little lit book series winter edition

Our Instagram #littlelitbookseries theme is winter in honor of this cold (yet warm in sentiments) season of the year.  Take a look at everyone else’s wintry picks in the #littlelitbookseries today.  Here are mine:

The Snowman is one of the best wordless storybooks we have today.   Drawn by Raymond Briggs, the illustrations have a certain magic about them.  It’s a classic  heartfelt tale about a boy who, unable to sleep, goes out one night and finds that the snowman in his front yard has come to life.  After introducing the snowman to the wonders of the human world (like the TV and stove at his house), the boy and his new friend go on an unforgettable adventure, flying through the midnight sky.   This is definitely one to add to your wintry trove of books.

The Jolly Christmas Postman is a gem by Janet and Allen Ahlberg and is a spinoff of the original Jolly Postman.  This time, the Jolly Postman makes his rounds in fairy tale land with Christmas cards and surprises, like a jolly board game for Red Riding Hood (that you can actually play!) and a delicious "book in a book" for the Gingerbread Boy.  This is definitely one of the must fun and interactive books in our holiday collection and a favorite to read at this time of year!

a hello kitty breakfast

A special Hello Kitty breakfast I made Avery awhile ago: organic plain yogurt by Straus Family Creamery, Kashi Seven Whole Grain Cereal, blueberries, damson plum jam by Ayako and Family and elephant-shaped whole wheat tortilla chips (made with Munchkin Silly Sandwich Cutters).  To make the chips, I followed this tutorial, and used the sandwich cutters to cut out tortillas in the shape of elephants.

Thanks to Munchkin for sending the items for this post.

the twelve days of christmas in oregon

"On the tenth day of Christmas, my cousin gave to me...10 Portland food carts."  Damon is visiting his cousin Liz in Oregon and is loving all of its famous landmarks.  Along with an Oregonian rendition of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" are letters he sends his family back home detailing the amazing experiences he's having all over The Beaver State--from collecting thunder eggs to riding snowmobiles in Crater Lake.  This book is perfect for those wanting to learn a little about this state in a unique (and Christmas-y) format.  It nothing, you realize how much varied terrain Oregon is blessed with--rainforest, desert, mountains and beaches.  

The Twelve Days of Christmas in Oregon, written by Susan Blackaby and illustrated by Carolyn Digby Conahan, is part of the Twelve Days of Christmas in America series.  We bought the California and Washington editions, too.  Looking forward to reading them!

doug unplugs on the farm

Doug Unplugs on the Farm is written and illustrated by Dan Yaccarino.  Doug the robot and his family are driving through farm country en route to a visit with the grandbots, plugged in, of course, and learning all about farms.  Their trip is derailed and suddenly everyone becomes unplugged when a flock of sheep run into the road and their car descends into a ditch.  Doug meets a farm girl, starts to help her with her chores and learns firsthand about real farm life.  In our electronic and digital age, this story is such a great reminder that sometimes the best kind of learning is experiential.  Check out this video of Doug Unplugs on the Farm.