Book of the Week: Soap, Soap, Soap by Elizabeth Dulemba

Today we have a fun book to share with you. "Soap, soap, soap" is both written and illustrated by Elizabeth Dulemba. This is a fun filled bilingual story about Hugo, a young boy. His mamá sends him to the store to buy soap or jabón. Follow Hugo's adventure to the store and see who he meets along the way. Watch out, or you might end up needing a bath by the end of the story.

Elizabeth's illustrations are amazing. Her style really makes you feel like you are running right along side Hugo during his adventure. This is Elizabeth's first book that she both wrote the story and did the illustration. She has done a wonderful job weaving a cute story and illustrations together. All young children will enjoy this book.

So, how has Elizabeth taken this book beyond reading? Hop over to her website page for this book. There you will find all kinds of activities to enrich the story. You'll find coloring pages, recipes, how to make soap bubbles, finger puppets and lots more.

Pick up your copy today at these locations:

Barnes and Noble

Borders

Amazon

and at your local Independent book store. Go here to find the one closest to you.

Before you go today, watch the trailer of this fun book.

posted by Joy Delgado
We go Beyond Reading
Laughing Zebra – Books for Children
Check out what’s going on at the zoo!
Zooprise Party / Fiesta Zoorpresa blog

Book of the Week: The Wuffle by Wave Walton

Today’s book takes you on a journey into the world of a wuffle. What’s a wuffle? In the words of the story:

“Now, the Wuffle is hard to describe. It’s sort of a small, but fat, and round little creature with little, scrawny legs almost like those of a frog. He’s real fuzzy with big, beady eyes. He is quite funny looking really.”

Because the wuffle thinks he’s funny looking, he hides from the animals in the forest when he goes out for a drink down at the river. Until one day when one of the animals discovers him…

Wave Walton has created a story that children can relate to when they feel like they’re different and have no friends. This book let’s us see how unique each one of us is and how that’s a good thing. Ian Crittenden’s illustrations help you feel just what the wuffle is feeling.

So, how is this book taken beyond reading? Wave has had the book translated into Chinese and published an English / simplified Chinese version. Over at his website, he has his book either available or soon to be available in Russian and Hindi with more to come.
In the future, Wave plans on having coloring pages and more to go along with his book, “The Wuffle.”

Where can you buy it?



Be sure to check out Zebee’s blog tomorrow. He’ll be posting the artwork from our “Leaping Lizard” week at zoo camp. Also, check out this week’s “Virtuous Vultures” and learn about king vultures and Egyptian vultures.

posted by Joy Delgado
We go Beyond Reading
Laughing Zebra – Books for Children
Check out what’s going on at the zoo!
Zooprise Party / Fiesta Zoorpresa blog

Raising Bilingual Children

In this day and age, being bilingual is really a must. Speaking only one language, what ever it is, limits you in many facets of life. For our children growing up in this century, they are at a great disadvantage.

Not sure how to start? Here are a few websites that can help you on your way.

The Multilingual Children’s Association has tips for getting started, resources, a bulletin board and more. They have community pages to help you find other families going through the same things you are. Dig around, I know you’ll find things to help you get started.

Another helpful site is Multilingual Munchkins. On the home page you’ll find links like Language Corner, Parents Corner and Reading Corner. The link I like best is the Activity Corner. In there they have a whole page dedicated to activities based on children’s books. They’ve taken books and found or created crafts, cooking and other activities that relate to the book. This site also has a yahoo group you can join and share with families all over the world as you teach your children multiple languages.

Looking for a book with an activity book and a teacher's guide that can help you get started? Check out mine over at Laughing Zebra - Books for Children. I also have lots of activites and interactive things on my web site.

See you back here on Monday with another great book that goes beyond reading.

Tip #20 Book Reviews

Remember having to write book reports? Well, you can have your child or students write a book review. Very similar.

Make it a game. They are working for a magazine or newspaper and need to write a review of the book they just read. They have to write it by (give them a deadline to make it more realistic) and can only use “x” amount of words.

What would they write? Did they like the book? Yes that’s part of it, but what about a brief synopsis of the story, a critique and then if they would recommend it or not.

Give them starter questions like:
* The story was about. . .
* I would change . . .
* I liked . . .
* I didn’t like. . .

With young ones, have them pretend they are a TV reporter. They have to give a report on this new book in town. Give them a microphone. You could even film it and show them how they’d look on TV.

You get the idea. Again, just have fun.

Tip #15 Playing “What If”

Play “What if” with your child or students. For example:

* What if Mori heard Lito and Elvis planning his surprise birthday party. How would the story be different?

* What if the hunter had told Little Red Riding Hood that there was a wolf inside her grandmother’s cabin. What would be different in the story?

* What if instead of Snow White finding the home of the 7 dwarfs, she found a bridge that a family of beavers lived under?

Get the idea? See what great story tellers your little ones are, and remember to have fun.

Tip #13 Flashcards

A great way to teach a child to read is by using flashcards. The fun is in the making of them.

Have your child or student help find pictures of things in the story.

Cut them out and glue them onto 3x5 cards.

Next write the name of the object on the card back.

Show them the word, have them read it and then turn it over to see if they were right.

This is one variation, you can also write the word under the picture.

Here's one pages I made to go along with “Zooprise Party / Fiesta Zoorpresa”. (of course I have the advantage of having the art work that goes with the book)