Renee Carver's Blog

Posted by Renee Carver

June 5, 2009 is the anniversary of Richard Scarry's 90th birthday. This beloved children's author has been entertaining and teaching children (and parents!) for generations with his witty, thoughtful, and information-packed children's picture books.

In celebration of this special anniversary, Sterling Children's Books is organizing a 90-day A Very Scarry Summer event, offering a free Richard Scarry activity kit for download at their Web site and holding a sweepstakes for librarians and retailers, and inviting qualifying adults to share their best Richard Scarry moments (many will be published on the Web site for all to see).

Richard Scarry Books and Videos

To celebrate at home, families that are Richard Scarry fans can read his classic children's books, tracking down even the ones that are not currently in print. They can also watch animated shows based on his charming Busytown characters, from the Random House videos Richard Scarry's Best ABC Video Ever!, Richard Scarry's Best Counting Video Ever!, and Richard Scarry's Best Learning Songs Video Ever!, to the animated series The Busy World of Richard Scarry and Hurray for Huckle! (Busytown Mysteries).

Happy Birthday, Richard Scarry!

Posted by Renee Carver

Singing star and actress Beyoncé Knowles will appear as a special guest in a week's worth of new episodes of the popular Nick Jr. preschool show Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!, leading up to the premiere of an all-new Wubb Idol special on Friday, May 1, 2009.

The Grammy-winning singer will star as Shine, a member of the girls group the Wubb Girlz (similar, of course, to Destiny's Child!). Special episodes with the Wubb Girlz will air as part of a "Wow! Wow!" celebration April 27 to April 30 at 10 a.m. (ET/PT) on Nick Jr.

During her appearances in Wuzzleburg and Wuzzlewood, Beyoncé will debut and perform her new original tune, "Sing a Song."

Fans of Beyoncé and Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! can continue the fun of Wubb Idol by visiting the Nick Jr. Web site to play a new interactive game, "The Great Microphone Hunt."

Kids can find out what happens during Wubbzy's journey from Wuzzleburg to Wuzzlewood in the all-new one-hour Wubb Idol special starring Beyoncé Knowles, airing:

• Friday, May 1, at 1 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nick Jr. (special premiere)
• Sunday, May 3, at 7 pm. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon's NOGGIN (primetime debut)

To find out all the latest news about Wow! Wow! Wubbzy, Nick Jr. fans can (with their parents' help and supervision) visit the new Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! Facebook page.

Posted by Renee Carver

As part of a celebration of Earth Day 2009 (April 22), preschoolers, kids, and tweens can learn about conserving water and power, recycling, green living, natural resources, and other Earth-friendly topics by watching green-themed episodes of their favorite Playhouse Disney and Disney Channel kids' tv shows and sitcoms.

Playhouse Disney Shows Earth Day Episodes and Schedules

Upcoming Earth Day-themed episodes of popular Playhouse Disney shows include:

• A new episode of Special Agent Oso, premiering on Saturday, April 18th, at 8 a.m. ET/PT (and repeating on Earth Day, April 22nd). In Dr. Off, Oso learns about the importance of conserving resources like power and water.
• Two new Handy Manny episodes premiering (on tv) on Saturday, April 18th, at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. ET/PT (and repeating on Earth Day, April 22nd). Arbor Day will teach about trees, and Home Sweet Home/Jackie's Old Shed will teach about recycling.

Disney Channel Shows Earth Day Episodes and Schedules

Upcoming Earth Day-themed episodes of popular Disney channel shows for tweens include:

• A new episode of The Suite Life on Deck, premiering on Friday, April 17th, at 8 p.m. ET/PT (and repeating on Earth Day, April 22nd). In Splash and Trash, Cody tries to convince others to live a green lifestyle.
• A new episode of Wizards of Waverly Place, premiering on Sunday, April 19th, at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT (and repeating on Earth Day, April 22nd). In Don't Rain on Justin's Parade - Earth, Justin learns respect for Mother Nature and natural resources.

As part of its Earth Day programming, the Disney Channel will also broadcast encore presentations of green-themed episodes from popular tween shows like Phineas and Ferb (The Lake Nose Monster) and Hannah Montana (Would I Lie to You, Lilly?).

