Tag Archives: fiction

Book Recommendations

The Best Picture Books about Pets and How to Care for Them

Katie Merkel

Hello everyone!

If you have children, then you are probably no stranger to being begged for a pet…or multiple pets. As an animal lover who has had dogs, cats, rabbits, and parakeets, I have always been in the category of “the more the merrier” (much to my father’s consternation). Whether you want tons of pets, one pet, or no pets, I hope you will enjoy my pet picture book recommendations.

For your and your animal lover’s reading pleasure, I have listed 15 fabulous fiction picture books that celebrate the fun of having a pet, comedize the struggle of children trying to get their parents to let them get a pet, and/or that point out the work that goes into caring for a pet. I also recommended three non-fiction picture book series that highlight what it takes to be a responsible pet owner for specific animals. Each series is appropriate for a different age level ranging from preschool through 5th grade. Take the animal fun a step farther by checking out the animal crafts (sorted by pet type), pet-related writing assignments, and science experiments you can do with your pets that I included at the end of the post.

Picture Books

Dear Zoo

Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell is a lift the flap book about the zoo sending animals to the narrator, who asked for a pet, and the narrator sending them back because they are not the right pet.

I Spy Pets by Edward Gibbs introduces each pet with the phrase “I spy”; describes the texture or the animal’s skin, feathers, or fur; and has the animal say what it likes to eat. Then, the reader turns the page and sees what the animal is. The pages have a hole in them for the animals’ eyes and a close up of the animals’ skin, feathers, or fur.

Can I Keep It? by Lisa Jobe is about a boy who keeps catching wild animals and asking his mother if he can keep them. His mother describes what each animal likes to do and asks her son where he would want to live if he were that type of animal. Every time, he does the right thing and lets the animal go until finally, he finds the right type of animal that would want to live with a boy like him.

The Grumpy Pets by Kristine A. Lombardi is about a boy named Billy who is always unhappy. His mom hopes that taking him to the pet store will cheer him up, but all the animals there are just too happy for Billy. Then, Billy discovers the grumpy pets and finds a pet that is just right for him.

Bad Dog by Mike Boldt is about a little girl who wanted a dog for her birthday but got a cat named Rocky instead. However, the girl is convinced that Rocky is a dog and treats her and tries to train her like a dog. Rocky is a bad dog, but in the end, the girl concludes that Rocky would make a great cat.

Can I Be Your Dog by Troy Cummings is a series of letters between Arfy, a stray who wants a home, and the residents of Butternut Street, who don’t want to adopt a dog. The final letter exchange is between the mail carrier, who wants to be Arfy’s person, and Arfy, who is happy to finally have a home.

Some Pets by Angela DiTerlizzi, illustrated by Brendan Wenzel describes different features and skills that pets can have and concludes that regardless a pet can be a friend.

If I Had a Raptor by George O’Connor details how a little girl would care for a raptor if she had one as a pet.

My Pet Wants a Pet by Elise Broach, illustrated by Eric Barclay is about a boy who begged his mother for a puppy until she finally said yes. The boy does such a great job taking care of his puppy that the puppy wants a pet of his own. This continues from pet to pet until the boy’s mother has had enough.

I Won a What? by Audrey Vernick, illustrated by Robert Neubecker is about a boy whose parents won’t let him get a pet with fur, feathers, or that eats live food, but they promise that he can keep anything he wins at the goldfish booth. Only the boy doesn’t win a goldfish. He wins a whale!

I Wanna Iguana by Karen Kaufman Orloff, illustrated by David Catrow is a series of letters between Alex, who is trying to convince his mom to let him adopt his friend’s baby iguana, and his mother, who does not want an iguana and is not convinced that Alex is responsible enough to have a pet.

The Perfect Pet by Margie Palatini, illustrated by Bruce Whatley is about a girl named Elizabeth who desperately wants a pet but whose parents are dead set against having one. Elizabeth tries many different approaches to get them to approve one pet, but they all fail. Then, Elizabeth finds the perfect pet that meets all her parents’ requirements…and makes them wonder whether it would have been better to get a dog.

How to Train a Train by Jason Carter Eaton, illustrated by John Rocco gives instructions for how to catch and train a pet train.

Not Norman: A Goldfish Story by Kelly Bennett, illustrated by Noah Z. Jones is about a boy who gets a goldfish named Norman for a birthday gift. The boy wants to trade Norman in for a different pet; however, as he spends time with Norman, he comes to love the fish.

Fairy Tale Pets by Tracey Corderoy, illustrated by Jorge Martín is about Bob and his dog, Rex. In an effort to earn money, they start a pet sitting service. However, instead of cats, dogs, and small animals, people bring them fairy tale pets. Chaos ensues.

Non-fiction

Family Pet Series by Julie Murray

In the Family Pet Series each book gives an overview of the basic physical characteristics of the featured animal and what is needed to care for that type of pet. At the back is a picture glossary of the pet care items mentioned and the vocabulary terms that were bolded in purple in the text. This series is ideal for children in Preschool-Grade 2.

Do You Really Want a Pet? Series by Bridget Hoes, illustrated by Katya Longhi

In the Do You Really Want a Pet? Series each book gives an overview of the responsibilities associated with owning that specific type of pet and ends with a short quiz. The quiz either helps readers to determine whether or not that animal is the best pet for their lifestyle or which breed or species in that animal category would make the best pet for their lifestyle. This series is ideal for children in Pre-K-Grade 2.

