A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Preschool

I Love You, Funny Bunny

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Are you looking for an adorable picture book to share with your littles? I love you, Funny Bunny is a sweet picture book of a parent talking with their little one about how much they are loved. This book would be so lovely to share with your youngsters, or give a parent to share with their loved ones. Let me tell you why.

I love you funny bunny

What I am Reviewing

I Love You, Funny Bunny.
Barbara Herndon
Sean Julian (illustrator)
Zonderkidz
24 pages, Jacketed Hardcover
Reviewed for BooklookBloggers.
Picture book, age 3-5,
Beginner reader, Parent, child, preschool,

I Love You, Funny Bunny tugs at the heartstrings as it celebrates the special bond between a parent and child.

Illustrated by Sean Julian, I Love You, Funny Bunny is a perfect picture book to cuddle up and share with the Funny Bunny in your life at naptime, at bedtime, or at any other time of day you and your little one need some extra snuggles. Boys and girls will have fun turning the pages to discover all the ways this parent bunny loves little Funny Bunny.

“I love you, Funny Bunny, from your whiskers to your toes.
I love the way you hop around and wiggle your cute nose.”

I love you Funny Bunny

The Details

Full colour images are enclosed within a jacketed hardcover book. The pictures are large with lots of details. Sean Julian did an excellent job at illustrating the fun that a parent bunny can have with their child.

From cuddling with a book, to making art, walks and talks hand in hand and just plain enjoying each other. It is a fantastic book to share with each other. The stunning images will give you lots to talk about as you read the rhyming lyrics.

You not only get to see bunnies going about their daily activities but also see flowers, butterflies, paint, frogs and ponds and so many other things. I loved reading books with my lad and finding all the things that captured his interest. This book has lots of illustrations and objects to do that with.

I love you Funny Bunny

Recommendation

I read this book and I think birthday parties, baby showers, grandchildren (not for me personally yet), and gifts for nieces and nephews. A lot of fun for the littles (and their parents) that surround us in our lives. Share I Love You, Funny Bunny with them won’t you?

I love you Funny Bunny
disclosure

I Can Only Imagine for Little Ones

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I Can Only Imagine for Little Ones is a board book based around off the popular song I Can Only Imagine.  The bright colourful images can only help littles who wonder what heaven might be like. 

I can Only Imagine for little ones

I can Only imagine…. can you believe that I have never listened to this song?   Not even once (until I looked it up because this book is based on it). In case you are like me see the video, if interested in the words see here. 

What do you get? 

Sumite Collina does a wonderful job of illustrating the words put together by Bart Millard and Laura Neutzling.  The beauty of the full colour images gives the reader lots of things to talk about with the little ones they are reading the book too.  Being able to point out forts, dogs, birds, the splash of the water and more… it all just adds to the story you know?

I can only imagine for little ones, sample pages

The lyrics rhyme making for an easy to read tome, the words point to how we might spend time in heaven, but the close of the book calls children to how we might spend time with God in the here and now. 

I can only imagine for little ones, rhyme

The illustrations display people from a variety of nationalities, engaged in activities that all types of children enjoy, it was good to see the mix in the people. 

My thoughts: 

I have mixed opinions about this book.  I love the colourful illustrations, the wonderment of a child, and the ease of the lyrics.

You know what I didn’t see?

I didn’t see “will we praise you”, “will we see actual streets of gold”, “will you make us all healthy again’, or any of the other things about heaven that we actually see in the bible. I know it’s hard to put it all together in a single, book, but the very much noticed the lack, not even a single mention of biblical statements about heaven. No more tears or sorrow or pain. I don’t see many rooms, gates, jewels, gold, God (or depictions thereof), no tree of life,or anything like that.  It leaves everything to the fanciful and wonderment and shows no truth. 

I get the questions that kids have, and it’s fun to wonder and dream.  It is.This board book does help children not only see a glimpse of the wonderment about heaven, but also leads them to the things of how God is with them in the here and now. I just, in the end, wanted more truth, and less wonderment. 

