{Book Reviews} Superhero Instruction Manual & Diana’s White House Garden

image

.

{Book Reviews} Superhero Instruction Manual & Diana’s White House Garden

I love using great picture books in my work as a SLP! I’m pretty sure I have well over a thousand of them now. I have them all stored by themes and have fun swapping out my book basket at work with a fresh theme every couple of weeks. Here are two new books:

Superhero Instruction Manual by Kristy Dempsey. I have several patients with a high interest in superheroes so this is sure to be a fave. I love the quirky illustrations and funny storyline.

http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/235819/superhero-instruction-manual-by-kristy-dempsey-illustrated-by-mark-fearing/
.

Diana’s White House Garden by Elisa Carbone. I love the old fashioned feel of this book and that it’s based on a true story. Would be a great addition to any history lesson on FDR and the WWII era. Also would fit with a garden theme or even a patriotic theme.

http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/315223/dianas-white-house-garden-by-elisa-carbone-illustrated-by-jen-hill/
.
Disclaimer: I received these books from the publisher to review. No compensation was received to review them and my opinions are strictly my own.
.

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
.
Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 26 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.
.
{please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog and I don’t have any control over ads nor do I profit from them}

{Book Review} With Any Luck, I’ll Drive a Truck by David Friend

image

.

{Book Review} With Any Luck, I’ll Drive a Truck by David Friend

Bulldozers and back-hoes, pavers and plows, trailers and tractors–the world is filled with so many types of trucks! Imagine the fun you could have if you could drive them all! And what if you could bring your best friends along with you? Hop along for a thrilling ride! This playful romp is sure to delight truck lovers everywhere!

  • Age Range: 3 – 5 years
  • Grade Level: Preschool – Kindergarten
  • Hardcover: 32 pages
  • Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books – Penguin Young Readers Group (June 14, 2016)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0399169563
  • ISBN-13: 978-0399169564
  • Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.4 x 10.8 inches

.

Here’s what I love about this book

  • fun rhyming text in a large easy to read font
  • colorful detailed illustrations fill each 2-page spread. Every time I read this book, I find more fun things hidden in the details
  • full of lots of great vocabulary, descriptive words & actions
  • several opportunities for teaching prepositions (in, out, up, down, under, etc.)
  • includes lots of vehicles….. perfect for my patients who have a high interest in anything with a construction or transportation theme

.

I’m excited to have my latest “read-play-talk” activity ready for several patients in OMazing Kids speech therapy tomorrow built around this book! The text is very inviting so kids will be motivated to request “read” as I pause and wait expectantly after each two page spread. I will also be targeting key vocabulary via aided language stimulation in the Speak For Yourself AAC app (go, drive, dig, spread, help, cat, cow, and most of the vehicles: crane, fire truck, fork lift, garbage truck, bulldozer, moving van, tanker, snowplow, tractor, cement mixer, dump truck, excavator/backhoe, combine, wrecking ball, flatbed trailer & semi truck). Then we will play with a toy dump truck and a set of colored balls to fill the back and dump out (more great opportunities for requesting colors & the vocabulary “in”, “out” & “go”). And a couple of the patients will get to play a construction themed app on my other iPad or do a coloring page for a couple of minutes as a reinforcer at the end.

.

image
.
Available for purchase:

.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review. No compensation was received to review it and my opinions are strictly my own.
.

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
.
Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 26 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.
.
{please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog and I don’t have any control over ads nor do I profit from them}

{Book Reviews} 3 great books coming in May: Little Sleepyhead, Blue Boat & A Dark, Dark Cave

image
.
Check out these 3 fabulous new picture books being released this month from Penguin Random House:

.

image

* Little Sleepyhead board book by Elizabeth McPike [coming 5/10/16: http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/312764/little-sleepyhead-by-elizabeth-mcpike-illustrated-by-patrice-barton/9780399162404/#]. I love the rhyming text & sweet illustrations. Perfect for teaching body parts & a fun bedtime read.

.

image

* Blue Boat by Kersten Hamilton [coming 5/17/16 – hardcover: http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/316824/blue-boat-by-kersten-hamilton-illustrated-by-valeria-petrone/hardcover#; board book: http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/316824/blue-boat-by-kersten-hamilton-illustrated-by-valeria-petrone/boardbook. The board book has the same content other than the end sheets, credits and this two-page spread in the middle of the hardcover edition (see pic below)]. I love the rhyming text, lots of great descriptive language and action words and colorful illustrations. Perfect for kids who love boats and other transportation. I love using board book versions when I am using a book during modeling on an AAC device. The slightly smaller format and thick easy to turn pages are a good fit for that.

image

.

image

* A Dark, Dark Cave by Eric Hoffman [coming 5/24/16: http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/314991/a-dark-dark-cave-by-eric-hoffman-illustrated-by-corey-r-tabor/#]. I love the artsy illustrations, rhyming text, great repeated line “dark, dark cave”, lots of descriptive language and spatial concepts and inspiration for imaginative play. As a bonus, the book has the following opportunities for kids yoga: crescent moon, blowing wind, bat, dog, cat, lizard on a rock, roaring, rooftop partners (for the blanket cave), sun stretch & breath, horse, bird.
.

