Read, Discuss, and Do with MARI IN THE MARGINS

on
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
0

Read, Discuss, and Do: MOUSE'S CHRISTMAS GIFT

on

Mouse's Christmas Gift by Mindy Baker, illustrated by Dow Phumiruk, is the story of a little mouse who steps in to help make the Christmas Eve celebration happen. In the story, when Parson falls ill and is forced to cancel the Christmas Eve service, Mouse takes things into his own paws, setting up the nativity and lighting a candle in the church window. This small act inspires people around town to contribute to the joy of the Christmas season, even in a time when there seems to be "no money for Christmas." Mouse's Christmas Gift is a sweet, charming story full of Christmas spirit that you will want to share with your loved ones year after year.

READ: Mouse's Christmas Gift

DISCUSS: 
  • In what ways can you help spread the joy of Christmas using your own skills and items you find around the house?
  • What does your family do on Christmas Eve? 
  • If you had "no money for Christmas," what could you give as gifts?
  • Do you have a favorite Christmas song? 
  • What is your favorite thing about the Christmas season?
DO: Make a torn paper Christmas wreath.


You will need:
  • Scissors
  • Glue
  • Red and green paper, any kind
  • Paper plate
  • Red yarn or ribbon 
Directions:
  1. Cut out the middle of the paper plate. 
  2. Tear green paper into random pieces (I used construction paper, but any kind of paper will do). 
  3. Tear the red paper into small, roundish shapes to look like berries. 
  4. Glue the green paper pieces onto the plate until it's completely covered. Next, glue the red pieces around the wreath.
  5.  Tie a length of ribbon or yarn into a bow and glue it at the top. If you don't have ribbon or yarn, draw a bow on red paper, cut it out, and glue it to the top of the wreath. 
Once your wreath is dry, hang it somewhere for all to see!

Other wreath ideas: 
  • Make smaller versions of the wreath to decorate homemade Christmas cards to give to friends, family, and neighbors. 
  • Make tiny wreaths as ornaments to hang on the Christmas tree.
  • Use fabric scraps instead of paper.
  • Try different colors!

***
Note: This is an updated version of a post that was published on rebeccajgomez.com. 


Comments

Post a Comment