Monthly Archives: July 2013
6 Apps We Absolutely Love for Children This Summer
Planting Seeds with Annie Fox
Today, Little Pickle Press welcomes the amazing author Annie Fox to help us navigate relationships with teen children and how to be a progressive parent. Annie works with teens in schools and shares with us today her expertise about raising teens. Her book on that subject is the perfect fit for parents looking for some guidance and can be used with your teen as you help them find reading resources during the summer. Though she speaks to the experience of raising girls, Annie’s advice is good for parents of all children.
Planting Seeds with Annie Fox
Today, Little Pickle Press welcomes the amazing author Annie Fox to help us navigate relationships with teen children and how to be a progressive parent. Annie works with teens in schools and shares with us today her expertise about raising teens. Her book on that subject is the perfect fit for parents looking for some guidance and can be used with your teen as you help them find reading resources during the summer. Though she speaks to the experience of raising girls, Annie’s advice is good for parents of all children.
Be BIG, Win BIG
This summer, we are encouraging our readers to be as BIG as they can be. Being BIG isn’t a matter of size or height. It isn’t measured in inches or pounds. When we talk about being BIG, we’re talking about being the best possible you that you can be.
We believe that when you are a BIG part of your community, you deserve some pretty BIG things. That’s why we are giving away a full set of our award-winning picture books to one BIG winner!
How have you been BIG this summer? Tell us here!
Be BIG, Win BIG
This summer, we are encouraging our readers to be as BIG as they can be. Being BIG isn’t a matter of size or height. It isn’t measured in inches or pounds. When we talk about being BIG, we’re talking about being the best possible you that you can be.
We believe that when you are a BIG part of your community, you deserve some pretty BIG things. That’s why we are giving away a full set of our award-winning picture books to one BIG winner!
How have you been BIG this summer? Tell us here!
Families are Forever: A Book Review
Families are Forever: A Book Review
The Magic of Magic Blox
By Kelly Wickham
The Magic of Magic Blox
By Kelly Wickham
Featured Customer of the Month: Seattle Children’s Museum
By Audrey Lintner
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Image courtesy of the Seattle Children’s Museum |
![]() |
Available in the LPP shop |
Featured Customer of the Month: Seattle Children’s Museum
By Audrey Lintner
![]() |
Image courtesy of the Seattle Children’s Museum |
![]() |
Available in the LPP shop |
How To Create A Literate Home
By Audrey Lintner
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Photo courtesy of stock.xchng |
Not everyone can afford a trip around the world, but literacy skills can take you across the universe. Visit the past, explore the future, or fly to the moon and back. Visit the global village from your favorite chair and be home in plenty of time for dinner. For a detailed list of ways to create a literary home, visit PBS Parents. For some worthy additions to your home library, visit the Little Pickle Press shop.
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Photo courtesy of Audrey Lintner |
How To Create A Literate Home
By Audrey Lintner
![]() |
Photo courtesy of stock.xchng |
Not everyone can afford a trip around the world, but literacy skills can take you across the universe. Visit the past, explore the future, or fly to the moon and back. Visit the global village from your favorite chair and be home in plenty of time for dinner. For a detailed list of ways to create a literary home, visit PBS Parents. For some worthy additions to your home library, visit the Little Pickle Press shop.
![]() |
Photo courtesy of Audrey Lintner |
Interview with Literacy Advocate Angela Santomero
By Kelly Wickham
As we focus on summer slide this month, Little Pickle Press is committed to ensuring that parents know about all the tools at their disposal, including those for beginning to read and identify letters. For instance, did you know children who are readers should read 20 minutes each day to maintain important literacy skills? Today, we interview Angela Santomero about those children who are just learning their ABCs, and for whom we can make reading an important and fun part of their education.
Kelly: Was anyone doing what you wanted to do?
Interview with Literacy Advocate Angela Santomero
By Kelly Wickham
As we focus on summer slide this month, Little Pickle Press is committed to ensuring that parents know about all the tools at their disposal, including those for beginning to read and identify letters. For instance, did you know children who are readers should read 20 minutes each day to maintain important literacy skills? Today, we interview Angela Santomero about those children who are just learning their ABCs, and for whom we can make reading an important and fun part of their education.
Kelly: Was anyone doing what you wanted to do?
Recommended Summer Reading For Children & Their Grown-ups
By Rana DiOrio, Founder
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Image credit: parkcitydayschool.com |
This reading list was originally published June 2011, but as we know, a good book never gets old! Enjoy!