Pet Care Series by Bobbie Kalman (additional author mentioned beside book title), photos by Marc Crabtree, illustrations by Margaret Amy Reiach

In the Pet Care Series each book gives an overview of what the animal is, how to determine whether or not it is the right pet for your lifestyle, and how to properly care for that pet. This series is ideal for children in Grades 2-5.

Crafts

Birds

Cats

Dogs

Fish

Reptiles: Iguanas, Snakes, and Turtles

Rodents: Guinea Pigs, Hamsters, Mice, and Rabbits

English Assignments

  • Write a paragraph about your pet or the pet you wish you had. Why is that pet the best? (1st grade through 5th grade)
  • Write a story about your pet or the pet you wish you had. Make sure your story has a beginning, middle, and end. (3rd grade through 5th grade)
  • Research how to care for and train your pet or the pet you wish you had. Write a five-paragraph essay about why that pet is the best pet and how to care for and train it. (4th grade through 5th grade)

Science Experiments to Do with Your Pet

  • “Doing Science With Your Cat!” by Dani Trotman
  • Cat’s Taste Preference Experiment: As a child, I did a taste preference science experiment with my cats. For one week, I laid out four equally filled bowls of water every morning. One bow contained water and salt, one contained water and lemon juice, one contained water and sugar, and the other bowl just contained water. Every morning, I measured how high on a ruler the water in each bowl came and wrote down the numbers for each bowl. Every afternoon, I measured again and recorded the numbers. At the end of the week, I transferred the numbers to a chart. Looking at my chart, I was able to determine which water my cats liked best.
  • “Are Dogs Colorblind?” by Education.com
  • “Do dogs have a color preference?” by Eddie Lord (This link is to Eddie Lord’s final project. You can have your child repeat the experiment by following the Procedure portion of the project.)
  • “What science fair projects can I do with a hamster or a rat?” by Robbi

Happy reading!

Katie

P.S.

For more themed book recommendations and activities, visit my post library.

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Book Recommendations

The 10 Best Books Read in 2021

Hello everyone!

In 2021, I read 685 books. At the beginning of 2022, I thought back over all the books I’d read the previous year and realized that there were a few that stood out.

In the video below, I share my top ten books that I read in 2021 and why I loved them.

Top Ten Books

  1. Planet Earth Is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos
  2. The Remember Balloons by Jessie Oliveros, illustrated by Dana Wulfekotte
  3. Fall Is Not Easy by Marty Kelley
  4. One Grain of Rice: A Mathematical Folktale by Demi
  5. While Mama Had a Quick Little Chat by Amy Reichert, illustrated by Alexandra Boiger
  6. Mama Seeton’s Whistle by Jerry Spinelli, illustrated by LeUyen Pham
  7. Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast by Robin McKinley
  8. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
  9. The Very Last Leaf by Stef Wade, illustrated by Jennifer Davison
  10. If Picasso Painted a Snowman by Amy Newbold, illustrated by Greg Newbold

Happy reading!

Katie

P.S.

For more themed book recommendations and activities, visit my post library.

Book Recommendations

Autumn Books that Celebrate the Season’s Bounty and Beauty

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Hello everyone!

Katie Merkel

It’s September, which means that the autumnal equinox is almost upon us, and one of my favorite seasons will soon begin! There are so many things I love about fall: changing leaves; apple, pumpkin, and harvest festivals; corn mazes; hay rides; and hot apple cider. And I’m sure sports fans are counting down the days until football season starts.

Since autumn is full of so many changes and colors, the season easily lends itself to art, science, and, my favorite of all, stories! Below, I have raked some fantastic picture books about fall into two piles: fiction and nonfiction. After each book recommendation, I have written a type of activity (i.e. Crafts, Games, Math Activities, and Science Experiments) and a number; these correspond to the activities at the end of the post that I think best go with each book.

Fiction

Who Loves the Fall? by Bob Raczka, illustrated by Judy Stead shows many people enjoying fall activities. The illustrations carry the theme and are well supported by the minimal rhyming text. (Any Craft, Game, Math Activity, or Science Experiment for Preschool through 1st Grade.)

Hocus Pocus, It’s Fall! by Anne Sibley O’Brien, illustrated Susan Gal shows the changes that occur in the fall. Each spread shows the starting point for a plant or animal; then open the flap and the autumn change is revealed…like magic. (Any Craft, Game, Math Activity or Science Experiment for Preschool through 1st Grade.)

Wonderfall by Michael Hall has a poem on each spread about a different aspect of fall. Each illustration includes the same tree which shows the season’s progression through the state of its leaves. (Crafts 1, 2, 4, 5, or 12; Games 1, 3, 4, 10, 11, or 12; Math Activities 4, 5, or 6; Science Experiments 1, 2, 3, or 6)

Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert is about Leaf Man being blown away by the wind. The narrator speculates about where Leaf Man might be. While the narrator guesses about where the wind might take Leaf Man, leaves create the scenery that the narrator describes. This book would pair well with a leaf craft. (Crafts 3, 4, or 5; Games 3, 4, 11, or 12; Math Activities 4, 5, or 6; Science Experiments 1, 2, or 3)

Fall Is for Friends by Suzy Spafford is about two autumn-loving friends trying to get the leaves to fall off the trees. (Crafts 1, 2, 4, or 5; Games 3, 4, 10, 11, or 12; Math Activities 4, 5, or 6; Science Experiments 1, 2, or 3)

