Category: book nook

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Cupcakes Help

Saturday morning, Emmy burst into tears. Ed was going to a weekend bachelor party, and Emmy just couldn’t understand why she couldn’t go with him. Or why there wasn’t going to be cake at the party. After all, it isn’t a party without CAKE! I stopped the flow of tears with the promise that while Daddy was gone, we would make cupcakes. PINK cupcakes. Now, I know what you’re thinking: Pinkalicious is the perfect book to read when you’re baking pink cupcakes! And you’re right, but we’ve already done that. So I wanted to find a different book to read with the girls.

Mr. Putter & Tabby Bake the Cake (Mr. Putter & Tabby) Mr. Putter & Tabby Bake the Cake by Cynthia Rylant

After we waved goodbye to Ed, we got in the van to take a trip to the library. We had some books due anyway. We have really been enjoying Cynthia Rylant’s books about Mr. Putter and Tabby, and so when Lily found this book, it seemed perfect for a cake-baking day. Mr. Putter wants to find the perfect Christmas gift for his neighbor, Mrs. Teaberry. Mrs. Teaberry like nothing better than a good, heavy fruitcake at Christmastime, so Mr. Putter resolves to make her a light, airy cake. A cake that “would not break a person’s toe.” One problem…Mr. Putter doesn’t know how to bake a cake! I just love reading the antics of Mr. Putter, and so do the girls!

After we read a short stack of books, we set out to bake.

Cupcakes may not be a perfect substitute for Daddy, but they sure help when he’s gone!

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A-Hunting We Will Go!

Oh, A-Hunting We Will Go Oh, A-Hunting We Will Go by John Langstaff

This book arrived on my bookshelf courtesy of my mom. Mom was a music teacher, and she loved to incorporate literature in her classes. Everytime she went to an Orff workshop, she would come home with an armful of books! When she retired from teaching, she started bringing these books to our house, but only one or two at a time…she always thought she might go back to teaching, and then she would need her books!

This first book starts off with the traditional verses to “Oh, A-Hunting We Will Go” and then the author adds new verses that children helped him write. The music is included at the end for you to sing! (I also sing the tune in my vlog below.) This book is a wonderful way to teach rhyme and rhythm to young children.

A-Hunting We Will Go! A-Hunting We Will Go! by Steven Kellogg

This book arrived at our house via my mother as well. Steven Kellogg takes this folk song and completely changes and adapts it as a bedtime book. The children are told it’s time for bed. They begin the journey toward bedtime with their stuffed animal companions, and have a rollicking romp along the way!

Steven Kellogg also includes a musical score at the end of this book, but he uses a different tune; “A-Hunting We Will Go” can also be sung to the tune “The Farmer in the Dell.” One of the joys of folk songs is the use of different melodies; the variations in the melodies; and the variety of verses and words. Folk songs are vibrant and alive; always changing and never the same, and this makes them so much fun!

My vlog this week was filmed in the kitchen; however, this time I edited it (instead of my husband) and cut off the beginning! My family members will be disappointed that Emmy did not want to sit on my lap this time; she was too busy doing other things. If you look carefully, you will see her walk behind me at one point in the vlog.

This week, Vanessa at Silly Eagle Books is hosting Feed Me Books Friday. Head on over there for more fun book recommendations! (Our regular hostess, Janna, is at a conference this weekend. I wrote this post before Janna told us that next week’s topic is books you can sing! I apologize for jumping the gun!)

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Have fun singing your books this week!