I can Only Imagine for little ones, book cover
I can only Imagine for little ones
Bart Millard & Laura Neutzling
Sumiti Collina (illutrator)
Tommy Nelson
Board book, 32 pages,
Faith-based, heaven, preschool
Reviewed for BookLookBloggers

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Go to Sleep, Sheep

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Go To Sleep, Sheep is a board book wonderfully illustrated by Sydney Hanson.   White. woolly sheep and mama needs them to go to bed.   Will those little sheep listen?   Will those little sheep come up with excuses?   Will mama convince her littles that it’s time to go to bed?  Join me in a bright and colourful book about bedtime routines. 

go to sleep sheep review

Sydney Hanson does a wonderful job of bringing five little sheep and their mama to life. Beautiful white coats showcased against a farm background. Our littles one get to see butterflies, cattle, horses, bunnies and a typical red barn with barnyard.  

go to sleep sheep, sample page

I couldn’t figure out who the author was, the verse is in abcb rhyme for the most part, which makes it very easy to read. The repeated refrain Go to Sleep Sheep, helps give your young children confidence as they read along. 

go to sleep sheep, verse

In many ways it’s a sweet little board book, with great images that provide talking points, each page has the young sheep coming up with new ways to stay up just a bit longer. 

go to sleep sheep, sample page

On just one page we have a short mention of God, a prayer thanking God for the day.  It’s a good way to remind children to talk with God before they go to bed. 

My thoughts

I have mixed feelings about this book.  It’s not one I would read more than once to a child, there is just not enough meat of anything in this book.  The story isn’t the most “YAY, let’s read it”.  Might children enjoy it?   Possibly.  I would have more fun pointing out the glasses on one, the necktie on another and so forth. It would be a great book to talk about colours, caring for sheep, farm life and all those wonderful things.  I’d be wanting to make up names for them and having fun with the youngsters under my care. Then I’d talk about how littles need to listen to mama and go to bed when they are told, even if they want a drink or to stay up or… God calls them to be more then what they want. 

go to sleep sheep, book cover

Go to Sleep, Sheep

Sydney Hanson (illustrator)
Tommy Nelson
Board book, 20 pages, preschool to kindergarten
Animals, sleep-time routines, faith-based
Reviewed for BookLookBloggers.

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Review: This Way Watson!

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Are you wanting to teach your children how to read a map and follow directions?   This way, Watson is a delightful book to amuse and help your children learn some map reading skills. (and have fun while doing so).

Written on a heavier paper but not the type you find in a board book, this oversized story book should stand up to lots of handling.  The larger print is easy to read and hold up for reading,marking it so easy to share with a group of children as well as delighting an individual child.  Let me tell you all about it.

Watson is a young dog who has a friend named Scout and they can hardly wait to run around town together.   They have a handy dandy map that clearly spells out all their favourite places.

Simple rhyme lets us follow Watson and Scout around town. 

I liked how the main word was in bigger letters, helping children to hone in on the vocabulary.   We get to follow Watson and Scout up, down, left, right, in and out and all over town.  Fun in the park and so much more.

By the end of the book we get to help Watson and Scout find their way home!

It’s a great little book that does a great job of introducing younger children to the basics of map reading and directions.

I loved the bright colourful pages and the way the words just flowed off the pages, and oh…those cakes and treats… I could almost smell them, they looked so good.  🙂

This Way, Watson!  A map and directions primer.
Author/Illustrator: Claudia Pearson
Gibbs Smith
32 pages
Type: Children’s primer
ages 2-5 years

Reviewed for Raincoast Books.

Where can you find it?
Amazon.ca.    or   Amazon.com.

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Art Series: The Painting-In Book

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Today I have a NEAT book.  It’s  one of those use it up type books, but could easily, be adapted for a classroom setting.

It’s called the Painting-In Book, it’s written by Anna Rumsby, and it is just a fun book… meant to teach young children about paint and how to use it.

Book Synopsis: 
Can you give the gorilla a jungle to hide in? Can you create some
honeycomb for the bees? And can you mix up some delicious flavors of ice
cream?

Create paint masterpieces with nothing more than your
poster paints and Anna Rumsby’s entertaining activity pages. A great big
book of painting fun!

