Tag Archives: Craft

Dec13

Happy Holidays for Everyone (especially parents!)

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Here in Queensland, the independent schools broke up over a week ago and the state schools finished up last Friday. I can guarantee that there are already kids complaining about being bored!  Any of these will stop them in their tracks.

 

The Arty Book – Nikalas Catlow, David Sinden

artybook

Bloomsbury

September 2016

ISBN: 9781408870662

Imprint: Bloomsbury Activity Books

$16.99

When this first arrived in my pile of books I thought it would be a ‘how to’ book but in fact, it is a wonderfully interactive activity book for budding artists.

Each page has a minimal start to a new project for the reader. Whether this involves drawing, colouring, painting, applying tape or even leaves, the happy reader will spend hours creating their own take on the suggested idea.

A terrific holiday or rainy day book for anyone, this one is going to a very busy little seven year old.

 

The Anti-Boredom Christmas Book – Andy Seed

anti-boredom

Bloomsbury

December 2016

ISBN: 9781408870105

Imprint: Bloomsbury Childrens

RRP $12.99

Now this will really hit a high note with any child who needs something to while waiting for Santa to arrive.

Find out how to say snow in 16 different languages; discover who banned Christmas carols; act out your own wacky routine of the Twelve Days of Christmas… and much much more!

Chock-a-block with many funny and fantastic facts, quizzes, games and other activities, this will guarantee any frazzled parent some quiet time.

Some hilarious artwork [Scott Garrett] adds to the overall festive flavour.  Andy Seed has also published some other anti-boredom books which may well be worth adding to your collection for  moments of the inevitable “Mum, I’m bored” moments.

My Lovely Christmas Book

lovelyxmas

Bloomsbury

November 2016

ISBN: 9781408883679

Imprint: Bloomsbury Activity

RRP $11.99

And yet another great book from Bloomsbury Activity, this one is full of colourful pages for the owner to cut and create projects such as frames or pockets, spaces to doodle and diarise, write poems or lists, make Christmas tags and much more.

There are simple activities like ‘spot the difference’ or mazes as well as whole pages for writing ‘what I like to eat at Christmas’ or thank you letters.

A really lovely and pretty book with its scarlet cover and green edged pages not to mention the lovely silvery title and robins on the front cover!

 

 

Dec30

Minton Goes – Anna Feinberg/Kim Gamble

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minton

Allen & Unwin Australia

ISBN: 9781760111960

Australian Pub.:January 2015

RRP $19.99

Can you imagine my delight when, coming so soon after reviewing the latest Tashi book, I receive the complete series of Minton books in which to also revel?! Oh pure joy!

Many of you will be familiar with the clever little salamander, Minton, who first appeared in The Hottest Boy Who Ever Lived which of course is the first book in this compilation.  When Hector, the hottest boy, finds happiness at last in the frozen North, Minton returns to their sunny beach where he meets a friend and begins his own adventures. In each subsequent story, Minton becomes smitten with a different form of transport and using recycled materials builds his own (instructions for the reader’s own at the back). In my experience, kids around Year 2/3 love these stories and they are of course, so useful for supporting the ‘Transport’ unit in whichever form it takes, from a library perspective. Each week with Year 3 we would read another story, discuss other similar vehicles to that featured and in small groups, the children worked on their own design plans for a “Minton” style vehicle. All the while, bringing along hordes of recyclable materials for the grand building sessions at the end of term, after which the vehicles and designs went on display.

As Small and I were so absorbed with all our Christmas books up until a few days ago, I didn’t get a chance to start sharing this one but will be doing so on her next sleepover. She is going to love Minton (she has her own pet blue tongued lizard) and she will love the construction idea as well as she is always making things.

Despite being the 7 books in one volume, this is not too chunky for smaller hands – though chubby it is not tall and so a comfortable size. What a wonderful present for someone who is just about to leap into series!

Highly recommended for primary school libraries, readers and lizard lovers of all ages from around               6/7 years up!

Check out some handy teaching ideas here!

Dec1

Lulu Bell and the Christmas Elf – Belinda Murrell

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On the first day of Christmas, my true love brought to me………

Random House Australia

November 2014

RRP $12.99

ISBN 978857982254

lulubell

Look who’s back in town! Just in time for Christmas as well! Christmas in Australia – concerts, carols, cooking, cricket, crafts and community.

Lulu Bell and her family are preparing for Christmas along with their friends and neighbours. One really exciting event is the school concert and parents are busy making costumes and props with real community spirit. Lulu and her brother and sister help their mum to make and bake lovely gifts for the teachers and are planning their letters to Santa.

Amidst all the happy busyness there is some sadness though as Lulu’s friends, Olivia and Jo, have lost their cat and are completely distraught. It’s a dangerous world out there for a little cat on its own.

The real joy of the Lulu Bell books is the sense of love and warmth and strong community ties that binds the characters together and coupled with that is the opportunity for young readers to learn. In this case, something of Dutch customs and language (through Olivia and Jo’s family), the dangers of scrub ticks for domestic pets and ‘how to’ do things – in this book, making costumes, decorations and cooking delicious recipes.

Thankfully, there is a very happy resolution for all and the  Shelly Beach folk are able to celebrate their Christmas with true joy and gratitude.  This series is one of those endearing ones that will find favour over and over again.

This one is going straight to Small’s Christmas parcel so she can enjoy another adventure from the animal hospital and Lulu.

Highly recommended for young readers of around 6 years and up.

As a wonderful bonus, Lulu Bell’s bunting is attached here as a PDF or you might like to access the activities page here and visit the book’s page here.

Coming up very soon, a Q&A with the delightful Belinda Murrell – stay tuned for that one!

But I KNOW you want more! Thanks to wonderful Random House Australia, Just So Stories has THREE copies of Lulu Bell and The Christmas Elf to give away – so you can also give the joy of Lulu this Christmas (if only to yourself!). Winners will be selected by a Random Christmas elf ****(leave a comment on the post)**** – please supply an email address for contact so that your book can be posted you, in time for the reindeer to deliver.

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