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
.
Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 26 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.
.
{please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog and I don’t have any control over ads nor do I profit from them}

OMazing Kids Book Review: “Raybot: Every Robot Needs A Friend” by Adam F. Watkins

image

.

Check out this fun new addition to the OMazing Kids library…. Raybot: Every Robot Needs a Friend by Adam F. Watkins!

Raybot doesn’t have a best friend. Actually, he doesn’t have any friends at all. After learning that puppies make good best friends. Raybot decides to go find one…. but what does a puppy look like? Raybot has never seen one before. All he knows is that they go “bark!” And where does a robot find himself a puppy? The country? The jungle? Deep in the ocean? Somewhere in the world there must be an animal that goes “bark!”

I love the cool full-page illustrations, lots of opportunities for vocabulary, animal sounds, inferences and more! The book is also full of lots of opportunities for kids yoga: robot, gate, cross crawl hike, horse, goat, chicken, cow, pig, gyan mudra looking glasses, duck, bear, moose, goose, beaver, hippo, tree, giraffe, elephant, lion, monkey, lazy eights vines, whale, penguin, seal, shark, fish, waterfall, snake, parrot, puppy.

.

image

.

image

.

image

.

I’ve added this book to my post on robot-themed kids yoga lesson plans: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2013/02/02/robot-themed-kids-yoga-lesson-plan-ideas/
.

http://www.amazon.com/Raybot-Adam-F-Watkins/dp/0843183004
.

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
.
Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 26 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.

OMazing Kids Book Review: Why Johnny Doesn’t Flap: NT is OK! by Clay Morton & Gail Morton

Why Johnny Doesn't Flap - book review

.

Why Johnny Doesn’t Flap: NT is OK!

.
Johnny is different. He is never exactly on time, he can’t seem to stick to a routine and he often speaks in cryptic idioms. Johnny is neurotypical, but that’s OK. A picture book with a difference, Why Johnny Doesn’t Flap turns the tables on common depictions of neurological difference by drolly revealing how people who are not on the autistic spectrum are perceived by those who are. The autistic narrator’s bafflement at his neurotypical friend’s quirks shows that ‘normal’ is simply a matter of perspective.
.

What I love about this book: This book is a witty change in perspective and is a great addition to my special needs acceptance & awareness library! It can be used to help kids who are neurologically diverse to understand and appreciate each other. I love that this kids picture book is written from the perspective of a child with Autism and that the character is accepting of his neurotypical friend despite their differences. The “A Note for Parents” page has helpful tips for parents as they read the book with their child.

.

A peek at a couple of pages inside the book:

.

image

.

image

.

image

.

image

.
• Age Range: 4 – 8 years
• Grade Level: Preschool – 3
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers; 1 edition (October 21, 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1849057214
• ISBN-13: 978-1849057219
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.3 x 8.4 inches

.

Available for purchase at: http://www.amazon.com/Why-Johnny-Doesnt-Flap-NT/dp/1849057214
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nt.is.ok/

.
About the authors:
Clay Morton is Associate Professor of English and Director of the Honors Program at Middle Georgia State University. Gail Morton (MLIS) is a Public Services Librarian at Mercer University. Clay and Gail research issues of neurodiversity, particularly in relation to higher education. They are parents to a child with autism and are both advocates for the neurodiversity movement.

.

Check out this video review for the book by Autistic Genius. I had wondered what older individuals with Autism would think of the book.

‪#‎AutismAcceptance‬ #Neurodiversity
.
I only post reviews for books that I have in my personal library. If you are an author of a book or resource geared towards helping kids understand special needs and would like me to review your work OR if you have questions about any of the resources I have listed on my blog, the best way to reach me is via Facebook Messaging on my OMazing Kids Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/messages/174264525957894. (My e-mail is listed below but I am getting tons of spam mail due to using that account for social media and blogging…. to the point that I may not receive the e-mail or it being buried among the spam.)
.
Disclaimer: I received a free sample of this product to facilitate my review. Opinions expressed are my own.
.
Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
.
Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 25 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is an app beta tester for educational & therapeutic app developers and loves sharing info about great apps, products, books & toys to use with kids of all abilities.
.
{please ignore any ads that may appear below. This is a free blog. I have no control over ads nor do I profit from them}

{Book Review} Little Bitty Friends by Elizabeth McPike, free printable + ideas for kids yoga & speech-language therapy

image

.

