Vanilla Gorilla: A Review!

Vanilla Gorilla
Big Lettuce Studio:  Boston

Got a child who likes poetry and learning about exotic animals from all over the world?  You should check out Vanilla Gorilla, written by David Harrow and illustrated by Judith Krimski.  The illustrations were created using a technique called collage art, and they are quite exquisite.  Your child will feel like they are traveling the world as they learn about many different exotic animals from all different types of habitats. You'll read clever verse about animals like the aye-aye and the fanolaka!  Some of these scientific names can be difficult to pronounce, but you and your child will certainly have fun learning together as you flip through all 25 pages. They have even left space at the end of the book for your child to create their very own page about a favorite creature, which can then be shared on the Vanilla Gorilla Facebook page.  Kids of all ages will enjoy Vanilla Gorilla, but it's probably best for the school-aged child.  Check it out today!
_____________________________________________________
I was given a copy of Vanilla Gorilla to take part in this review.  

Just Right Books

I know that a lot of you have older children who can already read.  But maybe reading doesn't come easy for your child.   Maybe reading is difficult, boring, not on your child's list of favorite things to do.  Rest assured, you are not alone.

One of many important things to remember when selecting books for your child is the "JUST RIGHT" rule.  We teachers typically place books into three categories for kids:  EASY, JUST RIGHT, or CHALLENGING.

Silent reading time typically calls for JUST RIGHT BOOKS.  During independent reading, children are left to practice their reading strategies on their own.  If these books are too challenging, reading will be cumbersome and NOT fun.  Instead, reading will cause frustration.  If you want your child to learn to enjoy reading, please don't hand them Harry Potter when they are certainly not ready for it.

So how you do know when a book is JUST RIGHT for your child?

• First and foremost, be sure your child is reading something he or she finds interesting.  Have your child make a list of things that they like and go from there!  Non-fiction is a great choice if your child has some good interests!  What about National Geographic for Kids?  Sports Illustrated for Kids?  
• Remember the Five Finger Rule:  Open the book to any page.  Have your child read it.  Have your child keep track of the number of unknown or difficult words on the page.  If there are five or more words, pick an EASIER book.  (Still unsure, try the same trick on another page of the book.)
• When your child reads any of the book aloud, does he or she sound choppy and slow?  If so, it's probably not the right fit.  They should sound fluent.  

Having your child read at their independent level is so very important for keeping the momentum going.  That way, they are able to practice their reading strategies independently and conquer new vocabulary words on their own.  Does your child know the Five Finger Rule?  You should ask them!

Helping Your Child Learn to Read and Write Their Own Name

Your child's name is most likely going to be the first word he/she will learn to read and write.   Fascinating, right?  Don't you want to give your child a head start?   They must first learn to recognize the letters in their own name before they can begin to write it.  Here are some tips for when your child is ready:

• Sing songs about your child's name, such as:  "E M I L Y, that's how we spell Emily!"   "A I D A N, that's how we spell Aidan!" 
• Write your child's first name on a sentence strip.  Cut out each letter so that your child can put their own name back together again like a puzzle!  Add your last name when your child is ready!  (This is another perfect way to practice phone numbers!)
• Use a golf pencil or a broken crayon to practice the perfect pencil grip.
• Use magnetic letters!  
• Use a wet paint brush or a wet fingertip on a dry chalk board and watch your child's name disappear and reappear!

I hope this list helps!  

It's A Big World, Little Pig! A Book Review

Did you know that Kristi Yamaguchi, America's favorite world-class figure skating champion, has recently written two children's books?  Who knew, right?

First came Dream Big, Little Pig! in 2011, telling the story of Poppy the Pig and her journey to success to never give up and keep on dreaming.

Kristi's second book about Poppy, It's a Big World, Little Pig!, was just released yesterday! In this story, Poppy receives an invitation to the World Games ice skating championships in Paris, but she is nervous about the big trip!

