities your community public library has to offer?

For more information about all the wonderful books that Capstone Publishing has available for young readers, visit CapstoneKids.com.  Parents can be super heroes by ensuring their children read over the summer.  I hope all of our A Geek Daddy readers have a super summer of reading!

PAPERCUTZ publishing graphic novel tie-in to DreamWorks Animations TROLLS movie

Our family really enjoys the children's focused comic books and graphic novels created by Papercutz, so we were excited to hear the publisher is going to be producing an ongoing series of graphic novel tie-ins to DreamWorks Animation's feature film Trolls.  Papercutz's first Trolls graphic novel "Hugs and Friends" which will arrive at bookstores on September 27, 2016 is meant to serve as an introduction to the upcoming animated film that will be released at theaters across the United States on November 4th.  Subsequent graphic novels are planned to expand upon the Trolls story following the movie's release.

From the creators of Shrek comes the most smart, funny and irreverent animated comedy of the year, DreamWorks’ Trolls.  This holiday season, enter a colorful, wondrous world populated by hilariously unforgettable characters and discover the story of the overly optimistic Trolls, with a constant song on their lips, and the comically pessimistic Bergens, who are only happy when they have trolls in their stomach.



Papercutz’s “Hugs & Friends” sets the stage for the movie adventure by asking important questions like Who are the Trolls? Who are the Bergens? Why is there one Troll who isn’t happy like all the other Trolls? And why does this Troll know more about the Bergens than any other Troll?  The answers to these questions appear with "Hugs & Friends" Trolls Volume 1 on September 27th.

"Hugs and Friends" is just the start though notes Papercutz Editor-in-Chief Jim Salcrup.  "While our first graphic novel features the main characters from the film, later volumes will focus on the supporting players of the Trolls world as well," Salcrup mentioned to A Geek Daddy.  "With such a fully developed world being created by the DreamWorks team, we anticipate entertaining fans and telling Trolls stories for a very long time!"

The Super Duper Princess Heroes

** A Geek Daddy received the featured product for free **

The SUPER DUPER PRINCESS Heroes - How It All Started is a whimsical fairy tale by Sanjay Nambiar that is a perfect bedtime story for little girls who love dressing up as princesses and dreaming about having superhero adventures.  This book is filled with colorful illustrations and contains a story that promotes the concepts of responsibility, humility and teamwork. It also conveys to young girls that they can enjoy the princess aesthetic of wearing fancy gowns and glittering jewelry while also picturing themselves as the hero who saves the day rather than being the damsel in distress as ladies often tend to be portrayed in fairy tales and superhero adventures.

The story begins with Kinney, Oceana and Sammie playing in the woods when they encounter the Fairy Teacher Mother Superstar Queen, also known as Betty.  She empowers the girls with super abilities and provides them with beautifully colored princess gowns that look like "a rainbow of awesomeness" transforming them into The SUPER DUPER PRINCESS Heroes.  Kinney is given the ability to run as fast as the wind; Sammie receives super strength; and Oceana can now soar through the sky with the power of flight.

To maintain their new found magical powers there are some strings attached by the Fairy Teacher Mother Superstar Queen. The girls must agree to always be willing to help others in need, work together as a team, and be humble about their special abilities.  If they don't abide by these rules than the magical tiaras that provide the girls with their wonderful princess gowns and incredible special talents will lose their ability to empower The SUPER DUPER PRINCESS Heroes.

Just then The SUPER DUPER PRINCESS Heroes hear a cry for help!  It is a young boy who is a prince from a neighboring kingdom.  These three damsels need to rescue the prince in distress to save the day!  Working together The SUPER DUPER PRINCESS Heroes rescue the prince demonstrating that girls can enjoy cute things and that doesn't preclude them from being the heroes in a story, or life itself, that make a positive difference in the world.

