Let's Read

We read Saving the Liberty Bell by Megan McDonald today.
It is illustrated by Marsha Gray Carrington. We had barely begun reading when my 8 yr old paused me to say, "I really love the pictures, Momma." Ditto, I told her!

The pictures are great and the story is taken from true accounts of the story history has settled upon. Make sure you read the Historical Note at the back of the book. I read it to my 12, 8, and 4 yr old and it was interesting enough to hold all their attention.

The oldest son's name in the book is John Jacob so my girl's have been going around the house singing (and now have stuck in my head) the child-rhyme John Jacob Jingle-Himmer Smith.

I know it's definitely out of season (the Liberty Bell was officially rung on July 8, 1776 with the reading of the Declaration of Independence), but it's a brand new book (published in 2005) and I happened across it at the library and couldn't resist it because Drama Queen is very familiar with this American emblem and has a strange fascination with it.

List it in your planner for July 2006! or, if you keep a notebook nearby, head a page for 4th of July, and make sure you list this one on it. Request it at your library.

Another book I have been reading on a daily basis to my girls is:
Carla's Sandwich

It's a quirky, wacky book that teaches it's okay to be different and original. My girls love to inspect each page and figure out which child is who and what's in the various sandwiches. They really get a kick out of all the wacky, unique sandwiches found in this book.

An addendum: I agree with the publisher's review that it might "...help parents with that ever-present dilemma..." of getting our children to eat their lunch.