Illustrated by Tim Bowers, the message is clear.  Yamaguchi does a fine job reminding children around the globe that even though we may all come from different backgrounds and different parts of the world speaking many different languages, we are all the same at heart.  We all smile in the same langauge!  I could totally relate to Poppy, as I look back on my first blogging conference, held a few weeks ago in Nashville, TN.  While at Blissdom, us bloggers had to do remember the same important message that Poppy tells in this delightful children's book ~

• Smiles go far and friendships can be made, no matter where you are.
• Take risks.
• Be kind.
• Be confident.

My kids enjoyed hearing the story, especially six-year-old Emily.  "When are we signing up for figure skating lessons, Mommy?"  

I hope your children enjoy this heart-felt story as much as mine did.  

___________________________________________________________________________________*Thank you to Sourcebooks for providing me with a copy of It's a Big World, Little Pig!

ABCmouse.com Giveaway: Educational Fun for Little Ones

Congratulations Ani Wilson in TX!  You are the lucky winner! 

We recently got our hands on a free subscription to ABCmouse.com, the online early learning academy.  I  am always scouring the web for great sites to compliment all the learning going on at home and school and this site is amazing.  They've recently added science and social studies activities to the learning path, which is wonderful because often times these important subjects are left out.  

Emily, who is in kindergarten really loves how the site is full of games and fun which allow her to rack up tickets to virtually purchase things for her "room."  (It is very similar to the way WebKinz is set up.)  You can have your child travel on the Step-by-Step Learning Path or you can create your own custom lessons for your children.  The site is perfect for my Aidan, who is 3.5, because it's a great tool for reinforcing his letter-sound correspondence, number sense, and even art and music!  Aidan is learning on the site, while Emily is having fun racking up tickets to fill up her "room."  

Abcmouse.com is definitely worth checking out if you are a homeschooling mom or a mom who is looking for the perfect site to reinforce important skills necessary for success in kindergarten.  What's better than learning that seems like fun and games?  We love the printables too!  Don't forget to check ABCmouse out on facebook! 

How would you like your own subscription to ABCmouse.com?  One lucky reader is going to get the chance to check it out for themselves!  Here's what you have to do:

• Leave a comment below telling me who's the lucky little person in your life who would like to learn on ABCmouse.com

For extra entries you can do the following:  (leave an extra comment below for each that you complete)

• Follow Stowed Stuff on facebook
• Follow me on twitter
• Subscribe to my blog
• Share this giveaway on your facebook wall
• Tweet about this giveaway on twitter (once daily if you wish!)

Contest period ends on March 17, 2012 at 8pm EST.  Winner will have 48 hours to claim prize before another winner is picked.  Good luck!

Is My Child Ready to Read?

Often times, parents find themselves asking themselves this very question:

"How do I know if my child is ready to learn to read?"

Maybe your child is not even in school yet.  Maybe it's the middle of kindergarten.  Maybe he or she is only three years old.  Well, I thought I'd share some tips on figuring out whether or not your child is ready.  Is your child showing the ability to do any of the following:

Mrs. Stow celebrating Dr. Seuss's birthday

• recognize all 26 letters of the alphabet?
• name letter sounds for each letter?
• showing an interest in "reading" stories according to the illustrations?
• recognize people's names and the print of everyday life:  PIZZA, Target, STOP, Cheerios, etc.?  
• rhyme?
• handle a book, point out the front cover, point to the first word on a page, etc.? 

Remember, every child is different.  Learning to read is developmental, just like learning to talk or walk.  There is no perfect age or perfect time, but you can look for the pre-set skills that may indicate your child is ready.  

Do you think your child may be ready?  How exciting!  

Happy Birthday Theodor!

Theodor Geisel would be turning 108 years old today.  Do you know who I'm talking about?  Ya you do!  The creator of so many joyous children's books!

