Imagine Childhood : Magic & Memories That Last a Lifetime

... tell me a story: pippa and pelle + a giveaway!

Meet dear sweet Pippa and Pelle, two gnomes that live in a warm and cozy home.

In the winter months, Pippa and Pelle play outside in the snow, learning how their friends stay warm.

As the summer months come along, Pippa and Pelle can be found enjoying the warm sunshine, and filling their bellies with berries.

 They also love to tend their garden and learn about where their forest friends live.

It's no secret that we are big fans of Daniela Drescher. Her fairy series is utterly enchanting, filled with beautifully saturated illustrations and sweet stories. So when I came across Pippa and Pelle, it was like meeting an old friend. These board books tell simpler stories, but with the same sweet and effortless tone, while the illustrations remain true to Drescher's lyrical style.

Yes they are just board books, but for the littlest explorer, they are the perfect jumping off point for busy imaginations and inquisitive minds. Which is why we think one of you lucky readers should have not one, but both Pippa and Pelle in the Winter Snow and Pippa and Pelle!

To enter to win a copy of Pippa and Pelle in the Winter Snow And Pippa and Pelle simply leave a comment on this blog by Wednesday January 27th at 9am MST. The winner will be chosen by the lovely Random Number Generator and announced later that day. 

 

And the winner is... Robynn who wrote:

"These look like such sweet books and I am sure my granddaughter would love them. Thank you for the opportunity."

 

Thank you to everyone who participated! 

 

~ Jordan

... tell me a story: all hallows eve stories + a giveaway!

All Hallows Eve is fast approaching and we couldn't think of a better way to build the excitement than with a few good ghost stories. So curl up with a spooky story ( flashlight in hand) and get ready to hide under the blankets!

We just love this time of year... the lighting of lanterns and carving of pumpkins to bring light into the ever growing dark. It's magical and spooky all at the same time. So to help celebrate we are pulled together our favorite titles and a few new ones to send good chill up your spine!

The Dark: For all those little ones who find the dark just a little bit scary, and for big kids too.... what if the dark meant more than the absence of light? What if the dark were someone? Laszlo, dressed in blue footie pajamas, his hair precisely parted, is afraid of the dark, and thinks precisely that. For Laszlo the dark mostly lives in the basement, but one night, when his night-light fails, it arrives in Laszlo’s room. Filled with wonderful illustrations and delightfully spooky narrative, The Dark is the perfect bedtime read.

Dragon Feathers: Vivid colors, strange and wonderful creatures, and that hat! Brilliantly and gloriously illustrated, Dragon Feathers is the story of one young man's journey to win the heart of the maiden he loves, with lots of adventures and wit thrown in for good measure. The illustrations alone make this book one for the home library.

Shadow: Sometimes, when just the right amount of light hits a vacuum cleaner, it can transform in to elephant...shadows are a magical thing that transform ordinary objects into a wild world of adventure and curiosity in this picture book by Suzy Lee. Using only charcoal drawings to convey her story, Shadow takes a little imagination a long way.

Pumpkin Jack: The time of All Hallows Eve brings with it many of fun traditions, non more so than the carving of Jack-O-Lanterns! Follow along with Tim and he see what happens to his pumpkin, Jack after the holiday has ended. Instead of throwing Jack away, Tim places him in the garden and lets nature take its course. When spring arrives new shoots sprout from the ground, and by fall Tim has plenty of pumpkins to share with all his friends!

Merlina: It's harvest time, and Merlina the little sorceress and Igor the dragon are busy gathering fruit and vegetables from their garden. When Igor stand on a sharp thron, can Merlina find the right spell to make his toe better? Autumn is full of colorful magic, and so is the story of Merlina and the Magic Spell, written and illustrated by Daniela Drescher. 

Zen Ghosts: The crunch of fallen leaves, crisp cool weather, the warm glow of Jack-o-lanterns all mean one thing, Halloween. And nothing goes better with Halloween, then a good ghost story. Zen Ghosts by Jon J Muth is just that. Part fun and whimsy, part mystery and suspense, Zen Ghosts gets the goosebumps going while keeping the scary dreams at bay. 

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: A proper introduction to the world of spook, this version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow stays true to the original, harrowing readers with the tale of the Headless Horseman and Ichabod Crane. This retelling is also enhanced by brooding, fitting folk-art illustrations. Includes other short stories by Washington Irving, including Rip van Winkle.