A Fall Ball for All by Jamie A. Swenson, illustrated by Chiara Fedele is about nature throwing a windfall ball for all the forest animals. The animals delay their migration and hibernation plans to attend. There is excitement leading up to the ball, and afterwards, everyone has the food they need for the winter. (Crafts 6, 9, or 12; Games 1, 5, 6, 7, or 8; Math Activities 1, 2, or 3; Science Experiment 6)

Counting on Fall by Lizann Flatt, illustrated by Ashley Barron combines math with nature during the autumn. This book is ideal for children in Kindergarten through second grade. (Crafts 1, 2, 4, 7, or 12; Games 1, 3, 4, 5, or 9; Math Activities 1, 3, 4, or 5; Science Experiments 1, 2, 3, or 6)

Hello, Fall! by Deborah Diesen, illustrated by Lucy Fleming is about a granddaughter and grandfather enjoying a fall day together. (Crafts 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9; Games 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, or 12; Any Math Activity; Any Science Experiment)

Leif and the Fall by Allison Sweet Grant and Adam Grant, illustrated by Merrilee Liddiard is about a leaf named Leif who is afraid that falling will hurt. He comes up with multiple ways to keep himself from falling or to catch himself, but none of them work, and he throws them off his branch. When he finally falls, he lands on his pile of discarded ideas instead of bumping his head on the ground. The underlying themes of determination paying off and failure leading to success are great lessons for children. (Crafts 3, 4, or 5; Games 3, 4, 11, or 12; Math Activities 4, 5, or 6; Science Experiments 1, 2, or 3)

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson, illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke is about a young fox named Fletcher who is worried that his favorite tree is sick. He tries to help the tree by collecting its fallen leave and reattaching them. In the end, Fletcher’s attempts to make the leaves stay on the tree fail, but he comes to understand that his tree is alright. (Crafts 1, 2, 4, or 5; Games 3, 4, 11, or 12; Math Activities 4, 5, or 6; Science Experiments 1, 2, or 3)

Applesauce Season by Eden Ross Lipson, illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein is about a family’s annual tradition of making applesauce throughout the autumn. At the back is a recipe for homemade applesauce. (Crafts 6 or 7; Games 6, 7, or 8; Science Experiment 5)

Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White, illustrated by Megan Lloyd is about a woman named Rebecca Estelle who hates pumpkins. When a pumpkin falls off a truck and splats in her yard, she buries it so she won’t have to touch or look at it. The next year, the pumpkins aggressively grow until they take over her entire front yard. Not wanting to waste food, she bakes the pumpkins into treats and carves the shells into jack-o’-lanterns to give to her neighbors. Rebecca Estelle has such a good time with her neighbors, that she decides to plant pumpkins the next year. (Crafts 8 or 9; Games 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10; Math Activities 1, 2, or 3; Science Experiment 4)

Nonfiction

Hello Autumn! by Shelley Rotner gives an overview of the many things that happen in the fall: changes in the weather and leaves, harvest, holidays, and how animals get ready for winter. The short text and large photos make this an excellent book to read aloud to three to eight year olds. The larger print also makes this a good book for more advanced young readers to read on their own. (Any Craft, Game, Math Activity, or Science Experiment for Preschool through 2nd Grade)

Full of Fall by April Pulley Sayre is an overview of how leaves change throughout the fall, starting with a goodbye to summer green, transitioning to the many colors seen on the trees, and ending with the leaves beginning to decompose. The sparsity and rhyme of the text makes this a good book to read to two to five year olds. (Crafts 1 or 4; Games 3, 4, or 11; Math Activities 4 or 5; Science Experiments 1, 2, or 3)

Awesome Autumn: All Kinds of Fall Facts and Fun by Bruce Goldstone is a great book to read to five to eight year olds. It gives an overview of the many changes that happen during autumn and presents facts about why and how those changes occur in a concise and easy-to-understand way. At the end of the book are instructions for several simple autumn crafts. (Any Craft, Game, Math Activity, or Science Experiment for Elementary)

Summer Green to Autumn Gold: Uncovering Leaves’ Hidden Colors by Mia Posada explains how leaves change colors in the fall. The text and illustrations work together beautifully to explain the concept. This book is ideal for four to eight year olds; however, I would also read it with older students if they are struggling to understand how chlorophyll works. (Crafts 1, 2, 4, or 5; Games 3, 4, 11, or 12; Math Activities 4, 5, or 6; Science Experiments 1, 2, or 3)

Seed, Sprout, Pumpkin, Pie by Jill Esbaum shows how pumpkins grow, that there are many different types of pumpkins, and some of the ways pumpkins are used. This is an excellent book to read to four to eight year olds, and the larger print makes it a good book for more advanced young readers to read on their own. (Crafts 8 or 9; Games 5, 6, 7, or 8; Math Activities 1, 2, or 3; Science Experiment 4)

The What Happens in Fall? Series by Mari Schuh is designed for beginning readers to read on their own.

The Fall Field Trips Series by Lisa J. Amstutz is designed for beginning readers to read on their own. At the back of each book are directions for how to make a simple, theme-related craft.

The Fall’s Here! Series by Martha E. H. Rustad, illustrated by Amanda Enright is ideal for reading to Kindergarteners through 2nd graders. At the back of each book are directions for how to do a theme-related activity.