I brought home a copy of The Lorax from Blissdom and my kids can't get enough!  I will admit, I wasn't even familiar with the story until we read it together at bedime this week.  It's a darling little story which teaches kids the importance of being environmentally conscious.  I'm really excited for the movie, which opens up in theaters across the country today!  Are you running out to see it this weekend?

My little Lorax

So many of Seuss's stories teach children valuable life lessons.  What's your favorite Seuss story?  Happy birthday Mr. Geisel!  The Cat in the Hat will ALWAYS be my favorite!

National Reading Month: Give A Book!

Did you know that there is only 1 book for every 300 kids in poverty?  Have you ever heard of RIF?  It stands for Reading is Fundamental, and that it is.  As a reading specialist, I witness the varying skills and abilities of children entering Kindergarten each year in our very own little suburb just south of Boston.  Think about it.  Do all homes have the opportunity to provide shelves and shelves of picture books?  Does socio-economic status matter when it comes to achievement?  What if mom and dad don't speak English?  What if that child has never been read to?  This stuff sure does matter.  And it is my job to narrow that gap.  It's a BIG job.


In honor of National Reading Month, Dollops of Diane and I have decided to team up and do some social good here on the world wide web.  Since reading education is very near and dear to my heart, I am calling YOU to action. Whether you are a mom, a dad, a grandparent, a teacher, a Dr, or a CEO, we can all make a difference in a child's life by providing ALL kids with more experiences with books.  By raising money for RIF, we can narrow the gaps and give kids the foundation they need to succeed in school.


It's simple.  All you have to do is click DONATE and enter the dollar amount you'd like to give to kids who really need it.  I'm also calling all of you to SHARE the widget with your friends and family to do the same.  Want the widget for yourself?  I invite you to take it and join our cause!  Share it on twitter, facebook, email and pinterest.  We can make a difference one book at a time.  The more people we inspire to help, the more kids we reach.  Let's do this.

And here's what RIF will do with the money we raise:

"Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) is the largest children’s literacy nonprofit in the United States. We prepare and motivate children to read by delivering free books and literacy resources to those children and families who need them most. We inspire children to be lifelong readers through the power of choice. RIF provides new, free books for children to choose from and make their own. The seeds of inspiration in these books have motivated children to follow their dreams and achieve their potential. Yes, it seems incredible for a book to launch a life, but it happens every day as hungry, inquisitive young minds reach out and grab hold of the new people, places, and ideas that books bring them.

Nearly two-thirds of low-income families in the U.S. own no books.

Planting seeds of inspiration in our nation’s most vulnerable children is what RIF and a network of more than 400,000 volunteers do. Whether in schools, homeless shelters, or community centers—wherever you find children—RIF volunteers spend countless hours distributing books, staging reading motivation activities, and promoting the importance of literacy in their communities.

RIF is generously supported by corporations, foundations, community organizations, and thousands of individuals. Your generosity is what allows us to fulfill our mission and positively impact the lives of our nation’s children and their families."

Diane and I have set a personal goal for this campaign and we want to raise $1,000 in the month of March.  Can we count on you to help us reach that goal?  No amount is too small.  Imagine what could be done with just $1 from all of us.  Let's make the world a better place with more books.  Thanks for your support!  Donate today!  And don't forget to press that SHARE button!

National Reading Month Begins Tomorrow!

Get excited folks!  The National Education Association's Read Across America month kicks off tomorrow, March 1st!  Mrs. Stow is so excited to celebrate National Reading Month with all of you!  Here, I'll be sharing some great tips and techniques that you can practice at home to help your children become avid readers.

Stay tuned for ways to help your children learn how to read, techniques to guide comprehension, some great book reviews, giveaways and MORE!  Do you have a specific question you need answered?  Please leave a comment below or email me!

What is your child's school doing to celebrate Read Across America?  What are you doing to promote a love for reading in your home?  You can even share your own wonderful ideas and creations with the world at SchoolTube and upload your own video!  Have fun and take some time out for books!  Happy Reading!