Check out this awesome new addition to the OMazing Kids collection of fabulous kids picture books: Little Bitty Friends by Elizabeth McPike (due to be released 2/2/16; hardcover, 32 pages, $16.99; the book description indicates that the book is for ages birth to 3 but I can definitely see myself using this book into early elementary ages).

  • I love the adorable illustrations and the rolling-off-your-tongue fun to read rhyming text.
  • The book has lots of great opportunities for language with unique verbs (march, tickle, reach, fly, peek, nibble, sway, sneeze, chatter, play, nuzzle, nap, rest & hug) and nouns (boy, girl, knee, nose, lap, caterpillar, flower, sky, bird, tent, snail, mouse, strawberry, tree, swing, cat, wagon, chipmunk, ladybug, grass, rock, turtle, rabbit, basket, blanket, puppy).
  • As an added bonus there are lots of opportunities for kids yoga activities based on the illustrations and text (cross crawl hike, ant (warrior 1), caterpillar (group happy baby), flower, stretch to sky, bird, tree, snail, tent (triangle or rooftop partners), mouse, weeping willow (crescent moon), swing (standing forward fold with arms on top of each other like swing seat), cat, chipmunk (toe-ga with brown pom poms), ladybug, turtle, bunny breaths, resting puppy savasana & big self-hug).

.
Here is a sneak peek at a few pages inside the book:

image

.

image

.

image

.

Here is a free printable that I made to use with this book. I have several kids that I see for speech-language therapy who respond well to getting to color or splat a small ball of playdoh on a small picture after saying a certain number of articulation target words or naming pics (Tip: When using playdoh splat mats it helps to already have small balls of playdoh pre-rolled). In my kids yoga classes, I use coloring sheets both as a visual support for kids to pick a pose to do again and as a coloring sheet to do during relaxation at the end or to take home.

.

Little Bitty Friends - coloring page from OMazing Kids

https://omazingkidsllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/little-bitty-friends-coloring-page-and-playdoh-splat-mat-from-omazing-kids.pdf

.
The book is available for pre-order purchase at: http://www.amazon.com/Little-Bitty-Friends-Elizabeth-McPike/dp/0399172556 & http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/317196/little-bitty-friends-by-elizabeth-mcpike-illustrated-by-patrice-barton/9780399172557.

.
Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
.
Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 25 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is a kids book reviewer with a focus on great picture books, a kids toy / product reviewer with a focus on those that are helpful for kids with special needs & an app beta tester for educational and therapeutic app developers. She loves sharing info about great things to use with kids of all abilities.

.

{* Please ignore any ads that may appear below this sentence. This is a free blog and I don’t have any control over ads nor do I profit from them *}

Book Review & Free Printables: The Hueys in What’s the Opposite? by Oliver Jeffers

image

.

Check out this awesome new addition to the OMazing Kids collection of fabulous kids picture books: “The Hueys in What’s the Opposite?” by Oliver Jeffers! I’m always looking for fun ways to work on opposites with kids in my speech language therapy sessions. I love the quirky illustrations and humor in this author’s books…. too hilarious. This book has 13 opposite word pairs each presented on a 2-page spread with large easy to read font.

.

whats the opposite 2

.

whats the opposite 3

.

whats the opposite 4

.

Of course I immediately made some opposite word pair cards & a coloring activity page to go with the book. I made the cards in Boardmaker but am sharing them here as a PDF so they will be easily printable by all: Opposite Cards – free printable from OMazing Kids for The Hueys in Whats the Opposite by Oliver Jeffers

Opposite Cards - free printable from OMazing Kids for The Hueys in Whats the Opposite by Oliver Jeffers

 

.

My Favorite Opposite Word Pairs – free printable from OMazing Kids – for The Hueys in Whats the Opposite by Oliver Jeffers

My Favorite Opposite Word Pairs - free printable from OMazing Kids - for The Hueys in Whats the Opposite by Oliver Jeffers

.

The book is available for purchase at: http://www.amazon.com/The-Hueys-Whats-Opposite-Book/dp/0399257705, http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/310702/the-hueys-whats-the-opposite-by-oliver-jeffers-illustrated-by-oliver-jeffers/9780399257704

.
Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com
.
Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 25 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is a kids book reviewer with a focus on great picture books, a kids toy / product reviewer with a focus on those that are helpful for kids with special needs & an app beta tester for educational and therapeutic app developers. She loves sharing info about great things to use with kids of all abilities.

.

{* Please ignore any ads that may appear below this sentence. This is a free blog and I don’t have any control over ads nor do I profit from them *}

 

 

Penguin Young Readers 12 Days of Picture Books Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway Day 12 – “The Day the Crayons Came Home” by Drew Daywalt & Oliver Jeffers

image

.

“The Day the Crayons Came Home” by Drew Daywalt & Oliver Jeffers

.

This sequel is hilarious! Each two page spread contains a postcard from one of Duncan’s beloved crayons each asking for help to find their way back home.  Poor crayons…. they have been through being broken, melted, eaten, sharpened and more. Will they all make it back home safely?  You’ll have to read the book to find out 😉

crayon-4

.