Crafts

  1. Scissor Skills Fall Tree Craft (Preschool or Elementary depending on amount of adult prep)
  2. Tissue Paper Tree (Elementary)
  3. Leaf People (Preschool or Elementary)
  4. Leaf Rubbing Collage or Leaf Rubbing Activity: Art & Science Project (Preschool or Elementary – Leaf rubbings often work best when the veins are up.)
  5. Leaf Book (Elementary)
  6. Apple Print Craft (Preschool)
  7. Apple Tree Numbers Craft (3 year olds through 1st grade depending on amount of adult prep)
  8. What’s Inside a Pumpkin Craft (Preschool or Elementary)
  9. Paper Strip Pumpkin (Elementary)
  10. Paper Bag Scarecrow (Preschool or Elementary)
  11. Popsicle Stick Scarecrow (Elementary)
  12. Cinnamon Acorn (Preschool through 2nd grade)

Games

  1. The Squirrel Game: “Let the kids pretend they are squirrels gathering nuts for the winter. Give each a small paper bag, then toss out several unshelled nuts onto the floor and let the kids race to see who can collect the most. Older and younger children should be separated for this game. Another way to play this game, (if you have a way to corral a large quantity of leaves) is to hide nuts beneath a large pile of leaves and give the kids a set amount of time to find as many nuts as they can.” (This activity taken from “61 Fall Games and Activities Kids Love”; it was number 18.) (Preschool or Elementary)
  2. Dress a Scarecrow and Run: “Stock up on over-sized plaid shirts, goofy pants, floppy hats and any other clothing that a scarecrow might wear. Make piles containing one of each item. The number of piles is determined either by the number of kids or teams participating. Line up kids and let the game begin! The children run to the pile, put on the outfit, and dart back to the starting line. If doing it as a team game, they then switch the outfit with their teammate–who run out and back. First team with their last team member dressed as a scarecrow wins.” (This activity taken from “61 Fall Games and Activities Kids Love”; it was number 9.) (Elementary)
  3. Parachute Leaf Toss: “Take a sheet, or a parachute. Gather real leaves, fabric leaves, or paper leaves. Place them in the middle of the sheet. Gather around the sheet and have the children lift the sheet slowly and then quickly to see how all the leaves ‘float.'” (This activity taken from “61 Fall Games and Activities Kids Love”; it was number 16.) (Preschool or Elementary)
  4. Leaf Blow Game: “Have a leaf race! In this, the children blow a leaf across a table with a straw. The first one across is the winner.” (This activity taken from “61 Fall Games and Activities Kids Love”; it was number 3.) (four year olds through Elementary)
  5. Gourd Ring Toss: “Assign different point values to different sizes of gourds, pumpkins, or dried Indian corn.” (This activity taken from “61 Fall Games and Activities Kids Love”; it was number 8.) (Preschool or Elementary)
  6. Apple-Apple Pumpkin: “Just like duck-duck-goose—Play Apple, Apple, Pumpkin! Same game with fall flair.” (This activity taken from “61 Fall Games and Activities Kids Love”; it was number 13.) (Preschool or Elementary)
  7. Pumpkin Rolling (Can also do with apples): “Divide children into two or more teams. Have a start line and turnaround line, 20 ft apart. The first child in each line rolls a pumpkin from the start line, to the turn-around line and back. The next person does the same, etc. The first team to have everyone play wins!” (This activity taken from “61 Fall Games and Activities Kids Love”; it was number 21.) (Preschool or Elementary)
  8. Pass the Pumpkin Relay (Can also do with apples): “Line up into 2 teams. The first person passes the pumpkin OVER his/her head to the next person in line. The next person passes the pumpkin UNDER his/her legs to the next person, and so on. When you get to the end of the line the last person runs up to the front and starts it all over again. Whoever has the first person that was in line at the beginning of the game— in the back of the line WINS.” (This activity taken from “61 Fall Games and Activities Kids Love”; it was number 23.) (Preschool or Elementary)
  9. Bountiful Harvest Board Game (Elementary)
  10. Autumn Charades Game (Elementary)
  11. Fall Color Wheel Scavenger Hunt (Preschool through 2nd grade)
  12. Sensory Nature Scavenger Hunt (Elementary)

Math Activities

  1. Super Simple Pumpkin Seed Counting Activity (Preschool through Kindergarten)
  2. Pumpkin Geoboard Stem To Try This Fall (Preschool through 1st grade)
  3. Pumpkin Stem Challenge Your Preschoolers Will Love (Preschool through 1st grade)
  4. Preschool Math: Graphing Fall Leaves (Preschool or Elementary depending on how the adult adapts it)
  5. Leaf Measurement and Sorting Activity (Preschool or Elementary depending on how the adult adapts it)
  6. Leaf symmetry lesson combining math and art (Elementary)

Science Experiments

  1. Science for Kids: Exploring How Water Travels Through Leaves (Preschool or Elementary)
  2. How Do Leaves Breathe? A Simple Science Experiment for Kids (Preschool or Elementary)
  3. Science Experiment: Why Do Leaves Change Colour? (Preschool or Elementary)
  4. Pumpkin Oobleck With A Real Pumpkin (Preschool or Elementary)
  5. Apple Oxidation Science Experiment (Preschool or Elementary)
  6. Hibernation Science Lesson (Preschool or Elementary)

Happy reading!

Katie

P.S.

For more themed book recommendations and activities, visit my post library.

Book Recommendations

Mermaid Picture Books and Chapter Books

Katie Merkel

Disclosure

This blog post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. There is no additional cost for you, and it helps me to keep creating awesome content!

