Read, Discuss, and Do with MARI IN THE MARGINS

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By Marci Whitehurst The best books make readers feel like they aren’t alone. They’re seen. Understood. Our very own  Rebecca J. Gomez  accomplishes this flawlessly in Mari in the Margins , her new middle grade novel in verse, published by Bandersnatch Books. It releases May 14 th !  Here’s a snippet about the novel, which you’ll surely want to READ:   For Marivel Jiménez, life in her big family is full of chaos. Feeling overlooked by her parents and overshadowed by her siblings is frustrating, and it's even worse to have the constant attention of her annoying, mischievous three-year-old sister, Susana.  Caught between her need to be noticed and her dream of having time to herself, Marivel pours herself into poetry and, eventually, art journaling. When she hears of a school-wide poetry contest, she sees winning as a chance to escape the margins of her family and finally be seen. Doesn’t that sound amazing? That’s because it is. I was honored to read the book ahead of its release—and
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Summer Challenge Week Two: Inspire Creativity with Interesting Inventions

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Welcome to week TWO of the Read, Discuss, Do! Summer Challenge! Stories about creative people and interesting inventions are a good way to encourage creative thinking in your own kids. That's why we are hoping this week's theme will encourage you and your kiddos to do some creative thinking together! What kinds of things will your brains come up with? There are endless possibilities!

Ideas for books to read:

  • BE A MAKER by Katey Howes, illustrated by Elizabet Vuković is a book about the possibilities that exist when you set out to make something, especially making an impact on the world around you.
  • IF I BUILT A CAR by Chris Van Dusen is a super fun and creative rhyming book in which a little boy describes the car he would build if he were to build a car. It's a great book for getting kids to think way outside the box!
  • THE CRAYON MAN: THE TRUE STORY OF THE INVENTION OF CRAYOLA CRAYONS by Natascha Biebow, illustrated by Steven Salerno is a fun and colorful non-fiction book about something most kids probably take for granted--their box of crayons!
  • FROM HERE TO THERE: INVENTIONS THAT CHANGED THE WAY THE WORLD MOVES by Vivian Kirkfield, illustrated by Gilbert Ford. This book is geared toward the older readers, though it may capture the interest of younger kiddos with its vivid imagery. It's a non-fiction book about familiar and unfamiliar inventions that have allowed people to move across air, water, and land. 

Ideas for things to discuss:

  • What does it take to be an inventor?
  • What is your favorite invention?
  • How might you and an inventor use some of the same skills? 
  • If you could invent anything, what would it be? 
  • Do you ever wonder about how an everyday object was invented? What can you do to find out?

Ideas for things to do: 

  • Make "inventions" out of Lego bricks or loose parts.
  • Visit a museum. 
  • Do an internet search or look for books about specific inventions your child is interested in.
  • Set up a Rube Goldberg machine in your family room
  • Make paper airplanes.
  • Draw ideas for imaginative vehicles or machines.
We'd love to hear about your family's inventiveness this week. Share in the comments or on social media using #RDDSummerChallenge. 

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