Bats in the Air, Bats in My Hair

Bats? In my hair? That's right! At the Virginia Festival of the Book held in March, 2010, Grow Up with Books team members had the opportunity to meet a local author of children's books. Martha Hamlett of Lynchburg, Virginia wrote and published Bats in the Air, Bats in My Hair and has visited many schools and bookstores in Virginia to read her story and talk with kids about writing and publishing. Martha has written poems and stories for many years and used an event from her own childhood to create the story Bats in the Air, Bats in My Hair.

Before the school year ended I read this story to a group of second graders that visit my classroom for reading instruction. They loved the story! They were full of gasps and giggles as I read the parts about the nightime visitors. At the end they had many questions for the author, so we wrote them down. Martha Hamlett was gracious to share her answers with us at Grow Up with Books!

Author Martha Hamlett and her book Bats in the Air, Bats in My Hair.

Tysen: Is this a real story? Did this really happen?

Martha Hamlett: Yes. The idea for Bats in the Air, Bats in My Hair was taken from an event that happened to me at my own grandmother's house when I was about 8 years old. About 10 of my cousins and I decided to spend the night at my grandmother's house. She lived in a big, white house that had bedrooms on the second floor. It even came with a winding staircase and creaky steps! The girls stayed in one bedroom, the boys were across the large foyer in another bedroom. During the night some of us girls heard a noise and turned on the light. My cousin Deb was sleeping soundly on another bed. She had long hair that was streaming across the pillow. Well, we immediately saw a bat sitting tangled in her hair! Being girls we ran screaming across the hall to the boys room. Of course, they woke up. Now, 10 kids jumping on one old bed did not end well. The slats fell out, the mattress shifted, and we all ended up on the floor. My grandmother came up a bit upset with us all, put the bat outside, and made us all go back to bed. The girls had a hard time sleeping the rest of the night. We had the covers over our heads most of the time.

Jennifer: The grandma was funny hitting the bats! I liked the grandma!

MH: Thanks, Jennifer! The grandma was supposed to be a character that helps. I remember when I would get scared, especially in the middle of the night, I would always get comforted by my parents or grandparents.

Jacob: I like that you made the story a poem. Do you like to write poems?

MH: I love writing in rhyme. It is one of the hardest ways to write, especially if you are trying to sell your work to publishers. I started out writing poems when I was young.

Jennifer: There were rhyming words!

MH: Yes, the story has a simple rhyme. I rhymed the last words of the sentences.

Jayson: The pictures are cool. They kinda look like cartoons instead of regular book pictures. Did the drawer go to school to learn how to draw like that?

MH: Davey Morgan, the illustrator, majored in Visual Arts at Erksine College in Greenville, South Carolina. We both wanted the drawings to be colorful and grab the reader's attention. We tried to be different from other books on the market.

Jayson: Did you help him with ideas for the pictures or did he make it up by himself?

MH: Davey and I worked together on the pictures. I offered my ideas for each verse. I could see in my mind how I thought each verse should look. I wrote my thoughts out for Davey, and he took it from there. He added his own special touches throughout the book.

And later I read the book to my son Evan. Here is his question for the author:

Evan: The bats were funny! Did the illustrator know to put bats in the pictures on the wall, or was that part of your story?

MH: I agree-the bats were funny! I love the page where a bat named Jeff-E tried to hide from Sally and her grandmother by dressing up like a knight and hiding himself in the castle picture. Actually the illustrator added that to the story. We had the bats doing all kinds of strange things throughout the book. If you look closely, they would be jumping on the bed, trying on clothes, and even trying to brush their hair!

So, if you are looking for a funny story with a batty ending, check out Bats in the Air, Bats in My Hair at Grow Up with Books! This book will be available for rent or purchase on August 29th on our website, http://www.growupwithbooks.com/!

Connection ideas for Bats...

• Can you think of another animal that might visit you at night? What would the story be like if instead of a bat it might be an owl or a raccoon?


• Stories of things that happen to us when we are little are fun to read. Think about something that happened to you when you were younger. Can you write a poem about it?


