Childrens Days Books

Great book to help teach Biblical history. The choices in this are seem so few, as if the world is denying the existence of the Hebrew people. (Imagine that.) Wonderful activities that allow children to see basic concepts of life in early history. Also helpful for teaching life in iron age/bronze age culture for the non-religious. My children enjoyed stomping in clay to make bricks and a least one of them enjoyed the lentil stew. I highly recommend adding this to your curriculum.

My kids have really enjoyed using this book to supplement their unit on ancient Eygypt and Old Testament studies. It appeals to my first, third and fifth grade children, and many of the activities are such that they can open up the book and do the projects themselves - start to finish. I also like that it has a page or so of historical information to give some context and/or background to the projects. This is easy and fun for the kids to read on their own, but also great for me to share with them in a group setting. An excellent choice for homeschooling, or for just doing home Bible learning with your kids (like family devotions). Great for Sunday schools too.

We are using this book during our study of Ancient History. It is really wonderful to be able to help our childen understand the Sumerian or Egyptian culture by having our children create a clay tablet with cuneiform writing or by making a wooden "paddle doll" as the Egyptian children may have done. We have eaten meals that the Hebrews may have eaten in the desert, and will be making a bee hive that is based on one they may have used. Our kids love the projects in this book. The projects are easy enough for very young children to do, and most can be done with materials you have around the house, or could be purchased easily and inexpensively. The text is very informative, too, and can be used as a read-aloud with younger children in order to throw a little more light on the culture of the peoples we are studying.

This is a great resource. Although billed as Old Testament Days there are activities in here that would appeal to teachers who are not teaching 'old testament times' but teaching about that period of time. There are crafts for Egypt for example. Very fun and very easy crafts and information.

This is a fantastic resource for use with children. This resource helps children learn realities about life during bible times. It also has a wide variety of activities, not just the same activity done different ways. The activities take some time and may be a little messy but they are excellent for involvement and for learning.

My daughter is 3 and has loved this book for about a year now. It's simple but captivating. The artist had the right idea when creating this book. This is one of my daughter's favorites.

I loved this book. I am always looking for good literature with African American children as characters. This one fits the bill. The story was well written and my class enjoyed listening to it.

I found this book to be a rich source for lessons, especially for kindergarten and first grade. Colorful pictures, interesting vocabulary, with a slight urban flair that my students in the Bronx can relate to. A must have for any elementary classroom library (along with her other books and her father's books)!

If you have ever experienced a day in the city as the title suggests, then you can relate to this fine children's book. If you have not experienced such a day, then this is the book for you.

Children will love the artful collages, intermingled with the little girl character, and the prose is enough to keep their young minds stimulated.

"One Hot Summer Day" is the stuff that makes the blistering days tolerable and entertaining.

I loved Nina Crews' collage artwork depicting the hotness of summer in the city. The images were incredibly colorful and I wanted to explore all the details in the pictures. The little girl in purple whom the author used as the subject is absolutely adodrable! Her smile just lights you up and you can just imagine all the fun she is having.

Nina lets the reader experience many emotions while reading this book! One cannot help it!

This is a delightful book for pre-schoolers and a first grader could read this with maybe a tad bit of help with some of the words.

This mother thoroughly recommends this book for your pre-schoolers!

This book was such an inspiration to me and such a blessing! Dorcas writes from the standpoint of a wife and mother and it was an incredibly refreshing read!

I was given this book from my sister-in-law and she did not have any idea of the impact it would have on me. I was in the family at one time and had met Dorcus before briefly. I am from Oregon and it was a blessing to be able to go with her to every spot in Oregon that she went and where she lives. She mentions family that I am related to by marriage so could relate to the characters. I expecially enjoyed relating to her telling about the lessons she learned through her family and the feelings that she shared about the frustrations of raising them, both the children and in her marriage. I find her very real, gentle and loving and giving to her family. It is not action packed but tells of our own ordinary days and how important they are. Thank you Dorcus!

Loved it! A peek into a 'normal' family life in America, full of love, laughter and trouble. Smucker portrays her family in a real way, not too perfect, just right. A must read for the winter days when it's too cold to go outside and the couch is calling.

I love reading about the Amish and Mennonite people and this book is a wonderful read. Dorcus Smucker takes each chapter of her book and writes about family, friends, home, etc. Reading this book makes me wish I could live in the country.