Hello everyone!

Like many little girls, I wanted to be a mermaid when I was six. What I didn’t know was that professional mermaid was a career choice. Last year, I learned about a woman named Mermaid Linden who makes her living as a professional mermaid. She attends events and has a YouTube channel where she posts her Mermaid Minute videos; each video gives facts about the ocean in one minute.

I have recently been on a mermaid kick (or maybe I never outgrew my desire to be a mermaid). Either way, below are some picture books and chapter books about mermaids that I really enjoyed, and I hope your young mermaid fans will, too. After reading some mermaid tales, dive deeper under the sea with the mermaid crafts and sensory items, actualize dreams of being a real mermaid by creating DIY mermaid costumes, and then finish off the fun with a mermaid snack. You’ll find everything you need for a complete mermaid experience at the end of the post.

Picture Books

Ten Minutes to Bed: Little Mermaid by Rhiannon Fielding is about a little mermaid who would rather play and explore than go to bed.

How to Meet a Mermaid by Sue Fliess, illustrated by Simona Sanfilippo gives directions for what to do if you want to meet a mermaid…and states what will happen when you do.

How to Meet a Mermaid

Pearl by Molly Idle is about a young mermaid who wants to have a special job like all the other mermaids and how her seemingly insignificant job is more important than she knows.

How to Catch a Mermaid by Adam Wallace, illustrated by Andy Elkerton is a cute story about two kids who try to catch a Mermaid so that she will be there friend.

The Mermaid and the Shoe by K.G. Campbell is about a mermaid who sets out to learn the purpose of a shoe and consequently discovers her own purpose. The book’s message is great for all young people who are still searching for their place in the world.

The Mermaid and the Shoe

Mermaid and Me by Soosh is a beautiful story about friendship and keeping the oceans clean.

The Mermaid by Jan Brett is a mermaid retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

Mermaid School by Joanne Stewart Wetzel, illustrated by Julianna Swaney is an underwater first day of school story.

Mariana and the Merchild by Caroline Pitcher, illustrated by Jackie Morris is about a lonely woman who finds belonging and acceptance in her community through fostering a mermaid.

Sukey and the Mermaid by Robert D. San Souci, illustrated by Brian Pinkney is about a girl who’s stepfather makes her work all day and the mermaid who befriends her and offers her an escape.

Elementary-Age Readers

Mermaid Tales Series by Debbie Dadey is about different mermaids who attend the same school.

  1. Trouble at Trident Academy
  2. Battle of the Best Friends
  3. A Whale of a Tale
  4. Danger in the Deep Blue Sea
  5. The Lost Princess
  6. The Secret Sea Horse
  7. Dream of the Blue Turtle
  8. Treasure in Trident City
  9. A Royal Tea
  10. A Tale of Two Sisters
  11. The Polar Bear Express
  12. Wish upon a Starfish
  13. The Crook and the Crown
  14. Twist and Shout
  15. Books vs. Looks
  16. Flower Girl Dreams
  17. Ready, Set, Goal!
  18. Fairy Chase
  19. The Narwhal Problem
  20. The Winter Princess
  21. Sleepover at the Haunted Museum

The Little Mermaid: An Interactive Fairy Tale Adventure by Eric Mark Braun, illustrated by Mariano Epelbaum is an interactive book that offers three modern twists on the classic fairy tale for readers to explore.

The Little Mermaid: An Interactive Fairy Tale Adventure

Mermaid Myths (Myths Across the Map) by Cynthia O’Brien is a nonfiction book that gives readers an overview of mermaid myths from around the world.

Mermaid Myths (Myths Across the Map)

Activities

For my sixth birthday, my mother threw me a mermaid party. We hung green streamers for seaweed, made paper fins, and created a life-size mermaid puzzle.

Whether you want to throw a mermaid-themed party or just have some under-the-sea fun, below are some mermaid crafts and snacks for your mermaid lovers.

Make Your Own Life-Size Mermaid Puzzle:
  1. Trace the outline of a child onto butcher paper. Be sure to trace their legs together and add fins.
  2. Color the mermaid/merman.
  3. Cut the mermaid/merman drawing into smaller pieces.
  4. Glue the pieces onto cardboard.
  5. Cut out the cardboard pieces.
  6. Assemble the puzzle.
Other Ways to Make Your Own Mermaid:

– Curl Animation Mermaid Craft

– Toilet Paper Tube Mermaid Doll

– Origami Mermaid

DIY Mermaid Costume:

– Mermaid Tail

– Mermaid Tiara

– Seashell Mermaid Purse

– Poseidon’s Trident

Mermaid Sensory Seekers:

– Mermaid Sensory Writing Tray

– Mermaid Tail Glitter Sensory Bottle

– Mermaid Slime

Mermaid Snacks:

– Mermaid Tails

– Clam Shell Cookies

– Mermaid Lemonade (Mocktail)

– Mermaid Tail Cupcakes

– No-Churn Mermaid Ice Cream

Happy reading and crafting to all the merfolk out there!

Katie

P.S.

For more themed book recommendations and activities, visit my post library.

Book Recommendations

Zoo Stories and Fun Zoological Facts

Katie Merkel

Disclosure

This blog post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. There is no additional cost for you, and it helps me to keep creating awesome content!

Hello everyone!