• Visit http://42explore.com/night.htm for more information about bats and other creatures of the night.


• Martha started writing poems when she was young. She said that she wrote Bats... with rhyming words at the end of the sentences. Can you write some sentences about your favorite animal using rhyming words at the end?

We hope you will check out Bats in the Air, Bats in My Hair! And don't forget: Grow Up with Books members can still participate in our Summer Reading program. Reading logs are still being accepted, so be sure to return yours for a $10.00 gift card to Dairy Queen!!!!

Keep on reading!

Julie and the GUWB Team

Making the Most of Your Grow Up with Books Subscription!

At Grow Up with Books we want to help families foster the love of reading!  Families that sign up for a subscription with Grow Up with Books receive a lot more than just great books at the click of a mouse.  No matter what reading plan you choose, be sure to get the most out of your subscription by remembering  the following tips:

• Be sure to keep your book queue full!  That way we always have a list of what your family wants to read next.
  
• When you return books, be sure to go on to the Grow Up with Books website and click "order returned."  This allows us to go ahead and process your next order.  Your new books will go directly to the post office.  You will not have to wait as long for new titles!
• Read, Learn, and Return full orders, not partial ones.  We are unable to process your next order if all books are not returned in the handy postage-paid return mailer.
  
• Don’t forget…if your family loves a book and you want to keep it, you can! Visit the website and buy the book at a reduced cost.

Grow Up with Books also offers specialized services that you won't find anywhere else!

• When books are returned they are sanitized with a green cleaning product to help keep germs out.  The books you receive have been through this same process to help keep your family healthy!
  
• The Read TWO Experience helps your family know how to read the book-To your child, With your child, or on their Own. Each book is marked with this information to help guide you as a parent of a Seed, Sprout, Sapling, or Young Tree reader.
• Grow Up with Books has a Reading Consulting Team with nearly 40 years of classroom reading experience. If you have questions about ways to help your child's reading development or literacy in general, feel free to write us at rct@growupwithbooks.com.  We will provide timely personal feedback and reading tips to all our subscribers.
• All of our books are reviewed by the Reading Consulting Team and Connection Cards are created for each book.  These suggested activities help guide parents to foster a love of reading by helping children make connections between books and themselves, other books and the world.
• Don't forget...Grow Up with Books gift cards or gift subscriptions make great gifts for baby showers, birthdays, holidays-anytime is a great time to give Grow Up with Books!

We are pleased that we can offer these services to our subscribers.  We hope that all subscribers will participate in our Summer Reading Program "Score! Read with GUWB" and receive a $10 gift card to Dairy Queen.  We ask all subscribers to Reach-a-Reader and save $5 on next month's subscription by getting a friend to sign up for a Grow Up with Books monthly book plan. 

If you haven't signed up yet, what are you waiting for?  Look at all the benefits you will receive when you share the love of reading and experience Grow Up with Books!  Sign up today and join in the fun of

reading with your child!

"Cat"ch the World Cup Fever

What an exceptional World Cup this has been!  The GUWB Team has watched the US team through its ties, victories, and it's final loss.  However, the semi-final and final matches have yet to be played.  With that in mind, why not introduce your child to a simple chapter book entitled Soccer Cats: Switch Play! (by Matt Christopher)?  As a subscriber to GUWB, you can have it sent directly to your doorstep and add it to your GUWB Summer Reading Log.  Remember, when your family reads a total of 10 books, you're eligible for the $10 gift card to Dairy Queen. It's the perfect book to be read during these final days of World Cup excitement.  Continue to enjoy reading while you enjoy your summer!


Get reading!
The GUWB Team

What's on your checklist?

Today's Checklist...

1. Set clocks ahead an hour....DONE!

2. Check all of our smoke detectors...DONE!

3. Share a few recently added books to GUWB's selection...

That Girl Lucy Moon by Amy Timberlake (9-12 year olds)

Lucy Moon is the kind of girl who champions animal rights--during hunting season. She is the kind of girl who spots injustice and isn't afraid to fight it. But now that she’s in junior high, things have changed. The qualities that used to make Lucy

distinctive now just mark her as uncool. But when her latest cause lands her with a harsh detention sentence, a “bad influence” reputation, and a vandalized locker, Lucy begins to lose her verve. Can she stand up for her beliefs and survive junior high?