**** Giveaway ****

Want a chance to win a copy of this hilarious book? Head over to the Penguin Kids Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/penguinkidsbooks . This is where all of the giveaways will be located in the Penguin Young Readers 12 Days of Picture Books Blog Tour & Giveaways. Look for a post on their Facebook page for the giveaway for this book on 12/17/15. That post will contain all the specifics on how to enter and the rules for the giveaway.
.

Also be sure to check out the Penguin Young Readers Holiday Gift guide where you can build and share your own wish list from a huge assortment of kids’ books for all age groups: http://penguinyoungreadersgiftguide.com/

.

crayons give

Every time you use the hashtag #everycrayoncounts on social media, Penguin Random House will donate $5 to The Crayon Collection. The campaign runs through December 31, 2015, and up to $2000 will be donated! Limit one entry per person per social media platform. Learn more: crayoncollection.org

.

crayon coming back

http://www.crayonspicturebooks.com/

Free crayons postcard printable: http://www.penguin.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Crayon_Postcard.pdf

postcard crayons come home

(I used that to make a version that is all on one page and is in black and white: postcard printable)

Free educator’s guide: http://www.crayonspicturebooks.com/assets/pdf/CrayonsGuide.pdf

crayons educators guide

Free printables: http://www.crayonspicturebooks.com/assets/pdf/maze.pdf (includes maze, coloring page, dot to dot and spot the differences) & http://www.crayonspicturebooks.com/assets/pdf/crossword.pdf (includes a word search, creative drawing page, maze and dot to dot)

free coloring page

.

 

Check out this fun free crayons craftivity on TPT: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Color-Pals-Writing-Craftivity-821922

crayon craft

See this post for info about the first book: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2013/09/07/the-day-the-crayons-quit-got-2-paws-up-from-my-golden-a-free-coloring-sheet/

.

And check out the participating blogs:
https://omazingkidsllc.com/

OMazing Kids

http://sleepingshouldbeeasy.com/

Sleeping Should Be Easy

http://www.houseofburkeblog.com/

House of Burke

http://homegrownfriends.com/

Homegrown Friends

http://www.growingupmadison.com

Growing Up Madison

http://inrandom.com/

InRandom

http://craftymomsshare.blogspot.com

Crafty Moms Share

http://insatiablereaders.blogspot.com/

Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

http://inspirationlaboratories.com/

Inspiration Laboratories

http://www.clarkscondensed.com/

Clarks Condensed

http://bookrockbetty.com/

Book Rock Betty

http://www.kidlitfrenzy.com/

Kid Lit Frenzy

http://boredmommyblog.com/

Bored Mommy

http://www.delightful.life/

The Delightful Life

http://www.readsandrecipes.com/

Reads and Recipes

http://www.kidscreativechaos.com/

KidsCreative Chaos

http://www.thechirpingmoms.com/

The Chirping Moms

http://cuteeverything.com/

Hello Happy

http://www.sparkandpook.com/

Spark and Pook

http://funhandprintartblog.com/

Fun Handprint Art

http://www.mamasmiles.com/

Mama Smiles

http://craftulate.com/

Craftulate

http://imaginationsoup.net

Imagination Soup

http://totsandme.blogspot.com/

Tots and Me

http://www.designofthepicturebook.com/

Design of the Picture Book

http://www.gravitybread.com/

Gravity Bread

http://www.creativefamilyfun.net/

Creative Family Fun

http://www.futureflyingsaucers.com/about/

Future Flying Saucers

http://www.sightandsoundreading.com/

Mrs. Karle’s Sight and Sound Reading

http://jamonkey.com/

JaMonkey

http://coquette.blogs.com/maman/

Coquette Maman

http://growingbookbybook.com/

Growing Book by Book

http://tabanderika.blogspot.com/

A Little Bit of Everything

http://happilyevermom.com/

Happily Ever Mom

http://littleearthlingblog.com/

Little Earthling

http://www.thelittletourist.com/

The Little Tourist

.
#Sweepstakes #Giveaway ##EveryCrayonCounts #KidsLit

@DrewDaywalt @OliverJeffers

 

.

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP
Speech-Language Pathologist
Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness & educational activities for kids of all abilities
Home E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com
Facebook Messaging for OMazing Kids: https://www.facebook.com/messages/17426452595789
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga
AppPeeps Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/OMazingKidsAppPeeps/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741
Boardmaker Share:http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad
Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

.
Angela Moorad is the founder of OMazing Kids, LLC and is an ASHA certified & licensed pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist and Kids Yoga Teacher with over 25 years experience working in a variety of settings (early intervention, schools, teletherapy & a nonprofit pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities). She is a kids book reviewer with a focus on great picture books, a kids toy / product reviewer with a focus on those that are helpful for kids with special needs & an app beta tester for educational and therapeutic app developers. She loves sharing info about great things to use with kids of all abilities.