Ten Tips for Reading Aloud to Your Children

Bedtime Stories:  Make Read-Aloud FUN!

It's been a while since I shared any reading tips with all of you, and didn't I mention it was Family Literacy Month here in Massachusetts?  My district held a Literacy Information Night for families last night, where I was meant to present some information to parents about the importance of phonemic awareness and phonics, but I was too busy with pneumonia.  I must say, I feel a lot better today and I'm looking forward to returning to work on Friday morning!

Since we all know how important it is to read with your children every day, I thought I would share some read-aloud tips that you can put into practice.  Here goes:

• Look at the front cover together and talk about things you notice.  Who are the characters going to be?  What do you think is going to happen?
• Pretend your putting on a show when you read.  Make it fun for them to listen to you.    
• Dramatize emphasized words.
• Make different sounds and tones for different characters.
• Use facial expressions and change your tone for different characters and emotions.
• Read slowly and clearly with lots of animation.
• Read in a a quiet spot with the least amount of distractions.
• Stop and talk about happenings as you move through the book.  Were any predictions correct?  Any new predictions?
• Ask questions here and there to see if they're paying attention and comprehending.
• It's always fun to leave out words and phrases from familiar stories that you love to share together to see if they can fill in the missing parts.  They love chiming in and "reading" with you, even if it's memorization.  This really helps them follow along and comprehend.  And sometimes, they may have the wrong word or phrase, but if they choose one that makes sense in the story, they are doing amazing stuff with syntax, vocabulary and learning how language works.  

Now get to it, go read a book together!  

Read and Romp Boston: Giveaway!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, November is Family Literacy Month in Massachusetts.  Have you ever heard of Reach Out and Read? They are a nonprofit organization that helps to promote early literacy in coordination with pediatricians all over the U.S.  By offering developmentally appropriate books to young children during a well visit, this organization is helping millions of young children in the fight against illiteracy.  Did you know that 88% of first graders who are below grade level in reading will continue to read below grade level in fourth grade?  (Juel, 1988)  This is a frightening statistic.  Please keep reading to your children.

Reach Out and Read has put together a fabulous literacy event, which is being held in Boston next Sunday, November 13, 2011 from 10:30 - 2:00 at the Seaport Hotel.  It's called the Read and Romp and all proceeds go directly to Reach Out and Read.  The Read and Romp promises to be a fun-filled day for the entire family. Here's what you'll get when you purchase your tickets:

• Meet Clifford the Big Red Dog
• Get your passport stamped as you travel through storybook adventures with Curious George, Fancy Nancy, The Runaway Bunny and MORE!
• 12 storybook stations with fun-filled activities
• Gift bag that includes a book, toys and other goodies
• Meet and Greet with some amazing authors, such as Peter Reynolds, the creator of Judy Moody!
• A yummy Buffet lunch with entertainment from Stacey Peasley  (I love her!!)
• Raffle and online auction with a chance to win some great prizes

Doesn't that sound like fun?  Tickets are $50/person (under 2 are admitted free) and all proceeds go to Reach out and Read.  I have some great news for the readers here at Stowed Stuff.  I'm giving away 4 tickets to this amazing event being held next Sunday!  Here's what you have to do for your chance to win:

1. Leave a comment below telling me you or your child's favorite storybook.
2. For an extra entry, leave a comment on Reach Out and Read's Facebook page telling them Annie sent you.  
3. For an extra entry, follow me on Twitter.  
4. For an extra entry, follow me with Google Friend Connect.
5. For an extra entry, leave a comment on my Facebook wall.  

Your family will have a blast at this event.  Entry period ends on Thursday, November 11th at 8pm.  Winner will be notified via email and will have 24 hours to respond.  Good luck!  

Family Literacy Month: Giveaway!

Did you know that November is Family Literacy Month?

