blue squares

Last week I finished this quilt.  It is about twin size, and the finished blocks are three inches.  The fabric is all Robert Kaufman Kona solids.  I have made other quilts with all solids, but they were triangles (click here, here and here for pictures).  The squares work out pretty well since I quilted on the diagonal.  This quilt went to live with my youngest brother.

Baby Monkey, Private Eye

Baby Monkey, Private Eye by Brian Selznick and David Serlin is a mystery book for preschool age children on up.  The reason I checked it out was because it was thick but shelved as an early reader at the library.  I soon discovered it was because of the spare use of words.  Many pages have no words, the illustrations tell the story well.   Even though there are few words, the details in the pictures will engage readers beyond a first reading of the book.

The Read-Aloud Family

The Read-Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie is a book written for parents, but I found it interesting to read from a teacher's perspective.  Mackenzie encourages parents of all ages of children to read aloud to them.  She mentions that it will help them in school, but she also believes reading to your children will make your relationship with your children stronger.
If you want to improve your read aloud time with your children, she offers encouragement and ideas.  Another chapter gives suggestions on how to have good conversations with children about books.  The last chapters of the book are sorted into age groups (0-3, 4-7, 8-12, and the teen years) with book recommendations for good read aloud choices. 

Boom Bloom!

Just in time for spring, Bloom Boom! by April Pulley Sayre is a book for everyone, even though it is considered a children's book.  The vibrant photos and spare words showcase the wonder of springtime flowers.  Anyone who appreciates photography, flowers, or poetry will enjoy this book. 

The Shape of the World

The Shape of the World: A Portrait of Frank Lloyd Wright by K L Going and illustrated by Joyce Sidman is a picture book biography for ages 8 and up.  I enjoyed reading a little bit more about Frank Lloyd Wright and it made me want to visit some of his works.  This is a good book for any elementary aged child. 

funny

I had to laugh when I saw this on my home from school today.  What is not quite so funny to some people is we are likely to get significant snowfall tomorrow.  At least it is Saturday so I don't have to wonder if school will get cancelled.