Many things we may or may not take for granted--wall-papering with a spouse, a family cross-country trip, teaching a teen-aged son to drive--Dorcas Smucker highlights in her tender, yet straightforward prose.

Though Ordinary Days isn't chronologically organized, I found I liked the categories Smucker uses to group her short tales: Family; Seasons; Relatives; Places; Lessons. The last grouping held my favorites, with the final chapter providing drama and a great resolution.

Never preachy, endearingly humble, Smucker lets her faith shine behind her writing, a skill that's served her well through years of writing a column for my local newspaper. We need more honest, humorous people of faith like Dorcas contributing to media everywhere.

My daughter used to read this before leaving for school, and upon return, as if comparing notes with Otto's experience; now she reads it to her little brother. Of course we love Parr's colorful pictures and silly/funny narratives... we have almost all his books.

This book is a great book for young children about to start school. As usual, Todd Parr does a wonderful job of talking about feelings and the artwork is colorful and makes children and grownups laugh.

My daughter (who usually hates dogs!) begged for this book after she fell in love with Otto Goes to Bed. Now her little sister loves Otto too!

My son loves all the "Otto" books! This was no exception. The pictures are super - bright and cheery. The story is silly and fun. It was a great way to prepare him for his first day of "real school". I think he was relieved to know it's normal to be a little nervous!

My son absolutely loves these books. They're well illustrated and the perfect reading length for a 2-ish toddler.

Great book. A must read for all parents. One of the best parenting books out there. It is a short, quick read. Definitely worth the time and cost.

Every parent needs to read this. When you apply the principles in this book you can almost immediately see the difference in your home. One thing I like about this book is it's short. He doesn't fill the pages with needless stuff that prove how smart he is, and he doesn't talk in that way either. It's very easy to read and very easy to understand and apply the principles. Wonderful book!

I am a mom of 8 children under the age of 12. This book is the best parenting book I have ever read. I love reading about this topic, but have felt frustrated in the past as I still make mistakes even after reading a good parenting book. While I am still not perfect, of course, it has made a drastic change in the atmosphere of our home. It is so clear & concise, and it really does help you "make a difference in a day". I will recommend this to all my friends and family.

This is such a great book. If everyone would parent the way that was taught in this book the world would be such a great place. The things that Dr. Latham teaches are amazing and they work like magic with my five children!!! I would highly recomment this book

Having studied with Glenn Latham in person, and read other of his books, this book was mostly a summary of his other lengthier books. Its value lies precisely in its conciseness. For me it acts as a quick reference into positive reinforcement.

Raising children is a challenging task, probably the most challenging I've ever encountered. It is daunting to think of the consequences of how you raise your children. It is also extremely rewarding and fulfilling.

This book will help in raising children with love, giving you extra knowledge to understand why they react the way they do, how you may be contributing to bad behavior by reinforcing it (perhaps unknowingly), and why and how to reinforce good behavior instead.

If you're new to positive reinforcement, I would start with one of the other Latham books, such as The Power of Positive Parenting. Highly recommended.

Susanna Leonard Hill's Punxsutawney Phyllis tells of a groundhog who is not like others: she loves to splash in the cold river and tromp through the snow, and is happy year-round. This Feb. 2nd she's excited about a possible early Spring - but can she awaken old Uncle Phil to make his official Groundhog Day prediction? Jeffrey Ebbeler's whimsical color drawings lend to an inviting story.

Susanna Leonard Hill's Punxsutawney Phyllis tells of a groundhog who is not like others: she loves to splash in the cold river and tromp through the snow, and is happy year-round. This Feb. 2nd she's excited about a possible early Spring - but can she awaken old Uncle Phil to make his official Groundhog Day prediction? Jeffrey Ebbeler's whimsical color drawings lend to an inviting story.

I enjoyed the storyline very much, it's great for little girls. Encouraging for big girls too.
The artwork was a joy: creative, subtle and endearing. I particularly enjoyed Phyllis's Titanic pose in the midst of the spring zephyr. I bought five copies as gifts and one to keep.

Young Phyllis the groundhog has a goal: she wants to be the next Punxsutawney Phil, the weather-forecasting groundhog who determines whether or not Spring is on its way. She's been told that no female has ever had that role, and that fact doesn't faze her in the least. She loves the outdoors, and she's got a real talent for reading the signs of Spring. When her Uncle Phil doesn't quite make the right call on Groundhog Day, Phyllis proves to him that she's got what it takes. He officially names her his successor.