Also contains an introduction to mixing colors and simple, easy-to-copy painting techniques. 

My thoughts:
This is such a neat little book.  64 pages filled with one sided sheets to help young children express themselves with paint, learning to mix colours, and use differing paint techniques.

Can you give a dog some long hair?

Can you help this boy have fun with the elephant?

The instructions on each page are written clearly and simply.
I am not sure if it is the copy that I received, but the pages pull out very easily.  This makes it easy to pull individual pages out in order to let your little artist create, and later display.

Recommendation:
If you have young children, and want to let them show their artistic side and learn a few things while doing so, this book will work for you.   If you KNOW someone with young children this would make a great gift, along with some washable paints.

The Painting-In Book: 30 Paint and Play Activities
By: Anna Rumsby
Pages: 64
Geared for ages 3-5
Published by: Laurence King
Size: 14.56 x 10.29
Reviewed for: Raincoast Books.

Amazon.ca: The Painting-In Book: 30 Paint and Play Activities

Amazon.com: The Painting-In Book: 30 Paint and Play Activities

I Linked up at the Virtual Fridge this week. Good place to go to for Art Inspiration!

Love is the air… Love is found in picture books

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Ah…just think… February 14 is JUST around the corner.
People planning ways to have a special time with their loved ones.

It’s also a time of year when it is SO much fun to grab up a new picture book and share them with your littles…and if they are seasonal…..so much more the fun!  🙂

Today I would like to introduce you two delightful little books, given to me by Raincoast Books, for you to introduce to your littlest ones.

Love Is…
This delightful picture book by Diane Adams walks us through what love looks….using a young girl and her duckling.

The text is clear and simple, the illustrations so fitting.  It would be so much fun to sit with a young one and point out all the things that happen, to look for the duck, to see how this young one find a way to care for her charge.

Love is … all the ways that we care for each other… even to the point of missing our loved ones when they are gone, and the joy we have at their return.  Love is messiness and maturity, snuggles and loneliness.  Love is just so very much.  🙂

Love is all around Canada.
Ah…but love is INDEED found in Canada!!!   🙂

It is found in national parks, and provinces, caught sidling up to families having picnics, in bears held tight, and in listening to lonely friends.  Love is found in the smiles and helps that others offer.  Love is found everywhere you look in Canada… and as you know…. you can never have too much love.

An easy reading rhyme flows from beginning to end with many Canada attractions mentioned.

I love how this book points out all the ways and places love can be found.   The work that the illustrator did is simply marvellous, so many things to point out to a wondering, learning child.

Recommendation:

I would happily recommend both of these books.
Love is… it’s a cute story of a girl with her duck, and it parallels so well the love of a family for their child. 
Love is all around Canada: the delightful rhyme, the pictures, the Canadian content… it works.

The illustrators have done a fabulous job with both books, the writers in showing the importance of love and family.   It is what Valentine’s Day is all about right?   The love shown in families that broadens to the community around us.

 Amazon.ca: Love Is
Amazon.com: Love Is 
 Love Is
by Diane Adams
Illustrator: Claire Keane
Chronicle Books

9.58 x 7.67
32 pages
Ages 3-5

Amazon.ca: Love Is All Around Canada
Amazon.com: Love Is All Around Canada
Love is all around Canada
By Wendi Silvano
Illustrator: Joanna Czernichowska
Sourcebooks
11.08 x 8.75 
32 pages
Ages 4-10

Consonants

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Here’s a sheet to print off for finding the consonants vs. vowels. 🙂 and another by the same folks.

From TLSbooks comes Consonants worksheet and this one too.

Check out this website for free phonics materials which includes learning the consonants!

Kidzone has this page.

Phonicsworld has all kinds of pages.

Free Kindergarten worksheets.

Fun Fonix.

Free printable phonics worksheets, free printable activities, printable workbooks, and phonics worksheet makers from Fun Fonix.com.

Fun Fonix Intro: hard consonants and short vowels with writing practice for each letter

School Express this site has tons of stuff. Will take a while to go through it all.