Though it is already mid-July, I’m incredulous that summer is here. Perhaps the fog here in Northern California has me a bit confused. In any case, summer is a wonderful time for children and their grown-ups to read, so I wanted to share with you our recommendations. We will be publishing future lists, so please share your comments and suggestions.
Books for parents to read to their children:
- A World of Wonders: Geographic Travels in Verse and Rhyme by J. Patrick Lewis
- Baking with Friends by Sharon Davis & Charlene Patton
- Blackout by John Rocco
- Blueberry Girl by Neil Gaiman
- Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave by Laban Carrick Hill
- It’s a Secret by John Burningham
- My Father Knows the Names of Things by Jane Yolen
- Of Thee I Sing by Barack Obama
- OK Go by Carin Berger
- Otto: The boy who loved cars by Kara LaReau
- Sofia’s Dream by Land Wilson
- That Book Woman by Heather Henson
- The Little Weed Flower (La Florecita de la Maleza) by Vicky Whipple
- The Gift of Grace by Grace Mary McLelland (who was 5 years old when she wrote this book)
- The Greedy Sparrow, an Armenian Tale retold by Lucine Kasbarian
- The North Star by Peter H. Reynolds
- Three by the Sea by Mini Grey
- What Does It Mean To Be Present? by Rana DiOrio
- Your Fantastic Elastic Brain: Stretch It, Shape It by JoAnn Deak, Ph.D.
- Zero by Kathryn Otoshi
- Amelia Bedelia Series by Peggy Parish
- Mouse Soup and Mouse Tales by Arnold Lobel
- The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
- Arthur Turns Green by Marc Brown
- Big Egg by Molly Coxe
- Blink & Collie by Kate DiCamillo
Entering 2nd or 3rd Grade:
- Chike and the River, A Novel by Chinua Achebe
- From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
- Oliver Twist adapted by Lisa Mullarkey
- Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg
- The Cheshire Cheese Cat: Uncorrected Proof by Carmen Agra Deedy & Randall Wright
- The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Books for grownups to read to better understand and guide their children:
- How Girls Thrive by JoAnn Deak, Ph.D.
- Raising Children Who Soar by Susan Davis, Ph.D. and Nancy Eppler-Wolff, Ph.D.
- The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor
- The Price of Privilege: How Parental Pressure and Material Advantage are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids by Madeline Levine, Ph.D.
- Get Out of My Life, but First Could You Drive Me & Cheryl to the Mall: A Guide to the New Teenager, Revised and Updated by Anthony E. Wolf, Ph.D.
- Uncommon Sense for Parents with Teenagers by Michael Riera
- WHY Do They Act That Way?: A Survival Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen by David Walsh
- Blood, Bones & Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton
- Horoscopes for the Dead: Poems by Billy Collins
- The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson
Recommended Summer Reading For Children & Their Grown-ups
By Rana DiOrio, Founder
![]() |
Image credit: parkcitydayschool.com |
This reading list was originally published June 2011, but as we know, a good book never gets old! Enjoy!
Though it is already mid-July, I’m incredulous that summer is here. Perhaps the fog here in Northern California has me a bit confused. In any case, summer is a wonderful time for children and their grown-ups to read, so I wanted to share with you our recommendations. We will be publishing future lists, so please share your comments and suggestions.
Books for parents to read to their children:
- A World of Wonders: Geographic Travels in Verse and Rhyme by J. Patrick Lewis
- Baking with Friends by Sharon Davis & Charlene Patton
- Blackout by John Rocco
- Blueberry Girl by Neil Gaiman
- Dave the Potter: Artist, Poet, Slave by Laban Carrick Hill
- It’s a Secret by John Burningham
- My Father Knows the Names of Things by Jane Yolen
- Of Thee I Sing by Barack Obama
- OK Go by Carin Berger
- Otto: The boy who loved cars by Kara LaReau
- Sofia’s Dream by Land Wilson
- That Book Woman by Heather Henson
- The Little Weed Flower (La Florecita de la Maleza) by Vicky Whipple
- The Gift of Grace by Grace Mary McLelland (who was 5 years old when she wrote this book)
- The Greedy Sparrow, an Armenian Tale retold by Lucine Kasbarian
- The North Star by Peter H. Reynolds
- Three by the Sea by Mini Grey
- What Does It Mean To Be Present? by Rana DiOrio
- Your Fantastic Elastic Brain: Stretch It, Shape It by JoAnn Deak, Ph.D.