Day of the Dead Sugar Skull Coloring Book: Color in these wonderful icons from one of the worlds most festive holidays. This creative coloring book provides insightful information on the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) along with ten original sugar skull coloring pages and one blank skull template that can be customized by the artist. Originally developed as an anatomy and social studies lesson for teachers, the coloring book includes a child size 4' skeleton that can be torn out, colored in and assembled to make decorations for Dia de los Muertos or Halloween. All the major bones of the skeleton are labeled, so children will learn the names of the bones and how they fit together.

Where the Wild Things Are: In this Caldecott Medal winner. Max, a wild and naughty boy, is sent to bed without his supper by his exhausted mother. In his room, he imagines sailing far away to a land of Wild Things. Instead of eating him, the Wild Things make Max their king. This special commemorative edition celebrates 40 years of Sendak's classic tale.

 

To help celebrate the wonder and the spookiness we are giving you lovely people readers choice! That's right, for this book giveaway we are letting you choose your favorite!

Simply mention your favorite title from the selection above in the comments section and if the lovely Random Number Generator picks you, that's the book you will get! Enter from now until Wednesday October 28th at 10am MST and we'll do our best to get the book to you  in time for Halloween!

 

Good Luck Everyone!!!

 

~ Jordan

... tell me a story: how to teach your children shakespeare + a giveaway!

 I honestly cannot believe it took me this long to find this book. Pass judgment if you like, but I'm a bit of a Shakespeare geek.

 This book right here (above) is responsible for my introduction to and love of his words. I remember sinking into one of my parents down stuffed chairs (you know, the old fashioned fancy living room kind), bored as could be on a rainy afternoon and flipping through the pages. Twelfth Night was the play I settled on, and to this day it's still my favorite.

 So you can imagine my happy dance when I discovered this little gem. Well written, knowledgeable, and best of all, accessible. How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare is a fantastic addition to any library.

 But that's not really the point of the book. Yes, it's great. But this book brings up to the surface an aspect of education that seems to be falling through the cracks, memorization. I mean what's the point these days? You can just look it up on your smart phone. Well, obviously there is a point. The focus and attention it takes to memorize a piece of text as complex as Shakespeare is the same as it takes to succeed in any academic realm. So why not start early? 

Author Ken Ludwig believes that memorization is the best way to learn the text of one of the greatest writers the world has ever known. Not only that, but learning Shakespeare as a child instills a foundation in analytic thought and gives little ones cultural references that will last a lifetime. Lastly, this is a book that parents and children are meant to read together. It's time well spent learning from each other, and really, what's better than that?

 

Which is why we want one of you lovely readers to have a copy! To win a copy of How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, simply leave a comment on this post by Thursday, October 15th at 10am. The winner will be chosen by the lovely Random Number Generator and announced later that day.

 

And the winner is Aaren who wrote:

 

"Wow! This looks so cool!"

 

Thank you to everyone who participated!

 

 

 

~ Jordan

... tell me a story: on a beam of light + a giveaway

 This is one of my favorite stories, and I'm happy to say that Jennifer Berne and and Vladimir Badunsky have done a wonderful job telling it.

 It never ceases to amaze me what the smallest of things, gestures, encouragement can do for a kid. In the case of our protagonist, a simple compass with its magnetic needle unlocked a world and a stream of questions we are still trying to answer.

 That simple act of giving from father to son, brought us insight into realms we never thought possible.

 And introduced us to the magic, wonder, curiosity, and most importantly the imagination of Albert Einstein. On a Beam of Light is a wonderful introduction to the life and work of this legendary genius for young readers.

For starters, the illustrations are whimsical and line based, leaving plenty of room to see further into the story. Next up, the writing doesn't skimp on terminology and facts, so be prepared to look into the subject matter further. But that isn't a bad thing. In fact it makes the reader do what Einstein loved most, ask more questions!

This book really hit home for because the story ties together so much of what I love about writing these posts and working for Imagine Childhood. This book is about imagination, curiosity, exploration, the beauty of this great big world we live in, and the drive to keep asking questions. It's about the little things in the big picture, and how they all come together to create and inspire. It's everyday magic.

Which is why one of you lovely peoples should have a copy!

 For a chance to win a copy of On a Beam of Light, simply leave a comment on this post by 8am MST Wednesday September 16th. The winner will be chosen by random number and announced later that day.

 

And the winner is Kristen who wrote:

 

"I would love to have this book :)"

 

Thank you to everyone who participated!

 

 

~ Jordan

... tell me a story: back to school books

For many out there, school has just begun. And what a whirlwind it's been! It seems like just yesterday that we were clamoring for sunny summer days full of exploration. We had a great summer here at Imagine Childhood. We climbed a few mountains, set off on some amazing trails, swam in rivers and felt the sand between our toes. It really is hard to see it come to an end.