This is by far the best Groundhog Day picture book I've seen. The author and illustrator stay true to the facts and give us a beautiful storyline and amusing drawings to go with it. The final page of the book explains the Groundhog Day tradition. Other reviewers see in these pages a message of empowerment for girls; I see an inspiration to youngsters of both sexes to be true to their convictions and talents. And if they have the right stuff, they can succeed at anything.

See my Listmania list for other Groundhog Day recommendations.

This story is not only charming, but it sends the message that a girl can be anything she wants to be if she only believes in herself. As a mother of two young girls, I am always searching for a book that has this message - and the author does it so beautifully here. My four year old asks for this book to be read several times over each time we read it, which is always a sign that the text is lively and fun. But for me, it is the fact that the main character's wit, perceptions, and trust in her own instincts are the things that lead to her achievements that is the real measure of success in this book. I highly recommend it to all girls.

Bought 3 copies for my granddaughters for Christmas, they will love it as much as I do!

Very nice, I shared it with granddaughter so she may get b'into' quilts. Thanks so much!

I've used this book in my fifth grade classroom for many years--and for quilt ideas at home. I'm purchasing another copy for a friend who is just starting her career as an art teacher--and she is also an avid quilter! Projects are great and can be adapted for every age level--highly recommended!

I bought this book for my 1st grader who is starting to quilt. It has a nice, very basic history of the westward movement & how quilts tied in with it & were used at the time. The craft projects in the book are very nice, & would make nice small gifts for children to give whether or not they have any acess to sewing equipment. They may also inspire interest in starting to quilt in some, and the squares shown are a nice selection of begining squares to choose from for a child to make their own first sampler.

Overall excellent & a great book for hopefully starting younger kids on a a folk art form we don't want to lose. My daughter is very excited that something she does was done by the pioneers & that she can do it herself, just like them.

(A nice aside is that the book also points out that kids actually had to do chores & lots of them back then, rather than park it in front of the TV all the time-doesn't make what I ask seem so bad by comparison :)).

I was asked to present a quilting demonstration for 144 4th graders during their "Pioneer Day" study. As references I secured several books, magazines, articles, etc. The Quilt Block History of Pioneer Days was by far the best. The projects outlined in the book for children to do corresponding with the story were easy to do and could really help today's child relate to life in pioneer times.

I would recommend this book for anyone interested in quilting history, but especially for adults working with children.

Rivka's First Thanksgiving explains in moving detail why Jews have special reasons to be thankful for the freedom and safety we have found in the U.S. Parents and teachers should review the Yiddish vocabulary (found in a glossary in the back) before reading to children. I recommend this book for classroom reading and discussions at home, with an ideal audience of 4th through 6th graders. Younger children will have difficulty with the wordy text and the mentions of disturbing events (like pogroms) from Jewish history. It also depicts some aspects of traditional Jewish life (such as a rebbetzin who covers her hair with a wig and batei-dinin--rabbinic courts) with which many children will be unfamiliar. I have had particular success with this book in discussing with my 6th-grade students (who still get excited by a good picture book) how Thanksgiving is unlike other "American" holidays (like New Year's, Halloween, etc.) and merits Jewish communal celebrations as well as celebrations at home.

Hear an interview with Rivka's First Thanksgiving illustrator Maryann Kovalski on The Book of Life podcast's Thanksgiving Special episode (November 2007) at www.bookoflifepodcast.com!

Elsa Rael's book fills a truly needed place in American-Jewish children's literature and children's literature on the whole. The story of a clear headed and plunky little girl who mounts up steep wood tenement steps to confront first one austere little rabbi in his book-filled room to a whole roomful of them to explain why Jews should celebrate Christmas is wonderful! The Lower East Side is everyone's heritage, and Ms. Rael and her magical illustrator bring it to life. You see the world of the 1930's through the eyes of a child. Original and heartwarming.

In rich and spirited prose, accompanied by warmly rendered illustrations, Rivka's First Thanksgiving captures the texture and cadence of early 20th century Jewish immigrant life in New York City. The story teaches children the importance of old traditions, as well as the necessity for creating new ones. The reader can almost smell the turkey -- and the challah!

