June 2014

My Father's Dragon

by: Ruth Stiles Gannett

 

 

Why we liked this book:  This was another chapter book we read together and has been one of my favorite with the kids so far!  The story is full of adventure and fun characters but the book isn't too long that it takes forever to read.  There are more books in the series that I hope to check out!

 Activity:  We made dragons out of cardstock, streamers, pom poms, markers and googly eyes.  You could also make it out of a toilet paper tube instead of the cardstock.  If you use cardstock: place the paper so it is portrait style.  Then cut in half horizontally.  Then you roll up the paper to make it about the size of a toilet paper tube, maybe a little smaller, and tape it shut.  Then you glue or tape 4-5 streamers around the hole.  This is the fire for the dragon.  At the top you glue two pom-poms and then two googly eyes on top of the pom-poms.  Then you can add whatever other decorations you want to your dragon, we added feathers.  Also be sure to add some nostrils for the nose!  We just did that with markers.  When you are all done the kids can put their mouths up to the hole and blow fire like a dragon!

 

Nate the Great

by: Marjorie Weinman Sharmat

 

 

Why we liked this book: This is a fun beginning chapter book for kids.  The mysteries are fun and simple and had my kids guessing the whole time we were reading.  My son who is entering first grade this fall especially loved it!  There is a whole series of these and I am sure we will feautre another "Nate the Great" book.

 Activity: From reading this first Nate the Great book we found out that Nate the Great LOVES pancakes.  So...my kids wanted to have a pancake dinner for our activity.  Simple enough right?  There are also activity ideas in the back of this book!

 

Here is a pancake recipe we used but you can do whatever you want!  Strawberries and chocolate chips are always nice to add!