Do you read to your child every day?  We do.  Emily loves to read and Aidan is at the stage where he flips through books on his own and makes up the story to go along with the pictures...an excellent technique at the age of 3! It is so important to put books in their tiny hands and enjoy stories together.  I really feel that lots of exposure to books and stories will lead to a higher interest in reading as they enter school and hopefully, avid readers in the future.

Owen loves books too.  Especially our board books.  We have collected so many over the years, but my favorites are the ones that I received from my students at a shower thrown by the parents of the children of my third grade class when I was pregnant with Emily.  Each student wrote inside the cover of the books and we are still cherishing them six years later.  What a great idea, right?  I love reading the notes inside and it's a great idea for anyone throwing a baby shower for a new mom-to-be.  I still can't believe they did something that special for me.  (And the books were piled high in a beautiful moses basket...)

We all love Natasha's Wing's best selling series, "The Night Before..."  So in honor of Family Literacy Month and the upcoming holiday, I'm giving away an autographed copy of The Night Before Thanksgiving to one lucky reader!  This is a really cute book to get your kids excited about Thanksgiving and it would be great to use in any classroom!  Kids of all ages will enjoy hearing the rhyming verse and the family-filled fun!  I know all my teacher friends love all of Natasha Wing's books!  Her website is so cute and she even does Skype calls with classrooms who purchase her books!  Oh, how I wish we could get her to Foxboro!

Here's how to enter to win the autographed copy:

1. Leave a comment below telling me one thing you're thankful for this year.
2. For an extra entry, write on my Facebook wall telling me you entered this giveaway.  
3. For an extra entry, tweet this giveaway and leave a separate comment with your Twitter handle.    
4. For an extra entry, leave a separate comment for following Stowed Stuff using Google Friend Connect.   
5. For an extra entry, share this blog post on your own Facebook wall by using the widgets at the bottom of this post (Facebook Share button.)

Contest ends Nov. 10, 2011 at 8pm.  EST
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disclosure:  I was given a copy of The Night Before Thanksgiving for the purpose of this review.  All opinions are my own.  

Impressive Printing in Kindergarten

I know I'm her Mom, but wow!  Impressive, right?  She can read the list too :)
Just gotta work on tall, fall, small!  

My Little Pony App Giveaway!

I loved My Little Pony as a kid.  Now, Emily is loving her My Little Pony toys from Hasbro too.  But get this, Ruckus Media has recently partnered with Hasbro to create a new app for the iPhone and iPad around My Little Pony!  It's an interactive storybook application for kids!

My kids absolutely love playing on our phones while we wait for an appointment or during down time in the Traverse.  And as a reading teacher, you know I love any kind of online games or apps that will build upon our children's reading skills!  Bring it on!

Your kids will love playing with Twilight Sparkle: Teacher for a Day!  Kids aged 3-11 will be able to play and hear stories either at home or on the go on the iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch!  It was designed to engage children with interactive activities, video and an entertaining story.

Features include:

• interactive storybook to read from to help develop reading, vocabulary and motor skills
• brand new story with new characters
• as the story progresses, children are rewarded with video clips, spot the difference activities, mazes and more!
• randomization of activity content and level of difficulty
• personalization with the ability to record voices in the storybook!

Would you like to win this app for your child?  And who knows, Ruckus Media and Hasbro might just throw in a few of their other best selling kid apps for you to try!  Here's what you have to do:

1. Mandatory Entry:  Leave a comment below telling me which little person in your life would love to try out the My Little Pony app.  You must also follow Stowed Stuff on facebook!
2. Receive an extra entry for following Ruckus Media on Twitter.  (separate comment below)
3. Receive an extra entry for following Ruckus Media on Facebook.  (separate comment below)
4. Receive an extra entry for leaving a comment on Ruckus Media's FB page telling them Stowed Stuff sent you and why you or your child loves My Little Pony.  (separate comment below)

2 winners will be chosen at 8pm (EST) on October 30th.  Good luck!  