The recent political atmosphere makes this book even more profoundly important. Children see the need and are starving to understand each other's cultures. I read it to my 11-yr and 13-yr. Puerto Rican - American born niece & nephew a couple of days before Thanksgiving, wondering if they'd be too old & too sophisticated to enjoy it, (they are Harry Potter fans.) This book both empowered them and satisfied their need to more fully understand how children from a different culture (Jewish) relate to "Thanksgiving." It 's apparent that we've gotton away from the roots of this American holiday and that "Thanksgiving" had never clicked in their heads. It helped them to understand why people from other countries still come to America today. My "kids" strongly identifed with "Rivka's" courage to stand up for her own point of view . They were thoroughy engaged in the story and loved the illustrations-and so did I. J. Gardner

My son loves this book. he watches Signing Times and then when this book came, he hugged it. He knows Rachael, Alex and Leah from the tv show. It is a board book and so he is not able to tear the pages off. Sometimes I catch him (16 months old) reading the book himself and doing the signs. The pictures and words are colorful and big. I can see him using this book for a long time.

These sign time books are just what I was looking for to introduce sign language to my preschoolers. I like that they are board books so I can leave them out for the children to look at on their own after seeing them during circle time.

These books are the perfect companion for the Signing Time DVDs. My 2-year-old twins love to pick up and read these books. My 2 and 3-year-old nephews also love to read these books. There is the picture, the sign, and the word for the concepts on the DVDs. I have no doubt that these books will help my children as they learn to read words without pictures by them.

I purchased this book along with "My First Signs" and think both books are great. "Everyday Signs" contains the signs for 29 words (including hungry, apple, banana, cookie, like, don't like, etc.) I got these books so I could learn the signs and teach them to my six month old twins. This book is so colorful and user-friendly that my three year old throroughly enjoys looking at the pages and is now helping to teach the babies some of his favorite signs. These books have definitely been fun for my entire family and I will be giving them as baby shower gifts in the future!

We absolutely loved the "Signing Time" DVDs, so this seemed like a really good reinforcement for our toddler. The one draw-back to the DVDs was the "cartoony" backgrounds they put the actual children that are signing into. It, to me, is similar to having your child's picture taken at a professional studio with a cartoon or an illustrated holiday background.

With the board book, we found this to be the case as well. The pictures of the children signing were pretty good--considering that you saw a still pose of the sign. But the cartoon frog "Hopkins" and other "cutesy" pictures distracts from the book a bit.

Having said that, the signs are really good, and they are relevant things to a child's life--so the signs are some that you will be able to use immediately. Some people could possibly find it difficult to learn the signs without the DVDs, but that would be the case with ANY board book, or any book in general, really. I would say that, minus the cutesy little illustrations, this would be a better choice than some of the board books with only illustrations, since in the past with all five of our children, they have always been drawn to real life pictures as opposed to illustrations. Something similar on this vein would be "First Signs (Early Sign Language)" by Stanley Collins, and others, that show real photos that children can identify with.

Bought these for party favors for my son's 6th birthday party which had the Spongebob theme. The kids love them - lots of activities + stories to read based on actual episodes.

My son is a Spongebob fanatic at 23 months!!! He loves this coloring book... he scribbles in it and at times looks at all the pages. It is a coloring book afterall, so don't expect durability if you have a child that tears everything. I will tell you that it is very big though.

Keeps the kids busy for hours...down side is we are running out of "YELLOW" crayons, paint, markers, and color pencils. Are now using yellow highlighters.

I purchased one of these for each of my 6 year olds last Christmas. Both just LOVE anything SpongeBob.

This is a really nice, fat coloring book that will last a long time. What can you say about a coloring book? This is a good one.

We also bought this for a birthday party gift for one of the boys' friends a few months later. We gave this, along with a few of the 8 x 8 paperback SpongeBob books. Very well-received!

I'd definitely recommend this coloring book. It will last virtually forever. If you're buying for a little kid, aged 4-7, go for it! (I think they ALL love SpongeBob!)

A lot of times, Amazon has this on their 4-for-3 promotion. That's a perfect time to stock the gift closet. I also recommend the Pixar and the Scooby Doo big, fat coloring books offered here on Amazon. (See my other reviews.)

This is a great coloring book for Sponge Bob lovers of all ages! Nice pictures!