For more information about this author and these characters, please visit SuperDuperPrincessHeroes.com. This website also provides links to resources for parents that promote the topic of "Girl Power" and information about the next book in The Super Duper Princess Heroes series that will be promoting the theme of social good through a partnership with World Children's Initiative (WCI).  Profits from this upcoming book "The Gift of Gift" will be shared by the publisher with WCI.  Keep an eye out for this next edition to The SUPER DUPER Princess Heroes saga.  The SUPER DUPER PRINCESS Heroes - How It All Started is available to purchase from Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

CHARLOTTE'S LITTER

Last year my kids participated in a summer program at our local library that included having them read each week to therapy dogs in training to help prepare these animals for interacting with people.  Therapy dogs utilize the special bond that exists between humans and canines to provide affection and comfort to people in disaster areas, hospitals and nursing homes.  Therapy dogs can also be used by people with autism to help them connect with the environment around them.  While working with the therapy dogs seemed like a nice enough project and helped get my kids excited about reading, I truly didn't grasp the impact these companions can have on someone's life until CHARLOTTE'S LITTER reached out to A Geek Daddy to share their story and provide us the two books they've recently published Good Dogs, Great Listeners: The Story of Charlotte, Lily and the Litter and The Dogs of Newton.

Society tells our kids that scary creatures such as the bogeyman lurking under their bed or beasts hiding in the closet are fairy tales and that monsters don't actually exist in our world.  Unfortunately, if you tune into the evening television news broadcast on any given day in any given city it is unmistakable to see that we live in a violent world that truly does have monsters in it.  December 14, 2012 was an average day for the Bacon family as they sent their bubbly and inquisitive 6 year old daughter Charlotte to her Kindergarten class.  A few hours later the family's reality was forever irreversibly altered by the unimaginable horrific news of an attack by a monster.  Charlotte along with 19 other six and seven year old children at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Connecticut had been murdered by a deranged man who had invaded the building.

Following the tragedy, therapy dogs were brought into the school helping comfort Sandy Hook's grieving children, one of those being Charlotte's older brother, Guy.  Students read to them, petted them and spoke to these dogs providing a calming presence for both children and teachers.  The wonderful influence of these animals inspired Charlotte's mom, JoAnn, and dad, Joel, because their little girl had a passionate love for animals, especially her dog Lily, to do something to create some positivity from this tragedy and keep their daughter's spirit alive through helping others.  The Bacon's created CHARLOTTE'S LITTER to advocate for and support appropriate therapy dog programs in educational settings. 

"We grieve every day for our beautiful, spirited Charlotte, and we'll grieve every day hereafter," JoAnn Bacon communicated to A Geek Daddy. "Our advocacy work and our books are an outlet for our grief.  It brings us closer to our little girl and allows us to honor her.  We also hope that, through it, we can offer resources, help and hope to other families."

CHARLOTTE'S LITTER promotes the use of therapy dogs to aid in both children's literacy, as well as emotional support.  The group provides programs and resources to support parents, educators and dog handlers in maximizing the educational and healing potential of therapy dogs. In addition to the services provided by CHARLOTTE'S LITTER, two books have been published to provide information about the wonders of therapy dogs:  Good Dogs, Great Listeners: The Story of Charlotte, Lily and the Litter and The Dogs of Newton.

Good Dogs, Great Listeners: The Story of Charlotte, Lily and the Litter was written with the help of award-winning author Renata Bowers is a children's book based upon Charlotte Bacon's actual life and adventures with true-to-life illustrations by Michael Chesworth.  The book doesn't reflect upon Charlotte's tragic death but rather honors her life through providing a touching message to its readers.  It focuses on a little girl's curiosity and lively imagination which leads her to have some fun adventures with her faithful companion, a dog named Lily, and a faithful litter of stuffed animals but also gets them into a bit of trouble sometimes too.

One day while Charlotte was practicing Tae Kwon Do and jumping around on the her bed with Lily, the dog accidentally fell to the ground and wouldn't get up off the floor.  The family rushes Lily to the veterinarian to discover the dog has broken her leg.  She'd be alright but needed to be immobilized for awhile to heal up.

While the dog is healing and can't play, Charlotte reads to Lily every day.  Through this experience Charlotte discovers a love for reading to and alongside her most beloved companions.  Even after Lily healed up, Charlotte continued to always make time to read almost every day to the dog and the litter of stuffed animals that always accompanied the two of them on their adventures.