Just a Heads Up: Mature Content (Mother leaves family and Lucy lives with her detached father.)

Willow Buds #1: The Tale of Toad and Badger

by Mary Jane Begin (3-4 and 5-8 year olds)

Ever wonder what the characters in The Wind in the Willows did when they were young? Here is the tale of how Today and Badger’s friendship began. Many lessons can be learned from these two fellows.

Willow Buds #2: When Toady Met Ratty

by Mary Jane Begin (3-4 and 5-8 year olds)

Badger, Ratty, and Toady start to spend the day together by going fishing. They continue with a trip to the carnival. However, Toady has a hard time fishing and Ratty is not enjoying the carnival. Soon they begin to fight over Badger. Will these two be able to work together when Badger is in trouble and needs their help?

Busy Baby First 100 Words by Sarah Phillips

(0-2 and 3-4 year olds OR 5-8 year olds ESL)

A sweet and colorful look at 100 words for babies with real pictures for each one. This book is also good for early readers and children learning English as a second language.

Put GUWB on your "Checklist" and you can have these books (and many more) sent right to your mailbox, just like Netflix! Not only will the books come to you, connection ideas are put inside the books so that you can help your child get a deeper experience with amazing titles. Get a FREE trial month by using the code A64D9C when signing up! Check us out, give it a try...let us know your thoughts and how we can best serve you.

Happy reading!

The GUWB Team

Submitted by Lara Ivey

The Countdown is Underway!

Here comes Percy!



Ask any middle grade reader what February 12, 2010 is and more than likely they'll say..."The Lightning Thief movie comes out!" My son is one of those. I knew last month that it was soon, but he knew the exact date. He even asked me, "Hey Mom, you do know what Feb. 12th is, right?" To say that the excitement is building would be an understatement. This could be the next Harry Potter for a new generation. We may not be there for opening night, but you can be sure that this is one movie we'll see before it comes out on video!

In order to best be ready for this experience, consider reading the book prior to the viewing. We offer this title at Grow Up With Books along with exciting connection ideas. These ideas help the child make deeper connections with the characters, setting, problems, etc. Having a deeper understanding of the book will give your child a "one-of-a-kind" experience with the movie. You'll be able to see how the movie compares to the book. My son has already noted several differences just from the movie trailers that have been released.

Come to think of it, make the most of this movie...read the book WITH your child! If you haven't read it, you may find yourself as a Percy fan before it's all over.

Take a look at a couple of the connection ideas:

Author Connections: Rick Riordan
Games: Play the game Zeus on the Loose.
Cooking: Percy’s mom was known for always having BLUE food. See if you can invite some Percy Jackson fans over and serve BLUE snacks.
Additional Ideas: Check out this Percy Jackson party from Make It Do!

*Connection ideas are located on the inside of rented books. Check us out! Try GUWB for a free trial and enter 94DCD3 when registering.

Happy reading!
The GUWB Team
(submitted by Lara)

Read and Connect NOW!

Read NOW!

Today is when we will get our hands on the next installment of The 39 Clues series...Book 7: The Viper's Nest by Peter Lerangis. In order to best prepare yourself, read/re-read The 39 Clues Book 6: In Too Deep by Jude Watson. My son is re-reading it right now and can't wait to see what happens next to Dan and Amy in Book 7. Check out the GUWB summary AND the amazing connection ideas that truly bring life to the book! We'll have more connections for The Viper's Nest in the very near future.

GUWB's summary of Book 6:
Being careful not to be seen, “trust no one,” Dan and Amy take a clue from their parents and head to Australia. They are hoping to find unanswered questions from their long lost Uncle Shep about their parents’ last visit to “The Land Down Under.” Riding waves and escaping sharks is only the tip of the excitement that this 6th installment provides. The brother/sister team continues their quest to be the first to find all 39 clues and be “the most powerful people in the world.” Just a Heads Up: Mild Violence

Connect NOW!
Social Studies:
•See what National Geographic has to say about Coober Pedy, Australia and looking for opals.
•Check out Coober Pedy, Australia…it’s an underground town! Can you imagine?