———–

please ignore any ads that may appear below this sentence…. this is a free blog and I have no control over any ads

——–

Book Review & Giveaway: Colors for Zena, Apple Farmer Annie & Color and Cook Healthy Snacks by Monica Wellington

.

Want fun books that promote early learning & healthy choices for kids? You’ll love Monica Wellington’s books as much as I do! Check out her newest book “Colors for Zena”…..

Product Description:  

Colors for Zena: Zena’s world lacks color, so she sets out to find some. On her walk, she first finds one primary color, then another. But red, blue, and yellow aren’t enough—Zena wants more colors! Out pops an orange lion, a green frog, and a purple dragon, a combination of the colors she has seen. Zena and her friends then do some color mixing themselves, creating more colors and a bright painting using them all. Vibrant illustrations and simple text make Monica Wellington’s latest book a perfect pick for budding young artists.

A peek inside the book:

zena

.

zena 2

.

zena 3

.

zena 4

  • Hardcover: 32 pages
  • Publisher: Dial  (Penguin Publishing) (July 11, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0803737432
  • ISBN-13: 978-0803737433
  • Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 8.7 x 0.5 inches

Also included in this giveaway are Color & Cook HEALTHY SNACKS (Dover Coloring Books): It’s summertime, and Molly and Jack have stocked up on fresh fruits and vegetables from the Farmer’s Market. Now it’s time to whip up some yummy treats — and sell them to their friends in the neighborhood! This tasty coloring book will show children how to eat right with a variety of healthy, hearty snacks.

coloring page healthy snacks

.

coloring page healthy snacks 2

.

coloring page healthy snacks 4

  • Paperback: 32 pages
  • Publisher: Dover Publications (December 17, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0486474496
  • ISBN-13: 978-0486474496
  • Product Dimensions: 0.2 x 8.1 x 10.8 inches

& Apple Farmer Annie: Annie and I have been BFF’s since 2012. See this blog post for a review, kids yoga lesson plan, printable, playlist, apple-themed crafts & more: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2012/09/15/apple-farmer-annie-seed-to-farmers-market-kids-yoga-lesson-plan/. My enthusiastic love of this book is what caused the author to e-mail me about doing a review for her newest book, Colors for Zena. I still get “star struck” when a well-known author contacts me via e-mail or social media!!

  • Paperback: 32 pages
  • Publisher: Puffin (Penguin Publishing); Reprint edition (August 19, 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0142401242
  • ISBN-13: 978-0142401248
  • Product Dimensions: 0.2 x 9.2 x 7.7 inches

.

Thanks to Penguin Publishing for donating several extra copies of Colors for Zena & Apple Farmer Annie. They are getting great use in the speech-language therapy department and elementary classroom at the JD McCarty Center. Our kids said “Thanks”!

bar - green

Here’s what I love about these books: 

Colors for Zena

  • Each 2-page spread is devoted to a color. I love that there are different shades of each color and that the book introduces the concept of mixing colors to make a new one.
  • Simple text on each page allows the focus to be on the large vivid illustrations.
  • Lots of opportunity for vocabulary development by talking about things that are in the background on each page.
  • It’s fun to look for one of the girl’s hidden animals on many of the pages.  One of my 4 year old patients with Autism Spectrum Disorders LOVES to look for the animals. This book has been a great way to work on colors and using them in utterances. Many of the pages also depict groups of items so it’s been fun to work on plural word endings.
  • The last page has a color wheel, simple info about primary and secondary colors and suggestions for color exploration activities for kids.
  • The book has several opportunities for kids yoga (dog, frog, lion, dinosaur, cat, bird, fish, butterfly, book, bed, flower, tree, flowering vines, stream, sun, clouds, rainbow, bus, fire truck, airplane, castle, tower, painting)

Colors for Zena kids yoga sequence from OMazing Kids

.(The cute stick figure yoga pose pics are available on: http://media.freeola.com/other/6271/freeyogaasanastickfigures.pdf:) )

.

Color & Cook HEALTHY SNACKS coloring book

  • Depicts Jack & Molly playing outside and then looking for healthy snacks. They walk to the local farmers market with their mom where they buy lots of fruits and vegetables. Love how the book promotes healthy choices in a fun way!
  • This book would be fun to use as part of a theme on healthy eating or as activities for therapists to use in feeding therapy sessions.
  • The kids go through several steps to make each healthy snack (vegetable salsa salad, fruit chunk popsicles, baked veggie chips, coated pretzel wands, fruit smoothies)
  • Fun 2-page spread of an alphabet of healthy foods.
  • Shows kids with an entrepreneurial spirit as they set up a Healthy Snack Stand in their front yard.
  • Recipes are included at the end of the book.
  • The last page shows the kids going back to the farmers market…… where this time they meet Apple Farmer Annie (not named in the book but I’d recognize my BFF anywhere!)

