Read, Discuss, Bake: Books about bread!

  One of my favorite memories from my childhood was my dad’s baking. He’d often bake a simple white bread, which we would use for sandwiches or snacking. He’d sometimes turn some of it into cinnamon rolls, which came in second only to my mom’s chocolate chip cookies. On special occasions he’d whip up a batch of Orange Cinnamon Swirl, a loaf of mildly orange flavored bread with a swirl of cinnamon and sugar in the center, glazed with an orangey icing. In my mind, there was no better treat. And it wasn’t just the eating of the bread that was enjoyable, but the anticipation. And the smells. Is there any better smell than bread baking in the oven? My dad taught me how to bake bread, and I still have the copy of  Bernard Clayton’s New Complete Book of Breads  that he gave me nearly 30 years ago. I bake from it often. Bread is a staple all around the world. And bread, like books, can do wonders to foster human connection. So our hope with this list today is that it will inspire...

Summer Challenge Week Eight: Hit the Road, Jack!


by Marci Whitehurst

Welcome to week EIGHT of the Read, Discuss, Do! Summer Challenge! Let’s hit the road! Do you have anywhere you travel to regularly? If so, why do you like going there? If not, where would you like to go?

Summer breaks may include road trips to visit family or friends. Or perhaps you’re traveling to take a vacation. If you’re not venturing anywhere this summer, that’s okay! Make a list of your top ten choices of places to travel or create a map of your neighborhood to travel around.

Whatever your plans are, when you hit the road, don’t forget to take along some books!

Suggestions for books to READ:
  • THE CARS AND TRUCKS BOOK By: Todd Parr This book shares about the types of cars and trucks you might see on the road—and their jobs! This is a compare and contrast book, with the theme: most of all, trucks love to be on the road. If you have an emerging reader, this is a level 1. Pair this book with naming the types of cars and trucks you see as you travel!
  • GO GO AMERICA By: Dan Yacarino Are you ready for a book of useless facts that you NEED to know? This book is chocked full of geography and fun trivia-type facts about all 50 states. For example, do you know which state’s official cookie is chocolate chip? Open this book to find out!
  • A TRAVEL GUIDE FOR MONSTERS: By: Lori Degman and Illustrated by Dave Szalay If you need a good laugh about traveling told in rollicking rhyme, then this book is for you! If you’ve ever wondered if a monster would make a good travel companion—watch out for their tricks and their souvenirs! Many of America’s tourist attractions are featured in the illustrations.
  • THE AIRPORT BOOK: By: Lisa Brown Traveling by plane? This book is a must! Similar in style to Richard Scarry’s books, but told through the voice of a child, this book outlines all the steps to flying. Don’t forget to keep an eye on the child’s stuffed monkey!
Suggestions for things to DISCUSS:
  • If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
  • Would you travel by plane, train, car, bus—horses???
  • What do you love about this place?
  • Do you want to go somewhere you’ve never been before? What do you want to see?
  • How long do you think it takes to get to the place you want to go?
Suggestions for things to DO

Try some games in the car! Here are some suggestions:
  • Map fun! Help your driver get to your destination by navigating. If you don’t have a specific trip planned, maybe consider a trip around your city or neighborhood. Pretend you’re a tourist!
  • Eye Spy!
  • Sing-a-long
  • Make up an adventure story where everyone in the car only gets to add one sentence. What will happen next?
  • Try one of these games even if you're not road-tripping anywhere. Just pretend you are!

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