Science:
•The Taipan snake was used in this story…learn more about it.

Cooking:
•Australia is known for their tasty treat called “lamingtons.” Nellie tried some in the story. Why not give the recipe a try…using cubes of yellow cake, chocolate, and coconut!

Enjoy!

The GUWB Team
submitted by Lara

Friday Features!

It's our FIRST official posting for Grow Up With Books (GUWB)! Our "Friday Features" this week will focus on several of the great titles we have to offer at our website. Also, we'd love to hear from you and what some of your favorites are during this time of year--from books to traditions and more.

While we offer many of the classics, including The Polar Express and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, you may not be so familiar with Berkeley Breathed's Red Ranger Came Calling. This famous Bloom County cartoonist has written a story that has become a holiday tradition in our house. It was told to Berkeley by his father and is set in the 1930s. Red Breathed, a nine-year-old boy, is losing his belief in the magic of the Christmas season and Santa. He has asked for a Red Ranger bicycle and on Christmas morning thinks that he has this whole "Santa thing" figured out when the bike isn't there. Or maybe it is and he just hasn't looked in the right place. Just like us. Maybe we aren't looking in the right place for the holiday spirit. What should we be looking for? Where should we look for it? This is a wonderful story to talk about the real "reason for the season" and what you can do as a family to spread the spirit of believing to those who may have lost it.


The second book I want to share is by an author known to many middle grade readers, Cornelia Funke. However, her holiday title, When Santa Fell to Earth, isn't so well-known. Similar to Seuss's Grinch, Gerold Geronimus Goblynch wants to stop the gift giving tradition. Niklas Goodfellow, the last real Santa, will use elves, angels, reindeer, and children who know how to still believe to do what he can to save Christmas. This story is one that could be read as a family for children who are in elementary school all the way to middle school kids reading it on their own. Being that it's a chapter book, what fun to read a chapter or two each night and come back for more later. Leaving your child "hanging with anticipation" is a great way to gain excitement with reading.

I'm not sure about your families, but our is filled with those traditions that we MUST do or else there will be trouble to pay. For Thanksgiving, it's family gathering at my parents' house wherever they happen to be living...sometimes 25+ people staying in one house for an entire weekend! Turkey Dijon soup is always made the day after Thanksgiving. Our children have come to know and love cutting down our Christmas tree at the tree farm. And don't forget opening one gift on Christmas Eve in anticipation of Christmas Day. Traditions are what make your family special. Traditions help to define who you are. In Louise Borden's Just in Time for Christmas, the same holds true. The Bryan family awaits their hundred-year-old tradition of making candy. This is a wonderful story to remind you of your own traditions as well as encourage your family to think about starting new ones.

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions? Do you have favorite holiday books as well? Leave us a comment...we'd love to hear from you!

*As a member of GUWB, you can have the above mentioned books mailed directly to your house and also receive the great connection ideas and activities that go along with them. Below is a sampling of what you might find on the Connection Cards inside our books. Feel free to contact the Reading Consulting Team directly for additional ideas and specifics on how to best use your GUWB subscription!

Red Ranger Came Calling
•Check out the real pictures that inspired the story!
•Learn more about the author, Berkeley Breathed.

When Santa Fell to Earth
•Learn more about gravity as well as potential and kinetic energy from Steve Spangler!
•Try one of these gingerbread recipes or cookie recipes for the holidays!

Just in Time for Christmas
•Talk about Great Gram and her memory. Even though she may not remember her grandchildren and great-grandchildren's names, she still loves them. Consider visiting or sending letters to relatives that you haven't seen in awhile.
•Take pictures while experiencing one of your family traditions. Turn those pictures into a book. As a family, write the story that goes with it!
•Try this "Cream Pull Candy (Taffy) Recipe," just like in the story. It may just become your next holiday tradition.

Happy Reading from GUWB!