The author generously sent me five of her other coloring books to use with the kids at the J.D McCarty Center:  

  • Color & Cook Activity Book – includes seek-and-find, dot-to-dot, matching, word scrambles, mazes, hidden pictures, crosswords, word searches, what doesn’t belong, patterning, spot-what’s-different and following directions activity pages, 30 stickers & more. Answer keys for the activity pages are provided in the back of the book. This will be fun to use with some of the older kids at JDMC!
  • Color & Cook Cupcakes – This time Molly & Jack decide to bake cupcakes. Similar to the Healthy Snacks coloring book. Lots of opportunity to work on sequencing & following directions. Fun ideas for 12 seasonal & holiday cupcake decorating. Recipes for four types of cupcakes & frostings are included.
  • Color & Cook Pizza – Molly & Jack continue their cooking adventures….. this time with homemade pizza. Love that they pick fresh vegetables from their grandparents’ garden for pizza toppings! Then they head to the supermarket for more ingredients and the houseware store for a big pizza pan, pizza cutter and other supplies. Love the details about making dough (ex: sugar helping yeast grow more quickly) and lots of great vocabulary (sticky, stretchy, push, pull, punch, pound, roll, cut, etc.). Recipes are included. This will be awesome to use with the author’s book “Pizza at Sally’s” or as part of my ever growing lesson plan for Pete’s a Pizza!
  • Color & Garden Vegetables – Lucy & Sam go through several steps to plant a vegetable garden, care for it and pick the harvest. Lots of examples of different types of gardens are given.
  • Color & Garden Flowers – This time Lucy & Sam plant a flower garden.  Flowers that grow during different seasons are depicted. Love the “Language of Flowers” pages that give meanings attributed to each flower (ex: pink lotus = wise purity, buttercup = heart of gold, etc….).  The “flower power” 2-page spread reminds me of mandala patterns. Both of these Color & Garden books will be fun to add to my lesson plan on seeds & gardens: https://omazingkidsllc.com/2013/05/04/seeds-garden-themed-books-music-activities-for-kids-yoga/.
bar - green
Monica’s books & coloring books are available for purchase on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Monica-Wellington/e/B001IQWLT8/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1. Books are also available on Penguin Publishing: http://www.us.penguingroup.com/nf/Search/QuickSearchProc/1,,Author_1000017543,00.html
The coloring books are also available on the Dover Publishing website: http://doverpublications.ecomm-search.com/search?keywords=monica%20wellington.

For product updates, be sure to check out her website http://www.monicawellington.com/blog: http://monicawellington.blogspot.com/ 

& publishers’ social media sites: 

https://www.facebook.com/penguinkidsbooks

https://twitter.com/penguinkids

https://www.facebook.com/dovercoloring,

.———————-

Celebrating November as Picture Book Month

picture book month

Disclaimer: I received a free sample of this product to facilitate my review.  Opinions expressed are my own. Starting in 2013, a new component of reviews & giveaways hosted on OMazing Kids is that a review will be added on Amazon.com (for products sold on that site). See my Amazon profile at: https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A1JKVLELLSX7FD?ie=UTF8&ref_=cm_aya_bb_pdp.

giveaway

Easy Entry Form:

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Warning
Warning
Warning
Warning
Warning
Warning
Warning
Warning

Warning.

International entries allowed for this giveaway.

  • Only entries with all required information will be valid. The info comes to me directly via e-mail & is ONLY used for the purposes of selecting winners and distributing prizes.

  • Helpful Info & Tips: Folks had requested a simpler entry option. I tried Rafflecopter but most folks did not enter an address so now I’m trying this online contact form instead. I will be hand selecting winners to insure products end up in the hands of folks who will put them to the best use. Briefly tell me how winning this would help you & the kids. I take the time to read each entry so details count. It doesn’t have to be lengthy…. just heart-felt. 
  • If you experience any problems with the entry form in this blog post, please e-mail me specific details so I can attempt to fix it. E-mail to: amoorad1@juno.com . The entry deadline may be extended at the sole discretion of OMazing Kids in the event of prolonged entry problems.
  • Each “giveaway” is handled separately on OMazing Kids. So there are no rules prohibiting previous winners from entering this or future giveaways. I really do read every entry in every giveaway carefully to insure that the products end up in the best hands to impact kids lives.

Entry Deadline: 11:59pm CST on November 5,  2013.

Rules of Participation:

  • Must be 18 years or older with a valid e-mail address.
  • One entry per person.
  • International entries are allowed for this particular giveaway.
  • Employees or family members of OMazing Kids, LLC or the product’s company are not eligible.
  • No purchase required.
  • Comments submitted via entries may be copied & pasted into the blog post.
  • Odds of winning will depend on the number of eligible entries received.
  • Only entries with all required information will be valid.
  • The winner will be chosen from valid entries on November 6, 2013.