Eco-conscious kids may also enjoy the green-themed environmentally friendly children's shows being shown as part of the Earth Day PBS Kids® and PBS Kids® GO! programming or as part of the Earth Day Nickelodeon and Noggin programming.

Posted by Renee Carver

On Earth Day 2009 (April 22), children can learn about recycling, pollution, conserving energy, the importance of taking care of the environment, and other Earth-friendly topics by watching green-themed episodes of their favorite Nickelodeon and Noggin children's television shows.

Nickelodeon Earth Day Programming Schedule

Eco-friendly episodes of popular Nickelodeon shows to be broadcast on April 22, 2009 include:

• Save the Raccoon from The Wonder Pets!, about how people can reuse recycled materials to make new things.
• Olivia Helps Mother Nature from Olivia, in which Olivia is determined to recycle, cut down on waste, and conserve energy, but must persuade Ian to save energy by turning out the light.
• Save the Wuzzly (about preserving land and stopping overdevelopment) and All Bottled Up (about reusing and recycling products – specifically, bottles) from Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!
• iGo Green from iCarly, in which Carly learns how to go green as part of an environmentally conscious science project.
• True Intrigue from True Jackson, VP, with a plot about an environmentally friendly fabric.

Noggin's Earth Day Programming Schedule

Earth Day-themed episodes of popular Noggin shows to be broadcast on April 22, 2009 include:

• Recycle Cycle (about pollution) and Being Green (about living green) from Toot & Puddle.
• Green from Yo Gabba Gabba! about caring for the environment by taking care of plants, cleaning up the Earth, and saving resources.
• Loch Mess Monster from Pinky Dinky Doo about pollution.

Nickelodeon Earth Day Events

• On Sunday, April 19th, at 9 p.m. ET/PT, Nick News with Linda Ellerbee will broadcast "A Kid Off the Grid" about families with children living in energy self-sufficient households (not dependent on the power grid of electricity).
• On Wednesday, April 22nd, at 9 p.m. ET/PT, Nickelodeon, Noggin, and the N will all "Power Down" for 60 seconds and ask kids to turn off their own lights for 60 seconds as well.

Eco-conscious preschoolers, kids, and tweens may also enjoy the green-themed environmentally friendly children's shows being shown as part of the PBS Kids® and PBS Kids® GO! Earth Day programming or part of the Playhouse Disney and Disney Channel Earth Day programming.

Posted by Renee Carver

To celebrate Earth Day 2009 (April 22), kids can learn about conservation, recycling, natural resources, and other eco-friendly topics by watching green-themed episodes of their favorite PBS children's television shows. PBS Kids® and PBS Kids® GO! will host the fourth annual “PBS Kids® Share the Earth Day."

PBS Kids® Earth Day Programming Schedule for Preschoolers

Earth Day-themed episodes of popular PBS Kids® shows for preschoolers to be broadcast on April 22, 2009 (check local listings for times) include:

• Two new episodes of Curious George – Night of the Weiner Dog and the Earth-friendly episode Animal Tracker (George wants to take a picture of a spectacular wild animal for the Nature Week exhibit).
• An Earth Day-themed episode of Sid the Science Kid, The Dirt on Dirt, in which Sid and his friends explore and discover why dirt is an important natural resource to Earth.
• The Earth Day Super WHY! episode Tiddalick the Frog, in which the Super Readers enter the story of a water-wasting frog to discover the answer to the super big problem of why water conservation is important. Kids interested in learning more about the importance of water conservation can try some Tiddalick the Frog activities related to this episode, read different versions of Tiddalik the Thirsty Frog (the original Australian folktale), or even (with a parent's help) try a Tiddalik the Frog water conservation lesson plan and a reading lesson about comparing and contrasting different versions of Tiddalik the Frog.
• Two episodes of Clifford the Big Red Dog – Captain Birdwell's Treasure and the green-themed Doggie Garden, in which different members of the community work together to plant different kinds of gardens.
• Two plant-themed episodes of It's a Big Big World – World Tree Day (all the characters find different ways to do nice things to care for the World Tree) and World Tree Cuisine (the community draws together to celebrate the World Tree's birthday).
• Two animal-themed episodes of Barney & Friends – Rabbits and Ducks and Fish.