Wordless Wednesday

Emily and her workbooks

She hasn't stopped since she got off the bus.  She's been working in her "Get Ready for First Grade" workbook all afternoon and evening, with a little bit of Reading Eggs thrown in too.  Reading Eggs is giving parents a free 14 day trial and teachers get a free month's trial!  Sign up now!  Emily loves it.

Her "favorite friend" at school told her today, "You are my favorite person" during center time.  Gaaaahhhh!  Kindergarten!  She kills me.  "9 days until his birthday, Mom."

Fostering the Home-School Connection with Shared Writing

Shared Writing from Kindergarten

On Friday, Emily hopped off the bus and darted in the house with excitement and ripped open her backpack to pull out this large piece of chart paper with M words written all over it.  She was so happy to share it with me and read all the words on the list.  We love this!  Emily felt so special and it's a great way to cultivate the home-school connection.  We hung it up for everyone to see and she loves reading the list to everyone who comes through our kitchen!  Can't wait to see more shared writing come home from kindergarten!  Way to go Mrs. W!

My Little Readers

So I'm back at work and we're in full swing in grades K-4.  We're currently assessing our students in reading, as we do three times/year and I'm absolutely in love with the kids I am working with.  This year I am lucky enough to be working in two kindergarten classrooms, one first grade and one second grade.

So my kindergartners are precious.  We're not assessing them just yet.  But we are working hard in our language arts centers.  It's amazing to see what abilities they possess as they enter school.  Some are already reading and some still cannot write their names.  Some can sit still and listen, while some have never been to school before and are learning to keep their bodies in control and raise their hand to speak.  Let me tell ya though, they are all eager to learn and they are all so excited to read, sing and rhyme when I call them over to my center.  They are such amazing little people, and they're pretty darn cute too.  One little girl sang "Did you ever see a sheep in a jeep?" with such gusto and vibrato that I nearly fell off my little blue chair!  They are just darling and I love them all.  It's so nice to be with them in September and not be on maternity leave!

And then there are my first and second graders.  Again, I'm in love.  I get to see them one-on-one for a reading assessment and I just adore our conversations.  Yesterday I learned about one little boy who loves his cat so much that he snuck him into the car while the family was headed to Stop & Shop!  He said his mom was pretty mad when they got to the store!  Wow.  I complimented one little boy on his fabulous eyes and eyelashes and he told me, "God just made me this way, I just got ones that are betterer."  And a superstar reader in first grade who just moved into town blew my socks off with his reading abilities.  I asked him what brought him to Foxboro, and he told me "pods and moving trucks."  Duh, Mrs. Stow!  God, I love these kids.

Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm tired.  But it's my favorite time of year with these kids.  I'm getting to know so many new friends and getting lots of hugs from my old ones.  These are some pretty independent, funny, energetic, motivated souls and I'm so lucky to call myself their teacher.  Thanks for helping me LOVE MY JOB!  You are all superstars!  Let's READ!

Flightless Goose: The Author Is Here!

Here's Eric D. Goodman answering a few questions about his book Flightless Goose.  Don't forget to enter the contest to win your very own hard copy!  This book would be wonderful to use in any elementary classroom.  All the teachers out there should definitely get their own copy of Flightless Goose.

Here's Eric:

As an elementary school teacher, I think Flightless Goose lends itself nicely to a discussion on anti-bullying.  Do you have any tips for young children on overcoming bullying?

Although I'm not an expert on bullying, I do think the best reaction to bullying is to ignore it.  Often, if they bully sees it's not bothering you, the bully will stop.  If that's not the case, and the bullying continues, it's probably a good idea to talk with an adult you can trust, whether it's a parent, older sibling, uncle or aunt, a teacher, or school counselor.

I know the story is based on a real life experience with an injured goose you found.  How long did you have him and where did that all take place?  