3 winners will each receive the following book bundle: 

  • 1 copy of Colors for Zena (hardcover book) – from Penguin Publishing / the author
  • 1 copy of Apple Farmer Annie (paperback book) – from Penguin Publishing / the author
  • 1 copy of Color & Cook HEALTHY SNACKS coloring book – from Dover Publishing / the author

  • The winner will be notified via e-mail, will be posted on the blog post & will be posted on the OMazing Kids Facebook page. The company offering the prize may also post the winner’s name on their website, blog, Facebook page and/or other social media sites at their discretion.
  • The winner’s address will be forwarded to the company and they will be mailing the prizes directly to the winners.  After I e-mail the winner’s info to the company, it is their responsibility to mail out prizes. Please contact them first if you are concerned about not receiving a prize. If that does not resolve the problem, then feel free to e-mail me and I will glad to assist in whatever way I can.
  • Prize Value: $27.97 per book bundle.

Other Legal Stuff: I know they’re just kids books but just to be safe here is all the legal stuff…

This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. You are providing your information to OMazing Kids, LLC and not to Facebook. The information you provide will only be used for our internal purposes in relation to the administration of the giveaway. Your information will NOT be sold to any outside parties.

Indemnification/Hold Harmless: By participating, entrants agree: (a) to the decisions of OMazing Kids, LLC, which shall be final in all respects; (b) to release, discharge, and hold harmless OMazing Kids, LLC and its respective representatives and agents from all liability, injuries, losses or damages of any kind to persons or property resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from the acceptance, possession, misuse or use of a prize, or from participation in and/or entry into the Contest or any Contest-related activity and for acceptance, delivery, or use of any prize; (c) that the foregoing parties have neither made nor are in any manner responsible or liable for any warranty, representation or guaranty, expressed or implied, in fact or in law, relating to any prize.

grass-green-divider-bar

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder of OMazing Kids, LLC – inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga

Contests & Giveaways on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsContestsandGiveaways

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/amoorad

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/OMazingKids/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/#omazing-kids-yoga

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110305433538768736741

Boardmaker Share: http://www.boardmakershare.com/Community/FriendsProfile/10916/Angela-Moorad

Blog: http://omazingkidsllc.com

OMazing Kids LLC is an organization that promotes inclusive wellness activities for kids of all abilities. The blog and social media pages share information about books, DVD’s, CD’s, games and other products specifically designed for kids wellness, mindfulness and relaxation, product reviews & giveaways, lesson plan & activity ideas, research, kids wellness in the news and a connection corner with listings of individuals doing adapted yoga and those offering trainings.

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the crayons divider bar or any ads or unusual hyperlinks that may appear above. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here. I have attempted to remove the CouponDropDown but no luck so far…. DO NOT click on any hyperlinks unless you hover above them first to insure they are valid. Ones I included should appear in blue font.

crayons divider

Not A Box: An OMazing Kids Yoga Lesson Plan & Book Review

Not A Box: An OMazing Kids Yoga Lesson Plan & Book Review

We had SO much fun in OMazing Kids Yoga this week doing yoga to the story “Not a Box” by Antoinette Portis!

I brought a medium sized cardboard box for each child since we had a small group of 5 kids & I wanted them to be able to experience being “in” and “out” of the box. I also selected this size of boxes since I wanted large surfaces for them to be able to put pictures on since the kids I see in that group have difficulty with fine motor control. The paper template in the Not A Box Activity Guide listed below would be great if you had a very large group and the kids had the ability to handle that level of fine motor task. Or you could also have each child bring their own box to the group (of course have a few extra boxes on hand in case someone forgets to bring one).

As a motivator/reinforcer for the kids to participate, they earned a coloring sheet for each pose they participated in and then got to glue it on their own box. To keep the flow of the group going, we saved the coloring of the pictures for the end. Worked like a charm…. the child who had so much difficulty staying engaged last week was a great yogi this week and was SO proud of his “not a box” creation. Wish I could have taken pictures to share but that’s not possible in the hospital setting due to HIPAA rules.