PBS Kids® GO! Earth Day Programming Schedule for Early Elementary School Kids

Earth Day-themed episodes of popular PBS Kids® GO! shows for early elementary school kids to be broadcast on April 22, 2009 (check local listings for times) include:

• Two new episodes of Arthur – Mei Lin Takes a Stand and an episode about people's dependence on power, The Blackout, in which a blackout leaves Arthur and his community without electricity.
• A new episode of Cyberchase, The X-Factor, in which the characters learn about some causes and effects of pollution.
• The Maya & Miguel episode Every Day Is Earth Day, in which the kids try to create a community garden for a school Earth Day project.

Online PBS Kids® Earth Day Activities

Children can visit an Earth Day channel at the new PBS Kids® GO! video player online and learn about how characters from Arthur, The Greens, Design Squad, and Maya & Miguel care for the Earth. Kids can also try fun eco-friendly activities at the PBS Kids® and PBS Kids® GO! Web sites.

Eco-conscious kids may also enjoy the green-themed environmentally friendly children's shows being shown as part of the Earth Day Nickelodeon and Noggin programming or part of the Playhouse Disney and Disney Channel Earth Day programming.

Posted by Renee Carver

If parents did not grow up watching classic Easter television specials or were too old when certain newer Easter-themed television shows were released, it can be difficult to know how to find good Easter cartoons for kids. The following reviews examine which Easter holiday specials are most appropriate for children, which teach lessons about religion and/or springtime, which hold up under repeated viewings, and which are best-suited for younger or older children.

Preschool children will enjoy family-friendly Easter episodes from their favorite cartoon shows. For more information, check out reviews of Dora Egg Hunt (an Easter episode about cascarones from the Nick Jr. preschool cartoon show Dora the Explorer), Madeline and the Easter Bonnet (an Easter episode from the sweet Madeline cartoon series based on the Ludwig Bemelmans Madeline books), and Max's Chocolate Chicken and the Easter with Max & Ruby DVD (all Easter episodes from the Nick Jr. preschool cartoon show Max & Ruby, based on the Max books by Rosemary Wells).

Families seeking classic Easter specials that are appropriate for the whole family (at least, for the most part) can find out more information by reading reviews of the Animagic Rankin/Bass Easter special Here Comes Peter Cottontail, its recent computer-animated sequel Here Comes Peter Cottontail: The Movie, and the Animagic Rankin/Bass Easter special The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town.

Animated Easter specials based on popular cartoon characters will provide good entertainment for slightly older children. Find out more information by reading reviews of Baby Looney Tunes' Eggs-Traordinary Adventure (starring baby versions of classic Looney Tunes characters), The Easter Chipmunk (starring Alvin and the Chipmunks), and Yogi the Easter Bear (starring the classic Hanna-Barbera characters Yogi Bear and Boo Boo Bear).

Religious families who want to find an entertaining Easter cartoon that also teaches the Christian meaning of Easter and provides information about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus can read more about VeggieTales An Easter Carol.

For other Easter holiday specials that families may enjoy, check out a review of The Great Easter Egg Hunt (a cartoon Easter special that is no classic, but that does provide some nice family-friendly entertainment) and a review of Will Vinton's A Claymation Easter (which is well-animated but appropriate only for older children).

Parents may also care to check out some ideas for celebrating Easter, including suggestions for creative, unique Easter basket gifts and fun Easter baking activities.

Posted by Renee Carver

Instead of wasting money on plastic trinkets that will break or get thrown away soon after Easter passes, invest in a spring and summer of family fun by selecting Easter gifts that kids can play and learn with in spring, summer, and all year round.

Unique Easter Basket Gifts

For example, children interested in planting a garden this spring will benefit from an Easter gift basket full of Easter basket stuffers like kids' gardening kits and tools. Kids who enjoy studying wildlife and nature will enjoy Easter gifts like educational nature and science toys such as animal kits and insect kits. And children who enjoy baking as a spring craft activity will like Easter presents of spring-themed kids' baking sets, kids' bakeware, and cookie decorating supplies.

Easy and Fun Easter Cookie Recipes

Once child chefs have kitchens stocked with kid-sized baking utensils, they will enjoy using a honey shortbread cookie recipe to make unique Easter cookies like Easter Egg Puzzle Cookies or an Easter Bunny Hutch Cookie House.