I love going to the zoo and seeing animals up close. Whether you’re able to go in person this year or not, take your child there through the power of reading and the yummy, themed snacks below. You will find cute zoo animals in both the fiction and nonfiction books, but if you’re looking for animal or zoo facts or you want to know what zookeepers do, check out the nonfiction books.

Fiction

My Heart Is Like a Zoo by Michael Hall compares how ones heart is like zoo animals. All the animals featured in the book are created by overlaying hearts.

My Heart Is Like a Zoo

Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann is about a gorilla letting out all the animals at the same time that the zookeeper is saying good night to them.

Good Night, Gorilla

Dear Zoo by Rod Campbell is a lift the flap book about the zoo sending animals to the narrator, who asked for a pet, and the narrator sending them back because they are not the right pet.

Dear Zoo

Still a Gorilla! by Kim Norman, illustrated by Chad Geran is about a gorilla named Willy who wants and tries to be a different animal.

Still a Gorilla!

Construction Zoo by Jennifer Thorne, illustrated by Susie Hammer is about zoo animals and construction vehicles becoming friends and working together.

Construction Zoo

Stop Snoring, Bernard! by Zachariah Ohora is about an otter named Bernard trying to find a place where he can sleep without bothering anyone with his snoring. It’s also a good way to start a discussion with kids about empathy and how unkind words can make people feel bad about themselves.

Stop Snoring, Bernard!

Through with the Zoo by Jacob Grant is a “the grass is always greener on the other side” story about a petting zoo goat who is tired of being hugged and petted and wants to find a space that is just his.

Through with the Zoo

1 Zany Zoo by Lori Degman, illustrated by Colin Jack is about a boy who sneaks into the zoo before it opens and gets to join in the animals’ unconventional antics.

1 Zany Zoo

Never, Ever Shout in a Zoo by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Doug Cushman is about the big mess that came about because of one little girl’s shout.

Never, Ever Shout in a Zoo

Never Play Music Right Next to the Zoo by John Lithgow, illustrated by Leeza Hernandez is about a boy who goes to an outdoor concert with his family, and how the animals from the next door zoo break free and take it over.

Never Play Music Right Next to the Zoo

A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead, illustrated by Erin E. Stead is about a zookeeper who is a kind friend to all the animals. When he gets sick, the animals go and take care of him.

A Sick Day for Amos McGee

The Gingerbread Man Loose at the Zoo by Laura Murray, illustrated by Mike Lowery is about the gingerbread man using his teacher’s animal scavenger hunt clues to find his class after getting separated from them during a field trip to the zoo.

The Gingerbread Man Loose at the Zoo

Zoo Day by Anne Rockwell, illustrated by Lizzy Rockwell is about a little boy’s first trip to the zoo.

Zoo Day

Nonfiction

A Visit to the Zoo by Blake A. Hoena gives a brief overview of what a zoo is and a few of the animals who live there.

A Visit to the Zoo

Spot the Zebra at the Zoo by Alexandra Koken, illustrated by Joelle Dreidemy is a search-and-find book with one animal fact on each page.

Spot the Zebra at the Zoo

A Day at a Zoo by Sarah Harrison is a search-and-find book that shows the same section of a zoo throughout an entire day.

A Day at a Zoo

Life-Size Zoo (photographs by Toyofumi Fukuda) and More Life-Size Zoo (photographs by Toshimitsu Matsuhashia) by Teruyuki Komiya, translated by Kristin Earhart have life-size photos of zoo animals and one or two facts about each animal in larger print. Additional facts and drawings about the animals are in the margins.

Life-Size Zoo & More Life-Size Zoo

What Do You Do If You Work at the Zoo? by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page shows some of the many tasks that a zookeeper does. For each activity, there is a short phrase which is perfect for younger children and a longer explanation for older children.

What Do You Do If You Work at the Zoo?

What’s New? The Zoo!: A Zippy History of Zoos by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Marcellus Hall gives an overview of how zoos evolved from what they were in ancient times to what they are today.

What's New? The Zoo!

Animal Snacks

  1. Apple Turtles
  2. Celery Snake
  3. Elephant Ears Biscuits
  4. Giraffe Snack
  5. Lion Dipped Oreos
  6. Penguin Crackers
  7. Monkey Cake
  8. Teddy Bear Toast
  9. Tiger Pretzel Rods
  10. Walrus Waffle

Bonus: Animal Craft

Printable Animal Masks

Happy reading!

Katie

P.S.

For more themed book recommendations and activities, visit my post library.

Book Recommendations

Dragon Tales for Preschool through High School

Katie Merkel

Disclosure

This blog post contains Amazon affiliate links. This means that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. There is no additional cost for you, and it helps me to keep creating awesome content!

Hello everyone!

Last year, a friend let me read her work-in-progress dragon novel, and it got me on a dragon kick. I started reading published books featuring dragons. Below are some dragon stories that I think young dragon lovers will enjoy, too!

After reading a dragon tale or two, try drawing a dragon of your own. Dragon coloring pages and how-to-draw-a-dragon videos and instructions for preschool through high school are at the end of the post.

Preschool and Early Elementary

One Drowsy Dragon by Ethan Long is a counting story about a dragon who just wants to go to bed.

One Drowsy Dragon

Have You Seen My Dragon? by Steve Light is part story, part search and find.

Have You Seen My Dragon

How to Dress a Dragon by Thelma Lynne Godin, illustrated by Eric Barclay is about a boy helping his dragon to get dressed.

Dragons Love Tacos and Dragons Love Tacos 2: The Sequel by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Danie Salmieri are about dragons and the situations caused by their tacos obsession.