With its great illustrations and entertaining story about friendship and kindness that also provides a nice educational message about the value of reading, I've enjoyed sharing this book with my own children.  As early readers themselves, my kids have appreciated that in addition to dad reading it to them as a bed time story the book is also written at a level that they can read through on their own.  My seven year old twins also appreciate the book revolves around a girl who is about the same age as themselves and shares their vivid imaginations and love of animals.  To show children that the book is about a real life girl and her pet, the inside cover includes a hand print and paw print from Charlotte and Lily so that they can continue to leave a mark on the world through the publication of this book.  I found that to be a very emotional tribute to a girl who dreamed of growing up and getting a job like being a veterinarian where she could help others.  While Charlotte sadly won't have the opportunity to grow up beyond the little girl portrayed in this story hopefully this book will fulfill her dream of her life contributing to help others.

CHARLOTTE'S LITTER has also published a book written by Charlotte's brother Guy titled The Dogs of Newton.  In the book, Guy Bacon introduces its readers to the therapy dogs that visited and helped him along with the students, teachers, families, and community of Newton cope with the lives lost at Sandy Hook.  The Dogs of Newton provides an overview of the unique personalities and attributes of each of these therapy dogs and discusses the impact each of these animals had on the lives of the people they interacted with.

The other day our family had one of those days where my kids were fighting among themselves and screwing around all morning causing me to loose my temper yelling at them as we rushed out the door trying to get to school on time.  As I drove them to their school which is a few miles from our house, which is an everyday routine of mine before heading to work, Charlotte and her classmates at Sandy Hook Elementary School came to mind.  I thought how horrible it must be to have seen your kids head off to school and that being your last interaction ever with them wondering if anyone had been scolding or arguing with their child in those last moments.  So I parked the car a few blocks away from school and we walked the rest of the way talking about their plans for the day ranging from who they were going to eat lunch with to them practicing a song for their upcoming music class.  We left each other at the entrance to school with all three of us having big smiles on our face.  Both of my kids went into the building than came rushing back out to give me a big hug before going back into class for the rest of the day.  Then I took a detour on my way to work stopping by our local library to see if they were going to be doing the therapy dog reading program again this summer.  Sign us up I said!

For more information on these books, please visit www.gooddogsgreatlisteners.com.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KiDS: You Read - I Read Books

If you have a beginner reader at home, I'd recommend picking up the new "You Read - I Read" books from NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KiDS.  These soft cover books filled with great photos of wild life and natural settings take a co-read approach that encourages parents and children to explore reading together.  These books are setup so "you" the parent reads a page followed by "I" the child reading the next.  Reading through these books together provides a sense of working together in developing a child's reading abilities rather than him or her just listening to you read or your sitting back monitoring a child's independent reading.  My kids often whine about a book being too long or too hard when they are supposed to be doing their twenty to thirty minutes of reading homework each night.  By partnering with my kids in reading these books I found them more confident to delving into the pages and more open to asking for help with pronouncing or understanding a difficult word.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KiDS currently has two Level 1 "You Read - I Read" books available for kids who are just beginning to read on their own.  Day and Night explores how as the sun rises and falls its impact on animals, fish and plants in the environment.  Follow Me! Animal Parents and Babies shows how even animals in the wild need to learn lessons from their parents when it comes to surviving in the world. Both of these books are filled with wonderful photography that enhances the reading experience and helps maintain the interest and attention of young readers.

On each page of these books is a bolded word that is meant to be a point of focus for helping a child build their vocabulary.  For every two pages the same word will be bolded on both the "You Read" and "I Read" pages.  All of the bolded words in each chapter of a book will have a similar theme.  For example in Day and Night all of the bolded words in Chapter 1 relate to times of day while in Chapter 4 they are all action words. Parents are encouraged to engaged in an expanded discussion at the end of each chapter on how each of the bolded words relate to one another and to the topic of the chapter.  At the end of each chapter there is also an activity to do together that reinforces that chapter's educational message. For instance in Chapter 3 of Follow Me! Animal Parents and Babies readers match pictures of animals, birds and fish to photos of their homes.  I really appreciated how these books expanded beyond just being an exercise in reading to provide an enhanced educational experience.

With photographs and interesting trivia that will capture a child's attention and educational elements that will enhance  children's reading and vocabulary skills, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KiDS "You Read - I Read" books get A Geek Daddy's nod of approval.