Celebrating Easter – Ideas for Catholic Families

Catholic parents can check out ideas for recommended children's religious books or other Catholic children's gifts (such as prayer items, Catholic jewelry, or Christian toys) to use as Easter basket fillers.

Easter Activities for Kids

Parents can choose unique Easter eggs for Easter egg hunts. And of course one of the most treasured and traditional Easter activities is eating candy! Parents can find out where to find the best online sites to buy Easter candy. Families may also enjoy watching fun, appropriate Easter cartoon specials together, so check out some reviews of some of the best animated Easter specials.

Happy Easter!

Posted by Renee Carver

Around St. Patrick's Day (March 17th), or at any time of the year when teaching an Irish folktale unit or a theme unit on folk tales in general, parents and elementary teachers can use picture book versions of Irish folk tales to teach basic reading comprehension skills.

For example:

• Use Jamie O'Rourke and the Pooka by Tomie dePaola to teach characterization and author's craft, analyzing both a character's personality and actions and the methods the author uses to create the character.
• Use Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato by Tomie dePaola to teach cause and effect and how to identify cause and effect relationships.
• Use The Hungry Leprechaun by Mary Calhoun to teach how to identify and analyze genre, specifically looking at the text structure and characteristics of texts that belong to the genre of folktale.
• Use A Fine St. Patrick's Day by Susan Wojciechowski to teach how to identify and analyze a story's theme.
• Use St. Patrick's Day in the Morning byEve Bunting to teach how to compare and contrast the literary elements of plot, character, and setting.
• Use Harp o' Gold by Teresa Bateman and The Leprechaun's Gold by Pamela Duncan Edwards to teach how to make text-to-text connections and compare and contrast two folktales.
• Use Leprechaun Gold by Teresa Bateman to teach how to make inferences.
• Use Too Many Leprechauns by Stephen Krensky to teach how to make and check predictions.

Parents and elementary teachers can also check out recommended leprechaun folktale picture books to use as fun St. Patrick's Day read-alouds or recommended St. Patrick's Day picture books that tell about the history of this Irish holiday and how people celebrate it.

For further learning, students can write a field guide to leprechauns as part of a St. Patrick's Day writing lesson plan or use shamrock manipulatives in elementary math activities.

Parents and teachers can also read articles about ideas for refreshments to serve at and suggestions for decorations and activities for a St. Patrick's Day party.

Posted by Renee Carver

At first glance, the five small books found in Kevin Henkes's boxed set A Box of Treats might seem to appeal only to babies, toddlers, and preschool children. However, the plots and characters are sophisticated enough to capture the interest of older children, and each book can also act as the focus for a content-area lesson plan for Kindergartners, first graders, or even second graders.

The books in the set are linked because each book takes place on a different holiday and centers on the fate of a different treat. Sheila Rae's Peppermint Stick [HarperFestival, 2001] narrates how Sheila Rae comes to share her Christmas peppermint stick with her younger sister, Louise. Julius's Candy Corn [HarperFestival, 2003] tells what happens to the candy decorations on some Halloween party cupcakes. Owen's Marshmallow Chick [HarperFestival, 2003] portrays how Owen bonds with a special candy chick from his Easter basket. Wemberly's Ice-Cream Star [HarperFestival, 2003] describes how Wemberly cleverly solves the problem of how to share a Fourth of July ice-cream treat. Lilly's Chocolate Heart [HarperFestival, 2004] explains how Lilly finds the perfect place to store a Valentine's Day treat.

For more information about the specific themes found in each book, see my book review of A Box of Treats.

Kindergarten teachers and parents of Kindergartners can use:

• Owen's Marshmallow Chick in a math lesson to teach how to match and sort objects by color.
• Julius's Candy Corn in a math lesson to teach subtraction.

Elementary teachers and parents of elementary students can use:

• Sheila Rae's Peppermint Stick in a math lesson to teach fractions and division.
• Sheila Rae's Peppermint Stick in a writing lesson to teach how to use adjectives in descriptive writing that appeals to the five senses.
• Lilly's Chocolate Heart in a writing lesson to teach how to write with prepositional phrases and adjectives to describe locations.
• Wemberly's Ice-Cream Star in a science lesson to teach how matter changes states from a solid to a liquid.