Dragons Love Tacos

When a Dragon Moves In and When a Dragon Moves In Again by Jodi Moore, illustrated by Howard McWilliam is about a boy who has fun, and gets into trouble, with a dragon that his family does not believe exists.

When a Dragon Moves In

Dragon Brothers Trilogy by James Russell, illustrated by Link Choi

The Dragon Brothers Trilogy

The Dragon Brothers Trilogy is about two brothers who live on an island inhabited by dragons and the dragon-related adventures they have.

The Boy Who Painted Dragons by Demi is about a boy who must overcome his fear of dragons by seeking their wisdom.

The Boy Who Painted Dragons

Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman is a retelling of the legend of Saint George and his fight with the dragon. This book is best for elementary-aged children.

Saint George and the Dragon

Behold…the Dragons! by Gail Gibbons is a non-fiction book that gives a brief overview of the different types of dragons from around the world and some of the mythology surrounding them. This book is best for elementary-aged children.

Behold...the Dragons!

How to Draw a Dragon by Douglas Florian is a book in rhyme about drawing all the different parts of dragons.

How to Draw a Dragon

Late-Elementary through High School

Wings of Fire Series by Tui T. Sutherland

Wings of Fire

The Wings of Fire Series is a good read for children in late-elementary, middle, and high school. It is your typical high fantasy series, but with dragons as the protagonists. The books also contain social and relationship themes and explore the concept of destiny versus choice.

Dragon Rider Series by Cornelia Funke

The Dragon Rider Series is ideal for children in late-elementary or middle school. On the surface level, it’s a quest to find home, but it also has themes of friendship, self-sacrifice, belonging, respect for all creatures, and the consequences of greed.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin is a good story for children in late-elementary or middle school. The primary plot is the protagonist’s quest to improve her family’s fortune, but the story could also be viewed as a collection of folktales because legends and other characters’ fantastic backstories are interspersed with and woven into the protagonist’s journey.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

The Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini

The Inheritance Cycle

The Inheritance Cycle is a good read for high school fantasy lovers. Elves, spells, dragons…what’s not to like? Some of the themes explored in the series are loyalty, respecting differences in beliefs, and responsibility and consequences for actions.

Ralph Masiello’s Dragon Drawing Book by Ralph Masiello is great for middle and high schoolers. It is primarily mini, step-by-step art lessons, but it also contains cultural blurbs about dragon lore around the world.

Ralph Masiello's Dragon Drawing Book

Activities

  1. Printable Dragon Coloring Pages by Supercoloring.com
  2. “How to Draw a Dragon (For Super Young Artists)” (This YouTube tutorial is appropriate for preschool through elementary.)
  3. “How to Draw a Dragon” (This YouTube tutorial is appropriate for mid-elementary through middle school.)
  4. “How to Draw a Dragon” by wikiHow (These step-by-step directions are appropriate for middle and high schoolers.)
  5. “How to Draw a Dragon Step by Step” by Monika Zagrobelna (These step-by-step directions are appropriate for high schoolers.)

Happy reading!

Katie

P.S.

For more themed book recommendations and activities, visit my post library.

Book Recommendations, Writing Prompts

Seven Books that Shaped Who I Am

Hello everyone!

The other day I had a conversation with sci-fi and fantasy author Olivia Berrier about the seven books that have had the greatest impact on us.  I was able to come up with two lists of seven books: seven that shaped who I am as a writer and seven that influenced who I am as a person.

Your challenge is to come up with a list of the seven books that have had the greatest impact on you.  Think about how and why they influenced you.  Then, send each author a short message letting them know what their book meant to you.  You will make their day!

To help you get started, I have included my list of the seven books that helped shape who I am as a writer.  (I cheated a little – If the series as a whole influenced me rather than a specific book from the series, I listed the title of the series.)

Cover of The Lion, the Witch, and the WaredrobeThe Lion, the Witch, and the Waredrobe by C.S. Lewis – This was the first story I ever fangirled over.  It established my love for allegories and fantasy worlds.

Cover of Flight of the EaglesThe Seven Sleepers Series by Gilbert Morris – It built upon the foundation Narnia had laid.  My love of allegories and fantasy worlds was solidified.

Box Set of The Inheritance CycleThe Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini – The Inheritance Cycle showed me how to explore different belief systems in a fictional setting and introduced me to the idea that magic can have rules.  From a technical standpoint, I learned a trick for minimizing use of the auxiliary verb “had” when relating something that had happened before the story began.  (This only applies to books that are narrated in the past tense.)

Cover of The Hunger GamesThe Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – This book was my introduction to first-person narration.  It is my favorite go-to example for how to set your reader firmly in a world without having an info dump and for what information to include in the first chapter of a novel.

Cover of Bridge to TerabithiaBridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson – This book showed me that children’s books can cover difficult, real-life situations which young people sadly face but society often considers too mature to discuss with children.

Welcome to Camden Falls coverMain Street Series by Ann M. Martin – This series showed me how to grow characters over the course of several books.  It also demonstrated how to write about real-life, too-mature-to-discuss-with-children situations in a tasteful way.

Complete A to Z Mysteries book seriesA to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy – This series showed me how to structure a chapter book mystery series.

Happy writing!

Katie

Book Recommendations, Useful Articles

Developing Believable Protagonists

Hello everyone!

For me, the protagonist is what makes or breaks a story.  If I don’t like or relate to the main character, I won’t get on board with the plot.  I have stopped reading books when this happened.

