make your own spaceship

If your kids have caught the travel bug (as in interstellar travel), they will be intrigued by this Make Your Own Spaceship kit.  It includes 14 spaceships to assemble—all designed by different artists—including 2 blank ones to put your spin on and make your own.  There are also envelopes in the kit for kids to share their spaceships and mail to friends living locally or in the reaches of outer space.  Perfect for crafting stories in pretend play and especially for the upcoming winter break.  Published by Laurence King.

snow

Carolina Rabei’s whitewashed snowy scenes serve as the perfect backdrop for Georgian poet Walter de la Mare’s poem Snow.  Her warm palette of reds, beiges, grays and blacks bring a buoyancy, joy and lightheartedness that make you want to engage in the cheerful raillery portrayed on the pages of this magical book.

“No breath of wind,

No gleam of sun – 

Still the white snow

Whirls softly down”

Snow is from Walter de la Mare’s poetry collection Peacock Pie.  This illustrated version is by Carolina Rabei and published by Faber & Faber.

animal doctors

A fascinating look at how animals heal themselves.  Blue jays will place live stinging ants among their feathers which serve as a kind of antiseptic shampoo against parasites.  Rhinos are prone to sunburn and insect bites and they use a coating of mud as a natural sunblock to protect themselves from the sun’s rays and bugs.  After you read Animal Doctors, you might figure out why your own dog or cat at home have the quirky habits they do.  A highly informative and interesting read for kids (and adults).

Animal Doctors: Incredible Ways Animals Heal Themselves was written by Angie Trius and Mark Doran, illustrated by Julio Antonio Blasco and published by Laurence King.

lit joy crate giveaway

This is our first LitJoy Crate ever, and we were beyond elated to find Sam Winston and Oliver Jeffers’ ode to literature, A Child of Books, in this month’s box!  It’s an extraordinary and meaningful work, and a tribute to the words and art in books and formative role storytelling play in all of our lives.  We’re looking forward to getting lost in its beautiful words and otherworldly typographical landscapes.  Btw, there's one other surprise not pictured here that came in this month's box.

We are partnering with LitJoy Crate for a giveaway to spread the joy and love of reading that their company champions.  The winner will receive one of their past children’s crates.  This giveaway is open to US and Canada residents only and ends on Wednesday, November 30 at 11:59 PM PST.  Head over to Instagram to enter!