To help you sustain your child's excitement about reading after going through the "You Read - I Read" books together, I'd recommend enrolling in the free NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KiDS SUPER READER program.  Parents can download and print out a poster based upon a child's reading level that is filled with images of appropriate National Geographic children's book that are available at book stores or public libraries.  As kids read these books the images can be checked off the poster to earn specially designated prizes like stickers, bookmarks and fun fact cards. The SUPER READERS website also includes free learning activities, educational games and other fun stuff!



A Geek Daddy is a member of the National Geographic Kids Insider blogger program.  Insiders get a behind-the-scenes look at National Geographic’s resources, activities, content and projects for kids and families. They also review copies of books, magazines and toys, and are offered interviews with authors, explorers and editors. I do not receive any financial compensation for my participation as a National Geographic Kids Insider.

Enhance your child's grasp of math concepts by reading a story book

** A Geek Daddy received the featured products for free**

March is National Reading Month and my children's school has been very active in having the students doing a bunch of literary themed projects throughout it.  One of the projects assigned to our kids first grade class was doing a book report.  Another activity involved my wife surprising my daughter's class and me my son's as "mystery guests" to read the selections our kids did their book reports on to all the students one afternoon.  We decided to take advantage of this assignment to work with our children on both advancing their reading skills and reinforcing their grasp of mathematical concepts at the same time be selecting the story books Peg + Cat: The Pizza Problem and Absolutely One Thing.  Both our twins and their classmates were very attentive and interested in these math themed stories and since many kids find that a boring and tedious topic that earns each of these books A Geek Daddy nod of approval.

Peg + Cat: The Pizza Problem is an illustrated adaption of an episode from the Emmy award winning PBS television series Peg + Cat.  Recommended for children 3 - 8, the hard cover story book is written and illustrated by the TV series creators Jennifer Oxley and Billy Aronson.  The book is full of drawings of characters that children will recognize from the popular TV series.  Utilize these activity sheets based upon the story in the book to have a child help Peg + Cat solve their pizza problem.


In Peg + Cat: The Pizza Problem it is lunchtime at Peg’s Pizza Place! Peg and Cat are excited to take their first order — from the Teens! — only to learn that some of their customers want a whole pizza while one of them wants half a pie. How can Peg and Cat make half a pie when they don’t know what half is? Luckily, Ramone and Mac are there to help, with a slice up the middle of the pizza. As more customers come in, things get entertaining, with Peg singing a jazzy song and Cat doing a dance. But soon there’s another problem: four orders, but only two and a half pizzas left. Peg is totally freaking out — until Cat reminds her that when it comes to halves and wholes, it’s all in how you slice it.

Some of the nice touches to Peg + Cat: The Pizza Problem include a book jacket that when flipped over contains the same activity sheets I've embedded above, a ruler imprinted on the front and back covers showing the height of the book's pages, the use of shapes to demonstrate proportions, and how the page numbers are a tally that can be added up continuously through the book.  While my children were at the upper end of the age recommendation for this book it was nice they could read it on their own and it had a message that reinforced their math knowledge.  Plus when we read it to their classes all the students were entertained and got a positive educational message from the story.

The other mathematically themed story book we explored was Absolutely One Thing.  Written and illustrated by Lauren Child this hard cover story book is recommended for children aged 4 - 8 years old.  This book demonstrates that while numbers can appear overwhelming or confusing they don't have to be and can actually be rather simple to understand based upon how you approach them.

Absolutely One Thing is the story of how Mom takes Charlie and Lola to the store and as a treat lets them choose one thing to buy.“One thing to share?” Lola asks. No, it’s one thing each, explains Charlie, or two actual things between two. Lola is nine minutes late getting ready, and on the way, there are ladybugs and birds to count and maybe a squillion leaves on a tree. At the store, Lola says she’ll choose things, or possibly two. “How about no things?” asks Mom. With Lola hilariously bending everyday numbers to her will, the math goes down easy in this charming picture book loaded with visual appeal.

I liked how the book presents numbers so they appear cluttered on some pages which is a nice reflection on how some people look at math problems and become confused, overwhelmed or turned off at first glance but as a reader works through a page they realize that these numbers aren't really that difficult to understand or relate to.  Absolutely One Thing forces readers to delve into its pages and for that they are rewarded with an amusing story.  The structure of the book's layout in telling the story demonstrates that while something may look difficult to grasp at first glance when you take the time to read through something it really isn't that hard to understand after all.  For kids that may be intimidated by the format of math this book provides a positive message through its story telling approach teaching that just because something may have a confusing appearance to it doesn't mean it will be difficult to understand if you put in some effort.  The book does a nice job of addressing topics such as numerical order, addition, subtraction and multiplication.