But with those adventures behind us, it's time to hunker down and fully embrace the wonder and magic that is the school year. So we pulled together a few of our favorite Back-to-School Books that we know will bring all that exploring, rock-turning, flower marveling, cloud watching, and adventuring into sharp focus. Enjoy!

 

Back to School Books:

The Write Start:Creative concepts, insightful words and fun activities all come together in this delightful creative writing book. Perfect for the budding authors in your life.

Make Map Art: Cartographers rejoice! This creative tool kit includes everything map lovers need to create custom frame-worthy map art. The instructional booklet includes projects ranging from personalized party invitations to a road map to happiness, all easily crafted from the fill-in map templates, legends, and icons included. Plus a bonus poster-size world map for charting global destinations!

The Nature Connection: There is no question that the outdoors is the best place to be, make the most of your adventures with this fun and interactive nature workbook! Lifetime naturalist and artist Clare Walker Leslie has been igniting kids curiosity around nature for decades. Combining directed observational activities with field notes and journaling, her unique approach nurtures for the next generation of nature lovers and environmentalists.

A Little History of the World: A Little History of the World presents a lively and involving history of the world for young readers. Superbly designed and freshly illustrated, this is a necessary book for everyone's library. In forty concise chapters, Gombrich tells the story of man from the stone age onward. In between emerges a colorful picture of wars and conquests, grand works of art, and the spread and limitations of science. This is a text dominated not by dates and facts, but by the sweep of mankind’s experience across the centuries.

Painting with Children: The Stimulation of active imagination and creativity is a vital factor in a child's development. This essential practical guide for parents and teachers, filled with colorful examples, shows that painting with children is more than just a form of self-expression. It contains sections on the moral effects of color, experiencing colors, preparation, color stories and poems, panting with plant colors, painting the moods and seasons of nature, and more.

The Elements: To say we love The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe would be a gross understatement. This gorgeous book is just as cool as the subject matter, well almost (seriously what's cooler than The Periodic Table of the Elements?). Visual learners will have a field day with the well represented history and uses of each element. While the truly scientific at heart will appreciate the concise language, clear descriptions, and logical layout and explanation of each element of the periodic table. And for the completely unscientifically inclined, this book is just plain cool. Our world is an amazing and wonder-filled place, and this book does a great job explaining all the different components that come together to make it that way.

Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments: Stinky smells and pretty colors are all fun and good, but for the real science buffs out there, this book is a treat.  This one-of-a-kind guide explains how to set up and use a home chemistry lab, with step-by-step instructions for conducting experiments in basic chemistry. With plenty of full-color illustrations and photos, the Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments offers introductory level sessions suitable for a middle school or first-year high school chemistry laboratory course.

Secrets of Mental Math: Whether you are a math wiz, or struggle to do basic arrhythmic in your head, this is book is wizard! And by wizard we me genius! Thoughtfully explained math principals combine with easy to learn calculation techniques to produce competence and confidence in mental math. Learn to quickly multiply and divide triple digits, compute with fractions, and determine squares, cubes, and roots without blinking an eye. Amaze your friends and yourself with the skills and math tricks the Secrets of Mental Math will teach you.

Imagine Childhood: For children, potential is limitless, curiosity is an electrical current, and every moment is open to the possibility of the unexpected. Day-to-day life is filled with adventure. Road blocks are invitations to try new routes. And the world is vast and expansive. This book is a celebration of childhood through the crafts and activities that invite wonder and play. The twenty-five projects and activities in this book are meant to speak to the way children engage with the world. These projects are not about what is produced in the end (although that part is fun too) but rather they are stepping-off points—activities that spark curiosity, an adventure, or an investigation. They’re about the process of getting there. They’re about the conversations that happen while making things together. They’re about getting to know the world inch by inch. They’re about exploring imaginary universes and running through real forests. They’re about living in childhood . . . regardless of your actual age. They’re about being a kid.

Plays Children Love: A favorite of students, teachers, parents, and dramatists for decades, this lovely collection of twenty Plays Children Love will keep little ones entertained for hours. Among the favorites collected here: Charlotte's Web, The Wizard of Oz, Treasure Island, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

Molecules: We are all connected! Just like it's predecessor, The Elements, Molecules is filled with stunning photos and heaps of fascinating information. Visual learners will have a field day with engaging photos. While the truly scientific at heart will appreciate the concise language, clear descriptions, and logical progression and explanation of so many fascinating molecules. And for the completely unscientifically inclined, this book is just plain cool! Our world is an amazing and wonder-filled place, and this book does a great job explaining all the different components that come together to make it that way.

 

Happy Reading!

 

~ i.c.

 

* Last time in Tell Me a Story: The Story of Buildings + a Giveaway!