We lived on that lake for two years so we know the goose survived at least one winter alone, with the help of those of us in the neighborhood who fed him bread crumbs.  When we moved out of state, we didn't have an opportunity to revisit the goose again.  For all we know, he could still be sliding on the iced-over pond.

How long have you been writing children's books?  What are some of your others?

Flightless Goose was our first, and we started it about 10 years ago.  We are working on another children's book with an entirely different cast of characters.  But it will probably be a few years before it is ready for publication. 

In the meantime, I also write grown-up fiction and my debut novel in stories, Tracks, just came out last week.  So far the reviews have been good and it has gotten a lot of advance praise.  Tracks is set on a train headed from Baltimore to Chicago. Each chapter in the book is the story of a passenger on the train, and the stories link together as the strangers on a train touch one another in meaningful ways.  You can learn more about it, read excerpts, listen to radio readings, and more at www.TracksNovel.com.

Who or what inspired the common themes in Flightless Goose?   (bullying, overcoming adversity, disabilities, etc.)

These are all subjects Nataliya and I feel strongly about in general.  Everyone has the choice of focusing on the positive or the negative.  When we saw the real goose we thought it would be a great way to teach these important lessons, especially overcoming adversity, dealing with disability or difficult situations, treating others with dignity and respect, etc. 

What is your favorite children's book?  

I always loved the books of Dr. Seuss, Eric Carle, Shel Silverstein, and Maurice Sendek. It's hard to pick a favorite, but maybe The Giving Tree, Cat in the Hat, Yertle the Turtle, or The Sneeches.

Which children's authors have inspired you to become an author?

Dr. Seuss, Eric Carle, Shel Silverstein, and Maurice Sendek are my favorite childrens' book authors. 

Thank you so much for stopping by, Eric!  It was great hearing more about your book!  If you'd like to learn more about Eric, here are some of his links:


Writeful, a literary blog
Author of Tracks, a novel in stories

and Flightless Goose, a storybook for children

Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a chance to win your very own copy!

A Book Tour and Giveaway for "Flightless Goose"

Have you read Flightless Goose, by Eric D. Goodman?  This charming story tells the tale of Gilbert the Goose who overcomes adversity and becomes a hero.  Eric D. Goodman will be stopping by Stowed Stuff on Tuesday to answer some of our questions.  If you have any questions for him, please feel free to leave one below!  He'd be delighted to talk with all of you!  Oh, and one lucky reader of Stowed Stuff will receive their very own hard copy of Flightless Goose!  Be sure to check them out on Facebook and start following for your chance to win!  We can't wait to meet Mr. Goodman!

Contest Rules:

• Leave a comment below telling us one of your favorite picture books for children.
• Like Flightless Goose on Facebook and write on their wall telling them Stowed Stuff sent you! 
• Like Stowed Stuff on Facebook
• Follow Stowed Stuff using Google Friend Connect - just click FOLLOW in my right sidebar here on the blog!

One entry per household, must be resident of U.S.  Winner will be chosen using random.org and contest opens July 3rd and ends on July 5th, 2011 at midnight.  Good luck!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Disclosure:  I was given one copy of Flightless Goose by Writer's Lair Books to take part in this exciting book tour opportunity.

Emily Loves Learning How to Read

In this video, you see some great early reading strategies being put to good use by Emily while decoding.

• Don't just tell your child the difficult words.
• Use the phrase, "Get your mouth ready."  Your child should notice the first letter or first group of letters and make the appropriate sounds.
• Ask your child to "stretch it out."  You can see me using my fingers to tap out the sounds with her as well.  Stretching it out requires them to slowly say each sound and then put it together.  
• Teach your child to look at the pictures for clues.
• Ask, "Does that make sense?"  They will then learn to internalize this rule and ask themselves this question while reading.  
• Look for known parts or chunks in bigger words.
• Praise, praise, praise!!!  Keep it fun!