The two crucial things to do are to make your protagonist relatable and to have him/her grow throughout the story.  Relatable characters are believable.

The Positive Trait Thesaurus and The Negative Trait ThesaurusTwo resources I like for developing believable characters are The Positive Trait Thesaurus and The Negative Trait Thesaurus, both written by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi.  The lists for each trait really help with developing realistic, multifaceted characters.

As a way of ensuring that my protagonist’s thought processes, voice, and reactions feel real, I often endow my main character with part of my personality.  For a more in-depth discussion about this method, which some authors view as problematic, read “Who me? Not I!” by Gail Carson Levine.  She includes suggestions for writing characters that are nothing like you and some writing prompts designed to help you avoid accidentally writing yourself into your protagonist.  My advice is if you choose to write yourself into your main character, make it an intentional choice.

Below are three things that I consider vital when creating a believable protagonist:

  1. Know what’s motivating your protagonist and let that guide his/her actions and responses (“The Wonder of ‘Why?’: Getting to the Heart of the Matter”).
  2. Make sure your protagonist is not perfect (“Character Flaws”).
  3. Show how your protagonist feels through facial expressions and body language (“Writing Books with Emotional Savvy”).

Happy writing!

Katie

Useful Articles

Asking Your Way through a Story Idea

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Hello everyone!

Writing a book is a lot like exploring.  You start with a vague idea and discover the rest as you go.  For me, the most important part of the creative writing process is asking my way through plot issues and character inconsistencies.

stop watchWhenever I run into an underdeveloped point in the plot or a behavior in a character that I can’t justify, I try to summarize the problem as a question.  Then, I write down the question and brainstorm answers for about ten minutes.  (Think of this process as a structured free write.  No idea is too crazy during those ten minutes.)

When the ten minutes are up, I choose the potential answer that I like best and explore it further.  (Sometimes, this involves doing another guided question free write.)  If the answer I selected solves my problem, great.  If the answer doesn’t fix the issue, I look back at my list of potential answers and choose a different one to explore.  I do this until I have the answer that works for the story and that satisfies me as the writer.

Below is a list of question words with some sample questions from my own writing projects:

What if…? (What if the crystals had power?  What if the villagers were wary of 21st century technologically?)

Who? (Who betrays the group?  Who stole the sheep?)

What? (What is the ultimate insult for a fairy?  What is my protagonist’s deepest desire?)

When? (When did the elves and humans start attacking each other?  When does my protagonist start trusting authority figures?)

Where? (Where do they fight the soldiers?  Where does my protagonist’s grandmother work?)

Why? (Why won’t the dwarf take them into the caverns?  Why does my protagonist want to befriend the new kid?)

three paths*Which? (Which route is safest?) (*I personally don’t use “which” as often as I do the other question words.)

How? (How do I get them out of the fight alive when they are outnumbered ten to one?  How do I get my protagonist to be more respectful to adults?)

I hope this gives you some good ideas for how to ask your way through your own stories.

Happy writing!

Katie

Useful Articles

How to Grow from Past Mistakes

Hello everyone!

So, I have been reviewing my writing goals for 2018.  At the beginning of the year, my plan was to take my novel The Four Crystals from a rough draft to a polished draft by the end of the year.  I had a plan to accomplish the daunting task (breaking the editing process into weekly segments and tracking my progress); however, I made a few mistakes.

The first one was thinking I could take a rough draft to a polished draft in one edit.  It took longer to edit the first fourth of the novel than I had been anticipating.  Then, I realized that due to all the changes I had made to the first fourth of the book and all of the plot changes I was planning on making to the remaining three-fourths, it would be quicker to re-write the remainder of the book than it would be to edit it.

Fairy Tales 3My second mistake, which I technically made years ago when I started writing The Four Crystals, was not reading a variety of fantasy books before I started writing one.  Up until this year, I didn’t understand that there is a difference between fantasy and fairy tales.  After all, they both have magic, fairies, elves, dwarves, and quests.  Some of my writer friends kindly alerted me to the fact that The Four Crystals, which I wrote to be a fantasy novel, read more like a fairy tale – probably because I have read so many fairy tales and fairy tale spinoffs.  Once I learned that there was a difference, I started reading fantasy novels to get a feel for what beats I would need in my novel.  I also needed to figure out which fantasy clichés I had accidentally put in my novel.  (The wise old mage working with the know-nothing teenage boy might have been one of them.)

Mistake 11.jpgThings I have learned from this year’s mistakes:

  1. Read a minimum of five books in the genre you want to write before you start writing (ten is more advisable).
  2. Do multiple edits and focus on one thing per edit (e.g. characters, plot, dialogue, etc.).
  3. Set a goal, but if everything falls apart, DON’T GIVE UP! Learn from your mistakes, regroup, and try again.  (The failure rate for people who give up is 100%.  I will not be one of them.)

My goals for 2019 are to complete a new draft of The Four Crystals and to write at least the first book in the mystery chapter book series I started brainstorming and researching during the second half of 2018.  (Don’t worry, I already read over 20 mystery chapter books to make sure I understood the genre.)

Happy writing and happy New Year!

Katie

P.S.

I would like to shout out a special thank you to the two people who most supported and encouraged me after I discovered that I needed to do a major re-write to The Four Crystals: my brother and creative consultant, Gregory, and my friend and author, Olivia Berrier.  I don’t know what I’d do without the two of you!