Opportunities for yoga poses/activities in this book:

  • bunny breath
  • racecar (Could do as group pose or individually sitting in your box or on the yoga mat. Sit with legs & arms straight out. Point/flex feet to hit the gas pedal or brakes. “Steer” your car with arm motions or could also add a hula hoop to be the steering wheel.)
  • mountain (We stood in the box to do mountain pose. It was a great opportunity for the kids to use motor planning skills to figure out how to get in/out of the box and to practice asking for help when they needed it.)
  • firefighter (a variation on elephant pose & crescent moon pose – hold hand together at midline to be the firefighter’s hose and then bend in different directions as you squirt water on the burning building)
  • robot (move & freeze like robots. Could also incorporate mindfulness to see how closely the kids can imitate specific robot movements)
  • pirate
  • balloon breathing
  • elephant
  • boat
  • humming breath (as we are thinking “Hmm”)
  • rocket (variation of volcano pose  – squat down with hands together at heart, countdown (we did 3, 2, 1 given our kids short attention spans), then “blast off” as you jump up, lift your arms and exhale loudly)
  • star
  • planets (group activity – one child in the middle as the “sun” and the rest of the group move in a circle “orbiting” around the sun)
  • Affirmation: I am creative – I use my imagination!
  • Relaxation: Listening to relaxing music as we colored all the pictures we had glued on the “not a box” creations. Each child was given only 2 crayons so they would have the opportunity to practice social skills in asking to trade colors with the other kids.
  • Each child took their “not a box” creation with them to play with later

music_scale

“Not a Box” Playlist

This book will also be great to use in my work as a Speech-Language Pathologist. So here are several other reasons I LOVE this book:

  • Simple text.
  • Clear illustrations (combination of black, white, red & yellow) are great for young kids and will especially be helpful for kids who may have difficulty attending to pictures in other books due to visual impairments or conditions like ADD/ADHD or Autism. Many kids with cortical visual impairments tend to respond well to these specific colors so I can’t wait to try this book out the next time I have a patient with CVI.  (Here’s a great CVI tip sheet: http://www.unr.edu/educ/ndsip/tipsheets/cvi.pdf)
  • Great repeated line “It’s NOT a box”. Repeated lines provide great predictability for emergent readers, are great for intraverbal fill-ins in a ABA Verbal Behavior program and are great opportunities for kids to participate in reading the story either verbally or through the use of a single message voice output communication aide (ex: BigMACK).
  • Opportunities for practicing inferencing & predicting skills (looking at the details in a picture for “clues”).
  • Lots of practice of “positional” words (in, on top, beside,  behind, etc…)
  • Great use of two “Wh” questions (why, what)
  • Great way to teach “negation” (the concept of “not”)
  • Encourages “flexibile” thinking & creativity (often very difficult for many kids with special needs…. Especially those with an Autism Spectrum Disorder).

I purchased my copy of the book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Not-Box-Antoinette-Portis/dp/0061123226

Free Activity Guide (9 page PDF): http://files.harpercollins.com/PDF/ActivitiesGuides/0061123226.pdf (also saved on my blog at: Not A Box Activity Guide)

Printable Coloring Pics to Color & Paste on a “Not a Box” Box – I use them as a reinforcer for kids to try each pose in the Therapeutic Yoga Group for our inpatients at the JD McCarty Center. They get a pic to add to their box for each pose. The large pics work well on a large box – like copy paper comes in or larger. The small pics work well on smaller boxes or with kids that get too focused on coloring.

not a box (full page pics) – 11 page PDF

not a box (small pics) – 4 page PDF

bunny puppet for It’s Not a Box

bunny puppet for It's Not a Box

See the entire book in this cute YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KXuBcdmktY

Great review & ideas from Picture Books & Pirouettes http://kerryaradhya.blogspot.com/2011/04/its-not-box-so-what-could-it-be.html & Maria’s Movers http://mariasmovers.com/2011/04/26/its-a-box-not/

Great blog post from another SLP with more ideas for this book: http://all4mychild.com/not-a-box/

More out-of-the-box fun in this blog post: http://www.teachpreschool.org/2012/09/all-you-need-is-a-box/ & bought Sitting in My Box by Dee Lillegard to extend the box theme: http://www.teachpreschool.org/2012/09/a-story-in-a-box/

Encourage some out-of-the-box “food fun” with these creative snack ideas:

Food Fun

There are lots of fun Pinterest pages & blog with fun kids snacks & bento box ideas! http://www.creativekidsnacks.com/category/snacks/

Here’s a great “think outside the box” mini poster from FableVision Learning to go with this theme: http://fablevisionlearning.com/blog/2011/06/think-outside-the-box/  

(1 page PDF – http://www.fablevisionlearning.com/posters/fablevision_thinker.pdf / also saved on my blog at: Think Outside The Box mini poster)

Also love this:

See how we used this book in a free storytime event for Better Hearing & Speech Month at the JD McCarty Center in May 2013.

Feel free to comment & share your “not a box” ideas 🙂

Angela Moorad, MS, CCC-SLP, IAYT, RCYP-2

Speech-Language Pathologist

Founder of OMazing Kids Yoga, LLC – inclusive yoga for kids & teens of all abilities in Norman, Oklahoma

Radiant Child Yoga Certified – Levels 1 & 2

E-Mail: amoorad1@juno.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/OMazingKidsYoga

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amoorad1

Blog: http://omazingkidsyoga.com

NOTE: Please ignore any ads that appear below the wavy divider bar. This is a free blog site & I have no control over ads appearing here.