As a parent who has children that often don't have a good grasp on the value of time, it was also appreciated how Absolutely One Thing discusses the topic including how to read a watch and not being late because it impact things when you need to be someplace. I also learned something new in reading the book - squillion is a real word.  Squillion = an extremely large but unspecified number, quantity or amount.

If you missed out incorporating math into a child's lessons for National Reading Month assignment guess what? You have a second chance! April is National Mathematics Awareness Month which provides another opportunity to combine reading and math through books like these.  For tweens and teens you may also want to take a look at Cy Tymony's "Sneaky Math -- A Graphic Primer with Projects" that A Geek Daddy highlighted on Pi Day to help kids with Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry and Calculus through practical activities and tips.

Children's Book Week: May 4 - 10, 2015

It is Children's Book Week, a time to encourage the joy of reading with young people plus celebrate children's books and the authors that write them.  Administered by Every Child A Reader and sponsored by The Children's Book Council, commemorative events are being held across the United States from May 4 - 10, 2015 at schools, libraries, bookstores, homes - wherever young readers and books connect!  CLICK HERE for a list of some of the official events taking place across the country plus check with your local schools and libraries to see if they are doing anything special this week.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a divison of the U.S. Department of Education1, children who are read to at home enjoy a substantial advantage over children who are not.  Reading to kids at a young age helps build basic speech skills, cognitive thinking, imagination, and an appreciation for wanting to read for fun on their own.  The U.S. Department of Education has found a correlation between the more students read on their own time and enjoy reading for fun the higher their overall school scores will be - so getting kids interested in reading early and often is important.  We've placed an emphasis on every day reading to our children since they were toddlers and have really tried to develop their having an interest in reading in ways that demonstrate education and entertainment don't have to be mutually exclusive.  In recognition of Children's Book Week, here are a list of some of our family's favorite children's books:

Disney Fairies 

My daughter loves the Disney Fairies movies that feature the adventures of Tinker Bell and her fairy friends, but we don't want her watching these videos on television or the family's ipad all the time.  A great solution has been Papercutz's series of graphic novels the explore the magical world of Pixie Hollow.  These books provide great illustrations that provide her an appreciation for artwork and entice her interest in reading.

"Comics are a gateway drug to literacy" cartoonist Art Spiegelman once said.  Whether it is going to Free Comic Book Day or having a collection of Papercutz graphic novels on our book shelves, we've embraced comics as a way to highlight that reading is fun with our children.  We want our kids to be interested in reading not because their parents tell them to be but because they want to read.

Bedtime Math

Math can be a daunting topic for many, including myself, that can be intimidating and frustrating if you let it.  Bedtime Math provides riddles that eliminate the stigma making the subject fun and encouraging kids to associate math with solving interesting puzzles rather than a boring task they have to do for school.

Have You Seen My Dragon?

Join a small boy through his adventure in the big city looking for his friend the Dragon.  As you explore the book there are various objects that you are asked to find along the journey that help children develop their counting skills. Download this free activity kit from the book's publisher for some extra educational connections for your child.

Dr. Seuss's ABC

I read this book every day to my children for two years straight when they were preschoolers and by the time they started Kindergarten not only had they memorized their ABCs but also the script of the book which they could recite back to me verbatim from memory before even being able to read.  Now as early readers, knowing the story really has helped using the book to reinforce sight words and build their confidence in reading.  ABCs with is zany cast of characters that include a lazy lion licking a lollipop and an ostrich oiling an orange owl is a great addition to any young child's book collection.

If You Give A Mouse a Cookie 

The fun illustrations and amusing story in this book make it a quick read that helps develop an appreciation of literature with children.  My kids always love flipping through this book and when I'm stretched for time this book is easy to get a bed time story read in a short amount of time. Check out this preview:

 

These are just a few of the many children's books our family enjoys.  What are some of the ones your family enjoys or you may have loved yourself as a kid?