- Zero by Kathryn Otoshi
- Amelia Bedelia Series by Peggy Parish
- Mouse Soup and Mouse Tales by Arnold Lobel
- The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
- Arthur Turns Green by Marc Brown
- Big Egg by Molly Coxe
- Blink & Collie by Kate DiCamillo
Entering 2nd or 3rd Grade:
- Chike and the River, A Novel by Chinua Achebe
- From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg
- Oliver Twist adapted by Lisa Mullarkey
- Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg
- The Cheshire Cheese Cat: Uncorrected Proof by Carmen Agra Deedy & Randall Wright
- The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Books for grownups to read to better understand and guide their children:
- How Girls Thrive by JoAnn Deak, Ph.D.
- Raising Children Who Soar by Susan Davis, Ph.D. and Nancy Eppler-Wolff, Ph.D.
- The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor
- The Price of Privilege: How Parental Pressure and Material Advantage are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids by Madeline Levine, Ph.D.
- Get Out of My Life, but First Could You Drive Me & Cheryl to the Mall: A Guide to the New Teenager, Revised and Updated by Anthony E. Wolf, Ph.D.
- Uncommon Sense for Parents with Teenagers by Michael Riera
- WHY Do They Act That Way?: A Survival Guide to the Adolescent Brain for You and Your Teen by David Walsh
- Blood, Bones & Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton
- Horoscopes for the Dead: Poems by Billy Collins
- The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration by Isabel Wilkerson
15 Summer Reading Picks for Kids
PICTURE BOOKS
All theWorld by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Marla Frazee
Perfect for baby showers, snuggly evenings, or read alouds, this stunningly simple picture book somehow manages to capture all the wonder and magic of the natural world through the course of a summer day. From the sunny ocean to a busy farmer’s market and a quick dash out of a sudden storm, this family and their inviting community of friends are enjoying every minute!
Just right for reluctant readers, this oversize graphic novel introduces two seeming outcasts: Gabby, a tuba-playing vegetarian, and Gator, who is better at eating the other neighborhood pets than making friends with them. Over the course of their hilarious adventures both Gabby and Gator learn to accept themselves just the way they are.
MIDDLE GRADE
Everyone can find something to relate to in this heart-warming novel about Auggie, a boy with a facial disfigurement attending public school for the first time. Auggie is funny, smart, and brave enough to face even the toughest critics of all—the 5th graders at his new public school. Keep a Kleenex handy!
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
Julie is a freelance editor based in San Francisco with more than twelve years of experience in children’s book publishing. During her time at acclaimed independent publishers Bloomsbury and Chronicle Books, she edited books for children of all ages and discovered award winning authors such as Rick Yancey (2010 Printz Honoree) and Aaron Reynolds (author of 2012 Caldecott Honor). Julie has also been a workshop instructor at the Columbia Publishing Course (2004-2011) and lectured at writers’ conferences around the world. Now, as a freelance editor, she offers a range of services for authors, agents, and publishers, including editorial development, project management, and consultations. Creative collaboration and constructive feedback is at the heart of her editorial philosophy. You can learn more about Julie and her work here.
15 Summer Reading Picks for Kids
PICTURE BOOKS
All theWorld by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Marla Frazee
Perfect for baby showers, snuggly evenings, or read alouds, this stunningly simple picture book somehow manages to capture all the wonder and magic of the natural world through the course of a summer day. From the sunny ocean to a busy farmer’s market and a quick dash out of a sudden storm, this family and their inviting community of friends are enjoying every minute!
Just right for reluctant readers, this oversize graphic novel introduces two seeming outcasts: Gabby, a tuba-playing vegetarian, and Gator, who is better at eating the other neighborhood pets than making friends with them. Over the course of their hilarious adventures both Gabby and Gator learn to accept themselves just the way they are.
MIDDLE GRADE
Everyone can find something to relate to in this heart-warming novel about Auggie, a boy with a facial disfigurement attending public school for the first time. Auggie is funny, smart, and brave enough to face even the toughest critics of all—the 5th graders at his new public school. Keep a Kleenex handy!
The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
Julie is a freelance editor based in San Francisco with more than twelve years of experience in children’s book publishing. During her time at acclaimed independent publishers Bloomsbury and Chronicle Books, she edited books for children of all ages and discovered award winning authors such as Rick Yancey (2010 Printz Honoree) and Aaron Reynolds (author of 2012 Caldecott Honor). Julie has also been a workshop instructor at the Columbia Publishing Course (2004-2011) and lectured at writers’ conferences around the world. Now, as a freelance editor, she offers a range of services for authors, agents, and publishers, including editorial development, project management, and consultations. Creative collaboration and constructive feedback is at the heart of her editorial philosophy. You can learn more about Julie and her work here.
9 Tips for Preventing Summer Slide
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